Some people have a bad day. | Calibrations

[heeeyadora]

WHO: Catra, OPEN
WHERE: Catra's Calibration Room
WHAT: Catra's Calibration
WHEN: 3 June - 10 June
WARNINGS: Child abuse, violence, possible She-Ra spoilers (up to end of season 4)



The room you step into is one of utilitarian design, metal walls and bunks with perfunctory mats that serves as mattresses, along with a single pillow. By it there's a crude drawing of two girls, one of which seems to be scratched out.

A small shape sits on the end of one of the lower bunks, hidden away under a thin blanket and sniffling, though she'll hiss if you approach. She holds a letter clutched tight in her fists, and that may be what has her so upset.

Meanwhile, the longer you're here, more you might begin to notice, something seems off. Part of the room seems to be fading away, being slowly devoured by whiteness. Will you avoid the impending doom or explore it?

Comments

[beholding_archivist]

The Archivist gives a surprised look at that response "Oh? What- What about your parents? Are they part of it as well?"

He sees an odd parallel here to Cal being raised by his Order.

[heeeyadora]

Her head tilts, like she was surprised he hasn't piked up on the fact that whatever parents she might have had once were long out of the picture. "Shadow Weaver raised me," she elaborates pointedly, "Since I was a kid. I don't remember anything before that." Whatever parents she had died or abandoned her, or were otherwise...not there for her, she doesn't know.

[beholding_archivist]

"I... see." Jon simply nods in understanding. Shadow Weaver again, huh? That's why the younger Catra didn't want to be found by her.

For a moment he considers his response. "I have no memories of my own parents either. They died. When I was very young. For me it was my grandmother that raised me." Which is still far removed from being raised as part of an army.

[heeeyadora]

"..." Catra tail twitches silently.

"...Why are you still here?!" she lashes out, tossing a pillow in his direction, though there does seem to be a genuine question in there. "Just go. You don't have to be here. Stop pretending you care."

[beholding_archivist]

Jon may be lucky that Catra hasn’t aimed properly, because there is no way he’d be able to dodge a pillow tossed at him. He watches the item pass by before returning his attention to her.

“What if I want to be here?” He asks, crossing his arms in a somewhat stubborn way. “What if I want to get to know you?”

[heeeyadora]

She scoffs, rolling her eyes. "Why would you want to do that?"

[beholding_archivist]

"Because I don't know you yet, Catra." Jon replies with a little tilt of his head, "And I want to change that. That's what you do with new friends: You get to know them."

[heeeyadora]

"We aren't friends," she spits pointedly, though given all the memories he's seen that defensive lashing out may not work as well as it does with others. "You're just some sad little man looking to play the hero. I don't need you. So go."

[beholding_archivist]

For a moment, Jon simply looks at her, then he answers soberly. “Not everyone the Agrii bring to this planet is a hero.” He doesn’t argue the other parts she has thrown at him, not too riled up by her attitude. An attitude that reminds him a lot of Melanie...

“I can promise you that I won’t be saving anyone. But... We all need company. Especially here.”

[heeeyadora]

That throws Catra a little, not sure how to combat that, and she gives an irritated sort of frown. "...You sound like Kyle," she mutters, and given her tone that's not exactly a compliment.

"...So what...you're lonely, is that it?"

[beholding_archivist]

“What if I am.” Jon states rather than asks, shifting his eyes away from Catra to look at the far wall. “I- I mean.... I try not to. But... No one from my world is here aside from me and... Most of my time I spend in the library by myself.” If he hasn’t encountered the Lonely before, Jon sure feels he is getting to know it quite well during those quiet nights in the library.

[heeeyadora]

She rolls her eyes, crossing her arms, but her posture does seem to soften a little. "...I'm not the person to be going after if you're looking for a friend."

[beholding_archivist]

"Maybe not." Jon concedes "Yet I still would like to get to know you better. You might say I... I'm rather fond of cats."