video; post-Babadook.

[heterochrocatic]

Oh for ████'s sake.

[ Catra is usually kinda grumpy, but this post is extra grumpy. ]

I go through all that ████ and I still get dropped back here. ████ you, you ███holes.

[ Catra does not look much physically changed, oddly, but there's been a shift in her bearing and the way she holds herself. Kinda subtle, but it's there. ]

Comments

[71lines]

Uh?

[Eloquent.]

[heterochrocatic]

...I'm gone for a few months and that's all I get?

[ Catra has not, in fact, been gone for a few months. You probably just saw her in the cafeteria or something a few minutes ago. ]

[71lines]

Months? Hey, are you feeling okay?

[She frowns, leaning in to inspect the screen.]

I just walked by you on my way out from lunch.

[This isn't another imposter situation, is it? Was Catra the imposter the first time around? To find out the answer to THAT, keep an eye on the Babadon't plot! But she's no imposter this time.]

[passifloraincarnata]

[Setsuna blinks.]

... you left?! ... but you're back?!?! How?

[heterochrocatic]

What? I was--I was back home. On Horde Prime's ship, we--

[ She clutches at her head for a moment, squeezes her eyes shut and takes a few deep breaths. ]

That doesn't make sense. I was in space for a while, we had to travel back to Etheria, we fought Horde Prime. That can't have happened in a few minutes!

[heterochrocatic]

I was back on Horde Prime's ship and then Etheria. I know it sounds crazy, but I was. I... I didn't remember the Rig while I was there but I can remember the rest of it now.

[ Catra sounds confused now, uncertain. ]

We just freed Etheria!

TEXT; LOCKED TO SETSUNA

[71lines]

Careful. She might be sick.

[71lines]

I'm pretty sure I'd remember if you vanished for that long. You're important around here, after all.

[She's gonna be messing with her comm stealthily, shooting messages to Adora and Setsuna.]

[princesspower]

Uh, Catra? Are you OK?

[heterochrocatic]

Ha. Maybe to some of you.

[ Did Catra... crack a smile? What? ]

I can remember all of it...

[ She frowns and reaches back to touch the back of her neck, then shudders. ]

[heterochrocatic]

Adora! You're still here? Or... you're back?

[ She frowns. ]

We were on Etheria.

[71lines]

[Whoops, there's alarm bells. Catra's smiling. In public.

Get there faster, Adora.]

Maybe you ought to be sitting down? If you did fight the prime Horde guys, ending up back here is...

[A shock?]

[princesspower]

Wait, we were?

[heterochrocatic]

I feel fine! Best I've felt in years, physically.

[ When you die and your girlfriend literally revives you with magic that happens. ]

And, no. Horde Prime. That was his name.

[heterochrocatic]

Are you telling me you don't remember this at all?

[ Trust Adora to forget their whole conversation in the Heart. ]

[princesspower]

I... don't.

[ She sounds pained. ]

I just remember being on the Rig.

[heterochrocatic]

Oh.

[ Catra just looks stricken by the revelation. ]

I... This isn't fair. They can't just do this to people!

[princesspower]

Catra-! It's going to be OK! I promise!

[heterochrocatic]

It's not okay! You almost died. We almost died!

[ Catra actually did die, oops. ]

We won and now I'm not even sure it was real!

[71lines]

Probably more than physically. I'm not used to you doing that, uh. That thing with your face. Where the corners of your mouth curve up?

[There might be just a bit of teasing going on.]

My mistake, sorry. Is he dead?

[princesspower]

I believe you! Maybe it's... some sort of weird time travel thing?

[heterochrocatic]

It's called a smile, you dork. I've smiled before.

[ Look, she's doing it again! ]

Yeah. He's dead.

[heterochrocatic]

Maybe? I don't even know if Jorgmund did this on purpose or it's just an accident.

[princesspower]

I wish I knew what to tell you.

[71lines]

Yeah, but you don't usually do it as... Openly. Or often.

[Or honestly. There's something more genuine in each of those smiles, as alarmingly casual as they are for Catra.]

Well, that's good.