The world groaned from Rod's attack, but for Catra everything ceased to exist. Time warped inside her head, slowing to an agonizing crawl while a single thought screamed at her:
Her father killed someone.
The image vibrated through her soul. She strained her feline eyes and tried to make sense of the distant figure that was her dad. His face was completely clear.
It was a mask of expressionlessness: A blankness only seen in someone who'd repeatedly taken a life… and a face she never thought he could have.
For Rod, time also slowed. Yet, for entirely different reasons. His task wasn't complete. The headless Ice Giant was beginning to fall. If it slammed unchecked into the ground, the resulting earthquake could tear apart hundreds of acres and render the farmlands unusable. Thus, he had to find a way to cushion the fall.
His powerful legs tensed and he moved to the left side of the falling titan. He then leaped towards its form.
The plan was simple: He wanted to harness the momentum of his jump and push the giant body towards a nearby mountain. This would use the earth itself as a buffer and hopefully only make a small ripple effect.
The Gun Hero landed on the Giant's side and kicked off with a powerful jump. Such a simple act pushed its falling direction, making it slam into the top of a half-kilometer peak with a grinding impact.
A large dust cloud billowed into the air without any massive shockwaves or tremors. His plan succeeded.
Seconds later, an aching Rod landed on the fresh snow below. He finally began to breathe again.
Alf and the unseen Hawk Walker crew hovered for a few tense moments before flying towards the shattered mountaintop where the giant's head lay.
Both the Hero and the Machine knew the mission wasn't over; they still needed to capture and quarantine the brain parasite within, or there might be a chance it could escape. And they weren't gonna let that be.
"I have just received confirmation that no one in the surrounding towns was injured and minimal farmland has been damaged. Good job, Rod," Alf's voice stated through the man's earpiece.
"Yeah… no problem… It was nothing," Rod whispered between deep breaths.
"Woah, you are out of shape."
An exasperated chuckle escaped the Hero.
"Glad… you noticed."
"Anyway, I do need you here so that you can move some large debris out of the way, and maybe adjust the giant's head to a certain position."
"You really want me to touch a dead Ice Giant's body?"
Rod's skin crawled at the thought.
"That's the mission."
After catching his breath, the Hero focused on the lifeless Ice Giant. His mind replayed the kill—the flash of golden light, the roar, the finality… He looked at the gun gauntlet on his right hand. It glowed and transformed back into the sleek pistol his wife gave him.
That familiar form caused a dark memory to emerge, bringing a torrent of sadness, anger, and shock with it… These feelings dissipated while the Walker landed behind him. He'd done it. No one in the town was hurt and the first part of the mission had been successful. There was no need to think about such thoughts…
Thus, the man returned his pistol to the interlink.
Rod propelled himself up a snowy slope and saw Catra standing on top of the Walker, looking at some of the rescued civilians taking a much-needed break.
She still couldn't believe what happened… That damned scene replayed in her head and she struggled to comprehend it.
Her cluttered mind settled when a family huddled in a tearful group hug. They were thankful for the simple fact they had survived.
That sight struck a deep chord and pulled Catra into a memory of her own mother.
She remembered Elena's words after a group of boys at school called her "Freak". Hurting them was the first thing she wanted to do… to lash out… Though, her mother gently lifted her onto her shoulder and smiled in a way that calmed her tears.
"People may look down on us, but that doesn't give us the right to hurt them," Elena's voice resonated in her mind.
"B-but they started it!"
"I know they did. We have to be better than them. Not because we are better, but because it's the right thing to do. Small one, in life, you will be challenged by dangers all over… You have to remember that violence is not the answer. Promise me you will be better than those kids."
Catra sniffed, causing Elena's expression to change.
She lifted her daughter off her shoulders and kneeled in front of her.
"Oh my poor small one… you were standing up to those kids, and I'm proud of you. Just remember that you can choose how to stand up to people like them. Once you grow up, you'll understand this type of stuff more," she finished, gently wiping Catra's tears away.
"Okay, mommy… I'm sorry for yelling at them… and I'm sorry for making you come all the way to school," the small child had cried and jumped into her mother's arms.
Elena hugged her back.
"Well, I did run all the way there… So you deserve a punishment!" A playful smile appeared on her face, "How about we go get some ice cream!"
The small girl's face lit up.
"Yeah!"
This was a distant memory that formed an ideology in her mind for so long: Killing the Ice Giant wasn't the answer. It was wrong.
Lofo was helping engineers with food supplies until turning his head and seeing Catra's conflicted face. Something was off and he decided to act.
He set down the supplies and walked deliberately toward her.
"You okay?" he asked, stopping beside her.
"He… he killed the giant. How could he do that? How could he take the life of another person so… easily?"
The elf boy didn't know how… And just as he was searching for words, a triumphant sound erupted from the civilians.
They cheered wildly after seeing Rod approach the ship and skidding to a stop.
"Thank you so much, Gun Hero!" a chorus of grateful voices erupted.
"No problem. I hope you're all right," he responded with a nervous smile.
He endured the heartfelt praises. Then, he focused on Catra and Lofo. Catra was also looking at him, filled with raw accusation. Following a few seconds, she walked towards the entrance of the Walker with coldness.
"Oh no," the Hero thought.
He knew that look: The "We'll talk later" look.
Did she see him do it? Was she angry? He didn't know for sure, yet… He was most likely gonna have to give her a "Big boy talk" later.
Suddenly, Alf's voice stopped his thinking.
"Rod, head to the front of the Walker and help me out already."
"Yeah, I'm coming."
The man focused on Lofo. Their eyes met in a silent exchange that lasted for a single moment. Rod gave a nod, and he immediately understood. The boy started moving in the direction Catra had walked, ready to be with her for the time being.
"This is a disaster…" Rod murmured.