Chapter 11: A Guy Like You
"Quasi?" Flynn called as he made his way through the forest, pushing branches out of the way as he made his way through the brush, "Hey Quasi, where are you?"
Hearing the sound of someone else moving through the brush, Flynn made his way in that direction. A few moments later and he found himself in the middle of a small clearing. At its center was a tree stump, on which Quasi sat, glaring up at the moon.
"Hey, buddy," Flynn greeted as he walked up to Quasi.
"I'm not your buddy," Quasi replied, not looking at him.
"Um, okay," Flynn replied, caught off guard by Quasi's sudden hostility, "So Esmeralda said you needed help gathering fire wood?"
Quasi remained silent.
"You're not gathering firewood are you?" Flynn asked with a sigh. Quasi continued to remain silent, causing Flynn to scratch the back of his head awkwardly.
"Okay, so there's obviously a problem. What is it? Come on, spill it," Flynn stated getting frustrated by Quasi's silence.
"You want to know what the problem is?" Quasi growled turning to glare at Flynn, "You are!"
"Me?" Flynn questioned.
"Yes, you," Quasi growled, "I know what you're up to."
"And what exactly is that?" Flynn scoffed.
"You're trying to steal the crown from us," Quasi accused, "It's what you've been trying to do since you first met us!"
"That's not true at all!" Flynn argued.
"Come on, Flynn," Quasi growled, "I may have been raised in a cathedral, but I'm not stupid. I know you just want to take the crown so you can sell it for yourself."
Flynn didn't say anything as Quasi turned his glare towards the ground.
"And worse of all, you're using Rapunzel to do it," Quasi stated.
"What?" Flynn asked.
"You're using her to get the crown!" Quasi yelled turning back towards Flynn, causing him to take a step back in surprise, "You're going to make her fall for you, have her hand over the crown to you and then leave her, breaking her heart."
Flynn was surprised at Quasi's accusation. Mostly because it was correct.
"So you know what?" Quai asked as he pulled off his bag and tossed it at Flynn's feet, causing it to open, revealing the crown inside, "Take it."
"Excuse me?" Flynn asked, looking at him with a very confused look.
"Take it and go," Quasi stated simply.
"You're just giving me this?" Flynn asked, "Do you know how much this is worth?"
"No, and I don't care," Quasi said, turning to look at the moon again, "Whatever it is, it's worth the price for her to be happy."
"You care about her that much?" Flynn asked, still shocked.
"I do. I realize she will never feel the same way about me. Not when she's beautiful enough to get any guy she wants," Quasi explained, "But I don't want that guy to be you, because you'll just break her heart. So, just get lost."
"What will you tell the others?" Flynn asked, seriously considering the offer.
"The truth, that you took the crown and left," Quasi stated, "Esmeralda will believe it and she can help cheer Rapunzel up."
Flynn didn't say anything as he stared down at the crown at his feet. Everything Quasi had said was true. He had been planning to woo Rapunzel into giving him the crown. He had been planning on taking the crown and splitting, to sell it in some far off country. He was going to do it, and damn the consequence. But now that he was here, with consequences laid before him, he couldn't. Thinking about it all, especially what they had done for him, made him realize just how selfish he was really being. What really got to him though was the way Quasi had looked at him. It was a look of betrayal, real betrayal. Quasi had trusted Flynn and he had thrown that trust in his face. A sad look crossed Flynn's face as he looked at the crown at his feet. He felt lower then dirt.
Looking up, he saw Quasi had returned to the stump Flynn had found him sitting on, staring up at the moon. Reaching down to pick up the bag and tuck the crown back inside it, Flynn sauntered over and sat down next to him. Quasi turned to look at him in surprise, but Flynn ignored him, looking up at the moon.
"It looks pretty nice out here," Flynn said suddenly.
"What?" Quasi asked.
"I said it's pretty nice out here," Flynn repeated, "You don't usually get this good of a view of the sky from the city."
"It's the lights," Quasi commented, "They make it harder to see the night sky. It's easier out here because it's darker."
"Makes sense," Flynn replied before the two fell into a silence again.
"I'm sorry," Flynn said suddenly.
"Excuse me?" Quasi asked.
"I said I'm sorry," Flynn repeated, "Want me to say it again?"
"Why are you apologizing?" Quasi asked confused.
"Because you were right," Flynn admitted, "Everything you said was true, and I should apologize for the way I acted."
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing too," Quasi replied, "And why the sudden change of heart?"
"You made me see how selfish I was being," Flynn said, "Well I mean, I always kind of knew I was selfish, but I never really thought of what it did to other people."
"Why me? I'm sure this isn't the first time someone has said these things to you," Quasi commented, looking at Flynn with a confused look.
"You remind me of the people I grew up with," Flynn explained.
"The people you grew up with?" Quasi questioned.
"I'm an orphan, and I was raised in an orphanage," Flynn explained, "I was the oldest one there, and so all the other kids kind of looked up to me. You kind of remind me of some of them."
"Oh, wow," Quasi said, caught off guard, "Well, thank you."
"Don't worry about it," Flynn said with a shrug, "But basically, growing up there is what led me to the life I have now."
"Why is that?" Quasi questioned, growing more and more interested.
"Well when we were growing up, I used to read the kids at the orphanage bedtime stories. Our favorites were the stories of Flinnegan Rider, a rich and heroic adventurer who could go anywhere and do anything he wanted. He was handsome and brave and charming. He was everything I wanted to be. So I decided to try and be like him," Flynn explained.
"That's why you changed your name?" Quasi asked.
"Yep, I figured it was more romantic then Eugene Fitzherbert," Flynn said with a laugh.
"I suppose," Quasi said with a shrug, "But why did you start stealing?"
"Well, I told you he was rich, right?" Flynn asked, "I figured I needed to have some money in order to live like him. And I've never been good at anything besides stealing. Plus, as you may have guessed, there's a large amount of money in thieving."
"I see, and so you've gotten used to this kind of thing?" Quasi asked.
"I have, and I think I've lost sight of what I originally got into this for," Flynn explained.
"And what's that?" Quasi asked.
"To be happy," Flynn explained, "To go out there and have grand adventures like Flinnegan. I became focused on the money, instead of what I wanted it for in the first place."
"Well, I'm glad I could help you," Quasi stated awkwardly, "Even though I wasn't really trying to."
"Well, thanks all the same," Flynn replied with a chuckle, before they both lapsed into silence again.
"You're wrong you know," Flynn said suddenly.
"Huh?" Quasi asked.
"You're wrong about, Blondie," Flynn stated.
"How so?" Quasi asked, immediately interested.
"She's not interested in me," Flynn stated, "She's interested in you."
"What?" Quasi asked, caught off guard again.
"She's crazy about you," Flynn told him with a smirk.
"You're wrong, I saw the way she looked at you," Quasi said, glaring at the ground.
"Well, I am rather fetching if I do say so myself," Flynn said, running his hand through his hair as he smiled. His smile dropped as he saw Quasi glaring at him.
"Sorry," Flynn replied, "But I am being serious. I may have good looks but she clearly wasn't interested in me. You know what she was talking about the whole time you and Esmeralda were gone?"
Quasi shook his head.
"You," he said simply, pointing his finger at Quasim "She wouldn't stop talking about you. "Quasi is so great isn't he? He's so nice and kind." Blah Blah Blah."
"You're just saying that," Quasi said, looking away from Flynn.
"I'm not. I tried every trick I know," Flynn explained, "She even resisted the Smolder."
"The Smolder?" Quasi asked, confused.
"Sorry, I save that for the ladies," Flynn replied, "But what I'm trying to say is that I'm pretty good with the girls and she ignored everything I threw at her. She's got it bad for you."
"You're wrong," Quasi said, shaking his head, "There's no way she'd like me like that."
"I'm telling you it's true," Flynn replied with a shrug, "Why do you think she doesn't?"
"Have you looked at me?" Quasi asked, "There's no way she'd be interested in someone as ugly as me."
"Girls don't only care about looks," Flynn stated, "Especially Blondie."
"She would never be interested in a guy like me," Quasi insisted.
"A guy like you?" Flynn asked, "I think she's very interested in a guy like you."
"This forest, a place for lovers, is glowing this evening," Flynn sung softly, causing Quasi to look at him with a confused face, "True, that's because we started a fire, but still, there's 'l'amour'."
"Somewhere out there in the night," he sang, standing up and gesturing towards the forest, "Her heart is also alight, and I know the guy she might just be burning for!"
"A guy like you, she's never known, kid" Flynn sung, placing a hand on Quasi's shoulder, "A guy like you does not meet everyday!"
"You've got a look, that's all your own, kid," Flynn continued, reaching out a cupping his chin, "Could there be two? Like you? No way!"
"Those other guys that she could dangle," he sang as he walked behind Quasi before looking at him over his shoulder, "All look the same from every boring point of view!"
"You're a surprise, from every angle," he sang as he stepped in front of Quasi and threw his hands up into the air, "Oh Sun above, she's got to love a guy like you!"
"A guy like you, gets extra credit," he continued, as he stroke his goatee while looking Quasi over "Because it's true you've got a certain something more!"
"You see that face?" he asked as he squeezed Quasi's cheeks, "You don't forget it! You want something new? That's you! For sure!"
"We all have gaped at some Adonis," Flynn sung, taking a step back and running his hand through his hair and grinning, "But then we crave a meal more nourishing to chew!"
"And since you're shaped like a croissant is," Flynn continued, grabbing onto Quasi's shoulders, "No question of, she's got to love a guy like you!"
"Call me a hopeless romantic, but kid, I feel it!" Flynn sung, kneeling in front of Quasi and flinging his hands up into the air dramatically, the moon shining brightly behind him, "She wants you so any moment she'll walk up and tell you how she feels!"
Reaching over, he grabbed Quasi's arms and hauled him to his feet.
"Foooor a guy so swell," Flynn sung, twirling Quasi around and starting to dance, urging Quasi, "With all you bring her! A fool could tell, it's why she fell for you know who!"
Watching Flynn do the small dance, Quasi couldn't help but smile and join in, his slightly clumsy steps mixing with Flynn's more fluid ones as they both laughed and smiled.
"You ring the bell!" Flynn declared, pointing at Quasi as they danced, "You're the bell ringer!"
"If she wants ooo la la!" Flynn sung as they danced, shaking his hips goofily as he did, causing Quasi to laugh, "Then she wants you la la!"
"She will discover guy!" Flynn continued as he grabbed Quasi and began to dance a little waltz with him, earning a laugh from Quasi, "You're one heckuva guy!"
"Who wouldn't love a guuuuy liiiiike yoooooooouuu!" Flynn sung as he spun around and pointed at Quasi, "So she's gotta love a guy like you!"
Flynn abruptly stopped singing and sat back down, Quasi following suit almost unthinkingly. The two of them looked at each other for a few moments, not speaking as a smile crept across his face.
"So…" Quasi said as the silence continued for a few seconds, "That was interesting."
"Yep," Flynn agreed, still grinning.
"I thought you didn't like doing that kind of stuff?" Quasi asked.
"I figured you needed a bit of cheering up," Flynn replied with a shrug.
"Well, thanks," Quasi replied a bit awkwardly.
"Don't mention it," Flynn said, waving off the thanks as he stood back up, "So shall we get back to the girls?"
"Sure," Quasi replied with a nod as he stood up and picking up his satchel.
"And then you can tell Blondie how you feel," Flynn said with a smirk.
"I'm not sure I can do that just yet," Quasi replied.
"Well, I'm sure you'll work up the courage," Flynn replied slapping Quasi on the back as they began walking back to the fire.
Meanwhile
Rapunzel and Esmeralda sat on the log near the fire, talking as they sat looking at each other. Rapunzel had a nervous look on her face and was rubbing her arm in a fidgety way.
"So you think Quasi was upset at me?" she asked, concerned.
"I do," Esmeralda replied, nodding her head.
"I feel so bad, I didn't even know," Rapunzel replied, looking like she was on the verge of tears.
"It's okay, that's why I wanted to talk to you. I figured you didn't understand what was happening, which is why I wanted to talk to you," Esmeralda explained.
"Thank you," Rapunzel said, "You've been a really good friend to me. I've never really had a girlfriend close to my own age."
"Well, I'm glad I can be that friend," Esmeralda said with a smile, reaching out and taking Rapunzel's hands while giving them a reassuring squeeze.
"You're more than just a friend, you're so great and brave," Rapunzel gushed, "You're everything I wish I could be."
"Me? Rapunzel you're plenty brave," Esmeralda argued, "You did great in that fight yesterday."
"But not like you," Rapunzel replied, "How did you learn to fight like that?"
"Let's just say I've had it tough growing up," Esmeralda replied with a shrug, "You pick up unsavory skills like that."
"So that's how you knew sword fighting?" Rapunzel asked excitedly, "Can you teach me!"
"I suppose, sword fighting really isn't my strength," Esmeralda replied, laughing at Rapunzel's enthusiasm.
"Really? You looked really good yesterday," Rapunzel replied.
"Thanks, but it's not what I prefer to fight with, not that I prefer to fight at all," Esmeralda explained.
"What do you like?" Rapunzel asked, curious.
"It's easier to show you then tell you," Esmeralda replied, before standing up and walking over to the edge of the woods. Looking around for a few moments, she reached down and picked up a thin stick, as long as she was tall. Giving it an experimental twirl, she smiled and walked back over to the campfire.
"A stick?" Rapunzel asked.
"A staff," Esmeralda corrected, "Let me show you what I can do with it."
Taking a step back, she held the stave in two hands out in front of her. Taking a calming breath, she spread her feet to shoulder length, before she began to spin her staff on both side of her body, alternating every few seconds. Spinning the staff around, she began to spin herself, starting to dance around the fire. Her feet were as light and talented as ever, spinning her around as she spun the staff in her hands, twirling it behind her back and around her neck. Coming back towards Rapunzel, she stopped herself and thrust the stave out in front of her, almost hitting Flynn as he returned with Quasi and causing him to drop the firewood he had been carrying.
"Whoa!" Flynn cried in surprise, holding his hands out in front of him, "Easy there."
"Sorry," Esmeralda apologized, before lowering her stave, smiling slightly as she noticed that Quasi and Flynn had returned together.
"What was that about?" Flynn asked as he bent down and began picking up the firewood.
"I asked her to show me her fighting skills," Rapunzel explained, "She's very good."
"I'm not that good," Esmeralda replied dismissively.
"She is," Rapunzel insisted.
"Why are you so interested, Blondie?" Flynn asked as he put the firewood near the fire as Quasi did the same, "You don't really seem the type to enjoy all this fighting stuff."
"Well, I don't personally," Rapunzel replied with a shrug, "I've never really wanted to hurt anyone, though I don't like seeing my friends get hurt either. But one of the books I used to read back home was a tale about a brave knight and his companions who battled an evil king and his minions to save a beautiful princess. It was my favorite story and the way you guys fought those guards yesterday reminded me of it."
"You mean the way we all fought those guards," Quasi corrected, "You helped a lot too."
"I didn't help that much," Rapunzel replied dismissively, blushing.
"You saved me," Esmeralda pointed out, walking over and putting a hand on Rapunzel's shoulder and giving it a light squeeze.
"Yeah don't sell yourself short, Blondie," Flynn agreed, before walking over and patting Quasi on the back, "We got too many people doing that around here."
Quasi scratched the back of his head as Rapunzel smiled at him. Blushing slightly, she patted the log next to her, signaling for Quasi to sit next to her. Quasi blushed slightly and hesitated, causing Flynn to nudge him slightly. Quasi glanced up at him, earning a smirk and a wink from Flynn. Quasi smiled back before walking over and sitting next to Rapunzel, earning a smile from the girl. Esmeralda watched the scene, before raising an eyebrow at Flynn, earning a smirk and a shrug from him as he sat down on the ground.
"So you guys were gone for a while," Esmeralda stated as she sat down on the ground as well, "What were you guys doing?"
"Gathering firewood and talking," Flynn replied.
"Talking?" she asked, "About what?"
"Guy stuff," Flynn replied with a shrug.
Esmeralda merely rolled her eyes in reply.
"Oh by the way, Quasi," Flynn spoke up as he reached into his pocket, "I think you dropped this."
Turning around, he revealed the crown in his hand. The others gasped in surprise as Quasi instinctively reached for the satchel, finding it empty. Flynn laughed at their reactions, before tossing the crown over to Quasi. Quasi caught it clumsily, before he and Rapunzel looked at it, almost unsure it was real. Feeling sure it was real, they looked at Flynn in surprise, getting only a smirk from him. Esmeralda instead just stared at Flynn in shock before her expression melted into a genuine smile. Flynn noticed and smiled back adding an innocent shrug. As the others began to chat, Esmeralda started to revise her opinion on the man known as Flynn Rider.
Meanwhile
In another part of the woods, walking down the well maintained highway back to Corona, was Frollo and his entourage, accompanied by Gothel. Gothel had wanted to walk but Frollo had insisted she ride on his black horse with him. Meanwhile, the Stabbington brothers trudged along next to them, surrounded by armed guards.
"So, Ms. Gothel," Frollo spoke up, "Have you ever been to the city?"
"Not for many years," Gothel replied.
"Well then, you are in for a treat," Frollo said in an awkwardly friendly tone, "There is a festival going on tomorrow, one very special to the kingdom."
"What one is that?" Gothel asked, "I am unfamiliar with many of the festivals that Corona celebrates."
"It is to celebrate the birthday of the so called Lost Princess," Frollo explained.
Gothel's blood ran cold for a moment though she didn't let it show.
"The Lost Princess?" she asked, faking ignorance.
"The daughter of the king and queen. She was kidnapped eighteen years ago now. They honor her memory every year with a festival."
"How…touching," Gothel replied, "Do you think your men found my daughter?"
"If they did, they will be bringing her to meet you at the Palace of Justice," Frollo explained, "If not, and she is still in the clutches of the hunchback and his thieving allies, I believe that they will return to the city looking to hide from us."
"Why would they do that?" Gothel asked, confused.
"Because my men have sealed off all the roads and are combing the wilderness, looking for them. They're only chance of safety is within the city, and I'll be waiting for them there. And then they will know the price for defying me."
Gothel felt a chill go down her back as she inched away from Frollo.
"So what do we do until we find out if your men have found my daughter?" Gothel asked hesitantly.
"You will be my guest at the Palace of Justice," he replied with a smile, "After all, there is a festival to celebrate."
A/N: Another fun chapter to write. I thought this was the best place to have this HoND song, because the gargoyles don't really have a large a role in my story and I realized Flynn never had a song of his own. I also liked doing some character interaction between all of them. Hope you guys liked this chapter! Please review!