[OPEN] Settling In

[plentystrong]

WHO: Catra & YOU!
WHERE: De Chima & Maurtia Falls
WHEN: Early January
WHAT: Various
WARNINGS: Spoilers for late season one, and some violence.



1. De Chima Library

[ Being in an entirely new world -- this place called Earth -- is more bewildering than Catra initially thought. Too bad she tossed all the pamphlets she received at the first opportunity, after having only chanced a quick glance at them and felt her eyes glazing over.

So she thought she'd wing it, but it turns out the differences to home are pretty massive. She keeps being irritated by the tall, square buildings and the colors of the lights - reds, blues, whites and yellows, where at home, in the Fright Zone, the light had either a rusty or a greenish tint.

Not to mention that talking to the other imPorts gave her more new questions than it answered. Which means that Catra, very longsufferingly, decided she was going to have to study, something she had rarely done in her life.

Just another thing Adora had excelled at, while Catra found it hard.

But she was not thinking about Adora now, or the past, she was thinking about her present dilemma and the fact that knowledge is power. She heard that somewhere once, and she knows it. So studying it is.

In her wanderings of the city, the writing above the entrance of a large building catches her eye -- De Chima Public Library. Libraries are where one reads, right?

Catra enters the building, and as she reaches the actual book halls, there's a moment where she simply marvels -- at the sheer size of the room, the sheer amount of books lining the seemingly endless shelves. She'll never be a friend of the library, but it is impressive.

After asking a dozen people who aren't librarians only to finally get advice from an actual librarian, Catra is settled at a table with a pile of books, determined to make some progress.

Not half an hour later, she's snoozing on an open text, legs curled beneath her on her chair, snoring softly. ]


2. De Chima, an alleyway

[ After a truly terrible movie-watching interlude, Catra stumbles out of the electronics store, vision still blurry with tears. Her hairs are still standing on edge, despair and humiliation pulsing hot through her veins.

She doesn't understand why she's reacting like this. It was just a movie, after all. And yet, it had hit a very specific spot within her -- one she thought she had truly and well buried. One she'd sworn to never let see the light of day again.

When she'd left Adora to fall down that abyss in the First Ones citadel, she'd left her feelings behind as well... right? She was finally free, right? That's the way it's supposed to be.

She finds her way into a dark alleyway a bit later, where finally, she rests her head against the cool wall of the building and lets the tears stream down her face. ]


3. Dawn of the Delts, Maurtia Falls

[ One thing Catra can always count on to lift her spirits is a good fight, even if it is against a punching bag. So naturally, after having a gym recommended to her, she has to go check it out. At least once she's figured out the thing with the Porters, at least.

The air in Maurtia Falls is different, a good bit seedier than De Chima, but people are helpful enough; so all it takes is a few questions and she finds herself stepping into Dawn of the Delts.

Once there, she quickly feels a bit lost: the gym seems to mainly consist of a room full of weird contraptions, not at all like what they had in the Fright Zone. Heaving a sigh, she turns toward the person closest to her: ]

What's with all these... gadgets?

Comments

2

[janus_scholar]

[Walter is still feeling a bit unmoored in this new world. He doesn't enjoy his new job, and he hasn't had the opportunity to really meet the other imPorts living in the government housing he's been assigned to.

So after a particularly rough day of mediating, he decides to get something nice for himself and them. A selection of bagged teas and a few pastries to offer his new housemates, and a warm cup of tea for himself. Two birds with one stone.

And it would have been a perfectly fine, successful walk home if not for one thing. He hears someone crying. It's quiet, just a subtle hitch and sigh every now and then. He knows he wouldn't have noticed it if his hearing weren't inhumanly keen.

Walter recognizes her instantly when he spots her leaning in the alleyway. He doesn't know her name yet, but they've encountered each other a few times. The last interaction had gone fairly smoothly, but he remembers how combative she had been when they first met. He can't blame her for being abrasive, this situation is difficult for everyone. If he's struggling, how much worse must it be for her? His voice is gentle when he speaks up.]

Are you alright?

[plentystrong]

[ Catra doesn't know how long exactly she stands there, leaning against the wall, weakly banging her fists against it as she cries.

Her senses vaguely register another presence, but it's not until Walter speaks that she really becomes aware of him. She gasps, not just in surprise but mostly in quickly building outrage. That she would let herself display such weakness where everyone could walk by and see her... !

And then it's that guy who keeps trying to be helpful. Naturally, she swerves around, invigorated by fury, and lashes out. ]

You know, I thought I made my stance on people who can't mind their own business pretty clear.

[janus_scholar]

[And there's that attitude again... His keeps his tone level, so that hopefully it won't be misconstrued as coddling.]

Yes, you did. I know you don't want my help, but it seemed like you may have been hurt.

[plentystrong]

Do I look hurt? I'm fine!

[ But, oops, that's a stray tear escaping from one eye. Catra wipes at it furiously. ]

[janus_scholar]

Not all injuries are visible.

[He shifts his cup of tea into the hand that is also holding his bag of groceries. He not making a move to reach out to Catra, but with one hand free he's able to gesture a little as he talks. It's a subtle change, but his body language is more open than before.]

Look, I'm not offering assistance out of pity, if that's what you're worried about. I just don't think you should have to be alone. It's like I said before, we're all in this together.

[plentystrong]

[ Catra's gaze just hardens. ]

No. We're not. I don't know you, and all I need from you is to be left the hell alone.

[janus_scholar]

[He's not getting anywhere with her, so he sighs and takes a step back.]

Fine then. But you should at at least get out of this alley, before some other like-minded Samaritan tries to help you. If you want to be left alone, find a safer place to do so.

1

[iliveidie]

[Libaries are for Warlocks, or so Kasia thought, yet here she was in another city wandering through a library. She wasn't leaving any stone, or book unturned in her investigation of this world -- this facsimile of Earth's past.

The many shelves make it easy for her Ghost to pop out and take scans without being seen, though he reports nothing that points toward her current working theory.

Every so often she plucks a book from the shelf, turning it over before putting it back unless it looks promising. Though its hard to say which books are promising when it comes to information and which aren't, so she eventually has an armful of books ranging over many topics.

In her exploration of the library she happens upon the sleeping Catra and smiles before gently setting her pile of books down on the same table.]

Perhaps you would be more comfortable sleeping elsewhere? [She says as she pokes at one of Catra's ears.]

[plentystrong]

[ While it's true that Catra falls asleep quickly, she's also a light sleeper; so she's already partway roused when Kasia drops her books on the table.

She probably would've just huffed at the newcomer that this is her study spot, thank you very much, but all intention toward being even the slightest bit civil flies out the window when said newcomer touches her ear.

Immediately, her claws are extended, and she takes a swipe at the offending hand. ]

Don't you even dare!

[iliveidie]

[Catra might be fast but Kasia expects some sort of retaliation and is just a tad faster. She hops back and sits on the edge of a neighboring table with a grin plastered across her face as she raises a finger to her lips.]

Don't you know you shouldn't be loud in libraries?

[plentystrong]

[ Catra fixes her with a glare, clawed hand still raised. ]

Don't you know you shouldn't touch other people's ears?

[iliveidie]

[She tilts her head to the side, still grinning.]

Would you rather I have pulled your tail, little one?

[Kasia likely doesn't have much room to talk when it comes to the word 'little'. But to move on from all that, if allowed,] That's quite a few books, find what you were looking for?

[plentystrong]

[ Glare. intensifies. And said tail starts swishing from side to side at the word little -- as much as it can, hanging from one side of the chair. ]

Do that and you lose an eye.

[ Catra steals a glance at the book she was sleeping on, then returns her defiant gaze to Kasia. ]

I get by.

3.

[legionnaires]

[ Lucky for Catra, Keith works at the gym and will be happy to help her out. He's wrapping up stretching when he's asked, and he chuckles a little bit. ]

Standard gear for training those who have supernatural abilities -- as well as keeping it simple for a normal gym experience. Most of the equipment is re-enforced to withstand unnatural feats of strength and speed.

[ Not that it hasn't been broken before.

He offers her his hand. ]

Keith. I'm one of the trainers here.

[plentystrong]

[ Friendliness always Catra on edge a bit, so she just eyes his hand without taking it. Meanwhile, her brain insists that she's heard the name "Keith" before. A few seconds are spent trying to recall where, when... ]

Ohh! You're like, half purple cat person!

[legionnaires]

Half purple... cat person? [ He stares at her for a moment, before it dawns on him. ] Oh, uh yeah. I'm half Galra.

[ A brief pause, before he frowns to himself. ]

Who told you that?

[plentystrong]

[ She just shrugs in response. ]

Some guy? I forgot his name. Clarence or something?

[legionnaires]

Lance.

[ Of course it was Lance. ]

Well it doesn't matter if I'm half Galra-- purple space cat. I'm still here to help. I do a lot of hand to hand combat and weapons training.

[plentystrong]

[ Catra pretty much ignores that and instead steps closer, examining him. Her ear twitches and her tail swishes lazily as she looks him up and down. ]

You don't really look like it though.

1

[eloquentness]

[ The library is one of Iris's favorite spots in town. She hasn't been in a while, admittedly, because of her jobs and her refusal to take vacations, but every time she steps through the doors, she can't help taking time to peruse the shelves and find that perfect reading material.

Of course, it seems busier than usual - which means table space is at a premium. Iris can't help smiling a little as she approaches Catra's table, noting the young girl snoring peacefully. Everyone else might've given her a wide berth, but Iris sets her books down and pulls the chair across from her.

She's seen the network post and knows better than to poke her, but she can't help glancing up every now and then, just to see how long this child might stay asleep. ]

Boy, she must've not gotten much sleep last night...

hey hey!!!

[plentystrong]

[ Not last night and not the nights before that. Catra doesn't sleep much in this new land with its strange sounds and empty rooms with too soft beds.

She is also, however, a very light sleeper, so her ears already perk up when she hears the footsteps, and Iris's voice fully wakes her up. She grumbles, yawns, and smacks her mouth a few times before blinking blearily at Iris... and then narrowing her eyes. ]

Hey! This is my table. Get your own.

[eloquentness]

Can't. [ she smiles, more than a little amused - ] Every other seat's taken.

[ She gives an idle glance towards the other tables, which are taken, as she's pointed out - either students are studying, or families are using to make arts and crafts, or a group of elderly women are playing card games. It's a full house. ]

Now, I would've asked first... but I didn't want to disturb you.

[plentystrong]

[ Catra looks around, assessing the situation, only to find that the woman across her is speaking the truth. She groans and rakes her hands across her face. ]

Well, you did that anyway.

[eloquentness]

In my defense, I had no idea you'd be a light sleeper. [ she glances down at her book, mostly to hide how her grin just keeps getting wider and wider - ] So uh, what were you reading?

[plentystrong]

[ Catra glances at her sizeable pile of books, several of them lying open before her, a few pages creased from having slept on, and looks away. ]

I don't know. Stuff. Not sure I was looking for something specific. Except just in general... [ she waves a hand around ] stuff from this world, I guess.