Chapter 45

"Gajeel! Laxus! Do you still have their scents?", asked Erza as their group ran through the forest to find Rapunzel.

"Yup! We're in hot pursuit!", Gajeel.

"It will be easy to rescue her, since Gothel isn't a fighting person when we first met her.", said Laxus.

Suddenly, dozens of Nobodies appeared in front of them, blocking their path.

"I guess this is what Marluxia meant by 'guarding' them.", said Lily.

"Get ready, we need to finish this as quickly as possible!", said Erza as she requip into her Heaven's Wheel Armor.

Flynn was pacing around his jail cell very anxiously. Dammit, I need to get out of here!

Flynn then heard the entrance to his cell opening. He turn and saw the captain at the entrance.

"Let's get this over with, Rider.", he said.

"Where are we going?", asked Flynn.

The captain stand in silence. Then Flynn realized where he was going.

"Oh…", he said as he put his hand on his neck.

Back at the tower, Gothel was undoing Rapunzel's braid while Rapunzel looked down at the floor with a sad look.

"There, it never happened.", said Gothel as she took the last flower out of Rapunzel's hair. She then started to exit Rapunzel's room. "Now, wash up for dinner. I'm making hazelnut soup."

She then faced Rapunzel, who was still looking sad. Gothel sighed. "I really did try, Rapunzel. I tried to warn you, what was out there. The world is dark, and selfish, and cruel. If it finds even the slightest ray of sunshine. It destroys it." She then closed the curtains.

Rapunzel, who had her palms together, open them up and hold the Kingdom's flag in her hand that Flynn gave her during the festival. It was all purple with a golden sun at the center. Pascal came up to her and laid next to her for comfort. She then laid down on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She then noticed something and lifted the flag in the air to examine it. She then put the flag down, got up from her bed, and examine the ceiling really closely. She then saw a golden sun appearing on the ceiling and saw that more suns were appearing too. Eventually, the entire room was covered with golden suns. Rapunzel then remembered a blurry vision of two figures: a man and a woman. She then remember those people were on the princess' memorial. She then remember putting on the crown that Flynn stole from the Kingdom. Rapunzel gasped, lost balance and crashed into her nightstand, breathing hard.

"Rapunzel?", Gothel called. "Rapunzel, what's going on up there?"

She continued to breathe heavily until she got up and headed for the curtains.

"Are you all right?"

Rapunzel open the curtains with both hands and said quietly, "I'm the lost princess."

Gothel sighed with annoyance. "Oh, please, speak up, Rapunzel. You know how I hate the mumbling."

"I am the lost princess.", she said louder. "Aren't I?"

There was shock on Gothel's face and she widen her eyes.

"Did I mumble, mother? Or should I even call you that?"

After a short pause, Gothel chuckled and headed towards her. "Oh, Rapunzel, do you even hear yourself? Why would you ask such a ridiculous question?"

"It was you!", she said angrily as she pushed Gothel away with her. "It was all, you."

Gothel's expression darkened. "Everything I did was to protect you."

Rapunzel angrily pushed her aside went down the stairs.

"Rapunzel."

"I spent my entire life, hiding from people who would use me for my power."

"Rapunzel!"

"And I should have been hiding. From you."

"Where will you go? He won't be there for you."

"What did you do to him?"

"That criminal, is to be hanged for his crimes."

Rapunzel gasped. "No."

"Now, now. It's all right. Listen to me.", said Gothel in a gentle voice. "All of this is as it should be." She then was about to place her hand on Rapunzel's head.

But before she could, Rapunzel grabbed Gothel's wrist and held a firm grip of it.

"No! You were wrong about the world." Gothel struggled to make her let go of her wrist, but Rapunzel refused to let go. "And you were wrong about me. And I will never let you use my hair, again!"

Rapunzel todd her at a nearby table, making it fall and crashing on the floor with broken glass scatter in that area. Rapunzel the walked away.

"You want me to be the bad guy?", said Gothel in a dark tone as a dark aura was circling around her body. "Fine. Now I'm the bad, guy."

Flynn, with his hands bound, was escorted by two guards to the execution stand. As they walked, Flynn notice the two men from before sitting in their cells. Flynn then butt headed two of the guards in angry, went up to their cell and grabbed one of them by the collar.

"How did you know about her?", he demandingly asked. "Tell me, now!"

"It wasn't us.", said the man nervously. "It was the old lady."

"'Old lady'?"

Flynn was then grabbed by the two guards and they forced him to continue on.

"Wait, no, wait! You don't understand, she's in trouble. Wait!"

Flynn continue to struggle out of the guards grasp as they made their way to the execution platform. As they made their way to the entrance, Flynn notice a tiny unicorn toy on a window and looked curious. Suddenly, all the doors in the hall were immediately shut and locked, leaving the guards and Flynn in the hallway.

"What's this?", asked the guard. He then banged on the door hard. "Open up."

The small window on the door open, revealing the old man from the Snuggly Duckling.

"What's the password?", he asked (still drunk).

"You gotta say it!", said Happy as he flew next to the old man.

"What?", question the guard.

"Nope.", chuckled the old man.

"Open this door!"

"Not even close."

"It's really not.", said Happy.

"You have three seconds!", said the captain. "One…"

When no one was looking hook appeared behind a guard and took him away from Flynn. Both Flynn and the other guard took noticed.

"Two…"

Before the other guard can speak, he was suddenly grabbed by someone.

"Three…"

The captain turned and saw Flynn alone in the hallway with a shrug. The captain looked stunned. The door behind him then open. A man wearing a armor helmet appeared and hit the captain with a frying pan, knocking him out.

"Frying pans. Who knew, right?", said a relief Flynn.

"How was prison, buddy?", asked Natsu as he came from the door.

"Not now, Natsu. ", said Lucy. "We got company."

The door at the other end of the hallway burst open and guard came running in. Everyone then headed for the side exit and ran fast in the castle. Before they could catch up, the guards were stopped by a mine who was imagining he was trapped behind a wall, making the guards stare at him in confusion. The mine then looked at another hallway. The guards turn and saw the large man charging at them with a battle cry. The guards scream as the man plowed them, making the mine to give a shocking expression.

Natsu laughed hard. "That was pretty funny!"

"Come on!", said Happy.

Flynn, the men, and the mages made it outside into the courtyard where they saw dozens of palace guards coming after them.

"Get out of the way!", shouted Natsu as he blasted fire from his hands at the guards, crashing them into the wall.

"You're not stopping us!", said Gray as he fired ice lances at the guards.

"Open, Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"

"Virgo stop those guards!", Lucy commanded.

"Yes, of course!", Virgo responded as she dug holes under the guards' feet, making them crash into the holes.

The hook man then placed Flynn on a cart and said, "Head down?"

"Head down.", Flynn repeated as he put his head down..

"Arms in?"

"Arms in."

"Knees apart?"

"Knees apart. Knees apart? Why do I knees to keep my knees apar..."

The large man jumped into the air and landed on the cart, launching a screaming Flynn into the air and landed on Maximus outside of the courtyard.

"Max. You brought them here?"

Maximus smiled.

"We kinda help.", said Juvia as the other mages join her.

"Yeah. You are our friend.", said Gray,

"Thank you."

He shrugged.

"No really, thank you. Uh, I feel maybe this whole time we've just misunderstanding one another. And we're really just."

"Hey, we're still in big trouble!", said an impatient Lucy.

"Yeah your right. We should go."

"He's still not waking up!", said Wendy. "I'm sorry. I don't know any spells that can undo sleep magic."

"C'mon, Wendy. There's gotta be somethin'!", said a worried Goofy.

"Wendy is not an expert on sleep magic!", said Charle.

"Then what do we do?", asked Donald.

They then heard some hard pounding on the ground. They turn and saw Flynn riding Maximus while Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Juvia, and Happy ran after them.

"Whoa, Max!", said Flynn as he made him stop. "Whoa, boy."

"You're all right?", asked Donald.

"Yup. Piece of cake!", said Natsu.

"Sora-san still hasn't woken up?", asked Juvia.

"Is Sora okay?", asked Flynn.

"We don't know.", said Donald.

Goofy explained. "We keep callin' his name and shakin' him, but he won't open his eyes."

"Sora!"

"Wake up!"

"Hmm… Unresponsive sidekick…", said Flynn.

"No duh!", said Gray. "And would you stop saying sidekicks!"

"Now's not the time!", said Donald.

"Wait a minute. I know how to fix this!", said Flynn

"How?", asked Happy.

"Max, give him a wash!"

Maximus then went up to Sora and licked his face. Sora then let out a grone and open his eyes. He saw Maximus over him while Donald and Goofy came up to him.

"Sora!", they both said with relief.

"Well, that did the trick.", said Flynn. "Nice work, Max!"

"Wow, we're idiots.", said Gray.

"Huh? How did I end up…", question Sora as he got up, still feeling tired. Sora then remember what happen. "Oh no! Flynn, Rapunzel's being held prisoner!"

"That's right. In her mother's tower.", said Flynn. "This calls for a rescue. Are you with me?"

"Yeah!", said Sora as Flynn grabbed his hand and pulled him onto Maximus.

Donald and Goofy hopped on as well, putting too much weight on Maximus and making him slide down a little.

"One of you get off.", said Charle.

But Maximus then lifted the four up with a hard force.

"That is one hard core horse.", said Happy

"Erza, Gajeel, Laxus, and Lily have already gone ahead.", said Lucy. "They're probably fighting Nobodies, according to what Marluxia said."

"Don't want to keep them waiting, right?", said Natsu.

Flynn smiled. "Right. Let's go, Max."

Maximus then lifted his two hooves in the air and galloped into the forest.

"Vernier!"

Wendy cast her Sky Magic on the rest of her friends and they all ran at a fast speed.

They continued into the forest until more Nobodies appeared in front of them. Flynn immediately stopped Maximus.

"Juvia thought they defeated them?", said Juvia.

"Man, they're persintant!", said an annoyed Gray.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy got off of Maximus and summon their weapons.

"We'll take it from here, Flynn. Go help Rapunzel.", said Sora

"Thanks!", said Flynn as he and Maximus went on ahead.

"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!"

Natsu eliminated some of the Nobodies while Sora slashed through the non burnt ones.

"Ice-Make: Lance!"

Gray fired some ice lances at some Dusks.

"Sky Dragon's Roar!"

Wendy blasted Wind at Lucy, who was in Cancer Form. It pushed her towards some Reapers and Lucy sliced them when she came close.

"Water Nebula!"

"Water!"

Juvia and Sora blasted a strong column of water and destroyed all of the Nobodies in the area.

"I guess that's it.", said Donald.

"C'mon. We need to get to the tower!", said Sora.

"Right!"

"Erza!", shouted Flynn as he saw Erza slicing through a Nobody.

"Flynn! It's good to see that you're alright. We cleared a path for you!", said Erza when saw him.

"These pest are still coming!", said Gajeel.

"We'll prevent them from getting in your way!", said Laxus.

"Thanks!", said Flynn as he road into the secret passage into Rapunzel's tower.

"Heaven's Wheel: Pentagram Sword!"

"Iron Dragon's Sword!"

Erza and Gajeel sliced through some Nobodies. While Laxus punched a Reaper and Lily stabbed another with his sword. Another Reaper appeared behind her. But before it could attack her, Sora sliced through it.

"Sora!", said a surprised Erza.

"I thought you said you were taking care of these guys.", said Natsu.

"Well excuse us if they keep reappearing.", said an annoyed Gajeel.

"Stop it!", said Lucy "We gotta save Rapunzel!"

"Right.", said Erza. "Let's go!"