Ba-da-boom! 😃
The time has come for the start of the fourteenth episode of this fanfic season!
Prepare thyself for great and desperate doings as Etheria gazes into the maw of utter oblivion!
In previous episodes:
Episode 53: On The Plain of Heroes: After the battle, the heroes prepare to go their separate ways.
Episode 54: Just Friends Ship: The New Best Friends Squad arrives in Bright Moon, and troubles begin between Catra and Adora, while Sea Hawk and Mermista sail into a strange and deadly storm.
Episode 55: Sleeping Arrangements: Catra faces her demons as Mermista and Sea Hawk struggle to survive. Glimmer questions her future as Micah prepares to return to Bright Moon, and Adora and Catra begin a new adventure.
Episode 56: Throne Room: Mermista returns to the ruins of Salineas, and King Micah returns to the glory of Bright Moon. Adora and Catra discover a dire warning. Spinnerella shares a date with Netossa that ends excitingly!
Episode 57: Missing Peace: Entrapta embarks on a voyage with Wink. In a tense meeting, the council in Bright Moon forms a plan. Scorpia returns with Perfuma and Frosta to the Fright Zone, where an unwelcoming party awaits.
Episode 58: Peace Zone: Darla brings Entrapta and Wink to Beast Island, despite her better judgment. Scorpia reclaims her kingdom. Adora, Catra, and Micah arrive to find Mystacor is gone!
Episode 59: Good Will Tour: Entrapta introduces Wink to an old friend. Mermista and Sea Hawk scour the coasts for her people. Perfuma and Frosta part ways with Scorpia, Princess of the Peace Zone.
Episode 60: Cry For Etheria: Entrapta makes a momentous discovery, while Catra assists in the rebuilding of Mystacor. And the Best Friends Squad activates the distress beacon in the midst of mysterious disasters.
Episode 61: Stay Close: An emergency sleepover brings all the princesses together, and Catra forms a special bond with Castaspella.
Episode 62: Chance for the Future, Ghosts from the Past: With the help of Entrapta, the princesses form a plan to save Etheria, and Adora and Catra face terrors from their pasts.
Episode 63: Welcome . . . The return of the princesses to their kingdoms is not as easy at it was hoped. Hordak leads Entrapta to the Chamber of the Heart along with Adora, Bow, Emily, and Wink.
Episode 64: Where There Is Light Adora faces danger on her way to the Chamber of the Heart, and Catra faces her hopes and fears in a dream. And in the heart of the storm, Scorpia assembles her old crew.
Episode 65: Shutdown Part 1 Things begin to get tense as all of the princesses join forces to save their planet. Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio help Scorpia, whose mission is the most dangerous of all. And Bow, Entrapta, and Adora must work together to shut down the First Ones planetary machine.
I am dedicating this week's chapter to my most beloved Professor and wiki-spouse Quinn ( @ProfessorQuinn ), for the Mermista and Sea Hawk content. 😁
There is trouble ahead, but I hope you all enjoy this.
Quickly! We haven't a moment to lose!
EPISODE 66: Shut Down Part 2
Entrapta’s face is serene as her gaze darts in a joyful dance to take in the array of shifting symbols floating in the air above her.
Around her head, dozens of hair tendrils flurry in gorgeously coordinated, mesmerizing activity. One hand rests palm down on the surface of the console, a stable point amidst the myriad delicate manipulations effected by purple strands across the entire surface of the console. The other hand holds her small recorder, close to her face.
She speaks into it.
Entrapta: [with quiet intensity] I have achieved a level of harmonious collaboration with Matilda that may rightly be designated as pseudo-symbiotic. Her visual and tactile outputs are providing me with a stream of information that is responsive in real-time to the altering requirements for my tasks. And, in return, I am enriching her programming, providing relevant context to her data feeds, and guiding her processes toward our shared common goal! [she pauses, then slightly quieter] I have never felt so . . . purposeful!
A gray-gloved hand alights on her shoulder, and Entrapta turns briefly to look up at Wink standing beside her. They smile to each other, then turn back toward the console.
Entrapta: [entranced by the images above her] Matilda? Zones 132 and 158.
Matilda’s Voice: [calmly, from all around] Field dampening and diversion initiated, Maintengineer. [after a brief pause] And completed.
The symbols over Entrapta’s head shift into a less erratic configuration, and Entrapta smiles.
Bow watches from across the brilliantly bright and strangely quiet chamber. From this distance, Entrapta’s murmurs are indistinct, but Bow’s expression is tense and uneasy. He holds his tracker pad raised in one hand, while he nervously bites a knuckle on the other.
All at once, Glimmer’s voice emanates from the tracker pad.
Glimmer: [knowingly] Booow. How’s it going?
Bow startles briefly. He takes the tracker pad in both hands and quickly smiles at the face on the screen.
Bow: [brightly] Fine!
Glimmer raises an eyebrow at him from the screen.
Glimmer: [slightly suspiciously] And Entrapta?
Bow: She’s, uuuuum . . .
Bow takes a glance over at Entrapta, who is silently manipulating the controls and gazing at the displays, eyes wide and staring.
Bow takes several steps away from her, then turns to face the wall and lowers his voice, cupping a hand beside his mouth.
Bow: [slowly and softly, into the pad] Entrapta is calm. Very calm. Unusually calm. [pause] And that actually makes me . . . kinda nervous!
The screen image suddenly flashes to a new scene.
Perfuma: [surprised] What?!
The screen flashes again.
Mermista: [tensely] Uuuuuuum . . . !
Glimmer’s face is on the tracker pad again, frowning a little.
Glimmer: [in a quiet grumble] Not helping morale, Bow.
Bow bites his lip, cringing.
Bow: Sorry, uh . . .
He suddenly smiles widely and gives a thumbs-up to the screen.
Bow: [with exaggerated enthusiasm] We’re good! Everything’s probably okay!
Glimmer groans.
Mermista is back on the screen, with a mixture of concern and shock on her face.
Mermista: [with restrained skeptical worry] Uhh, Bow. Are ya sure?! ‘Cause . . . the Pearl here is acting . . . really not normal!
Bow begins to walk over toward the console as he speaks.
Bow: [frowning] Well, Entrapta said that there would be some variations in the energy coming from the runestones. What’s it doing?
Mermista’s arms are raised upward toward the Pearl, which is out of frame. Suddenly, the lighting on her face begins flashing erratically, and her eyes widen at what she sees.
Mermista: [becoming more troubled] Uhhh, lots of things! Bad things! Not good things!
Bow: [reassuringly] Hold on, Mermista. I’ll ask Entrapta.
Bow has come alongside Entrapta. She remains in a kind of reverie of scientific activity.
Bow: [to Entrapta] Entrapta? Mermista says her runestone is acting . . . not normal.
Entrapta continues her activity with no physical acknowledgement of Bow’s presence.
Entrapta: [lightly, matter-of-factly] Yes.
Bow: [prodding] Sooo, should we be concerned?
Entrapta: [calmly] Not at all.
Bow raises an eyebrow of surprise at her response.
Entrapta: [continuing] The Black Garnet, unlike the other runestones, is disconnected from its princess, so the energy levels there can’t be accurately attuned to the others. Matilda and I are just cycling excess energy amongst the other runestones to avoid too great an imbalance.
Bow: [with some relief] Oh. So, it’s supposed to be acting strangely.
Entrapta: [brightly] Yep!
Bow smiles, visibly relaxing.
Bow: Did you hear that, Mermista?
Mermista’s expression as she looks off-screen is terror-stricken. Bright blue-white flashes illuminate her face.
Mermista: [freaking out] Yeah! But!! Is it sup-POSED to do THIS?!!?!
The view on the tracker pad screen shifts quickly upward toward the brilliant opalescent Pearl. Bow gasps!
Far from its typical stately glow, Mermista’s runestone is fizzing with an eruption of wicked electrical static! It pops and crackles with chaotic bursts of bright light, while emitting a loud spluttering noise. Every indication suggests that it is about to explode.
Suddenly, the tracker pad is filled with the face of an awe-struck Frosta.
Frosta: Whoah!
Perfuma’s face appears, frowning.
Perfuma: [very worried] Bow, what is that?! Is that gonna happen to the Heart Blossom, too?!
The pad switches to Glimmer, looking intense.
Glimmer: [seriously] Bow! What are we supposed to do about that? Ask Entrapta. Do we just keep going? Is this okay?
The Pearl appears again, and Mermista’s voice rings out in desperation.
Mermista: [fiercely] ASK HER!!
Quickly, Bow flips the screen of the tracker pad toward Entrapta.
Bow: [his voice rising and cracking] Entrapta?! Is it?!
Entrapta, completely unphased, continues her work, watching her screens, pausing momentarily before answering.
Entrapta: [cheerfully] Everything looks good here. Tell them it’s fine.
Bow: Entrapta?
Entrapta turns toward Bow with a reassuring expression and a sweet smile.
Entrapta: [gently urging] Tell them. [pause] Trust me.
Bow takes a deep breath, seeing her sincerity and confidence. He nods, then turns the screen of the tracker pad to face himself.
Bow: [slightly unsure] Okay. [to the princesses and himself] It’s fine! It’s . . . really fine! It’s completely fine, everyone.
Mermista’s face appears, sweating and strained as she focuses on the Pearl.
Mermista: [still shook] Yeah, okay! Then . . . what do I do?!!
Entrapta responds immediately, her eyes on the displays.
Entrapta: [calmly] Just hold on.
Bow: [strongly] Hold on, Mermista!
Entrapta: [softly] Keep control.
Bow: Keep control!
Entrapta: [reassuringly] And it will pass.
Bow: [sighing, to Mermista] And it will pass.
Mermista winces and grits her teeth from the screen on the tracker pad.
Mermista: [more confidently] Right. Keeping control. [to herself] I’m keeping control.
In the Salineas throne room, Mermista’s arms stretch powerfully toward the Pearl high above her, which shoots sparks and flashes in all directions.
Sea Hawk, standing nearby with the tracker pad, approaches cautiously and puts a tentative hand on her shoulder.
Mermista manages a small smile, just at the corner of her mouth, despite her obvious straining with the power rushing between her and her runestone. She narrows her eyes, and the Pearl seems to respond, glowing a little more brilliantly suddenly, with rays of energy rushing inward. The frequency of the sparking begins to slow a bit.
Mermista turns her head toward Sea Hawk.
He is smiling calmly, with an air of pride, and he gives her a nod.
Mermista’s smile widens a bit. She nods back, then again turns her attention to her runestone.
All at once the Pearl brightens more and then seems to collect itself together, until it is glowing with a solid, steady brilliance, with nothing more alarming than an extra stray ray of light at occasional intervals.
Mermista breathes heavily, but she is beaming and radiant again.
She turns toward the tracker pad.
Mermista: I think we’re good now.
Mermista is alive in the glory she shares with the Pearl, as she and Sea Hawk stand together, looking upward into the light.
