The Wedding

Chapter 7: A Moment of Peace

Catra's POV

We arrive at the Frightzone. The whole morning and walk over here was silent. Glimmer and Bow arrived at the end of what happened and seem to be too afraid to talk to me. Adora has been trying hard to be supportive, but right now I just want to be left alone. Melog keeps pushing me to tell Adora and has been going up to Adora every now and then to brush up on her making sure she knows I'm not mad at her. 

"Hey guys!" Scorpia runs up to us and hugs us all. "Don't forget that I'm a hugger!"

"That's not something that can be forgotten. Let go of me!" I wiggle my way free and look away from everyone. 

"Greetings!" Wrong-Hordak chimes in and winks at us. He still hasn't learned what winking means, but he seems to really enjoy it. "Hordak and Entrapta are busy building and creating machines to help rebuild and reshape the Frightzone." 

"Yeah it looks like there's a good ways to go still." Glimmer says as shes taking in the sight of the construction zone. 

"I don't think anything can make this place look any better." I mumbled low enough so no one could hear. 

I dread this place. Hate it in fact. It makes my skin crawl and fur stand up on edge. Memories of all the bad things I have done in the past start to flood my mind. I tear up and clench my fists until a little blood is drawn. 

I walk away from the group without anyone noticing except Melog. They notice everything. I find myself sitting on top of a tall building just overlooking the horizon and the wasteland that is the Frightzone. There is a ton of construction equipment tearing down old buildings and building new buildings in a more modern style. 

I start clawing, tearing, and kicking things around the roof of the tall building in frustration. I'm yelling and screaming at the top of my lungs letting my frustration out. "UGH!" I kick a bottle hard and it goes flying off the roof into the distance. "I just want to be normal again." I say in defeat and exhaustion slumping back down to the floor. 

I stay up there for what feels like forever until I am met with the sounds of footsteps. I don't even bother to look who it is. I don't care. The figure takes a seat next to me. I still don't look to see who it is; we just sit there in silence for awhile. 

"It's beautiful isn't it." The voice was from the least person I suspected: Hordak. 

"What would you know? You tried destroying it all." I hissed back at him. 

"Yes, yes I did. I was foolish in my ways. You all helped me see that, especially Entrapta. After Horde Prime had me go in the green pool I thought I lost myself. I could no longer tell what was real and what wasn't. I couldn't even separate my thoughts from those of others. I didn't have any original thoughts anymore. I wasn't me, just another brother. Seeing you kept bringing memories back into my mind. I couldn't tell if they were real or not. As quickly as I realized they were real they would vanish and once again I'd be mindless. I can't even escape him in my sleep. I still struggle with it all to this day--figuring out what is real and what isn't. If this is just another cruel trick by Prime. But, each day I am reminded that it is not. That the love I have for this planet and others is real. Everyday I feel something: pain, hurt, love, and sometimes even happiness. Every time I feel something I know that all this is real. I even find joy in feeling pain because it reminds me that I am no longer another minion to Prime, that I am free. You too are free Catra. I know in the past I mistreated you and did nothing about Shadow Weaver. I hope you can forgive me."

I'm still sitting there in silence. Hordak takes a deep breath and lets it out, "You know, that was the first time I said any of that out loud. I've never told anyone about my struggles. I never thought anyone would understand. It feels really good to let it out, I feel as if a weight is lifted off my shoulders and that I might actually get sleep tonight. Talking might help you too Catra. I know you didn't see me when you arrived, but I saw you and saw the look on your face. It is the same look I have."  

I look over at him in disbelief. "I didn't know you suffered either. I thought I was alone." 

He puts his hand on my shoulder. "You are never alone Catra. You have your friends and most importantly you have Adora. I have seen the way she cares for you since you two were children running through the halls. I always thought you two were good for each other and that you would make for great life partners." He starts to stand up, "If you ever need to talk though I am here." 

He walks away. I am still standing on the rooftop taking in what happened. I didn't know Hordak was going through all that, he was always so stoic all the time. He is struggling just as much as I am. 

I stand up and make my way down the building. I need to find Adora and tell her. She of all people deserve to know. I am met with Melog at the bottom and they lead me to Adora. 

"Hey Adora," I say looking down. "Can I talk to you?"

A/N I hope you all enjoyed. I thought it would be special to have a fatherly moment between Hordak and Catra. After all they went through similar situations. It would be tough to not have some form of PTSD after all that.