ave / stories / Party Crasher Memories ch.15

Once again, Catra found herself wandering the Brightmoon corridors. After playing for an hour, Finn had gotten tired, and she and Adora had gotten the chance to finally finish their food. Cradling the sleeping kitty against her chest, she was counting the rooms she passed.

25, 26, 27.

She knocked gently on the door, more worried about waking Finn up than about informing the occupant. After a brief wait, she turned the handle and cracked the door open, peeking inside. The room had somewhat darker decorations than the rest of the castle, mostly sea blues and purples. Stark against the colorful backdrop, an almost perfectly black shape hung like a gigantic waterdrop from the chandelier, hundreds of thin filaments holding it up. A bright blue halo spun around its midsection, sigils slowly twisting around it.

"Double Trouble."

Two green orbs appeared on the shape, and turned to Catra. The shape started shifting, dropping down, the tendrils letting go and twisting around each other, braiding thicker and thicker, eventually combining into a single thick tail behind the now humanoid ooze. Like a blink, the darkness receded, and revealed a familiar lizard, stretching their neck to the side.

"Ah, sorry about that. The collar made it uncomfortable to sleep in my . . . usual shape . . ." Their eyes darted to the little one, holding onto their mother but still looking at them with big eyes.

"Bigger than you remember?" Catra asked with a cocky grin.

"I'm surprised you brought the little one."

"Well, Adora told me to try trusting you. I hope it wasn't a mistake?"

"Please, what do I have to win from attacking a helpless mother with an- okay, okay, put your claws back, I get it. Still, you really seem to care for them?"

"I do, and I will tear you apart myself if you dare harm them."

"Oh please," they scoffed, tugging at their choker. "I'm not an animal."

"Bah." Finn was leaning away from Catra, scrambling for the tall green one with their short hands. Double Trouble raised an eyebrow. "May I?"

Catra hesitated. Multiple scenarios blurred past in her head, not unlike when she was training at the Horde.

"Be careful."

With an almost excited smile, they leaned closer, reaching for the kitten with a gaunt green finger. "Aw, who's a cute little kitty? Who's got a sexy auncle - aw no stop stop AW let gO OF MY FINGER-"

"Try having that on your nipples."

"Oh, no, thank you." They wiggled their fingers in front of Finn some more, very careful not to get too close. "So, what do I have to thank my pretty morning wake-up call for?"

Catra squinted at them. Finn could tell even slight variations in her tone of speech apart, so she had gotten used to threatening people non-verbally. "Adora thought we could invite you to breakfast. Since you seemed so hungry last time."

They put a hand to their chest with a gasp. "Really? You would have me for breakfast?"

"Well, seeing as you're still alive. Don't worry, there's bacon."

"Oh, then I'd love to. Come on! Who's gonna have some salty bacon strips with auncle, hmmm?" Double Trouble leaned down, clacking very feline teeth together. Finn grinned and started imitating them.

"Don't overdo it."

"And you, don't worry so much. After all," they clacked towards Finn again. "There's bacon."

"Double Trouble!"

"Okay fiiine, I'll leave them!" The shapeshifter slithered out of the room, predictably followed by an excited kitten snatching at their tail. With a sigh, Catra closed the door.

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