So it seemed as though Rapunzel's suspicions and fears were correct and Gothel was, in fact, the ghost from her past. Even though Gothel was almost out of sight, it didn't matter to Rapunzel. She could've followed her blindfolded if she wanted to. And if Gothel was indeed the ghost from her past, she knew she had to follow her.

Even though it was dark out, Rapunzel had no problem navigating through the forest.

While she wasn't exactly sure what the test was, she figured it had to have something to do with Gothel, but what?

This was the question she asked herself before she came to the hidden passageway that lead to her old tower. She stood there for a second, reached her hand out to the leafs, and then pulled back. Even though it was all an illusion, it still gave her an uneasy feeling.

Nonetheless, she made her way through the passageway. As she approached the other side, sunlight started shining through the cavern walls. She covered her eyes so as not to be blinded until she emerged outside.

It was suddenly daylight and there before her stood the tower. However, the sunlight could not erase the dark, chilling feeling Rapunzel felt once she laid her eyes upon it.

She backed up one step out of fear and uncertainty. The soft grass beneath her feet began to feel like sharp needles. But she soon realized that the tower she once called home was probably a part of the test and if it was, she knew she had to go, regardless of how she felt, and proceeded forward.

She looked to the right of the tower and saw an entrance, hidden in leafs, much like the other entrance, that she had not seen before, and went towards it. Inside, there was a spiral staircase leading up. Though it was just a staircase, to her, it felt rather ominous.

Rapunzel took the first step and froze, looking up.

"Calm down, Rapunzel. It's just a tower," she whispered to herself before continuing.

During her climb she stopped again as she started to hear singing. Taking a listen, she began to recognize the all too familiar words. Words she had not sung in a long time.

"Flower gleam and glow,

Let power shine,

Make the clock reverse,

Bring back what was once mine..."

As she continued, what followed was something she also recognized, a bright golden glow.

"Heal what has been,

Change the fates design,

Save what has been lost,

Bring back what once was mine..."

Finally, her ascend took her to a pair of doors with a small, keyhole in the center from which the glow shone. Approaching the door, she stopped again and pulled back before slowly opening them, though not all the way through. From the cracked door, she peered and saw herself, slightly older, glowing hair and all.

"What once was mine."

And there to comb her long glowing hair was of course Mother Gothel, basking in the glow as her magic restored her youth.

"Why can't I go outside?" Young Rapunzel asked wearily.

"The outside world is a dangerous place filled with horrible, selfish people. You must stay here where it's safe," said Gothel. "Do you understand, Flower?"

Those words brought back memories for the older Rapunzel. Memories of lies and deception, all used by Gothel to keep her locked away from the world. Words that made her curl her lips in anger.

"Yes, Mommy," Rapunzel quickly replied.

The younger Rapunzel's hair glowed brighter, blinding the elder one and forcing her to close the door.

After she rubbed her eyes, the light had dimmed down and she began to smell something. Something familiar. She went to open the door again to look upon a table where her younger self sat, bouncing impatiently. At the far end, Mother Gothel was at the stove, cooking. And it didn't take the older Rapunzel long to figure out what it was.

"Mommy! Is it ready yet?!" young Rapunzel asked frantically.

"Almost, Rapunzel. Be patient," said Gothel.

That was what Gothel always said whenever Rapunzel asked when her favorite hazelnut soup was ready to eat, but of course it never worked. Remembering this made the elder Rapunzel chuckle a bit before she stopped herself.

She began remembering how much she liked Gothel's cooking. Every night, she always looked forward to dinner, no matter what it was; especially her hazelnut soup.

But she also remembered how often at the table, she would ask Gothel about the outside world, and the lies she would tell her. Lies like how monsters came out in the forest at night, demons that liked to eat little girls, and all kinds of diseases; lies to make her scared to go out and keep her inside.

As she continued watching, her younger self slurped down her soup, getting some around her mouth. Gothel chuckled before she took a handkerchief and wiped her face. No matter how many times she saw it, she never got tired of seeing Rapunzel get soup on herself.

"My little Soupy," Gothel chuckled.

This caused both Rapunzels to groan. Rapunzel remembered she always called that whenever she got soup on her face and she hated it when she called her that. Still, the younger Rapunzel couldn't help but smile as Gothel took the handkerchief and pinched her nose.

A slight smile came on the older Rapunzel's face, but a frustrated sigh soon followed before she hid behind the door and began to think to herself, feeling confused. Why was she seeing these images and what was the purpose of them?

As she looked back, the kitchen where her younger self and Gothel sat was changed in to the main room where Young Rapunzel was happily playing with Pascal when she tripped and scraped her shoulder.

"Mother!" she wailed, holding her shoulder.

Quickly, Mother Gothel rushed into Rapunzel's room. "Rapunzel, dear! What's wrong?!" she asked with concern.

The young child sniffled as she showed her mother the cut on her shoulder. Gothel gasped and quickly grabbed the child, taking her downstairs.

Suddenly, the inside of the tower changed from Rapunzel's room to the main room, much to Rapunzel's shock.

She looked on further as Gothel took a rag, drenched it in warm water and told her to hold still, as it hold sting just a little bit. Rapunzel winced as Gothel rubbed the warm rag over her daughter's wound. Afterwards, she wrapped the wound in band aids before giving it a kiss.

The older Rapunzel watched all this and was still uncertain why she was being shown all these images from the past. What did they mean? And what did they have to do with the test?

"You have to be more careful, Rapunzel," Gothel said sternly.

"I'm sorry," young Rapunzel said with regret, before she ran up to Gothel for a hug.

Gothel, unable to stay mad at her daughter, embraced her lovingly.

Rapunzel at first seemed to smile at this sight, but then her smile immediately turned into an angry frown upon seeing Gothel caress the young girl's hair. At that moment, she was reminded of the very reason Gothel stole her from her real family and kept her locked up for so long.

What didn't help were the exchanged words that followed.

"I love you," said Gothel.

"I love you more," Rapunzel said back.

"I love you most of all," retorted Gothel with a kiss on the head.

With those words, what followed was a combination of anger and sadness as Rapunzel watched Gothel take her younger self by the hand and escort her to her room.

Rapunzel pressed her hands against her face in frustration. These visions, these memories; on the surface, they were all good memories until she thought of the underlying motive behind Gothel's 'kindness' and how it was all a ploy to keep her all to herself. Yet, at the same time, they were still good memories and as hard as she tried, she couldn't bring herself to fully hate them.

Removing her hands, she discovered the room was now darkened by night. There wasn't a sound to be heard, just an empty room. She wasn't sure what was happening, but with the coast clear, she decided to go in. Seeing that it was night, she figured her younger self and Gothel were both asleep, so she made sure to keep quiet.

But now she had trouble figuring out what to do next. There had to be a reason for her being in the tower other than seeing her past. But as hard as she tried, her mind was at a blank.

As she pondered, she looked around and observed the tower. There was not a thing inside that wasn't familiar to her. There was the bookcase which held the same books that she read over and over and over and over and over and over again, the mini dresses that she made for Pascal, the guitar that she liked to play music on, and of course, up on the walls, was the paintings of the lanterns that she herself painted; the lanterns for the lost princess; her.

Rapunzel stared at the paintings intently. So much so, that she failed to hear footsteps coming down the stairs. Those same footsteps approached her and gave her a slight tug of the hair. In response, she turned around, surprised to discover her younger self, looking up at her with innocent curiosity.

"Hello. I'm Rapunzel, and did anyone tell you, you look kinda like me?" the younger Rapunzel asked.

In the dining hall, Golett and Maleficent were sat at a table, enjoying dinner.

Two of the shadow demons approached them, carrying a plate with fine red wine, and placed it on the table.

"Thank you," said Golett before he snapped his fingers and disintegrated the two demons into dust.

Maleficent was impressed. "You certainly know how to entertain a girl," she said.

Golett smirked as he poured the wine, pouring Maleficent's glass first, then his. He and Maleficent then shared a toast.

Just then, Maleficent held her hand to her head as if she had a headache which Golett noticed.

"Are you alright, my dear?" Golett asked.

"Wha-what is...going on?" Maleficent asked wearily.

"You seem to have a headache. Have a drink," suggested Golett.

Maleficent acquiesced. Upon taking a sip of her wine, she went back into the trance she had previously been in before.

"Feeling better?" Golett asked.

"Yes, Master," Maleficent answered.

As the two got back to their meal, Grimhilde and Ursula entered.

Annoyed, Golett quickly rose from his chair. "If you have a good reason for interrupting me, you had better give before your ashes scatter on this floor," he growled.

Though the two were frightened at the thought, they maintained their composure.

"Temper, temper, handsome," Ursula said nervously.

"We have a little present for you," said Grimhilde.

The two presented the captured Yen Sid to Golett who was admittedly curious as to why exactly they brought him to him. The two explained their plan to him to have Yen Sid create scepters that the Evil Empire could use against the princesses.

Golett was intrigued by the notion of this. He pondered for a moment, but quickly realized that having an advantage would be the best thing. "Yes. Yes, I like it. Excellent thinking, Your Majesty," he said with a bow.

"It doesn't mater what schemes you villains concoct, the princesses will stop you!" Yen Sid yelled.

In response, Golett put out his hand and unleashed a wave of red lightning at the sorcerer. Yen Sid screamed in pain before being brought to one knee.

"I don't think so, Sid," Golett said with a glare.

On Golett's orders, Maleficent and the shadow demons took Yen Sid to the dungeon where he would stay until Golett was ready for him. Even though he didn't admit it out loud, initially, Golett was worried about the princesses succeeding, but with a powerful sorcerer in his possession, his confidence rose. For even if the princesses did succeed, he would be ready for them for he now had an advantage. One that they would not see coming.