Hello, adventurous readers! 😁
I'm glad you're here!
Did you catch the mid-week bonus post?
Well, then, let's recap for a moment.
Previously in Episode 76:
Part One: Catra and Swift Wind feel the power of She-Ra's call.
Part Two: At Catra's urging, Bow and the princesses formulate a plan to save their friends!
Part Three: Time is running out for Entrapta; and Catra, Bow, and General Juliet realize that their best chance means making a deal with a former ally and former enemy.
Part Four: Double Trouble is "a delight . . . and a menace . . . as usual"
I'm dedicating this one to Vivian ( @FlamingSunsetSecretSpitfire ) because it's been a while, and I want to!
What will happen when Etheria's most chaotic performer takes on one of their most chaotic roles? 🤔
The result is too good for one post!
So I am making it two! 😊
Look out for the second part of this chapter in a couple days as you begin your week!
Onward, friends!
The Crypto Castle lies quiet and still on the cliffs of the Kingdom of Dryl, her grayish-purple walls blending in with the natural rock faces sheltering her.
The oval windows of the castle glow with a lavender light, like the eyes of an enormous crouching spider.
Deep within, an electric humming vibrates within the space of a vast chamber. It’s source is Darla, a huge and magnificent diamond-shaped spacecraft standing empty and dormant within.
On Darla’s flight deck, a gentle electric glow in geometric patterns emanates from the floor and the wall-to-wall console surrounding it. And a large violet holographic wire-frame sphere hovers in the air, as if overseeing everything beneath.
Suddenly, the air around it shimmers, and a virtual screen unfolds, piercing the atmosphere and breaking the quiet.
Entrapta: [with urgency] Darla! Hey, Daaaaaarla!!
A bright-eyed beaming face suddenly fills the screen.
The floating sphere immediately reacts, vibrating in the air and brightening in a more vibrant shade of violet.
Darla: [with affection] Entrapta! Hello!
Entrapta’s face grins and blinks with relief.
Entrapta: [lovingly] Hi-ya, girl!! How are you feeling?!
The sphere pulsates as Darla speaks.
Darla: [with a tinge of pride] My critical systems are fully restored, all essential functions operating at 86% efficiency, and my energy reserves are nearing maximum capacity. And how are you, Entrapta?
Entrapta chuckles.
Entrapta: [ebulliently] Haha! Great!! I’ve been doing science! Sooooooo much science!!! Hahahahahahaha!!!
Darla: [seriously] Message: Bow would like to see you as soon as possible.
Entrapta: [in happy surprise] Oh! Bow is here with me!! He’s helping me out! With sci-ence!!! It’s wonderful! But now I need you, Darla! I need you here in Bright Moon right away!!
Immediately, the entire deck lights up with energy, and the huge panoramic windows brighten to display a scene of Entrapta’s laboratory outside the ship. A revving whining hum of massive engines arises all around, and the floor begins to vibrate.
Darla: I am commencing departure.
Outside the ship, as Darla begins to slowly rise, the walls and floor tremble, causing instruments strewn across workbenches to rattle, monitor screens to ripple, and thick vertical cables snaking from the ceiling to sway in sinuous rhythmic motions.
Once Darla is off the floor, the ceiling above her splits down the middle, and the two halves begin to fold back, revealing a dark sky spangled with glittering stars. Darla slowly and dramatically rears back, her bow rising to aim for the heavens. Within a few moments, the ceiling has laid the universe bear to her, and the whine of her engines rises to a gentle roar. Then all at once, in the space between one heartbeat and the next, Darla suddenly shoots into the sky, and she is underway at an astonishing speed!
Far away, in Bright Moon’s Council Chamber, Bow watches the performance with wide-eyed appreciation, while Catra, General Juliet, Spinnerella, and Netossa stand apart.
The counterfeit Entrapta gazes down at the tracker pad in her hands with a delighted gleam in her eye. The violet sphere on the screen glows with determination.
Darla: [from the screen] I am now en route to Castle Bright Moon, Entrapta, and will be meeting you there momentarily.
Entrapta/Trouble: Good girl, Darla! See you soon!
The image on the tracker pad fades to a dot, and the screen goes dark. Entrapta looks up to Bow with a wink and a grin. He blinks at this.
Bow: [slightly in awe] Double Trouble, . . . that was really--
But the purple-haired princess of science interrupts him.
Entrapta/Trouble: [in a rush of words] Applause later, Bow! ‘Cause Darla moves fast!! Come on!!
And, in a chaotic flurry of hair and feet, she bounds from the room at a terrific speed, leaving her companions to sprint after her as best they can.
