She-Ra (Catradora)

Chapter 8

The two of them stood in front of the orphanage. "Are you sure this is it?" Adora nodded, "I'm sure of it." Adora started walking up to the door catra following behind. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK. You could hear kids shouting and running around inside. Adora knocked again. A young girl with jet black fur and light blue eyes opened the door, "Yes, what is it?" Adora was taken back a bit at how rude this girl was. "We were just looking for somewhere to stay and one of the people in town sai..." "Kenji! We have visitors!" The girl left and a boy with a ginger and white coat came to greet them. "Heya, what can I do for you." Adora smiled. "Well, we were just looking for somewhere to spend the night." "Of course, of course. Come in, come in." The boy was warm and bubbly. Catra and Adora stepped inside it was a massive hall with two rows of benches parallel to each other. To their left was a wooden staircase heading upstairs. "So where you guys coming from? My name's Kenji by the way." Adora spoke, "We've travelled from Brigh..." Two kids came running down the stairs screaming one chasing after the other. "Sorry for a moment. Kin! Rai! I catch you running down the stairs again your not getting bread with dinner! Sorry, you were saying." Adora smiled. "Don't worry about it, we've come from Bright Moon we actually came because we think that Catra," Adora gestured to her shy wife behind her, "might be from around here." Kenji looked at Catra. "Well if there was a better place to ask I wouldn't know. But we're gonna have to save questions till after as it's almost dinner time. Would you two mind helping?" Adora smiled happily, "Not at all."

At the back of the mess a massive pot with a ladle sticking out of it. The soup was bubbling away smells wafting from the pot filling the room. A table with a stack of around seventy or so bowls and a basket full of spoons. "Alright Catra your job is to make sure that everyone gets a bowl and spoon, most of them will get it themselves but you might have to help the little ones. And..." "Adora." "Adora if you stand on this side and make sure they all only take one piece of bread." Kenji gestured to a basket of slices of dense, brown bread. Kenji smiled, "You ready?" Both Adora and Catra became nervous there was a slightly sinister tone in his voice. Kenji reached behind him and gripped a piece of rope it was connected to a weight inside a bell that was bolted to the wall. Moving his arm back and forth he rang the dinner bell call all of the children. Kids that were already in the mess hall got to the front of the line. However, even some of them were beaten by the wave of eager hungry kids. Within minutes a line wrapping all around the mess hall formed. Catra would hand them their bowl and spoon, Kenji would fill it with a ladle of soup and Adora would give them a slice of bread.

With all the kids seated the mess hall was filled with noise. Talking, slurping and munching bounced off the walls. Adora, Catra and Kenji sat at a table off to the side. Adora was asking about the city. "So what happened here, I mean I thought this was supposed to be the main city." Kenji nodded. "This is the main city." Adora and Catra were confused. Kenji explained. "It wasn't always like this. When I was ten, the horde made their first attack, we defended ourselves and prevailed. Holding our own and keeping piece. The king and queen at the time announced the birth of their first child. As time passed the Horde attacks became more frequent and harder to defend against. Suddenly we caved we couldn't hold it. The castle was stormed and the king and their child were taken away. The queen was kept in the castle as a prisoner. When the king and their child were pronounced dead at the hand of the Horde the cities fell into chaos. There were riots. Resistance fighters tried to take back the kingdom with no prevail and... this is what was left." Kenji gestured to the hall of kids. "You mean..." "Yeah, every single one of them their mothers and fathers fought and died trying to reclaim what was rightfully their's. Mine died when I was fifteen. I sought refuge here and I've been helping whoever I can ever since. And there are hundreds of places all over the kingdom just like this." Catra on the verge of tears raised her voice. "But the Horde isn't in power anymore it hasn't been for over a year now, why is this still like this?" Kenji frowned. "Hideo, after Horde Prime's assault we were at our weakest. With a void of power to fill. He became the centre of attention. We all believed him when he said we would recover and be powerful once again. But he only made it worse. Taxes went up wages went down and we are now told to obey or face the consequences. While we starve he sits in the Castle drinking wine and eating fine food and he has the audacity to make us call him lord." Catra was livid. "Why has no one done anything!!" Some of the kids started to turn their heads to see what was going on. "Catra, calm down." "Adora! How can you be calm we're supposed to help people! We thought everything was fine when we defeated Prime but guess what people still got hurt!" Adora hit the table. "Catra!" Adora sighed. "I know you're angry, I'm angry too but we need to think about this." Catra nodded after calming down, "Yeah... ok."

After they helped wash up Kenji showed where they would be sleeping tonight. The three of them walked upstairs. Three rows of bunk bed all the way down the hall next to each other. Kids were talking in friend groups while some just slept. "Hey Kenji, how many kids are here." Kenji turned. "Uhhh, we have twenty-four kids ages ten to fifteen. Thirty-one kids ages five to ten. And nine kids ages one to five. We also have a ten-month-old called Lilly, her parents were seen as a threat by Lord Hideo." Adora and Catra went silent. "Kenji that's sixty-four kids and a baby." "Well... If I don't help, who will?" Kenji opened a door at the back of the house. "This is where you guys will be staying." It was another four bunk beds and a cot. "Huh just like the Fright Zone." Catra threw her bag on the bottom bunk of one of the bed and sat down. Suddenly the girl with black fur walked in holding a baby on her shoulder. "Hey Kenji, I can't get her to stop crying, can you take her for a minute." Kenji walked over. "Sure thing, guys this is Nari. She's the oldest here and helps me out where she can." Adora waved a hand at Nasri and smiled. "And this, this is Lilly." As soon as Kenji held Lilly she almost immediately stopped crying. "Say hi Lilly." Adora heartstrings were immediately pulled as Lilly made a mixture of baby and kitten noises. Catra walked over and leaned her head over Adora's shoulder. Adora reached her hand out and Lilly pawed at her fingers looking at them wide-eyed. Kenji laughed and looked at Catra. "Do you want to hold her?" Catra was nervous. "I've never, I mean I'm not, I don't think I should." Before she knew it Kenji had rested Lilly in her arms. Lilly grabbed and pawed at Catra's fur before letting out a big yawn and tuning into Catra and falling asleep. "Alright, I'm going to put the other kids to sleep. I'm just out there if you need me." Adora gave a thumbs up and Kenji left. 

Catra sat on one of the bunks looking down at Lilly while Adora sat next to her. "She so cute isn't she." Catra responded. "Yeah, I guess she kinda is in some kind of way." They talked for a moment then Catra paused. "Adora we need to do something about this. I can't... I don't..." Catra began to cry for real now. Adora hugged Catra avoiding to wake Lilly. "Yeah, we will, don't worry." Catra calmed down walked over to the cot and placed Lilly in it. A few minutes later Kenji walked back into the room took his shirt off and laid down on the bottom bunk of one of the other beds. "Breakfast will be the same routine so if I could get some help with that again that would be great." Adora gave another thumbs up before the three of them went to sleep.

Breakfast was porridge. Bell. Line. Bowls. Food. Eat. Adora and Catra were eating their porridge while Kenji explained why we don't flick porridge at our friends to one of the kids. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK. The pounding came from the front door. Kenji stood up and walked over. Opening the door stood two royal guards. "What can I do for you fine gentlemen today." One of the guards spoke. "Rent's due Kenji, in fact, your three days overdue." Catra and Adora stood up and started walking over to the front door. "Look Shiro, I can get you the money I just need more time." "Don't play me Toshi, I want the money and I want it now!" Adora poked her head around the door. "Is everything Kenji?" "Everything is fine, just go inside." The guard spoke. "You better listen to him hun or you might get hurt." Adora walked in front of Kenji, "You boys can leave, Kenji will pay you whenever he gets the money." Kenji was growing nervous he turned to see Catra smiling. This confused him. The guards laughed, "Oh yeah. You and what army?" Adora spoke. "For the honour of Greyskull!" She-ra appeared before them. Kenji's jaw dropped to the floor. The guards scrambled a bit. "She-ra we're sorry, we didn't know it was you." "That's ok. Now, do as I asked and move along." The guards turned to walk away. "Of course no problem here," Adora called after them. "Oh and boys. please tell Lord Hideo I would like to see him at noon." "Of course ma'am" The guards ran off and Adora transformed and Catra walked out laughing. "I can't believe how shocked they were." "I know, it was great." Kenji was still in shock. "What just happened?" Adora smiled, "I'm She-Ra." Catra commented, "You might want to pick your jaw up before you come inside." Catra patted him on the shoulder before walking in with Adora. 

It was before noon Adora and Catra waved Kenji and some of the kids that they had gotten to know goodby before they started to walk up to the castle. "We'll try to be back before nightfall." Kenji waved. "Ok," then muttered to himself, "be safe."