Hello, again, my dear friends!

Thanks for being here! 😊

At this point in my story Entrapta is alone, and things have not gone quite according to plan, but as far as the others can tell, her mission was a success.

In Part One of this episode, Adora and Catra share uneasy thoughts until Adora is overcome by some sort of attack!

However, as Catra pointed out, Glimmer seems happy, which is why I am dedicating this week's chapter to our one and only Wellington ( @WellingtonSmith ), who may like to see a happy (for now) Glimmer! 😁

Lucky for the drama, Glimmer is unlikely to remain that way!

And just for good measure, I also summon Samantha ( @--sxmxntha-is-CHAOS-- ) !

Ready for Part Two?!

✨ Back to Bright Moon! ✨

The hallways of Bright Moon glow through the night, making the castle a beacon of hope inside and out. The guards scattered throughout stand and walk in pairs, and there is an uncharacteristic quiet chatter amongst them, which enhances the feeling of cheer in the atmosphere.

Through these corridors, Bright Moon’s queen is practically dancing as she happily makes her way towards the central chambers of the castle, her bemused boyfriend in tow.

Glimmer’s steps are light and playful as she grips Bow’s hand in heartfelt emotion and pulls him along behind her.

Glimmer: [excitedly] Can you feel it, Bow?! Bright Moon! It’s . . . like when we were children! Before the war got really bad.

She stops and turns toward him, grinning.

Glimmer: [hopefully] Do you remember what that felt like?

Bow nods, smiling at her.

Bow: Of course I do! Things were really good then. But, now there’s no war at all!

Glimmer: I know! But, I guess. . . what with getting ready for my dad and worrying about Catra and everything else that’s happened since, . . . I just . . . didn’t have a chance to think about it. What that means.

Glimmer draws closer beside Bow, squeezing his hand and looking up at him with bright smiling eyes.

Glimmer: [softly] No war. No threats. No disasters. And now . . .

She gestures around them with her free hand.

Glimmer: [with quiet joy] Look around. The whole castle is different. There’s a feeling of . . . of . . . well . . . magic in the air! Haha!

Glimmer chuckles lightly, and Bow grins wider.

She points to a pair of guards walking toward them on patrol, their faces bright and animated as they talk in soft voices.

Glimmer: Even the guards are in a good mood!

As the guards draw close, they pause, falling silent, and bow deeply to their queen.

She nods to them with a beneficent smile.

A little scrap of green paper slips out from the robes of one of the guards as she raises up again. Bow and Glimmer stare at it wonderingly as it floats to the ground.

The guard bends forward to snatch it up before it touches the floor.

She straightens up, grinning sheepishly as she tucks the paper into her robes. With a little self-conscious giggle, she and the other guard continue on their way down the hall.

Glimmer and Bow turn to each other with raised eyebrows.

Glimmer: Hmm. I wonder what that was about?

Bow looks further down the hallway in the direction from which several more guards, talking quietly in twos and threes, seem to be coming.

Bow: [suspiciously] Yeah. I wonder, too. Come on.

Grasping Glimmer’s hand, he urges her to follow him as he leads her quickly down the hallway and around the corner to a smaller hallway.

Near the end of this hallway, there is a larger group of six or seven guards, all standing and talking with one another, and some of them laughing.

A few of them have removed their cowled helms, but on catching sight of the queen, one of them with dark hair and a friendly but surprised expression clears his throat and nudges his companions beside him. Within a moment, all helms are back in place, and the guards are standing at attention by the time Glimmer and Bow reach them.

Bowing low, the guards acknowledge their queen. There is a moment of awkward pause after they straighten up, broken with a word and a gesture from Glimmer.

Glimmer: [formally] Dismissed. [waving them away] Back to your duties.

The guards nod again and rush away down the hallway, muttering softly between themselves.

Bow bends over to grab a small, green leaflet left on the floor where the guards had been standing.

Bow: Something’s going on. Glimmer? Do you have any idea what everyone’s so excited about?

Glimmer rolls her eyes.

Glimmer: [knowingly] I can guess.

As Bow reads the leaflet with widening eyes, a gentle hand comes to rest on his shoulder from behind, and a grinning face comes up beside his ear.

Double Trouble: [self-satisfied] I’m sure you’ll find that I’m what they’re excited about, you darling boy!

Bow, startles, jumping to one side and turning to see the tall, lithe figure with the long shining blonde hair smiling with hands on hips. Glimmer folds her arms and repays Double Trouble’s smugness with a scowl.

Bow: [accusingly] You.

Double Trouble puts an elbow on Glimmer’s shoulder and casually examines their fingernails with a grin.

Double Trouble: [matter-of-factly] As far as opening nights go, the buzz has been pretty good.

Glimmer steps away and roughly pushes Double Trouble’s elbow off of her shoulder. They respond with breathtaking agility, transforming their momentum into a pirouette. As they spin away and come to rest facing Bow and Glimmer, their right arm sweeps upward while the other extends downward in a graceful flourish.

Double Trouble: [with dramatic sympathy] So sorry that you couldn’t attend the performance tonight! Buuut . . . I can get you in to see tomorrow’s matinee.

With a theatrical gesture, they produce another of the green flyers from their clothing and place it in Glimmer’s hands.

She grasps it, frowning downward at the page, her eyes growing bigger.

Double Trouble lowers their voice to a deliciously conspiratorial tone, leaning nearer to Glimmer.

Double Trouble: [enticingly] Half-price for royalty!

They toss their head casually and lean over to stage-whisper into Bow’s ear, a flirtatious light in their eye.

Double Trouble: And her plus-one.

Bow folds his arms and cocks his head to one side just as Glimmer opens her mouth to speak, her eyes flashing irritation.

Bow: Yee-ah. And what makes you think--?

Glimmer: [interrupting, gesturing to the flyer] The ballroom?!! [pause, glaring at Double Trouble] That’s only for special occasions!!

Double Trouble’s eyes widen, and they straighten up, touching their chest in a display of surprised sensitivity.

Double Trouble: [innocently] Well, the show has outgrown its current venue, honey, . . . and a performer must satisfy their audience! I’m sure you understand.

They gesture loosely with one hand, their posture and expression all confidence.

Double Trouble: [grinning, in a deeper tone] And as the queen, I’m sure you must also be aware that there are no other events planned in the ballroom at the moment. [smiling] And besides . . .

They lean in close, nearly nose to nose with Glimmer. Glimmer pulls back slightly, her brow wrinkling.

Double Trouble: [emphatically] Special occasions are the only kind I ever do!

They grin at Glimmer’s evident discomfort.

Double Trouble: [in a quieter tone] Oh, and, true to my word, I believe you’ll find that morale among the guards of Bright Moon has just risen to an all-time high, . . . [winking] your majesty.

They delicately tap the tip of Glimmer’s nose with their index finger.

Double Trouble: [teasingly] You’re welcome!

For a moment, Glimmer wriggles her nose and narrows her eyes at Double Trouble in irritation.

Glimmer: [coolly] Double Trouble, I think it’s time you--

Suddenly, Double Trouble’s ears twitch, and they pull away, glancing quickly to either side and blinking with wide wary eyes. They hold up a hand, and Glimmer pauses mid-sentence.

Double Trouble: [with mild trepidation] Uh-oh. [to Glimmer, quickly] Sorry to spoil the scene, darling, but it’s time for me to dash!

They turn to slip off into the small remaining group of guards to one side of the hallway. For a moment, they look back to toss a grin at Bow and Glimmer.

Double Trouble: See you from the stage!

They blow a quick cheeky kiss, and off they dash. An instant later, there is no longer any trace of them.

Glimmer turns to Bow, whose hands are folded tightly across his chest.

He shakes his head slowly.

Bow: [matter-of-factly] I still don’t like them. Just saying.

Glimmer frowns to herself.

Glimmer: That was strange. Why’d they run off like that?

A voice suddenly calls out, and they turn to see a familiar form running to meet them in the hallway. Catra.

She stops before them, hands on her thighs, her breath coming short.

Catra: [panting] Bow! Glimmer! There’s something wrong . . . with Adora! I need your help!