Last thing she saw was Eugene's face coming towards her. But in a blaze of smoke and fire she founder herself here.

Rapunzel was in a place she never thought or wanted to be again. The Tower. The place of her imprisonment for eighteen years.

The old man set her down roughly onto the ground. As she was laid out on the ground he walked a few paces away.

"Oh the old familiar places. "He commented as he served the room. It was just as she remembered. The little room before the fireplace, the small stairwell that led to the two bedrooms. And the window that led to the outside world.

The old man's back was to her and she was closer to that window. With little to no effort she could jump for it and land safely on the ground. She went for it at the first opportunity.

One step brought her to her feet, a second closer to the window. And one great jump would have been her on the windowsill. Except the old man suddenly blocked her path.

And as she went flying for him he reached out his hand and struck her in the chest. Enough force to not only send her back to the ground but knock the window out of her.

"Now that wasn't very nice." He commented casually as she coughed at his feet." I thought you would have been happy to be home."

Finally regaining control of herself Rapunzel looked up at him. His yellow eyes put a shiver down her spine.

"How do you know all of this? About me, about...everything?" He didn't even so much as blink at her. "Who are you? What do you want?!" He stopped before her, kneeling down and running his hand through her golden locks.

"Sing for me. "he stated. After his hand had left her hair he brought it back to run it against her again." Sing for me, and I'll tell you everything."

"Sing? I-"

"Sing the song." He said." I know you know the words." She knew it all too well. She had to sing it everyday when she was trapped in this tower. The memory was bitter to her and so she started off slow.

"Flower... glean and glow" she began fighting back tears. As she began the old man'd eyes shut. " Let your power shine. M-Make the clock reverse."

"Louder." he commanded his eyes still close.

"Bring back what once was mine!" she continued in a louder voice. And with it her hair began to shine, filling the entire room with light." Heal what has been hurt! Change the Fates' design. Save what has been lost! Bring back-"

"What once was mine!" A voice sang with her. But it was not the voice of the old man, it was the voice of some newcomer. But she picked her head up to see the two were one in the same.

He wasn't hunched over and instead stood tall and straight, with powerful muscle that could barley be contained in his cloths. His eyes had turned from a dull yellow to a deep green. The few strands of white hair he had left were now black as night. A beard surrounded his mouth, full with teeth. And his voice was different.

Not frail and slow but sharp and oily. But still very frightening.

"What was one mine!" He repeated completely the song and the magic with it. Her hair stopped glowing and the only light in the room came from his eyes.

"And thus" He said bringing both arms down to his side." My trick is revealed." He took a heavy step forward and reached for her. "Now-" He reached for her. And the way he moved Rapunzel knew nothing good would come from it. To her this was just another nightmare. This man was just like Mother, and no doubt he had some sinister plan for her.

"Wait!" she let out as if that would stop him." You said you'd explain this!" To her surprise it stopped him. Since she had the moment she kept talking." How do you know me? How did you find me? How do you know...all this."

He took a step back, covering himself in shadow. With only his eyes visible in the night. In one swift motion a ball of fire filled the room and the Princess watched as it flew into the fireplace.

"Look!" He commanded as he pointed." Into the flames!" Rapunzel didn't want to at first. But when she did saw the flames moving in a way she never saw. Dancing back and forth like people, even taking form and shape. And inside the fire there was an image. She peered closer to get a look inside.

She saw Mother Gothel. Just as she remembered except for a few shades of grey in her hair, and some wrinkles under her eyes.

She had just come from picking berries and was on her way back to her secret tower. However as fate had it she encountered someone on the road. Normally she was so cautious when moving about, hardly making a sound. But today she was noticed.

She bumped into someone. Startled she looked down to see a little, old man hunched over before her.

"Oh please, good lady." The old man said." I-I think I'm lost, could you point me in the direction of the nearest city?" Whether Gothel was going to reply none could say. she seemed to eye the old man with disinterest.

All the same something else got her attention. The sound of heavy steps coming from the brush to their left. Without annother word she put her cloak over herself and ran off into cover of the trees.

The old man hardly had time to notice her missing before she was replaced by five others. From the safety of the trees, Mother Gothel saw it all.

"What are you doin here old man?" One of the bandits asked as the rest surrounded him.

"Oh please young sir. "He said in the same timid voice he'd spoken to her." Can you please show me the way to town?" From the safety of the tree Gothel turned around to see the bandits all around him.

"Where you headin old man?" one asked.

"Oh just to town. But I-"

"What you got on ya?" another asked.

"Oh I don't have anything." The old man said. But that did little to calm his captors who each moved in on him. Mother Gothel smirked as she turned away.

"Better you than me. "she commented. And was prepared to leave it at that, if something hadn't happened.

The sounds of grunting and fighting. No doubt the bandits beating up on the old man. But then a sudden gust of wind blew up, blasting her coat infront of her, and nearly making her lose her footing. But as soon as it came it left.

Both curious and confused Gothel turned to see where it had come from. Slowly turning and peering around the tree. But there was no old man or bandits. All that was there was cloths, weapons and skeletons. All scattered around the ground.

Gothel gasped as she jumped back and that's when she hit something else. Something solid and sturdy. Slowly she turned around to face whatever it was. And then she looked up to see two emerald green eyes looking back at her.

Gasping once more she turned and faced him fully. Tall and muscular with dark hair and a beard. An emerald medallion around his neck. None other than the very man who was before Rapunzel now.

And Mother Gothel was just as confused as Rapunzel did. However she acted much quicker.

"See something you like?" she inquired with a one hand on her hip. Not at her best, but it would do for now. He stared at her, a sly smirk upon his lips.

"Not a very neighborly thing to do." He commented in an smooth, oily voice." Leaving someone to get attacked like that." She looked at him confused.

"What are you-" He in answer raised his arm and pointed in the direction of the fight. She looked at it before turning back to him." Well that was-" But now she got a better look at that face. Everything about it from the wrinkles to the hair was different. But those eyes. The eyes were still the same. "You-" she pointed to him." That was you?!" she pointed to where the incident had just occurred.

"Yess." He hissed." They thought I had something they wanted. In fact it was the other way around."

"You did this to yourself?" she pointed to him. Without asking or warrant he reached forward and placed a hand on her basket, pulling it towards himself. "Ah, that's not for you." she said prying it away from him. But as the basket came back into her arms she noticed the cloth inside it was moved. She lifted it to find the berries she'd picked were completely gone. She picked her head up to see the man before her a pile of berries in one hand while the other lifted them to his mouth. Some of the juices were on his beard.

"How did you do that?" She asked. But her answer was nothing more than the crunching sound of the berries in his mouth."What are you?"

"Many different things." He told. He raised the hand holding the berries before closing it into a fist. The berries all crushed into pulp, oozing red from his hand. The color seemed so natural." Now." He reached forward with that same hand." Allow me to give you some neighborly assistance."

His hand came towards her and she knew she didn't want it touching her. She ducked down under his grasp and stepped out onto the road. Despite his newfound body he made no extra effort to pursue her. He was only a few steps behind her.

"Now what could you want with, little old me?" she made a grand wave with her left arm, the one closest to him. She swung it down and up to her chest all while straightening her body. At the same time her right arm went back into her robe where she reached for her dagger.

"I can think of a few things." He answered with a smile. He was close enough now that Gothel decided to strike. As quick as she could she jumped forward ready to put the dagger in his neck.

However she was caught, and he held her out before him ever so casually.

"You have alot of spirit." He commented. He twisted her wrist forcing her down and onto her back." And alot of mouth." He finished discarding the dagger. Once more Gothel got to her feet as he approached her. Things looked pretty dire now.

"You can make yourself young, is that it?" He didn't reply and just kept coming towards her." Because let me tell you darling, that's old news." His pace slowed. His head shifted back and he looked down at her.

"Is it?" he asked.

"And if you ask me your going to far to much effort."

"Hmh? It's worked for me so far."

"Really? she asked leaning forward." How long?"

"Two Hundred years." She let out a giggle.

"Really? Cause I would say you don't look a day over one hundred and fifty." She added with a roaring laugh." I myself am just a few days shy of one hundred ninety nine."

"Congratulations." He said.

"Thank you."

"And how do you" He took a step forward and pointed to her. To which she made a small step to the side, making sure to keep him at a distance. He seemed to like that." Acquire your magical power."

"A trade secret darling."

"I'd like to see it."

"Oh I'm afraid it's not as fun as bashing the daylights out of people. You wouldn't enjoy it at all." Even though there was only a short distance between them, she hadn't seen him move. He was right before her, trapping both her hands in his between them. And his gleaming emerald eyes looking down at her.

"I'd like to see it." He repeated. And he released her even though he could have ended this farce with a touch. She was realized he let go, her heavy panting evident of that. She quickly recomposed herself before him. Straightening out and running her hands through her hair.

"Follow me." she said putting her hood over her head. And he did.

She lifted the cover to reveal a yellow flower.

"Now watch." she said to him." Flower, gleam and 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." And he observed that the magic he had just taken the bandits had been done to Mother Gothel with no effort at all. In his long life he had seen many things, both strange and surreal but this was much different." What once was mine!" she finished completing the spell and reforming herself to he young form once more. When she was finally finished she turned to him. "See?" she asked with a dazzling new smile.

"Yes. I do." He nodded.

"Now... do you like what you see?" she asked. As she spoke she moved one hand up and around tot he back of his head. While he ran the opposite hand along her face. And together they leaned forward and met at the lips. The black of their hair seemingly melting together.

"I never got your name?" he asked once she released him. A watery stream of red oozing from both their lips.

"I never got yours."

"Ladies first." He motioned with one hand.

"A gentlemen leads by example." she replied. That sly smirk returned to his lips.

"Shang Tsung." He told.

"Well Shang Tsung." she said wiping her lips." You taste like strawberries."