#sheracomplex

“Yo.” Shigaraki introduced himself undramatically as possible as he suddenly appeared in her doorway. “It’s your friendly neighborhood serial killer.” 

He definitely looked the part, the red stains had failed to wash out of his black hoodie, a hood was pulled over his head, and his smile looked like it was hiding a mouth full of knives. If you were walking alone at night and saw someone looking like him, ten out of ten people would cross the street and they would be right for doing so. His bleached hair fell in front of his eyes, making his expression difficult to read. 

“I got bored so I thought I’d come by to introduce myself.” 

That was the only reason he needed. He was just a child seeking amusement. Shigaraki knew he was an eyesore and relished it. He smiled, like an amused cat with its paw on the tail of a mouse mulling over whether it wanted to let it go or finish its meal right now, perhaps he was reminding her of someone else. 

Catra woke up with a bad headache. She hated drinking, but hated being sober even more. When she saw Adora asleep in the corner of the room she stuck her tongue out. She hated being alone with her thoughts, but she thought other people were just too loud. Catra woke up in a bad mood, because she was Catra. 

“Ugh, what are you doing here?” Catra wasn’t a morning person. She wasn’t an anything person. She was unpleasant at all hours of the day. She rolled away, and got up onto her feet. The house that surrounded her was the league of villains mansion, covered in grafitti, with broken furniture worn down furniture probably stolen from a dump somewhere. 

She ALMOST loses it. Being in this building where a lot of the wallpapers seem to be white reminds her so much of the Facility. The only thing that stopped her from going ballistic and setting everything on fire AGAIN is the smell. It smells different. There’s no smell that indicates this is the same place. Her eyebrows furrow and she looks around. People are walking, minding their own business, but also some are just as confused as to why they’re here. She sees a sign, she can’t read it, but seeing the people with bags and walking into classroom.....She’s not familiar with it. 

Now, her attention is to whoever she’s standing in front of. WHY is she being looked at like that? Did this woman want to fight? 

Welcome to scenic Isola Radiale, Adora!

You’ll be staying in TOWNHOUSE 223!

You will retain the ability to be a dumb lesbian jock transform into She-Ra up to twice per day for ten minutes each use. During this time, you will receive your superhuman strength at half potency. You will retain the ability to transform outside of this window as well, but only for cosmetic reasons.

You’ll also be given a plastic replica of the Sword of Protection.

Enjoy your stay!

Catra was buying flowers when it happened. If she could just apologize for once. Even though she promised that she never would. Even though she wanted to keep all the childhood promises that Adora broke. Catra looked up at the sky, and saw the eclipse, and a sharp pain ran down her arm. She let go of the flowers and looked down to see there was a crack in her being.

She was broken. She had always been broken but now everybody could see how broken she was. She looked at the flowers on the ground, and in a fit of anger, stomped them into nothing. Childhood memories, Catra, and Adora, playing in a field of flowers and when we’re older I want things to stay just like this. I’m scared. Ah! It’ll be really fun as long as we’re together. I just know it will. That memory must have been a lie. There were no flowers in the fright zone. Catra didn’t have happy memories of her  past. Adora really wasn’t her friend. If she was, why did she leave? 

(Adora, Adora, Adora) (Me, me, me)

Catra didn’t know where she was. She just knew Adora had run away without her again. She still remembered the last words of their argument. Why can’t you ever stay? She had fallen, but dug her claws in, because she didn’t want to let go of Adora. She needed to chase after her. Catra took off running on all fours. She found her by following her scent.

Catra stood up again, and then suddenly doubled over in pair. She gripped her head,. A crack appeared in one of her eyes. The crack spread all along her face. In her mind she heard the sound of shattering glass, and she screamed in agony. She embraced herself, as if she might split in two if she didn’t. 

“Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, Adoraaaaaaaa.”

Catra tilted her head all the way to one side. 

Catra stretched her body as long as she could. A long cat. When she was finished she rolled over in the sun. She didn’t have anything like a swim suit, so she wore what she wore under her usual leather clothing that looked like a sports bra and shorts. She had a pink t shirt pulled over it that read in sparkly letters Hello Kitty! 

It used to be a full length shirt with long sleeves, but it was now a short sleeved belly shirt after Catra was finished tearing it apart. It also had a hole in it. Catra also wore heart shaped sunglasses, had her long untamed mane tied back in a tight tony, and was sipping from a smoothie. 

She had been holding onto the smoothie before she suddenly was transported to this place. Catra decided to play it cool like nothing was the matter.  She was on vacation.  She was taking a break from everyone. She was taking a break from Adora. 

Suddenly, a shadow appeared over her.  She pulled down her sunglasses as she looked up. Adora was here now. Great. 

“Ugh, why are you everywhere? Can’t you leave me alone for five minutes?” 

Catra said, and then she threw her smoothie in Adora’s face.  When Adora started to walk off, Catra started to panic. 

Tenko had been scared and running away for a long time, but then a blonde lady appeared. He was scared of her at first, because she smelled like blood and had pointy teeth, but then she smiled at him and took him gingerly by the wrist. She was the first person to look him in the eye rather than turn her nose up at him. She was so nice. 

Now Tenko waited sitting on the bar stool where the nice girl worked. His feet didn’t touch the ground. He kicked them anxiously. He wanted to make the nice girl happy so he didn’t touch anything. The itch returned just a little bit, so he scratch, scratch, scratched at his eyelid.

He heard the door open. Another girl. He itched at his face. Why was she looking at him like that? Oh, it was probably because he was bleeding. Tenko was scratching at open wounds. “Ummm.... you can’t come in here if you’re underaged. It’s against the law. If you break the law you’re a bad guy.” 

Tenko said, but when she started to get closer his itch got worse. It was like he was allergic to her. “S-stop it. Nobody’s coming to save me. Everyone’s ignored me so far so... I d-don’t want your help. Leave me alone, leave me alone, leave me alone.” 

Adora, Adora, Adora. Blood dripping down her back, her expression like broken glass. You’re nothing. Catra wanted to shout ‘You’re not, not to me.” but she didn’t. She was good at hurting and bad at everything else. She watched Adora’s back helplessly as she left. It was just like Adora said, Catra couldn’t follow her. Her legs were rooted in the ground. 

Ah. She thought. Adora gave up on me. Adora always, always, always, leaves.

No, she didn’t like it. She didn’t like it when Adora looked at her, but she hated it even more when she looked away. Adora made her fall in love with her by looking away. She hated being abandoned the most. 

Catra reached out longingly for a moment, and then thrashed her hand  into the side of the doorway she was standing in as hard as she could. She wanted to break her fingers, break something. Catra heard a faint voice in her ear, it was the sound of her own voice as a kitten. Why are you hurting Adora? Because she hurt me first. Why? Because we’re not goddamn kids anymore. Catra grabbed her hair, and twisted it between her fingers like she wanted to pull it out. 

Then Catra heard the rain outside. She had an incredibly stupid thought. Adora will be cold. There was an umbrella stand by the door. Catra took one and then bounded forward on all fours. She carried it between her teeth as she ran. She hated the rain and hated Adora more so she had no idea why she was doing this. She weaved and ducked through alleyways until she found Adora, it was easy, because Adora didn’t get far. 

There was a man who was talking to Adora, holding a knife behind his back. Catra lunged forward tackling the man off of his feet. She hissed in his face, all of her fur standing on end. 

“The only one allowed to mess with Adora is me.” Catra said, before slamming his head into the concrete. “Destroying the Princess is my job ya hear me?” 

Catra stood up and opened the umbrella over Adora’s head. She had no idea what to say for the girl who was nothing everything to her. Now she just felt awkward. Embarrassed, even, like some kind of dork.