'johN WICKS GUNS DONT OBEY THE LAWS OF PHYSICS'
'seriously the sequel is even WORSE ABout bullet count than the FiRst'
'the only good thinG ABOUT THis movie is the dOG'
'WOUld you like a dog RAPunZEL? we werE thinkiNg about gettinG ONe'
'havE fun with aNNa todaY'
With an amused murmur, Rapunzel leaned across the center console and scanned Elsa's last few text messages.
"We gotta get you a new phone, honey. That random caps lock shit is just too much."
Anna awoke to a mouthful of duffel bag strap between her teeth...and Rapunzel gently shaking her shoulder. Anna rubbed her eyes, squinted at Rapunzel's cell phone screen, and snorted.
"If she doesn't like those movies, why does she keep watching them?"
Chuckling affectionately, Rapunzel pocketed her phone and shrugged. "We can ask when we go home later. Dollars to donuts she fell asleep on the couch again watching her least favorite movies." A moment later, she switched off the ignition, and gestured to the windshield.
"Here we are. Nothing but tall trees with sturdy branches. "Perfect for getting comfortable with this new...side...of you."
Redwoods and oak trees stretched up for hundreds of feet as numerous walking paths snaked in and out of the dense foliage.
Anna snatched the duffel bag, tumbled out of the passenger side door, and high-tailed it for the nearby public restroom.
Finally. A chance to really cut loose!
Blinded by long, blonde hair blowing around her face and dangling several feet off the ground, upside down, Rapunzel fumbled for her buzzing cell phone. A strong gust of wind rolled through the forest, and she let out a giddy shriek as she swayed right along with the wind.
"Shit!"
Down went the phone, tumbling end over end as it plopped onto the leaf-carpeted forest floor.
"Yes, hello. I'm calling from the Crenshaw High School Administrative Office. Is this...oh, Rapunzel Corona? One of our nurses."
Still rocking from side to side, Rapunzel bit back more laughter and flailed...all too far from her phone. She shot one last glance up at the thick, white webbing binding her ankles together and looped over the lowest branch of an oak tree.
"Um, yeah, that's me." Another airy giggle as blood rushed to her head and the tips of her hair brushed against the forest floor. "You didn't lose my note, right?"
"At that, the gruff, masculine voice on the other end of the line trailed off. Shuffling papers and the clatter of spilled pencils, before they replied in a halting tone. "Religious observation. Bel...Bel-tane. That's the holiday?"
Rapunzel cleared her throat, spat out a wad of blustery hair, and fidgeted until she managed to turn herself towards her phone again. "Build a bonfire and hug a tree. Not...not necessarily in that order."
A low chuckle on the other end. "Anyway, I'm calling to check if you want me to send Anna's homework to your place, along with a student who lives nearby. Is...is she with you, now?"
It didn't take long, or much straining, for Rapunzel to make out joyful whoops and the rustle of swaying branches far above. Leaves rained down like snowflakes. She snickered softly, then squeaked as her left Birkenstock sandal slipped off and fell to the ground.
"She's, um...getting wood. For a bonfire. Sure, send Na...Anna's homework by later. If we aren't back by then, her sister should be around to collect it."
Just then, Rapunzel's other sandal slid off, smacked against her cell phone, and ended the call.
What started as a simple climbing exercise, quickly became much more.
Hand over hand, Anna hauled herself fifteen yards up to the first branch of a massive redwood. With each tug, she tensed and flexed her fingers, marvelling at the durability and strength in each sheer grip.
It wasn't this easy last week. Am I...still...getting stronger?
She quickly discovered that removing her sneakers allowed her stocking feet to find similarly solid purchase on the tree, and ensured that both her orange ski mask was pulled on tight...and her orange jumpsuit was firmly zipped up.
I can go faster.
And that's exactly what Anna did, arms and legs flapping as she clambered up another fifty yards. Joyful excitement coursed through her veins, and on the next available branch, she shuffled out...and stared down at the distant forest floor. Arms, which had been reflexively held out to her sides, suddenly dropped...and her awestruck grin grew.
No crazy vertigo? It just feels...normal?!
The sight of another tree, and another thick branch several yards higher, sent Anna's stomach into a giddy flip-flop...and she licked her lips expectantly.
If I can do it down there. I can do it...up here.
A faint whoosh, and out of her right wrist zipped a thickly coiled web-line. It nailed the far branch, and Anna only hesitated for a moment.
I can do this. This...is who I am now.
Left hand over right, gripping the web-line. With a giddy whine, Anna bent her knees and made ready to jump.
From down below came Rapunzel's encouraging holler. "NaNa you forgot your helmet! But you look so good up there!"
Face crimson, Anna glanced down...and tumbled right off of her branch. She shrieked miserably, and several blindly thrashing kicks sent her tumbling end over end as her web-line snaked around her waist and bound her arms to her sides.
Oh screw me, Baddie fucked up!
With a dizzy groan, Anna smacked against the redwood's trunk, yanked her web-line loose, and fell to the ground...managing to clobber every branch on her way down.
Smooth move, ex-lax. Guaranteed to impress any...oh just zip it!
"Let me down!"
Aside from a ringing head and bits of bark plastered all over the orange jumpsuit, Anna found herself remarkably unscathed. She collided with the ground, squealed again as her body bounced and sailed into a nearby leaf-mound.
Bare hands had slid over arms, legs, and face, just to ensure they were all intact. The leaf pile shifted, and within seconds, Anna crawled out and staggered to her feet.
She yanked off her ski mask, ruffled a mess of leaves out of her hair, and cracked her neck before gazing up at the tree branches that would surely be filing assault charges.
I'm not just...tough.
A low, amazed murmur as Anna stared at her unblemished hands...and shivered as another strong gust of wind rushed against her sweat-dotted neck.
"Holy...hot damn…"
Chest heaving and face crimson, Rapunzel bellowed at the top of her lungs. "NANA. LET. ME. DOWN." Her fits of wriggling had turned into outright thrashing, and the panic in her voice was only matched by the spark of terror in her eyes.
Still awestruck, Anna wordlessly looped an arm around Rapunzel's back. One quick, well-aimed web glob split the hanging line neatly...and Rapunzel fell right into Anna's arms.
Oh.
Shiver.
Oh...wait.
Only then did Anna hear the vicious pounding of Rapunzel's heart. A trembling hand curled up and over Anna's left shoulder, squeezed, and offered several gingerly pats.
Just like that, Anna shivered as her heart dropped down into her stomach...and she swallowed thickly.
I'm sorry.
Warm breaths on her neck. A cheek pressed against hers.
"Put me...down...please?"
Rapunzel's raspy whimper made all the air rush out of Anna's lungs with a single, shaky whoosh. She nodded dumbly, did as told, and then nearly collapsed from the sudden wave of heat that rolled through her body.
Just holding you like that...wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong-ity bad and…
Anna let out a flummoxed mewl as Rapunzel hooked a hand over her zippered collar and tugged gently as she herself crumpled to the ground. Deep, unsteady breaths followed.
You want to sit? We'll sit.
Just sit and that's it and that's everything and…
Strength wasn't needed...so strength fled from Anna's form. With an easy tug, she toppled right into Rapunzel's lap.
What's going on here? I did something...wrong.
Rapunzel chuckled dryly, shoulders shaking. She sniffled, both hands tangled in Anna's leaf-littered hair...searching. Combing.
But...what?
"You're...you're really okay. Right?"
Anna gulped, teeth clamped down over her tongue lest she swallow it. She managed a meek nod. Eyes fell shut.
Another sniffle...but Anna didn't need to look, to know.
You're crying.
Giggling wetly, Rapunzel shook her head and furrowed her brow. "Now we know how tough you are. And how strong."
Anna let out a shaky breath, nodded again, and found something resembling a voice. "Uh-huh."
With that, Rapunzel cleared her throat and let her hands fall to her sides. A weak, pensive smile. "But that was a scary way to learn it. There's probably no point, but...wear your helmet today? For...me?"
Another nod from Anna, who curled a hand between the leaves and into the dirt below. Unable to muster the resolve to roll onto her back and stare up...she let her eyes fall shut again.
Orange. Orange. Orange.
I'll do better. For you.
The pair remained on the forest floor together for a few minutes more. It was only when Rapunzel's nearby phone began to buzz again, that she gently set Anna's head on a pile of leaves and shuffled over to get the latest.
"Um…"
Affectionate amusement in Rapunzel's tone. Anna cracked a wary eyelid.
"Looks like Elsa has visitors. Brought your homework along."
Anna chuckled weakly, rolled onto her back, and whined as she stretched out. "Wait...more than one person had to bring it?"
Rapunzel clicked her tongue, then began to rummage through the duffel bag in search of Anna's helmet. A playful smirk. "Looks like Mary...and Jane. Neat."
Anna groaned, rolled over, and mashed her face into the dried leaves.
Falling out of trees is way less stressful than everything else. Goddamnit.