Catra's Redemption

Chapter 10

When Catra heard the voices outside her cell, she was convinced she was hallucinating again. This was why she did not react when her door was unlocked and she saw three very colourful people standing there. The shortest one (a blond haired dark-skinned girl in a white, red and yellow outfit) spoke first:

"Who are you?" Catra did not move and simply laughed at them. When she felt she had made them suitably uncomfortable, she finally replied:

"Who am I? That's a good question. Last time I checked, I was a general of Horde Prime's army. Before that, I led the Horde on Etheria. I guess I must be the bad guy who is finally getting what she deserves." She then leaned back and closed her eyes. That usually worked to get rid of the hallucinations. Then the other girl (a tall pink-haired dark-skinned girl with a white, purple and blue outfit) suddenly spoke:

"Did you say Etheria?" Catra opened her eyes. Were this a real interaction? As the realization hit her, Catra's eyes went wide and she struggled to stand up.

"Yeah, I did" she said uncertainly. The two girls looked at each other and the third person (a dark-skinned boy with white hair and a spiky white, pink and purple outfit) then spoke:

"Does the name Angella mean anything to you?" Catra stared at them blankly. Then two decades of Horde propaganda posters re-surfaced in her mind.

"Do you mean Queen Angella? Glimmer's mom?" The short girl squealed and jabbed the boy in the ribs with her elbow.

"Ha! I told you they were related!" The tall girl then approached Catra and said:

"We're here to rescue her. Tell us where she is and you can come with us." Catra's eyes grew even wider. She then smirked:

"Right – because Horde Prime totally gave me a tour of this place." The boy then put his hand on the tall girl's shoulder.

"Tallstar, it's fine. She can come too." He then turned to Catra and said:

"We're going to go and save Angella. Tag along if you want - just don't get in the way." He and the short girl then ran down the corridor towards the exit. Tallstar followed them, giving Catra a suspicious glance as she did so.

Catra suddenly found herself standing alone in her unlocked cell. She took a deep breath and then muttered:

"Screw it." She stepped out of the cell and ran after them.

***

Everyone walked in silence through the maze of tunnels under Mystacor. Mermista had ultimately decided to come as well, as long as Sea Hawk stayed close beside her. He had instantly said yes, and they had all left soon after that.

As they walked, Glimmer and Bow tried to talk Adora out of her decision, but it was no use. She was drowning in guilt, and it was obvious she was mourning Catra's loss. There was no reasoning with her in this state.

As they entered the chamber with the failsafe, Glimmer reluctantly activated it with the words:

"We're friends of Mara." Adora then took a deep breath and stepped forward. As she did so, however, the room began to echo with Horde Prime's voice:

"Oh Adora, did you really think I let you go?" Everyone turned to see dozens of clones standing at the chamber's entrance. Adora gasped and immediately ran to get the failsafe. Horde Prime could not be allowed to destroy it!

***

As the odd group ran down the seemingly endless corridors of the prison, Catra was able to gather that the short girl was called Starla and that the boy was called Jewelstar. Their owl was called Glory, and they and Tallstar were the "Star Siblings."