Hello, my beautiful readers! 😊
Thank you for being so supportive.
I love writing this, knowing that you will enjoy it!
This week's part of the story is pretty emotional as the princesses gather once again so they can help their friend to survive.
So far in Episode 76:
Catra and Swift Wind brought the summons of She-Ra to the princesses (Part One), who worked together to form a plan (Part Two), but it turns out that they needed the help (Part Three) from a former enemy of Bright Moon (Part Four), who brought all their creativity and passion to convince Darla to help. (Part Five 1 and 2) Now the princesses have gathered from distant kingdoms to come to Entrapta's aid. (Part Six)
I would like to dedicate this week's chapter to Emmeline ( @Spider wed ), who has been unfailingly supportive of my fanfic over the past couple of months, and I really appreciate her!
It's time now to meet a gathering of princesses in a situation that has become desperate.
The princesses in the Valley of the Heart stand in a loose semicircle around the entrance to the Chamber of the Heart, with Swift Wind at their center, directly facing it.
He holds his head high, and his horn is glowing a bright gold that dispels what remains of the shadows around them.
The princesses look on with some awe.
Only Catra seems unimpressed, but continues to frown with a look of determination and a restless twitching of her tail.
All at once an answering glow appears from the darkness beyond the entrance, and it steadily begins to brighten. Within moments, it outshines Swift Wind’s horn, and grows brighter still.
Swift Wind whinnies in satisfaction as he steps to one side.
The princesses and their companions watch in awe as an indistinct figure of pure light approaches from within the chamber and pauses at the narrow opening between the battered and crumpled metallic doors. Two strong hands appear around the edge of the doors and press outward against the edges.
With a magnificent groaning screech, the metal crumples further as it succumbs to the irresistible pressure that forces the opening to widen, releasing a sudden brightness like the sun.
Perfuma, Mermista, Spinnerella, and Bow each raise a hand to shield their eyes, while the rest of the gathered company merely squint and turn their heads slightly away. Catra alone stares full into the light with a tiny smile.
The light of the figure fades as she steps through the opening, one white-booted leg after the other, to stand tall and confident on the vibrant green field.
Perfuma smiles jubilantly.
Perfuma: [in wonder] She-Ra!
Scorpia cocks her head questioningly, looking from She-Ra to Perfuma and back again.
Scorpia: [slightly befuddled] Wait. But . . . I thought --
She-Ra’s serious expression silences every onlooker.
She steps to one side and de-transforms to Adora, revealing . . .
Perfuma gasps and widens her eyes along with the rest. Even Catra’s confidence is replaced by a look of concern.
Hordak steps forward, cradling Entrapta. She looks smaller than ever before, and she lies frighteningly still in his arms. Her hair spills lifelessly behind her, the bulk of it gathered in a purple bundle and held in Wink’s arms. He stands beside Hordak, slumped and hugging the ball of hair to himself, his eyes full of tears, whimpering silently.
Glimmer emerges last, immediately finding Bow and moving to his side. she takes his hand, and they exchange looks of profound concern, Bow’s searching and Glimmer’s grim, with barely controlled emotions.
Perfuma: [hesitantly] What . . . what’s happened to her?
Frosta grits her teeth, frowning.
Frosta: Is she . . . ?
Adora cuts her off with a command to Hordak. She gestures off to one side.
Adora: [firmly] Bring her into the light.
Swift Wind moves ahead to make space, as Hordak follows Adora, and all the rest of the gathering follows in a straggle.
They move out of the shadow of the spire until they are standing full in the golden-orange light of the morning sun.
Swift Wind folds his legs beneath himself and lays down out in the middle of the sunshine field.
Swift Wind: [seriously, helpful] Here! She can lay against me.
Hordak walks over to him and gently crouches down to lay Entrapta on the grass, setting her shoulders and head to lean against the warmth of Swift Wind’s flank. Hordak kneels beside her near Swift Wind’s head, still holding Entrapta’s shoulders protectively. On the other side of Swift Wind’s body, Wink drops to his knees, letting go of Entrapta’s hair, where it falls over the grass like a sprawling chaotic patch of violet flowers.
Adora kneels close on Entrapta’s side, opposite Hordak. She raises her head to look over the faces of the rest of her friends standing around them. The tears glisten in her eyes as she holds them back.
Adora: [her voice husky with restrained emotions] Entrapta . . . had a Runestone. We never knew. Because it was a part of her. And . . . she shattered it. So . . . [she turns her eyes back toward Entrapta] . . . now she’s . . . fading.
Hordak: [in fearful desperation] Adora!
She meets Hordak’s eyes, and they are filled with a mixture of sorrow and fear.
Hordak: [in a low, trembling voice] She is no longer breathing.
Suddenly, Mermista clenches her fists and looks upward, her teeth gritted.
Mermista: [mirthlessly] Are you kidding me?!
Everyone turns toward her as Mermista throws herself down on her knees in front of Entrapta, shaking her head at the body of the princess.
Mermista: [in tearful outrage] No!! Are you KIDDING ME?!?!!
She grasps Entrapta’s arms and shakes them gently.
Mermista: [her voice cracking in a sob] Entrapta, wake up!! Geek girl! Pleeeease! You can’t do this to me! Not you, too!
Mermista lets her head drop, her hair falling down to bury her expression, and it is as if her energy has left her.
Everyone watches and looks at one another helplessly.
Until Sea Hawk steps forward. He places a soothing hand on her shoulder, sorrowful understanding on his face as he looks down at her.
Mermista: [softly] I just can’t take any more.
Frosta takes a step forward and stops.
Frosta: [uncertain] But, she’s not . . . She isn’t . . . Is she?
Adora looks up at her.
Adora: [firmly] No.
She looks to each of the princesses in turn.
Adora: [with intensity] Entrapta did what no one else could do. She saved us. She’s strong! Now she’s struggling! And . . .
Adora suddenly looks down at Entrapta, who seems to gasp lightly, a tiny furrow appearing on her brow. Then stillness again.
Adora turns back to the princesses in renewed desperation.
Adora: [pleading] She’s lost inside, but she is still with us as long as we’re with her!
The tears flow down her cheeks, as she reaches one hand to Entrapta and the other out to her fellow princesses.
Adora: Please! Help me! We can heal her. I’m sure of it.
She puts a hand on Mermista’s shoulder, causing her to raise her head.
Adora meets her eyes, speaking to all of the princesses through Mermista.
Adora: [evenly] But I can’t do it by myself. She needs all of our strength. Together.
Scorpia steps forward, holding Perfuma’s hand, and Frosta follows. Together they kneel down between Adora and Mermista.
Scorpia: [with assurance] We’re with you.
Perfuma: Whatever it takes.
Frosta: Right!
Mermista looks over to them, then turns her head as Glimmer leads Bow over with her and kneels down beside Hordak. Glimmer keeps a tight hold of Bow’s hand over her shoulder as he stands behind her. Mermista looks up to see Spinnerella and Netossa approach and kneel down together beside her, completing the circle.
Netossa: [nodding to Adora] We’re ready.
Spinnerella smiles and nods as well.
Mermista turns back to Adora with eyes worn from grief.
Mermista: [through her tears] But . . . our magic is gone. The Runestones . . . are dead . . .
Adora smiles, despite the tears on her face, and shakes her head.
Adora: [kindly] No. We thought the magic was gone. [continuing, with upbeat conviction] But it can’t be. The magic is Etheria. It’s part of us. Part of you!
Mermista: But, how --
Glimmer: [interrupting] Just . . .
Mermista turns to see Queen Glimmer beaming at her with caring confidence.
Glimmer: [gently] Trust Adora.
Mermista feels a warm squeeze on her shoulder. She glances overhead to see Sea Hawk’s cheerful, reassuring grin. He nods slowly to her, and she smiles, touching his hand gratefully.
Then she looks back at Adora, whose hopeful face shines in the rays of the rising sun.
Mermista nods, a half-smile mingling with her tiny frown.
Adora looks down at Entrapta and lays a gentle hand on her forehead.
Entrapta’s forehead relaxes. But she is getting weaker.
Adora: [softly] We’re here for you, Entrapta. All of us . . . and all of Etheria.
She closes her eyes.
Adora: [calmly] Please. Let us in.
Each of the other princesses lays down her hand or her claw to touch Entrapta’s body.
On her arm. Her hip. Her thigh. Her ankle. Her foot.
While Bow continues to stand behind Glimmer, holding her hand encouragingly.
While Sea Hawk’s hands lay on Mermista’s shoulders in empathetic feeling.
And Perfuma and Scorpia gently touch each other on the knee, with Frosta leaning her head on Perfuma’s arm.
With Spinnerella and Netossa holding each other closely around their waists.
Hordak faithfully embraces Entrapta’s shoulders, and Wink buries his arms and his face in her hair for comfort.
Even Swift Wind holds Entrapta with his side, and as he turns his head to lay it close beside her, his warm breath frizzles the hairlets around her ear.
Only Catra stands alone, frowning.
Taking in this vision of camaraderie . . . and love.
Finally, Catra collapses to her knees behind her girlfriend, wrapping her arms tightly around her and laying her forehead on Adora’s shoulder, eyes closed in deep feeling. Quietly, an unexpected tear emerges from her eye.
