Angel: This...this is another one of those 'Harmony has the moonstone' AUs, and I don't even remember who requested it. I'm not saying that those AUs are bad, but this is specifically what I didn't want for her character at all for season 2 or 3. And yet here we are. I will admit that it does give good tension between her and Varian here, though. But in Sisters' Tangled Adventure...nah. They had been through enough in that story, which is why I never wrote that plotline. And I don't regret not doing it.
I think this is like the third one I've done for this storyline. I know I said that almost anything goes for these one-shots, but this kind of plot is just not up my alley sometimes. It's up there with that fart contest request between Gothel and Rapunzel that I kept getting a while back. Which is why it took me so long to get this one out.
Summary: Basically another moonstone AU where Harmony kidnaps Varian instead of Cass. Song: Nothing Left to Lose by Jeremy Jordan and Eden Espinosa, which I do not own.
Harmony's heels click as she steps across her lair. She tugs on Varian's arm as she has him cuffed and he frowns up at her. When he heard that Harmony had taken the moonstone and betrayed her sister after he forgave Rapunzel, he couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe that the love of his life would even do that. After all, she helped him find the cure for his father, and she was the reason why he earned Rapunzel's trust on their trip to the Dark Kingdom. He wouldn't have had the freedom he experienced during that trip, he would've been left to rot in jail. And she didn't let that happen to him...
But...after Rapunzel explained Harmony's lingering anger over the snow storm incident, which was the reason she even betrayed her sister, he could understand how she felt. She felt like she wasn't part of the royal family, and that people kept looking down at her because she was the youngest person in the castle...
He really didn't want to do anything to hurt her, but he translated the three incantations, and when he told her he memorized them, she kidnapped him.
The Enchanted Girl appears next to Harmony. "Soon, Rapunzel will come for the boy. I do hope that you don't get sidetracked by whatever you feel for him."
She blinks and pauses, glancing at him. He just keeps looking at his shackles. She then directs her eyes back forward. She did consider her family's feelings, especially her sister. And Varian did cross her mind when she fought back against them. But...she was doing this partially because of him; because of what had happened to her father.
"You must face her with the full power of the moonstone, regardless of who she is," The Enchanted Girl insists to the blue-haired girl.
"I don't hold any feelings for anyone," Harmony bit her cheek as she lies to her.
"Who are you talking to?" Varian asks her gently and they come to a stop into the throne room. Harmony doesn't answer his question and she stands in front of him. She holds his wrists and breaks his restraints, confusing him.
"Look, no matter how it might seem, I'm not going to lay a hand on you," She stares into his eyes as there was sadness in them. "You shouldn't be caught up in this, anyway. When my sister comes, don't try to be a hero," She walks away from him and his eyes soften.
"Mona...you're holding resentment for what happened during the storm, I get it. Believe me, you and I both know I've been through the same thing," He gestures to himself, looking away. "But this isn't you, you're making a mistake!"
She freezes at the nickname, glaring over her shoulder. "Stop calling me that." That nickname only reminds her of her relationship with Varian, which had to be over at this point given her decision to take the moonstone.
The path of hate is a dangerous track
He steps up to her.
You take one step and it's hard to turn back
She slowly creates some black rocks and looks at herself in the reflection.
It pulls you along
And though it seems wrong, it feels right
She touches the rocks gently with her right hand as he puts his hands to his heart.
Don't you see this path you're on leaves a permanent mark
He gets close enough to be standing behind her and he gestures to the girl.
It feels good at first
Harmony squeezes her eyes shut.
Then it slowly turns dark
With each passing day
She walks away from the rocks, ignoring him.
You're further astray from the light
He reaches out a hand to her as he is standing underneath a light.
Suddenly, you lose your way and lose the thread
He runs up and stops her from walking, giving her a pleading look.
Lose your cool
She turns away and stares at the black rocks in front of her.
Then lose your head
Every loss is harder to excuse
She tries to get away again, seeing her reflection in the rocks. She turns around to Varian, biting her lip.
Then you'll see you'll lose your faith and lose your soul
Till you lose complete control
Harmony strides past him again.
And realize there's nothing left to lose
Nothing left to lose
He runs after her again, this time grabbing her hand to stop her from walking. He stands in front of her and grips her arms gently. "Mona, I still love you! But all of this isn't the answer, Becoming like me after the storm isn't the answer! You know that!"
"Is that who you think I am? You?!" She flinches in anger and he realizes how that must've sounded. Especially since...he didn't treat her the best when he wanted to free his father. She rips her arms away from him. "Because I'm not!"
The path I'm on is a path paved in black
She steps forward and he backs away as she keeps her glare.
I'm taking that road and I'm not looking back
She creates a field of black rocks around her.
Each twist and each turn
She moves them so that they create a circle, and then she creates a pillar made out of black rocks.
Leads straight where I'm yearning to go
Varian squints and blinks in shock to see the Harmonium still around her neck. He thought that she had discarded it, but she held onto it...meaning that the old her is still in there somewhere.
Yes, it's true, my path is dark, but I see where it ends
She grips the element he made for her as she looks away from him. For a second, he thought he was looking at the old her.
My rivals will fall as my power ascends
She creates a spike underneath her and she balances just fine on it. She jumps and then a structure appears so she can land on it. She reaches the ceiling and he looks up at her in worry.
Despise me, that's fine
I'm taking what's mine even so
She glares down at him and steps forward.
Not like you
As she's walking, a path is made for her using the black rocks.
You lost your nerve
You lost the game
But you and I
She grips the necklace as she continues walking.
We're not the same
She jumps and a spike is made in front of her. She grips it and flips around.
I'm not lost
He watches as she creates a floating platform, biting his lip. He has to put his feelings aside for the moment so that he could try and convince her to stop this.
This fate was mine to choose
She creates a few stepping stones to jump on until she lands on the ground.
So I chose to lose my doubts and lose my chains
She creates a black rock in front of him, showing him what she had from her side: a fake image of her in actual chains, with her father and Rapunzel standing over her. That never happened, but by looking at this, he understands just how trapped she felt the day of the storm. How helpless she felt when she learned that her parents were lost and how unneeded she must've felt after she went out into the storm.
The moment she found him, he felt scared...just like she did.
Lose each weakness that remains
She keeps her glare on her sister, still angry for overlooking her concerns and turning away Varian when he needed help.
Now that I have nothing left to lose
Nothing left to lose
She punches her hands together and was about to destroy the image when Varian stops by holding onto her wrists.
You have so much to hold onto
He pleads with his eyes to rethink this.
I only want my rightful dues
She gently pushes him off and clenches a fist. She still didn't want to hurt him, but he had to try and stop trying to convince her.
Listen please
He grips her hands gently.
You've lost your grip and lost your mind
Lose? I'm not gonna lose
Both of them had different looks as they stare at each other. She has a determined look while his was more desperate.
All's not lost, don't be so blind
I refuse
Cut your losses
Drop the IOUs
I refuse
She finally releases herself from his hands, turning away sharply and holds her head.
Oooh, choose
I lose no tears and lose no sleep
She looks back at the image she created, gritting her teeth.
What I want I'll take and keep
She turns around and creates more black rocks.
It's time for you to choose
She starts to create a cage for him.
You can't stop the turning of the screws
He holds out a hand as she gets closer. He looks up and sees slight regret on her face for doing this to him.
"Mona...deep down, you don't wanna do this. I can see it in your eyes; you're lost. But I can help you, just...give up the moonstone. Please."
"No one can save me now, not even you," She tells him quietly, looking away. "Even after all of this, you still wanna help me, why?"
"Because I know that the girl I fell in love with is still here with me," He reaches out and holds her hand. "The one who believed in me despite everything. The one who was always there for me. And the same one who I made the Harmonium for just to get her attention."
Her eyes widen as she grips the Harmonium so that he wouldn't see it. She was hoping that he wouldn't comment on it. She had kept it despite the Enchanted Girl telling her to get rid of it because...it reminds her of him. It reminds her of why she was even here. And he wasn't going to take that away from her, even if that means upsetting her sister in the process.
"...You'll stay in that cage until this is done. I'm sorry, but...I can't let you escape..."
"Don't do this," He pleads with her one last time. "You can make things right with Rapunzel, with everyone!"
She gently touches the cage in front of her and then she pushes it. The cage is then thrusted backwards so that he's out in the open, away from her. Harmony takes a deep breath and turns around once he's gone. She slowly takes a few steps forward, stopping near the rocks showing the image. She thrusts an arm forward and destroys the rocks, which crumble to pieces next to her. She looks down at them, her eyes shifting to sadness briefly.
She then takes a few steps and sits onto her throne. She looks up ahead as she waits for her sister to come. She grips the Harmonium, shedding a few tears as there was nothing left for her now but to face her sister...
Now...I have...nothing...left to lose
