CATRA CATCHALL

[divineimpulse]

Comments

W0 POST-CATRA ANNOUNCEMENT

[divineimpulse]

[hello catra. did you think you could escape just by leaving the room? byleth is now here too.]

Thank you for letting us know, by the way.

[supercatty]

[oh NO. she is CORNERED]

[her expression grows a bit slack, ears perking forward, before she huffs and folds her arms

Well, you know.

You guys seem like the type to freak out? I didn't want you freaking out.

[divineimpulse]

We definitely would have freaked out.

[she says with the neutralest expression to ever neutral.

byleth sits on the bed.]

Would you like to share some tea, before you go?

[supercatty]

[. . . well. everyone else would have freaked out. in her mind, Byleth would have stared blankly into the distance]

[she flicks her tail, then shrugs]

It's not until tomorrow anyway, right? So sure. Whatcha got?

[divineimpulse]

Do you have a favorite? [tea.]

W1 FRIDAY, POST INVES

[divineimpulse]

Catra, how are you and Adora?

[supercatty]

[it actually takes a bit did Catra to reply after the death announcement, but!! she does]

do you know how many people have asked me that today.

[divineimpulse]

Too many for your comfort?

[:)]

[supercatty]

[. . . THIS?? CALL OUT??? HOW IS SHE SUPPOSED TO REPLY TO IT!!!]

shut up.

[catra translator: yeh, way too many for her comfort]

[divineimpulse]

[:)!]

To be fair, I'm not speaking.

week two, thursday

[supercatty]

[Catra does at least give Byleth some time to like. . . compose herself? but eventually, before curfew but pretty close to it, she texts]

bark woof. growl grrr.

[wait. what]

anyway. are you feeling better?

[divineimpulse]

[...

what was that?]

Mabel and Yamato pooled their healing items and re-attached my arm.

[supercatty]

[don't ask]

okay. good.

can i come to summer?

[divineimpulse]

Always.

[supercatty]

i'll be there soon.

[with some tell-tale scratching on Summer's front door, since she can no longer get in on her own]

week 3, saturday, post-trial

[supercatty]

[where is byleth NOBODY KNOWS!! but Catra is finding her after she gets herself together, the fur on her face still a little matted from tears]

[when she finds Byleth she approaches quietly, before folding her arms and leaning up against a. . . tree/wall/WHATEVER SOLID SURFACE she can and just]

[not]

[saying anything]

[divineimpulse]

[byleth can be perched on a log in the forest as catra treeleans

also


not saying anything, just watching catra, face soft.]

[supercatty]

[what if she like]

[eventually perches on the edge of the log]

[and then just sits there, tail swishing lazily behind her]

[is she gonna say anything???]

[divineimpulse]

[...]

Catra.

[her tone is gentle.]

You can ask me anything, and I'll do my best to answer.

[supercatty]

[. . .]

[draws her knees up, arms wrapped around them. she is silent for a moment, before she speaks]

Can you tell me why?

[Rupert couldn't, but maybe. . .?]

week 4, thursday night mURDER

[supercatty]

[curfew descends upon the Wiwaldi campus, and Catra finds herself drifting off with the rest of Winter dorm once it falls]

[. . . and then she re-awakens, eyes flinging open to stare at the night sky above]

[it takes her a moment to process what is happening, but once she does? she bolts upright, fur bristling and tail lashing defensively behind her as her gaze sweeps across the area. water, flowing in a gentle circle. . . the lazy river? a figure, lying asleep some many feet away-- Ichinose? from fall? and then finally--]

[a familiar head of lime green hair, and the only other person in this scene stirring with her]

. . . Byleth?

[oh no]

MURDER MURDER MURDER

[divineimpulse]

[byleth is pushing herself to her feet, looking around. this isn't right. she isn't supposed to be here. this is... bad.

she casts an eye around, and settles on the only other person awake. let ichinose sleep.

...]

Catra...?

[none of this makes any sense, and it just makes her stumble to her feet faster.]

[supercatty]

[Ichinose will be forgotten this entire thread. poor itchy nose. but as soon as Byleth scrambles to her feet, Catra does likewise]

[. . .]

[it's instinct, the way she squares her stance defensively, fingers splayed (but claws still withdrawn). her leg is sore (as is her broken arm and her ribs), but her injuries from a few weeks ago are healed enough that she can move with little issue]

[she's silent for a few moments, gaze narrowing, before. . . the pieces click into place]

[. . .]

[is this. . . her doing? the-- the thoughts she's had throughout the week being made manifest?]

Is-- [. . .]

Is this what happened with. . . Crow?

[divineimpulse]

[Byleth doesn't immediately reply. doesn't say a word. but she doesn't have to—because her emotiosn fire off instead. surprise, worry, shock at catra, and tension, an insurmountable, building tension.

...]

What are you thinking, Catra?

[her voice is soft, but it carries.]

[supercatty]

[RIGHT, IT'S EMOTIONSHARE WEEK. . . Catra feels those emotions slam into her like a wrecking ball, and she has to suck in a deep breath to steady herself afterwards. her own are just as much of a wild whirlwind as Byleth's: her own surprise and shock, defensiveness, anger-- mostly directly at this place over everything else-- a small dash of concern and worry for Byleth, for someone whom she has come to legitimately care for these past few weeks, and then. . .]

[determination. resolve. an. . . understanding of what she has to do]

[her fingers curl into fists, her claws still withdrawn]

[. . .]

. . . when-- when I asked you if you would do it again.

You couldn't promise me you wouldn't. [. . .] . . . whatever it is that forced you to kill Crow-- it would force you to murder again.

Wouldn't it?