Warnings: Violence, Sickness, Blood, and Dark Magic. Mention of death
Summary: The Black Rock trail leads Rapunzel and the gang to the Great Tree, an ancient, mountain-sized tree; they run into the mighty Hector and discover the Moon Incantation. When Hector proves to be more than a match for Rapunzel, Arianna realizes Rapunzel's only chance to defeat him and save their friends rests in the uncontrollable Moon Incantation.
Arianna rides Fidella, and Rapunzel rides Maximus through a meadow at sunrise. The girls giggle. They arrive at the top of a brown canyon. Rapunzel jumps. Arianna jumps. Brown dust surrounds her, and she begins coughing. She lands. Is she okay? Rapunzel worries. "Mom, are you okay!?" She asks her.
"Yeah, just got a lot of dust." Arianna replies.
"Let's take it easy. Besides, we got black rocks to follow.". Arianna nods in agreement.
The caravan arrives at a giant, glowing, green tree. Everyone gets out. That is one big tree. Cassandra thinks. "Wow, I've seen a lot of trees, but this…" She starts. Suddenly a man with braided, black hair, tan skin, and bright green eyes, wearing black armor with a golden lining, a cape with a dark red inside, and black gloves with a golden lining, and black boots, Hector jumps out.
"Who's this?!" Rapunzel questions. Adira walks up.
"My younger brother, Hector, stay with me and you'll be safe.". She swings her sword. Hector runs.
They go inside the tree. Its pale yellow walls have writing in Asian script. The group gasps. A picture of a glowing yellow bloom, the Sundrop, and a glowing blue stone, the Moonstone is on the walls.
"This tree once was a sentient being, a force for good, but Zan Tiri corrupted it. But Sara's father stabbed it with a spear. So, there's no harm now. You know she would have corrupted the Sundrop if Arianna and Rapunzel had not gotten it first." Adira announces. Arianna and Rapunzel smiles.
The group arrives at a grassy island. It grows dark in the tree. We should stop, Adira thinks.
"We should all stop. Night time." She announces. I want to keep exploring. Arianna thinks.
"I want to keep going.". This tree wants the Sundrop. Adira thinks.
"Sunray, this is not a good idea. This tree wants your magic. And it's been the only thing keeping you alive since the attack. Let me go with you in the morning.".
"You are the most foolish, self-serving, naïve, idiotic, ugly, pitiful, insane brat I ever met." Gothel told her. Arianna remembers.
"I'm not a child!" Arianna announces. She storms off. I should try to patch that up. Adira thinks.
"Can someone find Sunray and clarify that I wasn't implying that I think she's a child?" She questions. I, Rapunzel thinks.
"I will." Rapunzel announces.
Rapunzel goes to the edge of the island with Pascal on her shoulder. She sees Arianna crying. "Hey, Mom, you know that Adira wasn't implying that she thinks you are a child. She just wants you to be safe. Dad would be sad if something happened to you, Cassandra would, Eugene would, Natalia would, and I know I would, you're my best friend." Rapunzel tells Arianna. Me too, Pascal thinks. He squeaks. Arianna giggles. "But, if you want to keep exploring, I won't stop you.".
"I think I will.".
Rapunzel goes into the caravan. She grabs a straw basket. She grabs a red apple and puts it in. She grabs a small orange lantern with a yellow sun on it and puts it in. She grabs a green, circular water canteen and puts it in. She goes outside. She gives the basket to Arianna and kisses her forehead.
Arianna wanders the tree. She arrives at the end of a hall with three exits. Little does she know, above the exits, reads 'Sugracha', 'Thromas', and 'Gothel'. She goes through the exit that reads 'Gothel'.
She steps into a dark blue room with stacks of dirty parchment paper and mirrors with golden frames. Whoever this room belonged to must have been intelligent and hard-working. She thinks. She sees a portrait of GotheI on the wall. Never mind.
"Guess we all are born with parts to play"
She sings as she sits.
"Some of us are stars, and some are just in the way"
She looks in a mirror.
"I know I was meant for glory
But that's never what my story brings"
She sees ghosts of GotheI striking her in the heart with a black rock in the village in Corona while she was pregnant.
"And yet I keep on waiting"
She sees a ghost of her leaning on the window as she lies on a nook looking tired while she was pregnant.
"When you have the passion and the drive
You expect your moment center stage to arrive
I show up with heart a blazing
Ready to achieve amazing things"
She sees a ghost of her holding a sword out in front of her.
"But I'm left waiting in the wings"
She sees ghosts of GotheI striking her sword to her back. The ghost of her collapses.
"I hear my cue"
She sees ghosts of her holding a baby girl with long hair and wearing a dress, Rapunzel.
"And yet I'm kept there, waiting"
She sees ghosts of GotheI holding baby Rapunzel standing on the palace window, looking behind with a death glare.
"Know what to do"
She sees a ghost of a girl wearing a dress with a light top and a dark skirt riding a horse.
"And still I stand there, waiting"
She sees a ghost of GotheI jumping out in front of the ghost of younger her on the horse.
"It's always someone else who sings"
She sees a ghost of GotheI sitting in an armchair as she brushes the long hair of a girl wearing a gown, while she sits on the ground in front of her.
"While I'm left waiting in the wings"
She sees a ghost of her releasing a lantern.
"And so I keep on keeping on"
She sees a ghost of her climbing a mountain.
"My chances come"
She sees ghosts of her holding baby Rapunzel.
"... and then I blink and they're gone"
She sees ghosts of GotheI holding baby Rapunzel standing on the palace window, looking behind with a death glare.
"Always overlooked unfairly
While pretending that it barely stings"
She sees ghosts of a man with hair, eyes, cheeks, a shaved beard, a tee-shirt, fur vest, and gloves, shorts, and boots, Quirin holding a scroll in front of Frederic.
"But it stings, yes it stings"
She sees a ghost of her shaking in Frederic's arms when she was pregnant. Tears stream down her ghost's cheeks.
"And I'll shed no tears"
She thrusts her arms out, looks up, and closes her eyes. Ghosts of lanterns surround her.
"I'll only keep on waiting
If no one cheers"
She claps.
"Well, I can keep on waiting"
She spins.
"Who cares how loud
The silence rings"
She sings on a high note.
"You'll find me waiting in the wings "
She sings quietly. The lanterns disappear.
Everyone is in the middle of the tree. Suddenly, Hector jumps out. He runs to them with a wooden spear with a glowing blue tip. The Decay Incantation Arianna remembers.
"Rapunzel, use the Decay Incantation." She announces. Rapunzel nods.
"Wither and decay
End this destiny
Break these earthly chains
And set the spirit free
The spirit free"
Rapunzel sings. Hector faints. Arianna and Rapunzel faint and start vomiting. Eugene's stomach starts bleeding and he faints. Arianna reaches over and touches Rapunzel. Her arm burns. An agony runs through her arm. She starts foiling and screaming in agony. She's going to hurt herself really badly. Lance thinks. "Cassie, get Rapunzel's hair on Eugene, Arianna, and herself. I'm going to hold down Arianna so she doesn't give herself a TBI." He announces. Cassandra picks up Rapunzel's hair and quickly puts it on Eugene, Arianna, and her. Lance holds down Arianna's head.
"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"
Cassandra sings.
Rapunzel's hair glows. Lance lets go of Arianna. Rapunzel, Eugene, and her sit.
"That was… interesting." Arianna announces. Everybody laughs. Rapunzel, Eugene, and her stand up. Let's make this the last time something like this happens. Eugene thinks.
"Ladies, promise me this: this will be the last time someone tries to undo the magic that is keeping us all alive." He speaks.
"Oh, okay," Arianna and Rapunzel giggle. The group exits.
Meanwhile, Zan Tiri sits on a branch near the top and watches the group exit. "Consider this my revenge for taking the lily, Sundrop." She starts as she narrows her eyes. "And, I'm only getting started.". She laughs maliciously.