Angel: Oh, I was doing a major freak out last night...I accidentally submitted my individual paper (my second to last one, anyway) into my group paper folder. Thankfully my teacher let me submit the right one past the deadline, which was yesterday, because I had a lot of assignments to keep track of this semester. God bless nice professors like mine :D And this was for prosecuting and defending Gaston from Beauty and the Beast XD At least this shows papers can be fun.
The Glass Slipper's sign swings back and forth as thunder strikes. The door suddenly opens and everyone turns to look at the newcomer. Two people actually come in, and it's the Stabbingtons. They take a seat.
"Say, ain't you the Stabbingtons?" The bartender asks them. They simply glance at him. "I can't believe these two losers have the guts to show their faces in a place like this! Look at these dunderheads! Back from being beat by Flynn—Sorry, Eugene Fitzherbert. Again!"
He, along with everyone else, laugh at the duo. "Hey bud, don't give 'em a hard time. Eugene had a lot of help from those princesses and their pets!"
Patchy grips a cup tightly, causing everyone to stop. The squished cup lands on the counter.
"No one's ever gonna take us seriously..." Sideburns throws his dagger at a Flynn Rider poster. "As long as that maggot is alive..."
The two brothers smirk at each other, determined to end Flynn Rider once and for all.
Rapunzel is strolling through Old Corona with Pascal on her shoulder, enjoying the nice air and the sounds of the people going about their own business. On her right side, she sees Varian picking flowers near a lake, making a bouquet. She taps him on the shoulder, causing him to yelp as he turns to face her.
"Rapunzel!"
He has a more adventurous steampunk style outfit, consisting of a collared beige long-sleeved shirt, maroon vest, dark brown gloves with brown straps, brown pants, dark brown utility belt, tan apron, dark maroon-and-khaki boots and a dark brown backpack to carry his belongings.
"Hey Varian," She smiles at him, "I love your new outfit!"
"Thanks! Mona had it made for me," He smiles softly at how kind she is. "I wanted a more adventurous look, so she bought fabrics for the royal tailors to make it. You could say she...inspired me."
"Aww. Why are you picking flowers?"
He blushes a bit, looking at the roses. "Umm..."
Rapunzel smirks at his expression. "And you're blushing too? Is this for my sister?"
He turns away, knowing fully well that she won't back off until she gets an answer. Not to mention, she was on the right track.
"Okay...I'm..." He says something under his breath, but neither Pascal or Rapunzel hear it.
"What?"
"I'm..." He repeats it, but it's still too low.
"Varian, you're gonna have to speak up."
"Okay, yes, I'm planning a date for your sister!" He suddenly exclaims, hiding his face. Rapunzel freezes before she lets out a squeal.
"Aww, how cute! Eugene!"
"Oh, Rapunzel, please don't tell-"
Rapunzel pulls over Eugene anyway. "Varian's taking Harmony on a date!"
Varian sighs at this. He warned her too late.
"Ah, I knew he had it in him!" Eugene slightly pats Varian on the back.
"Well..." Varian's face is red again. "I-I just thought ever since she returned, that she'd like a peaceful day out w-with me. And we haven't exactly had a proper first date."
"What are you talking about? You two hang out all the time," Rapunzel replies in confusion. "Not to mention you had a date with her on our trip. Which was so cute!"
"Yeah, but...it'll be our first date in Corona," He rubs the back of his neck. Being stuck in a blizzard didn't count, or when they were helping Eugene get a job, or when they were with Cass and Andrew (because Harmony was tricked into going), or any other times that Varian's been in the castle. "But...I don't know how to ask her. I've never asked out a girl, much less a princess, out on a date." His eyes widen suddenly at the bouquet. "Wait...she's a princess. She probably gets roses all the time!" He hangs his head with a groan.
"Just relax, go to Brownie, and say 'Harmony, would you like to go on our first date in Corona with me?' Like ripping off a band-aid. Now you say it."
"Mona, would you...would you...to..." Varian blushes again, sighing. "I can't do it!"
"Of course you can," Rapunzel gently places her hands on his shoulders, bending down to be at level with him. "You just need more confidence. And besides, it's Harmi. She'll say yes no matter what!"
"Mona...would you...like to...go on our first date in Corona with me?"
"Okay, that was better, but you have to ask her clearly."
He takes a deep breath. "Mona, would you like to go on our first date in Corona with me?"
"There ya go!" Eugene pumps a fist. "Now just say it like that because she's on her way over here."
"What?!"
He turns to see Harmony heading his way, hiding the flowers behind his back. "What do I do?!"
"Just ask her," Rapunzel whispers to him, pushing him forward a little. Harmony stops in front of a sweating Varian.
"Hi Vari," She smiles softly, "I'm glad to see you're alright after what happened with the Saporians."
"Y-Yes, I...am," He clears his throat. "I...I..."
"Is something wrong?" She tilts her head in confusion.
One of the reasons why he was so nervous is because of what they had done last time they saw each other. Not that he's embarrassed by that. He just doesn't want it getting around.
"No, no. I'm...fine. It's just that...um...would you like to go on our first date in Corona with me?" He asks so quickly that she didn't understand. Eugene watches in disbelief, facepalming. Rapunzel gestures for him to ask again. "I...I..."
"He wants to go a first date with you," Rapunzel steps in between the two. Harmony blinks in surprise.
"I thought we had a first date already."
"No-not properly in Corona," Varian rubs the back of his neck, holding out the flowers to her. "So...would you?"
She takes the bouquet and sniffs it. "Of course I will! We'll meet up at the castle tomorrow morning, okay?"
Varian laughs as he watches her walk away, relieved. "She said yes!"
"Atta boy!" Eugene nudges him.
"That's so great for you guys!" Rapunzel beams at him.
In Corona, the two sisters are walking through the town. "Oh, I would tilt it this way, Feldspar," Rapunzel tilts the 2 for 1 sign from Feldspar's shop. "So it's visible to the afternoon traffic!"
He waves gratefully at them, and they see a ball, picking it up. "Princess Rapunzel! Princess Harmony!" A little girl runs up to them.
"Keep your eye on the ball," She hands it to the little girl, who cheers as she leaves. Harmony chuckles, shaking her head. "And watch that follow through. Your plans are approved! Build that haberdashery!"
"Woo hoo!" He pumps his fists.
"Live the dream!" Rapunzel spins around.
"That's what you do in life!" Harmony points to him with a wink.
"Oat delivery tonight," Rapunzel pets a horse.
"Rapunzel, Harmony, you realize that as the queen and crown princess, you don't need to be out in the streets all the time, right?" Eugene asks them, Max, Silver, and Fidella joining them.
"Well, remember, technically, we're still princesses," Rapunzel gestures to themselves. "Besides, this is where the real action is."
"And I've missed home! I wanna help it flourish again!" Harmony spins around happily. A horse is heard nearby.
"Whoa boy. Whoa!" A citizen warns as the horse gets spooked by a rat. "Settle down!"
The horse runs off anyway.
"Watch out!" Eugene warns as they jump out of the way. The three horses stand in front of the trio and they jump on. "And there's the action, right on cue."
They race after the rogue horse. "Everyone duck for cover!" Harmony warns people as they pass by.
"Eugene, look! A dead end!" Rapunzel calls out.
"She's got nowhere to go now!"
The horse turns sharply to the left. "Is this a new alley?" Eugene asks as the horses run down the narrow alley. Rapunzel stands on Fidella as Silver runs faster. Pascal lands first, Daisy flying over.
"Now!" The two sisters shout and Rapunzel lands on the hay. Harmony jumps, flipping over the hay and landing on the horse.
"And she sticks the landing!" She pumps her fists. The wagon shakes a bit as Eugene stands on Max. He manages to get the end, but falls.
"Ah! Max, Max, Max, Max, Max, Max!"
Max head butts him onto the wagon. "Thank you!"
"I need to get up close and help Harmi settle her down," Rapunzel looks to her sister, who's trying and failing to get the horse to stop. "Before someone gets-"
The wagon hits a rock, sending the two adults wobbling. "Hurt..." Rapunzel finishes as Eugene helps her up.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, thanks," She nods at him. A whistle is heard and they look up ahead. "Oh, duck crossing!"
"Oh no," Harmony's eyes go wide. Pete and Stan look behind them, the former blowing his whistle rapidly.
"This ends now! Harmi, pull!"
She joins her sister, taking one rope. Harmony takes the other and together they pull. The horse turns around, sending Eugene flying.
"Eugene!"
She lets out her hair and catches a cart. He lands on it, bouncing over the cart. He bounces on hay before sliding to a stop on the ground. "Nice save, but they've really gotta work on that landing..." He looks up to see his father on a horse.
"Oh, hello son..."
"Edmund...?"
"Oh great, it's the king from the Dark Kingdom..." Harmony smiles weakly as the horse stops. "The same one who left me the Moonstone Opal and tried to kill me...!"
After getting everything settled, they sit near a shop. Eugene does not look pleased at all, and neither does the young crown princess for that matter. "What are you doing here?"
Rapunzel smiles awkwardly at how that sounded, Harmony keeping a stoic face. The crow lets out a few black feathers from his mouth.
"No, Hamuel. Let me tell him. After our rather...unfortunate run-in with the family recently...I wanted to ensure you got this. It's a priceless heirloom that has been passed down for generations. And, a little birdie told me that you love blueberry pie, Princess Harmony, so I brought you some!"
He holds out a box to her and she narrows her eyes. How dare he give her a pie after what he did?
"Gee, thanks," She replies sarcastically, taking it and slowly holding it out to the ground. She simply drops it.
Eugene opens up the box he was given and Rapunzel gasps at it. "Pretty!" It's a light brown sash with the Brotherhood symbol on it.
"It's our family sash."
"Oh, fantastic! That's fantastic. This'll go so great with my chain-mail dinner jacket. So, thanks for stopping by and making everything awkward as usual. Bye now," He closes the box, to Rapunzel's look of disapproval both towards him and her sister.
"Oh, I, uh, I suppose I should leave..." He stands up, the blonde giving him a look of sympathy. "Although I'm actually hoping they invite me to stay..."
"Oh..." Rapunzel frowns a little.
"Yeah, no, he says what he thinks a lot."
"Your majesty, you have come such a long way. Why not just stay for the night?" Rapunzel asks the king. Eugene and Harmony frown at her.
"Oh, no, I really shouldn't..."
"Yeah, no, he really shouldn't," For once, he agrees with Edmund on something.
"He might try to kill Feldspar next," Harmony quips, crossing her arms.
"I insist!" Rapunzel smiles at Edmund and the girl groans, slamming her face into the table. Eugene pats her back in sympathy. He didn't like this anymore than she did.
"Well, who is this old pile of bones to argue with a princess?" He smiles, bowing to her.
"Oh brother..." Eugene mutters underneath his breath.
"I just had to be related to her..." Harmony puts a fist to her cheek. Not that she hates Rapunzel, but she really wished that she hadn't done that.
Hamuel caws at Daisy, making a heart with his wings as he stares at her with love-struck eyes. Daisy recoils back in disgust. Out of all the things his focus was on before, he picked her? She was definitely not interested. He was probably too…distracted to notice her until now.
Harmony is sitting on a roofline, hugging her knees as her hair flies past. "Avoiding him too, huh?"
"Just like you," She sighs, patting the spot next to her. Eugene takes a seat next to her. "Everything's different now since I came back home. Varian and I are together again, my parents don't have their memories, and I'm crown princess for the time being...and then he had to show up!"
"I know," He pinches his nose. "And since you're like a little sister to me, I don't want him near you!"
"That's sweet, but...we spent a whole year trying to get the moonstone. If it wasn't for him, we probably wouldn't have to go in the first place!" She grits her teeth.
"You and I both know that's not true," He shakes his head, looking at the sash. "We would've had to go there regardless. But that doesn't mean he's not at fault for what he did to you...to us. Brownie, I am so sorry...for what my father did. For everything...him giving you the moonstone, trying to kill you, a-and putting a huge burden on someone he didn't even know!"
"Neither of us knew the truth until it was time. I don't blame you for any of this," She hums a bit. "But...thanks, for helping me feel a bit better about things."
"I wanted to," He smiles a little. "I have to protect you."
"Sap."
"Hey! I try to be a good older brother, and I get insults?" He feigns hurt, causing her to laugh.
"You're not good. You're a great older brother."
"Thinking about your dad, Eugene?" They look up at the new voice. Rapunzel looks to them not too far away.
"Alright, first of all, he's not my dad, okay? He is a strange man who can't keep his thoughts to himself. Second, he abandoned me, as a child! And he didn't even try to stay in touch with me. Then he tries to kill someone I respect a lot, and now this," He holds up the box.
"Edmund's only company is a crow...who could get lost in a boot. He's lonely...come on, you two might even get to like him."
"Oh, that's a laugh," Harmony snorts, rolling her eyes. "Sure, let's have an icebreaker and start off with the fact that he gave a powerful object to a young newborn!"
"And Shorty could sprout wings and lay an egg, but hey, you never know," Eugene replies sarcastically.
"That did happen, you know," Harmony points to him.
Suddenly, Hamuel flies past, a boot over his face. "I'm sorry, is that my boot?"
Harmony sighs, facepalming. He lands right near Daisy, cawing at her. She simply chirps in disdain, flying away.
The next morning, Eugene and Pascal have enjoyed a nice breakfast. "Froggy, I gotta say, that was the most delightful breakfast." The chameleon yawns, stretching his tail. Daisy chirps in agreement. "What do you say we head up to the room for a little food coma?"
They walk down the hall towards his room. "And the best part of the food coma is Edmund will be leaving—good gravy, what happened?!"
His room has been ransacked, and a certain box is empty on the floor. "Wait a minute. Someone stole the sash! I've been ro-" He puts a hand to his heart in shock. "I've been robbed...so that's how that feels..."
"Somebody say robbed?" Pete and Stan just happen to arrive.
"Don't touch a thing. This is a crime scene!" They enter and start searching the room.
"Take it easy, guys. Who cares about that silly old sash?" A sock lands on his face, to his annoyance and to the pets' amusement.
"Somebody stole the sash?!" Edmund exclaims once he's heard the news.
"I don't know, your majesty, but Eugene will help you find it."
"Whoa, whoa. Stan and Pete are on it. They are perfectly capable of handling this," Eugene gestures to his room.
"Hey, I found a clue!" Pete calls out.
"That's your own helmet! I told you not to take that off!"
Eugene smiles sheepishly. "I will not leave Corona until our family's sash is safely recovered!" Edmund declares and Harmony flinches in alarm.
"Hm?!" The last thing she wanted was that!
"Fine, I'll just give Stan and Pete a hand...it's the least I can do..." Eugene steps into his room, reluctantly. He just wants Edmund gone.
"Mona!"
The princess turns around and smiles happily at the sight of her boyfriend. He's carrying a basket with him. "Vari, hi!"
He stops in front of her, blushing as he seems to be debating something. She stares at him in confusion before he leans in and quickly pecks her cheek, causing them both to blush.
"What's with the basket?" Harmony points to the object around his arm.
"Oh, we're going on a picnic," He smiles at her. "I made our favorite: ham sandwiches. There's also fruit, hot cocoa, and I bought a cake from Monty."
"That sounds delicious!" She clasps her hands together with a smile. "Mm, I can't wait."
"What's going on?" Varian looks behind her shoulder to see Rapunzel and Edmund.
"Oh, that's King Edmund from the Dark Kingdom. I told you about him and how this happened," She points to her left hand. Varian glares at the man, still a bit miffed from what he tried to do with Harmony. "He gave Eugene a sash, and it got stolen. Probably somebody with a grudge."
"Hm...by the way, you didn't tell anyone about...hmm-hmm?" He raises his brows, giving off the same sound he did to Rapunzel when he first met her.
"Oh...oh!" Her eyes widen as she laughs. "Of course not! I know better than that, Vari. My sister and Eugene don't suspect a thing."
He sighs in relief.
"No clues to report!" Pete salutes to Eugene.
"This master thief covered his tracks well..." Stan eyes the floor. Eugene looks between the two and then steps on something.
"Oh! What's this?" He opens up a note. "Yeah, this is a ransom note."
Pete gasps sharply. "Oh, he's good!"
"No clues, huh?" Harmony deadpans at them.
"This crook wants to exchange the sash for gold, at Mount Saison," Rapunzel reports to the four once they're in the meeting room.
"Whatever the price, no matter how far, we must get it back!" Edmund clenches a fist.
"Oh, no, no, no. I said I'd help out. I did not say anything about taking a day-long trip," Eugene crosses his arms.
"Well, then, I suppose I will make this journey on my own..." Rapunzel looks at him with a frown. "Yes, except Hamuel, it shall be me, just...me, no companion."
She elbows her boyfriend. "Okay, okay, why don't I just tag along?" Eugene suggests, but he doesn't like it.
"Oh ho! Excellent!" Edmund smiles happily. "And you two kids are coming with us!" He hugs the teenagers to his chest.
"Oh, no, we can't," Varian manages to get out of his grip, gesturing to the picnic basket around his arm. "We're actually just about to go on a-"
"Nonsense! You pack up your things and meet us in the forest!"
Their mouths drop open in shock as he walks off. Harmony sighs, turning to Varian. "Great..."
"Oh, come on. It might be nice for you to learn more about him," Rapunzel smiles optimistically. "Then all of you can be friends!"
"But I don't want to, we have a date!" Harmony gestures to Varian.
"Harmi," Rapunzel warns her politely.
"Rapunzel," Harmony warns in the same tone, hands on her hips.
"Oh, please don't let me handle him alone!" Eugene gets onto his knees, tugging at Varian's apron and Harmony's skirt. "I promise I'll make it up to you! We can take a break, and we'll leave you alone so you can have your date!"
They glance to each other, staring at his pleading face.
"We don't have a choice, do we?"
"No we do not," The princess deadpans, groaning reluctantly. "Dang it...fine, Eugene, we'll come. But I don't have to like it."
"Man..." Varian sighs in defeat. "Only because it's you..."
"Thank you!" Eugene exclaims in relief.
Max and Silver ride up to Edmund and his horse Domino. Harmony sits in front of Varian since she's shorter.
"Ah, there's the Millennials! Quick question, which is better, his smolder or my glower?" Edmund does the look for them, and Eugene facepalms at him.
"Edmund, stop," Harmony groans at this.
"Stop, please," Varian pleads with him. "Please..."
Edmund does so upon seeing their looks of embarrassment. Honestly, they were better off not going on this trip to find a sash, but no...
"Stop it right now," The boy warns him, dragging a hand down his face.
"Promise you'll never do that again," Harmony says quickly.
"Alright..." Edmund sags in defeat.
"Luckily, I have a map with the fastest way to get to Mount Saison," Harmony holds it out, looking at it.
"You packed food, right? Because I am not eating their food out of respect," Eugene points to the two teenagers.
"Of course I did, Horace! A bounty unlike any you've ever had!" Edmund holds up his bag.
"Whoa, whoa. Horace? Ha ha, did you just call me Horace?"
"Indeed. Horace is your given name. Did I not mention that before?" He replies, earning laughter from Harmony and Varian.
"No, you didn't! How is it possible my real name is even worse than Eugene?!"
"Horace," Harmony snickers to herself. "This is officially the best morning ever!"
Max nickers in laughter. "Ha ha, real funny," He deadpans at his friends. "Thanks for the support, you guys."
"Hey, you asked us to come on your behalf when we had plans. It's only fair we get a laugh out of your real name," Varian retorts back with a mischievous smirk. "Horace~" Both teens continue laughing.
"Point taken. You know what, never mind. Let's just get on the road..."
"That's the spirit! This jaunt might actually prove to be quite fun!" Edmund calls out, following after them.
"Yeah, not the word I'd use," Harmony rolls her eyes.
"But for the record, we are sticking with Eugene, got it? That goes for all of you," Eugene looks to the couple.
"Whatever you say, Horace."
"Never thought we'd be setting foot in Corona again," Sideburns comments to his brother as they're walking into the tunnels. "But it'll be worth it once we close the book on Flynn Rider for good..."
"Ha ha!" Edmund laughs as the horses are walking into a forest. Varian and Harmony have taken the lead since she has the map. "Such a beautiful day for a trek! My spirits soar like Hamuel, my graceful friend in flight!"
Hamuel knocks himself into a tree, falling onto the ground. The couple cringe at the crow. He holds out a flower to Daisy, who smacks it out of his hand. "Yeah, majestic. Can we focus, please? The sooner we get up to Mount Saison and get the sash, the sooner you can get back to—Edmund? Edmund?"
He's no longer on his horse. "Horace! Millennials! There is the most spectacular display of miniature ball-like thingy-dos on the ground! Come quickly!"
"Okay, we have names. It's Harmony and Varian. Get it right," Harmony tells him sharply. "None of that millennial stuff."
"Rabbit pellets," Eugene sees his hands. "Those are rabbit pellets."
Domino sniffs them and recoils back in disgust. "Oh, this is gonna be a long trip..."
"Now I know how he felt when he met Rapunzel," Varian whispers to Harmony. Eugene goes over to Domino for food.
"I'd better fuel up..."
"Same here, I brought along some snacks," Harmony digs into the picnic basket, and both their eyes go wide.
"What?" He holds up a crow winding toy. "There's no food! This is nothing but junk!"
"Oh no," Harmony shakes out the picnic basket, and all that falls out is her blueprints, to Varian's shock. "W-We had a whole meal here for later, what happened to it?"
"Oh, goodness me, I brought the wrong bag. And I must've eaten your food before we left while looking through Harmony's blueprints scattered around the castle...that's my sack of lucky charms!"
"You what?!" Varian screeches at him. "There was a WHOLE cake in there that had in writing 'I love you, Mona!' And her favorite pie! I spent my whole allowance just to get that stuff!"
"Aww, you did?" Harmony smiles softly at him.
"It was gonna be a surprise…" Varian rubs his neck sheepishly.
"How could you have eaten the whole basket?!" Harmony yells at him.
"I'm so sorry, I thought you meant Mona Lisa." Varian glares at the man. "Say, Millennials, Horace-"
"Eugene," He interrupts him, Max smiling.
"Not even going to dignify that with a response," Harmony huffs, crossing her arms.
"I think I have the perfect solution!" Edmund holds up his axe. "We'll fish together!" He throws his weapon into the air, catching a stick. "Problem solved."
"...I am not climbing up there to get your axe down," Eugene makes that clear.
"Don't look at us," Harmony turns away.
"Making wishes?" Rapunzel asks a little girl by the fountain, who shrugs. Rapunzel smiles, holding out a hand. She whisks it through the girl's ear, holding a coin.
"What?!" She giggles at this.
"Eugene taught me that one," Rapunzel hums, holding out the coin. "Go ahead, come on. Make a wish." The girl takes the coin, squeezing her eyes shut. She tosses it into the fountain.
"Princess!" Feldspar runs up to her, followed by Pete and Stan. "Somebody broke into my shop and tracked two sets of identical muddy footprints! Across my new rug!"
"I saw 'em!" The girl speaks up. "One of them had an eyepatch."
Rapunzel looks to Pascal and Daisy. There was only one duo that could leave identical footprints while one of them having an eyepatch...
"Double security," Rapunzel instructs the two guards. "I want sentries posted on the bridge, and patrols every hour!"
"Yes princess," They say in unison.
"The Stabbingtons are back in Corona..." She narrows her eyes. She runs off, but not before stopping near the girl. "Oh, here. Back-up wishes," She hands her more coins as she takes off.
"Don't worry, princess!" Stan calls out, waving to her. "Those Stabbingtons are as good as-"
They suddenly disappear, the little girl looking behind her. She simply throws in another coin, smiling.
Patchy slices off the top of an apple, tossing it into his mouth. "Where is he?" Sideburns demands the captured guards. "Where's Rider?"
"Hey, aren't these the guys Eugene keeps beating?" Pete whispers to his partner, but they heard him anyway.
Sideburns growls, pulling them forward. "Where is he?!"
"We don't know."
"Yes ,we do. He's headed to Mount Saison with his dad, Princess Harmony, and Varian to get back that priceless sash," Pete doesn't realize that Stan was only bluffing so that they wouldn't go after them...Sideburns chuckles, letting go of the rope.
"Mount Saison, huh? And it'll give us a chance to properly introduce ourselves to his girlfriend's sister..." They walk off.
"But-but you'll never catch him! Eugene moves faster than the wind!"
They're actually fishing, as they didn't have much of a choice. Both Varian and Harmony are silent with annoyed looks on their faces.
"I am so sorry about today. I really am," Eugene whispers to them.
"About which part? When you begged us to come or when your dad ate our picnic?" Harmony replies in a sassy tone, causing him to wince.
"Look, I know you're mad at me, but I swear I'll pay you guys back!"
"Well...as long as nothing else happens," Varian sighs a bit. "You are a close friend of ours..." Eugene eyes his father as Varian walks off to go feed the horses. At least they managed to find an apple tree nearby...Eugene couldn't but notice that Harmony seems hesitant on something.
"I wonder what it's like for him to not have her around..." She murmurs, but he heard it anyway.
"Hey, Brownie...has Varian ever talked to you about his mother?"
"...No..." She closes her eyes. "I don't ask him about it since it's a sensitive subject. I'm not sure if I even should know."
She figured that Varian himself probably doesn't even remember...so she never asked out of respect. She didn't need to know everything about him right away, and she also assumed that whenever he wanted to, he'd talk to her about it.
Edmund's line starts to move. "Oh, oh, I got something, Horace!"
"For the eleventeenth time, it's Eugene," He crosses his arms.
"20 pounder easy. Maybe 30! Hope you're hungry!" Edmund tosses the fish into the air...and it lands right on Harmony's head. She sighs in annoyance, putting a fist to her cheek. Eugene smiles weakly at her, plucking it off. Hamuel takes the small fish into his mouth, and he holds it out to Daisy. She just stares in disgust as it lands right back in the water.
"Well, at least it was a fish this time..." Eugene gestures to the bunch of junk that they've caught so far.
"My son and his friends think me a fool..." Edmund murmurs to himself. Varian and Harmony look at him weirdly. "Hmm, just wait until I reveal the figgy pudding in my pocket! That will change their tunes!"
The two teens facepalm at him. He turns around and clears his throat. "I have something in my pocket that will change your tunes..."
"Did you just say you have figgy pudding in your pocket?! I don't know what's weirder. That you have figgy pudding in your pocket, or that your armor actually has pockets!"
"Ha ha! But who shall partake in it?" Edmund laughs giddily.
"I don't want any of your pocket pudding."
"You can eat it yourself," Varian crosses his arms.
"You already ate our lunch," Harmony mutters while petting Max.
"Ah, but you do. I can tell a lot by looking into your eyes," He stares at all of them in the eye.
"Apparently, you can't," Eugene deadpans at him.
"But, you shan't have it so easily. To see who claims this figgy treat, we shall have a contest. A game of marksmanship, if you will! Ha ha!"
"Ha, ha! I won't," Eugene calls out.
"That settles it. The game is afoot!" Edmund seems to ignore their reluctance. Eugene sighs, looking towards the two. Harmony groans at this.
"You owe us," She simply says, grabbing her quiver and sword. "Come on, Vari, you can use my sword."
"Um, I'm not sure I should," Varian rubs his neck. "I don't wanna lose it..."
"I trust you," She kisses his cheek and he smiles. "Besides, I know you can aim. You just have to put it to use!"
"Now, to find a target for our contest," Edmund scopes the area, Hamuel flying right past them. He hits a tree trunk, falling onto the platform. He caws at Daisy again to get her attention, but she turns away, holding her head up high. "Thank you for your service, Hamuel. We have a target!"
"Edmund, you can just have the pudding," Eugene informs him.
"And besides, that target looks really unstable," Harmony comments, looking at it while holding the strap to her quiver.
"I think we should find somewhere else for you to throw," Varian looks up at the man.
"Nonsense!" He dismisses all of them. "We shall play this delightful game, and revel in each other's company."
Harmony rubs a temple as he throws his axe, hitting the trunk. "I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, I bet that was a lucky shot!"
"Not even close to what we were thinking," Eugene states, and Edmund takes his sword, along with Harmony's.
"Let's try for two in a row!" He throws the swords and they hit the trunk.
"Ugh," Varian rolls his eyes. His alchemy belt gets taken away and the king throws it. The belt goes around the trunk. Now he's just showing off...
"And now for the arrows!" Edmund snatches away Harmony's quiver.
"Wait, no-!"
He fires all of them at the same time, and once they hit the trunk, it goes over the edge and falls off the cliff.
"Edmund, our weapons!" Eugene shouts as they sink into the water. "Brownie, can you get them?"
"No, I can't sense objects unless they're evil. Sorry," Harmony frowns towards the lake. "But I made those arrows myself and my sister gave me that quiver! And Eugene gave me that sword!"
"And my belt from my mother..." Harmony and Eugene stare at him in shock. They just thought that he made it himself. But his mother played a part of his interest in alchemy... "We told you it was unstable!" Varian whips around to Edmund.
"Hm. Well, lucky for us, nothing is more dangerous than our cutting wits, eh, Horace and Millennials!"
"It's Euge—you know what? This is impossible," He walks off in the direction.
"No food, no weapons, and we're not even halfway towards Mount Saison!" Harmony holds out the map.
"Let me see that," Edmund takes it and the wind flies the map out of his hand and into the water...
"...ARGH!" Harmony tugs at her hair as they follow Eugene.
"If something is not impossible, it's not worth doing!" Edmund recites to them. Harmony and Varian stop walking, eyes going wide.
"I mean, what is wro—wait," Eugene turns around to him. "Did you just say if something is not impossible-"
"It's not worth doing!" They all repeat in unison.
"Why yes I did!"
"Flynn Rider and the Lost Treasure of Scotia!" Eugene smiles in recognition.
"One of my favorite books!"
"Me too!" Eugene gestures to himself. "Until I lost it. I accidentally dropped it off a cliff."
"I grew up on those books!" Varian smiles as Harmony nods in agreement.
"I read a lot of books in my room to pass the time. The Tales of Flynnigan Rider were always my favorite."
"Hey, do you remember when Rider was on the canoe, heading for the waterfall?"
"Yes, he leaped onto the rocks," Edmund jumps on a rock. "But not before saving the treasure!"
"Ha ha!" Harmony jumps into the air slightly, doing a little dance like Varian did with his father when he asked to go to the castle.
"Oh, it was brilliant!" Eugene wipes away a tear.
"Maybe you aren't so bad after all," Varian smiles gently to Edmund.
Rapunzel and Fidella can hear crying, following the sound into an alley. Daisy and Pascal reach the two guards.
"How'd you find us?"
"I tracked those muddy footprints," She bends down to them, untying the knots. "Those guys should really wipe their shoes. Also, it helped that you guys were weeping loudly."
"Just doing our part," Pete salutes to her.
"I'm sorry, Princess, the Stabbingtons came out of nowhere!"
"It's okay. I'm sure they're after Eugene. Good thing he's out of town..." She notices their hesitance, realizing something. "Wait...you didn't tell them about Mount Saison, did you?"
"Uhh, yeah..."
"Ugh, you know what? I'll take it from here, guys. Come on, Fidella," Rapunzel jumps onto the horse. "We're bringing in the Stabbingtons."
The two run out of the alley.
"That was your fault!" Stan elbows his partner's arm.
"Nuh-uh, it was yours!" Pete pushes him and they start waving their arms like children towards each other.
Eugene chuckles as they're going through a path full of wheat. "And-and do you remember when Flynn Rider says, the kingdom and I aren't exactly simpatico at the moment?"
"Yes! And people think it's a kids book. Adults everywhere appreciate the nuance of Flynn Rider's adventures."
Eugene looks around in alarm, shushing them. "Quiet. I don't think we're alone."
"He's right, I can sense major evil intentions...towards you," Harmony points up at him.
"Right again, Rider."
They turn around to see the horses being tied up by the Stabbingtons. "Or is it...Eugene?"
Harmony gasps at the sight, Varian's mouth going wide. "Silver!"
"Don't ask," Eugene deadpans at them.
"So...these must be the Stabbingtons," Varian cringes at the sight of them. Patchy appears a few feet away.
"And you must be the little sister," Sideburns points to Harmony, who glares at him. "I don't think we've properly met..."
"Let's see...oh, right, the Stabbingtons!" Harmony waves it off. "I distinctly remember putting you on that prison barge. And Eugene mentioned you too. Not fondly."
"Edmund, long-lost father, meet Stabbingtons," Eugene gestures to the two. "Life-long nemeses. Edmund claims he's my father, but you know, I actually have more of a history with you guys. So, in a way, this is kind of like a family gathering for me! Say, who wants some pudding?"
"I can tell he wants some pudding!" Edmund throws it right at Sideburns' face.
"He can tell a lot by looking into a man's eyes!" Eugene jumps forward, kicking down the man. Harmony's hands glow as she spins around. A makeshift whip appears, grabbing Sideburns' legs. She tosses him into the air and he lands flat on his face. "Ha ha! En garde!" He holds up some wheat as a sword. He hits Sideburns from behind, who turns around and slices at the duo. Harmony creates a black rock shield on her arm, blocking the blows.
Sideburns cuts off the wheat and Eugene peeks between it, only to get punched in the face.
"Hey!" Harmony yells at him as he lands in the wheat.
"Where'd you go?" Sideburns looks in the wheat, disappearing into it. Varian and Edmund dodge Patchy's swipes from his daggers. He spins one into his hand, Edmund grabbing his arm and disarming him.
Eugene and Sideburns peek from the wheat. "Hello!" He exclaims, surprising Harmony. Sideburns runs off. "Ha, didn't see that coming, did ya?" Sideburns stabs into the wheat, but the man completely disappears and then reappears. "Hey, how's your day going? Oh, missed me." Using the wheat, he trips the man, causing him to do a split. Harmony giggles at them.
Edmund protects Varian as he grabs Patchy and spins him around. He throws him right into his brother, Eugene pumping a fist.
"Yes!"
They fall off the tiny cliff and into the ground.
"Alright, alright, they're not gonna stay down for long. We'll need to buy more time," Eugene informs all of them.
"How? Mount Saison is all the way up there, they'll intercept us before we arrive," Varian points up ahead.
"I have an idea," Edmund speaks up, the three glancing to each other.
Once the two brothers return, they don't see anyone in sight. They start searching through the wheat. "We gotcha!"
All they find is a yo-yo and a crow winding toy, confusing them.
"RIDER!"
"Edmund, that was ingenious!" Eugene hugs him, quickly pulling back. "Uhh, yeah, ingenious!"
Edmund stares after him as Eugene walks off. "Heh!" He joins the trio. "Who knew this bag of lucky baubles would come in so handy?"
Eugene chuckles...and then they see the sash in his bag. "The sash. Wait, you stole this from my room? You had this the whole time?"
The teens' mouths open in shock.
"Well...yes, I did. It was I who wrote the ransom letter and sent us on this errand..."
"This is an errand?!" Eugene turns around to him in anger. "We're stuck in the middle of nowhere with no food, no weapons, no map, and two maniacs on our tail, but yeah. Lovely little errand this is!"
"You ate our food and wasted our time when we had plans!" Harmony gestures to herself and Varian. "W-What were you gonna do when we reached the mountain?!"
"I wanted to be part of your life, Horace. And I wanted to make amends with you, young millennial. And then I thought a trip might-"
"Might what, huh?! Make up for 24 years and almost killing my friend?! And for the love of everything that is holy, we have names! My name is Eugene, her name is Harmony, and his is Varian! You know what?! Here's your sash. We're headin' back to town..."
"I can't believe you did this," Varian turns to him. "Mona has been wanting so long for a normal life, and a fake trip you forced us on was gonna make up for that? Why don't you try an actual apology?"
He gives a sad look as he watches them leave.
Rapunzel and Fidella reach the field, the blonde jumping off. "There was a fight here...a big one. She notices the distraction. "A wind-up toy? And a yo-yo? They should have called it a hey-hey. Alright, we're getting close. Come on!"
Edmund is at Mount Saison by himself. "Hamuel, I've really bungled things with my son and his friends..."
The Stabbingtons have caught up with him, standing behind the man. "I'll give you a chance to make it up to them."
He turns around to see them. "Take us to Rider and his little friends. Now."
"I'm not foolish enough to help you," Edmund denies, glaring at the duo.
"Well, I know somebody who is..." He looks to the scatterbrained crow.
"I cannot believe we fell for that nice guy act," Eugene tells the two as they're on the path back home.
"This whole day was just a waste of time," Harmony mutters to herself.
"This was all my fault," Eugene frowns towards them. "If it wasn't for me, you two wouldn't be here right now, you'd be out there enjoying yourselves like you deserve!"
"We did it because you're someone we trust, Eugene," Harmony places a hand on his shoulder. "Edmund tricked all of us. It's not just you he lied to."
"I guess you're right..."
Hamuel flies up to them, holding something. "What are you doing? Wait, I know that dagger...the Stabbingtons." The crow hits a tree. Eugene groans as the two horses come to a stop. "Dads are more trouble than they're worth. Come on, guys. The old man needs us..."
"Someone's gotta help him, right?" Varian sighs a bit. Hamuel snuggles up to Daisy, who smacks him across the face, knocking him off Harmony's shoulder.
"Ooo," All three of them wince, Max neighing in laughter.
"That's gotta hurt..." Eugene comments at the display.
"She's not big on crows," Harmony shrugs slightly. "She prefers eagles."
"Aren't they a little too...big for her?" Varian turns to the duckling.
"Daisy is more into the bad bird type..."
Hamuel guides them to Mount Saison. "Edmund? Edmund?"
They only see his horse. "Hey, Domino," Eugene gets off Max. "Where's Edmund?"
"Right here, sonny boy!"
They look up ahead to see the Stabbingtons. "You want him? Come and get him!"
Edmund protests to the group, trying to tell them something. Harmony stares at him and gasps. "Guys, wait!"
Patchy kicks a rock in their path, which falls over their heads. "Max, guys, watch out!" Eugene pushes the three out of the way, the rocks landing. They turn around in shock to see that he's no longer standing there.
"Eugene!" Harmony screams in horror.
"No!"
Patchy lands nearby, wiping his hands. "The great Flynn Rider is gone..."
Edmund looks down in sadness. "Come on, now we have a sash and a king. Get rid of the other two."
Patchy walks up to the teens as Sideburns takes Edmund away. Harmony flashes moonlight in his face to distract him. The man rubs his eyes, seeing that they're no longer standing there. They start the water as they jump onto the log.
"Things are looking up..."
Rapunzel and the horse slide to a stop. "I don't see any sign of them."
Fidella looks to her left, narrowing her eyes as something approaches. It's only just Max and Silver, however. Harmony and Varian burst out of the bushes.
"Max? Harmi? Varian?"
"Sis!" Harmony shouts, pulling her into a hug.
"Oh, thank goodness you found us. We need your help!" Varian pleads with her.
"Why? What happened?" She asks in concern. "Why aren't you with Eugene and Edmund?"
"Rapunzel...the Stabbingtons caught up with us, and once we got away from them...they kidnapped the king. We went to go rescue him, but Eugene...he saved our lives when a giant rock fell over us. We managed to escape when they tried to attack us. We didn't have time to look for him, I'm not...I'm not sure he made it out alive. But we can't take those guys on our own, we lost our weapons."
"No. Eugene would not be defeated so easily," Rapunzel shakes her head, refusing to believe that. "Show me the way."
"First he lies, then he gets me trapped in a cave!" Eugene says bitterly, trying to push the rock out. "Definitely Father of the Year contender." He leans back, crossing his arms.
Domino snorts at him, turning. A light flashes from his satchel, hitting Eugene in the eye. "Hey, watch it." Hamuel flies straight for it and hits the rock. He follows it like a cat with a laser pointer, taking something from the satchel. It falls onto the floor, the contents spilling out.
"Would you quit it, bird? You're making a mess—wait a minute," He looks at a tiny wooden horse, gasping. "These are all things from when I was a kid! Ha ha, my marked deck of cards, my two-headed coin, and my loaded dice! This is my first hand mirror. He has been keeping tabs on me. Flynn Rider and the Lost Treasure of Scotia, my old book! You had it, I can't believe it! And what's this?"
He pulls out a note...that he wrote for Harmony. And by the date, it was the day when they left the Dark Kingdom.
Dear Princess Harmony,
How I regret my actions towards you. How could I have placed something so awful into the hands of a child? Not a day goes by that I don't think of you and how you must be suffering...I should have never given it into your hands...and I am so ashamed of myself for trying to end your young life...perhaps someday you will find it in your heart to forgive me.
King Edmund
"So he really does regret it..."
"Eugene! Are you out here?" Rapunzel calls out as the others have returned.
"Rapunzel, I'm in here!" He shouts back from inside.
"Eugene!" The teens cry out in relief. Rapunzel lets down her hair, grabbing a rock. She then wraps it around the horses.
"Pull!" Together, they pull, and get the rock. Eugene and Domino step out. "Eugene!" The two hug.
"Ah, thanks, Blondie."
"Thank goodness you're okay," Harmony smiles at him.
They look towards the Stabbingtons to see them getting away. "Alright, that's it. No more Miss Nice Princess!" She stands on one log, the teens on the other. She grabs the lever and pulls it. "Just for the short term. After we deal with these guys, I am totally nice again."
"I was worried, but thanks anyway!" Eugene calls out as the water pushes the couple forward.
Harmony quickly grabs a stray sheet, tying it to a pole on top of the log. Grabbing Varian, they jump on and speed down the dam in a make-shift boat. Varian couldn't help but stare at her in awe. The four horses run forward, going to the only lane not filled with water. The four speed down, jumping when they go over a small ramp. They watch the Stabbingtons down below, Varian and Harmony on their trail. The four catch up with them and Eugene jumps onto their log.
"Rider!" Patchy exclaims at the sight of him.
"Yup, still alive. You dropped a boulder on me, and you missed. I mean, who misses with a boulder, really?"
They start to attack him, but he jumps, the brothers bumping into each other.
"They're not the sharpest tools in the shed, are they?" Varian asks in amusement from behind.
"Nope," Harmony smirks slightly.
"Horace, you're alive!" Edmund exclaims happily. "And you came to rescue me!" The log bumps a bit and the former thief catches him.
"Well, what did you expect?" Eugene asks while holding onto him. Sideburns raises a dagger from behind, Rapunzel snatching him and throwing him off.
"Nice try."
The four horses are sliding down a line, Domino pulling a tree branch so that it hits the duo. "Ha ha!" Eugene releases his father as Harmony encases them in a black rock cage. "Nice teamwork!"
"Guys, log jam, log jam, log jam!" Rapunzel calls out as they look up ahead. "Everybody, my log, pronto!"
The four horses jump on two logs to reach her. Harmony and Varian jump onto Silver and Fidella as they pass by.
"Oh, who am I kidding? They're like family, right?" Eugene runs over to the Stabbingtons.
"Son, we cannot save these cretins in time. It's impossible!"
"If something's not impossible-"
"It's not worth doing!" Edmund finishes for him, laughing.
"Ah, better hurry!" Varian points up ahead as they're nearing the logs. The sash drops onto the log.
"Oh, the sash!"
"Leave it, Eugene."
His eyes widen at the man. "Dad...you called me Eugene."
"You called me Dad!"
"Guys, seriously?" Rapunzel calls out.
"Not the right place for bonding!" Harmony tells them.
"Go, go, go, go, go, go!" Eugene and Edmund jump across with the Stabbingtons, the log they were just on breaking. Eugene and Patchy soar up into the air, but Rapunzel catches them in time. Both lanes crash behind them.
"Ha ha ha! This woman is amazing!"
"I know! And she's getting much better at her landings," Eugene smiles at his girlfriend. She smiles proudly.
Harmony smiles and grips the pole with one hand. Leaning to the side as far as she can, she reaches out her hand and touches the water, her hair flying behind her. Varian looks at her in awe, the other three smiling.
They make it back to land, Pascal and Daisy running up to them. The chameleon is holding only the Brotherhood symbol, which is broken.
"You went out of your way to rescue us, again?"
Max snorts at them.
"Just so you guys know, we didn't do it for you," Harmony deadpans at them. Sideburns sits back down.
"I guess my son believes in second chances," Edmund smiles softly at his son, who smiles at Rapunzel.
"I learned that from the best, He holds her hands, kissing them.
"And I guess that your beliefs...were worth listening to," Varian grins at Edmund, who rubs his neck.
"I'm...truly sorry for what I've done."
"...It'll take a lot for me to forgive you, but...I guess we can take it one step at a time," Harmony says slowly.
Hamuel lands in front of Daisy, the top of his head slicked back. He's wearing a tiny blue coat as he caws enticingly at Daisy, trying again to impress her. She just gives him a blank look and walks off.
"Aww, cute, birds in love," Rapunzel smiles at the two. Varian and Harmony look at each other skeptically.
"Guys! Check this out, isn't he great?" Eugene winds up the toy, Pascal and Daisy playing with it. They're in Eugene's room, checking out his childhood toys. Harmony has the coin while Varian has the trick dice.
"Hey, hey, hey, you guys, I invented a move. I call this one stroll with a bloodhound," She rolls it in front of her.
"Uh, Blondie, they already invented that move, actually it's—you know what? Never mind," Eugene smiles nervously once seeing Rapunzel's glare.
Edmund clears his throat, getting their attention. "Edmund! Ah, we were, uh, we were, reminiscing! Uh, not playing. Reminiscing, like adults do! With my old toys."
Rapunzel gives him the yo-yo, smiling as the three leave the room. "I decided we didn't need that old sash anyway. Xavier and I made you a new one!"
This new one has the Corona symbol with the colors of the book they talked about. "White and gold...just like the Flynn Rider book."
"It's one of my favorites, you know."
Eugene hugs him and he returns it, smiling. "Oh, Harmony, Varian!" He calls out, stopping them just before they leave the hall. "I have something for you both."
He leads them and Eugene to the dining room, and when he opens it, they gasp. In front of them is a candle-lit dinner, with the food that they had replaced.
"Edmund...! You did all of this for us?"
"I hope you enjoy this, you two. I shouldn't have intruded on your personal time," He smiles and the two grin, taking a seat. "She's a keeper, huh? Not like that Morgan girl."
Harmony gets a sour look on her face as Varian sinks in his chair. Both of them knew he didn't do anything with her, but it felt like the young crown princess was accusing him with that face…
"Okay, well, we're leaving now. I'll make it up to you tomorrow, bye bye!" He guides Edmund out the door and shuts it. "You know…that was a nice thing you did for them. But for the love of god, that name is never spoken in the castle!"
"Um…" Harmony bites her lip nervously. Varian is digging in when he notices her hesitation.
"Something wrong?"
"…Listen, I love you, Vari…and I don't wanna make you uncomfortable, but…would you mind telling me about your mother?"
He freezes in his bite and swallows after a few seconds. "Her name was Scarlett…she's the reason why I got into alchemy. She was a scientist," He smiles weakly. "She was intelligent, funny, beautiful. From what I remember, she noticed me playing with her chemicals. I thought she'd be mad, but she actually…encouraged me. She bought me alchemy books when she would go to the bookstore, and read pages to me. I loved her. I still do."
"…What happened then?" Harmony asks slowly, feeling a bit of dread.
"She died when I was young…cancer. An aggressive kind. Nothing to cure it." Her eyes grow sad. "I just…sat there and…watched her slowly fade away…"
Harmony slowly puts a hand to her mouth, tearing up. She could literally feel the grief that he experienced at such a young age…
She gets onto her feet and rushes over to his side, hugging him. "I… I'm so sorry, I should've just kept my mouth shut. I'm sorry about her…"
"It's okay," He hugs her to his chest. She closes her eyes. "You're…the first person I've ever told about her."
He wanted to cry, but he had to stay strong for both of them.
"…She would've loved you, you know." He speaks up, getting her attention. "If she were still here…"
"… I think she is," Harmony smiles softly. "Is that why you never talked about it? Because it's hard for you?"
"Well, yeah…but I also didn't wanna upset you. Since your parents lost their memories…it's almost the same watching them in pain…"
"Vari…" She looks up at him. "I don't care how much it hurts, but…you never have to feel like you need to hide from me. After recent…things, I really hate secrets."
"I get it," He kisses her forehead. "Do you wanna know more about her?"
"Yes I would."
"So one day she took me to the tailor to make me an apron…"
Cass walks up to a black rock, eyeing her reflection. She holds out a hand, trying to control it. "Just...focus..." She grits her teeth when nothing happens, kneeling. "I can't!"
"Cassandra..." The same voice Harmony heard at the great tree lingers…
Angel: Personally, I don't really know what actually happened to Varian's mother, but I imagine that Varian's an alchemist because of her. Quirin clearly didn't approve when we first saw him. My first assumption is that she met Quirin after he left the Dark Kingdom. Maybe he met her in Old Corona. Then after Varian was born, she died of an illness that couldn't be cured considering the time period the show is set in, so I said cancer XD