"...(Y/N)..? Where were--"
"Cass-! I.."
I quickly brushed aside the new tears that were forming.
"I...I need to see Rapunzel."
Cass didn't ask questions. She could tell it was urgent. Worry was evident in her eyes, but she silently obeyed and directed me to Rapunzel's room.
"..Rapunzel. We need to talk.."
"...(Y/N)..? (Y/N)-! Me and Cass were so worried--where were you-?!"
Rapunzel brought me into a tight embrace. I didn't move.
"I went to help Varian. He..."
"..He..."
..
..
I began choking up again. It was hard to think about... him..
Rapunzel noticed something had happened. She gave me another soft, empathetic hug--that I leaned into this time. It didn't matter how mad I was at her. Rapunzel was too kind, after all.
"..Hey, it's alright... what happened..?"
"He.. No, I--.. It's not about that.. Rapunzel, he... Varian is planning something."
"..(Y/N), what do you--"
"He's not... right. When I went to help him--he wasn't himself. I'm... princess, I'm afraid."
"..What did he say...?"
"I think he wants to.. no.. he's not afraid to hurt you to get what he wants. He was saying things like how he doesn't care what he does and--doesn't care.. for me.."
"..So... what do you say we do..-?"
"Rapunzel.. You're the princess. This is your kingdom. You decide what to do."
I turned and walked out of the room abruptly. I didn't want to be rude, but I was right. It was her problem.. It's not like I could provide any help to... 'stop' him. I.. didn't want to, anyways. I didn't want to hurt him.. but I couldn't say he wasn't going to hurt me.
The sun was glaring in my eyes, annoyingly as ever. I found that Cassandra wasn't here this morning--not in the room with me. I assumed she had duties of setting up for Rapunzel's birthday--today. I thought about stopping by to see her, I didn't want to seem uncompassionate.
It's just that..
..It was hard.
It was hard to get out of bed--everyday. Part of me just wanted to stay in bed--sleep and let the world take its form. I felt.. hopeless. He made me feel hopeless.
But I needed to get up. Whether it was hard, easy, or one of my biggest challenges--I had to get up. Just this once. I needed to be there for everyone--for Cass. I had to.
Apparently it was Rapunzel's birthday today. Sum it up to isolating myself for a week. Two weeks..?
I ended up coming across Rapunzel at the festival--who seemed a bit worried. I tapped her on the shoulder.
"Ah-! (Y/N)! It's, uh... been a while, hasn't it..?"
I simply nodded.
"..Right. Say, have you seen Cass..-? I can't seem to find her.."
"..Strange..."
"..Huh-?"
"She wasn't here this morning, either.."
"..Well, let's find her-!"
"..Cass-? What are you doing..?!"
After about half an hour of searching, we finally found Cass... tidying a barn..?
"Haven't you heard..? This is my new assignment."
"Cass..? What's going on-?"
Cassie glanced at me and sighed.
"Apparently the king found out I was the one who snuck Raps out of Corona before her coronation."
"..That's... impossible-! The only way he could've found out is if--...he read my journal."
...
..Eugene decided to awkwardly break the silence.
"Hey-! But, uh--in the meantime, at least you have.. stable employment."
I glared at Eugene.
"Aha-! R..Right, not great timing--but different room, different circumstances, that would've killed..-!"
"This is just temporary.."
"...I'm being sent to a convent tomorrow."
...Convent..? No, I-- it wasn't that big of an offense.. was it..? I glanced over to Rapunzel's direction. She seemed to have the same idea I had.
As we were walking to go see the king, Rapunzel began to preach on behalf of Cassandra.
"My dad has gone too far. You shouldn't be punished for something I--"
A huge metal robot interrupted Rapunzel, and began tearing up the hallway--and it looked like it was about to tear us, too. Actually.. is that..--
"An automaton-?!"
"You know what this thing is, (Y/N)!?" Rapunzel questioned, stress and confusion detectable in her eyes.
"Yeah--they're an ancient machinery that Varian taught me abou--....Varian."
"How did it get past the guards-?"
"That's a good question--but I'm guessing it's not here for the party-!" Eugene sarcastically remarked.
Cassandra began charging at it, swiftly dodging its attacks. The automaton hit the wall next to a banner.
"That's it-!"
"..Huh-?"
"The banner-! Pascal..-?"
Pascal caught on to Rapunzel's plan. He climbed up the wall and released the banner, to which Rapunzel swiftly caught it.
"Hey-! Metalhead! Over here!"
"Automaton." I corrected.
The automaton marched towards Rapunzel--who began wrapping the banner around the machine. Cass called the automaton once more, resulting in the automaton being even more wrapped up and tangled in the banner. This method was repeated, until the automaton had broken out of the banner... and was headed towards me.
By this point, I already had my back pinned against the wall behind me. The automaton was getting closer..
Right when the machine was about to hit me into the ground, it abruptly malfunctioned and powered down.
"(Y/N)-! Are you alright?!"
"..Cass-! Yes, I'm fine, I--"
I walked around to inspect the automaton.
"Is that.. a music box..?"
"..We should probably get rid of this thing before it powers up again."
..So we did. By.. pushing it out a window.
"...I think it's dead."
"Ya think, Eugene-?" Cass snapped.
"..Where were we-? Seeing the king..?"
"Right. We were. (Y/N).. I need you to stay home--in our room--the rest of the day. I just think..."
Cass went on about something. I didn't listen. I didn't want to listen. She never listened to me, why should I--
I needed to speak up.
"..What..?"
I stepped back from the window.
"Cass, are you kidding me!? I stayed in our room for two weeks. Two weeks-! And god forbid I got up to eat breakfast-! And now you want to put me back there again?!"
Cass was taken aback.
"I just got better-! I just.."
I began choking up. Again. Like I always do.
"I just got the courage....today! To get up--to actually do something! To keep myself alive-! And I built up that courage... for this-?!"
"(Y/N), I--"
"No, Cass.. you. You didn't bother to do anything. Even when I didn't eat. Do you just.. Do you just want me gone...?"
Here's where the tears began strolling down my cheeks--like waterfalls. They never stopped.
"(Y/N)... I.. didn't know.."
"..Yeah. You don't know a lot of things, do you, Cassandra..?"
I sprinted off. If she wants me to lock myself away in my room, then that's what I'll do.
"..(Y/N)-?"
"Cass.. if you're here to apologize, I--"
"It's not Cass. It's Eugene.."
I perked my head up from the side of my bed, and stood up.
"..Eugene...? What are you doing here..?"
"Ooh yeah, uh.. probably need to catch you up to speed here.. Alright--Rapunzel got locked up in the highest room in the castle, we broke her out, Varian kidnapped the queen and is now threatening Ra--"
"What-?!"
"Yeah.. that's why I--"
"You think you could've led with that-!?"
"..Ahem. As I was saying--that's why I came to get you. Rapunzel said we needed you--you're the only one who can get through to Varian."
"...Eugene..? What is the princess planning..-?"
"Yeah, about that.. The king and Rapunzel are launching a full-scale attack on Old Corona--I'llgiveyoutimetothinkaboutitbye!"
..An attack...?
No matter how much I wanted to push this aside, I always knew something had to be done. I always knew he was planning something--knew he was dangerous.
And yet it still hurt when I agreed to help attack Old Corona.
He--.. Varian.. was my first ever friend. One that's been with me for 2 years, now.
I needed to get him back.
"..What's the plan, Raps-?"
"We can assume Varian will be expecting a full-out attack on Old Corona. So... we'll launch a full-out attack on Old Corona."
"Wouldn't that be giving him the upper hand, your majesty..?" A guard interrupted.
"Yeah. We'll let him think he still has the upper hand--and when we distract him with the assult, I am gonna sneak around the back using the underground tunnels and rescue the queen."
"..Rapunzel..-?"
The princess perked her head towards me. I gave her a look--a look almost asking for permission. Rapunzel simply smiled, granting my request.
"..We are going to rescue the queen."
Me and Rapunzel were waking through the empty underground tunnels. Well.. not completely empty. I could tell the rocks were getting worse--they were practically everywhere we went.
"..Varian's lab should be right above us." Rapunzel whispered, pointing at a small hatch in the ceiling. "Are you ready..?"
"...Ready as I'll ever be, princess."
Rapunzel peeked her head through the hatch--then giving me a signal to follow.
I climbed out of the hatch to reveal an empty room--as empty as Varian's clutterspace can get.
"..Huh... where is he--"
Suddenly, I heard a loud clank above me. It was the purple goo--the animal trap. We were already stuck in it before I could warn Raps.
"Hahaha..."
..Varian.
"Welcome back.... Rapunzel."
Varian revealed himself with a fluorescent light--made from some chemicals on a stick.
I stood in silence. To see him now--after almost a month.. it was... heartbreaking. To see him like this.
"Varian, let us go.. now."
"Princess Rapunzel-! Aha--I know it's hard for you--but for once in your life, you are in no position to demand anything."
"..Varian. What happened to you..?" I stared straight into him, his eyes showing no sign of remorse. This wasn't the Varian I knew..
"..What happened-? Ha-! And I would think if anyone knew what happened, it would be you. See, I tried asking for help in a civil manner, but was denied by everyone in Corona. Yes, it may be.. unfortunate.. but that's only if you make it so. Otherwise, I'm just doing what needs to be done. Then again... you always have been someone keen for worrying, haven't you, (Y/N)..-?"
"How about we get to the point? Where is my mother, Varian."
"Oh-! Right! I almost forgot... ahem--no, not really."
Varian walked to an old, rustic curtain to reveal the queen--chained up near a stone wall, dangerously close to some black rocks in the floor.
"Mom-!"
I could visibly tell Rapunzel was stressed--yet she stayed determined.
"I'm okay, Rapunzel." Queen Arianna reassured.
"Let her go, Varian--Please!"
"First.. you're going to do something for me."
"What do you want..?"
"Oh-! So now you care about what I want! Aha! All it took was threatening the things you loved the most.."
Varian began rolling out a huge machine, covered by an old sheet.
"Alright--I'll spare you the details about the Sun Drop and darkness.. blahblahblah--and get to the good stuff." Varian smirked and unveiled the machine--a drill.
He tapped one of the rocks.
"Unbreakable?"
Varian walked over and lifted Rapunzel's hair.
"Unbreakable. To put it plainly--with assistance from my drill, Rapunzel's hair should be able to shatter the amber and free my father.."
I glanced over to Rapunzel. She seemed hesitant, but willing. Rapunzel knew she didn't have a choice.
"Oh-! And I almost forgot--we're kinda on a time crunch here, so I'm gonna need to speed things along.."
He pulled out a glass vial of a solution from his apron, and poured the chemical on the rocks near Queen Arianna, resulting in the rocks creating an amber--supposedly the same amber that had encased Varian's father. This wasn't good.
"Varian, stop--!"
He simply walked over to Rapunzel, releasing her from the purple chemical with a salt-like compound.
"Now... Shall we get started..?"
Rapunzel's golden hair was inside the drill, amber reaching ever close to Queen Arianna.
"Varian.. if this doesn't work, and something happens to me--please. Let my mom go."
"..I can't make any promises, princess..."
He started up the machine. Rapunzel's hair began to glow, as she yelled in pain. I wish I could've done something in that moment..
Varian kept trying and trying--pushing the drill in deeper, yet nothing seemed to work.
"What-?! Why!? I--I.. don't understand! Why wont it--her hair! It should've cut throught it-! Why didn't it work..?!"
I found Pascal below me, freeing me from the purple compound. I frantically searched the room for something to free the queen. I noticed a sword on the floor, and tossed it to Arianna--in which she used it to cut herself loose from the chains. Right before the amber encased her.
"Rapunzel-!"
Queen Arianna rushed to make sure Rapunzel was alright. I glanced towards Varian, who was on his knees in front of the huge amber. In a way, I felt bad for him. Really bad.
I stirred my attention towards Rapunzel and the queen, happily reuniting.
"Are you alright-?"
"Yes, Mom, I will be--....where's Varian..?"
I spun around--Varian was nowhere to be seen. I felt a soft shake in the ground.. which quickly became a hard rumble, and a large automaton rose from the ground, breaking the floor. I looked up at the head to see..
..Varian.
"Sorry, princess! We were in this together--but if I can't have a happy ending.. than neither can you-!"
Varian hit the stone ground in rage, causing another loud tremor. Rapunzel and the queen ran out of the lab, to which I quickly followed.
Varian, of course, followed as well--ending up breaking the wall behind us.
Cassandra was quick to attack. Needless to say, the odds were a million to one--and that's with some generous rounding--so it was no doubt Varian was able to stop her.. even before Cass was able to lay a sword on the automaton. Varian quickly grabbed Cassandra with the large metal hand, forcing her to be unable to move.
"Let her go, Varian-!" Queen Arianna called out--demanded. ...Wrong move.
Varian reached out to the Queen and grabbed her aswell.
"Mom-!"
Varian inspected his former prisoner.
"Varian, please-! Snap out of it! I barely know anything about how you feel--but I know this isn't right! It's not yo--"
"(Y/N).. Haven't you heard..? Children have no place in battle."
And with that, Varian threw me with his metal fist, sending me into the ground--almost a mile away. I felt something unusual in my throat, so I coughed it out.
...Blood.
"..That's enough, Varian." Rapunzel intimidated.
"It's not enough until you endure the same amount of pain and agony I have-!"
Rapunzel looked furious as Varian continued to hurt Arianna and Cass even more. I simply watched from the sidelines. I couldn't do anything--I couldn't walk. My legs were in pain.. a pain I've never felt before. And yet again, nobody came to help me.
Suddenly, multiple black rocks began swarming around Rapunzel.
"Blondie-!?" Eugene called.
The rocks had fully encased her in some sort of prison.
The rocks then slowly slid back into the ground, for new ones to spike up and malfunction the rest of the remaining automatons. I looked to see the cause--Rapunzel's hair. She began taking full control of the rocks, weilding them to her own command.
And with this newfound power, she impaled the huge automaton, shutting it down..
Cass helped me up from the ground, and began walking me over to Rapunzel.
"Are you alright..?"
I didn't respond--I simply nodded. After a while, my legs were stable enough to stand, and slowly walk.
I watched as the castle guards--ones I knew all my life--drag away my only friend to prison.. Normally the king would say that children don't belong in prison. I guess now would be a different circumstance..? I sighed.
"..The rocks."
"Huh..?"
Rapunzel pointed to the black sculptures, now flattened on the floor and pointed to the horizon.
"It's like.. they want me to follow them.."
Cass glanced towards me.
"Do you want to join us..?"
"No, I.. I need time. To heal both physically and mentally. I.. hope you understand.."
"..Of course."
"I'm going to miss you, (Y/N)."
I glanced up to Cass and smiled. Sincerely.
"I'm gonna miss you too, Cassie."
A/N
This all took a really long while to get out because school has been kicking my ass with semester finals recently,,, important thing is that it's out ! I hope you've enjoyed this so far... because I'm taking a 2 week hiatus for the holidays. Speaking of which.. Happy Holidays !!! Hope to see you all online soon,, hopefully with new chapters,,
Bye !!