Tangled Mothra: Beasts & Beauties

by Japan Boy

Part two of a three-part trilogy: arriving in 1788 Arendelle, Merida & Elinor travel with Rapunzel & Eugene to Corona, Germany as Hans & the Duke escape from prison to cause further havoc in said area. Using witchcraft, the diabolical duo create monsters for Mothra & company to battle in a showdown of epic proportions. Kindly review if read.

For Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, & the entire cast/crew of Disney's 'Tangled' for making it one of

the company's most beloved films, & Disney's 50 animated movie, nominated for several awards & winning two.

For actors Alexandra Metz, Everich Golding & Natalie von Potsburg, for portraying the character of Rapunzel

& her parents in the episode 'The Tower' in season 3 of the ABC fairy-tale drama 'Once Upon A Time'.

To the loving memory of actor Richard Kiel, who voiced the character of Vladimir in Disney's 'Tangled' (Richard

Kiel is perhaps best known for portraying the memorable character of 'Jaws', the James Bond villain in 1977's 'The

Spy Who Loved Me' & 1979's 'Moonraker'. He died on September 10, 2014 from a heart attack at 74 years of age).

To the loving memory of the twin sister singing duo the Peanuts, Yumi & Emi Ito, who portrayed the 6-inch Shobijin

Twins in Toho's 'Mothra' (1961), 'Mothra vs. Godzilla' (1964), & 'Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster' (1964)

(Emi Ito passed away on June 15, 2012 at age 71, while Yumi Ito passed away on May 18, 2016 at the age of 75).

TANGLED / MOTHRA:

BEASTS & BEAUTIES

2017 by Anthony Ogozalek

CHAPTER I

The ruins of Arendelle, Norway, 1788:

After attending the funeral of their queen, her sister & their two friends – one an ice master/deliverer, the other his faithful reindeer – most of the people of Arendelle began work on fixing their beloved village, starting by putting out any & all fires that were still burning to prevent their spreading out into the forest. Some people moved debris to find pets that were trapped inside their homes, having taken refuge in the deepest areas once the destruction started to occur. Fortunately, these lucky animals were found with dirt & slight bruises, but very much alive. With the danger gone, they were reunited with their rightful owners/families, who were relieved to see their pets survive the carnage which struck the kingdom.

Only a few buildings & the Queen's castle were left undamaged, as it lay upon a miniature island accessible from the mainland by a singular bridge in the middle of a fjord, where several ships rested at. It was inside here in the Queen's council chamber where new arrivals Elinor & Merida were taken to by a young man with a dark suit, brown hair, eyes, & a small stubble under his chin, followed by his female companion who wore a dark lavender dress & had green eyes, with a crop of shortly cut brunette hair. Resting upon her right shoulder was a small green chameleon.

These two individuals went by Prince Eugene & Princess Rapunzel from the kingdom of Corona, with her chameleon's name going by Pascal. It was here with the Captain & several of his guards where they relayed the story of the disaster that occurred in Arendelle to Elinor & Merida, followed by what happened only two months earlier.

"Unbelievable!", Elinor said, her face in total shock like that of her daughter Merida's. "This kingdom's very queen…had the power to actually emit snow & ice right from her very own hands?!"

"And she once used that same power of hers to freeze her own kingdom, nearly plunging it into an eternal winter?", Merida asked.

"As unbelievable as it sounds, ladies…that was her ability, & yes, that's what happened", said Eugene. "Queen Elsa was more or less born with her powers, & being unable to control them when she was young, she'd kept herself hidden from the rest of her kingdom, up to & including her own sister Anna. It was only when Rapunzel & I attended her coronation ceremony did her powers become revealed to all, putting Arendelle into that winter you mentioned."

"And in all that time, Elsa never knew how to make that winter go away?", Merida wondered.

"No", said Rapunzel. "Elsa was too scared of having her powers unveiled, & when Anna had unintentionally pushed her, the big secret came out that caused Arendelle's deep freeze & remained that way…until Elsa finally did learn to control her 'unnatural' ability."

"By freezing her own sister", Elinor said softly, but she was still heard & everyone nodded.

"Correct. During a dispute at the ice palace Elsa created up in the North Mountain region, she had accidentally struck Anna directly at her heart, & in time she slowly but surely turned to solid ice. Realizing what she'd done, Elsa cried for her sibling, & it actually helped to melt away all of the ice & snow she created. Turns out, all Elsa had to do in keeping her powers in check was nothing short of filling her heart with love…the same love that she's always had for her sister. The kingdom rejoiced, having its ruler & princess back…until two months later."

"When those horrid Seatopians you mentioned attacked this kingdom with their giant creature that they called 'Megalon'", Elinor said. Again, the room's occupants nodded their heads.

"And Elsa used her power to freeze this Megalon creature, along with her sister Anna, that Kristoff fellow and his reindeer which he named Sven?", Merida asks.

"Correct again", Eugene said. "As one, they all perished deep in the forest after Elsa conjured up a miniature blizzard that dragged them all down into the ground. Like our friend Oaken told you, we just returned from attending their funeral, paying our last respects to them. Now this kingdom is minus its queen and princess."

Elinor & Merida bowed their heads, giving the fallen queen, princess & their comrades their own respects.

"And now that we've given you two the details on the two tragedies that have befallen Arendelle, perhaps you can tell us a thing or two about yourselves", Rapunzel says, changing the subject. "For instance, why don't we begin with telling us your names, as we never got them."

"Also, you said you two were looking to get back to Scotland, if I remember correctly", Eugene adds.

"But of course…where are our manners?", Elinor says, slightly embarrassed as she & her daughter rose from their seats. "I am Queen Elinor, & this is my daughter, Princess Merida. Along with King Fergus, we are the rulers of Scotland's DunBroch Clan, & somehow we've ended up in your land by some sort of…"

"Hold just a moment!", the Captain of the Giards says, interrupting her. "Did you just say…King Fergus?"

"I did. He's my husband. Why do you ask? Have you heard from him recently?"

The faces of everyone went white.

"What's the matter? Was it something I said?", Elinor wondered.

"Yeah, is everything all right? You all look as if you've suddenly seen a ghost, of all things!", Merida said.

"They don't know, do they?", Eugene asked the Captain, who shook his head.

Elinor & Merida give each other a suspicious stare.

"Know what?", they ask in unison.

"You two better sit down again", the Captain offered.

"What? Captain, is there something you're not telling us?", Elinor says.

"Please", he said with sincerity.

Amid their confusion, Merida & Elinor did as asked.

"So you do know something of my father King Fergus", Merida says.

"Yes I do, but it's not what you & your mother are thinking of, Merida", the Captain said. "The thing is, King Fergus' rule ended at the same time of his death…which was over 700 years ago."

Now it was Elinor & Merida's faces to turn white over the revelation.

"How is that even possible?!", Elinor asked, her whole person on the verge of a breakdown. "Merida & I were with him only a few hours ago! That just can't be!"

"But it's true, Elinor", said Eugene. "It has been more than 700 years since he passed away. This is the year of 1788, not the 10th Century."

Elinor felt the life slip out of her as she sat in her chair, dumbfounded & numb.

"How could this be?", she said softly.

"Mum, we know how!", Merida said, the realization hitting her. "That glowing sphere Asarlai threw at us – that must've been what sent us forward into the future when it exploded, catching us both and Angus in the blast!"

Elinor felt her strength return, coming to that same conclusion.

"Of course!", she said. "Now I recall: he said he had one last card to play, in his own words! Asarlai believed he could blow us into oblivion right before he died, but instead it had only sent us on a bit of a time trip! It certainly explains as to why we aren't in Scotland anymore, let alone in the 10th Century where we truly belong!"

"Who was this 'Asarlai' you ladies speak of, anyway?", asked Rapunzel.

"I suppose my daughter Merida & I have a story or two ourselves to relay to you", Elinor says. "But if I may request, Merida & I would like to head over to the burial site where Queen Elsa & her brave party now rest to go pay our own respects to them, from one queen & princess to another. Along the way, we'll explain as to how we ended up here in 1788 Arendelle."

The Captain & everyone else in the room stare at one another, & they nod.

"I believe we can grant you & Merida your wish, Elinor", the Captain said.

For what seemed like forever, Merida & Elinor manage to smile warmly.

The outskirts of Arendelle, an hour later:

The Captain, a couple of his guards, Eugene & Rapunzel all accompanied Merida & Elinor over to the burial site where Elsa & her group made their last stand against the Seatopian creature Megalon. Angus of course carried the DunBroch rulers as Maximus held Eugene & Rapunzel, while the Captain & his men had all taken their personal horses. As promised, Elinor & Merida told them the story of how they ended up from 10th Century Scotland to 1788 Norway: the arrival of the monster Gaira that terrorized their land, the journey to the island where Sanda resided at along with other giant monsters, the story of how two brothers suddenly became fierce enemies before the truth was revealed from the appearance of Asarlai, the appearance of his giant creature Ollpheist, the holding hostage of their servant Maudie & the triplets Hamish, Hubert & Harris, the undead soldiers summoned to try & prevent them from entering Castle DunBroch, right up to the flash of bright light that brought them into their present time when they found Arendelle in ruins.

"I have to say, ladies – your story is almost as unbelievable as ours!", said the Captain. "Then again, none of us were there as neither of you were here when it all went down."

"I guess that puts us on even ground, Captain", Elinor says, getting a smile from him & the rest. "It seems there is a lot in this world that we don't know about yet, & sometimes, it can be a really scary experience like the ones we all had gone through – you people with having a queen that can cause a winter season to occur even in the heart of summer & dealing with an underground race that had a giant beetle creature, & us dealing with several giant beasts & a crazed sorcerer with a personal vendetta against my family, willing to do anything to settle the score."

"But unfortunately in both cases, the villains got exactly what they wanted, even at a great cost to themselves", Eugene said, getting somber nods from all.

You'll get no argument on that from us, Eugene, Elinor thought.

For the remainder of the trip, they traveled in silence.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at their destination.

"There it is, girls", the Captain said, pointing down to an open area of land from a high ledge where a huge rock was embedded in the side. From their vantage point, Merida & Elinor can see a sizeable area of rough dirt which spread several meters in length & diameter.

"The burial mound of your Queen Elsa & her party?", Merida asked.

"None other: that area you're bearing witness to is where she, Anna, Kristoff & Sven all went down with that Megalon monster in a climactic showdown which helped save our kingdom. In all my years of committing & seeing brave acts of heroism, I've never seen anything quite like it."

Merida & Elinor can relate: from the time when the former wanted to change her fate, she was willing to go the distance & do whatever it took to achieve her goal, even by transforming her own mother into a bear & fixing up her mistake before it became too late, narrowly avoiding a disaster among the clans & quite possibly all of Scotland.

What Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, Kristoff & Sven did was no different: they sacrificed their very lives to rid their beloved land of a great evil that could've easily laid waste to it from one end to the other.

How true, Captain: that is an act of true bravery & heroism if ever I've heard it!, Merida thought.

Giving each other a look, Merida & Elinor nodded before making a cross sign in prayer, followed by placing their hands together to honor the fallen. The Captain, his men, Eugene & Rapunzel all smiled at their affection. Even Maximus & Pascal offered their own, seeing two complete strangers from another land – and time – paying respects to three people & a reindeer they'll never meet in person.

"May their souls find everlasting peace", Elinor said softly.

"At least the enemies that caused this disaster were all dealt with in the harshest possible way", Merida said with a tinge of anger in her voice.

"Most of them were, Merida", said Eugene. "Three of them met a literally crushing fate from that boulder you see stuck in the side here, & two of them are now locked up in the castle dungeon, facing life imprisonment with no chance of a pardon or parole."

"I should certainly hope not!", Elinor said, her anger clear to all. "Between these perpetrators & Asarlai, I can't decide who's worse! Captain, with your permission, I'd like to see those you've got locked in your dungeon!"

The Captain's men, Eugene, Rapunzel & the animals all look to the man for an answer, which was a quick nod after careful consideration.

"You wish to say a few words to them, Elinor?", the Captain asks.

"Pretty much", Elinor answered.

"Very well: Maximus & your horse Angus can stay in the castle stables with the others, & we'll have a room for you & Merida to sleep for the night. When morning comes, we'll decide where we go from there."

"Thank you, Captain…you're too kind", Merida said as he smiled.

"Think nothing of it, Merida. Care to lead the way back?"

Merida & her mother look at each other with a grin.

"Be glad to!", they say in unison.

That said, the mother & daughter from 10th Century Scotland take point in the journey back to the castle that once housed the Snow Queen & her beloved sister.

The castle dungeon:

Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton sat wordlessly in the dungeon with their wrists shackled in chains that are bolted to the floor, enabling them to see out the window but not even close enough to the room's only door. Hans was still dressed in his sharp uniform of blue pants, black boots, blue undershirt, white tux & lavender tie, with the Duke attired in his authority uniform, complete with medals on his right chest, white gloves on his hands, gray pants, black boots, round spectacles over his eyes & a gray mustache which hides his devilish smiles. Unlike Hans' brown hair, his gray top flips open to reveal a bald spot whenever he bows his head. It was the same cell Hans put Elsa into when she was besieged by the Duke's late bodyguards & got knocked unconscious at her ice palace.

Now it's destined to become Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton's permanent home until the day they die.

The sound of footsteps caused both prisoners to look up as the door to the cell becomes unlocked & opens up to reveal the Captain & one of his guards, Rapunzel, Eugene, Merida & Elinor as they step inside to get a good look at those solely responsible for all the destruction which had befallen Arendelle.

In spite of their dire predicament, Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton couldn't help but smile fiendishly.

"Well, if it isn't the royal Captain of the Guards", Hans said with sarcasm. "And he's brought some guests to keep us company, too: Princess Rapunzel & Prince Eugene from the kingdom of Corona. To what do we owe this most unexpected pleasure?"

"These two are the ones that terrorized your kingdom & got it all but ruined?", Merida asked. "They seem more like court jesters than terrorists to me!"

"Don't let their suave demeanor fool you for a second, my dear: underneath their sheepish exterior lay a pair of fiendish devils!", said the Captain as he introduced his prisoners. "Say hello to Prince Hans of the Southern Isles & the Duke of Weasel Town!"

"That's 'Weselton', you simpleton…Weselton!", the Duke bellowed, rising from his seat & taking several steps forward, clearly still vehement about people mispronouncing his homeland.

Immediately, the Captain & the guard with him raise their swords & point them at the approaching Duke. Even Merida joins in as she pulls an arrow from her quiver & aims it directly at his heart.

"Sit down, Duke…before you get put down!", the Captain threatened.

"I'd do as he says, mister!", Merida barked, pulling the string of her bow back further. "I'm all but tempted to put one in you just for your crime of wanting to unlock this land's secrets & exploit its riches, let alone invade it with a malevolent underground race & their giant insect!"

With sharp objects aimed straight at him, the Duke did as told & rested his rump back on one of the cell's few seats, giving the guards & Merida cause to lower their weapons. Prince Hans couldn't help but to admire Merida's bold spirit.

"Pretty impressive, young lady!", he said with a sly smile. "I don't think I've ever seen you or the lady next to you around these parts before. So tell me…what are your names?"

"None of your business!", Merida & Elinor say simultaneously with menacing tones.

"Gee…those are pretty weird names!", the Duke teased as he & Hans snickered. Elinor gave both prisoners 'the look' which made many people – including her husband King Fergus – straighten out at once upon first glance.

But neither Hans nor the Duke were impressed.

"What…is that supposed to somehow intimidate us, my dear?", Hans mocked.

"Really!", the Duke adds. "I've seen scarier looks on an infant!"

Their giggling made Eugene clench his fists & he took a step towards them, but was stopped by Rapunzel.

"Oh, come on, Eugene…they're not worth it", she says.

"But is it worth it for you, my dear Rapunzel?", Hans asked. "Marrying a common, most wanted thief who once stole your crown & was willing to sell it to the highest bidder?"

Merida & Elinor were stunned upon hearing this piece of information, but Eugene would not be intimidated.

"Don't even try that guilt complex with me or Rapunzel, Hans!", Eugene barked. "If you really know me like you think you do, then you should also be knowledgeable that I've been completely exonerated and acquitted for all my past crimes! Sure, I've stolen many items during my life as a thief, but not once did they endanger people's lives, let alone get them killed! The crimes in which I've committed in the past are nothing in comparison to yours or the Duke's! What you both did is beyond insane & foolhardy, & that's why you two losers are here in this room as prisoners while I'm a free man! Ponder that as you rot your lives away within this dungeon!"

Prince Hans notices the stunned looks on Merida & Elinor's faces, & tries taking advantage of it.

"Oh…you both don't know about Eugene's unglamorous past, do you?", he says with a devilish grin.

"Don't you worry about it, Hans…they'll know soon enough, but from us!", Rapunzel said, stepping in before Hans could press the matter any further. "And honestly, I highly doubt that my husband's past activities will matter that much to them, if at all! We merely came down here to say goodbye to you both, gentlemen! We shan't be seeing you fiends again…either of you!"

"In short, it's goodbye & good riddance to you!", said Eugene. "May the devil down below burn your souls for all eternity!"

As Eugene spoke, he & everyone started to turn & walk out of the room. They all paused when Hans made a last statement.

"Princess Rapunzel", he says as his mouth grew into a grin. "We'll be seeing you & Eugene again…and sooner than either of you might think."

The party looks to each other in a bit of confusion but soon dismiss it.

"Ha…this coming from two losers who are all but chained to the floor!", Elinor scoffed with a smirk.

"Really! Have a nice life…sentence, that is!", Merida adds in the same manner, inciting snickers from the rest as they departed the cell & the Captain closes/locks the door with a sound that echoed through the hall. When they were sure they were out of ear shot, the Duke turned to Hans with a look stating that he was all but confused.

"You said we were going to see them again, dear prince?", he wondered in not-so-loud a voice. "Exactly how are we going to manage to do that, chained to the floor as we are?"

The Duke raised his shackled cuffs to prove his point.

"You needn't worry, Duke", Hans assures him. "I anticipated that we might be caught & thrown in the dungeon if our plan on destroying Arendelle with the Seatopians & their giant beast Megalon should fail. That's why I went & prepared for a contingency, & I'll relay it all out to you once Rapunzel & her party leave port in the morning. As for now, let's get ourselves some sleep. We'll be needing our strength for what comes next."

Although eager to know what his partner-in-crime has in store, the Duke of Weselton did as Hand suggested, & soon they were snoozing soundly in their cells before they knew it.

In his sleep, a huge grin came across Hans' face.

CHAPTER II

The Castle of Arendelle, morning:

Like they were promised, Merida & Elinor were given a room to spend the night in as mother & daughter slept in the bed once belonging to Princess Anna, while Prince Eugene & Princess Rapunzel took Queen Elsa's. Normally, no one would violate the queen & princess' private sanctuaries & actually stay for a full night in them, but because of Eugene & Rapunzel's status of prince & princess, not to mention that of a royal mother & her daughter who've been thrusted forward in time by a magical force against their will, an exception was happily made.

And the Captain knew that even if Queen Elsa & Princess Anna were still around, they probably would've been given permission to use their personal quarters for one night.

In spite of the circumstances, everyone had a good night's sleep – one of the best they've ever had.

When morning came, the group had gathered over at the dining room table where a hearty breakfast of fruits, freshly-cooked eggs, & other delicacies awaited them. Merida & Elinor enjoyed the eggs most of all, stating that they missed having theirs 'sunny side up', as it's called when their maid Maudie used to serve them. As they ate, Merida had said that she usually went out into the woods to practice her archery to keep her wits sharp just before breakfast, but because she & her mother were in an area (& era) she didn't know, she never tried it.

On the plus side, Rapunzel stated that once they reached Corona, Merida will have plenty of opportunities for practicing her most favored activity, putting the crimson-haired princess in good spirits & eager to get back into the swing of things once more. Elinor livened things up during their meal by telling the group stories featuring the triplets Hamish, Hubert & Harris, who absolutely loved playing practical jokes upon others, especially on Maudie most of all.

Her tales of their wee little adventures got many guffaws from everyone.

Angus & Maximus were also well taken care of, having slept in a stable at the castle & being fed some fresh oats, hay, & the latter horse's favorite treat – apples, with no worms. In all that time, the two horses enjoyed staying in the same place together, & got along rather well.

After breakfast, everyone who was homeward bound for the kingdom of Corona boarded their ship for the journey home, with Rapunzel, Eugene, Merida & Elinor each thanking the Captain of the Guards for everything as Maximus & Angus became the last ones to get on board the ship with their respected riders. The Captain wished them all well & a safe journey home, & never needing to worry about their two prisoners – their cell in the castle dungeon will in time become their tomb.

For Rapunzel & company, that day couldn't come soon enough.

With everyone aboard, the ship heading for Corona took off from the fjord docks along with several others from neighboring lands who've come to pay their respects to Queen Elsa & her party for the brave sacrifice they've made in order to save Arendelle from certain doom.

Viewing the ship's departure from their cell window, Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton keep their eyes on the ship leaving for Corona & turn away once they become nothing short of a spec on the watery horizon.

"And off they go", Hans said.

"Yes, & here we still are!", the Duke replied with vehemence, displaying his shackled wrists which rattled his chains. He lowered his voice an octave. "You told me that you had a contingency if things happened to go south with the Seatopians. Well, they did, so do you mind if I ask as to how we can carry out your 'secondary objective' while we remain trapped in this stinky, dank old dungeon?"

"Ye ol' a little faith, Sir Duke", Hans says calmly, reaching deep into his right boot. "One good thing about the guards – they don't bother to give their prisoners a thorough check when they place them under arrest."

Hans took his hand out of his boot & held it up to show his partner what he now possesses: a pair of thin but sturdy metal wires that looked capable of holding a flower pot hung overhead.

The rogue prince, however, had other plans for them.

"One can never tell what a person may be hiding inside the most unlikeliest of places", Hans said with pride. "Remember how I escaped from my cell that first time when I was scheduled to be returned to the Southern Isles just before I rescued you & we went to get the assistance of the Seatopians?"

The Duke does put it together, & a sinister smile grew from beneath his gray mustache.

"One good turn deserves another", he says fiendishly. "I must say, young prince…not bad on your part! So, now that you have the means of our escape literally between your fingers, when do you want us making our move?"

"Tonight…at sunset", Hans replied.

"All right: I can wait a bit longer if it means causing even more mischief on Arendelle, now that we're rid of Queen Elsa, her sister Anna and that ice-hoarding fool & his pet reindeer!"

"Oh, I wasn't really thinking of doing Arendelle any more harm, Sir Duke: I have a more promising target in mind. Care to take a guess on what – and where – that might be?"

It didn't take the Duke long at all to surmise what – and possibly even who – his diabolical partner speaks of.

As one, their mouths expanded into the biggest & most wicked grins they could muster.

The North Sea, two-three days later:

Work crews tended to the ship to make sure it remained in proper working order & have it run smoothly for the journey home, & their labors had it stay flawlessly since leaving the Arendelle port a few days prior.

Elinor & Merida spent their days staring out into the vast sea in complete silence, not interfering in the labors of those who tended to Rapunzel's ship as their thoughts are on other matters while life on the ship moves along. The Prince & Princess of Corona step out to see their two new friends at the very same spot they've been since boarding & sailing out, their looks of worry clearly visible on their faces. Even Maximus & Angus were beginning to worry for Elinor & Merida, & although Angus is incapable of facial expression like Maximus is, his own feelings are reflecting theirs.

Getting past the crew of laborers, Eugene & Rapunzel approach the DunBroch mother & daughter, who take notice of & turn to the married royals.

"We thought you two would be here again, just like you've been ever since we left Arendelle", Eugene said. "Is everything okay?"

"Just more than a little homesick is all, Eugene", Elinor said in a somber tone. "After all, Merida & I have been unexpectedly thrusted over 700 years into the future from our original time & into this one, far away from everything we've known & loved. How I miss seeing my maid Maudie preparing our meals each & every day, my young boys scampering about the castle grounds, causing hilarious harmless mischief, but most of all…I miss my beloved Fergus & long for his warm touch once more. I don't see how we'll ever get back to our own time & be reunited with those we love more than anything else in the world."

When Merida saw her mother on the verge of crying, she rushed over to her side & comforted her.

"Please try not to worry, Mum", Merida says, her own voice full of melancholy. "We'll figure something out: if we got here in this time by magical means, then surely there's a way to get back home in the same manner?"

Elinor looked at her daughter with what seemed like renewed hope: if Asarlai sent them though a time trip in the future, who's to say they couldn't return home by similar means in reverse?

"You really think we'll find a way, Merida?", Elinor asked.

"It's like you once taught me, Mum: a princess should never have doubts, & she should also have a positive attitude no matter what is thrown her way", Merida answered with a little smile. This sign of affection made Elinor to do the same, & she suddenly felt a surge of proudness in herself.

"I guess you were paying attention during your lessons after all!", Elinor says.

"Well…there is some truth in what you were trying to teach me", Merida replied.

Both mother & daughter stare at each other as if they would square off in a heated argument before they did something unexpected – they both laughed out loud, melting away any somber moments that were & any tension that might've been.

"Fair enough, Merida", Elinor said once she got herself under control. "One way or another, we'll conjure up some way to get us back home where we rightfully belong."

"But in the meantime, Queen Elinor, Eugene & I will be more than happy to have you & Merida stay with us at our castle!", Rapunzel said as her husband nods. Just then, Pascal erupts from Rapunzel's shoulder behind her back & jumps on Merida's before scampering across her shoulders & her left arm before finally stopping in the redhead's open palms, his antics causing giggles among the four.

"My, Pascal…you're quite the feisty one, aren't you?", Merida says, staring straight at him. "But then again, I happen to know a thing or two about that!"

Merida gave the little chameleon a wink, causing Pascal to giggle in a series of cackling.

"Pascal's been my good friend for many years before & after I've been found & brought back to my rightful parents", Rapunzel says, taking her little friend & placing him onto her shoulder. "Even now, I don't know what I'd do without him!"

Pascal stood on his hind legs & posed in a gesture that says 'you darn right'.

"Wait, what did you mean by 'your rightful parents'?", Elinor wondered. "Were you adopted, Rapunzel?"

"Well, in a way I was", the brunette answered. "I'll tell you what: let's arrive at my home first, & once we do, Eugene & I will explain everything, from his former life of crime to my sweet homecoming."

Rapunzel's request left more questions than answers, but neither DunBroch pushed her further & decided to leave it at that for now.

"Works for us", Merida & Elinor say together.

As they spoke, Maximus & Angus were mentally attacked by a sense of danger that seemed to hit them from out of nowhere. Trusting their instincts, they traced the source to somewhere out into the ocean, & both steeds race up to the edge of the ship & stare sharply out into the waves beyond. Eugene, Rapunzel, Merida, Elinor & even Pascal all take note of the Clydesdale & Andalusian's sudden behavior.

"Angus?", Merida wondered.

"Maximus? What is it, boy?", Eugene asked as said horse used his left hoof to point outwards to the water, not taking his gaze off the sea. Eugene & the rest – including those who were laboring on the ship – all paused in their chores & peered over the side of the ship to get a glimpse of what got the horses' attention. Straining with their eyes, nobody could see anything that might've stirred the steeds, but then someone cried out after 30 seconds.

"There!"

Now everybody could see it clearly: from 260 meters out, the water churned into a small area of white foam which quickly revealed the head of a large ogre-like creature that had turquoise-colored flesh which looked rough like barnacles attached to it, big eyes with orange pupils, a mouth full of sharp teeth, & atop its head were two pointed curved horns, the one in front being bigger. A very small crop of yellow-white hair rested behind these horns. When it emitted a sound as it opened its mouth, it was like something of a gargling noise that could be heard from a great distance. A pair of arms with four-fingered clawed hands can be seen as it rose up a bit more out of the water, & the monster's chest & front area of its thick neck was peach-colored & looked like a well-built athlete's.

This ogre creature has its sights set upon Rapunzel's ship, putting all aboard on edge.

And having it approaching the vessel didn't help matters!

Most aboard started screaming in terror & ran about in a panic, but cooler heads prevailed as the captain went & ordered his men to man the cannons & fire at will. Working in record time, each cannon on the left side of the ship was aimed at the oncoming ogre creature, which was now less than 200 meters away & still closing in fast. Once all weapons were prepared, the cannons went off with thunderous booms that caused many to cover their ears, including Rapunzel & her friends. The shots fired raced over & across the water, striking the ogre monster dead-on. More & more cannonballs came at & struck the monster in groves, but none of them seemed to even slow down the creature, let alone stop it in its tracks.

But they were making it angry, & the beast emitted a roar to dispense its disapproval of being used for target practice by the people aboard the ship.

With a glare of rage in its eyes, the creature kept advancing closer to its target, & was now only at a distance of 130 meters from its aggressors.

Is this what dad went through as he & the other clans fought Gaira?!, Merida thought, remembering how her father King Fergus said he & his supporters were going to lay traps for the green-haired gargantuan monster when he was still an enemy of Scotland. She could imagine the ineffectiveness of his traps, just as she's seeing how futile it is in halting or even slowing this monster's progress.

He's still coming – he's going to ram this ship, & send us to a watery grave!, Elinor thought, her fear spiking as it never did before even when the monster known as Gorosaurus almost gobbled up her, Merida and Angus with one bite from his massive jaws.

Elinor grabbed Merida close, while Eugene did the same with Rapunzel & Pascal hid in her hair.

The ship rocked violently up & down as the ogre monster got closer, & was now only 60 meters away. All the people aboard could only stare at the death which was closing in upon them.

Suddenly, the creature's advance came to a halt as something big brushed up against its legs, causing it to look down & ignore the ship completely. The object that struck its legs now struck it in the back when it turned 90 degrees to its right, the force of the blow pushing it back & away from the ship with such tremendous strength.

Frustrated at being attacked when it wasn't looking, the ogre creature plunged its hands into the water where it stood all around, hoping to grab or even wound its unseen assailant. Keeping its hands submerged, it felt a sharp pain in its left hand that caused it to cry out & pulled it upwards to reveal a most unusual sight: a gigantic larval insect that measured 100 meters long with tiny blue eyes at the front of its tan/brown segmented body, a point at the end of its tail & a black mouth that currently bites hard the hand of the ogre beast, who violently rakes at the insect with the claws on its free hand.

Even at a distance, those aboard Rapunzel's vessel can still feel the violence of the battle with each splash of water the monsters cause.

"Oh boy!", Eugene exclaims. "As if facing a giant ogre wasn't bad enough, now we have a large caterpillar to contend with!"

"It'll be a disaster if even one of those creatures attacks us, & we've hardly stopped the bigger one!", Rapunzel pointed out.

"You needn't worry about Mothra at all", said a pair of female voices, putting Eugene, his wife, Merida, Elinor & everyone else on alert as they all wondered who it was that spoke. Pascal was the first to discover the newcomers, & they all turned to where the chameleon pointed at. The people were astonished to see a pair of living girls attired in orange dresses, tiny necklaces, a flower sticking out from the side of their heads & a headband resting on top. These twin beauties looked Asian in nationality, & were no more than six inches tall as they stood upright on the saddle on Angus' back. Maximus shook his head to make sure he wasn't imagining what he was seeing, & Pascal rubbed his giant bulging eyes to be certain he wasn't having a hallucination. He even went next to the girls & used his hands to touch/feel the twin ladies to prove they were as solid as he was.

The twins did nothing to prevent the lizard's physical exam, & even seemed amused by it.

Pascal was about to place his front paws upon the ladies' chest area, when Rapunzel called his name & wagged her finger in a 'no, no, no' gesture. The lizard turned red in a bashful state, & slowly crawled away & up his master's arm back onto her shoulder, staying red a bit longer.

Finding the situation with Pascal hilarious, the twin girls grin amusingly.

"Sorry about that, ladies", Rapunzel said, giving Pascal a quick look of disapproval as he turns redder. "My little friend Pascal here's a really good guy, but he sometimes gets a little too anxious with certain things, if you get my meaning. But now that that's all over & done with, perhaps we can finally get to the more important part of this meeting."

"Like, for instance…who & what are you?", asked Merida.

"You needn't worry about your little friend Pascal…he did us no harm", the twins said as one. "As to answer your question, we are known simply as the Shobijin."

"The Shobijin?", Eugene & Elinor repeated.

"Yes. We are the twin priestesses of Mothra, our God from Infant Island who is now engaged in battle with the ogre creature which is named Gabara."

All turned to the battle between said monsters as Gabara was still trying to get Mothra loose from his hand, but each attempt only persuades the insect to bite down harder. Gabara changes his tactics: instead of using his claws on his foe, the ogre beast places his right hand on the top of Mothra's head as the horn atop his head glows just before a jolt of electricity erupts from Gabara's hand & into Mothra's head, causing the larva to finally release her bite on her enemy's hand. With both hands free, Gabara grabs both sides of her head & sends a stronger electric jolt through her, the power making Mothra cry out. In a desperate move, Mothra opens her mouth & shoots a stream of silk from her proboscis that strikes Gabara square in the face, briefly blinding & causing him to release his helpless prey.

But Mothra wasn't out of the woods yet: an angry Gabara plunged himself beneath the waves before his foe could strike with her webbing a second time. Five seconds later, the ogre beast erupted from below right under the larva, sending her flying through the air & landing with a thunderous splash 110 meters away. Gabara swims over to his fallen enemy & grabs Mothra by the middle before starting to pound on her while she's upside-down & helpless.

What appeared as hope for the people aboard Rapunzel's ship quickly turned to trepidation, seeing their savior being pummeled mercilessly.

"That Gabara…he's nothing more than a big bully, isn't he?", Merida says, depicting the ogre's attitude.

"That is the best way to describe him, yes", said the Shobijin. "Gabara has always pursued & attacked any & all creatures that were smaller and/or weaker than him. Many have fallen prey to his savage, uncaring & provocative nature, until he gets driven away by something larger & stronger than him. Mothra has faced & fought Gabara on many occasions, & even now the creature has never learned to leave well enough alone, aside from all the defeats he's suffered at the hands of Mothra."

"And now it looks as if Gabara is about to teach Mothra a lesson…and a rather fatal one at that!", Elinor said with fear in her voice. "Isn't there anything you girls can do to prevent this?!"

The Shobijin lower their heads, indicating their answer to all.

Just when all seemed lost, Gabara was struck by a pair of purple lightning beams that hit him in the side, & he turns to who would dare attack him while he wasn't looking. The people on the ship also turn to where the purple beams originated from, & they bear witness to another giant insect larva, only this one was larger than Mothra & in a much darker tone of color – a shade of black. This creature was like a nightmarish version of a gypsy moth larva, with an upper body that looked to be about 45-50 meters high, & whose proboscis are larger & more pointed than Mothra's. A pair of large tusk-like points jutted from each side of its mouth, & a giant yellow horn stuck out at the top of its head. Purple eyes gave it a fiendishly devil's look, & its exoskeleton was much more sturdy & rougher than Mothra's own.

"What kind of creature is that?!", Eugene wondered.

"Battra", the Shobijin answered.

"Battra?", Rapunzel, Merida & Elinor repeated.

"Yes. He is Mothra's ally, although Battra is the more aggressive one between the two. More often than not, he displays acts of recklessness: unlike Mothra, Battra is more concerned for the safety of the planet itself than he is of the people living on it, & in the past it has caused both to get into several heated clashes. Then, at one time during a battle against a fierce enemy, Mothra convinced Battra that humanity is worth protecting along with the Earth, albeit grudgingly. Since then, they have joined forces whenever the need arises against threats to the Earth and its people."

"Reminds me of Gaira & Sanda, in a way", Merida whispers to her mother, who nodded.

"I was thinking the very same thing, Merida", Elinor says back. "From what I've been told about that green-haired giant, he was the more violent of the two, but could always be counted on by Sanda to defeat an enemy by any means necessary. I don't think I see Battra as being any different."

No one could argue the matter: Battra attacked Gabara again with his yellow horn beam that strikes the ogre on his chest, causing him to back away from Mothra, who now dives beneath the waves to escape the carnage. His full attention on Battra now, Gabara roared his defiance as the gypsy larva creature does the same, their sounds echoing at a great distance. With a burst of speed that would seem impossible for anything so big, Battra swam up to Gabara & gave the ogre monster a shock with his glowing horn – a move which stunned the beast temporarily & allowed Battra to press his attack with more shots from his purple Prism beams.

Unable to take the pain, Gabara submerged underwater just as Battra struck with his horn beam, hitting only the drink. Like a shark attacking a hapless unsuspecting swimmer, Gabara rose from the waves & grabbed Battra from his blind side on the left, staying out of range of his beams & being careful to avoid contact with his horn. He gets a firm hold on the insect as Battra thrashes wildly, unleashing both his beams in a wild frenzy & hoping he hits something. Gabara retaliates by unleashing his electrical charge attack that takes Battra unawares & causes him to cry out, forgetting for some time how painful the ogre's ability actually was, even for him. Battra thrashes around in the water wildly like a wild bull, hoping to shake off the ogre creature & cease his electric flow which was now starting to really hurt the insect even through his tough exoskeleton.

If Battra doesn't do something soon, he'll be more or less cooked alive.

Rapunzel's ship bobbed more frantically as the two monsters dueled more fiercely, with all hands holding on to dear life. Mothra reemerges from beneath the waves just in time to witness the end of Battra's tail hitting the side of the vessel, creating a gash that now allows seawater to go in. As if that wasn't enough, everyone aboard the ship felt it sinking & Eugene looked over the side to confirm that they were right.

"How bad is it, Eugene?", Rapunzel asked.

"Pretty bad, I'm afraid!", he replied, making people's worries worse. "A gash was torn from bow to stern, & we're taking in water even faster than normal!"

"So there's no way to fix it in time?", Elinor asked. Eugene shook his head.

"Not with that kind of damage to it!", he says. "At the rate we're sinking, we'll be hitting the waves in minutes rather than in an hour or so!"

"We can't just sit here & do nothing…not with all these people on board with us!", Merida protested.

Eugene was about to say something when they all heard a loud chirp come from behind the stern of the ship. All eyes turned to see a most unusual but beautiful sight: from 200 meters out, a gigantic butterfly with a 65-meter-long body & a wingspan of 175 meters that were adorned with beautiful patterns of orange, yellow, red, black & milk white. The head, thorax & abdomen was covered in white fur, with orange stripes & a black underside. The eyes were much larger & multifaceted, & glowed a radiant baby blue. A pair of antennae protruded over the eyes, & it flew in closer to the ship, its massive form casting a shadow over it & everyone on it.

People can't help but become fearful as this giant lepidopteran floated above them, unsure of what will happen until the Shobijin put then all at ease.

"Please do not be afraid, everyone", they say in unison. "This is Mothra's adult form: she has come here to help us all get to safety while Battra deals with Gabara & covers our escape."

"Of course!", Elinor said. "She can take us straight back to Corona, only this time by air instead of by sea!"

The Shobijin nod pleasantly.

"Well, anytime now would be a good time, Mothra!", Eugene said, peering over the side to see the ship now only ten feet or so from going under. "We've got a high number of people aboard this ship & not too many lifeboats to support us all, & not everybody is too good at swimming for it!"

As if heeding Eugene's pleas, the adult Mothra lowers herself & spreads her legs out to seize the ends of the ship with her three-toed feet, each ending in a claw. A couple of masts broke off like toothpicks, but didn't matter: in no time, Mothra got herself a firm grip on Rapunzel's ship & used her mighty wings to lift up into the air just before the water had a chance of taking the vessel to the bottom. Rising out of the sea, the water which spilled inside it was drained out, & Mothra took off in the direction of Corona once she reached an altitude of 30 meters, sending a chirp to her larva counterpart that success was had in rescuing the people, all of whom cheered loudly that they were spared a death by drowning & sharing space in Davy Jones' Locker.

Mothra's larva chirped back in gratitude & turned to assist Battra, who was still in locked combat with Gabara: from her proboscis came a spray of her silk that struck the ogre in the eyes, causing Gabara to close them shut lest they do some lasting damage. It gave Battra the distraction he needed: as Gabara peeled away the silk covering his eyes, Battra used his horn to toss the ogre monster high into the air like a bull would toss a terrier. Gabara had made a splash 70 meters out & went under, the impact making him briefly dazed. Mothra's larva squeaked & chirped that the people aboard the ship were safe & being taken inland, but Battra was more focused on defeating his enemy while he was down. He replied to his more compassionate counterpart that the enemy must be permanently defeated, leaving them with no chance of returning, lest consequences be suffered.

Battra had no intention of allowing even the smallest chance of those consequences reaching him, & plans to finish what was started.

Replying to Mothra's larva to leave the rest to him, Battra dove beneath the waves & disappeared in two-three seconds, leaving Mothra'a larva by herself out in the open sea.

Seeing no chance of dissuading her partner, the young larva moved on, following her parent to the mainland.

Beneath the waves of the North Sea:

Gabara pulled off the remnants of Mothra's silk from his eyes just in time to see Battra coming straight at him full throttle, using himself as a living battering ram. The impact knocked the ogre senseless, & he fought frantically to regain them as both monsters sank like living stones until they reached the very bottom with earth-shattering force. A cloud of undersea dust covered both creatures as they hit, their vision of each other obscured. Although shaken, it was Gabara who emerged from the cloud first, followed by Battra's purple Prism beams which shot from his eyes but was nowhere near hitting their target. It did, however, give Gabara his foe's location, & like a shark going in for the kill, he leaps at Battra & clobbers him in the side from within the dust cloud & both emerge out from the other side.

The ogre monster climbs upon Battra's back like someone attempting to ride a horse & unleashes his electrical attack once his hands were placed at the sides of Battra's head, sending an even more powerful surge that hurt twice as much due to the fact they were well underwater. Battra fired both his Prism & horn beams every which way in an all-out rage, but hitting only the sea's bottom & any rocky cliffs that were down in their vicinity. Seeing the futility of it, Battra ceases his weapons & swims off to the nearest rocky outcropping. Ramming into one 50 meters away, the larva creature turns to his left just as they approach & slams Gabara with such force that ceased his electric attack & got him off Battra before falling to the sea floor. Giving himself some distance, Battra unleashed both sets of beams on Gabara, striking & hurting him all over as the ogre cried out in great pain. Battra adds insult to injury for Gabara as he rushed at & slams his turquoise-fleshed enemy with a series of violent rams that shake the ogre's bones & other insides.

On the sixth try, Gabara took the initiative & grabbed Battra's horn & sent his most powerful electrical surge in it, while Battra did the same. The power feedback soon became too much, & a white-hot flash erupted from between both combatants, blowing them away from each other & causing a tremendous rockslide which all but buried the two monsters, leaving no trace of their existence in the slightest.

Like their battle never took place to begin with.

Above the North Sea:

Rapunzel, Eugene, Merida, Elinor & everyone else aboard the princess' ship watched as Battra tossed Gabara in the air & then pursue his foe beneath the waves, disappearing from view while Mothra's larva followed her parent in the very direction she was now taking the vessel, safely clamped in her feet.

"The Shobijin were right, Merida", Elinor says. "Battra is quite a relentless fighter…he simply won't quit!"

"He's not dissimilar from Gaira or Sanda, Mum", Merida reminds her. "They were each quite relentless being in a fight themselves, not to mention those other monsters we saw on that island such as Anguirus, for instance: he was such a brawler against Baragon, if you recall."

Elinor did recall it just as well as her daughter had: Anguirus, Varan & all the other creatures they saw on the island which became Sanda's home after dealing with Gaira in Scotland all those years ago were as savage in battle as even Mor'du himself was, giving an enemy no quarter. Battra was as every inch of a combatant as any one of the dinosaurian beasts they'd encountered previously, even for an insect.

Then again, even the smallest of animals can bring down the mightiest of beasts, Elinor thought, remembering how something as small as a bee can cause a bear great pain by stinging its nose.

It was the law of nature: kill or be killed.

"In all the close shaves I've had in my life when I was still a thief, this one more or less tops them all", Eugene said humorlessly. "And the scariest part of it is, I almost came close to losing my wife today, along with many of her people."

Rapunzel took her husband's hand in hers & looked her man in the eye.

"Maybe, but no matter what dangers may come our way, Eugene, we're going to get through it together…just like any husband & wife would do", Rapunzel says, giving him that warm smile she's always been known for.

Eugene couldn't resist but to smile back, followed by the Shobijin themselves, overhearing their discussion.

"Now I know just why I married you, Rapunzel…and for more than just your dashing good looks!", he joked, inciting a giggle from his wife.

"You sure it isn't my fiery spirit? Or maybe perhaps my irresistible urge to get into as much mischief as you once did when you still went by the name Flynn Rider?", Rapunzel teased.

"At least with you, they were able to get your nose right! Me? They drew mine big enough for Maximus here to eat as one of his apples!"

Rapunzel, Pascal & even said Andalusian steed chortled & giggled at Eugene's remark: in all the time Eugene was outlaw Flynn Rider, the wanted posters he'd seen were drawn with his nose overly swelled/bloated, looking as if he'd gone a single round with just one of the Stabbington Brothers – his one-time partners in crime.

Knowing they were laughing in good nature & not directly at him, Eugene grinned & gave himself a laugh too.

"But hey, we're on our way back home…and in the best possible way!", he said, grinning as Rapunzel, Pascal, Maximus & the Shobijin nodded.

"Yes, as you surmised before, Mothra will be returning you all to the kingdom of Corona", the Shobijin said. "With her taking you at the speed we're currently traveling, we should reach the area by tomorrow morning."

"Perfect!", Rapunzel said, looking up at & calling out to the giant butterfly. "Full speed ahead, Mothra…and don't spare the horses!"

Maximus gave her a look of surprise, followed by Angus.

"Figuratively speaking, of course!", Rapunzel quickly reassured them both, putting the two steeds at ease.

Both Rapunzel & Pascal gave each other a look of relief & wiped their brow with a quick sigh. Eugene took his wife in his arms & gave her a kiss.

"Still the animal-affectionate I first met", he said. "Don't ever change, Rapunzel."

"As if", she replied before engaging in a passionate kiss which they held for a long time, not caring how many people were staring. Those that did smiled warmly, seeing a lovely sight after a harrowing experience that had nearly claimed their lives. Even Merida & Elinor were warmed by the happy sight of the two sharing a moment or more of bliss despite being close to a death by drowning.

Mothra's speed increased with each wing flap as she flew southward.

Next stop, the Kingdom of Corona!

CHAPTER III

The Kingdom of Corona, morning:

A bright golden sun welcomed the day in the country of Germany, as Corona's populace awakens to start their daily activities both in the city & neighboring countryside. Like Queen Elsa's castle in Arendelle, the palace where King Frederic & Queen Arianna reside at is located on an island separated from the German mainland, with only a single bridge & several shipping ports to gain any access to. And just like the city of Arendelle, Corona's main residence is on this large patch of land, where many people have made their residence at. Some of the folks, however, have made the forest their home, either by making their living in chopping wood for fireplaces during winter, hunting for food to feed families, or if they simply don't wish to be found, as these are mostly on the run from the law and/or if they have something of high value they don't wish to have discovered by another.

For the most part, however, Corona is a most happy place to be, especially since the King & Queen's daughter Rapunzel was brought back some time ago & reunited with her parents, making the kingdom rejoice.

Now they stare out of the window & over the sea to watch for any sign of Rapunzel's ship, as they were due back from attending the funeral services of Queen Elsa & her sister, Princess Anna of Arendelle, over in Norway.

Such a tragic end for two young, lovely ladies like they were, thought King Frederic, reflecting upon hearing of Elsa & Anna's sudden demise, especially after hearing of their parents' tragic loss at sea only three years earlier. It wasn't that much different from when his own daughter Rapunzel was taken from right under his & Arianna's noses by the fiend Mother Gothel, who was over 700 years old & wanted to keep Rapunzel for herself in order to remain young & beautiful forever. It was only when the one-time thief Flynn Rider approached the secluded tower in which Rapunzel was kept did she finally find release as well as rescue, & was eventually brought back to her true mother & father after 18 years of being missing since she was a baby.

That was the only difference: Rapunzel gets to be with her parents again, while Elsa & Anna have gone to that big castle in the sky after defending their land from an underground race & their giant monster which came awfully close to bringing it all down.

King Frederic can't help but feel guilty, even if they're reunited in Heaven instead of the land of the living like he & Arianna are with Rapunzel.

A slither of movement in the air caught Frederic's attention, & he went to grab his mini telescope from out of his drawer, extended & looked out the window through it. Putting the lens into focus, Frederic saw the wings of an enormous butterfly flapping, along with something clenched tight between its legs. The King blinked his eye a few times to make sure he wasn't receiving any sign of stigmatism, but what he actually was seeing was true.

Frederic peered through his telescope again, & he saw what he believed it to be, clear as day.

It was a ship the lepidopteran was carrying…and it looked very familiar!

That…that's Rapunzel's ship! But where is my daughter?!, Frederic thought, peering through the looking glass to get even a glimpse of his beloved girl. It took a bit of time, but Frederic finally did see Rapunzel & even that of her husband Eugene & their horse Maximus in the massive crowd aboard the ship, along with a black-furred horse & what appears to be…something even more unbelievable than the giant lepidopteran.

King Frederic could swore that, standing upon the Clydesdale's saddle, were a pair of ladies that are only at a maximum height of six inches tall!

No, that's impossible…isn't it?!, he thought, cleaning his lens & peering through it again to make sure it wasn't an optical illusion of some kind. When he looked through the glass once more, he saw exactly what he thought he did.

"Good Heavens", he said softly as if in a daze, lowering his telescope.

Seeing the giant butterfly getting closer to Corona, Frederic placed his tool down & ran to get his wife.

Corona, ten minutes later:

The sound of bells alerted everyone in the kingdom of the incoming creature, but most were already aware of it at this time as Mothra closed in on the city, becoming larger & filling up the skies with her luminous presence as she gives the citizens a more sense of awe rather than fear: it is said that butterflies were mostly an omen of good luck, & the only vibes the people are sensing from this giant lepidopteran are that of the warm, soothing kind. Even The King & Queen of Corona can feel this relaxing tingle from within their souls as they watch Mothra approach & fly on past Corona, heading for the mainland with Rapunzel's ship in tow.

"Frederic, judging from the positive vibes I'm receiving, I honestly don't think that this creature means to do our daughter, her husband Eugene or anyone on board the least bit of harm", Queen Arianna says.

"My sentiments are exactly the same as yours, Arianna", Frederic replied. "If that was its intention, it would've done so already a thousand times over. Else, why would it even bother to bring Rapunzel's ship all the way back here if it was planning on destroying it, & all those on board? No, there is more to this creature than meets the eye."

Frederic looked to see if the Captain of the Guards was by his side, which he was.

"Captain, get our steeds at once", he ordered.

"Right away, my King", he said, instructing several of his men to accompany him.

Once their steeds were present, the King & Queen raced across the only bridge that leads to the castle out to the mainland as Mothra reduced her speed & hovered over a clear stretch of land that would enable her to place the ship down without ruining any surrounding trees that were nearby, sans being blown by a gust of wind from her wings. As Mothra prepares to make her slow & steady descent, Eugene tells everyone to brace for a bit of an impact. No sooner did they heed his advice than when Mothra placed their ship onto the ground, crushing the bottom of the vessel so it would remain level when Mothra releases it. The ship did jostle & shake some from the impact, but still wasn't nearly enough to tear it apart in full. Thankfully, everyone aboard was on the deck & not below, & all they lost was some supply crates when Battra struck it with the end of his tail.

It was a huge relief for all: supplies can always be replaced, unlike people's lives.

Mothra slowly started to release her feet from the ship's sides to make sure it didn't wobble or tip over to one side, thus violently spilling its passengers. When she was assured by the Shobijin that neither incident occurred, the giant butterfly carefully lifted herself & floated up, making sure not to create too strong gusts so as not to make the ship fall over. Mothra rose like one of the floating lanterns that were used every year on Rapunzel's birthday since the day she was taken from her home in hopes she would return to it. Getting to an altitude of over 100 feet, Mothra took off deeper into the German mainland, disappearing from sight in a few minutes.

"I wonder where she going?", Elinor asked, watching the butterfly head off into parts unknown as the rest were doing.

"You needn't worry, Elinor: knowing we're all safe & sound, Mothra simply wishes to find a secluded place to rest herself", said the Shobijin. "But should any further dangers like the one with Gabara happens to arise, she will once again come to our aide."

"We're glad to hear that, ladies", said Merida. "If we do need her help again, then she ought to rest & regain her strength. After all, a well-rested warrior is a vigilant one."

Everyone aboard nodded, including Elinor.

"Rapunzel? Rapunzel?", King Frederic shouted from his horse as he, Queen Arianna, the Captain & several of his guards raced over to the ship on their steeds. The princess, her husband, Elinor, Merida & several others who were able looked over the side, & they smiled upon seeing the rulers of Corona & their elite come to greet them.

"Mom! Dad!", she called to them, waving as she did so along with her husband & those that managed to make it to the side. It filled Frederic & Arianna's hearts with great relief & happiness to see their daughter safe & sound at home…along with everybody else.

"Your parents, I presume?", Elinor asks.

"None other, Elinor!", Rapunzel replied, pointing to each one for introductions. "Say hello to King Frederic & Queen Arianna…my true parents!"

Elinor & Merida had almost forgotten her royal heritage, as they were both much too worried about staying alive when Gabara & Battra had fought out in the North Sea. The reminder of their status made them want to know more about their new friends.

"Let's head on down there & give them a proper greeting…the way perfect ladies & gentlemen should!", said Merida.

Merida's last statement ended with a wink to her mother, who grinned with delight, knowing that Merida really has learned something about how to be a proper lady.

And just wait until they meet the Shobijin!, Rapunzel thought with glee, hardly keeping it together as she thinks of how her parents will react to the little beauties.

"Let us not keepthem waiting, Merida!", Eugene said as he addressed the crowd. "Lower the ramp, people: we're getting off!"

Immediately they began doing exactly that by removing the detachable piece on the side & placing it on the left before extending the ramp & placing the end on the ground & enable access to it. First ones down of course were the princess & her husband Rapunzel & Eugene, followed by their horse Maximus & the other steed Angus, who still has the Shobijin Twins placed on his saddle as they hold on to his reign to keep from falling off, with Merida & Elinor in the rear in case they do manage to slip off. All the rest of the people followed, & they went straight to their loved ones that came across the bridge on their own horses to greet/welcome them home, happy & relieved to see them all alive & well.

Rapunzel, Eugene, Merida, Elinor & their two steeds came straight for the King & Queen, both of whom were even more astonished when they get a closer look at the six-inch-tall twin beauties on Angus' saddle, who give them a warm smile regardless of their disbelief. Pascal was, of course, resting upon Rapunzel's shoulder like always.

"You weren't imagining them before, Frederic!", said Arianna, unable to take her eyes off the little girls any more than her husband could. "They really are only six inches tall!"

"How…how is this even possible?!", Frederic says. "And that giant butterfly…what is it? Where did it come from, & how did you people even get mixed up with it?"

"Mom, Dad, whoa…calm down for just a sec!", Rapunzel says with ease & a grin. "There'll be plenty of time to give you the lowdown about the Shobijin Twins here, their guardian Mothra, & everything else that happened upon our return, okay? But for right now, we have some more new guests that have arrived in Corona we'd love for you to meet!"

"That we do!", Eugene says as he introduces them. "King Frederic & Queen Arianna, we'd like for you to say hello to Queen Elinor & Princess Merida! Their steed in whose saddle the Shobijin sit upon is named Angus."

The black horse neighed softly in friendly greeting, making Merida & Elinor smile.

"Amazing…he's a Clydesdale!", Frederic says as he gets a closer look at Merida's friend & confidant. "I've not seen one of these horses since I was but a mere boy when my father took me on a trip over to…"

A thought entered his head, & he put pieces together in his head as he looked at Elinor & Merida.

"Would you two happen to have come from Scotland, by any chance?", Frederic asks them.

The Scottish mother & daughter looked in astonishment at Frederic's deduction, & were more than a little bit hesitant to provide an answer. Rapunzel & Eugene also remained silent, wondering how they were going to explain it to the King & Queen without sounding too unbelievable.

"Well…yes, & no", Elinor managed to say after several tense seconds, but couldn't say anything more for the moment.

"We…we don't understand, Queen Elinor", Arianna says, not quite grasping the situation herself.

"King Frederic, Queen Arianna…I'm afraid I don't even know where to begin", Elinor says, finding herself at a loss for words – a situation she hardly ever finds herself in.

"I suppose, for starters, my Mum & I…are not really from around here, in more ways than one", Merida says as she comes up with a plausible answer. Frederic & Arianna give each other a look of confusion but also concern for their new guests, ending up with a little mystery on their hands. Rapunzel, Eugene, Merida & Elinor watch in silence as Arianna whispers in her husband's ear before Frederic nods in agreement.

"You two, along with Angus & the Shobijin, must all be hungry & tired after a long journey from Arendelle", he says. "Tell you what: we'll have you come to the castle with us where you'll be our guests for dinner this evening. In the meantime, you can freshen up, have a little bite to eat, & even rest awhile in our humble abode. It's the least we can do. What do you say?"

"Just like that, my Good King?", Merida asked as Frederic nods.

The Scottish mother & daughter smile in gratitude.

"You're too kind, Your Majesty!", Elinor says. "Merida & I – along with the Shobijin – would be honored to be your guests! And as we dine tonight, we'll relay every single detail to you – no matter how unbelievable or trivial it might sound."

"Neither you nor your daughter will be judged, Elinor", Arianna said sincerely. "Come – let's get you to your rooms at the palace, while Maximus & Angus can stay in the stables."

"Lead the way, Your Highness", Merida said sincerely as Elinor nodded & took the Shobijin in her hands as she & Merida sat up on Angus' back, with Rapunzel & Eugene doing the same on Maximus & the King & Queen on their own steeds.

Forming a line behind Arianna, she leads her caravan across the bridge to the palace, with several others from the city following suit.

For the majority of Corona's populace, it was welcome home.

For Merida & Elinor, it was the start of a whole new life.

Corona Palace, evening:

Like Queen Arianna said, Maximus & Angus were placed in the palace stables, where they were fed fresh oats and/or hay (with fresh, wormless apples for Maximus), while Merida & Elinor were brought to the palace itself: it was a glorious sight for the mother & daughter from Scotland, who marveled at the very sight of the home of King Frederic & Queen Arianna. To compare it to the others would be an understatement: Queen Elsa's was impressive but still a bit smaller, & their very own Castle DunBroch couldn't even begin to match wits with this beautiful building of many rooms which seemed endless throughout the structure, & their original home wasn't even close to standing this tall either.

Elinor & Merida deeply wished that King Fergus & the other clans could see this wonder of beauty before them as they got lead inside, which was even more impressive than the outside: luscious walls, doors, windows, curtains & carpets of soft fabric adorned wherever they looked, & the palace had more servants than they ever did – people that could & would allow for Maudie to sit back & relax with ease.

Rapunzel & Eugene had personally escorted Merida & Elinor to their room, which was only one door down from theirs. It was equipped with twin beds, dresser with mirror, closet, private bathroom & window that looks out with a spectacular view of the city and/or ocean/countryside. Being given some fresh fruit as a snack, both mother & daughter rested after a long journey but awoke at the sound of Rapunzel, reminding them that the evening dinner was to start just before sundown. Taking turns in using the bath, Merida & Elinor washed themselves as best they could before putting on some clothing left on their dresser by a servant: Elinor picked the lime-green dress & shoes, while Merida picked the red outfit which matched her long, curly crimson hair.

Amazingly & much to her delight, Merida found the dress was quite loose & had allowed for free, unrestricted movement.

Of course, her bow & quiver of arrows would have to remain in their room while they dined, but this time there would be no argument from Merida; the only thing she wasn't too keen on was leaving them out in the open where they might be confiscated, so into the closet they went & out of plain sight.

Elinor became pleased at her daughter's decision, & with everything ready, they went down with Rapunzel & Eugene to the dinner table where King Frederic, Queen Arianna, the Captain & a few of his guards awaited. Eugene was in a blue suit, with Rapunzel attired in a pink dress. King Frederic wore a brown suit as his wife was in a dress of yellow to match the sun itself. The Shobijin – who stayed with Rapunzel & Eugene – simply had both of their dresses & themselves washed, dried & refitted, since they had no other clothing to call their own, but looked no less elegant than anyone else in their orange outfits & flower placed in their hair. When the food arrived, they were helped to a delicacy of cooked lobsters & fish straight from the lakes & streams, steamed carrots & corn, mashed potatoes with brown gravy, & their choice of pie for dessert – blueberry, cherry, or apple.

As they feasted, Elinor & Merida explained their story of how they ended up in Arendelle, beginning way back from the time of their first run-in with the demon bear Mor-du to the Betrothal years later when Merida was supposed to pick a suitor for marriage but wished to change her destiny/fate, right up to & including the time when the green-haired giant Gaira had reawakened to terrorized Scotland, followed by the fight with the dark wizard Asarlai, who yearned for revenge upon King Fergus & the entire DunBroch Clan in the confrontation which lead Merida & Elinor to awaken in the area of Arendelle, Norway before the incident in the North Sea as they were arriving in Corona.

King Frederic, Queen Arianna, the Captain & his guards were both intrigued & flabbergasted by their story, & looks to match their expressions only amplified their feelings.

"You mean to say…that both you & your daughter Merida are originally from Scotland in the 10th Century?!", Queen Arianna says with agape eyes.

"I know how absolutely crazy all this sounds to you, Queen Arianna, but sure as Merida & I sit here & dine with you & your family, it's all true", Elinor said. "Just before that fiend Asarlai died when Merida stabbed him with his own sword, he used a sphere of unknown magic that sent us both & Angus into this time…more than 700 years from our own. We didn't even know we ended up in 1788 until we came across those who were paying their respects to Arendelle's fallen Queen Elsa when we met your daughter Rapunzel & her husband Eugene. Thankfully, they were kind enough to allow us to say goodbye to the queen & her party before giving us a ride here to Corona…"

"When you were suddenly besieged by the creature called Gabara in the North Sea", King Frederic said as his gaze went to the Shobijin.

"Correct, King Frederic", they said. "Our guardian Mothra sensed danger to Rapunzel's vessel, & she offered her assistance to repel the monster with Battra's help when it took damage to the side, threatening to sink beneath the waves. Mothra was able to rescue it in time as Battra & Gabara sank underneath, their fates unknown. We only wish Mothra could've arrived in time to help save Arendelle from the Seatopians & Megalon, thus also saving Queen Elsa, Princess Anna & their two companions. That is our biggest regret & sadness."

The room stayed silent for a moment or two before King Frederic spoke.

"Please do not feel guilty, ladies: had it not for what Queen Elsa had done, their terror might've reached here in Corona, even if Mothra was too late to lend her assistance. And it still doesn't change the fact that my wife & I are forever grateful to you both, and your giant guardian Mothra for rescuing our daughter & everyone else aboard her vessel & bringing them home", he says as Arianna nods in full agreement, & the Shobijin smile in appreciation.

"And as for Merida & Elinor, we also thank you two with all of our hearts for accompanying our daughter back home", Arianna adds. "For your selfless generosity, we want to try & find some way of getting you back home to your original time, if even the slightest chance of that is possible. But until then, when & if that can ever be arranged, we're more than happy to give you both a new home…right here, in this palace, & all of Corona."

Elinor & Merida gasped at the revelation of Queen Arianna's offer, never realizing they'd be staying as actual citizens of Corona…and at the palace of the King & Queen, no less!

"Queen Arianna…are you actually serious about this?!", Elinor asked. "We wouldn't want to be any kind of a burden to you or your daughter & Eugene!"

"And besides, if there's anyone here who should really be grateful, it's my Mum & I!", Merida says as Elinor nodded. "We unwittingly came to this time, lost & confused, until Rapunzel & Eugene were willing to take us back here, so it's us who ought to find some way of repaying you in favor!"

"You're already repaying the favor to us all, Merida – simply by agreeing to remain with us in Corona, until some safe method can be found to help get you & your mother back to 10th Century Scotland", Frederic says.

The sincerity on the faces of King Frederic, Queen Arianna, Princess Rapunzel & Prince Eugene spoke loudly than mere words ever could: they have offered Merida & Elinor sanctuary in a time & place far from theirs, & to both it wouldn't feel right at all to simply refuse their offer, especially when they have nowhere else to go at the moment.

And they have been given such grand hospitality since their arrival in Corona, from having Angus staying in a stable that's every bit as cozy for a horse as can be & a steed companion who's every bit as brave as him, to having a crop of clean clothes & good food that made that of Maudie's cooking seem feeble in comparison.

Not that Merida or Elinor would ever go & tell Maudie that!

Mother & daughter look at each other as if to say, 'We do owe them that much'.

"King Frederic & Queen Arianna…Merida & I shall remain", Elinor says, getting grins & smiles from all in the room.

"That also goes for the Shobijin too, right?", Merida asked as Arianna laughed.

"As if we would ever send them away!", she replied half-joking.

"Then it's official!", Eugene said, raising his glass. "Merida & Elinor DunBroch of 10th Century Scotland…we welcome you to the royal family of Corona!"

"We'll certainly drink to that, young man!", Elinor replied as the rest raise their glasses & offer a toast with a clink that echoed the room. The Shobijin do the same with their thimbles of water before taking a sip from them.

It will take some time getting used to things, but Merida & Elinor were more than ready to face it.

Being accepted as part of the royal family in Corona was an excellent start.

An hour-&-a-half later:

Dessert came along after their meal, & they all ate without any worries of having too much dinner to enjoy the pies presented to them. While they enjoyed their chosen pie flavor, Merida & Elinor listened intently as Rapunzel had revealed her story of how she ended up from being kidnapped to reunited with her parents 18 years later.

"This Mother Gothel you spoke of…she'd gone & kidnapped you when you were only a baby?!", Elinor says, clearly stunned.

"More or less, Elinor", Rapunzel began. "When my real mother, Queen Arianna, was gravely ill, a search party was sent to retrieve the Golden Flower – which is said to be a drop of sunlight from the Heavens to help heal the sick & frail – to use on her & save us both. It worked like a charm, & when I was born, it gave me the ability – or rather, my hair's ability – to heal any wound whenever a certain song was sung. Mother Gothel tried getting a lock of it to keep for herself, but that's the thing about my hair: once it's cut, it loses its healing ability. Thus, she took me from my very crib & kept me in a secluded tower on the way outskirts of Corona so that I'd never be found. For eighteen years, I've had only three books, my love for painting & playing music and my good friend Pascal here to keep me company, & never set foot outside that tower once…until that is, Eugene came along."

"You met Rapunzel in that tower, Eugene?", Merida asked as he nodded.

"That I did, Merida", he says. "Remember when Prince Hans mentioned that I was a common, most wanted thief? Well, in those days, I went by the name of Flynn Rider – a name I adopted from a book I enjoyed as a boy that was called 'The Tales of Flynnegan Rider', which was about a swashbuckling rogue whose example I did my best to live up to. For many years, I made a career using my wits & charms to take valuable items that would offer a decent price of the highest bidder. On occasion, I teamed myself with the Stabbington Brothers – two guys that are each like an ox, & make other bad guys look good – and we'd share the profits between us. But when it came time to steal the royal crown – the one belonging to Rapunzel herself – it was then I ditched my partners & went solo, ending up in the tower where Rapunzel was kept."

Rapunzel took up the story from there.

"Our first meeting in the tower was…not as formal as either of us wished for", she says with an embarrassed look on her face. "I, uh…pretty much swatted him in the back of his head with a frying pan."

Merida & Elinor had shocked faces as Frederic & Arianna did their best not to burst out laughing as they heard Rapunzel's story before.

"Ouch!", was all the Queen & Princess from DunBrock could say.

"Yeah, well…even though our relationship did get off to a rocky start, I made a deal with Eugene", Rapunzel went on. "Since every year a plethora of floating lanterns was sent up on my birthday in hopes that one day I'd find my way back home, he was to take me to see them in person in return for the crown I hid in the tower. On that first day, I had such an adventure: feeling the grass beneath my feet, seeing the wildlife of the forest, meeting the guys at the Snuggly Duckling, being chased by the palace guards & almost drowning by the dam but escaping a watery grave before showing Eugene my hair's ability to heal, & then finally, the chance to see what I've always desired: to see the beautiful floating lanterns up close & personal, & from the water no less…a perfect front-row seat! It was the most glorious sight I've ever seen in all my years in isolation!"

"But that was when it all nearly came to an end", Eugene took over, his tone turning serious. "As I was giving Rapunzel a grand view of her fondest desire, I spotted the two Stabbington Brothers on the mainland, staring directly at me. Excusing myself from Rapunzel, I went over to deliver the crown & tell them that I was through – meeting this wonderful girl changed my outlook on life, & I was looking to turn over a new leaf. But the Stabbingtons would have none of it: they'd knocked me unconscious & tied me to a boat with the crown by my side, making sure I was the one to take the fall for the theft. The crime for stealing the royal crown was death by beheading, & that would've been my fate had the guys from the Snuggly Duckling not interfered. Once I got free, Maximus helped to get me to the tower where Rapunzel was now a full-fledged hostage from Mother Gothel, now that she realized that she was the long-lost princess stolen from King Frederic & Queen Arianna. When I attempted to rescue her, Gothel stabbed me in the back & was willing to let me die, but Rapunzel made her a deal: if she could heal me, she'd live with Gothel forever, with no strings attached. As she agreed, I took a piece of broken glass from her mirror & cut off Rapunzel's hair that all but shriveled & turned brown, losing its healing ability. Without Rapunzel's hair to sustain her, Gothel immediately turned white & old with each passing second: she fell out the window & became a pile of dust in the wind, never to be seen again. But that victory came with a price: I myself was near death, & was saved only by the very last piece of her power from a tear she shed, healing my wound & saving my life, & you should pardon the expression, by a hair."

Eugene's little joke incited snickers from all, including himself.

"I must say, Rapunzel, Eugene: it was a close call, but you did manage to do what others could not…bring the King & Queen's daughter home", Elinor said. "No doubt the kingdom rejoiced once word got out."

"Yeah, well…those 'Duckling' guys aren't exactly a quiet group, especially when it's the subject of romance", Eugene says, getting giggles from everyone before he went on. "But, because of my rescuing Rapunzel & bringing her home to her rightful parents, they've been excused & freed of all their previous unlawful actions just as I have. They even have a place here in Corona as a pianist, a botanist, a poet, a sculpture, a gourmet cook, & even a mime, of all things!"

"Sounds as if those men wanted to leave their old lives behind & start afresh, but didn't have the motivation", Elinor said.

"Not until they met me, Elinor", Rapunzel said. "I gave them that little push they needed, & now they're happy citizens here in Corona, living their dreams like they've always wanted."

"You're a real inspiration wherever you go, Rapunzel – then, and now!", Merida said. Grins of appreciation came from each mouth. When next the crimson-haired girl spoke, it had a harder tone along with her face. "I'm not going to lie, though: I sure wish I'd met that horrible Gothel lady! I would definitely give her a piece of my mind – and maybe even an arrow or two following my words!"

Merida punctuated her statement by placing a fist in an open palm, with Pascal following suit as he felt the same way she did.

"That definitely makes two of us, Merida!", Elinor said in a similar fashion. "What I did to you when you were growing up may have been strict & perhaps more than a little harsh, but it was still nothing compared to what that Gothel woman did to Rapunzel: kidnapping her from her birth parents just so that she can use her natural hair to keep herself young & beautiful…it's selfish beyond reason! Like Eugene said to Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton in Arendelle, may she burn for all eternity in the world below!"

Realizing she was having all eyes placed upon her by getting a little too furious, Elinor took a breath & let it out, calming herself.

"Please forgive me, everyone", she resumed in a soother tone. "I was just a bit overwhelmed with rage by the fact of what that Gothel witch did, is all. Not since Merida & I encountered that dreaded black wizard Asarlai have I ever felt such anger boiling inside of me. I normally don't lose my temper like that, much less raise my voice, but as I thought about that black wizard & Gothel's crimes against your family, I just couldn't help myself."

"You've nothing to feel bad about, let alone apologize for, Elinor", said Queen Arianna. "You think that my husband & I didn't share your feelings when our daughter was taken? We both wanted nothing better than to take that woman & strangle the life from her. But instead of letting our emotions get the better of us, we simply used our heads & prayed that the floating lanterns we set up each year for her birthday would serve as a sign for Rapunzel. Although it took eighteen years, our prayers were answered: Rapunzel was brought home safe & sound, & she married the one who risked it all – including his life – to make it happen."

"And the best part is, nobody needs to worry about Gothel again: she's literally dust in the wind", Eugene said with a pinch of sarcasm. They all picked up on his little joke & burst out laughing, melting away any tension that might have been left.

It was then that the Shobijin stepped in & spoke.

"Your adventures are nothing short of fascinating, but they are also lessons to be learned by all: when Merida accidentally changed her mother Elinor into a bear to change her fate, she went through great lengths to do whatever it took to correct her error. It was the same as with saving Scotland from Gaira, & also reuniting him with his sibling Sanda as the real perpetrator of their village's demise was exposed. What King Frederic, Queen Arianna, & Eugene had done to get Rapunzel back home is no different, even if the outcome could've been. Therefore, while there is, & always will be, great evil in the world, as long as one has the courage & commitment to stand up to & face it head-on, there will always be a shining light at the end of the tunnel, regardless of the circumstances. That is what must never be forgotten: light always casts out darkness, no matter how vile & deadly it may be."

The room stayed silent for a few moments as the Shobijin's words sank in.

"Meaning, we should try & turn any bad situation into a good one", Elinor says as the Shobijin nodded.

"Correct, Queen Elinor", they said. "Although you & your daughter Merida & her steed Angus have been brought into this time by a vile wizard's magic, you have seen the positive side to it all by agreeing to remain here in the city of Corona at King Frederic & Queen Arianna's request to help ease your emotional pain of being taken from those you've loved back home."

"I suppose there is comfort in that", Merida says. "Rapunzel & Eugene could've just as easily refused to bring us back here to their home in Corona, but they didn't: they went through all that trouble, & now they've granted us a new home to call our own. It will take some time getting used to, but…"

"With our fiery spirit & never-say-die attitudes, you & I ought to do fine here, Merida", Elinor said with a grin.

The crimson-haired princess grinned back, knowing her mother was right.

"Touche, Mum", she says as mother & daughter broke out into a laugh.

Rapunzel turns to the Shobijin.

"But tell us a little something now about yourselves, ladies", she addresses them. "You've said that you & your giant guardian Mothra are both from Infant Island?"

"Yes we did, Rapunzel", the Shobijin said. "Our history goes back many years ago…"

Everyone in the room listened intently to their story.

It was fascination beyond their wildest beliefs.

CHAPTER IV

Corona, one week later:

In the next several days that followed, Elinor & Merida were shown the ropes of the lifestyle of both the royal family & that of Corona itself, seeing their daily routines being carried out in various activities ranging from helping the community to addressing family matters: meetings of great importance, assisting the townspeople in any way they could, & greeting visitors at the docks & bridge who have come to meet the King & Queen and/or delivered goods from their home countries.

Being quite the diplomat, Elinor assisted Frederic & Arianna in these manners.

Merida, on the other hand, handled the more physical hands-on chores with Rapunzel & Eugene.

Maximus was keeping the soldiers in check, as usual, & this time he has Angus to help him, acting somewhat as his deputy or second-in-command. Like always, they perform their duties to the letter & salute by standing in twin rows & holding up their frying pans when the Andalusian was on the scene, creating a roof-like pattern as the steed steps through with Angus & walks to the other side, the guards holding their positions still as statues.

Exiting, Maximus & Angus turn 180 degrees & face the troops lined up & inspect them, making sure each one is in fine form. The soldiers make no sudden moves, not wanting to look as if they couldn't handle their job or take it seriously. The Andalusian & Clydesdale steeds spend a full minute before the former makes his decision on whether he approves of the men or not.

He allows Angus to make the call, & the Clydesdale gives a neigh of approval as Maximus nods.

The men were relieved & lower their frying pans & replace them with what was to come next.

Each man holds a fresh green apple for Maximus to consume, & he wastes no time in gobbling up several from those closest to him. When he finds Angus not taking any, he encourages the Clydesdale to try one or two, & in no time, he was gobbling up apples almost as fast as Maximus was.

It was no wonder why this fruit was quite scarce in Corona, & they're about to become even rarer than before, now that there are two horses who were quite fond of them.

As for Pascal, he still hasn't changed in all the years: he was still entertaining children everywhere, doing color changes with every new piece of food he was given from red strawberries to purple grapes, & made them laugh doing crazy acrobatic skills like flipping backwards & all over the place, plus hanging from his prehensile tail at high places & dropping down when his audience least expects it but landing perfectly upon all fours like a cat would.

High applause from the children & even their parents made Pascal give bows of approval & thanks.

Not wanting to break her own tradition, Merida invited Rapunzel, Pascal & Eugene over to the mainland, with Elinor as Angus & Maximus made the trip across the bridge & into the woods. Merida explained that in her time, every morning before breakfast, she would ride Angus out into the forest & fire her arrows at painted targets to keep her wits sharp. Since they had none, the crimson-haired princess improvised by marking several trees with rings in the middle just before getting upon Angus & racing through the path at high speed, all the while firing her arrows at each target she saw.

Eugene, Rapunzel, Pascal & Maximus stared with agape eyes & dropped jaws: every target Merida fired at was hit dead-center. Only Elinor stood & watched with a straight face, as she knew her daughter would hit every one with pinpoint accuracy.

When next Merida went for her morning target practice routine, King Frederic & Queen Arianna were invited down to watch the DunBroch princess' special skill.

Their expressions were even more stunning, & they froze as if hit by Queen Elsa's ice.

It struck everyone as so hilarious that they let out a boisterous laugh, with Frederic & Arianna joining in shortly after.

So impressed was Rapunzel's parents with Merida's master skills at archery, that they asked her to be part of a hunting party to bring back game for a feast they wished to hold in their honor, along with other guests from faraway lands who have paid Corona a visit; some of these visitors were from Arendelle, & wished to throw the celebration in the loving memory of Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, & their two companions Kristoff & Sven, who gave their lives to save their kingdom.

Merida gladly accepted, & she didn't disappoint: the next day, she helped bring back several deer to be used as fine meat, along with a good number of fish from nearby streams & lakes.

Everyone, from the royal family to the townspeople & even those from out of town, highly praised Merida for her exceptional hunting skills in helping to supply their feast with an abundance of meat from both land and water, & they wasted no time in getting it ready for the big day. When it finally came, all participated in every single way: decorations, musicians, merchants, & entertainers of all kinds to make it as festive as can be.

King Frederic started the party with a moving speech about the Queen & Princess of neighboring Arendelle, & more than a few tears were shed by the populace: the story of how Elsa & her sister Anna were the best of siblings until an accident that tore them apart for many years until Elsa's Coronation Day & the big winter that followed it up to their recent demise was as emotional as anything ever known before, be it from a drama play to real life. Even the story of Rapunzel's kidnapping from Gothel to the day she was brought home couldn't compare to the tragedy which befell Arendelle (although it was a very close second, if one were to make a confession).

Even Merida & Elinor could not hold back their tears, as they were moved as anyone else by Frederic's speech.

A humongous round of applause filled the city once the King finished, & the feast began in paying tribute to all those who've come to Corona & a young queen with snow/ice powers, whose bravery was unparalleled even by that of Merida's standards. Once Frederic completed his speech, he announced for everyone to enjoy the feast that honors the fallen Snow Queen & all visitors to Corona. The Shobijin remained with the King & Queen, who stood next to a box with a small square opening that had two little bars: he wished to give the little six-inch beauties a sense of protection should things get too crazy, or if an attack of some kind happened from out of the blue. The people had all marveled at the little girls but kept their distance, wishing to honor the King & Queen's guests.

And enjoy the festivities they did: children were roaming around like unstoppable gremlins as their parents all playfully tried to catch them; Atilla handed out freshly-baked cupcakes, muffins & other pastries to those who need and/or want a little nourishment treat; Tor was passing out beautifully-arranged flowers, sticking pedals in ladies' hair to give them an extra sparkle; Vladimir was giving out little but highly-detailed ceramic unicorns & other kinds of mythical beasts like dragons & griffins, happy to be taking on ceramic work more than enemies; Big Nose & Shorty were simply happy to be at the festivities, finding true love & dreaming for what makes life worthwhile.

Of course, handing out love advice to young hopefuls didn't hurt either!

When it came time for the music, none other than Hookhand handled the piano, with others handling various instruments. First came a series of dance music, urging people to clap their hands, stamp their feet & dance to the beat either solo or with a partner as the people formed a sizable circle to act as a stage on the pavement. Boisterous cheers & applause erupted when the numbers were all but finished, & those who danced took an appreciative bow in gratitude.

Unable to resist, Eugene & Rapunzel took center stage as everyone waited for the Prince & his Princess to do a dance as Eugene addressed Hookhand & the guys.

"Okay boys…hit it!", he said with his 'handsome' look he's well-known for whenever trying to swoon ladies in his time as Flynn Rider. The tune they started playing was a soft but smoothly-paced song that Eugene began to sing to his one true love:

Heaven, I'm in Heaven

And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak

And I seem to find the happiness I seek

When we're out together dancing, cheek to cheek

Heaven, I'm in Heaven

And the cares that hung around me through the week

Seem to vanish like a gambler's lucky streak

When we're out together dancing, cheek to cheek

Oh! I'd love to climb a mountain

And to reach the highest peak

But it doesn't thrill me half as much

As dancing cheek to cheek

Oh! I'd love to go out fishing

In a river or a creek

But I don't enjoy it half as much

As dancing cheek to cheek

Dance with me

I want my arm about you

The charm about you

Will carry me through to Heaven

I'm in Heaven

And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak

And I seem to find the happiness I seek

When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek

The remainder of the song consisted of violin, flute, horn, & Hookhand's piano playing as Eugene kept dancing with Rapunzel 'cheek to cheek' until it reached its climax. Applause from all over greeted the happy couple as they waved their thanks before Eugene addressed the crowd once again.

"That was a nice little number to dance to as its title suggests, & now we're going to go a little more…upbeat with this next little ditty. Shall we?"

Hookhand & his band of musicians nodded & got to work on accordion, guitar, & piano as Eugene started to get real fancy with his footwork:

Whenever I dance with the girl I love

My head goes round & round

When. She's. Close to me

I can't stay on the ground

Whenever I dance with the girl I love

I never have a care

All. Night. I'm so light

I walk right on the air

Oh let me, oh honey let me

Let me do what you know I love to do

Please take another chance & let me

Let me have another dance with you

Whenever I feel those pretty arms

Reaching round about

That feeling goes to my toes

And all the lights go out, go out, go out

Whenever I see those eyes of green

Smiling up so shy

I'm. In. Such a spin

I take right off & fly

So let me, oh honey let me

Let me do what you know I love to do

Please take another chance & let me

Let me have another dance with you

So let me dance in the arms I love

Thrill me through & through

I'm. So. Drunk with love

That all I see is you

I never hear the music play

I never see the crowd

Only you & me

Dancing on a cloud, a cloud, a cloud

Oh let me, oh honey let me

Let me do what you know I love to do

Please take another chance & let me

Let me have…another dance…with yoooouuuuuuuu!

More applauding & happy cheers came from the crowd, including the King & Queen, Merida & Elinor, all of whom were impressed by Eugene's singing & dancing – two talents he never knew he had until having been faced by a multitude of swords in his face by the former regulars of the Snuggly Duckling.

Ironically, he actually thanks them for threatening him at that time!

Else, Rapunzel would be caught & stuck with a husband with no musical talent, leaving her unhappy, which was something Eugene hated seeing her as.

"Not bad…for a guy who once claimed he 'doesn't sing'!", Rapunzel says, getting guffaws from the crowd.

Eugene gets in close & whispers so that only his wife & Pascal could hear.

"Yes, well, it is pretty amazing what one believes he can do when they're only seconds away from becoming skewered by literal cutthroats, or who threaten to turn you into shish kebab", he joked, getting snickers from both his wife & her pet chameleon.

"And hey…look what happened!", Rapunzel says as Pascal nods.

"Touche!", Eugene said with a wink & a pointing of his finger. "But what do you say that we now give this audience a taste of your singing & dancing for a change?"

"I thought you'd never ask!", Rapunzel said with a grin as Pascal gestured with his front paws to go on. The brunette addresses the band. "Hey up there…let's go a little mediocre, but with a really good rhythm!"

Hookhand raised his hook & nodded, with the rest of the band following suit.

The song Rapunzel was about to sing has something of a country feel to it.

Hookhand & his fellow musicians help out with some backup vocals as the guitar starts it off.

As Rapunzel sings, she does a semi-slow dance & stares at her husband Eugene:

It's such a…pretty world today

Look at the sunshine

(Look at the sunshine, ooooooooh)

And every day's the same since I met you

It's such a…pretty world today

Knowing that you're mine

(Knowing that you're mine, ooooooooh)

And happiness is being close to you

And though the rain may fall, our skies will all turn blue

If I look close enough, the sun will come shining through

It's such a…pretty world today

Look at the sunshine

(Look at the sunshine, ooooooooh)

Today & every day since I met you

(A brief musical interlude commences as Rapunzel dances around amid the crowd but mostly keeping her gaze on Eugene before she resumes singing).

It's such a…pretty world today

Look at the sunshine

(Look at the sunshine, ooooooooh)

And every day's the same since I met you

It's such a…pretty world today

Knowing that you're mine

(Knowing that you're mine, ooooooooh)

And happiness is being close to you

And though the rain may fall, my skies will all turn blue

If I look close enough, the sun will come shining through

It's such a…pretty world today

Ah, look at the sunshine

(Look at the sunshine, ooooooooh)

Today & every day since I met you

The loudest uproar of cheers came from the audience, with claps of hands joining in the cacophony of noise. To hear their princess sing out loud to all was always such a treat to the ears of Corona's populace: such a voice like hers should not be hidden, & the people of this city would tear Gothel apart with their bare hands, were she still alive now for daring to take their beloved princess away all those years ago.

Lucky for them, Eugene saved them the trouble after cutting off Rapunzel's hair, thus losing Gothel's reason for staying so young & beautiful for centuries & becoming no more than dust.

Rushing into the circle, Merida & Elinor approach the couple with big grins as Hookhand & the band kept playing music, encouraging the people to dance themselves.

"Amazing, you two!", Elinor says. "Why, you sing about as good as Merida here used to when she was but a wee lass – and her voice was something to be proud of, even now!"

"Merida…you never told us that you could sing!", Rapunzel said, astonished as Eugene was.

"Well…perhaps a little", Merida replied, her tone a little bashful.

"Oh, stop being modest, Merida!", Elinor teased. "Your voice is just as glamorous & beautiful as either one of theirs!"

"Muuuuummmm", Merida replied, more than a little embarrassed.

"What? It's nothing to be ashamed of!", Elinor turned to Rapunzel & Eugene. "You ought to have heard her sing such jolly songs when we were still in our time – I've never heard anything so darling & heavenly in all of my years. She's just a bit…reluctant to display it to anyone except for her family & even the clans."

Prince & Princess turn to Merida with faces like that of a concerned relative.

"You want to know something, Merida?", Eugene says. "I once thought I didn't possess any talent for dancing or singing…until I met Rapunzel, that is. Now, just as it is for me with her, she longs to hear me sing & I try & do it every chance I get just to make her happy."

"The guys at the Snuggly Duckling threatened him with their swords when he refused that first time", Rapunzel quickly adds, as she now makes Eugene embarrassed.

"Hey!", he says as his wife, Pascal, Elinor & even Merida giggle.

"Relax, dear…it was just a playful tease!", his wife tells him with that bright grin he loves so much. "Husbands & wives do that, you know!"

Seeing the logic in her words, Eugene grinned back.

"Again, my dear…touche", he says, facing the crimson-haired Scottish girl. "But the whole point of the matter is, Merida…if you have a talent, why not go right out & display it? Who knows? You could end up making a bunch of people really happy with it. And in the end…isn't that what truly matters most?"

Merida saw the faces of Rapunzel, Eugene, her mother & even Pascal, each of them with a warm smile. She's always been something of a tomboy even when she was just a wee little lass, such as during that time the family went on that picnic when Merida received her first bow from her father King Fergus, much to her mother's dismay. Even when the demon bear Mor'du attacked in a fight that cost Fergus part of his left leg, she still stayed strong in spirit in spite of how scared she was of the black-furred monster. But Merida also could not deny the fact that she does have a good, if not great, singing voice from her youth & when she sang at the gathering just before news of Gaira broke out from Queen Cleona & her son Rafferty at their castle home.

Deep down, Merida does love to sing, even if she is reluctant to show it, aside from a few people.

I suppose it is time to come out of my shell a bit more, Merida thought.

"Maybe…maybe I can give a song or two for your parents later on, Rapunzel", Merida says. "Sound good?"

The three humans & one chameleon grinned widely.

"Merida…it sounds just wonderful!", the brunette says, giving her new friend a hug of appreciation.

"It's certainly a start", Eugene said to Elinor.

"Yes it is", she replied happily.

Something catches Merida's eyes, & she brings it up to the others as her face turned serious.

"Rapunzel, look over there", she told her friend, causing them to break their hug as the red-haired girl points to what caught her attention. Rapunzel saw what concerned Merida, & she was filled with curiosity, if not worry. When Eugene & Elinor looked to where Merida pointed, they too were filled with the exact same feelings.

"Those two guards that are with my parents: I recognize their uniforms. Aren't they from…", Rapunzel started to say.

"From Arendelle, yes", Eugene finished. "But what would bring them all the way over here, to Corona?"

"Something must've happened over there to bring it to this land's attention", Elinor said. "We should all look into this matter straight away."

Pascal grunted & made a he-man pose & pointed forward, indicating that Elinor was onto something.

"I agree, Pascal", Rapunzel said. "When royal guards from another land come to pay us a visit, it's not to join in on the festivities, but to report of some kind of trouble that's set foot on our soil. Let's go find out what that is!"

Nodding, the group of four humans & one chameleon walked over to King Frederic & Queen Arianna, who were in conversation with the visiting guards from Arendelle. They became silent when they saw Rapunzel, Eugene, Elinor & Merida approach & stop within three feet of the rulers of Corona.

"Rapunzel?", asked her father.

"Mom, Dad…why are these guards from Arendelle here in Corona?", Rapunzel wondered.

Frederic & Arianna could see there'd be no fooling their daughter, & it wouldn't do any good for them to try & do so with her husband Eugene or their two friends from Scotland.

Taking a quick look at his wife, she nods in agreement.

"Let's all head up to the palace so we can discuss it in private", Arianna says. "For what we & these guards from Arendelle have to say, it's best we keep it to ourselves for the time being."

The quartet gave each other a suspicious look, but none of them argued the matter any further.

"As you wish, Queen Arianna", Eugene said, turning to the crowd. "Maximus!"

"Angus!", Merida called for her own horse.

The two steeds heard their names being called even from a distance, & they raced away from where they'd been: Angus from the brushing/grooming stand, & Maximus from the group of children who were placing flowers in his mane. Taking a look at himself in a nearby mirror, Maximus saw his mane covered entirely with colorful flowers & red lipstick on his lips, complete with a ladies' hat placed upon his head & looking more like a mare than a palace horse sworn to uphold the law. Despite the surprise, Maximus couldn't resist standing on his hind legs & posing like an actual human female, hearing a whistle of admiration sounding in his head.

Reminding himself again that Eugene has summoned him, Maximus ditches his flowers & hat before racing over to the young prince, finding Angus already there. When Eugene & company found lipstick still placed on the Andalusian's lips, it confused everyone but nobody wanted to know the details.

Maximus found that it was still present, & he shook his head to be rid of it, grinning innocently.

Regaining his composure, he accompanies the group to the palace with Angus.

The Palace, an hour later:

Once they reached the palace, Frederic & Arianna headed straight to their bedroom as the two steeds waited on outside the main entrance. With everyone present – the King & Queen, Prince & Princess, Pascal, Merida, Elinor & even the Shobijin – the two guards from Arendelle explained the satiation, leaving Rapunzel, Eugene, Merida, Elinor & even Pascal briefly speechless, their mouths agape & their eyes widened with surprise.

"You've got to be kidding us!", Merida said, clearly disbelieving what was revealed.

"I only wish that we were, Merida", King Frederic said evenly. "But I'm afraid that what these two men from Arendelle told us was the truth. Else, why would these men travel all this way?"

"How could this have happened?", Elinor asked. "We thought they were under the strictest watch."

"We don't know how they escaped, Queen Elinor – we only know that they have", said the first Arendelle guard.

"Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton escaped from their chains and their cell just last week, & their ship they used to sail in was heading in this particular direction", said the second guard. "We were both in pursuit but lost them in a fog bank, & by the time it cleared…that was when they vanished. How they managed to elude is like they did, we have no idea, but we are certain that they've arrived somewhere here…in Germany, & in the vicinity of Corona."

A chill ran down their spines from the very thought of two known felons that have created great anarchy are now in close proximity.

"Curse them both!", Merida said with rage in her tone. "I knew I should've put an arrow in them each when I had the chance back there, imprisoned & chained or not! It would've been no different from what I'd done to Asarlai back home!"

"No, Merida – it would've been completely different", Elinor says soothingly, gently placing her hands on her shoulders. "You killed that black wizard in the heat of battle, something any natural-born warrior would do. But to go & murder someone when they're already incarcerated & helpless, that would not be a victory or justice. That would be plain, cold-blooded murder, & while I may not have been too keen on you becoming a warrior like your father as a lass growing up, you were still taught to be better than that, just as King Fergus was by his father."

A good point: Merida may have a spirit that's as fiery as her own hair, but still she was taught to show honor & respect along with being fierce in battle. It was no different from hunting: you go & kill animals for clothing just as for food, but to go out & kill something that you're not going to eat or make an outfit of something to wear, that's not hunting at all – that's murder, plain & simple.

Yes…Dad did teach me better than that, Merida thought, nodding to her mother, who smiles warmly, knowing she reached her.

"He said we'd be seeing each other again, & real soon", Rapunzel said, the fear evident in her tone. "What if he causes the same kind of trouble here just like he did in Arendelle? They were barely able to defeat the Seatopians and that Megalon monster, & we won't have Elsa to help us this time!"

Eugene took Rapunzel by the shoulders & firmly but gently turned to face her.

"Don't you worry, Rapunzel!", he told her straight. "Those two scoundrels are not going to cause our beloved Corona any kind of harm…because we're going to go out & find them before they can even think about it!"

"Agreed, Eugene", Frederic said. "We'll be sending out search parties at once! Captain…"

"Yes sir!", the Captain of the Guards said, standing at attention.

"Gather your men & head over to the festival. Announce to the people of the situation, & should anyone wish to volunteer to join in on the search, let them know that their services shall be well-rewarded by me. Listen to me very carefully on this next part: during the search, if anybody should happen to see either the Duke of Weselton or Prince Hans, under absolutely no circumstances are they to engage them, but to report back to you or any of your men that leads their search party immediately. Once we get a positive I.D. on their whereabouts, we'll arrive in full force & apprehend them."

"And if they should prove to be…uncooperative, Your Highness?", asked a guard named Shane – a man with a crop of short-trimmed golden hair & brown eyes.

"Then, & only then, will you have the authorization to bring them down…permanently. But for the most part, I want them brought back alive to stand trial. Understood?"

"Yes sir!", both Shane & the Captain said.

"Good. Begin at once, then you both are to return to me after your duties are fulfilled."

The two men saluted the King & exited the room to carry out their orders.

"Don't think we're just going to sit here in the palace & do nothing!", Rapunzel said. "We're heading out there to help find those two creeps!"

"Rapunzel, with them at large, the palace is the safest place for you", Arianna said. "Besides, the thought of losing you a second time…I don't think I can go through that again. It was more than awful that first time!"

"Queen Arianna", Merida stepped in. "With Prince Hans & the Duke at large, it's not safe for your daughter, Eugene, or anyone anywhere…including the palace. Unless they're caught & brought back in custody, we're all in great danger, including you & your husband. I grew up & had more or less taught myself on how to become a good hunter, & I believe that my skills as one can help to locate those men & subdue them. Therefore, I volunteer to be part of the search for the Prince & the Duke!"

"As do I!", Elinor said, standing next to her daughter.

Rapunzel & Eugene also go to Merida's side, making their choice & giving the redhead a sense of pride. Pascal of course stood tall on Rapunzel's shoulders, always ready & willing to go wherever she does. Frederic & Arianna see their bold, unwavering commitment to the cause, & they feel pride swelling in them as well. They also knew that Merida was right: be it in the city of Corona or the mainland itself, nobody in the immediate area was safe for as long as Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton still roam about…not even the King & Queen.

Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton are crazy enough to try anything to get what they want, just like they did back in Arendelle.

They couldn't begin to fathom that tragedy taking place in Corona.

Queen Arianna saw the logic in it all, & she nods to her husband.

"I suppose you're right – all of you", King Frederic said. "You may head out to assist in the search for those two scoundrels, but on two conditions: one, you take an able & trustworthy team to accompany you all, & two, you all first get a good night's rest here & begin your task in the morning. Those are my terms."

"Fair enough, father", Rapunzel said immediately, giving him a quick hug which he returns.

"Let's use the spare time we have to get ourselves well-stocked on supplies, so that we'll be all but ready to go at first light", Elinor suggests as everyone nods & most exit the room.

Everyone that is, except for Eugene, who remained.

"Eugene? Is there something troubling you?", Queen Arianna asked.

"No, nothing, My Queen", he says. "I was just thinking: I may have a suggestion or two on who'd be able to help us in finding & capturing Hans & the Duke. One of my suggestions is a bit risky, but…"

"Who did you have in mind, Eugene?", King Frederic asks.

The former thief offers his suggestions without hesitation.

The next morning:

As per their orders, the Captain & Shane addressed the people during the festivity & all but cancelled it, putting a damper on their spirits but replaced it with fear & dread when it had been announced that Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton have set foot on their land. Once the mentioning of the large reward for their capture was made publicly & the conditions that came with it, those who were able quickly stepped forward to offer their assistance in any way possible. Once teams were assembled with whatever supplies were needed, they wasted no time in heading out across the bridge & into the mainland to begin their quest.

Rapunzel, Eugene, Merida, Elinor & the Shobijin also headed out, but not without having a good breakfast to replenish their strength & stamina right before heading out with the one-time Snuggly Duckling thugs – Hookhand, Vladimir, Shorty, Big Nose, Atilla & Tor – who stayed in the city until they were certain that Rapunzel, Eugene & their two friends from Scotland would also be part of the search, as they all wished to be their personal bodyguards & stay by their side for what is likely to become a dangerous manhunt.

Feeling that their daughter was in good, capable hands, King Frederic & Queen Arianna agreed & thanked each one for their contributions.

With their crew all set, Rapunzel & Eugene ride atop Maximus, while Merida & Elinor ride upon Angus, as the Clydesdale & Andalusian steeds pulled a large wooden wagon with Hookhand & the others & all of their supplies – from numerous foods to weapons Merida equipped herself with – riding within.

Vladimir & the other former thugs from the Snuggly Duckling wasn't really the suggestion Eugene presented to King Frederic or his wife the other day: it was in the form of two monstrous men dressed in green with faces that look like they'd been carved in stone, shortly-cut orange hair & thick eyebrows. These men were identical in every fashion except for two things: one of them wears an eye patch over his left eye, & the one with both his eyes is the only one who speaks.

They were known as the Stabbington Brothers – Eugene's former partners-in-crime when he still went by the name of Flynn Rider.

Once they had a hearty breakfast – albeit in shackles – they were presented by the Captain & Shane to the King & Queen in the Throne Room of the palace. There, Frederic explained the reason why they've been summoned in full detail of their situation.

It wasn't the reason as to why they were summoned, but more of who it was that requested them.

"So let me see if I got this straight, Your Highness", the brother with both eyes says. "You want the both of us – the Stabbington Brothers – to locate two guys who, by all standards, are even worse than we are by comparison, & bring them back here to stand trial…and all by the request of our one-time partner-in-crime Flynn Rider, who now goes by Prince Eugene?"

"That about sums it up, yes", Frederic says. "And in return for your services, the both of you shall be granted full immunity & live as free men, with your criminal records all but expunged…like they never existed."

"What say you, boys?", Queen Arianna says. "It's a chance to make for a fresh start – and I believe that those who've done wrong in the past ought to be given that opportunity for the better at least once, just as Eugene has."

Both brothers stare at each other as if unsure: even before they could walk, they've caused all kinds of mischief throughout their lives, from robbing the local bakery to crashing the family wagon/horse while on a high-speed chase.

These two even started shaving at an early age – with stolen daggers, no less!

Now they're presented to throw their not-so-glamorous past away – for good – if they should help to hunt down & bring back a pair of fugitives from another land that caused mass destruction along the demise of its queen & her princess of a sister.

One simple answer from them could clear it all away.

"No strings attached?", the brother with both eyes asks just to be sure.

"None whatsoever", Arianna said as Frederic shook his head, confirming it.

The Stabbingtons look at each other & smile proudly.

"It's a deal, my king & queen", the talkative brother said as his mute brother nods. With that said, the Captain unlocked & removed the shackles from both as Brother #1 went on. "Besides, we have a more…personal reason for doing this. For starters, we've heard of what went down in Arendelle from the guards near our cell: what that Prince Hans & that fink of a Duke did over there was beyond crazy! Okay sure, we may have been two of the baddest kinds of lowlifes to ever roam Corona, but even we wouldn't go that far as to go & raze an entire village with a giant beetle monster, threatening the lives of men, women, the elderly and children: that's just downright evil!"

"I'll have to agree", Arianna said. "Your past crimes were small potatoes compared to what they've done."

"Amen to that, my queen. Another reason is, well…it was such a beautiful wedding between Eugene & your daughter Rapunzel, & the Prince was too kind to let us attend it, even if we had to be shackled for the occasion."

Brother #2 – the one who's mute – nodded in agreement as the King & Queen smiled at the memory.

"Though it was a little odd at the end", Brother #1 adds, recalling the time when Maximus & Pascal were ready to deliver the rings to the happy couple but were covered in tar, hardly looking decent for the event after chasing down said rings when Maximus sneezed, causing them to exit the church as they went through all sorts of completely crazy shenanigans in getting them back. The weirdest part was when the cake started rolling out once somebody asked who wanted some, beginning their crazy journey all over again.

Frederic has something of an absurd look on his face as Arianna giggles softly, recalling it themselves.

The King cleared his throat & brought his attention back to the present.

"Well, be that as it may…we do thank you for believing it so, and for your willingness to lend your invaluable assistance in the capture of Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton", he says. "Just remember, gentlemen: please use lethal force only as a very last resort. I want them captured & brought back alive so they can be held accountable for. Can I count on you boys to do that?"

"We'll bring them back to you alive, Your Highness…if they don't force us to kill them", Brother #1 says as his sibling nodded.

Frederic wanted to say more, but knew time was short, so he nods.

"Fair enough, gentlemen", he said orally. "Good luck to you."

The Stabbingtons smile warmly in gratitude.

"You fellas ready to go?", the Captain said.

Both siblings turned to the man.

"Let's ride, Captain! We've got us some crooks to catch!", Brother #1 said as he & his brother smile fiendishly.

With the Captain & Shane leading the way, the quartet head for the stables.

The Stabbingtons were on the hunt once again – a manhunt!

The far northeastern part of Corona:

Ever since escaping from their cell in Arendelle, Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton worked with complete stealth & skill to get past the guards, knocking out two & taking each of their swords, making it over to the docks & loading it with a couple of supplies before stealing a small boat & going across the fjord without being seen.

Mostly without being seen.

As they turned the corner, they were spotted by a pair of citizens who were doing some late-night fishing & have recognized them even in the dead of night. When they went to tell the royal guards, they soon gave chase after both felons but were lagging behind. But even from a great distance, the two guards who went after them in pursuit never gave up & pursued them relentlessly. Their big break came when a fog bank became as thick as pea soup that limited visibility, thus allowing Hans & the Duke to elude their pursuers & arrive in Corona, Germany undetected.

Now they reside in a deep part of the area, completely void of another living soul, aside from a few animals.

Still, they remain very cautious & check to make sure that they weren't being followed by anyone, be it guards from the palace or any stragglers out in the woods. Approaching an outcropping of rocks ten feet high, seven feet wide & covered in long vines, Hans stopped to examine it briefly.

"We're here", Hans said.

"And what, may I ask, is this, good prince?", the Duke says with skepticism, his hands at his side.

"Shortly before I planned on taking Arendelle for my own, I traveled here to Corona & created a hideout just in case neither of my attempts at taking Queen Elsa's realm went well. And now that they're both a bust, what we have inside this cave I discovered will help us to succeed…and this time, it will be without fail."

"Wait…there's a cave underneath these rocks?"

"There is: before I left, I sealed it off with these stones that now block the entrance so that no one & nothing would be able to enter, let alone find this place. To the naked eye, it's simply a part of the outdoor scenery."

"And how do you suppose we get into this place, might I require?"

Prince Hans simply gave the Duke one of his charming smiles.

"Oh", said the Duke, getting the message as his face sulks.

Hans chuckled as he patted the Duke on the shoulder.

"Relax, Sir Duke", Hans says. "Believe when I say that all our efforts will be well worth the hard labor ahead, especially if we're to destroy everything Princess Rapunzel & Prince Eugene loves & admires…just before they meet their untimely demise!"

The mentioning of ruining said prince & princess perked up the Duke, & he felt rejuvenated. A sinister smile had formed beneath his thick mustache.

"Rid the world of that brunette brat, her husband and her friends like we did Queen Elsa & her party!", he said.

"Precisely!", Hans said with a sinister grin all his own. "And once we do, we'll become the indisputable rulers of Corona & spread our might across the region, making slaves of those who surrender & destroying all of those who don't! Now then…let's get started on clearing away these vines before we get to removing stones, shall we?"

Without another word, both men began their chores.

Forty minutes later:

Almost three-quarters of an hour it took Hans & the Duke to clear away the vines & rocks which obstructed the entranceway to a cave that was all but forgotten except for the Prince of the Southern Isles before grabbing a pair of torches & lighting each, shedding light for the interior. The path's walls were not as rough as one might expect, & the dirt floor was surprisingly level for people to walk on without having to worry about tripping: the Duke suspects that someone or a group of people have discovered this cave long before Hans himself did, making it a perfect hideout.

Almost as if witches once lived here!, the Duke thought, giving him the willies.

Hans leads the Duke sixty feet inside before the tunnel path opens up into a new room, lighting up several more torches that rested upon the walls. The fire lights revealed that the room was moderately sized, measuring a width of about thirty feet & a height of twelve. Placed at either side of the cave was a built-in stone shelf, most of which have contained glass bottles filled with all kinds of colored liquids, powders, & other ingredients the Duke could not even begin to guess, other than they looked organic. On another wall were all sorts of hand-held weapons, ranging from maces to double-bladed axes. Resting in the center of the room was a big black cauldron, with a dark red book placed on a podium standing right next to it.

In spite of his dread, the Duke couldn't help but be intrigued.

"Beautiful…wouldn't you agree?", Hans asked, marveling it all.

"What is all this, Prince Hans?", the Duke wondered.

"Our keys to the kingdom, Sir Duke – with the world to follow soon after!", Hans said with a toothy grin.

"Witchcraft!", the Duke surmised.

"And all of it at our command! Elsa won't the only one who can perform sorcery!"

The idea was appealing to the Duke, & he approved.

"Then what are we waiting for, Prince Hans? Let's begin!", he said fiendishly.

Hans wanted nothing better.

CHAPTER V

In another part of Corona:

Rapunzel's group traveled all morning & part of the afternoon going through the forest, keeping a sharp eye out for their dangerous quarry should they be skulking around in the immediate area. So far, neither hide nor hair of the Duke of Weselton or Prince Hans was seen by their party, but they each knew not to let their guard down even for an instant: just because they don't seethem doesn't mean they aren't around.

Even Maximus' keen senses can't pick up any trace of their quarry, & they've been on alert ever since they've begun the search. Same goes for Angus, who has not detected any unusual scents anywhere in the vicinity: a scent such as that would basically mean that danger was nearby, & both steeds have thus come up goose eggs.

Some were beginning to wonder if they were traveling in the wrong direction.

"Say, handsome prince, not that we don't trust you & all, but…you sure you & the missus know exactly where it is you're going?", Hookhand asks.

"There's a place way out here in these woods which only Rapunzel, Pascal, myself & one other knows about", said Eugene. "If Hans & the Duke have somehow made it over there & are using it as a hideout, we'll have them both cornered like rats with no way out. They'll be nothing more than sitting ducks, & we can end this before they can go & cause Corona any harm like they did with Arendelle."

"And even if they're not using it as their base of operations, then we will", Rapunzel adds. "Being out in the forest this deep, we can go in groups & scan the surrounding area for them. Using that strategy, one of us is bound to locate them sooner rather than later."

"A clean sweep of the area should be more than sufficient in capturing said fugitives, Princess Rapunzel", said the Shobijin from their box, which Elinor holds. "And with other search parties scouring the countryside, the Duke of Weselton & Prince Hans won't be on the run for long. We want them caught as much as you do: it pains us to know of what occurred in Arendelle, resulting in the loss of its queen & princess, & we all but hope that kind of tragedy can be avoided here in Corona."

"We'll do everything we can to prevent such a thing from happening twice, ladies", Elinor said with a smile on her face & that of Merida's. "Thank you."

The Snuggly Duckling thugs liked the logic in their words, & they nodded.

"Beauty and brains…we knew there was more to you than just a pretty face, milady!", Shorty says, flashing his smile that has a few teeth missing & letting out a laugh.

"Uh, thanks…I think", Rapunzel said with uncertainty & a facial feature to match.

Pascal just rolled his eyes in an 'oh, brother' gesture, followed by a low gurgle from his throat.

Elinor & Merida were barely able to keep from bursting out laughing, & the Shobijin smile.

"Say, lover-boy, there's something me & the boys were always wondering", Shorty says, changing the subject. "After you rescued the fair maiden & brought her back home, why'd you wait so long to get hitched with the dame?"

"Well, you see, I…wait, what?!", Eugene started to say when he suddenly stopped himself & turned to see the thugs looking at him intently, their facial expressions eagerly (but non-threateningly) awaiting an answer.

Big Nose gestured with his hand, which said 'come on, out with it'.

Eugene was struggling for something to say, but nothing was forthcoming & sweat started running down his brow. The scenario struck the ladies & Pascal so hard they burst out laughing, making Eugene embarrassed more than a little.

"I think it's safe to assume that Eugene just wasn't ready yet to tie the knot", Elinor says, stepping in to save the day. "Sometimes, in order for a marriage to work perfectly, a couple ought to get to know each other better before making that big a decision. I made the mistake of forcing that sort of life upon my daughter Merida, completely blind & oblivious to how she felt about it. Therefore, we've agreed – together – that Merida should marry only when & if she's all but ready as Eugene & Rapunzel were."

The Snuggly Duckling thugs all looked at Elinor intently, still as statues before they begin nodding their heads & mumbling answers like 'oh, I see', 'makes sense', 'that's good enough for me', 'I can dig it', & so forth.

Eugene was relieved & found his voice again, smiling this time.

"But it wasn't for lack of trying, gentlemen", he says. "In fact, in the years leading up to our marriage, I came up with this little ditty as something of a prelude for what was to come."

Eugene let out his right arm, hand open.

"Guitar, if you please?", he asks as Tor handed said instrument to the man. "Thank you", Eugene replied as he placed the guitar in front of him as he began playing it. The song he was about to sing was a fun-filled tune that also had a country beat, with the thugs backing him up in vocals & whistling in spots as they start it out:

Someday I'm going to write

The story of my life

I'll tell about the night we met

And how my heart can't forget

The way…you smiled…at me

I want the world to know

The story of my life

The moment when your lips met mine

And that first exciting time

I held…you close…to me

The sorrow in our love was breakin' up

The memory of a broken heart

Then later on the joy of makin' up

Never, never more to part

There's one thing left to do

Before my story's through

I've got to take you for my wife

So the story of my life

Can start…and end…with you

The sorrow in our love was breakin' up

The memory of a broken heart

Then later on the joy of makin' up

Never, never more to part

There's one thing left to do

Before my story's through

I've got to take you for my wife

So the story of my life

Can start…and end

Can start…and end

Can start…and end…with you

Hookhand & the thugs finish the song off with their vocals & whistling before they, Rapunzel, Pascal, Merida & Elinor burst into cheers & applause, with the Shobijin smiling gleefully during & after the song was done along with everyone else…up to & including Maximus, who always finds it paradise whenever Rapunzel or Eugene sing.

He was rewarded by his wife with a kiss on the lips.

I suppose that there really is something to be said about having multiple swords at your throat to bring your inner talent to the surface!, Eugene jokingly thought to himself…although he'd never tell the thugs that!

"It looks as if the wait for marriage between you & Rapunzel had been well worth it, Eugene!", Merida said.

"Yes well…good things come to those who wait, Merida", he replied. "But you're right – it truly was worth it, to the fullest!"

"You got that right, handsome!", Rapunzel said, flashing her bright smile & cuddling up to her man.

"So, you two…how much further to this place we're heading?", Elinor wondered as husband & wife pondered on the subject a moment before Rapunzel gave an answer.

"From where we currently are, I'd say about another 40-45 minutes, give or take."

"That ain't so bad!", said Vladimir. "Who's up for more tunes?"

The other thugs raised their hands as it was now their turn to provide musical accompaniment for the rest of their trip.

Although they were loud & boisterous, they sang quite beautifully.

At their destination:

Once Rapunzel announced they were getting nearer to their objective, the thugs ceased their singing & they all remained quiet when they were only 10 minutes away, not wanting to give away their position just in case the Duke of Weselton and/or even Prince Hans is hiding out in the very place they themselves are approaching. Remembering the secret tunnel entrance when Eugene was still Flynn Rider when he was escaping Maximus that first time after he & the Stabbingtons stole Rapunzel's crown, Eugene saw that vines were still dangling over it & he & his wife told Maximus & Angus to enter into it.

When they exited the tunnel, Angus, Merida, Elinor, the Shobijin & the Snuggly Duckling thugs were amazed at what they were now seeing: a hidden valley of beauty with lush green foliage, a waterfall glimmering in the sun in the distance from a mountainside that splashed down into a lovely pond, whose water was as fresh & clean as anyone has ever seen. In the middle of this valley was a cylindrical tower that stood 95 feet (30 meters) tall with a stone base, a living quarters area with windows, & a purple roof shaped like a witches' pointed hat. A series of vines hung from the base & even covered the actual living space a great deal, making it somewhat obscured from view.

For the Shobijin, Merida, Elinor, Angus, Maximus & Hookhand & the thugs, it was almost like discovering a new world.

For Eugene, Rapunzel & Pascal, it was all too familiar, & they stare at it as if the tower hypnotized them.

"Eugene? Rapunzel?", the Shobijin ask, seeing them in a fixated position & unmoving like Queen Elsa froze them in her ice.

"We're sorry…what?", Eugene says, breaking out of his trance with his wife & Pascal.

"You both look as if you'd seen a ghost or spirit. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, Eugene & I just…we never thought we'd ever come back to, let alone see this place again", Rapunzel said. "That's all."

"You mean to say that this place was…", Elinor started to say, pointing to it.

"Yes, Elinor: it's where Gothel brought me to after stealing me from my birth parents & kept me hidden from everyone. Seeing it again…brings about a sense of dread, as this was also the place where…"

"Where I almost died", Eugene said somberly, getting soft gasps from the thugs, the Shobijin, Merida & Elinor. The images of being stabbed by Gothel from behind when he went to rescue Rapunzel was still fresh in Eugene's mind, & a distance of several years did nothing to soothe or melt it away. His wife saw his fear, & comforted him in a hug, the memory fresh with her just as much.

Even Maximus was stunned by this revelation, & he's a horse who's made of stone.

"And you would have died…", Merida began to say as Elinor finished for her.

"Were it not for that last piece of magic that came from Rapunzel's tear & revitalized you."

Both prince & princess nodded.

"True…but we really didn't come here to reminisce about the past", Eugene said, regaining his composure. "We came here to either capture Hans & the Duke if they're inside somewhere, or use it for ourselves until they are caught."

"That's right", Rapunzel said, taking Pascal off her shoulder. "We first need to stake the place out…and that's where you come in, Pascal. Get in there, give the place a thorough checkout, & report back at once. Got it?"

Pascal stood & saluted to his master & friend.

"And Pascal?", Eugene adds. "Do it very stealthily: if you do happen to see either or both those men inside, do not engage them on your own. Get back here immediately, & we'll handle the rest. Understand?"

Pascal gave the young prince a 'thumbs-up' gesture before taking off from Rapunzel's hands. Using his suction cup-like paws, Pascal climbed the walls/vines easily & makes it up to the window Rapunzel used to peer out of when she still had her 70-foot-long head of hair & used it to ascend/descend Gothel to & from the tower. Taking a peek in, Pascal saw the place was covered in dust from no maintenance work done to it in years, & a number of the vines have made it in from the outside. In such a mess to the tower's interior, there's probably no chance that Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton are not present anywhere, but Pascal wasn't about to be foolish & take any unnecessary risks.

He promised Rapunzel & Eugene to take caution, & that's what Pascal intends to do: like his master & friend, he never breaks a promise once he's made it – ever.

Quiet as a mouse, Pascal scuttled/scurried across the walls, floors & ceilings of the place that had once been his home for many years. In his frantic search, he found mostly what lay around everywhere he checked in each room & nook & cranny: dust, some vines that'd creeped in, & more than a few flies buzzing around overhead. He even found a mouse hole & chased out all the inhabitants with an ogre impression, just before swinging from a vine & doing a jungle cry as he swung from one end to the other. Walking on the ceiling, Pascal spotted a line of spider silk & began descending until he went a bit too far down where there was no line, & fell to the bottom.

Luckily, it was a few feet & a soft landing, so Pascal was unharmed.

He found absolutely no trace/sign of either Prince Hans or the Duke of Weselton anywhere, even after a full five minutes of searching the entire place.

Pascal didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed by that.

What he did know was that the flies buzzing near him were getting to be more than a little annoying, & with a rapid flick of his tongue, he caught a multitude of the little pests in one shot & swallowed them in one gulp. The other flies, not wanting to suffer the same fate, quickly buzzed away to escape death by digestion.

Having eaten a great deal of food in one shot, Pascal let out a belch before returning back to the others waiting outside.

Racing out the window & down the wall, Pascal leaps back into Rapunzel's waiting hands.

"Well, Pascal? What's the verdict?", she asked.

The little chameleon gave her & Eugene a 'thumbs-up' gesture, this time using both hands.

"All clear?", Eugene asked, getting a nod from him before turning to the others. "Ladies & gentlemen…there's no sign of the scoundrels, but we've got this place all to ourselves. Therefore, we'll be calling this place 'home' for the time being. Let's get ourselves & all the supplies inside."

"And how do you suppose we do that?", asked Hookhand. "Climb?"

"That's how I first got into this place. It ought to be a piece of cake for you guys, am I right?"

The thugs looked as if they were unsure on how to answer, seeming like they'd never climbed anyplace in all their lives.

"You're kidding me, right?", Eugene asked with a stupefied look on his face, the thugs looking more bashful.

The young prince sighed in embarrassment.

Merida studied the situation before offering her own suggestion.

"I could fire an arrow with a rope attached to it near the window Pascal entered, make sure it's steady & secure, & we can all climb up one at a time", she says. Most were considering the idea until Rapunzel came up with a better one.

"Or perhaps…", she says, heading over to the tower's back entrance as the others followed her to an area that was seemingly ripped open by bare hands, revealing a way inside.

I hoped it'd still be here!, Rapunzel thought with relief.

"Is this a hidden entrance, Rapunzel?", asked Elinor.

"That's right, Elinor", she replied. "Back when I was still living here with Gothel, she used this entrance to get in & out of the tower until my hair was long enough to do that chore from the window I used to stare out of. I guess nobody's seen this place since I was brought back home, explaining why this secret entranceway was never covered back up."

"There's a ladder in which for us to climb up once we're all inside?", Merida asked.

"More like a staircase that will take us all the way up to the top. Shall we?"

"You know this place better than any of us here, Rapunzel", Elinor said. "You go in first, followed by Eugene, Merida, myself with the Shobijin, & then the boys." She turned to the two steeds. "Maximus & Angus will need to remain out here, I'm afraid."

"No worries, Mum", Merida said. "They can keep a close watch & sleep comfortably out here…right, fellas?"

The Clydesdale neighed his approval as the Andalusian simply saluted with his front right hoof like any good soldier of the royal guards. Rapunzel, Pascal, Eugene, Merida, Elinor & the Shobijin smile in gratitude.

"Leave it to them, Merida…they'll make sure we stay safe!", Eugene says, offering both steeds a thumbs up & a wink as he undid the straps to both horses & freed them from the wagon. Maximus gives a wink in return as Angus gives his head a quick bob up & down, indicating that he more than understood.

"Excellent!", Rapunzel said, turning to the thugs. "Boys…would you all be so kind as to fetch our supplies for us & bring them inside?"

Her bright smile was something the boys couldn't refuse or resist, & they all nodded with a grin.

"Leave that to me, princess!", they all say in unison, & each one raced to the back of their wagon & literally started fighting over who gets to bring what inside their temporary new home. Shouts of 'hands off, it's mine', 'I saw it first, dirt-bag', 'give that back, or else', 'or else what?' & other threats to each other erupted among the men, & the ladies & Eugene all stared dumbfounded at the unbelievable display of blind loyalty.

Maximus & Angus shook their heads in disgust.

"Fellas, hey…wait a minute!", Eugene started to say & approach the men but was stopped when Elinor placed a hand on his chest.

"Leave this to me, Eugene", Elinor says with a smile before handing over the Shobijin to Merida & turning to face the thugs & her smile becomes a hard frown as she walked towards them. Hookhand, Vladimir & the other boys ceased their brawling altogether at the drop of a hat when they witnessed Elinor walking up to them with 'the look' that immediately straightened the boys out in the blink of an eye. Grabbing Hookhand, Vladimir, Big Nose & Tor all by the ears, Elinor drags them on over to the tower's entrance, each of them holding a sack of supplies in one hand & grumbling their apologies to the Scottish woman. Releasing them, she then turned her attention to Atilla & Shorty & used her index finger in a 'get over here' gesture while still keeping 'the look' on her face. Both men nod wordlessly & grab the last two sacks of supplies before making their way over, both just as ashamed as the other thugs for their behavior.

Eugene, Rapunzel, Maximus & the Shobijin stood in disbelief at the display Elinor presented when handling the thugs like a teacher disciplining naughty boys in class.

Only Merida had a smile on her face, as she of course saw it all before lots of times.

"Wow", was all that Eugene & Rapunzel could say, as the Shobijin could say nothing.

But like Merida, the two little beauties fought to keep from bursting out laughing, & were barely able to.

"That's my Mum's special talent", Merida says once she's able to speak without trying to guffaw. "She's used it so many times on my Dad & the other clans, it's almost like Arendelle's Queen Elsa's ability to freeze things with but a touch! It never ceases to amaze me!"

"But it doesn't work on you, I take it?", Rapunzel asks.

"I'm what you call too stubborn & hot-headed for it to have any effect on me!", Merida joked with a smile that brought one to the prince & princess' faces.

Unable to contain it any longer, the Shobijin giggle softly, as does Pascal.

Atilla & Shorty rejoined the other thugs with their loads as Elinor addressed them like a Captain.

"Honestly…you're grown men, all of you, & yet you still act like little children!", she scolded. "Need I remind you that we have something of a situation on our hands, what with two known fugitives roaming these grounds? We won't get anywhere in their apprehension unless you all start behaving like a team instead of juvenile delinquents!"

"He started it, though", Vladimir says, pointing to Hookhand.

Elinor scowled harder, silencing him.

"Who started what doesn't matter!", she went on. "What does & should matter is that we get it together & act like a group committed to justice by finding those two scoundrels Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton! Now…let's get inside & start devoting this party of ours into doing just that!"

"Yes ma'am", the six thugs say softly as Elinor turned back to Rapunzel & Eugene; when she did, her scowl was gone & she smiled warmly again.

"Sorry about that, Rapunzel", she said with no trace of hostility, gesturing to the tower opening. "Shall we?"

"Uh…yeah. No time like the present, right?", Rapunzel said with a sheepish grin once she found her voice. In the order Elinor suggested, they all went one by one into & up the tower as Rapunzel opened the hidden door on the floor, followed by Eugene, Merida & the Shobijin, Elinor & the thugs: Shorty was first, then came Big Nose, Atilla, Hookhand, & Tor. They gave the place a look, & were skeptical about their new surroundings.

"You once lived here?", Tor asked Rapunzel.

"For nearly two decades", she replied. "Still seems like only yesterday, though."

"No offense, princess, but…what a dump", Hookhand said just before a small cloud of dust entered his nose & caused him to sneeze.

"Yeah, this place has definitely seen better days", Eugene said, agreeing.

"Oh, I don't think it's that bad, Eugene", said Elinor with a smile. "If we all put in an effort, we can make this place presentable again."

Everyone was a bit skeptical about Elinor's enthusiasm to the situation, but decided not to argue the matter.

"Like my wife said, 'no time like the present', right?", Eugene says with an innocent grin.

"Well, with every available hand on deck, it shouldn't be too hard in getting this place livable as it once was", said Merida.

"Well…almost all hands", said Shorty. "Where's Vladimir?"

"Coming!", said thug replied, making his way up the staircase with his load over his shoulder. Due to the fact he was the biggest of the Snuggly Duckling thugs, he was having some trouble getting up through the passage which leads up to the tower's living quarters. Popping his head through the opening, the antlers on his helmet broke off & he gets stuck in the entrance. Grunting as he gave himself a push, Vladimir came up through the opening…and actually ripped it right off the floor, taking a piece with it as it hung around his neck like a choker!

"Uh-oh", Vladimir says bashfully, seeing the damage he'd done to the princess' one-time abode.

The rest just stared dumbfounded.

"Uh…I'll fix that!", Vladimir promised as Elinor buried her hands in her face in total embarrassment, recalling what the clan sons did – and promised – back home during their gathering.

Merida really had to put in an effort to not bust out laughing as she placed a hand over her mouth while having a huge grin behind it. The Shobijin followed Merida's example.

"We'll…get started on the bedrooms", Rapunzel said, indicating her & Eugene as they went upstairs to begin.

Home sweet home, Rapunzel thought, half-joking.

The quest to clean officially begins!

Rapunzel Tower, 2-3 days later:

With some coaching from Elinor, everyone threw his/her weight around to make the tower as presentable as can be, sweeping away dust, washing bed sheets/pillows/curtains, wiping the stove to prepare meals on & windows to allow the sunshine in, & so forth. Even Pascal lends his hands/paws on assisting, such as holding the dustpan for his master & friend Rapunzel when she sweeps – just like he used to do when Gothel was still among the living.

Outside, Maximus & Angus kept close watch from the ground, their senses on full alert for any sign or stench of their wanted fugitives should they attempt to make their way here. So far, it's been clear since the day they arrived, & they get fed a healthy dose of apples & other fruits for their services.

Finally, after countless hours of rigorous cleaning, washing, wiping & whatnot, the tower interior looked just as good as the day Rapunzel can remember.

"There!", Elinor says with her bright smile. "Now doesn't that look so much better?"

The Snuggly Duckling thugs only grunted & slumped to the floor, too weak & exhausted to say anything else.

Of all those present, only Rapunzel, Eugene, Pascal, Merida, the Shobijin & Elinor herself each still felt full of energy despite the labors most of them put in.

"Good thing I'm not a housewife!", Hookhand mumbled under his breath.

Mumbles of agreement came from the other thugs.

"Oh come on, boys…it couldn't have been all that bad!", Rapunzel said with her smile, but it did nothing to put any little encouragement into them – until Elinor had an idea.

"Now boys", she began. "I know that household chores aren't your thing any more than they are mine or even my daughter's, but just as she & her friends have, you did put in your best efforts. And for that, you're all going to be well rewarded with a big dinner this evening in commemoration to your hard labors!"

The mere mention of the word 'dinner' brought the thugs back in gear, & even renewed their vigor & vitality.

"Oh boy – EATS!", they all shouted with raised fists & huge grins on their faces. The scenario struck Elinor as so funny that she actually laughs.

"Let's not be hasty here – it has to be made first, & that's where I'll need Attila's help, since he had once stated he'd rather beat eggs instead of people!", Elinor added.

"Let me offer you & him an extra pair of hands in the kitchen, ma'am!", Shorty said, showing his own.

"We'll set the table in the meantime!", Tor offered as the rest nodded.

Elinor looked to Merida & the others who were smiling, each of them proud to see the thugs all getting along & cooperating.

I do believe there's hope for them yet!, Elinor thought, reminding her of when the clans joined forces with her husband King Fergus when Gaira threatened Scotland & banded together to repel the creature.

"That'd be perfect, Tor!", she said orally. "You & the boys handle that as we three head into the kitchen. Come along, Atilla, Shorty."

"Coming!", both thugs said, following the Scottish woman into said place.

"Is there anything we can do to help?", Rapunzel asks.

"Naw…you just leave this to us, princess!", Hookhand says gingerly & with a wink.

That said, the thugs got busy.

Over an hour later:

With Atilla & Shorty's assistance, Elinor made the finest meal she could since their arrival in the tower: a nice, big, juicy & tender steak that can feed a dozen people at once, cooked vegetables, some rice on the side, & glasses of wine & water to wash it all down. For dessert, a pair of freshly-baked pies – one blueberry, the other apple – had been served that proved to be the icing on the cake…figuratively speaking, of course.

Shorty & the thugs ate ravenously, eating every piece/morsel that was on their plates, leaving not even a crumb behind for any mouse to consume. A couple of loud belches filled the room, but each one who let it out offered their sincerest 'excuse me' remark, showing they did have good manners at the table.

It made Elinor happy & she grinned, seeing the gentlemen underneath their rough exterior.

After dinner & dessert, Maximus & Angus were also served their food by Rapunzel & Merida, having their own share of the steak they've eaten, followed by some apples & carrots for dessert before a little dance party went & commenced with Rapunzel leading it off as Eugene supplied the music from his guitar, with some foot-stomping & hand-clapping provided by Hookhand & the boys. Next, it was the Shobijin's turn for some dancing, & they provided with some of the most exotic dance moves & a song that sounded completely foreign to all.

Foreign or not, it was one of the most beautiful things the group have ever seen and heard in all their lives.

The Shobijin bowed & thanked them in gratitude with smiles on their faces.

In a change of pace, Merida was doing some storytelling to the men about the time she first encountered the demon bear Mor'du from her time, mainly when they were on the family picnic when Merida was but a young lass as Mor'du abruptly came out of nowhere & attacked. Merida got to when her father – the mighty King Fergus – drew his sword…

She tells the rest of the story in the way when she always used to pick it up from her father.

"Whoosh!", she explains with a slashing movement of her hand. "One swipe, his sword shattered, then chomp! Dad's leg was bitten clean off! Down the monster's throat it went!"

"And then, my husband always cried right after…", Elinor said as she & Merida both do their best impression of Fergus as one.

"Aww, that's my favorite part!"

Every living soul in the tower laughed wholeheartedly at the part and the ladies' impersonation of their father & husband, their guffawing reaching out even where Maximus & Angus were resting upon the grass on this moonlit evening. Hearing it gave both steeds good vibes, & the Andalusian smiled happily as Angus simply snorted in the same manner.

"Your father/husband sounded like a real warrior, Merida, Elinor…losing his leg like that to a bear who was once a handsome prince!", Hookhand said. "He certainly sounds like our kind of guy!"

The thugs cheered in unison, indicating that they all agreed.

Merida & Elinor's hearts were filled with pride & joy upon hearing the compliment.

"Thank you all so much for your kind words, gentlemen!", Elinor said, grinning. "And I have to agree: you all and my husband would've gotten along so nicely, along with all the other clans back home!"

"Oooh, I really wish I could've met this Mor'du creature you spoke of, Elinor!", Vladimir says, rising from his spot & up to his full height. "I'd take that monster on with nothing more than my own two hands, I betcha!"

"Here's a piece of advice, Vladimir: be careful what you wish for…", Merida started to say as her mother went & completed for her.

"You just might get it. Fergussaid those very words you did, & that's how it'd gone & cost him his leg. He was lucky it didn't cost him his life in the process."

Her words put Vladimir in a slump, & his huge form sank down to the floor.

"I could've taken him", he said softly.

"Suuuurre you could!", Shorty says in a playful tease, getting a push from the man.

The hideout of Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton:

For the few days since they've arrived at their hidden headquarters, Hans & the Duke were hard at work on going through all the bottles which were present in the room as they became busy concocting a spell within the large cauldron in the center, its contents already bubbling from the fire cooking beneath it. Reading the ancient book with utmost caution, Hans puts in only what was required & in the correct dosage: he knows that anything more or less can & most likely will cause his & the Duke's demise, as magic can be a very potent & volatile substance whenever it is misused. The rogue prince of the Southern Isles may be corrupt, but he takes no chances when dealing with forces of supernatural origin – especially when he is the sorcerer.

Hans puts in the rest of the required ingredients, & the cauldron's contents spark a few colors before settling on a lime green as the mist provides the only illumination in the room. Seeing the danger passing, both men remove their arms from their faces & stare into the pot.

"Do you believe it's done?", the Duke asked with caution.

"Yes, Sir Duke…I do believe it is!", Hans said after a moment with a smirk.

"And now comes phase two."

"On this part of the plan, yes. Let's put some distance from the cauldron for it, Sir Duke: who knows how the spirit will react once it gets summoned…especially since it's been away for some time."

The Duke didn't argue, & he & his partner took several steps back from the boiling pot before Hans recited a spell in another language the Duke never heard before. As Hans spoke in this strange tongue, the cauldron's contents began churning more violently from more than just the fire beneath: quick flashes of white light exploded like mini bombs, forcing the Duke to shield his eyes once more. The flashes didn't deter Hans or even slow him down: he kept on reciting the spell until he finished, never skipping a beat or flinching.

Once he completed, the flashes ceased altogether & both men waited patiently for more than a minute, getting no response whatsoever.

They felt a pang of disappointment when nothing happened.

"Still nothing", the Duke said, breaking the eerie silence. "Maybe you did it wrong somehow?"

"I doubt it", Hans replied. "I recited the spell correctly – I know I did!"

"Then something ought to have happened by now!"

"Yes, it should've. Why hasn't it? Why?!"

An abrupt flash of light caught both men by surprise, & they instinctively jumped back, fearing that something might've gone haywire & disrupt their carefully laid-out plans. Just when they feared the worst, a pair of eyes with a shade of green appear within the smoke rising from the cauldron & stare at the two men with confusion & curiosity.

We've done it!, Hans thought, seeing the success.

"What's going on here?!", the eyes said with vehemence."Where am I?! And WHO, pray tell, are YOU two?!"

Regaining their composure from such an unexpected spectacle, Prince Hans began the explanations.

"Please allow me to introduce ourselves: I am Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, & this is my partner, the Duke of Weselton."

"Why have you two summoned me?!", the voice barked, sounding mixed & coming from another world.

"Why? We want to help you, my dear…in ways that you couldn't possibly imagine!", the Duke says to try & put her at ease. "We help you, & in return you do the same for us. It's that simple."

"How can two SIMPLETONS like you POSSIBLY help ME?! In case you've failed to NOTICE, gentlemen…I HAVE NO PHYSICAL BODY TO CALL MY OWN!"

"Not yet, anyway."

"What do you mean?!"

"What he means is…", Hans took over. "We can give you a brand-new body: one that will be much stronger & more powerful than even you can believe it to be! All you have to do is swear your partnership with us, & your wish shall be granted!"

"No strings attached?"

Hans & the Duke look at each other with a smirk before facing the floating eyes again.

"No strings attached", the say in unison.

"A tempting offer, I must say…but I'll have to REFUSE IT!", the voice says with venom.

"What?!", the Duke says. "But why turn down such a generous offer?!"

"I see your GAME, gentlemen: you want to make me your PET, an obedient DOG you can keep on a leash to command at your WHIM! Well, you can FORGET IT…I am NOBODY'S pet, not even for a bunch of royalties such as yourselves!"

"You've got it wrong, my dear – we want to make you our partner, not our slave or pet!"

"A likely story, Sir Duke! Feed me ALL the lies you wish – there's absolutely NO WAY I'll be convinced to join myself up with even ONE, let alone the BOTH of you!"

With the spirit of the person he's summoned becoming more unstable & unhinged by the second, Prince Hans knew he needs to get the situation under control before their progress up to this point will be all for naught.

Fortunately, the prince of the Southern Isles is quick in his mind as he is on his feet.

"Not even for a chance to exact merciless vengeance upon a certain blonde & her boyfriend-turned-husband?", he coaxed with a suave smile.

The mere mentioning of the 'certain blonde' caused the eyes to widen in surprise before they shut temporarily, almost as if to consider taking their offer after all & putting both men in suspense.

When the eyes reopen again after thirty seconds in a more seductive manner, the voice was much calmer when next it spoke.

"All right, handsome prince…I'm listening."

Hans & the Duke give each other a smile before facing their new partner again.

"Excellent!", Hans says as their smiles grew fiendish.

Rapunzel's tower:

Before heading off to rest for the night, the group decides to have a little more singing to remain in good spirits for their task: it helps boost the morale for such a dangerous undertaking whenever one is assigned to locate known felons, let alone attempt to apprehend them. It's said that music is a great motivator, & it will certainly come in handy for what awaits them in the coming hours/days ahead.

"All right, folks – one more before bedtime!", Eugene says, grabbing his guitar & playing a few chords before creating a fast-paced, country-style melody as he starts singing with the thugs backing him up on hand-clapping, foot-stomping & vocals:

Well there's a leak…in this old building

Yes, there's a leak…in this old building

Well there's a leak…in this old building

We're gonna move to a better home

We got no pane in this old window

We got no pane in this old window

We got no pane in this old window

We're gonna move to a better home

Well there's a hole in the roof where the rain pours in

A hole in the floor where it drops right out again

Well there's a leak…in this old building

Well there's a leak…in this old building

Well there's a leak…in this old building

We're gonna move to a better home

Well there's a crack…across the ceiling

Yes, there's a crack…across the ceiling

Well there's a crack…across the ceiling

We're gonna move to a better home

We've got a stove…without a chimney

We've got a stove…without a chimney

What good's a stove…without a chimney

We're gonna move to a better home

Pulling down window shades is no good at all

The kids & the neighbor can peep right through the wall

Well there's a leak…in this old building

Well there's a leak…in this old building

Well there's a leak…in this old building

We're gonna move to a better, move to a better

Move to a better – hoooooooooooommmmmmmme

Applause from every pair of hands erupts as Eugene & the boys take a bow to the girls in the room.

"Excellent job, boys!", Merida says. "I think that was your best one yet!"

"Yes, but I just can't help but wondering", Rapunzel says, eyeing her husband. "It wouldn't happen to coincide with this place, would it?"

Eugene stared back at his wife with eyes that were wide with shock as Rapunzel walked toward him, unable to utter a word.

"Uh-oh, you're in for it now, pretty-boy!", Hookhand teased.

"Uh, Rapunzel, I didn't mean, that is, I…", Eugene starts to say in a panicked tone. His eyes never left hers as she was now just three inches from his face. Nobody said a word or took any action: the tension inside the room was so thick, one could cut it with either a knife or a sword.

It was all quiet until Rapunzel did what no one expected her to do – she started laughing out loud before falling in her husband's arms.

"Relax, man-o-mine…playful tease! Remember?", she assured him, bringing a grin to his face. "I knew that it wasn't any intentional insult here where I spent most of my life at!"

"You really did have me going there for a minute, Rapunzel!", Eugene said. "But don't worry: we won't be here for too long. Gothel's nothing more than a bad memory, & nobody will ever take you away from your family again! Not if I have any say in the matter!"

"Cross your heart & hope to die?"

"Stick needles in my eye."

The two engaged in a passionate kiss in a scene that swelled the hearts of everyone present.

"A perfect pair of absolute bliss", said the grinning Shobijin. "It is said that opposites really do attract, & this is a perfect example of it: a former thief & a kidnapped princess whose paths intertwined into an adventure that brought both souls together as one in holy matrimony."

"You're not wrong, ladies", Elinor said. "Sometimes two people of a completely different nature make for the best couples, regardless of race, religion, or even nationality."

Merida gave that notion from her mother some serious thought: the sons from the Dingwall, MacGuffin & even Macintosh clans may have been as different from each other as night is to day, but they each did have their own kind of style that Merida admired, even if she wasn't ready to be married to any of them. But having them accompany her when they were heading for the island to get Sanda's assistance in dueling his brother Gaira, she held a huge amount of respect for each one of them in highest regards.

Should she & her mother ever do get back to their original time, Merida plans on letting them know just that.

They deserve that, at least!, Merida thought.

"Hey, you two…get a room, why don't ya?", Shorty said in a playful tease, inciting giggles from the boys.

"Great idea, Shorty", Eugene said in a playful tease of his own. "Rapunzel & I will take herold bedroom, while Merida, her mother & the Shobijin all stay in Gothel's."

Rapunzel & the other ladies place their hands over their mouths to stop themselves from laughing loudly.

"What…again?", Big Nose whined.

"That was the deal, boys", Elinor says with a smile. "You all sleep out here while we take the bedrooms of the place. But of course…there's always right outside the tower, if you prefer."

"Out…there?", Tor says, pointing a finger towards a window.

"You don't hear Maximus or Angus complaining about it, do you?", Merida adds teasingly, getting giggles out of her mother, the Shobijin, Eugene & Rapunzel.

Defeated, the thugs grumble but agree.

"Sleep tight, gentlemen", Elinor says sincerely as she & her group head for mentioned bedrooms, leaving the boys in the main room of the tower by their lonesome.

Shrugging their shoulders in an 'oh well' gesture, Hookhand & all the rest gather in a pile with their backs to each other & slump themselves to sleep, their slumber being instant.

In no time, they began to snore.

Out in the woods:

The negotiations were short, but all of the information the spirit Hans & the Duke summoned took longer as it had given them a lengthy explanation of events that led up to this moment: after putting the spirit back to temporary rest, both men scamper around in the forest to their destination, while keeping a sharp eye out for any guards and/or volunteers who've joined in their search for the two fugitives. Only an hour ago, they heard a group of people which were equipped with torches, pitchforks & other nasty-looking weapons accompanying the palace guards. Thinking on pure instinct rather than planning, Hans & the Duke took brief shelter behind a grove of bushes & stayed silent until their pursuers passed them by, never realizing their quarry were only a few feet away.

Making sure they were gone, Hans & the Duke continued on their way to their destination, without any further opposition to run & hide from.

Approaching a tree with a lit torch, both men stop to scan the horizon.

"So…is this the area in which our new 'partner' spoke of?", asked the Duke.

"It's the one, all right", Hans says, unlatching the small bag attached to his belt. "Even though the main target is still further out, we're going to let our first nasty surprise handle it!"

Hans was about to open the bag & reach into it when the Duke suddenly spoke.

"I don't believe this!", the Duke fumed.

"What?", Hans asked, turning to face him.

"Now, I honestly don't mind being a wanted man & all, but…did they really have to go & draw my nose this long & pointy?!", the Duke says, showing Hans a 'wanted' poster of him with his nose drawn more than twice the length of his real one with a tip that looked like it could penetrate wood with ease. "Just look at this abomination! Why, this thing's long enough for birds to nest upon!"

Hans saw it & another 'wanted' poster on the tree, only this one was of him. Taking it off the tree & examining it, his facial expression was no more pleased than that of his partner's.

"Well, they certainly didn't make any improvements on my face, either", Hans says, showing the Duke how he was illustrated: his nose was totally rounded & the size of a peach. "This makes me look like I have an enormous zit, of all things!"

Taking another look at their 'wanted' posters, Hans & the Duke crumpled them up & tossed them away.

"Don't let it get to you too much, Sir Duke", Hans puts him at ease. "With what we have in store for Corona, we'll make them regret poking fun at us, & then some!" He holds up the bag he has in his hand with a wicked grin. "Time to let this little cat out of the bag, don't you agree?"

The Duke grinned himself & nodded.

Reaching into the bag, Hans pulled out a glass jar that contained a large dark brown-colored spider with light tan-yellow patches/stripes & blue-colored eyes that measured eight in all, with two being bigger than the others. It had a pair of prehensile pedipalps next to its mandibles that are used to capture prey, & possibly also serve as an extra sensory function. It measured 4 inches in length, with its legs close to its body. Placing it down onto the ground, the rogue prince reaches inside the bag again & pulls out another but much smaller & thinner glass vial with a cork on top to contain the glowing yellow liquid inside. Removing the cork, Hans spills the liquid in a secluded area before letting the spider out of its container right next to it. Taking a few steps, the spider smells the liquid – having a scent of insect, its natural diet – and begins consuming it ravenously, the flavor too irresistible.

"That's it, little guy – drink it all up so you'll grow big & strong!", the Duke prompted.

"Speaking of which, Sir Duke…I think we'd best give our 'little friend' here some breathing space, if you get my meaning", Hans suggests as his partner nodded.

Both men took off in a bit of a run to put good distance between themselves & the brown spider, which drunk just about every drop of the yellow liquid Hans spilled & offered it. The effects were almost immediate: once all the contents of the vial was consumed, the spider went through a change in size as its body began swelling & the sound of cracking occurred, expanding the two main body parts & its eight legs like a bubble in a bathtub. With the yellow liquid coursing through its body, the spider kept on growing bigger & bigger & bigger still…

Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton watched in complete awe from afar of 70 meters as the spider slowly but surely transformed from average-sized to giant arachnid that measured a height of 35 meters, with its legs extending at a width of 60 or so meters, & a main body measuring at a length of 45-50 meters from head to abdomen. The humongous spider made something of a sharp chirping sound from its mandibles, & it moved forward in the direction the men wished for it to travel.

"Fascinating!", the Duke says, unable to take his eyes off their giant creation.

"Isn't it?", Hans says. "That creature we've created will head straight for our targets & finish them all off with ease…right where our 'new partner' said they'd be!"

"You really believe they'd be holed up in that old place, even after all these years?"

"From the intel our new friend gave us, why wouldn't they? Judging by their fierce fighting spirits, none of them would be able to resist the urge to try & apprehend us themselves, so why not go to a place they'd be familiar with? In this manner, we can crush them all at once!"

The Duke nodded, seeing the logic.

"And just in case they do manage to survive, however slim their chances may be…", he starts to say.

"We'll have even more surprises in store for them…and all of Corona!", Hans finished.

"So then…what shall we name this creature?"

"I think 'Kumonga' will do nicely!", Hans says with a fiendish grin.

"Sounds perfect, dear prince!", said the Duke, also grinning. "Princess Rapunzel & company are about to have a very nasty wake-up call!"

Both men laugh devilishly, imagining the carnage that will be displayed.

The giant spider now christened Kumonga stayed on his course.

CHAPTER VI

Rapunzel Tower, just before dawn:

The residents in the tower were all sleeping peacefully, be it in bed, on the floor in sort of a huddle, or even out on the grass below. In a pre-dawn morning with the sun just about to rise in the east, Eugene, Rapunzel & the rest had been awakened by Maximus & Angus' intense wailing, followed by some sort of hissing noise accompanying it.

"Boy, those two are really making quite a ruckus", Eugene said droopily as he & his wife rise from their bed. "I guess we better go & see what's gotten their hooves in an uproar."

"And that sound", Rapunzel says, wiping sleep from her eyes & indicating the hissing as Pascal does the same. "What in the world is causing it this early in the morning? Why, the sun isn't even up yet, & I for one could use a bit more…"

Her sentence gets interrupted when they hear two females screaming, & they sobered up in the blink of an eye.

Elinor!, Eugene thought.

Merida!, Rapunzel thought.

Jumping out of bed & getting themselves dressed in record time, Eugene, Rapunzel & Pascal exit their room to check on Merida, Elinor & the Shobijin in theirs, but find them all downstairs with the Snuggly Duckling thugs. As they race down the stairs to join them, Eugene asked Elinor what was wrong.

Before she could answer, the girly screaming erupted again, but it wasn't from Elinor, Merida or the Shobijin.

It was coming from Hookhand & Vladimir, whose high-pitched wailing could shatter glass…almost.

Shorty & the others were huddled in a corner, scared out of their wits.

Realizing they were being stared at by the ladies, Hookhand & Vladimir ceased their screaming & were all but ashamed of their sudden girlish outburst. But they had good reason to be afraid, & the thugs all pointed to the window which looked over the valley. Eugene & company head over to where they indicated, & what they saw made them gasp in fright – a large web of yellow silk covered almost the entire area of the tower, & through the strands they see a giant 35-meter-tall, brown-&-light-tan-colored spider spinning it everywhere which blocked out the morning sun.

Merida cuddled in fear close to Elinor with the Shobijin, while Rapunzel did the same with Eugene as Pascal had turned blue to show his fear & snuggling into his friend's neck & what remained of her hair.

The giant spider – Kumonga – continued spraying his silk over the valley & tower, letting extremely little to no sunshine within.

"oh my god", Elinor whispered, now seeing what got the boys, Maximus & Angus in an uproar.

"Angus!", Merida said as if reading her mother's thoughts.

"Maximus!", Eugene & Rapunzel said simultaneously, remembering he & the Clydesdale were still outside.

"Just as we are, they're in grave danger!", said the Shobijin. "Quickly, everybody…we must get to Maximus & Angus before that creature does!"

"You heard the ladies – move it!", Elinor snapped, giving all the motivation the boys need as five of them head down the staircase from the floor as Vladimir, not wishing to get stuck again, exited the tower from the window that did not show Kumonga & landed safely on the ground by his feet. Eugene & company just stared at the bold move he made, not hesitating for a second when he made the death-defying leap.

That's one way to exit the tower!, Eugene thought before another of Kumonga's chirping brought him back to the present.

"Come on, ladies – now it's our turn to exit this place!", he said orally, heading for the staircase & descending it with Rapunzel & Pascal, Elinor, Merida & the Shobijin all following.

Outside the tower at the base of it, Maximus & Angus hid behind the place out of sight from the giant arachnid spinning its web, barely able to keep their trepidation in check. Every instinct in their bodies was telling them to take off & save themselves, but the other part – the sensible part – was commanding them to remain until they can get the chance to get Eugene, Rapunzel & the others safely away from the danger that now befalls them.

Refusing to leave anyone behind gave both steeds the courage to stay, difficult as it was.

First to exit the tower were Hookhand, Atilla, Shorty, Big Nose & Tor, with Vladimir crashing through the rear window & landing ten feet away. Seconds later, Eugene & the rest made it out, making their group complete once more.

"Glad you & the ladies got out of there, handsome prince, but…how are we going to get out of this valley?!", said Tor, pointing to the webbing. "That stuff looks like it's stronger than even the finest steel, & the tunnel we came in from is all blocked by it!"

Eugene looked towards the tunnel entrance to find that Tor was correct: it was covered in spider webs, & if what Tor surmises happens to be true, then even their swords couldn't cut through it – that, or it would take too much time in doing so, & by then, it could be too late to escape.

Then Eugene came up with an idea.

"Wait here a moment!", he said, heading back inside the tower before anyone could object. He returned with a pair of freshly-lit torches a minute later, giving one to Big Nose.

"You think that stuff will burn under a flame?", Elinor asks.

"It's worth a try!", Eugene said, facing her daughter. "Merida, do you have any arrows that will stay lit after you shoot them?"

"I see where you're coming from, Eugene…and yes, I certainly do!", Merida said, handing the Shobijin in their box to Elinor before pulling out an arrow from her quiver that had not a point, but a corn-shaped stalk at the end. She put it into Eugene's torch & instantly caught fire before pulling back on her bow & aiming it at the tunnel entrance.

Here goes nothing!, Merida thought as she let loose her flaming arrow. All the way it soared across the valley & directly at the entrance, where it made contact. Once the flames touched Kumonga's webbing, it burned/dissolved into ashes that spread wide enough to clear the tunnel passageway for both Maximus & Angus to get through together side-by-side with ease.

All they need is to attach the steeds to the wagon, & Hookhand was just about finished with that little chore.

"What a lucky break!", Rapunzel said. "Your theory was right on the money, Eugene! Now we have the means of escaping this valley and that horror!"

"Then let's do just that, princess!", Vladimir says, climbing into the wagon with the rest of the boys. Nodding, Eugene & Rapunzel get upon Maximus as Merida, Elinor & the Shobijin board Angus.

"GO!", Eugene, his wife & the two Scottish ladies shouted as Maximus & Angus immediately raced full speed ahead at the now-uncovered opening where Merida's fire arrow was shot at. Pulling the wagon with the boys riding in back (who hold on for dear life), the Andalusian & Clydesdale use every bit of literal horsepower they can muster & get away from the 30,000 metric tons of pure terror right above them. Entering the tunnel, Kumonga chirps sharply as everyone turned to see the tower that was once Rapunzel's home/prison get trampled by a well-placed claw from one of the huge spider's legs, pulverizing it completely right down to its foundation.

Even if it was her prison of a home for eighteen years, Rapunzel still couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt from seeing it get destroyed: she did have some good memories of the place, & now it was nothing more than a pile of old rubble/debris.

Strangely enough, I'm going to miss that old place, she thought solemnly.

Putting her thoughts back to the here & now, she faced forward again to see that they've have reached the other end of the tunnel which, thankfully, isn't covered by Kumonga's webbing. Shooting out of the tunnel, the gang can see the huge underside of Kumonga's main body & abdomen that blocked out the day's first rays of sunshine, making it still seem like nighttime. The arachnid's body kept it that way until two-three minutes later when they finally made it out & emerged into the light, dim as it was at this hour.

But neither Maximus nor Angus were going to slow down until they were at a very far distance from the beast with eight legs, & he stayed beneath a grove of trees to mask their presence from Kumonga, should the huge arachnid discover his prey aren't among the tower's debris.

Fifteen minutes later, Maximus & Angus finally slow down to a jog, then a crawl & cease running altogether when Rapunzel & Merida ordered them to, enabling the steeds to catch their breaths along with everyone else as the boys pour out from the wagon & Eugene & company get off their faithful steeds.

"That was a narrow escape back there!", Shorty said, being more than a little on edge. "How did this place end up having a giant spider,of all things?!"

"You can bet you beer money that Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton had a hand in this, Shorty!", Eugene said with fire in his tone. "I really hope I'm the one who finds them first! I swear I'll…"

"Whoa, Eugene, let's calm down a bit first", Rapunzel says soothingly, cooling her husband's heels before he does explode. "I know how you feel, please don't get me wrong, but let's think about this for a minute. Yes, like you, I'm willing to bet that Hans & the Duke have their filthy mitts written all over this, but…how would they even know we'd be at the tower?"

"Rapunzel is correct", said the Shobijin, getting everyone's attention. "Of what we recall, only a small handful of people knew about the place where Rapunzel was once kept by Gothel, & none of us ever told a soul about any of us using it as a temporary headquarters, not even King Frederic & Queen Arianna."

"It still didn't stop that big bug from finding us!", Hookhand said. "What did it do…sniff us out?"

The thugs each took a whiff of their armpits to check if their stench was what led Kumonga to them. A couple of snickers from the ladies ensued, while Eugene rolled his eyes.

"There may be some truth to your little joke, Hookhand", the Shobijin went on. "When this spider attacked us at the tower, we sensed mystical forces from it, meaning that it had been created from an act of magic that turned it into the monster we saw. We would've mentioned it before…"

"If we weren't all too busy in trying to escape it", Elinor said as the twin beauties nodded. "We understand, ladies. If you could sense the magic aura from that creature, could you also trace it back to its point of origin?"

The Shobijin shook their heads.

"This is powerful magic being used", they said. "Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton are no fools: they are a lot smarter than most people give them credit for. Whatever type of witchcraft they're using, we cannot trace. But we can all surmise that they intend to use it more, putting Corona in even graver danger."

"All the more reason to find those two as soon as we can!", Merida said, turning to the boys. "Fellas, I've just come up with an idea: you said you were all originally from the Snuggly Duckling pub, correct?"

"Yeah, but…we've not been there in years, sweetie!", said Tor, getting skeptical/doubting looks from most of the others. "Well…we do stop by every now & then to say 'hello', if that's what you mean."

"That's more than good enough for me: let's head down there & see if we can learn of any piece of info we can conjure, dealing with freak happenings or anything at all strange & bizarre. Somebody's bound to hear something that can help us find Hans & the Duke!"

Five of the thugs look to each other with their hands under their chins to contemplate Merida's words.

In four seconds, they all nodded with pleased faces.

"Say, we like your style, red!", Hookhand says with a grin. "And it's a great idea! We'll lead you folks down to the pub & you can ask around to your heart's desire! Who knows? We might even find those two rats the moment we walk inside, & then we can…"

Hookhand was interrupted by Vladimir's girlish screaming, & they all turned to see him writhing & crying in fear of a spider hanging from a thin line of its web – a spider no bigger than a man's fingernail!

Vladimir ceased to feel all eyes staring at him, each of them in a scowling position except for the Shobijin, who shake their heads in shame, seeing a man as big & powerful as he is having a really bad case of arachnophobia.

"Really?", Hookhand said none-too-pleasantly.

Vladimir smiled sheepishly & innocently.

"Sorry", he says, flicking the spider away with his fingers.

This guy must really hate spiders!, Merida thought.

Even Pascal's braver than this lug!, Rapunzel thought, as said chameleon shook his head before orchestrating a 'shame, shame' gesture with his hands/fingers.

Whether it's from Vladimir's sudden cry or natural instinct, Kumonga finds Rapunzel's group & menacingly chirped as he came right at the heroes, who scrambled to get back onto Maximus & Angus, with the thugs piling into the wagon. Neither steed needs any command to get moving, & they race off again once they saw everyone aboard & barely miss getting crushed from above by a claw from one of Kumonga's front legs, creating a hole in the dirt more than ten feet deep.

Undaunted, the giant arachnid gave chase once again.

"How can we stop this thing?!", Atilla asks. "We're no more than flies to him, & he ain't gonna quit until we're all gobbled up like them!"

"Whatever ideas we come up with, the least we can do for the moment is to lead him as far away from Corona Village as possible!", said Rapunzel.

"And that means going east, where there's nothing but woods!", Eugene said. "Maximus! Angus…!"

Both steeds get the message & turn to desired direction as Kumonga reached again with a leg to squash his prey, missing them by mere inches but the impact jarring the ground which had briefly made Maximus & Angus lose their balance & Elinor lose the Shobijin. Thankfully, both steeds regained their footing & kept going at full speed. As for Elinor, it was fortunate that the box containing the Shobijin had a firm handle on top, or else she would've lost it – and them – to Kumonga.

Aside from the cover of the trees, the giant arachnid was still able to locate & follow his prey easily: lashing out with multiple strikes from his legs, the giant arachnid became more relentless with each attack. Both Maximus & Angus were barely able to keep ahead of their giant pursuer, feeling each tremor when Kumonga lashed out as their deadly game of chase took predator & prey deep into the forest as nearby animals scramble to clear Kumonga's path, lest they end up as his breakfast.

Kumonga was growing weary of not being able to kill or even capture those fleeing his hungry mandibles: with speed & grace that belied his great size, the giant arachnid made a bountiful leap that took him soaring over Rapunzel & company, leaping at a distance of thirty meters before landing with an earth-shaking thud & doing a 180 degree turn…now facing his fleeing prey as they run straight for him!

How can something that big move so fast?!, Hookhand thought, not being able to help but to admire the thing's velocity even while in great peril.

Kumonga ran up to & struck the fleeing party by striking with two claws instead of one: both missed crushing anyone, but the attack did cause Maximus & Angus to be taken by surprise, & in that sneak strike, caused them to lose their balance & tip the wagon over to one side, spilling the Snuggly Duckling thugs out. Same goes for Eugene, Rapunzel, Merida, Elinor & the Shobijin, as they all hit the ground & skid across it, getting some rips & tears in their clothes. Elinor, still holding the box with the Shobijin inside, got it in an upright position & asked if the two ladies are all right.

Their answer was that they were banged up a bit but otherwise okay, putting the Scottish woman at ease for a brief period.

Due to his suction cup-like hands, Pascal clung firmly onto Rapunzel's neck & shoulder, keeping him secure even through a brief tumble. Maximus & Angus' tumble broke them free from the wagon, which shattered into many wooden shards & rendered useless except for firewood. Kumonga's chirping brought everyone back on full alert, & the giant spider stared down at his soon-to-be food with great savor.

Merida went to her mother as Rapunzel rushed to her husband, their hearts palpitating like everyone else's.

Nobody seemed to know what to do, as they were too scared, but Eugene – quick on his feet & thinking – came up with an idea that could save their skins.

It's a risk, but it's better than doing nothing!, he thought.

"All of you, SCATTER – maybe we can CONFUSE him!", he shouted orally.

Like ants that have been discovered under a rock, everyone did as Eugene suggested, mostly going singularly in making it difficult for Kumonga to keep track of his prey with them breaking off in various directions. Only Elinor, Merida & the Shobijin stayed as a group, along with Eugene, Rapunzel & Pascal remaining another. Same went for Maximus & Angus, who disappeared underneath the giant arachnid while everyone else scattered in front of him to create a diversion. Eugene's plan seemed to be working: with his intended victims running around in numerous areas, Kumonga could not focus on a single prey, making him irritated.

Instead of going for the smaller, insignificant prey, Kumonga goes for the biggest one he can find.

Vladimir.

Shooting a thin stream of webbing from between his mandibles, Kumonga snatches the largest member of the Snuggly Duckling thugs by the legs, causing him to stop in his tracks, trip & fall upon his face. The giant spider then reels him in like a fish on a hook as Vladimir fought & struggled to break free, but it was futile: the strand of webbing was like metal, & the thug didn't have any fire to burn it loose, having lost the torches when Kumonga tipped them all over & spilled from the wagon. The rest stopped & watched in horror as Vladimir was getting closer & closer to Kumonga's hungry jaws, which were now starting to dribble. Not since he was a boy has Vladimir felt so scared in all his life, having always been the biggest & baddest of the thugs at the Snuggly Duckling.

Now he can see his life flashing before his eyes as he's now only a few meters from being consumed by the biggest gosh-darn spider he's ever laid eyes upon.

And all Rapunzel & company can do is sit back & watch it happen.

A sudden rumbling of the ground caught everybody's attention as it vibrated beneath their feet/claws, causing everyone – including Kumonga – to turn at an area 110 meters away when bits & pieces of the ground started being pushed skywards from below the surface. Vladimir used the distraction to use the sword he almost forgot he had to cut Kumonga's web line with the mightiest swing he could muster, barely severing it as it was like cutting through a concrete block almost & freeing his legs.

Vladimir didn't dare move from his spot, though: one false move, & Kumonga would gobble him up in the wink of an eye, even with his attention elsewhere. From where the ground was erupting, a sizable geyser of dirt, grass & even trees spewed everywhere, creating a cloud of dust. Within that smokescreen was movement of something big, which emerged from underneath, & as the dust cleared, it became visible to all: a quadrupedal creature that was either a dark brown or maroon in color, measuring a length of 30 meters. The main body & tail had a bulk to it, with three pointed claws on its feet & front paws. Its head was reptilian yet dog-like, with a mouth filled with sharp teeth, red eyes, & a pair of floppy ears on the sides of its head. A protective armor of carapace plates adorned its back, & on the top of its head were a row of spikes, with the largest/longest one protruding from its nose as its horn.

This monster was a newcomer to most in the area, including Kumonga, but to Merida, Elinor & Angus, it was a familiar sight.

"Baragon!", Scottish mother & daughter say in unison, remembering the creature from the island in which they ventured in order to retrieve Sanda to fight his then-rogue sibling.

Even though over 700 years have passed in general, for Merida & Elinor & their faithful steed, it's actually only been several days since last laying eyes upon the dinosaurian monster.

Not taking too kindly to having his meal interrupted, Kumonga chirped his disapproval of it as Baragon gave a boisterous roar in reply that echoed the immediate area, indicating he was more than ready for a fight.

And a fight is exactly what Kumonga gives: racing towards the interloper, he crashes right into Baragon like a raging bull as they get into a tangle of spider legs & reptile claws/teeth. Kumonga used his mandibles & pedipalps to place a bite upon the dinosaurian creature, but Baragon swiped at these that caused the arachnid to cry out & put a bit of distance from his quarry. Like a true Salticidae (jumping spider), Kumonga makes a giant leap into the air & lands behind Baragon at 90 meters away where he spits a strand of his webbing at the dinosaurian beast, opening up into a net that covers Baragon like he was a school of fish & pulling the burly monster towards him. No matter how hard he tried, the subterranean dinosaur could not break through.

But he could burn his way free: from his toothy maw, a gout of fire erupted & instantly melted the webbing as if it were nothing more than wax or kindling, surprising the giant arachnid. Now it was Baragon's turn to charge like a rhino, firing belches of flame at his eight-legged adversary when he gets about 45 meters. Kumonga leaped over to Baragon's right & shot another web strand at him, but the dinosaurian beast was ready: he blasted the webbing once it was deployed & burned it to a crisp, never getting anywhere near him. Undaunted, Kumonga kept on leaping from spot to spot, firing his webbing at Baragon, who stays alert & ahead by dissolving it each & every time with his flame & keeping from getting tangled. Changing tactics, Kumonga leaped again into the air, but Baragon imitated the tactic & flew right into his enemy at a height of 70 meters. It was precisely what the spider was anticipating: when he was in range, Kumonga wrapped his eight legs around Baragon, pinning his front paws & rendering them immobile.

It was a sound strategy for the arachnid…which lasted for only several seconds.

Effective as it was, Kumonga's plan did have two flaws: one, he was still airborne & plummeted to the earth at a great speed, & two, Baragon was the one that landed on top of him, smacking into solid ground with earth-shaking force that was felt even by Rapunzel & company, all of whom regrouped once Kumonga focused his full attention on his new enemy.

The giant arachnid lay on his back in a crevice thirty-five feet deep, created from the crash as he & Baragon are both too disoriented from the impact to fight back – at first. In no time, Kumonga struck with several of his legs at the dinosaurian monster's face, waking him up & reminding him that the fight's not over yet. Retaliating with his claws, Baragon scratched at each appendage that came his way in hopes of tearing them off, but the spider's legs were a lot stronger than they seemed, & their strength gets displayed in Kumonga's next move: like a quartet of battering rams acting as one, the spider's right legs buffeted Baragon in his left side that sent him tumbling off in a roll, the monster letting out a cry of pain & surprise. Kumonga went into an upright position & landed atop Baragon's back, wrapping his legs around his bulk of a body & squeezing it with all his might. Now Kumonga had a real advantage over his foe: unable to reach in back with his claws or his flame, Baragon could not inflict pain upon his foe, & the legs which were putting the squeeze on him were getting tighter, becoming more difficult for him to breathe.

The only saving grace for the subterranean dinosaur is that Kumonga's deadly stinger – hidden from between his mandibles – are unable to penetrate the beast's carapace armor on his back, no matter how many times he tries.

But even that is a small comfort: if Baragon doesn't die from the spider's venom, then he'll most likely do so from lack of oxygen, for even he needs to breathe like any other living thing.

Using what strength remained in his body, Baragon began to dig into the ground, throwing up dirt that showers behind him & getting splashed into Kumonga's multitude of eyes, temporarily blinding him. Not being able to tunnel underground like he could, the giant arachnid releases his prey as the dinosaurian monster vanishes from sight, the large hole he dug being all that was left of him – for now.

Like a gopher, Baragon burrowed beneath the earth as Kumonga kept a close watch, feeling the vibrations in his legs, not knowing where his foe will pop up & strike next. As a precaution, he leapt into the air & landed a good 40 meters away, making it difficult for the subterranean dinosaur to locate his quarry.

Kumonga, unfortunately, underestimated Baragon's tenacity: almost as if out of nowhere, the dinosaurian beast emerged from the earth right underneath his eight-legged enemy & plowed right into his underbelly, sending him on an unexpected journey that put both combatants apart 32 meters. Baragon's plan was half-successful: he took his foe by surprise, but Kumonga is also a more resourceful creature than one might think. Getting himself upright, he lands upon the ground by his legs, using them to brace for impact & landing almost as gracefully like a cat. When Baragon fully emerges from the hole, Kumonga shot a line of his web directly at his enemy's right side where his neck is. The web's sticky substance gave it a strong, solid hold, & the arachnid monster takes the burrower on a little bit of a spin before he abruptly cuts his line & sends Baragon flying through the air.

It was on a path heading directly towards Rapunzel & her group, & their eyes go agape!

"RUN!", she shouted at the top of her lungs as they all race to get away from the oncoming monster, who lands on his back with great force & slides across the terrain, gaining ground on Rapunzel & company.

Pumping their legs for all it's worth, the band scrambles to escape getting crushed underneath Baragon's slide, as he was a mere 10 meters away from turning Eugene, the thugs, the steeds, Pascal & the ladies into a pasty mulch to feed the soil. The band avoided instant death by only a few feet as Baragon slid past, creating a crevice in his wake & finally coming to a stop seven seconds later. The dinosaurian monster shook his head to clear it of cobwebs & looked to where he could see Kumonga; his eyes widened when he found the arachnid creature diving in straight for him. In a move of pure desperation, Baragon unleashed a belch of flame from his mouth that hit his oncoming adversary in a direct hit, engulfing his body with fire & causing him to screech in pain. To add insult to injury, Baragon also kicked Kumonga with a powerful right leg that sent the spider sprawling away, landing on his own back & going on the same rough slide he put the burrower on. With burn marks on most of his body, Kumonga got upright & fought to extinguish whatever flames were left before making a retreat: in his weakened condition, he'd be finished in no time, & Kumonga knew it.

Getting back on all fours & turning 180 degrees as his tail narrowly misses Eugene & the band, Baragon let out a satisfying roar that was heard all around before giving chase to his departing enemy, both monsters heading even deeper into the countryside.

Rapunzel & company let out a sigh of relief.

"Everybody okay?", Eugene asks, getting nods from everyone.

"Merida, Elinor…that was the 'Baragon' creature you described on your adventure to that island?", Rapunzel asked both ladies. Merida nodded as her mother answered orally.

"The very same, Rapunzel: like the monster known as Anguirus, Baragon is a tenacious & vicious fighter who will battle to the death. He'll continue pursuing that giant spider to the ends of the Earth if he has to."

"As long as they're both heading away from Corona!", said Hookhand as the other boys agreed in full.

"But for how long is anybody's guess!", said Merida. "Without a temporary base to call our own, we'll have to live off the land for a while as we continue our journey to the Snuggly Duckling in search for Hans & the Duke!"

"Merida is correct", said the Shobijin. "Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton won't stop causing havoc here in Corona just because their giant spider has been, for the moment, dealt with by Baragon. We'll need Merida's skills in surviving among the wilderness, & maybe even ally ourselves with another search party along the way while we do."

"Considering what just happened, word of mouth about it won't take too long to spread, & who knows? We just might get a lead that's juicy & hot we can follow!", said Shorty.

Tor & the other boys nodded, being enthusiastic about the idea. Eugene pondered on it for a moment: with a trail that's more or less gone somewhat cold, heading over to the pub could get them back on track, & if the arachnid creature was any indication on how far Hans & the Duke were willing to go & ruin Corona like they had almost done to Arendelle, then it really is their only option.

Especially since he's currently out of any, & like the others in his party, he'd truly hate to return to Rapunzel's parents emptyhanded with no information or success.

"We'll know soon enough, Shorty", Eugene finally said orally. "It really is our best shot, & we've still got some ways to go, now that our wagon is kaput."

"Therefore, we'd better hit the road!", Merida says, getting back on Angus' saddle as Elinor does the same with the Shobijin in tow. "Every second we waste here is one in their favor!"

Eugene & Rapunzel do the same with Maximus, with Pascal getting on top of his head & pointed forward.

This incited a giggle from all three.

That's my little Pascal, the rascal!, Rapunzel thought cheerfully.

"All set, boys?", Eugene asked the thugs.

Vladimir & the rest looked to be at a disadvantage until Rapunzel coaxed them.

"Don't you worry, boys…we won't trod along too fast for you!", she teased.

But teasing or not, they got motivated & were all moving along in no time.

Unbeknownst to any of them, Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton observed the events at a safe distance, from Kumonga crashing their getaway to when Baragon emerged unexpectedly & drove off the large arachnid using long telescopes to catch it all from their vantage point.

"Now that was a rather unfortunate turn of events if I ever saw one!", the Duke said none-too-pleased.

"The presence of that creature they call 'Baragon' was a bit of a surprise, I must admit", Hans said, lowering his scope. "I guess there really were giant creatures living among the world long before the Seatopians' own monster Megalon and our creation of Kumonga, after all." His worried face then took on a devilish one. "But no matter: little do they know they're playing right into our hands! Everything is set the way we want it to be! All we have to do is to relax & wait for the precise moment to strike!"

"And then…endgame!", the Duke said coldly. "Shall we ride, dear prince?"

"We aren't getting any younger, Sir Duke!", Hans says as both men laugh fiendishly before boarding a pair of horses they'd gradually 'borrowed' from two men who thought they could take them down themselves before paying the ultimate price for their tomfoolery.

In complete & careful stealth, they followed Rapunzel & her band through the forest.

The Snuggly Duckling Pub, several hours later:

Due to the absence of the wagon that got destroyed when Kumonga attacked, a period of breaks had to be taken in order for Vladimir & the other boys to rest & regain their strength, having no transportation of their own. During each rest period, Merida used her wilderness know-how to conjure up fish from streams to cook & eat over an open fire & fresh water to drink – after getting purified, of course, an error Elinor once made when drinking water from a stream that still had worms in it during her time as a bear.

Even though none of them saw Hans or the Duke in all that time, seeing her daughter helping out Hookhand & the boys as she did made Elinor prouder of Merida than she's ever been of her.

It was Merida's knowledge that helped them & everyone else stay filled with stamina & energy for their trip to the Snuggly Duckling, arriving just an hour before the sun is expected to set. It was a mostly one-story building, with a curved tree that is embedded into it. A dirt road leads right to it, given notice by a hanging sign that contains a duck carving & reads 'The Snuggly Duckling'. Next to the entrance is a place for visitors to tie their horses at & are given a reward of nibbling on the grass.

Maximus & Angus will of course be tied there, but they'll stick to their apples & whatnots.

Loud, raucous laughter can be heard from the pub even at a distance, & Elinor could swear that she can sniff the alcohol it reeks of.

"This…must be the place!", Elinor says, keeping a hand over her nose & mouth.

"This is it, all right!", Shorty & the boys say simultaneously, each with a huge grin on their faces.

"Maybe we should reconsider in going inside that stinky place, Mum", Merida asked, her nose twitching from the stench & instantly regretting her decision.

"It's not stinky, sweetie! It just has a…really strong man smell, that's all!", Big Nose assured her, his giant grin being unhelpful and unconvincing.

Even Mor'du wouldn't go near a place like this!, Merida thought after a sigh.

"It appears that we are, Merida, & don't forget: it was all your idea to stop by in the first place", Elinor says in a defeated voice as another deep sigh exited Merida's mouth. The redhead was really regretting it.

"We shouldn't be in there for too long, ladies", Eugene eases them. "We'll just go in, ask around, see whatever we can scrounge up, if anything, & be well on our way."

"Besides…they're not so bad once you get to know them!", Rapunzel adds with a smile. "Believe me – I ought to know!"

Rapunzel punctuated her statement with a wink.

Merida & Elinor stare at each other with doubts: a place like the Snuggly Duckling is known to attract ruffians, thugs, cutthroats, arsonists, killers & thieves of all kinds, according to what Eugene, Rapunzel, & even a number of the boys accompanying them informed the ladies of on this journey. For instance, before Rapunzel had first showed herself at the Duckling (with Eugene's help), Atilla used to beat people into a pulp, & Tor rearranged more faces than he cares to count. But after meeting her, they now beat eggs & do baking & arrange flowers instead.

I guess if my Mum can change her ways from how she used to be, then there'd be no reason why thugs like Tor & Vladimir can't do the same, Merida thought, getting a new perspective on certain people.

Not that she'd ever consider thinking of her mother as a criminal in any way, shape or form.

"Into the hornet's nest we go, then", Merida said softly to her mother.

"Let's hope they don't sting us too badly", Elinor said softly back as her daughter nodded.

They reached the entrance in silence & tied Maximus & Angus to the post, the raucous noise louder than ever.

Inside, the thugs of all shapes & sizes were laughing it up, swigging their glasses of beverages (mostly beer), & having themselves a grand old time like they always do after a hard day of whatever passes for work on their clock. A door opens up to reveal new customers, & immediately the men inside all draw their swords on instinct, ready to fight at a moment's notice.

But when they see it was Eugene & Rapunzel standing at the entrance, the men display a look of surprise & a bit of shame on their faces, & they instantly withdraw their weapons, relieving a surprised prince & his wife.

"Hello, Prince Eugene, Princess Rapunzel!", they all said in greeting with huge grins.

"Good evening, boys!", Rapunzel says with a grin of her own & a wave of her hand.

"Hey, how you doin'? Great seeing you all again!", Eugene says with a smirk, a wink & a point of his finger at the crowd.

"You can say that again!", Hookhand said as he & his band enter the pub & receive cheers from everyone & be greeted like old family members they haven't seen in forever. Merida & Elinor (with the Shobijin in tow) take a peek inside the place, seeing everyone enjoying themselves, feeling somewhat out of place: even being in gatherings of the clans back home in Scotland have never made them this uneasy.

This took it to a whole new level, as they felt like two little mice in a gathering of cats.

Both girls & the Shobijin Twins get noticed by the patrons, & an unsettling bit of nerves strikes them, unsure of what to expect…especially when two of the thugs look inside the box containing the Shobijin, both of whom hold each other & cringe in fear.

"Easy, boys…they're with us!", Eugene said, halting their advance.

"That's right: we want them treated with the same respect you show us! Understand?", Rapunzel says, getting grins & nods of approval.

"Easy on the little girls, fellas!", Merida warns.

"You heard her! You can look…but don't touch!", Elinor adds.

Thumbs pointed up from every hand became their answer, making the Scottish mother & daughter smile.

Two hours later:

In the 120 minutes that followed, the thugs in the Snuggly Duckling danced & partied harder than ever, now that Eugene & Rapunzel have joined in the festivities & really livened things up. Merida & Elinor were sitting at the bar of the pub, with the Shobijin close by. Passersby saw the twin six-inch ladies & nodded/bowed their greetings as they did, & the Shobijin smiled with a bow in return. Pascal stood by them, acting as their personal bodyguard.

As promised, not one of them made an attempt to go for the ladies with their hands.

Eugene & his band haven't forgotten the main reason why they're here, but considering that they're more than family at the Duckling, they figured it couldn't hurt to stay a bit – for old time's sake.

While they watched the show being put on, a burly man with something resembling a chef's hat placed on his head gets Merida & Elinor's attention, holding a plate of cooked food in each hand.

"Here you go, ladies…the special of the day!", he says, placing each plate in front of the Scottish girls. Both of them contained a slab of meat that looked like it was beaten rather than baked, with a side of veggies next to it.

"And this 'special' is called…", Merida asked with a sheepish smile.

"Mystery Meatloaf!", he said with pride. "I made it myself!"

Merida & Elinor were still too conspicuous of their food.

"What's exactly in it?", Merida wondered.

"That, my dear, is the mystery!", the chef said, letting out a laugh of amusement as he poured two drinks in a pair of large glasses & placed them on the table next to their plates.

They were two glasses of beer, & neither Scottish lady was too enthusiastic about being served alcohol.

Especially not that much alcohol!

"Uh…don't you think I'm a wee bit too young to be consuming any alcoholic beverages?", Merida asked the man. "I am still a minor, after all."

The burly man scoffed a laugh & grinned.

"Aw, lighten up, sweet cheeks!", he said. "What's being a man – or even a woman – if one can't hold their liquor?"

Mother & daughter gave each other a quizzical look.

"Water for me & my daughter, if you please", Elinor said with an innocent smile, putting aside both glasses.

"You sure?", the man asked, pointing to the beer Elinor put to the side. "That's all but the finest beer in all the land of Corona! Why, you can't get a better-tasting beer anywhere this side of…"

He stopped when Elinor deployed 'the look' to him, & spoke more firmly.

"Water…for me & my daughter…if you please!", she displayed with a tone that bore no argument.

"Water it is, ma'am", he said, taking off to get two glasses of H2o.

"And no worms in it!", Merida & Elinor said in unison to him, fighting hard not to laugh as two thugs secretly swipe at the full beer glasses when their backs were turned.

Even if they had witnessed the beer being snatched away, neither of them would've cared.

Having a taste of their 'mystery meatloaf', the flavor was extraordinarily scrumptious, & a little salt sprinkled on top gave it an extra sensation. Back in Scotland, Maudie used to make the most savory-tasting meat they've ever had in their lives, & King Fergus would consume every morsel of it & still have leftover room for dessert. What they just ate made Maudie's meat taste something like an old shoe – not that they would ever tell herthat.

The Shobijin also had some nourishment, as mother & daughter offered some of their vegetables on a pair of flat cup holders, & drank their share of water – worm-free – from a pair of thimbles. Both six-inch women smiled & said they were the very best vegetables they ever tasted, even more than those on their home of Infant Island.

I suppose one really shouldn't judge a thug by the way that they look!, Elinor thought with a smile.

Pascal was given a taste of their meatloaf & small dish of water, enjoying the food just as much as any of them & letting out a small belch afterwards in which the ladies giggled softly to.

With their meals done & hunger satisfied, the ladies face the stage to catch Eugene & Rapunzel dancing it up with the boys, playing various instruments from the piano to the guitar & singing like there's no tomorrow. The boys cheered the young prince & princess as they took a bow of appreciation, both reliving the time when they first set foot into the pub when Eugene wanted to give Rapunzel a taste of what the outside world can be like after being cooped up for eighteen years by Gothel.

All this is what they missed about the pub, & it felt great to bring back such a fantastic memory even if it had turned into a chase afterwards when the prince was still a wanted man.

"Thank you, one & all!", Eugene addressed the crowd with Rapunzel by his side. "It's always such a pleasure for my wife & I to stop by & say hello to this place & all its patrons, but I'm afraid I have something to ask you of, & we are in a bit of a hurry, so if anyone here can let us know…"

"Hey, handsome prince, can you & the missus perform that song we like?", asked Hookhand as said people stare at each other briefly.

"You mean, 'I have a dream'?", Rapunzel asked, getting roars of approval for her answer.

"I suppose we ought to do it", Eugene said, leaning in to his wife.

"I doubt that they'll let us go otherwise", Rapunzel answered in the same fashion.

Giving a thumbs-up to the crowd, Eugene & Rapunzel get to work as Hookhand & the other thugs who've first joined in with the backing vocals. From the bar, Merida, Elinor, the Shobijin, the chef & several other of the locals sat back & watched/listened as Eugene, Rapunzel & the thugs sung & danced to the tune: the song was as beautiful & fun as the first time she'd sang it in this very pub, bringing inspiration to six of those regulars – the same ones that now accompany them on their manhunt quest.

When Rapunzel & the band finished, she & her husband received the biggest round of applause, all too happy to be hearing that song which has now become a standard at the Snuggly Duckling as many others patrons attempted their own version – some done fairly, some in the weirdest way.

But of course, it's always priceless when it gets done by the original performers!

Merida, Elinor, the Shobijin & Pascal all wore smiles of appreciation, having enjoyed the song most of all.

"It has been too long since we last sang that for you, hasn't it?", Eugene said to the crowd, getting an applause which became louder. "Well, my wife Rapunzel & I were all too happy to help bring back an unforgettable memory to a place that feels just like a second home to us, & so we though 'oh, what the hay…why not'?"

Another round of boisterous cheers & applause erupted inside the pub, making husband & wife feel even more elevated with pride & royalty than ever.

Now it was Rapunzel who took the stage as it was her turn to address the crowd.

"But while this night was all sorts of ten-ways fun, my friends & I are on a mission currently, so we'd like to ask all of you a very important question: does anybody know anything on the whereabouts of fugitives Prince Hans of the Southern Isles & the Duke of Weselton by any chance?"

Once Rapunzel finished asking her question, the pub became so quiet that crickets chirping could be heard in the background as each local was lost in thought, having their hands placed under their chins. Eugene & company all waited with baited breath for them to reply, hoping to finally get some lead & hot on their trail before even one of them can create more kinds of mischief in Corona.

After what seemed like an eternity (which was actually just a few seconds), they all answered.

It was a cacophony of replies like 'no, ma'am', 'haven't seen either of 'em', 'not around here', & 'sorry babe', to name a few. What was once a glitter of hope became a rainy day on a clear cloudless night; Eugene, Rapunzel, the Shobijin, Pascal, Merida & Elinor all sigh in great depression from the results.

"Drat", Merida exclaimed softly.

"Double drat", Elinor adds in the same manner.

Judging from the lack of information, the group decided it was time to get moving again.

On the plus side, their trip to the Snuggly Duckling wasn't a total loss: the patrons offered them some treats for the road, extra weapons (including Rapunzel's favorite – the frying pan, including one for Elinor), & also a promise to keep sharp lookouts for Hans & the Duke in case they venture into their neck of the woods.

With that in mind, the group untied Maximus & Angus as they were fed with a treat of apples & a carrot or two before heading off in their quest again. One thug – a huge brute of a man like Vladimir, but with a skull helmet from a bear – offered them some torches to see at night & waved them farewell at the entrance.

"Take care, Prince Eugene, Princess Rapunzel! Best of luck to you all on the search!", he said.

"Much obliged, big guy!", Eugene said, waving back with everyone else.

"And remember – always follow your dreams!", Rapunzel called back.

"You bet I will, Princess!", the huge thug said.

"Your dreams stink as bad as you do!", shouted someone from inside the pub as laughter erupts.

"Who said that?!", the huge thug barked, rushing back inside & closing the door. A cacophony of fighting now exploded within the pub, becoming a free-for-all. The entrance opened a bit as one thug stuck his head out with a big grin on his face, sporting curly hair & wearing a Tyrolean-shaped helmet.

When he spoke, it was in an Italian accent.

"Hey, paisanos…fight night!", he said before going back inside. Just then, a second new thug appears in the entranceway who also had a big grin: a curly reddish-blonde head of hair, wearing a top hat & held a horn in one hand. With this horn, he gave a 'honk-honk-honk-honk…honk-honk' sound with it before going back inside with his partner, the door closing shut.

Things got really lively within the Duckling!

The forest, five minutes later:

Rapunzel's party moved through the woods, their torches lighting their path as Maximus once again took point, with Angus following close behind with Shorty & the boys. Keeping their eyes peeled sharper than ever, the group still had some of the Duckling's events on their minds.

"Well, that was an…interesting turn of events, I must say!", Elinor said.

"Just another day at the Duckling, Elinor!", Eugene said as Rapunzel, Pascal & the boys giggled softly. Even the Shobijin joined in, having bared witness to such a raucous yet fascinating lifestyle from humans.

"Interesting indeed, Elinor", they said. "Humans do have a knack for committing violent acts, but they also have a penchant for making the world, other people & even themselves better if they make any & every effort at it. What looked like a group of ruffians & cutthroats can actually have a compassionate, tender side."

"But we ought to keep in mind that the reverse is also true", Rapunzel said, giving everyone a grim reminder. "Hans, the Duke & even Gothel are all perfect examples: what looks innocent enough can have a very deadly venom underneath that can & will paralyze you if one isn't careful enough. That mistake nearly cost me my freedom, as well as Eugene his life."

A solemn silence filled the trip as everyone on it – including Maximus, Angus & Pascal – pondered Rapunzel's words & processed them in the depths of their minds.

"Correct, Rapunzel", said the Shobijin. "That's why the saying of 'You can't judge a book by its cover' should always be remembered."

Another good point: Gothel only pretended to love Rapunzel for almost two decades, but she was interested in just her hair, first & foremost, so that she can still keep herself looking young & beautiful despite the fact that she was centuries old. Her true colors showed when Rapunzel discovered that she was the lost princess the kingdom had been searching for, & became a struggle not only for her freedom, but her very livelihood. It's the same with Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton: Hans wanted to have Anna's hand in marriage, & having been secluded from her sister for so long, she blindly accepted, never realizing that Hans, just like the Duke, was only after Arendelle's vast amount of riches & thus destroy it economically & otherwise, almost costing both Anna & her sister Elsa their lives by his hands when he attempted to assassinate Elsa with his sword.

Were it not for Elsa's ability to fully control her ice powers when Anna was completely frozen & used her love to thaw out her and Arendelle, Hans would've succeeded that day.

But he did succeed in ridding Arendelle of Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, iceman Kristoff & his reindeer Sven as he & the Duke of Weselton joined up with the underground civilization known as the Seatopians & goaded then into battle with Arendelle with their giant insect guardian Megalon that came close to razing it all down to the ground.

Elsa & her party prevented that from happening at the cost of their lives.

No matter what the cost to themselves, Rapunzel & her party are going to make Hans & the Duke pay for what they've done to the Snow Queen, her friends & her land; Gothel already paid for her atrocities, & now it's their turn to receive some punishment.

Merida noticed the somber mood of the trip, & thought of something to try & lighten things up some.

"Quite a place the Snuggly Duckling was, Mum", she says. "Dad & the other clans would've absolutely loved to have seen such a pub!"

"Perhaps it's better that they didn't, Merida", Elinor said. "We'd never be able to bring them home again!"

A wink of her eye later, & both Scottish ladies burst out laughing, breaking the tension from before & bringing smiles to everyone's face. Merida knew her mother had a point: at a place like the Snuggly Duckling, King Fergus & all the others clan leaders – Lord Dingwall, Lord MacGuffin & Lord Macintosh – would be in absolute heaven at the pub, & probably never return to their domains once getting their fix until the break of dawn…and that's if they were all but sober enough to make it back home on their own.

"And wouldn't you show them what-for once they did get home again!", Merida said.

"Bingo!", Elinor said, laughing even harder with her daughter.

The sound of rustling bushes caught the ears of everyone, & the laughter died in the blink of an eye as they all came to a halt to get their weapons ready. Merida got her bow out, placed an arrow on the string & pulled back on it.

"Whoever you are, come out from behind those bushes, nice & easy!", the redhead ordered sharply, narrowing her eyes. "I've got an arrow fixed directly at your current position, & I'll fire it if you're not out of there in the next three seconds! One…two…"

"Hold on, don't shoot – I'm coming out!", said a male voice within the bushes. As promised, the man emerged fully from his hiding place & was dressed in a royal guard's outfit. His hands were raised in a surrendering position – and he looked familiar to Eugene, Rapunzel, Merida, Elinor, & even to Pascal & Maximus.

"Shane?", said the young prince & princess, urging Merida & the thugs to lower their weapons as Shane did so with his arms.

"Why are you here, of all places?", Elinor asked. "And aren't you supposed to be with the Captain?"

"That's just it, Elinor!", Shane replied. "He's gone missing!"

"Missing? How did that happen?", Rapunzel wondered.

"We were doing our daily routine with the Stabbington Brothers, checking every known area for Hans & the Duke & then some! When I suddenly heard a noise & went to check it out on my own, that's when we were attacked by some unknown enemy! I was barely able to fight off my attackers, & when I went back to see if the Captain & the Stabbingtons were okay, they were gone! Just…gone!"

This bit of news horrified the group, & their fears for the Captain & even the Stabbingtons rose high.

"Did you even see what attacked you & your party, Shane?!", Merida asked.

"No…it was too dark to see exactly what it was", Shane answered. "But there's one thing I am certain of: the things that attacked us…they weren't even human!"

Another stunner of news hits the party, & now they were faced with more monsters than just that giant spider they encountered earlier in the day.

"Did you manage to follow these things to their lair at least?", asked Hookhand.

"That's the bit of good news I was about to bring up!", Shane went on. "Using every bit of stealth I can muster, I traced the things back to what appears to be their lair, & wouldn't you know it…both Prince Hans and the Duke of Weselton were there!"

Shane's mentioning of their sought-after fugitives renewed the spark of hope in everyone after it'd more or less flickered out at the Duckling.

"You actually saw them there?! Are you sure about that?!", Rapunzel asked with authority in her tone.

"It's why I went out in hopes of finding you & your party, Princess!", Shane replied honestly. "If anyone in all of Corona is capable of bringing those two down & whatever terrors they have in their arsenal, it's you people!"

Eugene didn't hesitate to say what was on his mind next.

"Take us to their lair, Shane…it's time we ended their reign of terror once & for all!"

Seeing the high enthusiasm in Eugene's group, from he & his wife to the Scottish ladies & the thugs from the Duckling, Shane nodded with full cooperation & agreement.

"Follow me…but in complete silence!", he spoke low. "We don't want to alert them to our presence just yet!"

Everyone nodded, & Shane lead the caravan into the forest with as little noise as possible. A few wondered as to how Shane found them in a forest so big so soon, but put it aside for now as the mission took first/highest priority.

Twenty-four minutes passed by without so much as a nibble, & some were wondering if Shane was somehow mistaken on the location of the lair of Hans & the Duke; it's always possible that they may have changed locations in all the time he was away in order to stay hidden & undiscovered, because both men were clever enough to give their pursuers the slip when they came from Arendelle to Corona.

Rapunzel was about to address Shane when they suddenly heard rustling only forty feet ahead of them.

"Quick – douse all but one of your lights!", he said softly but firmly. The pub thugs did so with their own as did Elinor, leaving only the one left by Eugene as Shane extends his hand. "Eugene…let me take your light!"

"What?", he says. "You're not thinking of going alone, are you?"

"That's exactly what I'm going to do! It is my task to protect you & the royal family after all, so therefore it's I who needs to scope it out first just in case it's a trap of some kind! Now please, young prince…"

He was about to object when Rapunzel intervened.

"He's right, Eugene", she said softly. "That is his job, & he should take the risk first before we go rushing into who-knows-what."

Seeing the truth in her words, Eugene sighs & nodded with no further argument.

"Be very cautious, Shane!", Eugene warns, handing him his torch.

Nodding, he slowly takes steps towards the bushes that have all but ceased to stop. Shane unsheathed his sword & brought it up with his free hand, ready to take a swipe should anything suddenly attack him at a moment's notice.

Poking his weapon into the bushes & hitting nothing, Shane proceeded into & through the grove & emerged on the other side, looking both ways for any surprises that might come his way. Finding no signs of anything, he goes on & gives the area a more thorough check when something drops down from a tree & knocks out Shane's torch, placing the area in darkness everywhere. Before Shane could react, something rushed out from the right & ran into the soldier with incredible speed, causing him to cry out in fear as he gets taken away.

"Shane!", Eugene & Rapunzel cried out in fear, the trepidation spreading to everyone.

But Merida refused to be intimated, & she gets down from Angus with her bow ready.

"Merida…what are you doing?!", Elinor says, fearing for her daughter.

"What does it look like, Mum? Taking the initiative!", she replied.

"Whatever took down Shane is likely to come after us next! We need to get away & come up with a better plan than this!"

Merida turned to her mother with a none-too-pleased face.

"And allow the opportunity of letting Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton slipping right through our fingers again?! Sorry, Mum…I don't think so!", she said firmly.

"She's right, ma'am", said Atilla, raising his spiked mace. "We let this chance go by us & they escape again, we'll all but regret it! It's do-or-die time – we've got to take this chance!"

The other five thugs raise their own weapons in accord with Atilla, indicating to Elinor that he is correct, & are all more than ready & willing to dive into danger if it means ending the one Hans & the Duke have placed Corona in.

They remind me so much of King Fergus & the other clans when they went to go up against Gaira back home!, Elinor thought with a little smile that grew. The boys returned the gesture, telling her that they have her back.

"All right, Merida", Elinor says, facing her daughter. "Take point – but have at least one of the boys with you."

Merida nodded, seeing the logic in her words.

"Hookhand – up front with me!", she ordered as said thug came by her side, hook out & ready.

"Let's go, red!", he says with a look that would scare most anyone away.

"On three! One…two…three!", Merida says, shouting the last word together with her partner before diving into the bushes & emerging from the other end, weapons ready. As expected, they saw no trace of Shane anywhere, not even any sign of his weapon aside from his doused torch. Whoever or whatever snatched him away was very thorough, & their fear for the man's safety grew, not knowing if he's even still alive.

"I'm scared for the man, Red", Hookhand says. "Where'd they take him to?"

"Back to their lair, I imagine", Merida believed. "And we still have no idea where it is, let alone who they are!"

"You think he could have been guessing at its location?"

"No, I doubt that'd be it, he's…wait. You hear that?"

Hookhand stayed silent & concentrated to listen, putting his right hand to an ear & focused, just as Merida was doing. It took some time, but then they could hear a noise that was faint but still audible and recognizable.

It was someone who's been gagged & is crying out for help.

"Say…you see what I see, Red?", Hookhand asks, pointing with his hook hand to something he failed noticing before. Merida looked in the direction to where her partner aimed his hook at, squinting her eyes to get something of a better view. It didn't take long for her to find it as Hookhand did – a faint light at a distance from their position.

"Sounds like trouble", Merida said, calling for the others to rejoin them. In no time, the rest of their party came on through the bushes as Hookhand filled them in on new developments.

"Let's get there quickly but carefully!", Eugene said. "Even if there is someone gagged, we don't know who it is or what to expect when we get there! Like Shane feared, this very well could be a trap!"

"But even if that happens to betrue, I'm not leaving whoever it is at the tender mercies of those scoundrels!", said Rapunzel. "What they did to Shane, they'll no doubt do to him, if not worse! Let's move, Maximus!"

The Andalusian nodded with a sharp neigh & went forward, followed by everyone else as they marched on in a rapid but cautious pace to watch for any more intruders, senses on full alert & weapons raised to strike at a moment's notice of something out of the ordinary which poses a threat. The closer they get to the light, the brighter it gets & the more audible the muffling becomes – which is now sounding like two people are gagged instead of one!

When they get to the bushes the light is now behind, their suspicions were correct: more than one person is gagged & possibly hung from a tree or tied to the ground. Merida placed herself next to the bushes & turned to her friends to see if they were ready like she was.

Their answer was a nod, giving her the signal to go.

As one, they all shoved themselves into the brush & came out the opposite side, ready to face whatever they came upon.

Only problem was, no immediate threat was present, but what they did find made them gasp: there were not one, not two, but three men who were tied with rope & gagged, their hands placed behind their backs.

What's more, these three were known to the group.

"Captain?!", Rapunzel says, seeing the Captain of the Guards in this position.

"The Stabbingtons?!", Eugene says, stunned to find two of the most notorious thieves being in a situation such as this. Eugene wondered who could put them in this helpless position. It couldn't have been Prince Hans or the Duke of Weselton: slippery & cunning as they are, they lack deeply when it comes to brute strength, something these bros have in abundance.

They could mop the floor with Hans & the Duke – blindfolded!, Eugene thought. So how did they get…

His personal thoughts were interrupted when the bound & gagged Captain & Stabbingtons were all vehemently shaking their heads, trying desperately to say something through their gags. It reminded Eugene of when he went on back to the tower after his escape from the palace in order to save Rapunzel from Gothel, only to find her in that very same position just before he became…

That was when it hit him, & his blood ran cold.

"This IS a trap!", he shouted. "Everybody get out before we're all…"

He never got the chance to finish his sentence: Eugene & everyone in his group were all attacked & ambushed by a multitude of powerful beings that abruptly dropped out from overhead trees, their weight & strong fists putting them all under in a heartbeat, their visions all turning as black as the night sky above them. Even Maximus & Angus became victims of this well-executed ambush, & they fell to darkness just as much as their friends.

Approaching the Captain of the Guards & the Stabbington Brothers, those that knocked Rapunzel & company unconscious did the same to them, & their worlds went just as dark.

Pairs of powerful, two-fingered hands grabbed each person.

On the outskirts of Corona:

The larval form of Mothra felt a disturbing presence in the land as she rested within the woods of Germany, all but hidden from any prying eyes. Awakening from her slumber, she sensed this scent of evil coming from the area of Corona, believing that something wicked was going to emerge or already has…with her twin guardians caught in the very heart of it.

Emitting a screech, she turns her head in the very direction she felt this disturbance & scrambles off to face, & hopefully, defeat it.

Further away from Corona:

The adult form of Mothra was also hit by this evil from her senses, & she felt the Shobijin in peril along with a danger that is likely to put them, their friends & all of Corona in grave peril. Screeching in concern & a bit of anger, Mothra lifts her giant butterfly wings & flaps down, creating a powerful wind gust as she gets herself airborne in just a heartbeat before rising to a height of 180 meters & soaring off to where her instincts guided her.

Going at a speed of Mach 3, she should be at her destination sometime after dawn.

CHAPTER VII

Just before the first rays of sunlight appeared over the horizon, Eugene, Rapunzel & the rest were hit by a cold splash of water, stirring them out of their slumber as the frigid liquid hit their nerves, giving them a rude awakening.

"Time to wake up, sleeping beauties!", said a pair of voices they all recognized.

When their visions came into focus, they saw Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton standing before them, each one holding now-empty buckets. Scowling & gritting their teeth in a fit of rage, they all lashed out at their fugitives but didn't get far at all: they discovered themselves shackled by their wrists to chains that were deeply embedded in the wall of a rocky outcropping which has an opening only seven feet away from their left. To their right, Maximus & Angus were in the same fix as them, having a chain noose around their necks: should they try to attempt charging at their captors, they tighten them & quite possibly choke to death. Their weapons rested in a pile sixteen feet away.

"Don't even try to escape from those, my friends: we've taken every precaution to ensure that you can't!", said Prince Hans with his sly & devilish smile.

"Quite true: those chains, plus the way we've enforced them, will see to it that you all stay put for what's to come this day!", said the Duke, his own fiendish smile growing beneath his mustache. "Even those gorillas which you call friends have no chance to breaking free!"

Both men speak true, & they can see why: Vladimir, Hookhand, the other thugs & even the Stabbingtons were all chained by both their ankles and wrists. Only Eugene, Rapunzel, Merida, Elinor & the Captain were shackled just by the wrist, but it was more than enough to keep them in place.

"What are you two rats planning on, anyway?!", Rapunzel growled.

"Oh, you'll see, my dear Rapunzel – you'll all see what Sir Duke & I have cooked up for Corona!", Prince Hans gloats before turning to the two Scottish ladies & taking steps towards them with his partner in crime. "So, who do we really have here, hmm? Queen Elinor & Princess Merida – brought forward to this time from the past by an act of a black wizard's magic! I must say…even we never expected for such an unusual occurrence to take place!"

"Yes, we thought there was something odd about you two ladies when we first saw you!", said the Duke.

This revelation was in total shock to their captives.

"How…how did you two fiends even know that my Mum & I were from a distant past?!", Merida asked with a hard scowl.

"From me, Merida!", said a voice behind a grove of trees. This voice was another stunner…because they knew it!

It can't be!, the Captain thought dreadfully.

Unfortunately it was: stepping into plain sight was a man that has now turned stool pigeon on their party.

"Shane?!", the captives all said.

"Of course – it all makes sense now!", Rapunzel said with a scowl as the pieces started to fit. "Aside from both my parents & my close friends here, you & the Captain were the only ones to know of Merida & Elinor's story! I'll just bet that's also how you knew where to find us at our base of operations!"

"Oh, I wish I could take credit for that, my dear Rapunzel", Shane says. "It belongs to another partner of ours – one you'll all be meeting very soon!"

"Why, Shane?!", Eugene fumed. "Why turn traitor to your duties, your Captain, the King & Queen, Rapunzel & myself, & possibly all of Corona by joining up with these two?!"

"Simple – it's because of YOU, Eugene!"

Nobody expected Shane to come up with an answer like that, & it left them confused more than ever.

"Me?! What have I ever done to you?!", Eugene wondered.

"Everything!", Shane spat. "When you were still the thief known as Flynn Rider, you stole some of our land's most precious treasures – up to & including the Princess' crown – and eluded/escaped at every whim, making us look like bonafide fools! And what's more, you ally yourself with not only the Stabbingtons, but these ruffians, who are all every bit as bad as you are! But the biggest blow came when the King & Queen actually went & made you a prince, of all things, & they allowed yourself to be married to their one & only daughter, when it should have been me!"

"And that's an excuse for you to turn your back on everything you uphold & let down those who depend on you?!", a fuming Rapunzel snapped. "You've obviously never heard the old phrase of 'forgive & forget'…have you?! You're even more of a monster than Hans, the Duke, or that giant spider they let loose upon us! Just wait until my mother & father hears about this treason & insubordination of yours, Shane – will you ever be sorry!"

"I'm already sorry, princess: sorry I never got the chance to kill Eugene & take you for my wife, whether you wanted to be or not! Alone, I daren't ever tried, but when Prince Hans here came along & told me of his plans to rid myself of your husband & make you my own…opportunity knocked, & I answered!"

A sudden thought entered the captive's heads, & Stabbington Brother #1 was the first to announce it orally.

"You, handsome prince…you've been here to Corona before, haven't you?!", he said, staring daggers at him.

Hans chuckled a bit before confessing.

"Give the man an accommodation!", he mocked. "Yes, it wasn't long until after I heard about what went down here with Rapunzel's sad story with the happy ending that got me quite curious. Upon arriving, I've happened to run into Shane, & he made no secret of his extreme loathing of Eugene & his place as prince in the castle, not to mention losing Rapunzel as his wife to him. Therefore, I made him a proposition: once I took control of Arendelle by hook or by crook, I'd have him 'disposed' of so that he could take his place & rule Corona by her side. Of course, he'd have to wait a few years until after Queen Elsa's coronation, but…"

"He informed me that it would be worth the arduous wait!", Shane finished. "And lo & behold, he was right! We have you all exactly where we want you, & with you out of the way, nothing shall stop us from ruling this land before we go coast to coast, & perhaps even beyond these borders!"

"Ha – that's a laugh!", Elinor snapped. "Your giant spider couldn't even bring us down, so what makes you think you have any chance?!"

"We're not the ones who are shackled to a wall, my queen", the Duke said, walking up to her. "And that spider – Kumonga – is only one of the creatures we have in our arsenal."

Without warning, the Duke backhanded Elinor in the face with a highly audible smack that made her cry out & the others angry, particularly Merida.

"And you'll do well to watch your tongue, woman!", the Duke spat. "In your current position, you aren't fit to be mocking a lowly peasant, let alone three future rulers!"

Elinor stared hard with gritted teeth at the Duke, wanting nothing more than to strangle the man with her own bare hands; not since Asarlai has she felt the urge to take a life, & it was rather difficult for her to tell who was worse between them in comparison.

Merida gave the Duke a hard kick while his attention was focused on her mother, & it was more than enough to knock the man down on his rear.

"And you'll do well not to hit my mother, Duke!", Merida spat through clenched teeth. "The last person to had foolishly done so got a sword rammed through his heart – by me!"

Hookhand & the boys, including Stabbington Brother #1, laughed loud & hard at the display, seeing a full-grown weasel of a man getting knocked down by a young girl. Even Maximus got in on the action, & laughed at his heart's desire.

"Hey grandpa! I guess this proves you really are from 'Weasel Town', after all!", Vladimir said, inciting even more boisterous laughter from the boys. Eugene, Rapunzel & the Captain didn't laugh themselves, but they did smirk in amusement.

Grabbing his fallen spectacles, the Duke rose up with rage in his eyes.

"That's 'Weselton', you brainless oafs – Weselton!", he barked, raising a fist & looking to strike each one in rage for mispronouncing his home like so many have in the past. Only when Prince Hans had placed a hand upon his shoulder did the Duke stop in his tracks.

"Forget it, Sir Duke – they're not worth it", he says, releasing his partner. "But you needn't worry: they're all going to suffer once we take over Corona!"

"Uh, no offense, handsome prince, well actually, a lot of offense, but…to use a childish phrase, 'you & what army'?", Hookhand asked with a smirk as the other boys nodded.

Hans, Shane & the Duke gave an evil chuckle.

"Funny you should mention that, fella!", Shane replied, snapping his fingers. Almost like magic, several things dropped out from surrounding trees & nearby bushes, their grotesque appearance inciting gasps of fright from every person chained to the wall. These creatures were black with three body segments – head, thorax, abdomen – and they stood on two legs, with two pairs of arms each with two-fingered hands. Their heads sported multifaceted eyes & a pair of pincers with sharp teeth, making a chitinous sound.

Their numbers measured at about 50-60, & stood vertically at about a foot taller than Hans & his partners.

"Are those…ants?!", Rapunzel asks, bewildered.

"Correct, my dear!", Hans replied with a smile. "Do you know that just one of these little creatures – who are usually no longer than a few millimeters in length – can lift more than ten times their own weight? That's equal to a man lifting about a ton or more, so you can imagine just how strong these beauties are! Ever wonder how you all got clobbered the other night & brought back here?"

Getting the drop on their persons from these insect aberrations wasn't the only thing they were wondering, as something else entered their minds that was more important.

"Hey! I just remembered something else! Where's the two little girls at?!", Shorty asked.

And Pascal?!, Rapunzel recalled, not having seen him anywhere among the captives now that the Shobijin had been brought up.

"You mean them?", said the Duke as one of the ant creatures came through the crowd of its brethren & faced the captives holding the box in which the Shobijin were still holed up inside, terrified & holding each other close as Pascal became placed in with them. When another of the ant creatures looked in the barred opening, the little women cringed further as Pascal stepped in front of them, putting up his front paws to show he's ready for a fight.

"You devilish fiends!", Eugene snapped. "Take your filthy mitts off of them, you dirty insects!"

"Yeah, uglies! Go pick on somebody your own size!", said Atilla.

"Hans, I swear to the heavens that if you or any of your bugs so much as harms even the smallest hair on either of those two ladies, I'll personally…", the Captain started to say menacingly.

"Whatever you have in mind of doing to me, Captain, you & your friends can forget it!", Hans snapped. "Not one of you is getting free from those chains that bind you, plus we've destroyed the key so that you'll be stuck there until we decide on what to do with you all! The only reason we're allowing you to live for right now instead of killing you where you stand is because we want to see you all get into the greatest level of despair, once you've learned that the city of Corona & everyone you ever knew is burned down to the ground & dead! Then, & only then, will you all but guess on what your fates will be! Now, if you'll kindly excuse us…"

Hans, the Duke & Shane lean in towards their captive audience & grin wickedly.

"We have a city to dominate!", the trio say simultaneously as Rapunzel & company grit their teeth in pure hate & scowls that can melt steel.

Their facial expressions dropped immediately when a screeching sound caught the attention of hero & villain alike. Everyone looked around to pinpoint its origin, & from out of the cover of the forest rose a giant caterpillar that measured 100 meters in length, with blue eyes & black mandibles. It stared down at the group, eyeing Prince Hans & his party mostly, sending chills up their spines as it emitted another menacing screech.

It was a scary sight for Hans & his men, but a welcome sight for Eugene, Rapunzel, Merida, Elinor, Maximus, Angus, Pascal, the Captain of the Guards, the Snuggly Duckling thugs & especially the Shobijin twins.

"Mothra!", those that could speak cried out with a smile of relief.

Having never seen the big bug before, the Stabbington Brothers could only stare in absolute amazement.

"You guys actually know this big bug?!", Brother #1 asks.

"You bet we do, Mr. Stabbington!", Rapunzel says. "She helped save us from being lost at sea as we returned from Arendelle!"

"And now she's going to save Corona from them!", Eugene says, sporting a fiendish smile at Hans.

The ant creature that held the box with the Shobijin & Pascal inside dropped it from its grip, going into freefall & making the white hats gasp. But they needn't worried: as soon as they were dropped, the Shobijin both placed their hands together & made the box halt in mid-air as it righted itself & floated down to the ground nice & gently. Pascal dropped his lower jaw in complete surprise, never realizing the two little six-inch-tall ladies had such an ability.

At that same time, the Shobijin also used their extraordinary talent to undo everyone's binds & freed them from their shackles, be it on their wrists/ankles or even around their necks. Vladimir went to pick up the box & handed it over to an approaching Elinor.

"Here you are, milady", he says warmly. "I believe they're best safe in your hands."

"Why thank you, Vladimir!", Elinor said with the warmest smile she could ever give as she took the box, opened it up & Pascal leaped out & headed straight for Rapunzel, landing right on her shoulder & making her giggle.

"You had me worried there for a moment, you little rascal you!", she teased. "But…it's good to have you back, buddy!"

Pascal gave a look that said 'same here, doll', making her giggle again.

Grabbing their weapons, the group gathered together as the Stabbington Brothers took a good look at the little ladies who stood only six inches tall. The Shobijin, sensing no hostility but curiosity within the siblings, smiled at the boys & bowed in greetings.

"Amazing! If I hadn't seen for myself, I never would've believed it!", Brother #1 said as #2 nodded before they faced their one-time partner-in-crime. "I gotta say, Eugene: you have some…really interesting friends."

"You have no idea!", Eugene & Rapunzel say in unison with grins.

The Stabbingtons smiled warmly at both prince & princess, then at the Shobijin.

"Folks, I hate to break up this tender moment, but…", Shorty cut in, giving everyone a grim reminder.

"No worries, Shorty – I think this manhunt just came to an end, along with this nightmare!", Merida says as she aims an arrow directly at Hans. Taking her cue, those who had weapons readied them & stepped closer towards Hans & his allies, human & otherwise. Even Maximus & Angus took up defensive positions, having even less love for the dastardly group than their human counterparts, & they're ready to trample each & every one of them to death if that's what it takes to end their reign of terror.

"Just like Red said, pretty boy – it's over!", Hookhand says with the meanest facial expression he could muster & raising his left-handed weapon.

"Even with your army of bugs, you still can't defeat us and Mothra, Hans!", Eugene said, just as said insects moved in on his friends for the kill. Mothra acted quickly & sprayed the caravan of humanoid insects with strands of her silk that immobilized each one where they stood. Hans, the Duke & Shane all dived for cover & barely avoided sharing their fate, while none of the sticky silk touched Rapunzel & company in any way, shape or form. No matter how hard they fought, the humanoid ants couldn't escape even with their full strength being used.

Instantly, the terrible trio are surrounded by Rapunzel's party with no chance to escape.

"Any other fancy tricks you want to try, pretty boy?", Stabbington Brother #1 says, his face like stone & his sword raised. "While we are under orders by the King & Queen to bring you in alive, they did mention that dead is a most acceptable option!"

"He speaks the truth, fellas!", said the Captain. "Considering your crimes in Arendelle along with felonies you've committed here in Corona, nobody's going to hesitate to send you to your makers! Now then…you want to make this easy on yourselves & be brought back in one piece, or are you going to be stupid & be carried back as three corpses?!"

"Personally, we're hoping you'll choose the latter…because we're in the mood to kill something!", Vladimir says, getting nods & grunts of approval/agreement from the other thugs.

Hans put on a face that makes him look like he's considering his choices.

"Well, Captain, considering all the serious charges that are stacked against me & my cohorts, I believe…we'll go with stupid!", Hans said before smiling wickedly & reciting a spell in an ancient language that has an immediate effect: the crimson jewel that was well-hidden within the trees shoots itself into the air. Glowing in conjunction with Hans' chant, it rises up to a height of 30 meters before stopping in mid-air & shined brighter until it began growing larger & taking shape. Rapunzel's group watched along with Mothra's larval form as the red jewel formed a pair of powerful legs with three-toed clawed feet, a slender but powerful body, a pair of arms with four-fingered hands that were also clawed, a pair of large leathery wings & a long tail that ended in a hairy black fin. A dinosaurian head was attached to a long neck, with a mouth full of sharp teeth & fangs like a rattlesnake's. The head sprouted three large horns that pointed towards the rear, & a mane of what seems to resemble long black hair as a pair of eyes with olive irises & dark lashes finished the look. Its flesh was a deep red with black patches & a peach underside, & a forked tongue emerged from its toothy maw.

It was a giant crimson dragon that stood to a height of 60 meters tall, & it let out a bellowing roar before it had spoken without moving its mouth.

"Ah, that's SO much better!", it said in a female voice before craning its neck & looking down at the fugitive prince. "You kept your WORD, handsome prince, & I thank you for it!"

Hans nodded as the creature now gazed its eyes upon Rapunzel & her party, all of whom were terrified to have a 60-meter-tall dragon staring down on them. Pascal turned blue before hiding within his master's hair.

"Hello, my dear!", it said, staring directly at Rapunzel & her husband. "And you as well, handsome prince! I can't BEGIN to tell you how WONDERFUL it is to SEE you two again! I do believe it IS 'prince' nowadays, yes?"

Something about the dragon was familiar to both Eugene & Rapunzel, & their fears were made all the worse with the clues just provided by the beast.

No…it's not possible!, Rapunzel thought, her heart racing a mile a minute like her husband's.

"GOTHEL?!", Eugene & Rapunzel shouted, their eyes agape.

"The old lady?!", Stabbington Brother #1 said, his own eyes also at their widest along with his sibling's & the rest. Nobody could believe that this monstrous dragon was the very same person that kidnapped Rapunzel as a baby & hid her so that she could remain young & beautiful until Eugene put an end to her by cutting off Rapunzel's hair & caused her to become dust.

But this creature before them confirmed it as she added the final clues.

"NOT so 'old' anymore, Stabbington!", Gothel Dragon said, rising to her full height. "Thanks to Prince Hans & his two cohorts, I am resurrected, reborn & BETTER THAN EVER! And now that I've been given a brand new lease on life, it's time to settle old scores…beginning with ruining everything you've EVER known & loved, my dear Rapunzel! While I go & decimate your beloved village, I'll let you & Prince Charming ponder on whether I choose to dispense you & your friends, or keep you as my obedient slaves until the day you all die! After all…"

The thing that used to be Rapunzel's keeper formed what appeared to be a smile on her dragon mouth.

"Mother knows best!"

Gothel Dragon raised her head & laughed maniacally in all her glory, but Rapunzel still refused to be even the least bit intimidated. Same went for Eugene, & they both scowled in hatred towards the looming creature before them all.

"You can have any body & grow to be as big as you want, Gothel, but it still won't change the indisputable fact that you are nothing but a spoiled brat to the fullest!", Rapunzel shouted, her fists clenched.

"And no matter what form you take or how big you are, we will bring you down…one way or another!", cried Eugene, his blood boiling just as much as his wife's. "After all…I've beaten you before, & I will do whatever it takes to do so again!"

Gothel Dragon tilted her head as if surprised.

"Really?", she said, clearly amused. "And HOW, prey tell, are you going to manage to do THAT, dear prince? Cut off MY hair like you did to Rapunzel's & see if I crumple to dust a SECOND time?"

Gothel Dragon let out another boisterous roar of laughter, gloating on her own joke.

"No, Gothel…we got something else in mind!", Eugene said as Rapunzel nodded. Turning to the Shobijin, they nod in favor & place their hands together. Without warning, larva Mothra spewed a strand of her silk onto Gothel's upper part, covering her face & trapping her wings that will prevent her from flying for the moment. Mothra quickly followed up her silk attack by rising her upper part & firing a green beam from her underside, striking Gothel Dragon square in her face & chest, causing her to cry out in pain.

Tearing the silk off her face, Gothel Dragon stared daggers at her insect adversary.

"You're rather FEISTY for an insect…and JUST as annoying as any bug!", she says. "What say you try THIS on for size?!"

From her toothy maw, a gout of dark blue flames belched forth & struck between Mothra & the ground right underneath her, causing it to explode at that spot & sending the caterpillar airborne. The Shobijin & their friends gasp in fright as Mothra receives punishment & crashes in the dirt with earth-shaking force, causing her to cry out. Mothra shakes the cobwebs loose in record time to get herself oriented & prepare to attack again.

This time, however, it was Gothel Dragon that attacks first: getting airborne, she swoops in & lands her feet in Mothra's side, sending her tumbling like a runaway log as numerous trees get flattened beneath her weight. Making a 180 degree turn for another pass, Gothel Dragon belched more of her fire & set herself on a direct course for the big larva. But Mothra was ready: when she got within range, the caterpillar had made a leap at Gothel, which completely surprised her. Both combatants collided in an airborne crash that sent a vibration which everyone in the vicinity felt. Gothel Dragon was the first to hit the ground, shaking it with earthquake force. Larval Mothra fell on top of her foe & shot her emerald beam at point-blank range, scorching her enemy's crimson flesh & making her cry in anguish. The caterpillar didn't let up: she kept the momentum on, knowing that any lack of it will be of great consequence, & all of Corona will feel her wrath.

But Gothel Dragon will not be denied her vengeance!

With a whip of her tail, she smacked larval Mothra off her that sent her hitting the dirt 50 or so meters away. Rising to her feet, Gothel Dragon approached her insect enemy, who struck with another spewing of her silk. Gothel Dragon didn't fall for it: she unleashed her flames as soon as Mothra's silk was deployed, melting it before it ever got close. Once she got near, Gothel gave Mothra a furious kick in her side that caused bleeding punctures in her side, & the caterpillar tumbled another 35 meters before Gothel Dragon reached out & bit Mothra hard dead center, her teeth puncturing her exoskeleton & sinking deep.

Prince Hans, the Duke of Weselton & Shane all wore huge grins of satisfaction.

"Mothra!", Rapunzel & her group all cried out as said insect cried out herself in a world of pain as her wounds bled a lime-green fluid. Gothel Dragon put the pressure on Mothra, making the insect cry louder & her wounds more intense. Giving her foe one last squeeze between her vice-like jaws, Gothel released her smaller prey as she landed at her feet, enabling her to place a foot upon the caterpillar & attempt to crush her as a person would do any bug.

"For a meddlesome insect, you DO have a strong fighting spirit!", Gothel Dragon said. "But I now grow weary of this tussle of ours! Time for ALL bugs to meet their inevitable fate…being crushed underfoot!"

Mothra felt the incredible pressure of Gothel's right foot overhead: she fought with all her remaining strength, but the wounds she suffered by her hands made Mothra's attempts at escape feeble, & her wounds began bleeding in greater accuracy. Unless something gets done, Gothel will crush Corona's last hope before the area shares her fate.

And Eugene & his group are as helpless as Mothra is in preventing it.

Flying in at a great speed, a large lepidopteran slammed into Gothel Dragon with sledgehammer force, sending her tumbling with a painful grunt. Larval Mothra looks to see with a blurred vision to find her adult parent tackling her enemy, giving her time to make a retreat as she was in no condition for battle.

Weakened by her injuries, larval Mothra made slow progress.

"Is that…?", Stabbington Brother #1 wanted to ask, pointing at the butterfly which swooped in.

"Yes…that is Mothra's adult form, Mr. Stabbington", the Shobijin said. "She knows instinctively if & when a great danger is nearby, & will fight with the force of a raging storm whenever the need should arise, especially if it's to protect her infant from an enemy."

"And Mothra is as steamed as can be, I gather?"

"Yes. She is very angry that Gothel dares to attack her younger stage, & will fight on until one or both should fall."

"It's no different from any mother protecting her child", Merida says, looking at her Mum.

"Nothing's fiercer than a mother's rage whenever her children are under attack", Elinor says, turning to Merida with a little smile. "That's something I know all too well."

Merida smiled herself, remembering when Elinor went ballistic on Asarlai for daring to attack/harm her three little sons Hamish, Hubert & Harris, not to mention her maid Maudie, as she was as much a part of her family as her sons, Fergus & Merida themselves.

Her rage on Asarlai then was exactly the same as adult Mothra's on Gothel Dragon, & she pulls no punches or holds back on anything.

Doing a 180 degree turn, adult Mothra unleashes her yellow antennae beams upon her crimson-fleshed enemy, scorching her side that made the large reptile roar in agony. Gothel Dragon attempted to put the bite on Mothra when she passed by, but the butterfly was too quick & cunning to fall for it as she went left before Gothel could get in range for a deadly bite. In spite of her huge size, Mothra moves with the grace & elegance of a cat.

But the same can also be said for Gothel Dragon: when Mothra makes another round at her foe, the crimson beast turned a full 360 degrees & swatted Mothra with her long tail that made her screech in surprise & sent her on a violent twirling in the air before she's able to get herself upright again. Pressing her advantage, Gothel Dragon took to the air herself & charged Mothra, who catches Gothel streaking towards her but has no time to evade her charge. Both combatants collide as Gothel Dragon grabbed Mothra's head with her hands & put tremendous pressure upon it, threatening to crush her head like an overripe fruit.

"You think you can defeat ME, insect?!", Gothel growled. "A butterfly is no more than a shriveled WORM with wings attached! Time to get them CLIPPED!"

Increasing the pressure on Mothra's head, Gothel Dragon attempts to unleash her flames directly in her face but instead gets struck by a series of yellow lightning bolts from the butterfly's wings. The sudden shock took Gothel by surprise as her body gets jolted from the voltage, causing her to release Mothra's head & detach herself from her hold upon the lepidopteran. Breaking away, Mothra shoots up into the air & makes a dive-bomb attack on Gothel Dragon by unleashing a barrage of antennae beams, wing lightning strikes, & even a shower of yellow glitter that covered her crimson-fleshed enemy everywhere. All these attacks being launched simultaneously caused a powerful backlash on Gothel Dragon as sparks & explosions strike her body everywhere like dynamite was placed at numerous areas upon her flesh. Gothel screamed & bellowed in pain & rage as Mothra added insult to injury by grabbing her head with her six feet & pulled with all her might, causing the beast to topple over backwards & get dragged along on her back as Mothra took her away from her larva & Rapunzel's group.

But Gothel Dragon was every inch as determined as she was cunning: even though she couldn't break Mothra's hold of her, she can lash out with her tail which whipped out & hit Mothra's abdomen, causing a slash that bled & the butterfly to cry out before finally unleashing her hold. As Mothra got herself ready for another passing attack, Gothel Dragon counterattacked with her blue flame, reaching her enemy's height. Mothra evades the searing heat & dodges another tail attack before diving to Gothel Dragon's right & turning to face the monster just as said creature rose to her feet to strike back. She doesn't get the chance: Mothra begun flapping her giant wings that created a powerful gust of wind that actually caused Gothel to be dragged backwards as her feet created grooves in the dirt from her claws dug into it, trying to anchor herself in place but failing.

Even her enormous strength couldn't prevent herself from being pushed back by this hurricane-like wind being generated from Mothra's wings, & she was no more successful in pushing against it either: for her, it was almost like fighting Old Man Winter or even Mother Nature's mightiest winds. If only Gothel could get to & shred her wings before taking care of her larva for good…

And then it hit her, & Gothel Dragon came up with a strategy.

This time, she doesn't fight the winds but allows them to take her as she spreads her own wings so that they can catch a strong gust & get her airborne. Once out of range of Mothra's self-made hurricane, Gothel flies under her own power directly towards Mothra's wounded larva, ready to roast it alive.

Seeing her young in danger, Mothra flies in after her to intercept.

Little did the butterfly realized it was precisely what Gothel Dragon wanted: when Mothra got within striking range, Gothel turned & blasted the lepidopteran with a powerful, head-on dose of her flames that engulfed her entire body, making her cry out in intense pain & searing over two-thirds of her main body. Too distracted by the anguish, Mothra never saw the tail that smacked her hard & sent her crashing into the ground 300 meters away. Gothel Dragon flew over towards her fallen foe, grabbed her between the right wing & head with her left hand & used her right to begin pounding on Mothra in the face, causing the insect to cry in pain with each blow.

Faces of horror were upon every member of Rapunzel's team, while it was the opposite with Hans' group, all of them sporting wide grins of sick satisfaction.

"Yes…yes!", the Duke cheered with clenched fists. "That's it, Gothel: beat that meddlesome bug with your bare hands & splatter her innards everywhere as you decorate all of Corona with them!"

That's just what Gothel Dragon does to her helpless prey: pound the daylights out of Mothra with her free hand & creating bruising/bleeding cuts wherever those blows landed.

"HA! Not so GOOD when it's YOUR turn…IS IT, insect?!", Gothel gloated, her attacks getting more savage & unrelenting than ever. Too disoriented to fight back, Mothra can do nothing to stop the terrible beating Gothel Dragon was dishing out to her, & her consciousness was beginning to slip into darkness. Ceasing her beating, Gothel grabbed Mothra by the neck & body-slammed the 20,000 metric ton butterfly into the ground with earth-shaking force as the insect now laid on her back, looking up at a dragon who smiled down upon her.

Mothra tried getting airborne, but was too much out of it to do anything but screech weakly, & Gothel Dragon kept on the momentum by stomping on her fallen foe with both feet six-seven times before grabbing Mothra by her neck & raising her to eye level.

"SOME enemy!", Gothel gloats, flicking her forked tongue. "Despite your best efforts, you've hardly made me break a SWEAT! This fight was NOTHING! YOU…are nothing! And THAT'S what we're going to turn CORONA into before too long, but first…"

Gothel Dragon violently threw Mothra away as she landed on her stomach before the red-skinned monster was now approaching Mothra's badly-injured larva, stopping just 50 meters in front of her.

"You get to have the privilege of seeing your BABY get blasted away before it becomes YOUR turn!", Gothel says, igniting the inside of her mouth with her blue flame. Eugene, Rapunzel & company felt their biggest feeling of dread rise up from their stomachs as they see their fears come true: a wounded larval Mothra lays dying just as much as herparent – and they can't do a thing to prevent the inevitable.

Gothel's mouth flung forward, & she unleashed her fire upon her weak & helpless enemy.

In the few seconds before the flames could touch Mothra's larval form, the adult used her last bit of strength to get in front of the scorching projectile, using herself as a living shield for her infant. The flames consumed every square inch of her body, up to & including her wings; her body started glowing after three seconds, & the intensity of it grew since until adult Mothra's body became almost translucent. The larval form of the butterfly glanced over at her parent & exchanged a few words for a few seconds until it finally happened.

In a fiery holocaust, adult Mothra's body detonated into a million shining pieces of yellow light, showering the area with her remnants which also included Rapunzel & her team, who had to shield their eyes briefly from the bright flash before it dissipated.

"MOTHRA!", they cried, after seeing no sign of the adult or the larva anywhere.

Gothel Dragon emitted a laugh of triumph at seeing her enemies destroyed, & her joy was shared by Hans, the Duke & Shane.

"How convenient – two birds with one stone!", Gothel says pleasurably. "Even I couldn't have foreseen this to swing in my favor, but you know what they say, 'Never look a gift horse in the mouth'!"

Gothel Dragon allowed herself a chuckle at her own joke.

"And SPEAKING of which…", she said before walking over towards Rapunzel & company, all of whom were filled with sorrow but also anger that reached their highest peak. None of them cared if Gothel Dragon decided to fry them all where they stood: they weren't going to give her or any of her cohorts the satisfaction of groveling/begging for their lives/mercy.

Weapons ready, they waited for her approach as the earth shook with each step.

Gothel Dragon stopped at twenty-five meters from the group & stared down at her smaller enemies who were willing to go out in defiance rather than cowardice. Even Maximus, Angus & Pascal stood strong, & were all just as ready to show courage in the face of what appeared to be certain death.

Gothel couldn't help but to be amused by this show of resistance, & she chuckled.

"Even now, you all remain most defiant!", she said. "I honestly can't decide whether you're either very BRAVE or very FOOLISH at this pathetic display!"

"Call it whatever you want, Gothel!", Eugene shouted. "But don't think even for one second that we're going to allow you the pleasure of seeing us as scared as rabbits! If we are going to die by your hands, then we're doing so knowing we've stood up to someone who's no more than an overgrown bully!"

Each head – human & animal – nodded to Eugene's statement. Even Pascal was ready to go in a blaze of glory with his master & friend, his skin tone red & pounding a fist into his palm.

The crimson-fleshed dragon was not impressed.

"Tempting as it is to roast you all where you stand, I DID promise Rapunzel & her handsome prince as much despair & sorrow as possible first, & that's EXACTLY what I intend to deliver! Therefore…"

A small but intense glob of fire was spat from Gothel's mouth that came down & landed on the silk which the larval Mothra used to trap the ant soldiers, melting it away & freeing the insect warriors. Immediately seeing Eugene & his people, they took several steps towards them but were halted when Hans barked an order.

"No, stop!", he said, raising his palm. "Let them go! There's nothing that they can do to us, now that their giant guardian is all kaput! We've got more important matters to attend to!"

"Namely, bringing Corona to its knees just as we did with Arendelle!", said the Duke. "And…unlike Queen Elsa, none of you are gifted with any snow or ice powers to freeze any of our giants!"

"Giants?", said Stabbington Brother #1, his face in a skeptical expression. "As in plural? Sorry to break it to you, Duke-y, but all we see is the old lady in her new – and not-so-improved – dragon body!"

"And your giant spider which you named Kumonga?", Elinor adds. "He's got a big problem of his own to deal with…namely, Baragon!"

Hans, the Duke & Shane laughed softly, confusing the crew.

"Poor, misguided fools!", Hans said. "You really think that Kumonga & Gothel here were our only two beasts we've created to wreak havoc in Corona?"

As if on cue, a half-dozen new creatures appear as if by magic, but were really only using some sort of cloaking capability that enabled them to blend in with their surroundings. They were giant praying mantises that stood about 50 meters tall & 90 meters long, with large yellow eyes & spikes that protruded from their thorax on their backs & sides. They were almost identical to each other, but with a few differences: three of them were sort of a teal green in color, with perfectly working forelegs that are used for catching prey. The other three had a darker green color tone, & had forelegs that were each different from the other: the left one was in the position/shape of a large scythe, & the one on the right was a simple long sword-like appendage that looked perfect for stabbing/slashing.

All of them had a pair of antennae protruding from between the eyes, & mandibles that were used for tearing & eating flesh.

The look of surprise & trepidation on the faces of Rapunzel & her friends was all but priceless to Hans & his cohorts.

"Behold!", Hans exclaimed as if making an introduction in a show. "Say 'hello' to our latest addition to our monster army…the Kamacuras! Already having a giant predatory spider in our midst, it's only fitting to include some predatory insects to the party! And now that we have a formidable army…it's time to really go to town!"

With a single motion of his hand, Hans commanded his ant army to march onwards to Corona's main city, with three of them getting on all six limbs to act as transports for Hans, the Duke & the traitorous Shane, but not before the Captain barked vehemently at him.

"You're a disgrace to the royal guards, Shane! When the King & Queen hear of your betrayal…"

"Oh don't worry, Captain!", Shane called back with a sly smile. "They will be hearing about it soon enough – after we start causing a great amount of destruction & mayhem!"

"So long, fools!", the Duke adds. "Enjoy your last moments of life wallowing in despair & self-pity, wishing you could prevent what's coming!"

Like a swarm of mutated steeds, the ant soldiers raced off with Hans & his cohorts rising as passengers. Gothel Dragon issued a growl to the Kamacuras, ordering them onwards & follow her lead as she took off in the air. Like an array of obedient soldiers, the Kamacuras form two lines behind the red-skinned beast & head directly for their target with no opposition.

Hans, the Duke, Shane & even Gothel Dragon all let out a maniacal laugh, knowing that Eugene, Rapunzel & their friends truly cannot stop their plan of carnage in Corona.

The party of oncoming horror was gone in over a minute.

Between the Snuggly Duckling & Corona Kingdom:

A cast of shadows from both the air & on the ground caught everyone's attention, interrupting their chores.

What they all saw was like something from straight out of their own worst nightmares: a giant crimson-fleshed dragon & a half-dozen giant praying mantises were flying towards them at a great speed, with a swarm of large ants scuttling on all six limbs, with three of them carrying a human on their backs – each one with a sinister smile on their faces. The people of the area screamed in terror & ran for their lives, with horses & other animals all going ballistic & some leaving without a rider or even a saddle.

Hans saw the perfect place for the six bugs to begin their reign.

"Kamacuras…DESCEND!", he called out as Gothel Dragon gave a grunt to said insects in their language to carry out Hans' orders, & the praying mantis monsters dived down & landed to immediately create the havoc Hans & company wished to spread all across Corona, & this small village was as good a place as any to begin. As Hans, the Duke & Shane raced through, they witness the total chaos the Kamacuras were already creating: destroying housing, ruining the prosperity of the area by eating their crops & more than a few livestock, & even consuming more than a few people in the process. Their screams of pure terror as they were eaten alive by the Kamacuras became absolute music to the ears of Hans & his cohorts.

"All this chaos, destruction & death…it's wonderful!", the Duke said, emitting a maniacal laugh.

"This is but the mere beginning, Sir Duke!", Hans said. "Just wait until we strike the city itself!"

"The sooner the better, Prince Hans!", Shane says. "I want to see the look on the King & Queen's faces as they see what we're going to deliver at their doorstep!"

Hans & the Duke nodded, who were just as eager to see their reaction as Shane was.

Urging their rides on, the trio race through the village: the Kamacuras have reached their destination, but they now need to reach the ultimate prize.

The Kingdom of Corona!

King Frederic & Queen Arianna's Palace, Corona:

Tension was high in the city ever since news of Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton's arrival on their shores had been made across the land, especially in the palace. King Frederic & Queen Arianna were equally worried most of all, with good reason: not only are the two fugitives running around their beautiful land, their one & only daughter is out there searching for them. Even with the thugs from the Snuggly Duckling, her husband Eugene, & the Scottish ladies from another time & place by her side, they couldn't help but to worry, as it's only natural for parents to do so for their children.

Queen Arianna became the first to steel herself & approach her husband, who was now staring out the window that shows the mainland from their vantage point.

Gently taking his arm, she begins to comfort Frederic as best she can.

"It'll be all right, my husband…you'll see", she says with passion.

"I want to believe you on that, Arianna", Frederic says, taking her hand in his. "But I still can't help but wonder for our daughter Rapunzel: the fear of losing her a second time is almost more than I could everhandle, & now she's out there somewhere, attempting to find a pair of very dangerous fugitives who'd just as soon kill her as look at her."

Arianna took Frederic's head in her hands & gently turned his way so that they were staring at each other.

"Our daughter is far more clever & resourceful than even we might think, my husband", she says sweetly with a smile. "And let us not forget who she's with: they'll all keep her safe to their last breath. That Scottish girl Merida? She fought & took down a powerful black wizard, of all things – rammed a sword right through his dark heart, she did. If she's capable of doing that for the people she loves, then our Rapunzel couldn't be in safer hands."

Like magic, Arianna's words spark hope for Frederic, knowing she raised a good point: if a Scottish teenager like Merida can face & defeat an evil sorcerer like Asarlai by driving a sword through him, then Rapunzel really is in the best of care, aside from her husband Eugene & their horse Maximus.

"I…I will try to have more faith in what they're doing, my dear. I promise", he says, smiling.

Arianna smiled back, hugging her man as she looked out the window.

Slowly, her smile turned down as her eyes caught some movement in the air above the land.

"What is that?", she wondered, breaking away from Frederic before grabbing a mini telescope & used it to peer at a bit of movement that was in the form of a dark shape. Putting the scope to her left eye, Arianna focused on the lens to get a clearer picture.

What she saw made her gasp, & she nearly dropped the scope as she backed away from the window.

"Arianna?", Frederic said, stopping his wife's stumble with one hand as he took the scope with the other.

Looking into it where Arianna did, a gasp escaped from his own mouth & his eyes widened.

"Oh dear God!", he said in a horrified whisper.

Dropping the scope, he took her hand & raced off to warn the kingdom of what's coming.

Horror was about to hit Corona!

Prince Hans' hideout, the far northeast:

Eugene & everyone else were pondering on what they could do to stop the terror that's now heading for Corona while they're sitting pretty without a plan, let alone their guardian Mothra, as both the larval & adult forms had gotten blown away by a madwoman who's supposed to be nothing but dust & is now reborn as a 60-meter-tall, fire-spitting dragon.

Some, like the Stabbington Brothers, were in a state of sorrow while the Duckling thugs & everyone else were outraged at events & refused to stay in a pitiful state.

"This is nuts!", Merida fumed. "Prince Hans & his monster army are on their way to Corona to bring it right on down to its very foundation, & we're all stuck here without a plan of action or even a giant beast on our side to help stop it all! There has to be something we can do…even without Mothra's help, if that's what it takes!"

"Red, I admire your fierce fighting spirit & all, but what chance do we have in stopping the old lady & those finks who orchestrated all of this?", Stabbington Brother #1 said, his tone losing that fierce edge as his mute brother nodded.

Merida looked at them like they'd just grown a horn on their heads.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing!", she said, getting in their faces. "From what Eugene told us, you two were the biggest & baddest of thieves during your time, because it was quite easy for you to live a life as wanted felons! But now? You've all but given up, due to the fact that you got your buttocks handed to you! That certainly doesn't sound like the Stabbington Brothers I heard about!"

"What do you want us to do, Red?", Stabbington Brother #1 went on. "Let's face facts: we're all up the creek without a paddle, & it's a long way back to the docks."

A statement from the Captain of the Guards made Merida's fiery spirit lose some more of its flame.

"Merida, we want nothing better than to stop what's heading Corona's way", he says. "But let be reasonable here: with Mothra gone, we've got no edge on our side, as it's gone mighty dull."

Hookhand, the other thugs & most everyone else nodded, seeing the truth no matter how badly they refuse to.

Merida's fire just got winked out, & her depression hits home as her mother comforted her from behind.

"Merida", Elinor said in a mother's compassionate tone. "It's not like we can go & get Sanda for help against these new threats like we did back home, sweetie. We don't even know if he & his brother Gaira are still alive now in this day & age, & even if they are, there'd be no time to summon them before Corona gets razed & many people will litter the streets, dead and/or dying."

Merida turned to her mother.

"So what can we do, Mum?"

"Whatever it is…we really need to think about how to proceed & be guaranteed a high percentage of success", Elinor says.

The crimson-haired princess sighed with a nod as Elinor comforted her in a motherly hug.

"They aren't wrong, Eugene", Rapunzel said.

"But neither are the Stabbingtons", Eugene said. "We more or less are all but defenseless against those fiends, and their monster army without Mothra by our side. If only she were still with us, wishing I can hear her screech if but one more time…"

Said sound suddenly erupted, perking everybody up as if Eugene's wish could be heard by all.

"Yeah – that's the sound", he adds.

"No, Eugene – I can hear it as well!", Rapunzel said with a smile as it gets emitted again.

"So can we!", Elinor & Merida said in unison.

"I think that makes all of us!", said Stabbington Brother #1. "Could it possibly be…?"

Mothra's screech emitted a third time, followed by a rustling of trees & brush before the unbelievable occurred: Mothra's larval form abruptly materialized only twenty-four meters away, her body becoming visible after using the same kind of cloak/camouflage the Kamacuras used.

"Mothra!", they all cried & started racing towards her, with Elinor grabbing the Shobijin. Mothra screeched in short but weak intervals as they approached her, sounding to the group as if she was literally trying to talk to them.

It was strange, but they all somehow knew that Mothra was speaking to them, & were curious to find out what.

"If only we could understand what's she saying", said Vladimir.

"Wait a minute…we can!", Elinor said, holding the box with the Shobijin & looking inside the small opening. "Ladies, if anyone can understand what Mothra's saying to us, it should be you!"

"Yes", they said as Elinor turned the box so the ladies inside could address everyone. "Mothra is saying that she survived Gothel Dragon's fiery demise by turning intangible/translucent & blend in with her surroundings before putting some distance between herself & Gothel. She remained hidden until after our enemies were long gone, but in doing so, it has sapped her strength in the process. Mothra could no longer be able to continue to fight, & she feels her life force ebbing away."

That last bit of news made everybody gasp in shock, fearing the worst.

"You mean to say that Mothra will…", Hookhand started to say but couldn't have the nerve to finish.

The Shobijin bowed their heads in deep sorrow, giving him & everyone else their answer.

"No", Rapunzel said softly, running up to Mothra until she was right next to the dying caterpillar so that she could make physical contact with her. Eugene, the Stabbingtons, Merida, Elinor & all the rest followed.

Rapunzel placed her hand on the caterpillar's exoskeleton in an attempt to comfort the huge insect in her last few moments of life.

"Princess…can't you just use your hair to heal Mothra?", asked Stabbington Brother #1. "Don't you have any magic left in those once-golden locks of yours?"

Rapunzel turned to him & shook her head, looking like she was about to cry.

"When Eugene cut my hair, I used the last bit of power from it to save his life after Gothel heartlessly stabbed him back at the tower she kept me in, & that was years ago", she said in a sad voice before facing Mothra again. "My hair lost its ability to heal since then, but like you, I'd do anything to have it back so I can do to Mothra what I did for my Eugene. If only…if only…"

Unable to hide her grief any longer, Rapunzel began crying softly, placing her head upon Mothra so that her hair is touching the caterpillar. A melancholy mood hits everyone in the group, unable to keep their own emotions in check, & more than a few tears were shed from their eyes. Eugene placed a hand on his wife's shoulder, his sorrow as plain as the nose on his face: if he'd known how crucial this moment was back at the tower, he never would've cut her hair like he did, & he'd find another way to defeat Gothel.

"I never should've cut your hair", he said softly, a lump forming in his throat. "But because I did, you can't go & heal Mothra like you once did me. I'm responsible for her death as much as Gothel in her new dragon form."

"No, Eugene", Rapunzel said, turning to him as her head never stopped touching Mothra. "You did what you had to back then to save me from that horrible woman. Nobody could've foreseen this happening, although…"

"Although?"

"I do want to imagine I still have my power, so that Mothra can have a second lease on life."

Facing the ground with her head still on Mothra, Rapunzel began to sing her special song she uses in order to activate her hair's healing ability, pretending it's still existent.

Fighting through her sorrow, Rapunzel sings it slow & soft:

Flower gleam & glow, let your power shine

Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine

Heal what has been hurt, change the fates' design

Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine

What once…was mine

The last four words to the song got Rapunzel so choked up that she started crying again, especially when her hair had no change to it – no glow, no nothing.

A deeper depression hits the others, turning this day into its darkest even with the sun shining bright.

It was nice to imagine it working, at least, Eugene thought.

Then, almost like a second sunrise, Rapunzel's hair began shining a bright yellow – brighter than it's even been even when her hair was at a length of 70 feet. Eugene was so close, he had to shield his eyes & take several steps back as did everyone else, unsure of what to expect. Rapunzel can feel the magic power in her hair being restored, & she smiles big as this power goes from her into Mothra, who is absorbing this new energy & grows stronger. The big caterpillar herself glows, & Rapunzel puts distance between herself & the larva to see Mothra floating upwards like she was filled of a gas lighter than air until she was 110 meters off the ground. A white flash of light expanded before Mothra's larval form began morphing & taking on another shape, or rather, grew a pair of wings. When the little light show dissipated, they all bore witness to an extraordinary sight: Mothra was reborn with a 70-meter-long body which had a brown underside & light tan patches on her white fur, including her antennae. Her wingspan was a staggering 170 meters wide, & her color patterns shone brighter than before.

When she emitted a screech for all to hear, Mothra sounded stronger than ever & ready to fight.

She was a glorious sight to behold, & everyone cheered boisterously with a big grin.

"Just when we really needed a miracle!", Vladimir says, flexing his arms in a manly pose. "Now we have a real fighting chance of bringing down Hans & his monsters!"

Maximus was just as happy to see Mothra reborn in all her glory, & sported a smile of pure joy. Angus simply nodded with a neigh, indicating that he was just as glad to have back their best chance at defeating the evil which has infested Corona. Pascal expressed his feelings by doing a little dance on Rapunzel's shoulder & shaking his hands in a double salute, making her giggle.

But for the Captain, happy as he was, did have something on his mind he needed to get cleared.

"Vladimir, I'm justas pleased as you & the rest to have Mothra here with us again, but…how is it possible?", he asks, turning to Rapunzel. "I thought you said your hair had lost its healing ability after Eugene cut it. How did you manage to bring it back like that?"

Rapunzel thought about it herself, & then it hit her as plain as the nose on her face.

"I think I know, Captain!", she exclaims. "When Gothel Dragon destroyed the other adult Mothra before, there were glowing particles of her showering us everywhere! When they landed on me…"

"Yes, Rapunzel", the Shobijin explains further. "Mothra's life essence was still within those particles, & when they made contact with you, they went inside your body & reawakened your hair's magical ability, which only stayed dormant until another magical essence reactivated it. Your special talent is a most precious gift, Rapunzel: it's not so easy to lose such a thing once you've become born with it after your mother, Queen Arianna, drank the potion which contained the Golden Flower's magic that healed both of you during her pregnancy. Now your hair's gift has all but returned, & this time, it shall remain as one with you for the rest of your days."

"Even if it happens to get cut again?", Rapunzel asked, hopeful.

The Shobijin nodded with a smile, making Rapunzel feel like she's on Cloud Nine…more so than ever!

"Now you can style your hair any way you want without worrying about losing its magical potential!", Eugene says before getting back to the matter at hand. "But hair fashions are going to have to wait as we need to head for Corona so we can stop Hans & his band!"

"How're we all going to get there, Eugene?", the Captain asked. "Maximus & Angus can't carry everyone over there in time, & we don't have a wagon of any kind to have them pull us all!"

It was a bit of a slump: despite Mothra's renewed vigor, there wasn't a way to get them all to their destination with no wagon present, & the two steeds can carry only about 2-3 people, tops.

Shorty chased the blues of it away as he grins when something came into his head.

"Maybe…the horses don't need to pull a wagon & all of us in it to get there!", he says.

"What are you saying exactly, short-stuff?", Stabbington Brother #1 says.

"Gather round, everybody! Have I got an idea! It's a little bit crazy, but…"

"We like crazy! Tell us!", Hookhand says, grinning with the rest of the boys as they nodded.

Shorty's grin grew as he laid it out.

CHAPTER VIII

The Kamacuras caused great ruin to the countryside, chasing frenzied/panicked people & animals, snatching up whatever they come across & consume them with just a few horrible chews of their hungry mandibles. Seeing their land & families falling victim to these monstrosities, several of the people picked up any weapons they could find – from axes to a caravan of lit torches – and fought back with the ferocity that only protecting one's family can bring.

Sadly, it was all for naught as they fell easy prey to the Kamacuras like everything else the giant praying mantis come across.

A pair of Kamacuras hears the churning of water at the edge & come upon a small cliff that was thirty-two feet high. The two insects approach on their legs & look over to see a white churn directly below them. With curiosity getting the better of their personal safety, both bugs slowly lower their heads towards this unusual activity, wanting to see what was beneath…

Before getting snatched at the necks by a pair of large teal-fleshed hands that belonged to an ogre-like creature with large eyes, pointed ears, small patch of hair & a curved horn on the top of its head that lights up as its hands now send a strong electric current into & through its prey, causing them to screech in pain as their insides get roasted alive & their exoskeletons smoke from the immense heat. The other four Kamacuras cease their attack on the village & its inhabitants to see two of their party being cooked by a newcomer that drops the now-dead pair it caught to let fall into the water below before this new monster rises out of the drink on two powerful legs & no tail.

The Kamacuras were greeted in a not-so-friendly manner by Gabara, who now resurfaces after seemingly being defeated by Battra days ago.

Gabara emits a bellowing roar that was offered as a challenge to the Kamacuras, who screech back in answer as an acceptance: launching themselves as one, the mantis monsters head directly for Gabara, who extends his hands to grab & roast the first bug that gets nearest to him. His first victim lashed out with its sickle-like foreleg to slice off Gabara's appendage, but the ogre monster dodges it & swats his foe in the back of the head, causing it to fall flat on its stomach. Before it could launch a counterstrike, Gabara placed his right foot on the insect's back & puts pressure on it to crush its body & spill its innards all over the ground.

One of the faster Kamacuras attacks Gabara from behind by swiping its forelegs, forming a pair of cuts on his back & making him cry in pain. Releasing his foot from his intended victim, that insect had flown off to avoid being crushed underfoot a second time just as the one that cut Gabara now attacks again, but this time clings onto his back with its rear legs as it stabs its prey with the forelegs, causing punctures that bleed. To add insult to injury, the other Kamacuras attack one at a time by swooping in & slashing the ogre monster with their forelegs, cutting Gabara in the chest, neck & face. The ogre was at a disadvantage: with one of the Kamacuras literally clinging onto his back & the other three moving too fast, Gabara couldn't use his electric attack on any of them, & their attacks on him got more & more savage with each pass they made at him.

Despite his fiercest efforts, Gabara could not get the Kamacuras off his back, & each attempt only made the bug hold on even tighter.

But oddly enough, the increasing pressure Gabara was receiving gave the ogre an idea: if the mantis wished to crush him, why not do so to the insect first?

Placing his hands where its legs were & holding them firmly, Gabara made a sudden move the Kamacuras did not anticipate, much less prepare for: taking a leap backwards, Gabara landed hard on his back which felt like being slammed by a rock to the Kamacuras holding him, the impact forcing it to release its grip on Gabara, who rose from the ground & performed a double-stomp by jumping up & landing on top of the Kamacuras' underside at a weak spot he exploited. With a sickening crunch, Gabara obliterated his enemy as its insides get splattered in a puddle, his feet covered in a sick ichor. One of the Kamacuras tried to avenge its fallen comrade, but Gabara struck first: when within his range, the ogre monster dodged the foreleg swipe & grabbed the insect by the head, letting loose an electric shock that first cooked its head before causing it to explode like bathtub bubble.

Its neck still smoking, the headless corpse of the giant mantis fell to the ground in a slump.

Outraged at losing four of their party so quick to this teal-fleshed monstrosity, the remaining two Kamacuras screech in protest & anger before preparing to avenge those lost. Gabara roared back in kind & stood in a fighting pose that all but read 'do you really want to go there with me?' before taking a couple of thunderous steps forward.

Both Kamacuras screech angrier, with Gabara doing the same as he stepped even closer to his prey, his hands & horn lighting up, indicating that he's more than ready to attack.

Gabara barked his most intimidating roar at the two survivors before three pairs of eyes stare at each other for what seemed like eternity. Nearby people who watched the battle taking place waited with palpitating hearts, seeing if more mayhem was to come or if this could end at a whim.

Not wishing to have their numbers completely depleted, the two surviving Kamacuras turn tail & take off into the air, heading in a southern direction.

Before too long, they disappeared over the horizon.

Gabara roared in victory, giving the people deeper worry: they escaped further mayhem from the Kamacuras, but could face more by this new monster. A new sound caught Gabara's ears, & the ogre turned right to see an island not too far from the mainland that had a thriving city built onto it, with a singular bridge being the only way on or off. He also saw & heard, albeit from a distance, the sound of cannons booming that attracted his attention, along with an airborne object that had a pair of wings, a tail, & was shooting blue flames from its mouth.

His curiosity & craving for more adventure overruling everything else, Gabara started trolling west, giving the people a huge sigh of relief…for the moment.

Whatever was going on, Gabara wanted in on it.

The City of Corona:

A city known for its peace & tranquility became a show of pure pandemonium as people were scrambling this way & every way in order to escape the horror which has struck their beloved sanctuary: Gothel Dragon arrived with a grand entrance by swooping down & crashing into an orphanage that held various young children & staff members, all of whom barely escaped getting trampled along with it when the alarm bells rang at the sight of the creature.

Following its destruction, Gothel Dragon went on a rampage as she gleefully brought down & crushed several structures, turning them into smoking rubble. Many people avoided being buried underneath the debris, but there are some who were not so fortunate: a father pushes his wife & child out of the way to avoid being crushed by rubble as he himself receives exactly that fate; flying debris smashes into & crushes a group of people attempting to flee by a boat; a caravan gets roasted alive when Gothel spews flames into a grove of trees where they were taking refuge from & become charred instantly, being given only a second or two to scream.

Prince Hans & his ant soldiers were causing just as much mayhem: giving no warning, his bug army attacked & killed a number of people, never having a chance to retreat or fight back.

Those that did survive the onslaught surrendered immediately, knowing they were outmatched.

Hans & his two cohorts smiled wickedly.

Gothel Dragon was about to cause more destruction when the sound of cannons from nearby ships boomed & struck her full force, getting her attention.

So…the King & Queen's royal navy comes to the rescue, eh? I think not!, Gothel thought, taking herself to the air & flew down towards the ships even as several cannons went off in a volley, their shots hitting Gothel Dragon but doing no significant damage. Many more cannons were being shot from each ship, but none of them could even begin with penetrating her thick flesh despite the powerful velocity they'd traveled. Gothel Dragon retaliated by spitting her blue flames at the first ship, blowing it away in a fiery explosion that left no survivors. Turning left, she then swatted another ship with her tail, breaking it in half as two-thirds of its crew gets crushed from the impact.

From this ship came survivors, & they make it to a lifeboat & paddle to shore.

With another ship, Gothel Dragon grabbed it by the sides & lifts it up out of the water, spilling most of its crew aboard. Those that still hung on only ended up colliding with another ship when Gothel had dropped it from above, becoming a powder keg of dynamite & exploding with all hands being killed. Another three ships were simply struck by Gothel's flames, ending up in a trio of bonfires in the water with few survivors from each. The next four received the swatting tail treatment, destroying every vessel even as cannons still boomed at the monstrosity heading towards them, with no success.

Viewing the destruction she caused from the air, Gothel Dragon absorbed & admired her horrid handiwork & let out a laugh of hideous amusement.

"Such GLORIOUS death & destruction!", Gothel says with utmost joy. "How I only wished I could've become a dragon SOONER! That's all right: like the old saying goes, 'Better late than never'!"

Gothel Dragon let out another maniacal laugh, making it more audible than before.

More of the royal navy makes their way towards her as the red-skinned beast took notice.

"So…they STILL haven't learned their lesson & want to rush headlong to their DEATHS, do they?!", Gothel says. "No skin off MY nose! This time I'll REALLY give their weak, pathetic fleet a beating before I…huh?"

The sight & sound of churning water to Gothel Dragon's right from 200 meters away had caught her attention, stopping her in mid-sentence. All ships in what remained of the royal navy also slowed to see the new disturbance in the water to observe the rising of a larval creature with a mostly black coloring, sinister red eyes, a pair of long tusks jutting out from the sides of its vertical mouth with sharp teeth, spikes along the sides of the body's upper part, & a large curved yellow horn on the top of its head.

This beast – Battra – emitted a roar that was nearly as loud & boisterous as Gothel's own.

"Ah – ANOTHER insect just BEGGING to be crushed underfoot!", Gothel Dragon says, most curious of this new arrival. "Let's see if THIS one can put up a BETTER fight than the LAST bug I fried!"

Gothel Dragon flew down at the approaching Battra & halted in mid-air from 60 meters before unleashing her deadly blue flames at the black insect, covering him completely. Battra roared at the intensity of the heat before they ceased for Gothel to look at a roasted creature.

What she saw totally surprised her.

Battra, aside from his hide smoking in spots, was still there & seemingly unhurt.

It can't be!, Gothel thought in disbelief just before Battra cut loose on her with both his purple prism eye beams & yellow horn beam that struck Gothel with sledgehammer force that actually stung her flesh & caused her to cry out in pain.

This one is tougher than the other one I fought!, Gothel thought, putting some distance between them. Best be more careful with what you wish for, Gothel!

She only had a few seconds to process her thoughts before Battra unleashed another attack with his beams that nearly clobbered his airborne enemy again as Gothel dodged to the left, missing the beams by only inches. Much to her dismay, Gothel Dragon was being pursued by Battra's beams: wherever Gothel flew to, the beams followed her with no quarter given.

Unbelievable!, Gothel thought while avoiding Battra's attack. Not only is this one tougher than Mothra, he is also more relentless! Unless I do something quick, he's going to barbeque me!

Luckily for Gothel, she thought of the perfect plan in dealing with her situation, & she wastes no time with implementing it: flying at a faster speed, Gothel Dragon soars by Battra's left & smacks the bug with her tail, buying her some time to make an immediate U-turn in the air, fly up to & snatch Battra from the back of his head – a place in which his beams can't hit her!

Surprised by this turn of events, Battra roared his displeasure as Gothel Dragon dug her claws into her foe's exoskeleton enough to get a solid grip before lifting him out of the water & heading over to the mainland, past the city itself. Now over solid ground, Gothel Dragon made a dive for it & body-slams Battra with earth-shaking force, which rattled the larval beast for a bit just long enough to get behind him, grab his tail end & blast at him with a gout of her flames that engulf Battra's entire front. The larva monster roars as the heat scorches his exoskeleton, the fiery barrage lasting for well over a minute before Gothel relents.

Again Battra still lives, despite the scorched flesh.

Growing tiresome of his resilience, Gothel Dragon lifted Battra up over her head before slamming him back down with sledgehammer force, shaking the earth on which they stand. Gothel does this repeatedly as Battra roared in anger, but still doesn't relent or give in to the pain.

I'll say one thing for him – he can take punishment as well as dish it out!, Gothel thought, continuing her rise-&-bash attack. But every living thing has a breaking point! Let's just see if his bark can stand up to my bite!

Giving Battra one last slam, Gothel Dragon lays Battra down on one side before ganging up on him like a cat on a mouse for the kill. Battra launches his beams to strike, but can't reach his foe no matter how hard he tries.

Gothel Dragon laughed at his predicament.

"Ha – you can't HIT what's on the SIDE of you, can you?!", she scoffs, pressing down on the bug & readying her teeth to once more sink it into insect flesh.

Opening her maw, Gothel craned her neck like a snake's.

Instead of striking it downwards into Battra's exoskeleton, Gothel's head rose up in a bellow of pain as she felt a stinging sensation on her back. Taking a look, she found over a dozen cone-like stingers embedded in her flesh that went halfway in, causing bleeding to occur.

Where…where did these come from?!, Gothel thought as her answer came in a screech she knew too well.

From 450 meters away was a sight Gothel Dragon knew to be impossible, & her eyes widened.

Mothra was back & on her way to stop Gothel Dragon once & for all!

Underneath her is an extremely large cauldron Mothra holds with her legs: it was the same cauldron Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton used in concocting their spells, but instead of using it for spell-casting, they use it for a large transport, as its circumference was now 20-25 feet wide, which was more than enough for everyone to fit inside & still have room to move around in.

"I gotta say, Shorty!", Big Nose said. "This is your craziest idea yet – but we love it!"

"I'll say it is!", said Tor. "Getting the cauldron out of that cave & putting a magical whammy on to enlarge it thanks to the two little beauties, then having Mothra taking us all air express…brilliant!"

"Ha! This…is the only way to travel!", Shorty says, enjoying the breeze in his face & hair like everyone else.

Maximus gave the thug a quizzical look.

"No offense", Shorty said with an innocent grin as Maximus gave a – mostly – forgiving look.

From below, Prince Hans, the Duke of Weselton & Shane couldn't believe their eyes.

"Impossible! We all saw her die!", the Duke says. "Mothra should be nothing more than a bad memory!"

"I'm just as disgusted to see her still among the living as well, Sir Duke!", Hans said. "But how she's still alive hardly matters now! We'll just have to let Gothel & the Kamacuras deal with her…permanently this time!"

"In the meantime, we've got a bigger prize to collect!", Shane said, getting node from his two cohorts.

Gesturing with his hand, Hans ordered his ant army forward with their hostages, who were all tied with strong rope by the wrists & pulled like slaves being lead to death row.

Mothra approached the battle when Gothel Dragon launched herself into the air. The giant lepidopteran fired a double blast of her antennae beams directly at Gothel's face, which packed even more of a punch & caused her to cry out before losing her sense of direction & crashing onto the ground. As Mothra got nearer the kingdom, an ominous discovery was made.

"Whoa – bad guys & their hostages down below!", Hookhand said, pointing with his appendage. Everyone in the cauldron looked down to where their friend pointed to see Hans, the Duke, Shane & their ant army all making it across the bridge & into the kingdom itself, their hostages being pulled more fiercely.

Seeing such a sight enraged them, but Rapunzel & Eugene were most offended.

We're coming for you, Hans!, Rapunzel thought with a scowl.

"We need to get down there…now!", she said orally.

"But where can Mothra land at in the kingdom without causing any more damage to it?", Elinor asked.

"That's just it, ma'am!", Vladimir said. "She's not going to land…" The giant thug flashes his teeth. "We are!"

Tor & the other thugs – including the Stabbingtons – grin big, loving the idea.

Elinor, on the other hand, was not so keen or enthusiastic about it, as her facial expression shows.

"Now wait a minute! You all can't mean…", she started to say.

"Oh yes we caaaaaan!", they said with big grins.

"All-expressway to the world below – going down!", Shorty cried out.

"Bombs away, Mothra!", Stabbington Brother #1 called to her.

On his command, the giant butterfly flew in closer to the kingdom & unleashed the cauldron as both the thugs & Stabbington Brother #1 cheer out 'woo-hoo!' as they go into freefall, with Elinor holding the box with the Shobijin inside like her life depended on it. Even Maximus – one of the bravest animals there is – was not so supportive of the idea, & feared for his life along with that of Angus.

"Your friends are a little bit on the bizarre side, Eugene!", Elinor says, her face full of fright.

"Tell me something I don't know, Elinor!", Eugene shouted back, holding his wife firmly in his arms.

"Uh…this isn't exactly what I had in mind, fellas!", Rapunzel cried out, clinging to Eugene tightly.

"Too late now – hold on tight!", Merida cried, grabbing the cauldron's side.

Just like Merida, Maximus, Angus, Eugene, Rapunzel, Pascal & Elinor hoped the landing won't be too rough.

Hearing their battle cry, Hans & his party all look up to see a giant black cauldron – his black cauldron – come down overhead & heading directly for them as his eyes go wide.

"Incoming!", Hans shouted as he, the Duke & Shane dive for cover as the cauldron had made a literally crash landing atop several ant soldiers, crushing them underneath in a messy ichor & barely missing the terrible trio by only inches as they barely escape a gruesome fate.

First to pop out from the cauldron was Shorty, his mouth in a grin.

"See? That wasn't so bad!", he says as he gets greeted by a horde of more ant soldiers, all of which bared their clawed hands & deadly mandibles, each one ready to kill & maim. Shorty simply wiggled his fingers in greeting as he gives out a nervous laugh.

Merida popped out from the cauldron with her bow ready, launching a trio of arrows in rapid succession which hit their targets without skipping a beat. Vladimir, Tor, Hookhand & the other thugs & the two Stabbington siblings all rise up & attack the insect soldiers with swords, hooks & plain-old bare fists.

Like hollow ceramic statues, the ant soldiers broke & went down under their assault.

But several more were still heading their way, & Hans saw this as his chance to make his escape & head over to where he desires most. With three of his ants by his side, the rogue prince & his two allies high-tail it away from the carnage by getting onto the backs of their inhuman soldiers & they quickly scurry off.

Rapunzel & Merida saw their retreat & scowled fiercely.

Oh no you don't, Hans…you & your two lackeys aren't getting away that easily!, Rapunzel thought.

You rats aren't going anywhere…except back in a dingy cell where you belong!, Merida thought.

Both ladies call for their horse as Maximus & Angus race up to allow the ladies to board their saddles. Eugene saw his wife get atop Maximus & joined her from behind.

"There's only one place in Corona those three would make their way to now!", Eugene said.

"Right!", Rapunzel said, turning to & calling to Merida's mother. "Elinor! We're heading for the palace to stop Hans & his lackeys! You stay with the guys, get the hostages to safety & safeguard the Shobijin – we're counting on you!"

Hookhand stood by her side & placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Trust us, ma'am – we'll watch your back!", he said with a smile as the Captain of the Guards nodded, stating he trusts them too.

"You bet I'll trust you!", Elinor said sincerely before turning to her daughter & nodding to Merida, Rapunzel & Eugene.

"Go, friends!", said the Shobijin. "Stop Prince Hans & his allies…by whatever means necessary!"

"Count on it, ladies!", Merida said before calling to her horse. "Go, Angus!"

"Go, Maximus!", Eugene & Rapunzel call out as both steeds race off in the direction of the palace as Pascal held on for dear life.

With the youngest in the group on their own mission, the Duckling thugs, the Stabbingtons & Elinor stand firm as Hans' ant soldiers – which were still quite many – made their way towards.

"This is it, boys!", said the Captain with his sword ready.

"Boys?", Elinor said, getting their attention. "Hit them fast & hit them hard – no quarter given or asked!"

The men all smiled fiendishly, loving her advice as Elinor gives them one herself.

"My kind of woman!", Stabbington Brother #1 said as they turn back to the oncoming ant army. "You heard her, boys – it's do or die time!"

The boys all cheer boisterously, raising their weapons/fists as the Captain gave the 'charge' order, giving them the signal needed to go all-out against their insect foes.

A battle royale of epic proportions ensued.

The King & Queen's palace:

Royal guards rushed to assist in the evacuation of the civilians once Gothel Dragon was seen on her way over, but there were also a few who remained in the palace to watch over the King & Queen, both of whom have absolutely refused to leave under any circumstances, no matter how blatantly the guards have mentioned how dangerous it was.

The sounds of battle going on were audible even in the throne room of the palace, & the vibrations were felt as well, even though their home was on a small island off the mainland. King Frederic viewed events from a window as his wife Queen Arianna stood by his side, having an arm around him.

"Why is this happening to us, Frederic?", Arianna asked.

"I don't know, Arianna", Frederic answered. "But one way or another, we're going to get through this."

Arianna wanted to believe her husband's words, but considering what they're now up against, she had serious doubts: in the past, the worst they had to deal with was Rapunzel's kidnapper & numerous thieves who'd wished to steal the princess' crown for the highest bidder such as the Stabbington Brothers & Eugene Fitzherbert when he was still known as Flynn Rider.

Now, they were under siege by a fire-spitting dragon & a giant larva who are right outside the kingdom on the mainland with more than enough power to level Corona without too much trouble.

Unlike her husband, Arianna didn't know how to deal with something like that, & that's why she's skeptical on believing they were going to be all right in the end, even if she was the one full of confidence before.

"Your Highness, Your Majesty", one of the guards inside the room started to say in a last-ditch effort. "Are you sure you don't want us to get yourselves to a safer area? It's only a matter of time before that dragon attacks Corona again directly."

Frederic & Arianna turn to face the young man.

"Soldier, I know you're only fulfilling your duties as a palace guard, & my wife & I appreciate that", Frederic says in all honesty. "But I simply can't abandon our home, regardless of the grave danger we're in. Please forgive my stubbornness."

Said stubbornness prevented any of the guards from trying to further persuade the King & Queen from leaving the palace, knowing they'd fail in the attempt.

The sounds of windows crashing followed by men screaming in terror brought everyone alert, & the guards all got their swords/spears into play. Frederic held Arianna closer, who was shivering from fear as more chaotic noise hit the hallways outside…and it was getting closer to the throne room.

For a full two-three minutes, the sound of havoc continued on before abruptly halting altogether, turning it into an eerie silence.

"Whatever happens, Your Highness, Your Majesty…stay inside this room!", said the guard the King & Queen spoke to. "Men…cover me!"

His troops nodded & stayed close behind him as the lead guard opened the door, peering outside with caution. Opening it more, he exited with his backup all following before the last one to leave closed it, keeping their King & Queen within & by themselves. No new sounds of battles occurred for 50 seconds before they cease as soon as they began.

It made the King & Queen even more fearful.

After 30 seconds, the doors to the throne room open again.

What entered were not the guards, but a trio of large ant soldiers that stood a foot taller than a man, with two pairs of arms, three body parts, multifaceted eyes & pincers that looked like they can literally cut a man in half with ease. They moved to the side to allow three humans to enter – two of whom they've been searching for since their escape from Arendelle, & one that took the King & Queen by surprise, seeing him in cahoots with their quarries.

Prince Hans walked in the room like he owned it, with the Duke Of Weselton & Shane following.

Behind them out in the hall were the bodies of the guards assigned to protect them.

King Frederic & Queen Arianna couldn't tell whether they were dead or just knocked unconscious.

One of the ant soldiers closed the doors, keeping the King & Queen trapped inside with six deadly individuals.

Three of them had sinister smiles plastered on their faces.

"Hello there, King Frederic, Queen Arianna!", Hans said with malice in his voice.

"We're so glad to finally make your acquaintance!", the Duke said in the same manner.

Frederic held Arianna even closer, who was more scared than she'd even been.

The kingdom's outskirts:

After 'dropping off' her passengers, Mothra flew off & headed for Gothel Dragon, who got her second wind as she spotted her enemy heading her way. Taking to the air, Gothel sped after Mothra on an intercept course, wanting to do the same to this butterfly what she did to the other one she obliterated. But this Mothra was not only stronger than her predecessor, she was also quicker & wiser: when Gothel was within range, Mothra shot her antennae beams at Gothel's wings that scorched the flesh membrane before smacking her in the face with her right wing that stung & caused her to cry in irritation before passing through.

It seems that I underestimated Mothra…she's just as tenacious & ornery as the other insect I've fought!, the red-skinned Gothel thought, still feeling the stings in her back, on her wings & face. But I'm no easy pickings either! Time for me to go show this bug what I can really do!

Bellowing a roar, Gothel Dragon makes a sudden upright turn in her flight & shoots straight into the sky, with Mothra in hot pursuit. Reaching a height of 3000 meters, Gothel Dragon dives straight down after doing an airborne somersault & streaks down, plummeting into a free-fall & heading right for Battra, who was still laying on one side & unable to get up.

Mothra of course was still on her tail.

Gothel's plan was simple: she intends to streak directly at Battra full speed ahead, & then pull up when Mothra least expects it, causing her to crash into her partner & leave them both too tangled & disoriented to fight back while Gothel Dragon makes a fatal blow with her flames & physical strength.

It was a good plan…in theory.

Unbeknownst to Gothel, Battra was well aware of her approach & saw her intentions: when Gothel was close at 400 meters, Battra went through a metamorphosis in a brief light show. His larva body was replaced into one that was 73 meters in length, with a pincer at the end of his abdomen & sharp points on the side. The head was similar yet different, with his primary horn a little smaller, as were his eyes, mouth & side tusks. His legs were thicker built than Mothra's, & had a pair of pincers on each. Battra's black wingspan measured 180 meters, & had patterns of yellow & red coloring that also adorned his back & top/sides of his head.

Battra has now become his adult form – a dark reflection of Mothra herself.

This move surprised Gothel Dragon completely, & she pulled away much sooner than planned as Battra flew off after her. Mothra caught up with her partner shortly thereafter, & both butterflies were now in pursuit of their foe which had caused both of them so much trouble; despite their differences in nature/personality, Mothra & Battra can count on one another to defeat a common enemy as they've done in the past. Mothra begins by shooting her antennae beams while Battra shoots forth his purple prism beams from his eyes, which were now full straight & more accurate in their aim.

More powerful too: his beams struck Gothel in her back & blasted away the stingers still stuck there, causing a series of explosions that seared her flesh, with Mothra's attack doing the same to her wings. Gothel Dragon roared out her displeasure & anguish, having to deal with two enemies at the same time instead of one.

She growled in rage before craning her neck & shot forth a long stream of her flames at the two lepidopterans, who split off in opposite directions & giving Gothel a choice on who to pursue.

Battra was her preferred target, & Gothel Dragon went full speed on him. The black butterfly doesn't put on a burst of speed for some reason, enabling Gothel to catch up to & become within reach of him. When the crimson-fleshed dragon is close enough to be grabbed, she does so with her hands by grabbing his abdomen. It was the exact moment Battra waited for: once Gothel had him in her grip, the black butterfly snatches the dragon lady by her neck just below the head with his pincer & places a firm hold on her. Gothel Dragon tried prying his pincer open, but even she couldn't get free from its powerful grip, & now that Battra had her right where he wanted her, he was going to take his enemy for a little ride.

With the grace & agility of a bird, Battra plummeted down to ground level & slammed his captive foe onto it, dragging his hapless victim along. From above, Mothra bombarded Gothel Dragon with more antennae beam attacks, coupled with another shower of stingers from her abdomen that struck Gothel in various places, the stingers all going deep in her flesh. Gothel Dragon roared in frustration, pain & determination as she fought to remedy her situation & turn it in her favor.

For right now, things aren't going so well for the red-skinned creature.

Talk about having butterflies in your stomach!, Gothel thought angrily, her current predicament becoming most embarrassing. She'd roast Battra now that he's literally right next to him, but his pincers cut off her ability to spew her flames, let alone allow her to breathe oxygen.

If Gothel doesn't die from the wounds Mothra was inflicting upon her, she'll die from lack of air.

Not if I have anything to say about it!, Gothel thought, formulating a plan to free herself.

As Mothra lit up her antennae for another shot, Gothel saw her chance: grabbing Battra's abdomen, she turned it in the direction of Mothra's projectiles & aimed it so that they hit Battra instead of her. The black butterfly roared in protest, but was unable to prevent it as Mothra's twin beams struck him & forced his pincer to release Gothel. Free from the pincer, she skidded on the ground & forced Battra to an abrupt halt. The black butterfly tried escaping from her grip, but it was too strong no matter how hard he struggled or fought. As Mothra flew in, she got close enough to be swatted by Battra when Gothel Dragon swung him like a sword or club. Both butterflies went down in a tumble & hit the ground on their backs, the blow stunning them from head to tip. Gothel rose from the ground & walked over until she was directly beneath the two helpless lepidopterans.

"I've always HATED bugs of any & all kinds!", Gothel scoffed with sarcasm over her two foes. "There wasn't one I never disliked, & now I'm going to SHOW the both of you what I DO to them: I'm going to ROAST you where you lay, JUST before I CRUSH the life out of you & allow your INNARDS to help push up the daisies!"

Gothel Dragon let out a maniacal laugh before lighting up the inside of her toothy maw.

"Farewell, you two meddlesome in – AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!", Gothel was saying until she was struck behind by something that stung her tail before her trial by fire could commence. The red-skinned monster turned to see as the creature Gabara grabbed her tail & sent a powerful electric current into her, causing her muscles to lock up. Fighting through her anguish, Gothel Dragon tried lifting her tail up & succeeded on the sixth try, raising Gabara with it. Then she slammed both to the ground, forcing Gabara to release his hold on her as Gothel approached the ogre as he fought to get back up.

With a menacing scowl & a powerful backhand, Gothel Dragon buffeted Gabara across the face & sent him sprawling across the terrain, landing on his stomach.

"And WHAT do we have HERE?!", Gothel says, walking up to & grabbing Gabara by the neck with both hands from behind & lifting him up. "ANOTHER insolent pest who's waiting & BEGGING to die! Permit me, then, to go & GRANT you your request, & I promise…I'll make it EXTREMELY painful!"

The crimson-fleshed dragon laughed maniacally at her own sick joke.

Gothel's grip on Gabara was so strong, the ogre's air flow was sealed off, leaving him struggling for it. He tried getting her hands with his to shock her, but the lack of air caused him to lose concentration on anything other than in getting oxygen again. Lashing out like a poisonous snake, Gothel Dragon sunk her teeth into Gabara between the neck & shoulder area, her fangs going deep into the ogre monster's flesh. Gabara's eyes went wide in surprise as he let out a booming roar of red-hot pain.

His predicament only made Gothel bite harder & deeper into his teal flesh, drawing blood.

A rumbling in the ground made the red-skinned dragon curious, but didn't relent on her savage bite.

Then it was Gothel's turn to feel teeth being driven into flesh: a sharp pain hit her in the tail, thus releasing her bite on Gabara as he fell to his hands & knees from his injury. Gothel Dragon turned to see the jaws of a dark brown or maroon-colored quadrupedal dinosaurian monster with large floppy dog-like ears, a long horn from its nose & a back with thick armor plating erupting from beneath the ground & bit the tail Gothel was attached to.

Baragon, the subterranean dinosaur, has joined in on the fight.

"ANOTHER foolish interloper with a death wish!", Gothel Dragon bellowed angrily, lifting her tail that takes Baragon out of the hole he dug & flung head over heels before being body-slammed that caused him to let go of his prey. The red-skinned monster took to the air & rose 45 meters above her two would-be enemies.

"Nice try, fools, but while YOU rely only on your brute strength & savagery, I rely also on my BRAINS!", the monstrous form of Gothel exclaimed. "And now the both of you get to JOIN those two butterflies in a brutal death by MY hands!"

But Gothel Dragon wasn't out of 'foolish interlopers' yet: a large object unseen by her jumps into the air & attacks her by wrapping its eight legs around her body, causing her to plummet & land hard.

The spider known as Kumonga has returned, but he's not going to fight with Gothel.

He will be fighting against her, sensing with his instincts & knowing she's the greater evil & real enemy.

This is the spider Prince Hans created to destroy Rapunzel & her friends!, Gothel thought, who was surprised to see him attack her. What's he doing, turning traitor?!

She couldn't ponder on that now: if Kumonga chose to go against Gothel, then he'll receive the same treatment she'll give to Mothra, Battra, Gabara and Baragon.

"Decided to go to the OTHER side, did you?!", Gothel bellowed. "Fine by me – I'll crush the other fools stupid enough to try & take ME on, but in YOUR case, I think I'll make it incineration!"

Gothel Dragon's mouth lit up with her flames, aiming it at Kumonga. At the very last second, the giant spider jumped out of the blue flame's path as Gothel only succeeded in roasting herself with her own fire. Gothel Dragon let out a bellowing howl, feeling the heat from her own flames scorching her flesh.

Straining to get back onto her feet, Gothel faced the trio of newcomers & never noticed the surprise attacks by Mothra & Battra, who now were back into the air & struck with their beams from behind. Gothel Dragon turned to see said butterflies joining Gabara, Kumonga & Baragon, all eager & ready to fight Gothel to the finish, even with the ogre creature sustaining a serious injury. They formed a circle around the crimson-fleshed creature, staring her down with rage & a determination to being her down for good.

It was funny: Gothel was thinking the very same thing about them.

"You think this standoff can somehow FRIGHTEN me?!", Gothel scoffed. "I am Mother Gothel – NOTHING can scare me! Come at me, fools – TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT!"

Mothra & her crew do exactly that: Battra fires his prism beams as Baragon unleashes a belch of his flames to match wits with his larger enemy. Mothra attacks with her antennae beams, while Kumonga spews silk to attempt in immobilizing Gothel. This plan, however, gets snuffed when the dragon lady incinerates it with her flames before it could ever reach her. But in doing so, it left Gothel Dragon open to a physical attack, & that's where Baragon came into play: leaping like a giant frog, the subterranean dinosaur collided into Gothel's chest, using his horn to make a puncture that bled before slashing at her with his front claws like an angry cat, creating many cuts that became just as bloody as his horn attack. Gothel wasn't happy with being cut & bleeding, & she retaliated by taking a bite into the dinosaurian monster's back where his armored carapace was. But even her teeth were incapable of biting through, much less into it, & she almost broke her fangs in the attempt.

From the air, Mothra & Battra bombarded Gothel Dragon with antennae & prism beams, creating scorches on both her wings & flesh as Gabara took her again by the tail & emitted his electric discharge into her body, giving it as much juice as he can despite the injury he sustained.

Kumonga simply waited patiently for his chance to get himself in the melee.

Attacked from all sides both inside and out, Gothel screeched in protest before going ballistic by spitting her fire at Baragon to drive the dinosaurian creature away, giving indifference to Mothra & Battra as they break away to keep from getting scorched. With Gabara, Gothel Dragon pulled on her tail to bring the ogre creature forward & grab him by the throat. Seeing Baragon make another leap at her, Gothel threw Gabara to the dinosaur beast & both made an airborne collision, knocking the wind out of them as they crashed to the dirt.

Rising to her feet, Gothel saw the two lepidopterans circling around for another assault. Flapping her wings, she gets skywards & unleashes her fire first at Mothra, then at Battra. The two butterflies evade a nasty burn with a speed that belies their sizes, & Battra was the one who gave chase when Gothel flew towards the kingdom of Corona, intent on doing more destruction & death.

Mothra wasn't about to let that happen.

Putting on an extra burst of speed, she gets ahead of Battra & body-slams her enemy away from the kingdom, straying her off course. Being stronger than she looks, Mothra's impact had even knocked a few teeth from Gothel's mouth.

The red-skinned dragon lady was not amused or impressed, but infuriated.

"You'll PAY for that, insect!", she growled with bleeding gums. "You & your companions are ALL going to suffer a SLOW & HORRIBLE death for DARING to defy me!"

To punctuate her promise, Gothel belched her flames first at Mothra, then at Battra with more ferocity the she displayed previously. The butterflies evaded before Mothra let loose with another volley of pointed stingers from her abdomen when Gothel's attention was on Battra, this time striking her chest, stomach & a few in her arms. These had Gothel Dragon cry out before going into a berserker fury, launching herself at Mothra with literal fire in her eyes.

So fixated on Mothra was Gothel that she never noticed Battra running into her full force, grabbing her throat with his powerful six legs & turning around to lead her straight back to a waiting Kumonga & company.

At halfway back, Battra released his victim & flew ahead as Gothel turned herself right-side up to follow the black butterfly & skewer him alive once she gets her claws on him.

Little did she know, Battra's releasing his enemy was part of his plan, & Kumonga takes over: spitting a thick stream of his webbing, the spider hits Gothel just below the chin which gets adhesive instantly & the arachnid pulls on his line for all it's worth. The sudden jerk caused Gothel to lose her sense of balance during flight & plummet to earth, landing flat on her stomach & kicking up a cloud of dust. Once she was down, Gabara went up to her & used his electrical attack on her left wing as Baragon bit down & shredded her other one with his teeth & claws. Kumonga joins in & grabs hold of Gothel's neck with his two pairs of front legs before stabbing the dragon lady with his hidden stinger between his mandibles & prehensile pedipalps, driving it into her crimson flesh.

Gothel Dragon yelped from the sting, & her eyes went wide.

Kumonga chirped to Gabara & Baragon, saying to give their enemy some space as the job was done.

All three monsters put distance between themselves & Gothel, who felt the spot where the arachnid stung her.

"What did you DO to me, you FILTHY little EIGHT-LEGGED FREAK?!", Gothel bellowed, feeling a bump at the very spot she was stung that was already swollen. Not only that, she noticed her right wing completed shredded in bloodied tatters like a ship's sail in a storm, & her left wing's flesh membrane was charred & burned too badly.

Battra joined his allies & waited for their common enemy to make a move.

Gothel's eyes narrowed in pure hate, & she prepared to go all-out.

"You believe that taking away my power of flight is going to make me easier prey for you?!", Gothel growled. "NONE of you KNOWS me very well: I can take ALL of you on with nothing more than my bare claws! Permit me to SHOW you what I…what?!"

During Gothel's last statement, she gets showered from above by a cloud of glitter from Mothra's wings which covers the red-skinned monster completely. Hardly any spot on Gothel Dragon's person becomes untouched by this strange cloud, & Gothel is mildly amused…mildly.

Finding the situation hilarious, Gothel chuckles amusingly to herself.

"And what is this glitter supposed to DO, actually? Make me sparkle in the night?", Gothel Dragon asked with humor before lighting her mouth in preparation to launch her flames at the giant lepidopteran above her.

Gothel spat her fire at Mothra, but something she never expected happened.

Her blue flame got directed right back at her!

Impossible!, Gothel thought. This…this is a trick of some kind!

Refusing to believe it, Gothel fired another stream of fire, followed by three more attempts.

The results in each try were the same, surprising Gothel further.

This can't be! How is she doing this?!, the dragon lady thought, teetering on the verge of a panic.

Her failure to spew her flames only made Gothel more determined to roast her enemies with it.

Not bad, I must say! But I doubt this little barrier can handle a flame burst at full power!, Gothel thought with a scowl as she builds up the energy within her to unleash the strongest blast of fire in a single strike, believing it will destroy both the barrier & the one who erected it.

Yes!, she thought, feeling her power reach its peak potential. Let's see how you like this, Mothra!

Her flames burning more fiercely than ever, Gothel Dragon unleashed it in a single exhale, no energy spared.

It became a very bad mistake on her part: when Gothel Dragon unleashed her peak energy directed at Mothra as her weapon was still active, it first spewed out & went only a few meters from her mouth before being thrown back at her face – literally. In a heartbeat, Gothel was engulfed by her own blue flames that covered her completely from her nose to the end of her tail. The crimson-fleshed creature howled at the top of her lungs as she was bathed in her fires, & her flesh turned black in various areas all over her body.

While Gothel roasted, Mothra screeched to Battra, Kumonga, Gabara & Baragon in rapid succession, & each monster answered back once their ally laid out her plan to finish off their common foe.

Gothel Dragon's fires & pain subsided almost as soon as they had begun, & that was when pure pandemonium broke out: as one, all five creatures attacked Gothel with prism/antennae beams, red-orange flames, spider silk & even electrical blasts once Gabara got close enough for physical contact; Kumonga shot forth a thick, strong line of his silk that made contact with Gothel's chest, enabling the giant arachnid to pull with all his might; Baragon gave the red-skinned beast a taste of his flames before biting down on her right arm like an angry dog; Battra's prism beams had all but shredded Gothel's other wing, thus keeping her grounded indefinitely; Mothra had shot another barrage of stingers from her abdomen, hitting her enemy from the sides as she bombarded her with antennae strikes & lightning attacks from her wings.

The volley of assaults from everywhere on her person was pushing Gothel Dragon's rage over the edge, & she decided to express just how irate & furious she really is.

"ENOUGH!", Gothel bellowed her loudest before biting Kumonga's line & melting it with her flames, freeing her from his pull. She then throws Baragon into Gabara, colliding into each other & releasing their mutual enemy just before crashing into the earth. Kumonga leapt at Gothel, but she anticipated the move & grabbed the spider, swinging him in a full 360 degrees & throwing him into Battra, knocking them both out of commission at the moment. With her tail, Gothel smacks Mothra in the face before grabbing her head & body-slamming the butterfly on her back.

Having incapacitating her enemies for the time being, Gothel Dragon approached Gabara & Baragon, who were struggling to get to their feet but were stopped by the red-skinned monster as she started pounding on them with all her might that only an animalistic rage can deliver. Her attack on them was relentless, & both Gabara & Baragon were seeing spots before their eyes from the severity of it, too disoriented to even begin to fight back.

After a minute of a brutal beating, Gothel Dragon grabbed the two monsters by their throats with a steel grip & cuts off their windpipe, staring down on them with scowling eyes that could melt through solid rock.

"I will NOT be beaten again by anyone or anything – especially not by a couple of creatures as PATHETIC as you two!", Gothel snapped with venom in her voice. "Once I RAZE Corona to cinders & ashes before doing the same to Rapunzel & her handsome prince, I'll claim all your HEADS as trophies, proving ONCE again that Mother Gothel is superior to all, including Father Time! And THEN I shall…"

As Gothel Dragon spoke her last two statements, her vision started going blurry as she shook her head wildly & blinked to try & clear it. No such luck: her eyesight was getting vague by the second, & she also felt her strength get drained & ebbing away as her grip on Gabara & Baragon was getting weaker before finally releasing them from her once-firm grip. Gothel's muscles felt like they were melting, & she staggered with every step she took.

What's…happening to me?!, Gothel thought as she nearly stumbled on her own feet, her belly feeling like she's about to vomit.

She answered her own question as she asked it to herself: the spider known as Kumonga bit her before in the neck, injecting his poison into her system. At first, it hardly did anything to her, but after the backlash from her own flames when Mothra sprinkled her weapon onto her, the heat sped up the process when they consumed her from head to tail. Gothel Dragon fought the poison raging inside her, but every attempt at it only made her situation worse, & so she fell to her knees as her legs gave out.

No! I will not go down like a whimpering beggar on the streets!, Gothel thought furiously. I will rise from this poison that filthy spider injected into me, & I shall make him & the rest really suffer!

White foam started forming from her mouth as Kumonga's poison was really taking its toll on her.

Once Gothel was down on her knees, Mothra flapped her wings & became airborne in seconds, turning herself right-side up before doing a 180 degree turn & making her wings glow in a blur. Emitting a screech, the lepidopteran flew directly at Gothel Dragon, who barely had the strength to lift her head & see the oncoming butterfly with blurry wings with wide eyes as she passed through with ease.

Doing a loop in the air, Mothra remained neutral as she, Battra, Kumonga, Gabara & Baragon all watched as Gothel Dragon stayed still as a statue for several moments until an unbelievable thing happened.

Gothel's head & most of her neck fell off her main body & crumpled to dust, followed immediately by the rest of her body. In mere moments, Gothel – the selfish centuries-old maiden & one-time kidnapper of Princess Rapunzel – was no more.

To many, they hope that second time is the charm & that she will not be resurrected for a third.

Mothra, Battra, Kumonga, Gabara & Baragon all let out a roar/screech/chirp in victory, watching their enemy literally dissolve before their eyes. Battra flew up to Mothra & the two began a conversation between butterflies that ended up with Battra having more respect for his partner: even though he's not as sentimental as Mothra, Battra can still be counted on to have her back during the most difficult of times when facing a common enemy, one that would sooner destroy them both as look at them – a fact Gothel Dragon more than proved, as she provided no leniency to either lepidopteran during their fierce fight.

Battra lets Mothra know this personally, & she let him know in return that she would also fight alongside him when it is warranted.

Whether that means Battra will go easier on humans still remained to be seen, given his fierce, ferocious spirit & nature, & the black butterfly lets his partner hear it. Mothra says back to try & give them a chance, but understood his feelings in the matter & didn't push it further.

Nodding, Battra roars & turns to Kumonga before asking him if he'd appreciate a lift to a place where there are no humans inhabiting it & live freely like any normal spider. Asking if Battra would really do that for him & saying 'yes' with a roar, Kumonga chirped his acceptance & raised his body with his legs so that Battra could take it with his own, grabbing the spider's main body between his legs & lifting him up into the air. Mothra wished them both a safe trip as Battra roared back his thanks.

Turning towards the south, Battra took off with Kumonga in tow, his speed increasing with every second.

In no time, both butterfly & spider were gone from sight.

Mothra now faces Gabara & Baragon, asking what they'll do next: Gabara replied that he will take to the water & head out to sea, hoping the journey will help to heal his wounds sustained by Gothel Dragon. Baragon's answer was to head south & explore this new land on his terms before heading back home & was already making his way in that very direction, going at a leisurely pace. Gabara reached the water & walked right in before swimming off away from Corona & the mainland itself once he's in deep enough.

Mothra screeched in wishing them all well until she felt that danger was still present from her sixth sense.

Following it to its source, Mothra was already on her way.

The King & Queen's Palace:

King Frederic & Queen Arianna were placed on the floor, with their hands tied behind their backs as two of the ant soldiers stood guard over them with orders to kill either if they try anything funny, such as an escape attempt. The Duke of Weselton & Prince Hans both sat in the seats usually reserved for the King & Queen, with Shane standing by on the right with his spear raised vertically. The third ant soldier stood upon the opposite side, ready to spring into action if the room should get attacked.

Enjoying their predicament, Hans smiled as he & the Duke stared at their captives.

"I must say, Your Highness, Your Majesty", Hans began in a playful tease. "These are the most comfortable chairs we've ever had the pleasure of resting our bottoms on. It's no wonder why you two enjoy being who you are."

"Or should we say 'were'!", the Duke said, doing a pose. "So…how do we look? Yay, or nay? Be honest."

Hans, the Duke & even Shane all chuckled, mocking the royal husband & wife which made them mad.

"You may have won this battle, Prince Hans, but you & the Duke of Weasel Town will still fall in the end – just as you did back in Arendelle!", Frederic said.

The Duke quickly rose from his seat & took out a dagger from his belt before placing it under the King's chin, his face in rage.

"That's Weselton, if you please!", he snapped. "Mispronounce my hometown again, & you'll see just how bad this 'weasel' can scratch & bite!"

Frederic simply stared back at him with a face as filled with hate as the Duke's, his threat not intimidating him.

"Sir Duke…if you please", Hans said, calming his partner down as he went back to his seat & placed his blade back in its sheath.

"And you, Shane!", Queen Arianna fumed. "You turn traitor to us, your fellow royal guards, your kingdom & its people, & for what?! Because of Prince Eugene?!"

"Don't you mean Flynn Rider, Your Majesty?", Shane snarled. "One of Corona's most wanted thieves Flynn Rider, of whom you & your husband should've locked up for all eternity when you had the chance?! Worst of all, you allow that snake of a crook to marry your daughter?! What were you thinking?!"

"He rescued our daughter! She'd still be in the grip & mercy of that horrible, godawful Gothel woman were it not for him! That alone grants him full immunity for all his previous crimes, & the right to marry Rapunzel because of it! Are you telling us that you've helped Hans & the Duke cause all this mayhem due to the fact that we'd refused to place Eugene in jail for life, & made him a prince instead?! That's your excuse for turning your back upon everything you've sworn to uphold?! You, Shane, are just as bad as either of those two!"

"And you & your husband aren't?! Giving Flynn Rider immunity was bad enough, but you also go & grant the same thing to the Stabbington Brothers – two men who are equally as bad, if not more so?! That only proves just how unfit you two are to rule this kingdom!"

"Shane, a King & Queen are known for more than following daily protocol!", King Frederic says. "They also get recognition, love & respect for following their hearts when protocol fails or doesn't suit right with a situation! It was a bit of a gamble to recruit the Stabbingtons in order to hunt down & bring back Prince Hans & the Duke, I do admit, but offering them a chance at living a normal life as I've done with Eugene is hardly any reason or excuse for one such as yourself to turn into the very thing you're sworn to stop! And just so you know, it was all Eugene's idea for suggesting those two brothers, not mine!"

"Maybe so, but you still went ahead with his idea anyway! A true king would never do anything so reckless & stupid as you have, & that's why this kingdom is in desperate need for a new ruler or two!"

"Like them, of all people?!", Queen Arianna says with vehemence.

"Who else?", Hans said. "With me & the Duke on the throne, Shane as our Captain & our ant army enforcing our new laws, we'll make Corona a kingdom to really be proud of!"

"Our people will never bow down to your whim, Prince Hans – or to the Duke's!"

"They won't have a choice, my dear!", the Duke adds. "Don't forget: we do have a horrible fire-spitting dragon on our side, not to mention giant mantises & a spider! Anyone who disobeys our rules or simply doesn't follow them, well…let's just say our pets won't go hungry!"

The terrible trio share a chuckle of amusement, making the King & Queen scowl deeper with clenched teeth.

"Speaking of which, Sir Duke", Hans says, turning to Shane. "Let's see how well our giant ally Gothel is faring against the two butterflies."

Shane nodded just as an inhuman scream was heard all the way from the mainland, giving cause for concern to Hans & his two cohorts. The traitorous guard ran to the window & opened it up to bear witness to Gothel Dragon get roasted by her own fires when Mothra sprinkled the beast with a cloud of glitter from her wings. Hans & the Duke demand what it was, & Shane gave a full report of what was occurring: Mothra, Battra, Gabara, Baragon & their own spider Kumonga all ganging up against Gothel Dragon in a battle royale of epic proportions.

When asked if their Kamacuras was there, Shane replied there were no signs of even one of them.

It was a surprising turn of events as Shane continued monitoring events from his vantage point, giving all in the room a full report. The fight lasted for a few minutes more until Mothra had flown right past Gothel with her wings in a blur before the unbelievable happened: Gothel was decapitated & turned to dust, vanishing from sight.

The hearts of Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton were palpitating like mad, hearing about their best warrior be taken down by a mere worm with wings. Then Shane saw & announced that Mothra's dark partner picked up the giant arachnid & flew off with him, seemingly in a friendship of sorts before the other two departed ways: one to the water, the other into the forest.

Shane's own heart was beating rapidly, & sweat started to come from his brow.

"Mothra's the only one left!", he said in a panicked voice. "With our other creatures defeated…"

"She'll come here next!", the Duke said, becoming just as panicked as Shane.

"Not to worry – we still have the King & Queen at our mercy!", Hans said, rising from his seat & pulling out a large dagger & placing it under King Frederic's chin. "We'll demand that Mothra back off & allow us safe passage out of Corona, lest she wants the King & Queen's deaths on her conscience!"

"Of course – they'll be our tickets out of here!", the Duke said getting up & pulling out his own blade, taking Queen Arianna hostage. "Get up – both of you!"

King Frederic & Queen Arianna do as they're told with Hans & the Duke's help, who yank them up in a not-so-friendly way before the Duke's blade gets placed under Arianna's chin.

"Here's what's going to happen, Your Highness!", Hans says with a menacing scowl. "You and your wife are going to accompany us to the docks, where we will charter a ship ready to set sail & hit the open seas! Once onboard, you'll work & slave for us until we can find a secluded patch of land completely uninhabited! If Mothra or anyone else dares to impede our progress in any way, Corona can say goodbye to its rulers as we slit your throats & feed you to the sharks of the sea! Understand?!"

"If you're planning to kill us, Prince Hans, then do it!", Frederic said defiantly. "But know that whether you do or not, you'll never get away no matter how far you, the Duke or Shane run off to!"

Prince Hans was about to say more when a rumbling sound occurring from outside of the throne room become louder with every second. Like an unstoppable stampede, Maximus & Angus burst through the doors & charged at two of the ant soldiers at top speed, crashing into & stomping them hard with their hooves, giving neither insect any chance to fight back. Just as they got the creatures literally underfoot, the sound of crashing windows erupted as the Duckling thugs Vladimir, Hookhand & Atilla made their grand entrance as the first two went to help the steeds as the third one faced off against the last ant soldier, giving it the fight of its life before using their mace, sword & hook to drive into their brains & splatter the floor with their ichor as they drop dead in their own puddles.

Before Hans or even the Duke could announce that he'll kill their hostages if the intruders don't relent, another pair of windows get smashed from outside as Eugene, Rapunzel, the Captain & Merida enter the room & the Scottish princess fires two of her arrows in rapid succession quicker than the eye can see, her shots hitting both knives Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton wielded at the King & Queen, disarming them in a heartbeat.

Merida immediately got another arrow ready to shoot, aiming it right at Hans' face.

"Get yourselves away from Rapunzel's parents – now!", she barked with vehemence.

"Do as she says, gentlemen!", Eugene snapped through clenched teeth. "Now that you're not in shackles – yet – Merida can & will kill you both if she has to!"

"Unless I do it first!", Rapunzel said, her fists & teeth clenched. "And after what you three did to my kingdom, my friends, & worst of all my parents, I won't hesitate in doing the unthinkable to any of you!"

Prince Hans, the Duke of Weselton & Shane wanted to test & call their bluff, but after seeing just how accurate Merida's shots were & the very irate/hateful faces on her, Eugene & Rapunzel (not to mention those on the three thugs), they thought better of it & raised their hands in a gesture of surrender as they slowly back up towards the open window before making a break for it.

When they exit the room, they were treated to a big surprise that caused their freedom trip to stop short.

Mothra hovered only twenty meters away from the palace & stared straight down at the trio, her anger clear in her screech when she lets it out. Although Mothra is a mostly peaceful creature that will engage in combat only when it calls for it, she herself wishes to do great bodily harm to the trio, especially after what Gothel Dragon had done to her parent.

As if that weren't enough, the Captain & his royal guards came rushing in from all directions & pointed their spears/swords at Hans, the Duke & Shane, lessening their chances for an escape even further.

Surrounded from every angle, the trio raised their hands in true surrender.

Elinor (still holding the box with the Shobijin), Shorty, Tor, Big Nose & the Stabbington Brothers came in to witness the three criminals apprehended & the last three ant soldiers defeated, lying in a puddle of their own ichor as Stabbington Brother #2 used a knife to cut the ropes that held King Frederic & Queen Arianna. With his strength, one slice through the ropes was all that was needed.

"Mom! Dad!", Rapunzel cried, running towards her parents & getting into a group hug with them as Pascal had a warm smile on his face, as die Eugene who joins in.

"Rapunzel & I were terribly scared for you, my King & Queen!", Eugene said. "We were starting to think we'd never see either of you again!"

"Truth be told, my husband & I felt the same way about you & Rapunzel, my dear prince!", Arianna says. "But a part of us also felt that we would – and we did!"

"Hey – it'll take a whole lot more than an overgrown spider, praying mantises & a fire-spitting dragon to keep us away!", Rapunzel says, half-joking.

The King & Queen laughed at their daughter's attempt at humor, which was most welcomed.

"We stand corrected", Frederic says, getting into another group hug.

The King & Queen smiled at the mute Stabbington in deepest gratitude, & the sibling smiled back.

It was a heartwarming scene to the Duckling thugs, the first Stabbington sibling, Elinor & the Shobijin.

"If that ain't a happy ending, I don't know what to tell you", said Stabbington Brother #1 as Elinor chuckled.

"I couldn't picture a prettier scene, Mr. Stabbington", she says to him. "I believe it's safe to say that both you & your brother can expect to live freely from this point on, having helped fulfil your end of the bargain."

"Even if we weren't the ones to actually capture those three, I'd say freeing the King & Queen from their ropes still puts in good graces. In any case, milady…we'll gladly takeit."

Elinor grinned at the Stabbington, who returned the gesture before it disappears.

"Now all that's left, aside from putting those three on trial, is cleaning up the mess Gothel made in her beastly form", Elinor said in a melancholy tone. "I figure it's going to take some time before things get back to normal."

The talkative Stabbington made a face that reflected Elinor's mood, feeling the same dread of it all.

"Queen Elinor", said the Shobijin as she turned the box to face them. "Everyone here in the kingdom of Corona will do their best to pull through this tragedy that has befallen it. It should, however, consider itself fortunate: as bad as this was, it could've been a whole lot worse."

Stabbington Brother #1 & Elinor look to each other.

"They've got a point about that, milady", he said. "Unlike Arendelle, we got lucky."

Elinor nodded, having no room to argue the matter.

"They most certainly do, Mr. Stabbington", she said, turning to Merida as she came to her mother & placed her arms around her. Giving the Shobijin to him, she did the same.

Yes, it will be quite the road to recovery for the kingdom of Corona from Gothel Dragon's attack & Prince Hans' siege upon the palace, no question about it.

But there's one thing they can all agree upon.

With Gothel's defeat & Prince Hans, the Duke of Weselton & the traitorous Shane under arrest once again, this nightmare had reached its conclusion.

CHAPTER IX

Corona, three days later:

Prince Hans, the Duke of Weselton & Shane were placed inside a cell & kept under strict 24-hour surveillance to ensure that none can escape like they did in Arendelle, & were ordered to kill should they try.

It was only enforced if they did try, but the guards wouldn't hesitate if it came to that.

The majority of the kingdom's citizens were hard at work in removing debris & bodies trapped underneath: for all those who were still among the living, they were tended to immediately. For those who've perished, their bodies would be placed upon a wagon & taken over to the mainland where they will receive proper burials, with surviving family members to perform the memorial services.

Merida, Elinor, Eugene, Rapunzel, the Duckling thugs, the Stabbington Brothers, Maximus, Angus & even the Shobijin & Pascal were all on hand to lend one of theirs to whoever needed it, ranging from heavy lifting to rescuing anyone trapped beneath rubble. For those pieces of debris that was too heavy to move, the Shobijin used their talent to move it just enough to allow passage & get to those in need.

It was something of a big strain on their power, but the six-inch ladies managed.

The group worked until the day of Prince Hans' trial.

The people of the kingdom, grateful beyond words for their help in locating survivors & moving debris, wished them luck as they returned the favor.

Washing dirt & grime from their bodies, they all dressed formally for the event, which took place in the throne room – the same place Hans, the Duke & Shane held King Frederic & Queen Arianna captive. They both sat in their rightful seats as the Duckling thugs stood on the right side next to Queen Arianna, as did the Stabbington Brothers.

Shorty was the one entrusted with holding the box that contained the Shobijin inside.

Merida, Elinor, Eugene, Rapunzel, Maximus & Angus all stood on the left side, next to King Frederic. Pascal was, like always, on Rapunzel's shoulder.

Guards were posted on each side in two rows along the red carpet that leads up to the throne, every one of them armed to the teeth.

After ten minutes of tense waiting, the doors finally open to allow the Captain of the Guards, several of his men & the three prisoners – each one with their arms out in front & in shackles – making their way up the carpet with the business end of a spear or sword in the face/rear of Hans, the Duke & Shane.

Scowls of pure hatred & fury adorned each face of everyone in the room, up to & including the Shobijin.

Pascal turned red as a cooked lobster to show his abhorrence to the trio.

Angus, incapable of facial expression, simply neighed his loathing of the men.

Stopping sixteen feet from the King & Queen, Hans & his cohorts were forcefully placed on their knees as the King rose from his seat to begin making his announcement, thus beginning the trial.

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, the Duke of Weasel Town…"

"That's Weselton, if you please!", the Duke shouted before getting clobbered hard in the side of the head by the Captain's wooden part of his spear.

"Shut up!", he barked at the convicted Duke, who rubbed where he was hit.

The Snuggly Duckling thugs & Stabbington Brothers all chuckled at the scene, unable to resist the urge until Queen Arianna & Elinor made a slight sound in their throats that told the men to keep their composure, & remained silent & still once more.

Seeing order restored, King Frederic resumed.

"Prince Hans, you & the Duke have been found guilty of the following charges: blatant deception for personal greed, aligning yourselves with an ancient race to create chaos in the kingdom of Arendelle, Norway, the illegal use of witchcraft to create giant creatures that caused numerous deaths across the land, first-degree & attempted murder of not only our very own daughter Rapunzel & her friends, but also that of Queen Elsa, Princess Anna & two of their associates, escaping from prison, & worst of all…blatantly threatening my wife & I!"

Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton simply stared at King Frederic, showing neither fear nor regret.

"Soldier Shane of the royal guards", Frederic went on. "You have been found guilty of aiding & abetting a pair of two well-known fugitives, consulting with said convicts on all fronts of previously announced charges, & the worst crime any soldier in the Captain's army could ever commit – treason!"

Shane's face was just as steely as Hans or the Duke's, & stayed as silent as them.

"In lieu of all these charges in which I have just announced, does any one of you have anything to say in your defense before your sentences get carried out?", Frederic concluded.

"I've only this to say, King Frederic – none of us here regrets any of our actions in either Arendelle or here in Corona!", Prince Hans said firmly as the Duke & Shane nodded. "They both got exactly what they deserved, & if we had the chance to do it all over again, we wouldn't hesitate for a second!"

Hans' associates nodded again, giving their own answer as King Frederic gave the order to the Captain to lift the criminals back up on their feet. Like before, none of the guards were gentle about it.

"You know, Prince Hans, I've always wondered as to why three of your brothers treated you like you were all but invisible to them", said Stabbington Brother #1 before he smirked. "Now I do."

His little joke incited chuckles from most everyone in the room.

"Too bad all of his other siblings didn't treat him the same way!", Hookhand adds, getting louder guffaws out of them. Even Rapunzel & her group couldn't help but to snicker some.

The room quieted when Queen Arianna spoke.

"Don't worry, boys: we're all going to be acting that very same way once we place him & his cohorts within an area they'll never escape from!"

"Indeed, my dear", Frederic said. "And now that their sentence is passed, it's time we all say goodbye & good riddance to these three ruffians!"

Despite his predicament, Prince Hans smiled wickedly, as did the Duke of Weselton & Shane.

"What are you three so happy about?!", the Captain demanded, seeing their smiles.

"You know, it's funny that the King mentioned 'goodbye & good riddance', Captain!", said the Duke.

"Yes, because we were thinking the very same thing about…them!", Hans said, now turning to Rapunzel & her group. In all this time from when the guards placed the shackles upon him & his partners in crime while still in their cells in the dungeon, no one paid much attention to Hans' hands, which were both closed fists. While resting in their cell during the night, Hans took a small clump of a gelatin-like substance that could be shaped into a small marble he was able to obtain before being arrested. He stuffed it into his boot the whole time & removed/shaped it into said ball just before he was shackled, his fists hiding it the entire time.

Now it was the time for him to implement its use: throwing his hands back to one side, Hans shot them forward & launched his ball at Rapunzel's group with speed that didn't enable the Captain or any of his guards to intercept. It flew across the room & soared over & past Rapunzel & her friends, all the while Hans had quickly recited a spell in a foreign language. When the miniature ball was twelve feet behind said group, it halted in mid-air & began to swell to a circle with a circumference of ten feet, the inside looking like a swirl of paint colors.

And that circle started acting like a vacuum, threatening to suck up Rapunzel, Eugene, Merida, Elinor, Angus, Maximus & Pascal, all of whom were fighting against the circle's pull but could hardly find any traction on the floor which was polished & slippery.

"NO!", the Captain cried out as he & his guards all went to their rescue, leaving their prisoners behind.

They weren't the only ones in danger of getting sucked into the vortex: the Shobijin were in just as much as the intended victims, with Shorty about to join them. Only a powerful hand from Vladimir prevents that from occurring.

King Frederic & Queen Arianna were pulled to safety by the Stabbingtons, who managed to grab & pull them in time. The Duckling thugs all join forces & help whoever they could, using their great strength to keep Frederic, Arianna & the guards in place, some of whom have thrown ropes as literal lifelines for Rapunzel & the others to hold onto. It was not a moment too soon: by now the pull of the vortex was so strong, it actually lifted the victims up off the floor, & now they're dangling in mid-air with only the ropes preventing them from falling in.

With their attention diverted to Rapunzel & her party, Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton get their shackles removed by Shane, who had a spare key hidden inside his own boot the whole time before doing the same to his own. Seeing their dire predicament gave the trio a huge sense of satisfaction, & they each grab a sword/axe displayed on a wall.

The Captain of the Guards & his men, the Duckling thugs & the Stabbingtons use all their might to hold firm the ropes that Rapunzel & company were clinging to like their lives depend on it, which they do: the pull was much stronger now, that those holding onto & pulling the ropes were now starting to slip on the floor, putting their lives in graver danger.

"Just hold tight, Rapunzel!", King Frederic shouted to his daughter. "We are NOT losing you AGAIN!"

"Oh yes you ARE!", Prince Hans, the Duke of Weselton & Shane cried out with huge grins before each of them raised their weapons choice & threw them forward. The weapons – two swords & a double-bladed axe – twirled in mid-air as they flew closer to their intended targets. For everyone in the room, time seemed to slow to a crawl as their flying projectiles reached not Rapunzel, Eugene or any of their friends…but the ropes they were grabbing onto.

Like knives through warm butter, the flying blades slice through the ropes with ease, sending Rapunzel, Elinor, Eugene, Merida, Maximus, Angus & Pascal all tumbling into the vortex behind them, reaching out with their arms as if they could will themselves back in, their eyes wide with surprise & fear.

The sudden snap of the ropes caused the guards & everyone else holding them to fall backwards & helplessly watch as they all get sucked in.

"NO!", shouted Stabbington Brother #1 as he & his sibling leave the King & Queen behind the throne before they rush at the vortex in hopes of getting to them before it closes & sends them all to God-knows-where. Making a leap of faith with all their might, the Stabbingtons reach out with their arms in a rescue attempt.

Only seconds after Rapunzel & her group enter the vortex, it contracts & disappears only a split-second before even the first Stabbington could get ahold on any of them. All they did manage to grab was empty air & a face full of floor, which they hit hard. Everyone inside the room froze with a face that looked like they've each seen a ghost, their minds refusing to comprehend what just occurred, wishing & wanting to be in denial of the facts.

But no matter how hard they try, they've all come to the acceptance of the one truth.

Princess Rapunzel, the girl with magical hair that glowed & healed, was gone…for a second time.

What's worse, they fear her disappearance could be permanent this time with no way home – for her, or any of her friends who vanished with her.

For the Captain & his men, it was a blow to their conscience, having failed in their duties to keep her & the others safe from a trio of madmen.

For the Duckling thugs, the Stabbingtons & the Shobijin, it was the loss of a dear friend who helped to inspire & change them for the better.

For King Frederic & Queen Arianna, it was a parents' worst fear come true – outliving their own daughter.

Unable to hold back her sadness, Queen Arianna started to cry as King Frederic held her close as she let it out after burying her head in his chest. The royal guards, the Duckling thugs, the Stabbingtons & the Shobijin bow their heads in sorrow, seeing such proud, wonderful people & loyal animals be gone from their lives in the wink of an eye.

The sorrow was also building up in them as well, but for the Stabbingtons, a fit of boiling rage was welling up in them, & the talkative brother wasn't shy about showing it.

"That's it!", he said with gritted teeth as all eyes turn to him. "We all tried doing this the easy & humane way, but Prince Hans & his cohorts have gone too far this time! No more: even if my brother & I do get sent right back to prison, we're both going out there to find those two…and we're gonna kill them!"

His mute sibling nodded, ready to face whatever consequences come their way.

"Stabbingtons", said King Frederic with a hard face. "That's exactly what I want you boys to do to them! Never mind bringing them in alive anymore! Find them & kill them – however you boys can!"

With restraint no longer an issue or a factor, the idea sounded appealing to the guards and the Duckling thugs.

"Count us in as well!", Tor called out, getting anxious grunts from the others including the Captain & all of his guards.

"You're right, Mr. Stabbington!", said the Captain. "Even though it's our duty to bring suspects in alive when we can, we do have the authorization to kill when & if the need arises! Therefore, I hereby pass that rule onto each & every one of you up until we locate & put an end to them – permanently!"

The guards & Duckling thugs raise their fists, indicating they're ready to go.

"Let's get a move-on, Captain!", Stabbington Brother #1 said as he nodded.

"To the horses!", the Captain called, & all but Shorty exited the throne room, who has wished to stay behind & safeguard the Shobijin, not wanting to leave two six-inch beauties unguarded.

Having the room to themselves, Arianna resumed crying for her daughter as Frederic comforted her.

The Shobijin did the same inside their box.

Shorty stayed silent, unsure of what to say or do.

The mainland, two hours later:

Once Prince Hans, the Duke of Weselton & Shane threw their weapons, they each high-tailed it right out of the throne room & stole two horses – one for Shane, the other for both Hans & the Duke. No one could stop any of them, as they each were too quick, cunning & clever to be caught. Racing across the bridge, they made their way into the mainland & disappeared into the trees, using the brush to keep themselves hidden for as long as possible.

When they feel they've put enough distance from themselves & the kingdom, they slowed their horses down to a mere gallop as if out for a simple walk through the woods.

The Duke of Weselton chuckled with delight, having scored another victory.

"Despite suffering some minor setbacks, this is still a most glorious day for us!", he said. "We've gotten rid of Queen Elsa & her sister Princess Anna from Arendelle, & we've just disposed of Princess Rapunzel & her husband Prince Eugene right here in Corona!"

"And, as an added bonus, we've also disposed ourselves & this land of that annoying Queen Elinor & Princess Merida from 10th Century Scotland – by sending them on another time trip!", Hans said. "Where they'll end up this time…nobody knows, not even me!"

"And nobody's gonna care either!", the Duke adds with a chuckle.

"It is a splendid victory, gentlemen, but I do suggest we keep on moving just the same", Shane said. "By now, I have no doubt that the Captain & his men are already on our tail as we speak, & this time, they won't bother taking any of us in alive: considering what we've done, they're not going to show us any kind of clemency. Believe me…I know the protocol."

"Relax, Shane", Hans said, gesturing with an arm at the woods. "There's a whole new land for us to explore. If we simply keep on heading into deeper territory, more than likely we'll lose our pursuers and/or force them to make a hasty retreat, should they manage to back us into a corner. And if by chance we are going to go down, then we do no less than in taking them with us."

Shane & the Duke share a grin of satisfaction, enjoying the way Hans' proposal sounds.

"I like the sound of that!", the Duke said. "Lead the way, dear prince! Who knows? Perhaps we'll run into a kingdom that loathes & despises Corona as much as we do, & thus we can lead them into battle against…"

A rumbling in the ground cut off the Duke's sentence, & the earth shook beneath their horses' hooves, making them very nervous. The men fought to keep them under control when a geyser of earth, grass & a few trees erupted at a distance of ten meters, spooking their steeds. Shane was able to keep his steady & remain, but Hans & the Duke had fallen off theirs & landed on the ground as their ride took off into the woods, not wanting to meet whatever caused that geyser of Mother Earth.

It was the monster Baragon, who was taking a nap to regain his strength after battling Gothel Dragon until he somehow sensed the presence of an evil aura in the vicinity – one that had the scent of Gothel Dragon herself.

Looking down at Shane, Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton, Baragon felt that very same presence upon each of the three men, who looked up at the subterranean dinosaur with trepidation on their faces & deep within their black souls. Their muscles were like a jelly substance, & couldn't move an inch as their fear acted like a suspension of it.

But Baragon was not mistaken: he knows they were responsible for Gothel Dragon's existence, & he bellows a roar that echoed the area to show his displeasure.

Shane was the first & only one of the group to scream in terror, & that got the motivation in his body & that of his horse to get it to turn tail & run off, forcing his ride to go at top speed. Baragon watched one of his prey race off, getting to a distance of 60 meters before he does something that still amazes Hans & the Duke.

The subterranean dinosaur made a mighty leap with a grace & speed which belied his great size & bulk, going the exact same length that Shane & his horse reached. Baragon's sudden appearance & landing caused Shane's horse to stop short & neigh in fear, its wild bucking throwing its rider off before falling to its side. Shane & his horse were staring up at the toothy maw of Baragon, who roared in anger at the human who helped cause him so much pain.

His fear reached its peak, & Shane screamed in terror at the top of his lungs just before he & his horse were gobbled up into Baragon's mouth – the last thing they both saw before everything went dark.

The sounds of sickening crunches could be heard even from where Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton stood.

Getting their legs to work again, Hans & the Duke trotted off into the woods, wanting to escape the horrid fate of their partner. Staying within the cover of the trees, there would be little to no chance of Baragon finding them that easily, if at all. All they had to do was stay inside the brush & hopefully find something like a cave to wait it out until Baragon grows weary & retreats to another place far, far away.

A screeching from overhead caused Hans & the Duke to look up & see the last two Kamacuras – the very same creatures they'd created – appear out of thin air as the two insects deactivate their cloak & stare down at the helpless men, who can only watch as the mandibles of the Kamacuras reach down & snatch them up like birds picking seeds from the ground.

Like Shane did, Hans & the Duke screamed for about a second or two before the Kamacuras' maws silenced them – forever.

Even at 300 meters away, the Captain & his search party – consisting of his men, the Stabbington Brothers & the Duckling thugs – could all hear the screams & horrible crunching of flesh & bone as they bore witness to Baragon consuming the traitorous Shane & his stolen horse, followed by Hans & the Duke receiving the same fate at the hands of the Kamacuras. The calamity made Baragon turn to the two insects & stared at them, wondering if they're foolish enough to start a fight with the subterranean dinosaur, or if they were simply passing through looking for food.

A boisterous roar from Baragon made the Kamacuras reconsider getting into a scuffle with him, & he rears up on his hind legs to show he's not in the mood for any games the insects want to play, if that is what they planned.

The Kamacuras screeched in reply as Baragon did the same, only with more ferocity. This act dissuaded the praying mantises, & they both spread their wings from their abdomen & took to the air, heading south for more meals that might come their way…and to avoid Baragon's deadly teeth, claws & fire.

Happy that further conflict was avoided, Baragon unleashed another roar & got back down on all fours, making his way southwest. The Captain & everyone in his search party were equally glad that Baragon didn't decide to turn & head back to the kingdom: they doubted they could've repelled the monster if he had, especially with the condition Corona was currently in.

That was close!, thought the Snuggly Duckling thugs, letting out a breath they didn't know they held.

"Eaten by the very creatures they've created", said the Captain. "That's poetic justice if ever I've seen it."

"More like irony if you ask me, Captain", said Stabbington Brother #1. "Hans & that fink of a Duke wanted to try & control the forces of nature, & they struck right on back – with a vengeance."

"Mr. Stabbington, I'd like for us to head back to that cave they found & deal with it permanently so nobody can ever use it again: magical artifacts like the ones they used to create Kumonga, the Kamacuras and that Gothel Dragon are too dangerous to fall into unstable hands."

"We'll get to that soon enough, Captain. For right now, we should head on back to the palace & inform the King & Queen on what happened here. It will at least give them some solace over losing their daughter again…along with their son-in-law & new friends they made."

The Captain pondered on the Stabbington Brothers' words & nodded, knowing he makes perfect sense: losing Rapunzel once was bad enough, but a second time will undoubtedly cause her parents to go deeper into despair, & the longer they wait for news on Hans, the Duke & Shane on whether they've been found & killed, the sooner they'll get into that state & possibly never recover from.

If telling them the demise of the three fugitives will give them even the slightest bit of comfort, then they ought to waste no time getting the news to them.

"Good point", he finally says. "They do deserve to hear of this sooner rather than later."

Facing his men & the Duckling thugs, the Captain ordered everyone back to the palace with a sweeping gesture of his hand, & they all turned on their rides to head back into the kingdom of Corona.

It wasn't exactly a happy ending to such a tragedy, but it's an ending nonetheless.

The men would take it either way.

The Kingdom of Corona, two weeks later:

Word of mouth about what occurred to Princess Rapunzel, Prince Eugene & all their friends didn't take long to spread like wildfire around the kingdom, & it hit everybody quite hard in both body & spirit. The news of it had also reached other lands, including the people of Arendelle, who have joined in on the memorial service for the princess & all of whom were lost with her. In the days that followed since the announcement, preparations were being made for the event, including a large mural depicting the likeness of Princess Rapunzel, Prince Eugene, their friends Merida, Elinor, Maximus, Angus & even Pascal was painted on a wall at the palace by whoever had the best artistic talent, reaching a height of twenty feet high & thirty feet long. The King & Queen made a speech on Rapunzel & her life from the day she was born right on up to the time she was sucked up into the vortex Prince Hans activated which sent her & her friends to who-knows-where.

Neither King Frederic nor Queen Arianna left anything out: every detail was laid out to the people of Corona & all who've traveled from their homelands to pay their respects to the princess & her allies.

Even the Shobijin were in attendance, & they gave an emotional speech about the love & kindness Rapunzel & her friends gave to them & all they met, becoming a real tear-jerker for all who heard it.

For those who came from Arendelle, it was more than a matter of respect: it was returning the favor to Corona for attending the memorial service it had for Queen Elsa & her party after their horrible ordeal with the Seatopians & their giant insect monster Megalon, with Princess Rapunzel & Prince Eugene being some of the attendees, along with Maximus & Pascal.

King Frederic & Queen Arianna couldn't thank them enough for showing up.

As promised, the Stabbingtons lead the Captain & his men to the cave Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton used as their base of operations & practiced witchcraft: using three barrels full of gunpowder, they lit fuses attached to each of them that all but obliterated the inside & everything within in a big & powerful explosion. They handled it shortly after giving the King & Queen the news of Hans, the Duke & Shane's demise by the hands – or in this case, the jaws – of Baragon & the Kamacuras before the ceremony even started.

Some might think that using three barrels of gunpowder was a bit overkill, but neither the Stabbingtons, the thugs from the Snuggly Duckling or even the Captain of the Guards were about to take any chances.

It was a small price to pay in keeping magical artifacts out of the wrong hands.

And, as they predicted, the deaths of said three fugitives did give Frederic & Arianna some comfort.

Not much, but it certainly was a start.

The services lasted for several days, wanting everyone to get their chance to pay their respects as quite a large number of people from both domestic & international origin arrived for just that purpose. It was also a chance to get to knowing each other better, forming friendships & bonds along the way that will benefit their lands in the very near future. That also included the Shobijin's home of Infant Island, both of whom were more than honored.

It's precisely what Princess Rapunzel & Prince Eugene would want for Corona to do.

Even if they're not there to see it happen.

The King & Queen were approached by the Stabbington Brothers, & they turned in their direction.

"King Frederic, Queen Arianna, if my brother & I could spare a moment of your time…", Stabbington Brother #1 says with a bit of uneasiness in his voice.

"But of course you can. What's on your mind, gentlemen?", Frederic said, putting them at ease.

"First off, Your Highness, we want to thank you – again – for offering us a chance to start our lives afresh. It's more than either one of us deserves, I know."

"Nonsense", Queen Arianna says sincerely. "My husband & I have always believed in giving certain people a new lease on life, & Prince Eugene saw exactly that potential in the two of you. I'm happy to say that you more than exceeded his – and our – expectations, & thus were granted this most precious gift."

"Indeed. And was there something else?", Frederic asks.

The Stabbington Brothers stepped aside to reveal a pair of young twin girls that stood behind them who looked to be no older than about three or four years of age, reaching a height of two feet. They both had green eyes & wore a lavender dress, with a head of golden blonde hair that reached down to their knees. A pair of lavender shoes adorned their feet.

Upon seeing these young children, Frederic & Arianna's eyes go wide.

They look exactly like Rapunzel!, the King & Queen thought, seeing the uncanny resemblance to their daughter.

"Say hello to Marlene & Charlene", Stabbington Brother #1 said. "They were living at the orphanage until that Gothel monster leveled it to the ground when she attacked, barely making it out alive with everyone else. They'd both requested to come see you, as they've got something to say."

"What is it that you wish to say to my wife & I, little ones?", King Frederic asked as he & Arianna bent down to meet them at eye level as Marlene & Charlene walked up to them.

"King Frederic, Queen Arianna, we know that Princess Rapunzel can never be fully replaced, but…", Marlene started to say when Charlene picked it up & finished her sentence.

"My sister & I would be more than happy to fill the empty void as best we can…if, of course, that's what the both of you want", she says with a slightly different voice, being a bit lower than her sister's.

The answer hit the King & Queen immediately, & their hearts filled with a sad joy as they each took both girls in their arms: Frederic took Marlene, with Arianna taking Charlene.

"We would absolutely love that, little ladies – very much!", King Frederic said as his wife nodded before they gave the twins the warmest hug of true love anyone could give and/or receive. Tears of joy were shed from their eyes & even that of the Stabbingtons, who could not hold back the beautiful scene that unfolded before them.

They haven't been this joyful since Rapunzel & Eugene's wedding, even if they were in shackles at the time.

"Stabbington Brothers?", Arianna says.

"Yes, milady?", Brother #1 said.

"Would you both have the honor of becoming their personal bodyguards?"

This request took the Stabbingtons by surprise, & they became speechless.

"It would make Marlene & Charlene very happy", Frederic said, getting nods from said children & Arianna.

A bright smile on the twins' faces made their decision a rather easy one, & the brothers returned the gesture.

"We'd be all but honored to do so, milady", Stabbington Brother #1 said, with his sibling nodding his answer. "And if I may…Rapunzel & Eugene would want & love this just as much."

Frederic & Arianna smiled.

"Yes they would", Frederic said. "Let's make both of them proud."

"Welcome to the royal family, Stabbingtons", Arianna said happily. "And you as well – Princesses Marlene & Charlene."

The twins hugged their new parents more warmly than before, being accepted as part of Corona's royal family.

It would be announced to the people tomorrow that the King & Queen have a new heir – two new heirs.

It would become an even better happy ending to what had been a terrible tragedy.

The loss of Princess Rapunzel & Prince Eugene will undoubtedly hurt for many years still to come, but Corona will thrive & move forward like it always does, & with two new daughters who've all but volunteered to fill the void, Corona will stay strong & prosper as Marlene & Charlene vow to make that happen, adopted or not.

And the Stabbington was right: Rapunzel & Eugene would want/love that with all their hearts.

They may not be there physically, but they'll always be with Corona & its people in heart & spirit.

Sometimes, it's all anyone needs to turn tragedy into happiness.

CHAPTER X

Six feet above the ground, the portal that sucked Rapunzel, Eugene, Merida, Elinor, Maximus, Angus & Pascal in now acts in reverse & spits them out, throwing them all a good sixteen feet away before it closes in upon itself & disappears from sight, leaving no trace of its existence. Eugene was the first to regain his senses, shaking his head to clear it before checking in on everyone else.

Aside from them getting their clothes dirty in spots & a bit of a headache, they looked okay, but he wanted to be 100% certain.

"Everyone okay?", he asked as he went over to his wife.

"A little topsy-turvy & all, but otherwise fine", Rapunzel said, getting to her feet with Eugene's help.

"Mum? Mum, are you okay?", Merida asked, going to her mother once her vision cleared up.

"I'll live", Elinor said, rising up on her own. "What happened to us just now? Where are we?"

Maximus & Angus also made it to their feet without too much difficulty, & rejoin the group. Pascal was a little more disoriented, & his eyes rolled as he looked like he had a few too many at the pub. Rapunzel bent down to pick him up in her hands, giggling slightly at his antics.

"Don't you worry, little buddy…it's all over", she says cheerfully before turning serious. "But Elinor's right: we need to find out where exactly that vortex took us to."

The group surveys their surroundings to find themselves in a forest of some kind, with a few birds flying by in a flock overhead. All they see so far are trees, with very little wildlife & wonder if they were still in Corona before a roaring sound from above caught their attention. Acting on instinct, Merida drew her bow & readied an arrow just in case it decided to come down & attack. What they see is a large object with wings that were bent backwards & a tail with two mini wings. It flew past without even acknowledging them, & Merida withdrew her weapon, seeing it was a false alarm.

One thing they found strange about the object…it was all metal, with no beak, legs or anything else to indicate it was alive.

"What was that?", Elinor wondered orally.

"I don't know, Elinor, but we're not sticking around to find out!", Eugene says, getting upon Maximus as his wife sits up front with Pascal on her shoulder. "Let's get away from this area before any more of them show up!"

"And before they take notice of us!", Merida said, getting upon Angus as Elinor sits behind her. "So…in which direction should we take?"

Eugene pondered on Merida's question as he looked very carefully.

"I'd say that way is as good as any, Merida", he says as Maximus began strolling off where he pointed to, with Angus following close behind. For more than an hour, the caravan travel through more brush & seeing an animal here & there, but none possessed any danger to the travelers, & they continued on their way.

Another of the large metal 'birds' flew by, but this time the group took cover within a grove of trees & stayed hidden from its view, continuing on once it was gone.

Eighteen minutes later, they heard loud popping sounds, followed by a man crying out & two other voices.

They didn't sound too far away, & the team decided to go & investigate.

Seven minutes later, they come to an opening with a line of concrete that had another row of trees behind it & a great body of water a mile wide & about 24 miles long. On this stretch of concrete were three people – two men & a woman – that appear to be running from someone or something, with one of them clutching his right hand. Even from a distance, they could see some blood spilling from it.

Some more popping noises erupt, & the other man – who seemed to be leading the charge – gets hit in the left leg, causing him to cry out & fall to one knee as the man & woman he was leading stop to his side. His injury wasn't the only reason why they stopped: from behind the cover of the trees, a quartet of men had emerged from their hiding place & advance toward the trio, with two of them injured & unable to move, much less resist.

Each of these men were armed with an assault rifle & other weaponry on their person.

When the man tried reaching for a knife from his pocket, one of the men shot his weapon in his direction & hit the ground only an inch from his foot. The man with the bleeding hand held the woman close to him, their trepidation clearly visible on their faces.

"Don't even think about it, fella!", said the man who fired his rifle, his voice in an accent not dissimilar to that of Elinor or Merida's. "The next one goes straight into your heart – if you decide to become that stupid again!"

The man injured in the leg stared daggers at him.

"It was a nice rescue attempt, whoever you are, but it's finished now!", the man who shot his weapon resumed as he addressed his team. "Boys…the ransom price for these two just went up a couple hundred thousand more! Take them back to the car & really secure them tightly! If they resist, shoot the husband in the head! The pretty lady alone ought to be worth quite a fortune!"

"Over my dead body you will, mate!", the man injured in the leg growled through clenched teeth, his voice also in an accent.

The leader simply smirked.

"If you prefer it that way…mate!", he said. "You heard him, boys – fill him full of lead first before taking our prizes back to our ride!"

His men grin big & aim their weapons at the man who tried rescuing the man & woman holding each other close, gritting his teeth as he was about to see him fail in his mission & unable to prevent them from claiming them a second time, not to mention save his own life.

From out of nowhere, an arrow was fired & stuck into the back of the first gunman as he cried out & fell to the ground, with Merida emerging from the woods upon Angus & firing another arrow, this time hitting a man right in the chest & killing him instantly. The other two men re-aim their weapons at the approaching Merida, but the man who was assigned to rescue the couple threw his knife at the first one, hitting him in the arm & causing him to drop his rifle. With his good leg, he leaped at the last man standing & tackled him like a football linebacker, knocking his weapon away before he could get even one shot off & brawled with him, throwing punches & causing a mouth bleed. Merida flew off Angus & tackled the man who was struck in the arm, who crawled to grab his rifle but was stopped short by the red-headed lass as Merida exploited his wound & pressed the knife deeper into it, causing him to cry out.

With a swift hard kick from her right foot, Merida knocked the other man unconscious.

The man who was shot in the back by Merida's arrow reached for a sidearm & attempted to shoot the injured leg man in the back, but was trampled on by Maximus as he rode out of hiding with Eugene & Rapunzel sitting on his saddle. A quick hit in the head from the steed's right hoof put the guy in la-la land.

An elbow to the last man's side put him in that same predicament.

Having the last of the bad men incapacitated, both the injured man & the man & woman – who appear to be a husband & wife – can finally have a good look at each other. The one who fought the men furiously even with his leg shot & injured was about 5 feet & 10 inches tall, give or take. He had a pepper beard & head of hair, with a nice set of tan-colored eyes. He was attired in a black suit of sweatpants & shirt, with hiking boots placed upon his feet. The woman was a full 5 feet tall, with a flock of shortly-cut & trimmed red hair on her head & olive-colored eyes, with a set of red lips that were simply to die for. She was dressed in a green outfit that looked more like she was going to a party than a hike through the woods. The same can be said for her husband, who was a few inches taller & wore a suit of blue. His eyes were more or less the same shade as his wife's, & his brown hair was combed back with some white in it. A well-groomed stubble of a beard grew under his chin.

The three people stared at Merida, Eugene, Rapunzel, Maximus & Angus with bewilderment as Pascal came out from behind his friend's neck, studying those they've just helped.

"Well…that was rather interesting, I have to say", said the man with the accent. "Who are you people?"

"Merida!", Elinor called out as she came out from the cover of the trees to rejoin her daughter & took her by her shoulders. "Merida, are you & the others all right?!"

"Yeah Mum, I'm fine", Merida answered back as her mother breathed a sigh of relief, releasing her hold.

"What were you all thinking just now?! Those men could've done to you what they did to those two!"

"I'm sorry, Mum, but…I honestly couldn't just stand idly by & watch these three get killed! Could you?"

Elinor had no answer to at, but Eugene & Rapunzel did.

"I certainly couldn't!", Eugene answered.

"Neither could I!", Rapunzel adds, with Maximus & Pascal shaking their heads, indicating they couldn't let it occur either. Angus neighed his answer, which reflected theirs.

"Well, whoever you folks are, we're all grateful for the most unexpected but not unwelcome rescue you made for us", said the man in blue before he winced in pain & grabbed his bleeding hand again. His wife saw the wound & gasped as it bled afresh.

"Nathan honey, we've got to get you and Mr. Gus here to a hospital right away before those wounds become badly infected!", his wife said.

"Patricia sweetie, we're miles away from any hospital out here in the middle of nowhere! I doubt we'll make it to one in time before that happens!"

Gus used a pair of tweezers to get the bullet out of his leg, crying out in pain as he does before tossing it away & causes it to bleed more.

"We'll have to do something, mate…otherwise we both risk in needing an amputation!", Gus replied.

The thought of her husband losing his hand & Gus losing a leg made Patricia even more fearful. Eugene & his wife look to each other, & they nodded.

"Patricia?", Eugene says, getting her attention as he & Rapunzel got off Maximus. "Both your husband & Gus won't need to go to this 'hospital' you mentioned. My wife here will fix you up good as new before you know it."

The trio looked at each other with skepticism & a bit of confusion.

"Is she going to perform some miracle?", Patricia asked.

Eugene & Rapunzel gave each other a smirk.

"Something like that", Rapunzel says, walking over to Gus & getting down on one knee. "Nathan, I want you & Gus here to place a hand on top of my head & keep them there."

"Pardon me, Miss, but how exactly is that going to help…", Nathan started to say.

"Trust me…please."

"I suppose you ought to do it, Nathan", Patricia said. "And they did help to save our lives just now."

The sincere look on Rapunzel's face, combined with his wife's pleading, convinced Nathan to go through with what Rapunzel has in mind, & he nodded.

Walking over to the young blonde, Nathan kneeled down & placed his injured hand atop Rapunzel's head, as did Gus. Pascal gave her breathing space & went over to Maximus, climbing up to & staying on his head.

"Whatever happens, gentlemen…do not remove your hands until I say", Rapunzel says. "You ready?"

"As we'll ever be", Nathan replied.

"Let her rip, love…whatever it is you got in mind", Gus said.

With everything set, Rapunzel sang her song that worked the magic whenever she sang it:

Flower gleam & glow, let your power shine

Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine

Heal what has been hurt, change the fates' design

Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine

What once was mine

Rapunzel's hair started to glow right after she began singing, widening the eyes of Patricia, Nathan and Gus as both men not only felt their injuries healing, but they also saw them doing so, closing up as if by magic – which it is.

Stunned as they were, neither Nathan nor Gus removed their hands from Rapunzel's head until she ceased her singing & her hair returned to normal. Nathan flexed/moved his fingers & felt no abnormalities or soreness within them or his hand; Gus got up on both legs & performed a few kicks with his left leg & felt it working perfectly.

"I don't believe it!", Patricia said just above a whisper, seeing the miraculous recovery in Gus & her husband.

"That makes three of us!", Nathan said, still numb from what he witnessed.

"At the risk of repeating myself…who are you people?", Gus asked when he heard a buzz in his pocket & he dug his hand in to fish out his cell phone to answer it with the push of a button. "Go ahead, sir. Yes sir – mission accomplished. I've got Patricia & Nathan Benice right here with me, alive & unhurt. I'll send you my coordinates via my phone's GPS to give for the extraction chopper. And sir? Better send in the Chinook HC2, if you please. It'll be here in about an hour? Great. Thank you, sir. Talk to you soon."

Gus ended the call before activating said GPS on his cell. Rapunzel couldn't help but be intrigued by the small but handy device.

"What's that?", she wondered, pointing to said device.

"This, love, is my cell phone", Gus said with a smile before putting it in her face & activating it, showing the date & time. "Pretty neat, wouldn't you say?"

Rapunzel took a closer look at the phone's contents, becoming most intrigued by the date above all else.

Right below the time that said 3:20 p.m., it read 'Nov. 24, 2013'.

"'Nov.'?", she wondered aloud.

"Short for 'November', love", Gus explained with a slight laugh. "I thought everybody knew that."

"That '2013' it reads…is that this year?"

"Why of course it is, sweetie!", Patricia says with a smile & a slight laugh. Her smile was instantly wiped from her mouth when she saw Rapunzel's eyes tearing up. "Sweetie?"

"Eugene…", Rapunzel said, turning to him with a sad face.

"Rapunzel…", Eugene said, his face also looking like he was about to cry.

Unable to hold it back any longer, Rapunzel buried her face in her husband's chest & began to cry as Eugene held her close, her crying muffled but no less audible. Sobs from Eugene were also heard as he let out his own sorrow over the revelation.

Merida & Elinor were also hit with deep sorrow over hearing the day's date, & both their eyes became stained with the start of tears.

"Mum…", Merida began, unable to finish saying it.

"I know, Merida", Elinor said, fighting the lump in her throat. "We just became even further away from home than ever before."

Mother & daughter held each other close & sobbed as Angus stayed by them, wishing he could do something to ease their grief. Maximus & Pascal felt just as helpless, & the latter turned his flesh to blue.

Gus, Patricia & Nathan looked at one another in confusion: why would they break down & cry over the date & year? Why was it so important to have them get into a melancholy fit, & even though they never brought it up, what was with the clothing they all had on? Did they all still thought it was Halloween, & simply forgot?

It was perplexing, & they needed to discover what their case was.

"Hey now, what with the waterworks all of a sudden?", Gus asked in a compassionate tone. "Surely it can't be anything we said, is it?"

"Yeah, if you're that far away from home like you mentioned, surely we can help you find your way back to it, right?", Patricia asked in the same manner.

"You folks misunderstand", Eugene said in a sobbing voice, looking up at them. "The matter of fact with us is, well, we…we don't actually belong in this time."

Their answer hit them like a slap to the face, & it filled in at least some of the gaps.

"By saying 'this time', do you mean to say that you people…are from the past?!", Nathan asked.

Everyone stopped crying to face Nathan & company to nod their heads, answering their question & thickening the plot.

"I guess that certainly would explain the clothes they're all wearing", Nathan said to his wife, who nodded.

"If you folks really are from the past…how in the world did you end up in this time?", Patricia asks.

"We've got a couple of stories that more or less intertwine with each other", Elinor said. "I'm just not so sure on where to even begin to explain it."

Gus stepped forward & faced the group with a sympathetic & compassionate face.

"Why don't we all head over to my place near Birmingham, & you can tell us all about it?", he says.

"You'd do that?", Rapunzel asks, wiping her tears away.

"It's the least we can do for those who needlessly risked life & limb to come to the aide of complete strangers they've never met before. Besides…you folks look like you could all use a nice place to stay for a while, & pick up a nice hot meal & a shower to wash yourselves. I've even got a place for your steeds where they can rest nicely in."

It only took a moment or two for the group to come up with their answer, & it was a nod from Elinor.

"We'd be honored, Gus", she said. "Thank you so much."

Gus, Patricia & Nathan smiled warmly.

Frankley Green, England, 9:00 p.m., Monday, November 25th, 2013:

As Gus announced over the phone, the Chinook HC2 helicopter arrived just over an hour after his call ended, & everybody in the area of Loch Ness – Gus, Patricia, Nathan, Eugene, Rapunzel, Merida, Elinor, Maximus, Angus & Pascal – all got on board & got flown over to Cumbernauld Airport in Scotland, where they then caught one of Gus' personal planes – a Beechcraft Model 18 – to take them over to Birmingham Airport. From there, they get boarded in an American Subaru van that fit everyone in comfortably without crowding, with a trailer attached in the rear to fit Maximus & Angus nicely.

Pascal, of course, stayed on Rapunzel's shoulder & rode with her in the Subaru.

Taking the scenic route, Gus drove his crew over to his home on Church Hill Street, which was right across the road from Park Farm, where he gets a number of fresh eggs, milk & other foods from. The house was a beautiful, big two-three story building, which was like a mansion that measured 90 feet long & about 50-55 feet wide. A garage is what awaited them at the end of a large driveway, which looked as if it could hold 4-6 vehicles perfectly. On the left 9 feet away was a stable which Maximus & Angus were placed in, & both horses took an immediate liking to how it looked inside – one of the finest they've ever been to & stayed in.

Inside the mansion-like house were a multitude of rooms, with various bedrooms to choose from & a number of bathrooms to wash up in. After taking a long hot shower each, they all changed their clothes that Gus laid out for them, ranging in all styles for males and females before heading downstairs to a table that had already-made foods of all sorts, from meats & vegetables to some desserts afterwards.

Drinks were in no short supply either, & they enjoyed a variety of juices that were all but refreshing.

For their very first time traveling by helicopter, plane & automobile, followed by experiencing several clothing styles & delicacies, it was an interesting/fun experience for the ones who came from the past unexpectedly.

Having their hunger fulfilled & feeling more refreshed than ever, they retired to bed, promising to give them all of the details the next day on how they made their time trip to the present.

After breakfast & taking care of Maximus & Angus, they all sat down to a cozy fireplace as Eugene, Rapunzel, Merida & Elinor told their stories beginning with the Scottish ladies, from their dealings with Mor'du to that of the Gargantuas Gaira & Sanda, followed by Rapunzel's tale of woe to their own dealings with giant monsters right up to the climax that threw them from 1788 Germany to 2013 Scotland. In between, they've even retold the story about the Snow Queen Elsa, from when she accidentally froze her kingdom of Arendelle, Norway to when she, her own sister Princess Anna & two others perished in saving their home from the underground people the Seatopians & their giant insect guardian Megalon. For added conversation, they included telling of their family history for as far back as they could remember.

The explanations took up the entire daylight hours, & by the time the sun set, Gus, Patricia & Nathan were all at a loss for words – something that neither of them have experienced in their lives.

Merida, Elinor, Eugene & Rapunzel left the room in order for them to collect their thoughts & allow for Gus, Patricia & Nathan to absorb/process all this new information as they excuse themselves to head upstairs to check out several books of England culture & its ways of life as much as possible before getting too late.

For their own benefit, they each took turns in showering again, feeling they didn't get all the grime & dirt off as they went through Prince Hans' vortex, followed by saving their three new friends that gave them a new home.

By the time they were all finished, it was 10:00 in the evening as they were dressed in different sleepwear: blue pajamas for Eugene, pink nightgowns for the ladies. Slippers were also made ready for them.

Using a hair dryer that Gus showed them how to operate, the group dried/brushed/combed their hair as they all wrapped their heads about events that led up to this moment.

"Two trips forward in time for me & my daughter, yet just one for you & Eugene", Elinor said to Rapunzel. "I don't know how we're able to return back home, especially now that we're all living in an era where magic & sorcery gets replaced by science & technology."

Eugene & Rapunzel look to each other before the latter answers.

"Maybe we shouldn't even try, Elinor", she says, getting a stunned look on the former queen's face.

"Rapunzel, how can you even say that?", Elinor asked. "Don't you miss your parents at all? They've lost you for eighteen years before Eugene brought you back where you belong, only to lose you a second time! Wouldn't you want to be with them again? I know they would do anything to have you safely in their arms once more! I, for one, miss my dear King Fergus like the devil himself, & I long to be sent back to him – and my three boys!"

"Elinor", Rapunzel says, walking to her & taking her hands. "Of course I miss my parents…more than you'll ever know. Same as you with your husband King Fergus & your triplets…Hamish, Hubert & Harris, were they?"

The former queen of Castle DunBroch nodded.

"The point is, we all wish to go back to where we rightfully belong & carry on life as it were", Rapunzel went on. "But it's just as you've said: magic spells & sorcerers – good or bad – have all basically become extinct, paving the way for a more scientific & technological world. Truth be told, I don't see us going anywhere that resembles back to our native places of origin, no matter how badly we all want it."

"What Rapunzel means, Elinor…", Eugene adds in. "She's just trying to see the logic in all of this, & I for one suggest we all do the same. For better or for worse, we're all stuck here in this era, so we'd better start in making the most of it as best we can."

"And part of doing that is by giving Gus our gratitude", Merida said. "After all, he, Patricia & Nathan could've easily left us out in that forest to fend for ourselves, but they didn't. And being thrusted into a world we hardly even know all by ourselves? We wouldn't last a single day out there!"

Elinor was beginning to see the logic & veracity of Eugene, Rapunzel and Merida's words: back in their times, magic & sorcery ruled among brave knights/warriors just like her husband King Fergus & all the neighboring clans – Dingwall, MacGuffin & Macintosh – he fought alongside with. The black wizard Asarlai they fought against when he led the north against them, then returned years later to get his revenge on Fergus & everything he held dear.

Although it cost him his life when Merida drove the wizard's own sword through him, he did succeed in his goal & took her & Merida away from their beloved king.

Rapunzel's time was no different: Prince Hans & the Duke of Weselton used magic to create the monsters they named Kumonga, Kamacuras & Gothel's spirit into a red dragon to take over Corona, not to mention murder them in the process. Rapunzel's very hair also held magical properties, being able to heal any wound it came in contact with until Eugene cut it with a broken mirror shard. It was restored when Gothel Dragon blew the adult Mothra into many golden shards that reactivated its healing properties, & now it can heal wounds better: Rapunzel's hair, even though now short, doesn't have to touch the wound directly like before. All someone with an injury has to do is place a hand on her head, & the magical property in it will do the rest, simple as that.

What's more, it will only work when she sings a particular song, so she needn't have to worry about it glowing whenever she sings any other tune.

Plus, she couldn't forget about Queen Elsa's ability to produce ice & snow with but a wiggle of her fingers or a thrust from her hands – such a thing would be like an abomination to people if she were alive today in this day & age.

Now, it's all gone the way of the dinosaur, & Elinor really couldn't see a possibility of getting back to Scotland in the 10th Century any more than Eugene & Rapunzel could in 1788 Germany.

And she also knew that they were right: out in this new world by themselves, they'd be lucky to survive even a single day, let alone a full week without assistance. Gus was kind enough – more than so – to bring them to his home here in Birmingham, England & offer them a comfortable place to wash up, enjoy fine meals & check out what lies within these gracious walls.

I suppose we are fortunate enough to be given some nice shelter from people we hardly even know, Elinor said to herself as she exhaled a sigh.

"Considering the horrible alternative, I guess we do owe Gus & the others a proper 'thank you' at that", Elinor said orally. "It's just…I can't believe all this has happened to us that's gotten us all so far away from home, literally & figuratively."

Merida, Eugene, Rapunzel & even Pascal all gathered round Elinor, giving her comfort.

"Mum, it is going to be difficult, I know", Merida said. "But we have each other to help us get through this, & we deserve to give Gus, Patricia & Nathan a chance. They're our best chance at understanding this brand new era that we got thrown into."

"We'll all give it our best shot, Elinor…and we can do that better with their help", Eugene said.

With nothing to say in response, Elinor simply nodded & held her daughter close.

10:15 p.m.:

Gus placed more wood in the fireplace when it started going dim, as the evening was a cold one. He, Patricia & her husband Nathan sat on a pair of sofas in the living room, facing each other: Gus sat on one, Patricia & Nathan on the other. Even now, they were all trying to get their heads around the fact that their seven new guests – four humans, a pair of horses & a little chameleon – are all from a distant past that went on a series of unexpected time trips into the present day.

It would make any person's mind get a headache from simply just thinking about it.

"It's so mind-boggling, all this is", Patricia stated. "A quartet of people & three animals from centuries past in this day & age: it's like seeing an ostrich attending a penguin party. Like you guys have, I noticed the clothing they all wore when we first saw them, but…I simply thought they were at a costume party & wandered off into the woods by accident. I don't want to doubt them, but…are they really 100% on the level about anything they've told us?"

"I guess we'll just have to take their word for it, love", Gus said. "Else, how can any of us in here explain the miraculous recovery your hubby & I made with his hand & my leg when Rapunzel's own hair glowed like it did?"

"That's just it, Gus – we can't", Nathan said, grabbing a nearby guitar. "Before, when I got shot in the hand by one of the thugs who kidnapped my wife & I, I've felt absolutely no life in it: I couldn't even wiggle my fingers. But now?"

Nathan played a few chords on the guitar in rapid succession before putting it down again.

"It's like I can play better than ever before", he went on. "No soreness, no cramps, no anything to hinder in my performance. If that's not indisputable proof of what they've told us is the truth, the whole truth & nothing but, then I don't know what else they can offer to make us believe that their stories are all distinctly accurate. But there is more evidence to support them, though."

"That there is, mate", Gus said. "Those giant beasties they've mentioned, from those two Gargantuas Gaira & Sanda to the Kamacuras mantises & that Kumonga spider those Prince Hans & Duke of Weselton blokes created, all of them are still in existence to this day – exactly as how they described them. This changes everything we've known about them all these years: I've always thought that giant monsters were the norm in the world ever since the day he first showed his ugly mug back in 1954. That was when the world really changed forever."

Gus didn't need to mention his name: this creature was the epitome of giant monsters since his first appearance in the aforementioned year, beginning on Odo Island before making a lasting impression in Tokyo shortly after – one which was etched in people's minds, especially for the Japanese, who experienced a similar scenario like it only nine years earlier during World War II.

Just thinking of his name is enough to give anyone a chill up their spine, including Gus – a man who's hard as nails in his line of work.

"So, now that Rapunzel & her friends are here, what shall we do with them?", Nathan says, wanting to change the subject. "They're stuck in a time & place they don't know, much less how it operates, & they hardly know anyone aside from us. I'm not saying that it's their fault, Heavens no: I just think they need someone to take them under their wing & show them the ropes of how this time functions so that they can adapt to & fit right in."

"I don't think that should be too hard for them, Nathan", said Patricia. "Considering just how well they handled themselves against those who kidnapped us, they ought to blend in with the general populace & this era's customs in no time at all. Needless to say, I believe we three are the best candidates to help them do just that. Therefore, the big question now is…who gets who?"

The trio stayed silent for a moment or two before Gus answered first.

"Before my wife Eunice died suddenly just two years ago from a rare blood disease, we've always talked about making an adoption of a daughter", he says. "I'll speak with Merida & her Mum Elinor: if they should both agree to stay here with me, I'll not only give them a roof over their heads & all, but the love they long for."

Patricia & Nathan look at each other & nodded.

"I guess that leaves us with Eugene & Rapunzel", Nathan said. "And just as you do for Angus, we'll also have a place for their horse Maximus to stay in."

"Not to mention Rapunzel's little chameleon friend Pascal is also welcome with us just as much as they are", said Patricia. "Why don't we head upstairs & let them know of what we've decided upon?"

"That won't be necessary, Patricia", said Eugene as he, Rapunzel, Pascal, Merida & Elinor emerge from out of the entrance to the living room & approached the trio, who were now standing. "We were all on our way down to meet & talk to you three when we overheard your little conversation. And please forgive us for eavesdropping."

Gus, Patricia & Nathan chuckle in amusement.

"Think nothing of it, mate", Gus said. "Since you folks have more or less heard everything, does it sound good to you?"

"It's certainly a start in the right direction to get us adapted to & living in this brand new world", Elinor said.

"By the way, Gus…is rescuing people your profession?", Merida asked.

"It's certainly part of what I do, Merida", he said, smiling. "You see, I'm a secret agent: what that means is, I do jobs that are too risky for most others to handle, such as infiltrating enemy bases, recovering stolen date from spies who wish to exploit & use it for their own purposes, saving the lives of some very important people just like Patricia & Nathan here, & best of all…I get to beat up on bad guys!"

Gus gave Merida a wink after his last statement, making the redhead smile big.

"That sounds like my kind of profession!", Merida said as Gus grinned himself & Elinor giggled.

"I must say, Gus…you & Merida's father King Fergus would get along so well, had he met you!", Elinor joked with her own grin.

"He definitely sounds like my kind of guy, love!", Gus joked, getting a laugh from him, Merida & Elinor as the others simply smile, happy to see things are getting off to a beautiful start despite the circumstances.

"I suppose you'll want to train Merida into being a secret agent just like yourself, yes?", Elinor asks.

"It can't hurt, love: she's really good with that bow & arrow, but it's also essential for her to learn some hand-to-hand, close-quarters combat in case she has no time to reach it or any kind of weapon. But don't fret none, Elinor: she'll still be able to practice with her bow & arrow here, just like she used to back home. With the fierce spirit that I seein her, she'll be a lean, mean fighting machine in no time. I said I'll take care of you both, & I mean that to the fullest. Besides…she reminds me of myself at her age."

Merida & Elinor's hearts warmed up big-time: Gus reminded them both of King Fergus, who was also a tough individual but had a good heart towards his family & would do anything to protect & keep them safe, like when the demon bear Mor'du attacked at a family picnic that cost the man half his left leg.

Already both Scottish ladies from the 10th Century feel safe, secure & loved by this man.

They can tell that he speaks nothing short of the truth.

"Thank you, Gus!", Merida & Elinor say with grins, getting on either side of him in a group snuggle.

"So, Patricia, Nathan…what's your profession?", asked Eugene.

"Simply put, Eugene…we're musicians", Nathan answered. "I more or less play the guitar while Patricia here sings lead vocals. We've been married & performed together for two decades now."

"Patricia…you sing for a living?", Rapunzel asked.

"Yes I do, sweetie", she replied with a smile of the brightest, whitest teeth on any person.

Like a cat coming to its master, Rapunzel rushed up to Patricia & got into a hug with the redheaded woman.

"I know that Eugene & I are gonna love being with you & Nathan, Patricia!", she says, flashing her own toothy smile. Patricia giggled & hugged her back as Pascal went onto her shoulders & snuggled against her neck.

"Looks like even your little friend Pascal here approves of us, Rapunzel!", Patricia says with glee as the girl with the magic hair nodded.

"Looks like it's official, Nathan: Merida & Elinor stay here with Gus, while Rapunzel & I join up with you & Patricia", Eugene says. "I don't think it could be resolved any better, don't you agree?"

"I certainly do, Eugene", Nathan said, shaking his hand quickly. "And your wife Rapunzel isn't all too shabby at singing either!"

"She sure has the talent for it, as you saw & heard for yourselves the other day."

"So do you, Eugene", Rapunzel chimed in with a playful tease.

"Well, I don't like brag, but…I ain't so bad either", he says with an innocent grin, getting giggles from the rest.

"Modest, I see", Patricia says to Rapunzel.

"Maybe so…but I wouldn't want him any other way", she replied back with glee.

"I am curious about something, though", Elinor said, getting their attention. "Patricia, Nathan…how did you get kidnapped over in Scotland anyway?"

Nathan took a deep breath & exhaled it before answering.

"We were on our way to perform at the Inverness Caledonian Football Field, when we discovered that our limo drivers were two of the thugs you met in the woods the other day. A month ago, they asked us to do a personal show for a crime boss at his home to him & his men. Naturally, my wife & I had flat-out refused to do so: we left, but not before he'd issued a warning that he would make us pay. We were labeled as missing for several days after they took us, & that's when Gus here came to our rescue…and the rest you know."

"What happened to your real drivers?", Merida asked.

"They were found unconscious but alive, thank God", Patricia said. "And with Gus' people taking three of the thugs into interrogation, they'll get the evidence they need soon enough to take down their boss for good."

"Close call", said Eugene as Patricia & Nathan nodded. "But hey: thanks to Gus you're both okay, & now you have Maximus to watch your back. He was a horse in the royal guards, don't forget, & while you can take the horse away from the royal guards, you can't take the royal guard from the horse."

"Good to know", Nathan said. "My wife & I were always fond of horses, & it'll be nice to have your friend Maximus around to act as one of our bodyguards."

"Excellent! So…when do we see your home, may I ask?", Rapunzel brought up, getting smiles from the music couple.

"We'll leave for New York in the United States after we enjoy the Thanksgiving weekend here with Gus", said Patricia. "We owe the man that much for saving our lives, not to mention you people."

"Just doing my job, love", Gus says. "Any mild-mannered secret agent would've done the same."

The trio grin in good nature at the Englishman's little joke.

"'Thanksgiving'?", Eugene, Rapunzel, Merida & Elinor say in unison, clearly confused.

"It's an American holiday that some other countries also enjoy", Nathan says. "It's celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in the month of November. Families get together & become thankful for numerous things as they all enjoy a large turkey & other kinds of great food that's placed on the table."

The mentioning of food caught the quartet's interest, & Pascal rubs his belly with his front paws like he's just eaten an entire turkey all by himself.

"Tell us more!", Eugene, Rapunzel, Merida & Elinor say simultaneously with grinning mouths.

Gus, Patricia & Nathan giggle before starting to explain the holiday's origins.

The quartet absorbed every word like a sponge.

EPILOGUE #1

The Valley of the Living Rock, Norway, Thursday, November 28th, 2013:

A full moon lit up the nighttime sky as the landscape was bathed in its beauty from above, with the Northern Lights also helping to light the area which gave it an eerie but spectacular sight in the evening. All was quiet except for the miniature hot springs on the ground, which squirted warm steam that would give any visitors within the area a literally warm welcome. Only a very few knew of this place, & those that did were no longer among the land of the living…sans for three.

Sitting upon a stone with a flat surface was a rock-like troll, who was about 2-3 feet tall when standing. He had a head of long dark golden hair & eyebrows, green outfit with cape that was decorated with glowing yellow jewels. Like his body, his head is stone-like, with a large round nose & oval-shaped ears. He sat Indian-style upon the stone with his hands placed out to the sides, his thumbs & index fingers forming a circle in each hand, & his eyes were shut in deep meditation.

This short but powerful figure is known as Grand Pabbie, the King of the Trolls who dwell in this Valley of the Living Rock, who is also their shaman.

When in meditation mode, the other trolls – including Queen Hulda – leave Pabbie undisturbed until he is all but finished.

He was about to have visitors anyway, only these are no ordinary ones, as they have magical properties in them – something Grand Pabbie can sense as he is more or less connected to the spirit world.

Without opening his eyes, Pabbie knew the Shobijin twins have arrived & have appeared on the edge of the flat stone the shaman troll sat upon.

As they speak, their conversation was in flawless Japanese.

"Good evening, Shobijin. It's been quite a long time", Pabbie said as he opened his eyes & looked at the six-inch girls.

"Good evening, Grand Pabbie. It most certainly has", the Shobijin say in unison. "You of course know exactly why we're here tonight."

"I do: after 225 years of waiting, they've all finally arrived & reawakened in this brand-new day & age. Just as with the two of you, I've been consulting with the spirits for any sign of when they'd be reappearing into the world."

"Yes, Grand Pabbie: we've always known that Merida, Rapunzel & all their friends would arrive into the world again after Prince Hans sent them into that vortex he created. It would only be a matter of not if they will, but when. It's no different from what you've always believed of Queen Elsa, her sister Anna, Kristoff & his reindeer Sven after the Snow Queen froze themselves along with the monster Megalon in order to save her kingdom of Arendelle."

"Correct: although Elsa used her power to defeat the Seatopians' creature, she didn't use it to the fullest, lest she kill herself & her party along with the beast. She's learned to gain full control of her powers, now that she figured out that love is the key to doing so that made the snow & ice she coated Arendelle in to melt during its Big Freeze all that time ago. Now they've been thawed & taken in by a Japanese family who are heading towards the city of Tokyo as we speak."

"And soon, Rapunzel, Eugene, Maximus & Pascal will be heading for New York in America with their new friends Patricia & Nathan while Merida, her mother Elinor & their steed Angus will remain in England with the agent named Gus. Even without sensing it in any way by magical means, each of their parties will…"

"Yes. In one way or another, their groups will somehow know of the other's existence & be united as one, & I do suspect that Elsa shall be the one to give away the vital clue the others need to know of it. Although awoken in a strange new world to them, she cannot deny or hide who & what she really is…a destiny she cannot steer herself away from, no matter how hard she may try. They will not be meeting each other immediately, however."

"No. Like Elsa & her group, Merida, Rapunzel & their parties will need to familiarize themselves with this new world they've been reawakened & thrown into. But you are correct, Grand Pabbie: sooner or later, they will know of one another's presence here in the 21st Century, despite each of them living in different countries. It is an inevitability even they cannot avoid."

"True. None of them can escape it, as it is somehow written in stone. All we can do in the meantime is play the waiting game – just as we've been doing the past 225 years."

"Then our business here tonight is all but concluded. Goodbye, Grand Pabbie: may you & your people here in the Valley of Living Rock receive good fortune & continued happiness", the Shobijin said, bowing to their friend.

"Thank you very much, Shobijin. I wish the same to you & your people on Infant Island – and to Mothra", said Grand Pabbie with a smile as his little guests do the same before departing. Almost like magic, they disappear from sight like they were never there to begin with. A couple moments later, Mothra rose from her resting place near the area & glided over the Valley of the Living Rock with grace at a height of 100 meters. Queen Hulda & the other trolls in the valley looked up to see the biggest butterfly they've ever witnessed soar over head as it let out a screech of joy before it rose higher into the air & gaining speed. The glow of the Northern Lights enhanced the beautiful scene.

Hulda & the trolls let out an 'oooooh' of awe as Mothra passed by, mesmerized by it all.

In no time, the giant lepidopteran was out of sight.

Grand Pabbie reappeared to the group, & he addressed them in English.

"Gather round, everyone. I have a bit of happy news to tell you", he said with his smile still on his face.

The trolls did as he asked, & their leader/shaman laid it out for them.

EPILOGUE #2

An unknown place & time:

Her memory was all but foggy, so she couldn't remember all that much at the moment: where she was, how she got there, what had happened before she got there, or who her own parents are.

She couldn't even remember her own name, of all things.

What she did know & can recall was that she is female, she speaks Japanese, & is lying on a table with two men dressed in what appeared to be doctor's gowns, complete with face masks that leave only their eyes visible. One is attired in a white gown, his companion in a red one.

The men were talking, but the girl couldn't make out what they were saying, due to the fact that her mind is too vague for it to comprehend.

Where am I?, she thought as her whole body was numb from head to toe. What's my name? Why can't I recall what happened before I arrived in this place? Is it a hospital of some kind? Are those doctors there to help me, or do they plan on doing me harm? Where are my parents? Why aren't they here right beside me? Please help me – I'm so, so scared!

Most of what the doctors are saying was too muffled/mute for her to make out, but a part of it did clear up just enough for her to hear it fine.

"Now then…have the men keep her in good health until we're ready", said the man in white. "We want her to be stable & in perfect working order if our creation is to function properly."

"Yes sir", said the man in red before he walks off & disappears from sight.

The man in white's words only made the girl more scared, but she was much too numb with fear to even think of anything to say.

He put his face only inches from hers & spoke, but she couldn't make out what he just said, as her hearing went muffled & mute once more as the sedative they injected her with interfered.

She couldn't even acknowledge him taking off his mask as he spoke before her vision went dark.

Her trepidation rose exponentially.

To be concluded in:

FROZEN / GODZILLA II: MAIDENS & MONSTERS

MEMORIALS:

Patricia Piscitelli, Staffer at Newsday for 30 Years, 71 (1945-2016)

Murry Frymer, Columnist, Former Newsday Critic & Editor, 82 (1934-2016)

Dante Bulli, Survivor of 1963 B-52 Bomber Crash & World War II Pilot, 94 (1922-2016)

Seymour R. Weisberg, World War II Veteran who Owned Peggy's Fabric Outlet, 96 (1920-2016)

Angus Jamerson, One of First Black Marines in World War II, 89 (1927-2017)

Sam Lovullo, Producer who Co-Created Television Series 'Hee-Haw', 88 (1928-2017)

Richard Machowitz, Former Navy SEAL who Hosted Discovery Channel's 'Future Weapons', 51 (1965-2017)

Jean Vuarnet, Olympic Skiing Champion, 83 (1933-2017)

Francine York, Actress of Film & Television, 80 (1936-2017)

Buddy Bregman, Musical Arranger, Producer & Composer, 86 (1930-2017)

Buddy Greco, Best-Selling Jazz/Pop Singer & Long-Running Vegas Showman, 90 (1926-2017)

David Modell, Former President of NFL's Baltimore Ravens, 56 (1960-2017)

Tommy Allsup, Guitarist who Avoided 1959 Plane Crash that Killed Buddy Holly by Coin Toss, 85 (1931-2017)

Milt Schmidt, NHL Hall of Famer & World War II Veteran, 98 (1918-2017)

Sister Frances Carr, One of Last Surviving Members of Near-Extinct Shakers Religious Society, 89 (1927-2017)

Jill Saward, Avid Campaigner Against Sexual Violence, 51 (1965-2017)

Georges Pretre, Renowned French Conductor, 92 (1924-2017)

Om Puri, Indian Character Actor, 66 (1950-2017)

Mario Soares, Former Prime Minister & President of Portugal, 92 (1924-2017)

Akbar Rafsanjani, Former President of Iran, 82 (1934-2017)

Roberto Cabanas, Soccer Player who Played for Cosmos, Paraguay, 55 (1961-2017)

Zygmunt Bauman, Polish Sociologist, 91 (1925-2017)

Peter Sarstedt, British Singer-Songwriter, 75 (1941-2017)

Clare Hollingworth, British Reporter who Broke Story on the Start of World War II, 105 (1911-2017)

Roy Innis, Conservative Civil Rights Leader, 82 (1934-2017)

Oliver Smithies, Nobel Prize-Winning Researcher at University of North Carolina, 91 (1925-2017)

Tony Rosato, Actor, Comedian & Alum of 'SCTV' & 'Saturday Night Live', 62 (1954-2017)

Steven McDonald, NYPD Detective who Became the Symbol of Forgiveness, 59 (1957-2017)

Lord Snowdon, Photographer of British High Society, 86 (1930-2017)

William Peter Blatty, Filmmaker & Novelist who Wrote Horror Classic 'The Exorcist', 89 (1928-2017)

Zhou Youguang, Chinese Linguist, 111 (1906-2017)

Roberta Peters, Opera Star who Sang 35 Years at NY's Metropolitan Opera Company, 86 (1930-2017)

Eiko Yanami, Japanese Actress Known for 1971's 'Gamera vs. Zigra', 68 (1948-2017)

Yorando Ventura, MLB Pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, 25 (1991-2017)

Andy Marte, MLB 3rd Baseman for Braves, Diamondbacks & Indians, 33 (1983-2017)

Bimba Bose, Fashion Model who Graced Covers of Vogue & Harper's Bazaar Magazines, 41 (1975-2017)

Lee O'Denat, Founder of Popular 'WorldStarHipHop' Website, 43 (1973-2017)

Peter Overend Watts, Musician who Played in Glam-Rock Band Mott the Hoopie, 69 (1947-2017)

Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka, Former Professional Hall of Famer Wrestler, 73 (1943-2017)

Gene Cernan, Last Person to Walk on the Moon, 82 (1934-2017)

Dick Gautier, Actor Known for 'Bye Bye Birdie' & Hymie the Robot in TV's 'Get Smart', 85 (1931-2017)

William A. Hilliard, Pioneering Black Journalist & Editor at Oregonian Newspaper, 89 (1927-2017)

Miguel Ferrer, Actor Known for 1987's 'RoboCop' & TV's 'Crossing Jordan', 'NCIS: Los Angeles', 61 (1955-2017)

Wayne Barrett, Investigative Reporter & Veteran Journalist, 71 (1945-2017)

William Onyeabor, Nigerian Funk Musician, 70 (1946-2017)

Forrest Palmer Clock Sr., Bayman & World War II Veteran, 94 (1922-2017)

Maggie Roche, Folk Rock Singer-Songwriter of the Roches Sister Trio, 65 (1951-2017)

Charlie Liteky, Peace Activist & Vietnam War Veteran who Gave Back Medal of Honor in 1986, 85 (1931-2017)

Brenda Barnes, CEO of Pepsi-Cola Company who Quit to Raise her Kids, 63 (1953-2017)

George Krimsky, Journalist & Author who Covered Charles Manson Arrest & Other Events, 75 (1941-2017)

Ronald 'Bingo' Mundy, Sang with Doo-Wop Group the Marcels, 76 (1940-2017)

Mary Tyler Moore, Iconic Actress of Television & Film, 80 (1936-2017)

Butch Trucks, Drummer for the Allman Brothers Band, 69 (1947-2017)

Joseph Killen, World War II Veteran, 90 (1926-2017)

Bernard Redmont, Acclaimed Former Foreign Correspondent, 98 (1918-2017)

Veljo Tormis, Prolific Estonian Composer, 86 (1930-2017)

Peter McCrann, Honorary Fire Chief & Chaplain, 84 (1932-2017)

Robert Garcia, Former New York Representative, 84 (1933-2017)

Mike Connors, Actor Best Known as Titled Private Eye in 'Mannix' Television Series, 91 (1925-2017)

Barbara Hale, Actress Best Known as Della Street in 'Perry Mason' Television Series, 94 (1922-2017)

John Hurt, Actor Known for Films 'The Elephant Man', 'Midnight Express', 'Alien' & Others, 77 (1940-2017)

Emmanuelle Riva, Oscar-Nominated Actress, 89 (1927-2017)

Ken Hartle, Pearl Harbor Salvage Diver During World War II, 103 (1913-2017)

Harold Hayes, Army Medic who Evaded Capture by the Nazis During World War II, 94 (1922-2017)

Masaya Nakamura, Founder of Namco Video Game Company & 'Father of Pac-Man', 91 (1925-2017)

Arthur Perfall, Former Managing Editor for Newsday, 89 (1927-2017)

Gwendolyn Gillen, Sculptor of Mary Tyler Moore Bronze Statue in Minneapolis, 76 (1941-2017)

Marta Becket, Actress, Ballerina, Choreographer & Artist, 92 (1924-2017)

Howard F. Mosher, Vermont Author of 13 Books, 74 (1942-2017)

Frank Pellegrino, New York Restauranteur & Former Cast Member of 'The Sopranos', 72 (1944-2017)

John Wetton, Singer & Bassist for Music Groups Asia & King Crimson, 67 (1949-2017)

Etienne Tshisekedi, Congo's Main Opposition Leader, 84 (1932-2017)

Herb Oscar Anderson, Morning DJ on WABC Radio, 88 (1928-2017)

James Molloy, Deputy Chief for the NYPD, 55 (1961-2017)

Lorenzo Servitje, Founded Bakery Giant Grupo Bimbo, 98 (1918-2017)

Charles Shackleford, N.C. State Star who Played 6 Seasons in the NBA, 50 (1966-2017)

Marc Spitz, Music Journalist & Author who Wrote for Spin Magazine, 47 (1969-2017)

Sonny Geraci, Former Lead Singer of the Outsiders, 69 (1947-2017)

Alec McCowen, British Actor who was a Broadway & West End Star, 91 (1925-2017)

Hans Rosling, Swedish Doctor & Statistician who Made Data Come Alive, 68 (1948-2017)

William Norris, Federal Judge who Authored 1988 Ruling Boosting Gay Rights, 89 (1927-2017)

Jeff Sauer, College Hockey Player & Coach, 73 (1943-2017)

Robert Schattner, Inventor of Chloraseptic Sore Throat Spray, 91 (1925-2017)

Arthur Rosenfeld, Eminent Physicist, 90 (1926-2017)

Joost van der Westhuizen, Rugby Great, 45 (1971-2017)

Richard Portman, Oscar-Winning Sound Engineer for 'The Deer Hunter', 'Star Wars' & Others, 82 (1934-2017)

Richard Hatch, Actor Best Known as Captain Apollo in 'Battlestar Galactica' Films & TV Show, 71 (1945-2017)

Irwin Corey, Wild-Haired Actor & Comedian, 102 (1914-2017)

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, Royal Goddaughter of Prince Charles, 45 (1971-2017)

Alan Simpson, British Comedy Screenwriter, 87 (1929-2017)

Adele Dunlap, New Jersey Woman who was the Oldest American, 114 (1902-2017)

Peter Mansfield, Nobel-Winning British Scientist who Invented Revolutionary MRI Scanner, 83 (1933-2017)

Piet Keizer, International Soccer Star who Played for Ajax Amsterdam, 73 (1943-2017)

Fab Melo, Former Basketball Star at Syracuse University, 26 (1990-2017)

Leo Russo, Former Executive at Newsday, 70 (1946-2017)

Mike Ilitch, Founder of Little Caesars Pizza & Owner of Detroit Red Wings & Tigers, 87 (1929-2017)

Don McNelly, Runner of 744 Marathons & World War II Veteran, 96 (1920-2017)

Albert Boscov, Chairman & Executive Officer of Boscov's Department Stores, 87 (1929-2017)

Al Jarreau, Grammy Award-Winning Jazz, Pop & Soul Singer, 76 (1940-2017)

Rina Matsuno, Member of Japanese Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku Idols Group, 18 (1998-2017)

Hal Moore, Vietnam War Hero, 94 (1922-2017)

Edward Tipper, World War II Paratrooper, 95 (1921-2017)

Bobby Freeman, Soul & R&B Singer Best Known for 1958 Hit 'Do You Wanna Dance', 76 (1940-2017)

Mary Lee South, Mother of Actor Tom Cruise, 80 (1936-2017)

Christian Evans, Ex-Husband of Ricki Lake, 45 (1971-2017)

Stuart McLean, Canadian Humorist who Hosted CBC Radio's 'The Vinyl Café', 68 (1948-2017)

Bruce Lansbury, TV Producer & Brother of Actress Angela Lansbury, 87 (1930-2017)

Walter Morrison, Keyboardist who Performed with P-Funk & the Ohio Players, 62 (1954-2017)

George 'The Animal' Steele, WWE Wrestling Hall of Famer, 79 (1937-2017)

Nicole Bass, WWE/ECW Wrestler & Former Bodybuilder, 52 (1964-2017)

Ivan Koloff, Professional Wrestler Known as 'The Russian Bear', 74 (1942-2017)

Warren Frost, Actor Best Known as Dr. Will Hayward in TV's 'Twin Peaks', 91 (1925-2017)

Clyde Stubblefield, Legendary Funk Drummer for Singer James Brown, 73 (1943-2017)

Norma McCorvey, 'Jane Roe' of Roe v. Wade Legalizing Abortion, 69 (1947-2017)

Robert Newman, Retired NYC Firefighter, 70 (1946-2017)

Clint Roberts, Former U.S. Representative & Iconic Cowboy, 82 (1935-2017)

Nicolai Gedda, Swedish-Born Opera Singer, 91 (1925-2017)

Warren Unna, Washington Post Correspondent, Asia Expert & World War II Veteran, 93 (1923-2017)

Michael Novac, Influential Catholic Philosopher, 83 (1933-2017)

Bob Michel, Former GOP Leader, 93 (1923-2017)

Larry Coryell, Jazz Guitarist who was Known as the Godfather of Fusion, 73 (1943-2017)

Peter Ciulla, Former Engineer & World War II Veteran, 90 (1927-2017)

Richard Schickel, Film Critic for Time Magazine, 84 (1933-2017)

Steve Hewlett, British Print & Radio Journalist, 58 (1958-2017)

Jamie Fox, Backstage Force in New Jersey State Politics, 62 (1954-2017)

Frank B. DiCarlo, Machine Gunner in World War II, 93 (1923-2017)

Brenda Buttner, Host of Fox News Channel's 'Bulls & Bears', 55 (1961-2017)

Alan Colmes, Talk Show Host of Radio & Political Television, 66 (1950-2017)

Christopher Wiggins, Canadian Actor Known Best in 'Swiss Family Robinson' TV Series, 86 (1931-2017)

Leon Ware, Soul Singer, Songwriter & Producer, 77 (1940-2017)

Fritz Koenig, Noted German Sculptor & Artist, 92 (1924-2017)

Bernie Custis, First Black Pro Football Quarterback, 88 (1928-2017)

Eni Faleomavaega, American Samoa's Long-Serving Delegate to Congress, 73 (1943-2017)

Kenneth Arrow, Nobel Prize-Winning Economist, 95 (1921-2017)

Peter Gimbel, Advocate for the Disabled, 33 (1983-2017)

William Liebenow, World War II Navy Officer who Rescued Future President John F. Kennedy, 97 (1919-2017)

Joseph Wapner, Retired Judge who Appeared in 'The People's Court', 97 (1919-2017)

Neil Fingleton, Actor Best Known as Mag the Mighty in HBO's 'Game of Thrones', 36 (1980-2017)

Daryl Easton, Renowned Magician, 61 (1955-2017)

Toshio Nakanishi, Pioneering Japanese Musician, 61 (1956-2017)

Bill Paxton, Beloved Character Actor of 'Apollo 13', 'True Lies', 'Aliens' & Others, 61 (1955-2017)

Paula Fox, Award-Winning Author, 93 (1923-2017)

Tommy Page, Music Executive who had #1 Hit in 1990 with 'I'll Be Your Everything', 46 (1970-2017)

Miriam Colon, Actress Best Known as Mother of Al Pacino's Tony Montana in 1983's 'Scarface', 80 (1936-2017)

Rene Preval, Two-Term President of Haiti, 74 (1943-2017)

Jay Cronley, Author & Columnist whose Books Were Made Into Successful Comedy Films, 73 (1943-2017)

Stanley Dearman, Editor who Sought Justice in 1964 Civil Rights Murders, 84 (1932-2017)

Ward Chamberlin, Influential Father of Public Broadcasting, 95 (1921-2017)

Vladimir Petrov, Russian Olympic Hockey Champion, 69 (1947-2017)

Dick Bruna, Author & Creator of Popular Children's Books 'Miffy the Bunny', 89 (1927-2017)

Gustav Metzger, Provocative Artist who Developed 'Auto-Destructive' Art, 90 (1926-2017)

Sunny Hale, Top-Ranked Polo Player of Peerless Style & Audacious Speed, 48 (1968-2017)

David Rubinger, Veteran Israeli Photographer, 92 (1924-2017)

Joe Rogers Sr., Businessman who Co-Founded Waffle House Restaurant Chain, 97 (1919-2017)

Raymond Copa, Former Soccer Legend for France & Real Madrid, 85 (1931-2017)

Helen Marshall, First Black President of Queens Borough, 87 (1929-2017)

Dr. Thomas Starzl, Surgeon who was Pioneer in Liver Transplant During 1960s, 90 (1926-2017)

Robert Osborne, Film Historian & Host of Turner Classic Movies Network, 84 (1932-2017)

Mike Barhorst, Country Concerts Founder, 77 (1939-2017)

Dorothy Rice, Pioneering Economist whose Research Paved the way for Medicare, 94 (1922-2017)

Lou Duva, Boxing Hall of Famer, 94 (1922-2017)

George Olah, Researcher who won 1994 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 89 (1927-2017)

Robert James Waller, Writer who Penned 1992 Bestseller 'The Bridges of Madison County', 77 (1939-2017)

Merchione LoCricchio, World War II Veteran, 99 (1917-2017)

Keith Tonkel, Minister who Stood Against Racism, 81 (1935-2017)

Howard Hodgkin, Renowned English Artist, 84 (1932-2017)

Bill Hands, Former MLB Pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, 76 (1940-2017)

John Surtees, Former Formula One Racing Champion, 83 (1934-2017)

Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Author who Wrote Touching Essay of her Husband, 51 (1965-2017)

Tommy LiPuma, Grammy-Winning Record Producer who Worked with Paul McCartney, 80 (1936-2017)

Mother Divine, Widow of Religious Leader Father Divine, 91 (1925-2017)

Stephen Ross, Economist who Developed Arbitrage Pricing Theory, 73 (1944-2017)

Joni Sledge, Member of Family Singing Group Sister Sledge, 60 (1956-2017)

Royal Robbins, Rock Climbing Legend & Founder of Self-Maned Outdoor Clothing Company, 82 (1935-2017)

James Cotton, Grammy Award-Winning Legendary Blues Harp Player, 81 (1935-2017)

Joseph Nicolosi, Advocate of Conversion Therapy for Gays, 70 (1947-2017)

Richard Solomon, Diplomat who Helped Nixon Open Relations with China, 79 (1937-2017)

Robert Mitchell, World War II Veteran, 94 (1922-2017)

Derek Walcott, Nobel Prize-Winning Poet from the Caribbean, 87 (1930-2017)

George Braziller, Independent & Self-Taught Book Publisher, 101 (1916-2017)

Fiora Corradetti Contino, Trailblazing Female Conductor, 91 (1925-2017)

Dave Stallworth, Bulwark for NBA' Knicks' First Title in 1970s, 75 (1941-2017)

Jimmy Breslin, Legendary New York City Newspaper Columnist, 88 (1928-2017)

Jack Harris, Movie Producer Best Known for 1958 Horror Classic 'The Blob', 98 (1918-2017)

Chuck Berry, Legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, 90 (1926-2017)

Robert Silvers, Longtime Editor of the New York Review of Books, 87 (1929-2017)

Martin McGuinness, Former Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, 66 (1950-2017)

Colin Dexter, British Crime Writer who Penned Inspector Morse Novels, 86 (1930-2017)

Jerry Krause, Former General Manager for the Chicago Bulls, 77 (1939-2017)

Chuck Barris, TV Host who Created 'The Gong Show' & 'The Newlywed Game', 87 (1929-2017)

Dallas Green, Former MLB Manager who Lead Phillies to World Series Title in 1980, 82 (1934-2017)

Pete Hamilton, Former NASCAR Driver who Won the Daytona 500 in 1970, 74 (1942-2017)

Josh Hashian, Former Drummer for Arena Rock Band Boston, 67 (1949-2017)

Lola Albright, Actress Best Known as Nightclub Singer Edie Hart in 'Peter Gunn' TV Series, 92 (1924-2017)

Sok An, Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia, 66 (1950-2017)

Peter J. Frano Jr., Korean War Veteran, 82 (1934-2017)

Don Warden, Longtime Manager of Country Singer Dolly Parton, 87 (1929-2017)

William Keeler, Cardinal who Lead Oldest Roman Catholic Diocese in the United States, 86 (1931-2017)

Don Carter, Newspaper Reporter, Editor & Executive for Nearly Five Decades, 99 (1917-2017)

Tom Amberry, Podiatrist Who Broke Free Throw Record, 94 (1922-2017)

Chandler Robbins, Renowned Ornithologist Credited for Tagging More Than 115,000 Bird Species, 98 (1918-2017)

Lawrence Montaigne, Actor who Appeared in Original 'Star Trek' TV Series, 86 (1931-2017)

Jean Rouverol, Blacklisted Actress & Screenwriter, 100 (1916-2017)

Christine Kaufmann, German-Austrian Actress won Germany's 1st Golden Globe Award, 72 (1945-2017)

Noreen Fraser, TV Producer Co-Created 'Stand Up To Cancer' TV Special, 63 (1953-2017)

Charles McGuckin, Former Coach & Scout for the New York Jets, 84 (1932-2017)

Agustina Castro, Youngest Sibling of Fidel & Raul Castro, 78 (1938-2017)

Roger Wilkins, Champion of Civil Rights, 85 (1932-2017)

James Hadjin, Newsday Reporter & Editor for 31 Years, 93 (1923-2017)

Clay Matthews Sr., NFL Family Patriarch & Former Lineman for San Francisco 49ers, 88 (1928-2017)

Darlene Cates, Actress Best Known as Homebound Mom in 1993's 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape', 69 (1947-2017)

Wayne Duke, Sports Executive who Worked to Expand NCAA's Basketball Tournament, 88 (1928-2017)

Carl Clark, World War II Veteran who Received Medal of Honor Nearly 70 Years Later, 100 (1916-2017)

Amy Bleuel, Advocate who Founded the Suicide Prevention Initiative Project Semicolon, 31 (1985-2017)

Ruben Amaro Sr., Gold Glove Shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies, 81 (1936-2017)

John L. Harrison Jr., Tuskegee Airman Pilot During World War II, 96 (1920-2017)

Gilbert Baker, Gay Rights Activist who Created the Rainbow Flag, 65 (1951-2017)

James Rosenquist, Artist Most Frequently Associated with Pop Art, 83 (1933-2017)

William T. Coleman Jr., Barrier-Breaking Civil Rights Lawyer Cabinet Officer, 96 (1920-2017)

Mike Hall, Veteran British Endurance Cyclist, 35 (1981-2017)

Yevgeny A. Yevtushenko, Acclaimed Russian Poet, 83 (1933-2017)

Katy Feeney, Longtime Baseball Executive, 68 (1949-2017)

Ikutaro Kakehashi, Music Innovator who Founded the Roland Instrument Company, 87 (1930-2017)

Lonnie Brooks, Blues Legend Well-Known for His Cover of 'Sweet Home Chicago', 83 (1933-2017)

Rosie Hamlin, Songwriter who Penned & Sang Classic 1961 Song 'Angel Baby', 71 (1945-2017)

Mary Anderson, Outdoors Enthusiast who Co-Founded the REI Company, 107 (1909-2017)

Gary Austin, Acting Teacher who Founded Influential Groundlings Improv Group, 75 (1941-2017)

Paul O'Neill, Music Master who Founded Progressive Rock's Trans-Siberian Orchestra, 61 (1956-2017)

Chelsea Brown, Actress/Dancer Best Known as Cast Member of 'Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In', 69 (1947-2017)

Darcus Howe, Black Power Activist who Sought Civil Right in the U.K., 74 (1942-2017)

Kishori Amonkar, Icon of Indian Music, 84 (1932-2017)

Ralph Archbold, Popular Re-Enactor of Ben Franklin, 75 (1941-2017)

Richard Bolles, Author of Best-Selling Book 'What Color Is Your Parachute?', 90 (1927-2017)

Joe Harris, Illustrator of Underdog, Trix Rabbit & Others, 89 (1928-2017)

Gloria Charles, Actress Known for 'Friday the 13th Part III', 'Brewster's Millions' & Others, 74 (1942-2017)

John Clarke, Beloved Award-Winning New Zealand-Born Satirist & Comedian, 68 (1948-2017)

Don Rickles, Legendary Actor & Comedian, 90 (1926-2017)

Rupert Cornwell, Award-Winning British Journalist, 71 (1946-2017)

Tim Pigott-Smith, Versatile British Actor, 70 (1946-2017)

Mary Anderson, Co-Founder of Beloved Outdoor Co-Op REI, 107 (1909-2017)

George Grechko, Soviet Cosmonaut, 85 (1931-2017)

Sam Ard, Two-Time Champion NASCAR Driver, 78 (1939-2017)

Daisuke Sato, Japanese Board Game Designer, Novelist & Manga Writer, 52 (1963-2017)

Kazunori Mizuno, Japanese Animator Best Known for 'Naruto' & 'Bleach', 52 (1964-2017)

Peter Hansen, Emmy-Winning Actor who Played Lawyer Lee Baldwin on TV's 'General Hospital', 95 (1921-2017)

Bill Sutherland, Former NHL Player Scored 1st Goal in Philadelphia Flyers' History, 82 (1934-2017)

Clay Adler, Star of MTV Reality Show 'Newport Harbor: the Real Orange County', 27 (1989-2017)

Dorothy Mengering, TV Personality & Mother of Late Night Host David Letterman, 95 (1921-2017)

Charlie Murphy, 'Chappelle's Show' Comedian & Older Brother of Actor Eddie Murphy, 57 (1959-2017)

John Geils Jr., Founder of 1980s J. Geils Band, 71 (1946-2017)

Toby Smith, Keyboardist who Co-Founded Grammy-Winning Funk Band Jamiroquai, 46 (1970-2017)

Sheila Abdus-Salaam, The United States' First Female Muslim Judge, 65 (1952-2017)

Patricia C. McKissack, Children's Author who Brought Black History to Life, 72 (1944-2017)

Virginia Ames, Artist who Helped Found Torpedo Factory Arts Center, 102 (1914-2017)

Banner Thomas, Musician who Played for Southern Rock Band Molly Hatchet, 60 (1956-2017)

Linda Hopkins, Tony Award-Winning Actress & Gospel Singer, 92 (1924-2017)

Angelo Mitaritonna, Played for Washington Generals, Longtime Rivals of Harlem Globetrotters, 81 (1935-2017)

Dan Rooney, Chairman of NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, 84 (1932-2017)

Emma Morano, World's Oldest Person & Last to be Born in the 1800s, 117 (1899-2017)

Bruce Langhorne, Session Musician who Inspired Bob Dylan Song 'Mr. Tambourine Man', 78 (1938-2017)

Allan Holdsworth, British Guitarist whose Rock/Jazz Fusion Inspired Many Guitar Players, 70 (1946-2017)

Clifton James, Actor Best Known for Playing Sheriff in Two James Bond Films, 96 (1920-2017)

Teddy Getty Gaston, Last Wife of J. Paul Getty, 103 (1913-2017)

Wayne Hardin, Former College Football Coach, 91 (1926-2017)

Michael Shea, NYPD 9/11 Responder, 52 (1965-2017)

Russell Hanlin Sr., Former President & CEO of Sunkist, 84 (1932-2017)

Robert W. Taylor, Pioneer of the Modern-Day Computer, 85 (1931-2017)

Alexei Abrikosov, Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist, 88 (1928-2017)

Dana Woldow, School Volunteer who Urged Healthy School Lunches, 65 (1951-2017)

Tom Coyne, Mastering Engineer, 62 (1954-2017)

Carme Chacon, Spain's First Defense Minister, 46 (1971-2017)

Jim Fitzgerald, Longtime Writer/Editor for the Associated Press, 66 (1950-2017)

Dorrance Hamilton, Philanthropist & Granddaughter of Campbell Soup Founder John T. Dorrance, 88 (1928-2017)

Augustin Bubnik, Hockey Icon from Czechoslovakia, 88 (1928-2017)

Lynn Whiting, Trained Kentucky Derby Winner Lil E. Tee, 77 (1939-2017)

Bernard 'Buddy' Levine, Doctor who Befriended Actress/Singer Debbie Reynolds, 78 (1938-2017)

Matthew Anoa'I, Former WWE Superstar Known Professionally as 'Rosey', 47 (1970-2017)

Ruth Sulzberger Holmberg, Longtime Publisher of the Chattanooga Times, 96 (1921-2017)

Tom Fleming, Two-Time New York City Marathon Runner, 65 (1951-2017)

Sylvia Moy, Hall of Fame Motown Producer & Songwriter, 78 (1938-2017)

Cuba Gooding Sr., Soul Singer & Father of Actor Cuba Gooding Jr., 72 (1944-2017)

Paul Giganti, Reality TV Personality on FOX's 'Hell's Kitchen' Competition Series, 36 (1980-2017)

Ugo Ehiogu, Soccer Coach & Former Player in the English Premier League, 44 (1972-2017)

Michele Scarponi, Giro d'Italia-Winning Italian Road Bicycle Racer, 37 (1979-2017)

Sandy Gallin, Emmy Award-Winning Hollywood Producer & Talent Manager, 76 (1940-2017)

Erin Moran, Actress Best Known as Joanie in TV's 'Happy Days' & 'Joanie Loves Chachi', 56 (1960-2017)

Truly Nolen, Founder of International Pest Control Company, 89 (1927-2017)

Chuck Wielgus, Sports Executive who Elevated U.S. Swimming, 67 (1950-2017)

Jaak Panksepp, Estonian-Born Neuroscientist, 73 (1943-2017)

James Long, Jockey who Won More Than 300 Races, 62 (1955-2017)

Robert Pirsig, Author of Philosophical Novel 'Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance', 88 (1928-2017)

Harry Huskey, Computer Pioneer, 101 (1916-2017)

Rita Newborn, Singer & Actress who Co-Founder the Plainview Jewish Center, 90 (1926-2017)

Kate O'Beirne, TV Pundit & President of the National Review Institute, 67 (1949-2017)

Jonathan Demme, Oscar-Winning Director of 'The Silence of the Lambs' & 'Philadelphia', 73 (1944-2017)

Norman T. Hatch, Former Marine Cinematographer who Documented World War II, 96 (1921-2017)

Richard Haynes, Famed Defense Attorney, 90 (1927-2017)

Vinod Khanna, Bollywood Actor-Turned-Politician, 70 (1946-2017)

Thomas Forkner Sr., Co-Founder of Waffle House Restaurant Food Chain, 98 (1918-2017)

Michael Mantenuto, Former Actor who Starred in 2004 Olympic Hockey Film 'Miracle', 35 (1981-2017)

Chad Young, Professional Cyclist, 21 (1995-2017)

Ueli Steck, Famous Climber who was Known as the 'Swiss Machine', 40 (1976-2017)

Ann H. Sneed, Jazz Preservationist who Grew Up Among Legends, 87 (1929-2017)

Florence Finch, Unsung War Hero who was Part of Philippine Resistance in World War II, 101 (1915-2017)

Cecilia Alvear, Trailblazing Journalist for NBC News, 77 (1939-2017)

Agustin Edwards Eastman, Chilean Newspaper Publisher, 89 (1927-2017)

Martha Lavey, Former Head of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, 60 (1957-2017)

Saparman Sodimejo, Reported to be World's Oldest Person, 146 (1870-2017)

Jean Stein, Acclaimed Editor & Author, 83 (1934-2017)

Kerry Turman, Longtime Bassist for Motown Group the Temptations, 59 (1957-2017)

Solly Walker, Pioneering Basketball Star at St. John's, 85 (1932-2017)

Howard Hart, Legendary Figure in CIA Clandestine Service, 76 (1940-2017)

Brody Stephens, Basketball Fan who Befriended NBA Golden State Warriors Player Stephen Curry, 8 (2008-2017)

Adrian Booth, Actress who Appeared in Several Three Stooges Shorts, 99 (1917-2017)