She-Ra Princess of Power
Madame Razz was in the process of cooking up one of her famous breakfast's early one sunny morning in the heart of the Whispering Woods. After the fifth try she finally got it right and everyone came out from hiding to sit around the wooden table. All were gathered with the exception of Bow.
"Has anyone seen Bow?" Adora asked aloud, suddenly feeling a little worried.
The night before they had been at the Laughing Swan talking with the town's people about their stand on the rebellion when a woman with long brown hair and beautiful green eyes walked in. It was a young lady no one had recalled seeing in the town prior and Adora was a bit apprehensive immediately. Bow on the other hand couldn't wait to meet her.
"I wonder who that woman is? I should introduce myself in case she's in trouble," Bow whispered to Kowl. Adora heard his words but decided not to humor her ambitious companion any further.
"You do whatever you want, Bow but you'll do it alone. I'm finishing my dinner, right here, right now! I'm not in the mood for Madame Razz's beef stew on my head tonight."
Bow walked over to the mysterious women, smile in full effect.
"Hello madam, my name is Bow. I see you're new to this town and was wondering if I could be at your service? I am known for being the best archer in these parts."
Adora giggled at the sight of Bow; his shoulders high and his chest out.
"My name is Alena and I'm afraid that's all I know. I've been wandering about for days unaware of where I am or how I got here. I was told to find the Laughing Swan and that somebody would be able to help me there."
"Well you've come to the right place indeed. I just so happen to know somebody who should be able to help you remember, but you might want to wait until morning. She seems to be able to think better in the morning. I hope"
"Oh thank you so much, how could I ever repay you brave stranger?"
"Don't thank me yet, you've never met Madame Razz!"
"Well I thank you for your kindness anyway, I never thought I would find somebody as helpful and as handsome as you. And certainly not the moment I came through the door!"
Bow began to blush.
"Please accompany me to the table, there are some friends of mine I would like you to meet."
They sat and talked for a while as Bow relived a dozen stories on how he saved the Twidgets from the evil Hordac.
"Oh that Hordac sounds just awful. And you Bow, you are so brave and cunning."
Adora finally decided to interrupt Bow after several hours of his babbling.
"I think I'm going to get going now, I'm getting pretty tired. Are you ready to go?"
"Adora, I forgot you were here! I would like you to meet a new friend of mine, this is the fair maiden, Alena," Bow said, pointing to the pretty women sitting next to him.
"Alena this is Adora, one of the members of the Great Rebellion I was telling you about."
"It is nice to meet you Alena. I would stay longer but I too am quite tired and I have a big day tomorrow."
"I understand. The pleasure of our meeting was all mine. I would hope to see you again soon so we can get to know each other."
"I would like that and I'm sure I will be seeing you around."
"I'll meet you back at the camp soon," Bow added with his usual smirk. "I'm going to stay a bit longer in the hopes of hitting upon something that may spur our new friend's memory. Kowl you can go home too buddy."
"I was planning on it! I need my sleep too you know and quite frankly if your head swells any further, I will be unable to perch on your shoulder."
That would be the last anyone had seen of Bow and for him not to show up for breakfast the next morning, Adora was rightfully concerned. A few hours later in the early afternoon sun, Bow strolled in to camp with his new friend, Alena, hand in hand.
"Bow, you're back! Where have you been? Didn't you remember you had a training lesson with Sorrowful this morning?"
"Oh, I completely forgot I must have lost track of time! I'm going to have to reschedule. Do you mind giving the message to him?"
"It's not like your lessons are much help to him anyway," Kowl muttered under his breath.
"I will give him the message for you, but you must learn to keep your promises." Adora answered.
"Do you know where Madame Razz is by any chance?"
"She went out looking for you this morning. I suspect she'll be back here soon."
Almost as if on cue, a sudden crashing through the woods revealed Madame Razz trying to land on her trusty broom.
"Deary my, I don't know if I will ever get that landing right."
Bow giggled then quickly regained his composure.
"There you are Bow! I've been looking all over for you! I gave up and came back to assemble a search party. I thought that terrible Catra had captured you again! She's been on the prowl all morning. Up to no good I suspect."
"Sorry to worry you Madame. I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. This is Alena and she can't remember anything! I was hoping you could help her."
"Oh hi dear, if anyone here has a chance at getting you back to normal, you're looking at her. Let's see what we can do to get that memory back.."
"I would greatly appreciate it if you could. I would really like to know what it is I'm doing here."
"Let's see here: Fizzle, fazzle, jumble, mumble, tough twigs and branches tender… I now command, help this girl remember!"
A flash of light exploded in the air and Madame Razz fell to the ground. Smoke rose from her clothes.
"Madame are you alright?!"
There was no answer. Madame was clearly unconscious.
"Maybe she finally hit one to many trees," Broom said slyly.
"This is no time for jokes. I think she'll be all right. Let's give her a moment to rest."
Bow gathered the witch up and deposited her carefully on one of the beds in the infirmary.
* * *
Hordac sat atop his thrown, watching these events unfold before him.
"My plan is working perfectly," he said to Shadow Weaver. "My spy will uncover all of their deepest secrets and vulnerabilities so long as she can keep baiting that arrogant fool. The memory block was a brilliant idea now when that meddling witch awakens she will have no memory either!"
"You are brilliant Hordac! It's a good thing I found that woman with a mind so easy to manipulate."
* * *
Back in the Whispering Woods, the group stood around Madame Razz to see if her condition had improved. There was still no change. Adora returned from Mystacor, where she had just broken the news to Sorrowful, the cowardly rebel dragon.
"Anything exciting happen while I was out doing Bow's dirty work?" Adora asked one of the twiggets, Spiritina.
"Madame Razz is lying in the hut sleeping and nobody knows how to wake her. I wish She-Ra was here. She would know what to do."
"I'm afraid she wouldn't be able to do anything more, my dear Spiritina. But I might know someone else who may be able to help."
"Oh that would be wonderful Adora."
"Where is Bow and his new friend?" Adora asked with a sudden wave of concern.
"They are both inside the hut trying to think of something to do to help Madame."
Adora approached the entrance to the hut to find an unconscious Madame Razz.
"Hi Bow, hi Alena. How is Madame Razz?"
"There's still no change, I don't know what could have happened," Bow said sadly.
Adora walked into the hut to sit next to the sleeping Madame.
"Oh Madame, I wish you would awaken."
Just then Madame slowly started to open her eyes.
"Come quick everyone, she's starting to wake up."
"Who are all you kind dearies standing around me?" Madame Razz asked in a state of confusion. "Come to think of it who am I?"
"Madame it's me, Adora. That's Bow standing over there and Kowl's in the corner. Don't you remember us?"
"I'm afraid not my dear, I don't remember anything."
They left the infirmary hut so that Madame could rest in the hopes that her memory may return in time.
"I can't believe she doesn't remember anything. This is just terrible," Adora said to Bow as they were leaving the hut. "I smell a rat. One stranger without a memory is odd enough. Two in the same day is far too suspicious for my liking. There's something going on here and I'm determined to find out what it is. I have to make a trip but I will be back shortly, hopefully with an answer."
"Would you like me to go with you?" Bow asked Adora.
"No I will have She-Ra accompany me on this trip."
"Who is She-Ra?" Alena asked.
"She is a very strong, intelligent, and kind woman that comes to the aide of the Rebellion when needed. She is loved by us all and feared by the Horde."
Adora did her best to fight off the heated blush she felt rising to her cheeks.
"I shall be back shortly. Come Spirit we have a job to do."
When Adora was far enough away from the crowd she held aloft her magical sword and cried out the words, "For the honor of Grayskull!"
Lightening rained down upon her and as she lowered her sword she proclaimed, "I am She-Ra."
Then with a flash of light her steed transformed into the rainbow-winged Pegasus, Swift Wing.
"We are off to the Crystal Castle for some answers. Hurry Swifty."
"I was hoping to get a chance to fly today, She-Ra," Swift Wing said in his deep voice. "And the Castle always looks beautiful in the mid-afternoon sun."
* * *
Back at the Whispering Woods, a concerned Bow was sitting with Alena.
"Do you really think she will be able to help me, Bow? I'm getting nervous that I will never remember anything."
"She will do her best," Bow said as he put his hand gently on her cheek.
Bow leaned in for a kiss when all of a sudden there was another flash of light and Bow fell unconscious to the ground.
"Oh no what have I done now? I must leave immediately before I hurt anyone else!"
Alena started to run away when she stumbled into Spiritina, one of the Twiggets.
"Where are you going, Alena?"
"I have to leave. Everyone I touch seems to get hurt. I don't want to harm anyone else."
"You don't have to go."
"Tell Bow that I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused when he wakes up."
"When he wakes up?" Spiritina repeated in surprise.
Alena turned and fled the Whispering Woods.
* * *
Back at the Fright Zone, Hordac was watching these events unfold with great delight. He laughed out loud in pride.
"My plan is unfolding perfectly. The time for us to strike is soon, very soon. With Adora and She-Ra gone and that mindless witch and the archer unsure of their own names, there is nobody to foul up our plan this time."
"There's only one problem, Hordac," Mantanna interjected. "How will we get into the Whispering Woods? It is protected by magic."
"You fool, we will trick the girl into making them to come out of the Whispering Woods. Now be gone with your foolishness!"
Hordac pressed the lever sending Mantanna flying into the grotto deep beneath the throne room with a splash.
* * *
She-Ra had finally reached the Crystal Castle and walked up to Light Hope, the brilliant all-knowing beam of light.
"Light Hope I'm sure you know why I am here."
"You are here to recover the memories of your friends."
"That is correct, old friend. How do I do it?"
"Deep in the dungeons of the Fright Zone exists a hallway and at the end of that hallway there lies a box. It is in this box that you will find the memories of your friends."
"Thank you for all your help. I had a hunch Hordac was behind this."
"Go now She-Ra, there's no time to waste."
She-Ra jumped on the back of Swift Wind and announced, "We are off to the Fright Zone, Swifty. And I can't believe I'm actually saying this but I can't wait to get there."
* * *
At the edge of the whispering woods, Alena sat alone on a rock, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"What troubles you on such a lovely day, my dear?"
She looked up to find a sweet old woman suddenly standing before her.
"I've hurt all of my friends and I can't remember what I'm even doing here. There is no one who can help me."
"I can help my dear. Recovering lost memories just so happens to be my specialty."
"Oh you can? I will do anything."
Just assemble all of your friends here at this very spot while I go get my supplies. I will help you my dear child."
Alena sprinted back into the woods to retrieve Bow and Madame Razz.
"I know somebody who can help us," she announced to the Twiggets. " I just have to bring Bow and Madame out to meet her. Can you help me carry them?"
"We will do our best but they aren't exactly lightweights you know."
Just then Kowl showed up to see what the commotion was all about.
"Where are you taking Bow and Madame?"
"I met somebody who will help us get our memories back. We have to meet her at the edge of the Whispering Woods. Are you going to come with us?"
"I have a bad feeling about this, maybe we should wait until She-Ra gets back."
"I'm tired of waiting. That's all I have been doing since I came to this town. We can get answers right now."
"Well you do what you want," Kowl said. "I'm going to go find She-Ra."
* * *
She-Ra had just entered the border of the Fright Zone as an explosion of thunder roared in the distance. She knew the layout of the place quite well from her many years spent within as Force Captain.
She entered through the trap door at the base of the Horde temple. She walked around the corner and found the hallway that Light Hope had revealed to her. As she rounded a gradual, wet dripping corner of bricks, she spotted the still-soaked Mantanna.
"She-Ra what are you doing here?" He shouted, clearly startled. "I'm taking you to Hordac right away."
"Not if I can help it."
Beams of light flew from Manatanna's eyes. With a graceful somersault through the air, the stun beams just missed her. Mantanna continued to fire wildly in all directions but just like before, She-Ra easily dodge the attacks.
"If you keep that up your eyes will be stuck like that," She-Ra said with a laugh.
Mantanna had crossed his eyes one too many times in the hopes of stunning She-Ra. His eyestalks became entangled around each other and he could do little more than to fall to the ground in a dizzied state.
"I hope I don't run into anyone else," She-Ra whispered to herself as she continued down the slimy, twisting corridor.
"I heard there was a rebel in the temple," Catra purred as she saw She-Ra approaching. "Hordac will be sure to reward me when I bring him to you."
"You will have to catch me first, kitty cat," She-Ra replied.
Catra pulled her mask over her eyes, bent over and with a glimmer of light, transformed into an armored panther to pursue the intruder.
* * *
In the meantime Alena and the rebels were on their way out of the Whispering Woods. As they were reaching the border, Bow had finally awoken from his slumber.
"What's going on here? Where am I?" Bow asked in a confused state.
"Don't worry Bow we are going to get help," Alena said reassuringly. "Miss where are you?"
"Don't worry my dear I am here and I have located all of the tools I need to help you and your friends get their memories back," the old lady hissed, appearing from seemingly nowhere.
"Thank you! We are forever in your debt."
The old lady started to wave her hands into circles as she uttered, "With the power of darkness and the voice of rage I demand that these rebels be placed in a cage!"
There was a flash of light and before their eyes the kind old women's skin fell away in a plume of dust. Beneath the disguise was the hooded-form of the evil sorceress, Shadow Weaver. At the same time the flash of light solidified into the solid bars of a prison that formed around the rebels.
"Oh no! She must belong to that Evil Horde Bow keeps talking about," Alena said, her voice quivering.
"Now that I've captured you all I will be transporting you to the Fright Zone where you will be tortured for your rebellious crimes. Best of all that fool Adora will surly come to your rescue and when she does Hordac will claim his ultimate prize. Not even She-Ra can stop us now!"
* * *
Catra was sprinting on all fours as she closed in on the fleeing She-Ra. No sooner had She-Ra begin to put some distance between herself and her pursuer; she nearly slammed head long into a large pile of boxes.
"Sword to pole," she cried out.
She-Ra's sword transformed into a long stick which she used to vault herself over the pile. Catra, who was close behind, couldn't react quickly enough andcrashed into the pile of boxes causing them to topple down upon her.
She-Ra spotted the silver chest that contained the memories of her friends. She grabbed it with authority and took off in the opposite direction toward the yet-trapped Catra.
"It's a shame that you're all tangled up in those boxes," She-Ra said as she jumped over the mess that surrounded her, "you were giving good chase."
"Lets go Swifty, I got what we came here for."
"She-Ra, She-Ra I've finally found you," Kowl said, out of breath.
"Kowl what are you doing here?"
"I will explain on the way back to camp but we must go quickly."
"You heard the bird, Swifty."
* * *
"You'll never get away with this you evil witch," Alena yelled through the bars. "She-Ra will be back to save us, you'll see."
"I'm sorry to break the news my dear, but your friend She-Ra is already stuck in the Fright Zone."
"No, I'm not going to believe anymore of your lies."
"Bow, could you use your bow to hit that lever over there?"
Bow revealed took a tiny shaft that extended in both directions to form his trusty bow. After a moment of concentration he fired toward the lever. He missed by a mile.
"I don't know how to use this thing," Bow said angrily. "Besides, what is this thing?"
"We're doomed and it's all my fault," Alena said tearfully. "I deserve whatever torture your master has in store for us but please release my friends. They did nothing to warrant this."
"Oh but they did my gullible young Alena," Shadow Weaver hissed. "They are traitors and rebels and need to be made an example of by the powerful Hordac."
She-Ra, Swift Wind, and Kowl soared overhead until they came upon their caged friends with Shadow Weaver standing nearby.
"Down Swifty!"
"She-Ra," a startled Shaow Weaver shrieked. "So you've come to join your friends in the cage?"
"As cozy as it looks, I've come to put a stop to your trickery, Shadow Weaver."
In response Shadow Weaved began to wave her hands when Kowl snuck up behind her and pulled her hood over her eyes.
"Now She-Ra," Kowl yelled.
She-Ra pushed Shadow Weaver into the back of her Horde transport, picked it up and lofted it into the direction of the lake. She grabbed the bars and deformed the cage so that the rebels could escape.
"Now that that is taken care of, I think that I have something of yours that you are all eager to get back."
She opened the chest, which sent the bubbles contained within over the heads of their respective owners. Each bubble popped with a small flash of light and the dazed look in each of their faces faded away.
"What happened?" Bow said.
"Shadow Weaver had a spell on you all, but that spell has been lifted."
"Where's Alena? Is she alright?"
"She's standing right over there."
"Alena, what's wrong?"
"Now that the spell has worn off my mind is flooded with memories. I am the princess of Brindle, a kingdom located in the seventh dimension."
"That's good news, isn't it? So long as you can date commoners that is… I mean I have nothing against you being a princess."
"My dear Bow, how I wish I could stay here in your dimension. I am happy that I remember but at the same time I am saddened by the fact that I must return now to my people who must surely be worried about my absence."
"We will see each other again, soon I can feel it."
"I do hope you're right, Bow. I really enjoyed spending time with you all."
"As did I."
Alena and Bow stood around the pool at Bright Moon, where Queen Angela was opening the dimensional portal so that Alena could return home. Bow gave Alena a kiss goodbye as a tear came streaming down her cheek.
"I will see you again soon," Bow said to Alena as she walked through the portal.
"It will all be okay Bow," Adora said trying to comfort her dear friend.
"Maybe one day the Horde will no longer threaten Etheria and I will be able to take her up on her offer to leave this place and to rule by her side."
"Bow," Adora said with a pat on her friend's back, "I think your ego as the land's best archer is just about enough for us to handle for now."
THE END