Chapter 9
The Sealroom

Trigger Warning: Caged Animal, Undetailed Drugging

Cassandra had finally caught up with Petunia and Anthony, who were not even doing their jobs. "Are you two kidding me?! We're on a important business trip!" Cassandra snapped at them. "Oh well, I figured it would be nice to at least enjoy our trip, instead of being all serious the whole time!" Petunia laughed, fanning herself with a red and black hand-fan.

"Plus the people here are very nice."
Anthony added, "None of them seem up to any bad things."

Cassandra crossed her arms and turned away from them. She still didn't trust everyone here.

Say...in-fact, where is Trevor and Rapunzel? They were right there when...

"I've got to go check with Rapunzel, stay put!" Cassandra pointed at the two and ran off. Petunia and Anthony exchanged looks and then carried on, drinking fruit punch and talking to the guests there.

Creaking, the door did, and opened the dimly lit room. Trevor pulled on one of the strings of a lamp nearby and turned it on, lighting only half of the room, but enough to see the seal collection he had. "Isn't it marvelous! Look at it!" Trevor held his hands to the collection.

Rapunzel looked it up and down. "It's very beautiful!" She said.

"I got this in Galcrest, oh and this one in Koto, as I said before." Trevor pointed at little figurines, greeting cards, plates, paintings, you name it. Rapunzel could have sworn she heard a noise, and it didn't sound like Trevor or herself. Rapunzel turned to the noise, it was in the dark of the room, but she couldn't see into it.

"What's over there? More seal collection?" She asked, slightly less excitable than she had been sounding. "Oh, nothing. Storage, mostly- Ah, this was from Vardaros! Traveled really far to get that, just so you know..." He pointed at another seal. "Mhm..." Rapunzel nodded, and once Trevor wasn't looking, she slowly stepped to the darkness. The noise got clearer.

It sounded like something whimpering.
The noise whined in the dark, scared almost, or just sad.

Rapunzel stared, trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness but simply could not see what was crying, the only thing she was able to see was a red collar with T.J. on it.

Rapunzel realized...
Trevor Junior.

Suddenly, she was grasped by Trevor and pulled close to him. "I told you, it was just storage, now please look at the collection instead." Trevor said, sliding her away from the darkness.

She didn't pull away but she was still very curious of what she was hearing. "There's something in the dark... It's crying-" Rapunzel pointed out. Trevor glared, his blonde brow furrowing and suddenly... Rapunzel felt something cover her mouth and nose.

"You've heard nothing." Trevor spat, holding a rag to her face.

Rapunzel inhaled, trying to breath, only to breathe in a sweet, chemically smell. Rapunzel slowly began to feel dizzy, and then...she passed out... The last thing she heard before doing so, was the whining of the creature that was in the dark.

There was a seal.

Trevor of Equis has sealnapped a seal...

Cassandra looked around, glaring at everyone and everything, when she noticed the open door and Trevor walking out of it and scurrying away into the crowds, forgetting to close it.

Rapunzel...

She headed over there quickly and pushed open the door. "Raps?!" She whisper-shouted. However, instead of Rapunzel responding, it was of a seal whining at her. Cassandra struggled to find another light, but she found another seal-themed lamp and turned it on.

"Raps!" Cassandra gasped when she saw Rapunzel unconscious in the corner. She turned to see the seal, "Random- Seal?" Cassandra was confused. She ran to Rapunzel and knelt down, shaking her. "Rapunzel, wake up, quickly." She said, her breath hitching.

Rapunzel woke up, batting her eyes. "Mm...C-Cass? Is that you?" She yawned. "What did he do?" Cassandra hissed. "Sweet-smelling rag... Fell asleep." Rapunzel sat up, rubbing her eyes. "He drugged you?! That son of a-" Suddenly, the seal barked at her and Rapunzel.

"Shh, be quiet! We'll get you out of there." Rapunzel looked at the seal. "What?" Cassandra squinted her eyes. Rapunzel shakily stood up, half-asleep and also just because of the shoes. "This seal... He isn't legally owned. I think Trevor of Equis seal-napped this little guy..."

Cassandra crossed her arms, "Explains a lot. Previous crimes."
"We need to help him!" Rapunzel frowned, glassy-eyed.

"What- No, Raps! We're trying to find Jack, remember?" Cassandra protested. "Well Jack isn't here! Trevor's a criminal just the same though! He hasn't murdered anyone, I hope. But he's stolen a seal and has been keeping him locked in this cage." Rapunzel replied.

Cassandra looked to the seal and sighed. "Give me a few minutes and I'll get the seal out of here in no time." Cassandra shuffled over to the cage and pulled out a knife from her boot and began trying to pick the lock with it. "Meanwhile, you keep an eye on Trevor, and if you can, report to Petunia and Anthony." Cassandra added. Rapunzel nodded and ran off, nearly tripping, trying to look for all three people mentioned by her lady-in-waiting.