a/n: I know it's been a long time since I've published something, and I'm awfully sorry about that! I've currently hit a thick brick wall with the Madge/Peeta fic, so I honestly don't know when it will be updated or if it will ever be at all. As for my Marvel ones, there will be more! Recently I've gotten into a lot of Tangled AUs, so here's one I'm throwing on the table!
The burly guards escorted Rapunzel into the room. It really shouldn't have been called a room, though - it more closely resembled a cell. A dinky lamp swung from a chain in the ceiling, flickering and crackling whenever the room became dead silent. The walls, once white, were dingy and smudged with things Rapunzel didn't care to know at the moment. Funny, she thought. For such a prosperous city, Corona had really let its prison system go to hell. But this wasn't a time to ponder about the fiscal mismanagement of the city. Rapunzel had an even bigger scoop, and he was sitting (or rather, chained) to the metal table in the center of the cell. And across from him, an empty chair.
Flynn Rider's face, which had possessed a slight shadow previously, brightened at the sight of this new girl. She settled into the chair, wincing at the quick nip of cold she probably felt as the back of her thighs touched the metal seat. She was pretty, with what he liked to call "babe potential". And she was young, so very young. Seeing that this was probably her first big job, he decided to make it worth her time.
She pulled a digital recorder out of a small brown satchel and set it up on the table. With a little glance, the guards left the room to stand guard outside the door. She cleared her throat, only for him to interrupt her.
"Hey." He smirked. She stared for a second before continuing. He could tell that she was nervous, she practically had 'newbie' painted across her forehead.
"My name is Rapunzel Feldsalat. I'm a writer for the Sun, and I'd like to..talk."
"About what? We can talk about a whole lot of things, babe-" she cut him off sharply.
"I want to talk about your crimes. What made you do it. Why you did what you did."
"Why? I thought you rats had gotten every piece of dirt there was to be had."
Rapunzel exhaled sharply through her nose and slipped a piece of her brown hair behind her ear. "You're not aware then, that certain files have been recovered that shed a rather different light on you, Flynn. Or would you prefer Eugene?" By the sudden blanching of his face, she knew she had him.
"How do you know that?" he whispered, outraged. His eyes darted to the door, where the guards were more than likely listening from outside. And then back to the girl. He balked at how relaxed she seemed, leaning back in the chair as if she owned the place.
"Lots of digging. There's a lot of dirt out there about you, and I'd estimate that around ninety-nine percent of it's false. The birth certificate you provided was a counterfeit and there are no legitimate records of residence in the city or anywhere else you mentioned when detailing your life story." She had been counting these points on the tip of her fingers with an obvious air of ease. Right now, she really did own the place. Or at least his undivided attention.
"And what's a legitimate record, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Mortgages. Bills. Even eviction notices could've saved you. Definitely not friends."
"What can I say? I have friends in low places." At this she scoffed.
"And enemies everywhere. High, low, under rocks, places most people aren't willing to look. And you know what? A lot of them, friends and enemies, were willing to talk." Flynn scoffed. "It really is for your better good that this come out, by the way."
He leaned across the table in an attempt to intimidate her without setting off the guards. What did she know? She was just some little columnist new to the job. Am inexperienced little kid.
"My good? I'm dead anyways. Didn't you hear the sentence? I'm a goner come Wednesday. Kaput. No longer of this earth."
She was unfazed by the acceptance of his demise. "I know the sentence, but there's something I can do for you." Flynn lifted a brow. "Why can't just Flynn Rider die, not Eugene Fitzherbert behind?" Her voice grew stronger, the passion evident. She wanted to save his soul. And Flynn didn't like the sound of that.
"Wait a minute, Rachel-"
"Rapunzel"
"Gesundheit. But what makes you think I want to be a saved? Or that I even deserve it? If you really found the truth about me, then you would know I'm the last option to choose from when it comes to that."
Rapunzel began listing things off again at a rapid pace, not allowing room for Flynn to interject.
"Parents died in a fire when you were seven. You were sent to a boys' home in the city, Saint Wilhem's, which has recently had reports filed stating abuse. Of course, they're being kept under wraps while they're being investigated, but I can only imagine what you and other boys must have suffered. But you made it out." Flynn stopped his attempts to protest and slowly say back in his chair, listening as she continued on. "You lived on the streets alone, living off of whatever you could scavenge from bins, taking odd jobs when you couldn't stand the trash you ate. You were the textbook definition of a street rat. But then you discovered the art of petty theft, and Eugene Fitzherbert disappeared. You started off small, just enough to get you by. But you got greedy. You wanted more, and more, whatever you could get your hands on. But it wasn't enough. You wanted to score something huge, something priceless. So you set your eyes on the Crown Jewels. But you couldn't do it alone, so you recruited the Stabbington brothers. But in reality, they were just bait because we all know they weren't exactly known for their high IQ. So, you left them behind, trapped, while you slipped away with the jewels scot free. But before they went to the gallows, they squealed your name loud and clear. And here we are." Rapunzel paused, catching her breath. Then, she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. She continued in a softer voice, "But the funny thing is, there were these little boxes left on the doorstep of St. Wilhem's from time to time. Sometimes it would be money. Nothing too big, just small notes that accumulated. But sometimes, there were gifts. And not just generic little things like blankets and shoes. Things the boys had always wanted, like an army man or a particular hat. Things that one would confide to the other boys about. There was never a note left behind, no special trademark. Completely anonymous." She stared at him softly. "Did I miss anything?
Silence fell in the cell for the first time since she stepped in.
"What's your plan?" He looked up and, for the first time there was something genuine in his eyes. God, she wanted to help him.
"Like I said, there's an ongoing investigation for St. Wilhem's. I've spoken to Bastion, your lawyer, and he said he can put in a deal that if you testify, the death penalty be taken off. You'll still serve time, but you'll be alive. How does that sound?"
Flynn smiled.