Here I am with chapter four. I finished this a few days ago, but I wanted to edit it first.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the "Tangled" franchise. I only own the story idea and any minor OCs I make up.
"And… we are… done," Varian said as he finished setting up the goo dispenser to the fence post. Straightening up, he stretched as he breathed in the fresh air of Old Corona.
Varian hadn't been back to his village in a long time. The last time he was here was when he and his father moved to the castle. Varian had snuck out and come to the area a few times but never went into the village because of his powers.
Today, he was installing his humane critter traps for the villagers. He had just finished the last one but felt like hanging out in his old home for a while.
Varian took a quick look around the village. Everything looked almost the same as when he left it. He waved to a couple of farmers, and they returned kindly.
It was strange, he would admit. Before he left Old Corona, he was positive no one in the village liked him. He had gotten into his mother's alchemy by then and already had a few accidents under his belt. Later, he learned that a lot of the villagers became worried about him when he started isolating himself in the castle. It was like people changed their minds about him when they realized something was wrong.
The point was that Old Corona didn't have any people who were still wary of his abilities. Maybe that was why he loved coming back out here so much. That, and it reminds him of simpler times.
"Good Morning, Varian." The Prince turned to see Earl, one of the shepherds, come over.
"Morning, Earl." He greeted the older man.
After his father became King, he appointed Earl to watch over Old Corona, and he was doing a pretty good job.
"All finished?"
"Yup," Varian nodded proudly. "With these, you'll be able to keep pests out of fields without hurting them or yourselves if someone steps in one by accident. Have all the farmers been given the neutralizer?"
"Yup." Earl nodded.
"Great. All of these are set up with a month's supply, so when you run out or if one of them breaks, send word to the castle, and I'll come back with refills. I should probably also show people how to fix these on their own if they need to."
"That would be a good idea."
Varian then glanced around, realizing something was missing. "Wait, where's Ruddiger?"
"Over here!" Another voice called, amused.
The alchemist and Earl turned to see Ruddiger had been found by a farmer and his wife caught in one of the critter traps.
Varian walked over, shaking his head as he looked at his raccoon. "Just don't learn, do ya buddy?"
Ruddiger grinned sheepishly at him as he was released, making the villagers laugh.
"Well, as nice as it's been being out here again, I need to get back to the castle," Varian smiled at everyone before he and Ruddiger headed over to Galaxy and their cart. "There are some preparations for the Goodwill Festival I need to help with."
"Ah, right," Earl said as Varian put his tools in the cart. "This is going to be an important one this year."
"Yup. It's the 500th anniversary, my first public appearance, and my sister's first festival ever." The alchemist said, climbing up onto the cart.
"Must be exciting."
"Yeah. Rapunzel's just as excited as everyone else."
"I know some of the villagers are going to take time off to go, so hopefully, you'll see some familiar faces in the crowd."
"That'd be great. Well, I better get going before my dad sends a search party," Varian said, remembering he was supposed to have guards with him. He flicked the reins, and Galaxy started moving. "See you later."
"Have a good day, Your Highness," Earl waved as the Prince left.
Varian waved back before focusing on the road ahead. He then sighed, thinking about one person he hoped to see…
The Prince shook his head. Time to stop dreaming. For all he knew, Hugo was miles away from Corona by now.
He just hoped he was safe wherever he was.
(The Goodwill Festival)
It was the 500th anniversary of the Good Will Gopher Grab, announced by the banner on the castle arch. A crowd cheered in the courtyard as King Quirin made a speech before them with his children by his side.
"We have much to celebrate during this year's Gopher Grab. Not only is this the 500th anniversary, but we commemorate this Crown Princess Rapunzel's very first festival and Prince Varian's first festival with his sister."
The crowd cheered joyfully as Quirin turned to the siblings with a wink, who smiled back at him. "To mark this joyous event, our princess has redesigned the Gopher Grab seal of goodwill, and our prince will be the one to put it into place."
The King nodded to his son, who nodded in return before activating a crane device he designed. Putting the commands to make the machine work, the claw machine raised a covered plaque into position underneath the railing.
Once in place, his father removed the curtain to reveal a picture of a gopher inside a fused sun and moon symbol. Vines surrounded it as an owl and a lark circled it with a marigold and a jasmine in their respective beaks.
The crowd applauded and cheered again.
"Ladies and gentlemen of Corona, Crown Princess Rapunzel and Prince Varian." The King gestured to his children as they smiled toward the crowd.
"Thank you so much. Aw. You're all too kind." Rapunzel said.
"We're happy to be celebrating this event together. " Varian smiled as they shared a brief hug.
"Booo!" Someone jeered, startling the siblings. It was loud enough to be heard by everyone, even the King, as he shot a look towards the crowd.
However, since Rapunzel was unfamiliar with this kind of response, he misinterpreted it positively. "And a booo to you too, sir."
"Uh, Rapunzel…" Varian tried to tell her the truth, but his step-sister just gave him a one-armed hug as she waved at the crowd below.
When Quirin and Varian looked at each other, the Prince just shrugged, not knowing what to tell him.
(Later)
Around town, the logo is replaced by Rapunzel's design, and the villagers waved to the royal siblings as they walked by.
"I gotta hand it to you two," Eugene said as he walked arm-in-arm with Rapunzel. "The people of Corona love you."
"You're the best!" A little girl cheered as she ran up to hug the siblings.
"They sure do know how to make us feel special," Rapunzel beamed as the little girl walked away with her mother. "I mean, I've never heard so much applause, and someone actually booed me."
Eugene's smile dropped as he turned to Varian. The younger male shook his head to try and tell him he hadn't explained it to Rapunzel, but the former thief didn't get it. "Forget that guy. I wouldn't pay too much attention–"
"I've never even heard that cheer before. It's so exotic!" Rapunzel smiled happily while her boyfriend stared at her in confusion. "Do you think he's from overseas?"
"You don't know what boo means, do you?" Eugene asked slowly.
"Yeah, I do," She smiled confidently with a hand on her hip. "It's a cheer, like Yippee! Hooray! Boo! Right?"
The two winced, glancing away to show she was wrong.
"No? Alright. So what does it mean?" She asked.
(At the Gopher Grab tents)
"It means someone hates you," Cass answered when they found her.
Rapunzel's eyes widened in shock.
Someone… hated her? But why? She's been so nice to everyone and liked her back! So, what was different about this man?!
"Way to candy-coat it, Cassandra," Eugene replied sarcastically as he tossed an apple between his hands. Cass ignored him as she tended to something else.
"Why wouldn't someone like me?" Rapunzel asked dejectedly. "What could I have done to his person?"
"Rapunzel, who cares?" Eugene called out. "Not everyone has to like you. That's part of life."
"Imagine how many hated him when he was stealing," Varian jerked a thumb at the man. "And probably still hate him to an extent. Plus, do you know how many people don't like me either? While things have improved, several people in my old village still don't like me. Lady Caine and her crew hate my guts for messing up their plan. Nigel has a problem with me, and most of the guards are either scared of me or just don't trust me."
"I know you're trying to make a point, Varian, but that's still concerning," Rapunzel said, giving the Prince a worried look.
"I cope by laughing through my pain." Varian shrugged.
"Getting back to the point, Eugene and Vari are right. Someone could not like you for any number of reasons," Cass picked up the animal she was tending to before grabbing a brush to smooth out their fur. She grinned at Eugene as she continued, "For instance, maybe you have a stupid goatee that makes you look ridiculous, and someone might not like you for that."
"Cass." Varian side-eyed her.
"You know, Cassandra, it's a little hard to take your insults seriously when you're holding that thing." He retorted back, pointing at what she was holding.
The handmaiden turned to her, revealing a tired-looking gopher she was brushing. Cass glared at him as she put down the brush.
"This 'thing' is important. Gregorio the Goodwill Gopher represents half a millennium of honor and tradition throughout this kingdom," She explained, walking past various portraits of previous gophers with ancestors from past festivals.
"And tormenting a gopher for fun and prophet," Varian muttered, getting a glare from Cass. "What? Allergies."
"Yeah, right."
"I thought you liked the Goodwill Festival?" Rapunzel asked her brother.
"No, I said I was looking forward to it… Because you're home and this is our first festival together. That doesn't mean I like it."
Cass sighed tiredly since this was a conversation he had heard before.
"All I'm saying is there are better ways to show kingdom spirit and cooperation that don't involve animal abuse."
"We're still talking about the rat, right?" Eugene spoke up.
"Gopher!" Cass corrected him. "For your information, the Gopher Grab is a Corona institution. I was entrusted as the mascot's caretaker because it is a mark of hallowed esteem."
"Yeah, that's special," He replied carelessly, causing her to glare at him. "He just pooped on you."
She gasped, looking down at herself, only to find nothing there.
"Listen, Blondie," He walked past a growling Cass. "You're just gonna have to accept that some people aren't gonna like you."
"I'm sorry you have to hear that, Rapunzel, but it's the truth," Varian said.
"Ugh! All I can hear is his gravelly 'boo' over and over in my head," She lamented before Eugene placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Rapunzel, I know your feelings are hurt. I get that. But you gotta admit if Cassandra and I are actually agreeing on something," He sent a smug grin toward the woman. "It's probably worth listening to. Let this one go."
She smiled a bit, letting out a small sigh.
"You know what? You're right," She said as he pulled her closer. "Thank you."
They shared a brief kiss before the woman left, Eugene and Varian watching her as if they could sense her smile disappear when she turned away.
"… Yeah, no, she's not."
"Nope, not letting it go," Cass said knowingly, still brushing the gopher.
Varian sighed, turning towards the other two. "I'll make sure she doesn't go overboard."
"Hairstripe, hold up," Eugene spoke as he started to leave. He moved closer to the Prince as he put his hands on his shoulders. "You okay?"
"What do you mean?" He responded, confused.
"I know you were trying to make a point to Rapunzel, but you also just unloaded a lot of baggage." The older man explained.
Varian sighed again before saying, "Eugene, I'm fine. Or as fine as I could be with the situation. I accepted a long time ago that people would hate me for one reason or another."
"But that doesn't mean you have to deal with it alone," Eugene countered gently. "You have me to talk to, Rapunzel, your parents, even Cassandra. My point is, you don't have to deal with it alone."
The alchemist looked at Eugene before smiling, thankful for the support. They shared a quick hug before the younger male started to leave again. "Well, I better go catch up with my sister. You two behave yourselves."
"Psh, I can behave. " Eugene waved off. "It's her you should be worrying about."
Cass sent him a glare behind his back.
Varian rolled his eyes and left the tent.
(Elsewhere)
Varian caught up with Rapunzel at a cafe, sitting with her at one of the outside tables with their pets.
"You know, maybe you, Eugene, and Cassandra were right," Rapunzel said, looking at Varian across from her. "I shouldn't let this booer bother me. It's not the end of the world because I got booed, right? Happens to a lot of people, I'm sure… Has it happened to you?"
"Not to my face," Varian thought about it. "Usually, it's all behind my back, in mutters. The things I see are dirty looks and fearful expressions, depending on the day."
"But this means he doesn't like you either," Rapunzel sent a frown towards him.
Her brother may hold the power of the Moonstone, but that didn't make it right to hate him. His powers didn't define who he was.
"Not the first time, Rapunzel," Varian told her with a shrug. "I'm used to it now."
Rapunzel sighed before sitting up. "You know what? I'm not even gonna think about the word boo anymore. Let's just sit and enjoy our afternoon."
"Ba ba boo," A musician walked past them, playing his mandolin. "Ba ba boo."
"Hey! Check out my new taboo!" A thug ran past them.
"Boo repair!" The local cobbler walked around holding up a pair of flats. "Get your boo repair!"
Several more people walked by them, all saying boo in some manner.
Rapunzel groaned as she planted her cheek on the table, Pascal crawling over her in concern. Varian patted her back with a tired sigh.
"Just having one of those off days, I guess…" He said, knowing the feeling.
"No, thank yoooou!" A voice caught their attention.
Both their eyes widened as Rapunzel sat up. That voice… they both knew that voice.
They looked over and saw an old man give a generous tip to a cab driver.
"Monty…" Varian murmured, his voice going unheard by Rapunzel and the pets.
"Wow! Thank you," The driver said gratefully. "Thank you, indeed."
"My pleasure, son. Spread the goodwill," the man said as he climbed into the carriage, the driver closing the door behind him.
"That sweet little old man can't be the same person who booed me, can he?" Rapunzel asked skeptically.
Varian hoped not because that would mean someone he knew and respected for years was now among those who didn't like him.
But as he passed them, he gave them a dirty look out the window before saying…
"Booo!"
The four of them gasped, the alchemist looking the most shocked and hurt of all of them.
(Later)
Back in Rapunzel's room, the Princess painted one last red line as she finished her painting. "Okay, I'd say that looks like our booer, wouldn't you, Pascal?"
The lizard stared at the detailed painting of the man from earlier before shrugging.
"Now, we just need to figure out who he is," Rapunzel said, looking at the portrait thoughtfully. "Someone has to know him, right?"
"Hey, it's Monty!" Eugene peeked in from Rapunzel's door, causing the Princess to gasp.
"Wait, you know him?" Rapunzel pointed at the painting.
"Of course I–Everyone knows Monty," Eugene stepped into the room.
"Well, probably because he's really grouchy and doesn't like anyone, right?" She raised a brow. Maybe he was like that with everyone, and it wasn't just her.
"What? Uncle Monty? He's the sweetest guy in all Corona. Let me tell ya, if there was someone he didn't like, that person would have to be the most horrible–" He noticed the look Rapunzel was giving him before coming to a horrible realization. "Oh my goodness! That's the guy who booed you, isn't it?"
"Yes," Rapunzel looked away with a sad pout.
"Wha–wait, wait! Wait a minute! No!" He realized what he was about to say to her and quickly switched tracks, moving closer to leab into the painting like he was taking a better look. "Now that I'm looking at it, cause I'm really looking at it now because before I glanced at it. That is not Monty. No, that… is… Rude Guy… er. Rude Guyer! Yeah! Oh, boy. Nobody likes Rude Guyer."
Pascal gave him a look that said, 'Really?'
"Cause he's such a rude guy…"
"Hey!" They turned to see Stan enter the room. "Look at that! Uncle Monty!"
Eugene nervously waved his arms as he stood in front of the painting, silently telling him to stop.
"Oh, hi, Eugene," He greeted, not getting the hint. "That's some painting of Uncle Monty, huh?"
"It is Monty," Rapunzel turned to her boyfriend with an accusing look.
"I'll say. You know, you don't forget the guy who introduced you to your wife." Stan chuckled a bit.
"And everyone likes him?" She crossed her arms, giving her boyfriend a tiny glare.
"No, no, of course not, don't be silly." Eugene waved it off.
"Eugene's right. Everyone loves him," Stan corrected him.
"Uh, do you know where I can find him?" Rapunzel asked hopefully.
"Monty's a very private person," Eugene placed his hands on her shoulders. He needed to get her to drop this like a normal person and move on.
"Oh, sure, Your Majesty," Stan answered eagerly. "He has a wonderful little shop in town. Here, let me draw you a map."
He took out a piece of paper and started drawing a sketch.
Rapunzel gave Eugene a look as the guard held up the finished map before she snatched it from him. "Thank you, Stan."
"Yeah," Eugene rolled his eyes at the oblivious guard. "Thanks so much, Stan."
"No problem," He said, not noticing the sarcasm in the former thief's voice. "And when you see him, tell him thanks for the flowers he sent to my mom when she was sick."
He then left the room as Rapunzel stared at the map.
"So, listen, Rapunzel…" Eugene started off, placing a gentle hand on her arm.
"I know. I know," Rapunzel waved his arm away as she stepped back. "You're gonna tell me to leave it alone, but this is all just a simple misunderstanding. I need to clear things up so me and Uncle Monty can be friends."
She walked towards the door with the map, Eugene sighing tiredly before she said, "I better tell Varian what I found."
"Hey, where is Varian?" The former thief asked.
"Well, after Monty booed us for a second time, we came back to the castle to investigate," Rapunzel stopped to explain. "I suggested he look in the archives to see if he could find anything. He said he'd get back to me and walked off, but now that I think about it, he was acting strange…."
"Strange, like how?" Eugene asked, concern starting to form.
"He had been quiet the whole walk back to the castle and seemed a little distracted, too."
Sensing something was wrong, Eugene said, "Let me check on him, Blondie."
"Thanks, Eugene," Rapunzel smiled before leaving. "Tell him I'll meet him by the front door."
"You got it, Sunshine." Her boyfriend smiled awkwardly before running in the opposite direction.
Eugene headed toward Varian's room, and sure enough, he was met halfway by Ruddiger.
"Take me to him."
Without further instructions, Ruddiger led Eugene to the Prince's chambers. The door was open a crack, and Eugene slowed down before slipping inside.
Inside, Varian was facedown on the bed, clutching one of his pillows like he had been crying or screaming into it. The sight almost broke Eugene's heart, especially when Ruddiger scampered over to the bed, mewling up at the alchemist to get his attention.
"Varian, kiddo?" Eugene said softly, walking over to them. "You okay?"
Varian didn't look up, shaking his head in the pillow.
Eugene sat down on the bed next to him. "Do you wanna talk about it?"
The Prince looked up at him, eyes red from crying with tear tracks on his face as he sniffled again.
"Oh, kid, hey," Eugene said, opening his arms as Varian threw himself into the hug. "What's wrong, buddy?"
"… I don't get it," He said after a minute. "Of all the people… why Monty?"
"You two know each other, huh?"
Varian nodded. "The day after my mom disappeared… I was crying on the sidewalk, and Monty came over. He gave me my favorite treat and sat with me for a while… Dad was… still too torn up about Mom being gone to really comfort me."
"I see."
"After I started locking myself in the castle because of my powers, Monty would send me cookie bouquets with my favorite lollipop in them on my birthday. Just to say he was thinking of me…" Varian smiled fondly at the memories before frowning sadly. "What did I do wrong…?"
"Oh, come on, we don't know what any of this is about," Eugene consoled him before moving to look Varian in the eye. "Listen, I know I kept telling Rapunzel to leave it alone, and I don't want to encourage it, but maybe you should go down to Monty's shop and talk to him. Who knows, maybe Rapunzel will turn out to be right, and it is all a misunderstanding, and everything can go back to normal."
Varian looked at Eugene for a minute before nodding. "Yeah… maybe I should."
Eugene smiled, giving the boy one more hug before they got up. "You gonna be okay?"
"I'm just gonna need a minute…" Varian wiped his eyes.
"How about some hot chocolate from the kitchen?"
"I'd like that."
Ruddiger climbed onto Varian's shoulder as the boys left the room, Eugene keeping a comforting arm around the younger man.
(Out at the tents)
"Ugh, these berry stains are impossible!" Cass grumbled as she cleaned Gregorio's teeth. Some of the toothpaste dripped from his mouth, but the gopher didn't seem to notice or care.
Eugene sighed as he paced around. "I hope I did the right thing with Varian…"
"For what it's worth, I think you did," Cass surprisingly agreed. "Varian handles things better with logic and facts, even if he doesn't like them. Once he gets an answer, he'll work out how to deal with it on his own and be fine again in a week or so."
"Okay, Varian will, but what about Rapunzel? She's not letting it go. Okay, so one person doesn't like her. Who cares?"
"I know!" Cass said as she picked the gopher up. "I mean, only one person does like you, and you're okay with it."
"Exactly–" He smiled fondly before realizing what she said. "Oh, I see what you did there."
"I gotta get some lotion for his paws," Cass looked down at the gopher and held him up. "Can you watch him for a few minutes?"
"Oh, are you sure I can be trusted with this hallowed Corona institution?" Eugene retorted as he took the animal, holding it up by the scruff.
"I was talking to the gopher." She replied as she walked away.
He put the gopher in his hands, ignoring her in favor of responding to her. He looked towards the berries and took a handful, popping one into his mouth. The taste was a little tart but mostly sweet. Overall, it was a satisfying taste.
"Oh, yeah, I see why you like these…" He ate another before giving some to the gopher. "Wanna go halfsies?"
He hummed as he ate some more berries.
(Elsewhere)
The step-siblings were walking through town, looking for Monty's shop.
"Okay, Monty can't be as great as everyone says, you guys," Rapunzel glanced at the pets and her brother. "I mean, this here says that he owns a sweatshop."
"What?" Varian furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "No, he owns a–"
He was cut off when Pascal pointed ahead of them. They look to see no a sweatshop but a sweet shop. Kids were looking around happily, hoping to get a treat.
Rapunzel pouted. "Sweet shop. Yeah, okay, way to spell, Stan…"
Varian just shrugged as they walked over to the shop.
From outside, they saw some displays in the window. Sun and moon symbols were hanging from the ceiling. In the window, Monty had a red ship, a yellow castle model, and a purple flower with a butterfly. Rapunzel couldn't help but stare in awe while Varian looked through the window fondly. They were all so detailed that they looked like they would come to life.
The Princess then opened the door to the shop, her brother following behind them as a bell signaled their arrival. Her mouth dropped open at all the candy, sweets, and decorations.
Inside, Monty held out a tray of chocolate gophers that he made for the festival. The children all eagerly took one with a happy cheer. Monty slid the last one off the pan before handing it to a little girl.
"There you go, dear," He said kindly, watching as she took a happy bite before leaving. "May you spread the spirit of goodwill throughout Corona."
Rapunzel approached him from behind. "Pardon me."
"And you, sweetie, how can I help…" He turned around and glared when he saw who it was. "You…!"
"Hi!" She waved eagerly but anxiously at his reaction. "Uh, Monty. Can I call you Monty?"
"Apparently," He replied thinly before lighting up at the Prince. "Varian, my boy!"
Rapunzel's mouth opened in shock as Monty walked past her and hugged her brother, taking him by surprise despite hugging him back.
"It's so good to see you," Monty said as he stepped back. "I was starting to think you were too royal for us now."
Varian chuckled nervously as his sister stared in disbelief. They thought he hated both of them, but now it looked like he liked everyone but her. "No, no, that wasn't it…"
"So, what can I get you today, Your Highness?" Monty asked. "Your usual or something new? On the house."
"Uh, my usual," The alchemist answered, deciding to get something for himself. "And maybe some dark chocolates."
"Sure!" Monty walked over to the shelf with the chocolates. "Bars, malt balls, or bite-size?"
"Malt balls."
"Sooo," Rapunzel said, noticing nine medals on the wall as she tried to appeal to him. "I see you're a Gopher Grab fan."
"Figured that out all by yourself, huh?" Monty asked sarcastically, handing Varian a bag of dark chocolates with a yellow and brown lollipop. "Well, give the girl a lolly."
He held out a pink and purple striped lollipop for her, walking away when she took it and licked it eagerly. "Ha! That one fell on the floor!"
She looked down and saw it covered in dark particles, which could only mean dirt. Pascal glared at the man while Varian and Ruddiger cringed in disgust.
"Ew." Her brother commented.
"Um… Monty," Rapunzel stepped closer. "How do I put this? Um, during my speech… somebody booed me, and I was wondering–"
"And what are you gonna do, huh? Huh?" Monty demanded from her. "You gonna throw me in the dungeon 'cause I booed you, huh? Is that why you're here? To oppress me?"
"No! No!" She denied quickly. "I don't wanna oppress anyone. I–I just wanna know what I did."
"Listen, Your Highness." Monty held up a hand. "I don't need to explain myself to you."
Rapunzel gave a dejected look and started to leave the shop. Varian frowned at her as he followed his sister.
Monty glanced at them as they left before calling, "Wait, Princess!"
She turned around, hoping that he had a change of heart.
"… That lollipop wasn't free, you know."
She stormed out the door with Varian following a few steps behind. "I am not giving up that easy, Pascal! If he can't see what a likable person I am, well, I will make him see."
"Oh no," Varian placed a hand on his forehead. "Rapunzel, don't you think you're taking this too personally? I mean, many people don't like me, and I'm not going out of my way to change their minds."
"Think of this as me standing up for myself," Rapunzel responded. "Like that saying, kill 'em with kindness."
Varian just gave her a look.
"Please, Varian," She pleaded. "I need your help with this."
He took a deep breath, nodding slowly. "Alright. I'll help you."
"Yay!" Rapunzel engulfed him in a big hug.
Varian sighed heavily but still smiled slightly.
(Back at the castle)
"Here's what we know so far. Monty has a candy shop, everyone loves him, and he likes yelling mean things at me," Rapunzel looked at drawings of everything she described. They were up in her room with Varian and the pets sitting behind her as she flipped the chalkboard she used over. "Time for Operation Make Stuff."
A few candies and notes fell off the board, causing the three to facepalm.
Her first idea was to give him a green scarf she sewed herself.
A blue bird landed on Monty's shoulder as he fed some animals in the park. Rapunzel walked over and put the scarf around his neck.
He gasped at it. "Look at this, now this is flashy!"
She smiled happily at his comments… before he narrowed his eyes.
"I hate flashy," He stated, shocking her. "Also, I hate green."
He threw it into her face, and she pulled it off when she returned to the castle. She crossed scarf off her list.
For her next idea, she started melting chocolate on a small counter stove before pouring it into a concrete box. She went to his shop with a huge head of Monty made of chocolate. She beamed at him, holding it out, but then he poked one of the eyes out.
"Ha! Just as I thought. Hollow. In my day, chocolate sculptures were solid, like our values." He then closed the door in her disappointed face.
Sculpture was taken off the list.
When Monty went to clean outside his shop, a drop of red liquid fell on his nose. He looked up to see Rapunzel re-painting his shop's sign.
"Wow." He commented as she smiled down at him. "Much better than the one my great-grandfather painted when he built this shop with his own two hands!"
He went back inside and slammed the door shut, causing the sign to fall. She frowned and crossed off paint from the list.
Back at the Gopher Grab tents, Eugene was still eating berries when Rapunzel walked in with a groan, planting her face into a chaise pillow.
"He hates me…." She muttered into it.
"Okay, come on, Raps, give it up," Cass glanced at her before focusing back on brushing the gopher. "Clearly, this jerk's got serious problems."
"You wouldn't say that if you knew who it was…" Varian walked in, shaking his head.
"But if Monty could just see that I was–"
Cass turned around in shock. "Monty's the guy who hates you?!"
"Ugh," Rapunzel lifted her head up. "Let me guess? You love him."
Eugene waved his hands while Varian shook his head. The last thing Rapunzel needed was someone else loving him.
"No, me? Love him? No, I hate that guy." Cass chuckled nervously before kneeling next to the Princess, placing a hand on her back. "Look, you'll just have to accept that Uncle Mont–Monty doesn't like you, and there's nothing you can do to change that."
"You're right… there is nothing I can do," Rapunzel smirked as she got a new idea.
"Why does this make me nervous?" Varian murmured to Eugene. The former thief shrugged before the Prince decided to leave. "Okay, I'm washing my hands of this. I'm gonna go hang out at the festival."
"Have fun, kid." Eugene waved, still munching on berries.
As soon as Varian left the tent, he bumped right into someone. The Prince stumbled back, nearly falling over when the other person grabbed his arm and yanked him back up.
"Whoa!" He yelped, eyes closed, as he ended up chest-to-chest with this person. "S-Sorry, I didn't see you."
"Not very graceful for a prince, are we, Hairstripe?"
Wait a minute. He knew that voice.
Opening his eyes, Varian looked up and saw Hugo smirking down at him. It didn't look condescending. In fact, it almost looked fond, dare Varian think.
His outfit was different from before, too. He looked less like a local and more like an out-of-towner, but the colors were the same. He wore the same pants and boots but wore a sleeveless shirt with ripped sleeve holes and gray goggles with bright yellow lenses on his head.
Right now, Varian's more focused on his eyes. He stared into bright green as Hugo looked into his light blue ones. For some reason, his heart was beating faster all of a sudden…
Someone cleared their throat, and they turned around to see Rapunzel leaning against the tent with a knowing smile. "Am I interrupting something?"
"No!" Varian yelped as Hugo let go of him. "Heh heh, well, we gotta go, see ya later, Sis, bye!"
He grabbed Hugo's hand and ran off with him. Rapunzel giggled a little at her brother's reaction.
"Okay… What was that about?" The blond boy asked when they stopped.
"Long story," Varian sighed, feeling the day weigh on him. He looked at the bag of treats he still had before looking at Hugo. "Since you're here, do you wanna hang out, maybe walk around town? I stopped by the sweet shop and got some snacks."
"Sure." Hugo shrugged, not having anything to do at the moment.
Varian smiled at him before the boys started walking together.
(A short time later)
"So, what 'cha been up to since I last saw ya?" Hugo asked as they walked together, snacking and taking in the sites.
"Not a lot. I haven't gotten around to fixing my analyzer, but I was able to install my critter traps in Old Corona. I also experimented with my powers for a bit. Turns out my rocks don't just come in black; they come in white and different shades of blue, too. I used them to patch the holes I made in my walls and made those spots secret compartments for personal items I want hidden."
"Nice," Hugo commented, slightly impressed.
Varian answered. "I built a claw crane for the Gopher Grab presentation, though. My sister redesigned the goodwill seal, and I guess Dad didn't want me to feel left out."
"Did you get to read the results from the tests?"
"No, but Rapunzel didn't seem to mind much," The Prince replied as his eyes turned downcast.
Hugo noticed the shift and asked, "Did… something happen… between you and your sister?"
"She's dealing with someone not liking her for the first time, and I kinda got dragged along on the ride."
"Let me guess. She's not taking it well."
"Nope, especially since she doesn't know why this person hates her."
"It could be any reason. This person may not like her purely because of her title. There's lots of places like that, even here in Corona."
"I know, but I'm pretty sure that's not it. Monty has always been a staunch supporter of the royal family. This just seems so out of character for him…" Varian trailed off as they slowed to a stop.
"You know the guy?" Hugo stood in front of him.
"Yeah…" The Prince admitted, still feeling hurt by the whole thing. "Monty runs the sweet shop and is about as well-loved as my sister. He practically watched me grow up, so I don't know what to make of this."
"Well, how did you find out he didn't like your sister?"
"He booed at her twice in public. The first time was during the goodwill speech and then again while he was passing by in a cab. I was with her both times…"
"… And because you were with her, you thought he hated you, too." Hugo deduced slowly, starting to see why Varian was holding onto it.
"I could've taken it from anyone else…" Varian explained. "I have a long list of people who don't like me, and I either barely knew them or didn't like them to begin with."
"But this time, it's different because it's someone you knew and liked back, right?" Hugo summed up.
"And yet, my sister wants me to help her with this. How am I supposed to help her get someone to like her? She's the sun princess that everyone loves and waited for eighteen years. Me…? I'm darkness people wish would disappear…"
Hugo stared at him, seeing how upset he was. He glanced away for a second, trying to find what to say.
"… You must think I'm pathetic, right?" Varian asked after a minute.
"No! No!" Hugo burst out, surprising both of them. "No, I… I was thinking that you had been holding that in for a while, hadn't you?"
Varian looked at him, eyes widening slightly as Mr. Non-Chalant tripped over his words.
"I was also thinking… what do I say now?" The blond rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "I'm not really… well, I don't do the emotional comfort thing at all. How I grew up, you can't really think about people's feelings–"
"If you wanted to stay alive," Varian finished for him, no judgment in his eyes. "Much less get ahead."
"Yeah…" Hugo nodded in surprise.
"Eugene and I had a similar conversation a few weeks ago. I get it," The royal alchemist smiled slightly. "Don't worry about not having anything to say. I honestly just wanted to vent a little."
"Okay…" Hugo replied after a minute. "If you'll accept blunt honesty, you need to step back from this. Whatever this is between the Princess and the candymaker, that's between them. It's not worth the stress of getting into a problem that's not yours. I know as a prince, you're supposed to help solve other people's problems, but all I'm saying is pick and choose your battles."
Varian was silent momentarily, thinking over his words before nodding slowly. "Yeah… Yeah, you're right. This is just gonna be something Rapunzel has to learn on her own. Thanks, Hugo."
"Eh, I'm a genius," Hugo shrugged, his old confidence back right before he tripped and fell to the ground. "Ah!"
Varian cringed before smirking playfully. "Who's clumsy now, pretty boy?"
"Shut it, Hairstripe," Hugo muttered on the ground.
After he got up, they continued walking until they saw a young woman in an orange dress with brown hair tied in a bun and glasses heading to the Sweet Shoppe. Despite the disguise, Varian could tell who it was.
"Oh no," Varian murmured, facepalming.
"I take someone's gotten a little desperate," Hugo commented knowingly.
"You guessed it…" He replied before following her. "Come on."
"I thought you were taking a step back?" The blond questioned as he followed the Prince.
"I am. I'm just keeping an eye on her as an observer."
Meanwhile, Monty was adjusting one of his sun decorations when a disguised Rapunzel entered the shop. "Can I help you, young lady?"
"Good afternoon, sir," She adjusted her glasses. As she stepped inside, she tripped on the chocolate sculpture of Monty she made. "Whoa!"
Acting quickly, Monty caught her and helped her up. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"
"Oh, don't worry about it, I'm fine," Rapunzel assured him, dusting herself off.
Varian and Hugo stuck their heads in at that moment, catching Monty's attention. "Ah, Varian! Hello again! And who's your friend?"
"Oh, this is Hugo," Varian introduced the blond as they joined the adults. "He came to Corona recently, and I'm showing him around."
"A pleasure to meet you, young man," The candymaker greeted kindly. "Did you move here, or are you passing through?"
"Not sure at the moment," Hugo glanced at Varian, knowing he couldn't reveal too much about himself. "I live a… nomadic lifestyle. I move around a lot, and I'll stay somewhere for as long as I can find work before moving on."
"Oh, I see. Well, help yourself to whatever you want, and I'll be with you in a minute. It's on the house as a 'Welcome to Corona' present."
"Wow, thank you," The blond boy was starting to see why everyone liked this guy so much.
"What is this…?" Varian said, touching the chocolate head with his boot.
"I got that thing as a gift, and I'm trying to find some use for it," Monty explained as the four stared at the sculpture. "Gotta tell ya, it's not even useful as a doorstop."
"Yeah, dumb and totally useless thing…." Rapunzel agreed, rolling her eyes. Monty looked up at her before she scoffed lightly, the boys glancing at each other.
"I sure hope the foolish, though clearly well-intentioned person who made it regrets it," She continued as she lightly kicked it away. "Even though it probably took her, or him, who knows, hours to *ahem* get it just right."
"She made that?" Hugo whispered to Varian.
"Yeah, she got a little crazy with gifts earlier." He whispered back.
"Yes… right, well," Monty said, finding the woman odd but letting the matter drop. "What can I get for you, Miss… um…."
"Um… Miss Missy–Misty! Miss Misty!" Rapunzel said after struggling for a fake name before placing her order. "And I will have some jelly beans… every kind but green because I-I hate green."
"Ha ha!" Monty placed an arm around her. "A girl after my own heart. I'll tell you what: I've got a personal stash where I've already picked out all the green ones. Let me get them~."
Rapunzel smiled as she watched him leave.
Once he was gone, Varian turned to her with a deadpan expression. "Rapunzel, what are you doing?"
"If he warms up to me, I'll find out why he doesn't like me!" Rapunzel whispered to him.
"Or you could just ignore it," Hugo suggested to her. "It's not the end of the world if one person doesn't like you."
"I have to know!"
He turned to Varian, who just shrugged. At this point, the Prince was taking Hugo's advice and stepping back.
(Meanwhile)
Gregorio sat in a mini-castle while Cass checked her pocket watch, gasping at the time.
"Two hours to the big race. Chow o'clock," She held out the bowl Eugene had eaten from, only to notice something wrong. She turned to Eugene as she showed him an empty bowl. "Eugene, did you eat all the bimberries?"
"No! No! Of course not," He held up his hand to hide the bimberry residue on his teeth, but she still saw it. "Okay, so I ate some. I offered to split. Is that really such a big problem?"
She chuckled lightly before dropping the bowl. "Okay, well, let's think. If Gregorio doesn't get his bimberries before the race, he'll be lethargic, and if he's lethargic, he won't want to run, and if he doesn't want to run, the Gopher Grab will be ruined. AND I CAN'T HAVE THAT!"
"So, I'm gonna go with big problem?" Eugene asked nervously. She then grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close so that he could see her glare.
"Fine me some bimberries, now," She growled angrily at him, causing him to smile anxiously.
(Back at Monty's Sweet Shoppe)
Once Monty returned with the jelly beans and the boys got their own treats, the quartet hung out in the sweet shop while snacking. Rapunzel and Hugo enjoyed some jelly beans while Varian made work of his lollipop.
At some point, Monty started telling stories about his family and the Gopher Grab.
"And I'm tellin' ya, my great grand-dad would've won the Gopher Grab that year… but he was running the wrong way!" Monty and everyone else laughed (minus Hugo, who opted for an amused smile).
"That Grab means a lot to you, huh?" Rapunzel said, taking another jelly bean.
"You know, Misty, boys, I've never told this to anyone, but I feel like I can trust you," Monty said, tapping his fingers together before picking up a chocolate gopher. "I come from a long line of Gopher Grab champions. Oh, they used to say that our family had the gift for Grab, and it was my dream to carry on our family tradition…."
Monty's smile fell as he turned to the medals on the wall. "But no matter how hard I tried, that little rascal always managed to slip through my fingers. And while I've never admitted this out loud before, sometimes… deep down… I can't help but feel ashamed."
He placed the chocolate gopher back on the counter as Rapunzel put her hand on his, causing him to smile at her. She smiled back while Varian smiled at them from his spot on the counter while Hugo just watched with a neutral gaze.
"Ah, that's enough of the weepies," Monty said after a minute before getting an idea. "Hey, I know. I've got just the thing to cheer us up."
Rapunzel smiled, wondering what it could be.
(A short time later)
As it turns out, Monty's idea involved throwing tomatoes at a statue of Rapunzel.
"Yes! Right in the royal kisser!" Monty laughed before he bowed slightly to Varian. "Excuse my language, Your Highness."
"It's fine. I can accept that not everyone is gonna like my sister." Varian crossed his arms, giving Rapunzel a discreet look. She smiled before Varian turned his attention to Hugo. "Though, I am wondering why you look amused by this."
Hugo was smothering his laughter before turning to the Prince. "Sorry, I'm imagining my homeland's royals in place of the statue."
"I thought you said you were nomadic?" Rapunzel questioned.
"I am, Misty, but I came from somewhere," The blond boy explained, hands crossed behind his head. "My home kingdom is heavily divided by class. The side where I came from hated the royal family, the noble class, and anyone associated with the previous two."
Varian's eyes widened slightly, getting an idea about where Hugo came from.
The candymaker threw more tomatoes at the statue, causing Rapunzel to laugh uncomfortably. "Wow. You really don't like the Princess."
"Well, I wouldn't say I don't like her, but I would say I can't stand her!" Monty said before throwing another tomato.
"Why?" Rapunzel asked in slight agony before catching herself. "I mean, why?"
"You wanna know why I don't like her? I don't like the Princess because–" A bell interrupted him. "It's Gopher Grab time! Come on, Misty, boys, let's go!"
He ran off, not seeing Rapunzel hold out a hand to stop him. "Sure you don't wanna finish that sentence?"
As she ran off to catch up with him, Varian turned to Hugo. "Ingvarr…"
"Huh?"
"That's where you're from, right?" The Prince asked. "The Iron Kingdom?"
Hugo blinked. "How did you–?"
"When you mentioned divided classes, Ingvarr was the first place I thought of. I've met the Royal Family a few times. Like their technology, hate their politics."
"… Yeah," Hugo sighed, admitting he was right. "I was a street orphan from Ingvarr. I was despised by the Kingdom purely for that. My boss took me in and taught me everything I know about alchemy, mechanics, and engineering."
"That… sounds lonely," Varian said, taking the blond by surprise. "Did you ever talk to anyone your own age?"
"No," He shook his head. "I was the only kid in the gang. You had to grow up quickly in my world, so I never really got to act like a kid."
Varian stared at the blond boy before stepping forward, holding out a hand to him. "Then, let's go have some fun…"
Hugo looked between the Prince and his hand before slowly taking it, letting Varian pull him along as they ran to catch up with Monty and Rapunzel.
As Monty ran to the arena, Rapunzel caught up to him.
"You know, we could watch the Gopher Grab, but it's also not too late to sign up," She suggested as they stopped, giving the boys a chance to catch up.
"Wait, you mean… you want me to compete?"
"Ah, trust me, Monty," Rapunzel waved it off. "Sometimes you just gotta say, the heck with it!"
"Maybe… but I couldn't. No, I mean, I–I don't even have a partner."
"Well, guess what?" She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You do now!"
He smiled happily as Varian and Hugo looked on with small smiles.
"What about you, kids?" Monty turned to them.
"Ah, it wouldn't be fair," Hugo waved it off, gesturing to the two of them. "A couple of genius alchemists competing, we'd win easily."
"Besides, you know how I feel about this event," Varian mentioned.
Monty chuckled good-naturedly. "Just like Ulla."
"Ulla?" Rapunzel asked.
"Varian's birth mother," He explained. "She always had this special connection to an extent. Because of that, she hated the Gopher Grab event. Varian took after her in that way as well as others."
"But I suppose I can put up with one Gopher Grab to cheer you two on." Varian sighed dramatically but with a joking grin.
Rapunzel and Monty laughed a bit but smiled in appreciation.
(Gopher Grab Arena)
Everyone was gathered to watch the Gopher Grab. Each team had their legs tied together like in a three-legged race. The object was to work together to catch the gopher.
Inside Gregorio's tent, Cass paced around anxiously. The event was about to start, and Eugene hadn't returned yet.
"Did someone ask for dimberries?" Eugene finally showed up, holding a dish of berries.
"You sure took your own sweet time getting them," Cass retorted as she took the bowl. "Don't you realize the Gopher Grab's about to start any minute now?"
Knowing she was running out of time, she sighed wearily, ignoring Eugene's smug grin as she went to feed the gopher. "I hope these aren't store-bought…"
"Well, you know, for someone careless enough to leave ol' Gregorio alone with someone who would eat all of his berries, you're being really particular."
"Okay, Gregorio," Cass held out a berry. "Time to eat."
She tried to feed him, but he didn't seem interested in eating until she stuffed the berry into his mouth.
"Oh boy, this could take a minute…"
"Ladies and gentlemen!" The announcer's voice boomed, causing Cass to look around in worry. "It is nearly time for this year's Gopher Grab!"
"Hey, hey, don't worry, I'll handle it," Eugene told her before running out of the tent.
As Gregorio ate his berry, his turned into crazy spirals for a minute before turning back to normal, going unnoticed by Cassandra.
Outside, to everyone's confusion, Eugene got on top of a crate in front of the crowd. "Attention, ladies and gentlemen!"
Hugo and Varian sat in the stands as the blond leaned towards the Prince. "What is he doing?"
The other alchemist shrugged helplessly, though he felt something was wrong.
"I know we're all anxious to see Gregorio the Gopher do his thing. I know I am," Eugene chuckled before continuing. "But before we get started, I'd like to say a few words about the true meaning… of goodwill."
The crowd started murmuring, causing him to glance around. He spotted Varian and Hugo eyeing him weirdly, and it was taking all of Eugene's strength as an actor to not show his displeasure for the blond brat still being here.
Back in the tent, Gregorio had eaten half the bowl when Cassandra decided he had enough. Cass sighed before grabbing the dish.
"Okay, Gregorio, time to um… get ready!" However, he gripped the bowl when she tried to take it, shocking her. "Wow! Oh ho, you are a hungry little guy, aren't ya?"
Once she finally got the bowl away from him, she put him in his carrier. Going on unseen once more, his eyes started swirling around again once the cage door was locked.
"I mean, you gotta ask yourself, am I spreading goodwill? Or am I spreading good-won't?" Eugene continued his made-up speech outside.
"He's stalling," Hugo whispered to Varian. "Something's going on."
While Varian didn't say anything, his bad feeling was getting worse.
The arena doors opened just then, and Eugene saw Cass enter with the gopher. At that moment, Varian's ominous feeling had skyrocketed.
"So, in conclusion, spread goodwill! Thank you for your time, bye!" Eugene said quickly before walking away.
Rapunzel and Monty smiled widely along with the other competitors while the alchemists watched warily from their front-row seats.
Cass walked to the center of the arena, holding up the cage as the crowd and competitors cheered. She then set it down, and a song started playing from the case.
Monty and Rapunzel grinned eagerly as stairs extended from the carrier, Cass walking over to stand next to Eugene. The cage door opened, and a castle servant blew a whistle, the handmaiden cringing at the noise.
However, nothing happened to everyone's confusion.
Cass cringed before running to the cage. She knelt down to look inside. "What that–"
Gregorio's swirling eyes were seen in the darkness of the cage before he charged forward. Without any time to react, Cass was knocked over by the gopher as he ran out, her headdress falling off as she yelled in surprise.
"Cass!" Varian called out, the two boys jumping out of their seats and running towards her.
Now outside, the gopher bared his teeth, eyes swirling. He looked around with a roar before sprinting past the contestants as they tried to circle him. He ran around with a speed that had never been seen before, shocking the crowd.
The boys got onto the field and knelt beside the handmaiden as she picked herself up.
"Are you okay?!" Varian asked her in surprise.
"And what did you do to the gopher?" Hugo asked as they looked back at the chaos unfolding.
Gregorio dodged a pair when they tried to dive on him before two more tried the same. He ran over to Rapunzel and Monty, who caught him in their hands. However, the gopher broke free, nearly knocking Rapunzel's wig off. She quickly adjusted, giggling sheepishly when Monty looked at her.
The crowd cheered in excitement, stomping their feet and clapping their hands. Some even hugged the person next to them to symbolize catching the gopher. "Grab that gopher! Grab that gopher!"
Gregorio's speed was so fast that he could run along the arena's wall, still dodging competitors.
Eugene just laughed as he munched on a bowl of berries while Varian, Hugo, and Cass stared in shock and disappointment, respectively. "Oh, boy."
"Whoa!" Hugo's eyes widened in alarm as they all ducked in time.
"You guys really undersold this whole Gopher Grab thing," Eugene commented, thoroughly entertained.
"He's not supposed to be acting like this," Varian said.
"And I thought games in Ingvarr were dangerous," Hugo muttered.
"You're saying they're not?" The Prince retorted.
"Flying arrows don't eat your face."
"He's not supposed to do that, right?" Varian asked the handmaiden.
"I just don't understand it. Why would Gregorio react to bimberries like this?" Cass murmured as they watched the mayhem unfold.
"You mean dimberries," Eugene corrected, tossing another berry into his mouth.
"Dim-what?" Cass looked at him. "No! Bimberries."
"Dimberries. No–"
"I thought you said bimberries–"
"You mean–"
"Wait, you've been talking about–"
"What do you mean?"
The four ducked again, and Varian took over the conversation. "Did you give him dimberries? Yes or no?"
"Yes!"
"These were supposed to be bimberries!" Cass growled at him.
"You know, for someone who is careless enough to leave–" Eugene started a comeback but was cut off when they had to duck again.
"Don't you know dimberries cause hyperactivity in rodents?!" Cass asked him in disbelief.
"Uh, yeah, who doesn't?" Eugene replied with a grin, even though he didn't know.
"Looks are all you've got going for you, aren't they, Flynn?" Hugo deadpanned.
"Hey!" Eugene glared at him.
"Is there anything we can do to stop him?" Cass asked Varian.
"He'll wear himself out eventually. Until then, we need to keep him contained."
Gregorio slipped past more contestants as they tried to grab him.
"Good boy, good boy," Rapunzel tried to calm him down before he jumped at them, knocking the pair over. They held on as he dragged them along the ground before losing their grip. "Yup, not so fun…."
Growling, the gopher ran toward the wall and started digging underneath it. He surprised Stan and Pete when he popped up on the other side before sprinting off.
The guards looked at each other in confusion before Monty threw open the doors, knocking them over. "Come on, Misty! Let's show these youngsters how a gopher's really caught!"
Rapunzel ran off with Monty, catching the attention of Varian and Hugo. Looking at each other, nothing needed to be said before they slipped out of the arena after them.
As the sun was starting to lower, Monty and Rapunzel's search led them to the woods. Looking around, the Princess heard the sound of growling.
"Look!" She pointed, clearing her throat. "There!"
A line of dirt popped up in the grass, going in random directions as it busted through a rock on the surface. Gregorio burst out of the dirt before them, leaving a hole in the wall as they stepped closer. He ran around a tree near the river before jumping off. By the time they reached the tree, he was nowhere to be seen.
"Where did he go?"
Monty shushed her as they looked towards the river. They spotted Gregorio on a rock in the middle of the current, panting heavily as he started to wear himself out.
"All we gotta do now… is hop." He murmured.
"No, no, no, no, let's take that bridge," Rapunzel noticed an old bridge not too far away. "We'll catch him on the other side."
"Sorry, Misty, I can't take that chance. I think you were right. Sometimes you just gotta say to heck with it!"
Rapunzel looked on in concern as he watched him run off, the boys catching up to them moments later. "Monty!"
The man moved closer to the river, eyeing the gopher still on his rock. Adjusting his hat and snapping the straps on his apron, he stepped closer before gracelessly hopping onto a rock. As if sensing him, Gregorio jumped onto another rock. Monty jumped again, only for Gregorio to do the same. When Monty jumped again, his luck ran out as he landed in the water with a cry.
"Monty!" The three shouted before the candy maker bobbed to the surface, hugging Gregorio's rock.
"Forget me! Get that gopher! No, no, don't forget me! I was trying to sound brave!" The teens watched in horror as he lost his grip and started being pulled downstream. "It backfired! No!"
They ran alongside the river as Monty bobbed in the water, trying to stay afloat. When they got onto the bridge, the trio turned to the candymaker coming their way when they realized how old the bridge was after a piece of railing broke under Rapunzel's hand. The debris flowed under the bridge, and they turned around to see it fall down a waterfall.
"Who puts a bridge by a waterfall?" Hugo questioned, making the siblings glance at him.
Meanwhile, Monty continued screaming, waving his arms as he approached the falls. Rapunzel turned to him, mouth open in horror, knowing what would happen. Just as he passed under the bridge, the Princess grabbed him, stopping him from going over the falls just in time. Varian and Hugo rushed to help, holding onto him, too.
However, the weight shift caused an ominous cracking sound to be heard. The alchemists glanced at each other, knowing the bridge wouldn't hold for much longer.
"Hold on, Monty! We got you!" Rapunzel assured before glancing nervously at the cracks forming in the joist she clutched for support.
Monty then started to slip until, to their horror, they lost their grip, and he began to fall.
"Monty!" The teenagers shouted before Rapunzel broke another piece of the bridge as she dove off.
Monty's descent was halted briefly when he fell onto a branch, breaking it as he fell again. Suddenly, Rapunzel swung out of nowhere on her hair, the golden locks tied around the bridge as she brought them back to the top.
Seeing them come back, Varian and Hugo raced off the bridge to the bank when the Prince's foot went through the wood. He cried out, causing Hugo to spin back to him.
"Varian!" He gasped, running back to the other boy. The blond boy grabbed and pulled him out, helping him to the grass just as the bridge collapsed.
At the same time, Rapunzel and Monty landed safely on the ground. The candy maker peeked out through the blond hair. "Princess Rapunzel?"
She chuckled nervously. "Surprise…!"
Getting off the ground, the older man moved to sit on a rock with a deep frown while Hugo checked Varian's leg.
"I told you I'm fine…" The Prince said, hissing slightly as the foreign blond worked his boot off.
"No, you're not," He replied, prodding the injury before saying, "Definitely a sprain. You'll have to keep your weight off it for a while…"
Varian looked away with a slight blush as the blond pulled out bandages to wrap his foot. Rapunzel couldn't help but smile at Hugo's caring for her brother.
"Your Majesty, you went through all of this just to win my favor?" Monty asked in disbelief after a minute.
"I know, I know, it's a little crazy," Rapunzel agreed as she finished retying her braid before taking off her disguise. "But… I just had to know why you booed me."
"Fine… you really wanna know by I booed?"
The boys glanced over as Rapunzel knelt in front of him. "Uh-huh. Uh-huh."
"The seal." He said simply.
"Wait… the Goodwill Seal?" She asked in confusion.
"Yes, the Goodwill Seal!" He held up the new seal. "You redesigned a perfectly good seal!"
"I–I'm sorry?" Rapunzel stammered, not sure what else to say.
"Seriously?!" They turned in surprise when Varian spoke up, having an expression none of them had seen before. It was the look of someone who finally couldn't take the nonsense happening around him anymore. "That's what this was all about?!"
In his outburst, Varian reflexively jumped to his feet, forgetting his ankle was hurt. As soon as he put weight on it, he gasped in pain as he slumped back to the ground, clutching where it hurt.
"Varian!" Rapunzel gasped, moving over to him with Monty. "Are you okay?"
"The honest truth? No! I'm not okay! And not just because I hurt my ankle!" He snapped, not able to deny it anymore. "I've been dragged around on an emotional carriage ride all day, and I find out it was all because of–of–!"
Varian's throat tightened as his other emotions caught up to him. Unable to finish his sentence, he turned away so he wasn't facing him, biting his lip as tears started to sting his eyes. While the others couldn't see his face, they knew what was happening when his shoulders shook.
The other three stared in shock since none had heard Varian raise his voice before. Hugo was stunned since he actually felt sympathy for the other boy, something he thought he had shut down years ago. Noticing how lost the other two were, Hugo narrowed his eyes and decided enough was enough as he stood up.
"Okay, I don't know the whole story, but from what I've been told, this is what I'm going to say: You both have taken this feud too far," He put his foot down, starting with the Princess in his rant. "Princess, I'm sorry your feelings were hurt, but it's not the end of the world that someone booed you! Back in my home kingdom, many people hated me purely because I was a street boy, and on that side of town, people would've hated you because of your title. Heck, there's a whole section hidden in Corona full of people who don't like the Royal Family, period, for that same reason. There will always be someone who doesn't like you for some reason, and it's not worth wasting your energy over trying to change their minds. You just have to accept it and move on."
"And you," He turned to Monty. "It's not the end of the world because a seal was changed. Change happens, and it's not always a bad thing. When Rapunzel's dad was in charge, this kingdom had daily executions, and I doubt anyone protested that change."
Rapunzel cringed slightly, remembering what she had learned about her father's actions while she was missing.
"That's always been a problem I've had with this kingdom. You guys care so much about your "traditions" that you're not willing to change things. This kingdom still holds onto old ideas that places like Ingvarr threw out twenty years ago. Change is inevitable, whether we like it or not. Sometimes, you just have to adjust and accept it."
Varian watched in awe as Hugo stood up for him, telling off Rapunzel and Monty without hesitation.
"Final note: if you guys are going to fight, don't put Varian in the middle of it," Hugo finished, gesturing to the Prince. "Seriously, Monty, he was standing next to Rapunzel when you did that, and he thought you hated him, too."
The candy maker was taken aback by the revelation. He looked at Varian, who turned away, silently admitting what Hugo had said was the truth. Realizing the hurt he had caused, Monty frowned before moving to sit next to the moon prince.
"Oh, Varian, I'm so sorry. I never meant to upset you or hurt your feelings. You're friend's right. I overreacted to the situation." Varian looked at the man he'd known since childhood as he smiled kindly at him. "I could never hate you, Varian. You're a good kid, and I don't care what anyone says about you or your powers."
The Prince smiled slightly after a minute, accepting the man's apology.
"And I'm sorry, too, Varian," Rapunzel stepped forward to offer her own apology. "This was between Monty and me. I shouldn't have dragged you into it."
Varian wiped his eyes, smiling at his step-sister. "It's okay, Rapunzel. I get it."
Rapunzel smiled back, grateful that he'd forgiven her.
"And Varian's not the only one I owe an apology to…" Monty said after a minute, getting up to face the Princess. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. Hugo was right. Things change. I preferred the old seal, and I took it out on you in the name of 'tradition.'"
"It's alright, Monty," Rapunzel said gently. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't plan to replace the old design. I was so excited about the Gopher Grab that I was inspired to paint my own seal. When my father saw it, he thought we could use my design to mark the occasion since this would be the 500th anniversary and my first Goodwill Festival home."
"It's okay, Rapunzel, I understand. Besides, I've started to realize that your free spirit, the heck with it attitude, isn't so bad after all."
"Really?" Rapunzel asked, a smile starting to form on her lips.
"Well, you did inspire me to achieve my life's dream…." He opened his apron pocket, revealing Gregorio back to normal as Varian predicted.
Varian chuckled, surprised yet not at the same time. "'The gift of grab.'"
Rapunzel giggled as well before speaking to Monty again. "So, does this mean… we're friends?"
"Well…" Monty thought it over. "I don't know about friends. I'm a little upset about this charade you put on. But I can promise to be civil with you and keep our disagreements private so Varian and others don't get caught in the middle."
"I can work with that." She smiled before offering her hand.
Monty shook it, sealing their agreement. "Well, we better start heading back. It'll be getting dark soon."
"Right."
The Gopher Grab partners then head back, the teens watching them leave. Hugo smirked with a 'my work here is done' expression before glancing at Varian, who gave him a grateful smile for his help. Blushing slightly, the blond boy looked away again, his expression becoming more modest.
"I'll take you back to the Gopher Grab."
"Okay, just help me to my feet and–"
The rest of his sentence was cut off by a yelp as Hugo scooped him up to carry him bridal style. Surprised, Varian instinctively wrapped his arms around Hugo's neck as they started walking down the path.
"Is this necessary?" Varian squeaked, hiding his blush in the blond's shoulder.
"No, but it's fun," Hugo smirked teasingly.
"For who?!"
"Me, mostly."
Blush deepening, Varian stopped talking as he nuzzled his face into the blond's shoulder. "… Thank you. For what you did back there."
Now it was Hugo's turn to blush, going unnoticed as they made their way back to the arena. "Yeah, sure… No problem, Goggles."
(A Short Time Later)
Once they'd returned, everyone gathered at the stage for the winner to be announced. Rapunzel and Varian stood on stage with their parents, Eugene, Cass, the Captain, a few guards, and Hugo. At this point, Varian was out of his arms and leaning on the blond boy like a crutch.
"Alright, alright, as you know, the Gopher Grab is a sacred tradition…" Quirin started to announce.
"So, Blondie," Eugene looked to her as the King continued talking. "Feeling okay about how you left things with Monty?"
"Yeah. I mean… you guys were right. I just have to accept that not everyone is gonna like me." Rapunzel smiled a little.
"Thank the Sun," Varian sighed in relief, getting a chuckle from Hugo.
"And the winner of this year's Gopher Grab," The King read from a scroll. "Is good old Uncle Monty."
The crowd cheered for him as he smiled, shaking hands with the butcher before walking on stage to receive his medal.
Rapunzel smiled as she clapped for the man, who smiled back when their eyes met. Varian did the same, giving the man a thumbs-up.
(After the Festival)
Monty framed his medal, smiling as he hung his prize on the wall next to the rest of his family's medals. His reflection showed back in the glass as he looked at the flower framed in the bottom corner.
He had to admit, the Princess was starting to grow on him…
And with this update, we're moving on.
I planned to reset my lists after New Year's Eve, so I'm gonna work on "Charmed" for the time being. I'll see how far I get with that before the calendar flips, but hopefully, I'll get a few of the old chapters redone and reposted.
After New Year's, I'm gonna roll back to "100% Lost and Found." Until then, see you soon.