How It Is (spop post finale fanfiction)

Chapter Four

" And deeeeep breaths in, and deeeeeep breaths out. Deeeeep breaths in, and-" Perfuma said, her eyes closed. 

"Deeeep breaths out- we know." Catra interrupted, flicking her tail in annoyance. "Are we done yet?" 

Perfuma's eye twitched. "Not. Quite. Yet." This was only the fifth time Catra had asked that in the last several minutes. 

Adora shifted uncomfortably. Bow kept a pleasant smile on his face, hoping not to add to Perfuma's stress. She'd roped the three of them into meditating with her, and she'd tried to get Glimmer to join, but Mermista called saying something about Sea Hawk, a friend, and fire, so she gladly teleported to help. Perfuma said that this would help them lose stress, but it only seemed to be adding to hers.

Adora shifted again, making a lot of noise. Perfuma focused on breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth. After Adora fidgeted again and Catra groaned, she clapped her hands and stood. "Okay, I think that's enough for today," she said, clearly at her wit's end. "You can go do whatever you need to now. And I, am going to drink some calming tea. A lot of calming tea." 

Perfuma stood and made her way to the kitchen. Bow let out a huge breath, flopping backwards onto the floor. Adora did the same, and Catra stretched lazily. "Ughhh, I thought she'd never give up." 

Bow glanced at her. "Don't say that. That's rude." 

Catra shrugged. Adora play-punched her, and Catra tackled her in retaliation. They both noticed Bow scooting away, and lunged for him at the same time. They all three wound up in a tangle of limbs, laughing. 

-x- 

Glimmer paused at Mermista's castle in Salineas for only a moment, just long enough to make sure Mermista and Sea Hawk would be fine. The same storm that been at Bright Moon had blown to Salineas, and rain was pounding against the windows. Then she teleported back to Bright Moon to do- whatever. Mermista did not really care what she was going to do. She turned to Sea Hawk after Glimmer left and started to say something, but then facepalmed. "We forgot to give Glimmer the letter." she said, sitting down. "Can I see it? I'll call her back, show it to her, and tell her she needs to come get it." 

Sea Hawk nodded and reached into his coat pocket. "Of course, Mer-" his face paled a bit,  and his hand came out empty. "Er..." 

"Oh my f*cking- Sea Hawk! You lost it?!" Mermista exclaimed, standing back up. "That paper was an important letter to the queen of Bright Moon! What if it fell into the wrong hands, like in Mer-Mysteries: Party Crash Landing!" Lightning crashed outside, and light shone through the windows. 

Sea Hawk yelped at the loud sound, and attempted to salvage the situation. "What wrong hands would it even fall into? The Horde is gone, and anyone who might be interested in party-crashing is already invited!" 

Mermista groaned. "Maybe. But there's always someone out there, someone who has a goal- someone willing to do whatever it takes." Lightning struck again, much louder and brighter. 

Sea Hawk coughed. "So... shall we discuss our outfits for the ball?" 

-x- 

Soda Pop was frantically beating a robot on the head with a broom, while Busgirl slung plate after plate at it. The robot persisted, brandishing a ridiculously sharp spork in one hand and a knife in the other. Its eye lenses were glowing pure white, and there was some kind of method to its attacks. 

With a yell, Baker brought her rolling pin down on its head with all her strength, and the robot finally broke. The arms still tried to attack, but Soda Pop knocked one into the fireplace with the broom, and Busgirl pinned the other beneath a serving tray until he could get to that one too. 

They all three sighed in relief once they were done, Soda Pop sagging to the floor. "How many is that now?" 

Busgirl turned to the tally chart on the wall. "Counting this one, twenty seven bots have experienced an existential crisis since the Horde was defeated." She made another mark with a piece of chalk, and somehow the line was perfectly straight. 

Baker got a wet cloth and started to wipe down her rolling pin- proper kitchen sanitation procedure, even though she used it for more bot-fighting than cooking now. "Hopefully Entrapta can return to Dryl long enough after the party to figure out what's happening." 

Busgirl knelt down to look at the bot. "Did something about this bot seem... different, to you guys?" 

"Do you mean besides the eye color?" Soda Pop asked, standing and brushing off his pants. 

"Yeah. Normally they just attack us randomly, without any planning or thought, but this one..." She tapped its head, peering at it. "This one considered its strikes before it made them. It actually paused to consider its surroundings, like it had a goal in mind..." 

Baker shrugged. "A bot's a bot. This one probably just had some different programming or something." 

"Maybe you're right," Busgirl said, standing. She grabbed Soda Pop's broom and started to sweep up the mess. "I'm probably just seeing things." 

Soda Pop joined in with a smaller broom and a dustpan. "We should hurry. We need to grab our things and leave for Bright Moon this afternoon if we're to get there in time." The trio had been invited to the ball, and had generously offered to help make the food beforehand and clean up afterwards as well. 

-x- 

Aaro walked into the ruin, discarding his boots at the door after pulling the paper out. He sat down on a rock, and looked over the note again. 

'Hey Glitter. I'm glad  you reached out to ask for help with your lack-of-security problem. I'd be happy to send some TRUSTWORTHY pals of mine to help work security at the party. (Though, that amounts to about five.) They should do a good job- as long as they can drink grape juice. Don't bother asking why- they're strange like that. See you there! 

-Huntara 

P.S. I wouldn't recommend putting their grape juice supply where guests might drink some. They have a tendency to... not have very good hygiene. And sometimes they drink straight from the bowl, which might offend some of the more fancy-pants guests. 

Aaro grinned. He'd read it before, but everything in the letter was just so perfect! Security troubles? An isolated and highly specific drinking bowl? 

The perfect recipe for disaster.