Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Catra's Perspective:
Catra stared down at her friend turned enemy. A traitor, a liar, and a promise-breaker. She frowned down at Adora who was hanging by the green webs from the annoying robotic spiders. Right then and there Catra came to the conclusion that her faith in Adora was hanging be the same thin threads.

Catra decided it was time to sever both ties and let Adora fall to her new fate. As Catra’s mortal enemy. Catra was going to let go of Adora as anyone other than a traitor and liar. Catra picked up Adora’s dropped sword.

“Hey Adora.” Catra teased with a slight smirk, running her pointer finger across Adora’s heavy She-Ra sword. The look of hope and happiness on Adora’s face was what made Catra smirk. ‘I used to greet Adora with this phrase all the time.’ That thought almost made the smirk on Catra’s face slip off, but she held it.

“Catra, help me. Please.” Adora pleaded with a smile of hope and expectancy on her face. ‘Why don’t you just pull yourself up.’ Catra thought, making no move to help Adora up. Catra moved her attention and eyes to the sword in her hands.

“This thing wouldn’t work for me if I tried, would it?” Catra wondered aloud already knowing the answer. She was not sad about it. This weapon put Adora in a state of weakness. Adora depended on it. She would not be She-Ra without it. Whereas, Catra was free. Her weapons were her claws. She did not depend on anything, or anyone.

“It only works for you.” Catra moved her eyes back down on Adora, whose smile was starting to slip. Catra waved the sword into her right hand, her eyes returning to the sword while saying,

“Then again, you’re special. That’s what Shadow Weaver always said.” Catra kept her voice even, even a little sad, though she wanted to growl her words out. She despised Shadow Weaver. She was disappointed in Adora.

Catra let her sword arm drop, resting the sword on the dry ground, ready to drop it and fight if the spiders showed up again.

“Catra, what are you doing?” Adora’s tone became almost angry, her eyebrows furrowing. This almost made Catra laugh. Catra liked being on top. Adora was always on top. A completely oblivious ‘hero’.

“Ah, you know, it all makes sense now.” Catra patronized in a mocking tone, acting like she just realized how much she hated Adora. Catra turned around and paced a bit, sword still in her hand, sneer on her face, and tail swaying behind her.

“You’ve always been the one holding me back.” Catra sighed cruelly, still walking away from Adora. She missed the look of fear and confusion on Adora’s face, but she knew it was there. Yes, Adora was so damn oblivious, and predictable. Stupid sometimes.

“You wanted to me to think I needed you. You wanted me to feel weak.” Catra let some anger slide into her argument. She believed this, but more than anything, she wanted Adora to feel her hurt. And she wanted Adora to hurt.

Catra sauntered back, staring down at Adora.

“Every hero needs a sidekick, right?” Catra mused, arms opening in the position saying. ‘what can you do, right?’ The sword was emphasizing her statement, and Catra took immense satisfaction out of the shocked look on her enemy’s face. Catra also raised an eyebrow like she was daring Adora to argue.

Just as Catra predicted, Adora tried to convince her otherwise.

“Catra, no, that’s not how it was.” Adora insisted desperately while shaking her head, almost like she was trying to convince herself. Catra did not believe a word. Adora had always been superior. No matter what side she was on. Catra was sick of it, and the memories of Adora breaking her promise solidified Catra’s anger and feeling of inferiority when around the ‘hero’.

Catra laughed in disbelief, while her tail curled up in satisfaction of seeing Adora hopeless. But it was not enough.

Catra squat down, allowing the sword’s sharp tip grind into the ground and support her weight, even when her perfect balance could stabilize her in the squat comfortably. Her other arm’s elbow rested on one of her knees. Her eyes shifted to Adora’s sword.

“The sad thing is, I’ve spent all this time hoping you’d come back to the Horde,” Catra paused slightly, letting the words make Adora feel guilty. Her tone was mockingly sad and sarcastically disappointed in herself as her eyes turned back to Adora’s face.

“When really you leaving,” Catra’s ears perked up and eyes widened almost maniacally as she moved the sword, about to cut the thin webbing holding Adora up. “Was the best thing that EVER happened to me.” Catra watched with a cruel fanged smile as Adora’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief. Adora really did not understand how much she had hurt Catra.

“I am so much stronger than,” Catra emphasized her words by keeping the sword hovering over the green webs and pausing in between her words. Her eyes half lidded as she stared at the sword with a big smile. “Anyone. Ever. Thought.”

As she said these last three words, she partly cut the green threads holding up one of Adora’s hands, so she was hanging by only one hand wrapped up in the green material. Catra tilted her head and frowned down at Adora.

“I wonder what I could’ve been if I’d gotten rid of you sooner.” Catra wondered matter-of-factly, keeping her voice quiet and bitingly gentle as she cut the rest of the webbing.

Adora shrieked as she fell a few feet down before her hand grasped a small ledge as a handhold, much to Catra’s disappointment. Still, she had a few more things to say before she would leave Adora to hang there.

Catra stood up while Adora decided to try and apologize.

“I am sorry. I never meant to make you feel like you were second best.” Adora pleaded, and Catra thought she heard genuine sadness and guilt in Adora’s voice, but Catra ignored it. Catra saw the shameful frown and eyebrows furrowing on Adora’s face. She enjoyed the pain Adora was feeling at the moment.

“Please don’t do this.” Adora begged, but Catra’s head was turned to the side, her eyes searching for any signs of the spiders. Not to mention, Catra wanted Adora to know she was ignoring her. Catra’s eyes skimmed over Adora as she moved them to Adora’s sword.

Catra tilted her head while scraping her pointer finger claw across the blade of the sword, creating a monstrous sound, much like scratching a chalkboard. It especially hurt Catra’s sensitive cat ears, but she refrained from flinching by focusing her gaze on Adora’s own wincing. A small smile landed on Catra’s lips.

“And just like a superhero, you have a catch phrase. For the Honor of Grayskull.” Adora looked surprised that Catra knew that. “That’s it, isn’t it.” Catra taunted, baring her fangs and raised an eyebrow.

“And as your sidekick.” Catra paused for a second, pretending to care. “What would be mine?” Catra mused in a fake tone, asking a rhetorical question. Her shoulders shrugged, and her expression showed fake pondering. ‘I will be a sidekick no longer.’ Her tail bristled in agitation.

“Enough of this.” Catra smiled cruelly, stroking the sword in her hands in a provoking matter. She could see the pain starting to show itself on Adora’s face. The physical pain. Adora could not hold herself up by one hand forever. Catra saw Adora’s gaze snap to the sword in her hands. ‘Now what should I do with this sword?’ Catra brooded, her smile widening.

At first, Catra considered just throwing the sword down the deep pit and letting Adora somehow retrieve it. Catra knew Adora would survive whatever awaited, assuming she fell. This whole place was made for her, and it would keep her alive.

But now, Catra decided keeping the sword. Why not? Not only would anger Adora, but it would weaken and impair her immensely. Not to mention, Entrapta might be able to find a use for the sword. ‘Entrapta might be annoying, but she’s fucking smart. And useful.’ Catra admitted in her mind, slightly wondering if Adora knew Entrapta was still alive. ‘Of course she doesn’t, and she doesn’t need to find out. Entrapta is too useful to give up.’ Catra shrugged off her thoughts.

Entrapta was an ally, but she was unpredictable, and socially oblivious. She could be convinced to do anything, even change sides again. Catra had to recognize that she was growing fond of that maniac genius. And Scorpia too. Although she was way too huggy, she was helpful, and she got Catra into the Prom. That had been fun. Antagonizing Adora had been the best part. Catra frowned at this. Her mind was getting off track.

Catra held up the sword up and admired it before looking around. Then she stabbed the tip of the sword into the ground, and for the first time, noticed the darkness that was spreading around her and Adora, as she looked around. ‘It’s time to go.’ Catra saw Adora’s gaze snap to the sword. That solidified Catra’s decision. ‘She only cares about the sword, huh.’ Catra scoffed in her head.

With a hand on her hip,

“Bye, Adora.” An eyebrow raised and a leer on her face. “I really am going to miss you.” Catra jeered before turning away, snatching the sword out of the ground, and walking off. The darkness continued to spread, and she needed to get out. She could not help but revel in the satisfaction she felt when she heard Adora gasp in fear and anger.

“Catra. Catra, no!” Adora pleaded, anger evident in her voice, but also fear, that made the cruel grin on Catra’s face grow. ‘Come get your precious sword back, bitch.’ Catra almost growled out loud.

Then she took off running. Though the sword slowed her down.

Chapter Text

Catra’s Perspective:
Catra could feel the fear creeping in. The room was almost completely dark, and she had no idea how to get out. Not to mention, the evil spiders. She was part cat, and normally she could see great in the dark, but this darkness was nothing she had ever experienced before. It was oppressive, pitch black, unnatural darkness.

Catra slowed down, wishing she did not have the heavy sword with her. She listened, but heard nothing. At least that meant that the spiders were not nearby. She also did not smell anything. The scent of Adora was gone. Catra was alone in the darkness with no idea how to get out.

Catra crept carefully, holding her hands out until she was lucky enough to reach a wall. She followed the wall, a hand skimming against its surface. After what felt like forever, Catra had had enough. She was exhausted, and not just physically. Catra dropped the sword with a loud, resounding clang, which made her ears press against her skull as she hissed and winced at the painful sound.

“ArHAaaaaRg!” Catra snarled, punching the hard wall in front of her. Once her knuckles started bleeding, she slammed her back against the wall and slid down the wall, sitting with her knees hugged against her chest. Her tail rested on her feet and around her legs, her head between her legs and chest, forehead resting on her knees.

Catra felt the tears stream out of her tightly closed eyes. They were angry tears, and the fact that she was crying made her even angrier. She sat there for long time as her eyes kept producing tears.

Suddenly, she saw a shift of light through her eyelids. Sniffling, she lifted her head and opened her yellow eye, almost scrambling to her feet when she saw where the light was coming from. Adora’s cursed sword. Why was it glowing? Did it want its owner?

Squinting from the bright blue light emitted from the sword, the darkness dissipated slightly and once her eyes adjusted, she started searching for a way out. Her eyes felt bleary, and it felt like all her energy had emptied out of her body, but at least she was not blind anymore. Whatever the reason to the sword’s glowing, it was currently helping its master’s enemy.

Catra snatched up the sword, worried that it would stop giving off light any moment. She had to get going, and she was relieved when the sword did not go off when she picked it up. She took a few hesitant steps, realizing she was in a big cavern that branched out into three narrow tunnels. She inspected the tunnels.

One was much too small for Catra to fit through, so she ignored it. The middle tunnel was just tall enough for Catra to walk, but very narrow, so her shoulders would be touching the rough sides. The third tunnel, on the right, was big and wide, but Catra did not trust it. She took the middle tunnel.

She squeezed through, holding her tail in her free hand so it would not scrape against anything. The walls were rigid and had sharp areas. Catra grunted as she spent at least half an hour inching her way through before she finally entered a small room. There were no other doors or tunnels. Only the room.

Catra held up the sword and examined the room in its light. There was nothing in it, and it pissed Catra off. She threw the sword into the wall, and it went halfway into it.

“How will I ever get out of this fu- Wait, what’s that.” She picked up a lonely piece of paper. She squinted at the brown-colored, wrinkled sheet before moving closer to the sword and leaning against the wall next to it. Then she began to read the text on the page aloud.

Eleka nahmen nahmen
Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen
Eleka nahmen nahmen
Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen

Two People Divergent in Nature
Must be Assisted by a Stranger
If She-Ra Succeeds
She will be Guaranteed

What Her Heart Desires
Knowing Not What She Requires
An Open Mind Might Save
Anger’s Slave

Eleka nahmen nahmen
Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen
Eleka nahmen nahmen
Ah tum ah tum eleka eleka

“What is this? I don't even know what I'm reading!” Catra growled and cut the paper in a million little pieces with her sharp claws in frustration. It was a weird poem that sounded kind of like a prophecy. But her frustration was cut off by amazement. The whole room was glowing in a light blue light, exactly like that of the sword’s light. The sword itself had unstuck itself from the wall and was now floating in the air in the middle of the room.

Catra took a few steps back, her fur bristling in fright and agitation, and her ears pressed against her skull. The room seemed to grow even brighter until Catra had to close her eyes and cover her face with her arms. Once she saw the light dim down through her eyelids, she opened them again. And she almost ran back into the narrow tunnel, without the wretched sword.

The room was dark again, but the sword was still floating and glowing. What scared Catra though, was the four portal-looking oval-like pure white spots that were flowing behind the sword. Catra walked slowly around the room, as far from the weird portal-thingies as she could be. She walked completely around them, but nothing was behind them.

She snatched the sword out of the air, and the moment she touched it, the sword went dark, leaving the room lit up only by the portals. Catra slinked closer to them, peeking in, but not seeing anything. She glanced once at the tunnel behind her and then stuck her head into the first portal.

What she saw, shook her to the core. She had seen plenty of magical and unreal things, but this was by far the weirdest. A giant, sprawling city. A huge green city was what Catra was seeing. All she could see were huge green buildings. She pulled her head out of the portal and took a deep breath. Then she glanced back at the tunnel and almost fainted.

There was no tunnel. Not anymore. Catra ran to where the entrance was before and clawed at the stone, but it did nothing but dull her claws. She was trapped. Completely trapped. Catra stomped over to the portals and angrily stuck her head into the second portal. Catra now knew they had to be portals.

This one showed a huge treehouse surrounded by beautiful green plains. Catra raised her eyebrows, but withdrew her head and stuck it into the third portal. This own showed a large beach with a ginormous stone statue thing and a house in the statues’ arms.

Finally, Catra checked the last portal. She saw nice-looking, and big, spaceships in a hanger. Catra had never though of getting off the earth, but wherever this portal went involved space. Catra shuddered as she removed her head.

She thought back to the paper she had ripped up. It had said something about a stranger and She-Ra and two different people. Catra realized that this must be a test or training practice for She-Ra, and she just stumbled into a big problem. Everything seemed to be big right now. A big city, treehouse, beach, spaceship, and fricken problem. She was NOT She-Ra.

Obviously, the only way out, was through one of the portals. So, after a sigh of resignation, Catra picked the first portal, sporting the BIG emerald city.

And then she walked right into it, clenching the sword in her hand until it hurt.

Chapter Text

Glinda’s Perspective:
“Beware whom you serve,” said the Wizard of Oz. Then he was gone, and the gutters in the floor gurgled, and the candles went instantly out. There was nothing for them to do but retrace their steps.

At the carriage, Glinda had settled in and made a little nest for them in the desirable forward facing seat, guarding Elphaba’s place against three other passengers. “My sister,” she lied, “I am saving this seat for my sister.” ‘And how I have changed,’ Glinda thought, ‘in a year and some. From despising the colored girl to claiming we are blood! So university life does change you in ways you cannot guess.’

‘I may be the only person in all the Pertha Hills ever to meet our Wizard. Not on my own steam, not of my initiative-still, I was there. I did it. And we’re not dead. But we didn’t accomplish much.’

Then, there was Elphie, at last, barreling along the paving stones with her elbows jutting and her thin bony torso swathed against the elements, as usual, in a cape. She came up through the crowd, batting at more refined passengers to get past, and Glinda shoved open the door.

“Thank heavens, I thought you’d be late,” she said. “The driver is eager to leave. Did you get a lunch for us?” Elphaba tossed in her lap a couple of oranges, a hunk of unrepentant cheese, and a loaf of bread that filled the compartment with pungent staleness.

“This’ll have to do you till your stop this evening,” Elphaba said.

“Me, me?” said Glinda. “What do you mean, me? Have you got something better to eat for yourself?”

“Something worse, I expect,” said Elphaba, “but needs to be done. I’ve come to say good-bye. I’m not going back with you to Crage Hall. I’ll find a place to study on my own. I’ll not be part of Madame Morrible’s school again-“

“No, no,” cried Glinda, “I can’t let you! Nanny will eat me alive! Nessarose will die! Madame Morrible will-Elphie, no. No!”

“Tell them I kidnapped you and made you come here, they’ll believe that of me,” said Elphaba. She stood on the mounting tread. A fat Glikkun female dwarf, having caught the gist of the drama, shifted to the more comfortable seat next to Glinda.

“They needn’t look for me, Glinda, for I’m not going to be findable. I’m going down.”

“Down where? Back to Quadling Country?”

“That would be telling,” Elphaba said. “But I won’t lie to you, my dear. No need to lie. I don’t know yet where I’m going. I haven’t decided so I wouldn’t have to lie.”

“Elphie, get in this cab, don’t be a fool,” Glinda cried. The driver was adjusting the reins and yelling at Elphaba to sod off.

“You’ll be alright,” Elphaba said, “now you’re a seasoned traveler. This is just the return leg of a voyage you already know.” She put her face against Glinda’s and kissed her on her cheek, surprising Glinda with her affection. “Hold out, if you can,” Elphaba murmured, and kissed her again. “Hold out, my sweet.” The driver clucked the reins, and pitched a cry to leave. Glinda squeezed her eyes shut.

But Glinda had decided she was not going to leave without Elphaba. She was not going to let Elphie get away that easily. Glinda felt the tears coming on, so she opened her eyes and leapt from the cab haphazardly, leaving the food behind, and barely landing on her feet, almost slipping in the mud. Elphaba had already turned around and was walking into the crowd, so she had not seen Glinda’s jump.

Glinda pushed her way through the crowd, doing her best to be polite but also follow her friend. For a green girl, Elphie knew how to blend in, but Glinda spotted her thin, bony figure, and ran after her. Eventually, the black-clothed green-faced girl slipped into an alleyway, and Glinda was able to catch up, albeit panting from the exercise. Elphie still had not seen her, and her back was turned to Glinda, as she strode down the alleyway’s narrow corridor.

“Elphie! I am not leaving without you!” Glinda cried out, still trying not to let her tears pour out, and still panting slightly. She watched as her friend visibly jumped before turning around, a fright-filled and pissed-off expression on her face.

Elphaba stomped her way over to Glinda, pausing a few inches from her, her eyes frightfully furious. So much so, that Glinda took a step back, but had the courage to meet Elphaba's eyes and stare her down. But Glinda noticed Elphaba’s eyes were red rimmed. Had Elphaba been crying?

“What are you doing? You are supposed to be on your way to Shiz. I have my own business to attend, and you have no part in it.” Elphaba hissed, narrowing her eyes, before whipping around, obviously getting ready to dash away.

Glinda grabbed her arm in as strong of a grip as she could. Glinda could hear more in Elphie’s voice than anger. She could hear relief, fear, confusion, and hoarseness that presented itself in ones voice after they had cried. Or when they were about to cry.

“I won’t go back without you. You- You’re the only true friend I have. I am not going to let you slip away.” Glinda quietly admitted, expressing sympathy, her own voice hoarse from the threat of crying, which surprised Elphie enough to look back at Glinda.

Elphaba’s facial expression became stone cold, making Glinda sigh and role her eyes. ‘This girl can’t take a compliment. She doesn’t know what it’s like to have a friend either. Well, from now on, that’s going to change. I am going to help her. I am going to make her happy. And I am not going to leave her on her own in this crazy city.’ Glinda resolutely decided.

“Where are you going, Elphie? This is probably a dead end. Please, talk to me. I know Morrible is horrible, but Shiz wasn’t too bad, was it?” Glinda pleaded with a small smile, gesturing to the dark path in front of them. Elphaba shrugged angrily, but did not force herself out of Glinda’s grip. Glinda noticed this with a surge of pleasure. Elphaba hated physical contact, and would normally have wrenched her arm away in any situation, angry or not, so it surprised Glinda that she had not.

Elphaba looked like she was about to say something, but she was stopped when Glinda’s grip tightened and Elphaba saw a look of confusion and amazement on Glinda’s face. Elphaba followed her eyes, and her own look changed to match Glinda’s. Neither could believe what they were seeing.

What happened next was enough to side track their conversation. In fact, it was enough to side track everything they ever knew.

Catra’s Perspective:
Catra was deposited safely in a dark alleyway, much to her relief. She had no idea what this world would be like or if she would fit in. She crouched in the shadows, using her senses. Her ears were bombarded with the sheer rowdiness and racket of voices and stomping footsteps. She hissed, covering her acute ears.

Her nose was suffering even more. The smells were unnatural, different, alien, and some were purely awful. Her nose twitched as she forced herself to remove her hands from covering her ears. It would take some time for her senses to get used to this weird world. Her eyes were unaffected, except at first when they had to adjust to the bright light.

Catra glanced around, looking for the portal that had led her here, but it was nowhere to be found. Catra rolled her eyes with a scoff. She had a feeling she would be trapped in this world until she completed some stupid task that was supposed to be for She-Ra. Her only regret was tearing that sheet of paper into smithereens. Luckily, she had an amazing memory, and basically remembered what it said.

Catra stood up and very slowly stalked forward, keeping her senses sharp to anyone who may approach. The issue with that was that her senses were bombarded, and it would be hard to single anything out in the clamour. Her arm was going tired of holding Adora’s heavy sword, so she switched it to her other arm before continuing her slow creep forward.

““Where are you going, Elphie? This is probably a dead end. Please, talk to me. I know Morrible is horrible, but Shiz wasn’t too back, was it?” Catra heard a high-pitched female voice call out, and Catra froze, stiffening. But Catra knew she could not avoid people forever, but she had to be hella cautious.

Catra slightly slinked out of the shadows, making herself visible, and as she stepped forward she saw the two strangers. And the two saw her.

Chapter Text

Catra’s Perspective:
Catra froze, not wanting to look threatening, but ready to pounce and get out of the situation. She waited until the two made the first move. As she waited, she assessed the strangers to see if they were going to be any trouble. One seemed to be holding the other one back, grasping the wrist, although both look shocked and confused at the moment. They were both female.

One was unnaturally thin with sharp features on surprisingly colored green skin. She was taller than her friend and wore all black with a long black cloak that covered her hair, but Catra could see her dark eyes squinting at her with a mix of emotions.

Her buddy had her mouth open in shock. She was storter and plumper with nicer clothes (and brighter) although they were dirt-stained. She had bright, curly blonde hair, that painfully reminded Catra of Adora’s hair, and was the one holding her green friend back. To Catra, they looked like exact opposites.

Eventually, the two girls were brought out of their shock. The green girl shook off her friend’s grip and slowly walked over to Catra. Still, Catra did not move a muscle. Even her tail was still, though she was consciously aware of the big, dangerous sword in her hand.

“What are you? Where did you come from?” The green girl asked quietly, her voice husky, stopping a few feet from Catra. Catra carefully and slowly placed Adora’s sword on the muddy ground to make herself seem even less threatening.

But she did not answer the girl’s questions. Obviously, Catra was not a creature of this world, she did not look it. The creatures of this world looked like Adora, which kind of pissed Catra off. She needed a disguise. But what after that? What was her mission to get out of this place.

Catra must have zoned out in her thoughts because she suddenly noticed that the green girl had picked up her sword. ‘Um Adora’s sword I mean.’ Catra thought before hissing at the girl, ears perked up and tail swaying. She was warning the girl. But the girl held onto the sword, examining it with a glare-like squint. She really did have sharp features.

“Can you even talk?” The girl asked while looking up and over at Catra, who just glared back.

“Don’t be rude, Elphie.” Catra whipped her head around to see the other girl roll her eyes in exasperation. “Pardon my friend. She can be snappy.” The blonde slowly walked over until she was standing next to her weird friend.

Before the girls could react, Catra snatched the sword back with a snarl and then backed away. The green girl just glared angrily back, but Catra saw intense curiosity in her eyes too. Her friend looked more fearful and confused.

“I can talk, thank you very much.” Catra growled with a fake smile. She turned around, assessing if she could climb, and piosing to jump, but was stopped in the surprise by a hand on her shoulder. She hissed, her fur standing up on end, and she whirled around, fangs bared. The blonde, who had been the one to place her hand on Catra’s shoulder, stepped back, and wrenched her hand back too.

“Wait. Elphaba didn’t mean to be rude. I am Glinda and the green sour-faced girl behind me is Elphaba. I am sorry if we scared you, but-” The blonde who was named Glinda started in a sweet tone, but Elphaba the green girl interrupted in her not-so-sweet voice.

“You are not from here. You’re neither an Animal, nor animal, nor a human. You look like a cross between a human and a Cat. But that’s not possible.” Elphaba paused gesturing at Catra, who noticed how the green bean said animal and cat. It was like she was emphasizing the first letter like it was a name of a person. ‘Weird...’

“You show up with a huge sword with weird markings on it, and you go around hissing at us. If you had been seen by anyone else, you would be captured and dissected, or just killed. So we will be asking the questions, unless you want to run off into a foreign land where you will get into trouble.” Elphaba said matter-of-factly and Catra raised her eyebrows, but had to admit the girl was right.

“So why won’t you turn my ass in, huh?” Catra asked waving her sword to emphasize the point. Glinda took another step back, flinching, but Elphaba took a step forward, swiping the sword right out of Catra’s hand and shoved the sword into the ground halfway to the hilt. Catra’s eyes widened and her brow furrowed.

“Don’t wave that thing around. We aren’t exactly normal. We just met the Wizard, and I am not in a good mood. If you want to stay alive follow me. I know where we can go. But first, put this on. People can’t see you as... Whatever you are.” Catra watched as Elphaba took off her black cloak and handed it to Catra, who sighed and than grabbed it. The weather was not cold, but humid, and it stuck to her fur. As Catra put it on, she noticed four things.

1. Glinda look more than surprised, she looked downright shocked mixed with confusion and maybe even frustration.
2. Elphaba looked intensely uncomfortable as she hugged her green bare arms around her waist and glanced around. Catra thought she almost looked like she was in pain.
3. And the scent coming off the coat must have been the girl’s scent. It was overpowering and musky. But it was not horrible. Kind of like the girl herself.
4. Elphaba had straight, jet black hair that matched her cloak.

Catra pulled the cloak’s hood over her head to cover her cat ears and made sure her tail was hidden. Then she gestured to the sword buried in the ground.

“My name’s Catra.” She grunted as she pulled the sword out of the ground. “Do either of you happen to have a sheath? I don’t know how to hide this thing, and I have no way of storing it.” Catra stated with a shrug and watched as Elphaba’s face grew even sourer. ‘I didn’t know that was possible.’ Catra almost smirked, but refrained.

“I already gave you my cloak, and I have no sword sheath. My weapon is my will. I also don’t have my way around magic.” Elphaba said with an exasperated sigh. Catra leaned against the alleyway wall, raising an eyebrow again. She glanced at Glinda who rolled her eyes.

“You guys are too alike and it’s so irritating. Shut up, and maybe I can help. I am not just a dumb blonde you know. Hand me the sword.” The girl said quietly with a sigh. Catra handed her the sword. She watched as Glinda examined it, muttering words under her breath. Catra caught the words, but they were in a different language, so she did not pay attention to them.

A few seconds later, there was a blue flash of light making Catra flinch back, and the sword was covered by a light blue sheath and a black belt was connected to it. Catra almost growled for multiple reasons, but the main one being the fact that light blue seemed to be everywhere. Not to mention the magic.

To be fair, Catra should have been used to it. Etheria was filled with magic. She-Ra, the princesses, and a ton of other things were filled with magic. Still, she did not expect to meet someone who could say a few weird words and create something out of thin air. But, when Glinda offered the sheathed sword in her outstretched hands, Catra snatched it.

Embarrassingly, when Catra tried to buckle the belt around her waist under the cloak, she could not get the clasp right and kept scratching the leather. Catra was about to give up and abandon the stupid sword when she felt a weight on shoulders.

Catra looked up from hunching over the belt and her waist, meeting bright blue eyes and a small smile. Glinda had her hands on Catra’s shoulders, but took them away to help with the belt. She got it buckled in a few seconds, which made Catra’s cheeks red with humiliation. Catra quickly stepped back once the belt was secured, trying not to think about Glinda having her hands on Catra’s hips and around her waist.

Elphaba cleared her throat and the two turned to her, Catra’s cheeks still red, and motioned them to follow her. Catra glanced at Glinda, who smiled and shrugged.

“Thanks.” Catra muttered as they walked to follow the peculiar green girl. Glinda just nodded, her blond curls bouncing. Catra stepped in behind the bouncy girl as they walked in a single file out of the alleyway and into the streets filled with people.

Chapter Text

“What the fu-” Catra muttered in disbelief as she watched a goat in a suit walk by talking to a llama, also in a suit. Actual animals. Talking animals in fancy clothes. Catra looked down at herself, suddenly feeling weird.

“Shut up and keep your head down. Otherwise people and Animals will see that you’re different.” Elphaba hissed at her, suddenly next the Catra, almost pushing her into the building’s wall. Catra noticed once again that the weird pronunciation of the word animal. Like it was said like Animal.

Catra quickly glanced at the talking goat and llama that had walked by and realized why Elphaba kept saying Animal instead of regular animal. An Animal must be a talking, dressed animal. Catra moved her eyes to the muddy pavement, brows furrowed. In this world, Catra would be seen as a hybrid between a cat and a human. Or maybe a Cat and a human. Catra’s tail curled between her legs due to the uncomfortable feeling rising in her chest.

Catra wrapped Elphaba’s black cloak tighter around herself as they hurried down the sidewalk. The stone and mud under her feet was cold, but the air was hot and muggy. Catra could feel her fur sticking nastily to her skin.

“We’re almost there.” Catra heard Elphaba whisper, but she kept her eyes peeled on the dirty ground. Catra felt a soft hand grab hold of her hand from behind and she whipped her head back, barely holding back a hiss. She was met with the sympathetic eyes of Glinda, who let go of her hand a few seconds later. Catra turned her head back to look forward, but felt incredibly annoyed. Glinda had just done something Adora would have done.

“Here.” Elphaba muttered loud enough for both Catra and Glinda to hear. She suddenly took a sharp turn into a wide alleyway, almost running into Catra, who had to use her quick reflexes to move out of the green girl’s way. ‘Rude.’ Catra thought, but was more preoccupied with checking behind herself to see if anyone had noticed them suddenly entering a dark, narrow corridor between a green-gray building and an emerald colored building.

No one was paying any attention to them. Everyone was hurrying off to wherever it was they were going. Catra decided she could let her eyes wander to observe her surroundings and not the muddy ground, but the alleyway they were going down was bland and long, without a single person wandering in it. For how busy the streets were, it surprised Catra that no one was in the corridor with them.

Glinda stepped forward so she was standing next to Elphaba, with Catra behind the two. The path was almost too narrow for two people to walk side-by-side, but Elphaba did not even seem to notice Glinda was next to her, brushing shoulders with her.

Catra observed that Elphaba still looked uncomfortable and cold, even with the hot weather, her hands grasping her biceps with a grip so strong it turned her hands almost white. Catra raised an eyebrow, but did not say anything.

Elphaba suddenly paused and placed her hands on a random spot on the green-gray building to the left. Then she tilted her head against the wall until her right ear rested on the hard, slick surface. A few seconds later she nodded and took a step back, still facing the wall. Catra waited impatiently swinging her tail, ears perked to listen, but heard nothing out of the ordinary din coming from the main street.

Glinda just sighed and rested her hands on her hips. Catra watched as Elphaba glanced back at Glinda with a roll of her eyes, but quickly turned back to the nondescript wall. Elphaba then replaced her hands on the wall and said quietly:

“There was much to hate in this world and too much to love.” Catra and Glinda glanced at each other, confused, but their attention was drawn back to Elphaba as she took a step back. Suddenly, one brick fell from the building, about at the level of Elphaba’s sharp chin. Catra’s cat ears picked up slow footsteps and an eye emerged looking out at them. The eyes was a startling violet color.

“Elphaba, I knew you’d come soon. But I told you never to bring others.” The voice of the eye spoke out in a gruff, older female voice. They eyes moved first to observe Glinda, who glared back, then spotted Catra in the shadows behind her. Catra was still covered by Elphaba’s cloak, but Catra’s glowing eyes (they glowed in the dim light) met with the one violet eye, and Catra watched as that eye widened.

“Nevermind. Come in.” The voice said haltingly, sounding almost fearful, and the eye glanced once more at Catra before disappearing behind the thick wall. Catra watched as Elphaba looked startled, but just shrugged.

“Follow me.” Elphaba said, and Catra caught a tiny smirk on her face. Catra was a little taken aback due to it being the first time she saw Elphaba show any other emotion besides anger or annoyance, or impatience. Then Elphaba walked right through the wall. The solid (except the one brick that had fallen) brick wall.

Glinda let out a little “Oh!” in surprise before marching right after her friend with an annoyed look on her face, her arms at her sides with her hands clenched in little fists. That meant, Catra was alone in the overheated, poorly lit, claustrophobic corridor. She sighed in exasperation. Why couldn’t she have been dropped off in a nice, normal world without green people, talking animals, and overt magic? She already had plenty of that back home.

‘At least I don’t have to deal with Adora.’

She thought this as she walked straight through the wall with her eyes squeezed shut and her hand grasping Adora's sword tightly under the cloak.

Chapter Text

Glinda’s Perspective:
The feeling of passing through a solid surface was like wading through unnaturally thick water. The feeling soon passed as she stumbled into Elphaba, who steadied Glinda with an arm around the waist. Glinda smiled up at Elphie, her head pounding. A few seconds later, Elphaba let her go, and Glinda winced as her headache seemed to worsen.

“It’s normal to feel dizzy or uncomfortable after traveling through. It’s a defensive mechanism for those inside, giving the intruder issues while they decide what to do. I’ve been here enough that it doesn’t affect me. Much.” Elphaba said quietly, looking slightly guilty. Glinda glared at her before taking in what was around them.

But before she could take in much she was pushed over by someone. Luckily, Elphaba must have been ready because Glinda landed in her arms. Glinda quickly stood up and turned around to Catra, who had her eyes shut. Catra slowly opened her eyes one at a time before meeting Glinda’s slight glare. Catra looked unaffected by the shift through the wall, which kind of annoyed Glinda.

“Didn’t mean to bump into you. What is this place?” Catra said a little too loudly, and Elphaba flinched before looking at the Cat-lady with uncertainty, but did not reply. Glinda took a half a minute to look around, but was not impressed.

It appeared that they were in a middle-sized room with two couches, both black. The floor was gray stone and the walls green. There was a wooden door on the other side of the room. Elphaba walked over to one of the couches and sat down, motioning with her eyes to Glinda and Catra to sit down also. Glinda sat next to Elphaba and Catra splayed her body across the other couch, though Glinda could tell Catra was both interested and making sure the cloak covered her. Glinda wondered how comfortable it was for Catra to sit with a sword under cloak.

“I guess I owe you an explanation. This wasn’t my first time in Emerald City. While working for Dr. Dilamond...” Elphaba hesitated, focusing her eyes on the ground, though her words were obviously directed to Glinda more than Catra. “I-I came here to find out more about Animals and how they were faring. I met Flira. She is the head of an Animal organization. She can tell you more if she wants to, but it’s safe for us here. It’s safe for you.” Elphaba looked up and met the interestingly glowing eyes of Catra. Catra looked unconvinced but said nothing. Glinda was also unsatisfied.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Glinda voiced with an upset tone. She was upset. She thought Elphaba trusted her, but now she was not so sure. Glinda tried to meet eyes with Elphaba, but Elphaba refused.

“They made me swear not to tell anyone. Not to mention, you’ve never really cared for Animals.” Elphaba said with a shrug, but Glinda could hear pain in her voice.

“I do care about Animals! Did they make you swear by magic?” Glinda muttered, her anger dissipating slightly. Catra sighed and sat up.

“While you two have a little squabble, I am sitting here, risking my safety and in the hands of two strangers my age. I don’t know either of you. I don’t know where I am. And I need help.” Catra stated, catching both Elphie and Glinda’s attention as they both turned to her.

“Maybe I can help you with that.” All three whipped their heads towards the door at the sound of the rich, female voice flooding the room. Elphaba suddenly rushed to her face, almost bumping Glinda off the couch, much to her exasperation. Glinda also stood up, but Catra remained sitting, her posture showing how tense she was. Glinda was perplexed, and a little nervous, on how the stranger had been able to enter the room silently without any of them noticing. What if the stranger had been there all along?

The stranger wore a huge cloak, much bigger than Elphie’s, and it dragged on the ground at the person’s feet. The stranger appeared to be about as tall as Glinda, who was shorter than both Elphaba and Catra. The cloak covered every feature of the person, the hood hiding the stranger’s facial features in shadows. Glinda could not even tell if the person was male or female. Glinda guessed female, from the voice.

Glinda noticed that the person appeared to be hunched over. Quite a bit. Glinda glanced at Catra, noting that no cat feature of the hybrid cat-girl was showing. Except the unnatural glowing eyes (the lighting was dim enough to tell they were glowing) and that one of her eyes was bright yellow, while the other was a natural blue. Catra was openly staring at the stranger, but neither Elphaba, nor Glinda, reminded her to keep her eyes down.

Glinda then turned her attention to Elphaba, who looked unnaturally surprised, and submissive. In fact, Glinda had never seen her act or look as she did in that half minute of silence between the four.

The green girl was staring at the ground, her head bowed so down that her chin touched her chest. She seemed to bend her knees more than normal and her hands twitched incessantly. She looked like a young child fearful of a lecturing parent. Or of a parent getting ready to spank their naughty child. Normally Elphaba was calm, confident, and annoyingly irritable to everyone.

The person in front of them must be severely respected by Elphie. Or severely feared by the stubbornly fearless girl. This worried Glinda enough not to speak up and ask questions. Which was definitely against her own nature. Glinda liked to be informed at all times. That was why Elphaba tended to annoy her so much. Elphie was too vague. In fact, that was one of the reasons why Glinda had refused to give up and go back to Shiz.

Glinda secretly wanted to win over Elphaba. To get the headstrong girl to trust her enough to talk. To talk about things like the stranger in the big, black cloak in front of both of them.

The stranger decided to speak:

“Please sit. And Elphaba, relax. You have been helpful, and I am not here to reprimand you about bringing friends.” The voice was definitely female, and surprisingly deep, but soft. Elphaba visible relaxed, raising her head, and folding her hands across chest, though her hands still fidgeted.

After a few seconds, Elphaba sat, and so Glinda sat next to her, shooting her a confused look. But Elphie refused, once again, to meet her eyes, so Glinda let out a little sigh of annoyance.

“And if I may ask, who are you?” The stranger asked, turning towards Catra, who quickly bowed her head to hide her strange eyes. But Glinda knew the stranger had seen her eyes. When Catra did not speak, Elphaba tried, but Catra decided to cut her off.

“She’s-” Was all Elphaba got out before Catra spoke.

“Why should I trust you? Where am I?” Catra asked in a low growl, remaining tense and staring at the ground. Glinda felt Elphaba tense up next to her. Glinda watched as the stranger took a few steps closer to Catra, who seemed to refuse to look up.

“My name is Flira, the leader of DDAA. Dissected and Disfigured Animal Association. And this is why you should trust me.” The stranger called Flira said while pulling the hood of her cloak down.

What Glinda observed next changed her view on Oz and Animals forever.

Chapter Text

Glinda’s Perspective:
Bat ears. Glinda was dumbfounded at what she was currently seeing. Flira had voluptuous brown curls, much like Glinda’s own blonde curls, but there were actual big bat ears sticking out of Flira’s hair. In fact, they were placed on her head much like Catra’s own cat ears. Only they were bigger.

Flira was facing Catra, so Glinda could not see the lady’s face, but Glinda could easily see the shocked look on Catra’s face. In fact, that cat lady’s mouth was wide open in shock. Glinda shot a glance at Elphaba, who did not looked surprised at all. That caused a frown to sprout on her face Glinda’s face. Glinda felt uneasy about the bat eared-girl.

Catra’s Perspective:
Catra was more than a little nonplussed. In the short time Catra had been there, she had made a prediction that there was no one like her here, mainly based on Glinda and Elphaba reaction to seeing her. Only Animals and humans. But obviously her guess had been wrong, because right in front of her was Flira with big bat ears.

Catra decided to take the time to stand up and look over the leader of the DDAA. Flira seemed all too ready to be observed, standing there with a small smirk and a hand on her hip. Catra was careful to keep her sword hidden, and made no move to let her own hood down. She did not trust this bat girl.

The girl looked only slightly older than Catra herself, but her eyes showed a weariness that exhibited itself in people who had gone through a great amount of tragedy and pain. Flira had a bright red eye, a color Catra had never seen in eyes. The other eyes was completely covered by dark brown curls. Catra ripped her eyes from Flira’s and marveled at the girl’s dark skin. Darker than Catra had ever seen, almost black. Her lips were bright red, the same color as her eyes.

“Are you done admiring me?” Flira said in a deep voice, and Catra noticed two things, forcing herself not to blush, but decided to smirk back.

Flira had sharp-looking fangs. They looked longer than Catra’s.
Flira’s bat ears twitched in a way that almost looked like she was wiggling them.

“I still don’t know why I should trust you.” Catra murmured, adding a tiny bit of menace in her voice to warn the leader. Catra took a step closer to Flira, but the leader did not move, except her ears twitched. Flira raised her eyebrows and smiled a smile showing off her fangs. She looked almost annoyed, but said nothing. Instead, Miss Bat Girl turned around to face Elphaba and Glinda, who were still sitting awkwardly on the other couch.

Catra watched as Elphaba scrambled to her feet, looking incredibly nervous, and Glinda followed her example, though in a more graceful and slower way.

“Please pardon Catra.” Catra glared at Elphaba for saying her name, but Elphaba just returned her glare with her own. “She’s new and does not trust people easily.”

“You don’t know me. You don’t know where I’ve come from” Catra uttered with anger, almost inaudibly, but Flira’s extrasensory bat ears must have heard. Flira turned so she was facing everyone, but her words were mostly directed to Catra.

“You don’t have to trust me, but I’m all you got. Obviously, I’m different.” Flira paused to gesture at her unusual ears, that twitched again. Not that Catra could say anything. She had cat ears. “I am about to show you something I don’t show people very often. If this doesn’t convince you that I can help, nothing will, and I will ask you to leave.” Flira sighed softly, and Catra raised an eyebrow, intensely curious.

‘They do say curiosity killed the cat. Let’s see if it’s really true.’ Catra thought and a small smile creeped onto her lips.

Still, what she saw next blew her away.

Chapter Text

Catra’s Perspective:
Flira took another few steps and shed her long cloak off. She was wearing short shorts and a tight shirt, showing off her curves and soft-looking, almost-black skin. Catra rolled her eyes. This girl liked to show off her beauty, and Catra could not deny Flira was good-looking. In fact, the leader’s looks had distracted Catra from one detail.

“Oh my stars!” Glinda gasped loudly and that was when Catra noticed that detail. And her eyes widened.

Flira had huge bat wings. They were so black that they almost looked purple. Catra could not believed she had not noticed them right away, but to be fair, they were folded nice and tight against Flira’s surprisingly big back.

Flira was smirking, but Catra saw some sadness in her eyes.

“You see, I am different. Trust me, or not. It’s your choice.” Flira turned to Catra, and Catra noticed that her wings were not visible in that view. At least not until Flira unfolded them to their full length. And boy were they huge.

They looked exactly like bat wings, except stronger and heavier. Her wingspan hit the walls of the small room, about fifteen feet across. When Flira spread them out, Catra could hear tiny cracking coming from the bones. Like when someone is hunched over for a long time and sits up straight and their back cracks. Catra guessed Flira did not get to spread out her wings much.

“Have you ever flown with them?” Catra asked, frowning in sympathy. Flira sighed and nodded.

“Yes. When I was younger, but now I rarely am able. If the wrong person saw me flying, who knows what would happen.” Her voice was filled with weariness, fear, but also anger. Catra knew what it was like to feel like that, so she pulled back her hood, revealing her cat features. She did not go as far as to take off her cloak completely. She did not want to show off the huge sheathed sword at her hip. Not yet.

Flira met Catra’s eyes with her one visible eyes and smiled with sympathy, though there was definitely smugness in her eyes. Flira allowed her wings to fold against her back again and sauntered over to Catra and placed her hands on Catra’s shoulders. Catra resisted the urge to shrink back at the physical contact, and it took all her might to keep eye contact with Flira.

“Do you trust me?” Flira whispered, raising an eyebrow, and Catra nodded with an eye roll. Flira smiled and withdrew her hands from Catra’s shoulders. Catra almost let out a sigh of relief, but thankfully stopped herself. Flira turned around to face the other two standing girls, and Catra felt a strong urge to run her hand against one of Flira’s leathery wings that were folded up. Instead, Catra planted her gaze on the ground, her face heating up slightly.

“Please, be at ease. Sit if you want. I am going to be right back. And I’ll help you.” Flira directed at all of them before silently stalking out of the room though the door. Catra sighed and fell back onto the couch she had been sitting on, though gracefully enough not to injure herself on sword at her hip. ‘Maybe this girl can help. Maybe not. It’s worth a try. It’s not like I have any other options, but boy is she going to be surprised when she learns about my story.’

Little did Catra know, Flira had a hell of a story herself. Of how she had become part bat.