Rapunzel hummed away as she went about cleaning up the tower. It was a gorgeous Sunday morning in spring, the birds were chirping, the flowers were in bloom, the grass was a lovely green, and the squirrels were chattering away. Rapunzel sighed as she glanced out her window at the morning ensemble. The world was alive and bursting with song! While she could only watch from afar.

"Oh, Pascal, when will Mother let me out of the tower? I feel like there's so much I'm missing! Maybe she'll let me on my birthday, I'll be eighteen this year, a full grown adult!" Pascal gave her two thumbs up, sort of. Rapunzel chuckled, "Yes, I'll ask her. But that's still almost two months away!" She let out a breath, "But the wait will be worth it. What should we do now?" She turned away from the window to go into the room when a voice caught her attention.

"I'm late! I can't believe North made me late! Christmas is not more important than Easter! Let's see how he feels if I make him late for Christmas!" Rapunzel gaped at the large rabbit that came out of a hole in the ground and bounded off through the vines, taking him to the other side of her little world.

"Pascal, did, did you see that? A talking rabbit! A large, talking rabbit!" Rapunzel's hand flew to her mouth. Pascal's mouth merely dropped in surprise. "We, we need to get down there!" Pascal glanced at her, as if to exclaim, what? "Oh, but what would Mother say? Well, I'm not really going too far, just to the hole and back. I mean, how is that still there?" Pascal nodded and climbed on to her shoulder, tying a strand of hair around his body. She smiled, "Thanks Pascal." Pascal nodded and smiled back. "Oh, wait, I should arm myself!" She quickly grabbed a pan before lowering herself to the ground.

Ecstatic at finally being out of the tower, she walked around for a bit, feeling the grass beneath her feet. She became serious when she approached the hole, and very cautious as she peered over the edge. "I wonder where that goes," she muttered. She wasn't watching where she was stepping, and took a step right over the edge, hurtling her into the hole. She screamed as she tumbled down, unable to find anything to stop her descent. She quickly got up when she stopped, and gasped. She found herself in the most wonderful place she had ever seen. There were flowers everywhere! The trees were covered with pink blossoms while flowers of every hue and shape were scattered all over the place, covering the ground in a rainbow carpet.

"Wow," she breathed as she walked through the place. "Pascal, have you ever seen a more beautiful place?" She gasped as she noticed a strange-colored river flowing through the field, and little eggs on legs were falling into it. They popped out in different colors. "Well, I'm never drinking out of that river," she muttered. She glanced at Pascal, and giggled. "Come on, let's go see what else is here!" She gathered up her hair and went exploring. She found where the eggs came from, and followed the whole process.

A noise made her pause and, thinking quickly, she ducked behind a boulder just as a brown shape raced by.

"Alright, next batch! We've got two more stops, let's hustle!" Rapunzel peeked out from behind the boulder and watched the large rabbit gather a lot of eggs and take off through a tunnel. Rapunzel tried to follow, but found that the rabbit was already gone, and that the tunnel he went through led to six more large tunnels that could be seen was each branched off into several more.

Rapunzel let out a huff, "OK, so, which one will take us back home?" She walked in front of each of the larger six tunnels, looking for any clues that might show her the way, but they were all pretty dark. Letting out a breath, she began to sing, and her hair glowed. She sang slowly so she could try and see anything down the tunnels, and though she sang three times, her hair could only illuminate a short distance. "Well, there goes that. I guess I'm going to have to just explore." She smiled at Pascal, "Not that I have a problem with it, I might be able to see a lot of the world! I just hope I can get back to the tower before Mother gets back. She'll be so worried! But, she'll be proud that I can take care of myself!" She tucked the frying pan under her arm and gathered up her hair again. "Now, which one?" She looked at each one before letting out a sigh. "Well, here goes." She took a few steps into the second tunnel before pausing, listening. The only noise she heard was the chirping of birds. She waited a bit longer to see if she could hear anything else, but when no other noises reached her ears, she continued on.

She walked briskly, but it was still a few minutes before she came to the end of the tunnel. "A dead end! Ugh, let's go check another tunnel, Pascal." Rapunzel grumbled as she retraced her steps. "Why does that rabbit have a dead end for one of its tunnels? I mean, what would the point of it be? Unless, unless it was to catch trespassers like, well, like me. But, I accidentally fell in and I'm trying to get out! Well, maybe I should have waited for the rabbit, it really was an accident. Maybe it will understand and help us get back home. I mean, rabbits are really nice, right? Ah!" Rapunzel yelped and held out her frying pan defensively, the rabbit was standing in front of the tunnel opening, practically towering over her.

"Now how did you get here?"

"Oh, um, I fell into your hole by accident," she grinned sheepishly as she lowered the pan.

"You did what?"

"Yeah, um, you left your hole open outside my house, and, uh, I fell in."

The rabbit groaned, "Really? Of course. Where are you from?"

"From?"

"Yeah, which country?"

"Uh, I, I don't know. Mother never told me. It's the country with the floating lights every summer, I guess."

"Wait, you don't even know which country you're from?" Rapunzel shook her head. "You've got to be kidding me! This is bloody ridiculous! I've got one more continent to take care of, I don't have the time to babysit a sheila like you!"

"A wh-what?"

"And what's with all that hair?"

"Um, it's a long story . . ."

"As long as the hair?"

Rapunzel chuckled nervously, "No, not that long."

"OK, tell me on the way."

"The way to where?"

"To North's place, at the North Pole. He's going to have to help you, I'm too busy right now. Now hurry up and get on, and hang on tight."

"Um, O . . . K!" Rapunzel yelled as the rabbit took off like a shot through another tunnel. Rapunzel held on for dear life, but found that she was able to tell her story to the rabbit, who she found out was none other than the Easter Bunny. By the time the two got to the North Pole, they were chatting away like they were old friends, and Rapunzel found out that sheila meant woman in Australian slang. She gasped when they got top-side, the land was covered in a blanket of snow that glittered under the rising sun.

"It's so . . . wonderful!" she gasped.

Bunny chuckled, "Right, wait until you feel how cold it is, and you meet Frost. It's won't be as pretty once you've met him especially."

"Frost?"

"Yeah, Jack Frost, he's probably out looking for some way to ruin Easter again."

"What? Why would he do that?"

"He's an irresponsible show pony, that's what he is, always playing tricks of some kind."

"Oh, well, sounds like he could be lots of fun."

"Yeah, until he gets annoying, which can be bloody quick, let me tell you. Hey North! North! Come on North, I'm behind as it is, don't make me even more late!"

"Well, if you're behind why are you . . ." North came out of his workshop and paused when his eyes fell upon Rapunzel.

She smiled and waved, "Um, hi."

"This sheila fell into one of my holes, but she doesn't know which country she's from. Think you could help her out, considering it's the least you can do for making me late in the first place?"

"Wait, is that the Easter Bunny I hear? I thought you were so upset that North made you late for Easter that . . ." A boy not much older than Rapunzel with white hair and blue eyes appeared around the corner, and stopped when he saw her.

Rapunzel smiled and waved again, "Hi."

"Uh, hi . . . which flower did you crawl out of?"

"Say what?"

"Oh rack off, you bloody show pony, no one gave you permission to start flirting with her."

"Pfft, I don't need permission, Bunny. But seriously, where did you come from?"

"I, I really don't know the name of the country, but, it's the one with the floating lights that appear every summer on my birthday."

"Really, huh? Sorry, can't help you, don't get out much during the summer."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm Jack Frost, and I'm the Guardian of winter and fun," he grinned and winked.

"Oh, um, well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Frost, I'm Rapunzel."

Jack took her hand to his lips, "Always a pleasure, Miss Rapunzel, but do call me Jack, will you?"

Rapunzel gave a little giggle, "Alright, Jack."

"Alright you two, Valentine's Day was a couple of months ago, and I've got to get back to hiding eggs. See you around North!" Bunny tapped the ground and a hole appeared, disappearing after Bunny had jumped into the hole.

"So, um, well, could you, um, help me get back home?"

"Oh, yeah, sure . . . if you don't mind the long way around."

"Um, I kind of need to get back home soon, Mother will be so worried once she finds out I'm missing."

"Oh wow, you're not an adult yet?"

Rapunzel shook her head, "Not yet, I'm turning eighteen this summer."

"Oh, well, happy early birthday."

"Thanks, but it's not for another two and a half months."

"Well, somebody's been counting," smirked Jack.

"OK, that is enough, we must figure out where Miss Rapunzel comes from and get her home. To the sleigh! We shall visit the Tooth Fairy and quite possibly the Sandman."

Rapunzel gasped, "Really?"

"Yeah, it's awesome! But the sleigh's the best part," grinned Jack as they followed Santa through his workshop.

"Come on, keep up! As you say, Miss Rapunzel, we do not have much time."

"Oh come on, North, slow down and let her get a good look at the place! She might not get another chance!"

"Oh no, that's fine, I really need to get ba-ah!" Rapunzel let out a little shriek as yeti after yeti, and elves, walked all over her trailing hair.

"Ach! What is it now?"

"Uh, North! We've got to do something about her hair!" exclaimed Jack as he helped her gather it all up.

"Well, there you go, you've already figured it out. Help her carry it to the sleigh, Jack, and let's go!"

Jack grumbled, "What, really? Can't one of the yetis do it?"

"Please?" Jack blinked as he looked at Rapunzel's pleading face.

"What? You have an idea?" Rapunzel and Jack glanced at North as a yeti talked to him. "Alright, but make it quick. He wants you to sit on the floor and lay out the hair behind you!"

"Um, OK." Rapunzel sat on the floor and Jack rolled out the hair. The yeti called up another yeti and several of the elves to Rapunzel's hair. She winced more out of nervousness than pain as they approached, but Jack crouched by her side, which instantly helped to put her at ease. The yetis and the elves worked quickly, and in a matter of minutes, Rapunzel's long hair was braided and wrapped in fake Christmas lights.

"Oh, why thank you! It's lovely!" She gave them each a quick peck on the cheek before Jack pulled her towards where North stood, waiting for them. Jack merely grinned sheepishly at North's raised eyebrow and knowing smirk. But he helped them get into the sleigh, the reindeer pawing impatiently at the ground, itching to leave.

"Alright, you ready?"

"Oh yeah." Jack winked at Rapunzel, "You're going to love this."

"Hiyah!" North cracked the reins, and the reindeer took off. Rapunzel let out a little shriek as she fell back in her seat and scooted closer to Jack for support.

"Oh, don't worry, you won't fall out, but, if it makes you feel safer," he stated as he put his arm around her, right as they went into the loop-the-loop. Rapunzel held onto Jack, but she was clearly enjoying the ride.

"Ha-ha, blast off!"

Rapunzel let out a squeal, "That was so much fun! Can we do it again?"

"You don't get out much, do you?"

"Um, no . . . is it that obvious?" Rapunzel grinned sheepishly.

"Blatantly."

"Hang on, I'm taking a shortcut." North pulled out a snow globe, swirled it around, and said, "I say, Tooth Palace." He threw it, and a circular distortion appeared in the sky.

"Um, what's that?"

"A portal," replied Jack as North cracked the reins, and the reindeer took them through. Rapunzel grasped Jack's sleeve and gasped as they went through.

"What the?"

"See? A portal takes you anywhere in the world. We just went from the North Pole to the Tooth Palace in seconds when normal travel could have taken us . . ."

"About five weeks," replied North as he brought them to a landing.

"Wow," breathed Rapunzel as she glanced around. "It's a lovely place."

"Why thank you! But what are you doing here?"

Rapunzel gave a shriek and jumped behind Jack as the fairy flew in closer, "Who, who are you?"

"Why, this is the Tooth Fairy. Tooth, we were wondering if you could help us. This little lady fell into one of Bunny's holes by accident and we're trying to figure out where's she's from. Can you help?"

"Um, I don't know, I've never seen her before. I don't think I have her teeth," stated Tooth as she looked closer at Rapunzel.

Rapunzel sighed, "No, you, you wouldn't have come. Nobody but Mother has ever come to the tower."

"But wait," began Jack. Everyone looked at him. "Didn't you say it's the country where they do the floating lights on your birthday every year?"

Rapunzel's eyes widened, "Oh yes!"

"Don't you mean lanterns? But you've been to a few of those lantern festivals, haven't you Jack?" asked Tooth.

"Yeah, but her lantern festival occurs on her birthday, in the summer. How many countries do you know of that has a lantern festival in the summer?"

Tooth thought for a few moments before exclaiming, "Ooh, ooh, I do know of a country that releases lanterns every year on the princess' birthday!"

"Hey! How about that? You share a birthday with the princess!" grinned Jack as he nudged her.

"Oh wow. Um, what was it called?"

"I can't remember, it has something to do with the sun, that I do remember . . ." One of her little fairies approached and squeaked something. "That's right, we just got a tooth from there today! Come on, I'll show you!"

"Right behind you, Tooth! Hiyah!" The reindeer took off again, following the Tooth Fairy as closely as possible as she led them through the clouds. Jack was able to coax Rapunzel's story out of her as they flew along, but not before she elicited a promise from North and Jack not to tell anyone. They were surprised, of course, at the news, but Rapunzel's fears were put to ease when they didn't ask her about showing them, nor for using it to their advantage, as her Mother had said people would. But once they told her they were immortal and wouldn't need her power, she realized that not everyone wanted what she had. She had to smile, they were a great bunch of people, and if her mother would let her, she would like to stay with them as long as possible.

They quickly came upon a tiny island kingdom, situated not far from the mainland where a dense forest had sprung up. They flew over the kingdom, Rapunzel only asked so that she could see it before heading back home.

"There! There it is!" she pointed as the tower came into view.

"Wow, you guys are a ways out! No wonder why my fairies couldn't find it!" exclaimed Tooth. North and Jack glanced at each other. "Do you still have your baby teeth somewhere?"

"I don't know where Mother put them," sighed Rapunzel.

"Oh, well, my fairy and I will find them, don't worry about that," winked Tooth before she and her fairy went off to search. North glided in next to the window, and Jack jumped into the room before helping Rapunzel.

"Oh, thank you," she smiled at him as she took his hand and climbed down. She turned to North, "And thank you, Mr. North, for helping me get back home, that was really sweet of you." She gave him a little peck on the cheek.

"Ah, no worries! Hope you had fun! Oh, and here, Merry Christmas!" He tossed her something, and she quickly caught it.

"Why, it's, it's a . . ."

"A snow globe! Whenever you want to visit, just shake it up, and tell it where you want to go before throwing it, alright?"

"I will! Thank you so much!" she exclaimed as she hugged him.

"Yeah, but now we need to dismantle the Christmas tree," blurted Jack.

"What? Oh, my hair! Right," giggled Rapunzel.

"Alright, well, I must get back. See you back at North Pole, Jack! See you later, Tooth!"

"Bye North!" With the throw of the snow globe and a hiya, North was gone. Jack set about helping Rapunzel get her hair undone.

"We found your teeth! At least, most of them," announced Tooth as she and her fairy re-entered the main room.

"Wonderful! Um, why do you gather them?" asked Rapunzel from the floor where she and Jack were busy taking out her hair.

"Oh, I gather them to protect the memories of childhood. Every single good memory you have from your childhood is hidden in these teeth. And whenever you need to remember something from your past, we'll help with it."

"Oh, um, maybe not, I mean, I don't have very many great childhood memories."

"I'm sure they are. They're your childhood memories, they are great, no matter how few they may be, because they are yours," Tooth reassured her.

"There, that's the last ornament," sighed Jack as he added it to the pile. "At least those guys were smart enough to use the smaller, cuter ornaments," he grinned. "But, what are we going to do with all of this?"

Rapunzel gasped, "I know!" She moved towards the stairs and pried open the bottom step. "There's really not that much, it could all fit in here!"

"Pure genius, Rapunzel!" grinned Jack as he began placing the lights into the bottom step. As Rapunzel mentioned, it really wasn't a very large pile, the lights was the biggest part of the pile, and they took care of the ornaments fairly quick before helping Rapunzel close the step.

"Well, I need to get your teeth all set-up back at the Tooth Palace. It was wonderful to meet you Rapunzel. Hope your Easter Sunday is wonderful! Oh, and we should have Bunny come back and hide some eggs for you!" said Tooth as she hugged Rapunzel.

"Oh, that would be great! Thank you! And it was great to meet you too!" Rapunzel waved as Tooth flew off.

"Well, guess this is it, for now, but . . . oh, wait!"

"What?" Jack just grinned as a stream of pale blue light shot from his staff and straight to the ceiling. Rapunzel gasped, "Oh, it's snowing, inside my tower!" She laughed as she caught the snowflakes on her tongue, felt them under her toes, and watched them disappear into her hair. Jack grabbed her and spun around before the two fell over, the hair wrapped around them both.

"Oh, you don't want me to leave now, do you?"

Rapunzel laughed, "What? You're the one who wanted to spin!" The two glanced at each other for a few minutes while the snow melted around them before Rapunzel smiled. "Thank you, Jack, this was the best day of my entire life."

"Great! But you have that snow globe now, so I expect a visit from you soon."

"You can count on it."

"Rapunzel!"

Rapunzel gasped, whispering, "Oh no, Mother's back!"

"But you wanted to be back before she got back, right?" whispered Jack as they untangled themselves.

"But with you gone!"

"Don't worry, she won't see me," he winked as he stepped behind the curtains.

"Rapunzel!"

"Coming Mother!" Rapunzel lowered her hair and pulled up her mother.

"My goodness, Rapunzel, what took you so long? And why is the floor wet?"

"Oh, um, that's why I took so long, I mopped the floor and was picking up the mop and the bucket when you called."

"Oh, well it does make the floor look so much better. I'm going to take these groceries to the kitchen. While I do that, get the chair and the brush ready, will you?"

"Yes Mother."

"Good." She walked into the kitchen and Rapunzel quickly turned to the window. Jack was nowhere to be seen.

"Bye Jack," she whispered. She uttered a soft gasp when his pale form came down and kissed her nose.

"See you later, Sunshine," he winked before flying off. Rapunzel touched her nose as she quickly got the chair, the stool, and the brush, smiling. That day had been wonderful. She glanced at the mirror to try and wipe the smile off before her mother returned, oh yes, she would be visiting again. She glanced at her bedroom where she had quickly hidden the snow globe, she would be visiting again, and soon.