Later on, the gang sit down with a huff. They've been trying to rally the people of Vardaros for hours, but no luck.
Rapunzel sighs. "I can't believe we couldn't inspire one person."
"Oh, I don't know," Shorty says, holding a dead fish. "That lovely young lady handing out fish seemed inspired." He quickly chows down on the fish, leaving nothing but the bones behind, and leans against Varian.
"That was a seagull," Cassandra tells him as Varian pushes the old man away from him.
"No, I'm pretty sure that was a rainbow trout," Shorty replies.
"I don't get it!" Rapunzel says, ignoring them. "Why won't these people let me help them?" She looks out at the residents of the city passing by.
"Because you're an outsider," Vex says as she approaches the group, once again pushing a cart of weapons. "Also, you're a naive princess who insists the glass is half full, even when it's obviously bone-dry. That's a really annoying trait, especially here."
"Don't talk to our princess like that!" Varian speaks up.
"It wasn't that long ago, you felt that way about her," Cassandra points out.
Does she have to keep bringing that up? Varian thinks, giving her an irritated glare.
"I just tell it how it is," Vex says. She turns her attention back to Rapunzel. "You're basically everything people in this city despise."
"You could have stopped at outsider... But, okay, get it," Rapunzel says. "The people need someone they trust. Someone who can offer a long-term solution. Someone they look up to." She thinks about this as Pascal squeaks in agreement. "Now, who would that be?"
"If I may offer a suggestion, don't people typically build statues of people they admire?" Varian says. When Rapunzel gives him a confused glance, he points in the direction of a gold statue in the shadows —a smiling man holding a child's hand.
Rapunzel eagerly rushes to check the statue over, but as the sunlight shifts and shines upon it, she realizes that the statue hasn't been kept up and is covered in bird droppings. A bird is even perched upon it at the very moment, squawking at her as she approaches.
"Captain Quaid," Eugene says, recognizing the statue. "He was the sheriff of Vardaros back in the day."
"You mean, back when you were Flynn Rider?" Varian asks.
Eugene nods as Lance adds, "He was the first guy to ever arrest us! And the second... and the third." He sniffles as his eyes grow misty. "In a way, he was family."
"Hmm, what else can you tell me about him?" Rapunzel asks.
"Captain Quaid the Blade, we called him!" Lance continues dramatically. "He was known for his cunning, strength, and bravery. But above all else, he was proud of his city. His pride was infectious; people loved Quaid, and they loved Vardaros."
"What happened to him?" Rapunzel asks.
"He quit," Vex replies. "Or at least, that's what I was told. It was before my time, but the few people who are still here from the glory days say he met his match. No one hears much from him anymore."
"Do you know where we could find him?" Rapunzel asks her.
"I do," Vex replies with a sly smile. "But it's gonna cost ya."
Rapunzel shares a glance with Pascal, and rolls her eyes. She begins to hand Vex some money, but Eugene steps forward.
"Whoa whoa whoa, lemme get ahead of this one here..." He says to Rapunzel. "You wanna find a way-past-his-prime lawman, somehow convince him to come out of retirement, and inspire these poor people to fight back against Weasel and/or any other lowlife who tries to claw their way into power in this flea-bitten city? And you wanna do this all in four days?"
Geez, take a breath, Varian thinks, slightly amused.
"Do you think it'll work?" Rapunzel asks with a hopeful smile.
"If we say 'not in a million years,' would it change your mind?" Cassandra asks. But Varian is sure they all already know the answer to that one.
"Probably not," Rapunzel replies, striding away with confidence.
"Well then, I guess that settles it," Varian says with a chuckle. "Let's go find us a sheriff!"
Reluctantly, the others follow Rapunzel to the caravan. As Vex points the way and Cassandra directs the horses, Varian takes inventory of his supplies inside while Rapunzel sketches in her journal.
"I know this is crazy, but if Quaid is even half the inspiration Lance and Eugene say he is, Vardaros could be on its way back to greatness!" He hears Rapunzel say as she finishes a drawing of Quaid based on the statue.
"It might be a bit of a long stretch," Varian says, popping into the girls' side of the caravan. "But if you believe in this plan so strongly, then I'm behind you."
Rapunzel smiles halfway, but seems almost hesitant. "So... you aren't still mad at me?"
Varian ponders this. It's true, when they started this journey out he was still mad at her. He was still partially blaming her for all the problems he had. But now? Well, now he feels nothing but admiration for and gratitude towards her. He doesn't quite know when he stopped being angry, but he does know that he will remain loyal to his princess from now on. "No, I guess I'm not," he tells her with a smile.
Rapunzel squeals in delight, and wraps Varian in a hug. "Thank you so much for forgiving me!"
"No Rapunzel, thank you," he says once she releases him. "You showed me how wrong the path was I had taken, but you also showed me I could come back from it. I'll never be able to repay you for that."
"Your friendship is payment enough," Rapunzel tells him.
"Alright, we're here!" They hear Vex announce.
Exiting the caravan, the gang walk up to the small house in front of them. Rapunzel knocks on the door, and an older man opens it slightly and peaks out from behind it.
"Captain Quaid?" Rapunzel asks with a cheerful smile.
"Who's asking?" Quaid says, with only one eye visible through the door.
"It's Rapunzel," she replies, trying to remain optimistic.
Varian cringes as Quaid slams the door on Rapunzel. The princess spins around to look at her friends, frustration evident all over her face.
"Told you everyone hates you," Vex says, her arms crossed.
Rapunzel's expression hardens in determination. She turns back to the door, and raises her voice slightly. "Uh, Captain Quaid?" She knocks again, and then bends over to peek through the mail slot. "If you don't open this door I will, uh... I'm just gonna keep knocking! And knocking!" She continues to knock as hard as she can. "And when my knuckles start to hurt, I'm... just gonna knock with my other hand! You do not want to test the commitment of these knuckles, Mister."
"You could do that," Varian says, "Or we could toss a stink bomb in through one of his windows. That should flush him right out."
"Yeah, I don't think so," Cassandra tells him with a glare.
Rapunzel goes to knock again, but she has to stop herself as the door suddenly swings open and there stands Quaid. He grabs an hourglass, and holds it up for her to see. "Three minutes. Not a grain more," he says, flipping the hourglass over.
Rapunzel turns to her friends excitedly with a thumbs up, and they all follow Quaid into his home. But he stops when he sees Eugene and Lance.
"Hey-ya, Quaid!" Lance says. "Remember us? The 'not guilty twins'?"
Quaid holds the two of them back. "You degenerates stay out here," he says with a glare. "Touch, look at, or breathe on anything, I'll get you where you sleep. That clear?" He slams the door on them.
All they ever did was steal, Varian thinks with a wince. What would this guy do if he knew what I've done?
As Rapunzel begins explaining her plan to Quaid, Varian and Vex take a look around at Quaid's things. Varian notices that a particular golden badge with a ship on it seems to catch Vex's eye.
"Okay, so here's my idea," Rapunzel says to Quaid. "The people of Vardaros need Quaid the Blade to stand up against Weasel!"
"Ha! Believe me," Quaid says as he spreads some honey on a slice of bread, "the people of Vardaros need a lot more than that."
"What's this?" Vex asks, picking up a small orange pot.
"Funny you should ask," Quaid replies, actually smiling. He takes the pot from her, and gestures for them to follow him.