"Just another day's travel and we are at the dark kingdom. Hope we packed our torches." Everyone eyed the princess apprehensively for the terrible pun, "Because the kingdom is dark…is where I was going with that." Eugene and Artemis went back to looking at the scroll pieces, "Are you two okay? You both seem distracted."

"Oh, uh—"

"We didn't wanna make—"

"Light…if the situation." Artemis groaned as Rapunzel sat down, "Look, it's just now that we're so close to the Dark Kingdom, it all feels more…real. You know? I mean crazy rhino man said if we went there, we were doomed, and we have no idea what we're in for. And our only clue as to what's waiting for us is on three stupid pieces of a torn scroll. That we can't even read."

"Well, I can tell you it's not going to be this beautiful place…when mom and I left all those years ago, the palace was just starting to overgrow with these black rocks… it won't be the home I left anymore…but when the Journey ends…neither will Corona." Rapunzel gave a soft smile of encouragement to her friends,

"I know it's scary, you two, but we cannot turn back now. Besides," she turned to Eugene, "You and I have other plans, or at least we should…have other plans." The teen felt heat rise to her face, "You two aren't gonna…you know." She made an obscene gesture with her hands, that made even Eugene blush in embarrassment,

"What? No! no, no, no…"

"Kid, how do you even know about that sort of stuff?"

"Hey! I am 14…I read books. I read A LOT of books…how would I not know about…that?"

"We are going to have a serious conversation about your library time when we get back to Corona." Artemis rolled her eyes,

"I was talking about birthday plans…"

"Oh my gosh, I forgot your birthday."

"How could you forget, Eugene?!" Artemis smirked, "Looks like you're in hot water, Eugene."

"I'm so sorry! You know what, I'm pretty sure that giant firefly scorched my date book. Wait a minute…it's not your birthday."

"Ha ha, got you! Oh, you should have seen your face. Pascal, Pascal, do his face." Artemis and Rapunzel shared in the laughter as Pascal mimicked Eugene's expression,

"You…and you? Okay, you two got me, but then…who's birthday is it?" Artemis just smiled and winked as Rapunzel led him away.


"I wonder if things will really be different when the road comes to an end."

"What's on your mind, Kid?" Artemis smiled at her dark-haired companion, "Hey, Cass." she patted the ground next to her and the woman sat down, "I'm just thinking about tomorrow. Do you really think we'll split up?"

"I don't know what will happen, Artemis, there's no telling what we'll encounter. You know, you've grown a lot in the year we've been on the road." She gave the teen a friendly punch on the arm, Artemis smiled, "Eugene was right before…we've all changed…"

"But?"

"But what if…what if we're not the only people that have changed? A year is a long time to be gone. What if I choose to stay?"

"Well, then I know all of us will be sad to see you go, but the choice is entirely your own. In the year we've been out here, and I can't speak for the others, but personally I've started to see you as my sister, and you have been such a fantastic ally, and not just because you can control these rocks." Artemis' expression softened,

"Thanks, Cass."

"Hey, look who's back." Artemis spotted Rapunzel and Eugene trudging up the hill, and her smile faltered a bit.


"And then vigor said 'for I am Demanitus'" Artemis listened half-heartedly to the story, "Now this is a monkey talking, by the way. So, he took us to a maze and there were riddles, oh, Cass, Cass, you know how much I love riddles. Oh, this one I had to put my arm in a wall, totally figured it out—" Standing and brushing off her pants Artemis trudged over to Eugene, "Hey." He quickly tucked what he was looking at away,

"Hey Kiddo." He seemed to be looking at Cass with concern, "Is…something wrong?" He replaced the look with a smile, ruffling her hair, "No, nothing you need to worry about. Shouldn't you be sleeping?" She shrugged the question off, "I should be, but everyone is so lively, it's kind of contagious. Are you still nervous about what we'll find tomorrow?"

"Yeah…Yeah I really am."

"You know, the you from a year ago wouldn't be over here sulking, you'd be over there telling some kind of stupid joke, or laughing it up with Lance."

"You think my jokes are stupid?"

"Sometimes. But focus, Eugene. You were right, back at the tree. We've all grown up…but has it really been for the best?" She yawned and turned away from him, "Whatever we find tomorrow, I hope we all come out of it intact. Well, goodnight Eugene."

As he watched her go he couldn't get rid of the feeling in the pit of his stomach.


*25 years ago*

"Everyone must leave!" King Edmond escorted the remainder of his kingdom's villagers out of the palace, A battle ax in hand,

"Your majesty…" Quirin tried to reason with him, but Edmond wouldn't have it,

"Everyone…" A lady's maid entered the room with his wife and son, she only left with the baby.

"May this cursed place and the power that lies within it be forever wiped from existence!"


*Modern day*

Eugene sped the Carriage along down the path, their destination wasn't far now, and As Rapunzel, Cass and Artemis poked their heads out of the escape hatch all expressions varied, Rapunzel looked excited, Cass looked stunned and Artemis looked afraid.

"We made it." They all filed out of the carriage, staring at the kingdom before them, "The dark kingdom."

"Home…"

"Yeah, we just need a way to get the old camper down there." And almost as if on cue, the caravan began rolling away and right over the edge of a cliff.

"Well…that's great."

"No, not again!"

"It served us well."

"Oh no, all my clean clothes!" All eyes were on shorty. "You've had clean clothes this whole time?!"

"He did not…" Shorty scoffed, "Well not with that attitude I didn't." Rapunzel turned to look back at the Dark kingdom, "Your destiny awaits, princess." Cass, Eugene and Artemis came to stand next to the blonde,

"You sure you're ready for this? You too Kid." Artemis rubbed her arm nervously, "I don't think I'll ever be ready for what I find down there, but fi what Hector said was true, and he's not my real father…maybe my real family is there."

"I just wish I knew what this is. I mean, Demanitus said if I don't grab the moonstone the black rocks will destroy everything, but I have no idea what to expect to happen to me when I do." Cass smiled reassuringly, "I don't know, but whatever happens, you won't be facing it alone."


"When Rapunzel enters the Dark Kingdom, one of her team will turn against her."

"What?" Startled, Eugene dropped the little slip of paper and Artemis bent to pick it up, "You dropped this." She handed it back to him with a slight smile, "I don't want to believe what written on this paper, but Demanitus has been right about everything so far. Hey, do me a favor and let's just keep this whole thing to ourselves."

"Whatever you say." Pascals tongue snatched the paper away as Rapunzel approached, "Hey, what's this?"

"Hey, Ha ha…what's what?" Unfolding the paper Rapunzel frowned, "I'll…leave you two alone. You've probably got a lot to talk about."

"It's all right, Artemis." Blue and gold eyes rested on her friend's face, "Are you sure?"

"Its fine, no one is gonna turn against me. Demanitus has to be wrong." The rest of the group reconvened, and they headed for the kingdom, "Everyone's had my back this far, they're not gonna stop now."

"Unless they think they're protecting you, after all that's how Cass injured her hand."

"You don't think that Cass…" Rapunzel turned to look at her friend, "Look, look, look, look, I love Cass, she's become like a sister to me, granted, you know, an annoying sister you only put up with because you have to. But maybe we should, you know, keep an eye on." A startled screech snapped Eugene and Rapunzel out of their conversation as a bird hit Artemis in the face.

"Where's the fire?!" Cass and the others were on edge until the bird righted itself and smacked right into Artemis' leg, "What is that bird doing?" A growing sound of squawking alerted them all to a flock of Approaching crows,

"Maybe you should try asking it's friends." Everyone dove in different directions as the flock dive-bombed them,

"They're all following that bird. Pascal, lead 'em back this way." Rapunzel took off, untying her hair as she went,

"Get away from me! Ah!" Lance and Max tried to avoid the birds and Artemis grew more frustrated,
"Enough!" She shot black rocks upwards to stop the birds from pecking at her, it proved rather effective in deterring them away from her. Once the birds were taken care of the group heaved a sigh of irritation and relief, Lance poked his head out of Rapunzel's hair,

"Never more."

"Wonderful, even the birds in this kingdom are hostile." The bird that had hit her in the face earlier fell out of Eugene's boot, "Ha, it's going to take a lot more than a bunch of birds to stop us." As they walked forwards they came to the first obstacle, "Something like this, for example."

"Yep, that's a long way down."

"Thanks for that clarification, Lance…" Artemis rolled her eyes, "Help." Shorty's voice echoed back to him, "Did you hear that, someone needs help." As shorty tried to jump Lance grabbed him.

"Anybody have any idea how we get across this thing?"

"I found a way across!" following her, Rapunzel led them to a very rickety looking sky tram, "Uh, Rapunzel…no offense…but This is a terrible idea."

"Come on, who's afraid of a little old Gondola" A few pieces of the thing fell off and everyone rose their hands.

"Yeah, high five!" Artemis slapped her hand against her face, "This is it….this is where I die, well guys, I've had a nice 14 year run…I'm gonna miss all of your faces…" Eugene stepped forward,

"Blondie, that thing's a good fifty yards out there."

"I can get it. I'll get across then wheel it back here for the rest of you."
"Uh, I don't know, Cass."

"Trust me, I can do it." Rapunzel smiled, albeit a bit suspiciously, "Of course I trust you, um, we trust you, but your hand." Cass looked down at her arm, "Even with my hand I'm still the most agile of all of us." Artemis stepped forward, "Need a lift?" Cass grinned, "That would be great." Artemis rose her hand up, lifting Cass into the air on one of the black rocks, watching as the dark-haired woman started across the wire rope.

"I mean, you think she would have taken the armor off before climbing on a flimsy cable over an endless chasm."

"Uh, Maybe she's making a fashion statement?"

"And why, Lance, would she be doing that? There's no one to impress…" He shrugged, looking down at the blonde Teen.

"Honey, armor is so last fall." All eyes looked at Shorty again, as the cable began to shake Artemis prepared to catch Cass if need be. She watched as Cass lost her balance and she directed one of the already present rocks upwards, incase the woman needed it. Cass scooted along the rest of the cable and into the Tram easily,

"Wow, that takes a lot of guts."

"I guess she really does have your back. Unless she's planning on taking that cart to the other side of the chasm and leaving it there, then you'd have no way of getting across."

As the Gondola started moving in the opposite direction everyone waited on baited breath, until it came back towards them.

"Um…did you want me to get the door for you, too?" Cass looked annoyed as she pushed the carts door open.

"That was really brave what you did back there, I mean I was gonna do it before you volunteered but uh…"

"Thanks, Lance. All in the name of fulfilling Destiny."

"You really buy all this destiny stuff?"

"I believe everybody's got a destiny." Artemis, Eugene and Rapunzel stared at the shattered windows as the cart carried them to their destination,

"I told you Cass wouldn't let us down.
"Okay, Okay. I might have read too much into that monkey's warning. It's just the thought of anything hurting you…" A thud on the roof caused them to stop the cart, Eugene opened the escape hatch and what they all saw was terrifying,

"An axe wielding bear…wonderful!"

"Can we not just go one place without some weirdo jumping out of nowhere!" The crazy axe wiling psycho continued to cut through the Gondola,

"Lance, Cass, you guys keep cranking, get us across this as fast as possible. Eugene, Artemis, let's go see what our new friend wants."

"Isn't this one of those situations better suited to adults?" Rapunzel narrowed her eyes, "Right, not the time, got it." As the three climbed out the windows and onto the roof, the crazy guy swung the Axe, causing Eugene to lose his grip, "Eugene!"

"No!" Max grabbed Eugene by the foot, keeping him from falling into the Chasm below,

"Eugene, Watch out!" Rapunzel used her hair and knocked the Axe out of the crazy bear guys hands, once she was on the roof of the Gondola she got ahold of his feet.

Once the three of them were safely on the roof, the bear-headed man tried to cut Rapunzel hair but his axe shattered, giving Eugene and Artemis a chance to tackle him to the ground. Sadly, he didn't stay down long.

"Throwing Artemis to the side he kicked Eugene off of him and went to land a fatal blow, only to be stopped by Rapunzel once again, as the fight Carried on, the crazy guy brought the other half of his axe up and tried to cut the cable,

"Uh, guys—" Rapunzel stuck her head down through the escape hatch, "I'm not trying to rush you, but…go faster!" the cart started to shake a bit as the speed increased,

"Rapunzel, Artemis, come on." A sudden scream drew their attention elsewhere, "Is that…Adira?" the white-haired woman knocked the bear-headed man to the ground,

"Where did she come from?"

"Like an angel…from heaven."

"And now Adira's here, because why wouldn't she be?" the three watched Bear guy and Adira fight as the Gondola continued to glide over the rock-filled chasm below, hope drifted away as both Adira and her sword were sent into the pit below,

"No!" Artemis tugged herself free from Eugene's grasp and ran to the edge of the Gondola, "Kid!" Bear-head guy cut the connector and the Gondola fell so only have of it remained hanging, Eugene quickly grabbed her before she could fall as Adira had as Rapunzel pulled them to safety, opening the door to get Cass and Lance to safety as well.

"Rapunzel, you and the others go, I'll hold off Mr. Personality."

"But—"

"I said go! Now." Cass grabbed Rapunzel wrist, trying to drag her away, Artemis refused to budge, "All right, what do you we call this one a draw. The crazy bear guy brought his axe up, ready to strike and Artemis threw herself forward, her arms raised as if to deflect the bow, both her and Eugene's eyes widened.

"Eugene, Artemis!" the Bear guy was hesitating. Cass threw Rapunzel over her shoulder and took off.

The cable suspending the gondola broke, sending the three into the Chasm.

"No!"


The Gondola had smashed down on a rock ledge, "Oh…Oh, that was thoroughly unpleasant…" as he regained his composure, he noticed the small body across the way from him, "Kid!" he made a move to go to her, but an axe slamming down beside him stopped that decision in its tracks.

"Oh thank heavens, you're okay…" there was just a touch of sarcasm in his tone, "what are you waiting for?"

"I…I won't fight you…or her." He removed the bear head, revealing a man with really long, dark brown hair

"You two…are my children."


Woot! The big reveal chapters are finally here and I cannot WAIT to get into season 3! Sadly part 2 of Destinies collide wil be posted when I get it finished, for now though, hope you enjoyed :)