"I was wondering when you'd find me. I've been waiting for you, Rapunzel."
Rapunzel stared into the face of her best friend. Well, what used to be her best friend. No longer the nice but aloof woman who helped her when she first got to the Academy. Now in her place stood a woman with hatred in her eyes. Even though she was in a green evening gown, she looked more menacing than beautiful.
That was all Rapunzel could see in Cassandra.
"Cass," she breathed out. Instinctually, she took a step toward her but Cass held up her hands, stopping her in her place.
She glanced at the people around them and motioned for Rapunzel to follow her. They walked to a quieter corner of the room. Rapunzel felt relieved that Eugene was right behind her.
Cass turned to her. "I see you've been having fun pretending to be an actress," she said. "I was waiting for you to figure it out. I have to say, I'm disappointed. It took you longer than I had been expecting. Has the Society been slacking when it comes to teaching you all you need to know about time travel?" She scoffed. "Of course it has. Its always been fake." Her eyes flicked to Eugene. "Ah. The man wanted all over the city for having his real face. I don't know who you are."
"Flynn Rider," he said. Rapunzel was curious why he didn't give his real name.
Cass barely gave him another look before facing Rapunzel. "Why are you here, Raps?"
Rapunzel gasped. "You used my nickname."
"A mistake," she said quickly, looking surprised with herself.
"What are you doing here, Cassandra?" Rapunzel asked. "Did you really turn 2094 into… this?" She waved her arm to encompass the room.
"I did."
"Why?"
Cassandra suddenly smiled. "Why don't you enjoy the festivities tonight? You and your…" She eyed Eugene over disdainfully.
"Boyfriend," he said.
"Right." She grimaced. "Why don't you enjoy the party and we can talk later?"
"I want to talk now," Rapunzel said.
Cass's eyes filled over with annoyance. "You don't get to have everything you want in life, Rapunzel. That's a lesson you should learn."
Rapunzel flinched back. How could Cass still believe that she knew that Gothel was her mother? She had no idea and yet, Cass was still insistent on blaming her.
For just a moment, Cass looked shocked at her own words before she plastered on a smile. "Go. Enjoy the party. The drinks are free." She hurried into the crowd before Rapunzel could say anything else.
"Well, that was pleasant," Eugene muttered.
Rapunzel leaned against him and he instantly wrapped his arms around her. "She hates me still. She's angry with the Society for lying to her about her mom but she's also angry at me."
"She can't seriously think you knew Gothel was her real mom. Gothel kidnapped you."
"Sometimes angry doesn't always make sense." She let out a huge breath. "So, we know that Cassandra is responsible for the pretty face law happening. Now, I just need to know exactly what she has planned. And I need to convince her to go back in time so she doesn't go and ruin 2094."
"Sounds easy," Eugene said with forced cheerfulness.
She smiled and before she even thought about it, kissed him on the cheek. "I'm glad I have you with me through this."
The way he met her eyes was so powerful. If she wasn't so concerned about Cass right now, she'd kiss Eugene. Her very first kiss.
"You always have me, Blondie," he said, sounding breathless.
"If Cass doesn't want to give us answers, then so be it. We'll just find answers of our own."
"What did you have in mind?"
"Let's look around this mansion and see what kind of secrets Cassandra has been keeping."
That was easier said than done. For one thing – Cassandra's mansion was huge. And two – there were too many people around to sneak past.
A lot of people recognized Rapunzel and wanted to talk to her.
"I just loved working with you," Dottie said, having found them again. "You're so talented." Her eyes slide to Flynn. "And you, young man, are one of the most handsome men I have ever seen. Who did your face?"
He blinked. "My face?"
"Yes. Which doctor? Tell me their name."
Flynn shared a look with Rapunzel. "Uh, Dr…." He glanced around the room, trying to come with something. His eyes landed on the Parisian rug in the hallway. "Dr. Parisian."
Dottie's eyes lit up. "Sounds so fancy. I love it! You'll have to give me his number. My own face could use with a little work."
"Don't you have a completely new face already?"
"Yes. But a girl could always use a new one, am I right?" She playfully poked him in the chest.
Rapunzel thankfully stepped in and drew Dottie's attention away. "I'm just going to use the restroom. Which way is it?"
Dottie frowned. "Uh, I think it's that way dear." She pointed near the west side of the house.
"I need to go too," Flynn quickly said before he could get roped into talking to Dottie all night.
They hurried away from her and headed for the bathroom.
"So, what's the plan? What are we looking for?" he asked under his breath.
"I don't know. Cass is acting like nothing is wrong. Why is that? She's caused the future to change. She's made all these people get fake faces for… what? To get back at the Society? If she was able to do this, what else does she have planned?"
They reached the bathroom door but instead of going in it, Rapunzel took a hard turn to the left. "Let's see if we can get answers somewhere else." She nodded at a door down the hallway. It was quieter there, so hopefully they wouldn't be disturbed.
Flynn volunteered to open the door. "Who knows what could be on the other side?"
"Trying to protect me, Eugene Fitzherbert?"
"You know me – I'm always here to help a damsel in distress."
She scoffed and opened the door before he could. "You know I'm no damsel in distress." She walked confidently inside the room. Flynn scrambled to catch up.
Inside was a bedroom. Sleek bedframe, large windows overlooking a garden below, calm grey wallpaper. It was like something out of a spa.
Which meant it had no character. There were no piles of stuff anywhere. It was pristine, like someone wasn't even living here.
"This could be a guest bedroom," he suggested.
"Could be. Let's look around at least."
They did and they found nothing.
"It's going to take us forever to search this house," he said.
"I know. And Cass could be planning anything during that time."
He touched her arm. "Blondie, maybe we should leave."
"Why would we do that?"
"Well, you said it yourself – Cass hates you. What if she's planning to hurt you?"
Rapunzel scoffed. "Cass wouldn't do that. She may feel betrayed with me but I doubt she'd hurt me."
"She made an entire population of people get new faces all so she could… what? Stick to 'the man?' That seems pretty cruel to me. She doesn't seem like she's your friend anymore. Who knows what she's capable of?"
"No," she said, shaking her head. "I can't believe that. I can't believe that people are just gone. Everyone is redeemable."
"Not everyone, Rapunzel."
Her eyes flashed. "You say you know me. But do you really? If you did, you wouldn't be asking me to abandon my mission."
"I'm not asking you to abandon anything. I was just suggesting that maybe we leave before shit hits the fan. I've been in enough of these situations with you to know that shit does tend to hit the fan."
"I'm going to continue to keep looking. Come with me or not. It's your choice." She stormed out of the room.
Flynn sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before he followed her. "I'm not leaving your side. You might not know all of me yet but know that."
They hurried upstairs before anyone could see.
Working quickly, they searched unoccupied rooms. There were a few times they ran into occupied rooms – usually people in a state of undress having sex. Rapunzel stammered and blushed every time while Flynn chuckled.
It was getting pointless after a while. Cass was keeping her secrets close to her chest.
Rapunzel tried the last door they could find but it was locked. They shared a glance. Why would it be locked unless this room was important.
"Stand back, Blondie," he said, pulling some bobby pins out of his pocket he packed just in case for this exact situation. "I know how to pick a lock." He did it within just a couple of seconds and then they were inside.
It was another bedroom but unlike the first room, this one was lived in. Piles of books and papers were strewed over the two end tables. The bed was unmade. A closet was full of unisex clothing.
"This is Cassandra's room," Rapunzel whispered.
"How can you know?"
"Because of that." She pointed at a painting on the wall. It wasn't of anything specific but more a panting full of swirls and colors. Purple and gold. "I painted that for her. As a gift for thanking her for being such a good friend." She touched it tentatively. "I wonder why she kept it."
"Maybe you're right. Maybe she still values your friendship."
"I don't value anything anymore," Cass said from behind them.
When Flynn whirled around, he saw that Cass was joined with two large male guards. "What's going on?"
Cass walked into the room. "I've been observing you all night. I wanted to see how desperate you were for answers. I needed to know if you were still the same Rapunzel I knew or not."
"Am I?" Rapunzel asked.
"You're just as curious as before. Too curious for your own good." Her eyes flicked to the painting and back to Rapunzel. "It's something I always envied about you. How you could have so much wonder for this cruel world. It's also something I hate about you."
Rapunzel flinched back like she had been slapped. "Hate?"
"You're too naïve. Too optimistic. You think you can just swoop in and save any problem. But you couldn't fix my problem, Rapunzel. In fact, you were part of the problem. You kept my own mother from me. And for that, you're just as bad as the Society is. You wanted to know why I came here. I came here, to 2094, to show the Society that they couldn't play with people's emotions and not face any consequences. I wanted to show them that I too could create a fake world. Because their world is fake, Rapunzel. Make no mistake about that. If you had just stayed out of it, I could have maybe forgiven you. But you just had to show up and stick your nose into one more thing that belongs to me. One more thing you're trying to fix. So, I'm going to show you who you really are, Rapunzel."
"And what's that?" she whispered.
"If you're so insistent on believing the Society, then I'm going to make you just like them. Fake." She nodded at the guards. "Take her down to the basement." She gave Flynn a disgusted look. "And her boyfriend too."
Flynn tried fighting his own guard but the guy was so much bigger. He grabbed Flynn's wrists and pulled them behind him.
"What are you going to do?" Rapunzel shouted as one of the men wrapped his arms around her waist.
Cassandra turned back to look at them. "I'm going to give you a new face. A fake one for the fake person you are."
Rapunzel could barely believe what Cassandra just said to her. What happened to her friend?
The guard dragged her from the bedroom and down the stairs and through the party full of people.
"Help us!" Rapunzel shouted.
No one did. They all looked at her with disgust on their faces. Even Dottie too. She gave a sad shake of her head as she met Rapunzel's eyes.
Cassandra, who was a few steps ahead, looked back at her and said, "I already told them the truth. That you still have your real face. They're made at you for deceiving them. Just like you've deceived me."
"I didn't deceive you. Cass, I didn't know about Gothel. I swear!"
She spun around and gave a cold glare that sent shivers down Rapunzel's spine. "How could you not know? You lived with Gothel for eighteen years. You had to have known."
"Gothel kidnapped me. I was her prisoner. I was a victim."
Cass scoffed. "Keep telling yourself that, Raps. Maybe it will make other people feel bad for you but not me."
"Hey!" Eugene shouted, struggling against his guard. "You don't know what you're talking about. I saw Gothel. I know how she treated Rapunzel. She is a victim."
Rapunzel gasped. How could he have met Gothel? Gothel's been dead for the past two years.
Cassandra stormed over to Eugene. "You met my mother?"
"Well… technically," he said.
She looked at him for a minute before scoffing again. "Take them down to the basement." She turned to the crowd of people watching. "Keep enjoying the party. I just have to go deal with these two criminals for a minute."
The guards dragged Rapunzel and Eugene out of the room. The moment they were gone, the murmur of voices resumed.
They were taken down a hallway to a flight of stairs that led down to a basement, which felt more like a dungeon than a basement in a LA mega-mansion. Everything was decorated with stone. What looked like a dentists chair was in the middle of the room, as well as a table full of tools, from a scalpel to scissors to forceps. She even saw a stapler, which made her shudder. A stapler to staple on a few face.
The guards sat them both down on normal chairs and tied them to it before walking to the far corners of the room. Cassandra then stood before them.
"Why are you doing this?" Rapunzel asked.
"You know why. The Society lied to me. When you first joined us, I took pity on you. I saw a scared girl who had been traumatized. Someone in need of a friend. But then I found out that the woman you had been living with was my real mother. The mother who left me… for you."
Rapunzel shook her head. "Cass, no. Gothel kidnapped me."
"So you say."
"She's telling the truth," Eugene growled while straining against the rope binding him to the chair.
Cass whipped her head towards him. "And you just believe her? Why?"
He stopped moved and looked at her straight on. "Because I love her."
Rapunzel gasped. It was still a shock to hear Eugene say that. It made her wonder what they had been through together to make him fall in love. Would she ever fall in love with him? Possibly, if she could survive this night.
"You're delusional," Cass said to him. "You want to know what happened?" She leaned in closer to him. "Rapunzel was my best friend. Then I found out the Society knew who my mother really was. I remember my mother. Gothel. I remember her raising me… until she suddenly left me. The Society found me. They raised me. They told me they'd reunite me with my mother but that never happened. Then Rapunzel showed up, having been 'kidnapped' by a crazy woman. The Society wouldn't tell me anything else. Not until I went digging for answers myself. That's when I found out Gothel was the woman who had raised Rapunzel. My own mother left me for… her." She flashed a glare in Rapunzel's direction.
"You see," Cassandra continued, "I had told Rapunzel about Gothel but she never said a word. Never told me that was who had raised her. When I saw the truth in that file, I knew Rapunzel had lied to me. So, I confronted her about it. She didn't deny it. Gothel had raised her. It didn't make sense… unless Rapunzel was trying to deceive me herself. She came up with some sad excuse about Gothel having kidnapped her but in reality, she's the reason I was raised without a mother. Without love. It's her fault. And then she told me she killed Gothel. Killed my mother. So, how can you say you love her when she's a liar and a murderer?"
Rapunzel stared at Cass in shock. She never knew Cass had felt this way. Not fully.
"I love Rapunzel," Eugene said, "because she's the most selfless, compassionate, bravest person I have ever met. You're wrong, Cassandra."
Her face twisted into something ugly. "I am not wrong."
"You are. Gothel kidnapped Rapunzel. She was a victim. She had to kill Gothel to escape. Gothel manipulated Rapunzel her entire life. Gothel left you because she was a horrible person. She kidnapped another girl because she was a horrible person. You want someone to blame? Blame Gothel. Not Rapunzel."
Cass's eye twitched as she glared down at Eugene. "Take him first," she said over her shoulder to the guards. "I want to see him lose his pretty face first."
"Wai!" Rapunzel shouted before the guards could grab Eugene. "Cass, listen to me. Please, let me explain."
"You've done enough of that."
"No. I never told you that Gothel was the one who kidnapped me when we were at the Academy because I was scared. Gothel hurt me again and again. You said I was a traumatized girl when I first showed up. That's because I was. Gothel had done that to me. So, when you told me she was your mother, I was shocked. I didn't know what to do. I wasn't ready to talk to about what I had gone through. I'm sorry since that hurt you. But I was struggling too. Cass, please. I never meant to hurt you. I never meant to lie to you."
Cass scoffed. "Well, you did."
"I know. And if I could take it back, I would. But you have to know I never meant to hurt you. I am so sorry, Cass. I am so sorry."
Her eyes wavered a moment before they hardened again. "I don't believe you. I don't trust anyone anymore. The Society knew the truth and they kept it from me. Why? Because they wanted me to be their little puppet. That's why I am doing this." She waved her arms around to encompass everything she had accomplished. "The pretty face law was to show the Society that they can't just lie to people without consequences. There was a break in time and I used it to come here and change everything. I put messages into films and TV shows to brainwash a population of people. To show the Society what I was capable of it. That if they mess with me, I'll mess with the one thing they only care about: Time. I will break it. That's what I am doing here."
"Cass," Rapunzel said, "you're hurting innocent people to prove a point to the Society. How is that ok?"
"There are casualties in a war."
"It doesn't have to be a war. Just don't play by the Society's rules. If you don't want to be their puppet, then don't be. Don't time travel. Settle down somewhere and let your anger go."
Cassandra shook her head. "No. They have to pay for their deception. They claim they're for helping people. That's what they trained us to do. But I saw something else when I went digging. Another file. They're training certain time travelers to kill people for no reason."
"No," she whispered, feeling like someone just punched her in the gut. "They only want to help people."
"Maybe you do, Raps. And it's commendable. Despite being a liar, you want to help people. Despite being a murderer, that is."
"I killed Gothel in self-defense. Trust me, I didn't want to. If there had been any other way…"
"Was there? Any other way? Did you even try to find one before you killed my mother?"
Rapunzel open and closed her mouth. This was a losing battle. Cass didn't believe anything she said. "I'm sorry," was all she could say. She had been racked with guilt since the day she had to kill Gothel. It had never left her since.
"You're sorry," Cass said in disbelief. "At least that's something. You want to know something else, Rapunzel? While you're here defending the Society, there is one thing you don't know. It's obvious you don't. It has to do with your parents."
All the air left her body. "My parents?" she could barely even ask.
"The Society told you they didn't know where they are. That's a lie. They know where they are."
"Does that mean they're alive?"
Cass hesitated. "I didn't get the chance to read more before I was caught. But maybe think about why you're defending the Society so much. If they're capable of deceiving me for all my life, then they're more than capable of doing the same thing to you."
Rapunzel didn't want to believe it. Why would the Society keep that from her? She knew she wouldn't get answers today. Maybe never. But there was one thing she could take from Cassandra's words – her parents were possibly still out there, which meant there was a chance for her to meet them.
"I feel pity for you," Cass said, shaking her head. "But you're not going to change my mind, Rapunzel. I'm going to take down the Society and it starts with me dismantling Time. I have to say, thank you. I know it was you who broke the timeline open. My time machine could sense it. You gave me this opportunity. But I cant have you getting in my way. So, I'm going to give you a new face, then I'm going to destroy your tower so you can't follow me. You'll be stuck here in 2094, no longer the Rapunzel you know. And I'll be free to accomplish what I need to without you pestering with it." She nodded at the guards. "Do her first instead."
The guards grabbed Rapunzel and dragged her over to the surgeon chair.
"Let her go!" Eugene shouted. He had been quiet this entire time. Rapunzel had been so caught up in Cass, she almost forget he was there.
"Shout all you want," Cass said, "but this is happening." She headed for the door.
"You're not even going to stay and watch?" Eugene asked. "You're going to ruin your friend's face because of petty anger and you don't even have the guts to see it through?"
"I have to go get the doctor," Cass explained. "But I am coming back. Trust me, I'm not missing this for anything." With a final look at Rapunzel, Cass left the room.
Rapunzel struggled against the guards as they strapped her to the chair. Fear encircled her heart as a restraint wrapped around her throat, keeping her fully in place. She was going to have her face mutilated because of Cass.
She should have just told Cass the truth – that Gothel was the one who had kidnapped her. There were a lot of 'should haves' Rapunzel should have done. Told the truth to Cass. Saved Pascal from dying. Found a different way to escape Gothel instead of killing her. But despite being a time traveler, Rapunzel couldn't go back in time and change those things. There was no escaping death.
And as for Cass, if she tried to go back in time and fix their friendship, it would cause a ripple in the timeline that could have dire circumstances. Things were too far gone for them. Cass had done too much by changing history in 2094.
Some things you just can't come back from.
Flynn was going to fix everything and to do that, he needed to rescue Rapunzel.
Good thing he almost had his rope untied.
While Cass and Rapunzel had talked, he had been focusing on getting free. He just needed a couple more minutes and he'd have it.
But a couple minutes isn't what he had because Cass came back with a man behind her. The doctor. He was a tall, thin man with an extraordinarily handsome face.
Neither of them gave him any attention as they headed straight for Rapunzel. The fear on her face broke his heart. He wasn't going to let her lose her face. He was going to save her and keep trying until he couldn't anymore. Even after the day she wouldn't know him and he had to move on without her, he'd still keep fighting for her.
"What a pretty face you already have," the doctor said, drawing his finger down Rapunzel's cheek. "I can't wait to improve upon it."
"Don't touch her," Flynn growled. He should have been keeping his head down but he couldn't help himself.
"Be quiet," Cass snapped. "You'll have your turn next." She turned away from him. Neither of the guards were looking in his direction. And the doctor had his eyes planted firmly on Rapunzel.
"We shall begin," the doctor said, grabbing an oxygen mask and slipping it over Rapunzel's mouth.
Her eyes met Flynn's. They were full of fear. He gave her a small nod and she nodded subtly back
"Just relax," the doctor said, "and you'll soon be asleep." He walked over to a tank and started to turn a nob.
Ok. Flynn had to act now.
He quickly undid the rest of the rope and ran for Rapunzel. This obviously shocked everyone in the room.
"Grab him!" Cassandra shouted at the guards.
Flynn picked up the scissors on the table and threw it at one guard. It landed in the man's throat, making him buckle over. The other guard came for him but Flynn was ready. With the scalpel in his hand, he shoved it into the guard's eye, making him fall to the ground right next to the other guard.
Cass growled. "Stop!"
"You didn't stop," Flynn fired back. "So why should I?" He ran to the doctor and punched him in the face. The doctor fell to the ground and stayed there. Flynn turned the nob on the tank so it stopped pumping anesthesia into Rapunzel.
Then he ran to Rapunzel and ripped her mask off. Her head rolled to the side. She was breathing but she was asleep.
Cass barreled into him unexpectedly. He hit the chair as he fell down, knocking Rapunzel half off of it.
"Why are you ruining this for me?" Cass shouted as she sat on top of him, slapping his face.
Flynn shoved her back. "I'm not ruining anything. Last I checked, I'm not a psychopath hell-bent on revenge." He kicked Cass in the stomach, which sent her stumbling back. He jumped up and tried to pick up Rapunzel but Cass was back again, hitting him from behind.
"You are so annoying," she said.
Flynn pushed her back again. "So are you."
Cass picked up another scalpel from the table and thrusted her hand out, trying to slash him. It would have hurt him if not for the fact that right then, an intense pain filled him from the insides and he flickered again.
The scalpel passed right through him. He became immaterial. In the momentum, Cass stumbled backwards.
Flynn said a quick internal thanks for the fact that Time was killing him as it just saved his life.
Cass stared at him in shock as he rematerialized. Using her shock against her, he punched her in the face, knocking her out cold.
Flynn picked Rapunzel up and carried her out of the basement. When he reached upstairs, the entire crowd of people turned to look at them. That's right – these people were still here. Flynn sort of forgot.
"Would it be too much to ask if I could just… leave?" he asked the guests.
For one second, he hoped. But a second never lasts long.
"They're escaping!" Dottie shouted.
"Really Dottie? I thought you liked me."
Dottie shrugged. "You broke the law. Get them!"
The entire room full of people started running in his direction. Ok. Not good. He'd just have to find another way out of this freaking huge mansion.
With a burst of speed, he sprinted back down the hallway. The crowd was right behind him. He could smell their body odor and perfumes and hear their heels on the ground and panting breaths.
Flynn was used to running for his life at this point. The people behind him weren't.
He rounded a corner and slammed into the back door, which was made of glass. He went right through it, getting cut in the process. Rapunzel was bleeding too but it didn't look like anything serious.
Cursing himself for not being careful, he kept running.
The glass gave the people behind him pause, which gave him his advantage. He ran back around the side of the house and to the street. Staring down at the long row of cars before him, Flynn groaned. That's right. They had to park way down the street.
"Get him!" someone shouted. Flynn glanced over his shoulder. The crowd was coming back.
"Here goes nothing, Blondie," he said before taking off running again. It felt like the ground rumbled from so many people chasing him. Flynn passed by car after car, none of which were Rapunzel's. Where was it? Where was it?
At last, his eyes landed on the small car and he raced for it…
…When his foot promptly tripped over the pothole in the road. He and Rapunzel went buckling to the ground. He winced as he watched Rapunzel hit the pavement. She was bleeding from the glass cuts and now he had just dropped her. Some boyfriend he was.
Scrambling back up, he scooped her into his arms and reached the car. After opening the door and placing Rapunzel onto the back seat, he darted around the car and to the driver's seat. Right as he got inside, the crowd reached him. People began beating their hands onto the windshield. A crack formed.
"Shit, shit, shit," Flynn muttered as he started the car. Too many people were in his way. He didn't want to hurt them but he really needed to get Rapunzel to safety.
So, he backed the car up and drove out onto the road, not caring if anyone got hit in the process. They could get out of the way if they wanted to.
And fortunately, they did.
He guessed fighting off against a criminal in a car was a little too much for Hollywood's elite.
Without a backward glance, he took off down the road, leaving the fake pretty faced people behind.
Until Wednesday!