maskormenacelogs | [Closed] The air may not be clear but I can breathe it in

Adora, for her part, arrives with very little fanfare. She's wearing slacks and a red and white turtlenecked sweater, looking for all the world like her usual self, just in a different world. Hopping off the bicycle she'd ridden up on, and pointedly setting it and the Sword of Protection strapped tightly to it's rear storage rack up against the side of the gazebo, she climbs on up and walks to sit down across from Lonnie.

And setting down a thermos and two cups between them.

"Alright. So...what's up, Lonnie?"

Edited 2019-10-18 04:39 (UTC)

Lonnie stays where she is when Adora shows up, only to be confused as to why Adora would bring two cups to their meeting. Is she that thirsty? Whatever. She pushes off of the post and stands full, sliding her gloved hands into her pockets. She taps her foot briefly staring staring at her, biting the inside of her cheek.

Yeah, she had told herself this would be fine. That it needed doing and it was time to get it over with. It's a little harder to start than she thought it would be.

"Yeah," she says. "It's time to talk about the one thing I think we both can agree about: Catra."

"...Okay..."

Adora reaches for the thermos and unscrews the lid, pouring a steaming cup of the tea. And then another, pushing it towards Lonnie. It's polite, and honestly she needs the warmth regardless. It doesn't get this cold on Etheria often. So, she closes her hands around her cup and continues, looking up at Lonnie with a genuine furrow to her brow.

"What about her? Is she in trouble or something?"

Edited 2019-10-18 22:50 (UTC)

Lonnie stares at the cup, almost like it's an alien thing with tentacles. But of course Adora would do that now, right? She's a Princess. That's not important now, so she doesn't do anything as petty as smack the cup or kick it over, but she does leave it sitting there for the time being.

"No," she says. "Not any trouble that I've heard of. But she's Catra. She does what she wants." Even if it's a bad idea. "She's just..." She waves a hand in the air like she could grab the word she's looking for from it.

Before leaving the Fright Zone, Adora might have thought the same thing...

Curious, she lets Lonnie keep talking, though. Was it concern? Or...was it something else? She didn't really know and vague statements like that weren't really helpful.

"She's just herself? Are you worried about her, Lonnie?" Thinking maybe she got in over her head with something? "If you are, you know I'll help."

"I'm not worried." Her lips turn down a little at not knowing exactly how to verbalize this, but she's not gonna let Adora assume worry is the cause of this. She doesn't need to worry about Catra. Not here, anyway.

"And I don't need your help," she says. "I just need you to not screw up whatever is going on. She's...almost happy half the time here. Way happier than she was back home."

She's not going to say it was only because of Adora, but she isn't dumb or petty enough to act like Adora isn't part of it.

"Excuse me?"

Adora looks a little affronted, and she sort of should be. This isn't exactly what she'd expected, and she doesn't really know what to make of Lonnie's demand.

"Screw up...whatever is going on how? Screw up Catra finally having a chance at being happy and not treated like Shadow Weaver and Hordak's lapdog? How am I going to mess that up for her, exactly?"

"I don't know and that's the problem." She paces back and forth, not realizing just how frustrated she looks doing it.

"You and Shadow Weaver are always the ones ruining things for her somehow and that ruins things for the rest of us, too. Shadow Weaver isn't here, but you are and Catra wants that and that means something with her. So just...don't screw it up. Whatever it is going on with you."

"I'm not ruining things for her, Lonnie. I'm stopping her from ruining things for Etheria. It's not my fault she keeps making bad decisions at home. You can probably blame Shadow Weaver for most of that, but Catra keeps digging herself a deeper hole."

Folding her arms, she looks up at the pacing Lonnie...

"But wait, you...think Catra wants me here?"

"I blame both of you because you both don't care what happens to the people you--" She stops, turns to look right at Adora in the face. Staring. Just staring.

"Are you kidding me? Did you just ask that?"

Lonnie is starting to get the idea that Adora is a lot dumber than she ever gave her credit for. Growing up she saw Adora as the smart, dedicated, competent leader of their team. She knew what they should be doing, she put in the effort, and she was good. Lonnie thought they got that about each other, but Lonnie knew now she'd been wrong about that. She'd been wrong about a lot of things about Adora.

Including her not being a big, oblivious idiot, she guess.

Adora...blinks...up at Lonnie. She's actually, legitimately baffled by that comment. But then she isn't really sure what to think of Catra anymore. Or at all, lately.

"I sure did. Because half the time she's threatening to claw my face off. And the other half of the time she's telling me about sushi that she likes. So, I don't know if she does or she doesn't."

Actually, the more she thinks about that statement, and Catra, the more annoyed she gets. Standing up, she leans closer...

"I've saved her life at least twice here now and she just freaks out and runs away or screams at me to leave her alone. So yeah, I am asking that. And we'll come back to you thinking I don't care about the people around me, but I for serious want an answer."

Folding her arms, she almost glares..but doesn't quite.

"Has she said or done anything that makes you think otherwise? Because she sure hasn't given me any real indication one way or another."

Edited 2019-10-23 05:16 (UTC)

"Ugh." It's loud and frustrated because somehow these two people are so oblivious and she does not understand why.

"The fact she hasn't tried to kill you here says she wants you around," Lonnie tells her flatly. "She's not trying to blow you up or steal your stupid sword or kidnapping your new friends to get to you. She talks to you and teases you and makes jokes to you. What else do you need, for Catra to magically decide to tell you to your face?"

Because they should both know that's not happening.

"...Sure but not trying to kill me doesn't mean anything. Lonnie, normal people don't resort to violence, kidnapping, and attempted murder just because they don't like someone. So the fact that Catra's not doing any of those things doesn't mean she wants me around."

Oh, Adora you sweet summer child.

"But for the sake of argument, alright, she wants me around. How am I going to screw that up? I'm not going to kidnap anyone, or fight her, or anything. I am a nice person, Lonnie. I only fight when I'm forced to. And I don't pick on her or try and hurt her feelings."

Lonnie would tell her that normal people do it all the time because that's exactly how the Horde does things, but Lonnie's not exactly in the mood to listen to Adora tell her how her Perfect Fake Princess friends would never harm someone they were didn't like. So she tries to stay focused.

"I shouldn't have to explain all of this to you. She doesn't even like me, and I can see it. You're supposed to be her best friend I'd thought you would get this."

Then she pauses for a moment, takes a breath. "Catra. Likes. You. Being. Here. Why? Because she's still your friend here. Here, it doesn't matter that you ditched u--her to join the other side. All the fighting you were doing? None of that matters. You won't even remember when we go back home, so you don't have to feel guilty for being friendly with the enemy or whatever. Let her have that."

"I AM!"

Adora practically bellows, finally standing up and slamming a foot down on the bench. It shudders, but thankfully holds. Something in that outburst takes the anger out of her, because she continues in a much smoother voice.

"I am absolutely not trying to take anything away from Catra. I have never wanted to do that," she continues, "and I have never done anything at home but try and get her to see how messed up the Horde is, and get her to come with me. I only want what's best for Catra, and I can't believe you're even thinking that I'd do anything to the contrary."

Of course she did. Because in the end, if there was anyone in the Horde that Adora would have asked to go with her, it would be Catra. Lonnie has come to accept the rest of them hadn't mattered to Adora like they thought they had. At least Catra had never hidden how she felt.

"I can't believe you're surprised. I don't know you and I definitely don't know She-Ra." She crossed her arms, staring her down. "But let's say you're telling the truth. Fine. If you're not going to ditch her as soon as more of your Princess friends show up, then there's nothing for us to talk about. Everything is good."

"No, it's not."

Adora folds her own arms, with her cool restored it's easier to meet Lonnie stare for stare. She had intended to bring the conversation back to one particular comment, and now was the time.

"You don't get to accuse me of not caring for the people around me. I do that every day. That's why I left the Horde, and that's why I want Catra to leave too. Though I don't know if that's something you'd ever understand."

Lonnie snorts, rolling her eyes a bit. Like Adora telling her what she can or can't do is ever going to be something that matters to her again. Before she had respected her, had thought they were friends, maybe had even a tiny little bit wanted to as good as her. But things have changed.

"That's rich coming from someone like you. Strangers in another country mattered more to you than the team you'd had for forever. The team that, unlike you, actually stuck around and stood by Catra when she got promoted and actually did some good in the Horde. The kind of good that gets results."

She steps closer to Adora now. Not in a threatening way, but the look on her face isn't being particularly kind either. "You made your choice and so did we. Big difference is we picked Catra and you didn't."

Adora meets Lonnie stare for stare, her expression flat and cold. No, Lonnie didn't understand, she might never. She was too deep into drinking the Horde Kool-Aid. Was it worth it to even try?

Maybe.

"Results that involve innocent people being hurt or killed, Lonnie. I don't think you get it. The Horde is not doing anything good and if you had a shred of the empathy you'd see that. The reason I left is because I saw just how wrong it was, finally."

Adora doesn't snarl or sneer. She just keeps looking at Lonnie with that stern set to her jaw.

"You say you're worried about Catra, but you want her to stay in a place where Shadow Weaver and Hordak can keep abusing her? No, Lonnie. You don't care about her. You just want your life to be a little easier, because when she's in a good mood she's not going to bully you."

Oh no, she didn't.

"I'm not going to argue with you about the Horde. I already see you're too deep in Princess-think to listen to anything different and really, I don't care."

Lonnie can put up with a lot of insults. She doesn't care what most people say about her, is confident in her self and her abilities. Knows what she's good at and what she's not. People don't get far when they try "bully" her because she will dish it right back out. Like Catra. But she's not gonna take someone like Adora claiming she's the one who is only thinking about herself.

"Maybe Catra and I don't get along sometimes, or even most of the time, but she's part of my team. That actually matters to me. To us. But of course you want to tell Catra what to do and how to think and how to feel. Your way or no way, huh? Shadow Weaver taught you well, I guess."

"I want to get her away from Shadow Weaver, Lonnie. I don't think you understand just how cruel she was to Catra." And to Adora, but she doesn't think so. "That's not me telling her how to feel, that's me wanting to remove her from a bad situation. Yeah, it's admirable that you stick up for your team, Kyle and Rogelio can use people to look out for them. "

Shaking her head, Adora puffs out a breath, turning slightly but not quite ready to leave.

"You think I'm the brainwashed one, but you're wrong. It's not my way or no way. I'm just going any way but Hordak's. You may not care, but you don't get to accuse me of being selfish when you're working for a group that wants to slash and burn our world. You do whatever works for you, Lonnie. I won't be a part of a team that's hurting innocent people. I have a conscience. If you develop one, you're more than welcome to leave and I'll vouch for you too."

"Like when you left and offered to take us with you, huh? Oh wait. That was just Catra. Like I'd believe you suddenly decided we were good enough for you to "vouch for." And why do you keep bringing up Shadow Weaver? She's not..."

She realizes the answer to her own question almost immediately.

"Oh. Now I get it."

Sometimes it's a little annoying--or a lot annoying--just how wrong people can be and Lonnie has to remind herself that Adora is like Catra. They don't have any memories of what's changed back home. They only remember the Bright Moon assault. Nothing that came after.

"You keep acting like Catra's in some great danger because you don't know that Catra is the one running things now. She's in charge of almost the whole Horde. Second-in-command to Hordak."

Now that...is...not entirely surprising, but it's also not something Adora particularly wants to hear. She purses her lips, quiet for several moments as she works that out.

And then pulls a face, running a hand through her hair. Ugh.

"...I hate when time doesn't quite sync up right here. It's such a pain. But it sounds like there's a lot of context I'm missing and...don't particularly need here."

Since it's proven time and again that no matter what, Catra will make bad decisions. And that she won't remember her time here.

"But on that first point, did I really have an option? I saw Catra. I hadn't seen you, or the others, until I had to break Glimmer and Bow out of the Fright Zone. And that wasn't exactly the best time."

Hearing that...cuts something in Lonnie. She isn't sure why it does, what about that makes it better or worse at getting to her than everything else they've said to each other so far. Maybe because it just proves to her something she's already accepted but didn't want to. The truth there that if Adora is so quick to dismiss everything that Lonnie's seen and experienced--the things they've all done and not done--just because she didn't see and experience it...well, that really says everything for Lonnie, doesn't it?

"You don't "need" it, huh?" Lonnie says, eyes cut before she gives a roll of her shoulders and steps back. "Yeah, I guess if it never mattered to you back home when you were living it, it wouldn't matter here when you don't have to, right?"

She doesn't feel hurt, but there's some kind of feeling and Lonnie is ready to not deal with it ever. Feelings are stupid. Loyalty is stupid. She doesn't even know why she's bothering with all of this, but she over it.

"So I said what I wanted to say, you said whatever came out of your mouth...I think we're done here."

"No we're not quite done. Because honestly, Lonnie, do you think I need to know something that hasn't happened for me or Catra yet?"

Adora steps forward again, looking the other girl square in the face, unwilling to just let that stand. Seriously? she was getting annoyed because her ploy to try and put Adora down didn't work out?

"Is it going to change anything? Because you were pretty quick to try and use it to gloat that you know what's happening in our future and I don't. You act like I'm the uncaring one, but you're pretty quick to try and use anything you can against me, and insult me. I came all this way because you asked, and I brought you something I hoped was a peace offering for the time we're stuck here. But you're just looking for things to throw at me for because I don't fit into your neat little Horde shaped box anymore."

She gestures, sharply, at the tea she'd carefully made and packed away.

"You want me to make Catra happy, and I want to make Catra happy. But I also don't want to deal with you sniping at me every time we're in the same city block, either."

"Maybe there is, but if you said you didn't need to know, then why would I bother saying any of it now? Besides--" Lonnie comes to a bit of a halt, the rising tone ending when she thinks about all that Adora said.

A peace offering? Did she mean that cup? Like Lonnie would just trust anything Adora brought for her. It might be some weird Earth drink filled with that nasty pumpkin spice just to trick her. She didn't have to drink it. But it's not like she kicked it over or anything, either...

Still, she's not intimidated by Adora, even knowing how powerful she can be. Even before she got the powers she has now, Lonnie wasn't scared of Adora or any of the other Princesses one-on-one. But she also knows this isn't how she wanted all this to go. She let out a lot more than she intended. Stupid reactions for no reason that don't solve anything. She knew before coming how Adora felt about them--which is not much at all--so why she dragged it all up when this was supposed to be about Catra...

There's a frustrated sigh. "Look, we're just going in circles over the same things. You don't get it, won't get it and like you said, you don't need to. Letting Catra be happy is the only thing we agree on. We don't have to see each other again for the rest of the time we're here."

Ugh. This is so annoying. Even worse than Frosta.

"How about...we just try and be professional and rational about this? We're stuck here. Earth is kinda crummy, most of the time, and it's really weird...and I'd rather not argue all the time but there's no way we'll be able to avoid each other forever."

Which...honestly that was kind of what she'd hoped the conversation would be about in the first place. It's clear Lonnie's got something going on that's more personal that Horde vs Princess Alliance. And while she doesn't exactly have a clue what that is, she'd rather not just slam the door in her face and shut her out forever.

"So let's just agree that we be civil...especially around Catra so she doesn't get all cranky. You know how she feeds on negativity. And that means let's skip the insults and just...co-exist like two normal people stuck in a weird world where they can make sparkles come out of their fingertips and flying weirdos hang out on street corners throwing waterballoons."

Shaking her head, Adora picks up her cup and studies it.

"I don't..." she sighs. "I don't really want to fight you, and I never have. But you're right, we're kind of at an impasse where neither one of us can get the other's worldview."

"I'm not here for a fight, either," Lonnie says. If she wanted a fight, she wouldn't have called Adora up for it. She would have tracked her down and took her by surprise like she was trained to do. She'd only wanted to tell her to not mess things up with Catra. She wasn't supposed to drag her own stupid feelings into this.

Great job she did at that. Not like Adora understood what it was about anyway. Was it worth it, to keep pushing? Probably not. And Lonnie does have some self-respect.

"Right, so being civil. I'm not going to start anything if you don't. Do right by Catra and there won't be any problems."

"When have I ever started anything?"

She's always been the defender, here. She doesn't kidnap people or attack villages. Adora swallows down the rest of her tea and sets the cup down, looking at the still full one she'd poured for Lonnie.

Picking it up, she holds it out. It's a somewhat important gesture to her, since this was as close to a peace offering as she could give.

"On earth, I've heard you're supposed to share something when you reach an agreement. Have a sip at least. It's a mild herbal stimulant without any sweeteners. No tricks." She says, in words she's sure Lonnie will understand. It's literally just Darjeeling without anything added, so a light and earthy drink.

"I'll give my word then, to be civil and take extra care not to set Catra off."

Everything really started the day that Adora left. The fact she seems to act like she only ever does anything in defense and didn't make an active choice to side with their enemy is frustrating. But pushing that point won't solve anything. It won't prove anything or help the situation. She'd just be doing it to needle at Adora and probably start another fight.

...Does she really want to keep fighting?

After a moment of staring at the cup, she rolls her eyes just a bit and then takes it from Adora's hand. It's hot, but having impenetrable skin makes it pretty impervious to heat. It doesn't smell funny, but then it doesn't smell normal either. Nothing around here is normal for her, but at least she's getting used to it.

"And I give my word to not piss her off and to be civil when we're within fifty feet of each other." She takes a careful sip of it and thankfully doesn't have the urge to spit it out. It actually doesn't taste so bad at all.

"There. Truce?"

Somewhat surprised that Lonnie actually took it, Adora nods.

"Yes, Truce."

Though fifty feet gives her a lot of wiggle room, and Adora has not missed that.

With that settled, though, she turns away and nods back to the other girl after picking up her stuff.

"If that's everything, then keep the cup, and I'll see you around Lonnie."

Edited 2019-11-22 06:39 (UTC)

She didn't really think that Lonnie wouldn't never talk trash about her when she wasn't around, did she? Lonnie would play nice when they were around, but she hadn't forgotten just what side Adora was on, and it wasn't Lonnie's. This was a truce born out of mutual interest and nothing more. It's not like they'd have any reason to be near each other besides Catra anyway.

Lonnie looks back down at the cup for a moment before giving a little shrug that doesn't sound that believing, but not rude either. "Sure. Around." With that she leaves herself, heading off down one of the paths. She passes more than one trashcan that she could have thrown the cup into...but she doesn't.

She maybe even drinks the whole thing.

No point wasting it.

[Closed] The air may not be clear but I can breathe it in

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ugh tablet tags.

i know