2625/Korma Conspiracy

Korma Conspiracy
Date of Scene:	18 June 2025
Location:	Korma Chameleon
Synopsis:	Catra arrives at the Korma with a very serious problem on her mind; and three of her friends are all there to help, with varius sorts of advice to offer.
Cast of Characters:	Catra, Hinoiri Kirara, Rashmi Terios, Takashi Agera

---

Catra has posed:
After some frantic texting -- frantic, and unmistakably so, if vague -- Catra has come to the Korma. Why? It's both a place she considers to be safe, and a place where she can probably get Rashmi, Hinoiri, and Takashi all in the same place (with the latter having been advised that he probably wants to show up as Riventon, but he's a big boy and can make his own decisions.)

So now Catra is sitting a corner booth, disguised as Rachel Miller with her hood drawn over her head and her headphones in, getting odd looks from staff as she sits and fidgets, instead of touching the bowl of fish curry that's sitting in front of her, with clean cuttlery resting on a napkin.

It smells delicious.

Catra can't possibly miss that. And yet, somehow, she hasn't touched a bit of it yet; she just keeps looking like she's going to vibrate through a hole in the universe while looking out the window, back to the door, back to the window, and back to the door, and then checking her phone just in case anyone said anything which they might have you never know, but the group chat hasn't had any new messages in at least ten minutes.

It's been a long ten minutes.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara came barreling into the Korma. Not something she was prone to do. Then again, when her girlfriend said she'd been in danger... Yeah. Hinoiri really DID NOT LIKE HOW OFTEN THIS WAS HAPPENING. FREQUENTLY LATELY. THIS KEPT HAPPENING!

Twice with the moon, now with whatever this was, it was kind of making her get a liiiiiittle tense. And she was TRYING to be patient. She knew Catra had... issues. She got that. Really, she did. She understood. Truly.

But she was kiiiiiind of starting to get what Adora was going through. Just a tiny smidge. Sometimes? Maybe the cat needed to not be the center of *every* *single* *bout* *of* *drama*.

Or, like, at least wait until her legs got healed.

Of course, Hinoiri kept that to herself because she knew what it was like, she'd been there, how upset she'd been when... well... She had no room to speak of her own bad choices.

So she stepped in, saw Rachel... And sighed, before a lot more casually walking over. "Veggie, mild," she ordered, before sliding in next to Rachel.

She didn't ask what happened, she knew Catra would tell her. She just... sat there. Let her know she wasn't alone. Gently reached out and placed a hand on her back, soothingly, stroked down her back. Let her know someone was there for her, with her... and to help her.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
So much has been happening today.

But Catra's texts signaled that she needed help, and the *very last thing* Rashmi would do is leave a friend's call for help go unanswered. As she rounds the corner nearest the Korma Chameleon, she sends off one last text: << I'm just outside. >> and goes immediately in.

Trusting in the fact that her message will be caught before she arrives, Rashmi simply finds Catra's booth -- and Hinoiri, oh good -- and slips in, civvies and all. She is not, after all, here for a fight, and hopefully Riventon will see an un-henshined Devicer and get that message.

"Hey," she says quietly. "What's up?"

Takashi Agera has posed:
    Riventon walks in, the 'combat scientist' look somewhat out of place in the Khorma but it'd be awkward coming here to talk as Takashi for a bunch of reasons - okay, for Rashmi and maybe other sparkles coming by reasons. Still, he's here, because Riventon generally will show up to help people; it means they can owe him later.

    He's the last one to arrive, hands in his coat pockets as he walks up, but he takes them out to show that they're empty - well, except for the fact that his weapon is a gauntlet which is part of his henshin. But there's no other new experimental weapons... okay this is hard.

    "I'm not here to fight." He clarifies, walking up. "Just want to get the details on what's going on." He says. "Actually would you mind if I set up a barrier? Not to fight, but to prevent people from scrying on us or some other forms of surveilance?" Riventon offers and will proceed unless there's opposition.

Catra has posed:
When Hinoiri shows up, Catra calms down a notch.

When Rashmi arrives, she calms down a second notch.

Riventon showing up doesn't really change anything.

"Okay good you're all here," she mumbles, having not said anything until everyone is present; those that know what's under the illusion can practically hear the ears flattening against the side of her head. "Yeah, uhh, a barrier would be great actually, just pick a moment when like, half the people here won't notice the four of us just up and vanish?" she suggests.

The disguised feline picks up her utensils, and pushes her food around a little in the bowl without actually eating any of it yet; but now that her hands are above the table, the back of her right hand even in illusion looks like it got into a mortal battle with a hacksaw.

"I..." She sucks in a breath, and her teeth audibly grind against each other. This is, afterall, a very difficult thing to say that she's never had to say to anyone ever before.

"I need help," she spits out at last.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara gave a small nod and... "We may wanna leave our pay, too, so they don't think we dine and dashed," she said. After all... vanishing and all.

Then again, the owner's daughter is in the group, so like... the probably would expect them to be coming the....

HOLY MOLY CATRA ASKED FOR HELP! She wished she had a party popper! She didn't, though, she just kept gently stroking her girlfriend's back...

But subtly gave Rashmi a look that went 'EEEEEEE! DID YOU HEAR THAT?! Did you did you did you?! Look at how well she's growing up! Eeeeee! She asked for hellllllllp! Eeeee!'

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"I mean not really," Rashmi says slowly, "but, if anyone else ordered you'll want to wait for that first. Also hello, Riventon-san."

Utter acceptance of his unwillingness to fight, communicated with apparent ease.

As Catra works herself up to actually asking for help, Rashmi's eyes flick over to Hinoiri, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "What d'you need, Catra-chan?" And it really is that easy; help asked for, help details requested. That's all it takes.

Takashi Agera has posed:
    Riventon nods and his Device calls out the barrier at an appropriate time, giving them a fair space to talk at length, and safely, though sadly without the actual scents and tastes of the Korma accessible. Some sacrifices must be made.

    "Alright, so - I'm with the others, how can we help you? And also what in the nine hells happened to your hand?" he asks, looking at it annoyedly.

    "Did someone from Obsidian catch you?" he asks. "I told you they'd eventually stop screwin' around, right?"

Catra has posed:
When the barrier goes up, Catra's illusion comes down to reveal her in her proper visage as Rachel Miller disappears (but she remains just as obonxios either way). As the barrier goes up and the illusion comes down she sighs, and an ounce of tension releases from her muscles, but the ears remain flat against her head.

Hinoiri's glee washes over her, and she hunches her shoulders a little as though trying to decide if she deserves the praise or not. (Well, in fairness, she *is* asking for help so there's that much at least.)

"...Joker," she mumbles. Her eyes drop down to the back of her hand. "Did something to my hand, I... tried to get it off. He said I have a week."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
'Joker.'

If there is a name that can make Rashmi freeze up *despite everything going on,* that is the name that would do it. But there are more important things than her fear, right now, and Rashmi reaches over the table to let her hand hover over the Etherian's wounded hand.

    << *BONG!* >> << SOLAR HEAL >>

Under the table, a magical seal expands, projecting healing energy upward; pain is soothed, wounds close a bit, and a bit of Catra's tension unwinds. It's like a bandaid and a cup of warm soup in one, and while it doesn't *completely* close the wounds... it'll help.

"Now I get why you're so wound up," Rashmi says. "What does he want now?"

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara blinked a bit and then growled. "Ah damn it. Joker," she muttered. She then reached out and gently put a hand on her right wrist. "... How about, first of all? We get you out of here. Take you to Kirakirafantastica, at least until you've fully healed. Because for all the crap those jerks can do... they can't touch you there. Alternatively, you could stay on the school grounds..." She sighed. "But... I know the idea of being couped up in one building for any amount of time would be near impossible for you. Even if you'd likely be a pony or something there... you'd at least be able to like... go somewhere. Maybe we could like... go exploring, or something. On a trip. An airship. Something. Dark energy doesn't work there and..." She trailed off, thinking and... "Okay, no, even he couldn't get there."

"... And Riventon, can you scan her hand, see what he did? Do you want to wear my geode for a bit? See if that helps?" she offered.

Takashi Agera has posed:
    Riventon nods. "Joker's been screwin' around with me more than usual too. I think he's bored or something. Got in the way of a fight and started being creepy like he does." Riventon says, annoyance so clear in his voice it might well be a dripping liquid. "I'd put him down if I thought he'd stay down but I don't think he's really a creature like a youma or other dark generals. His readings are different, I think he's more just... the Joker form is what he choses to walk around in, but he's more like some sort of Dark Energy projection." he says.

    "I'll see if I can sort out what he did to your hand. If the healing doesn't fix it up maybe I can absorb it."

    "Anyways, what were you doing getting involved with Joker when you're supposed to be hiding?" He asks. "Maybe Hinoiri's right and you should go to horse-song land for a bit." Way to sell it to Catra, Riventon.

    "I think there's a good chance Joker couldn't hold his projection of Dark Energy together there, it'd probably fall apart."

Catra has posed:
"I can't go to Kirakifa--" Catra stops mid-outrage, when she can't manage to say the word. "Kirikafir--" She sighs, and gestures towards Riventon, "Horse-song land, I can't figure out how to say it Hinoiri, I'm sorry. But I..." she stops, trying to figure out once again, how to say something difficult. Because this is difficult. But, there are thoughts, undeniably present in her brain, that have been hidden under all the rage and fear for so long that have finally made it to the surface, lately, since finding her way into a different environment.

"There are... There's... There's people... here... that I care about," she says at last, looking out the window like she's expecting to be immediately labelled as 'stupid'. "And I don't want to leave. I can't do it. ...As much fun as being the only meat-eating pony on an entire planet sounds."

She dips her gaze back to the table in front of her, and holds her hand out for Riventon to examine, now that it's looking better after the Solar Heal. "Thanks," she mumbles towards Rashmi.

"Anyway. Joker says I have a week to figure out how to 'pay back what I owe'. He also noted that I've made 'a lot of friends' and I don't know it that's true but I know he'll come after people and it might not be me. So I can't go to--" she pauses and sighs, "Magical pony land or hide in Radiant Heart, even if I could sit still like that for five minutes which I cna't."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Ah," Rashmi says softly, at 'Pay back what you owe,' and falls silent for a bit, only looking up from the table to nod and smile at Catra's thanks. "If I remember right," she says finally, "you never really quit, did you? Which I get, but... If you're not off the books, you're *not off the books,* would it be fair to say that's how it works, Riventon-san?"

Drawing in a long, deep breath, she lets it out in a long, gusty sigh. "I think, Catra... The only way out of this is through. Like, make a choice, for real; either you go back to Obsidian -- which is an option, I wouldn't advise it but I'd understand -- or you break away for good."

As she says this, her eyes flick to Powersend, to illustrate her meaning. "I think you can make it work, either way... But you need to make the choice. Not because anyone's telling you what to choose, but... Because it's a choice you're okay with throwing your whole heart into."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara shook her head. "No, there are other ponies that eat meat. Not often, but they exist. Lots of other things, too. You might be a griffon, too. Or a dragon. And there are abyssians, who are a lot like you. So.... I won't know what you are over there until you come over. But... I won't force you," she said firmly.

"... I never really... worked with the guy, honestly. I just know he was bad news. Most I ever got from him and his group were the occasional remark? The wolf seemed okay, I guess. Oni was... weird. But they didn't bother me, I didn't bother them. Majorina was eying my horn a bit too much for my liking, though," she mumbled softly.

"... But yeah... He... does seem like the kind of guy who would go after friends and family if something is felt like it's owed... how much... uhhhh... debt have you been wracking up with them?"

Takashi Agera has posed:
    "Rashmi is right, in a manner of speaking. You can't keep doing this half-in half-out thing. Either you have to pack it all up and get ready to fight, or you have to come back and... get ready to fight other people." he says, shrugging and then his hands find his pockets again.

"Realistically, you're not off the books till you're dead." he says, turning back to Rashmi. "Hinoiri here is still technically, officially, aimed for the glue factory. Practically, since she was a freelancer and the person with the most focus on her got offed in Paris, her life is pretty safe - Obsidian's busy." he notes.

    "Unfortunantly this is like, the third time I've dealt with Joker and Catra related things so it's fair to say he's taken an interest in you which is obviously not great. From my perspective? Your heart isn't in it. The only time you've really been fully leaned into it is when you were scared of belljangles the smile freak." he says. "Ever since I pulled you in there's been some desire in you to pull away. I've seen it before, and I really don't like it because obviously I'd prefer all of the work I put in on you and Powersend not go to waste with you ditching me, but unless you can define what it is you really want and how you can get it within the company, maybe you should stop tryin' to force it." Riventon notes.

    "As far as I'm concerned, give back Powersend and don't get in my way and we're kosher, but Joker clearly has other opinions."

    "I don't think clownshoes means credit card debt, because I've been helping make that go away. Pretty sure the debt is less financial and more... err... spiritual."

Catra has posed:
"Yeah... well." Catra sighs, and leaves her hand held out until Riventon says he's done with it; her other arm plops elbow on table and cheek into hand. "I get it. I'm actually a terrible villain. I wasn't particularly great on Etheria either, I mean, sure I actually won almost every engagement I ever got in but Adora and her band of dweebs were somehow still winning the war. But one of the people I care about *is* in Obsidian," she mumbles, glancing sideways at Riventon, who may or may not notice.

"By the way, Hinoiri, if Majorina ever comes after you for your horn I won't need a sword to dismember her and I don't actually care if she's powerful or whatever it won't matter."

With that piece said, Catra looks back and forth between everyone assembled, and sighs softly, "I... asked all of you to come 'cause, Riventon, I think you were right about what you suggested the other day, when I snuck back into Obsidian. I should fake my own death. Then Obsidian will get off my back long enough I can figure out what to do. And, for the record, I am not 'ditching' you, I... didn't plan things this way. And even if I leave Obsidian I'm not saying I'll never help you out ever again. I do have a phone y'know." She pauses. "Even if it's still the one where I put a crack down the middle of the screen while I was arguing with Adora."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"It's not a matter of what you're good at; if it's not in you to do something, it's hard to *want* to. That's fine. It doesn't always *work out* super great for career choices, but... It's something everyone ends up having to deal with one way or another, Catra-chan." Patting Catra's arm, she leans back in her chair. 'Fake my death' doesn't sit well, especially as it's never foolproof... but her mind is already chewing on the possible ways to make that happen.

"...First off you're gonna want a new phone," she murmurs. "Two, maybe. I know a couple people pretty good with illusions, but if we're trying to hide you from *Joker* then magic tricks isn't gonna be enough..."

She blinks, then looks back up, eyebrows drawing together. "...Also that's something we need to work on, you flying right to 'I'm'a do a violence' the moment something gets hinky. The fact that it's not a good idea even aside... It's a pretty easy way to smoke you out if you can't be found."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara glowered and couldn't help but give a light snort. "I'd like to see them try. Everyone who tried keeps getting knocked out," she said, voice filled with annoyance. "Then again, I do have friends in sparkly places. Ohhhh, and now an angry kitty cat," she said affectionately. "Appreciate it, though."

"... Not sure how I feel about you faking your death, though. Not that... I mean..." She sighed. "Catra, you like being you. And you're not exactly... subtle. As much as I love you, and I *do* love you, with all my heart. But if you try to hide, it'd mean *hiding*. It might mean not going out as... well... you. Anymore. It'd mean going out as someone else. Do you think you'll be able to do that for very long, long enough for the heat to die down?" she asked.

"... Like... If we can get a new henshin out of the fire stone, that'd at least help with magic... But... It mgiht mean 'Rachel' needs to start going to school... and actually going to school. For real, this time."

Takashi Agera has posed:
    "Ah, well, the sparkles think they're beating me all the time but all they're doing is giving me more data." Riventon says candidly, in front of Rashmi and Hinoiri. "Maybe that's what happened with Adora; you won victories yourself, but behind the scenes, the tide of the battle itself was against you." he muses.

    Riventon doesn't notice Catra looking specifically at him, but this is partly because he's inside his own inflated headspace now. "Yeah, Glimmer's switched departments and seems to be kinda all-in for the new guy." he notes. "I bet that bargain comes to bite her in the butt, though."

    "Well, Obsidian's already flagged me as responsible for putting down one job-escapee, so you can blame it on me. On the other hand if I don't seem angsty about it he'll probably get suspicious... and I don't know if I have it in me to fake that for very long. maybe another responsible party is better."

    "They bring up good points. You'd actually have to put in like, effort. To blend in. To be a normal earth person, not a catwoman with a grudge and a short fuse and a life of military training with no actual fun." he notes.

Catra has posed:
"AuuuUUWWAAAAAGH"

Catra plops her face down on the table, and covers the back of her head with her hands.

"But I am a catwoman with a grudge and a short fuse and a life of military training with no actual fun," she points out. "And yeah, you're probably right. I was a lousy villain 'cause my heart was never in it. You told me you'd help me get what I want if I could ever figure it out. You know what I want? I want to be safe." She pauses, and sighs, "And I want to fix things with Adora. ...As if she'll ever want anything to do with me ever again but she's made worse choices."

Catra sits there, wrestling with it, ears twitching. "Okay look, acknowledging that if even if I successfully fake my own death, I can't stay that way forever and the only way it'd stick permanently would be if I actually die, which I'd rather not, is it worth it to at least buy some time for things to, I don't know, blow over, or at least think of a better solution?"

Catra sits up, and glances sideways at Hinoiri, "I do have one of those Henshin-things now, just... it doesn't entirely hide that it's me."

Catra takes a deep breath, and lets it out slowly. "Rashmi, I do that 'cause... it's how I was raised. I don't know how to respond any other way. I am *trying* to be different. But like..." Her claws clack against the table.

"Asking me to try to be human full time is like, like if I ask you not to be human full time. Think you could start a new life as an Orangutan? But If I've gotta do it, I'll do it for as long as I can and hope it's long enough."

Catra shrugs her shoulders, "Do I have any other, better options?"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"I know," Rashmi says. "But the thing is, it's a *learned behavior.* And the great thing about those is, you can learn different. It sounds like Hinoiri-chan would like that a *lot,* too," she says, giving Hinoiri a questioning, meaningful look; 'This is a thing? You two are a thing? That's cool if so! Am I reading right?' "The less likely you are to pick fights, the less likely you are to pick a fight you can't win, after all. Like, *I do not* want to solo Riventon, and I wouldn't even if I was *furious* at him. Because the taste of concrete is just not that appealing, y'know?"

Glancing at the boy in question, Rashmi shrugs. Hey, you're a handy example of what not to do. That's familiar, right?

"Also you'd be surprised what a henshin can hide. Just make sure you break line of sight before you transform, and give yourself a new name to operate under, and you can get a *lot* past people, that's how the Veil works. But you gotta *remember* that's how the Veil works, and like... *We'd* know. Because you told us."

Tapping the table, Rashmi sighs. "I think... delaying might work, and it might not... But you can't *depend* on it working, because you've also been putting that choice off *forever.* So if what you've been doing isn't working... I'd say you should do something else."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara sighed. "Well... Kirakirafantastica is always an option. We have school there and you could learn with other ponies and stuff," she offered. "But it wouldn't be all the time, no. Just during class and like... in public... which, again. Is shitty. I won't lie. Trust me... I, of all people, get it. If I could be a pony when I go out, I would... but... that's not an option for me...."

"... and if it was, and I had to hide my pony-ness, to be a human all the time? I'd haaaaate it," she mumbled. "So I don't blame you. But... if we buy enough time... they'll probably get distracted by their next dumb idea."

She did, however, side eye Riventon at the mention of 'offing one of the job-escapees'.

"I get it, though. There's one advantage you have, Catra... As hard as it is, no matter what? You won't be doing it alone. I'll be there every step of the way. So will Rashmi. And... I don't know if Adora will. But she might come around. Maybe eventually. More around than she would be when you were flinging dark energy."

She then gave a small thumbs up to Rashmi, behind Catra and nodded to the girl. Yup. They're a thing. This is a thing. A relaxed thing. But a thing.

"Eh, I'd take him," Hinoiri said. "I mean, I'd probably lose, now," she admitted. "But at the very least I'd make sure he regretted it, even if I regretted it more," she said in a playful manner. "But Rashmi's right. Time for a change... And you've made a bunch lately. What's one more?" And then? she leaned forward and placed a soft, gentle kiss on Catra's cheek. You know. So there'd be no more confusion and/or doubts.

Takashi Agera has posed:
    Riventon gave Catra a look. "You assume I'm not going through normal life every day hiding who I am?" he asks, tilting his head at her. "You think I'm normal? It's not the same, sure, but I go through life most days hiding who I am and what I can do, surrounded by..." his fists clench and he stops. "Sorry, this isn't about me." he says. Also, it's about the company he's currently with. No reason to unload all of his frustrations in front of Hinoiri and Rashmi.

    "Anyways, I'm not saying it'll be easy. I'm saying I think it's still gonna be required for this to work." he says.

    "So if you wanna be safe, does that mean you want to step out of fighting entirely?" He asks. "Not that it's a bad thing, I can understand you might be tired of that." he says. "I'm just trying to... figure out your end goal. And look, good thing about the sparkles is they tend to forgive. They don't have the Dark Energy whispering in their ears. Some of em' are still jerks, but it's not the same level." Pot, meet entire kettle shop.

    "Hey, I was trying to avoid making this about me." He says to Hinoiri. "Let's save the catch me outside stuff for when Catra's sorted, then I'll put you through a bus like I almost did that one girl, if you're really skippy for it." he says. He looks to Hinoiri and Catra, to the kiss, and shrugs.

    "Anyways, we're not saying it'd be easy but we're saying that we're gonna help. As long as you can commit to trying it."

Catra has posed:
"Having to hide is just... it's weird." Catra tapes her fingertips on the table -- claws sheathed again -- and turns her head to look out the window. "And, I know that it's exactly what I was asking for, I'm not complaining about that it's just... it's weird. Even when I was a kid getting into fights with the other Horde kids -- mostly fights they picked, not me -- I still never had to hide not just who I am but the fact that I exist. So... yeah this is new."

The feline's ears flatten, "Could we not put each other through buses today," she mumbles. "Look, I'll... I'll do my best. If we go this route I'll absolutely do my best for as long as I can, but like... if someone is busy trying to end the life of someone I like -- like, any of the three people at this table with me for example -- and I gotta choose between letting it happen or giving up the game, I'm giving up the game, and I'll just have to figure out something else."

Catra gets a kiss on the cheek, and she looks... a bit mixed. Maybe a bit nervous.

"I don't mean the 'stop fighting' kind of safe, I mean... I don't want to have to worry that the people around me will stab me in the back. I don't want to..." she trails off. "...I won't give up fighting. I like fighting. I just... want it to mean something different when I do, than what it has before, and I don't want to be fighting to try to impress someone who's both more powerful and more evil than me."

Catra pauses, and finally turns her gaze towards Hinoiri.

"Hinoiri, I haven't been super great towards you for the last couple of weeks. You've been wonderful and I've been like, a block of wood at best. ...ironic given that we both have fire powers now. ...I just... I... I'm still... trying to work out how to have feelings that aren't being angry. Rage has been my armor for so long and I don't know how to take it off. And... and I..." She sighs, and shakes her head, turning to look back out the window again.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Hinoiri-chan's right," Rashmi says quietly. "And even Riventon too; it's gonna be hard, and probably suck, but you aren't gonna have to do it alone. Everyone who's helping you is gonna be helping you *because they want you to succeed,*"Rashmi says, poking the table to emphasize her words. "And I don't expect that to sink in right now, but like... when you really get that, you'll already be halfway there."

With that, she grins at Hinoiri, glad that the two are, in fact, a thing. Riventon gets a side-eye, but just about *anyone* would when they have to pull themselves back from an unforced 'all those fools holding me back' monologue.

"Look, just... if you want a kind of signpost? Think about Chibiusa-tan, even though that *whole situation* isn't great. What matters is the feeling you had when you decided to protect her. That's *exactly* the kind of thinking you should do more of."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara couldn't help but cock her eye at Riventon's mention of 'normal every day life. Three out of the four people here knew exactly who he was... But they knew to keep their mouth shut. She did glower a bit at the comment about putting her through a bus. Why that little shit, did he know that she was... No. Probably not. Sure, he beats ONE SPARKLE'S ass that bad and...

Huff.

"Trust me, that we all get. If it came down to that choice... none of us would ever expect you to choose to let them die. I doubt any of us could let it happen, either."

"And, well... as for us? That was why this whole thing is casual and whatnot. We're both kind of disasters... but we're both loveable disasters. We can take our time, figure out what we like. It's not super serious yet, heck, we're not even set to monogamous yet... all we need to do? Is be honest with each other, not hide things, and not try to be something we're not. If you're nervous, excited, scared, angry, huffy, wanting to do something, any of that?"

"All you need to do is tell me. Besides, we're two peas in a pod, in that way. Two not-humans surrounded by humans. And right now? You've come to us for help... and that is all you needed to do. You made the right choice. Now? We help. Cause that's what friends do. Just like you do when we need it."

And then? She smiled to Rashmi. "And trust me. It *never* gets easier to say those words. 'Riventon's right'. He's going to be playing them over in his head for *weeks* and, trust me, this *will* come up in a conversation three months from now when he's trying to make a point about how you should just do what he says..." she said in a playful tone.

Takashi Agera has posed:
    Riventon crossed his arms and the gentle teasing, gesturing with his hand. "It's not really a big deal to hear people tell me I'm right anyways. It's like a student giving the right answer in kindergarten, after lots of gentle prodding and persuasion - mostly I just want to pat you on the head for it, it's only been on the symbolic blackboard for three years." he says, and he's smiling, but it's hard to tell if he's serious joking or taking a bit of fun at himself.

    "Look, I put up the barrier specifically so nobody would try to put anybody through anything, especially not Rashmi-chan's restraunt." he says. "Don't start nothing and there won't be nothing."

    "Honestly, given how things went for Hinoiri and another guy I know who dipped, the best thing is that Precia was never super attentive for you. I'll see if I can figure out what crawled into the clown's jumpsuit and died that's making him focus on you." he says. "And as for not feeling angry, backing off the Dark Energy is probably a good start. If you're not in tune with yourself - and I hope you understand through your own words its clear that you're not - you can fall victim to all of the negative things; the self doubt, the anger, all of that nonsense. If you're not using it as fuel intentionally, it's using YOU, and we don't want that. That's the sort of thing that makes people eat celestial objects." he says with a glance at Hinoiri.

    "You know, I get not being thrilled at hiding who you are - but in terms of trying to have a normal school life and get to know people outside of the Horde and all... it's the sort of thing that might do you a world of good. From what you've told me and what I've picked up from Glimmer, you didn't exactly have a chance to be a normal kid. You should try it. It might help you level yourself out."

Catra has posed:
"I haven't... really used Dark Energy since... just before getting the Spirit Ember," Catra admits. "I don't think it's compatible. When I first got it, it... burned me, sort of? Inside and out? And I couldn't use Dark Energy at all for almost a week. I can now, I just haven't." She produces the glowing stone from one of her pockets, and puts it on the table, giving it a spin like it's a top. "I'm not particularly good with this yet either, but..."

Catra tilts her head to look at Riventon, "Full disclosure, I don't think I can actually do purification, but I was thinking about trying to use it to... change Powersend. Make it run on fire instead of dark energy. 'cause I've gotten pretty attached to using a sword in battle around here. But I didn't 'cause I didn't... Okay partly because I was worried I'd just melt it, but also I didn't want you to think I was being a jerk about it."

Catra stops, to listen to everything Hinoiri has to say, and dips her gaze to stare at the table. "And, uhm, that's good," she mumbles. "So like... I'll do my best. And there's something that's... on my mind a lot, that I don't know how to even properly put into words, but... I'll talk to you about it as soon as I can, okay?"

Catra takes a deep breath, and sits up a little straighter. "Okay so, if we go ahead and do this... We should probably plan it out another night, and I need time to think. But, Adora's gotta be there, and we don't tell her the plan ahead of time 'cause she's a super dramatic person but a terrible actor. We can tell her after, but... there was a promise we made to each other a long time ago and she's just gotta be there." She pauses, and quirks an eyebrow upwards. "And if I gotta start going to classes, don't expect me to get A's or anything. or B's. C's at best. ...I have never been to a class that's relevant to anything here in my life. So unless there's combat classes I dunno how I'm going to get passing grades in anything but I'll... I'll try."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Upon hearing that Catra was looking to *change Powersend* purely by changing the kind of magic it ran on, Rashmi turns a nervous look at Riventon. While she knows that everything Riventon knows about magitechnology, especially of a Device-based variety, has been self-taught through tria, error, and instinct... She knows enough about the practice herself to read what Catra said as 'I intend to take that submarine you gave me, and turn it into an airplane by putting ethanol in the gas tank.'

"U-um... Riventon-san if you'd be willing to give me the blueprints, I could probably make the modifications less... chancy?" Look she knows how Riventon is about his things. Luminous Titan was a stroke of good fortune, Powersend would very probably be a *much* harder sell. But at least Riventon hasn't had cause to pooh-pooh her work.

To her face, anyway.

"A-anyway Catra-chan... A lot of what's worrying you is solvable by practice. Just remember you don't *have* to be perfect when you start, and you'll get there eventually, y'know? Fall down seven times, get up eight."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Hinoiri Kirara rolled her eyes at Riventon. Loudly. So very, physically, loudly. Before smiling to Catra. "Nobody is going to ask from you more than just trying. And well... Yeah. That makes sense. It'll... likely be rough for her, though. If she doesn't know and she.... yeah..." she mumbled. "She.... really might kill someone, or blow it all up, depending on how it goes," she said softly. "But we can try. And don't worry, I'll study with you if you hit anything too hard. I'm still a pretty high grade student. I used to be straight A's back home and I'm... mostly A's now."

"... And... well... what Rashmi said. There are three people here now. One's a genius from another world, one's a genius with dark energy, and one's Rashmi," who just she could not define.

"And yet, we're all here for you. So don't forget... no matter what happens... you'll never be alone. We're here for you, to help and support you. So no matter what? You'll be fine, so long as you trust us. We can even deal with Joker."

Takashi Agera has posed:
    "Ah, you'll run into some issues there. Powersend isn't a toy that runs on hopes and dreams or anything, you can't just swap one battery for another." Riventon says. "I mean you could make something like powersend that looked like powersend and operated under wholy different principles, and you could even break it down for parts, but it'd really be a totally different tool. It's not even a Ship of Theseus question, it's more like taking the parts of the old wooden sailing boat and using it to make a pinewood derby car." he says, shaking his head. "I'd be more willing to give you the ergonomics and similar dimensions so it feels close enough. It's probably easier for everyone if you start from the ground up anyways." he says.

    "Really, I'm not your parent so I don't care what grades you get, but you should of course do the best you can. You don't wanna get bullied about it, flip out, and blow your cover before Obsidian has a chance to forget about this." he explains, tying her academic performance back to her actual 'mission' might help her, he figures. "But yeah, behind every successful experiment is all the ones that didn't work out. You dust yourself off, take your notes, try again with new info." he says, putting his own spin on the same thing Rashmi said.

    "Adora can't be any worse than when I had to drag all of that Dark Energy out of her. That. Sucked." he says. "And I wasn't even the one who got stabbed over it. "And as soon as I figure out how to make that clown stay dropped when I drop him, he won't be a problem anyways."

Catra has posed:
"You weren't the one who almost got your head ripped off over it either," Catra grouses at Riventon, "And what's a Theseus Ship? Is that like an old-timey oil tanker or something?" Catra's eyebrows indicate, just as her words do, a complete lack of understanding. So, look, the girl actually has been doing reading but mostly she's been focused on stuff that's relevant to her interests and philosophy is not one of those things. She's still of the understanding that philosophy is about sitting around and thinking about stuff real hard.

Boh-ring.

"But... anyway I know what you're getting at. We'll... I dunno. I'll figure something out I guess. It's not the priority right now."

The feline quirks an eyebrow at Rashmi, and in her brain the little gears grind against each other for a moment. "OKay fair. Look... I'll do my best. The nurse lady said she could set me up with a dorm room and I... I have an offer for an apartment that as far as I know still stands, it's... complicated. But it's in a place that's safe. Or at least it will be. I think. There are some issues to work out -- don't worry about that."

Catra tkilts her gaze back at Hinoiri, "Yeah but, I don't want you to have to deal with Joker, the last time he cam after someone else just to make a point to me about something I ended up with broken ribs, and that was not, y'know, fun. Plus there's still at least one Youma out there that I was using that went rogue, and I haven't found it yet, and then after the next one got smashed to bits by Adora as far as I know the crappy part of town where I was using it is still lousy with plastic army men still locked in eternal warfare over wether green, blue, yellow, or red plastic is superior. But Joker is something else and I don't want people I like getting hurt."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
'Riventon is a genius with Dark Energy!'
'I'm a genius from another world!'
'Rashmi is here too!'

She cannot help it; the look Hinoiri gets is equal parts puzzled and questioning, with a slight dash of hurt. Surely she could have come up with something better?

But it's waved aside, and Rashmi nods as Catra lays out her options. "Honestly... For *now* I'd suggest going to the school. It's not just a matter of disguise, since you'd be going there almost every day anyway. But the school is where *all the rest of us are,* *and* it's like a fortress keeping Dark Energy out. So not only can you be safe there, but you can be safe *no matter what.* Once you get used to the beds, you can even sleep soundly."

Smiling gently, Rashmi pats Catra's hand. "And hey... *nobody* wants *anybody* to deal with Joker. But if anyone *has to,* isn't it better that you'd have the option of armoring yourself in friends who would absolutely gang up on a jerk if he tried to start something?"

And that, in Rashmi's mind, is that; perhaps Joker will be a more devious enemy than her blithe assurances might assume, but in the end, friendship is the ultimate power, and it's one she can leverage to Catra's defense without hesitation.