"Ah-hah!"

Catra's head shot up and she looked in the direction of Entrapta's tech center. "Wh-! Wizard, I thought we discussed this. You gotta stop exclaiming everything like you're Archimedes. Especially when shit is all quiet."

"I'm incredibly sorry, Catra. But this is important. You told me to let you know the moment an opportunity presented itself."

She perked up instantly, scrambling over the back of the couch to close the distance between them. "Seriously? Augh, you rock! Tell me more!" She came to a sliding stop next to her chair, pecking her gratefully on the cheek. In response, the other girl's face turned bright red and she was stuck momentarily speechless. Instead, she just pulled up a map of the city with a small cluster of blinking dots centered on a location somewhere toward the middle of the city. "Hold up, hold up, that's... that's where that club is. But what's with all the pings?"

Finally the adorable goof seemed to snap out of it, reaching out to tap on the screen. "Our targets. You said you wanted to were interested in engaging them on neutral ground in order to participate in psychological warfare. The manager is friends with them, but also a notorious stickler for decorum. So long as none of us take part in physical violence, you may verbally jab and parry to your heart's delight!"

Sometimes, it took an extra second or two to catch up with Entrapta's vocabulary. "Holy shit, then what is everyone doing sitting around? We gotta get the fuck over there!"

Adora smoothed out her dress and glanced around at the line leading into the glittery neon blue of the club – Coldnap. Apparently this place was run by a mutual friend. Or, well, owned by her parents? This whole world of wealthy people was still incredibly foreign to her. Glancing over at Glimmer hanging off her arm, she leaned in with an embarrassed look. "Okay I know we went over this a million times but... Frosta was a friend of you guys, but then she dropped out of school to take over the family business – i.e. this place?"

Glimmer just laughed and nuzzled into her shoulder. "Yes, Adora. I know it's a little crazy that she's our age and she's... y'know, running this place. But Frosta has the soul of an ancient sage, so we're all just used to it. You'll see." They stepped closer toward the bouncer. "Like I said, as long as everyone's on their best behavior, she's a total darling. Hm, well. I mean she's still kinda closed off. But you learn how to read her. I'm rambling."

If the only thing in the world she was allowed to listen to for the rest of time was Glimmer 'rambling', her life would be perfect. "I think I can safely say there's not much danger of misbehavior. We've all been working our asses off on stuff and we deserve a proper night off! We're gonna... get in a circle around our shoes and purses and... whatever it is people do at clubs!"

Mermista leaned over and looked at her intently for a moment. "..does your entire idea of what people do when they go out come from comedy routines?"

Catra triple-checked herself in the mirror, and then carefully loosened her tie. Obviously there wasn't much point in making sure she looked good. This was still a mission. It hardly mattered if she was appropriately stylish.

But on a personal level, it was crucial. She knew now, she couldn't make Adora miss the Horde. She clearly hated a lot of what the Horde stood for. But she could make Adora miss her. She could fuck with her. She could make her regret running away. That was something Catra could handle.

However, all the psyching up in the world couldn't prepare her for everyone else in their own finery. Scorpia usually looked pretty impressive, so she should have predicted she would look twice as stunning in massive heels and a party dress. But she didn't. After their dumb little 'slumber party', she really had been adjusting to the idea that she actually did kinda like her. She was towering and beautiful.

Likewise, Entrapta had warmed up to her quite a bit. Well, maybe. It could be a little difficult to tell. Her true excitement was reserved for specific things and activities. But that was also her charm, so it all worked out. She wasn't exactly dressed to the nines, but she was wearing a particularly cute pair of overall shorts and a long-sleeved black shirt.

This was an all-hands-on-deck situation, so Lonnie and the boys were also ready to go, though they were mostly coming along for back-up.

And they were all looking at her for orders. She ran her fingers through her hair and cleared her throat. Right. I'm a fucking lieutenant. I should probably do my goddamn job. "Let's do this. Time for operation Mind Games."

Adora... was not really a dancer, as it turned out. Especially compared to Glimmer and Bow who were absolutely tearing up the dance floor. But she was having fun on the sidelines with Mermista and Perfuma just watching them for a while.

"You know... I still feel legitimately bad for how hard I ignored Glimmer. She's a treasure!" Perfuma giggled, still occasionally swaying her hips in time with the music.

Mermista shrugged. "Whatever, people can be weird and confusing. The important thing is that right here and right now? In this most precious of all moments? You wanna hit that." She got one of those playful little smiles, trying her best to maintain her aloofness, only for all three of them to break out in bright laughter.

"Ahah, for a split second there I was gonna be like 'hey that's my girlfriend you're talking about' but then I remembered this is just my life now. It's... a good life." Adora was certain – there was nothing that could screw this up. Glimmer and the others came back to their little social circle, wrapping around her and kissing her playfully on the lips.

And that was right about the time she saw Catra walk through the door.

"...shit." She quickly grabbed the two closest arms – in this case, Glimmer and Mermista's – and started guiding everyone further into the club. "Shit shit shit!"

"Woah, Adora, since when do you curse like that?"

As adorable as her surprise was, this wasn't the time to be admiring her girlfriend's face. "Catra. Catra just walked in. This is so bad. I thought she was bluffing! She wouldn't actually kill me... right? I mean, we were best friends growing up!"

Everyone around her just looked back and forth, eyes full of confusion and uncertainty. "Hey, look, Frosta keeps this place in tight order. She can't do anything so long as we're all here and together. If she tries anything at all-" Bow cut himself off, staring at the door where a girl with massive purple pigtails entered just after Catra. "Is that...?"

"Entrapta! I wondered what had happened to her after she dropped out of the university." Perfuma was staring, perhaps even more intently than him.

And now it was Glimmer's turn to freak out. "Wh-? Scorpia... We went to high school with her. What is she doing with the Horde?"

Netossa was pulling Spinnerella in closer as everyone unconsciously helped form a kind of barrier to hide Adora. "Wait, why does that name sound familiar?"

Too many things seemed to be happening at once, but still her brain was whirling away and pieces were clicking into place. "Scorpio Realty! They own like... seventy five percent of Phobos. Wealthy enough to attend your fancy-pants school, sketchy enough to have connections to a gang. Catra said she had some kind of team here in Luna! Auugghh, this is so bad! I'm dead. I'm completely dead. I never should have left."

"Hey Adora~"

God, what a row of pretty little dolls with their jaws hanging down like idiots. Catra could definitely see herself enjoying this. "Can you please not look at us like we're monsters. This is a club, we're just here to dance and have a good time! Or am I not allowed to be a normal person with normal girlfriends? Are you the only one who gets to date people and hit the town?"

If Adora was shocked before, she was completely dumbstruck now. It was a glorious experience. "You... They're... Wh-Whatever! Do what you want. Just stay away from us."

Catra gasped, clutching a hand to her chest. "You wound me. Come on girls. Let's leave Adora to her paranoia." She took each of her companions by the arm and walked them away into the middle of the dance floor. Once there was enough distance between them and the other group, she pulled both in closer. "You all know what to do. Wait for my mark~"

For a while, they played it cool, enjoying the thumping music and dancing with one another. Scorpia had amazing rhythm, and Catra was plenty comfortable with her body. Entrapta was obviously a bit unsure what to do with herself, but the both of them made sure to give her appropriate encouragement. Every now and then, she would glance across the floor and make intense eye contact with Adora. Particularly when she was pressed up tight against her girlfriends, nuzzling and kissing them.

Finally she saw a little flash of... something in her face, and figured that was about the best sign she was going to get. "Okay, we've got a bite. Get in position."

"Roger~" Scorpia said with a light purr before making her way over to the bar.

Entrapta grinned and started slipping away toward the back hallway. "Affirmative."

That done, she gracefully slipped her way back over toward her old friend. She didn't immediately say anything, simply taking her hand and pulling her deeper into the crowd. "Come on, dance with me! Don't be a butt face about this!"

She stumbled a few steps but eventually managed to catch up with her. "Woah, wait! Woah!"

Catra gave her best girlish giggle. "Just let loose, ya dork! I know things are a little crazy, but let's be real. It's always just you and me, right? My offer still stands. You don't have to come back and join the Horde. Just come back for me. That's all I care about..." She cast one quick glance over her friend's shoulder, just to be certain that Glimmer chick was watching them. And then, she pulled Adora into an impressively passionate kiss.

By the time Adora had the good sense to push away from the kiss, she could already see Glimmer running off in tears. "No!"

Catra just laughed, and it made her chest feel like it was imploding. "All these people you let in close and she doesn't have a problem with it. One kiss from me and she freaks out? Hell of a girlfriend you got there, Ad-" Lightning quick, she lashed out and slapped her across the face. Catra just laughed again. "Ah ah, shouldn't have done that."

A heavy hand suddenly landed on her shoulder from behind. "You should probably leave now, ma'am."

"Wh-! She started it!" Ugh, why did she have to say it like that, like a petulant child?

The bouncer didn't seem particularly fond of her tone either. He just shrugged and started to push her toward the door. Away from the back of the club, away from Glimmer. "Not the way I saw it. And frankly, not my problem. My job is to kick out the violent ones. Now get."

A growl worked its way up her throat and she started to move back after her girlfriend, but there wasn't much point to it. Tall or strong as she might have been, this guy was built like a wall. Her desperation wasn't helped by the realization that Catra had already disappeared. She always was slick. And now she was dangerous too.

Without much hope of staying inside, she could only allow herself to be 'escorted' out onto the sidewalk. The only good thing was that the rest of her friends were quick to follow after her. Well, most of them. "Where's Glimmer? Did anyone see where she went?"

She could see on their faces that at least some of them had watched the kiss between herself and Catra. And they were all a bit unnerved. Only Seahawk appeared to be lacking in the social grace to maintain some tact. "Sorry there, Adora-ble, but I'm not so sure she's interested in seeing you right now. Maybe we should just give her a moment." He was silenced from anything further by an elbow to the ribs from Mermista.

"Uh oh. That may not be the problem." Bow pointed toward a nearby vehicle. A van was pulling past. Sitting up front was her old friend Kyle at the wheel, Lonnie in the passenger seat, and between them... an unconscious Glimmer.

Before Adora had a chance to process what she was seeing, her phone lit up. There on the screen was a text from Catra.

"Bye Adora~"