Angel: We're finally at the end of season 2! Then the third season! Even though it was mostly filler, I did enjoy rewatching the second season and writing it with Varian as being part of it.
Edmund: Previously on Tangled...
"Where is it taking us?" Rapunzel asked at the black rocks at the beginning of their journey
"To fulfill your destinies. These rocks were looking for you both, and you two must follow them to the Dark Kingdom."
The scroll joined together once the four pieces were found.
"We've experienced some pretty heavy stuff out here." Staylan stood in front of Eugene. "These black rocks are leading us to our destinies. We have never been more sure of anything in our lives. We have to follow them. What if they lead to somewhere I'm never supposed to come back from?"
"And what if it costs me something that...that I can't imagine losing?" Harmony asked softly.
"Adira's lying to you!" Hector warned from the Great Tree. "She-she might have you think she's helping you to find your destiny, but if you two go to the Dark Kingdom, you're doomed!"
25 years ago...
The whole Dark Kingdom was evacuating. "Everyone must leave now!" Edmund shouted at the disheartened people walking away. He turned away from the entrance, Quirin standing nearby.
"Your majesty..."
"I said everyone!" He gritted his teeth, a handmaiden closing her eyes and walking away. A baby could be heard crying from one of the rooms. Quirin looked in the direction of the room, watching as the handmaiden held the baby in her arms.
Edmund paced around by himself. "May this place and the cursed power that lies within it be forever wiped from existence!"
He shut the door to the room that held the moonstone.
Present Day
Max and Fidella run with the caravan, Eugene snapping the reins. Their eyes widen as Rapunzel, Cass, and Harmony sit on the roof, looking up ahead as they can see the Dark Kingdom in the distance. Harmony tenses up a bit as they step out of the caravan.
"We made it...The Dark Kingdom," Rapunzel whispers as Harmony clutches her left hand.
"I'm scared, Punzie. I'm getting all kinds of bad feelings from that place."
"Hey, it's okay," Rapunzel places a hand on her shoulder. "Remember, we're all by your side on this."
The girl nods slowly.
"Yep. We just need a way to get the ol' camper down there," Eugene states and the caravan itself moves backwards.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, wait, wait!" Rapunzel shouts as they run over, but it's too late as the caravan falls off the cliff, crashing onto the ground below.
"No! Not again!" Eugene exclaims at this.
"Not even five minutes and we lost our ride. Man..." Harmony rubs a temple at this. Lance sighs, wiping away a fake tear.
"It served us well..."
"Oh no! All my clean clothes!" Shorty holds his head in agony.
"Shorty, you didn't have any clean clothes," Lance tells him and the tiny man scoffs.
"Psh. Well, not with that attitude, I didn't."
Rapunzel silently turns around, looking to the Dark Kingdom. "Your destinies await, Princesses," Cass tells the two.
"You sure you're both ready for this?" Eugene asks the duo.
"I just wish I knew what this is. I mean, Demanitus said if Harmony doesn't grab the moonstone, the black rocks will destroy everything. But I have no idea what to expect to happen to either of us when I do..."
"She's right," Harmony sighs a little, stepping a bit closer. "He also said that it's gonna give me the power that I've been missing all this time. But we don't know what will happen after that..."
"I don't know. But whatever happens, you two won't be facing it alone," Cass smiles towards Eugene as he joins their side.
Cass smiles as she steps forward.
(Harmony and Eugene in bold, Cass and Rapunzel in italics)
C: Now
Now more than ever
We must stick together
United
She smiles towards her friends.
E: Now
Eugene wraps an arm around Rapunzel.
It's now or never
So let's face the future
Clear-sighted
He waves a hand in front of them.
H: Now
This is our last endeavor
Harmony holds her sister's hand, Rapunzel grinning down at her.
So let's pull through
Reunited
R: Somehow we've managed to make it this far
Rapunzel steps forward onto the grass, looking out to the Dark Kingdom.
It's been one heck of a ride
All three of them join her side.
A: There's nothing I couldn't do
They look towards the black rocks together.
Not with you by my side
They jump onto the black rocks to get towards the bottom. Cass lands in a pile of spiked vines.
C: Maybe tomorrow
We'll find to our sorrow
Our story has come to an ending
She gets onto her feet, looking up at the sky. Eugene looks to Rapunzel nearby.
E: Maybe we're fated
To be separated
Rapunzel falls off, having slipped from a rock.
Who knows where our paths might be bending
Rapunzel landed in an underground cave as Harmony steps onto black rocks, watching her steps.
H: Maybe today
Destinies will be completed
She looks out to all of the black rocks, hoping to finally put the moonstone past her and then she can live a normal life.
Our lives have been spent contending
R: How I wish we could stay here forever this way
Rapunzel looks up to the three shadows of her best friends disappearing, running up to the wall.
But perhaps there's no point in pretending
She turns around to the black rocks, which glow.
C: If we're destined to head in our own different ways
Cass cuts away a vine, looking at a glowing black rock.
G: Let's make the most of these sweet final days
Eugene reaches the end of the cliff and all four of them follow the rocks.
A: Why not go out in a glorious blaze
Eugene jumps onto branches.
Cause now
They all join together as they jump off the black rocks past the sun.
Now more than ever
The four join hands as they fall towards a lake.
We're still here together
United
They slide down the wall, landing in the lake.
Now
They hold their breath, swimming along.
It's now or never
So let's stand as one
They surface above the water, smiling at each other.
Undivided
Eugene splashes Cass as Rapunzel splashes her sister and they all get into a water fight.
When we look back at this moment we had
Rapunzel stands alone until the three join her again. She throws her hair onto a branch, holding onto them.
Then shall we tremble with pride
They swing along the trees to a statue, landing on top of it together.
There's nothing I couldn't do
Not with you by my side
They climb onto the arm, jumping off and swinging down Rapunzel's hair. They roll down a small hill.
What in the world would I do
They stop rolling, the two sisters laying down on opposite sides. Harmony's hair is in all directions as she has a contented smile on her face. Cass is to her right and Eugene is to her left.
C: Without you
Cass sits up with a grin.
E: Without you
Eugene sits up to look at her.
H: Without you
Harmony smiles as she sits on her knees.
R: Without you
Rapunzel smiles at all three of them. They all get onto their feet, looking up ahead.
By my side
They join hands again as the Dark Kingdom is just up ahead. Harmony's hair flies to the right. Lance and Shorty are up in a tree branch. Lance throws down an eaten apple near Cass. "Hey!" She protests up at him.
Rapunzel and Harmony are drawing in their journals. Harmony draws Varian on a page, smiling. She may want to stop the black rocks, but most of all...she just wants to see him again...
"Punzie? Do you think Varian will be happy to see me whether or not I have the moonstone?" The girl looks up at the blonde.
"Of course! He loves you so much, Harmi. Before this trip, he was still angry towards us...but now that he's back in Corona, he's changed so much. We all have. And I know in my heart that he'll still see the real you. I know I do," She ruffles her sister's hair.
"Thanks," She grins, trying to contain her excitement.
She hears a chirp, looking towards Daisy, who hadn't made a sound.
"You guys hear that?"
"Look!" Rapunzel points to the sky as a white dove flies towards them. It has a scroll in hand and the bird lands on Harmony's free shoulder, dropping the letter into her hands.
"A letter?"
She opens it up as the dove leaves.
Dear Mona,
Well, finally back in Corona...imprisoned. Not a day goes by that I don't think of you. I hope you've reached the Dark Kingdom! Can't wait to hear what happened...thank you from the bottom of my heart, Mona, for what you've done for me. When you return, I have a surprise for you!
I love you,
Varian
"Aww, he wrote you a letter!" Rapunzel nudges her blushing sister.
"Punzie! Stop," She giggles slightly, glad that she managed to get it in time. He must've written it the second he returned.
"When Rapunzel and Harmony enter the Dark Kingdom, one of their team will turn against them," Eugene reads the message Demanitus gave him after he turned back into Vigor. He glances at Max, who looks just as worried as he is. "I don't want to believe it either, Max, but...Demanitus has been right about everything so far...Well, at least we know that it's not Harmi who won't turn against us once she has the moonstone."
They look towards the Dark Kingdom, Max neighing at him.
"No, I won't tell them. Ugh. I am not going to argue with you. Look, this is the last time I ever ask a horse's advice about an ancient monkey scientist's warning."
A few crows stare at them from the trees. "Do me a favor and let's just keep this whole thing to ourselves, alright?" He plucks an apple from the tree, feeding it to Max. However, Pascal snatches the little paper with his tongue.
"Hey, what's this?" She holds it into her hands, Harmony joining her side.
Eugene laughs nervously. "This is so much fun..."
Rapunzel scoffs once they've read it, continuing to walk down the path. "No one is gonna turn against us. Demanitus has to be wrong. Everyone's had our back this far," She hands him the paper. "They're not gonna stop now."
"Unless they think they're protecting you both. After all, that's how Cass injured her hand. Harmi, can't you sense it?"
"No. Since we're getting closer to the Dark Kingdom, my senses are going crazy," Harmony squeezes her eyes shut. "It's like I'm being pulled in so many directions that I can't tell where anything is gonna come from. But...Cass has been acting weird ever since we got away from that house, Punzie."
"...You don't think that Cass-" Rapunzel looks over her shoulder.
"Look, look, look, I love Cass. She's become like a sister to me," Eugene states as Lance is making pictures with string. "Granted, you know, an annoying sister you only put up with because you have to, but maybe we should, you know, keep an eye on-"
A crow suddenly hits him in the face, falling in front of his feet. It walks around Eugene's feet, falling onto the ground.
"What is that bird doing?" Eugene asks slowly as they stare at it.
"Uhh, maybe you should try asking his friends," Cass points up to the trees as more crows approach from the skies. They swoop towards the group, who all scatter. Lance, Cass, and Max run to a small ledge, jumping off. Daisy and Owl fly away from the crows, darting around trees. Three of them hit the tree, getting their beaks stuck.
Harmony pushes Rapunzel and Eugene onto the ground, placing an arm in front of her. She creates a shield made of black rocks over them. Rapunzel looks up at all the birds, noticing something.
"They're all following that bird."
She cringes as she squeezes her eyes shut, the crows flying right past them.
"That bird doesn't even act like...well, a bird!" Harmony gestures to the sky. Pascal is bracing himself, finding that he's riding a crow.
"Pascal, Daisy, lead 'em back this way!" Rapunzel undoes her hair as Harmony undoes the shield. Daisy chirps with a nod as Pascal brings out his tongue. Daisy flies right past the crow he's sitting on, getting his attention. He chases after her and Pascal uses his tongue as a rein to help steer. Rapunzel snags a branch with her hair and hugs her sister's waist, jumping onto the branch above them. The two sisters land on the branch and Rapunzel opens up her hair.
"Get away from me!" Lance shrieks as he and Cass are riding Max. The horse kicks away some crows and he lands in Rapunzel's hair. "Whose stupid plan was this? Aaaack!"
Rapunzel jumps once all the birds have been captured, her hair in a ball. The birds wiggle around as the two sisters take one side. Together, they open up her hair and all the birds fly away to the skies in the opposite direction. Lance moves away the hair, spitting out a crow feather.
"Never more..."
"Wonderful!" Eugene hops around as he takes off his boot. "Even the birds in this kingdom are hostile!" He shakes out the bird with the orange beak.
"How...? Never mind," Harmony shakes her head slowly and Rapunzel scoffs.
"It's gonna take a lot more than a bunch of birds to stop us!" She continues forward, tying up her hair in the process. "Uh, something like this, for example." She looks up ahead to the Dark Kingdom...
With no bridge.
Lance and Shorty look over the edge. "Yep. That is a long way down..." The last three words echo at the endless amount of black rocks, and he chuckles.
"Help!" Shorty's voice echoes. "Did you hear that? Someone needs help!" He jumps to go 'help', but Lance grabs him before he could fall.
"Anybody have any idea how we get across this thing?" Eugene gestures to the gap. "Harmi?"
"You kidding? Rapunzel's hair wouldn't even get that far!" She points to the Dark Kingdom.
The same crow that got stuck in Eugene's shoe lands in a room. He goes up to his perch, cawing at his master.
"The interlopers still approach? Then we've got work to do," He plucks an ax from the wall that has the Brotherhood symbol on it.
Cass paces around while the sisters walk up to them. "We found a way across!"
"Although...it's a little unorthodox," Harmony pinches her fingers together. They join them as they gesture to something in the distance.
"Ta-da!"
There's a little gondola that's already half-way through to the Dark Kingdom. "Come on. Who's afraid of a little old gondola?"
A piece of it falls off, which is more than enough for them to raise their hands. "Yeah, high-fives! I love these attitudes!" Rapunzel high-fives them.
"Um, that's not why they raised their hands," Harmony smiles nervously at the three.
"Um, girls, that thing's a good 50 yards out there," Eugene explains to the duo.
"I can get it," Cass volunteers, looking up at the rope. "I'll get across, then wheel it back here for the rest of you."
"Umm, I don't know, Cass," Rapunzel speaks up hesitantly.
"Trust me. I can do it," She gestures to herself.
"Of course, I trust you—um, we trust you, but your hand."
"Even with my hand, I'm still the most agile of all of us," Cass briefly looks at her hand. Rapunzel blinks rapidly, Eugene staring at her. She then smiles at her boyfriend and sister, having faith in her friend...but the concern was still there, not just for her hand, but for Demanitus' message...
Cass steps onto the rope, balancing herself as she walks slowly over the black rocks that await her should she fall.
"I mean, you'd think she would've taken the heavy armor off before climbing on a flimsy cable over an endless chasm," Eugene comments as they look on.
"Uh, maybe she's making a fashion statement," Lance shrugs a bit.
"Honey, armor is so last fall," Shorty adds in. Harmony rolls her eyes at him as Cass starts to lose her balance.
They all gasp in alarm as she catches herself with her feet, dangling over the chasm. Cass brings herself up to grip the cable, everyone looking on nervously. She shimmies over to the gondola and manages to get inside.
"Wow, that takes a lot of guts," Rapunzel looks on with admiration.
"I guess she really does have your backs," Eugene says slowly. "Unless she's planning on taking that car to the other side of the chasm and leaving it there. Then you'd have no way of getting across."
"No way," Harmony shakes her head. "Cass knows how important this is to me. We have to get over there, gondola or not."
"Not just you," Rapunzel smiles softly, taking her hand. "Us. Harmi, don't forget that I'm by your side on this."
"I haven't," Harmony smiles back, squeezing her sister's hand. They wait anxiously for a few seconds until the gears crank, going forward. They all gasp, but the gondola stops in place and starts going towards them.
They sigh in relief, Pascal and Daisy falling onto the shoulders of their owners. They walk up the steps to join Cass as she looks out the window. She sees the smiles of her friends and opens the doors, not sure why they're staring at her like that.
"Um, did you want me to get the door for you, too?"
Rapunzel just hugs her instead of explaining.
Once they've all boarded, Cass and Lance move the gondola together. "Uhh, that was pretty brave what you did back there," He comments to the lady-in-waiting. "I-I mean, I was gonna do it before you volunteered, but, uh..."
"Thanks, Lance. All in the name of fulfilling destinies," She smiles, continuing to move.
"You really buy all this destiny stuff?" He stares at her. He didn't peg her as the destiny type.
"I believe everybody's got a destiny..." She smiles widely, quickly glancing at Harmony for some reason.
"I told you Cass wouldn't let us down," Rapunzel states to Eugene.
"Okay, okay, I might have read too much into that monkey's warning," Eugene hands her the slip of paper. "It's just the thought of anything hurting you or my little sister..."
Something thumps above their heads. Eugene opens up the roof door and they gasp sharply to see a man standing on top of the gondola, axe in hand. A bear mask is over his face. He roars at them and Harmony pulls them back as the axe pierces through the shut door.
"Look! Can we not go just one place without some weirdo jumping out of nowhere?!" Eugene gestures to the roof as the sisters grit their teeth.
The wood splints as the axe hits the ceiling. "Lance, Cass, you guys keep cranking!" Rapunzel points at them. "Get us across this as fast as possible. Eugene, Harmi..." She releases her hair. "Let's go see what our new friend wants."
They look out the windows and Eugene climbs to the roof. The attacker suddenly appears in front of him and hits the roof, causing him to lose his grip.
"Eugene!" The two shout, Max grabbing his foot. "Eugene, watch out!" The man raises his axe into the air. He noticeably has a stump for a right arm...Rapunzel smacks the weapon out of his hand as Harmony uses her moonlight powers to blind him. He stumbles back a bit, managing to grab the axe. Rapunzel's hair grabs his legs and he turns around to see her standing there. Harmony jumps and lands next to her sister. He tries to cut himself free, but part of the axe breaks.
Eugene runs up to the man, tackling him, and is kicked onto the roof. He gets stuck in the ceiling, Lance and Cass looking up at him. The former thief looks up to see the axe raised into the air. He gasps, looking away. Before the axe could touch him, the arm is pulled back by Rapunzel's hair. Eugene uses this opportunity to break free, Rapunzel falling onto the ground. Harmony pulls out her bow and arrow, firing one arrow. He swings the axe to knock the arrow back towards the girl.
She gasps sharply, ducking her head just in time. She's certainly never met anyone who's dodged her arrows like that before...
He grips the cable with his axe and barely cuts it, but it's enough for it to get loose. Rapunzel peeks through the hole.
"Guys, uh, I'm not trying to rush you. Go faster!" She urges the duo and they do so.
"Come on, girls!" Eugene grabs their hands, running towards the edge. The man rushes towards them when Adira swings into view, using her sword to zipline down there. She flips and slides onto the roof, the attacker landing in front of her. She smiles at the trio.
"Where did she come from?" Cass asks in disdain.
"Like an angel, she fell from heaven," Lance comments and her look turns into annoyance.
"And now Adira's here. Because, why wouldn't she be?" Eugene gestures to her.
"Adira!" Harmony smiles in relief.
The crow from earlier flies in, tackling both Pascal and Daisy onto the floor. Daisy glares at him as he caws, flying right towards them. He crashes onto the floor right next to them, acting like he's being hit when they're not even touching him. He flies into the wall and then leaves, the two pets glancing to each other.
They shrug at their somewhat victory, sweeping their hands. That bird seems to be clueless enough to defeat himself on his own...
Adira is battling the attacker, dodging his attacks and jumping. She lands in front of the trio, holding her sword. She blocks blows with him as they simply watch. Adira slides to the edge and jumps from his axe. She jumps back a bit and leaps towards him, sword in hand. He dodges it and eventually knocks her weapon out of her hand.
"No!" She shouts as it flies into the black rocks below. The attacker knocks her off the edge as well.
"Adira!" Eugene yells and Lance sees her fall.
"NO!" He looks out the window as she disappears into the smoke below.
"You're just as sadistic as Hector, you know that?!" Harmony screams at the attacker, who flinches a bit at the name. But then he slices off the top holding the gondola. Rapunzel holds the two as she grips the cable with her hand, swinging around to land in front of the door. They look over the edge and Rapunzel opens the door to see the others holding on as best as they can. The cable snaps further and Eugene looks towards the attacker again.
Harmony helps the others out of the gondola. "Rapunzel, you and the others go. I'll hold off Mr. Personality."
"But-"
"I said go! Now!" He exclaims, everyone but the three girls running onto the platform. Eugene turns around, backing up from the man. Cass grabs their hands."
"Cassandra! Wait!" Rapunzel urges her, looking towards Eugene in worry.
"Alright, what do you say we call this one a draw?" Eugene suggests nervously, falling onto his back. The attacker raises his axe again, but the cable is close to breaking. Eugene's eyes widen and then the attacker's brown eyes widen at him. He gasps at the man.
"Eugene!" Rapunzel shouts, Cass pulling the two over their shoulders and running off. The cable snaps and the two fall. "NO! No!" She screams as they watch them fall.
The gondola crashed down below, Eugene's face planted into the slab that they landed on. He groans as he turns around, back planted against the ground.
"Oh, that was thoroughly unpleasant..." He sits up, rubbing his head. The axe lands nearby and he looks up to see the attacker staring right at him. "Oh, thank heavens. You're okay. Well, what are you waiting for?"
"I...I won't fight you."
Eugene's eyes widen as he looks up, wondering why the man's suddenly stopped. He removes the bear mask to reveal himself as King Edmund.
"You...are my son."
Eugene stares up at him in shock.
"Father?" He slowly scooches away. He didn't even think his parents were alive! "You're my father...?"
Edmund nods curtly and Eugene narrows his eyes at him. Then he bursts into laughter just like he did when he first met Demanitus.
"Well, of course! Of course you are!" Of course, he's being sarcastic as he gets onto his feet. "I don't know why I didn't see it before. I mean, the dark, soulless eyes, the unbridled aggression that drives one to attack total strangers!"
Edmund walks up to Adira's sword, pulling it out of the black rock. He then slices a black rock in front of him. Eugene looks at him in disbelief.
"I am your father..."
He had no idea what to say. Adira, who had been listening in, backs up a bit, climbing up the edge.
"I'm...I'm so sorry, girls," Cass says solemnly as the others can't see him from their position. Rapunzel stands up with determination.
"This is not how our story ends. We're going back to get him."
"No need," Adira suddenly joins them. "He's fine. He made it safely into the cave below. I saw it. Now, come. Fish Skin didn't risk his life so that we could waste time looking for him."
Rapunzel snatches her waist by the hair. "Just a minute, Adira. You knew that knight back there. In fact, I'd bet you know a lot of things you're not telling us. We're not going another step until you start giving us answers!"
"You helped us get this far, and we still don't know anything," Harmony frowns deeply at her.
"You're right, Princesses," She says slowly. "It's time you heard the whole story."
"Don't worry. It's actually quite an interesting story," Edmund continues as he guides Eugene up some stairs. And it starts with the moon. Once upon a time, a single drop of moonlight fell from the heavens. And from this small drop of moonlight, formed a single, seductive opal stone. It had the ability to destroy any and all who would seek to possess it. Centuries passed, this opal's defenses spread, and from that grew a kingdom. A kingdom founded by our ancestors. Generation after generation of our bloodline have stood guard here, helping to protect the world from the opal's limitless power."
"But it was Edmund, the last of the Dark Kings, who tried to end this legacy and destroy the stone," Adira speaks to the others. "That didn't go so well."
Edmund got blasted back by the opal's power.
"In the fallout, I commanded my subjects to leave and never return."
A handmaiden held up a little baby boy.
"Even...my own son. I sent my most trusted soldiers into the world to ensure this power be kept a secret. For if it ever fell into the wrong hands, it would mean certain doom. These knights called themselves-"
"The Brotherhood, which I always thought was a bit odd, because, well, one of us is a woman," Adira continues the story. "I refused to believe such darkness could exist without a light of equal power somewhere in this world. As usual, I was right. After years of searching, I found the sundrop and the moonstone. Only you two, Rapunzel and Harmony, can restore balance to all things."
"If you've known this all along, why have you been so cryptic?" Rapunzel can't help but ask.
"While I'm certain bringing the sundrop to the moonstone will neutralize its threat...I'm not sure what will happen to you both."
"You mean if Harmony or Rapunzel touch the moonstone, they could-"
"We did not come this far to stop now," Rapunzel interrupts, shaking her head.
"Good. Are we all friends again?" Adira smiles a little.
"Sure," Rapunzel smiles back.
"We never were," Cass makes that clear.
"Just a few more questions," Harmony holds up a finger. "You knew King Edmund for a long time, right? Then were you aware of what he did with the moonstone when I was born?"
"...Yes," Adira closes her eyes. "News had broken out about it when it occurred. I wanted to go confront him, but...I had been sworn to not return, until now."
"Why would he give it to me of all people...?" Harmony murmurs slowly.
"Wait a minute!" Eugene exclaims in realization, pointing to his 'father.' "So you were the one who gave Harmony the moonstone! If you wanted to destroy the thing, then why did you give it to a child?"
"I was tired of that moonstone plaguing me! I just wanted to be rid of the thing! So when I heard of Corona having a newborn child, I...I plucked the moonstone from its mast and sent it to a place where they would find it. I heard about what happened to the sundrop flower, and planted the moonstone opal there with a note stating it was for the princess. I wanted my subjects, my son, my life to come back, but that couldn't happen if the moonstone was still here! I knew it was foolish, but for once, I wanted that opal to just be out of my life! So I entrusted it to Harmony, hoping that she would contain that power...how wrong I was. It was supposed to be safe in Corona, in her hands!"
"So giving it to a little girl was the best option?!" Eugene yells at him. "Because of that thing, she grew up locked inside a castle for 14 years! She lost her childhood, her freedom, her faith and all you can say is because you were being selfish! She had no idea what she was in for once she touched it, but you gave a powerful object to a vulnerable, unsuspecting child!"
"I can't believe he did that, and to a newborn no less!" Harmony exclaims as they follow Adira. "What kind of king endangers a girl from another kingdom?"
"I don't condone what he did, but I can understand why," Adira looks over her shoulder. "The moonstone has done more to him than anyone besides you could understand..."
She clamps her mouth shut as she has a look of anger. The moonstone might've taken away years of his life, but it was his choice to give it to her. It was his choice to take away years of her own life. Both of their lives, ruined.
"This is the only safe way up. Follow me."
Rapunzel places a hand on her sister's back, sensing her frustration. "I'm not happy about this either, but once you touch it, it'll be over..."
"I really hope so," Harmony whispers, closing her eyes. Rapunzel looks to the two horses.
"Sorry, Max, it looks like you two will have to stay here." She pats the dismayed horse on the snout.
"Don't worry, m'lady!" Shorty speaks up. "I'm great with children." He hugs Shorty and Harmony leans in towards her sister.
"More like the other way around," She whispers to the blonde, who laughs in exaggeration.
"Ha, they're in good hands, Shorty! ...You're in charge."
Max whinnies as he accepts his role. Shorty ends up falling asleep right on Max's leg, who frowns towards the others. The two horses watch them walk up the path.
"And then there were five," Cass states as the castle is up ahead.
Eugene opens the door to the dining room, and like everything else he's seen, it's covered in black rocks. "Welcome home..."
"Yeah, it's uh—Wow, you really went all-in with the whole dark theme, didn't ya?" It felt more like a dungeon than a dining room.
"Oh, he likes it," Edmund says to himself, but the former thief heard it anyway.
"So tell me this, Old Brooding Armor Guy. What makes you think we're related, anyway?" Eugene demands him, still angry for what he did to someone he thinks of as a little sister that he'd never had.
"It's your eyes," Edmund stares right into them. "I can tell a lot by looking into a man's eyes. Also my ravens have been following you ever since you left," He eyes the crow from before staring at them. He then hands Eugene a few papers. "These don't do your nose any justice."
Eugene points to the very same wanted posters of him. "That's what I've been screaming!"
"I think this reunion is off to a great start!" Edmund smiles as he walks further down the steps. "We're finding common ground, exchanging stories. I just might win him over yet!"
"You know, I can hear what you're saying," Eugene calls out.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I must be speaking my thoughts out loud," He states, the former thief tossing away the posters. "I have been alone a long time." He clears his throat. "How's this? You are unaware of what I'm thinking now, yes?"
"Yeah, no, you're saying everything that you're thinking out loud, and I can still hear all of it," Eugene deadpans towards him.
"Drat! I will work on this skill," He steps forward, the crow eyeing the duck gravy boat like it's a female. "Over time, my ravens lost track of you." The crow makes a heart with his wings, dancing around until he hits the chair. "Oy, you see what I have to work with?"
"Right," Eugene gets onto his feet. "Look, I've got to find my friends, you see. I need to make sure Rapunzel and Harmony are okay...especially if she already knows everything that you've told me."
"So long as they stay away from the moonstone, they will be," He takes a sip of his drink. "I know of the story: she doesn't have the final power of the moonstone, correct? So as long as she doesn't obtain it, she'll be fine."
"But they can't; Rapunzel's the sundrop and whether or not she has it, Harmony still is the embodiment of the moonstone. Well, not willingly thanks to you," He gives Edmund a small glare.
"You know that they are, son."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! You do not get to call me son!" Eugene slams his hand on the table.
"Alright, listen. I didn't want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice," Edmund closes his eyes. "Here comes...the Glower." He grits his teeth with narrowed eyes towards the man.
"Wow, okay, yeah. You can stop that," Eugene deadpans at this. In what world was that ever going to work on him?
"This is kind of an off day for me. This doesn't usually happen," He clears his throat, walking up to the fireplace. "A quarter of a century ago, I had you taken as far away as possible. Yet, after all that time and all those miles, you wind up here in front of me with this," He holds out the black rock sword that belongs to Adira. "A weapon that could actually have the power to destroy the moonstone!" He slices a black rock into the fire. "We shall destroy the moonstone together!"
"We? No, listen. The black rocks made a path for both Rapunzel and Harmony, leading them here-"
"Leading you here to put an end to the moonstone," Edmund insists to him. "It can get into your head, fill it with thoughts. That's what It's doing to your friend. That's what it did to me, and I nearly destroyed my own kingdom. I barely survived, but not everyone was so fortunate." He looks up at a picture of himself and the queen. "Your mother..."
Eugene slowly looks up at the woman in the painting.
"And I entrusted that power to a girl! Perhaps it isn't Rapunzel's destiny to grab the moonstone, but yours to save her from doing so. Don't allow the same fate to befall the love of your life. Together, we can destroy the girl-"
"Destroy her?" Eugene asks in horror.
"She is the moonstone, the girl must go as well. It is her destiny to die here," Edmund narrows his eyes. Eugene couldn't believe what he was hearing: he must be that crazy to try and kill a teenage girl that he stupidly gave the moonstone to just to get away from it. But...he doesn't want any of this for Rapunzel...
"We're here," Rapunzel smiles at the others, about to step forward when Adira stops her.
"Be on your guard. This path is lined with lethal, inescapable traps." Adira steps on a trap. "Watch out!" Spikes come out from the stairs, only to turn into dust.
Cass just laughs at this. "Great traps!"
"Okay, so I oversold the traps a little. They're old." Her mouth opens in shock as the sisters' hair glows gold and blue respectively. Harmony's entire hair turns blue, lifting up into the air as it gets out of the ponytail.
"Whoa!" Rapunzel exclaims as she looks at her braid. They look at their hair, and then to each other in shock. It stops and Harmony's hair falls between her hips and her bottom.
"...Huh. Has your hair grown?" Adira points to Harmony.
"A little bit, yeah," She touches a strand, confused by what just happened. Her hair used to be just above her hips, but since the trip, it's grown a few inches.
"Uhh, what was that?" Cass gestures to the sisters.
"The moonstone opal," Adira looks up ahead. "It must know the sundrop and the other half of the moonstone are close."
"Then we'd better get on with this," Rapunzel narrows her eyes. Harmony takes her hand and she squeezes it. They slowly move down the steps and after dealing with a few more 'traps,' they've reached the entrance of the Dark Kingdom. Rapunzel looks at the pulley that held up the door, looking to the others. Together, the three open the door, and Eugene is standing there.
Rapunzel gasps in relief. "Eugene! Oh! Thank goodness you're okay!"
"You're alright! ...But wait, how did you get all the way here?" Harmony blinks at him.
"We were so-" She notices the look on his face. "Eugene? What is it?"
"I'm sorry, Rapunzel, Harmony...but I won't let you in."
"What are you talking about?"
The question by Harmony goes unanswered as Edmund cuts the chain, and the door closes right in front of their faces.