Warnings: Violence, Sickness, Seizure, Medical Neglect, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Memory loss, and overthrow
Summary: Rapunzel returns to the kingdom of Corona only to find that it has been taken over by an old enemy; still reeling from Arianna's sacrifice, Rapunzel must use her inner strength to save Corona and its people, including her father.
Author's Notes: I'm just going to say this upfront: this isn't going to be a happy fic. So what is going to happen is: the Moonstone is going to start killing Arianna from the inside out, and the curse is going to be like cancer. And there will be seizures in the second half of the fic. About these, my best friend passed away from a sleep seizure last fall. So, there's a chance that I will trigger myself out of writing this. I don't want to abandon this, especially since there's another book in the series, but, you never know.
A young woman with glowing yellow and blue hair, eyes, and slightly pale skin wearing a yellow and blue Sundrop crown, a yellow dress with blue columns with Sundrops at the top, a yellow and blue Sundrop lei, a bracelet, and yellow shoes, Arianna stands in front of a young woman with tan skin, long braided golden hair with a pink bird clip, green eyes, freckles, wearing a purple short-sleeve shirt, a black tank top with dark red lining, a dark red belt with a silver buckle, a magenta skirt that parted out to reveal a dark purple skirt underneath, Rapunzel in a dark palace. A young man with brown hair and eyes, a goatee, and tan skin wearing a white shirt, a dark blue shirt with! golden buckles over that, brown shoulder pads, a brown belt, black gloves, brown pants, and boots, Eugene, stands behind her looking scared. A young woman with short, black, curly hair, pale skin, gray eyes, and red lips wearing a gray shirt and black pants and boots, Cassandra stands beside him. What's going on? Rapunzel thinks.
"Mom, are you okay?! Wh… What's going on?!".
She was in a village of dull, wooden buildings. A little brown monkey with a lighter mouth, stomach, and hands wearing a yellow dipper, Demanitus was in front of her. "Hi'," He tells her. 'A talking monkey with a big mouth pops in her head'. She screams. "Shh, shh, I'm Lord Demanitus,". 'A man with tan skin, and a metal eyepatch, dressed in black pops in her head'. "Can I show you something?". She nods.
They walked to the center of the village. A young brunette woman with hair in an updo, tan skin, green eyes, and pink lipstick wearing a white pearl necklace with three pink jewels in the middle, a purple and white renaissance dress, and purple slippers with an enlarged stomach spun around. "Do you recognize that young lady?".
"Yes - that's me." She replied. Suddenly, an old woman with curly, black hair, bluish-gray eyes, and pale skin, wearing a red renaissance dress with yellow stitching and a black cloak, Gothel came up to the younger version of her.
"Hi," The younger version of her greeted Gothel.
"You traitor! You pretended to be my friend when you were just using me to get the Sundrop!" Gothel announced bitterly. A confused expression spread across the younger version of her's face. Gothel struck the younger version of her in the heart with a black rock. The younger version of her passed out.
Demanitus led her through the wall. The younger version of her laid in a pink bed, bundled in blankets. A woman with black hair, tan skin, blue eyes, cleft palette, wearing a blue dress with white columns and a white veil, Freidborg was sitting on the edge of the bed. Suddenly a gruff voice announced: "If you take the Sundrop you will unleash an ancient curse, by removing the light you will unleash unimaginable darkness.". The younger version of her started shaking. Tears streaked her face. Freidborg immediately stood and held down her head.
"Shh, I know you're in a lot of pain, but Frederic and Ulla will be here in a minute." Freidborg cooed. A few minutes later, a man with brown hair, tan skin, blue eyes, wearing a suit with red and blue columns, Frederic and a woman with red hair in ponytails, tan skin, freckles, and green eyes, wearing an aquamarine dress, Ulla rushed in. Ulla looked at her.
"She's having a seizure. She hasn't lost consciousness yet and is probably feeling muscle pain." Ulla announced. Frederic took her hand.
Demanitus led her through the wall again. The younger version of her, no longer pregnant, slept next to Frederic, who was wearing blue pajamas, in a cotton, purple nightgown. Suddenly, the noise of footsteps could be heard. The younger version of her woke, went over to the white closet. She opened the door and went in. Rows of her and Frederic's clothes hung on a metal bar with wooden hangers. A pink, rectangle case with golden latches was under the clothes. She knelt in front of the cases, opened it, grabbed a sword with a golden handle, and exited the closet. She went up to the figure, which turned out to be an extremely aged Gothel with a sword with a black handle. She gasped.
"Gothel, what do you want?" She questioned.
"Since you stole my flower, I'll need the princess." Gothel coldly announced.
"Over my dead body!" She replied.
"Okay, that should be an easy fix.". She knocked Arianna's sword to her back and she collapsed.
Demanitus led her through the wall again. The younger version of her lay in bed. Frederic held her hand. She woke up and sat up. "Rapunzel… what happened?" She questioned.
"Ari… you're weak. You should lie back down and get more rest." He told her. She ran through the dark palace, through the village, and to the beach. He followed her. "No!" She cried as she collapsed. He caught her.
"Arianna, what I am trying to tell you, is that whoever combines the Sundrop and Moonstone will die, don't lose who you have fought so hard for," Demanitus told her. The real version of her collapsed to her knees.
"Rapunzel, in The House of Yesterday's Tomorrow, Demanitus told me that whoever combines the Sundrop and Moonstone will die," Arianna told her. She's gonna die! Rapunzel thinks.
"No, no, no! You can't die!".
"But, here's the thing: I don't care if I die as long as you live. I can't live without you. You're my miracle baby, Rapunzel.".
"And I can't live without you. After growing up with someone like Gothel, and then meeting with someone like you… You literally changed my life, Mom.".
"You can. Goth…". Arianna bit her lip. Is she okay? Rapunzel worries.
"Mom, are you okay? Are you in pain? Do you need me to do anything for you?".
"Gothel was my best friend before the attack. She was the one who helped me find the heart.". Wow… she got screwed over really badly.
"Oh, you poor thing. She betrayed you pretty badly. Here,". She extends her arms for a hug. Arianna backs away. Uhh… That doesn't normally happen. "Are you okay?". Arianna gazes off into the distance.
"This has to stop now
Whatever it is that you're going through,
we'll fix it together - me and you
Just like we've always done"
Rapunzel sings.
"No! This has to stop now
This thing where I think that I've been your friend
And don't even hear how I condescend
The way I've always done".
Arianna sings.
"Mom, listen," Rapunzel says.
"I'm listening," Arianna replies.
"I know it isn't true,".
"Isn't it?".
"Just look into my eyes now,".
"Well?".
"I know you feel it too,".
"Perhaps I do,".
"Mom, listen,".
"I'm listening,".
"I swear it's not too late
So before another line gets crossed
and everything we've had is lost
just wait...?"
Rapunzel sings.
"Wait? But I didn't wait."
Arianna sings. She runs off. Rapunzel follows.
"There's a line between the winners and the losers
There's a line between the chosen and the rest"
Arianna sings as she gazes off.
"And I've done the best I could
But I've always known just where we stood
We here with the luckless"
Arianna sings as she points down.
"Them there with the blessed"
Arianna sings as she points up.
"And that line between the beggars and the choosers
is a line I never could quite ignore
How I've tried to jump that great divide!"
Arianna sings as she leaps.
"But I've never got the chances I needed to be given
You don't know how much I'll be denied
Well, I'm not being patient anymore"
Arianna sings as she swipes her hands.
"I'm putting myself on the line
So stay out of my way
'Cause I'm not gonna play by their rules
I don't need to be the one to shine"
Arianna sings as she smiles.
"Can't you see I'm okay?"
And I'm done seeing us treated as nothing more than jewels
I'm putting myself on the line"
Arianna sings as she swipes her hands.
"There are lines that I've been waiting in forever"
Arianna waited in a line of people with tan skin, brown hair, and dull clothes on a yellow patio. She remembers.
"There are lines I've always felt I had to toe"
She pulled a yellow rope from the sea on the beach.
"Some were blurry, some unseen
Some I've had to learn to read between"
She read in the blue caravan.
"So many boundaries
Far more than I've let anyone know!"
Arianna sings as she shakes her head.
"But the line you think connects us both together?
That's a line that will never be strong again"
Arianna sings as she shakes her head.
"'Cause this time I'm engaged
We've been trapped by lines they never had to live in"
Rapunzel, who then wore a purple dress laced up with pink ribbon, was in a tower with walls with paintings of a girl with pale skin and blonde hair in an orange dress. Arianna visualizes.
"We were never really on the same page
So I'm doing what I did, way back when"
She slept next to Frederic, who was wearing blue pajamas, in a cotton, purple nightgown on a pink and purple purple bed in a blue room. Suddenly, the noise of footsteps could be heard. The younger version of her woke, went over to the white closet. She opened the door and went in. Rows of her and Frederic's clothes hung on a metal bar with wooden hangers. A pink, rectangle case with golden latches was under the clothes. She knelt in front of the cases, opened it, grabbed a sword with a golden handle, and exited the closet.
"I'm putting myself on the line!
And I'm done holding back"
She raises her hand, creating a gold rock.
"So look out, clear the track, it's my turn!"
She runs ahead.
"I'm protecting what once was mine "
She raises her hand, creating a gold rock lily.
"Every drop, every smidge
If I'm running onto a burning ridge, let me burn!"
She stops at an old wooden bridge.
"I'm putting myself on the line...
As for us, if this is the last time we see each other, that's fine…"
She looks at Rapunzel with tears in her eyes.
"I'm putting myself on the line"
She runs across the bridge which crumbles beneath her. Rapunzel follows her but, she stops.
A pale woman with purple hair in buns in the front and straight in the back, purple eyes, purple eyeshadow and lipstick, wearing a black short-sleeve dress and gloves and a gray apron, and a headband made up of several tiny dots with a purple jewel in the middle, Zan Tiri is standing a few feet ahead. "Are you sure Rapunzel will forgive you for stealing her destiny?" She asks Arianna. An image of a red exit flashes in her head. Arianna visualizes. She runs away crying.
"Wait-" Rapunzel says as she extends her hand.
Rapunzel collapses to her knees. Eugene, Cassandra, a boy with tan skin, freckles, black hair with a blue streak in it, wearing brown goggles in it, blue eyes, and an aquamarine shirt, brown shoulder pads, brown, baggy pants, and a brown buckle, Varian, a man with brown eyes, black skin wearing a red shirt, gold hoop earrings, black pants, and boots, Lance, a girl with tan skin, brown curly hair, green eyes, pink lips, wearing an aquamarine dress in a brown, wooden wheelchair, Natalia, a girl with tan skin, blue eyes, and black hair wearing a yellow dress, Sara, a girl with tan skin, freckles, red hair in long ponytails, green eyes, wearing a pink dress, Catalina, and her sister, Kiera, who had tan skin, freckles, red streaks running down her face, short black hair, green eyes, and a black shirt, and yellow pants, and a boy with tan skin, brown eyes, and black hair wearing a white suit and pants with a green shirt underneath, Matthew stand behind Rapunzel. Umm… Let's go home. Eugene thinks.
"Blondie, I know that you are sad about your mom, but we need to go home." He explains. Not without Mom. Rapunzel thinks.
"Not without Mom.". I could talk to her. Cassandra thinks. She kneels down.
"Raps, I know you're sad about Mom, but, if anyone can help, it would be Dad." She tells her as she raises Rapunzel's chin. She gets up. They get in the orange and yellow hot air balloon in front of them. Eugene turns the golden knob on the gold frame. They take off.
They arrive in a dull village, Corona an hour later. Rapunzel runs out of the balloon. "Boy, I have missed home!" She explains. "I have missed the sweet shop." . She runs up to a clay building with a wooden frame with a pink and green oval sign, jumps up, and touches the sign. "I have missed the bookstore.". She runs up to a clay building with a wooden frame with an orange and the blue square sign, jumps up, and touches the sign. "I have missed the fountain.". She splashes her hand in a golden fountain. I miss the people. Lance thinks.
"You want to know what I miss about Corona? The people!". He's right. Rapunzel realizes.
"Let's go to the castle and ask my dad.".
They arrive in the throne room. The throne room is a yellow room with a purple carpet rolled out in the middle of the room. Purple banners with yellow suns on them hang from the ceiling. There are stairs in front of the room. On top of those stairs are golden thrones with purple cushions. A tall, slender man with brown, voluminous hair and a well-trimmed beard, Andrew, wearing a dark red, short-sleeved shirt, a white fleece sleeveless jacket over it, black pants, a black belt, two black beaded wristbands, and black boots. A short old woman with hair in double brains tied with pink ribbons, a blue beanie and dress, a dark green cloak, with a satchel, Clementine stands beside him. The Serpents of Saporia! Rapunzel thinks. "You took over!?" Rapunzel questions.
"Yes," Andrew explains.
"Where is my father?".
"I have sent your father away." Where is Arianna? He wonders. "In speaking of your parents, I see the mighty queen of Corona has not returned. Did she…".
"Enough!" Cassandra declares, holding a sword with a black handle out in front of her.
"Aww... sweetheart.". We could fight and the boys could get Dad. Rapunzel thinks.
"Let's split up. Girls fight, and boys get Dad." She announces. Everyone nods.
Rapunzel, Cassandra, Natalia, Sara, Catalina, and Kiera storm the throne room. Rapunzel lassoes her hair on a nearby golden column. She swings and skips on the columns up to the thrones. Cassandra punches Andrew. Clementine approaches Sara. She waves the brown wooden paintbrush she is holding in front of her. A puff of rainbow sparkles appears and pushes her back.
Eugene, Varian, Lance, and Matthew are in the forest. They see a purple wooden carriage with golden lining rushing down the hill. A man with brown hair, tan skin, and blue eyes, wearing a suit with red and blue columns, Frederic, is in it. Eugene grabs a twig and picks the lock. Varian waves a wooden wand with a pink jewel in the middle. A pink wave of light goes down Frederic. Varian! He thinks. "Varian… Did you just give me my memories back?" He questions. Varian nods.
The carriage goes downhill. Everyone screams. It goes uphill. It goes backward. Everyone screams. It goes to the palace. Everyone screams. It stops. Rapunzel stands outside. Frederic hugs her. Can we free Dad? Varian wonders.
"Can we free Dad?".
"Of course." Rapunzel replies.
Rapunzel and Varian are in a teal brick room. A man with tan skin, black hair, gray eyes, rosy cheeks, a shaved beard, a red tee-shirt, brown hair vest, and black gloves, shorts, and boots, Quirin is in amber. Rapunzel wraps her hair around the amber.
"Flower, gleam and glow
Let your powers shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine
Heal what has been hurt
Change the fates' design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine
What once was mine"
Rapunzel sings.
Her hair glows, and the amber melts away. Dad! Varian thinks. He hugs him. I need to know what happened the night of the Sundrop Expedition. Rapunzel thinks.
"Quirin, what happened on the night of the Sundrop Expedition? Were you positied?". He sighs.
"Gothel got a hold of the Mind-Trap, a device that can control me and my siblings." He replies.
"Oh, sorry for being stern.".
"No worries!". What's going on? Varian wonders.
"What's happening?".
"Gothel got a hold of the Mind-Trap, a device that can control me and my siblings on the night of the Sundrop Expedition and I told Frederic not to take the Sundrop because of the black rocks.".
"Oh, ThAt'S nIcE.".
Everyone is in the throne room. "So, let me get this straight: Arianna took the Moonstone, which will kill her." Frederic told them. The group nodded.
"Well, wherever that woman is, I hope she's taking care of herself.".