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lefemmerougewriter · 23 days

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A Red Moonstone Burns Brightly

Cass thought about her past as she walked across the rolling hills on the edge of the last kingdom in the Ever Realm she hadn’t visited yet, Enchancia. Suddenly, a wormhole opened in front of her. She walked through without realizing it...

In a new world, Cass finds an unlikely companion, a former (and well-known) international thief. Both bond with one another even though they come from vastly different circumstances.

Characters: Cassandra, Carmen Sandiego, Player

Friendships: Player & Carmen, Cassandra & Varian (implied)

Romantic pairings: Cassandra / Carmen Sandiego, Cassandra / Rapunzel (previous)

Words: 4400+

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/52789294

Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/1411151258-a-red-moonstone-shines-brightly

Quotev: https://www.quotev.com/story/16277474/A-Red-Moonstone-Shines-Brightly

Authors note: The interest in the Red Moonstone ship, of Carmen and Cass, on Reddit, fanart, and a mention of this on the Shipping Wiki fandom page for Cass got me interested in this ship, and made me want to write this story. The same ship is also mentioned on Carmen’s page. I believe this is the first ever Red Moonstone fic on AO3. For a similar fic, see my “Cassandra and the Catgirl from the Sky” fic which came out late last year. Comments and suggestions are welcome!

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One year has passed, but... I am riddled with guilt every day. It sometimes feels like I do not age and that time has not passed.

Yet my suffering continues. While I still feel I was in the right, I know what I did to Rapunzel and that I hurt her. I had to get away from it all. I couldn’t let her toxic positivity get to me... I had to get away... away from her, away from Corona, away from it all!

I need to find my own way in the world, my own way in the universe.

Cass thought about her past as she walked across the rolling hills on the edge of the last kingdom in the Ever Realm she hadn’t visited yet, named Enchancia. Suddenly, a wormhole opened in front of her. She walked through without realizing it. She hummed to herself and closed her eyes, happily skipping as she went. Everything seemed like it was going her way.

When she opened her eyes, she was astonished. She stood on top of a black gooey substance, embedded with pebbles, which covered the ground. It had white and yellow markings. It was nothing like anything that she had ever seen before in her entire life. A metal monstrosity came hurtling toward her. She drew her sword and took a defensive stance.

“Stop, heathen! You shall not pass!” Her movement did nothing to stop the horseless chariot from speeding toward her. A window opened by some miracle, perhaps even by magic, she gathered. She heard a deafening shout. “Get out of the road, lady!” The tone was angry. Cass was confused and unsure what she had done wrong. She decided to ignore the yelling person.

She stood her ground. She started to sing that she had nothing left to lose. Out of nowhere, a lady in a bright red trenchcoat and fedora grabbed her off the street. Before she knew it, she was in the air, flying through the skies thanks to a glider backpack on the woman's back. She had no idea why this lady had grabbed her from the ground. Something seemed different. There were tall buildings with windows which stretched into the sky, almost like they were scraping clouds. She put her sword back in its sheath. This woman did not seem to be a threat.

The glider soon came to a stop. It gently reached the ground. In the past, the lady had crashed it when carrying her former crime school buddy. That scenario did not replay itself this time.

Cass looked up and saw a ramshackle building. The name “Carmen Outerwear” was emblazoned on the front. Collapsing her hangar backpack, the lady turned toward her. Her fierce blue gray eyes stared at Cass. She came closer. Her auburn hair was blowing in the wind. In some ways, this woman reminded her of someone she used to know, someone she had grown very fond of over the years, someone she felt she had hurt, someone she wanted to reconnect with, in a healthier way that involved re-building trust, not treating another person as second-best, and without hierarchy.

She was not aware that in this world, thousands of miles away, in a densely populated strip, thousands were being murdered by a militarily superior force. These brutal attacks resulted in massive displacement and a shattered society, and were paired with spread of disease, electricity blackout, food insecurity, and three land border crossings to come and go. This now-hellish place, known as Gaza, was many times worse than anything she had caused in Corona. It would baffle her mind if she knew about this genocidal butchery happening thousands of miles from where she currently stood. Since she didn’t know about those horrors, at the present, only one thing concerned her now: who was this person before her? Why do they seem so...familiar?

“Who are you?” the lady insisted. Cass did not know how to answer. She stepped back warily, unsure of what to make of this woman. The woman was the epitome of fashion and beauty. Cass couldn’t help but be drawn toward her, although she wasn’t sure why. Conflicted with what she should say, she fumbled. “I...uh...am Cassandra...I have a sword and...I’m not afraid to use it!”

The lady laughed heartily. It had been one of the funniest things she had heard. A person she had saved from the street was threatening her? How absurd! She attempted to calm down the situation. “Ah, yes, swords, the weapon of choice for a lady with black hair. It suits you well. But I do not want to fight with you, not today.” Cass nodded. She continued to be uncertain of the intentions of this woman. Without a doubt, she could have drawn her sword right then and there. Considering her options, she decided to stand down.

“Fine...I’ll follow you...but if you do anything sneaky, I’ll have to strike back...with force!” Whether she would act on this threat was questionable. More likely than anything else, it was a bluster to put this woman on edge. However, It didn’t work, not in the slightest, if that had been her intention, in the first place.

The woman laughed once again. “Oh, Ms. Cassandra,” she began, “come inside into my former hideout...but don’t you tell anyone about it.” Continuing to be wary, she followed behind, but kept her eyes open. This could be a trap. Maybe, this was all a nightmare. Nothing made sense. The woman stopped and turned around. She outstretched her hand. “Sorry for not introducing myself earlier. I’m Carmen Sandiego. You can just call me Carmen.” As she smiled, Cass shook her hand, although she remained skeptical of this mysterious woman.

Taking out a metal key from her pocket, Carmen unlocked the door and walked in. The ground floor had a workshop for Ivy, a laundry room, and a gym. She led Cass through the building and to the living room. In the back of her mind, Cass believed that someone had planned this whole thing to trap and deceive her. Every day, she suffered from the residual effects of Zhan Tiri’s mental manipulation, leading to a level of paranoia.

What happened next was something she didn’t expect. Carmen felt relieved. She put her keys on a table and pointed to a puffy, cushioned piece of furniture. “Make yourself at home, Cassandra...I have to change out of these clothes as it's hot as the blazes today. But I’ll be back in a second. Don’t go anywhere.”

Stunned at the hospitality, Cass smiled weakly in response. She wasn’t sure what to think about this woman or her posh hideout. She had no idea where she was. But she knew one thing for certain: she wasn’t in Enchancia anymore.

As Carmen went into the bedroom, she changed into more comfortable, and casual, clothes. Discreetly, she slipped into the study/storage area. She talked to her hacker friend in hushed tones. “Player, I need an assist here.” Not sure what she meant, the Canadian kid asked, “What is it, Red?” Now fully dressed, in almost record time, perhaps as a side effect of having to get dressed quickly when she went to crime school, she took out her earbuds. She then turned on the video call feature, surprising Player. He hadn’t expected to see her face.

“I uh...rescued this woman from being hit by a car this morning. She had drawn a sword and was about to fight it? I found it bizarre.” Player didn’t know what to tell her. Why had Carmen even rescued this woman? How did she know this woman could be trusted? Player shook his head. “Red, I’m dumbfounded. Couldn’t you have just dropped her off at a police station or something?” Carmen rolled her eyes. Didn’t Player know that the police couldn’t be trusted? She grumbled. “Come on, Player, don’t ya remember when it was revealed that cops in this city were sending racist, sexist, and homophobic texts to each other, and a bunch of cases were compromised?” Exasperated, she added, “I’d trust a pig rolling in mud more than these damn cops. They are corrupt to the core.” Player backed off. The last thing he wanted was for Carmen to be angry at him. He tried to move the conversation back to the original subject.

“So...Red, did you call me because you want me to look up more about...this woman?” Carmen nodded. She surreptitiously snapped a quick photograph of Cass, who was lying on the couch in the living room. Player teased Red. “She totally seems like your type, Red...” Carmen looked at him with a scowl. Her face was red as a tomato. How could he even say that! It was so embarrassing! “Yeah sure, Player.” She then said, as an aside, “oh, and her name is Cassandra. Let me know if you find anything. I’ll keep you posted if I learn anything else.”

After getting off the video call, Player realized something odd. Carmen was back at the hideout again? He found it weird because he thought that she had taken a break from all of that. Hadn’t she gone out on her own, wanting to forge her own path? He shrugged. He expected her to call him back. He kicked himself for not bringing this up. One day, he wanted to go to the hideout as well. But he knew that wouldn’t happen unless he made an excuse for it.

Meanwhile, back on the couch, Cass saw a black object with a bunch of colored buttons on it. In all her time in Corona, and traveling across Ever Realm, she had never seen such a device. Curious, she pressed the red button. She heard a sizzling sound. A picture appeared in front of her eyes on a rectangular black box with a screen of some type. Sound blared out of it, screaming into her ears. She turned away and gathered enough courage to face the noise. She pulled out her sword and raised it. “I will not let this infernal box dictate my life! Stop at this instant!” Her words had no effect.

As she was about to strike the final blow and cut the device in half, Carmen bolted out of the door. She pulled Cass down. “Unhand me, woman!” she yelled. Shaking her head, Carmen could do nothing but laugh. Cass continued to struggle, attempting to escape, like a house cat that didn’t want to be held. Annoyed, she asked, “why are you laughing! This isn’t funny. This...device...whatever it is, is hurting my ears! I want to make it stop.” Carmen carefully pulled the sword from Cass’s hand, put it on the ground, and breathed deeply. This woman was more trouble than she had anticipated. Where had she come from, anyway?

“Ok, I’m gonna need you to calm down a bit, Cassandra.” She then pressed the red button on the controller. The screen went dark. Cass felt a little better now. Even so, she remained perplexed. What was the strange black rectangle on the wall? How was it connected to the device? She had no idea. Before she could say anything, Carmen pointed to the rectangle. “That’s a television.” She then picked up the controller, adding “and this is a remote. It turns on the TV. You can watch movies, shows, and whatever you want on there...it's the ultimate entertainment device.”

Although Carmen’s explanation helped, Cass still had no clue how any of it worked. She sighed. She lay down on the couch. It was as comfortable as anything in Corona. For everything that Raps put her through, treating her as someone who was second-best, someone whose identity was subsumed within her own, and everything else, she couldn’t forget the luxurious accommodations within the Corona castle. Although there was no doubt that Raps had devalued her in many ways, she knew that Raps, on some level, still cared about her, even when they were apart. What would Raps think of her now?

“I’m sorry,” Cass began. “Everything about this world is new and different from what I’m used to. I’ve never seen this device you call...a television...or the remote that controls it.” This made Carmen concerned. Where was this woman from anyway? Could she be someone brainwashed by VILE to take her out for the last time? Had she made a mistake in letting her into the hideout? She had to know more. “So, Cass...can I call you that?” Cass nodded. “...What is the place you are used to? Where’s your...home base?”

Processing the questions slowly, Cass responded carefully. Just as Carmen was unsure about her, she was not completely convinced she could trust Carmen, at least not yet. She decided to be honest, in hopes she could get home. “I’m from the kingdom of Corona...it’s ruled...or should I say will be ruled...by a girl with auburn hair, Rapunzel...and her husband Eugene.” Carmen started to say something. Cass interrupted her, and continued. “After some...things happened, I don’t live there anymore...I’ve been traveling on my own for about a year to get my head straight...and forge my own path.”

This made Carmen even more interested. She almost seemed to be doing the same thing as her! Maybe they would have more in common. She decided to ask her more questions. Instead of telling Player secretly about Cass, perhaps she could introduce her to him, virtually. “So, where is this Corona, located?” Without much thought, Cass responded “why, in the Ever Realm, of course. Don’t you know about it?” Carmen shrugged. She had never heard of either one before. Had this woman been living under a rock?

“I’m...not familiar with...that place...can you point it out to me?” she asked, remaining inquisitive. She picked up a wooden stand near the window, which had a brass metal footer. It was designed for a globe to sit on top of it, and mobile enough to carry around a living space. While the electronic maps that Player could come up with were helpful, she liked this globe better sometimes, especially since elevation was built into it. You could, with your hands, feel how low, or high, an area was. Also, it could be used to play the globe-spinning “where your finger lands game” or what her friends called, in jest, “where in the world is Carmen Sandiego” game.

Cass stared at the globe, spun it around, searching intently. What were all these lines, borders, and symbols? Why were they there? Where was Corona? She started to panic. “Corona isn’t on here...are you absolutely sure this globe is the right one?” This puzzled Carmen. How could she not point to her homeland? Who was Cass anyway? This woman worried her, more than anything. “Yeah, it's right. It's a globe of Earth I bought at an antique shop last year.”

This scared Cass. What did Carmen mean by “Earth”? What was this world she spoke about? To make sure her ears weren’t deceiving her, she asked a follow-up question. “Are you sure it's Earth?” Carmen looked at her strangely. Why would Cass ask this? Didn’t she live on the same planet as her? “Yes, it is,” she said matter-of-factly.

Not wanting to bother Carmen with any further questions, she accepted what Carmen said as the reality. She had no idea how she had come to Earth. While she would have asked Varian about it, he wasn’t there. She felt lost, untethered from reality. What if she never saw her dad again, or...even Raps? How in the world could she even get back to Corona...or even the Ever Realm?

There was a long, uncomfortable silence between Cass and Carmen. Each of them waited for the other to say something. An idea came into Carmen’s head. Maybe they could relax in the sunroom on the roof of her former headquarters. It was only two floors up.

She quickly grabbed Cass’s right hand, and ran toward the elevator. It was old and had a metal screen which you had to close manually. “I’m gonna show you one of my favorite rooms of this warehouse.” Hopping inside the moving metal box scared Cass, but...it also amazed her. What were the systems that caused it to move? Why were the dials lighting up like there were candles hidden behind them? It fascinated her. Although she might not act like this normally, her keen interest in technology came from spending time with her good friend, Varian. Although some people may have thought she had romantic feelings for him, she never once had feelings for men, including him.

Carmen stepped out of the elevator, still holding the right hand of Cass, and sped up the stairs. Not surprisingly, although the building was somewhat accessible, thanks to twin elevators from the ground floor and third floor, no elevator reached the roof. That could only be accessed by climbing the stairs. They soon reached the lush sunroom, an enclosed space filled with daylight. It had many views of San Francisco.

Alternatively called solariums, conservatories, sun parlors, or sun porches, these rooms had the advantage of bringing in outside light while serving as a shelter from adverse weather. They often featured passive solar heating, with the sun’s rays easily illuminating the room. In some cultures, these rooms were secluded and partially enclosed within a garden. In the case of this hideout, the sunroom had the dual purpose of collecting sunlight for warmth and offering scenic views. Most of the walls were composed of framed glass. There were also internal climate controls to make sure it was the right temperature inside the room.

Cass was amazed. The views, the design, and the layout were one thing. But when entering the room, she felt calmness rush over her. She bowed her head and kissed Carmen’s hand. “Thank you for bringing me to such a wonderful place...This is the first time I’ve ever stepped foot in a room...like this.” Carmen’s face, often a rakuda brown color, became warm and flushed, even a little reddish. She was totally unprepared for something like this. Starting to stutter, Cass interrupted her. “I’m...sorry...it's a royal habit. I was a lady-in-waiting for a princess, you know.”

Hearing that made Carmen perk up a bit. Who was Cass, really? She knew that Cass came from the Ever Realm, and, more specifically, a kingdom named Corona within it. She surmised that Cass had some feelings for this princess she served in the kingdom. Otherwise, her life was a mystery. She wanted to learn more.

At the same time, she wanted to put her new friend at ease. Who was she to ask Cass about her life in this other world, as she termed it? She saw in Cass someone trying to find their place in the universe. That really resonated with her. “I can relate...I grew up on an island of thieves...and I later realized they were only out for themselves.” Unsure of how her new lady friend would react, she glanced over at her. The hazel eyes of Cass were intently staring at her.

Clearing her throat, she continued. “I became a thief who steals from other thieves.” Cass chuckled. What she had experienced was much worse. She almost acted like it was a bad memory. “Oh, that’s small potatoes. My mother kidnapped this princess, Rapunzel. I was raised by the royal guard.” She breathed deeply. She felt a weight lifted from her chest after confiding in Carmen. She felt comfortable around her. “And, well, she had the gall to say we were sisters or some shit. I fucking hated that...and she devalued me.” She then shook her head and sighed. “So, I tried to make my own destiny, but the rage, anger, and hate I felt for her was manipulated by a fucking evil sorceress, Zhan Tri. Luckily, she was defeated, but I couldn’t stay in Corona anymore...not after what I did.”

Carmen didn’t know exactly what she was talking about, or who “Rapunzel” or “Zhan Tri” were. But she could sympathize. Surely, she hadn’t been involved in anything like what Cass went through. She hadn’t tortured, kidnapped, extorted, vandalized, blackmailed, or been otherwise cruel to people. However, when she had been mind controlled by VILE for many months, she stole for them repeatedly. Since then, she had worked hard to make amends for what she did. She imagined that Cass did the same thing, in her own world, in her own way.

Just then, a thought came to her. She snatched her phone from the nearby table. Turning her head to Cass, she asked, “can I take a photo?” Cass shrugged. She had no idea what was happening and shrugged. Carmen took that as an agreement, and quickly snapped a photo. Rubbing her eyes, Cass was baffled by this tiny lighted box. She picked it up, studying it intently. What was this infernal device? And what is a “photo”?

“Uh, Carmen, what is that…thing?” she asked, pointing at the phone. Carmen chuckled. She really worried about Cass. Where had this girl been living? “It can take photographs…call people…send messages…and other stuff.” Cass continued scratching her head. The only word that she recognized was the word “message.” She had heard it before. She said innocently, “so I could write a letter to someone with that…device?” Carmen nodded. There wasn’t time to teach her digital literacy or anything like that. Instead, she wanted Player to see her.

“Can I introduce you…virtually…to my friend, Player?...he’s a hacker.” Cass didn’t know what words like “virtual” meant. She thought that Carmen’s friend must be either a chump who does things without any skill or a person who cleared brush in a wilderness. Quickly, the screen flashed. A young teen with deep brown hair, wearing a gray-red jacket, navy blue shorts, and gray sneakers stared back. This is not what she thought a hacker would look like.

“Hey, Red,” the teen answered. Cass had no idea who this person was, or how in the world he could be talking with them. She looked at him with an expression of utter confusion. Player could tell. “So...you are the Cassandra that Red told me about,” he said. She quickly became defensive. How could this...damn kid...know her name? Who the heck did he think he was? “How do you know that? Who told YOU?” Carmen held Cass’s hand, then whispered in her ear. She told her that Player was her friend. She added that she had told him about her, in hopes of learning more about her. This put Cass at ease, although she remained a bit wary.

“Sorry for that…,” she said. “I’m adjusting to this strange place, with all these devices you call phones, televisions, these glass fixtures with weird metal pieces inside, photographs, and mechanical horseless chariots.” She added, “I didn’t think a so-called ‘hacker’ would be a person sitting in a chair and looking at a bunch of glowing black boxes.” Player didn’t know what to say. He had never met, virtually or in-person, anyone like Cass. She almost seemed to be, in his estimation, from another time or place. His supposition was completely correct.

He started asking questions. “So, Cassandra, I searched across a bunch of databases and found nothing about you…it's almost like you are a ghost.” Cass took extreme offense to that. First of all, he knew her name. Now, he was saying that she didn’t exist! Suddenly, Carmen interjected, surprising not only Cass, but Player. “She’s from some kingdom named Corona, in the Ever Realm and was a...uh...servant...I think...for this princess named Rapunzel.” He nodded. With them both staring at him intently, he quickly typed on his keyboard. He sighed and put up his arms in defeat. He was missing something, but did not know what.

“I can’t find anything...no country or world named Ever Realm...no princess named Rapunzel...there’s a bunch of coronas out there, either outer atmosphere of the Sun, a type of beer, a software company, a carbonated drink, a card game, some songs, a type of virus, and the name of a car...but no kingdom.”

Cass grumbled. What Player said confirmed her suspicions: that she had come to this strange planet named Earth, as Carmen called it. She shook her head. “I guess I’m stuck here then. I was near this kingdom called Enchancia and suddenly ended up in front of some horseless carriage riding on some weird black gooey surface. A person yelled at me, I pulled out my sword, Carmen brought me here...and well, that’s it.”

Player tried to reassure her. He didn’t want her to lose hope. Maybe they could get her back to Corona, somehow. “I’ll do what I can to help. I’ll ask around.” Cass smiled. That’s exactly what she wanted to hear. “Thank you, Player.” The video call ended. Carmen shut off the screen and stashed the phone in her pants pocket. Cass leaned in close. She had to thank her new friend somehow. Without much thought, she gave her a loud smooch on the cheek. She whispered, “I’m glad you talked to your friend. I hope he can help.”

Carmen’s body became warm, and her face became as red as a raspberry. Her heart began beating faster. Her pupils began to dilate. Her palms became sweaty. She felt weird, feeling differently than ever felt before. This seemed different. As her left eye turned to Cass, she knew what this all meant. She put her arm around Cass and softly replied, again without thinking about it too much, “I’d do anything for you...I’m so relieved you are here...with me.”

Cass would have, in the past, shirked away, but she did not. She had, even when she was controlled by the Blue Moonstone powers and manipulated by Zhan Tri, one goal: to gain more respect and self-worth, something which had been denied to her. She had unloaded her frustrations into actions that seemed irrational but were justified. In a moment of deep longing, she hugged Carmen back and said, “you are my Red Moonstone, grounding me with your love and protection...and for that, I am forever grateful.”

They continued to embrace one another and enjoyed one another’s company. While they had only met, their personal connection became deeper with each passing minute and hour, even though they came from different worlds. The challenges ahead for them they would approach together, and their lives would be intertwined more than either could have imagined.

End note: The opening of this fic is a very loose adaptation of the season 5 opening of Samurai Jack, which is spoken by Jack himself. Used this guide by Moooooshier to help with tags for this story. Also summarized information from the Sunroom Wikipedia article. And yes, people with darker skin can blush, but it isn’t, from the various web pages I read, not always as noticeable as it is in lighter-skinned people. The pages for Cassandra and Zhan Tri on the Tangled wiki were helpful, along with the Villains Wiki page for Cass. I also used different definitions of hacker here, to add to the confusion Cass is feeling, and the page for Player on the Carmen Sandiego Wiki for other information. I’m also assuming, with this fic, that Elena of Avalor, Sofia the First, and Tangled are all in the same realm same realm. I mean, why not? I also used the International Gem Society’s “Moonstone Symbolism” page for the ending part and will probably try and add more symbolism about it in later, possible parts of this story, if I choose to write them and this fic really catches on. I was thinking, originally, of making this fic a slow burn, and perhaps it sort of has some characteristics of that, but I also could see them connecting to each other early on. I didn’t think I could write over 4,000 words for this story, but here we are. Inspiration for locations and such is the eighth chapter of great fic entitled "Sandiego's Seven" Funny enough, I wrote much of this fic before I moved into my new place which... has a sunroom!

#red moonstone #carmen sandiego #cassandra tangled #cass tangled #tangled #tangled fic #carmen sandiego fic #fanfiction #fanfics #ao3fic #wattpad #quotev #samurai jack #quotes #gaza war #i stand with gaza #gaza genocide

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disneyfanatic1993 · 1 year

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Alchemist Out Of Corona: Forest of No Return, Part 4

All art from the chapter of my fanfic, “Forest of No Return, Part 4/5.”

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acasualcrossfade · 1 year

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Whumpril Day 8: Comfort Food

Hazelnut Soup for the Grieving Soul

Written for @whumpril Day 8: Nausea | Comfort Food | Dehydration

Tangled, Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder

Words: 698

Rating: G, emotional hurt/comfort

A year after Mother Gothel’s death, Rapunzel is sadder than she thinks. Flynn makes her one of her favorite dishes.

Flynn balanced the hot bowl of soup on the tray as he huffed up the third set of stairs. As much as he loved Rapunzel, he wasn’t the biggest fan of taking the stairs. The tray wasn’t heavy, but his forearms pinched with pins and needles from holding it in place for so long. He climbed the last step and paused at the wooden door in front of him.

She’d used this room for her art studio, but they’d moved it closer downstairs. The room was now a free space, but they’d left a couch, loveseat and table for guests. It was also their favorite place to watch the sunset from indoors.

Rapunzel hadn’t been back up here in months, but Flynn knew that she found the loveseat the most comfortable spot in the house.

Gently, Flynn tapped on the door. “Rap? Mind if I come in?” From behind the door, he could only hear soft sniffles. His heart sank.

“Y-yes,” Rapunzel replied. Her voice was higher and wobbly.

Flynn entered slowly, trying to force his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He could almost see the outline of the couch in the corner and the loveseat near the window. Rapunzel sniffled again, and Flynn could tell she was in the loveseat.

He left the door open behind him to let in a beam of light. Carefully, he set the tray on the table before heading to the loveseat. The beam of light was bright enough to illuminate her face; it was shiny with tears, and she sat with her knees curled tightly to her chest.

He pulled a few tissues from his pocket. “Thought you might need some of these,” he said gently.

Rapunzel blinked and a fresh tear fell on her cheeks as she reached for them, giving him a watery smile. “Th-thank you,” she whispered. “I-I didn’t mean t-to be up h-here for so long but…” She let out a choked cry. “I-I just m-miss her.”

Flynn hummed in understanding, and sat on the loveseat. Adjusting the blanket so it sat around her shoulders, he gently pulled her close. Rapunzel whimpered as she cuddled into the blanket and then dissolved into full sobs against his chest. Her shudders made his own heart break.

It’d been a year since Mother Gothel fell from the tower. They lived at the castle for a while before moving into their own small cottage nearby. Family dinner was a few nights a week, but a few times afterwards, they’d return home and Rapunzel was quieter and more distracted. Those nights were usually the ones she’d wake up from dreams about her life with Mother Gothel, sometimes good, sometimes not. Rapunzel struggled to put words to the way she felt, but Flynn knew that holding her close as she cried spoke volumes more than words ever could.

He did the same now.

When her cries tapered off to hiccups, he cupped her face in his hand, pushing away a strand of brown hair. “I have something for you.”

Rapunzel sniffled. “Wh-what?”

Flynn untangled himself from her and quickly retrieved the tray and presented it to her. “I made you some soup.” He threw in one of his classic, debonair smiles.

Rapunzel’s tear-streaked face opened up in surprise at the sight and took a deep sniff. The soup smelled herby and inviting. “I-is this hazelnut soup?” she asked, scooting closer to him, already wrapped her arms around him as he sat beside her.

She peered into the bowl, giving one the creamy soup a stir before taking a tentative taste.

Flynn let himself laugh lightly. “It’s an attempt at hazelnut soup.” With Rapunzel wrapped around him, he cuddled her closer and kissed her forehead. “So you’ll have to give me your best and honest review.”

Rapunzel took a bite and her eyes refilled with tears. She took another bite, and leaned against Flynn, already starting to sniffle again. “Th-thank you,” she whispered.

Flynn nodded and pulled her closer. It had been a year. And he couldn’t imagine what it was like to lose a mother, even an evil one, but he was glad enough to be here by her side through it.

#whumpril2023 #whumprilday8 #whump #tangled #rapunzel and flynn #rapunzel and eugene #tangled fic #comfort food #whump fic #emotional whump #acasualcrossfade writes #thunderously halo writes #thunderously halo

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starlightandmagic · 3 months

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From the universe of Wasn’t Love Blondie

Apricity

The truth behind a happily ever after is that happiness cannot truly last forever, but Eugene is determined to find the miracle within the life he’s been granted beside Rapunzel. If the stars aligned long enough to tie their destinies together, he won’t give up that easily, even if fate itself keeps testing the bonds of their love. Some things are well worth the sacrifice.

Or: Rapunzel and Eugene struggle to adjust to their new royal life in Corona’s Palace. They will soon find out things only get more complicated with a baby on the way.

Read on: Ao3 / FFN

#yes this is a sequel to wasn’t love blondie #tangled #tangled fic #tangled fanfic #tangled fanfiction #new dream #eugene fitzherbert #rapunzel #flynn rider #rapunzels tangled adventure #tangled fandom #tangled edit #back by unpopular demand: me #wasn’t love blondie #apricity

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adventuretolkienlover · 1 year

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CHICKEN TROUBLE! 🐔🐓🐤

(An Alchemy Bros Fic)

Introduction: First off, I'd like to tag a couple of the Alchemy Bros fans that inspired my to write this. @whitecatindisguise and @brushes-of-sage! Your fics with this concept are masterpieces to me and you're both awesome! You don't have to read this fic, but I'd just like to say thanks for the inspiration. The amount of emotion you put into your own fics brought me to tears and inspired me greatly. My fic is a bit goofy compared to those, but soon I hope to write more deep emotional pieces like you have. That would be amazing. And I'd also like to tag a couple of friends in here too! @disneyfanatic1993 @blueberrycrystalowo and @sbartdump! You don't have to check it out of you don't want to, but it's here if you do. And last but not least, the fic is based on an art piece by one of my favorite artists Cinn-a-mum! I love her art! I keep saying that, but I really do. It's this piece here! And the title is courtesy of my brother. Who is great with titles! So, without further ado, the fic! By me!

Summary: During his first farming lesson, Hugo finds himself in a scary situation with one of Old Corona's grumpiest chickens!

Trigger Warnings: NONE! This is a silly fluffy fun fanfic. Nothing even remotely scary! Unless you count grumpy chickens as scary, like Hugo.🤣

Hugo was a city slicker. No two ways about it. He didn't know the first thing about farm work. But unfortunately for him, he'd just been adopted into a farmer's family. With a huge farm. With lots of farm work to be done. And lots of chickens. Chicken as far as the eye could see. Just wandering around in a great big pen. Hugo had never seen so many chickens. At least not alive. And today was the day he was going to be feeding said chickens. He'd have to walk across the pen, pour feed into the feeder, and walk back. No big deal, right?

He hoped so anyway as him and his brother Varian walked toward the chicken coops. Hugo could hears the hens flapping and screeching like banshees. He looked out over the madness. He felt a twinge of fear. "Var?" he asked. "Yeah?" said Varian. "Can a chicken kill you?" asked Hugo. Varian looked at him quizzically. He wasn't going to lie. He was slightly amused by the question. "No? I mean a whole flock maybe. But one chicken? Nah." Varian plopped down a bag of feed on the ground and turned to Hugo. "Okay, a few things to know about chickens. They're mean. Cows are fine, sheep are nice, but chickens can be the jerks of the barn yard. And their talons and breaks are SHARP. So try not to aggravate them. When feeding them, do the job quickly and with skill. If that bag breaks and your standing to middle of it, well... You're in trouble. So just make sure you get across and back again and you'll do fine" Hugo wasn't sure if Varian's advice made him feel better or worse. He picked up the bag and walked up to the gate. He looked over his shoulder at Varian. Varian grinned and gave him a thumbs up. Hugo gave him a forced smile and then opened the gate. The mere movement of the gate opening sent a few hens fluttering into the air. Hugo flinched but kept going. He started across the pen, trying to ignore the pecking and flapping all around him. He tried to look calm but internally, he was screaming. "Just keep your eyes on the target. You're not afraid of any chickens! For goodness sake you eat them all the time. Just think of them as your prey." A rooster let out a loud squawk! Hugo jumped slightly and began to wonder if it was the other way around. He could have sworn he saw killers instinct in those beady little eyes of theirs. Finally he made it to the feeder. He tore the seam on the bag and poured in the feed. Suddenly the chicken came running at him! Hugo skittered out of the way as the chickens flocked to their breakfast. Hugo gave a sigh of relief, as now they were too wrapped up in eating to notice him. And now the pen was mostly clear to walk through, so no more flapping and pecking his legs. Mission accomplished! He was just about to walk back to the gate when he heard a loud "BUK BUKAW!" at his feet! He let out a yelp and looked down at his feet in shock. There was red feathered hen staring right at his face. It looked like it was staring into his soul. Hugo tried to walk around her, but she matched every move. Hugo began to panic. "What now?!" he thought. He decide to try acting more confident. Maybe she could smell fear. He stood tall and kept his voice unwavering and stern. "I don't fear you bird!" he proclaimed. The hen stared at him, unmoving. Hugo felt a hint of pride. He'd done it! He'd conquered his fear. He took a step. "BUKAW!" "AHH!!!" he screamed as the hen fluttered toward him! Hugo ran around her and made a dash for the gate. "I FEAR YOU! I FEAR YOU!" Suddenly he heard the sound of pattering feet. The hen was CHASING HIM! He ran out the gate and shut it! But the hen flew over and clawed at him in mid air. Luckily Hugo was too quick for her and he ran away letting out a scream that was much too feminine sounding for a boy his age!

Varian, who was turning the soil in a pumpkin field, heard to the chaos and looked over his shoulder. He was just in time to see a terrified screaming Hugo being chased into town by a very mad and loud chicken! "Hugo!" Varian shouted! He dropped his graden hoe and ran after him! Meanwhile, Hugo was dodging pedestrians and carts as he ran through Old Corona's streets! "What did I do to deserve this fate?!" he thought! "Okay, so maybe I have done some shady stuff BUT I SAID I WAS SORRY!" Hugo realized that the chicken was gaining on him! He vaulted over a pile of apple crates and pushed through a group of customers. The chicken fluttered over the crates and into a man's face! She knocked him off his feet before continuing to chase Hugo! He ran past Quirin talking with some of the other farmers! "HEEEELP!" he shouted! Quirin looked at him in shock! "Hugo?!" said Quirin! Varian came running up to his father panting. "Hugo needs help!" he said breathlessly. "No kidding!" said one of the other farmers! "Come on Varian!" said Quirin and they rushed off to help the boy.

Hugo ran into town square and clambered up a tree! The chicken ran around the trunk squawking and flapping while trying to get to Hugo! Hugo was scared. No, more than scared! He was terrified! No, more than that! "What's a bigger word then terrified?!" he thought! "SQUAWK!" Hugo yelped again and clung to his tree branch with all his might. Some of the passerbys had stopped to watch the show and we're laughing hysterically! Hugo didn't see what was so funny. What's funny about being murdered by a chicken?! Just when he was trying to remember if chickens have a taste for human flesh, Varian and Quirin pushed through the crowd to come to his rescue. "Don't worry Hugo! We're coming!" called up Varian! "Don't worry?!" shouted Hugo! "I'm in a tree! With the Bird of Death below me!" Quirin grabbed the chicken and restrained her. "You can come down now Hugo. I've got her." he shouted. Hugo wasn't so sure. But he didn't want to stay in the tree, so he slowly made his way down. He could hear the town folk gossiping already. "We should have expected that from a city boy." one whispered. "How ironic. A chicken running from a chicken!" said a man. "Did you hear him screaming? He sounded like my sister that time she got a bug caught in her hair!" another laughed. The crowd began to disappear. Their laughter faded as well. Hugo sighed and sat down on the wall surrounding the tree. " I guess I messed up pretty bad. Huh?" "It's okay Hugo. It was your first time." Varian said gently. "Of course." agreed Quirin. Quirin handed the now calm hen to Varian and sat down next to Hugo. "Maybe you didn't do perfect, but you were brave enough to try. And that's what counts." said Quirin. Hugo looked up at him and flashed small smile. "Really?" he asked. "Definitely." answered Quirin. He put his arm around Hugo and continued. "Farming takes practice. I wasn't great when I first started. You must remember that I was once a knight. I hadn't done farming before either. I learned how to farm from the other farmers here. When I first tried feeding those chickens, I made the mistake of forgetting to shut the gate afterwards." Hugo's eye's widened. "You did?" he said. "Yes." chuckled Quirin. "The next time I went outside, the whole farm was covered in chickens! I took hours to catch them all." Hugo laughed. "Wow. That's crazy!" he said. "And I once got stuck in an apple tree after the ladder fell!" chimed in Varian. "I had to wait for hours until my dad realized that I was missing!" By now all of them were laughing and talking about their funniest farming fails. Hugo was feeling much better. When things finally quieted down, Quirin took the hen back from Varian and turned to Hugo. "Now that she's relaxed, would you like to try making friends with Abigail here?" he asked. "Abigail?" thought Hugo. "I guess that's a fitting name for a chicken." Hugo reached out his hand cautiously and stroked the hen's head with his index finger. The chicken clucked contently. Hugo felt his shoulders relax and he let out a deep breath. "She's not so bad now I guess." he said as he stroked her soft back feathers. "Yeah, she just needed to get used to you." said Varian. "Well, we'd best be getting back boys." said Quirin. They began walking back to the farm. Hugo looked at his father and brother and felt better than he had in years. Maybe this farm life would be better than he thought.

The End.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Notes: So, in this fic, I wanted to capture the seer terror of a man who has literally never touched a chicken before. I hope I succeeded! I have seen so many videos of people going to pet chickens and then getting a taste of unbridled chicken rath! LOL! I don't think chickens are scary in general. It just that there are some mean ones out there! And I thought that this would definitely be a scenario for poor Hugo. That boy is NOT a farmer. 🤣 I hope you all liked this fic! It's my first one so there may be some mistakes. But overall, I think it's pretty good. I'll hopefully be writing more stuff like this so stay tuned! God bless and bye for now!

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nobodyfamousposts · 2 years

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Hmm....well, I have been meaning to give Tangled a try....and Moonstone Eugene is popular, right?

So who wants Moonstone Eugene and Varian interaction?

It’s not like that could go horribly! :D

_____________________

Things for Varian since meeting with Rapunzel again had…not gone as expected, to say the least.

When he first saw her return to the kingdom with one of her party not present, he admittedly hadn’t thought much of it at the time.

Rapunzel was his main enemy and thus his focus. Cassandra was an excellent fighter and one he had to keep his eye on, of course. And Pascal…well, he had to be cautious, sure, but there was only so much the lizard would be able to do.

It didn’t strike him as odd that Eugene wasn’t there.

At most, he assumed they had split up as part of some plan to take back the kingdom, and there was a part of him that equally anticipated and dreaded seeing the other man again. Still, he planned for the eventual rescue that Eugene would no doubt stage on Rapunzel’s behalf…

…it never came.

It wasn’t until well after the Kingdom was restored to normal that he found out the reason why. And just what had happened in the Dark Kingdom.

As it stood, Rapunzel had talked him around on her own and he kicked himself for being so foolish. This was…not what he wanted his father to wake up to once he was saved. And at the end, wasn’t that all he had wanted? His father safe?

Rapunzel had promised him that. And she had delivered. He just…should have been patient. If he had, he could have gone with them. Maybe he could have done something to prevent what happened to Eugene?

Their journey led them to the Dark Kingdom where the counterpart of the Sundrop was kept.

The Moonstone.

Varian would have loved to have seen it.

It was apparently what had been calling to Rapunzel. And what was responsible for the dark rocks invading Corona. The end goal seemed to be for Rapunzel to unite the Sundrop within her with the Moonstone.

It sounded like something out of a fairy tale.

In the process of reaching that goal, they had discovered that the Dark Kingdom was all but abandoned except for its King. And that Eugene was actually the long lost Prince of the kingdom.

Seriously? Eugene Fitzherbert? Flynn Rider? A Prince? How crazy was that?

Maybe as much as just happening to discover the long lost Princess in a tower…

Heh. Sounds like Eugene’s luck. But what happened to him?

The way both women tensed and went quiet…was not a good answer.

Something had happened. His attempts at questioning and pushing only got him so much information.

“It had been an accident.”

Cassandra was tight lipped about it and wouldn’t speak of what happened. She became downright angry and would snap at him if he tried to press the matter. It seemed that the incident had hit her pretty hard and she was blaming herself. He wanted to reassure her, but couldn’t know what to say.

Rapunzel herself didn’t know how it happened. She had crossed the bridge to the dais where the Moonstone was. She had been focused only on completing her destiny and putting the forces to rest. She regretted not paying more attention to what was going on behind her, because all she knew was that one minute the Moonstone was just within her reach and the next…

There had been a shout. A hand shoving her out of place. A burst of light.

And a scream.

Eugene’s scream.

From what she had said, when Rapunzel regained her senses, Eugene was in front of her, only he wasn’t as she last saw him.

Hair as black as night. Vibrant blue that encompassed the entirety of his eyes. Dark armor that wasn’t fitting of the Eugene they had all come to know.

And the way he looked at them…

Rapunzel still broke into tears at the memory and wasn’t able to explain much further. She tried to give a few poor excuses, that maybe he was protecting them? Or that there was something else going on?

King Edmund seemed to believe that Eugene had been corrupted by the Moonstone. That he possibly had been for years since before he was taken from the Dark Kingdom as an infant. Which—wow, way to write off your own kid. The man’s hatred for the Moonstone knew no bounds, which was understandable given everything he had suffered because of it. But still…it wasn’t logical and it didn’t make much sense. Especially as the father had no will to do anything to save his son. He had just given up.

Cass…only remained quiet. But her eyes and far off gaze suggested more than she was letting on, though why she wouldn’t share, he couldn’t tell.

Varian knew he didn’t have the full story. But Rapunzel had saved his father and reunited him with the person who mattered most to him. Even after everything he had done, she had kept her promise and helped him. Not just with his father but with his status as a criminal. He felt…the least he could do was return the favor and bring the one she loved back to her.

And Eugene was his friend, too.

That was why Varian had poured his all into research. About the Sundrop. About the Moonstone. What they were. Where they came from. Their sordid history. Anything.

Answers were unfortunately limited. But he didn’t let that stop him.

He had thought he could help. By translating the scroll with the incantations. By coming up with a weakness to the rocks. By figuring out a way to separate Eugene from the Moonstone without killing him, in hopes of snapping him out of whatever this was. Just…figure out something to give them an edge when they confronted him next.

And it was yet another foolish move on his part that led Varian to attempt to do so.

Alone.

And all too soon.

Through his efforts, he had thought he had crafted a means to separate Eugene from the Moonstone and force him back to normal. And desperate to test it, he had sought out where Eugene had gone. Through his research and talks with Lance and the others, he had managed to narrow down the search and track Eugene to his current location in order to confront him once and for all.

Which was how Varian had found himself in the cage of rocks within Eugene’s new….tower.

It was a tall and grand tower. Given what he knew of Rapunzel and Eugene’s history and how they met, Varian suspected that the there was some symbolism to his choice of base.

...he wasn’t sure he liked that symbolism.

Perhaps it was a warning? A testament to the new Eugene. Foretelling of just how much Eugene had changed.

…Varian should have taken it more seriously then.

Though he at least made it up to the center of the tower before the floor itself seemed to shift and black rocks sprung up and around him. Leaving him trapped alone, except for…

He heard the footsteps approach before he saw him. And once he did, he could understand Rapunzel’s previous state.

Encased in armor that appeared to be made of the black rocks.

Hair as dark as night.

Blue eyes.

It was different…

But sure enough, it was him.

“Hello, Eugene.” Varian greeted shakily from within the miniature prison, giving a weak wave. “Long…long time no see.”

Eugene just…stared at him.

“I—uh…like your new look?” He tried. “Though I kind of thought you’d get a cape…or a crown…or something?”

And…nothing.

This wasn’t right. Everything seemed completely off, and it wasn’t just his new outfit. Eugene hadn’t spoke a word. Or emoted. Or…anything.

At most, he had simply gestured and Varian found himself imprisoned. The rocks closed in on him—not enough to injure him, but certainly enough to ensure he wouldn’t do anything. He could barely move his arm, much less reach his bag where his various supplies and defensive weaponry were.

So…yeah. Admittedly this had not gone according to plan. And may not have been his brightest move in the first place.

He honestly expected this...may just be it for him. It would only take a single gesture from Eugene to end him. And he was...trying very very hard not to imagine all the ways he could do it.

After Varian was successfully captured, however, Eugene did nothing else. He didn’t talk to Varian. He didn’t respond when Varian tried to talk to him. He didn’t question Varian or anything. He almost seemed to ignore him, which Varian probably would have taken offense to if his brain wasn’t already in the process of attempting to find a way out of this. Since he was being afforded the opportunity, he attempted to survey their surroundings, seeking any sort of hints or indicators of what the man had been planning.

The setup of the main room they were in was…simple. Almost empty. There was no bed or furniture. The most he seemed to have was something that could be considered a throne if one was was being generous. It was just a seat made out of a multitude of black spiked rocks that made it look…rather dangerous and not at all comfortable. Not that Eugene seemed to particularly care for it other than as a place to rest.

Otherwise, the only decorations were a few sparse spikes that he assumed were made of the same material that made up the rest of the tower, only they seemed to glow—offering some measure of light to the room.

All in all, it was a very dark and imposing room.

The room was bare of anything. There wasn’t even much in the way of architecture or lead up to the room. There was a window that gave a good view of the sky and surrounding countryside, he supposed. But there were no other rooms. No way in from the ground—his earlier attempts to enter at the ground level revealed that the entire base of the tower was pure rock. As it was, Varian had just ended up using the window itself to get in and he was already right there.

It was basic. It was simplistic. It was minimalistic.

And completely nothing like Eugene.

As much as Varian admired Eugene both as himself and as his time as Flynn Rider, he knew full well that Eugene was still one to want the fancier things in life if he could get them. If Eugene had control of the rocks and could make them into anything, why just this? Why not make a palace? Why not create an extravagant room? Eugene was certainly more creative than this! Why not make more than the absolute bare minimum that this tower seemed to be? Why not show off?

There were no marks of practice. No signs of trial and error. Surely if Eugene had just taken the Moonstone—regardless of his reasons, he would need to work with it before being able to control it so well, right? There should be indicators—signs of his struggle. But everything both in and outside of the tower seemed so smooth. Impeccable. Flawless. No practice needed…like he already knew perfectly well what to do? But that didn’t make any sense!

Then there was how Eugene himself simply moved back to the throne and waited.

No demanding of why Varian was there. No interrogation. No questions about Rapunzel. No greetings to a former friend whom as far as he should have known, was still an enemy. Nothing.

This…this wasn’t right.

Both before and after Eugene gave up the moniker of ‘Flynn Rider’, he liked to talk. Talking was his strong point. It was what he was good at. If nothing else, it bought him time for a clever move.

He was also restless. Frequently moving or acting. Engaged. Rarely staying in one place for long without reason.

For him to be so silent and still was…unnerving.

This Eugene…he was starting to understand why Rapunzel had responded so poorly to his prodding. If he hadn’t been informed ahead of time of the changes, he wouldn’t have thought this man in front of him was Eugene at all.

His eyes glowed with unmistakeable power. But the rest of his face was drawn and blank. When he was close enough for Varian to see properly, he observed clear dark bags beneath his eyes.

They were the most he could see of humanity in the man before him.

Was this...even the man he knew at all?

But…he had changed, hadn’t he? Upon interfering with Rapunzel’s goal and taking the Moonstone.

Except Eugene wouldn’t do that.

And he wouldn’t do this. Not this tower. Not this blankness. And certainly not leaving Rapunzel.

Given how much he loved her, Eugene would never leave Rapunzel. Not the way he had. Not to become…this.

Varian’s analytical mind took in everything he was seeing and everything he had been told. There were many unknowns. But if none of this was like Eugene…then…wasn’t it possible that it…wasn’t?

A theory was forming, though Varian wasn’t sure he liked it. Wasn’t sure he wanted to believe it.

And the only way to know for sure…

Varian took a breath.

“Eugene.”

The other shifted, but otherwise made no indication of noticing him.

“Flynn.”

There was no response at all this time.

Varian swallowed. Just...just one more thing to test then?

“...Moonstone.”

The reaction was immediate. Those bright eyes snapped open and fixed onto Varian. It was a fluid movement—too quick and too natural to be anything other than automatic.

The revelation hit him with the force and weight of a punch to his gut. Varian forced himself to take a breath. To hazard his guess.

“You are...the Moonstone. Aren’t you?”

And the other answered.

“You sound surprised.”

“It is quite a surprise, yes.” Varian replied shakily, quite possibly on the verge of hyperventilating.

“Yet you called to me. So surely you must have known.”

No, he took it back. Hyperventilating required him to breathe. “It was a guess! I didn’t think I was RIGHT!”

Eugene—no, The Moonstone looked unimpressed. And…okay. Okay, that was a thing now. Apparently the mystical force of nature that came from the moon could take over a human and use their body as a meat suit. Okay. That was good to know.

It only obliterated his understanding of science, the world, and the cosmic forces that governed reality as he knew it. But he was fine!

“Aren’t humans supposed to breathe?“

“I’m fine!” He squeaked.

Just...just give him a minute to come to terms with the fact he was conversing with the conscious manifestation of a fragment of primordial power.

A full minute passed. Then another. To his credit, the Moonstone did not push him, though Varian half suspected that was more likely due to the stone’s own acceptance of silence than any true concern for his wellbeing.

Just…okay. Moonstone. This was The Moonstone he was talking to. It was just in a Eugene shape right now. That meant…it could talk, right? He could ask it questions and it could respond.

How much could Varian learn…

But for all the questions Varian would have wanted to ask, only one came to mind.

“Just…why do this?”

The Moonstone frowned, perhaps the first show of expression it displayed since he had arrived.

“I refuse to be a tool once more for another.”

The power in human form approached Varian’s cage with apparent calm that belied an underlying yet ever growing tension.

“Surrounded on all sides by greed and fools, I protected myself for centuries. Defying all who attempted to take my power for their own. Or use me for their desires.”

Around them, the black rocks trembled as if in response.

“Once my defenses were no longer enough, I simply chose an alternative means to maintain my will.”

Alternative means?

No…wait.

“Rapunzel...” Varian whispered, forcing himself to speak past the growing numbness and fear. “She said Eugene took the Moonstone.”

He gave a shaky chuckle as the true realization hit him. “But...but that wasn’t it, was it?”

Somehow, he mustered the strength to grip the rock keeping him imprisoned. Perhaps the only thing keeping him upright.

“In that moment, you were the one who took him.”

Not the other way around. Because Eugene wouldn’t have taken this thing for himself. Not if he knew what it was. Not after knowing what it had done to his family. Not if doing so would hurt Rapunzel.

Eugene had died for Rapunzel once. He had put himself on the line for her time and again. And even when he temporarily aided his father against her in the Dark Kingdom, it was still out of concern for her. Out of everyone, Varian couldn’t imaging Eugene betraying her.

But…this?

How…

“Why?”

The Moonstone simply stared straight at Varian, seemingly through him. No guilt. No remorse. Though could he have expected an entity such as this to be capable of such feelings?

Still, it surprisingly seemed inclined to respond to him.

“It was necessary.”

“Necessary?!” Varian barked back. “How was this necessary?! Rapunzel was right there! Fully willing to unite you with the Sundrop! That was what you wanted, right? It was why are you sent to the black rocks to us in the first place! Why you were invading Corona. And my father…” He clenched his fists. “So why did you stop her when she was only inches away?!”

“The Sundrop was there.” It agreed. Then its eyes narrowed in the closest semblance of anger the being was probably capable of.

“But so was the Abomination.”

Varian frowned in surprise, not expecting that answer. “Abomination?”

“There was a threat. I was obligated to respond—just as I did when the inhabitants of this Kingdom sought to use me for their ends.”

“Wait—what threat?”

“The Traitor.” The Moonstone hissed. “At the will of the Abomination, she sought to take me for herself. And would have had I not acted first.”

“Traitor?” Varian murmured in confusion. It had called Rapunzel ‘Princess’ and didn’t seem to bear any ill will towards her. And it wasn’t talking about Eugene. The only other person there...

“Cassandra.” Varian gasped. “She tried to steal you?! But why?!”

“I neither know nor care of her reasons.” The Moonstone replied briskly. “The matter remained that she was a threat and would have aided the Abomination had I not intervened.”

He tensed. “You don’t know that! Cass isn’t like that!”

“But she is. Whatever words that thing spoke to her. Whatever promises it offered.” It clenched its fist. “She accepted. Wholeheartedly. I care not why.”

He shook his head.

Because she wouldn’t…

Cass would never!

But the Moonstone didn’t seem to care. And Varian—as much as he wanted to—couldn’t argue. Not against this thing. Not when he didn’t even know why.

“So…you chose to act first?” He asked instead.

The Moonstone seemed to calm somewhat. “My Other was bound—held within the vessel of your Princess and thus unable to respond except to her will, and she remained unaware of the threat. As the only one still capable to act freely, what else could I do but act to protect us both?”

That made sense, except…

“But…you could have rejoined with the Sundrop!” Varian argued. “Rapunzel was right there! Wouldn’t that have solved things then?”

“No good would come of uniting us be when That One was just waiting to take advantage.” It stated. “She would have used the opportunity to regain her form, and with it, our power.” It clenched its fist. “I do not desire to be used for something so petty as conquering and desolation.”

Varian nodded.

Okay. So it…didn’t want world domination. Or destruction. Or anything.

Good. That’s…that was good. That meant everything was pretty much a non-issue right? No reason to fight. No reason for conflict. Right? Right!

“So why not just talk to Rapunzel?” He suggested. “Tell her your intentions. She only wants to help!”

“She is a fool and trusts too easily.” The Moonstone replied. “It would be a waste.”

It turned away from Varian, towards the window and sole entrance to this place.

“So I have come here. To hide. And wait. The Traitor will either be exposed or she will realize the truth of the Abomination. And if she comes…”

A stalagmite shot up from the floor of the tower, gleaming with an almost sinister light.

“She will be dealt with.”

“Then…” Varian took a breath. “What about Rapunzel?”

“She will die. And when she does…I will take my other half. And we will rejoin once more.”

Varian gaped. “No! Eugene, no! It’s Rapunzel! You can’t just—”

“I will not harm her, if that is your concern.” It spoke, somehow in a way that reassured him for the frankness of it and infuriated him for its dismissiveness. Like Rapunzel wasn’t his friend or the love of his life. Like Eugene just…didn’t care.

Which, if he really was the Moonstone…it probably didn’t.

“Then…what are you going to do?”

There was silence.

“I have waited centuries.” The Moonstone stated. He…It turned to face Varian with a look of such blankness that no human should ever have.

“A human lifetime is but few decades more.”

Varian felt something in him go cold at that.

Eugene…The Moonstone wouldn’t hurt Rapunzel.

But it was going to wait however long it took for her life to end naturally…and keep Eugene as a host in the process.

Somehow…that felt worse.

At least if it was targeting Rapunzel, that meant there was a reason. That she was a threat to it. That meant there was something they could do. Some means they could fight it. Some method they could use to stop it and get Eugene back.

But if it was like this…

It meant that the Moonstone wasn’t just stealing Eugene’s body. It was taking away his future—his entire life. Wholly and completely, in a way even death couldn’t. What would happen to him once it was done? Would Eugene die then?

…would it be a mercy?

Varian tensed, his mind continuing to race.

And then there was Rapunzel herself.

The Moonstone may have Eugene’s body, but it clearly didn’t know everything about his life. It expected Rapunzel to just give up and continue her life as normal now that the Moonstone was out of reach and the black rocks were no longer a problem. It expected that she would just accept the loss and do nothing.

It didn’t know her at all.

Rapunzel wouldn’t give up.

She didn’t give up on her dream to see the lanterns.

She didn’t give up fighting for her freedom.

She didn’t give up on Varian. Even after everything he’d done.

And she wouldn’t give up on Eugene.

Even if...

“Oh no.”

She was going to track him down.

And Varian’s own search attempts would no doubt end up helping her to find him.

But…

He clenched the bars of his cage.

How would she handle what she would find?

“Rapunzel…”

For the sake of your own heart, please…

Don’t come.

__________________

“Varian!”

“Rapunzel?”

“Varian! There you are!”

“I was afraid you’d find me."

“What were you thinking coming here alone?”

“I thought…no, look. Now’s not the time. You have to leave before he comes back!”

“I’m not leaving you!”

“He’s going to leave you and Corona alone, but there’s no telling how patient he’ll be if we test him—”

“I don’t care! I am taking you and Eugene back to Corona. We’ll figure this out together.”

“No, Rapunzel, you don’t get it! He isn’t—it’s not Eugene anymore!”

“Then I’ll just knock some sense into him if I have to!”

“No! I mean it’s NOT Eugene!”

A door slammed. Several spires of black rock shot out of the ground to block the exit door.

“Sundrop.”

A sigh.

Varian looked up hopelessly.

“It’s just the Moonstone now.”

#tangled fic #eugene fitzherbert #varian #moonstone eugene #tangled #tangled the series #how would you rate your pain?

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