Chapter 46

Flynn climbed onto Rapunzel's hair to reach her window. When he got there, he said, "Rapunzel! I thought I'd never see you agains."

But when he saw Rapunzel, her hands were bound behind her back with chains and she saw a cloth gag covering her mouth. She tried to tell him something, but all she could make was muffle sounds. Gothel then appeared behind Flynn and stabbed him in the back with a dagger. He grunted in pain and collapsed on the floor while Rapunzel screeched in horror.

"Now look what you've done, Rapunzel.", said Gothel in a dark tone while blood dripped from Flynn's wound. "Oh don't worry, dear. Our secret will die with him." She then walked pass Rapunzel while she struggled to reach him. Gothel grabbed the chains that bind her and pull them, making Rapunzel being pull towards Gothel. "And as for us? We are going where no one will ever find you, again."

Pascal ran up to Gothel and grabbed onto her dress with his mouth, Seeing this, Gothel kicked Pascal away from her and he landed on the floor. "Rapunzel, really! Enough already! Stop fighting me!"

The cloth gag came off of her mouth and she said, "No! I won't stop! For every minute of the rest of my life, I will fight! I will never stop trying to get away from you! But...if you let me save him, I will go with you."

"No!", said Flynn weakly as he struggled to get up. "No, Rapunzel…"

"I'll never run...I'll never try to escape. Just let me heal him...and you and I will be together-forever, just like you want. Everything will be the way it was. I promise. Just like you want. Just...let me heal him."

Listening to her request, Gothel removed the chains on Rapunzel's wrist and put them on Flynn. She then lean him against a wood pillar.

"In case you get any ideas about following us.", said Gothel.

Rapunzel then ran up to Flynn and said, "Eu...Eugene!" She then touched his wound and let out a small yell. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Everything is gonna be okay, though." She then grab a piece of her hair and was about to place it on Flynn's wound.

"No...Rapunzel…", said Flynn as he put his hand on her hair.

"I promise. You have to trust me."

"No! I can't let you do this."

"And I can't let you die."

"But if you do this… but if you do this, then you will die."

"Hey. It's gonna be all right."

"Rapunzel… Wait." Flynn put his right hand on Rapunzel's cheek for comfort. Both of them smiled and they were about to embrace each other. But, Flynn grabbed the back of Rapunzel's with his right hand, grabbed a piece of broken glass with his left, and cut her hair. Flynn's hand collapsed onto the floor and let go of the glass.

"Eugene, what-", said a surprised Rapunzel as the top of her head turn dark brown.

"No!", said a horrified Gothel.

Rapunzel examine her hair and saw it was turning dark brown from where it has been cut to the end of the hair. Gothel desperately grabbed the pieces of hair that was still blond but they too started to turn color.

"Oh no. No… What have you done?" Gothel looked at her hand and saw that it was turning pale and wrinkly, along with her entire body. Her hair then changed from black to white. "What have you done?!", she said furiously.

She then collapsed and crawled to the broken mirror table, where she saw her transformation. Horrified, she covered her entire face with her hood and began to walk backwards towards the window. Pascal grabbed a piece of Rapunzel's hair that was near the window and pulled it, which Gothel tripped on. Rapunzel was about to grab her, but she had already fallen out of the window.

Gothel scream when she came out of the window.

"What is that?", asked Natsu as the group ran towards the tower.

"Is that...Gothel?", question Lucy.

"Somebody catch her!", said Erza.

Distance from the tower, Marluxia watched as Gothel continued to fall.

"Fallen to darkness…", he said. "We can't allow her near our pure light now. Her presence would only cast a pall over it."

Marluxia swung his right arm and white thorns wrapped around his arm. Gothel's body stopped in the air and was surrounded by pink rose petals.

"Rose petals?", question Gajeel.

Suddenly, darkness exploded from her body and created an orb of darkness.

"What's happening to her?", asked a worried Wendy.

Branches then came out of the orb and landed in front of the group. The orb disappeared, revealing to be a monster tree Heartless.

"She turn into a Heartless!", said Sora.

"And I think I know who did it.", said Erza as she saw Marluxia entering a dark corridor.

"Look out!", shouted Lucy as the Heartless swung it's fist towards the group. They all dodged before it could hit them.

"What happen up there?", asked Sora.

"I don't know, but we have to stop that Heartless.", said Donald.

The Heartless continue to smash it's fists near the group, but they kept on dodging.

"This is getting annoying!", said Juvia.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

Natsu blasted fire from his mouth and burnt one of the arms.

"Got him!"

"Destroy the arms!", shouted Erza.

"Ice-Make: Cannon!"

"Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!"

"Sagittarius Form! Star Shot!"

Gray, Wendy, and Lucy destroyed the remaining arms with their attacks.

"Sora, now!"

Donald fired a freezing spell at the Heartless and Goofy threw his shield and hit the Heartless with it. Sora then charged at it and sliced it.

"Alright!", said Gajeel.

Suddenly, flowers appeared next to everyone in the area without them noticing. Thorns then came from the flowers and wrapped around everyone.
"What the hell?", question Sora.
"Where did they come from?", asked Laxus.

Black birds then came from the Heartless' mouth and flew straight at everyone, hitting them with their bodies and making them collapse onto the ground.

"We gotta get out of this!", said Lucy as she struggled to get loose.

The Heartless then charged at the group and plowed them over, freeing them but flown into the air. Gray, Gajeel, Happy, Juvia, Donald, and Goofy crashed into a wall while the rest landed on the ground.

"Dammit!", shouted Natsu.

The Heartless then made its way up to Rapunzel's tower and summon cages thorn around everyone.

"You guys!", shouted Sora.

It then launched bombs into the air landed near everyone, making them yell in pain and covering the area in black smoke. The Heartless stopped its attack. It then saw a figure rising from the smoke. It was Erza in her Black Wing Armor, carrying Sora. The two of them charged at the monster in the air. The Heartless fired the black birds again, but they easily dodged the two.

"You are going to pay for what you did here!", said Erza.

She then threw Sora at the Heartless and sliced it Knocking off the tower.

"Moon Flash!"

Erza rushes past the Heartless and slashed it in a cross pattern. Making it disappear in the area.

The thorns disappeared as well, freeing the others.

"I wanted to finish it!", said an annoyed Natsu.

"Shut up!", said Lucy.

"We'll go check on them.", said Sora as he, Donald, and Goofy ran towards the tower.

"Don't go.", said a crying Rapunzel as she grabbed Flynn's face. "Stay with me, Eugene."

Rapunzel grabbed Flynn's hand and put it on her head. She then desperately sang her song, but her hair was not glowing.

Flynn them open his eyes and weakly said, "Rapunzel. Hey. Rapunzel."

"What?"

"Rapunzel… You were my new dream."

"And you were mine."

Flynn slowly closed his eyes and collapsed in Rapunzel's arms. A flood of tears rain down on Rapunzel's face. Sora then appeared from the window and saw, in shock, what happen. Donald and Goofy saw this as well. The three of them became sad and grieved with Rapunzel.

"Get Wendy up here, now!", shouted Sora.

"What happened?", asked Wendy.

"Flynn's hurt really bad. Use your healing magic!"

"Ok!", said Wendy as Charle carried her to the window.

Before Wendy could do anything, Rapunzel continued singing her song. Once she finished, a tear fell onto Flynn's face. The tear then started to glow and disappeared. Everyone then notice that Flynn's wound started to glow, surprising everyone. Golden lights spread from Flynn's body and lighted up the room.

"Amazing.", said Wendy.

"Is this the flower's power?", asked Charle.

"What's happening?", asked Erza as Lily carried her into the window. "What is this?"

The light then return to Flynn's wound and disappeared. Flynn slowly open his eyes and said, "Rapunzel…"

Rapunzel's face was filled with relief. "Eugene."

"Did I ever tell you...I've got a thing for brunettes?", he said with a smile.

"Eugene!", she said as she embraced him with a hug.

"We did it!", shouted Sora.

Hearing this, everyone outside cheered and hugged each other.

"You two alright?", asked Erza.

"Yes.", the two of them said with joy.

Everyone gathered outside Rapunzel's tower.

"Wow, Rapunzel! You're finally gonna get to see your real home.", said Sora.

"I know! I mean...I can't believe it.", she said with excitement. "I can finally be with my real family! I couldn't have done it without your help."

"You're welcome.", said Donald.

"Well, from where I'm standing, the Kingdom couldn't ask for a better princess.", said Flynn. "And I couldn't have asked for better sidekicks! Thanks."

"Stop calling us that!", said an annoyed Natsu.

"Yes, thank you so much. Especially you, Erza.", said Rapunzel.

"Me?", said a surprised Erza.

"Your kind words and bravery helped on my journey. You are a really good role model."

"Oh! Uh…thank you.", she said as she blushed.

"Happily ever after.", said Donald with satisfaction while Sora nodded.

"Now Flynn, you and Maximus play nice.", said Goofy.

"Yeah, don't go killing each other.", said Gray.

"Fine.", said Flynn.

Rapunzel grabbed Flynn's hand and the two of them smiled.

"You're gonna be great.", said Sora.

Both of them looked at him with confusion.

"We haven't seen the guy controlling the monsters in a while, so that's one less worry."

"But there's still a chance that he might be around here somewhere.", Goofy added.

"We're gonna look for that pink bastard and take him down!", said a determine Natsu.

"Ok.", said Flynn.

"If he comes back and tries to bother Rapunzel again, then Flynn will keep her safe.", said Sora. "And we won't be far behind."

"Come on.", said Donald. "Rapunzel's the tough one, if you ask me."

"He makes a fair point.", said Happy.

"True.", said Flynn. "But nevertheless, I won't let her out of my sight."

"Now that's loyalty.", said Laxus.

"Oh… Eugene.", said Rapunzel in a sweet tone.

"'Eugene'?", question Sora.

"Oh! That's my real name. Eugene Fitzherbert. That's right. I never told you guys."

"That's different.", said Donald.

"I like it.", said Erza.

"Yeah, that's a really nice name.", said Lucy.

"I think it's a great name!", said Goofy.

"Me too.", said Sora. "Nice to re-meet you, Eugene."

"Hey! I thought I was the only one you were going to tell.", said an annoyed Rapunzel.

"Don't worry.", said Eugene. "I've saved plenty of Fitzherbert-y secrets just for you."

"Really?"

"Hey! What are you two lovebirds talking about?", asked a suspicious Sora, surprising Eugene and Rapunzel.

"Nothing!", said a nervous Eugene.

Rapunzel laughed. "Nothing."

"Hey, you can tell us!", Donald said demandingly.

"Yeah, it's not nice to keep secrets.", said Goofy.

"Tell us!", said a demanding Natsu.

"This one is none of your business.", said Flynn.

Sora chuckled. "Maximus, get him!"

Listening to Sora, Maximus stared directly at his face. Pascal then jumped onto Eugene's shoulder and stuck his tongue in his ear, surprising him.

"You have got to be kidding me!", said an annoyed Flynn as he covered his ear while everyone laughed.

In another area of the Kingdom, Maleficent and Pete were standing over a cliff near the river, looking annoyed.

"Another world where we got doodly-squat.", said Pete. "You sure this box thingy's even real?"

"Yes.", Maleficent responded calmly.

"Yeah, and just how do you know that?"

"It is etched."

Maleficent then walked away.

"It's what?", asked a confused Pete.

"Come with me.", she said as she summon a dark corridor.

"Where to? Those bozos ain't gonna help us. Sora's sure not lookin' for the box."

"Who said anything about following them?"

She then entered the corridor, along with an annoyed Pete.