1941/Villain to villain

Villain to villain
Date of Scene:	12 September 2024
Location:	Plot Room 1
Synopsis:	After Hinoiri's recent first floundering attempt at being a sparkle, Hinoiri reaches out to the one person she feels can understand not being enough... Catra. In a surprising twist, the feline has advice that can both help AND not make things worse! Mostly.
Cast of Characters:	Hinoiri Kirara, Catra

---

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara had been, well... admittedly...

It likely wasn't much of a surprise when Catra got a call from Hinoiri's phone.

What likely was a surprise was that when Hinoiri's voice came on the line, how upset and... she sounded like she was crying. And that it came at almost midnight...

"H-hey. Are... are you alone? *Sniff*. Good. Can you meet me... somewhere? I just need someone to talk to. P-private. No bullshit, no going feral cat, just... I bucking... can you be there for me now? I can't... really bucking turn to anyone else."

Of course, from there, there was just meeting at the late night shake dispensary. Oddly, a rather effective business strategy in this city. Hinoiri was sitting in the corner, leather jacket and all and she looked... well...

She looked like anyone else who had spent half the night beating the crud out of a punching bag, then half an hour crying in a bathroom stall alone and tried to make themselves look presentable. She had her shake, and another shake for Catra she'd just ordered, of whatever flavor the feline had liked.

And she just... looked like crap. Occasionally wiping her eyes. Hair a mess.

Catra could probably relate.

Catra has posed:
It doesn't really take long for the feline to show up; Hinoiri would know when she's arrived before she opens the door, given the relatively loud racket of a motorcycle drawing up to a stop outside. When Catra does enter, she's disguised of course, as the ever-obnoxious Rachel Miller. In the guise of an American tourist in ripped jens and a ragged grey hoodie drawn low over her head, she goes first towards the counter to order.

Three steps in, she inclines her head, pausing in her tracks, and then turns to head straight for Hinoiri's table.

"Hey," she greets, keeping her voice a flat monotone for the moment as she plops down in a seat. "Didn't... figure you were ever gonna talk to me again, after the..." she trails off, not touching the drink Hinoiri got for her yet, or really acknowledging it being there. "The thing in the hospital," she finishes, quietly. "But yeah."

So even if she's the last person Hinoiri would ever talk to -- or at least the last person she *should* talk to --

"I'm here."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara gave a small shrug. "I mean... I was a little..." She trailed off. "Nobody with Obsidian is with you, or can hear this, right?" she asked, looking up at her, studying her face to make sure that there weren't any signs of... well... WERE they being watched? Once she was sure... She relaxed and lowered her eyes. "I was a tiny little alicorn for a bit and you didn't do anything to me then, I didn't... I don't see much point in..." She choked on the words, wiping her eyes again and trying to stop herself from bursting into tears.

"... I don't see much point in... holding a grudge against you. After all, it's not like I don't buck up on the daily. I just..."

"... It never gets better, does it? Even if you try to... to be better. It doesn't, does it? There's always... something... that'll make us not good enough... isn't there?"

"I tried. I... bucking... I found a way to have magic again. It's not like I can every go back to Obsidian though, can I? Half of them s-still want me dead. But.... but I don't belong with... with the sparkles, either. No matter... what I do... they'll never..." She wiped her eyes again. "No matter how h-hard I try, they'll never... I'll never be enough. W-will I? I just... they still..."

"... I really did try. I thought fine... Maybe I could just... if I worked hard, i-if I threw... e-everything I had at it... if I d-did my best... maybe they'd just... maybe t-they'd give me a c-chance, right?"

She took the straw out of the drink and gave it a little lick, her drink half melted.

"What's wrong with me? Why am I not... good enough? Why is it always me? I throw... I throw my all into it, I give everything I-I have... And then it's just... never enough."

"... I got lectured by both the person possessed... AND by the stupid sparkles... about how I wasn't good enough because I wanted to win by any means. Apparently THAT made me bad... Apparently Hawkmoth wanting these stupid toys so he can destroy the world or whatever is terrible, but lying t-to beat him? Oh, THAT'S crossing the line."

"... How am I supposed to know that? It was my first bucking time trying to be a sparkle... and it was an utter failure... You know, when I was sunbreaker? They used to tell me all the time how if I just told them what I wanted, they'd help me. But... it just... isn't true, is it? It's just... going to keep being like this, because I... can't... belong anywhere, can I?"

Catra has posed:
Catra shakes her head, "No," she replies in her most exasperated tone, "Nobody from Obsidian followed me, it's not like they care where I go or what I do as long as I'm there when they need me to chop something to bits with a sword or whatever." Unlike Hinoiri, she wastes no time on her drink, putting the straw to her lips and enjoying it, while Hinoiri starts unpacking everything she's got to unpack.

And for a lengthy moment afterwards, the disguised cat sits there in silence, chewing over everything Hinoiri just said -- and never mind the fact that she chose to unpack it to the person who's the least capable councillor on the planet. Seriously, where's Rashmi when you need her?

"...Y'know why I'm a villain? Why I'd rather be a villain, than join the heroes, even if they'd have me? Which they wouldn't, so I understand you there. But, seriously. The villains are *honest*. I don't mean like, in the heat of the moment or whatever, but I mean, overall. The villains tell you what they want. They're up front with what they expect. They lay out their desires and the consequences for blocking them, and then they do it." She gestures vaguely off to the side, with her hand that isn't holding her drink.

"The heroes are all just a long string of broken promises. They *say* they want to make everything better, they *claim* they'll forgive you and it'll be okay, and then? Then it's all a load of fish guts. Because they think that they've got to have *standards*, and if you're almost perfect but there's this one thing they don't like, then guess what you're *Toxic* and we can't have that now can we?"

Catra leans forwards, shoving her drink along in front of her and resting her elbow on the table. "You taught me magic, when I didn't have any. Someone who doesn't have magic can get it. *You* Proved that. And you got it once, you can get it again. You can do it, and I know you can, and if you've gotta break a few of the Sparkles' rules to get there? Who the hell are they to be holding you back? What do they know? They don't know what you've been through, what you've had to do to get here, what you've lost, what's been taken from you." She snorts audibly. "See, the problem with them is they can't commit. Like sure, they'll think it's a good idea to save the world and stop someone from ending it, but then they're all bound up in fighting them 'the right way', whatever that means."

She leans back, and slams her fist down on the table, making both drinks jump. "This is WAR," she snaps, "And they're too goodie-goodie to do what's necessary to save the world? See that's exactly what I mean, they've got no committment." She sighs, leaning back in her seat.

"Anyway. Who cares about them. You should't care about them. This isn't a game, it's life -- and life is not a chessboard. There are more than two colors. If you can't go back to Obsidian, and the Sparkles are too dumb to take you in... make your own side."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara gave a small nod, slowly swirling her straw in the cup around. Thinking on the words. There was... soooooo much wrong with what Catra said. Soooo bucking much. It was a dumpster fire of a mess.

And yet Hinoiri was in very vulnerable place right now and was listening to it intently. "It's all broken promises. Growing up, that's what I was told. I was promised 'If I just try hard enough, I'll succeed'. 'You're Sora's protege, you must be special'. 'Imagine what you could do if you just applied yourself.' Yet, the harder I tried? The more it just seemed to set me back."

"... And now I've been replaced. Back home. Obsidian has probably replaced me. I bet the sparkles will eventually too."

She lightly spun the straw around. "I know I shouldn't care... but I do... I could be so much stronger than all of them. I was the most powerful enemy they *ever* had. Beryl fought the sparkles and died. I came back from that. If I did it... again? I'd succeed." She rubbed her necklace.

"... I could destroy everything and then never have anything I wanted from the get go. Sora... how pathetic am I? What kind of idiot... just... gets kicked out of everywhere she's ever been... and then ends up wanting it back hard enough she sinks down to their level?"

"... I can't even talk to the sparkles about this. Most of the pieces to make my... new henshin device, I found myself. Scrounged up. But... one of them I stole. If they find out I'm... that sparkle... they'll ask questions. Then if they find out, they'll demand I give it back. And I'll be powerless all over again... Can't talk to most the people in Obsidian, half of them want me dead, the other half will get in trouble if word gets out they even talk to me. Can't talk to Dee about this, they'd probably revel in the drama but... they're with obsidian so it'll only cause them more trouble."

"... How does one make their own side? How does that even work? I say buck everyone else and kick both sides flanks, before taking whatever the item they're fighting for is?"

Catra has posed:
"People will always use you to get what they want," Catra replies. "You were told you were Sora's protege, that you were special, and that you were going to be the greatest and most powerful that had ever been. You know why they told you all that?" Her eyes narrow, as she looks up from under the hood that's still sitting low over her head.

"Because they wanted you to be powerful so they could *use you*. They wanted you to do what *they* wanted you to do, and when it was apparent that you wouldn't be there little power-puppet, you became a liability and they had to get rid of you. Which is why Sora cast you out, and why the Board sent people... sent..." she pauses, and sighs, getting to the part that she really hates, "Sent *me* to kill you."

Except that she didn't, because she warned the Sparkles that she was coming, and in spite of saying she wouldn't hold back, she did hold back. Quite significantly, actually. But does she admit to that?

No.

"Look... I grew up on the other end of the scale. Adora was the one who was special, that got treated exactly the way you did. I was the one who was worthless, and Shadow Weaver threatened my life on a daily basis, should I ever interfere with Adora's grand destiny." She pfffts and rolls her eyes, shaking her head. "And you know what? Adora was absolutely *nothing special*. At all. The only thing that ever made her special was a magic sword that anyone could've found, so whatever."

Catra picks up her drink and slurps loudly from the straw. "So you swiped a trinket off one of 'em. So what? Will they die without it? If you got away clean, keep it. It's not like they don't keep secrets. Why don't you find Rashmi sometime, and ask her to tell you her darkest secrets, and list off all the bad things she's ever done? I bet you she won't. They've got secrets, you're allowed to have yours. So keep what you've got, make it work, and be *proud of yourself* for having the strength and will to get it."

The feline grins, "As for making your own side? That's easy. Identify what you want, and go for it. Pretend to be with the Sparkles if it helps -- they can help you fight your enemies if you play your cards right -- but never forget that your priorities are for *you*, not them."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara nodded, giving a little sniffle and wiping her eyes. "Buck. I wonder... I wonder if anypony else ever got t-told things like that. If they got close to me they'd... heh. It'd a nice thought. Maybe it'd explain why nobody could bucking stand me."

She looked at the end of her straw, then used it like a pathetic spoon to grab some more shake and bring it to her mouth.

"You're not a killer, anyway. Though, I'd be touched knowing you cared enough to hate me and try. I figured only tall, annoying and swordy could get that much of a reaction out of you." She swirled the straw in the shake for a few more moments.

"I... don't blame you, though. For it. If Obsidian made you... I know you have it worse than me in this place. Neither of us really have anywhere else. No family. Friends are a joke. Obsidian... was there for both of us when nobody else was. Now they've cast me out because I'm a liability to them."

"... I... don't know what I want, that's the problem. I want... buck. You know what I want?"

"... If I disappeared tomorrow... I want someone to miss me after a few weeks. No. I want multiple people to miss me. I want someone to go 'Yeah, that Hinoiri. Sure, she bucked up. But she was great. We lost someone special this day'. And I want people to care."

"... Instead I'm the sparkle who gets lectured because apparently I can't even 'sparkle' right. The civilian who gets all the monsters out to beat her flank. The brand new Naru, now with twice as breakable bones. I survived tangling with dragons, you know? Back home? Claws bigger than my body, but with my magic I could face them. Sure, I didn't beat them, but I didn't have to fear them. Here? A bucking vending machine youma can throw me around like a hacky sack and I just have to take it unless I steal someone else's rejected magical swag."

"... And now I've started *streaming* because at least then it feels like I'm doing *something*..." She shoved her shake away, barely a quarter of it gone.

"Oh... reminds me. I put in a bit of work... wanna come on stream with me? I figure if I dress up like some kind of character from a game, I can introduce you as some cat-girl streamer and nobody will think anything of it. We could chill, play games and you could rub it in Adora's face later how you were out and about and having fun without anyone the wiser. I picked up some games I think you'd like, too."

Catra has posed:
"Well I'd care," Catra mumbles. "So you've got one at least. I bet you Rashmi'd care too. I think she's an idiot half the time, but she's..." She trails off, and shrugs. "I dunno. Different from the rest of 'em. On either side. So there's two."

She slurps up her drink, and then mirrors Hinoiri's attempts with the straw, to dig out what's left in the cup and steadfastly refusing to be removed any other way. "Etheria had huge monsters too. I woke some up by accident once, these... humongous metal worms that crushed everything in sight. We beat 'em. I didn't even have magic then... I was more focused on messing with Adora though, admittedly." She tilts her gaze back upwards, and cups her chin in her fingers. "You know... I think I know what you need. Well, at least, one thing you need."

Catra leans forwards, "You've always had your magic, and you've always relied on it, because it's always worked. Except now it's not working, or at least, it's not working all the time. And you've literally lost *all your magic* and gotten back to a point where you do have some, so you're going to be strong again. Never doubt that. But, in the meantime? Your magic isn't good enough. So you know what you need?"

Catra flashes a toothy grin. "Combat training. Learn how to win a fight without your magic. And, guess what, I'm very good at that. And sine you taught me magic... I'll repay the favor. Teach you to to throw a punch, how to kick, how to not get hit... how to use a weapon..."

She lets that hang in the air, and nods her head once as she sits back. "...I have no idea what streaming is, but sure. Especially if I can rub it in Adora's face. That'd be excellent."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara blinked a few times and looked up at her, wiping her eyes. "Wait, you would? And like, you're willing to admit that? To me? You really must like me, huh?" she asked, actually smiling for the first time. "Don't worry, I won't tell a soul and I'm sure next time we meetup you'll pretend you don't," she said in a teasing tone. "But I am so never forget."

"... And yeah. Rashmi is pretty cool. Don't tell anyone in Obsidian... but I have been doing research with some of the sparkles at the school. It's secret, though, because if Obsidian knew they'd either try to wreck it or kill me again. But... Rashmi has been cool. The mermaid diva girl, Yellow Pearl Voice, has been pretty cool about it. But... they're both goody goodies. I don't think they'd understand that sometimes... Sure, I stole that piece, but nobody is getting hurt. It wasn't being used by anyone, you know?"

The comment on combat fighting... did make her smile. "Actually... you know what? I have done that a bit. Fuyuko, the HR girl? Apparently she was a sparkle like, a hundred years ago when she was our age. After I ran into some trouble she taught me some hand to hand combat... but my new henshin? It's all about kicking and martial training. Having someone I could go hand to hand with who like... I wouldn't have to worry about hurting and actually have real, honest to goodness *training* in it? Really might do me some good."

"... That is, if you think you can take a unicorn-turned-human girl who has only had fists and feet for a year without getting too hurt? No horn to gore with, at least."

... And Hinoiri was smiling at least. That was new. She hadn't been smiling before Catra got here. Catra did that.

... Also, yeah. Hinoiri knew the moment she brought up rubbing it in Adora's face, well... how could Catra resist?

Catra has posed:
"You won't hurt me," Catra asserts. "I'm a cat." her lips turn upwards at one corner. "I'm faster than both humans *and* unicorns. But don't worry, when we spar I'll let you get two or three hits in so you don't feel bad."

She studies the contents of her cup -- well, there isn't much left by way of contents anymore, so it doesn't take long -- and then hefts it, considering the utter lack of weight, before tossing it towards the nearest garbage bin. It goes in, too; doesn't even hit the rim, a perfect two points.

"But hey. Look. Sounds like you've got things much better covered than you thought you did, right? And now you've got a plan and you know how to move forward. So." She spreads her hands, palms up on the table. "I am still with Obsidian, and I don't want to jeopardize that, but if I think I see anything that might help you... I'll swipe it, if I can." Her eyes narrow. "Not from Riventon. But there's... definitely people there I don't like."

Like Joker, for example.

"Anyway. Other piece of advice? Rashmi and I agreed to make her family's restaurant neutral ground, so no matter what kinda fight we're in, we can go talk there. ...Maybe you might want to ask her for the same deal. She'd give it. Then if things really, *really* go sideways, you've got somewhere to go figure stuff out."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara gave a light snort. "Yeah, you are pretty fast, I'll give you that. But I'm used to punching above my class. Not so literally, mind." She got to her feet and picked up her shake and... "You want the rest of this?" If not, she'd toss it in the garbage as well. Not a perfect swoosh, like Catra's, but it'd make it if need be.

She then slid her hands into her pockets, heading towards the door. "Thanks. And... yeah. Don't swipe from Riventon. He's... one of the good ones. He's even helped me out now and again since I've become... this. But the less he knows about what I'm up to, the better. He's got more than a few enemies in Obsidian, I think. And they'd likely love to take him down for anything he's helping me with."

She wiped her eyes again. "And... thanks. It's nice... knowing I still have some people I can depend on to have my back when I need them, you know? I'm happy you're one of them."

Catra might notice something else about Hinoiri that she'd likely recognize. Her knuckles were bruised. As if she'd been punching the crud out of a punching bag. Far, far too hard... Something she'd know all too well.