Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

“ 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 ”

CHAPTER 1

… … …

Catra's head was a mess. Many would assume it was because of her third cup of gin that night, but that would be false feed. Magicats had a strong immune system, one that could delay the infliction of drugs, too, before they spread to their blood cells so she could handle her alcohol. No, what was actually causing Catra discomfort and agony was the specific place she currently found herself at.

A club. Because of course out of all places it had to be a damn club.

The lights were bright, too freaking bright and already shifting to the next flashing color before she had even registered the previous one. Her ears twitched at the volume the speakers were vibrating. The songs weren't even that good. Seriously, was this what young adults listened to? Hard pass. Catra would prefer spending her night in a caff even if she had two months ago closed only twenty two and half.

She had never been a fan of foreign bodies pressing close to her, nor boorish laughs and snarks nagging her ears. So not spending her teen years at such a disgusting place didn't make her feel remorse. Not in the slightest.

Why was she here again? Couldn't she have just stayed home instead? Oh, what would Catra give for her to miraculously pop at her bed, wrap herself in the blanket Scorpia gifted her last year and perhaps cuddle Melog if they wanted to. But alas, she couldn't do as such. Rent was due and Catra didn’t want another dumb fight with her renter. She had enough of her to last for the next two years. 

Plus, that old hag was scary with her blood-lust eyes and dark robes. Who even dressed like that in the twenty-first century? She must be a widow or something unless she needs to see a psychiatrist.

Catra clicked her tongue as she swirled her cup. She considered downing it down, but refrained. She had a high tolerance, sure, but her mark needed to leave no spots, less she wanted to make a scene or even worse, have people at her tail. And Catra hated when more people got involved. 

It made her work.. dirtier. And dirtier meant more unpaid work. Something that Catra absolutely despised.

From her left, a lean woman with silver combed hair slid over, carrying a disk with drinks on it. A pair of panther ears stuck out from her, and they constantly twitched at the volume of the speakers. Her nose was scrunched, painting her discomfort all over her. She didn’t seem to have anything to help her case, less she was a masochist.

Catra watched with interest the hybrid waiter. On any other day, would have lent her her special earplugs that tuned out the extra sounds-- and maybe hit on her while at it, but she was not here to mingle. The weight of her pistol hiding inside her wild mane, was there to remind her of her actual goal, which was to put it simply, assassination.

The assassination of Dr. Hordak, lead representative of the Mafia Prime. Of course, no one knew that, except his rivals and partnerships. 

Catra was neither. She could care less of the guy really. Except the target in his head paid too well to pass over. And she needed to find money. Like in the next two weeks the worst.

The magicat spared a bored look at the same flashy surroundings and her ears flattened in pure annoyance when she didn’t yet catch the sight of her target. Where was he? Each Friday evening, sharp 21:00, he was at Elberon’s Funky Night with his lackeys that kissed his shoes, getting wasted. So how come he hadn’t yet decided to show up?

Someone nudged her from behind. Catra’s fur stood on edge. She hated people touching her -at least without her permission-. She quickly turned to give the scorchiest scowl she could master, ready to deliver her wrath in a plate set in blazes.

“What?” the magicat snapped only to for her face to sour when she saw it was the panther from before. Even if tonight she wasn’t planning to initiate anything, it would have been nice to be on good terms with a possible fling. If she got lonely with Melog and Scorpia with Entrapta were unavailable she would have had the perfect outing. 

Unfortunately, Catra blew her chances the moment she let her temper do the talking instead her brain. The waiter's neutral expression changed to one of irritation and the magicat bet that it wasn't shifting anytime soon.

Great. The woman was definitely getting ahead of herself and sticking Catra the label of those arrogant customers who didn’t give a damn about others. While partly true, Catra still didn’t feel like falling into that category.

She opened her mouth and leaned forward to win the elegant waiter over, only for her to lean out with a scoff.

“Excuse me," her voice was firm, leaving no chance to Catra to damp her fury, "—but this lady asked me of your presence. Something about having plans, but not being able to track you.” The panther herself didn't seem to believe her words, but she was spitting them out either way through gritted teeth.

Before Catra could apologize and ask her number perhaps to talk it out another night, she was gone, her tail puffed in frustration as she disappeared into the mass of bodies. 

Catra groaned. She tugged her hair and pinched the temple of her nose. Just her luck. This Friday couldn’t have gone any better.

And of course she had to jinx it because as she raised her eyes once more, her breath hitched in disbelief at the sight of her.

"No. No freakin' way! You?!"

Infamous, sharp eyes, calculating each and every move stared back at her own. Undoubtedly the amber shade of them was fake, but the shape of the eyes was engraved to Catra’s memory. The magicat grumbled as her eyes gave a better look at her uninvited guest. Not her fault if each time she came back with a sillier fit.

Except this time she was actually cutting it nicely. What the hell? Out of all times she had to have this specific night a killer fit?

Catra tried not to let her shock be shown as she shuffled to her right to get a better angle. Silk, black hair, longer than the stream of rivers was kept tight in a well-trimmed bun, a golden disk keeping it all in place. The woman had strong forearms which were currently exposed as she held nonchalantly her red leather jacket over her shoulder. A white top and a pair of black bell-bottom trousers hugged her muscled figure and the magicat felt undressed in her scarlet mini skirt and black bicker jacket she’d bought a few months ago. 

That was nothing like the woman she had come to know over these past few years. For a good second Catra could even say that this was a different person and that maybe the universe had given her a second chance after the waiter.

Maybe…

"Yes, me. And so you it seems. Greetings, Catra.."

Instantly the magicat's face fell and her familiar glare imprinted on her features.

Yeah, no. The universe was messing with her. Giving her empty hope as always. Stupid agent with her childish makeovers that had impressed her today. There was no doubt. Catra had come to learn who the other person was despite the change in attire and hair each time she saw her.

This was The Grayskull.

A name that brought fear to many. Had criminals flee with their tails tucked between their legs. Other assassins awed when realizing they were face to face with a legend such as she even if she wasn't an authentic assassin like them. They relished the thought of ever talking to her, asking for advice or guidance on how to be like her.

To Catra though, the name Grayskull made her want to barf. And rent the cheapest hotel she could find on the other side of the planet, despite not having enough to pay the rent of her own apartment. Even if she miraculously managed that, however, something told her that Grayskull would find her. She always did. Planting herself in Catra’s plans in every chance she got.

To say the least, Catra didn’t like Grayskull. She despised her. She wanted her out of her face.

The magicat groaned again and closed her eyes hoping this was a nightmare. It wasn’t though. she could feel the other woman's gaze upon her as if she was some sort of exhibit show. Catra opened her eyes to send a pissed off glare towards the uninvited presence, "It's Mary, actually…"

Should she also say that Grayskull wasn’t supposed to know her real name? Catra’s alias was Wildcat, definitely not inspired by Scorpia's choice of nickname for her. Since the public didn't know her it should be fine to use it so the scorpioni wouldn't find out about her second more dangerous job and possible get her ear told off.

It was funny, almost ironic too, how not even once had Grayskull addressed her with her formal title. When they'd first met the name that left the agent's lips was her civilian one. Catra couldn't have known her from before. Her whole life she was secluded, and at her adulthood she had chosen to keep a close circle. Nor could have Grayskull been able to have digged her real name because Catra wasn't written in any files of the government. Her ID was fake and she intended to keep it as such.

So no, Catra didn't know how Grayskull knew. But this was just the tip of the iceberg. What actually angered her was the fact that the agent kept on addressing her as Catra despite knowing damn well that she went with an alias for a reason. Shout it more stupid woman. Let the whole world know who she was so they knew who to exterminate because all that really mattered in the underworld was a picture with a name used in the daily light.

One time, Grayskull had decided to be a prick and straight up kept scolding her using Catra in every sentence she spoke. The magicat had been ultimately fed up -plus she had been having a shitty week with her renter paying her frequent visits- to the point she’d flipped the table of the restaurant they had been occupying that evening. And to think she had been supposed to poison the arch-chef that night.

Needless to say the mission had turned into a fiasco, one that Catra didn’t want to remember. The arch-chef had been instead handed to the police and she walked out of the case with a messed up eye and no payment.

Stars! She hated Grayskull. Her life would have been so much better without her in the picture.

"I feared that would be the case…" Grayskull resigned with a sigh, and propped her elbow at the bar, however mindful not to lean on Catra’s space. 

If the magicat had whiskers they would have been pulled back tight against her face. What was with the woman today? Usually she wouldn’t lose time to blubber about her latest achievement or share how important her latest mission was. Most of the time she tried to push Catra into revealing stuff of her personal life, too, but to no avail. The only thing Grayskull would be getting out of her was her snobbery. Nothing more.

But so far there were no privy questions nor boastful remarks. Today Grayskull was… not Grayskull. Seriously what was up with her?

Catra sighed, deciding it was a good time to finish her gin and go for something stronger. Tequila. She chugged down her glass and tapped the barman to order her new liquid. She didn’t say anything. Maybe Grayskull would finally get the memo and leave her be.

Unfortunately, she was asking for too much.

"So…" the raven fiddled with her fingers, her eyes flicking to Catra before facing the servery once more.

Catra’s tail lashed in irritation, "No! None of that tonight." She tapped her foot at the stool’s bars, waiting impatiently for her drink to arrive and served Grayskull a glare, “I'm in a very tight spot this period and the last thing I need is for you to ruin everything. So leave. Shoo away already."

The agent paused, something like sheepishness inflicting for once in her collected features, before it got replaced with a displeased grunt, "You know- if it were any other day than today, trust me, I would have gotten out of your nose. Just not today."

Catra resisted the urge to roll her eyes and sigh in exasperation. No shit, she wasn't believing that crap. Grayskull never stopped meddling with her business. It was actually creepy how she knew where each of her jobs were -no, she was absolutely not believing that she had a mission around the same area as Catra, like c'mon! Either come up with something craftier or drop the same damn excuse-

The magicat wished that tonight would have been different. She had actually deemed this case Grayless, seeing as she was promised that it wasn't accessible to anyone than the person who took it. DT had swore their tail on it.

A thought struck her, one that made her eye twitch and her claws to scratch the counter. DT's job was to gather marks from clients that wanted them dead and then assign them to any assassin that could execute right the job. They got a cut out of the reward while the rest went to the one who killed the target. There were a few marks that their clients wanted them gone by any and all means. This was when more assassins would get involved and things weren't beautiful when that happened…

DT had told Catra that Hordak was one of these cases… But they had promised not to let anyone else on the mission other than her. Grayskull wasn't an assassin, but she had the qualities for one. Nothing was stopping her from applying for the mark once she caught noise of it, and who wouldn't want the legendary agent to handle a mark that there was no way she would lose?

Oh, Catra was hunting DT's sorry tail and ass first thing in the afternoon tomorrow.

Her tequila arrived one second after she clicked two and two. She narrowed her eyes at Grayskull, who seemed troubled but focused at the same time. Expecting the same darn thing that she was. Hordak. 

“You’re here for the mark, too, aren’t you?” Catra's voice was deadly on edge as she gestured at Grayskull with her glass before drinking half of it. The burning sensation it left alleviated some of her building rage and despise against reptiles, but only for so little. She would have still glady give in to a murderous strike if she could have.

Grayskull's eyes widened at getting caught. She left a small cuss, something that had Catra almost choke as Mrs. Perfect never opted this choice of wording out her frustrations.

"Yes. Same as you," when the woman affirmed it, the magicat snarled, her grip in her glass tightening. “This was supposed to be a close mark. Off the limits. First come-first served. DT told me so themselves.”

It was a lie. DT had just promised the mark to her because they knew that they needed the money more than ever. But they hadn't kept the end of their word so they would be losing a few limbs.

Grayskull drummed her fingers on the bar. The music was still loud, the speakers vibrating at the beats of each song. It still wasn’t hard to hear Grayskull’s soft sigh, like she herself was dissatisfied but for an entirely different reason. “And with a little pressure and a promising prize, they opened one more tab under my name.”

Traitor. Catra meekly thought of the shapeshifter and downed the rest of her glass. She had heard enough. She had been doomed from the moment Grayskull entered the freakin' club. She should have been used of not having things her way.

“Augh ! Screw it. What did I even expect?” Catra dragged a palm on her face, groaning. Grayskull didn’t comment. By now a pattern was formed with the agent acting weird and that was too driving the magicat to a wall here. She needed to cling to a dose of familiarity if so for her own sake. Instead the usually chirpy woman was quiet, her eyes lingering on the people in the bar instead of being hooked to Catra and Catra alone. 

That had Catra’s heart ache. Just the slightest. She blamed that on the alcohol. Too bad she wouldn’t be drinking more, less she wanted to risk the possibility of Hordak showing up and Grayskull taking the mark.

Grayskull taking the mark… Huh. As if Catra would let that happpen. She decided to keep her mind focus on the hatred she usually felt for the agent and the competitiveness that came with it. She found them reassuring. At least this hadn't changed.

They fell in complete silence. Everything that had transpired should have stood as a warning to Catra, but the magicat was too mad to think rationally. Besides, she guessed she should somewhat appreciate this new version of Grayskull? Even if it unnerved her… At least she wasn't distracting her.

Several minutes passed and Catra was growing angsty. Hordak wasn't here and her arch-rival was doing absolutely nothing! When finally her ear twitched and she picked up murmuring, Catra opened her eyes to find Grayskull mumbling to herself. She was shocked to find her lips quirking upwards, but she was desperate. No distractions, sure, but she was dying from boredom here.

Focusing more, but not letting it be shown, Catra’s enhanced hearing enabled her to realize that the woman was in fact not talking to herself but to someone else. No doubt she was addressing how the situation had through her com then. The magicat perked up at the name; Glamour.

Oh, if Grayskull was not fun to be around then Glamour was ten times worse. But she made up for being fun to tease and underestimate. While not a total loser, Glamour was a child at fighting. Sure, she had her daggers and staff, but what was it with the glitter bombs? Those were the most useless weapon Catra had ever seen. Plus, Glamour was not subtle. She always dressed in pink. Always.

So excuse Catra if she felt like having some fun. Hordak was taking his sweet time apparently and she needed to let off some steam. If Glamour was around, Catra wanted to terrorize her. Get under her skin. Let this night not be a total waste of her time and sleep. 

“You brought Sparkles?” she decided to let on that she was listening. Grayskull paused, and for a moment Catra could have sworn that her cheeks flushed, but she quickly composed herself much to Catra’s dismay.

“She insisted,” Grayskull replied, scratching the left side of her head, but minding her haircut. “Plus, her mum pays well to keep my eyes on her. Can’t pass such a sweet deal,” she added, side-eyeing Catra as if to tell her to; buzz off, Glamour is off limits tonight to entertain you.

Catra huffed. She then let a crude smirk cover her lips, “Aww... If only Angella knew this is how you see her daughter.” 

Angella. President Angella. The leader of the organization that Grayskull and Glamour were part of— a.k.a The Great Rebellion. Something like a police station which wasn't tied to the government's security forces though. If you asked Catra they were loser babies who refused to get their hands dirty and tried to play noble. Like how the place reeked from old assassins who were given a second chance to live a normal life by working for them. Eww.. Catra wanted to gawk. She was just fine with what she was doing.

Sure, she wouldn't have to pay for rent ever again or deal with her renter's bullshit , but she didn’t do well with someone barking orders at. So thanks, but no thanks, Catra would keep her life as it had.

Grayskull collected herself. She now no longer leaned, but she stood at her full height -so what if she was slightly taller than Catra, she could still take her in a fight- with determination. The agent put her right hand on her hip and for the first time that night gave her a smile- an eerily gently one. 

“She wouldn’t believe you even if you told her,” her answer was like ice, which came to contrast with the content of her response. Catra didn’t flinch at the tone. Nor believed it. Everything was usually schematics and shows-offs with Grayskull. You could never get when she was serious. 

Except this time she seemed to be on to something bigger than any other time. And that unnerved the magicat ever so slightest.

One thing that stayed true even to this evening was that Grayskull was a huge jerk. Bigger than Catra herself.

And here's why.

Suddenly the music cut as the lights dipped, accompanied with a whoosh as if the power system was down. The pit of darkness triggered Catra’s eyes to switch to her night vision just in time to see Grayskull slipping onto her own night glasses. People cowered, others cried in panic. 

BANG!!!  

A gunshot followed suit and the murmurs of what’s going on turned to panicked shrieks and yells. Glasses broke, plates shattered and bottles opened. Everyone was trying to leave through the exit door like a herd of terrified sheep. 

“What the–?” Catra exclaimed as the unexpected plot twist. Her ears twitched trying to pinpoint the direction of the gunshot. It had most luckily come from outside the building and not within it. There had been no motive. Catra had checked all reservations of the night and no one fell under Hordak’s red radio. He wouldn't want to spill blood for no reason. Hordak wasn't bloodthirsty from her research.

Unless… this was all just the means to attract someone’s attention. 

Grayskull cracked her neck beside her. A popping sound ensued that had Catra wince. “Just as expected. Hordak knows that we are here,” she stated as she let her jacket fall to the ground. She then massaged her wrists, an action she did when she would be using her infamous sword.

Catra’s ears perked up in alert. What? Come again? She mustn't have heard correctly. But as she kept on watching Grayskull preparing herself the hackles in her neck rose. Her voice screeched when she addressed the agent, “He knows?! And you didn’t plan to tell me?” 

So Hordak knew. Knew that Catra was here. Sent to kill him. But how? When? Who gave her away?

Was it perhaps Grayskull's involvement?  It must have been, because what else? Catra had been careful not to let herself be reveled and then boom, here comes flashy Grayskull.

But even if so how Grayskull knew? And then Catra recalled of the gunshot and her previous suspicion was right. It had served as a warning rather than an actual threat, though it could definitely become one should the situation call for it.

Grayskull rolled her eyes at Catra's accusatory tone. "You weren't supposed to get this mark in the first place, but your employee had other plans. It's okay though- I've come prepared."

A dangerous glint danced in the eyes of the agent. One that Catra had come to learn and slightly fear of as this was the moment when the woman decided to become dangerous. The magicat tensed up as she watched Grayskull picking from her pocket a tin-can. Just what was she…

Heterochromic eyes widened when the woman shook the tin-can like a maniac only to throw it straight down the floor, and smoke engulfed the area. Catra choked the moment she inhaled the gas and her legs almost buckled.

 “Wh– .. what is that?” she managed to utter only for Grayskull to give her a meek shake of her head.

With that the woman sprinted at the opposite direction that the mass of bodies was heading to. Catra kept on coughing, but she wasn’t done. Instead the magicat got from her own jacket pocket a gas mask and placed it on her muzzle. She then proceeded to run in four.

“Grayskull!” Catra sneered and followed after the raven. From the start everything was planned against her. Grayskull not only knew that Hordak would catch whiff of them, but she had also wanted Catra to fail. Grayskull usually interfered but she had never straight up sabotaged Catra.

To say Catra wasn’t mad was the understatement of the month. The gas was made specifically for her- to keep her immobilized as Grayskull got the mark.

She’d crossed a line. Catra wouldn't leave this as such. She would be still getting her target and on top of that beat Grayskull to her own game. She knew such tricks too. She was the master of deception. She could pull schemes like those anytime she'd wish.

But first the mark took priority.

Bursting out of the club, Catra was lucky to spot the departing figure of Grayskull. The magicat leapt through the fence and landed just fine to keep on chasing the raven. She gritted her teeth, sweat breaking on her forehead. Upon realizing she was inhaling fresh air again she disposed of the gas mask to accelerate. 

The duo of the agent and assassin cut their sprint to a few more turns till they ended up in a dark alley leading to the monotone dead end piled up by old-fashioned bricks. Catra panted, trying to catch her breath. With a swift movement she flexed the claws of her left hand and stood on guard. Grayskull, a couple feet ahead of her, had her sword out already, ready to strike. 

“You’re alone. Any attempts at fleeing now would be straight-up pointless,” Grayskull spat in pure venom as she glared in the abyss. Catra was taken aback. She knew that Grayskull had tight nerves, but bearing such hatred-- she didn’t have her capable of that.

The seconds ticked down one by one in sheer silence, with only the howling of the wind keeping them company. The three moons of the planet were hid by foggy clouds tonight so no light gave away the specific scene that was partaking under the police’s nose. Grayskull’s patience was running thin as she began taping her boot in the ground. After what seemed like ages, the sound of heels alerted the pair of girls. From the darkest pit of the alley a figure emerged. Towering in height, bold, with dyed blue, wild hair. Red eyes snapped at them and Catra’s blood ran cold but she refused to leave.

This was undoubtedly Dr. Hordak. Dressed to appease, standing tall with precise in all his glory, even if he was currently stuck at one of the dirtiest and most disgusting distincts of all Etheria. 

The colossallian’s lips curled upwards to present a wicked grin. He roared, “Just as expected. The mighty Grayskull, herself, ready to deliver justice. I see that you got my message.”

Grayskull’s frown deepened. She made a few more careful steps forward. Meanwhile, Catra’s mind was racing. This was Hordak they were dealing with. Representative of the freakin Mafia Prime. Something didn’t add up. What about the gunshot they had heard? Catra had assumed it was a warning but as her eyes took in the area…

The gunshot certainly came from here. Catra eyed the green rubbish ban standing innocently next to the man dressed in the finest dark silk.

It was shot. This was how the bullet sounded as if it came right from the club. The metal undoubtedly enhanced the duration of the gunshot so it reached perfectly the ears of the unsuspected audience. The shut down of the power was most luckily ordered by Hordak’s goons. What a perfect way to lose all possible witnesses, disorienting them, keeping them at a safe distance as not to intervene in any way.

And attracting only the one that actually mattered.

Catra’s eyes widened once more. This time out of fear. Fear for Grayskull. The dummy was falling for a trap ! 

“Your days of trespassing the lands of Bightmoon City have come to an end. Your crimes are going to be brought to light and no other soul shall fall victim to your inhumane experiments. It is time for you to go,” Grayskull vowed as she clenched her jaw.

Hordak gave a vicious chuckle. Catra by now was already proceeding slowly forward and cursing the agent of being an ultimate idiot. “Oh.. is that so?” the man began and with a crude smile he carried on, “Very well then. Allow me to see that great power of yours, Grayskull.”

His last words were promising trouble. ”Show no mercy..” he huskily concluded and Grayskull didn’t need to be told twice. The woman accelerated and jumped to deliver the blow that would end everything with the snap of one’s fingers.

In any other circumstances the battle would be a guaranteed success. Hordak had nowhere to run. Grayskull had the perfect aim, each target of hers not managing to escape her, even if they didn’t stay still. No weapon could hurt her. No bullet made her stay down for long. It was as if she was made of the finest steel.

She was invincible…

Or at least that’s what everyone -including her- had thought till that night…

Then Catra saw from the corner of her eyes, Hordak getting something out of his suit. Her six sense spiked up. She yelled, her form skidding down to give her the push she needed for the perfect leap to get the agent out of the gun’s aim.

At the same time Hordak cocked a gun.

She was late.

“Grayskull– wait!” 

“FOR THE HONOUR OF GRAYSK–” 

WHOOSH!!!

Hordak shot Grayskull right on her stomach. A startled cry escaped the pale lips which quickly turned to an anguish cry. Grayskull’s momentum broke, and the woman was pushed backwards for her back to meet the ground as she tumbled.

- CLINK…

“Gwahh!” Grayskull screams amplified the moment Hordak had refilled the gun. The man stared down at the girl in apathy, his eyes examing in pure strictness and scrutiny the damage he caused.

Catra was left rooted at her place. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Her mouth closed and opened as a golden liquid stained the cobblestone pavement. She followed the small stream and it led her to Grayskull’s fallen form as she tried to muffle her cries.

Grayskull was bleeding… Hordak had done it. Achieved the impossible.

He had actually managed to harm what couldn’t have been hurt before.

This was a turning point to literally history!

Catra fought down the bile that was slowly creeping upwards her throat as she herself inspected the woman closer. Grayskul’s whole body trembled as if she was being scorched. Her left hand tried to apply pressure at the wound but to no avail. Her sword, too, had faded in pixels once she’d lost contact with it. Only its hilt remained, albeit it had ended up rolling under the trash bin. 

She was trash. For the first time looking scarred and not the immortal goddess everyone was gushing about.

Catra didn’t know exactly how to feel. At the one hand, she wanted to scream and grab Grayskull by her collar to tell her that shd’d warned her numerous times that her arrogance would get to her at some point. On the other hand she felt confused and maybe..maybe a little scared. She didn’t know what had happened exactly and how. Why was Grayskull hit? She never got hit. Why now? What was exactly the gun Hordak had shot her with?

Speaking of which, the man shook slowly his head at the pitiful sight of Grayskull. He gently caressed his weapon, a gray canon with blue iridescent glow. He tsked, “How pathetic… to think all it took to finally bring you down was one small bullet using the right ingredients. Honestly, I should have guessed it. No plain Etherian gets away with bullets simply ricocheting off of them.”

Grayskull kept on screaming in pain. Catra couldn’t believe what she was hearing. All this info felt personal and yet she was still here. Hordak hadn’t even spared her a look. Was she not worthy of his time? At this thought her fur bristled.

The magicat leapt in front of the fallen woman when she saw Hordak trekking towards her. On top of all the weird shit happening today- getting looked down was the top of te iceberg.

“Hey. I’m here, too. And don’t think you’ll have it easy, old man,” she round-kicked the weapon off his hands and delivered a punch to his face. Hordak stumbled back but regained his posture. He glared at the magicat, “You meddling, cat! Stick to your own business.”

Catra scoffed. “Name’s Wildcat actually. And guess what? You’re my business. Not Grayskull’s– but mine. She’s actually lucky that they pay big to kill you, otherwise I wouldn’t have beeen here now.”

“Is that so?” Hordak mused, “I hadn’t known they had upped the price on my name. In that case, it wouldn’t be wise to get her out of the picture just yet.”

Catra shook her head. “Hey! I told you again, you’re my mark. So try focusing on me instead.”

Hordak eyed her. Catra got ready to fight. Just before she charged in a flash of light blinded her as the air picked up. A ladder suddenly appeared next to Hordak and Catra was shocked to see the helicopter that had perched itself just above them.

“What?! No!” Catra hissed when she realised Hordak was trying to escape and she tried to cut the ladder before he took off, only to miss Hordak’s boot that crashed just right in her face. Catra was kicked down, hitting hard her back when she was sent flying into a wall.

“Owww!” the magicat winced and when she opened her eyes she saw Hordak smirking at her. He didn’t waste time getting inside the helicopter and just like that he flew away leaving Catra alone in that dusty alley. 

Her lungs burned and her legs buckled as she tried to get up. Meanwhile she was cussing. How did Hordak get the upper hand without absolute doing nothing?! Catra was better than this.

But it was as if tonight her mind wasn’t set to combat at all…

Once the magicat managed to stand her ears took on the silence. But it stuck out wrong. She then recalled how she wasn’t alone. Shoot! Grayskull! 

The magicat spotted the woman unconscious, her wound thakfully not leaking more blood over her palm. Catra’s head was buzzing more than ever. She wanted nothing more than to give in herself to unconsciousness, but she wouldn’t. Couldn’t. Not when the capable of anything Grayskull was out cold.

“Grayskull? Grayskull, speak up! Don’t you dare die like this!” Catra called as she shook the woman, careful not to move anything than her upper body. Getting a groan out for a response proved that the agent was still alive.

Catra took in a shaky breath. She moved her gaze to the wound and her fingers almost touched the golden ooze. Almost… She quickly yanked her hand away not wanting to risk the possibility of more blood spilling. Usually she would give first aid but staring at the injury she could tell that it wasn’t a usual bullet wound…

She instead focused on a different task. Something that she knew would help despite the irony of it.

It didn’t take long for Catra to find Grayskull’s intercom. She pressed the emergency contact and tapped the first icon that came up.

Beep.. beep.. beep, beep..! 

“Hello! Grayskull, what happened? Are you alright?! You better wish you are… Oh, i’m soooo gonna punch you for cutting the line the moment we get back to base! Just what in the Stars were you actually thinking? Running off like this and–” 

“Not Grayskull here.. Hello, Sparkles. Nice to hear you still have that charm of yours.”

“...Catra?!” 

... ... ...