Welcome back readers! Ok everyone, things are about to turn grim for our heroes in this chapter. I promise that this will be exciting for all of us and I promise to write the final battle in the next chapter and it will be exciting and intense too.
Ok, enough talking. Let's begin!
I own nothing but my own songs and lyrics.
Chapter 11: Things turning grim
Everyone rowed their way across the harbor until they made it to the shore line. Once they reached the shoreline everyone got out of their boats.
"I'm sorry everyone. Everything is fine. There's just something I have to take care of." Eugene said.
"Okay." Everyone said together.
"I'll be right back." Eugene said before taking his leave with his satchel.
Everyone was a little worried about Eugene. "It's alright everyone." Rapunzel reassured everyone.
Eugene made his way across the shoreline passed a few tall rocks along the way until he met up with one of the Stabbington Bros who was sharpening a stick into a spear.
"Ah, there you are. Huh. I've been searching everywhere for you guys since we got separated." Eugene said. "Hey the sideburns just coming in nice huh? Gotta be excited about that."
Eugene smiled awkwardly. "Anyhow, just wanted to say, I shouldn't have split, the crown is all yours." Eugene handed the satchel to the brother. "I'll miss ya, but I think it's for the…" Eugene bumped into the other brother "…best."
"Holding out on us again, eh, Rider?" One of the brothers asked evilly.
"What?" Eugene asked not liking where this is going.
"We heard you found somethin'. Somethin' much valuable than a crown." The brother walked to Eugene menacingly. "We want the girls instead."
Eugene was completely shocked at what he just said. He knew the brother was referring to Rapunzel and Kairi. He stayed that way until everything went black for him.
Meanwhile, everyone was waiting for Eugene but it has been taking a while and everyone was getting worried.
"He's taking a long time." Goofy said. "I hope he's ok."
"I hope so too." Rapunzel said worried.
Sora spoke up. "We should go check on him." He then turned to the girls. "Are you girls going to be ok if you stay here while we check on Eugene?"
"We'll be ok Sora." Kairi answered him with Rapunzel nodding in agreement.
"Ok. We'll be right back." Sora said as he, Donald and Goofy left to check on Eugene.
The trio walked their way to Eugene only to find him lying on the ground unconscious. "Eugene!" The trio exclaimed as they ran to check on him.
Sora shook him trying to wake him up. "Eugene! Wake up!" Sora exclaimed but his efforts were failing as Eugene didn't wake up.
"Don't worry. He's not dead, just unconscious." One of the Stabbington Bros spoke up.
Sora, Donald and Goofy turned around and saw both brothers approach them. "Hey! You're those two criminal we fought back at the canyon!" Sora said in shock after recognizing the two.
"Ah, so you remember us." The other brother said wickedly. "How thoughtful."
"What do you want here?!" Donald exclaimed to the brothers.
"It's not you four that we want. It's the girl with the magic hair and the Princess of Heart we want." One of the brothers said grinning evilly.
The trio gasped and brought out their weapons to try to fight them off. "No, no, no." One of the brothers spoke up before commanding a bunch of powerful heartless to restrain them and to cover their mouths so that they can be quiet. "That's better. A much proper way to discipline a bunch of troublemakers like you three."
"Oh but don't worry." The other brother spoke up before letting out a very wicked grin. "We'll take good care of the girls."
After the brother spoke they knocked Sora, Donald and Goofy unconscious.
Back at the shoreline, the girls were waiting for their four friends to return to them but it was taking more time. The girls started to get worried.
However, the girls saw a shadowy figure approach them. "Eugene! Thank goodness!" Kairi exclaimed smiling a bit.
"I was starting to think you ran off with the crown and left us." Rapunzel said smiling a bit.
"Wait." Kairi started. "Where are Sora, Donald and Goofy?"
The figure continued to approach the girls but then it split into two and they were the Stabbington Bros. The girls saw the brothers and were backing away feeling scared.
"He did." One of the brothers responded to Rapunzel before turning to Kairi. "Your three friends left with him."
"What?" Both the girls asked.
"No, he wouldn't." Rapunzel denied it.
"Sora would never leave us." Kairi denied it too.
"See for yourselves." The brother said showing the girls a small sailboat floating in the foggy harbor away from the girls.
The girls saw Eugene at the boats wheel with Sora next to the mast and Donald and Goofy hanging around in the back. "Eugene? Sora?"
The girls recognized them and felt fear and sadness course through them. They also felt tears spring into their eyes. "Eugene! Sora!" Both girls exclaimed.
The brothers went behind the girls. "Fair trade, a crown for the girl with the magic hair and for the Princess of Heart."
Both girls let out a sharp gasp and turned to face the brothers. "How much do you think someone would pay to stay young and healthy forever?" One of the brothers asked.
"I'll bet they'll pay us extra to keep someone with a heart of pure light forever." The other brother asked before both of them brought out large bags to catch the girls.
Both girls felt very scared and were backing away. "No, please! No!" Rapunzel and Kairi exclaimed before Kairi grabbed her arm.
"Run Rapunzel!" Kairi yelled before they ran for their lives across the shoreline.
They continued to run until Rapunzel's hair got caught in a log. "Ah! Kairi! Help!"
"Rapunzel!" Kairi exclaimed before she and Rapunzel tugged and tugged out of fear for their lives.
Suddenly, the girls heard thuds and then a worried voice. "Rapunzel!" The voice exclaimed.
Rapunzel recognized the voice. "Mother?" She asked.
"Gothel?" Kairi asked remembering Gothel.
The girls got out of the log and walked back to their original spots. They found Gothel who appeared to have knocked the brothers out with a large stick. Gothel saw the girls and was blessed to see them. "Oh my precious girl!" Gothel exclaimed seeing Rapunzel.
"Mother." Rapunzel said before running to Gothel embracing her.
"Gothel." Kairi said before running to her too.
"Oh Kairi! Thank goodness!" Gothel exclaimed. "Are you girls alright? Are you hurt?"
"Mother, how did you-"Rapunzel asked before Gothel cut her off.
"I was so worried about you girls." Gothel explained. "So I followed you. And I saw them attack you and" Gothel looked at the brothers. "Oh my, let's go, let's go before they come too."
Both girls followed before pausing and gazing at the sailboat. They then looked at each other with tear filled eyes before turning back to Gothel who extended her arms out to both of them.
The girls then let out a sob before clinging to Gothel. "You were right mother. You were right about everything." Rapunzel said sobbing.
"I know darling. I know." Gothel soothed before looking at Kairi. "Oh Kairi. Looks like you suffered a broken heart as well."
"Oh Gothel. It hurts so much." Kairi said sobbing.
"I know dear. I know." Gothel said. "Come, let us go back to the tower. You'll both be safe there."
After that, Gothel began to walk the girls back to Rapunzel's tower.
Meanwhile, the sailboat carrying Eugene, Sora, Donald and Goofy made its way to the kingdom's prison before hitting the pier.
The guards saw the boat after hearing it hit. "Look! The crown!" The guard saw the crown in Eugene's satchel which was in his hand.
Sora, Eugene, Donald and Goofy came too and realized that they were knocked out and restrained at their spots on the boat.
"Huh?" The four said before the guards rushed to them. "Rapunzel! Kairi!" The four exclaimed before the guard's apprehended them.
"No! No! wait!" Sora exclaimed.
"No please!" Donald exclaimed.
"No! No! Stop! No!" Goofy exclaimed.
"Wait guys, guys!" Eugene exclaimed.
Maximus heard the commotion and saw the four being apprehended by the guards.
"Rapunzel! Kairi!" the four exclaimed as the guards took them away.
Maximus looked to the foggy shore feeling suspicious about everything happening around him.
The next day came and Sora, Donald, Goofy and Eugene were placed inside a prison cell. Donald and Goofy were sitting against the walls and Eugene and Sora were pacing back and forth feeling very worried about Rapunzel and Kairi.
The four then heard the cell door open and saw the captain of the guard and a few other guards behind him. "Let's get this over with you four."
"Where are we going?" Eugene asked and the guard only had a stern look on his face.
The four realized what the guards plan to do to them. "Oh." The four said.
Meanwhile in Rapunzel's tower, she, Kairi and Gothel were in her room. Gothel unbraided Rapunzel's hair and removed all the flowers that were on it.
"There it never happened." Gothel said before making her way out of Rapunzel's room. "Now you girls wash up for dinner. I'm making hazelnut soup."
Gothel saw the girls were still very sad and hung their heads low. She let out a sigh. "I really did try, girls. I tried to warn you what was out there. The world is dark and selfish and cruel. If it finds even the slightest ray of sunshine, it destroys it." Gothel lectured before closing the curtains leaving Rapunzel, Kairi and Pascal alone.
Rapunzel spoke up. "I can't believe they did that to us. It was supposed to be the perfect night for us and now they did this to us." Rapunzel said letting out a few tears.
"This just doesn't make any sense." Kairi said sadly.
The girls let out a sigh before Rapunzel spoke up. "You know something Kairi."
"What Rapunzel?" Kairi asked.
"You were there for me when they left us and you were there for me when I was stuck on the log when the two criminal attacked us. You were also there to help me when we fought the heartless at the canyon." Rapunzel said. "Thank you for being there for me."
"You're welcome Rapunzel." Kairi said in an appreciative tone. "You want to know something too Rapunzel."
"What Kairi?" Rapunzel asked.
"You were there for me when I was heartbroken last night." Kairi said smiling a bit. "Thank you so much for that. You're like a sister to me."
Rapunzel was touched. "Thank you Kairi. You're like a sister to me too."
The two "sisters" smiled at each other before hugging each other close and enjoying each other's comfort, especially during this heartbreaking time.
The girls let go of each other before laying on Rapunzel's bed on their backs and looked at all the paintings around the ceiling.
As Rapunzel looked at the paintings at the ceiling she looked at her small sun flag in her hands. She then looked at the flag again, then the ceiling again.
Suddenly, something triggered in Rapunzel's head and she sat up looking deep into the ceiling. Kairi saw this and started to feel worried "Rapunzel? A-Are you okay?"
Rapunzel didn't reply and continued to look at the ceiling. Then, in her mind, she started to see the same sun symbol all over her room and scattered about in her drawings.
She stood up and was completely lost into what was going on in her mind. "Rapunzel?!" Kairi asked feeling more worried about her.
In Rapunzel's mind she began to see memories. One memory was time when she last saw the king and queen, her real parents. Another memory was the mural of the royal family with the baby, which was her! The last memory she saw was the time she put the crown on her head, that crown was for the princess, which was her!
"Ahh!" Rapunzel gasped in pure horror and took a few steps hitting her dresser in the process.
"Rapunzel!" Kairi exclaimed running to Rapunzel. "Rapunzel! What is it?! What's going on?!" Kairi asked feeling very concerned about Rapunzel.
Rapunzel didn't respond at first. Kairi took Rapunzel's hands into hers. "Rapunzel please! Talk to me! What's going on?!"
Rapunzel was silent before speaking up. "I'm the lost princess."
Kairi let out a sharp gasp and let go of Rapunzel's hands. "What?"
"T-there was this princess from the kingdom we visited. She went missing from the kingdom 18 years ago- o-on my birthday!" Rapunzel exclaimed.
Kairi was feeling more shocked.
"I think-no I know the lost princess is me!" Rapunzel exclaimed.
Kairi let out another sharp gasp. She remembered the mural they saw at the kingdom and she remembered the little girl placing flowers at the mural saying "It's for the lost princess".
"Ahhh!" Kairi cried out backing into the wall behind her. "Y-You are the lost princess!"
Rapunzel only nodded.
"Then, Gothel is…" Kairi started.
"…not my mother." Rapunzel finished for Kairi.
The girls looked at each other completely off guard. They could not believe everything that is happening around them.
Back at the prison, Eugene, Sora, Donald and Goofy were being led by the guards to be executed for their crimes. More specifically, the guards will execute Eugene for thieving and Sora, Donald and Goofy for assisting him.
While the guards lead them to the execution site, the four saw the Stabbington Bros in another cell. They felt fury build inside them before knocking the guards down and apprehending the Bros.
"How did you know about the girls?! Tell us now!" Eugene asked furiously.
The brothers were intimidated by the four. "It-it wasn't us. It was the old lady."
Sora gasped. "Old lady?" He asked himself before realizing who's really behind this.
"Gothel!" Sora exclaimed feeling fury build inside him. Gothel has Rapunzel and Kairi in her grasp.
The guards restrained the four again and dragged them to the execution site. "No wait! You don't understand! They're in trouble!" The four pleaded to the guards but to no avail. They continued to drag the four to the execution site.
Back at Rapunzel's tower, Gothel heard the commotion in Rapunzel's room and was concerned. "Rapunzel? Kairi?" She asked making her way upstairs.
The girls didn't respond. "Girls, what's going on up there? Are you alright?" She asked before the girls got out of Rapunzel's room in front of Gothel.
Rapunzel spoke up first. "I'm the lost princess." She said silently.
Gothel groaned in annoyance. "Oh please speak up Rapunzel. You know how I hate the mumbling."
Kairi glared at Gothel. "Rapunzel is the lost princess, isn't she?" She asked angrily.
Gothel was silent before Rapunzel spoke again. "Did we mumble 'mother'?" Rapunzel asked glaring at Gothel.
"Or should Rapunzel even call you that?" Kairi asked glaring at Gothel.
"Oh girls. Do you even hear yourselves? Why would you two ask such a ridiculous question?" Gothel asked and was about to hug the girls before they pushed her away.
"It was you! It was all you!" Rapunzel exclaimed.
"You're the reason why Rapunzel is the lost princess!" Kairi exclaimed glaring at Gothel. "You kidnapped her when she was a baby and you've been using her power for yourself! You took the king and queens princess from them!"
Gothel let out a stern look at the girls. "Everything I did was to protect Rapunzel."
The girls didn't buy it one bit. "You weren't protecting her! You were protecting yourself!" Kairi exclaimed before both girls pushed Gothel out of their way and made their way downstairs.
"Girls!" Gothel exclaimed.
"I've spent my entire life hiding from people who would use me for my power!" Rapunzel started.
"Rapunzel!" Gothel called out trying to stop her from talking.
"When I should've been hiding from you!" Rapunzel exclaimed as the girls made their way to the bottom of the stairs.
"I thought we made a mistake taking Rapunzel out of this tower. But now I know we did the right thing!" Kairi exclaimed glaring at Gothel. "We know the truth! And Rapunzel will leave this tower and you for good!"
"Where will you girls go?" Gothel asked. "Your friends won't be there for you."
"What did you do to them?" Rapunzel asked.
"Your friends. Or should I say, those criminals are to be hanged for their crimes." Gothel revealed.
The girls let out a sharp gasp. "No." They said putting their hands together in a worried manner.
"Now, now. It's alright girls. Listen to me." Gothel tried to comfort the girls. "All of this is as it should be." Gothel then tried to pat Rapunzel's head with her hand but Rapunzel grabbed her arm forcefully.
"NO!" Rapunzel exclaimed glaring at Gothel. "You were wrong about the world! And you were wrong about me! And I will never let you use my hair again!"
Rapunzel and Gothel had a little altercation before Gothel got her arm out. The force from the release caused Gothel to step back into the mirror and caused it to fall and shatter the glass.
Gothel was completely off guard at everything that just happened. Soon she saw the girls glaring at her still before Kairi spoke up. "Come on Rapunzel. We're leaving this place for good."
The girls began to walk away from Gothel before she spoke. "You girls want me to be the bad guy? Fine now I'm the bad guy."
I'm planning to stop here everyone! I felt that this would be a perfect cliffhanger for this story. But like I said before, I'm planning to write the final battle in the next chapter. So stay tuned!