Tumblr continues to taunt me with a suggested tag that I last used months ago................
So let's actually do this. We have the whole show now, so let's give our nonbinary theater kid chaos gremlin the spotlight they deserve. I really liked the idea of placing the week within gemini season because they totally are, but that might be too little time to prepare at this point, so now I'm thinking June 28 - July 4. I'm open to suggestions as well.
I'll make a sideblog where I'll post the guidelines, themes, and dates, as well as reblog all the works that people make during the week. Look out for that!
my entry for day 3 of @doubletroubleweek! this is the longest by far at about 1.3k words, but i think it’s the best (i know i said that yesterday!). an exploration of forgiveness and the most important people in double trouble’s life, there’s no trigger warnings, only a spoiler warning for season five! i hope you enjoy 💖
Double Trouble was sick of Catra acting like she was all high and mighty because she turned around, fought Horde Prime, and then got She-Ra as a girlfriend. She acted like a saint. But she had done the unspeakable, and she wouldn’t be able to push her past misdeeds under the rug for long.
“You know, kitten, don’t you sometimes wish it could be like the old days? You’re so boring now.” The shapeshifter was currently staying in Bright Moon after Sparkles’ aunt claimed that they were her child, but they were more of a babysitter for Catra and Adora’s newborn Finn than a guest. They supposed, however, the kid had grown on them. Now, they stood on a balcony, watching the sun set. “Always watching your kid or going to meetings about the rebuild efforts. When we were with the Horde, we’d take a skiff and ride through the Whispering Woods, hang out in the rafters, stay up past curfew...don’t you miss that? Having fun?”
“I’m boring?” Catra didn’t sound frustrated—perhaps more amused? Like she had expected this. “Trouble, listen to me. I am happier now than I ever was with the Horde. What we had wasn’t a friendship. You made that very clear before leaving me, and if you want to try and create one, you have to prove to me that you’ve changed.”
Double Trouble wound a lock of their pale hair between their fingers, sighing. “And you think you can prove to me that you’ve changed? Deep down inside, you’re still the exact same person I knew. You’re still cruel, and you’re still ruthless. You’re just like me, kitten, and they’ll never accept people like us.”
Catra sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Look, Double Trouble, just because you have whatever repressed trauma you’re ignoring doesn’t mean that you can drag other people down with you. I know what you’re doing, and it won’t work on me.” She got up from her seat on the railing and turned to face them. “I know you’re not happy. But stop trying to sabotage things for others.” She sauntered back into the castle, presumably to go sleep with the love of her life. Because she was happy.
“I am happy!” they shouted after her, but it was useless. She wasn’t willing to listen. That was alright. They didn’t need anyone.
✂✂✂
Double Trouble’s supposed mother must have had some serious abandonment issues, since she wouldn’t leave them alone. She would leave an extra blanket on their bed if she thought it would be extra cold that evening, or make an extra cup of tea in the morning just before they woke up. It was a waste of time, but she did a little something every day. She wanted to be in their life, but Double Trouble wouldn’t let her in. It was time for their “mother” to accept that they didn’t need her.
She looked so excited when they had asked her to speak in private. A shame that it was only to push her away, but they didn’t need her. They didn’t need anyone. “So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?” Her voice was so gentle, so innocent.
“Why do you want me?” Double Trouble’s tone, on the contrary, was cold, cutting. Calculated. They knew what they planned to say, and they would cut her out of their life with surgical precision.
Castaspella’s eyebrows knit together, and she frowned. “What do you mean, darling?” The shapeshifter was taken aback by usage of a pet name. That was their thing, and she was trying to turn it on them.
“I’m terrible. I’m disgusting. I’m the worst person you’ve ever met, and I don’t even feel guilty.” Their smile only grew wider as her face fell. They had done so many horrible things, but they were practically a prodigy at manipulation. Their resume was extensive. Flutterina, their most difficult job, was their greatest success. “Maybe you wanted me when I was cute and innocent, but don’t fool yourself. No self-respecting mother would want me as a child.”
Double Trouble half expected the woman to break down sobbing right there, but instead she wrapped her arms around them and squeezed as tight as she could muster. They flinched, but found themself almost melting into the touch. Castaspella sighed, loosening her grip just a bit to speak. “You are my child. I could never hate you. And...and maybe you don’t want me, but I’m going to work every day to be a mother to you. To make up for all of the lost years.”
They stood like that for a while, only stopping when Castaspella lowered her arms and left them to stand in a trance.
✂✂✂
The only things Double Trouble really enjoyed about staying in Bright Moon were the warmth, holding baby Finn for what felt like hours, and its close proximity to Plumeria. Plumeria and its sister kingdom Pavonia were the nearest regions to Bright Moon (save for the Whispering Woods), and in the wake of the eradication of Horde Prime, Pavonia’s monarch Prince Peekablue had emerged from hiding and had resumed his rule of the region. Apparently, he had been watching them steal his identity, but he wasn’t angry with them. He had asked Double Trouble to come over for tea once, and, being fond of the beverage, they took up his offer. Ever since then, they had been meeting about once a week just to chat about whatever came to mind. From the moment that the prince first blushed, the shapeshifter had gone out of their way to be extra flirtatious, just to get him flustered. They were well aware he had fallen hard, and anyone else would have let him down easy. But Double Trouble could always use another subject for character analysis.
One evening, the two sat beside one another on yet another balcony (they truly had a habit of ending up on ledges). The stars twinkled against the inky black sky, and Blue seemed so...at peace with himself, hands folded neatly in his lap as he stared up into the cosmos. Double Trouble had never known inner peace. Their life had always been one of moral ambiguity and emotional turmoil.
“You know,” Blue began softly, “my parents always told me that my powers were connected to the moons. Not directly, but that when the elemental princesses’ runestones were being forged, one of our ancestors fell in love with the spirit of the moons. The spirit felt the same, but being a spirit, was stranded alone. As a token of their affection, they granted them the power of farsight, to see all, just as the moons can. I don’t know if it’s true, but it’s nice to think about it. That a gift that could be used for so much evil is a product of a love from centuries ago.
“I never told you this, but...your mother tried to contact me after Princess Prom. She sent almost a dozen letters to the palace, begging me to try and find her child. I only saw them once the war had ended.” The prince sighed, turning to look Double Trouble in the eyes. “I know you don’t want her in your life, but she really cares. She’s always cared.”
“If you’re telling me she cares for who I truly am, you don’t know who I am at all.” The shapeshifter was sick of people treating them like they actually needed them. They could leave any second and be perfectly well-off, and they despised constantly having to spell it out. “Let me explain. I’m a horrible person, and I’m proud of it. I’ve done things your pretty little head couldn’t even dream of. I don’t need her, and I don’t need anyone. I never have. And I never will.” With that, Double Trouble finished their speech, folding their arms with contempt and turning their back to the prince.
Blue nodded, shutting his eyes. “I get it. But I won’t stop trying, and I know she won’t either. I don’t care what you’ve done. I care who you are now.” He slipped his hand into theirs, the faintest bit of a smile appearing as Double Trouble squeezed back.
here’s my submission for day 1 of @doubletroubleweek! i chose the theme “acting,” and this isn’t particularly strict when it comes to the interpretation of that, but i really enjoyed writing this. i wish we got to see more of scorpia and double trouble’s friendship in canon! no trigger warnings for this piece, it’s entirely fluff. thank you for reading! 🦂
Princess Scorpia hadn’t intended to get her friends so involved in the reconstruction of the Fright Zone, but there was no one better to advise her on the arts than the only thespian she knew, Double Trouble. She was working on rebuilding her relationship with them after the Enchanted Grotto incident, and they had “moved” into the budding community (to be honest, Scorpia didn’t know where they were staying). She appreciated their company immensely, because no matter how much she visited Catra and Adora, there would always be a space in between them that couldn’t be fixed. The princess would probably always harbor the tiniest bit of a grudge against Double Trouble, as their cruel demeanor clicked with Catra back then more than hers ever had a chance to, but she knew that it wasn’t their fault. It wasn’t worth it to keep dwelling on the past.
“So, like, what are we thinking for location? This place isn’t exactly huge, but there’s some abandoned storage that I think would work.” For someone who claimed to despise architectural planning, Double Trouble really had devoted themself to the project at hand. A theater was to be created, right in the heart of the Fright Zone, which would play host to troupes from other kingdoms, individual performers, and various works, traditional and modern. Perhaps her individual interest in establishing a performance center had peaked after her brief stint as Lynda D’Ream, but even then she had chemistry with the reptile onstage (albeit costumed as a random woman to accompany her song, revealing that they also were apt at improvisational jazz piano).
Poring over the map which was taking up the majority of the table, Scorpia traced a pincer up to the spot her friend had been talking about. Fairly centralized, large building with open space around, in close proximity to the planned community garden...it was the perfect spot. “You know, DT, you’re really good at this. Are you still considering the position I offered you? I need people I can trust to help me rebuild my kingdom. People who know it well.”
“I told you, darling, I’m not settling down anytime soon. Plus, I’m due for a visit to my prince.” Double Trouble twirled their hair in between their fingers, smirking at the mention of their favorite disguise. “You know I get paid good money to make appearances for him.”
“When will you stop leading him on? You know he’s fallen for you. We all know it. We’re all waiting for you to get together at this point. It’s been the primary focus of Princess Alliance meetings since the war ended.” The scorpion was using her height advantage to attempt intimidation, but it only hid the smile she had cracked. “Seriously, though, poor Peekablue is head over heels. When are you gonna leave him alone?”
“Oh, but I’m having so much fun! He’s so easy to fluster, and I will say, he’s easy on the eyes.” Scorpia couldn’t help but laugh. Double Trouble’s entire life revolved around their them fatale persona, and it was amusing to see what drama they got themself involved in for the sake of it. This would happen every time they tried to discuss serious government matters, but, hey, being an official princess was stressful, and there was no harm in laughing.
A few months later and the theater was bustling on its opening night. Seeing as the performing arts would be used to help connect the new inhabitants of the Fright Zone to the kingdom’s history and the almost extinct race of scorpions, survived only by Crown Princess Scorpia. Double Trouble was booked to portray Scorpia as a child and had spent countless hours studying old portraits and mementos. Scorpia didn’t remember much from before the Horde invaded, but they could piece together a decent personality. The rest would be covered by the magic of acting.
“I love you, moms,” they sobbed, envisioning Princess Frosta tripping on a root in the Whispering Woods. “Am I ever gonna see you again?”
The actress portraying Scorpia’s more feminine mother kneeled to meet their gaze, smiling gently. So many wonderful performers were sharing the stage tonight. “We’ll meet again. I promise.”
The stage went dark, and instead of following their assigned route offstage to clear for a set change, Double Trouble looked out into the audience, locking eyes with a smiling and teary-eyed Scorpia.
my submission for day 2 of @doubletroubleweek! i chose the theme “deception.” i think this is MUCH better than almost as good as applause, but that’s subjective. no trigger warnings! i hope you enjoy my entry for day 2! 🧚🏻
Sure, they were getting paid good money for it, but Flutterina really was perhaps the most grating role Double Trouble had been required to inhibit. And for such a long time! There was no set date on when they were to return to the Fright Zone. For anyone else, they would flat-out refuse an open-ended deal, but Catra was wound so tightly around their finger, she was a special case. Kitten really had some abandonment issues if she clung onto the first mercenary she could find as her new best friend.
“Now, we’re all going to take a nice, deep breath in,” Perfuma instructed, and Double Trouble almost reflexively gagged. In light of all the stress that they had secretly caused, the princess had thought it best to involve all of the camp residents in a meditation session. If they had a choice, the shapeshifter simply wouldn’t have attended, but Flutterina was a real team player, always eager to participate in bonding exercises. Her character was certainly an exhausting one. Alas, they complied, taking in oxygen through their pores as was customary for Flutterina’s race. It was a horrifying sensation, but they were getting more used to it. If Blondie and Arrow hadn’t shown up at the dinner party, they wouldn’t have to strive for accuracy. They supposed, however, it was integral to their plan to get into the Rebellion that the party was ambushed with Arrow at it.
“I don’t see the point in this, Perfuma,” Sparkles groaned. Honestly, Double Trouble had no idea why she’d even come. She was clearly preoccupied with being used by Shadow Weaver and widening the gap between her and Blondie. “If it’s not helping us defeat the Horde, it needs to go. This is a waste of my time.” She stomped off, in true Sparkles fashion. Blondie turned as if to follow her, but settled back into her seated position with a heavy sigh.
“Well...if no one else has any objections, we can continue.”
✰✰✰
Flutterina had made a few friends in the Rebellion. Frosta was of a similar age range, and a few of the Plumerian refugee children had taken a liking to her. She was spunky, but respectful, and loved to entertain the younger children. Double Trouble had thrown in a bit of theatricality as an ode to their true self, but otherwise, she was their polar opposite.
“Come and get it!” they shouted, giggling as they held the baton crucial to the game above their head. Never again would Double Trouble ever giggle. They didn’t really understand this game they were involved in (referred to as “tag” by some of the Plumerians), but the little ones seemed to enjoy it, so they played along. If Flutterina proved to be a kind and helpful leader of the children, perhaps Sparkles would think more of her and include her in more decision-making.
One of the horned refugees was gaining on them, but Flutterina was a good sport, so Double Trouble let them snatch the baton, despite the act of putting effort into defending it. Everything had to be so complicated here. At least back in the Waste, everyone they were paid to imitate was just as cruel as they were. It wasn’t such a drastic change. If they were to behave like a normal child from the Waste, they would’ve kicked that Plumerian in the shin and ran off with the baton. No matter what they said, acting was still demanding, regardless of their natural aptitude.
✰✰✰
Whatever complex rune the mysterious sorceress (Shadow Weaver, who had apparently been with the Horde prior to her betrayal) had cast, Double Trouble couldn’t weasel their way out of this one. It was foolish to go after the backup communicator, but at that point, they were desperate. Without any connection to the Fright Zone, out in the open with a bunch of princesses, they had to take whatever they could get.
Queen Sparkles made her way into their “cell,” really a cushy guest room. How cute that the opposition didn’t even have containment cells. She drew up another messy rune and sent it forward, and when the magic dissipated on impact Double Trouble couldn’t help but laugh. Their hair shifted from its usual pale blonde to a soft pink with lilac undertones, cascading over their shoulders. Sparkles’ face was priceless.
“Why do you do this?” she shouted. “Who do you think you are? You think you can come in here and lie to all of us, and imitate someone we actually cared about? You think you can imitate my mother?”
“Deception is one dangerous game, Sparkles. But I’ve won.”
Has anyone scheduled a Double Trouble week yet? If not, I propose we make it the first full week of Gemini season - May 25 - 31. I also propose we shorten it to DT Week because no one wants to type that whole mess. It’s a ways off still, but hopefully we’ll have S5 in hand by then and more DT canon content to inspire us!
