Adora has an interesting interaction with a tall woman.
*Takes place during chapter 9*

~

Adora found herself in a peaceful meadow for the... fifth day in a row. The meadow was beautiful, sure. But it was monotonous. Nothing had changed in the last several days, not even the time of day. The only time she got a reprieve from the everlasting wheat and flowers was when she slept.

It didn't take an idiot to realise she was sleeping more and more each time.
She knew the virus was killing her.

At some point, Adora thought she was waking up for good. She'd heard Catra's voice in that tauntingly Catra tone. "Hey, Adora," She'd turned, ready to retort something. But there was nobody there. Just her, and the endless meadow. Part of the reason Adora hated relaxing was her mind. It spiralled when she relaxed when she had nothing else to focus on. The shadows crept in too quickly for her to stop, more often than not, throwing her into a panic attack. The attack usually surrounded Shadow Weaver's... interesting... forms of upbringing.

Usually revolving around getting a slap or a beating for stepping out of line, but nevertheless. She wandered to the woods. The trees stretched as high as she could see, luscious green leaves decorating the trunk. Adora walked in, humming a tune Razz used to sing. Huh. Razz. Adora should really go and visit the crazy old lady again soon... She scratched at her chest, mildly annoyed the ever-persistant ache hadn't yet gone away. She knew it was the virus causing issues with the fail-safe.

Or had she already used the fail-safe? Time seemed to stand still... wherever she was. Adora shook her head, forcing the thoughts out. If she dwelled on them too long, she may very well go insane.

She continued walking.

Truthfully, Adora had no idea where she was walking, just that her mind had a destination in place, and that was where her feet were going. The trees grew closer together, the light grew darker and darker. It was like being in the Whispering Woods. Huh. Maybe she was in the Whispering Woods. That'd explain the odd familiarity she felt with the area.

"Adora,"

She spun. "Hello?" She called.

No answer.

"Adora," The voice whispered again. "Whoever's out there, I'm not playing!" She reached for her bracelet with a falter. Oh... right. "Forward," The voice whispered. Stupidly, Adora walked forward. She continued so until the trees gave way to a clearing... and... "Razz's house?" She asked herself. "Razz?" She called, walking up to the windows. She peered in. "Hello? Razz?" She called. The door suddenly burst open, revealing a tall woman. "Razz, you silly old bat! Why would you shake the flour like that!?" The woman laughed. Adora blinked in shock. The woman wiped her face, spluttering. "It was not my fault! The silly bag wouldn't listen to me!" Razz complained. "It's flour!" The woman continued to laugh. The woman turned, sighing softly. "It's about time you got here, Adora,"

She grabbed Adora's wrist, pulling her into the hut. "Razz has been going on about you now for at least five days," Adora grunted as she landed on a soft chair. Razz tutted and waved her hand in the tall woman's face. "Ignore Mara, dearie. She is just sour I spilt the flour,"

~

Adora sat in a semi-catatonic state as she witnessed the strange situation unfold before her very eyes. It was, indeed, Mara, standing in Razz's cottage, much like her visions. She was taller than Adora. Not by much, maybe a few inches. Adora stood at just over five and a half feet. Mara must stand closer to six feet. Razz, bless the crazy old bat, stood at no more than five feet, probably even smaller. Yet, her attitude and self-confidence gave her an extra five feet easily. Adora watched, silently, scratching at her chest and side as the duo frantically tried to bake a... pie?

"Uh... Razz?" She dared speak. Razz continued bustling about, moving around Mara as if she was never there. "Yes, Mara?" Adora glanced at the actual Mara, who shrugged. "Uh, Adora," She corrected. "And... what am I doing here?" She asked. Razz continued humming, apparently ignoring her. Adora sighed deeply, wincing slightly as her wound crumpled beneath her skin. "Razz, Adora's talking to you," Mara sang, stepping around the crazy old lady. Razz turned, blinking in surprise. "Oh! Sorry, Mara! I didn't realise!" She bustled over, stepping on Mara's foot in the process. Mara grumbled, but Razz ignored her. "You are here because you are dying," Razz said with a smile.

Adora's eyes widened. "I- I'm dying?"

Realistically, she knew she was dying. Even before she passed out a few days (or hours) ago, she was really unwell, even by her standards. As a kid, she'd been particularly sick for a little over three days, vomiting, headaches, fevers, the lot. Shadow Weaver, and the healers, thought she was going to die and wouldn't last the week. Nobody else in her platoon caught whatever she had, not even Catra, who insisted on curling up tightly against her stomach.

Shadow Weaver tried her... healing method to purge the sickness away, and where it had succeeded before, failed this time around. Eventually, it was realised she had appendicitis.

Then a few months after that, Lonnie was sick and passed it around the platoon.
They were all lashed for every training session they missed.

She'd been sick a few times at Bright Moon as well.

But with this... virus she had, it was different. For starters, it bled a mix of blood and broken green code. Then when she threw up a few days after that, it wasn't real vomit. It was... broken green code. And the pain... god the pain. It was by far the worst she'd ever experienced. She'd actually been stabbed and it hurt less.

Adora blinked at the firm hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry..." Mara began, kneeling. "For what?" Adora asked, wiping her treacherously wet eyes. "For not being strong enough in the first place... for not destroying the Heart when I was alive," She paused. "For making you pay for my cowardice," The house went quiet. Razz stopped singing. Adora hesitated in placing her hand on Mara's. "It- it isn't your fault," She began. "It's the First Ones," She continued. "The First Ones are the ones who made this mess... who- who created the Heart," Her words turned angry and bitter. "Who left the planet to blow up when it wouldn't work,"

She glanced to her side, watching as it leaked more broken code into the waistband of her trousers. Mara followed her gaze. "It's getting worse," She said quietly. Adora nodded softly. "Yeah... it is,"