Chapter Text
The train ride trailed through three stations displayed the lush green and well-manicured streets of uptown residential and center. Only to later dive down into cold stone and tunnel underneath the financial and commercial districts, stopping only at the second and third stations. After a few more minutes of cold quiet darkness surrounding the train’s lit car interiors, the train cars were surrounded by and suffused with the ambient light of ending twilight as the train trailed underneath car lanes across the Gothic architectural Gateway Bridge. The view on either side of the bridge was okay, however the view at and around the apex of the bridge’s arch was dazzling.
An electric guitar and heavenly vocalist screaming blarred in a set iof brunette-furred cat ears from the headphones hidden in her wild mane. They played “I’m so sick” by Flyleaf while the glittering gleam of the Fright-zone’s nightlife cityscape view reflected in her mismatched amber and sapphire cat eyes. The various lights off of buildings and hologram projection dancing in the sky painted the darkness in radiant color. For a few moments Catra sighed to herself with a dose of relief and relaxation as she watched on. A memory of a golden-haired girl with sapphire eyes sat in front of her for a few moments.
Moments later spoiled by a bitter return to reality as they began to trek back underground to reach the first station on the other side of the Gateway Bridge. Catra shifted in her place on the two seats she had taken attempting to act as though she had nearly fallen asleep while listening to music. With one eye open, she peeked out of the car window as the train came to a slow stop. Armed and armored guards each accompanied by their own soulless cold-steel drones patrolled the interior of the subterranean station. A sight Catra would see for the next three stations. Each station a daunting reminder of what waited outside surrounding each exit.
On a thin rectangular display, in a digital red font read the words “Now Leaving: Brickbark Glade”, prompting Catra to pull her headphones off making her cat ears twitch to the new sounds surrounding her now. A robotic masculine voice, eerily similar to the condescending knowing voice of Hirde Prime Minister, announced over the loudspeaker the incoming station,” Next Stop is Ironbone Glade. Please do not forget about all personal belongings. Next Stop is Ironbone Glade.”
She rested her headphones onto her neck and stood up from her seat. In her peripheral she could glimpse a reaction from her accomplices on the other side of the train car. Her brown-striped tawny-furred cat tail swung behind her as she strutted over,” You guys know the drill, teams of two. Rogelio, your with me. Lonnie, Kyle, you guys take that door, we got this one. Meet up in front of Benny and Bessie’s.” She twirled around and started for the train door she just passed before spinning around again,” And Kyle, maintain radio silence. Got it?”
Kyle answered,” Yup. I got it. No need to worry.”
“Yeah, whatever”, muttered Lonnie.
Rogelio simply groaned while following after her.
The A.I.’s masculine voice returned on the loudspeaker,” Now Arriving at Ironbone Glade. Please make way for the doors and secure all personal belongings before leaving. Now arriving at Ironbone Glade.”
Catra stood ready at the door, out of the corner of her eye she could see Rogelio’s camo green hood and his moss scale face. The metallic doors slowly slid open along with a chime from the train’s loudspeakers. She suddenly squeaked to a stop, her heterochrome eyes widened while their irises narrowed, unkempt cat hairs standing on end. Standing tall at attention at the door was a Horde drone, her own reflection on the polished white chassis staring back at her in fear.
Rogelio bumped her back with his arm in as subtle a manner he could muster. Her thumping heart steadily rose in her ears as she stiffly walked forward and out of the train car. Focusing on only putting her left foot in front of her right foot down the platform. Sure that Rogelio was right behind her but not so much about Lonnie and Kyle, she shook her head of the thought of those two getting stopped by the drone. At the other end of the train platform she spotted the drone’s assigned officer, leisurely leaning against some railing next to the escalators. Thankfully Catra’s troupe had long switched out of their thief’s fits before they ever reached the station uptown.
Uptown the group of teenage thieves stuck out like a sore thumb but while walking through the Glade Stations they blended right in. Lonnie returned to her billowing red and white baseball jersey with her matching team silver cap flipped backwards now that night had fully settled in, not needing to change her black cargo pants nor solid black Nikes. A black backpack strapped to her back held all her stolen goods.
Rogelio switched out his black hooded sweater for his old worn-out camo-green utility jacket decorated with pockets and zippers, the hood hiding his moss green scaled face and glowing yellow lizard eyes. His camo-black pants and solid black boots marched in step with the rest of the group. His own backpack was hidden underneath his jacket whether because it provided cover or because he was in a hurry needed matter. Kyle had thrown back on his bright red hoodie with white zipper and straps, juxtaposong the hooded heathered dark grey sweater he had borrowed from Rogelio fornthe heist. A single strap backpack bounced behind him.
Catra had changed back into her synthwave rocker red band t-shirt, baggy pocket and buckle decorated trousers and old Doc Martens made a fierce gutterpunk statement compared to the thief’s outfit made to blend in and or obscure her. Despite being on this side of the Fright-zone she was keeping her guard up with her cat ears trained for any shouts or calls while her heterochrome eyes searched for patrols. Her black clawed hand firmly gripped the right strap of her contraband filled backpack.
She spun around just in time, with her ombre brown thick and curly hair swinging out of the way behind her, to catch the drone watching her while the escalator lifted her to the next section of the terminal. Her sense of dread and fear peaking. Just then she heard a familiar voice, spotting Lonnie at the bottom of the escalator slapping Kyle in the back of the head.
Rogelio nudged her shoulder. Then bobbed his head towards the other direction, a look of nervousness clear on his lizard-like face. With her mind no longer preoccupied by the guards she had just passed, as well as her other two comrades’ safety, she was able to take in her surroundings again. A hissed curse escaped between her fanged teeth and soft caramel lips. In her immediate vicinity she could see numerous guards marching around, stopping people and searching through their things, as well as their drones no doubt scanning the area and ready for a scuffle.
“Damn it”, Catra inhaled then huffed,” Okay. Let’s just play it cool. Okay, Roar?”
Rogelio made a face while he groaned.
The two teens practically danced through the lobby, bobbing and weaving through crowds while avoided the radius of hunting guards.
The hustle and bustle in the lower terminals were nothing compared to the conflagration of people in the train station lobby trying to either walking in or out of the building as well as down or up the train terminals where all the platforms waited. Unfortunately, the increase in crowd size came with it the increase in Horde officer numbers. Their presence ever more imposing now accompanied by the numerous banners, posters and propaganda polluting Catra’s eyesight. In other regions of the Horde Imperium banners and flags would be white with the space age uranium glow green bat-like symbol, however here in the Fright-zone the banner was redesigned red with a black bat symbol instead.
The all too familiar voice of a man ominously announcing in a condescending and pretentious tone over the loudspeaker,” Attention all citizens. Please keep identification on hand in the event of a sudden stop. In the event that a peace officer stops you, it is mandatory that you comply with any and all orders. This decreed by our most esteemed and enlightened benevolent supreme Horde Prime Minister.”
“Let’s keep it pushing, Roar”, Catra hummed under her breath.
Rogelio rumbled in agreement.
“I hear ya, dragonbreath. I just want tonight over with too”, Catra choked.
Black painted sharp long nails dug into the fabric of her bag strap as she focused on walking as awkwardly unawkward as she possibly could perform stepping up to the front entrances at the other end of the lobby. A quick glance up was met by the honey-gold and ocean blue stare of her own feline reflection on another chassis of a Horde drone flanking the glass double-doors open to the smelly smaugy air of the Fright-zone outside.
Walking down the steep stone steps of the train station’s front façade didn’t help alleviate Catra’s mounting anxiety and panic with the station exhibiting its elaborate stone Gothic architecture and a glass dome at the top of the building. She could hear the flapping of the numerous long and heavy red Horde banners surrounding her while a row of Horde bots stood at attention at the bottom of the stairs. A few people watched their step as they passed them and began climbing the stairs.
No matter where Catra looked with her cat like eyes could only see the Horde all around, a trio of armored guards huddled around an armored vehicle parked on the right, a pair of giant tank-like vehicles slowly did laps around a choked little park while an armored squad car drove by the one on the left and high in the sky two electromagnetically propelled skiffs soared over the clearing made in the center of a tall and dense high tech urban city. Black bat or vice-versa banners hung from buildings and lampposts matched in spectacle only by the various neon red holograms displaying animated propaganda.
Catra never liked walking through crowded spaces, the threat of a sudden attack from all sides loud all around her, nor empty open spaces, where hiding would be near impossible in case of a larger threat or a cluster of smaller ones. But she extremely hated walking through heavily patrolled spaces where the pressure and tension in the air is nearly unbeatable, especially with a bag full of stolen jewelry and electronics on her furry back.
Suddenly a ghost bounded up next to Catra, like a light now long gone but still projected through her memories of the same blue-eyed blondie-haired tomboy, her voice still easy to recall,” Hey, it’s okay, kitten.” A ghostly glowing warm beige hand outstretched,” Don’t let them scare you, that’s what they want, to act scary. Just be your usual cute cuddly usual self and they won’t even notice the illegal shit. So long as I’m by your side, I’ll make sure no one hurts my little kitten. We got this.”
Rogelio let out a low rumble behind Catra’s ears, his foot coming off thr last stair at the bottom.
“Yeah, Roar. I’m good”, Catra sighed,” We got this.
The heel of a worn-out Doc Marten boot nervously bounced off the dirty stone ground, a tawny-furred and brown-striped tail swung like a pendulum counting the seconds passing by. “Grrraaahhhrrrrr! They should’ve been here by now”, Catra dug her clawed left hand into her wavy long brunette hair while her right thumb claw clicked against her phone screen.
Rogelio sat like a statue, hunched inward with his head hung low, the only part of his reptillian face visible under his green camp hood were his large fangs situated on either side of his lizard-like maw. A single long low noise like a snotty gurgle came from the monochrome green Komodo statue having a subtle panic attack in his iron bound wooden chair. The delicious smell of freshly grilled sloppy burgers filled the air all around the two teens but neither of their empty bellies made a sound, sedated by fear for their missing comrades in crime.
Catra’s mind raced, “They are taking too long. They should know by now damn well not to linger for too long. What if they go caught? Lonnie probably got stopped and frisked while Kyle freaked out or worse, Kyle slipped on a wet floor in front of a guard and pulled Lonnie’s bag open. What would happen if they got booked? They’d be held in a cell, Lonnie wouldn’t talk for shit but Kyle, they’d just raise their oice and he’d fold. Then they’d come after me and Rogelio then eventually catch us. We’d all get sent to a penal colony in the wastes for months, nothing but long hot days out in the middle of fuck all nowhere desert breaking rocks all day. Or me and Kyle would get shipped to a facility to build crap or hours while we’re out of our cells. I wouldn’t last a day in a cage.”
The sound of the world all around reentered Catra’s cat-like ears when she heard the familiar huffs and panting of Lonnie and Kyle running down the street. The two halted to a sudden sweaty stop, Lonnie’s braided hair swinging under her shoulders as she hunched over and her espresso-toned hand gripping her baseball cap while Kyle’s red hoodie was covered in dark sweat stains and his dirty blonde hair plastered to his forehead, his wheezing sounded painful.
Lonnie swung her backpack off amd sat it down at her toes,” Hey. *huff* We. *huff* Made. *huff* It.*huff*”.
“WHAT THE HELL! What took you guys so long! If you screwed this up for me I was going to kill you the next time I saw your asses! I had too much riding on this”, Catra exploded out of her chair,” What happen!?”
Lonnie choked,” Damn it.” Her eyes narrowed to her left,” Kyle.”
“Sooorrrrryyyyyyy”, Kyle wheezed threw a weep.
“Kyle. Ugh. We got to the lobby and Kyle had to stop or he was gonna pee himself. We barely made it before he pissed himself”, Lonnie glarred through her braids amd pointed at him,” Cause of you that Horde officer cornered me and asked me a bunch of questions. I almost died right there from a panic attack before Kyle walked out calm as a cool breeze. Had to run down half the stairs outside thr front of the building. Thankfully, the droids didn’t move an inch before the patrol guard made it all the way down. Had to bolt the last few miles. Fucking, Kyle.”
Catra and Rogelio sprung put of their seats, “Were you followed? Did you see any beetles or bots chasing after you?”
Lonnie straightened up and answered,” No. Neither. We lost them at he Ribcage Junction, around the fountain park, then we ducked down an alley through the back end of Toadstool’s liquor store then across 15th and Birch down till we found the bridge. Fucking Kyle was crying that he was gonna puke. This new school year, our dumbass is hitting the gym, hard.”
Kyle shrunk and forwarded under Lonnie’s aggressively accusatory index finger.
“But we’re good. No one saw anything “except two dumb kids”, we’re safe”, Lonnie loses her report.
“Alright. If you say so”, a wave of relief and glee washed over Catra,” Come on, since we’re here let’s grab a bite. I think we’ve earned it. What do you guys say?”
Two hungry wide maws opened wide up, one humanoid with dual sharp canines and grinding mullers and the other more monstrous and reptilian with more gagged sharp teeth being geared, as they chomped down on two big juice-leaking thick and meaty burgers. Lonnie and Rogelio both hummed,” Mmmmmmmm.” Grease drenched the sides of Lonnie’s pretty plush lips and Rogelio’s hold as thrown back unveiling his spinny dragon-like head.
Kyle had tied his red hoodie around his waist, revealing his stained and gross white graphic t-shirt clinging to his lithe body. He was wrestling with his burger, chewing a piece of like it was tough taffy. Each of their trays sported a side order of freshly made ranch fries with a choice of either chicken nuggets or fresh-baked cookies and a tall cool drink. Everyone had ordered a feast for the modern-day ages here in the Fright-zone.
Everyone except Catra, who hadn’t even bothered to order a thing despite exhaustion and hunger wracking her body with hunger pains and heavy tiredness. Still, she sat there idly watching her teenage criminal accomplices blissfully and leisurely dine on their Benny’s Beef Supreme meal combos.
A chime notification rang from Catra’s phone. The Caller ID on display comprised of only a single trophy emoji, Catra knew was a goblin woman by the name of Trinket who was Peekableu’s local fence for stolen goods here in the Ironbone Glade district. The message read,” Hey, hurry the hell up, alleycat. I’m not gonna miss my soap opera to keep my pawnshop for a street rat like you. You better be hauling some good loot to be worth my time.”
“Umm”, Catra coughed,” Hey Roar, come with me to the bathroom, so we can put our loot in one bag. Meanwhile everyone eats up after a hard days work, I’m gonna go to our connection around the block to sell our score. Should be back with your cut of the chop before you even finish you side of fries.”
Lonnie spat while she chewed,” Don’t you wanna get something to eat. You bought all of us a meal but didn’t get anything. You need to eat to keep your strength up, Catra.”
“Nah, I’m cool. I just wanna get this over with and get paid”, Catra slowly rose from her seat. A sharp ache nearly dropped her to her knees but managed to play it to heart as best she could, growling to her herself to stand tall. “Come on, lets hurry this up. So, we can all go home.”
Twenty tense minutes flew by but finally Rogelio zipped up his black backpack that sat in front of his weathered combat boots. His glowing yellow lizard-like eyes peered up at Catra, the flickering light of the large bathroom shined off his horned head. He only made a low mumble towards her direction.
Catra sat her now heavier and awkwardly stuffed backpack down on the closed wooden toilet lid and huffed a little. “Yeah, I’m fine bug breath. I’ll eat but I just need to focus on getting our money’s worth for the trouble we went through today. That’s all. I’ll swing back and pay you guys your wages then buy myself that big beefy combo, okay? Now get outta here, iguanadon. Enjoy your dinner, eat up, alright?”
Rogelio cooed. Then slowly rose to his full height and pulled his hood over his head, the reflection of the bukles and zippers covering him juxtaposed his dark camo torso. His green clawed hand wrapped around the bathroom door handle and pulled down, the muffled silence of the tiled bathroom interior was dominated by the cacophony outside. Rogelio stood like a statue for a few moments to Catra’s surprise, then looked over his shoulder, his glowing yellow eyes emphasizing the black slit irises at their center stared at her from the shadow under his hood, his long low growl morphed into a single word,” Caaatraaaa.”
“Thanks buddy, I’ll be fine”, Catra smirked slightly.
The door closed behind him and Rogelio disappeared in the ambient sound of the outside crowd as well as a low buzzing from the light fixtures above Catra’s brunette head. She calmly took some deep breaths and braced herself to grab Lonnie’s back and go meet her contact. It was going to be tough hauling a heavy load on her back while carrying another in her arms while she walked deeper into enemy turf. She was sure Rogelio wouldn’t notice since he would’ve been to worried about himself and their other two gang members getting caught by the beetles in Horde colors. However, Catra’s constantly elevated insight and hindsight enabled her to spot the change on their escape route out of the Horde’s eyesight.
She knew that after a certain distance from major city buildings such as public transit stations, government and federally governed community buildings, enforcement facilities and reaching a certain depth into the dense concrete jungle the Horde would no longer be the main concern. Their tanks would be too big to send, their rumored squad cars would swarm close by but begin to disperse and their ranks of drones and guards would search to slowly for them to find a needle in a high tech metropolitan haystack. Unfortunately for Catra and her gang of thieves, law enforcement wasn’t the only major danger stalking and prowling the busy city streets of the Fright-zone. She knew, like others, the routes patrols alternated on or where their searches would spread which left the rest of the concrete jungle free to the reign of other predators.
Catra’s clawed fingers laced around the porcelain sink in the bathroom and leaned over the bowl, her accumulating anxiety and stress feeling like it was ready to boil over. Her heterochrome gaze met her reflection’s in the mirror. She was smeared in sweat and grim from climbing rooftops and robbing nice urban homes, exhausted from the taxing obstacles in her way, her red synth-rocker top stained while her baggy black pants sported dirt and garbage. Her fur matted, her unkempt ombre brown hair looked like a bird’s nest with tawny cat ears poking out. Tears welled in her mismatched cat eyes as she examined herself.
“Gods, I’m so fucking tired”, Catra labored. Her eyes focused on the black bag sitting idly next to her on the toiket seat. “Okay”, Catra breathed through the lump in her throat,” Okay. I’m fine. I’m fine. Almost done for today. Almost there. Just gotta push a little further for the finish line. I’m okay. We got this.” Then snatched the bag’s strap and swung the entire thing over her shoulder, her muscles aching.
Her right leg trembled while she walked over to her gang’s table. “Hey. I’ll be right back, real quick, with everyone’s cut”, she grabbed Lonnie’s back from under her seat and started for the exit out of the restaurant’s fenced outdoor dining space. A hard tug stopped her in her tracks.
Lonnie rose from her chair,” Wait, Catra. How about I come with you? Let me carry my bag and we can get Roar and Kyle’s share for them.”
“Why? You don’t think I can? Or you don’t trust me?”
Lonnie inched forward,” No. Look. Adora isn’t here anymore to watch your back, so let me take her place with you while we do business with the Flock, like business partners. What do you say?”
“Take her place?” Catra’s already hot blood began to finally boil. “What do you mean, ‘take her place’? You could never take her place and don’t ever dare say or think you could. I got this! Now let go!” She yanked at Lonnie bag.
However, she stood her ground,” What?! What are you talking about? I’m just saying I think you need back up. Roar told me you’re wiped. I just wanna help you Catra. What the fuck is your problem? Are you actually trying to screw us? Cause now I’m starting to think-”
Catra glanced at Rogelio and Kyle’s worried tense expressions then growled to herself,” Fine! Come if you really want, whatever. Not my problem. If anything it saves me the work of carrying two bags.”
“Yeah! That’s our fucking point! Save my fries, guys. Imma be back with rabid alleybrat over here and our cash. Hurry up, let’s get this over with. You stay annoying. Fucking hells.”
Catra’s black nails dug into the fabric of her backpack straps as she trudged down the cold stone mezzanine, flanked by a concrete wall concaved with miscellaneous shops and boutiques and a iron grate railing illuminated by caged in white lightbulbs that hummed silently juxtaposed to the colorful lights and sounds of the various vendors. Lonnie’s backwards cap sat over her bouncing shoulder-length box braids as she marched behind her. Both of their bags stuffed to the brim with stolen goods and contraband.
Lonnie’s eyes wandered to explore the full view of the shopping center to her right-hand side. The layout of the entire building was comprised of stacked mezzanines circumferenceing building’s exterior with entrances every few feet leading into a new shop. Blazing bright neon light and pale white billboard-like signs hung off the railing advertising their owners products. At the top of the layered mezzanines a railing in uniform with the rest safeguarded the roof floor, obscuring what seemed like some decorative rooftop foliage and a possible rooftop floor. Down below, several carts and stalls owned by sugary snack or grilled food snack vendors as well as the occasional knick-knack peddler loitering around a fountain and a few other public space decorations.
They trekked up to an archway made of concrete huddled into a corner on the second floor, with wires connecting to electronics installed elsewhere. It led into a crowded and cluttered corridor comprised of several huddled in shops in what felt more like a second story alleyway rather than a whole enclosed section of this open-air shopping center. Numerous neon lights and illuminated white signs advertised various miscellaneous goods and services, polluting the tunnel-like corridor with a rainbow of blinding neon. Vendors amd shoppers weaved and bumped into each other while trying tiwalk through and into the shops shoulder to shoulder with each other.
Catra glared over her shoulder, “This is it. Stay close to my back and watch it for pickpockets. Don’t want some chump stealing what we just stole.”
“Yeah. Yeah”, Lonnie huffed sarcastically,” Let’s go”. She gave Catra a hearty shove forward.
All she did in response was growl like a rabid alley cat. A reaction cut short when she looked over Lonnie’s shoulder and past her beautifully well-woven box braids, catching sight of two older gentlemen who had been watching the two girls walk up to the entrance of their den.
The first was an animal folk like Catra, except instead of having the likeness and traits of a feline this man was akin to a black bear complete with ursine-like face and a large body covered in thick curly black fur. The second man seemed to possess a stature much like the first but completely without any animalistic features, instead sporting hairy, green-skinned burly arms and an ugly green face with tusks sprouting out from his lower lip. They were both wearing the same style of suit signifying that they worked together or at the very least for the same person. Entirely blue suit ensembles with the other other color coming from the black sheen off their suits labels and buttons, plain white dress shirts in stark contrast to their peacock feather patterned suit ties and handkerchiefs as well as the gold of peacock themed pins on breast pockets.
The ursine man stared directly into Catra’s eyes completely stoic while he sat on his cushioned metal stool with a small folding metal-frame end table holding his beers at his side as he watched a sports game from his phone. The second orcish man simply flashed a smile and returned to his people watching sat at a table with a pork dish meal and beer placed in front of him, incoherent chatter coming from the radio sat right next to him.
“Grrrruuuuggghh”, Catra growled,” Whatever. You go in first, I’ll be right behind you. Gotta keep an eye on you. Hurry the fuck up.”
She grabbed and shoved Lonnie forward, who simply swatted her fur-clad hand off, and the two girls started walking into the claustrophobic commercial corridor.