The Only Way || She-Ra

Chapter 17: Adora

Catra and Adora stood facing one another, Adora with her sword aimed at the ready.

"I don't have time for this right now," Adora said coldly. "Get out of my way Catra."

Catra didn't move. She couldn't take her eyes away from Adora. There was so much fight in her, so much hatred in her eyes. How was she supposed to make this right?

"Whatever," Adora shook her head, pushing past the girl. Despite her curiosity, she really didn't have time to ask why Catra wasn't at the Horde. "You should get out of here. It's not safe."

"Adora wait," Catra grabbed Adora's arm, pulling her back. Adora turned to her, pulling her hand away harshly. She faltered when she saw Catra's expression. Why did she look so different? She only just now noticed the sadness in her eyes, the missing Force Captain pin, the new scar on her forehead clearly visible without her usual mask.

"Adora," Catra pleaded. "Don't go to that castle."

Adora looked at the building in the distance, at the streams of energy erupting from the ground. "I have to stop Light Hope."

"You'll die trying," Catra's voice wavered.

"Is that a threat?" Adora's eyes narrowed.

"No," Another voice came from the bushes. "It's the future."

Adora turned to see Bow walking towards her, followed by Glimmer and Double Trouble. Shouldn't they be at the Horde too? Adora thought.

"What's going on?" Adora asked. She turned to Catra. "Why are you with them?"

"I know it's crazy," Catra said, "But we don't have a lot of time to explain everything. We're from the future, Adora. We're here to save you."

Adora laughed, looking to the others expecting to see them responding the same way but their serious faces left her even more confused. "You...you really expect me to believe that?"

"She's telling the truth," Glimmer said. "We're trying to help you."

"Help me?" Adora glared. "Well maybe you shouldn't of set off the alien super weapon in the planet. Did it ever occur to you to maybe stop that from happening instead?"

"Believe me when I say I'll pay for that decision," Glimmer said. "But you shouldn't have to."

Adora looked to Bow, feeling as though he was the only one she could even talk to right then. The way he looked at her though seemed to be confirmation of everything on its own. Still not understanding completely, not knowing how it was even possible, Adora realized at the very least they believed what they were saying.

"So the future," Adora finally said. "I'm not in it?"

"That's what we're trying to change," Bow said. "Because otherwise, you'll die sacrificing yourself in the Crystal Castle. A-And I don't think I can watch that happen again."

"Again..." Adora looked down at the sword. Truthfully, there was a part of her that always assumed she'd die in this war. Mara had. It's not that she wasn't willing to make the sacrifice but it's not like she was in a rush to see that happen. Now she was being told that death was on her doorstep. Her friends, people who had never worked together before as far as she knew, had traveled through time to stop it from happening.