Welcome back to my story! 😊
Episode 76 opened with Catra and Swift Wind receiving an urgent message from She-Ra as Bow rallies the princesses for action. (Part One)
This week, I am pleased to present you with a longer chapter as the princesses, unable to use magic, develop a plan, joining together on a mission to save their friends!
But first, I would like to dedicate this week's chapter to two new friends who have joined our beloved wiki: Goober ( @Goofylittlegoober ) and Jubilee ( @.extravagant-jubilee. ) 😄
Even though you probably haven't read my fanfic before, I am hoping there is something here you will like.
And if you want to check out what came before, you can find all of my Season Six and Season Seven as part of our Fan Fiction Archive!
And now, let's see what transpires upon the return of Catra and Swift Wind to Bright Moon!
Swift Wind and Catra enter the Council Chamber side by side. Catra’s expression is serious in contrast to her grinning and self-satisfied companion.
Bow smiles widely, throwing his arms apart, as if to embrace them.
Bow: You’re back!
Without a word, Catra moves quickly to the table, beside Juliet. She leans over the tracker pad, nodding with approval.
Catra: [all business-like] You’ve already contacted the other princesses. Good.
Bow’s smile fades as he looks around.
He returns to the table, standing on the other side of the tracker pad, and looks questioningly at Catra.
Bow: What happened? Where are Glimmer and Adora?
Catra looks up sternly.
Catra: Adora needs the princesses. We’ve gotta get them to the Chamber of the Heart.
Bow regards her with wondering eyes, as Swift Wind casually strides over.
Bow: She told you that?
Catra shakes her head briefly.
Catra: No. But she sent a signal. Like the beacon.
Swift Wind nods, his muzzle poking out from over the top of the chair back.
Swift Wind: That’s right! I felt her.
Catra: [pressing] And it’s urgent. We need to bring them right away.
Bow nods to her. He picks up the tracker pad, addressing the group.
Bow: Okay. You heard that. What can we do?
Mermista’s face appears on the monitor, eyes rolling heavenward.
Mermista: Uuuuuuuuuum. Not a lot. Without our magic.
She glances outward from the screen, shrugging.
Mermista: I mean, . . . Sea Hawk’s ship is fast, but like . . . ya got a few hours?
Bow wrinkles his brow.
Bow: Scorpia? What about you? Could you take your skiff?
Scorpia appears on the tracker pad screen, chuckling uncomfortably, and tapping her chin with her claw.
Scorpia: Heh-heh. Well, in theory, that would be [her face falls] . . . completely impossible.
Scorpia cocks her head and looks upward, considering.
Scorpia: [to herself] I’m not even sure where all the pieces are!
Bow: [clutching at straws] Frosta? What about you?
Frosta’s face wears a bland expression as she replies.
Frosta: Stuck at the top of a mountain, Bow. Remember?
Bow: [deflated] Oh. Right.
Catra throws both hands into the air in exasperation and leans in toward Bow’s face.
Catra: [irritated] Arrghh!! None of you are getting this! [emphatically] This needs to happen! We don’t have time to focus on what we can’t do! We’ve got to figure this out, and do it now!!
Swift Wind sticks his head up close between them, smiling.
Swift Wind: [smugly] I hear what you’re saying, and what you’re really trying to say is . . .
Suddenly, the magnificent steed steps backwards, creating space to unfurl his wings in a brilliant display of sparkling rainbow plumage!
Swift Wind: [triumphantly] Swift Wiiiind!
There is momentary silence, as Bow sets down the pad.
He stands up straight, folds his arms, and faces Swift Wind, unimpressed
Bow: Okay, Swift Wind. How many people can you carry at a time?
Swift Wind straightens up proudly.
Swift Wind: [confidently] How many do you need?!
Bow: Frosta, Perfuma, Mermista, Scorpia, Spinnerella, and Netossa
Swift Wind tilts his head and squints in a pondering way.
Swift Wind: [considering] Uhhhhhh, lemme see . . .
He picks up a hoof and looks at it for a moment. Then he sets it down and inspects his other fore-hoof. Next, he turns his head to glance at his own back.
He turns toward Catra, who is glaring at him.
Finally, he turns back toward Bow.
Swift Wind: [innocently] Mmmmm, what was that you said about Frosta?
Bow: [nodding] Fine. Go get Frosta. She’s the most remote and the most difficult to reach over land.
There is a sudden whoop from the tracker pad.
Frosta: [ecstatically] Yes!!
All eyes turn toward the screen.
Frosta: [slightly self-conscious] Uhh, good plan. G’bye!
Frosta beams and runs offscreen.
Swift Wind raises one hoof to his forelock in a salute to Bow.
Swift Wind: [dramatically] I will not fail you in this noble mission!
He turns and springs into the air, wheeling around and gliding out of the chamber.
Bow: [sighing] Well, that’s one down. Five to go.
Catra: No! We need to simplify. We’re looking for transportation for three locations to get to the Valley of the Heart. Bright Moon, the Fright Zone, and Salineas.
Scorpia raises a claw on the tracker pad.
Scorpia: [lightly] Uh, it’s actually the Peace Zone now. Just . . . saying.
Catra: [snapping at the pad] Whatever. [raising her eyes to everyone in the room] Now, think, people! What have we got?!
Another voice arises from the tracker pad.
Mermista: Uuuuuuuuum, wasn’t there this super-fast ship that Entrapta and Adora had? The one that could go into space and travel, like, a zillion miles an hour?
Catra and Bow stare at each other wide-eyed as they listen.
Mermista: [from the tracker pad] Yeah, whatever happened to that? ‘Cause, that would come in clutch right now.
Catra and Bow: [together] Darla!
Mermista’s face frowns on the tracker pad monitor.
Mermista: Who?
Bow beams and does a little jump in the air.
Bow: [energized] Yes! If we could get help from Darla, we might be able to get all of the princesses together within minutes!
General Juliet steps in and quickly slides the tracker pad to one side.
General Juliet: If I may, master archer.
Bow nods, and she activates a control on the table, causing a pink holographic wire-frame relief image of landscape terrain to emerge from the surface of the table.
General Juliet: You’ll need a strategy, [looking toward Catra] as I understand that time is of the essence.
Catra nods and steps aside to give the General plenty of space.
Netossa and Spinnerella circle closer to the other side of the table so that they can easily see the area in question.
General Juliet: What is the current location of the ship?
Catra: Entrapta said she was “resting” in Dryl.
General Juliet points to a highland location somewhat north and west of the symbol for Bright Moon.
General Juliet: Here, then.
Catra: How far away is that?
General Juliet: About an hour and a half by foot.
Catra opens her mouth to protest, but Bow raises a reassuring hand.
Bow: [quickly] But, Entrapta gave us Darla’s frequency! if I can contact her remotely, then she could be here in a couple of minutes.
Catra nods.
Catra: That’s good. Then what?
General Juilet draws a line through the air to a location with a crescent moon icon above it.
General Juliet: From Bright Moon . . .
She moves her finger north halfway up the map toward a coastline location in an inlet.
General Juliet: To Salineas.
Then, in a wide sweep, she moves her arm to point toward the western side of the map.
General Juliet: Then the Peace Zone.
Catra steps forward and interrupts, pointing and drawing a large circle around the area where the General is pointing.
Catra: [sternly] The Peace Zone is huge. Scorpia, where exactly are you?
Scorpia’s voice emerges from the tracker pad.
Scorpia: [cheerfully] Oh, we’re easy to find. Perfuma and I have made a big camp with our people on the eastern border. We’ll be ready for you!
Catra: Good. Then stay put.
General Julilet makes a final motion of her arm, drawing a line part of the way back toward Bright Moon and pointing to a feature with a C-shaped cliff face.
General Juliet: Finally, the Valley of the Heart.
She looks up and meets Bow’s eyes with a little frown.
General Juliet: It’s quite a distance.
Bow reaches up and rubs the back of his neck, contemplating the map anxiously.
Bow: The problem is Salineas. It takes us in a completely different direction from everything else!
Suddenly the tracker pad vibrates with Mermista’s voice.
Mermista: [perturbed] Ex-cuse me! Could you not?!
Bow grabs the tracker pad and watches as the monitor image blurs away from Mermista’s scowling face and sweeps over to Sea Hawk’s bright-eyed grin.
Sea Hawk: [to Bow] Bow! Mermista and I are already out on the sea! We will alter our course and make for Seaworthy! There, we shall rendezvous!
Bow shakes his head vigorously at the tracker pad.
Bow: No! That’ll take too long. It’s too far by ship from Salineas!
The monitor blurs again as there is an apparent struggle for control of the pad.
Mermista’s voice: [from offscreen] It’s -- I’ll take that!
The image resolves on Mermista, who stares out with a bland look.
Mermista: it’s really not, though, Bow.
Bow: [perplexed] But Sea Hawk . . . when we . . .
Mermista raises an eyebrow, looking out from the screen.
Mermista: Hold on. Lemme guess. He took you on the ad-ven-tur-ous route from Sea Worthy to Salineas, right?
Bow: Uhhh . . .
Mermista: [nodding from the pad] Yeah. There’s a quicker way. We’ll be there by the time you’re ready with . . . [with an awkward expression] Darla, I guess?
Bow nods and smiles at Mermista.
Bow: Great! Okay. I’m gonna end this call, and then we’ll contact Darla. We’ll come for you all soon! Mermista first. Then Scorpia and Perfuma. Everybody be ready!
Scorpia and Perfuma appear on the tracker pad screen.
Perfuma: [serenely] We’ll be ready for you. We will be centered and calm.
Scorpia: Good luck, Bow!
The image switches to Mermista’s face.
Mermista: Yeah, we’ll be ready, too. We’ll be . . . you know, . . . us.
Sea Hawk’s face appears from the side of the frame.
Sea Hawk: [enthusiastically] Adventure!!
Mermista: [shaking her head] Really? [to Bow] Okay, ‘bye.
Bow thumbs a control, and the screen goes dark.
Catra watches him closely as he adjusts the controls.
Bow: Okay. Now for Darla.