1787/What Dragged the Cat In

What Dragged the Cat In
Date of Scene:	24 July 2024
Location:	Obsidian Tower
Synopsis:	Catra, beaten up but vaguely triumphant, goes to turn over the mind-control chip to Takashi. Joker can't resist showing up, however, to torment them both.
Cast of Characters:	Catra, Takashi Agera, 267

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Catra has posed:
Yeah... that went well.

That's what she's supposed to say, right? That went well. Sure, she didn't strictly speaking accomplish the mission. Hinoiri is still alive. She hates her guts now, but what else is new? Don't all of Catra's friends eventually do that? Of course, this time it's hard not to admit that it's actually her fault, but whatever. All that's changed is the route taken to get there. The destination is exactly the same.

The feline is in one of the washrooms on Obsidian Tower's upper floors. Her jacket lays dumped on the floor behind her, and she's busy using strips of gauze to bandage herself up; she's got one wound around her bicep and is holding the end with her teeth while she pins it in place. Once she gets it nice and secure, she trims the excess with a claw and lets the leftover bit fall on the floor, alongside a couple others. Her ribs hurt too; getting flung full-force into a wall will do that to you. There's nothing she can do for that.

Nothing much she can do for her eyes, either, except dry them and will them to stop welling up. Don't be a wimp, Catra. Don't be a coward. Don't be... Don't be the things Shadow Weaver said you were.

She stares at herself in the mirror for several minutes, regarding her bi-colored gaze. But, can't put things off forever. She retrieves her jacket, and pats the pocket to make sure the all-important chip is still there. It is, of course; right alongside the letter ordering her to go kill Hinoiri. Prove her loyalty.

Which she disobeyed, of course.

Catra pushes out of the washroom, and tilts her head to one side and then the other, as she slinks off down the hall like a cat preparing to walk amongst the mice. Time to go find Takashi and lay things out. And give him the chip -- that ought to be worth something, at leat.

Takashi Agera has posed:
    Takasi Agera is... unaware of Catra's success. Or her failure. Or her mission at all. For one thing, he's more middle management than he cares to admit and sometimes Important People just go around him. For another thing, sometimes things are even less than they seem in the backstabbing world of Obsidian. For some of those closer to him, he keeps a more watchful eye, but... Catra is not someone Takashi believes he can truly control. For one thing, he's not sure he knows what she wants, which means she -could- want anything. He's just happy when he asks her to do stuff she usually does most of it. She also bolsters his numbers. And he's seen her do legitimate damage with those claws.

    But he's not expecting Catra to come in to his office, not without having been called, and certainly not to report the results of a mission he hadn't sent her on. But when you work in a place where giant red oni, werewolves, and other stranger things stalk the halls, you get used to being surprised. And not letting it show.

    Currently, he's hunched over yet another science-techno-magico-project, tapping a long thin needle with a crystal tip into strange spacemetal from a crashed starship. Another day in Takashi's usual unusual world.

Catra has posed:
But then, into Takashi's office, Catra does indeed walk. And she looks like she's been through it, with bandages mostly concealed under her jacket but not entirely, bruised knuckles, a black eye, and hair somehow more dishevelled than her usual unkempt look. She stalks in without knocking or waiting to be invited, but crosses her arms and watches Takashi instead of ruining what he's doing by walking up and being snotty.

No; she waits, until it looks like the delicate part of whatever he is doing is over, and then approaches. From her pocket she withdraws a small, circular object, which she sets down beside Takashi's project.

"Etherian tech," she explains. Well, that's actually wrong, but she couldn't know that. "Sparkles' friend Bow had it, when I..." she pauses, "He had it. The board sent me to kill Hinoiri, but she was well defended. I got this instead."

The feline shrugs her shoulders dismissively. "Apparently it's mind control tech. Think you can use it?"

Takashi Agera has posed:
    Takashi is about to ask what happened to Catra but that seems like a stupid question. Obviously, someone beat the hell out of her. The correct question is 'who happened to Catra'. Which he has to figure an answer is coming to.

    "...the board sent you to do what now?" he asks. Well, he did warn Hinoiri. But still, it's enough of a shock that he fails his attempt to seem like he knows everything that happens, so there's no undoing that

    "...Good that you didn't come away empty handed, especially given that you look like you look like you're a light breeze away from the infirmary." he says. This is exaggerating, but only a little. "...Sounds dangerous." he says, taking it and looking at it. "Not the kind of thing we want them to have for sure, if they could figure out how they'd turn you into She-Ra's pet cat like she keeps going on about." he says, but notably doesn't put it in his desk or otherwise, instead it disappears into one of the many pockets in Takashi's cavernous lab coat.

    "So... who told you to go after Hinoiri? Last I heard the board was still deciding how to handle her - and I heard that pretty recently."

Joker (267) has posed:
There was a light clatter, and then a voice directly into Catra's ear. "Did they, now?" Joker's voice ran. And if she turned to slash, he was already gone. On the opposite side of the desk... And holding *her* letter. The letter from the board. "Oh deary me. How positively scandelous," he said, before tossing the letter up. "It really *should* have been an email... after all, the board never sent *anything* like that. I should know, I entertain there often~"

"I do hope it didn't cost you much, little violin. You should know, however. For the time being, the board has decided that the little lost unicorn's death.... isn't worth the waste of resources to end her... pathetic... insignificant... life..." With each of those last three words his fingers tipped from left, to right.

"A positive *shame* you didn't let me see the letter last time. I might have been able to stop you from making an *utter fool* of yourself," he said, making a little pouty face as his head cocked to the right...

Then he exploded, into confetti.

And was behind them both, balancing on a big ball. "The board's directive is simple. If she dies? We don't care... but there's no reason to seek out a piece that has removed itself from the board, as it were. You can hardly play with the pieces once they're removed, after all... well... unless you're willing to risk... losing a hand~" he said, pulling his hand off.

Before turning and seeming to vanish, going two dimensional like a card... then appearing by Takashi, reaching out and pulling on the hem of his coat. "Oh my! However, a mind control device? That sounds absolutely thrilling! And just up Beryl Holding's avenue. Oh, you absolutely MUST tell me, are you going to help her get her little boy toy back? I believe it cost her soooo much face to lose them already... But if anyone could get her back on track, truly it would be Professor Tomoe's little golden boy, wouldn't it?" he asked, giving a little cheer.

Then he paused, turning and looking to the giant Moonstone. And, after a few more seconds... making an exagerated, full body GASP! "Oh my! Takashi-san! Could it be? You've re-decorated! I positively LOVE what you've done with the place. The ominously glowing dooms day weapon truly DOES bring the room together. It's almost enough to make me forget *why* I came here to begin with... or maybe it did! Hmmm. Why. Did. I. Come. Here. Hmmmmm?"

And, very, very slowly, his head turned towards Catra. Full around... as his back was to her...

Catra has posed:
A purple-wreathed blade cuts a swath through the air, Powersend having come to hand as Catra whirled to face the Joker. But of course he was already gone. All Catra has accomplished is to cut a corner off of Takashi's desk, that lands with a little 'plop' on the floor, a sound overshadowed by the loud, threatening hiss that escapes through Catra's bared teeth. Her tail is all poofed up, and as she processes what's going on, that Joker is *here*, in Takashi's office, again... she conjures a ball of shadow over her free hand, and draws Powersend through it before shifting the blade to be held behind her back.

"Get out," she snarls, all of her hair standing on end and her eyes narrowed. "No, actually, give me that back and *then* get out of my sight!" She stalks up to where Jester is, just in time for him to explode into confetti. "What the hell is wrong with you?! YOU DELIVERED THE LETTER!"

Of course, it's right about here, after Catra has said that, that she figures it out. He delivered the letter. Of course he did. He probably even *wrote* the letter. How could she have been such... Adora-levels of stupid over this? She's sent so off-kilter by that realization, her jaw just kind of hangs aslack for a moment, and she forgets to either reply, or adopt a proper stance with her Katana, so she just ends up standing there with her braincells at war with each other.

"I didn't make a fool of myself," she growls defensively, as she finally gets around to adopting Gedan-no-Kamae, with the sword-blade pointed downwards towards Jester. "I fought three Sparkle-Skirts at once until they had to make a deal with me so I wouldn't kill Hinoiri. And I brought back mind-control tech. ..Which I implied I'd promised not to reverse engineer," she adds before tilting her gaze in Takashi's direction, "But I didn't promise that *you* wouldn't, so do whatever you want. Copy it and maybe test it out on him," she growls, inclining her chin towards Jester.

"WHy did you come here? What do I look like, a fortune teller? I have no idea but whatever it was you should forget it, giveme back that damned letter and GET THE HELL OUT."

Takashi Agera has posed:
Takashi did not like Joker. But then again, Takashi had not met anyone else who seemed to. The creepy clown man had less fans than Beryl, which was kind of impressive and horrifying all at the same time. But Beryl didn't teleport into and out of your personal space (probably, unless you were Mamoru) with a mixture of annoying and wild exaggerated facial motions and a mouth full of way-too-sharp-teeth. Beryl was a creep but she didn't realize it or care. Joker was a creep and reveled in it.

    Takashi couldn't even fault Catra for swinging at Joker and getting his desks, even if it means he'll need to requisition another desk. Fuyuko'd probably understand if she saw the clown's name too.

    "You're assuming that is actually what it is." he says, after making sure by physically pulling it out and switching pockets that the damn clown didn't swap it for a shock buzzer or a tiny pie or something. "If they could mind control us they probably actually would. They are always trying to change us. If it's useful I'll let people know, but there's a decent chance it's just like, an alien subway token or something." he notes. "Or, it's busted beyond repair."

    Takashi grits his teeth and tries to follow the same advice he's going to give Catra. "Don't let him drive you up a wall, that's what he wants. That's how he has fun." And then he raises his hand. "But if you say the board didn't authorize this and she says you delivered the letter saying it did, that is a cause for suspicion all around."

Joker (267) has posed:
Joker let out a startled gasp, collapsing on the desk in a dramatic fashion. The scary part was how he got to the desk so suddenly. "ME?! Someone like me, permitted to deliver the messages of the BOARD?! Scandelous! Preposterous! Why, I am honored that you would imagine I was permitted to do such a thing!" And then he rolled onto his side, leaning up, elbow... dunking in some ink. Which... definitely had NOT been there before.

"No, I merely wanted to know *what* the board could have desired from you, little kitty cat..."

Then, once again, with a poof of smoke he disappeared... Across the room, standing on the wall and, slowly, playing a sad song on a violin. "Mmmmm... such a sad, heart breaking sound..." he mumbled... right before one of the strings *snapped*. He looked at the violin incredulously. "They just don't make them like they used to, do they?" He then flicked his hand, the letter moving over towards them. "I wouldn't worry though, little kitty. While we won't expend resources on it..."

And then he was back, sitting on the Moonstone... holding up a little doll that looked like a unicorn? In a leather jacket? "Our little unicorn sure knew how to... burn all of her bridges, didn't she?" he asked, before tossing it into the air. It turned to ash, in a small burst of flame... before he was right back in front of them, sitting on the desk. Legs crossed. "But oh, if it *can* control minds? Please, I would love to see if it works on me. They say mine has been lost for years, hee hee hee!" He then turned to Catra... and put a finger out against the tip of the blade. And gently pushed down on it. Against the blade. "You really *should* try and keep a better eye on your staff though, Ta-ka-shi~ There's already those amongst the board who think all of your achievements might have been just because you were under Tomoe. After all, you haven't really done anything under Beryl... but then, who did?"

And then he pulled his hand back and started shuffling a deck of cards... Tarot cards.

And put one on the table. Death. Of. Course.

"After all... so many people who you were oh-so-close to... disappeared. That must hurt, no? Hematite..." Another card, the lovers. "Tomoe's darling little daughter..." The High Priestess. "And now? A little hot headed sunset~" One more card, the Sun.

"There are those who say maybe the problem wasn't them at all. Maybe the problem... was you. It'd be a shame if any other mistakes happened around you, wouldn't it?" Another card... the hanged man.

"But, that's just a bit of a rumor. What do I know?" he asked, before sliding the cards back up his sleeve. "Every time you get involved, I just know such delightful chaos comes. Perhaps we could use more of that~"

And then he rolled back and out of existence.

Catra has posed:
Catra snatches the letter out of the air and crumples it back into her pocket. Joker's movements, however, have the cat's ears on a swivel, and every time he appears somewhere new she whirls to face him, and every time her ears go flat and her poofed up tail lashes behind her.

"Stay away from me," she growls, just before the Joker appears close by, and actually puts his fingertip on her sword. She jerks it back, whirling it up to Koncho-no-Kamae and then swinging it back down behind her and then up in a vicious, upward cut; but of course, she hits nothing. Not even Takashi's desk this time. (Pity about the other one.)

"Get the hell away from me!" she repeats, taking a step back and narroing her dual-toned vision. But he's not listening; he's already in the middle of giving Takashi a tarot reading.

Which Catra does not seem incined to interupt.

Instead, she stands back with her sword at the ready, right up until Joker makes his... apparent departure. The feline's ears flick, and she glances about the room, inclining her chin to sniff the air. Once she's satisfied that Joker is no longer present, she lowers her guard with the sword, and eventually banishes the blade entirely, tucking the hilt away in her jacket.

"What the... You know what? Nevermind, I don't want to know." Catra folds her arms in front of her. "Anyway, the chip is real. Bow doesn't have enough braincells to tell a convincing lie, and Rashmi was there and she confirmed it as well. She's smart enough to lie but she wasn't. Also there was Bow's blue-haired friend but she doesn't seem to know anything, so whatever."

Takashi Agera has posed:
    Takashi. Hates. Joker. He didn't need the little tarot-show for that feeling to be real but it sure didn't make him like him anymore.

    "I got more done under Beryl than anybody else." Takashi notes to the clown. "Produced actual results, including the DG girls. Maybe you don't keep your ear to the ground. Too busy listening to yourself talk." he snarls back.

    "If you have something to say then say it-" but of course the clown makes an exit. "...tch." Takashi growls. "I need to clown-proof my office." he notes. He tries to avoid looking down, at his desk, where the cards had been. He eventually just shakes his head.

    "I mean, yeah in general they suck at lying, but they could always just be mistaken." he says. "In any case, I believe Glimmer when she says it was doing it. But I didn't want our harlequin friend talking it up." he notes. "Better if they don't know. Especially him."

    "That's honestly not the sort of thing I can trust anybody with." Except, of course, one Takashi Agera. He checks to make sure it's in his pocket again. He really hates that clown.

    "I don't know why the Board puts up with him." the he pauses. "...actually I don't want to think about reasons they might do so." he admits. "...You didn't do anything wrong here Catra, I can say that at least. I will cover for you with the board because they're gonna look into this, but I should be able to take care of it." he adds. "Plus they can't be that mad, Hinoiri is some serious Persona Non Grata energy around here."

Catra has posed:
Catra, for her part, looks like she's going to explode at the first thing that moves, no matter how well behaved it might be. Slowly, she relaxes; un-clenching her muscles, un-flattening her ears, un-baring her teeth, and so forth; her tail is the last thing to stop lashing from side to side.

"I can't imagine anyone thinking I did anything wrong," she grumbles. "The people I fought, the girl I tried to kill," Well... not really try all that hard but who's asking questions, "They're all on the other side. We're *supposed* to fight them, aren't we? I don't think it's ever been suggested that I sit down for sushi with them." She takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"And that includes Hinoiri," she mutters. "But like I said. The deal was we get the chip, *I* don't referse engineer it, and we take Hinoiri off the kill list." She stops, taking another deep breath. "Which apparently she wasn't on anyway. Maybe I'll tell her that I came to chop her head off for absolutely nothing. I'm sure that'll make her feel considerably better about the whole thing."

Catra looks down at herself; and she does, she must admit, look terrible.

"I need to lie down," she mutters, and turns to slink towards the door. "Let me know how it goes with that thing. I've got no idea how it works, but I'm sure you'll figure it out." She rolls her shoulders, doing her best to look relaxed, and still failing after Joker's visit. "If you can't figure it out, I guess we could just kidnap Bow's girlfriend with the blue hair, and expirment on her. I helped Sparkles kidnap her once already, so she could ask her questions. It was easy."

Takashi Agera has posed:
    Takashi blinks, and pauses, at all of that. "No, I wouldn't tell them it was for nothing. Take the credit for getting her off the list. Makes them likely to continue making deals with you in the future." he says.

    "It can't hurt us to have them believing we'll honor bargains." he continues. "If they don't trust anybody else, our team can get all of the juicy stuff." he points out.

    He shakes his head. "No kidnapping for the time being. That's the sort of stuff that escalates, and we're not going to make any of Hinoiri's mistakes; she did us the benefit of screwing up a lot and quite visibly and so we might as well learn from hers without needing to make them ourselves..." Takashi opines.

    "Besides, things are about to get real messy soon - I can feel it. I can sense it. And I didn't need a card trick to tell. We want to keep our heads down for a little bit now." he suggests. It'll give him time to spend on this 'chip' anyways.

    "...Let me know if you need anything, Catra." he adds as she turns to try to leave, still tense. "Other than like, clown repellant. I already know to share with you if I can make some of that."