Chapter Text
Catra had never been a fan of Brightmoon. She had a lot of good memories and good things there, sure, but every time she thought about it, she was reminded of all the things, and the people, she’d lost. Her home, her Daddy, her Papa… She had her Auntie and Tia, and a couple of friends, but it still didn’t fill the loneliness she often felt. Bow and Glimmer were her friends, close friends even, but they were humans, not Magicats. They got invited to classmates’ birthday parties and sleepover parties, but Catra didn’t. She had scary claws and different ears and a tail, so she was the oddball out every time. She was the last one picked, only chosen if she had to be. All she wanted was a group of friends that treated her the same as everyone else, that liked her for who she was and not what she looked like. She growled, her tail lashing and ears pinning back as she ripped her backpack off her shoulder and threw it at her Aunties’ garage. The bag slammed angrily against the door before slumping to the ground, the noise echoing for a few beats. She knew Glimmer and Bow didn’t ever mean to leave her out, but sometimes they still did. They didn’t notice, but Catra did. She huffs, crossing her arms and taking a few steps forward to snatch her backpack up, when a familiar sound made her ears twitch. Curtains. She glanced over and up at the neighbor’s house, looking into the bedroom window that faced her own, and she saw her. The mystery blonde recluse that never left her house. Why, Catra had never been able to figure out. When Catra’s family had moved in, the blonde and her angry, annoying, and mean mother already lived there. All she knew is the girl was around her age, give or take a year.
She tilts her head, watching as the blonde leaned back against some pillows in her window seat after adjusting her freshly opened curtains, before she began scribbling away in a notebook of some kind. A journal maybe? She was really pretty. Even through the glass, Catra could tell she had bright blue eyes, and her blonde hair was almost touching the window seat! She sighed, wishing she could just- talk to her. She was alone too! They would be perfect friends. They’d both been isolated from the world, alone with nobody they could really talk to. But if they had each other, they could be a little less alone! It could be them against the world! It could be-
“Catra…? Catra!”
The brunette gasped as she woke, sitting up in bed as her Tia Netossa peered in at her through her bedroom door, “Huh? Yeah?”
Netossa simply chuckled, shaking her head, “Dios mío, sobrina, you must have been sleeping good! It’s time to get up. Spinny’s almost done with breakfast. You don’t wanna be late for school, do you?”
Catra yawned, stretching as she swung her legs over the side of her bed, “Sorry, Tia, I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
Netossa nodded, “Sure thing, hun.” She offered a smile before stepping out of the room and gently clicking the door closed behind her.
Catra sighed, getting to her feet as she made her way to her closet. She grabbed a hoodie at random off a hanger and a pair of black leggings out of the set of drawers under the rack. She tossed them both onto her desk chair before starting to strip out of her pajamas. Carelessly, she threw her shorts and tank top onto her bed before sliding her leggings on, adjusting the stirrups before pulling her hoodie over her head. She’d grabbed the deep blue hoodie her Auntie had gotten her at the Salineas Sea Gate Aquarium during their vacation last summer. She always preferred reds and blacks for her clothes, maybe a deep magenta, but she was just glad her Auntie had picked out this color for her as opposed to the insanely bright yellow version that she would never wear. At least, not in public. Maybe to lounge around the house or nap in. Maybe. Sighing, she glanced towards the closet floor, looking at her sneakers with disgust, grabbing them, but not putting them on yet. That was the only thing her aunts hadn’t been able to get the school to budge on. Shoes. Stupid! Didn’t they realize Magicats didn’t need them? The stirrups were plenty! Sure, the sneakers were 'magicat-friendly', but that didn’t make them any more pleasant to wear. All the shoes did was cause her pain, sore spots by the end of the day, and satisfy the stupid social norm. The only time Catra was actually comfortable wearing shoes was during winter, when she wore her boots with the soft, fluffy interiors, because the ground was snowy or just too cold for her feet. But, it was unfortunately only the second of August, and snow was several months away, so in her closet they would remain for now.
She decided to brush her hair up into a ponytail, carefully and expertly avoiding her ears as she brushed up her curls, tying it off with a black hair-tie, then setting the brush back on her vanity. She decided on two silver stud earrings for her left ear, one silver hoop for her right, and a silver chain around her neck that held two simple gold bands. Not many people knew the meaning of them, what they were, or who they belonged to. She knew. She’d only had them since her fifteenth birthday, but they were her most prized possessions. Any idiot that dared to try and touch them or take them would face her claws. She took a deep breath, squeezing the rings in her hand for a moment before tucking them under her hoodie collar, grabbing her shoes and backpack, and heading downstairs for breakfast.
“There she is.” Spinnerella smiled when she saw Catra trudging down the stairs, dropping her backpack on the couch and her sneakers on the floor by the coffee table, before walking over to the dining table and sitting next to Netossa. She grins when she catches eye of what her Auntie was making.
“Bacon?”
“And pancakes, but you need to eat a little quicker this morning if you want me to drive you to school.” Spinnerella informed her as she placed a couple pancakes and some bacon slices on a plate and sliding it in front of the brunette.
“Thank you, Auntie.” Catra smiled, pouring a bit of syrup over her plate before picking up her knife and fork and starting to eat.
“You’re welcome, sweetie.” Spinnerella smiled as she sat down with her own plate, “Did you not sleep last night, or did you just stay up late? You don’t normally sleep in this late on a school day.”
Catra shrugged, “I was up a little late…” She quietly admitted between bites, “But only because I couldn’t get to sleep.”
“Is everything alright, sobrina?” Netossa asked, a pinch of worry on her face as she sips her cup of coffee, “You’re not feeling sick or anything are you?”
Catra shook her head, taking another bite and sipping her own coffee before leaning back in her seat, “Just… thinking, about a lot things. About…”
The way she trailed off made the worry melt off of Netossa’s face, replaced with a grin that was bordering on a smirk, “Ooh, I see. You’re thinking about the mystery neighbor, aren’tcha?”
Face immediately flushing, Catra fought to keep her glance anywhere but on her Tia in that moment, “I- shut up! It’s just- weird! Okay? You cannot tell me the whole situation isn’t weird! We’ve lived next to them for what? Seven years now? And never once, I mean not even to check the mail once, ever left her house! Her bat-shit crazy mom does all the time! But her? Never! I don’t get it!”
“Aye, relax. Take a breath, C’yra.” Netossa’s smile, now softer, as she rested a hand on her niece’s shoulder, “Trust me, we know. It’s definitely strange, but what can we do about it? We don’t know them. Her mother, Sharon, I think her name is, clearly doesn’t want to be bothered.”
“I mean, yeah, but, there has to be some reason! You can’t just never leave your house!”
Spinnerella shrugged, finally chiming into the conversation, “She’s probably home-schooled, sweetheart. You’re right, there probably is a reason. She might have some kind of illness, maybe it’s.. terminal, or she has another condition that just- severely limits her ability to be outside, or-”
“Or she’s on house arrest?” Netossa inserted, trying to lighten the mood.
It made Catra grin, a breath of a laugh escaping as she rolled her eyes, “You can’t be on house arrest that long, Tia. Aren’t you a Sheriff?”
Netossa smirked, patting Catra’s shoulder, “Yes, yes I do know that. Come on now, I know you think about her a lot, but for now, let’s try to focus on breakfast so you can get to school.”
“Fine, fine…” Catra smiled, starting to eat a bit faster after a quick glance at the clock that hung over their back door.
Once they’d all finished eating and took a moment to tidy the kitchen, Catra finally had to resign to sitting on the couch and slipping her feet into her sneakers. She sighed as she tied the laces, before grabbing her backpack off the seat next to her as she stood, making her way over to the door where her Auntie was waiting. Before they could get out the door, Netossa approached, giving Spinny a kiss on the cheek and Catra a kiss on the forehead, “Don’t forget, this afternoon is your weekly injection.” She reminded.
Catra nodded, “I know, thank you, Tia. I love you.”
“Love you too, sobrina, mi amor.” She grinned at them both, giving a wave and watching them head out the car before turning to get her final bits of work done at home before she had to head out herself for her shift at the Brightmoon Police Department.
⚔
School had never been something Catra was excited for, but then again, what teenager was? (Aside from Entrapta, at least). She tried to make the best out of it, picking elective classes she thought might actually be useful for her or give her the opportunity to learn about something she actually enjoyed. This semester, she had picked Art II and Library Skills, which turned out to be her first two classes of the day. It was kind of irritating, given she had her two ‘standard’ classes that everyone had to take in the afternoon, but at least History and Chemistry weren’t too difficult for her on most days. At least she didn’t have to worry about using too much of her brain power in the mornings, got to relax in the library first thing, and then go to her favorite class afterwards: art! That’s where she was now, sitting on a stool in front of an easel, tail swaying lazily behind her as she worked on the painting the canvas in front of her. Last week, their teacher, Ms. Casta had assigned them to do a still work style painting of a vase filled with various flowers she’d set up in the middle of the easel circle. Catra had been working everyday on it, every stroke of her paintbrush a step closer to the final product. So far, she’d finished the vase and the small pedestal it was sat on, the rose, tulips, and was now working on the lilac, her tongue sticking out slightly in concentration. As she worked, however, she heard a small huff of frustration to her left, and she couldn’t help but pause, smirking as her ears perked up, twitching towards the sound, “Having trouble, Sparkles?”
Glimmer huffed again, putting her brush down and crossing her arms, “Yes. You know I’m not an artist. Painting anything, even something right in front of me just- it’s not going to happen. Not well, anyway.”
“And yet you took the class.” Catra grinned, finally taking her eyes off her canvas, setting the brush down in her water cup before turning her gaze towards Glimmer, “Remind me again why you chose to take a class you knew you would struggle in?”
“Because!” Glimmer was nearly pouting now, “My best friend and my boyfriend were taking it, and this was the only chance we had to all three have a class together. I wasn’t going to miss that kind of opportunity! Besides- I think, maybe I’m… getting the hang of this…?” She stared at her canvas, tilting her head as she stared at it longer, clearly unsure, “I think…”
Catra couldn’t help but laugh, “Awe, I’m flattered you like me so much, Sparkles.” She finally dared to peer at Glimmer’s canvas, and it took every ounce of self control not to immediately burst out laughing, barely managing to keep her giggles quiet as she bit her tongue, “What is that?”
“Ugh- Catra!” Now Glimmer was pouting, “It’s the vase.” She huffed, crossing her arms when Catra laughed started laughing harder, “You’re so mean! I’m trying here.”
“I know, but that’s what makes it so sad.” Catra replied through her fit of giggles, “That looks like Melog’s litter box. After he’s used it.”
“Come on, Catra, I’m sure it’s not that bad.” Bow finally spoke up from Catra’s right. He was busy painting away on his own canvas, and had just been listening to the two talk.
“Oh yeah? Look at her canvas and say that again. I dare you.”
Though Bow was never one to take Catra up on one of her challenges, he couldn’t help but admit to himself that he was a little curious. So, he set down his paint palette and brush and got to his feet, stepping over between Catra and Glimmer’s canvases, his eyes widening when they land on Glimmer’s in particular, “Oh.”
That’s all it took for Catra to fall into another fit of laughter. “It’s not finished!” Glimmer defended, her pout a little heavier now.
“It looks- like something, Glimmer! I’m sure it’ll look… great, in the end!” Bow offered, giving a thumbs up.
Catra had finally managed to calm herself down a little, shaking her head, “Listen, Sparkles. I would be more encouraging, but I just know you couldn’t give a shit about art or this piece beyond getting a passing grade, and therefore I am going to be relentless.”
Glimmer sighed, deflating as she loosened her arms, dropping them to her lap and smiling ever so slightly, “Yeah yeah, whatever. Just because you’re a prodigy in art doesn’t mean I can’t make something decent and manage a good grade.”
“Only because your aunt’s the teacher.” Catra shot back with a toothy grin that made Glimmer return to an earlier thought of giving the brunette a swift kick in the shins later.
“Shut up. I could-”
“Oh this is beautiful, C’yra!” The familiar voice of their teacher, Castaspella, interrupted Glimmer as her aunt approached them to inspect and admire the canvases, “Oh, you never cease to amaze me with just how realistic your style is!”
Catra took a moment to realize that the teacher was actively speaking to her. C'yra was her legal name, her chosen name even, but with her aunts, Glimmer, and Bow always using her nickname, it sometimes slipped her mind she had another name to answer to. “Thank you.” Catra smiled, suddenly feeling a little more shy, “I’m hoping to finish by Friday.”
“Well, I have no doubt in your abilities and your wonderful talent. Keep up the amazing work!” Casta grinned, before turning to Bow, who was still standing next to Glimmer, “Bow, sweetie, why aren’t you at your easel?”
“Sorry, Ms. Casta! I was just, uhm…”
“Giving Glimmer some encouragement.” Catra filled in for him, already bordering on smirking again, “Her artwork is depressed.”
“C’yra, that’s not very nice, I’m sure it’s…” Casta trailed off as she glanced over at her niece’s artwork, scrambling to try and find a way to describe it. “Well…! It’s a very- creative take, Glimmer!” Casta smiled, just a touch too wide, as she clasped her hands together. “I’m sure it’ll be wonderful when you’re finished, though you should probably start on the flowers if you want to finish by the project’s due date.”
Glimmer just sighed, nodding, “Sure thing, Aunt Casta.”
“Good. Now then Bow, let’s see yours.” Casta smiled, guiding Bow back to his easel, already gushing over how much she adored his cartoon-style take on the project. Catra had already tuned it out, giggling quietly as she picked up her brush and returned to adding detail work to the lilac.
“Well, that was painful to witness.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Glimmer ran her hand through her hair, “Whatever. It’s an elective, as long as I pass by at least a point I still get the credit. Worth it for the social time.” It was pretty clear Glimmer had all but given up on her painting, at least for the day. She carefully placed her feet on the upper bar of the stool she was sitting on, propping her elbows against her knees after adjusting her skirt and resting her head in her hands. She lingered in silence for a moment, just watching Catra paint and waiting for her aunt to move away from Bow to another student before continuing, “So… Catra.” Glimmer started casually, knowing she had her friend’s attention when her ears perked up just slightly in her direction.
“Hm?” Catra offered, though continued to paint. She already knew Glimmer was inching towards something with the way her tone indicated ‘gossip’ was on the horizon.
“If my… art assignment has been belittled enough to your satisfaction, care to share any new tea on that mystery neighbor of yours?”
Catra simply shrugged, setting her brush down to give her newest details on the lilac a moment to dry. “Sorry, Sparkles. As much as I would love to have anything new to share about her, you still know as much about her as I do.” She sighed, wiping her hand on a rag to get a drop of lavender paint off her claw, “Trust me, if I could get her attention for even a moment I’d… I don’t know, try to- talk to her, I guess. Get her number? Maybe?”
Glimmer scoffed, “If she even has a number to get. The way you talk about her, it seems like her mother has her living entirely off-the-grid.” She shivered dramatically, “I couldn’t imagine not having access to the internet. She must be going insane from boredom!”
“Well, if she grew up without it like we think, then she doesn’t exactly know what she’s missing.” Bow finally chimed in, “I bet she has an amazing book collection at the very least.” He suddenly gasped, “Do you think she would join our book club?”
“It’s not a book club.” Catra chided, “Besides, Glimmer scrolling through her Instagram feed does not count as reading.”
“Uh, it totally does! It’s words on a screen, and I read them. Therefore, it’s reading.” Glimmer defended, “Besides, we’re getting off topic here.”
“Well, I’m not sure what you want me to say about her, Glimmer. Trust me, if I ever get the opportunity to talk to her, you two will be the first to know. Until then… I’ve got nothing.” She sighed, glancing at the clock. Ten forty-five. “Come on, we’ve only got fifteen minutes until lunch anyway, we should start cleaning up.”
Sighing, Glimmer hopped off her stool and grabbed her brushes and paint palette, “Fine… but if you ever learn anything-”
“Like I said,” Catra stood as well, smirking as she quickly dipped her finger in lavender paint, the idea forming as her hand moved on it’s own, finger pressing lightly to Glimmer’s forehead. “You’ll be the first to know, Sparkles.”
Glimmer’s eyes widened when Catra’s finger pulled back covered in paint. “Oh, you did not!”
Cackling, Catra grabbed her palette and brushes and ran off towards the sinks before Glimmer could make a move towards revenge. “You should clean your face before that stains!”
Groaning, Glimmer stomped over to the sink, calming down once Bow approached with a wet paper towel and gently cleaned the paint off, “I’m so getting you back for that, Furball.”
Catra smirked, “You can sure try, Sparkles.”
“Alright you two, can we please focus on cleaning up our supplies? I really don’t wanna be late to lunch again.” Bow gently pleaded, “Please?” Of course, neither of the girls could say no to him, and simply nodded, smirking at the other with the promise of more pranks to come as they worked to get ready for the end of the class period.
⚔
The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. She had a quiz in her History class and a regular lesson and worksheet day in Chemistry. Once the bell dismissed everyone at three, Catra made her way down the hallway, gripping her backpack over her shoulder as she made her way out to the front of the building, stepping through the front doors and taking a seat on the front steps. She wasn’t sure which of her aunts would be picking her up. Thursdays and Fridays were always kind of up in the air. Those were the days where her Auntie sometimes stayed later at the library to check inventory and reorganize the shelves. So, she resigned herself to just observing other kids get into their parent’s cars, or walk over to the student parking lot to get in their own vehicles, alone or with friends. Most of these kids she’d grown up with, but knew less than half of them. The few she did know were merely acquaintances, a name she remembered from an old class or someone she was made to work with on a group project.
“C’yra?”
Her ears perked up at the sound of her name, glancing up to see George, one of Bow’s dads and the school’s librarian, approaching her, “Yes?”
“Is everything alright? I don’t think I normally see you out here waiting to be picked up.”
Catra smiled, “I’m fine. Today’s just one of the days my Auntie works a little later sometimes, so it’s kind of a surprise of which of my aunts actually shows up to get me.” She chuckles with a small shrug. “It’s no big deal.”
George nodded, his concern alleviating a bit, “Alright, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Say hey to your aunts for me?”
Catra grinned and nodded, “I will, thank you.” She knew her Auntie had gone to school with Bow’s dads, and had been friends. She knew her aunts, Bow’s dads, and Glimmer’s parents felt the need to keep a somewhat professional distance from each other, just in case something happened with their kid’s friendships. While she understood, she also didn’t see the point. She and Bow had been friends since Catra had moved to Brightmoon, and she and Glimmer, while they teased and bullied each other all the time, it was affectionate, and they would fight tooth and nail for the other in a heartbeat. She waved at George as he walked off, probably to watch Bow’s archery club practice.
A few minutes later, a familiar BPD SUV pulled up in the pickup line, and Catra got to her feet, grabbed her backpack, and made her way over to the vehicle. She opened the passenger door and hopped inside, carefully setting her backpack between her feet so she wouldn’t disturb any of the equipment in the car, “Buenas tardes, Tia.” She greeted with a warm smile.
“Buenas tardes, sobrina.” Netossa replied, waiting until Catra was settled and buckled in before pulling through the pickup line and onto the street that led to the main road in front of the school, “How was your day?”
“Good, nothing out of the ordinary, I guess.” Catra shrugged, leaning back in her seat. She remembered the many, many times in the past when her Tia would have to pick her up from school. It wasn’t until she turned fifteen that Netossa had finally started trusting her to sit in the front seat instead of having to sit in the back. It was more than a relief for Catra. Even if she wasn’t actually in trouble, riding in the back of a cop car was always something that struck her nerves, “I think I’ll be able to finish the art project we’re working on by tomorrow.”
“That’s fantástica, sobrina!” Netossa praised, finally pulling out of the school parking lot and starting the relatively short drive back home, “How was the history quiz? You had one of those today, didn’t you?”
Catra nodded, “Yeah. I think I did pretty good. We won’t get our grade until tomorrow though.”
“Well, I’m still proud of you; I know you did your best, and that’s what matters.”
Smiling, Catra looked out the window, watching as they passed other cars and the slight sway of the trees from the gentle breeze. Even if school wasn’t her favorite pass-time, she loved the end of summer and fall weather that came with the beginning of a new school year. Her mind drifted as they drove, sitting in silence for a few minutes before grinning, “Glimmer managed to actually paint something today.”
“Oh yeah?” Netossa smiled, “What did she make?”
“An absolutely perfect recreation of Melog’s litter box.”
Netossa managed to turn her laugh into a cough, (for the most part), as she desperately worked to keep her composure, if only for the sake of being behind the wheel, “That’s… that’s not nice, C’yra.”
“Hey!” Catra held up her hands in defense, “If you had seen it, you would agree with me.”
Netossa just shook her head, turning onto their street, “You’re something else, mija.” She slowed the SUV as she approached their driveway, carefully turning in, parking, and turning the vehicle off, “Do you have any homework?”
Catra shook her head, opening the door and stepping out, grabbing her backpack, “Nope, I finished my chemistry work in class.”
“That’s my girl.” Netossa smiled, stepping out and shutting the door, locking the SUV and walking with Catra up onto the porch, “In that case, how about we start on dinner? Give mi amor a break tonight. We have the ingredients to make quesadillas. We'll do your injection after dinner.”
Ears perking up and tail already wagging, she quickly nodded, dropping her backpack and kicking off her shoes as soon as they got in the door, “Yes, please!” She replied enthusiastically and already making her way to the kitchen. The adorable sight drew another laugh from Netossa, heading to put her gun in the safe before joining her niece in the kitchen.
⚔
Her bedroom window had always been her figurative and literal window to the world. She didn’t get to see much, but she liked the things she did see, most of the time. She tilted her head, watching as the black car pulled into the neighbor’s driveway, and two familiar faces got out. She wasn’t sure what the older woman’s name was, but she knew Catra’s from the many times her guardians had called her inside, or when she was outside with one or both of her- friends? That was her best guess. They looked too different to be related, but what did Adora know?
She gently gripped onto her braid, a style that was pretty much the norm for her hair now. She watched as Catra and her guardian made their way inside, talking happily about something. It had to be a happy conversation. Catra’s tail was wagging and her ears were perked up in a way that only happened during times Adora had seen her happy. She couldn’t help but wonder why she was so happy. She sighed once the two disappeared into the house, gently closing her curtains and leaning back against the pillows in her window seat. She glanced up at the clock on her wall, before grabbing her journal and a pencil and beginning to write, just hoping to pass some time until her mother returned home.