First thing Flynn felt was a massive throbbing headache. He groaned, shaking his head and struggling to open his eyes. Second thing he felt was that he was sitting in a chair. No, sitting wasn't entirely accurate… more like strapped into it. He couldn't move anything except for his fingers and his head. Whatever he was tied down with felt…

...silky smooth?

Was he in the middle of getting lucky?

No, he was sure he would have remembered that. Unless he had gotten really drunk. That would explain the headache then, or hangover rather. Must have been some party!

But no, that wasn't it. It was slowly coming back to him… Corona… those twin buffoons… skyscraper… the crown… trees, way too many trees-

Wait, go back! The crown!

His eyes finally snapped open, searching for his satchel. It was nowhere to be seen. Then again, it was hard to see much of anything. He was in some room that was rather dark, only somewhat dimly lit by what seemed to be faery lights overhead. He could see a table over there, the back of a couch in another direction, and in one corner was what looked to be a bed. And a somewhat feminine looking bed at that, if the canopy and stuffed animals were any indication.

Was he in a girl's bedroom?

...maybe he had been getting lucky.

Looking down at himself, he found that he had been practically cocooned to his chair by golden material that seemed to be comprised of thousands of thin strands. The stuff trailed out from him and seemed to be everywhere, zigzagging across the floor and coiling up and around furniture. There was so much of it.

He squinted.

...wait… no… it couldn't be…

Was this… hair?

Something suddenly moved out in the shadows. He strained his eyes to make it out, but there just wasn't enough light. "Hello?" he called uncertainly. He cleared his throat. "Anyone there? I seem to be having a bit of a bad hair day here." Ba-dum-tss! "So if you could help me out, I'd really appreciate it."

A bright light suddenly turned on a few feet away and beamed on him like a spotlight, practically blinding him. He winced. Okay, too much light now! Way, way too much! There was a person standing next to the brightness, but the way the light was angled, all he could see was a silhouette.

"Nice try, but...but trying to endear yourself to me won't work, captive!" the figure said. It was a female voice. It sounded stern, but also with a hint of… nervousness?

"Look," he began, "I wasn't trying to-"

"Silence! You're not allowed to talk unless I, uh... specifically say you can, got it?" she snapped, to which he dutifully kept his mouth shut. "Good! Now listen closely, prisoner, as y-your life depends on it! You have found your way into a… a highly secure… top secret facility! Yeah! So you're in trouble, mister. Big time!"

Okay, if he had stumbled into getting lucky, then this chick was into some intense roleplaying. That, or she was just plain nuts.

"Understandably, we have some questions for you. So choose your next words carefully, otherwise they may be your last. Who are you and how did you find me?" she asked, sounding more confident by the second. He gave no response. The silhouette began to pace slowly back and forth behind the light source. "Oh, a tough guy, huh? Giving me the silent treatment, eh? Well, we have ways of making you talk. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. So I'd reconsider if I were you, before I have to make you an offer you can't refuse."

What was this? It sounded like she was just tossing out every cliché from movie interrogation scenes that she could think of.

"Still nothing?" she pressed when he remained silent. She pushed the light source closer to his face, forcing him to look away. "You're making me angry. And you won't like me when I'm angry."

Okay, this was just silly now. Out of the corner of his mouth, he mumbled, "You told me not to talk unless you gave me permission... which you... haven't?"

"Oh, I haven't?" her voice momentarily dropped its edge, sounding genuinely concerned at her mishap. "Thanks! I mean- er, don't give me lip, buddy! I knew that! I was just… testing you! Yeah! Congratulations, you passed. So… now you may speak. Who are you?"

"I-"

"How did you find me?"

"That is-"

"What are your plans for my hair?"

"If you'd just… wait, what?"

"You're plotting with the pyjama monster, aren't you?! Talk!"

"...pyjama monster?" It was official. This chick had a screw loose. "Okay, let's back up a bit to the part about your hair. What plans do I have for it?" he asked incredulously. "What do I look like, a hairdresser? Should I be throwing terms at you like A-line bob, chignon, and perm? Oh, or hair extensions. Yeah, I think you could really use some hair extensions. But wait! That's right, I'm not a hairdresser and have absolutely zero plans for your hair."

The silhouette cocked its head to one side. There was a click and the light went out. Spots were the only things he could see at first. As they slowly began to fade, he heard her ask, "Wait… you don't want my hair?"

"Want?" He blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision. "Why on earth would I want your hair?"

"That information is, er… classified!"

"Ah. Of course it is," he mumbled.

"What about the pyjama monster? You're not in cahoots with it?"

"Kind of hard to be in cahoots with something when I have no idea what it is. Care to enlighten me?"

She took a second to respond. "...I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

"Why am I not surprised?"

Finally able to see clearly, he took in his captor for the first time. Good grief, she was barely old enough vote, if that! She held a frying pan in one hand. Her jade eyes, clouded with confusion, studied him uncertainly, while her blonde hair trailed down her back and seemed to go on for miles. Literally. And yes, it was, in fact, her hair that she currently had him swathed in.

What kind of insane asylum had he wandered into?

Still, he had to admit for a mental patient, she was kind of cute, in a little puppy dog trying (and failing) to act like a big, vicious predator sort of way. And now that he knew what he was up against, he was at an advantage. Young, doe-eyed ladies like her were putty in his hands. It was time to turn on the charm.

"So then," she began slowly, narrowing her eyes at him, "I guess that brings us back to who are you and how did you find me?"

"Actually, I think the real question is, did it hurt?" A beat. "That is, when you fell from heaven?"

Nailed it.

She raised an eyebrow and just continued to stare at him.

His voice like velvet, he went on, "And do you have a map? Because I keep getting lost in your eyes." Insert strategic eyebrow waggle.

"Um…" Her other eyebrow shot up to join the first. She now looked concerned. "...are you feeling okay? Did I hit you in the head a little too hard earlier?" She put three fingers in front of his face. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Oh yeah. She was swooning. Poor thing just didn't know it yet.

"Sweetcheeks, the only number I care about is yours."

She pursed her lips, then tugged at a few golden locks wrapped around his neck, scrutinizing them. "Are these too tight? I think I might have cut off the blood circulation to your brain."

Flynn smirked. Now she was loosening his bonds, practically incapable of keeping her hands off him. Oh yeah. He had her right where he wanted her. Time to bring it home. "So, Blondie- can I call you Blondie?"

She frowned at him. "My name is Rapunzel."

"...yeah, I can't say that. So, Blondie. Name's Flynn Rider, and here's the deal: I didn't so much find you as rather I crash-landed into your balcony. Could have been any balcony really, fate just so happened to pick yours. So as you can see, this is all really just one big misunderstanding. So if you could release me, I'd be eternally grateful." He flashed her his pearly whites.

Her head tilted to one side. "...what were you doing that had you crash-landing into arbitrary balconies?"

He laughed. "Blondie. Sweetie. I admire your moxie, but I'm gonna have to respectfully point out that would be none of your business."

She crossed her arms, tapping her frying pan against her elbow. "Really? You, the intruder, are telling me, the resident of the private property you are trespassing on, that the reason you're here, on said private property, is none of my business?"

Flynn opened his mouth, but no retort was forthcoming, so he promptly shut it once more. He then tried again. "Beauty and brains. I like that. In any case, let's just say I'm a window cleaner whose scaffolding had a malfunction and dropped me onto your terrace."

"Dropped? But this is the top floor."

"Did I say dropped? I meant flung. My scaffolding was spring-loaded."

She eyed him up and down. "You don't dress like most window cleaners."

"Most window cleaners don't get paid as well as I do."

"What about-"

"Listen, Blondie. As much as I'd love to sit around and chat with a lovely thing like yourself all night, I have some crucial window washing I should really be taking care of. So if you could just untie me and give me back my satchel, I'll be out of your hair and on my merry way."

"Satchel?" she asked. Then realization visibly dawned on her and she walked away briefly to retrieve something from a table. "You mean this purse?" she asked, holding up Flynn's bag.

His smile became ever so slightly strained. "Yup. Yup, that'd be it," he said through grit teeth. "Now be a doll, untie me and-"

"So this is your purse. And you want it back. And you're from outside…" she said distractedly, pressing the frying pan to her lower lip in thought.

"That pretty much sums it up, yup. So, if you would free me and-"

"Alright," she said suddenly, as if he hadn't been speaking.

"...alright?"

She nodded. "Alright. I'll free you, Flynn Rider. And I'll even return your purse to you."

Bam. Success! He knew she would be powerless to his will. Like a moth to the flame. It was practically unfair to her really. He almost felt guilty.

"...if…" she added.

His internal gloating ceased. If? What was this if?

She continued in a lofty tone, "...if you accept the deal I'm prepared to offer you."

"Deal?"

"Tomorrow is the Starlight Festival that Corona celebrates every year. I need someone to go with me, and that someone will be you. You will act as my guide, take me to the festival, then bring me back here when it's over. Once I am safely home, you can have your purse back and you'll be free to go."

A slow grin curled his lips. "Wait," he said, stretching the word out. "Is this just your way of saying you want a date?"

She gave him a blank stare. "Um… no."

"Uh huh. Sure. If you say so," he chuckled. "Look, babycakes, date or no, I unfortunately just don't have the time to go traipsing off to some little fair. Got more important duties to uphold."

"Important?" Her eyelids drooped. "Like scrubbing windows?"

His right eye twitched. "Yeah. Like scrubbing windows."

"Let's get one thing straight, Flynn Rider," she said, regaining her steely demeanor and jabbing him in the nose with her skillet. "We both know you're no window washer. But I don't care who you really are and I don't care about the contents of your precious purse, just so long as you get me to the festival and then bring me back. Do we have a deal?"

"...and if I say no?" he asked, his voice sounding slightly nasally due to the skillet smooshed up against his snout.

She pointed at a door on the other side of the room. "Standing right outside is a very big, very scary bodyguard who could give a rabid gorilla on steroids a run for its munny. I could have him in here at the snap of a finger, and let's just say he wouldn't be too pleased to find you here."

"Are… are you blackmailing me?" He couldn't believe his ears.

She pulled her pan back and drummed her fingers along it. "Blackmail is such an ugly word," she hummed.

"...Blondie, if you want me to take you seriously, you're really gonna need to quit it with all the movie tropes."

She looked mortified. "Were they that obvious?" she whimpered. Then she blinked and her face hardened into a look of authority. "I mean, quiet, you! Do you accept my very generous offer of a deal or not?"

This chick should never play poker. In any case, he wasn't tempted in the slightest to accept her offer. There was no way he about to waste time playing chaperone while she frolicked about some ridiculous fair. He had to split town with his ill-gotten gains and fast. "Alright, I didn't want to have to do this. But you leave me no choice…" It was time to haul out the big guns. His trump card: the look that made women go all weak in the knees and do whatever he asked. He hung his head down, mentally preparing himself. Then he looked up at her and gave her the full effect of… The Smolder.

Her brow furrowed. "What's wrong with your face?" Then she gave a soft gasp and whispered, "Oh, I'm sorry, do you need to use the bathroom?"

Flynn's shoulders slumped. "...no… no, I'm good, thanks." He was kind of having an off day. That, or this girl was immune to his masculine wiles. That'd be a first… unheard of, even! He sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll take you to that carnival thing."

Her face lit up like fireworks. "You mean it?" At his nod, she held up her little finger near his hand. "Pinky swear?" Looking unamused, he somewhat awkwardly, given his restraints, hooked his pinky in hers to seal the solemn oath.

"Yes!" she whooped and began to prance around the room. She forgot that her new friend was still wrapped up in her tresses. Thus it was a surprise to them both when her hair snapped taut. The sharp tug to her scalp made her squeak and she almost fell backwards, but managed to catch herself. Flynn wasn't so lucky as the hair pulled his chair off its legs and toppled him over to faceplant into the floor with a painful thud.

"Oopsie," Rapunzel cringed in a tiny voice.

"If you would kindly separate me from the chair now," his muffled voice deadpanned into the rug, "that'd be swell."

Author's Note: Oh gosh, these two are so fun and adorable to write xD Sorry for the lack of our other heroes this and last chapter. We'll get back to all of them and the main overarching plotline soon, but right now focusing on getting Punzie out into the world so she can start interacting with the rest of our ragtag team :3

Special thanks and much love to Spiderfan626 and Amarxlen for reviewing, as well as to everyone else who have shown support for my quirky little story! Thank you all for reading, hoped you liked it, please leave a review and let me know what you think! Be back for next week's update!