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scottpetersen · 2 years ago

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Compare/Contrast of Princess Sofia And Adora AKA She-Ra

Ok. Here I’ll be doing a compare/contrast between Princess Sofia from the TV series Sofia The First and Adora from the TV series She Ra And The Princesses Of Power. It occurred to me that these 2 are surprisingly similar but are still a bit different. Also, Spoiler Alert for the Sofia The First TV series and the She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power TV series. With that out of he way, let’s dive right in.

Both of them have suddenly been thrusted into a life among royalty. As shown in ‘Sofia The First Once Upon A Princess’, Sofia was thrusted into being a princess and had trouble adjusting to the royal traditions in the castle and as shown in ‘Razz’, Adora was thrusted into living at Bright Moon Castle and, as shown in ‘The Sword Part 2’, she had trouble adjusting to the parties and festivals at Bright Moon. The difference between them here is the circumstances behind the massive change in their lives. As also shown in ‘Sofia The First Once Upon A Princess’, Sofia became a princess because her mother married the king of Enchancia and as shown in ‘The Sword Part 2’, Adora defected from an evil army called the Horde after finding out the atrocities they committed. While Sofia’s transition to her new life was a massive shift, it still happened during times of peace while Adora’s transition to her new life happened during times of war.

Both of them came upon a certain magical object that they then use from that point on. Sofia came upon the Amulet Of Avalor in ‘Sofia The First Once Upon A Princess’ and Adora came upon the Sword Of Protection in the episode ‘The Sword Part 1’. It was also later revealed that both Sofia and Adora coming into possession of their magical objects was a part of someone else’s plan. In Sofia’s case, her coming into possession of the Amulet Of Avalor was a part of Princess Elena’s plan to free Princess Elena from the Amulet Of Avalor as shown in ‘The Secret Of Avalor’. In Adora’s case, her coming into possession of the Sword Of Protection was a part of Light Hope’s plan to activate the Heart Of Etheria even if it meant destroying Etheria. The difference between them here is that the plan Sofia was a part of was a plan that involved helping someone whereas the plan Adora was a part of involved hurting everyone. Another difference between them here is that whereas Sofia went along with Elena’s plan, Adora decided to thwart Light Hope’s plan.

Both of them were friends with someone who felt that they weren’t getting good recognition and who were willing to resort to evil deeds in order to get it. For Sofia, that someone was Cedric. For Adora, that someone was Catra. As stated in the song ‘Cedric The Great’, Cedric felt that he wasn’t getting good recognition because he was always told since he was a lad that he’s “the worst sorcerer the kingdom’s ever had”. So, he decided to try to take over the kingdom. And as shown in the episode ‘Promise’, Catra felt that she wasn’t getting good recognition because Shadow Weaver constantly ignored her in favor of Adora. Therein lies the difference between Sofia’s relationship with Cedric and Adora’s relationship with Catra. Unlike Adora, who was childhood friends with Catra, Sofia only met Cedric for the first time relatively recently. Sofia was a third party who wasn’t (inadvertently or otherwise) involved in Cedric getting mocked was probably one of the things that allowed Sofia’s and Cedric’s relationship to start off fresh and then go on to flourish whereas Adora getting shown approval by Shadow Weaver at Catra’s expense is what led Catra to grow to despise Adora because Adora was always at the center of Catra’s turmoil even if Adora didn’t mean to be. All that being said, both Sofia’s relationship with Cedric and Adora’s relationship with Catra were able to persevere through it all. But they did so in different ways. In the episode ‘Day Of The Sorcerers’, Sofia, despite her own anger at Cedric for his evil deeds, reached out to Cedric which led to him giving up and later helping to stop Grimtrix. In the episodes ‘Remember’ and ‘The Portal’, Catra risked all of Etheria to get her way which led Adora with no choice but to stop trying to reach out to Catra. Unlike Cedric, Catra sadly had to find her own way back to the light. As shown in the episode ‘Destiny Part 2’, Double Trouble torments Catra by shape-shifting into the various people Catra has wronged and telling her that they weren’t the problem and that Catra herself was which caused Catra to realize the error of her ways and, later in the episode ‘Corridors’, allowed Catra’s childhood memories with Adora to inspire Catra to do the right thing and help Glimmer escape Horde Prime. Sofia gave a helping hand to Cedric to guide him back to the light whereas Adora was left with no choice but to leave Catra to find her own way back to it.

Both of them tend to put others first at the expense of themselves too much. As @cedricthedork pointed out in his/her (his or her gender wasn’t exactly pointed out on his or her blog profile) Does Sofia Have Too Much On Her Plate And Is She Putting Too Much Pressure On Herself ? post, throughout the Sofia The First TV series, Sofia has been having too many responsibilities between being a princess, being Storykeeper and being a member of the Protectors. And since all those positions involve helping people in some form or fashion, this shows that Sofia is putting others at the expense of herself too much. Adora also puts others at the expense of herself too much as shown in the episode ‘Heart Part 2’ where Adora thought about sacrificing herself to stop Horde Prime. This was also shown in the episode ‘The Beacon’ where Adora left to find the Beacon to help heal Glimmer alone. Sofia was called out on it by Amber and Mandy in the episode ‘Camp Wilderwood’ after they realized that Sofia was so busy making sure they got partnered up with each other that Sofia herself forgot about getting herself partnered up with someone. I think that as a result and as time went on, Sofia was able to learn that she shouldn’t overwork herself because as shown in the episode ‘The Elf Situation’, Sofia was fully willing to have fun and knew that there wasn’t anything wrong with having fun and getting a break from hard work if you aren’t grown up yet. Adora also learned that she shouldn’t overwork herself as shown in the episode ‘Heart Part 1’ where Mara, the previous She-Ra before Adora, told Adora “you’re worth more than what you can give to other people. You deserve love too.” and in the episode ‘Heart Part 2’ where Catra told Adora not to give up and come back as Adora was about to die. The difference between Sofia and Adora here is what caused them to think of others at the complete expense of themselves in the first place. As cedricthedork also pointed out in his/her Does Sofia Have Too Much On Her Plate And Is She Putting Too Much Pressure On Herself ? post, Sofia’s transition from her old life in the village to her new life as a princess was a massive shift that was one of the main things that caused Sofia to think of others at the complete expense of herself because, as cedricthedork also said in that post, Sofia felt like she didn’t belong there since she wasn’t born into it which means that Sofia felt like she had to prove herself even if it was at the expense of herself. And as stated in the She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power Wiki, the reason why Adora thinks of others at the complete expense of herself is because of Shadow Weaver’s emotional abuse during Adora’s time in the Horde. I think I agree with that because Shadow Weaver always put Adora on a high pedestal as shown in the episode ‘Razz’ where Shadow Weaver was insistent on bringing Adora back since she believed that Adora was the only suitable candidate to be a new Force Captain for the Horde. So, in order to learn that they shouldn’t overwork themselves, Sofia had to adapt to her new life whereas Adora had to break free from the influence of her old life.

Well, that’s all for this post.

See you all next time.

#disney #sofia the first #princess sofia #she ra and the princesses of power #adora #spoilers

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lefemmerougewriter · 3 years ago

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Royal Crisis: Elena’s Dilemma and Isa’s Internal Strife

This teen and up story is the fifth part of my “The Avaloran Chronicles” series, using Elena of Avalor and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power characters. All in all, this was a hard story to write because it’s so sad, but I had to write it and put it together, and due to the suicide attempt, I rated this fic as teen and up (and originally as mature, but after finding that AO3 age-restricted it and said it "could have adult content content" which is untrue, I changed it to this rating). Fair warning, this story discusses (and portrays) attempted suicide, and while I won’t say what character does this, I will say that this fic gets relatively dark towards the end. So, if that topic triggers you in one way or another, then please don’t read this story. I hadn’t originally intended the said character to do attempt ending their life in this story, but it made sense based on everything that this character has been through.If you are having thoughts of suicide, or if this story triggers any thoughts of suicide in you, please reach out to those on /r/SuicideWatch, or use this page by the International Association for Suicide Prevention to locate resources and hotlines that can help you in your region.

Romantic pairings: Elena Castillo Flores / Naomi Turner, Adora / Catra, Francisco Flores / Luisa Flores

Friendships: Elena Castillo Flores & Isabel Flores, Gabriel “Gabe” Nunez & Naomi Turner, Adora & Isabel Flores, Catra & Isabel Flores, Elena Castillo Flores & Zuzo, Mateo de Alva & Isabel Flores, Mateo de Alva & Naomi Turner

Words: 4.5k

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34475038

Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/1254712517-the-avaloran-chronicles-royal-crisis-elena%27s

Characters: Elena Castillo Flores, Naomi Turner, Isabel Flores, Gabriel “Gabe” Nunez, Adora, Catra, Zuzo, Francisco Flores, Luisa Flores, Mateo de Alva

Summary: After learning from Zuzo about the horrifying act she committed, by proxy, Elena begins questioning herself more than ever before. She wants to leave everything behind. However, if she decides to go down that path, it will have a ripple effect, affecting her wife, Naomi, her sister Isa, and the realm of Avalor itself! Meanwhile, Isa decides that now is the time to seize power from the usurpers on the throne, but is she going too far? Will everything just fall apart?

Elena was racked with guilt. Had she really ordered the assassination of a man who led an armada to pummel Avalor into submission? She couldn’t believe it. How could she do such a monstrous thing? While she had sent several villains to the Spirit World in her years as a princess, a queen-in-waiting if you will, she had never given the command to kill anyone. It stood against everything she had fought for all these years. She shuttered at the thought she was becoming just like Shuriki. She threw her crown to the ground and began sobbing.

Naomi tried to comfort her. “Nena, it's okay…we all make mistakes…Zuzo will understand.” Elena hugged her wife back. She hoped Naomi had it right. She sighed. She knew what she had to do. It would be a hard decision, after all her years as a monarch, but it had to be done. “Nomes, I’m going to abdicate.” Naomi gasped. She never expected those words to come out of Elena’s mouth. Had she lost it? Did she really want to give up on something she had struggled so hard to get? It made no sense. Naomi wanted to make sure she heard it right. “You don’t want to be…queen anymore?” she asked innocently. Elena nodded. The responsibility had become too much to bear. Thinking for a second, while stroking her wife’s hair, she had an idea of who the next monarch would be. “And you, Nomes, will take my place. I’ll be a queen ex-officio. I would only be an advisor and wouldn’t have any queen-related obligations.” This surprised Naomi. She thought that the right of succession went to Isa rather than her. But she didn’t question Elena's logic. After all, who doesn’t like to be in power? It would a chance to show Avalor who she was, and that she could lead the realm out of a dark time.

Isa, a 31-year-old woman, was more than old enough to be queen. Her sister Elena, on the other hand, was seven years older. “What about your sister?” Naomi asked. Shaking her head, Elena laughed. She guessed, and expected, that Naomi would mention it, and had prepared a response. She hated going into social situations and being unsure of what to say. She cleared her throat. “Right after we married, I signed a royal proclamation stating that in the event of a royal abdication, the chancellor will take on all responsibilities of the monarch, while said monarch will move into a queen ex-officio role.” She further explained that since Isa wasn’t 18 years old at the time of the proclamation, Francisco and Louisa had agreed on her behalf. She also noted that once Isa reached age 18, she agreed to this proclamation only if one proviso was added: that the royal princess become next in line for royal succession if anything should occur to those on the royal council, including the chancellor. With the royal council as a generally inoperative entity, Isa may have believed that she had the right to royal rule through that proclamation, while Elena interpreted it differently. She didn’t think her sister was capable enough to run Avalor by herself. Furthermore, she saw Naomi as better suited for the job.

Elena chuckled. She held Naomi’s hand tightly. “Are you ready for this?” Naomi grinned. She would do anything for Elena. She knew that her wife had been stressed out with everything that had been going on, especially with preparations to protect Avalor City and defending the city from the mechanical menaces. She believed this abdication would provide Elena with some much-needed rest. “I most certainly am” she remarked. Walking outside the palace walls, Elena and Naomi wheeled out a device that Isa created and had dubbed the “voice-omatic.” The device allowed a person to project their voice across long distances. In a cruel twist of fate, one of the people who heard them was none other than Isa herself.

Reaching the town square, of the many in the city, Elena began speaking. “Citizens of Avalor City…I have an announcement to make. I am hereby abdicating as queen of the Queendom of Avalor.” Murmurs could be heard among the surprised citizens. They had never expected Elena would do something like this. It also seemed strange and suspicious at it happened while the city was still rebuilding from damage the city incurred from the Steamlandian Armada and the realm at risk from possible “foreign invaders.” Naomi picked up where her wife had left off. She stepped forward and finished Elena’s thought. “With the abdication of Elena Castillo Flores, per Royal Proclamation No. 3, I, Naomi Turner, Royal Chancellor of Avalor, have been granted the powers of a monarch.”

The crowd remained silent. They were unsure what to expect. None of them had been through any change in leadership. Royal rule in Avalor usually passed down through the family, from father to son, mother to daughter. “Ms. Isabel Flores shall take over in my stead if I am in any way incapacitated. My first order of business to rescind all restrictions implemented to respond to the impending invasion of this city and this realm,” Naomi added. That wasn’t all. She would say something that no one saw coming. Elena whispered in her ear that she’d like to grant the people of Avalor more power over their lives. Naomi accepted this suggestion wholeheartedly. “I hereby declare that Avalor is no longer a queendom, but a regency. Elections will be held for seats in the Avaloran Parliament. The monarchy will be hereby abolished!” The people were stunned. No one had ever spoken about the creation of a legislature. Some had heard about it from other kingdoms like Norberg, but no one expected it would ever come to Avalor. With this new development, the populace could, in theory, control their own destiny without a monarch telling them what to do, although democracy never was that simple or straightforward. Cheers erupted from the crowd. “This is what democracy looks like!” one onlooker declared. Achieving that democratic goal would not be easy, little did they know.

Isa heard the commotion. Her anger began boiling. How could she be cut out of the line of royal succession? She found her sister’s actions despicable and saw Naomi as an unwitting accomplice. She believed a conspiracy against her had been growing and negative thoughts began filling her head. At that very moment, Adora and Catra walked into her lab, believing that Isa must have fixed their spaceship by now. They saw no reason to stay in Avalor, since the battle against Steamland had been won, and both wanted to continue on their merry way across the universe.

“Hey, Isa, what’ya doing?” Adora said, unknowingly stealing the phrase from someone else on the other side of the universe. Isa cackled maniacally. It made Adora recoil and Catra hide behind her in fear. “I am formulating a plan to…take over Avalor.” Neither one knew what in the world she was talking about. They thought she had a respectable job heading the science academy in Avalor. Why would she want to be the ruler of Avalor itself? Wasn’t that a lot of work…and responsibility? It didn’t make a lick of sense, not in the slightest.

“Uh huh. Ruling over people is challenging,” Adora snidely remarked. “Tell me about it,” Catra said in a rejoinder to Adora and rolled her eyes. Isa continued to snicker. The snideness and dismissal by Adora and Catra did not faze Isa. The anger inside of her had manifested itself in hostility toward Elena and even Naomi. She wanted to be in control of Avalor by any means at her disposal. She believed she deserved to be the ruler of Avalor more than a girl from the port, from the kingdom of Norberg, that her sister happened to marry 18 years ago.

“I present my Explode-Inator! At one point of this device, it causes things to explode instantly” Isa thundered. As she began to rattle off a backstory about the device, Adora cut her off. She would not let Avalor, a place she had defended go down the tubes, or let one of her friends hurt those she cared about, like Elena and Naomi. It wouldn’t be right. She had to put a stop to this right here and now. “Hey, let’s calm down a little here. We can work something out…Naomi and your sister are reasonable people.”

Isa stared at her with disdain. She thought, at that moment, that Adora was in her way, an enemy of the monarchy. She sneered. “How dare you say that! I’ve been through so much…no one, not even my own sister, appreciates me…what you said is the last straw.” As Adora prepared to draw her sword and transform into She-Ra, Isa pulled out a bluish sparkling guitar. It had once been used by Tito to hypnotize Elena, Naomi, Mateo, and Gabe to do his bidding. Isa strummed on it with vigor. She told her story of woe, putting Catra and Adora into a trance.

“As a young girl, I remained in Elena’s shadow

People praised her even when she began glow

I must reclaim what is rightfully mine

To not make me a ruler is a crime

This must end

Elena is my sister

But I must resist her!

I deserve to ascend”

Isa continued playing the guitar. Adora and Catra mindlessly dropped their weapons without a second thought. She laughed. While using the guitar had been a measure of last resort, she saw it as necessary and believed that she had no other choice. She could not let power slip out of her hands. She justified this through her belief that the royal ruler of Avalor needed to be a native Avaloran not someone who wasn’t born in Avalor and only had power because of their relations with the former queen.

The fact that Naomi had lived most of her life in Avalor didn’t matter to Isa at this point, not when that meant a loss of privilege and power. She believed that if Elena magically disappeared, then that would strengthen her position. So, she planned to incapacitate both her sister and Naomi, temporarily, and lock them in the dungeon, in a hair-brained attempt to achieve her goals. This plan seemed extreme, but she would do anything to make sure she wasn’t deprived of something she saw as her birthright.

Back in the royal palace, Elena began to think over everything that transpired, from Naomi’s ascension as royal ruler to her abdication. A blue flash blinded her and Zuzo appeared in front of her. He grumbled. “The task is done…the assassination has been ordered.” She glared at Zuzo with fury. She couldn’t believe he had taken her seriously in the moment following the bombing of Avalor City. Did he not understand human emotions? She lashed out. “Zuzo, how could you? I wasn’t of a right mind then…you shouldn’t have listened to me!” He breathed deeply. He feared she would say this. He shook his head. “No, no, Elena, I’m a chanul and as your spirit guide, I have to follow what you say no matter what, especially since you have saved me all those times in the past…I am deeply indebted to you.” Elena recognized he was right. She couldn’t ask him to disregard her words sometimes and then other times follow them to the letter. That wouldn’t make sense. She had to accept the reality. “Fine, Zuzo. Can…I stop it?”

He stared deeply into her eyes with worry. He gulped by what he was about to say next. It could put Elena’s life, and everything she worked for as a princess and a queen, in danger. It might be the most dangerous thing she had ever done. “Yes…but you need to go to…Hell.” Elena was confused. She had heard that phrase in the past and had some recollection it was used when a person wanted to put someone else down. Clearly annoyed, she came close to him, and right in his face. “WHAT did you say to ME?” Zuzo began to cower. He never liked when she acted like this, and it always made him nervous. He meekly answered. “The…location...of Hell…I didn’t mean any disrespect to you…that is the place to go.”

Elena felt relieved. She had a sense that Zuzo wasn’t insulting her, but she was a bit on edge recently with all that had happened. As such, she jumped to a negative conclusion more quickly instead of approaching what he said more rationally or with more emotional intelligence. She had one question for him before embarking on this quest. The answer would decide whether she’d go or not. “Can…I come back? It’s not like I’d be stuck down there…right?” Zuzo shrugged his shoulders. He didn’t know how to answer her question. He had always been able to move easily between realms, but…what about a human? He wasn’t sure. “I…don’t know, Elena…you may come back…or you may not.”

She began weeping uncontrollably. She couldn’t imagine leaving Naomi behind after everything they had been through. On the other hand, she wanted to live up to her mistakes. She did not want anything to drag her down. She stamped her foot on the ground. “I’ll do it.” Zuzo was scared but also also proud of her. He recognized that she had not been averse to taking risks, but this would be different. Part of him believed that she would make it back somehow. “Elena, write this down: Immediate Murder Professionals. They are also called I.M.P. You can’t miss 'em.”

Elena nodded as she quickly scrawled out a letter to Naomi and wrote what Zuzo told her on another piece of paper. As a tear came down her cheek, she ran over to the adjacent room. Naomi was napping there, tired after a long day. She placed the letter in front of Naomi and put a rock on top of it to hold it down. She moved closer to her wife and tried to hold in her emotions.

“I’m sorry Nomes, but…I have to leave…I’m sorry for…everything.” She kissed her on the cheek. She ran back to the other room, grabbing the piece of paper with the information Zuzo had told her, and stuffed it into her dress pocket. He turned his head toward her. He wanted to make sure she was prepared. “Elena, are you ready for this?” She indicated her agreement by nodding. He grabbed her hand, and they traveled through the floor as spirits. They were moving so quickly that she couldn’t even comprehend what was happening. Suddenly, they stopped without warning. Zuzo whispered, “this is where…I let you go…I cannot go any further.” As his grip of her loosened, he began to shed tears. It was hard to do this, especially since thought this might be the last time that he ever saw her. He waved to her. “Elena…best of luck!” As she fell quickly toward the ground, she had no idea of what lay ahead of her. Even so, she remained determined to rectify her mistake.

Back in the Royal Palace, Naomi yawned. She had enjoyed her siesta, napping on the living room couch. Becoming the royal ruler of Avalor, her wife’s abdication, and everything else that had occurred made her exhausted. So much was changing and so fast. She reached out and her hand touched a piece of paper and she felt something she didn’t expect…the royal seal. She threw aside the pillows and sheets, causing them to fall onto the floor in an instant. She knew something was wrong. Why would there be a letter with a royal seal right next to where she had been sleeping? Was Elena trying to tell her something? She didn’t know. She read the letter, after moving the rock which had been holding it down, with interest:

“My sweetest Nomes, I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble. I have to go to this place called ‘Hell’ and meet those who are ready to kill the person I told them to…I have to own up to my mistakes…I love you dearly, Nomes and I will do everything I can to get back to Avalor. If I don’t come back, just remember that I love you and will never forget you.”

After reading this letter, Naomi started tearing up. She had so many tears that paper itself started to deteriorate. She wiped her tears from her eyes. She believed she had no choice but to be cold, calculating, emotionless, and rational. She wanted to be as strong a leader as Elena and she couldn’t be, she believed, in this state of mind with a whole city and country to govern. This determination, however, didn’t stop her from becoming morose and despondent. She sullenly walked to the edge of the royal palace grounds, overlooking the sea, holding the letter in her hand. A swift breeze snatched it out of her hand. She reached for it once, then let it fly away. She solemnly stared out into the sea and stood in a single spot while the storm from the vast ocean began to roll in, as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

The letter moved quickly through the air above the city, from building to building, roof to roof, until it reached the Avalor Science Academy, sometimes called the Royal Academy of Science. Isa had left a window open to enjoy the cool breeze. As fierce winds started blowing, she tried to close the window. Struggling, she quickly closed it and felt relieved, surprised to see a letter on the ground. It had a royal seal and was a bit damp, she guessed from tears or some liquid.

Reading every line carefully, she came away flabbergasted. Elena had gone to this place, “Hell” and might not be coming back…EVER. Elena's departure had fulfilled all the negative thoughts she had about her, as it would make it all the easier for her to become the ruler of Avalor. However, she didn’t want it to happen this way… and not like this! It seemed wrong on so many levels. She asked herself: am I doing the right thing? She answered that question with a definite no.

Grabbing the blue sparkling guitar, she smashed it to the ground, causing it to dissipate into dust, fading from the world and universe, not even entering the Spirit World. Like Elena and Naomi, she had begun bawling and fell to the ground. Catra and Adora, who were now out of Isa’s spell, shook their heads. What happened? Why were they still in the Science Academy?

Catra, a bit dazed, remained on the floor, along with Adora. Seeing that Isa was shedding tears, she tried to approach her. “Isa, it's okay…we can help you.” She looked at them teary-eyed and regretful. She could not justify her actions from before and wouldn’t try to rationalize them. How could you justify hurting people you care about and for such a selfish reason? Her scientific brain remained unable to process the awful things she had said and how she had tried to hurt her friends.

Reaching for a medical kit on the table, she pulled out two syringes. She knew what she had to do. They had to be spared. She would not let them suffer anymore. So, she stuck each of them with needles filled with some unknown substance. It caused them to become woozy and light enough for Isa to carry. Catra turned to Isa and asked, “why are you doing this?” That is when she revealed it all. She didn’t know if Catra or Adora would remember what she was about to say, but she didn’t care. She had to tell someone. “Elena…is gone! She may never come back…and everything I did to you…all the destruction I wanted to cause to my home…I can’t live with myself anymore…It all must pass.”

Although she had begun succumbing to the effects of the concoction, Adora attempted to plead with her to not end her life. “Please, Isa, you have so much live for…don’t do it!” Having her friend, albeit a new one, act like this made Adora sad and concerned. She had experienced such intense emotions in the past, so she tried to relate and connect with Isa the best she could. Carrying Catra and Adora, who were as light as a feather, Isa’s eyes were still filled with tears. She brought them near the portal to Steamland. She wanted them to be as far away from her lab as possible. She would do anything to make that happen. “I’m sorry, Catra and Adora, but you have to go…have a good life.” Throwing them through the portal, Adora shrieked. Still a bit conscious, she made one last attempt to reach her friend. She didn’t want to give up, especially not on someone as smart and creative as Isa. “Please wait…you don’t have to do this!” she cried out.

Isa looked at the portal tearfully. She grabbed a metal pipe and started to bash in the portal’s frame. “I’m sorry for everything I put you through…I just want to be…alone.” As the inter-dimensional gateway to Steamland started to fall apart, when it exploded, she was thrown across the room, and injured, with skinned knees and arms. On the other side of the universe, Adora and Catra were hurled onto a city street, finding themselves in Steamland once again. Both collapsed from utter fatigue, mostly due to the concoction. What awaited them there, no one could guess.

Scratching her head, Isa stopped the waterworks and pushed down her emotions. She knew what she had to do. She pulled a cord, which caused bells across the science academy to ring. Those inside knew what to do: they had to evacuate. The procedures, something that Isa had designed many years ago, were clear. After seeing that everyone was outside the building, she locked every door to her lab, sealing it off from the rest of the academy. As she began powering up her Explode-Inator, she stuck herself with a needle filled with the same substance she had used on Catra and Adora. As she started to gather some of the most volatile substances in her lab in one area, preparing it like a bomb, she thought over everything in her life. Had it all come to this? Was this the end? Sullen, she snapped out of it and realized that Adora had been right. She had so much to offer this world and the people of Avalor.

Isa panicked, desperately trying to turn off her device. She wanted to live. She did not want to die. But it was too late. She resigned herself to her fate. In the process, she accidentally touched the device’s self-destruct button. This deactivated it and simultaneously caused it to detonate, igniting the nearby substances, destroying the entire lab in huge explosion of untold energy. As the ground shook, the academy’s scientists, thinking this was another attack by the Steamlandian Armada, ran in all directions, screaming their heads off in utter terror.

Naomi, moping to herself, ready to be drenched by the imminent downpour, was abruptly pulled out of her funk, not even noticing the tremors from the blast at the academy. Gabe came running over to her. “Something’s happening at the science academy, Nomes…a big blast…a detonation of some device.” When he said that, she snapped back to reality. She had to act like a leader. The time for acting sad about her wife had to wait, at least for now. She spun around and faced him. Her eyes were still bit puffy from her tears.

“We have to go…NOW!” she shouted. He couldn't agree more and appreciated her being so determined. Both quickly prepped and hopped onto their horses, riding as fast as they could to the science academy. As the storm clouds came closer, they both barely rode out the storm. In no time at all, they reached the smoldering ruins of what had been Isa’s lab. Naomi searched across the rubble with her eyes in horror. “Isa!” she exclaimed. “Are you there?” As the guards removed more of the rubble, they found her lying on the ground, lifeless and unmoving. This devastated Naomi. From her perspective, she had lost one person, her wife, and she wouldn’t lose another.

Holding Isa in her arms, she rode as fast as she could back to the royal palace, even as the rain began to pick up and she became soaked in the process. Her tears were washed away by the falling rain. “We need a doctor!” she shouted. Royal guards were dispatched to find a doctor somewhere in Avalor City and to calm down the frenzied scientists who had run from the academy. Gabe, for his part, cordoned off the academy. He put it under the protection of the royal guard, ensuring that no one could go in and out, and began an investigation into the cause of the destruction. He was, of course, worried about Isa, but he had a job to do as the head of the royal guard.

Somehow, Naomi made her way back into the palace in record time, holding Isa in her arms, and escaping the torrential downpour. Luisa and Francisco, who were making some tea for themselves, were shocked to see her come back with their granddaughter in her arms. Coming closer, Luisa asked, “is…our little mija ok?” Naomi shrugged her shoulders. How would she know? She began to bawl her eyes out, even more than before. “Isa is non-responsive…she’s unconscious…I’m really worried about her,” she told them.

Francisco said something which echoed what his wife had said. He stared at her, anxiously, and stroked Isa’s hair. “My beautiful mija…we will do what we can for her.” Naomi nodded. That is all she wanted and all she hoped for. She could have cared for Isa herself but remained grateful that Luisa and Francisco were there to help. She then remarked, “I hope Isa is ok.” Luisa smiled. She knew her granddaughter would make it through this. She remained convinced she’d bounce back. “Our dear Isa is a strong woman…she will make it through this.” As they did all they could to help her, Luisa, Francisco, and Naomi awaited a doctor. Isa's fate would be in the hands of her own body and those caring for her.

During the downpour, a man wearing robes and a hood, who almost looked like a monk, stood on a nearby cliff overlooking the royal palace. He had traveled far and wide on his magical journey from the mountains and had now returned to Avalor, at long last. His long trek had ended. He had so much to share. He heard screaming from the palace, followed by: “ISA, WHY? You are all I have left! Elena is gone…I don’t want you to leave me!” He knew that voice: it was Naomi. What was going on? Where had Elena “gone”? Was Isa in peril? Sensing the danger, he yelled “Llévaluq!,” causing him to float and reach the royal palace in a split second. He wanted to help in whatever way he could, and he had come back at just the right time.

***********

End Note: The song sung by Isa combines elements of “More, More, More” sung by Anthony Ramos in Elena of Avalor, and “Crossing the Line” sung by Eden Espinosa in Tangled. Also, I guess I kinda made Isa like Doofenshmirtz at first, probably because I have been watching a lot of Phineas and Ferb, and later changed the story at the end, to make it open ended. It makes sense that Isa goes this far because in the first story she is undoubtedly traumatized after Elena gets injured following their return from Steamland, is stunned over the return to Steamland in the second story, fires the cannons at the invading Steamlandian Armada in the third story, and helps to put out the fires in Avalor City in the fourth story. She remains very close to Isa, so her response here might seem extreme to some, but it makes sense based on what her character has been through. Additionally, before writing the content/trigger warning in the A/N, I did look at (and responded to) some discussions on /r/fanfiction on this topic before writing that.

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princesssolaria · 4 years ago

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@travmsoldat continued from here

Adora smiled. Despite the frequent interruptions to her education, she was a good and eager pupil (much to the relief of her father’s uncle) and she relished in any opportunity to help her father when she could. She peered over the parchment with an almost comical level of childish seriousness. “Well Papa, here it starts with a list of things we could offer to Avalor for a trade agreement. They have no need of coal, but we still have steel, iron and crystal salts among other things. After which, you are reminded of Queen Elena’s upcoming visit.” Truthfully this excited her. There’d been stories of Avalor’s young queen, crowned at just twenty and ruling her country four years before that. There’d been stories of majestic Jaquins, the half jaguar half maccaw creatures that were the country’s symbol. Royal visits usually meant she’d be forced to meet handsome miniature princes, but Queen Elena had no children of her own, only a younger sister who, as of now, was her heir. Speaking of..

“The next item is a list of possible betrothal candidates for Your Imperial Majesty’s inspection.” Adora said wrinkling her nose. “Paraíso offers its two young Princes. As do Khaldoun,Tangu, and the French.” This felt like something she shouldn’t be reading, though it did concern her. The little girl didn’t quite understand all that being betrothed meant, only that it was something to be avoided if she could help it. “Lastly, a few merchants have returned and would like an audience the day after next.” Adora pitied her father, A king’s work seemed never ending, and it made him look so tired. The child shifted on his lap, just enough so she could press a gentle kiss to Papa’s cheek.

#travmsoldat #happily ever after- Sleeping Beauty verse #A father as brave and strong

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lefemmerougewriter · 3 years ago

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The Battle for Avalor City and Elena’s Uncertain Future

This teen and up story, uses characters from Elena of Avalor, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Mysticons, and Disenchantment. It is the fourth part of my series, “The Avaloran Chronicles”.

Romantic pairings: Elena Castillo Flores / Naomi Turner, Francisco Flores / Luisa Flores, Adora / Catra, Kitty Boon / Zarya Moonwolf, Elena Castillo Flores Marisa

Friendships: Elena Castillo Flores & Isabel Flores, Elena Castillo Flores & Luisa Flores, Elena Castillo Flores & Zuzo, Adora & Elena Castillo Flores, Kitty Boon & Elena Castillo Flores, Kitty Boon & Naomi Turner, Catra & Elena Castillo Flores, Catra & Naomi Turner, Adora & Naomi Turner

Words: 4.5k

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/31584551

Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/1254712290-the-avaloran-chronicles-the-battle-for-avalor-city

Characters: Elena Castillo Flores, Naomi Turner, Princess Marisa, Unnamed Pilot, Gabriel “Gabe” Nunez, Arch-Druidess, Isabel Flores, Adora, Catra, Francisco Flores, Luisa Flores, Kitty Boon, Zarya Moonwolf, Zuzo

Summary: Under attack! Elena, Isa, Naomi, her newfound friends like Adora, Catra, Kitty, and Zarya, and soldiers from other kingdoms ready for their biggest fight of their lives, against the mechanical menaces sent by the sovereign of Steamland, Alva Gunderson, who wants to conquer Avalor. If successful, it would begin a possible campaign to conquer all the kingdoms of the Ever Realm, one by one. Their foes have one trick up their sleeves which might hobble the city, to its knees. Will Elena be able to keep or cool or will the actions of the enemy push her over the edge so far that she orders the killing of someone she hasn't even met? Only time will tell, but she, her friends, and allies have a tough battle ahead. No matter who is victorious, this confrontation will have ripple effects on inhabited, spirit, magical, and far-flung worlds for years to come.

Part I. The Battle

The artillery across Avalor continued to boom loudly, as did the beam cannons on the S.S. Moonboon, with Kitty at the helm. The steam-powered sky vehicles of a huge armada, the GSA, numbering at least 100 ships in all, were more advanced than anything in this magical land. Making matters worse, the land-based cannons could not reach them with their projectiles. Even so, the beam cannons, coupled with Zarya’s electric shock arrows, swirling forward rapidly, were able to down a few sky vessels. A zeppelin flagship headed by the Arch-Druidess led the GSA. Beyond anything in Steamland’s history, this fleet was the steam-powered city’s biggest undertaking. However, to make it a reality, most of these crafts were built quickly. Many angry workers, under guidance from revolutionaries in the sewers, engaged in sabotage. They often built in features which would cause a craft to explode if it reached a specific speed or temperature.

Elena looked at the approaching enemy in fear. She remained confident thanks to support from her new friends like Adora, Catra, Zarya, and Kitty, her sister Isa, the Royal Guard, and her wife Naomi. The sailors from Norberg, forces from the Avaloran countryside, Enchania, Paraíso, and Cariza, constituting EPCA UF, were also a tremendous help. She remained concerned that they were vastly outnumbered, due to the number of enemy vessels. Only a miracle of science, engineering, or even magic, could save them. At least, that’s what Elena thought. Unlike in the past, when her emotions caused her to bring dreams and objects to life, this time, she tried to stay calm despite the impending danger.

The enemy’s steam-powered ships finally came into range. The pilot of the GSA’s flagship shouted down to the Arch-Druidess. "Ma’am, we are encountering heavy flak. How do you wish to proceed?" Scratching her chin, she pondered their next steps. She remembered something she read once. She had an idea to catch Elena and her friends off guard, creating a distraction. "Order a squadron of the steamer bombers to peel off and attack the city, then…the royal palace of that tyrant," she hollered back. "The rest of the fleet will move forward as planned." The pilot understood completely. He communicated the instructions, via radio, to the others steering their vessels. The main fleet fired their steam dispensers, creating a steam screen in front of them. This lasted about 30 seconds, allowing the bombers to slip into the clouds above Avalor City undetected. Those in the city, and its protectors, were not prepared for the devastation to follow.

Zarya, Kitty, and the cannoneers had a tough task ahead of them. They remained the first line of defense for the city. If they failed, the enemy could overrun the city, with their machines causing the soldiers inside the city to surrender without much of a fight. The cannoneers were a little terrified of the enemy. Even so, they kept their cool, continuing to load the gunpowder, then cannonballs, one at a time, down the bore with a ramrod. Kitty looked at Zarya with concern. "Z-Star, how long do you think we can keep this up?" Zarya shook her head. She had never expected the enemy fleet to be this large. "I don’t know. I hope we have some sort of miracle,” she began. “Because there are so many more of them than us!" Zarya scoffed. She couldn’t believe her girlfriend had become such a pessimist. "Come on, Zar," she said, using another of her nicknames, "you fought that whole army led by Dreadbane, the forces of Necrafa, and even my sister, Tazma." She rolled her eyes. "These planes are nothing." Zarya realized her girlfriend was right. She had been overestimating the enemy's strength. She sighed. "Thanks for setting me right, Kitty." She blew a kiss to her girlfriend. "This one’s for you!" Kitty opened her hand and closed it. She snickered. "Aw, you…cute little pirate."

Meanwhile, inside Avalor City, the sound of propellers from the steam bombers seemed to be coming from everywhere. Elena could not use her powers of farsight, which allowed her to see where those on her mind were. She couldn't use "blaze," a power allowing her to blast something for an extended period, either as the crafts were not visible. She grumbled in annoyance. Her friends, and allies, within the city remained on guard. Not even the Science Academy, outside Avalor City, with its huge telescope, could see the incoming enemy. They all waited in anticipation.

The cobblestone streets of the city were often bustling with activity. This time they were not. All the residents were in underground bunkers. Shoe stores, restaurants, bakeries, the club known as Meow’s Delight, and even the Trading Guild, formerly owned by Dona Paloma, were shuttered. The same was the case for dwellings which occupied most of the city. The port, filled with ships, coming and going from Avalor’s trading partners or going on expeditions to explore the Ever Realm, remained quiet. A cool breeze blew through avenues and thoroughfares, patrolled by the Paraíso Mounted Brigade, and a unit led by Rico Villalobos of Avaloran countryfolk. Elena hoped they could protect the city against any ground assault by the enemy. She realized this was foolhardy since the enemy had an air armada but no ground forces.

Beige stucco houses with wooden shingles, adorned window displays of purplish flowers or hanging baskets, lined the streets. Blooming trees stood next to each of the homes. While someone walking on the city's unimproved, and dirt, streets might have said that the houses were plain, each house was a piece of Avalor. There were family mementos, memorials to those who had passed on, and proper rooming arrangements. For years, Naomi spearheaded a city beautification campaign, encouraging residents to keep their houses clean, tidy, and attractive to onlookers. She always politely asked to enter homes and did not come in unless invited. Her efforts had been a resounding success. That morning, as the enemy approached the city, the homes glistened in the sunlight, a byproduct of her efforts. This beauty did not last. The enemy fleet readied itself for devastation, no matter the cost to the city, the residents, and the royal family.

Suddenly, the steam bombers came into view. Unfortunately, the cannons around the city were facing the opposite direction, away from the city, and outward into Avalor Bay. Turning them around would be impossible without significant effort, and it could leave the city in even more danger. Even worse, very few of those on the ground were archers, or even had bows or arrows, so they couldn’t shoot down, or damage, the flying mechanical menaces. Their bomb bay doors opened and canisters, with an elevated level of kinetic energy, fell to the ground with incredible swiftness. These cans were simply accumulators with hydraulic pumps. When colliding with a person, a building, or another structure, massive destruction followed. The water inside these canisters was superheated. When pressure inside these falling cylinders reached a critical level, they blew up. In the resulting detonation, hot water, steam, expanding bubbles of steam, and a spray of droplets, headed in all directions, scalding, or burning anyone in its path. It could even vaporize buildings if the pressure was strong enough.

Elena could only watch as these steam-powered bombs boomed in the distance. At first, she only saw steam coming from the city’s downtown, then plumes of smoke. She knew what that meant: fire. This confirmed her worst fears. She realized that the nightmare, the one she had all those weeks ago, about Steamland attacking Avalor City, was coming true! Not wanting to weaken the city’s fortifications from the approaching enemy fleet, she decided to handle the problem herself. Adora held her sleeve, trying to hold her back. She pleaded for her to reconsider. "Elena, you can’t do this alone. We are a team, remember?" She realized her blond-haired friend was right. She remembered the time she tried to confront Shuriki herself in the royal palace after being released from the amulet. She failed miserably. When she came back with friends, she was successful. Shuriki eventually fell off a cliff in defeat. While the evil witch later returned, trying to wreak havoc on Avalor once again, she realized, that day, the importance of friends and allies. Not everything can be done by yourself. "You are right Adora," she remarked. She put her hand on her friend’s shoulder and patted her on the back. A smile came across her face. Adora knew what that meant. Before she could say a word, Catra butted in. "Enough with the cute bonding, lets cream these steamy jerkwads." Elena and Adora nodded. Right after that Adora teased her girlfriend about calling her bonding with Elena "cute." Her face became a little reddish and warm. She said, clearly embarrassed by Adora’s teasing, "shut up!" They both giggled and walked toward the city’s center. Elena told them she had something "important to do," and would be joining them later. They accepted her reasoning and kept walking to the docks.

Elena walked over to Isa, whispering to her about having to move the cannons to cover their absence from the frontline. Understanding what her sister wanted, she listened and complied. She loved the city as much as anyone else. If it fell into enemy hands, she’d blame herself. She and her sister were glad to see that the enemy can completely avoided attacking the hydro-gondolas, coaches with latched doors, one of Isa’s star inventions. If another wave of bombers had hit the city, after the ones which set the city afire, these gondolas could have suffered high damage. For instance, steel wire ropes strung between supporting towers, and stations, driven by bullwheels, allowing the gondolas to across the city, might have been snapped. Bombs would have destroyed the engines, powered by the Avaloran waterfalls, tied to the ropes, allowing the gondolas to move with ease, or even the control panels. If that had happened, there’d be silence. No mechanical sounds of rattling machinery, and workings, lurching when they left the ground. The joy some got from sitting on top of the gondolas, or the dramatic views of the city from inside, would disappear if the bombs had caused damage.

Elena caught up with Adora and Catra, who were attempting to climb a stucco house and put out the blaze. She shook her head at her friends, who had managed to get to the top of a house, even as they struggled to put out the flames. Taking her scepter out of its holster, she pointed it at hanging plants on one of the windows of the stucco house and bellowed: "BLOOM!"

Unfortunately, this did little to stop the flames, as the flowers shriveled up with the extreme heat. Catra scampered down from the roof in fear after the flames singed some of her fur. From the ground, she growled in frustration. Adora followed not long after, protecting her girlfriend from any danger that might befall them. Elena had a different reaction. She stood dumbfounded. While her scepter had amplified powers that cause something to glow, light on fire, reveal a hidden passage, envision something, illuminate a cave, cause one to be invisible, show a truth, or fire a blast of energy, none of these could extinguish the blaze. While she could have used the "seal it" power to turn the flames into crystal, like she had with the Chispa, she didn't remember the name of the spell. It had been so long since she had used the power. Standing and watching the city burn in front of her eyes, with nothing to do, made her feel hopeless. This feeling soon faded away, however. She put her scepter back on her belt and fumbled in her pocket. She found a conch shell and held in her hand. She blew on it. While the sound that came out was loud, with a tone only audible to one species in the Ever Realm: the Sirenas. With Marisa now the queen of these merpeople after the passing of her mother and father, she expected imminent help, especially since Marisa had always been sweet on her. She had become, in some ways, Elena’s second girlfriend, after Naomi.

With the problem "solved," Elena motioned to Catra and Adora. She pointed up at the steam-powered bombers. Without saying a word, she aimed her scepter in the direction of these metal beasts. Somehow Adora understood and did the same. Both shot their magical weapons into the sky. Elena yelled "BLAZE!" while Adora pointed her sword upward. With almost pinpoint accuracy, the bombers were torn to shreds, one after another. Catra, annoyed, stood, beside Adora, not knowing what to do because she did not have a magical weapon. Seeing her dismayed girlfriend, Adora came up with an idea. She asked Catra to help her aim the sword and hit the targets. She agreed and they had a grand-old time, together.

One bomber remained, en route to the royal palace. Elena spotted the enemy ship. She knew that if the bomber dropped its payload on the palace, obliterating her home. The royal guard would be so demoralized that they’d stop fighting and flee, even if some of her friends, like Gabe, stood and fought to the end. She planted one foot on the ground and raised her arm to the sky. "BLAZE!" she shrieked. Although the ship was far away, she maintained the energy flow. The boost from the Crystal Well of Takaina all those years ago has supercharged the scepter and in her powers. Her blast easily reached it. The cannisters aboard ignited and the ship shattered into a thousand pieces, plummeting to the nearby waters. Scattered parts from the ships littered the city. She walked to the frontlines with Adora and Catra, so they could all fight off incoming airships, which almost reached the docks, making their way across the bay. Zarya and Kitty had been moderately successful in wiping out the fleet. Half of the skyships remained, even with the constant bombardment from cannons controlled by Isa and cannoneers. Catra, Elena, and Adora couldn’t get there soon enough. Using her magic sword, Adora aimed at the underside of steam planes, weakened by Steamlandian workers to rupture on impact from an intense burst of energy. Even though the fleet was falling apart, the Arch-Druidess demanded they continue forward and double their pace. This did not happen. Their ships halted, instead of accelerating, with a loud screech, and began to burn. Elena sensed an opportunity. "Destroy those ships! Hit them one by one!" she shouted. As such, the cannons began to open fire, she used her scepter to blast some of them, as did Adora with her sword. Each ship fell into the ocean. Terrified, the Arch-Druidess dictated a command to her fellow soldiers: "Full retreat!" Her ever-loyal soldiers tried to do so but could not. The reverse controls had been jammed and their ships went up in flames, falling into the water. Soon, only the flagship remained.

Elena realized that the Arch-Druidess could escape and come back with a new army. Half-way to the S.S. Moonboon, she roared "follow that ship! We can’t let it get away!" Zarya and Kitty heard her loud and clear. Before they left, Zarya wanted to say something. She cleared her throat and then began speaking. "It was an honor to serve alongside you, Ms. Elena Castillo Flores! And we wish you, your wife, and all Avalor, the best." Kitty bowed her head. As a sign of gratitude, Elena went down on one knee and bowed. "I am forever grateful for your service to Avalor. We will always be in your debt." The soldiers across the city, Naomi, and Isa, and others, took off their hats in reverence. Elena soon picked herself up and shouted, "good luck out there, you two!" Zarya and Kitty nodded. "Thank you for everything, Elena," Zarya remarked. "We will always remember you, Elena, and Avalor." As she waved goodbye, a tear streaked down her cheek. "You are always welcome here. Come back anytime!" "We will!" shouted Zarya and Kitty in unison.

Frontward cannons of the S.S. Moonboon began firing, following the flagship of the Arch-Druidess in close pursuit. On board, the Arch-Druidess sneered. "Those rascals wrecked our damn fleet. They haven’t seen the last of us!" The pilot expressed his doubts. "Ma’am, Mr. Gunderson will not be pleased to see our lack of progress." He added a personal note. "I fear for your safety, ma’am. I recommend we do not return to Steamland…at least not now." She pondered this idea. While it made sense, she worried about the fleet’s next destination.

In the meantime, the zeppelin was smoking. Booms rocked the zeppelin. The Arch-Druidess snarled. "Make for the other dimension!" The pilot agreed even though parts of the ship began to crumble due to blasts caused by S.S. Moonboon's beam cannons. Zarya put her arm around Kitty and stood beside her. "We will get this woman and defeat her, if it’s the last thing we do!" she declared. Kitty hugged her girlfriend back and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Z-Star, I’ll go with you anywhere and do anything…I promise you…we can defeat this woman…together." Both women embraced each other as they watched their cannons bombard the enemy vessel. The S.S. Moonboon moved forward on autopilot into the great beyond, across the galaxy.

Part II. The Aftermath

Elena felt relieved. The battle had ended. Zarya and Kitty had the Arch-Druidess on the run, thanks to the efforts of herself, Isa, Adora, Catra, her allies from neighboring kingdoms, and farmer-soldiers of Avalor. Even so, the inferno, caused by the incendiary devices dropped by the steam bombers, consumed much of the city center, and even reached the water’s edge. Smoke filled the air, and flames billowed higher than what anyone had seen in the past. Elena turned to the assembled forces spread across the city. She yelled as loud as she could. "Can you hear me?" she asked. Cries of "yes!" and “definitely” rang out across the city. She started speaking. “We have won. Avalor stands strong.” She sighed. She continued her speech. “Before leaving to your homesteads, I’d like your help in first putting out this blaze.” She added, “all flames near the water will be taken care of by the Sirenas…so don’t worry about that.” The soldiers put down their swords, spears, and other weapons, and grabbed buckets, wherever they could find them. Each bucket was filled with ocean water. Carts were used to bring buckets to the raging inferno. Paraíso Mounted Brigade used their horses while hydro-gondolas moved soldiers. Those in Enchania’s unit of winged horses grabbed buckets so they could approach the blaze from the air and drench it from above. Isa, Catra, and Adora helped in whatever way they could. Naomi and the sailors from Norberg promised to greet the Sirenas and tell them what needed to be done to put out the fires. In the thick of it all, Elena surreptitiously snuck through the city and back to the royal palace.

All the emotions she had been holding in, everything she had seen during the fight, came pouring out. “ZUZO!” she said in a hushed tone. He appeared in a flash. “What can I do for you, Elena?” he asked politely. Breathing in deeply, she checked to see if anyone was around. She proceeded to yell angrily. “I wish that fucker, Alva Gunderson, were dead! He has to pay the price for what he did to Avalor!” Zuzo was confused. He never remembered her acting like this, even when she struggled with her enhanced powers before becoming queen. “What do you mean? What did he do?” She showed him the city, where the blaze continued to rage and smoke billowed into the sky, even though water had begun extinguishing the fire storm. “Yikes, that’s gonna leave a mark!” Zuzo snarkily remarked. Elena rolled her eyes. “Can you do this for me…NOW!?” He shuttered. He did not want to make a mistake. “Are you sure? This isn’t something you can go back on.” She took out her scepter and pointed it at him. Stamping her feet, she moved closer and became more agitated. “I’ve sent people to the spirit world for their crimes, like Shuriki and Orizaba…and faced down Ash…how is this any different?

Zuzo could see her point. He thought convincing her had little choice of succeeding. Even he made one last attempt. “…this person won’t go the spirit world…he’ll go somewhere else.” Elena continued to be cross with him. She scowled. “I DON’T CARE! DO IT!” He realized that while Elena did not have the right state of mind, he had to obey her commands. That’s what it meant to be a spirit guide. “Your wish is my command,” he said solemnly, and disappeared. She walked off in a huff. Not looking where she was going, she accidentally bumped into Naomi who had been looking all over for her.

“Nena, there you are! I am really worried about you. Are you ok?” Elena tried to push her off and go back into the palace’s royal quarters. She came with an excuse. “I’d like to get some rest…I’ll…be fine…don’t worry about me.” Naomi patted her on the head. “Sweetums, come to me if there’s anything…you’d like to talk about,” she said in the gentlest voice. Walking back into the building, she started to walk up the stairs. Not thinking straight, she went to the quietest place she knew: the royal library. She sat down on one of the plush couches. In no time at all, she fell fast asleep, snoring loudly. Her noise filled an, often quiet, room with sounds that may have annoyed some people. Even so, Naomi would probably have found it cute. While the scepter, at its current power level, ensured she did not get tired from its use, she did not have superhuman strength. She could still suffer from fatigue and physical injury.

Some time later, she stretched and yawned, opening her eyes bit by bit. She saw two yellowish eyes staring at her inquisitively. She rubbed her eyes to see if someone’s there or if she had been dreaming. The bluish purple-haired woman waved at her. “Hi, Elena! How are you doing?” Groggy, she didn’t know how to answer. “Uh…Marisa…nice to see you,” she said sheepishly. Her friend was glad to see a woman she called her “land-sea girlfriend.” She squeezed her tightly and grinned happily. Pulling herself up, Elena began to wake up a little more. “Where’s Nomes? I’d like to talk to her” she asked. “In the council chambers,” Marisa answered matter-of-factly. Elena gulped. She hoped the council wouldn’t discipline her for authorizing final preparations prior to the armada's arrival without meeting with them first. She told Marisa to walk with her as she sauntered over the council chambers. On the way, she explained how the Sirenas had used their abilities to create a huge tidal wave, dousing the blaze in the part of Avalor City near the water. “Thanks for doing that, Marisa.” She giggled. “It’s my pleasure, Elena,” she said. “I will do anything for Avalor…and for you,” she then told her. While Elena accepted the praise, she did not want to make Naomi jealous. she treated, Marisa as one of her good friends, and nothing more. Marisa thought of her as something more than a friend. When walking into the chambers, she awaited the worst and hoped for the best.

She opened the doors, unsure of what she’d find. The dark room had the shades drawn. After she and Marisa had entered the room, the door closed behind them. She heard Isa, Naomi, Francisco, and Luisa shout “SURPRISE!” and someone pulled up the window shade. “We want to congratulate you, mija, on winning over those steam-powered machines” Luisa said. “Thanks, Abuela,” Elena remarked. “I knew you could do it,” Francisco and her sister said in unison. After thanking her abuelo, she tussled Isa’s hair. “It is thanks to those automatic cannons and system you created, sis, that we won.” She put her arm around her wife and raised a glass. “A toast to all of you, soldiers from nearby kingdoms, and my newfound friends, Catra and Adora…we did it!” Everyone cheered. With all the commotion, Elena grabbed her wife’s arm, and no one even noticed. “Nomes, I have to talk to you.” She was confused. She thought their troubles had ended, at least for now. “About what?” she said innocently. Elena whispered in her ear, “it’s important. Let’s talk in the library.” Naomi agreed. Both slipped away silently. Marisa became the center of attention instead. She stood near the window, with her moderate orangish brown shining in the sunlight. She excitedly chatted with Catra and Adora, always excited to meet new people, especially those from a faraway land.

A short while later, Naomi sat beside her wife in the royal library. It was one of the only quiet places in all Avalor, including in Avalor City, not bustling with people. “Nomes, I…did something terrible.” Putting her hand on her wife’s shoulder, she tried to reassure her. With everything that had happened that day, she couldn’t think of one thing her wife had done wrong. She began to say something, but Elena spoke first. “I ordered the death of…someone.” Naomi scratched her head. It seemed out of character for her wife to do that. “I’m sure you were under so much stress that you…” She hesitated before saying the next part: “Hallucinated it.” This made Elena feel better. She cracked a smile. “You are probably right, Naomi.” Even so, part of her believed it had happened. “If I did order an assassination, then I hope that Zuzo didn’t take me seriously.” Not wanting her wife to worry anymore, she thought up an obvious solution. Elena could ask her spirit guide. “Nena, why don't you ask Zuzo about it?” Elena nodded. It seemed like the best way to put herself at ease.

“ZUZO!” she yelled at the loudest decibel. He appeared in a flash, even faster than she had expected. “What do for you…” he began, seeing their stern faces. He didn’t know why they were looking at him like that “Uh, what is it?” he asked. Elena pulled out her scepter and held it in face. She smirked. “Tell me the truth. Did I order someone’s execution? If you don’t tell me, I’ll blast a hole in this damn wall.” While he knew that her scepter couldn’t hurt him, he decided to comply with her request. He snickered. “Why, of course you did…can’t you remember? Alva Gunderson…will be killed by the best in the business…and you will have to live with the consequences.” Zuzo disappeared in a flash, leaving Elena to contemplate her decision.

What happened next would be up to Elena and the killers she “accidentally" hired to kill Alva. As the sovereign of Steamland, the steam-powered country, he had ordered a fleet to attack Avalor, claiming he had to "liberate" it from a "tyrant". Bombers from that fleet had, only hours before, ravaged Avalor City. Whether she had been right or not, his death would have ripple effects on Steamland, Avalor, Elena, and even Naomi.

*******

End Note: I’m grateful for the comments I got on Twitter, the comment on here, and elsewhere on my last story. Sorry it took me so long to write and publish this story, but you know, work, cicadas, and getting the COVID vaccine, as some of the many reasons that it took a while. A reminder that GSA means Grand Steamland Armada. Jamie Cass, a nerdy sci-fi/fantasy/crime writer, gave some constructive criticism on my last story, saying that while he enjoyed it, the sense of place could be improved. This included more detail about the wondrous Avalor, with more showing, less telling, adding that the story would be “stronger if Avalor felt richer,” specifically with language which describes the “feel and look of the city,” talking about all the styles and niches that “make a location come to life on the page.” He also said it is a shame to not give Avalor “a chance to really breathe on the page” with such a “rich world.” I appreciate that sort of criticism because I feel like many writers don’t get it on here. Admittedly, I’m not always the best with description, but I tried to describe it a little better in this story. With that, I hope you enjoy this story. For this story, I used content from the page for Dona Paloma on the Elena of Avalor wiki, Al Simley’s post "The Safety Dangers of Hydraulic Accumulators,” a webpage titled “Exploding Hydraulic Piston Accumulator,” Gregory P. Sandukas’ paper, “Gently Down the Stream: How Exploding Steamboat Boilers in the19th Century Ignited Federal Public Welfare Regulation,” and a discussion about steam power in canister form. I also incorporated information from the “Boiler explosion,” “Gondola lift,” and “Steam explosion” Wikipedia pages, screenshots from the film, Elena and the Secret of Avalor, to get a feel of what Avalor City is really like, so I could describe it accurately, the Scepter of Light, Spirit World, Sugar Rush, Princess Elena, and Princess Marisa pages on the Elena of Avalor wiki, the Sugar Rush page on the Disney Wiki, and the Sword of Protection page on the She-Ra and the Princesses of Power wiki. Parts of this story are inspired by scenes in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars information from “Shadow of Malevolence” and “Destroy Malevolence” where the Republic ships are firing at the ship of General Grevious. I realized, in re-reading my previous series, Unlikely Alliance of Evildoers that I had called the Grand Steamland Armada by the moniker “GDA” because of “Grand Diamond Armada,” so I changed it to "GSA." I revised this story after watching episode “The Magic Within You,” where Elena’s scepter is supercharged by the Crystal Well of Takaina. Apart from the sources already stated, for the Hydro-Gondolas, I used information from the “Sugar Rush” episode, a tumblr blog, and various other sources listed in the inspiration section. I improved the story after watching more episodes of Elena of Avalor, especially when it comes to physical fatigue and injury of Elena herself, or that fact that she can conduct magic without her scepter (its within her, obviously), and that she is right-handed, although she can also use her left hand to cast spells, but is not as adept with it, with Mateo calling her "sceptidextrous" after she gets her cast off.

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