An echoing silence fell over the group.
"Glimmer!" Bow shouted in exasperation. "What did I tell you?"
Catra snickered. "Great going, Sparkles"
Glimmer roared in frustration and kicked at the snow drift violently. Bow and Adora had to restrain her as she panted and glared at it.
"It's ok everyone" amity said raising her hand for calm. She waved a finger in a circle and a roaring flame was conjured. She pointed it at the wall of snow and ice and it began to melt but it was juts too much. It was barely making a dent.
Luz knelt beside her and put her hand on her shoulder. "Here, let me help" she said gently. Amity blushed and moved over a bit so Luz could use a fire glyph to chip away at the snow.
Anne smiled at them then cried out in alarm when she turned to the Plantars.
All three were turned blue and frozen.
"You guys!" Anne eclaimed, hands over her mouth.
"This is fine" sprig insisted.
Polly shivered violently in Hop Pop's arms. Hop Pop sneezed so forcefully he sunk about a foot into the snow.
"Easy there old timer" Eda pulled him back up. "We need to get the Plantars inside before they become pop sicles so gross even Hooty wouldn't eat them"
"I dunno I've seen him eat some nasty stuff" Gus said, picking Polly up.
Polly stopped shivering "Warm"
"There's a back room behind the throne" Frosta said enthusiastically, pulling at the hem at Eda's coat. "Race you!"
"hold up, kid" Eda protested, hauling Hop Pop across the ballroom. "He's heavy. Lay off the bug burgers will ya, Hopadiah?"
Willow took Sprig's hand. "Come on, buddy, let's get you warm"
"Are we going to a party?" Sprig slurred in a daze as he followed obediently.
Behind the throne was a cozy tiled room with a couch and fireplace.
As the Plantars thawed, Luz and Amity came in drenched in melted snow.
Amity wiped the water off her coat with an irritated groan.
Luz shook her head like a dog throwing water everywhere, grinning cheerfully "We made a big dent!"
"But not big enough" Amity said, smoothing out stray droplets of water "Looks like we'll be here awhile"
"Good thing I have an emergency cocoa stash" Adora said. She rummaged in her jacket and pulled out some sour candies, what looked like a smushed piece of cake and a few packets of hot cocoa.
Amity gave her odd look.
Adora shrugged "What? Scorpia and Entrapata make me keep them"
King looked at Eda accusingly. "Why don't you ever have candy in your hair?"
Eda scowled and pulled king's earflap hat over his eyes.
"Weh?"
"Everyone calm down!" Bow shouted, his voice breaking for the first time in years. "I'll call Brightmoon for an extraction"
When he turned on his tracker pad the feed showed mermista putting out a fire. Entrapta was looking at the mess as if she was calculating the damage-to-progress ratio.
Perfuma was having a full on conniption. "I told you I couldn't handle Entrapta duty alone!"
Someone pulled the feed away from the chaos and Netossa's face appeared on the screen
She whistled. "Frosta wasn't kidding they really aren't from around here" she took out a notebook. She flipped through pages with crude doodles of her friends , some on fire, until she got to a blank page
"what are your weaknesses? What about you, pixie cut?"
Luz pointed to herself certainly.
"I bet it's fire. It's fire, isn't it? You, dye job?"
Amity looked up, startled.
"I'm guessing…a crippling fear of what other people think of you and a a pathological inability to confess to your crush"
"What?" amity stammered, turning bright red.
"Again, so much more personal than fire!" Glimmer said throwing up her arms.
Spinnerella put her arms over her wife as Netossa scribbled furiously. But there was something…off about her smile.
"Leave them them alone, Darling"
Netossa scowled in genuine fury. "I told you to stop that, DT"
"Spinnerella" grinned wickedly and materialized in black smoke to reveal a shorter, green reptilian figure.
"You people are no fun" Double Trouble declared, examining their nails.
Luz screamed and fell over. Catra's ears flattened in distress and she looked away.
Amity blinked in confusion.
"Cool" Gus exclaimed.
Eda scoffed. "body swap? Big deal, we've done that, right kiddo?"
Luz wasn't paying attention. She was clapping as Double Trouble smugly soaked up the praise.
"Can you turn in to anyone?"
Double Trouble complacently turned into Luz except with an uncharacteristically devilish smirk.
"You tell me, sweetheart"
"Whaaaa?" Luz exclaimed.
The real Spinnerella walked in the feed and kissed Netossa.
"Everyone stay calm" she insisted.
"That's what I was saying!" Bow said.
"We're going to take Darla and come get you out. You stay warm and safe until then. Hold tight." Spinnerella said. She noticed her wife's notebook and groaned.
"Darling, not again. You can't just say fire, everyone's weakness is fire!" she argued as she turned the feed off.
Bow sighed. "Let's hope Darla doesn't break down. Again."
Adora held out the hot coca, smiling widely. "Huh? Huh?"
"I'll get mugs!" Frosta said brightly.
"And marshmallows, please!" Anne called after her.
"Okay!" Frosta rummaged in a small kitchenette attached to the room.
"And cinnamon?" Anne continued.
"Ooh that sounds good" Luz said.
"Kids!" Hop Pop said sternly.
"Sorry, Hop Pop" Anne and Luz said as one.
Frosta came back with mugs and they heated up the drinks over the fire.
Anne groaned. "We've been here forever. Let's do the challenge of the brave"
"Oh sounds scary" Luz said, wiping a chocolate mustache.
Sprig and Polly shuddered.
"Trust me, Luz you don't know the half of it" Sprig said.
"Never again" Polly whispered.
Luz, Gus and Willow shared a confused look. They looked to Amity who shrugged.
"Is that like truth or dare?" Adora asked. She laughed smugly. "Because we used to play that all the time in the Fright Zone and I was the undisputed champion."
Catra snorted. "Only because you were too stupid to be afraid of the dares."
Everyone cracked up and Catra smiled softly, blushing.
Suddenly there was a loud eruption like an earthquake and a familiar maniacal laughter.
"Her light speed still works! Good girl, Darla!" came Entrapta's voice.
Everyone cheered.
"We're saved!" Gus cried tears running down his face s he hugged Sprig. Sprig was also crying tears of joy. Polly looked up at them with a blank look.
Perfuma hugged Adora tightly.
Double Trouble came out of Darla bowing. They smiled and waved at Catra who hissed. Anne put a hand on Catra's shoulder.
"Oh none of that, Kitten" Double Trouble said lazily. "Get in you goody two shoe rebels, it's time for a council of war"