Netossa

Once again I'm reaching back to pick up one of the prompts I missed!

So what if a surprise party became a "Ninja-Shera Party"?

Please accept this silliness!

Bow, Adora, Spinnerella, Netossa and Catra were gathered in the Council Chamber of Brightmoon Castle for a little morning meeting.

"Okay," began Bow, "So, today is Glimmer's birthday, and I'm hoping you'll all help me make this really special for her."

All around the table, everyone nodded eagerly.

"So, what do you want us to do?" asked Catra.

Bow put his hands on the table and leaned in close. The others instinctually leaned in toward him, "So . . . Glimmer is still asleep, but she won't be for long, and I thought it would be neat if we could all wish her a happy birthday together, first thing when she wakes up."

Adora nodded, "Okay, sure. We can do that."

Bow frowned. "But I want it to be like a real surprise party, and I'm not sure how to make that happen."

"Oh," said Spinnerella, nodding understandingly.

Adora wrinkled her brow in confusion. "But, don't you have to have a lot of food and stuff for a party?"

"Oh, that's not the problem," Bow assured her. "I've got all the food and party supplies and stuff ready to bring to Glimmer's room, but I want it to be a surprise party."

Catra shook her head. "What's a 'surprise party'?"

"It's . . . where you plan a party, and . . . it's a surprise?" explained Bow.

"So Glimmer has to be surprised," Adora summarized.

"Yes!" affirmed Bow, "Right now, I need a way to get all of us and the stuff for the party into her bedroom and have it be a surprise."

Adora nodded seriously, "When she wakes up."

"Exactly!"

Adora tilted her head in consideration as the others watched. Then she smiled wide and nodded. "I can do that for you," she announced. "Follow me! And bring the party stuff!"

Adora led her friends, along with all the supplies they were carrying, outside of the castle and around to directly underneath Glimmer's bedroom window.

For a moment, Adora stared upward at the window and pondered something in her head. Then she nodded again.

"Wait here a moment."

As everyone else wondered what she had in mind, Adora left them for a couple of minutes, returning pushing a large wheeled cart.

"Okay, now go ahead and put all the party stuff in the cart."

They did as she suggested and then watched her expectantly.

Adora raised her hand to grasp the Sword of Protection from the air, and then quietly intoned, "For the Honor of Grayskull."

As Adora transformed, Spinnerella turned toward Netossa. "She-Ra? Why She-ra?"

Netossa smiled at her wife. "I'll bet she's gonna do something ninja! I just know it!"

She turned toward She-Ra, asking her, "Right? You're gonna do something ninja to get us all into Glimmer's room?"

She-Ra smiled proudly, knowing how helpful she was being to her friends.

"Uhhh, ninja. Sure!" she replied. "Yeah, you can just call me . . . Nin-ja-She-Ra!"

Bow looked pleased. "All right, Ninja-She-Ra! What do we all do now?"

She-Ra gestured to the cart. "Everybody get in, and I'll tell you what to do next."

Everyone amiably followed along, wondering how She-Ra was going to use her 'ninja' skills to sneak into Glimmer's room.

Once everyone and everything for the party was in the cart, She-Ra did a couple of stretches and then told everybody to "Hang on tight!"

"What?" Bow asked, suddenly slightly worried.

-----

Glimmer was sleeping as peacefully as a little lamb when the first rays of the sun came through her window. She smiled and sighed in her dreams.

But Glimmer was NOT sleeping peacefully the moment that all of her closest friends burst through her window with a thundering CRASH!!!

She sat up and practically hit the ceiling as She-Ra smashed into her room carrying a cart full of Bow, Catra, Spinnerella and Netossa, along with a birthday banquet and numerous gifts and birthday decorations!

They landed on the floor below her about as gracefully as you might expect!

Glimmer fell out of her bed with a "WAUUUGGGHH!!" and landed with a thump spread-eagled onto the floor!

Adora detransformed. "Hi, Glimmer! Were you surprised?!!"

Catra hopped out of the cart and put an arm around Adora's waist.

"Wow," she said, "Great job, Adora. I think you really surprised her!"

It's difficult to say if she was being sarcastic or genuine.

Bow stepped shakily out of the cart and almost fell over.

"H-h-happy Birthday, Glimmer! Are you . . . o-okay?" he managed, trying to sound joyful and the opposite of traumatized. He kneeled beside Glimmer and reached under her shoulders to help.

Glimmer raised her head with an expression that was half shock and half annoyance, but she cracked a little smile at Bow's sweet attempt to act like nothing strange had just happened.

Spinnerella and Netossa had fallen over amongst the party stuff and were giggling uncontrollably.

As Glimmer and Bow were helping each other up and beginning to giggle themselves, Adora turned to Catra and asked, "Ninja. That means clever, . . . right?"

Catra just shrugged.

This is my short fanfiction named A Tale of Pirates, Princesses, and Romance.

It's inspired by a post where Kit (ArchduchessKittycat) asked about our theories on how Mermista and Sea Hawk met.

In this fanfiction, Sea Hawk tells the princesses how Mermista and he met, but we can wonder how much of it is true.

Sea Hawk doesn't recall anything about Mermista trying to kill him when retelling the story.

But it isn't easy telling the princesses what happened because he keeps getting interrupted, and he only gets to say a few sentences.

I also want to say that I started and finished this today, and the editing is minimal, and there might be a couple of plot holes.

I hope you enjoy it!

--

"Who would like to hear a story…" asked Sea Hawk with an announcer's voice. "... a story of how my dearest Mermista and I met," he continued.

"Me! Yay!" shouted Frosta and made a jump of excitement.

"I'm Frosta, I am, I am…" sang Frosta.

Sea Hawk made sure to wait before beginning his story; he knew how important it was to get the chance to finish singing the shanties when you had first begun.

Sea Hawk noticed that the singing had stopped. He apparently had zoned out for a moment.

"It was in the middle of the night," said Sea Hawk and recalled the events in his head.

"I was walking home at night and passed Salineas Castle when I heard someone screaming. A princess could be heard screaming from her bedroom…" he said but was interrupted.

"That is not what happened at all," said Mermista and crossed her arms, seemingly annoyed.

Netossa and Spinnerella exchanged looks and smiled before both letting out a grin.

"Dearest, is it you or me who tells the story?" Sea Hawk asked Mermista eagerly to continue his story.

"Ugh, you do," she said.

"Let the story continue!" shouted Sea Hawk dramatically and put his right foot on top of the coffee table.

"Yay!" shouted Frosta.

"Yeah, we want to know what happened," said Scorpia.

Perfuma came out of the bathroom and walked over to her chair. Her chair where someone was already sitting. Because in her chair, Entrapta was sitting, working on some little tech thing. [Here you can hear that the author isn't the one who knows most about technology and definitely did not have research time; he started this today.]

Perfuma started to tense up, but she didn't say anything. Mermista noticed this.

"Hey, Geek Princess, you sit in the Flower One's chair," Mermista said. Entrapta didn't hear this and continued her work.

"Hello," Mermista said and tapped Entrapta on her shoulder.

"Oh, hi," said Entrapta and looked up at Mermista.

"You sit in the Flower One's chair," Mermista said and pointed at Perfuma with her thumb.

Entrapta looked behind her at Perfuma. "Oh, hi," said Entrapta, using the same greeting she had used with Mermista.

"Hi, Entrapta," said Perfuma, but Entrapta had already turned her attention to her work.

"You sit on the Flower One's chair," Mermista repeated. "Yes, you already said that," responded Entrapta.

"Can you give Perfuma's chair, where you sit, back to Perfuma?" asked Sea Hawk. The question was not asked in his usual bright and adventurous pitch but in a monotone one. He really just wanted to get back to his story. Was that too much to ask?

"Ah," Entrapta said and walked away from Perfuma's chair. Perfuma sat down; she did not look tense anymore.

Now Sea Hawk could continue his story.

"I ran and parkoured my way into the princess's bedroom. A handful of pirates were attacking my dearest Mermista. But she had already stolen my thunder! She totally kicked those pirates' butts."

When Mermista heard that, she began to smile and cheered up.

"While it wasn't a true story, it was a sweet one, Sea Hawk," said Mermista.

"And that's how we met!" Sea Hawk shouted dramatically.

It's a day late, but happy birthday, Netossa!!

She-Ra-tober Announcement Post

Fanfic #1: Rainbow

Fanfic #2: Tattoo

Fanfic #3: Evening

Fanfic #4: Purring

Fanfic #5: Leaf Pile

Fanfic #6: Sunset

Fanfic #7: Warm

Fanfic #8: Abandoned

Fanfic #9: Workout

Fanfic #10: Embarrassing

Fanfic #11: Drunk

Fanfic #12: Future

Fanfic #13: Canoe

Fanfic #14: Sleep

Fanfic #15: Rope

Fanfic #16: Kiss

Fanfic #17: Robots

Fanfic #18: Aquarium

Fanfic #19: Grandparents

Fanfic #20: Suit

Fanfic #21: Heart of Etheria

Fanfic #22: Prisoner

Fanfic #23: Roman Empire

Fanfic #24: Cuddle

Fanfic #25: Music

Fanfic #26: Enemies

For this Day 27 fanfic, it's time to stay up late with the cool kids!

Cosplay

The ice slides turned out to be a big hit at the sleepover!

They stretched from one end of the throne room to the other, passing each other and weaving in crazy curves along the way.

Netossa and Spinnerella were having a turn at the moment, zooming in from the opposite directions and sharing a high-five as they passed a point in the middle where the slides came close together!

Perfuma and Scorpia were chatting and laughing, waiting for their turn.

And Entrapta was making a careful study of the slides (with calculations concerning their friction coefficients), taking occasional breaks to refuel on tiny snacks.

Beneath them, there were tables loaded with food, as well as areas for games. Bow and Swift Wind were playing a ring-toss game. Adora, Catra, Glimmer, and Sea Hawk were competing at the Limbo to some upbeat music, while Mermista looked on, munching on a kelp-kabob.

There were beanbags and pillows scattered around the floor.

After her turn at Limbo, Glimmer stopped and looked around, frowning. "Did anyone see where Frosta went?"

She felt a sudden tug on her cape and turned the other direction to find Frosta looking up and grinning at her.

"Hey, Glimmer! I've got something really cool to show you! Come on!"

Glimmer followed her curiously out of the throne room and into a small adjoining room where there was a screened-off portion.

Frosta put a hand up. "You stay here. No peeking!"

Glimmer nodded. "Okay." And Frosta disappeared behind the screen.

After a couple of minutes, Frosta emerged with a self-satisfied smile.

Glimmer gaped! Then she laughed.

"Wow! You're a mini-me!"

"Yep!"

Frosta was wearing a version of Glimmer's entire outfit! From the gem nestled between her collar-bones down to her boots.

And she was wearing a pink and lavender wig dotted with sparkles.

"Just wait, though," she said, motioning Glimmer over, "It gets better!"

Glimmer grinned with understanding.

Over in the grand party room, Adora was offering a hand to Catra, who lay scowling on the floor under the Limbo bar. Catra swatted Adora's hand away in annoyance. "This is a stupid game," she insisted.

Catra arched her back and sprang up to her feet as Sea Hawk, standing nearby, was literally wiping sweat from his forehead with his bandana, evidently relieved by the outcome.

"Who's winning?" came a bright voice beside them.

"Sea Hawk's about to lose," Mermista explained.

Sea Hawk was quick to object. "My darling exaggerates, Glimmer. I -- " and he glanced over again in a double-take. "I mean, . . . Frosta??"

Frosta giggled. Glimmer stepped up beside her in a slightly-upscaled version of Frosta's fur-lined jacket and boots of slate blue, with dark blue short hairstyle to match. "Clearly I'm Frosta! Can't you see that?!"

Glimmer struck a pose. "Ice fists!"

Frosta moved up beside her, putting her hands out in a fighting pose. "Sparkle powers!"

"Why are you doing that?" asked Catra dryly.

Adora elbowed her good-naturedly in the ribs. "'Cause its fun, Catra!" she scolded. Turning toward Glimmer and Frosta she gestured to their outfits, and giggled. "That's really good, guys!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," said Glimmer, somewhat indignantly. She turned and continued. "Do you, Glimmer?"

"Nope. Not a clue, Frosta!" She put a hand to her mouth, stifling an amused smile.

"Well!" remarked Glimmer finally. "I believe I should go check and see how my other guests are doing." She turned on her heel and motioned for Frosta to follow.

"Yes, Frosta! I think I'll come with you!"

Glimmer and Frosta could hardly contain themselves as they surprised each of Frosta's guests in turn!

Perfuma immediately played along, which made Scorpia question her senses momentarily.

Entrapta wasn't fooled for a moment, but she didn't even seem to notice or care that Glimmer and Frosta were dressed as each other!

Spinnerella couldn't stop laughing, and Netossa shook her head, smiling at the joke.

Swift Wind noticed the difference, and he examined Glimmer very closely before asking her in all seriousness, "Something different about your hair, right?"

Bow's reaction was their favorite, as he startled strongly when he first saw Frosta as Glimmer!

After that, the party took a different, and much sillier, turn!

Swift Wind pulled his mane back and made a poof out of his forelock, then strutted around very seriously and refused to relax!

Shortly after that, Bow somehow was wearing Sea Hawk's jacket, swinging from the ceiling and yelling, "ADVENTURE!!!" while Sea Hawk tore off the lower portion of his shirt and began to sing about friendship!

Entrapta happily swung after Bow, speaking rapidly into her recorder!

Catra and Adora managed to switch tops while no one was looking, and from that point on, they just ran around chasing each other, stealing Adora's jacket back and forth, and laughing riotously!

Spinnerella and Netossa joined Mermista on some beanbag cushions with snacks, and the three of them watched all the antics.

And Scorpia and Perfuma hugged each other close, squealing and laughing all the way down the ice slides!

Glimmer and Frosta stayed in costume for the rest of the night, even as things wound down and everyone got cozy and relaxed.

In a quiet moment, Mermista turned to Sea Hawk and nodded toward their outfit-swapped friends.

"Ya know . . ." she began hesitantly, lowering her voice, "it might actually be . . . kinda fun . . . for you and me to try that some time."

And Sea Hawk replied with a soft, but enthusiastic:

"Adventure."

She-Ra-tober Announcement Post

Fanfic #1: Rainbow

Fanfic #2: Tattoo

Fanfic #3: Evening

Fanfic #4: Purring

Fanfic #5: Leaf Pile

Fanfic #6: Sunset

Fanfic #7: Warm

Fanfic #8: Abandoned

Fanfic #9: Workout

It's Day 10. Game on!

Embarrassing

Netossa was just finishing arranging the sofa pillows, plumping them up a bit the way her wife liked them to be, when she stopped to listen.

It was a rhythmic chopping sound, coming from the other room.

She frowned. "Spinney." Her voice had an accusing tone.

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?" Netossa started for the kitchen, but then the sound stopped. She paused near the doorway.

Spinnerella emerged from the kitchen with a tray in her hands. She gave her wife a slightly chilled look.

"What do you think? I'm getting things ready for our game night."

Then she brushed past Netossa on her way to the dining table.

Netossa's face fell, and she sighed. "A vegetable platter? Seriously?"

"Yes. Is there a problem with that?" Spinnerella's tone was defensively self-assured.

Netossa walked over to where Spinnerella was leaning over the table, making some quick minor adjustments to the contents of the tray.

"Honey . . . listen," she began gently, "I keep trying to tell you . . ." Netossa absently picked up a a carrot spear and gestured with it. "No one likes the vegetable platter. And it's . . . embarrassing."

She crunched on the carrot unconsciously, which attracted Spinnerella's attention.

Spinnerella glared at her wife with her head cocked to one side and her hands on her hips. "No one likes it?"

Netossa cringed a little as she looked at the carrot in her hand and grasped the irony. "Well . . . the guests hardly ever touch it." She pointed to the tray.

"It ends up just sitting there, and I feel stupid that I'm the only one eating from it. And then the vegetables dry out, and the only thing they're good for then is soup!"

Spinnerella rolled her eyes and turned back toward the kitchen.

"And you can only eat so much soup!" Netossa called after her.

Spinnerella called back, "Have you ever considered that maybe I enjoy making vegetable platters?!"

Netossa's face fell, and she looked back at the platter.

Suddenly, she saw how beautifully it was all laid out: the little cork-screw strips of radishes and the pea pods arranged to look like flowers and the home-made cream-cheese dip placed in little hills and the different colors of peppers carved in the shapes of birds . . .

"Ah, honey," Netossa sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm being so insensitive."

She turned and walked slowly toward the games cabinet, and she pulled out a small stack of board games. She brought them over to the coffee table as she spoke.

"It's just that these game nights haven't been working out so well. And half the time it's only Scorpia who shows up. They always go late, and no one knows when to leave. And then, at the end of the night, after everyone finally goes home, you and I always seem to argue."

She set the games down and slumped on the sofa.

"I'm just tired of it."

Spinnerella came into the room holding a candle in each hand. She cast a sympathetic look toward Netossa as she set them down on the dining table.

"I know that's how you've been feeling about it," she said understandingly.

She lit the candles. "But I promise tonight's game night will be different."

Netossa looked up at her. "It will?" she asked hopefully.

Spinnerella walked over with a little smile and took her wife's hands in hers. "Yes. I promise." With a little tug, she urged Netossa to stand up and follow her over to the dining table.

Netossa frowned sadly. "But how do you know?"

"Because, darling . . ." Spinnerella's smile grew a little bigger as they sat down together by the candles and the gorgeous vegetable platter.

She leaned in close to her wife, as if she was sharing a secret:

"This time, I didn't invite anyone else!" Spinnerella grinned.

Netossa looked at her wife, her eyes widening.

"What . . . you mean . . . really?"

Spinnerella beamed at her. "Mm-hmm."

Netossa finally smiled back. Her eyes sparkled.

"You know, . . . I think this might end up being the best game night ever."

Spinnerella nodded.

Then, she gently picked up a delicate vegetable shaving shaped like a rose petal, and she fed it to her wife with that kind of a look!

As Netossa chewed, they looked lovingly into each other's eyes.

And she wasn't embarrassed any longer.

But she still blushed!

Hello all She-Ra fans.

Do you know that various TV programs are subdivided into Arcs? So here's my question: How would you divide the series?

(Forgive my English)

Happy Monday, wonderful friends! 😊

I hope my post today gives you a smile to start your week.

Previously in this episode, She-Ra summoned the rest of the princesses to save Entrapta (Part One), and together they formulated a plan (Part Two), which ran into a snag (Part Three). It turned out that Double Trouble is the only one who can help (Part Four).

Part Five began with Double Trouble taking on a new role in an effort to summon Darla.

I'm dedicating this second half of the chapter to Shadow (@Shadow and Light am I right? ), and I hope she likes what I'm doing here!

It's time so see if Double Trouble can complete the unique challenge that they started, and if you didn't read the first half to this chapter, please do so here!

Ready now? Here we go!

Mere minutes later, a massive shape descends, blocking the starlight over the main entrance to Castle Bright Moon like a heavy cloud, and shivering the air with a droning whir of engines.

A perfect version of Entrapta stands on the walkway through the shallow moat, grinning upward and rocking up and down on her toes, her fingertips tapping together excitedly as she watches the mighty spacecraft Darla descend with the grace of an eagle.

Standing a few paces behind her, Bow watches with Catra beside him, his expression smiling in relief, hers with a slight frown of anxiety.

Spinnerella and Netossa approach from the steps of the castle, holding hands and sharing a hopeful glance.

As Darla’s fins touch the surface of the moat, her wide ramp unfolds from her underbelly, reaching down to touch the walkway a few feet in front of Entrapta.

Catra is the first to move.

Catra: [impatiently] Let’s go.

As she steps toward the base of the ramp, she gives the faux Entrapta a wide berth, tossing her a distrustful look. But all of a sudden Entrapta launches into motion, her ponytails striking the ground to propel her up the ramp like stilts.

Entrapta/Trouble: [gleefully] Hahaha!!!

However, after only a few long strides, the hair-stilts become misaligned, twisting into each other and causing this more clumsy Entrapta to fall, crashing head-first onto the metal with a resonant clang!

She tumbles over and sits up on the ramp, pushing aside her own hair from her face with a bemused frown, unharmed but shaken.

Entrapta/Trouble: [wonderingly, to herself] How does she do it?!?

Catra walks quickly by her, casting an amused smirk her direction, and disappears into the ship.

Entrapta shakes her head wonderingly. Then she notices an offered hand beside her shoulder.

Bow: Hey.

Entrapta looks up to see Bow’s face with the hint of a friendly smile.

Bow: You okay?

Entrapta smiles self-consciously and takes Bow’s hand, letting him help her to her feet. She nods to him.

Bow: [encouragingly] Come on.

He nods and lets go of her hand.

She follows him into the ship, trailed by Spinnerella and Netossa.

Once inside, on the huge command deck, the group spreads out, Bow and Entrapta following Catra toward the forward control panel, while Netossa and Spinnerella separate to explore either side of the deck with their individual expressions of wonder.

Entrapta’s expression is all aglow as she draws alongside Darla’s holographic sphere floating near the control panels.

Entrapta/Trouble: Great job, Darla! I knew I could count on you! We’ve got an important mission to accomplish!

Spinnerella and Netossa look upward in different directions as the air reverberates with Darla’s smooth, comforting feminine voice.

Darla: I am ready, Entrapta. What is our next heading?

For a moment, Entrapta looks uncertain.

Entrapta/Trouble: Ahhhhhhh . . .

She glances at Bow, who nods seriously to her. She turns back toward Darla’s sphere.

Entrapta/Trouble: [with the tiniest hint of regret] It’s actually Bow’s mission. I want you to follow his lead on this one. I’m . . .

She looks back toward the hatchway, where General Juliet stands at the top of the ramp, arms folded.

Entrapta/Trouble: I’m staying in Bright Moon for now. I’ve got . . . [smiling] a science-y project I’m working on!

Darla: Very well. Bow. I await your instruction.

Entrapta turns back toward Bow, eyes wide and vulnerable.

Entrapta/Trouble: And . . . Bow, . . .

She turns her eyes downward, running both hands through a thick strand of her hair.

Entrapta/Trouble: [tentatively] Thank you for . . . for giving me a chance.

She looks up at Bow with a tiny, fragile smile.

Bow hesitates, but then smiles back kindly.

Bow: Well. That’s just what a friend would do.

Entrapta/Trouble: [looking downward again] Oh. Friendship. Right.

She meets Bow’s eyes with a questioning frown.

Entrapta/Trouble: I guess that’s what Bright Moon is all about, huh?

Bow nods.

Bow: Yeah.

Entrapta looks at him and smiles.

Entrapta/Trouble: [with sincerity] I’ll try to remember that. Good luck, Bow.

And she raises up a little on her ponytails until she is level with Bow and close enough to plant a small kiss on his cheek. She pulls back quickly as Bow startles, eyes widened in surprise.

Entrapta turns to Catra and smiles at her.

Entrapta/Trouble: Good luck, Catra.

As she begins to rise up, Catra hurriedly steps backwards, holding her hands up in a warding gesture.

Catra: [firmly] N-no, Dou--! I mean, . . . Entrapta! That’s okay! I’m good. But . . . [with a little smile] thanks for . . . you know.

Entrapta smiles and giggles nervously, and there is a strange momentary flash of yellow in her eyes, which disappears in an instant.

Entrapta/Trouble: Oh! Hahahaha! Sorry! I just got a little . . . ! Well . . .

She steps backward toward the hatchway beside General Juliet, who watches her suspiciously.

Entrapta grins at Bow and Catra with her characteristic enthusiasm.

Entrapta/Trouble: Good-bye! And truly! Good luck with the mission!!

She executes an odd little bow, her hair waving over her head. Then she turns quickly and scampers down the ramp out of sight.

General Juliet performs a more formal bow, then turns to follow.

Outside, under the night sky and three of Etheria’s glowing moons, Entrapta and General Juliet turn back to see the ramp retract and Darla begin to rise to the humming whine of her engines. The massive craft rotates in place high overhead, before momentarily glowing with energy and careening off over the cliffs.

General Juliet’s attention is drawn to a creeping black shadow that flows over Entrapta’s form, quickly obscuring her body from her boots to the tips of her ponytails. The shadow seems to contract in on itself, and the featureless body thins and stretches. Within a few seconds, the darkness recedes and evaporates, revealing Double Trouble’s lithe reptilian physique and an expression of mild concern.

They turn their gaze to General Juliet.

Double Trouble: Here’s some free advice, honey. Whatever role you’ve got . . . whether you’re the star . . .

They turn back to stare into Darla’s invisible wake.

Double Trouble: . . . or just the opener . . . always commit.

They frown and sigh.

Double Trouble: [quietly] I . . . I only hope it was enough.

There is a beat in which General Juliet’s expression toward them softens a little.

General Juliet: [reassuringly] Knowing the queen as I do, I believe I can say that when she hears of your performance, . . . she will be pleased.

Double Trouble smiles at this, and their eyes brighten as if they suddenly hear the world applauding.

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.