1709/Playing Cat and Unicorn

Playing Cat and Unicorn
Date of Scene:	29 June 2024
Location:	Plot Room 3
Synopsis:	Catra tries to finish off Hinoiri while she's in recovery! Fortunately, Sharpsong, Bow and Pagemage are able to keep her off, though it costs them when Catra can't leave empty handed...
Cast of Characters:	Hinoiri Kirara, Adora Rainbowfist, Sayaka Miki, Bow, Catra, Rashmi Terios

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Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara was still in the hospital, her body slowly healing from the damage inflicted by her time as Sunset of Sora. There'd already been one attempt on her life, but there were bound to be more...

Little did she know that Catra, the girl she'd taken such an interest in and saw such potential in... Was likely on her way to finish what others had started.

Of course, Catra being herself, she couldn't just let such a thing happen, nor could she just leave empty handed. So protection was just as much on its way. In the form of a blue puella mermaid, the incarnation of abs himself and a princess of breaking anything and everything that annoyed her enough.

Adora Rainbowfist has posed:
It was awkward. Adora was here, and she'd MEANT to sit down and have a long conversation with Hinoiri...but she couldn't quite bring herself to DO that yet. So, she's here, and leaning against the wall just outside of the hospital door. Somebody else was likely in the room with the girl while Adora watched the hall. She'd tryied going in to talk but...no. It wasn't happening. She couldn't look Hinoiri in the eyes without just being angry. She didn't know if she was angry at Hinoiri or herself more, but those complicated feelings only made her dread the encounter more.

So, for now the teen waits outside. She's dressed in a pair of jean shorts with athletic shoes, and a red and white jacket over a trendy shirt she picked up at a local store that simply has the English word 'YURI' across the front. Most of the other kids can't read the English, but she'd connected the word, so she felt rather smug about it. Either way, she has her arms crossed across her chest, and she's taking slow, calming breaths. Waiting. Dreading.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Another day, another visit to the hospital to check on Hinoiri. This time Sayaka had brought with herself a box of potato croquettes with mild spice added to them she had bought, and she is waiting alongside Bow and Adora for the time visitors are allowed in.

The bluenette is waiting patiently in her seat, reading a book about the rise and fall of Early Romantic music, Ula on her shoulder sketching a complex swan shape she wants to try out for her next jewel.

Neither of them had expected Adora to be there too, and they had cheerfully greeted the blonde girl, not having seen each other since the whole thing with Crystal Hope.

Bow has posed:
Outside, obstently in the waiting area, but actually on guard, Bow is currently flipping through his phone. He has so many videoes to post, and some to delete. And he figured after he sent Hinoiri a get well gift, he would accompany Sayaka to visit - but with Adora currently in the room, and knowing their history, he's decided to take up position outside to wait his turn.

It also allows him to stand guard without looking like he's standing guard. A mindless flip through another screen as he chews on a piece of bubblegum, idly blowing and sucking back in a bubble with an audible 'pop' of noise.

So with Adora being out in the hallway with him, the archer turns his head to glance at the blonde. "Sooooo. How's school? Getting your grades up? Need any help? Don't ask me about World Geography, I still think Australia is the Crimson Wastes from the way it was described to me."

"Anyway. Sayaka has some awesome taters, so I figured we can drop them off, heck on Hinoiri, and scoot." With that, he's reaching to open the door so that they can head inside. "And you know - so you're not alone. You never are, Adora." A small, worried smile at that.

Catra has posed:
Catra, meanwhile, was on the roof of the hospital, doing that one thing that she is absolutely, wonderfully, stunningly good at; procrastinating. She's sitting cross-legged with a take-out box of noodles with chicken, polishing off the last of that, while she's got a few set of headphones on that completely cover her ears, listening to music (Nine Inch Nails today) far louder than ought to be safe.

Talking to myself all the way to the station
Pictures in my head of the final destination
All lined up, all the ones that aren't allowed to stay
Tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away

She's been sitting there for a while. Certainly longer than an assassin should need to go after a target. And what's up with the food, anyway? Can't kill someone on an empty stomach? Somewhere out there are actual professional killers all gazing down on her from the afterlife, rolling their eyes at her efforts. But, several floors down, there waits something that Catra has to do that she desperately doesn't want to do.

Tried to save a place from the cuts and the scratches
Tried to overcome my complications and my catches
Nothing ever grows, and the sun doesn't shine all day
Tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away

Or, more specifically, someone she has to kill that she doesn't want to hurt. Even if that person is on the other side now. Someone told her she didn't switch sides, Obsidian kicked her out, but does it really matter? Does it matter even a little bit? She's on the other side now. The. Other. Side.

Not her side.

Catra stands up and stretches, pulling her muscles taught with her arms up above her head, then out to her sides. She hasn't bothered with her illusion since she got up here -- who's going to see her? And if they did, who cares?

Tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away
Tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away
Tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away
Tried to save myself but mys--

Catra turns off the music, then tosses the headphones off beside her, letting them clatter onto the roof as she walks towards the edge. She knows which room Hinoiri's in. She knows what floor. She knows which window she has to get to.

Standing at the edge, she takes a deep breath, and lets it out slowly. Surely, Adora is there. Surely, she brought at least one other person to help her out. But what if she didn't?

Well then Hinoiri will be dead and Double Trouble will hate her guts forevermore. Catra's eyes narrow, as she takes a deep breath once more. She tilts her head until the bones pop, and she stretches, extending her claws. Got to be in the right mood for this. Got to stop wallowing in self-pity and get angry.

It's not like any of them are on her side anyway.

The cat jumps off, catching the side of her building as she plummets and riding the building down to the right floor. The right window. The right room.

The glass smashes under a blast of shadow energy, and Catra dives through, skidding across the floor in a half-crouched and rising, sword held to hand and the blade wreathed in purple energy.

"...Where is everybody?"

Adora Rainbowfist has posed:
Adora has a hard time looking into Bow's eyes, too. She hasn't really seen him much since her whole...Incident. Guilt does that to someone. She'd been a shut-in for awhile, and then just poured herself so hard into her physical training that her grades were slipping. It was one extreme or the other for the girl. She had a very hard time moderating herself. "I...um. Thanks. I'm not here to check on her, though. Obsidian is sending somebody to kill her. I'm...I'm here to stop that from happening." The blonde says it so matter-of-factly. She has no idea how else to say it. She swallows and glances over at Bow and Sayaka as the other two move to head into the room. "It's going to be bad, I think."

She's struggling for how to explain things, because her brain is awash in all kinds of complikcated feelings not over the situation, but also Bow and Sayaka and her kind of...shutting them out. Not to mention the person she's protecting is someone she wants to punch in the face, even though she KNOWS she shouldn't want to do that. Her brain and heart are just an absolute mess. "...And I'm not doing super hot in class, but what's new about that? We all know I'm dumb as a box of rocks. My smarts aren't why I'm useful. I think we sho---."

She's cut-off at the sound of the smashing glass from the room, and she whirls about. She shoves past Sayaka and Bow as they prepare to move through the door, and barrels into the room. She takes a deep breath.

"I knew it was going to be you but I was really, really hoping I was wrong."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara had been asleep.

The key word there was 'had'. The window shattered and she shot up, still clutching the stuffed sun to her chest, eyes wide and... And then she saw Catra. And then she blinked.

And then she face palmed and just laid back down. "I bucking *swear*. What--" And then there was Adora. Because of COURSE there was Adora. There was ALWAYS Adora, wasn't there? She laid back, her eye twitching... "Okay, seriously. I don't know what kind of weird drama game you two are playing *this* time, but does it *really* have to happen IN MY ROOM?" she snapped, before glancing towards Catra and that sword. Then sighing. "Seriously? What did I tell you about that? You're not going to beat the girl with the magic sword who's magic is all about being a ten foot tall warrior princess in a sword fighting competition. This is why I started teaching you magic to begin with. Which, admittedly, considering where I ended up was maybe not the wisest choice but I was in the middle of a REALLY good dream and you woke me up and nearly gave me a heart attack! You trying to kill me or something? Why would you break my window like that?!"

... Yes. Catra was, in fact, trying to kill her. But she was half asleep and waking up and not entirely there.

Bow has posed:
"Well, if you need assistance, you have my number. Or where to find me. You know. Not really /hiding/." Bow is trying to support Adora, but at the same time, push her out into public again. "Maybe I should do a karaoke..." And the rest of that thought is lost as Catra busts on in. As the glass shatters and she draws the blade, Bow finds himself in a spot.

He's the ranged one here. And in the close confines of the hospital room, he can't really use his bow to it's full effect and draw and fire at Catra effectively. So, he needs to improvise his attack. "Catra! Really, shouldn't you be off hocking up a hairball someplace?" he asks her as he rushes forward. Unhenshined.

But it's not like he was henshined back on Etheria.

As he rushes forward, he grabs the extra blanket at the end of the bed and flings it towards Catra, in an attempt to cover her head as he calls out an attack name. "Shroud of Purification Strike!"

Giving it a name doesn't make it more powerful, but it may confuse Catra just long enough that he can get in close enough to throw a punch. He's not a brawler, but hopefully it will buy Sayaka and Adora a few extra seconds.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Sayaka had known, of course. She had known that Hinoiri had been getting targeted by Obsidian after the end of the Sunset of Sora incident, and she had been surviving who knows how many of them. Hinoiri hadn't offered that information, and that wasn't one Sayaka was eager to get the unicorn to bring up.

After all, the important thing is that she was still there despite everything, and who cares about knowing the exact number anyway? She hadn't been looking forward to getting to know of tentative number whatever. Unfortunately for her, she was getting to know of that one way or another, as she was now getting involved in it, the bluenette absorbs the information from Adora's words as the hair on the back of the neck rises with apprehension.

Apprehension that is not really helped by the crash of something smashing through glass, a harsh word of command to Ula to get somwhere safe as she quickly transforms, getting into the room with her sword drawn, finding herself looking straight at the catgirl that had been assisting Glimmer all this while and that was, to her understanding, Adora's flame.

"What gives?" Sayaka tells her. "Why are you here to kill Hinoiri? Gotten tired of playing around with fake abductions?" she scowls at her.

Catra has posed:
Catra catches the blanket and chucks it off to the side, more or less negating the Shroud of Purification Strike, and sighs.

"Ahh, there you all are. Honestly, it's so adorable that you thought I was going to take the stairs." She glances in Hinoiri's direction, and shifts the sword to rest on her shoulder. "Oh, not to worry, I've been following your advice. It's not Adora I'm here to beat. ...The Board of Directors send their love and wish you a happy retirement, is all. Just... not a long one."

The feline shifts her gaze back up. Her ears flatten, and she sets her stance, lifting the sword to hold with both hands; she holds it straight horizontal at about eye level. "But it looks like I've got business to attend to first," she grins, her voice like poisoned honey. "Adora! So glad you could make it. And you brought a cinnamon bun who thinks he's tough and..." she thinks for a second, "A... girl with... blue hair! Great! All just for me here by myself."

"Except." Catra's visage becomes blurry, and she sort of... shifts, sideways, both to the left and the right, all while staying still. "Turns out there's enough of me for all of you," the one on the left says. "See, Hinoiri, I've been practicing."

And then it's on. One of the Catras leaps up to the wall, catching hold of it with her claws before diving around, past the defenders in the middle of the room and aiming her sword straight for Adora, screaming a battle-fry as she plummets towards the blonde, sword slashing in a wide arc. Of the other two, one dashes straight for Hinoiri, feinting one way and then rushing the other way, diving towards her and making like her intent is to push her sword up through the bottom of the bed.

The third Catra locks eyes with Sayaka, and holds up her free hand, manifesting a shadowy ball of whispy energy. "Shall we dance?" she asks, flashing a toothy grin. "Make both of them jealous?" Before she finishes the word 'jealous' she clasps her hand around the ball of shadow and releases it, in a wave of blackened energy towards the bluenette.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara was getting ready to yell again...

When everyone came busting in... And then it was confirmed.

Catra was here to kill her. And the look of... hurt... on Hinoiri's face? That... that couldn't be denied. That couldn't be hidden. She was in this hospital because one of her students had tried to murder her.

And now, the other one was aiming to do it as well. Catra.

"You... too..." she said, her voice quiet and pained. She scrunched up a little bit, hugging the pillow to her chest.

Even... even Catra. Despite all she'd done. Despite everything she'd done... all of her work... all anyone ever seemed to do.... was hate her. Had she treated Catra poorly? She hadn't thought she had. Now? Now even that she was second guessing.

She saw one of the Catra's coming at her... one going at Adora... and one going at Sayaka. She didn't even try to pull back from the one coming at her. Why? Because it wasn't real.

The only real one here was the one going at Adora. Because it was, as always, about Adora. At least, in that girl's mind. She knew how this went.

And it hurt. It hurt a lot more than even she wanted to admit.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
She didn't quite there being multiple Catras. A perplexed look is given to Bow almost as if asking if she could always do that but there really is not enough time to actually ask anything as one of the Catras is onto her and quipping back at her. "I will have to pass", Sayaka says, diving under the wave of energy when she sees it coming and being right onto the fake Catra with a slash directed towards her, just aiming to get her in the side, unaware of which one is real and which one is not.

"I am really not into people trying to kill me, and you are kind of already taken anyway, as am I", Sayaka replies, taking a few seconds to glance at Hinoiri, just to notice the one that is trying to... strike the bottom of the bed? Why?

Whatever the case, she is not just about to let her have free reign, and a second sword materialises in the air behind her, thrown at that Catra while Sayaka can't reach Hinoiri yet.

Bow has posed:
As Catra shrugs off the blanket and just disappears, Bow swings through and twists. Fine. He's being ignored. Nothing new there. He's used to it. But at least now, as he leaps onto the window ledge, he figures he can do something about it. Twisting the phone in his hand, he activates his henshin, calling out, "For the Harmony of Brightmoon! Armor, unlock!" And with that, his armor snaps into place along with his bow, magical strings threading along the shaft to form it's draw point.

With his henshin complete, he calls out. "Net Arrow!" The canister arrow with the net appears in his hand and he draws it back.

But as he turns to fire - he's got three different choices. Is it Sayaka? Adora? Hinoiri? Of course, this is where he may make his mistake as he follows his heart and not his head as he turns towards the Catra charging at Sayaka, when he probably /knows/ to aim at Adora's.

The net arrow flies, the canister breaking off in the short distance... and if that's just an illusionary Catra, he will likely owe Sayaka so many apologies later.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
All messages before this point can be ignored at this scene was re-started. =================================================================================

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara was still in the hospital, her body slowly healing from the damage inflicted by her time as Sunset of Sora. There'd already been one attempt on her life, but there were bound to be more...

Little did she know that Catra, the girl she'd taken such an interest in and saw such potential in... Was likely on her way to finish what others had started.

Of course, Catra being herself, she couldn't just let such a thing happen, nor could she just leave empty handed. So protection was just as much on its way. In the form of a blue puella mermaid, the incarnation of abs himself and a kind traveling friendshipper of korma. Truly, her fate was in good hands.

Hinoiri was laying in her bed, the medication doing its job to at least allow her to rest for now.

Bow has posed:
As Bow leans back against the sun-warmed window-sill, his posture relaxed and confident, his eyes sweep over the small guard unit with a casual nod of acknowledgment, acknowledging their watchful presence with a calm assurance. Hinoiri, nearby, holds the Pretty Merry Sunshine pillow he gifted her, a gentle reminder of their friendship.

Turning to Sayaka with a mischievous grin, he suggests, "Hey, Sayaka, how about some Korma after this? My employee discount's just begging to be put to good use." His voice carries a playful edge, teasing Rashmi next. "And, don't worry. With the three of us together, Catra wouldn't dare show her face. She'd run for the hills." His smirk widens at the thought, exuding confidence in their bond and the banter they share.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Drawing in a deep breath, Rashmi returns Bow's confident grin with a slightly-less-confident smile of her own, leaning against the wall in full henshin. "I mean... I've been talking to her off and on for the last few months, Bow-kun, and... well I mean, I'm glad we're here is all. She seems like someone who'll do something she doesn't want to do, if it's the only way to prove herself, y'know?"

Flipping Nicomachea open, the redhead stares at the holographic screens that blip to life over the pages. "Nicomachea... Can we get some eyes on the outside?"

    << INVESTIGATION >>

A pair of globes of light shimmer into view, one darting out the window, and one slipping under the door to the hospital and back up, nestling into the join between wall and ceiling. After a moment, two of the screens flicker and resolve into the next best thing to security cameras that magic can muster.

Sayaka's contribution to Hinoiri's well-being earns the bluenette a sincere smile, but her attention is focused on the battle to come.

Rashmi had *told* Catra that no matter how all-out she goes, the redhead wouldn't take it personally... But Catra never made the promise back.

That alone is worrying.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Hinoiri had yet to fully heal from her time with Sunset of Sora, and the fact she had been the target of some assassination attempts. Obsidian really was sparing nothing in their show of cruelty. One would have thought unpersoning her was already past the limit.

From the time she had spent looking after Kyousuke, Sayaka had learnt not to trust hospital food, so she had brought with herself a box of potato croquettes with mild spice added to them she had bought. Hinoiri is certainly going to appreciate them better than anything they have given her.

The bluenette is waiting patiently in her seat, reading a book about the rise and fall of Early Romantic music, Ula on her shoulder sketching a complex swan shape she wants to try out for her next jewel. She hopes that it won't be much longer before they are allowed to see her.

When they are let in, Sayaka smiles at the recovering unicorn, offering the croquettes to her friend. "Hello, Hinoiri, I brought these for you!" she says, placing them on a table within arm's reach of the bed. "How about tomorrow?", she suggests to Bow. "I have to finish studying this for my music class with Taro-Sensei", the bluenette explains, presenting the book she had been reading.

Looking towards the girl from KiraKiraFantasica again, she adds in reassurance. "Don't worry, we know what we are doing", she says placing the book on the table too before transforming, an expressive glance given to Ula. They will have to be careful in such a small space.

Catra has posed:
Catra, meanwhile, was on the roof of the hospital, doing that one thing that she is absolutely, wonderfully, stunningly good at; procrastinating. She's sitting cross-legged with a take-out box of noodles with chicken, polishing off the last of that, while she's got a few set of headphones on that completely cover her ears, listening to music (Nine Inch Nails today) far louder than ought to be safe.

Talking to myself all the way to the station
Pictures in my head of the final destination
All lined up, all the ones that aren't allowed to stay
Tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away

She's been sitting there for a while. Certainly longer than an assassin should need to go after a target. And what's up with the food, anyway? Can't kill someone on an empty stomach? Somewhere out there are actual professional killers all gazing down on her from the afterlife, rolling their eyes at her efforts. But, several floors down, there waits something that Catra has to do that she desperately doesn't want to do.

Tried to save a place from the cuts and the scratches
Tried to overcome my complications and my catches
Nothing ever grows, and the sun doesn't shine all day
Tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away

Or, more specifically, someone she has to kill that she doesn't want to hurt. Even if that person is on the other side now. Someone told her she didn't switch sides, Obsidian kicked her out, but does it really matter? Does it matter even a little bit? She's on the other side now. The. Other. Side.

Not her side.

Catra stands up and stretches, pulling her muscles taught with her arms up above her head, then out to her sides. She hasn't bothered with her illusion since she got up here -- who's going to see her? And if they did, who cares?

Tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away
Tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away
Tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away
Tried to save myself but mys--

Catra turns off the music, then tosses the headphones off beside her, letting them clatter onto the roof as she walks towards the edge. She knows which room Hinoiri's in. She knows what floor. She knows which window she has to get to.

Standing at the edge, she takes a deep breath, and lets it out slowly. Surely, Rashmi is there. Surely, she brought at least one other person to help her out. But what if she didn't?

Well then Hinoiri will be dead and Double Trouble will hate her guts forevermore. Catra's eyes narrow, as she takes a deep breath once more. She tilts her head until the bones pop, and she stretches, extending her claws. Got to be in the right mood for this. Got to stop wallowing in self-pity and get angry.

It's not like any of them are on her side anyway.

The cat jumps off, catching the side of her building as she plummets and riding the building down to the right floor. The right window. The right room. Nicomacea's globes will get into position just in time to see the feline incoming.

The glass smashes under a blast of shadow energy, and Catra dives through, sword held and wreathed in purple energy as she lands on one knee. She wastes no time springing back to her feet, and whirling around to the nearest person. "Hey Bow," she greets, her tone like poisoned honey. "Time to learn a new word. Do you know what 'definistrate' means?" As she speaks she grabs him by the arm, hauls him around and hurls him through the now open window with a snarl of effort. "That's what it means!" she yells after him.

whisking back around to face the rest of the room, Catra raises her sword, holding horizontally it at eye level with her wrists crossed over each other and the sharp edge up.

"Hey Hinoiri," she greets, inclining her chin towards the bed. "Looks like you have friends... but do you have *enough*?"

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara gave a small nod to Sayaka, hugging the little pillow to her chest. Well... this... wouldn't be so bad, she was sure. "Thanks, Sayaka," hinoiri said, reaching out to take one of the croquettes. "I'm.... sure this is just over reaction, anyway. Catra isn't... Catra wouldn't really..."

Would she, though? Maybe if Adora was involved, but...

Only for Catra to come blasting in through her window! And... And Hinoiri looked, admittedly, shocked. Even... a bit hurt. It was actually Catra. She'd actually come to try and kill her. To end her.

Catra had. Despite everything she'd done, all the times she'd tried to help her....

Despite everything... Catra was actually here to end her. It really... meant... that little to her. She sunk, just a bit, into the bed and took another small bite of the croquette. "Probably... unless another sparkle is gonna drop for this..." she mumbled, just a hint bitterly.

Bow has posed:
In an instant, Bow leans casually against the windowsill, responding to Sayaka's delay with a nonchalant nod. "Sure thing, bluebird," he remarks, his gaze shifting briefly to Rashmi. "Yeah, I get it. But between the three of us..." His voice trails off as he glances out the window, concern flickering briefly before he turns back.

Suddenly, without warning, the glass shatters behind him. As Bow spins around, he's met with the unexpected sight of Catra looming behind him, her mismatched eyes gleaming with mischief. "Defin... what?" Bow begins to say, but before he can react, he's violently hurled through the shattered window, letting out a startled Wilhelm scream as he disappears from the room, leaving Catra to take his place.

Plummeting downward, Bow's reflexes kick in just in time. With a swift motion, he summons an arrow and declares, "<<Grapple Arrow!>>" The arrow streaks upward, finding purchase on the edge of the roof, and Bow's descent abruptly halts with a jarring oof, mere feet from the ground. He hangs there momentarily, catching his breath and collecting himself after the sudden and harrowing ordeal.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
As much as Sayaka was glad to have been warned in advance about Catra coming in to kill Hinoiri, she wasn't really happy about the fact Obsidian was resorting to tentative number whatever. Hinoiri hadn't offered that information, and that was one Sayaka wasn't eager to get the unicorn to bring up. She could at least take consolation in the fact all of them had failed so far, and that was something she didn't intend to have changed any time soon.

After all, the important thing is that she was still there despite everything, and who cares about knowing the exact number anyway? Even if she could feel the hair on the back of the neck rise with apprehension for the upcoming fight. At least she is ready when she hears the crash of something smashing through glass.

Predictably, she finds herself looking straight at the catgirl that had been assisting Glimmer all this while and that was, to her understanding, Adora's flame. "Hey, Catra" Sayaka tells her, her tone far from welcoming. "Looks like it's you next to try and kill Hinoiri. Have you gotten tired of playing around with fake abductions?" she scowls at her.

"Don't you dare do that again", she says, a sword rapidly tossed in the direction of the catgirl after she throws Bow out of the window. Knowing him, he will be fine, and that is in fact confirmed by the cry calling onto his arrow. "Besides, your record of friends isn't really looking very good. Wasn't Hinoiri one? How does it feel, being so heartless?"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Sometimes, things happen too quickly to properly react to. Rashmi is still turning to face Catra, when Bow gets properly yoten out the window.

    << *BONG!* >> << SOLAR SHIELD >>

Nicomachea, at least, is enough on the ball to throw a bubble of transparent, yellow light over Hinoiri's bed. Not, specifically, Rashmi herself, but Hinoiri; the one they're here to protect. The unspoken message is clear. You want her, you go through us.

The *spoken* message is even clearer. "CATRA-SAN *WHAT THE HELL.*"

Catra has posed:
Catra's two-toned gaze glances Hinoiri's direction. If she reads the pain on the unicorn's face, she doesn't show it; her look is simply one of calm dispassion.

And then her ear flicks, and she pivots, shifting out of the way of a flying sword. "looks like nice-time is over," she snarls. And then she shifts, blurring for a moment; she stays standing where she is, but an extra Catra just kind of... slides out to either side. And then there are three of her, all identical. One of them flickers for a moment, but... it's hard to tell which one, in retrospect? The two on either side start slinking around the room, while the one in the middle shifts her sword to rest on her shoulder, conjuring a ball of boiling shadows above her outstretched palm with her other hand, a ball of shadows that she hurls against Rashmi's Solar Shield with a yell, before she too slinks back against the wall.

"So, you did bring friends," drawls one of the Catras slinking around the wall. "Can you believe this? Adora got *real power* when she found the sword, and what did I get? Make believe. Pretend. But you know what? I think it'll do. We're not in your family restaurant now." her mismatched eyes narrow, "Looks like it's time to test your mettle."

The third Catra isn't idle either, as she raises her sword, adopting the same stance as before, locking eyes on Sayaka. "I'm not here for you at all this time, Blueberry. And don't think I'm working with Sparkles. She is NOT my friend, and she isn't yours either."

As one, the three Catras all dash forwards, purple-wreathed swords flashing through the air, all making different cuts; and Catra has been practicing. Against Sayaka she dashes in, feinting to the swird before swinging her sword around in the air to come up from below, while against Rashmi she goes for a powerful, diagonal attack from shoulder to hip.

And against Hinoiri? She leaps, raising the sword in both hands and aiming to come down on the shield blade-first, putting all her bodyweight behind it in a howling scream.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara gave a small sigh, wrapping her arms around herself. "She's not heartless," Hinoiri muttered. "She's just got something to prove. Why are you even here, Catra? Adora isn't, I didn't think I'd actually warrant you trying to come after me personally. Or is this why you and Adora are alwats so grouchy about her leaving, was she banished instead of leaving?"

Oh, maybe that was... a bit personal. But you know what? She'd had a rough couple of days. And now she had a barrier over her, so what was Catra going to do? Stab her?

Apparently.

Hinoiri went over everything she knew about the girl and... As Catra cut at Sayaka and Rashmi, her eyes went to the one going after her. She took another bite of the croquet, before... actually there really wasn't a lot she COULD do here. She was kind of helpless. So instead she reached up and grabbed the other croquet... and pull it off the plate so she could throw the PLATE at Catra if she broke through the barrier.

Well. If that was the real her.

... It wouldn't be very effective but there wasn't a lot she could do like this.

"Wait, is this because Adora stabbed me that one time? Trying to copy her?" Okay, yes, so that was ALSO a low blow.

Bow has posed:
Bow climbs steadily up the rope, his hands gripping the line tightly as he ascends, feeling the grapple creak and strain against the side of the hospital building. With each pull, he hears the distinct sound of the grapple holding firm. Passing the second floor, he glances back at the window where the curtains billow outward, evidence of the sudden decompression caused by the shattered glass.

Reaching the ledge, Bow pulls himself up with determination. "Catra! You've really fur-balled this one!" he shouts defiantly into the room beyond. With a swift command, "<<Boxing Glove Arrow!>>" The arrow, equipped with a weighted glove, arrives at his side. Nocking it on his bowstring, he takes aim not at Catra directly but at the fire sprinkler above her, intending to break the wax seal and unleash a cascade of water.

"No more playing games," he mutters under his breath, his focus unwavering as he releases the arrow. The projectile sails true, striking the sprinkler precisely and setting off a torrent of water. As droplets rain down around Catra, Bow stands ready, a wry smile crossing his face. "Cats and water," he quips, confident in his strategy to turn the tide against his feline adversary.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
Catra splitting herself was a new trick, as far as Sayaka knew, though considering the the occasion of their last meetings, she could have very well decided that the situation wouldn't have required the use of her actual arsenal. Understandable, even if there is nothing nice about surprises when one is fighting. Sayaka scoffs at the unwelcome reveal, opting to call her sword back to her rather than create a new one (which probably gets avoided by Catra the same way she dodged the first.)

"If anything, she is glad this isn't happening in her family restaurant. She doesn't have to worry about you dirtying the walls", Sayaka quips back in Rashmi's defense, her experience with swordfighting warning her of the faint, and proceeding to block it with her sword, a clang of steel against steel if it actually is a real sword. "Something to prove more important than your friendship?", she replies back to Hinoiri. "Doesn't seem like she has much of a heart to me."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
The thing about Mid-Childan shield spells; their programming was refined in the Belkan Wars, against a people who believed close-rank combat was the noblest art. Thus, even a standard shield spell is designed to 'push back' against melee attacks, and so the Catra assaulting Hinoiri is held in place, sparks thrown by a shield shoving back against Catra, as sparks nearly as dense as those thrown by a welding torch fly up on either side of the point of impact.

Rashmi herself throws up another Shield, angled to deflect her Catra's strike, but blinks as the illusion *wisps* harmlessly through her shield. "Playing pretend... huh..."

As Bow gets back in the window, Rashmi sighs, a relieved grin passing over her face. "Oh good, gang's all here," she says, as a seal spreads out under her feet.

    << *BONG!* >> << TIME-SPACE BARRIER >>

The hospital room -- and most of the middle of the building -- is shunted half a dimension over, as the world takes on an eerie greenish tinge. The sprinkler still deluges water, because after all it was broken when the building was shifted over.

"No we're not in the restaurant anymore, Catra-san, but I *know* you'd rather be doing anything else! Who put you up to this?"

If Catra continues her attempt to break through the shield... well, there are limits to how much sustained force the spell can take, and cracks begin to form...

Catra has posed:
Catra's sword grinds against the shield until she is finally repulsed. The shield held; by how wide a margin, Catra can't say for certain, but it held. The feline bounces back and lands in a crouch, while her doubles both swing their swords in a manner that would be devestating if they connected to an ordinary human, and if they weren't illusions.

"Don't speak to me like you know me, Blueberry," she snarls at Sayaka, peeling her lips back to bare her teeth (or at least, her illusion does) and hiss menacingly. Her eyes narrow to slits, "You don't know *anything*." She sucks in a breath, "Must be why Bow likes you."

To Rashmi, the second illusion steps back, and shifts her sword to rest on her shoulder. "Joker did," she answers, darkly. "Mean anything to you? I'm not explaining it. Go read a book or something. Direct orders from the board. Finally a chance to move up the ranks."

Meanwhile, the real Catra gathers up a handful of dark energy, adding it to what's already wreathing her sword and swinging it in a wide arc, down into the shield. "Shut up you dumb horse," she snarls, "All of this is YOUR FAULT, not mine! Don't--"

Catra's admonissions cease as, abruptly, the room is doused in water. She shrieks as her illusions flicker and vanish; she dashes across the room, kicking the door off its hinges and following it through, skidding across the floor in the hall.

"FINE ARROW BOY IF THAT'S HOW IT'S GOING TO BE!" Catra growls, ears flattened under sopping wet hair and her tail lashing with rage, as she once more splits into three; the light in the hallways seems to just get... sucked up, as all three Catras gather up the darkness, and then unleash it, screaming as she sends three beams lancing through the walls in wide sweeps.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara gave a light squeak and, well, "Joker? HE sent you? Why would HE be involved? He's, well... a joker!" ... What?

"Oh, how is this MY fault?! What, because I didn't try to make out with you before Obsidian kicked me to the curb? Or would you have just knifed me in an alley while I was still unconscious if that was the case?!" she snapped, getting a bit riled up herself. This really couldn't be good for her blood sugar and... Then some of her medical equipment started sparking as water got over it and... "Uhhhh... Sayaka? I ummm... might need some help getting some of this... away from me," she said, giving a light squeak. and then went down as, ummmm... she admittedly didn't know if things were an illusion or if Catra had mastered some new spell. The girl had talent, so it could be either or!

Bow has posed:
Bow's arrow strikes true, finding its mark as Catra is drenched in surprise. "Looks like she's fur-iously wet now," the Etherian Archer quips, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as Catra hurriedly scampers out of the room. "She and Adora really need to work on their purr-sonal relations. And her bad cat-itude isn't helping either," he adds with a wink, clearly pleased with his pun-laden victory.

But the battle isn't over yet. Laser beams pierce through the wall, a stark reminder that danger still lurks. "Oops, spoke too soon! Rashmi, drop the shield so I can get Hinoiri down! Sayaka, sword ready! Sever all the medical connections!" Bow commands urgently, his tone shifting to one of focused determination.

With swift coordination, Bow moves decisively once Sayaka acts, pulling Hinoiri down beside him as they hit the wet floor. The urgency in his voice intensifies as he peers around the edge of the bed, addressing Catra head-on. "You're outnumbered now. You won't get to Hinoiri!" he shouts, his voice echoing with conviction. "Tell us what it will take to make you leave!"

The scene is tense, charged with the adrenaline of battle and the need to protect their own. Bow stands resolute, ready to defend his allies against any threat, even as the room remains slick with the aftermath of their unexpected skirmish.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
    << *BONG!* >> << SOLAR SHIELD -- GLACE SHIFT >>

A shallow cone of golden ice snaps into existence in front of the door, its crystal-like facets hopefully spoiling accuracy as much as the rigid ice is built to withstand and diffuse coherenct streams and nearly any other energy that has to obey fluid dynamics. "Hinoiri-chan I don't think making her *more angry* is the play here!" she shouts, as the cracked shield shatters away, to give Sayaka and Bow access to the wounded ex-villain. With Hinoiri in the shadow of her newest shield, and Catra down the hall, it *should* be enough to keep them all safe, for the moment. It is... for now, but Dark Energy is corrosive, and scores *deep* pits within the golden ice.

And Bow brings up a *fantastic* point. "So all you need is to impress the Board, right Catra-san? Does it *have* to be her life?! Because I *will* deal if you'll take that off the table!"

Sayaka Miki has posed:
"You sure aren't trying to prove me wrong", Sayaka points out when Catra tries to turn the table on anything. "So, tell me what is it I don't know about you attacking a friend for a promotion by your admission. No, really, I am listening", Sayaka specifies, even as they are in the middle of a fight. However she isn't just discarding Hinoiri, but Adora as well, and that's a much deeper friendship. She doesn't really understand, and she is not sure she will get to considering the catgirl's attitude.

She glances back to Hinoiri when she is called back, noticing the danger she has just gotten in due to the electricity, a frown when her focus is split between the dark attack one of the Catra is about to launch towards her and the danger the unicorn is in. "Tramonto, deal with her!", she orders, as the eldritch Sunbreaker pops out of the Labyrinth and sends red-black flames to oppose the beam of darkness from Catra.

"I am here!", Sayaka tells Hinoiri, cutting as many cables as possible given the speed that comes from trying to do precise work with a sword. "There!", she exclaims, as the last one is out of the way.

Catra has posed:
Catra's beams wind down, leaving the wall between the hospital room and the hall a ruined mess. But she doesn't relent, snarling as she draws more energy into herself; the shadows gather about her, and purplish energy courses through her veins, visible through the skin in places almost as it it is about to break through. She sucks in her breath, unleashing another wave of a shadowy assault; and Tramonto is just in time to hold it at bay with those red-black flames.

"Deal with me? *Deal with me*? Don't you DARE dismiss me so easily!" Catra turns one of her doubles to the task of unloading the shadows into Rashmi's shield that blocks the doors, while the other double keeps doing the same into Sayaka's familiar.

Catra herself makes two cuts to the wall with her sword, making a new door and stepping through.

"How is it your fault? You're smart! FIGURE IT OUT!" she growls, ears flattened as she hovers just outside where the water is spraying. she raises Powersend in her hands, holding the hilt over her left shoulder with the blade up in the air over her head. "Well, guess what. I can't stop. It's her head or mine. And you know? You outnumber me, but the odds are in *my* favor. You have to win every single time." Her eyes narrow, and her doubles stop what they were doing, leaving Rashmi's door-shield (if it still stands) and Sayaka's familiar, flickering out of existence to reappear to either side of Catra, each summoning a ball of boiling shadow, cradling it in their hands before firing it straight for Hinoiri.

"I only need to win once."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara couldn't help it. She groaned at all the puns. This wasn't fair. She was trapped here, in a hospital, why did she have to endure this?

... Well, admittedly, she liked puns so it wasn't ACTUALLY painful. But still.

"Are you sure? I always seemed to lose when I got angry. Besides, if anyone should be mad it's me! I'm the one who taught her magic!"

She then gave Sayaka a small smile when the cables of more dangerous machines were... well... cut off. At least this was a barrier and she wasn't on life support. But oh, when this was over she was going to be... so annoyed. And in a wet hospital room. And achy. With burns.

And... like it or not... Catra... Her head or Catra's?

"Oh..." she whispered. "That... explains a lot..." She reached up a hand to rub her necklace. Did they expect Catra to succeed? Or were they hoping they could get her to go Sunset of Sora again?

She gulped and tried to shield herself with her hands as the balls came at her.... but hopefully other people protect her.

Bow has posed:
"You said the same thing back on Etheria, and every time, you were sent away with your tail between your legs," Bow retorts, his expression hardening into a grim determination. His focus is singular now: keeping Catra at bay. "Your purr-suasion skills haven't improved one bit," he growls, swiftly pulling Hinoiri down to safety on the cold, wet floor and strategically placing a chair as a barrier between them.

"The biggest mistake I made when I came to this world was trusting Light Hope. And you're making the same mistake with Obsidian," Bow continues, his voice low and dangerous. His fingers brush against a small device on his belt: a Horde control chip, pre-loaded to be put on a specially prepared arrow. "Maybe I should just stick this control chip on your neck..." He trails off, the threat hanging in the air as he considers his next move. "Maybe then you'll learn to behave," he challenges, his tone daring Catra to test his resolve.

As he speaks, he whispers a command to himself, <<Sticky Arrow>>, ready to deploy the chip if necessary. Yet, uncertainty flickers briefly across his face as he gazes down at the innocuous-looking device with its glowing green gem and six prongs. It's a risky gambit; one that could tip the scales in their favor or escalate the situation beyond control.

But Bow squares his shoulders, his resolve hardening. In this precarious moment, he knows one thing for certain: he will do whatever it takes to protect Hinoiri and ensure Catra doesn't get the upper hand again.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Spells take *time* to cast.

Catra is *right there* and has a pair of blasts of seething Darkness.

There *isn't time* to cast a spell.

Rashmi is here to protect Hinoiri.

Thus...

    << *BONG!* >> << SOLAR FLASH >>

In the time it takes to blink a handful of times, Rashmi goes from guarding the door to standing in front of Hinoiri, arms outstretched to catch both attacks.

And, oh, several lessons are learned, all at once. 1) Dark attacks *hurt like nothing else,* corrosive energy crawling over her skin like electricity, prompting an agonized scream. 2) Even in the midst of all that agony, even as Rashmi's Barrier Jacket shreds away from shoulder and hip, flesh scorched and wisping astringent-smelling smoke, even *doubled* as it was, it was not a spell that would kill Hinoiri.

"Hhhh... c-cover me... Sharpsong..." Rashmi breathes, as a circle spreads out underneath her.

    << *BONG!* >> << SOLAR HEAL >>

Rashmi is not a healing specialist. But the spell is *designed* to get a combatant back up and into the fight, and Rashmi is clearly intending to get up and in the fight.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
"I was in a hurry, I wasn't checking the vocabulary for which words might annoy you the least!", Sayaka snaps back as she offers a hand to Hinoiri in case she could use it with her injuries. "And what's this about them having your head? Couldn't you have said that earlier?" Sayaka was having difficulties understanding Catra. She had said she didn't understand, but the feline girl wasn't really trying to get herself understood.

"Where is the girl that Adora fell in love with?" Sayaka asks. "There must be something in you beyond this tough facade you are putting up? Please talk with us, Catra! If you are being threatened, leave them! We can find you a new place here, with us, and you can make friends here. Adora misses you too. Don't you miss her?"

Sayaka shakes her head. "Catra, it doesn't matter if you don't exactly feel like she does, she is still your childhood friend, isn't it? I had to stay away from my childhood friend once too due to someone else driving me away from her, and I missed her a whole lot. Isn't it the same for you? I don't think all the time you spent with her means nothing to you. Right, Catra?"

At Rashmi's request, Tramonto moves in front of the redhead, acting as her protector while Sayaka speaks to Catra. "Brillio, join Tramonto", Sayaka orders, the familiar that resembles Hinoiri likewise appearing in front of Rashmi.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara blinked a few times as, well... What Bow said echoed through her mind and a new horror entered her mind. "Wait, why did you bring some kind of magic control chip to MEET ME in this HOSPITAL?!" Hinoiri asked, looking up at them with Horror. Then looking to Sayaka. "That... that's not true, is it? He doesn't actually have something like THAT, does he?" Well, she was just... Sunset of Sora. "You aren't really--"

Only for... Rashmi to get utterly torn apart, shielding her... Once again, she reached up to her geode. Maybe... if she took it off for a second... A little dark energy... Slowly, though, she moved a hand away. "She won't listen to you, Sayaka. The only one she'd listen to is Adora, and only if Adora bends the knee to her. I'm not important enough to her. And if she didn't give it up for Adora, she certainly wouldn't do it to protect me."

Catra has posed:
"Where is she?!" Catra snarls at Sayaka, "Back on Etheria, with a broken heart, that's where! What is with it with you people always trying to save me?! I'm not here for you to save! I'm here for you to FIGHT. I'm the VILLAIN. WHAT DON'T YOU PEOPLE UNDERSTAND ABOUT THAT. And you, Arrow Boy?" She casts a glance at the archer, "We both know you won't. You don't have the strength to do that. You're *weak* and you can't do what has to be done, that's why you always had to hide behind Adora and Glimmer." She watches as Rashmi's barrier jacket and underlying body get torn up terribly by her twin spells, and for just the barest of moments...

She looks sad.

Her illusory doubles flicker and wink out, but the moment passes just as quickly; and the cat, standing alone with her sword still raised up Kasumi-no-Kamae style, just breathes for a moment. Purplish energy dances up her veins, just below the skin, as she regards the three heroes protecting her (probably former by now) friend.

Well she's better off now, isn't she? Friends make you weak. That's what Adora taught her afterall. The most important lesson.

"If all of you," she hisses, "Are so worth leaving for. Then why was *I* never worth staying for? So stop treating me like an idiot. Stop *holding back* and FIGHT!" She snarls the last word; her doubles reappear, conjuring globes of shadow that they focus into beams, firing them both... straight into Catra's raised sword.

The feline shifts the blade, now shifting and writhing with energy in almost non-euclidian ways, holding it behind her back before she leaps forwards, heedless of the water as she howls, lining up an absolutely devestating, life-sundering strike at Hinoiri.

And leaves herself utterly open in the process.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
"Why wouldn't I be trying to help someone that is under constant thread?" Sayaka says, completely flabbergasted that she still insists on clinging to her ways. "I was hoping she would see she can change too. I still believe she can, even if you were right this time. Maybe Adora needs to give her a good bash first. After Trager has given her a pep talk. Hers are legendary."

Of course, all redemption strategies in the worlds don't really matter when she is attacking someone else. "You should know when to quit, really!", Sayaka says, jumping in front of Hinoiri, a greatsword materialising in her hand to parry the strike infused with magic, the bluenette's arms trembling from the impact, but holding. "What now, Catra, I don't mind having our swords dance forever", Sayaka grins at her.

Bow has posed:
"Whether she did or didn't, it doesn't matter now. What matters is I'm here." Even in Glimmer's absence, and despite Adora not having seen him since their last rescue mission together, he stands resolute. "And this isn't Etheria. You're right about that. On Etheria, things were different. The Princess Alliance..." Bow's voice trails off, the sticky arrow dropping from his grip. <<Net Arrow!>> he commands, seizing the canister arrow as it materializes.

The sword continues its relentless advance, prompting Bow to instinctively pull Hinoiri closer, attempting to shield her, only to find both of them rescued by Sayaka. "Thank you, love," he acknowledges, momentarily releasing Hinoiri and swiftly retrieving his bow, raising it and drawing it back with purpose. "Yeah. Here, they want to turn villains into heroes... but sometimes," his voice turns grave, devoid of humor or wordplay, "you've got to make a point." With that, he releases the arrow.

The canister hurtles toward Catra, splitting open to release a weighted net that ensnares her tightly. The weights collide with a forceful thud, leaving her vulnerable to Rashmi's next move...

Rashmi Terios has posed:
The net entangles Catra, but Catra is *airborne.* With Sayaka doing the hard work of turning the blow up and away, and the former Force Captain unable to halt her forward momentum... She is on track to sail right into Rashmi's face. From her place on the floor, Rashmi shoves herself up, and the look in her eyes shows there is *no* holding back. There never was, she was always only ever fighting the best way she knew how. One hand stretches out to intercept Catra, and--    << *BONG!* >> << SOLAR SHIELD >>

It was the first trick Rashmi learned, when she understood the ability for Midchildan Mages to tune their spells on the fly. Shield spells employ kinetic kickback, as a standard parameter of the magic. It is, after all, easier to defend oneself against a weapon, when one can turn the force of the blow against the user.

    << RED SHIFT >>

But what happens when a shield is tuned so that all but the barest necessary amount of structure is bent toward that kickback?

One gets a shield that collapses with the barest wisp of contact, and returns the force of the blow *manifold.*

The last time she used this trick, she blasted a *terrifyingly* powerful Device Mage halfway across a park. This time? Well, it's a much less forceful impact, so...

Catra is merely likely to get embedded into the far wall of the hospital room. Thank you, Barrier.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara gave a light hiss of pain, wanting to curl up a little and... "I *couldn't* stay! I'm still in the HOSPITAL from my last fight! I didn't leave I've been BANISHED! AGAIN!" she snapped, a few small tears in her own eyes. "I *should* have been killed but for some reason these people decided to keep me alive and now YOU'RE trying to kill me because they didn't! So don't you DARE make it sound as if I *left* when they kicked me out!"

Yes, that kind of... hurt. "Is that what happened with Adora? Did they kick her out and *you* were just too bitter about her not dragging you with her that you blamed her for YOU not following her?! At least you *get* the choice, I didn't either time!" she snapped, her voice filled with vitril and anger.

Admittedly, with Sayaka, Bow and Rashmi here... maybe she should try to be a TINY BIT less of a massive jerk. But, admittedly.... She was having a friend of hers, or someone she thought was a friend... trying to stab her. And it hurt.

And she cringed when Catra was launched... and sighed... looking up at them. Why were they saving her? Why were her old coworkers trying to kill her? Everything just... felt all screwed up and she didn't get it. She was so tired of being banished, of being... removed from places... and to be hunted down for it now... hurt...

Catra has posed:
Catra is in no position to defend herself from anything that happens to her. She made an ill-advised attack, against a team of heroes, and wasn't even targeting any of them. And some of them are telling her off. Hinoiri is whining about it. What did she expect, anyway? What did she expect?

Leaving herself open has the problem attached to it that she just has to accept whatever comes her way while she's busy grinding her blade against Sayaka's, and at the end of it, she finds herself blasted through the ruin of the wall between room and hallway, and then hard enough into the next wall to leave a crater in it, with plaster raining down all around where she lands; and she lands hard, tied up in a net.

For the moment, Catra lays there on the ground. Most undignified. Her doubles flicker out, and for a moment, for this moment, things are... still, if not peaceful.

The feline pants heavily, and starts squirming, lining her claws up to start cutting through the net. But it's going to take a minute. But maybe that's okay. Her sword is embedded blade-first into the wall beside her, too high for her to use for freeing herself; so she just works at it the slow way.

"I can't.. go back," she pants, still clearing her head after the impact. "Can't go back... empty-handed. I have to give them *something*."

Bow has posed:
Bow took a deep breath as Catra made her plea. She couldn't return empty-handed. "You could come with us," he suggested tentatively, then reconsidered. "No. You wouldn't want that. You're too stubborn."

There was a moment of internal debate as Bow weighed his options. Finally, an idea struck him.

Instead of acting unilaterally, he decided to put it to a vote. His gaze shifted between Rashmi and Sayaka; apologies to Hinoiri, no vote for her. "I was hoping Adora would be here to hand over the control disc," he remarked, patting the pocket where it rested.

"We can give her the puck to take back, but Catra... you must promise not to reverse-engineer the tech, and they have to cancel the bounty on Hinoiri." With that, he withdrew the puck from his pouch, displaying it to the others. "Rashmi, Sayaka, what say you?"

Sayaka Miki has posed:
"No worries", Sayaka smiles at Bow despite her still feeling the magic impact. She didn't want to hold anything back, did she? But the important thing is they stopped it. "Do you see now, Catra? We have determination to spare, so don't think we don't have enough to save you. Just try it. Let's start over. I am part of those that want you to change."

"Don't force yourself, Hinoiri!", Sayaka looks back to witness the strain the unicorn girl is undergoing. "You are still recovering, rest!", Sharpsong orders her.

Though, the negotiations fail when Catra was blasted into the wall (not that they were actually contributing anything), leaving Sayaka to stare agape between the redhead and the brunette. "Remind me not to anger you for any reason", Sayaka tells the page mage. "So, what now? I don't think she is going to our side, and I have nothing that would interest them. Maybe my other arm?" she jokes.

The time for jokes stop when Bow offers her Light Hope. "Only if it really necessary, Bow", Sayaka stares at the troublesome disc. "You know that Light Hope is not going to do any good with them, and neither is mind control tech. Is that really the only thing we have?", she warns.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Rashmi immediately sees a loophole in the agreement; Catra can't reverse-engineer it, but that says nothing about others.

Still... If the choice is between Catra living and Hinoiri living, *any* third option that lets them both live is a better option. Hinoiri deserves the chance to build herself back up... And Catra deserves the chance to survive until she *can* leave.

And there's no way Catra can leave without a Sword of Damocles over her head.

Closing her eyes for a moment, Rashmi then meets Bow's gaze, and nods decisively. "It's gonna cause problems later on. But I'm okay with that; we'll deal with that when we get there."

Then, her gaze turns to Catra. "Catra-san... Hinoiri didn't leave Obsidian for us. She was thrown out, and we're helping her find a *new* place. Because she deserves a chance. Offer'll be open for you, too, when you've had enough of them."

"Think about it. And your name's down at the Korma for your usual."

With that, Rashmi starts to check Hinoiri over for injuries -- well. *Further* injuries.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara blinked a few times, looking between all of them. Then she sighed and looked to Sayaka. "So... just so we're clear. You guys brought some kind of... mind... control chip... here? I'm guessing it's broken or something? Like.... you weren't intending to put it on me, were you?" she asked.

Rashmi would be likely happy to find out that Hinoiri.... wasn't any worse. Other than being wet. And a bit achy. And when the barrier went down some people would likely be concerned about where she just vanished for a bit. Also, she was wet.

"... And for the record, Catra? Rashmi's right. I didn't choose to leave. They kicked me out. If anything, *you* left me." Pause. "... But, ummm. Please. We don't have *that* kind of relationship so ummmmm... please don't do the... weird... stalky... Adora thing...."

Catra has posed:
Catra eventually staggers to her feet, once she's freed herself enough that she can get one arm free. She yanks Powersend out of the wall, and uses it to cut through the rest of the net, shrugging it off like a shawl after that. She shakes her head, trying to restore her senses after being smashed so hard by Rashmi's barrier, before she walks back through the ruin of the wall.

"...Fine, that should do," she grumbles, her ears flat against the side of her head. She looks back and forth between the four assembled in front of her, grinding her teeth and lashing her tail behind her. "Adora *left*," she explains to Hinoiri. "Just met some people one day and decided *that day* to give up everything she'd ever known, including me. I do *not* have feelings for her. She is *not* my friend. What, I was suppose to follow her around everywhere she goes, like some pathetic sidekick?"

The feline spits the last word; her fingers flex around the hilt of Powersend, but she just shifts her grip on it, holding it so the blde angles up behind her back.

"I don't need you to save me," she adds, glaring with dangerous eyes at Sayaka. "I'm doing just *fine* where I am. I do not need or want your pity."

She walks forwards, glaring sideways at Rashmi; though her expression softens, just a little, looking at the damage that was wrought to her. By her. She did that.

"...Yeah, sure," she mumbles.

And then, she looks back to Bow; the disc, Light Hope, is snatched out of his hand. Powersend's blade is banished and she tucks the hilt and the disc alongside each other in a jacket pocket, before she dashes to the window, diving out of it and catching the rope from Bow's grapple arrow, riding it down out of sight.

Bow has posed:
"Do you have oats in your ears?" Bow questioned Hinoiri with a hint of exasperation. "I don't intend to use it on anyone. It was meant for Adora to safeguard, considering her experience dealing with one before. If we wanted control, we'd find another way," he reassured her, hoping to ease her apprehension.

Before he could elaborate further, Catra seized the disc and leapt out the window.

Hurrying to the window, Bow watched as Catra vanished into the night. "This won't come back to haunt me," he muttered ruefully, mentally filing it under 'Future Bow Problem'.

Sayaka Miki has posed:
"Bow is keeping it with him for safekeeping", Sayaka explains to Hinoiri, reaching in to hold her hand. "We wouldn't use it on you even if we could command it, Hinoiri, we aren't going behind your back like that. And anyway, this hosts an AI that was too troublesome for our tastes", Sayaka explains. "She is just another Kyubey."

Before they can come to a conclusion, Catra snatches it and out of the window she goes, bringing the terrible AI with herself. "Well, that is the end of it. Why don't you go back to what we have of the bed, while we warn the hospital staff about the room's conditions?"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
There is no mistaking the regret in Catra's face, or voice. Just as there's no mistaking the *lack* of regret in Rashmi's. The two of them had talked about such a scenario coming up, and Rashmi had said in no uncertain terms that it would be a fight, and a serious one, and she'd still be welcome at the Korma afterward. So when Catra snatches the control disc and hurls herself out the window, Rashmi can only breathe a sigh of relief. "Aaaaaand it's probably gonna be delivered to their mad tech genius," the redhead murmurs. "Don't worry, Bow-kun... Nothing can haunt you if you're already ready for it. And Sharpsong-chan's right, Hinoiri-chan. It's gonna be unpleasantly squishy for now, but they'll get your bed changed out and you in some dry clothes. It'll be all right."

And the hell of it is, she talks like she honestly believes it. Maybe not immediately, but the arc of the universe bends toward it being all right.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara sighed and shook her head. Did... Catra.... really... wow. That also hurt a bit. She wondered if that really was what this was. Did Catra even realize Hinoiri was her own person? Or was Catra just... Heh. Wouldn't that be ironic. Adora didn't see Catra as her own person, if Catra didn't see Hinoiri as her own...

She watched the girl disappear before sighing and letting Sayaka help her lay down. Then nodding to the others. "Yeah.... yeah. Thanks. I guess. Ummmm... for... that. Saving me... again..."

".... I wonder who else is going to try and kill me now." She laid down on the bed. It made a squishy sound. She sighed. She hated being helpless.... And she wondered if she'd regret Obsidian having that chip... meh. It'd be fiiiiiine.