"Well, how shall I paint this old wardrobe?" Rapunzel sighed dismally to herself. Mother had shut her down. Again. She was afraid that she was never going to get out of that tower, never going to see where the floating lights came from, which was all that she really wanted to see anyway. Pascal grunted and shrugged. He didn't care at the moment. He was tired of Rapunzel's mother and he was regretting those five cookies - Rapunzel had only seen him take one. She would never have let him eat five. Maybe it was just as well that Gothel had said no, because in this state he couldn't move a muscle. Oh well, at this rate Rapunzel wasn't going anywhere. Ever. Above him Rapunzel gasped. "Pascal, do you hear that?" She hissed. Pascal arched his back and rolled his eyes. What? There was nothing to - there was someone grunting outside of the window, someone who did not sound like Rapunzel's mother. He didn't even notice Rapunzel get up and run to the kitchen, grabbing a frying pan. She tiptoed to the window, standing out of plain sight. Whoever was coming was almost to the top. Rapunzel waved her hand at the chameleon and he immediately chamouflaged himself with the floor. More heavy breathing and gasping, and - Rapunzel had never heard a voice that deep before. It must be a - a man. He leapt in through the window and slammed the shutters behind him. He was so tall, and his hair seemed so short, and his shoulders were so broad - Rapunzel wasn't about to wait to judge him from the front. He breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alone at last." He said. That's what you think. Said Rapunzel to herself, hefting her frying pan and whaling him in the head with it. She didn't see the ridiculous look on his face as he dropped. She squeaked and ran for the nearest cover - just in case that hadn't been quite enough. He didn't move. She cautiously stepped forward and nudged his head with the frying pan. No reaction. Rapunzel looked to Pascal for guideance, but her chameleon friend merely shrugged. Rapunzel let out a sigh and tipped his head to the side. His face was - quite a nice shape. To Pascal again, who pattered to Gothel's crude floor art and illustrated that she should make sure he didn't have pointy teeth. Rapunzel used the handle to lift up his lip - but there were no pointy teeth. Could mother be wrong? Now she was curious. She flipped back the tail of hair that covered his left eye and gasped softly. He was - just - quite - wow. And beautiful. Rapunzel would love to draw that face! Just then he moaned and opened his eyes in shock. Rapunzel gasped and brought her weapon right back down on his head.
Had that killed him? It didn't look like it, but he was breathing kind of funny. Rapunzel rolled her eyes and draped her hair over him, singing the song absently as she looked for a place to hide the stranger. With mother surprise always seemed to be the best strategy. Now if she could open a door and let him step out - or fall out - to show mother that she could handle herself - the wardrobe, of course! Now, how to get him in... She tied her hair under his arms and dragged him toward it.
Oof, she hadn't realize that he would be this heavy! Ugh. How -(huff)- far -(huff)- was it - to that wardrobe - oh. Rapunzel leaned against the doors for a minute to catch her breath. Now - how was she going to get him in there? She unwrapped the stranger and looked from him to the closet and back. Maybe if she pushed him in fast enough? Worth a shot. He was already flipped over from Rapunzel moving her hair so she grabbed his boots and tried to push him in. No. Too far up. She should have known better. She looped her hair over one of the rafters and tied the end under his arms again. Then she climbed up into the rafters and tried swinging him into the closet. Yes! Yes, it worked...but her hair was stuck inside. Ugh! Strangers were more trouble then they were worth. What next? She wondered, leaning deafeatedly against the doors. When she opened the doors he fell out again. Great. Rapunzel tried to salvage the fall by shoving him back, but his arms and legs were in the way - and he was upside down. He was quite the heavy sleeper. She shoved him in enough to turn him around, but he wouldn't stay that way. Too long. She grunted and pushed and shoved his face up and finally shut the door. Well! That was that. Simple enough - until he fell forward, opening the doors and squashing her. Ugh, this was getting old! Rapunzel worked herself out from under the stranger, grabbed the broom and used it to shove him back into the closet. Finally he was in - Rapunzel slammed the doors shut, and this time they stayed! Good. Now she was ready - oooh. His fingers were slammed in the door. That had to hurt, but she wasn't about to risk him falling out again. Maybe if she just poked them back inside...he should be fine. Just to be safe, she grabbed her arm chair and jammed the doors shut with it. Now lets see him get out! Now...let the panic settle. She had just done what?!
"Okay, okay, okay, okay. I've got a person in my closet. I've got a person in my closet... I've got a person in my closet! Haha. Too weak to handle myself, huh, mother?" She rehearsed to herself in the mirror, dusting off her faithful frying pan. "Well! Just tell that to my frying pa- owe!" Note to self, do not spin frying on your finger. As she rubbed her forehead she saw in the mirror that the thief's satchel had fallen open, and something was sparkling inside.