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A/N: A little side project I've been working on for awhile. This is a collection of my take on some classic Disney movies with the Young Justice characters. I have put my own spin on things.
First up is Tangled. It stars Artemis as Rapunzel, Wally as Flynn, Jade as Mother Gothel, Robin as Pascal, Kaldur as Maximus, Roy as the Stabbington Brothers, and Ollie and Dinah as the King and Queen. Starr Kingdom is Star City. Nothing you recognize belongs to me; I'm just playing with it.
With that said, I hope you enjoy!
Once Upon a Time
Spitfire – "Tangled"
Part One
My name is Wallace Rudolph West. And this is the story of how I died.
Whoa! Don't look at me like that. It's actually a really good story. To be honest, it's not really even mine. This is the story of a girl named Artemis. It starts with the moon.
Once upon a time, a single drop of moonlight fell from the skies. The drop of moonlight fell onto a silver flower and the flower was given the moonlight's magical properties. The power of the silver flower could cure the ill and heal the injured.
Time passed. Soon a kingdom was formed only miles away from where the flower bloomed. The kingdom was ruled by King Oliver and Queen Dinah. The monarchs were beloved by their people. The only thing the people of Starr Kingdom wanted was an heir to the throne.
Soon, a joyous King Oliver was able to decree that his people need not worry any longer. Queen Dinah was with child. The people of Starr Kingdom rejoiced, for they were sure that any prince or princess born to the king and queen would make an equally fine ruler someday.
As Queen Dinah's body swelled with the child, she grew ill. King Oliver sent for the finest doctors in all the land, but no one could tell what ailed the fair queen. Fearing he would lose his wife and their child, Oliver sent his men to look for the magical silver flower. Though by this time the flower was only an urban legend, the king was willing to try anything.
It was unfortunate indeed that the flower had been found centuries ago by a woman who called herself Cheshire. She used the flower's magic to keep herself young by singing a special song. Cheshire had never told anyone about her discovery, for she was a greedy, selfish person. When Cheshire got wind of the fact that Starr Kingdom's citizens were looking for the flower, Cheshire hid it.
In her haste to get away from the search party late one night, Cheshire did not hide it properly. The captain of King Oliver's guard found the silver flower. Overjoyed, the captain dug up the flower. Cheshire watched from the shadows as this occurred. The evil woman was already plotting to steal the flower back.
The captain brought the flower back to the palace. There, the flower's petals were placed in a bowl of broth and given to Queen Dinah. The magic healed the queen.
The king and queen's daughter was born soon after. Oliver and Dinah were relieved to find that not only was their daughter beautiful, but she was perfectly healthy. The queen's ailment did not affect the young princess in the least. King Oliver and Queen Dinah named their child Artemis after the goddess of the moon. Because the moon's powers had saved both the queen and the princess, it seemed a fitting tribute.
The princess's birth was the cause of much celebration. To commemorate Princess Artemis's birth, Oliver and Dinah launched a paper lantern into the sky. Many other people in the kingdom did as well. It was a beautiful sight.
At last, everything in the kingdom seemed perfect.
Until it wasn't.
Shortly after Princess Artemis was born, Cheshire disguised herself and broke into the palace. She crept into the princess's nursery and whispered the song to the infant. Princess Artemis's hair began to glow a pale silvery color, just as the flower had in the past. Cheshire produced a pair of scissors and cut off a lock of Artemis's golden hair.
Instantly, the hair stopped glowing. Cheshire felt all of her stolen youth flow out of her once more. Unwilling to be foiled, Cheshire snatched the baby princess from her cradle and disappeared into the night.
A devastated King Oliver ordered the entire kingdom to be searched, but no one could find Princess Artemis. Cheshire had taken the baby far outside of the city's borders. She kept the child in a well-hidden tower, far away from prying eyes.
Cheshire told Princess Artemis that her name was Jade and that they were orphaned sisters. Every night, Jade brushed Artemis's golden hair and sung the flower's song to her. Cheshire remained young. To ensure that Artemis would stay under her thumb, Cheshire told the girl about her magical hair and how greedy people would not hesitate to hurt her for it. That way, Artemis would always stay in the safety of the tower.
Still, Artemis was desperate to see the outside world. Each year on Artemis's birthday, Oliver and Dinah released hundreds of lanterns into the sky. They hoped she would see the lanterns one day and return home to them. And each year, Artemis waited until Jade was asleep so she could see the lights.
Someday, she promised, she'd see them for herself.