As the breeze flowed through the light yellow green leaves of the white mangrove trees and the red mangroves to the white sandy coastline, Carmen sat in a beach chair. She relaxed, her auburn brown hair tied up, the sun beating down on her brownish skin, wearing blue shorts and a red-and-white v-neck t-shirt. Suddenly, she heard a whoosh and the flapping of wings. Staring up, she saw Adora riding on Lapis’s back, swoop down to the beach, amazing and awing her.

“Hey, Carm! Thanks so much for agreeing to do this. We brought some food, if that’s cool…it’s some vegetables that Anthy grew in her garden. ‘Oh, that’s too generous. I have some cut up coconut and banana which I gathered from the nearby trees on this lagoon…I mean atoll. ‘Those humans that named this the “Tampa Lagoon” clearly didn’t know their geographical features. I bet we are the first ones ever here. I’ll leave you to it. Adora, remember to inform me when you need me to fly you back to Beach City. ‘Ok, MOM. ‘Ugh, don’t call me that! ‘Lapis…I’m just messing with you. ‘I’m aware of that…I just wanted to play along…Have a good time, you two! ‘Bye! See you later!

Lapis fluttered her water wings and flew away, water droplets following her path. Adora felt a bit nervous about this date, as she had never been on one before. Also, she wore something different from her usual attire, a white t-shirt and jean shorts, with her hair in the same style she usually sported it. She worried that this date may have been hasty. Sighing, she breathed deeply and remembered back to a conversation she had with the Gems.

“While I wasn’t sure at first, now I am excited…let me put together a bulleted list of everything you need to know… ‘Uh, Pearl, are you really the best person to give advice for Adora’s date with Carmen after your experience with that pink-haired girl? ‘Um…well… ‘Pearl blew it at first, fumbling a bunch of cups when she tried to talk to this girl…later she only succeeded after we pushed her to make a glance when she rode alongside in a motorbike…and then she ran through a red light, chased by the police. ‘Steven! Amethyst! While you are right…you are forgetting the last part...when we finally got to the party, I talked with her even though you suggested I not do so. I asked about her hair and told her I was a conscious manifestation of light…I ended up getting her phone number. If I remember right, Amethyst, you praised me for my “Shakespearian spiel about light” and called me a “total rockstar.” Oh, and Steven, you were very supportive too. ‘Pearl, that’s true, but…I think someone who is human would have better suggestions, especially since you made all those “booty calls,” Pearl. ‘Steven! Those phone numbers inside my Gem are my personal business! ‘Fine. I still don’t get why you have a candelabra, a cauldron, a cannon, a screwdriver, a stethoscope, tinfoil, a TV set, and cellophane in there. ‘Steven, someday those tools could be useful! ‘Pearl, Amethyst, Steven, perhaps you should give someone more experienced a try. ‘Peri, I’m not sure you can… ‘Steven, Pearl, Amethyst, everyone else, I have one important piece of advice that Adora can use: be your true self during the date, don’t hide who you are. Don’t be defined by your past…chart a course and head for the future. Experiment, explore! ‘Peri, that’s actually really good advice! ‘Thanks, Steven. ‘You should be understanding of the other person. I learned that with Peri, when our friendship became a relationship. Being honest with each other is important. ‘Lapis, I realized that the hard way, when I lied about how I felt…causing you…in part… to leave Earth…taking the barn with you. ‘Peri and Lapis…that is solid guidance! Bismuth, Garnet, Connie, do you have any suggestions that could help Adora?

Bismuth remained silent, not sure what to tell Adora, but, taking Steven’s question to heart, Connie decided to answer. While Garnet planned to reply, as the physical embodiment of a relationship, she let Connie go first, listening intently, while petting a sleeping Pumpkin, which purred in her lap.

“While Peridot and Lapis are right, as a human, I’ll give my thoughts: you have to be honest and understand her. Learn more about her story, where she is coming from, and talk about yourself, so she can get a feeling of who you are. ‘Adora, have a good experience! Enjoy yourself. Don’t hold anything back! ‘Garnet, Connie, your suggestions are good ones. Let’s… ‘Chart everything on this chalkboard I took out…I’ve already started a bulleted list. Now, we need to help you choose your outfit. This will be fun! ‘Pearl, Garnet, Connie, Peri, Lapis, and Steven, thanks! Let’s do this!

As the memories faded away, she smiled and chuckled. Carmen looked over with amazement. She entreated Adora, wanting to know why she was acting this way.

“Adora, what’s so hilarious? ‘Oh, I was just thinking back to…never mind…you wouldn’t be interested. ‘Ok, I’ll admit it…the Gems helped me prepare for this date…with you. ‘Aw, that’s sweet. Did Lapis help? ‘Yup. She, Peridot, Garnet, Connie, and Steven all gave suggestions. ‘She’s so great. Seeing her soar through the air, she’s so beautiful… ‘Carmen! You recognize that Lapis is in a relationship with Peridot, right? ‘Sorry. I’m aware of that, she just appeared so graceful, I couldn’t help myself. ‘In any case…I told her to fly into this atoll in an elegant way, so you’d be impressed. ‘You did that for me? Adora, that’s so…adorable! ‘Yeah…I… ‘Are you blushing now? I didn’t think I’d see that so soon. ‘All the Gems…the humans do it…I don’t see a problem… ‘Don’t feel ashamed…its fine, it shows you are expressing your emotions. ‘Good…I’m still getting the hang of Earth. Less than a month ago I came here from my far away home planet, Etheria. ‘Do tell! I’ve never traveled through space or seen other worlds. I’ve been stuck on Earth for my whole life. ‘I was an orphan from another world…me and my parents crash-landed on Etheria over 17 years ago. They were killed by the Horde. It pains me to think about it.

Adora sobbed, tears streaking down her cheeks. Carmen moved closer and hugged her, trying to soothe her the best she could.

‘Let it all come out, don’t hide any part of yourself. I made that mistake…and I’ve worked all my life to undo it. I’d love to hear more about you. ‘Thanks, Carm. I feel a lot better now. Let me continue my story. I grew up on Etheria and got taken in by the Horde, an evil marauding army, and had a friendly rivalry with a woman, Catra. I later left to get a magical sword in some magical woods and joined the Rebellion…we fought against the Horde to free the planet from tyranny. ‘Wait, didn’t you turn your back on your friends in the Horde? ‘I mean…not really…I made new friends in the Rebellion such as the princesses, Glimmer, and Bow. I tried to get Catra to join me so we could be best friends again and she refused. ‘H…how did you get here, on Earth? ‘That’s a good question. The Crystal Gems came into the war room one day, by accident, they claimed, and as the day’s past, I became better friends with them all, especially one dedicated to organization and order…Pearl. I really appreciate her a lot. We even fused in this ice cave in Siberia near that secret A.C.M.E. base a week ago… ‘Fused, what does that even mean? ‘Your body merges with another person. It’s only possible for Gems to do it. ‘What, it’s…sex or something? ‘No, no, no. It’s a bond between two beings. It can be sexual, or it can be between friends. Steven and Connie fuse all the time into Stevonnie, and they are friends. ‘I can grasp it better. I’m curious, did Pearl do or utter anything before you fused together? ‘I remember her twirling her hair and talking a certain way to me, which I hadn’t heard before [speaks in Pearl’s flirtatious voice] ‘Adora…it’s pretty obvious. Pearl likes you! ‘Really? I mean, we held hands in the past…and she stated we were only friends, nothing more, on various occasions. ‘Do friends have a deep emotional bond with each other? ‘Sure, they can. I have an intense bond with Bow and Glimmer back in Etheria. ‘Perhaps that is a bad question. Do you enjoy Pearl…as a person? ‘Why of course. Who doesn’t? ‘I mean, do you like her…enough to be your girlfriend? ‘I’m not sure how to respond to that…I mean, I respect you as a person, just as I do with her…Why so many questions?

Adora leaned in, grabbing Carmen’s t-shirt, pulling her closer and smooched her. Shocked by this display of affection, she quickly pulled back. Her lips dripped with Adora’s saliva.

“This is going too fast for me…I enjoy your company…but not in this way…I don’t think…I’m ready for a relationship right now. ‘Then, why did you agree to this date? ‘I was too embarrassed to tell you no or admit in front of everyone I didn’t understand what a date entailed. ‘Someone such as you…you haven’t been on a date before? I would have thought…. ‘I see why you think that…however, through my upbringing, we were taught to suppress our emotions. A crime school is no place to find love… ‘I had a similar experience in the Fright Zone, where I grew up. They taught us that emotion was awful and should never be expressed. It wasn’t until I left, I could truly express myself. ‘In that way, we have something in common! On another note, let’s eat the coconuts and bananas I cut up…and the vegetables you brought. ‘Sounds like a plan!

Assembling a small low-hung table on the beach, Carmen and Adora ate the coconuts, bananas, and vegetables hungrily, sitting on beach towels they had brought for the occasion. It had been hours since their respective breakfasts and both needed to recharge. The Gems who didn’t need to eat, such as Pearl and Garnet, or those that ate for pleasure (or another reason) like Amethyst, Peridot, and Lapis, had no commonality with them…in this regard. Both were human beings, something they could bond over together.

Turning to Adora, Carmen readied herself to make a momentous revelation. She hoped it would bring the two of them closer.

"I have something to confess: Carmen Sandiego isn’t the name I was born with. ‘What?!…then how did you get your name? ‘I stole my overcoat and hat from the V.I.L.E. bookkeeper, and after leaving the island, my hacker friend, Player, requested my name and I glanced at the labels for “Carmen Outerwear” which was made in San Diego…so I came up with the name “Carmen Sandiego.” ‘Fancy that! Do you have any family? ‘I’m not sure who they are…unfortunately. Since I was raised on V.I.L.E. Island by a revolving set of nannies and taken away from my hometown of Buenos Aires, Tanyuga, once known as Argentina, the identities of my parents are a mystery to me. ‘I thought that Coach, the one who we saw during the assault on V.I.L.E. Island, shot in the back by Pearl with that shotgun, found me there…I recently found out that was wrong…that samurai warrior guy…Shadowsan saved me and brought me to the island. ‘If he’s a first-hand source, you need to quiz him for more details! ‘I could. I’ve heard about DNA tests…being a former thief and all who has undoubtedly broken laws…I am wary of trusting anyone with my personal genetic information, especially not Genealogical Research Inc., GRI, who might give it to the authorities. ‘I’d investigate into it further, maybe query Peridot for help, since she’s really good with computers. We could all help you discover your parentage and heritage. ‘That would be wonderful. Learning more about my past is important to me. ‘There’s bound to be a national library or archives in Tanyuga, right? With the breadcrumbs Shadowsan gives you, it could help start you on family research. ‘That’s a great idea, Adora! Jules could help me too, since she’s heading up that V.I.L.E. museum. It could be their first big breakthrough. ‘Who is Jules again? I’m a little fuzzy on that name. ‘Jules is short for Julia Argent. She’s a strapping young agent of A.C.M.E., about 20 years old, who had short-cut black hair, fair skin with freckles, and has mixed Chinese and French heritage, with a slender build. She is… ‘How do you have knowledge of all that…are you friends? ‘Oh, no, we aren’t friends yet…and barely know each other, even less than I know you. My observations and Player’s hacking helped me gain an understanding of her. ‘Say more. ‘She had this partner, Chase Devineaux, a brash, arrogant, and bumbling man…who believed that detective work is worthless…he seems to be gone now…since he didn’t join us for the assault on V.I.L.E. Island…I hope it’s good for her. ‘Why don’t you question her about him? ‘I would…but inquiring…would…be prying too far. ‘Oh, come on. V.I.L.E. is as good as dead after you destroyed the V.I.L.E. Academy and took custody of all the records. ‘True…we blew up the remaining building on V.I.L.E. Island…But, I remember Shadowsan talking to us about V.I.L.E.’s underground cells, ready to strike when the time is right… ‘I wouldn’t worry about that. You can’t live in fear from something that could occur…with this threat gone, it is the best opportunity to learn more about your roots, birthplace, and parents. That is vital. I never knew my parents…you, Carmen, have a chance to take a leap that I could never do, as my parents had been killed. Hopefully they are still out there, alive! ‘You are right. I can’t let the past dictate my life in the present! From now on, I am seeing forward, not back. And now…I’m a new Carmen.

She pulled off her shirt and shorts with one fell swoop, revealing a red string bikini, and dived into the lagoon, shallow but deep enough for a dive. Nervously, Adora stood on the beach biting her fingernails and twiddling her thumbs, not sure what to do.

“It’s so nice, Adora, you should come in…the water’s warm! ‘If you claim so…promise you won’t laugh.

She slowly took off her t-shirt and shorts to reveal a tankini, with rainbow colors, like it had been tie-dyed, with a dark bluish bikini bottom. She tentatively stepped toward the water’s edge.

“That is…a unique set of colors. ‘Lapis and Peridot made it from some hemp grown in a field formerly used for vegetables grown near their barn…and then tie-dyed it. I wasn’t sure at first…WHOA!

Carmen pulled her into the blueish water using her strong arms, shocking her with such boldness. She felt confused, not sure why Carmen had done this after saying a kiss was moving “too fast.”

“What is this, Carm? I thought you stated we should move “slower.” ‘You were bumming me out, just standing there on the beach. You should be having fun! That’s what this whole day is about. ‘I guess that’s true. Hey, Carm…what are you...

Carmen began splashing her and Adora did the same. Both giggled and played around for some time, having a blast together. The day had gone a lot better than Adora had expected. Sure, she had rejected a kiss, an idea Lapis and Peridot had suggested, but she could be a very good friend for her, a confidante helping her adapt to a new post-V.I.L.E. lifestyle, and help her recover from her trauma in Japan, seeing her two friends turn into candy beings.

As they swam across the lagoon, Adora heard what sounded like a snapping twig. Scanning the tree line of the atoll’s island reefs, she could see nothing other than white, sparkling sand illuminated by the warm sun. She ignored the echo, thinking she had been hallucinating. They moved back toward the shore, tired from horsing around. Carmen laid down on her red beach towel, loosening up, letting the water droplets dry off her skin. Adora prepared to do the same until a loud metallic sawing sound reverberated across the atoll. A coconut tree began to fall toward an unsuspecting Carmen!

Panicking, she rushed over and yelled the only words that had kept her friends safe: “For the Honor of Greyskull!” She expected to be killed by the falling tree, a noble sacrifice to save someone dear to her. But something magical transpired. She transformed into She-Ra, her golden blonde hair blowing in the wind, easily throwing aside the tree branch.

Abruptly opening her brown eyes, Carmen gawked at the light blue-eyed figure who towered above her. Blankly, she wondered what in the world was going on.

“Adora, is that you? ‘Sorry, I didn’t tell you before, but I can turn into a badass warrior named She-Ra. I thought I needed the sword, but apparently the magic is inherent in my being. That’s awesome! ‘I love your hair! Is it always this long and gorgeous? ‘It definitely is! I’m kinda used to it by now.

Taking out her hair pin, Carmen’s brown hair draped down across her back, and blustered in the wind. Gaping upward, she teased her ‘tall friend.'

"That’s so cool. Is that…why you adore me, for my long brown hair? ‘One of my friends pointed out the same thing…I mean…maybe…but you are so much more of a person than what your hair looks like. ‘Thanks, Adora, for the compliment, that really means a lot. I feel the same about you, as the color or length of your hair doesn’t determine who you are as a person. ‘Carm, that’s one of the nicest things anyone had ever said about me.

She switched back to her normal form and fell to the sand, straddling Carmen’s body on the red towel, sitting over her legs in a very suggestive way. Her cheeks getting as red as a Macintosh apple, she politely requested Adora move.

“Uh, this is awkward. Remember what I said about moving too fast. ‘Sorry…sorry. I must have done it subconsciously. ‘It’s ok. This is a learning experience for us both. But…thank you for saving me back there. ‘No problem, that’s what friends are for. ‘I don’t understand why that coconut tree plummeted toward me. There’s no one else here, except us, right? ‘Not that I’m aware of. This atoll has been uninhabited since its creation, based on books I read about the history of the Floridian Archipelago in the local Beach City public library. ‘Yet…I did hear a twig snap a bit before the tree almost crushed you…and then a mechanical sawing whir… ‘Why didn’t you say anything? ‘The cracking sound I thought might be a fluke…when it came to the sawing, saving you from being killed is more important than telling you about it… ‘No matter the circumstances, this calls for an investigation.

Reaching over to her red leather purse, she pulled out her compact mirror tracker, which scanned the entire atoll for any movement. As it sent out electronic beeps, looking for heat signatures, nothing came up. She shook her head, doubting its results.

"This is so strange. My device isn’t detecting anything but obviously something is out there. ‘Let’s search the atoll ourselves! ‘Come on, you know how big this place is! We’ll never be able to cover all the ground, even with the two of us working together! ‘Don’t you have any other snappy devices in your purse? ‘I have a hard drive disguised as lipstick, a laser cutter, a grappling hook, and binoculars. Not sure if any of those will help…I do have a flying drone that can be remote controlled with a tablet I happen to have in my bag. ‘Oh, that sounds perfect. We should use that! ‘The only problem is my teammate who usually uses…is gone. Maybe Player could help! ‘Do you really think involving your male hacker friend is right? Isn’t this supposed to be our day together…enjoying ourselves without anyone else? ‘Fair point, Adora. If he meddled, it could ruin everything…why don’t you give it a try? ‘I…can but I’ve never flown a drone before. I…don’t want to mess it up. ‘I’ll help you navigate “her” through the trees, don’t you worry.

After putting on their regular beach clothes, Carmen showed Adora how to guide Red Drone through the mangrove trees, giving her the directions. After some fooling around, she got the hang of it. She faced her first challenge. Through its eye, she spotted a small globe-shaped object hovering on the atoll’s edges, with a small antenna and an assortment of cameras, one at the center of its structure. Hiding from view they could hear it spitting out a message:

“Subjects sited in beach area. Observation complete. Commencing next stage of operation. Awaiting further commands from P.E.

As it began moving away, Red Drone began following it, occasionally hiding behind mangrove and coconut trees to stay out of vision. Unfortunately, Adora slipped up and the hovering probe saw them. A mechanical voice blared out:

“Unidentified object sighted. Engaging in defensive maneuvers.”

Laser cannons began firing, almost hitting Red Drone, with Carmen and Adora working together to ensure no damage was done. Without warning, everything began to shake like an earthquake. An inter-dimensional gateway opened in the sky, with a light pinkish four-fingered hand reaching through and flicking some sparkling essence. They could hear a voice ask if the “experiment” worked as the portal closed. Since Red Drone wasn’t nearby, the unidentified object took the brunt of the dust, causing it to fall to the ground.

Carmen demanded they approach it to learn more, while Adora warily pointed out the danger. As she hesitated, Carmen tightly grabbed her hand and ran through the mangroves at full speed, pulling her behind. She struggled to keep up, astonished by Carmen’s determination. In no time at all, they reached the wrecked machine. Carmen got closer, taking out her laser cutter to dissect it, but its electronic eye saw her, beginning a countdown:

“Thank you for initiating the self-destruct mechanism. This probe will self-destruct in 30 seconds. 30. 29. 28. 27. 26. 25. 24. 23. 22. 21…”

As destruction seemed imminent, Adora tried to pull away Carmen, but she refused to stop, declaring she only needed a few more seconds. Taking matters into her own hands, Adora picked up the probe and threw it into the ocean. A few seconds later the probe exploded and showered them with water droplets. Carmen and Adora lay on the ground, laughing in unison as the metal shards landed around them. Feeling guilty, Carmen sullenly admitted her mistake.

“Adora, thanks for saving me…again. I should have listened when you said I should stop. I just felt so excited to find out something new… ‘Carm, I get it. I had a…former friend…named Entrapta…on Etheria who tinkered with inventions and scientific experiments…she never seemed to care about what her experiments did to others…or the planet. I’m not saying you are like her, but feeling that the probe should be analyzed shows you have some of her characteristics…in a good way ‘That’s kind of you to say. How about we go back to the beach, calm down, get a bit of suntan? ‘Sure, I’m up for that, I’m up for anything!

Taking off their beach clothes, both stripped down to their swim wear, lying on their beach towels, Carmen on a red one and Adora on a blue one. The sun beat down on their exposed skin, warming them from afar. The camera of another probe zoomed in on them, watching them resting on the sandy white beach.

Pinkish prehensile hair clacked away on a keyboard and a voice cackled. It was Entrapta, operating from her lab in Dryl, where she now operated, apart from helping the Archives of Etheria secure their historical artifacts and objects. She brought a recorder up to her mouth.

“Log day 9. The social experiment is going better than I ever imagined. Spoofing the hacker was tough, but it ensured that the brown-haired lady, calling herself “Carmen Sandiego” would meet with those Gems...who helped bring the new “order” to this planet. I may not be able to make friends very well, but I can watch those that are experienced…to help improve myself. ‘Adora displayed extraordinary courage today in saving Carmen…more than I would have expected…I didn’t know she could transform into She-Ra without her sword…that is fascinating, something I will have to test later. ‘The loss of a probe is unfortunate, from some magic dust…but luckily I had a few others on standby, able to watch this “Carmen” figure and Adora from afar. This is so exciting! Creating social situations in the name of science and discovery is the next frontier I need to conquer.

Putting down the recorder, she slouched in her chair and stared at the screen above her. She tapped the screen, showing the status of her spying on the Gems and their friends across Earth. She desired an update from one of her 30 probes on the planet.

“P.E. here. Probe 2, what is the status of Beach City and the Gems? ‘No new activity to report, P.E., other than a water-winged figure leaving the house at 0900 hours, with a blonde-haired figure riding on her back. ‘Thank you for sharing your observations, Probe 2. Return to normal scanning. ‘Affirmative, P.E., returning to usual surveillance.

Closing the screen, she got up from her chair. Walking around Dryl, she contemplated if spying on the Gems, Adora, and their friends, while engineering certain social situations was wrong. She didn’t know anymore, as the world seemed mystifying to her now that Hordak had been killed, the Fright Zone destroyed, and the Horde leaders were on trial. Her own trial loomed on the horizon. Walking in the castle courtyard, a rose petal fell on her shoulder, puzzling her.

A tan-skinned woman, wearing a pink flower crown, a pink sundress, and greenish long sleeve shawl over her shoulders, stepped forward in her sandals. Her long light blonde hair, filled with pink flowers, flowed to her waist. She cheerfully announced her presence.

“Entrapta, it’s so good to see you! I hope you’re not lonely all alone in this castle. ‘What a nice surprise, Perfuma! I didn’t expect anyone to visit me, especially after all the other princesses felt I should pay “penance” for my previous actions. ‘I have all my robots and inventions here, so they keep me company, but I struggle with human contact. I started this experiment on Earth but I’m not sure if its right to continue it. Can I talk to you about it? ‘Anytime, Entrapta. What’s on your mind? ‘I have…don’t get angry …set up social situations on Earth without people knowing…it’s so fascinating…still, I feel it isn’t right to watch people. ‘What have you done, exactly? ‘I first put out false information that an evil organization was attacking Beach City so this thief and her friends would go visit and meet those Gem beings…then I messed with Adora and this thief, so they would get romantically closer…is that too much meddling? ‘Uh, that doesn’t seem right…you shouldn’t be doing that. Anyone should be able to make their own choices without interference from others. ‘Perhaps I should just end this whole social experiment. I only intended to learn more about others so I could better myself and make friends. ‘I’d stop meddling with their lives, but you can still observe…wait…you have cameras on the devices you sent to Earth, right? ‘They are probes, of course, and I have audiovisual recordings. ‘This might sound awful, but I’d love to see them. ‘That’s so exciting!...Do you want to be my lab partner or something? ‘I’m not sure about that, but I think that having a good friend like me is important after everything you’ve been through. ‘That’s fine too. Let’s go down to my lab!

Following her through the castle’s labyrinth, she could see Entrapta’s quirkiness everywhere. She had attested that Entrapta put a crimp in her harmony. However, after abandoning her in the Fright Zone and understanding her admission of guilt, she aimed to forgive, move on, put the past behind them. In a world without the Horde, being her friend was a method that would, Perfuma hoped, lift her spirits.

Coming into her lab, the place had its own internal organization, robots making tiny snacks and fizzy drinks in the same room as she did her work. No people could be seen anywhere.

“Oh, I forgot to mention, this whole castle is automated. I used to have a human staff, but I don’t need them as everything can be done by robots. They do filing, cleaning, basic hygiene, and now cooking and food preparation. Isn’t it great? ‘What would you like to see? ‘Anything you recorded today. ‘Oh, today there is some juicy stuff. Adora went on a date with that female thief I was speaking about. They really had a grand old time. At one point, Adora even kissed that other woman, something that even shocked me from what I know about her. ‘That is riveting. I didn’t think Adora had that in her. Maybe Earth has really changed her. I’d love to have one of your tiny snacks or fizzy drinks and watch the videos with you. ‘Robot Butler, make a fizzy drink and snack for our guest. ‘Yes, ma’am. Commencing food and drink preparation. Food and drink completed.

Sitting down in another extra swivel chair Entrapta had available, she watched the video from that had been recorded earlier that day. After the recordings came to an end, she could see Entrapta still seemed distraught. Out of nowhere, a thought popped into her head.

"You appear glum. Why don’t we sing about what we’ve seen? ‘Sing? I…haven’t done that before. ‘That’s ok, lots of people haven’t…or are embarrassed to hear others sing. Let your vocal cords do the work. Follow my lead. ‘I’ll let generate a beat.

She ensured that the beat of this song would move up in tempo as it progressed. This began with very soft music.

‘I call this the ‘Ballad of Carmen and Adora’: Adora swooped to the beach/ she was out of reach/ flying on the back of a 'water wing goddess'/ Carmen saw her and was transfixed but modest/ Adora said hello/ Carmen's face began to glow/

As the song continued, turning into a rock ballad (made with electronic sounds), they harmonized together. Entrapta felt she had found her equal, from whom she could understand friendship despite its hurdles. Perfuma gave her hope for the future. After completing it, they listened to it and danced together in the lab, holding each other’s hands for support, as pink rose petals floated around the room. Entrapta had the sense she had met someone who enjoyed her company, unlike the other princesses.

Back in the Tampa Lagoon, falsely named by foolish humans, Carmen and Adora were ready to call it quits. They had enough of the meddling by unknown outside forces, close calls at injury, or even death, and some lingering effects of awkwardness. Beaming, Carmen approached Adora, ready to give her farewells.

“Although this excursion didn’t go as I thought it would…I still want to be friends with you…if you type your number into my phone, then I’ll do the same with yours. ‘Sounds great…except this isn’t my phone, its Pearl’s. She let me borrow it. I’ve been on Earth such a short time I haven’t picked up my own phone yet. ‘No matter! Since you and Pearl are close…I’ll get in contact with you through that number. ‘Oh…okay. That can work. ‘All done now. Thanks so much for agreeing to this. ‘It’s my pleasure. I couldn’t have done this without you. ‘That’s sweet. Take care of yourself. Text me, call me anytime! ‘Bye, Carm! See you on the sunny side.

Carmen took off with a running start, her hang glider allowing her to soar across the vast Atlantic Ocean. She flew en route to Lyons, France, where she was to meet Jules to learn about the progress at recovering the V.I.L.E. data from V.I.L.E. Island. While doing so, she phoned Player, who excitedly answered her call.

“Red, how’d the date go? ‘It was a lovely location and I had a wonderful time with Adora…I think we are becoming better friends, which is the first step. ‘Oh, that’s great. Did she put any moves on you? ‘Player!...She did assertively kiss me once and accidentally landed around my legs suggestively…On the other hand, I pulled her into the water and through the woods to check out this probe we found…I have to thank her for saving me multiple times. ‘Woah, that’s more than I expected…didn’t you tell her you’d like to move slowly? ‘I did say that, and she understood, which made me glad. That probe I tried to investigate before it almost blew up in my face, seemed like it watched both of us… ‘That’s creepy. Do you have a picture of it? ‘As a matter of fact, I do. Sending it now. ‘Thanks. I’ll search online and in the V.I.L.E. data files to see if there is a match. I’ll let you know the results. ‘Player, it's always a pleasure. Have a great rest of this delightful day. ‘I would, but its gloomy and raining outside. I’d rather play one of those multiplayer first-person shooter games with Peridot. ‘I…hope you enjoy that! ‘I will! Talk soon, Red!

As the conversation ended, Carmen let her fears melt away, closing her eyes, as she drifted across the sea, flying through the sky. Meanwhile, in Beach City, Adora had a wholly different experience. The Gems peppered her with questions, especially Garnet, Pearl, Lapis and Peri, about how the date went, and she nervously didn’t answer them.

“Adora, why aren’t you saying anything? After I let you take my phone and helped you plan the date in the Floridian Archipelago…I…we would like to hear at least something about it.”

Taking the comment as insulting, her temper began to flare. She spit fire, metaphorically, at them, excoriating them for their response.

“Pearl…Lapis…Peri…Garnet…and everyone else…If you must know…I enjoyed myself and had a great time…that is all…are you happy now? ‘…you don’t have to be so angry, Adora…we just… ‘I understand you are trying to be supportive and I appreciate that…the questioning is too much for me right now…I had a long day and I’m tired. ‘Ok, let’s go part by part. Tell us the gist what happened in the Tampa Lagoon today. ‘It started out pretty great. Lapis flying me down to the beach impressed Carmen…she even said that Lapis looked “beautiful” ‘That’s cute. Do go on. ‘Well, Lapis, and everyone else, I recounted my life back in Etheria, asked if I thought of Pearl as my girlfriend…then I kissed her. ‘Whaat? You did… ‘Peri, the moment seemed right…sadly she said the she wanted to go “slower.” ‘As the day went on, we ate lunch together, she noted how “Carmen Sandiego” isn’t her birth name, just one she chose for herself…she pulled me into the water and we played around, splashing each other…then the thing came ‘The thing? ‘A probe, drone, or whatever. A coconut tree almost killed Carmen, but I saved her by turning into She-Ra…then I embarrassed myself…luckily that thing destroyed itself…and I ensured that she wasn’t killed when it blew up ‘What then? ‘We relaxed on the beach in our swimsuits…and entered our numbers into each other’s phones at the end. That’s the gist of the ‘date.’

Handing the phone back to Pearl, she proceeded to swipe her finger across the lock screen. She could see Carmen seductively looking into the camera, her eye twinkling and blowing a kiss in the photo associated with her contact information. After everything Adora had explained, it didn’t add up for her.

‘Adora…what is she doing!...is she trying to be provocative? ‘I…don’t know…though she said I was going “too fast,” she might have a soft spot for me. ‘In other words, she hit on you during the date. ‘No, Amethyst, she didn’t physically strike me. ‘I don’t mean physically…I mean she openly displayed her attraction toward you. ‘Oh…she definitely did that. I did the same, as I didn't hide my feelings.

As the sun began to set, everyone turned in to sleep, not wanting to stay up later or turn electric lights on, running on what they called “Beach Time.” Exhausted, Adora lied down on the couch. Beginning to drift off to sleep, she unexpectedly felt a strong tug on her arm. With a playful grin, Pearl teased her: ‘You don’t want to go to sleep right?...I’d like to talk you…outside.” Not in a position to argue, Adora went along with her request, and they snuck out the front screen door. Running down the wooden stairway to the beach, Pearl pulled Adora behind her, like Carmen, during their date in the Tampa Lagoon.

Sitting on the sand together, the ocean waves tranquilly moved in and out with the tides. Sometimes, you even forget that the Moon’s gravitational field determined whether the water would be at high or low tide, thinking the oscillating of waves was natural to the planet itself, not determined by any outside forces. Breathing deeply, Pearl turned to Adora.

“After hearing about that ‘date’ you had with Carmen today in the Tampa Lagoon…I’ve been thinking about our relationship. ‘Relationship? ‘Yes…we’ve known each other long enough…this friendship has come to an end… ‘Huh? ‘But a new chapter is beginning…one where we express our true feelings for each other. ‘Uh… ‘I had a realization which I had been afraid to admit because I had a fear of losing you…as you know, the last person dear to my heart, Rose, left me for a long-haired human…a feeling of loss that still resides within me…although I have recovered from it, sometimes it resurfaces in moments of pain and anguish. ‘Having said all that...there's something I need to get off my chest and state loudly...and proudly...I...LOVE you Adora! ‘Pearl…I love you too! I… ‘Hush now…let’s enjoy this moment.

Their heads tilted toward each other and eyes closed, they passionately kissed. All the while, their blonde and peach hair blew in the gentle breeze. Ending a tender embrace, Pearl held Adora’s head in her lap, as both gazed up at the dazzling Moon.

“I think the world of you, and I cherish this planet!...Isn’t that moonlight spectacular? ‘Yes, Adora, its magnificent and I treasure you too.

They remained together, staring into the starry night sky, at the grand cosmos above.