2162/Bad End, Badder End, or Worst End

Bad End, Badder End, or Worst End
Date of Scene:	12 December 2024
Location:	Mitakihara Ward
Synopsis:	Time's up! Catra just ~barely~ missed her quota, and now Joker's here to show Rashmi what she's won! ...It's Food! brand holiday-themed flavor enhancers, over-the-counter medicine themed? He *truly is a monster!*
Cast of Characters:	Rashmi Terios, Catra, 21

---

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Today has not been the worst day, but it *has* been A Day.

First, the deck of cards appeared in her show locker, and the last card flipped over. Which meant *all day* Rashmi has had her head on a swivel, waiting for the *one moment* where Joker would catch her off guard and deliver the terrible news. Or the good news, but Rashmi privately believed that Joker wouldn't *deliver* good news. It just didn't seem to be his style, unless the good news was taped to a knife.

It wasn't until she was cleaning up after Debate Club, that she realized that today being the last card, meant that *tomorrow* was when the news would get delivered. The relief that followed nearly made her tip over on the spot, and she vowed to treat herself to winter udon to apologize to her blood pressure.

That night, her chosen patrol location was a fairly sizable chunk of downtown Mitakihara, when a pitching-machine youma decided to blast out of its batting cage and break windows up and down the street. *That* turned into a running 'firefight' of baseball vs. energy ball, and when it was finally defeated, the Page Mage *felt* like one giant bruise.

Sighing hard enough to push her soul through her mouth, she landed in an alley some distance away, de-henshining with a brief shattering of golden light, and slipped out to join the downtown foot traffic toward the subway.

Maybe she'll beg the use of Wako's boyfriend's hot spring tomorrow morning...

Catra has posed:
It has been a long thirteen days. Today has been basically the worst one.

Catra has doubled down on energy collection; and although the heroes have showed up to smash every one to pieces, she has taken more Youmas out in the last thirteen days than she has in the last six months. That said, not all of them have gone to plan; Fishbones was abruptly duskported by the Inhumans Department but they lost it, and this after it put Catra in a terrible state with broken ribs, and then she got given a gumball machine that was the most pathetic Youma in her experience, and then her last Youma just straight up escaped when she told it to return, and the Inhumas Department won't give her any more until she tracks down at least one of the missing ones. A task she has dedicated herself to all day.

She's done her level best. She's kept working when she literally had several broken bones. She's barely slept. She accepted help from the heroes for more energy, even while fighting them when her heart was definitely not in it.

And now she's got a jar full of energy, and she's busy riding her motorcycle at breakneck speeds down the middle of the road to the one places she knows where she might find Rashmi; the Korma Chameleon. She lays down two strips of rubber as she skids the machine sideways to a halt, and barely gets the kickstand down before rushing the door...

Which doesn't open, because of course it's midnight and why would it.

Then a big red X appears on the side of the jar, and it starts beeping, all loud and negative, and Catra feels a wave of ice wash over her.

"Wait... WHAT?! What do you mean?! I FILLED IT!" she screams, making passers-by look in her un-disguised direction. "It's FULL!! I did it!! WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!"

Macaron (21) has posed:
Rashmi was doing so, so well. She really was. And, at mightnight... the cards disappeared from her desk.

And the jar? A big... red... X formed on it. and it beeped. Uh oh. She'd failed. Tut tut!

Of course, as Rashmi turned a corner... Yeah. The last thing one wanted to do.... was to be looking DIRECTLY INTO those cold, dead, hollow eyes. Yet, there they were.

Starring at her.

"He-llo Rashmi. Unfortunately, it looks like out little kitty cat failed to do her duty. Now, normally I'd say she got enough... but here she has been slacking off so much, for so long? I think it's only fair that she be held to the proper standard. Obsidian doesn't like to have to take care of slackers..."

He took a step towards Rashmi, a maniacle grin on his head, swaying head from left... to right...

"But I think we both know what that means... are you ready... for your SURPRISE?" And when he said that last word, he pushed forward, hands out, and CONFETTI sprang from his hands.

Nose almost touching hers...

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Upon seeing the looming silhouette of the most ridiculous, creepy murder-clown to ever exist(?), Rashmi pulls up short, eyes wide, mouth clamped *shut.* This is not a person(?) one pretends to bravery with. Not alone.

So she lets him talk, she tries not to step backward with his every step forward, and when he lunges forth with confetti in the air, a distant corner of her mind is encouraged by the fact that she only managed to step backward with one foot, bookbag clutched to her chest, leaning away from those hollow, voidlike eyes.

"....No...?" she squeaks. "...But it probably doesn't matter...?"

Catra has posed:
Catra stands there for a moment, with her jar beeping away at her like it wants her to do something. But is there really anything she can do? Where is Rashmi, anyway? She pulls out her phone with the cracked screen, looking through her list of contacts, which is very short. Does she really not know that many people? No, it's not that, she just doesn't trust any of them.

The cat jumps back on her bike and leaves a semi-circle of rubber on the ground as she turns it around, spinning the tires and filling the air with foul smoke before she speeds off, popping her front wheel up in the air for a good twenty seconds as she accelerates, speeding between cars moving in oppositve directions.

She rides for the Academy. Where else? She's never been there but she knows where it is, who doesn't? It's the only place she can think of Rashmi being other than the Korma, and so she rides, with the horrible jar beeping at her all the way.

As she rides, she catches a glimpse down an alleyway, out of the corner of her eye. Alley, sidestreet, whatever; it doesn't matter. Once again she skids the bike sideways, never letting off the gas as she turns around and comes back, rushing down the alley and just... jumping off the bike with it still moving, letting it fall and skid on its side into a wall.

"Leave her alone!!" Catra shouts, once she's down skidding across the floor herself. The beeping jar tumbles from her grasp and skitters across the floor as she stalks forwards, with her heart beating against her ribs and her ears flat, hackles raised. She likely doesn't even realize that Powersend is in her hand, blade extended, and wispy black magic is boiling off her arms and shoulders; magic fueled by emotion, but for once it's not rage.

It's terror.

Macaron (21) has posed:
"Oh, what's this?"

And he could hear the beeping. Coming closer. And the angry bike. His grin only grew wider, so wide it almost split his head.

"Oh, what's so hard about receiving a *gift*?" he asked. "One doesn't need to be fully *ready* for it..." He reached behind his back...

And then Catra appeared. And he began to outright chortle! "Oh dear! Cat-ra! Could it be?"

And then he was gone, flipping like a card...

"Leave her alone? Are you trying to play the *hero*?" he asked, appearing behind her. Shuffling a deck of cards. "Are you going to make her a promise, too? To keep her safe? To keep her content? To keep her all protected?" And he held out... a flower...? To Catra?

Which wilted a moment later. "But I think we all know exactly how well you keep *those* promises. Don't we?" he asked.

And then, once again, he was gone. Likely as she tried to slash at him.

Only to appear *behind* Rashmi. One hand reaching out, to grip her shoulder and pull her back against his chest. "Times up though, kitty... let this remind you... Obsidian... doesn't care for *layabouts*."

And then... his other hand reached out and... put...

... A box. Into Rashmi's hands? It... it was... a... gift... wrapped... box? "Your gift."

Inside, should she open it... were spices.

Zquil, honey flavored.

Cough syrup cherry.

Medicated cinnamon.

Grape flu syrup.

... Not medications. Flavorings of the medications. Who would MAKE something like that? What kind of sick, twisted monster...

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"CATRA-CHAN, WAIT."

If Rashmi has any possible bit of accuracy in taking Joker's measure, the worst possible crime would be interrupting a game before it's done.

And, of course, she *instantly* regrets telling her to stop, when Joker appears behind her and *puts a hand on her shoulder.*

Of course, now there's a dozen *other* reasons why she wouldn't want Catra to attack Satan's favorite jester, now... not least because the redhead has absolutely no wish to find out what bonuses to parry she'll end up giving him.

When the box is plopped into her hands, she blinks, the whiplash alone dulling her thoughts enough to hesitantly reach up, tug the ribbon off, and open the lid.

"It's Food... Holiday... flavor enhancers? Wha....?!"

Whether it's disbelief, curiosity, or simple muscular reflex, she slips one canister up to read the label.

"Medicated CinnamURK."

Some concepts, the brain will *create* nausea to avoid having to think about.

Catra has posed:
Catra missed. Of course she missed. Joker is freakishly fast, for some reason, and beyond her speed, even with her feline reaction times. And now he's standing behind Rashmi, using her as a human shield; not that he needs it, Catra's is forced to accept, but he's doing it anyway. She holds her sword up, pointed towards him anyway, but quickly drops it back to her side.

She's not wanting to seem less threatening; it's just that her hand is shaking so badly she might drop the sword.

"Leave her alone," she growls, trying desperately to sound angry and threatening, but instead just sounding like she's trying to sound menacing, without managing to pull it off. "She's not part of this. I'm not a hero, I never will be, but she is and she's not... she's not fair game for you to pick on! Leave her alone. LEAVE HER ALONE."

but then there's a box; and inside it are spices...? Catra's breath catches as the box is opened, and her breath catches, about to shout at Rashmi not to open it. But it's too late.

Spices. The box is full of spices. But bad spices, not something anyone would want to eat. "What... What the hell is that supposed to be?!"

Macaron (21) has posed:
Bad End Commander Joker grinned and then tapped the zquil one. "I'm particularly fond of this one. The little dash of honey goes perfect in your coffee. Sadly, they can't get the consistency right, so it doesn't stick in the back of your throat long after you've swallowed it. But I hear they're working on it."

And then he let her go.Disappearing in a puff of smoke. And then on the wall by Catra... balancing... on an inflatible ball.

And looking quite perplexed. "Oh, but of course! She's a *hero*. You didn't think I was intending to... oh, my. There you go again, Catra, jumping to *conclusions*." He jumped off the wall, landing by her, juggling some orbs of dark energy. "You didn't think I was going to *hurt* her, did you? Oh, you must feel like *such* an *idiot*. Hasn't your boss talked to you about *escalation*? It's one thing to hurt her in combat..."

And then he folded... yes, folded. He was a cardboard cutout?! SINCE WHEN?!

And there was a laser light... a little red dot... directly on Rashmi's forehead. The kind she had seen before... right before something nasty happened. But if she looked for the source, it was Joker, overhead, a laser pointer in hand. Nothing dangerous. "But to hurt her to teach *you* a lesson? That'd be *such a waste*. We both know you don't learn *anything* when you hurt other people. No... if I was going to use suffering..."

He exploded into confetti...

And then he was on top of the sword she kept swinging about... leaning down to gaze down at her. And his eyes were as black as the empty, hollow voids of eternity.

"I'd demonstrate on you."

Then he leaped up, doing a little backflip, landing on the ground and turning away, arms folded behind his back. "I do hope this little adventure has been enlightening for you, Catra. You can give that gathered energy to Riventon, you are part of his department after all. Who knows? Put in some hard work, and next time I give a gift maybe you can earn it. Enjoy your prize, Rash-me~"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
The moment Rashmi followed the voice and spotted a laser pointer, she looked away almost immediately. After all, laser pointers and glasses can make for terrible accidents. And *worse* moments of deliberate cruelty.

Just in case.

"Catra-chan," Rashmi says quietly. "Let it go. The game's over, and nobody got hurt any worse. Let it be enough, okay?"

For a moment, when Joker threatens Catra directly... A hand goes up to close around the charm hanging from her neck. Because if joker *was* about to demonstrate... well.

The two of them would probably absolutely lose, but... the job *is* to stand in front of people who don't deserve to hurt worse.

Instead, Joker seems content to deliver his message, and Rashmi sort of... sidles down the alley, putting herself between Catra and Joker. Mostly in the hopes of having a chance to *stop* the Etherian, if she tries anything... Etherian.

"I'll... try?" she says, terrified and confused and trying not to show her relief that this whole nightmare is just *over,* for now.

Catra has posed:
Catra is gripping her sword so tightly her knuckles are fit to pop, but mostly this is out of necessity as she keeps her muscles taught, still trying to look threatening in the face of Joker's admonitions. She grits her teeth, and as Rashmi slips in front of her, the hero can hear her breathing heavily, with her adrenaline kicked up to a full dose as she quivers, ready to go off.

"I did what you wanted," she snarls, albeit quietly. "I filled the damn jar, what more do you want from me?" She gesticulates off to her side with the sword. "I did my damn job. So great, you gave her a prize full of terrible spices, now leave her alone and don't appear in front of her again."

Giving orders to Joker hasn't worked in the past, but Catra simply can't think of anything else to do. She's acting just like a cat backed into a corner, backing away slowly and looking absolutely ready to turn into a storm of claws and sword and magic. But she doesn't; she just growls wordlessly, teeth bared as she stares, unblinking, at Joker, even while he threatens her. And if she tenses up any further, her mucsles are going to snap.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
As Joker makes his exit, Rashmi stares down the alley after him for a good few seconds, then draws in a deep breath. Closing the box and tucking it into her Device, she turns, hands spread out and palms visible. "He's gone, Catra-chan... And if he's not, he may as well be. It's over."

Catra has posed:
Catra does not seem immediately convinced.

The feline stays standing there, readiating dark energy and looking like she's ready to use her sword on anything that so much as twitches. But, as it always must, the adrenaline slowly drains away and leaves her standing there with one hand on the wall, trying not to look like her hands are shaking.

They are definitely shaking.

She looks around herself, finally not staring in the direction that Joker went. her bike is still layhing on the ground, having suffered fairly significant damage. Catra doesn't comment on it, but the look on her face as she stares at it says everything that needs to be said. ...Still, she did it, nobody made her crash it, she decided to do that all on her own.

"Yeah," she mumbles. "It's over I guess. For now."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"For now," Rashmi agrees, slowly approaching the shaking Etherian. "Look... you *need* to rest some. Maybe we should go to Mamoru's, and get you healed up? He's already said out in the open he doesn't care what side you're on, if you're hurt go to him. Nobody's asking you to do anything now, just... maybe you don't have to keep suffering for a little bit?"

Talking with Catra is always instructive, in the same way that stepping out on a tightrope is a great way to learn how to balance. Only instead of a safety net, there's a pool of alligators at the bottom. Still, if you can manage to walk the wire, you learn a lot of things about helping people under distress.

"Please?"

Catra has posed:
"He already healed me," Catra growls. "It's why my ribs aren't broken." It's not that she's growling at Rashmi, really, she's just... growling, at everything and everyone that gets near. Her ears are flat, and she glares off down the alleyway, still holding her sword and boiling with dark energy.

Slowly, deliberately, she closes her eyes and lets the dark magic she's cloaking herself with dissipate into the air. She exhales, and drops to one knee, propping herself up with Powersend. She gulps a deep breath, and gasps, looking like she's about to lose her most recent meal.

"He'll be back," she mumbles. "He'll do it again. He's a monster." She turns her head and looks up sideways at Rashmi. "You never should have let me in," she mutters, and looks back down at the ground. "You let one monster in and a bigger one always follows."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"I know," Rashmi says gently. "But I never let a monster in. I saw someone who was lonely and needed a friend. Most of my life, I've been lonely, and needed a friend, so..." Rashmi simply shrugs. "Why not stop that, when I have the ability to?"

It's always the same thing with her; you're not a monster. She says it *so easily,* as if it were the truth. She's heard the stories from Catra's own mouth. She knows what brought the Etherian here. And on that one thing, she's never, ever wavered; Catra (Applesauce Meowmeow, and Catra will *never* hear her fll name from Rashmi's mouth) is not a monster.

Would it be so bad, to think she knows what she's talking about?

"Okay, so you don't need healing. Something to settle your stomach, then? Just... being alone right now would be a bad idea, y'know?"

Catra has posed:
Rashmi is wrong. Catra grinds her teeth. Why are people so stupid? Why can't they just see the truth?

But maybe it's okay that she can't or won't see it. Maybe it's not so bad, to just... be looked at like you're a person. The Horde never did that. Obsidian doesn't do that. Most of the heroes don't do that, at least to Catra's mind.

The feline takes a look at her ruined bike; slowly, she rises bck to her feet, and lets Powersend's blade flicker out so she can pocket the hilt once more. She sucks in a breath, and lets it out slowly, as she comes down from her adrenaline rush and is forced to reckon with just how exhausted she is.

If Rashmi were smart she'd attack her here and now and beat her. She wouldn't have too much difficulty. But Catra knows she won't do that, so she just lets her shoulders slump as her muscles sag.

"Yeah," she mumbles. "Yeah. Sure."