The tower crashed landed.
Everyone inside the tower stumbled, included The Baron, who had a dagger to Rapunzel's throat. Eugene really wanted to kill the bastard for threatening his girlfriend.
The moment The Baron stumbled, Rapunzel elbowed him in the stomach and skirted away from him, fleeing to Eugene's side. He wrapped her in his arms. Cass drew her sword and held it up to The Baron's throat.
"Drop your dagger," she growled.
"This place has the power to reverse what's been done to me!" he seethed. "And none of you are helping me."
"You did try to kill me," Rapunzel reminded him. She walked past him and over to Stalyan and pushed her away from her computer. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to touch what's not yours?"
Stalyan shrugged. "Not really. My dad always taught me to take what's not yours and I like your time traveling tower. I think I'll make it mine."
Rapunzel stared Stalyan down. "You are not getting my tower. Now I need to see where we landed." She hurried over to the large front window and looked out.
And all she saw was ice. Ice fields. Ice glaciers. Ice mountains. Just ice.
"Where are we?" she murmured to herself.
Arianna glanced outside and her eyes went wide. "I recognize this place. It's Tinvora. A planet fully covered in ice."
"How do you know that?" Eugene asked.
She shared a glance with Frederic and he looked away. Interesting. "We've been here before. Long ago."
"Well, let's just get back to XRL1," Rapunzel said, going back to her computer. "That way we can find the portal there and get to headquarters."
When she reached to touch the button that would make them time travel back, Stalyan smacked her hand. "Not so fast. I'm not going back to that planet. I'm finally free of it."
"It's not up to you," Rapunzel said. "You tried to kill me, remember?"
Stalyan flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Semantics."
Rapunzel sighed and reached down to touch the button when she stopped. Her console was normally full of color and light but now it looked grey and dull. "I don't understand. I've never seen my tower look like this before."
Arianna came over. "That's because your tower is out of juice."
"What?"
"Some planets have been known to drain our time machines of their power. Tinvora is one of those places. Frederic and I got stuck here once and we had to repower our tower using Tinvora's power source."
"Ok," Eugene said, stepping forward. "So we go find the power source."
"Need I remind everyone," The Baron thundered, "that I still look old?"
"And you're going to stay that way until we fix my tower," Rapunzel snapped. "If my tower is out of juice, then it can't heal you. Got it?" Eugene whistled and raised his eyebrows. Rapunzel was in a mood. He kind of liked it.
The Baron grumbled under his breath but took a step back.
Rapunzel turned to her mom. "Let's find that power source."
Arianna ducked her eyes and even when Frederic came over, she still wouldn't look at Rapunzel. Frederic sighed deeply as he rested his hand on Arianna's back. "We used up the power source the last time we were here. It never restored itself," he told her.
"So, we're stuck here," Cass said in a deadpan voice. "That's just great. I've always wanted to get stuck on an icy planet surrounded by people I hate and who hate me."
"I don't hate you," Rapunzel said softly.
Cass blinked and didn't say anything.
Rapunzel glanced around the tower. "But if my tower doesn't have any power, then it can't heat itself. We'll freeze in here."
"Yes," Arianna said, nodding. "We will. Which means we need to leave the tower and look for alternate forms of shelter. Who knows? Maybe the power source has been restored. It's been years since we were here. It's worth a try."
"Well, I for one," Eugene said, "don't want to go outside wearing tights. I vote we find some winter wear."
A couple minutes later, everyone was decked out in coats, warm pants, hats, and gloves. Even Stalyan and The Baron were given some. Rapunzel was nice enough to do that at least. If it had been up to Eugene, he would have let those two freeze to death.
Eugene grabbed Rapunzel's gloved hand as they left the tower. "I could use a kiss to warm me up."
She smiled and quickly kissed him on the lips. Frederic scowled at them but didn't say a word while Arianna just smiled sadly. Cass rolled her eyes and Stalyan looked like she wanted to punch Rapunzel. As for The Baron, he remained by the tower.
"I'm not going anywhere," he said. "I'll wait here for you guys to restore power to this thing and then I expect to get healed. Understood?"
Rapunzel sighed. "Yes."
"You're really going to heal him, Blondie?" Eugene whispered as they started walking away.
"If it gets him out of our lives, then yes."
Eugene looked out at the frozen wasteland before them. He really wasn't looking forward to this but he was going to do it anyway because Rapunzel needed his help and whenever Rapunzel needed his help, he was right there.
"Why aren't you staying back with your father?" Cass asked Stalyan as she came with.
"Because I'm not going to let any of you double cross me or my dad." Stalyan glared right at Rapunzel. "Because I know a few of you want to."
Rapunzel leaned in closer to Eugene, almost like she was laying her stake on him. Honestly, Eugene was fine with it. He knew what it was like to be a jealous bastard. Stalyan glared harder.
"We should get moving," Arianna said, "before we all freeze out here."
It was fucking cold. Eugene was going to have blue balls when this was over. Literally.
They all started their trek through the icy wilderness before them, searching for a power source that may not even exist at all.
Rapunzel was shivering in her jacket and winter boots. She had grown up barefoot in a dress locked in a tower her entire life. Cold was not something she was used to.
Eugene laid his arm over her shoulders, helping to keep her warm. As she looked up at him, she was struck by just how lucky she was to have a man like Eugene in her life. He stood by her side through everything, even when she looked old. He's never given up on her once.
She gently kissed his cheek.
"What was that for?" he asked, smiling down at her.
"I just love you."
He squeezed her shoulders. "I just love you too."
"Gag," Cass said, walking past them. Stalyan only glared at them even more, which was impressive in it's own way. Rapunzel wondered what it was like to be filled with so much hate.
Fortunately, Frederic didn't comment on the kiss or the declarations of love. Maybe he took Rapunzel's words to heart – either stay in her life and give her space or leave.
"So, where exactly is this power source?" Cass asked. "Because all I see is ice."
Arianna bit her lip as she looked around. "The power source was last seen around here. I think."
"You think?" Eugene asked. "Or you know?"
She sighed, her arms flapping at her sides. "I think. I'm not sure. It's hard to find my way around here."
"How did you last time?" Rapunzel asked.
Arianna and Frederic exchanged a look. It was the second time they'd done that since arriving on Tinvora. It was almost like they were hiding something.
Rapunzel's suspicious radar had grown when it came to her parents. The sad reality was – her parents weren't as amazing as she'd hoped they'd be.
Arianna opened her mouth to speak when the ground trembled underneath them.
"What the hell is that?" Eugene asked.
Cass gripped her sword tighter. "I'm not sure but whatever it is, I don't think I like it."
The ice underneath them cracked open. Rapunzel was expecting to fall into a pool of frozen water but instead… her feet only landed in more snow. Tinvora wasn't like Earth, she observed.
It most definitely wasn't since right before her feet, a bunny popped out of the snow. An honest to goodness bunny.
"Aw," Eugene said, waggling his fingers at the bunny. "How cute."
The bunny snarled at him and jumped straight for his face.
"Shit!" he cried out, running away from it.
Cass laughed. "It's just a bunny."
"Yeah, a bunny trying to destroy my beautiful face," he shot back.
Rapunzel squinted at the bunny. "You know… it doesn't quite look like a bunny. I mean, it does but also… not."
It was cute and fluffy for sure but its ears were a little too big and its eyes were just a tiny bit too round. It looked more like the cartoon version of a bunny rather than an actual bunny.
"It's a freaking demon bunny," Eugene muttered, rubbing his hand down his face.
The bunny turned its eyes on Arianna and Frederic and the rage that crossed its face startled Rapunzel.
"Attack!" it shouted in a small squeaky voice.
Eugene stood up straighter. "The bunny can talk."
Underneath them, more ice uncracked and more bunnies popped out. Soon, they were surrounded by hundreds of them.
"And there's an army of bunnies." Eugene shook his head. "Who would have thunk?"
"Run!" Arianna shouted, grabbing Frederic's hand and sprinting away from the bunnies.
Within seconds, the bunnies were chasing them all, trying to jump onto them and trying to bite them.
Rapunzel gasped as one of the bunnies bit her hand. She flung it away and ran after her parents, Eugene by her side. Cass and Stalyan took the back with Cass doing a great job of kicking the bunnies out of the way.
"Why the hell are the bunnies attacking us?" Eugene shouted, sidestepping a bunny as it tried to grab his leg.
"I'm not sure," Rapunzel panted. "Just keep running."
And they did but it wasn't easy on top of the ice. The bunnies had the advantage – the could go underneath the ice and pop up whenever they felt like it. This was their planet. Their home.
Rapunzel's foot slipped out from under her and she landed on her back – hard. Groaning, she tried sitting up but the swarm of bunnies were on top of her. She felt their bites and their little paws hitting her.
"Get back!" Eugene shouted, kicking them away from her.
Arianna came running towards her and started picking up the bunnies and throwing them to the side. An opening gave Arianna the chance to offer her hand to Rapunzel and Rapunzel took it.
"Thanks," she said to her mom.
Arianna smiled faintly. "I'm always here to help."
Her words sent a flutter through Rapunzel. Arianna was still her mom, despite their issues. Maybe this was her way of telling Rapunzel that she wanted to be in her life.
"While this moment is touching," Stalyan said, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "we should really move. They're still chasing us."
Arianna held onto Rapunzel's hand as they took off running.
"Over there!" Frederic shouted, pointing at an ice cave. "We can hide in there and block the entrance."
They all huddled inside the cave. Frederic picked up a solid piece of ice on the ground and placed it over the entrance. The bunnies slammed into it but couldn't get past. They kept trying until there was no way in and they eventually wandered off.
"Whew," Eugene said, leaning against the wall. "That was insane. Please tell me that you all thought that was insane."
"That was insane," Cass agreed.
"What was that about?" Rapunzel asked. "Why would they attack us? We didn't do anything to them."
Once again, Frederic and Arianna exchanged a look.
Then Arianna sighed. "There's something we have to tell you all."
"I don't like the sound of that," Eugene muttered.
Arianna wrung her hands together. "When Frederic and I first came to Tinvora, we were welcomed in by the alien species here. The bunnies. They're called the Tinvorians. They told us that they had the power source of this planet coursing through them. They could restore our time machine so we could get home. Except… they refused to." She ducked her eyes.
Frederic took over. "So, we used the Tinvorians to restore our time machine. Without their consent."
Rapunzel gasped. "What happened to them?"
"They died," he said bluntly, making her flinch. "We thought we killed them all but clearly they repopulated and it's obvious they remember us. They want us dead for what we did and I doubt they'll help us restore your time machine now."
"So, we're stuck on an icy planet with killer bunnies?" Stalyan asked. "God, I should have stayed on XRL1. At least I was aging slowly there."
"No one made you come," Eugene snapped.
"Remember when we used to make love every night, Eugene?" Stalyan smiled smugly. "Those were good times."
Rapunzel's face flushed as she looked away. She knew Eugene had a past but it was one thing to know, it was another thing entirely to run into one of his exes.
Eugene stuttered until Cass placed her hand on his arm. "You're not going to win," she said.
Rapunzel faced her parents again, putting Stalyan's comment aside. "So, they're not going to help us. We really are stuck here."
"Yes," Arianna said, looking at her with sad eyes. That was the last thing Rapunzel wanted. She didn't want Arianna to be sad. She wanted her mom to be… well, her mom. Whatever that meant but that's what she wanted.
"No," Rapunzel said. "I refuse to believe that. Let me try talking them. They don't hate me. I didn't do anything to them. I can try to convince them to help."
"If they didn't want to help us years ago," Frederic said, "then why would they want to help now?"
"Did you even ask them if they wanted to help you? Or did you just resort to using them for your own needs before killing them?"
Arianna flinched but Frederic held Rapunzel's gaze. "We did what we had to do," he said.
"No. You didn't have to try to kill the water creature in Ireland. You didn't have to kill the Tinvorians. You didn't have to try to kill Eugene and force me to leave him behind. There's a lot of things you guys have done under the pretense of 'what you have to do.'" She used air quotes. "But you can choose to be good. You know, I dreamed of meeting my real parents for the past two years. But you've only disappointed me."
"Rapunzel," Arianna said, reaching her hand out to her but Rapunzel stepped back.
"No. I don't trust you guys. It's getting late. I'll try to talk to the Tinvorians in the morning. We'll stay in this cave until then."
"You're going to talk to them alone?" Frederic asked.
"I'll have Eugene with me."
Eugene straightened up. "Uh, Blondie, you know I'll do anything for you but those damn bunnies are freaky."
"You're helping me, Eugene."
He sighed. "I know."
Stalyan smirked. "Looks like you're whipped." She made a whipping motion with her hand.
"Ok, seriously, who brought you along?" Eugene asked.
Stalyan rolled her eyes and walked further into the cave.
"Gee," Cass said, "I'm just so happy we're all stuck in this cave together until morning. Lucky me."
"Sarcasm noted, Cassandra," Eugene said.
"If anyone needs me," she said, "I'll be over here, minding my own business." She settled on the floor and placed her sword over her lap. At least Rapunzel didn't have to worry about Cass trying to kill her parents for the moment. It seemed some of her anger had dissipated.
Eugene and Rapunzel held onto each other as they sat down while Arianna and Frederic did the same across from them.
To say things were tense would be an understatement.
No one said anything. All Rapunzel could think about was being disappointed in her parents. She expected them to be good people because she was a good person. They're weren't as bad as Gothel but they're weren't exactly good people.
And yet, Rapunzel still wanted to learn more about them. She didn't really want them out of her life for good. There were still so many questions she had.
After about an hour of sitting in silence, Eugene managed to fall asleep. For Rapunzel, her brain was too wired to sleep.
Soon everyone was asleep except for Rapunzel and Arianna. It was surprisingly warm in the cave, keeping the frigid air away from them. No signs of any rapid bunnies in a while.
Rapunzel and Arianna locked eyes across the cave. It was dark but the moon was providing enough light for them to see.
With a sigh, Rapunzel got up and walked over to her mom and sat down. "I want to know what I was like as a baby," she said, keeping her voice low.
Arianna's eyes widened. "Oh. Well, you were so sweet. Gosh, the sweetest. You would suck on your little toes and do this adorable laugh after. It always made me smile."
"Were you happy to be a mom?"
"The happiest."
Rapunzel felt some of the ice around her heart thaw a little. "Are you still happy to be a mom?"
"I never got the chance and now I'm ruining it."
"You're not ruining it."
"Am I not?" Arianna nodded at Frederic. "I know he can be controlling but it's just because he lost you and is terrified he'll lose you again. He went overboard. I agree with that. But it came from a place of love."
"I figured." She pulled her legs into her chest and set her chin on her knees.
"So, tell me about Eugene."
Rapunzel smiled at her mom. "Why now?"
"You and I haven't had a chance to talk, just the two of us since we met."
"Eugene and I met… well, it's kind of hard to explain. I met him when he already knew me and he met me when I already knew him. Time travel."
Arianna sighed. "It's a fickle thing."
"That's what I always said."
The smile that crossed Arianna's lips was warm and inviting. "Go on."
"We fell in love. He brought me back from death. He never gave up on us. I've never had anyone in my life I've been able to depend on more than I have Eugene."
"I can see that. I can see how much he fights for you. Frederic does the same for me."
"How did you two meet?" She leaned back against the wall. "You never told me."
Arianna gazed down at her sleeping husband. "We met when we were kids. We grew up together. We were friends first, then later fell in love. He's the only love I've ever had."
"Why did you two form the Time Traveler's Society? And how did you?"
"Your father and I came from money. And when you have money, you can do most things. We were able to form the Society through hiring scientists to create time travel. We created everything the Society had to offer. The time machines. The ability to travel to different planets. The Academy to train other people to learn the art of time travel. We wanted to create a place for people who wanted to travel and see the world and save it from threats. We always had good intentions."
"How did Agent Tom take over?"
Arianna sighed. "We let our guard down. We got complacent. He recruited a group of time travelers to turn against us and kick us out. We were being held prisoner when he let us go to earn our freedom."
"How do you have to earn your freedom?"
Her eyes bored into Rapunzel's. "Let's just say that it's not worth it to me anymore. My freedom. Not if it means hurting anyone again. I'm tired of it." She placed her hand on Rapunzel's. "I just want to be your mom. I want you to give me a chance."
Rapunzel couldn't hold back anymore as she wrapped her arms around Arianna and gave her a big hug. Arianna hesitated and then hugged her back.
"I want you to be my mom too," Rapunzel whispered. "I want to try again."
Arianna pulled back and wiped at her eyes where tears had formed. "I would love that. I know your father and I messed up with the Tinvorians. We were young and reckless. But we're going to work hard to restore power to your time machine so we can finally get to headquarters. I'm going to work hard."
"As long as you promise me – no more killing."
"No more killing."
Rapunzel stared into her mother's eyes. "Gothel scarred me. I still have wounds from what she did to me. But I'm ready to put her behind me to welcome you into my life."
"Let's put the past behind us. Start anew." She squeezed Rapunzel's hand and Rapunzel squeezed back.
"Let's put the past behind us," she agreed. And Rapunzel knew, looking at her mom's face, that everything would be all right. Gothel never made her feel that way. It healed Rapunzel's heart in a way nothing else ever could.
But that's what also made it terrifying. She wanted to believe Arianna so she would choose to believe.
That was the best she could do for right now.
Morning came, which meant Eugene and Rapunzel were going to have to venture out of the cave and convince the evil bunnies to work with them in restoring power to the time machine.
Which was something Eugene was not looking forward to.
He had been through a lot – mummies, assassins, even freaking werewolves, but evil bunnies? That took the cake on all things crazy.
"Are you sure you can handle this?" Frederic asked Rapunzel.
"I'm sure. Eugene and I have through much worse."
"That's… not reassuring," Arianna said.
"I'll go with," Cass said, sheaving her sword and walking towards the entrance of the cave. "These two need me."
"We don't need you," Eugene grumbled, though if he were willing to admit, having Cass's fighting prowess on their side came in handy.
"I'll go to."
Eugene turned to Stalyan, who just spoke. "Nope. You can stay right here where Rapunzel's parents can keep an eye on you."
She crossed her arms. "I'm not a child."
"Still don't trust you. You tried to hurt Rapunzel."
"So?"
Eugene scoffed. He had honestly forgotten about Stalyan's attitude after she left his life. Now that he was around it again, he was reminded of just how freaking annoying it was. "So? So?" He was at a loss for words. Stalyan sometimes had that affect on him and he wasn't too pleased about it.
Stalyan smirked. "Cat got your tongue?" She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "I'm going with. I'm not going to let you guys find a way to repower the time machine and leave me behind. It's those two" – she pointed at Frederic and Arianna – "that the demented bunnies hate. Not me. I can be of help. This way I'll know you won't leave me behind."
"You can come," Rapunzel said in a clipped voice. Turning to Arianna, she smiled. "We'll be careful. I promise."
She grabbed Rapunzel's hand. "I have faith in you. I see so much of myself in you, that I know you can handle this. Just be better than me."
Rapunzel nodded and walked back over to Eugene. Frederic grabbed the ice shard from the entrance of the cave and pushed it aside.
"What was that about?" Eugene asked as they left the cave.
"What?"
"You and Arianna."
Rapunzel smiled faintly. "We had a talk last night. There's still a lot of growing for us to do but I think we're finally on the right path. She doesn't want to control me. She wants to be in my life."
"Good. What about Frederic?"
Her smile vanished. "I'm not sure. He hasn't given me an answer yet about wanting to be in my life if he can't control me. But Arianna said he was being so controlling because he lost me once and doesn't want to again. I can't fault him for that. But like I said, there's still a lot of work to do."
"God, can you stop complaining about your parents?" Stalyan asked, striding past them. "It's getting on my nerves."
"You're getting on my nerves," Cass snapped. "I'm the snarky one here. Not you. Now let us find these damn bunnies and fix Rapunzel's tower."
Stalyan looked properly put in her place. Eugene was pleased.
The four of them headed out into the icy desert wasteland, keeping their eyes out for the bunnies.
It didn't take long for the bunnies to show themselves.
They popped out of the ice, barring their teeth at them, and looking ready to pounce and attack if needed.
Rapunzel quickly put up her hands. "We're not here to hurt you. We just want to talk."
"You were with those evil people who hurt us," squeaked one of the bunnies. It was slightly larger than the others.
"We're not with them now," Rapunzel said. "And we need your help. We know you can access the power on this planet to restore my time machine. All I ask is you do and we'll be out of your hair. We won't bother you again. We won't hurt you to do this. We just want to leave."
The lead bunny looked them over, eyeing them all with suspicion. Eugene couldn't blame the little fellow. "If we refuse to help you… then what? Will you force us like those other people did?"
"No," Rapunzel said right as Stalyan said, "Yes."
Eugene shot Stalyan a look but she ignored him.
"Which is it?" the bunny leader asked.
"It's a no," Rapunzel said, stepping forward. "We will not force you but you should know, you'll be condemning us to die if you don't help. There's no food on this planet we can eat. At least not on the surface anyway. We'll all die here if you don't help us so I am asking, please help us. Just restore power to my time machine and we'll leave."
"How do we know you won't bring others with you to hurt us again?"
Eugene snorted. "Little dude" – the bunny leader bristled at that – "your planet doesn't have any resources humans can use. Trust me, we're not coming back here. We want to be gone just as much as you want us to leave. So, help us leave."
"I need to confer with my people," Bunny Leader said.
Stalyan rolled her eyes. "Oh for god's sake. We don't have time for this." She lunged forward and grabbed Bunny Leader by the ears. He tried fighting her off but she held him at arm's distance away.
"Let him go," Rapunzel hissed. "Don't do this."
"Stalyan, come on," Eugene said.
The other bunnies surrounding them paused. They weren't willing to attack in fear of their leader getting hurt.
"You will help us," Stalyan said to the Bunny Leader, shaking him hard.
"Yes, yes, fine," he responded.
"Good. But I'm not letting you go until you help us."
The Bunny Leader sighed in defeat. "Fine. Let's go." He motioned at his people.
But instead of leading them back towards the tower, they turned on Stalyan and attacked her. The bunnies began running up her legs and jumping on her back. Stalyan screamed and tried bucking the bunnies off but they weren't letting go. Stalyan flung the Bunny Leader away. He landed on the ice and got back up without looking hurt at all.
Eugene watched in horror as the bunnies forced Stalyan backwards towards the edge of a cliff. The icy desert around them was so hard to see in that he didn't even realize there was a cliff there until Stalyan stumbled backwards.
She kept ripping the bunnies off her but more just took their place.
And then once where there was Stalyan, next there was nothing.
Eugene ran forward to look over the cliff and saw Stalyan clinging to an icy shard sticking out of the side of the cliff. Rapunzel and Cass joined him.
"Help me!" Stalyan cried out.
"If you want us to help you," Bunny Leader said to Rapunzel, "you will let her die."
Rapunzel jerked back. "But we can't just kill people."
"Why not? You humans do it all the time to us."
"Because it's not right," she said, squaring her shoulders. "Now, let's help her."
Eugene grabbed Rapunzel's arm. "Uh, Blondie, do you think this is the best idea? If we save Stalyan, we're stuck here."
"We can't let people die, Eugene, even if we hate them. Even if they've wronged us."
"God, you're so good." He sighed. "All right. Let's save her."
Rapunzel got onto her stomach and shimmied towards the edge of the cliff. "Hold onto me," she said to Eugene. He grabbed her legs while Cass gripped his back to keep him steady as he lowered Rapunzel over the side of the cliff. Frankly, he hated every damn second of this.
Rapunzel extended her hand to Stalyan. "Grab on!"
Stalyan tried lifting her hand up but her other fingers started to slip and she quickly grabbed back onto the icy shard. "I can't. It's too slippery."
"You have to try." Rapunzel reached down further. Eugene was almost at the edge of the cliff now, bracing his core to keep himself upright. If he let go for a second, Rapunzel would fall to her death.
Stalyan groaned as she tried to reach Rapunzel's hand but couldn't. Each time, her fingers were just out of reach. "I can't! You have to come down here and get me. I'm going to die!"
The bunnies laughed maniacally around them. Jeez, they were creepy. Eugene wasn't even sure he wanted them helping them restore the tower.
"Lower me down more!" Rapunzel shouted.
"I can't," Eugene said. "If I do, you'll fall. Rapunzel, I can't."
"Help me!" Stalyan screamed…
…right before her hands slipped from the icy shard…
…and she fell.
Rapunzel gasped. Quickly backing up, Eugene pulled Rapunzel back over the edge of the cliff. She fell into his arms and they laid on the ground, catching their breath.
Cass looked over the edge. "She's gone."
"How could you!" Rapunzel snapped, standing up and facing the Bunny Leader. "I know she wasn't a good person but leading her to her death?"
Bunny Leader shrugged. "We've been hurt worse by humans. Now, we'll help you with your time machine but you have to leave right away or we'll do that" – he pointed his little paw towards the edge of the cliff – "to all of you."
Rapunzel was breathing heavy and glaring down at the Bunny Leader when suddenly, all the fight left her. "Fine. Just restore my tower."
"Fine." The bunnies began running in a swarm towards the tower.
"We'll get my parents after they've restored it. I don't want them ruining our chances."
Eugene nodded. "Good idea."
She placed her hand on his arm. "Are you ok?"
"Why do you ask?'
"You were once in a relationship with Stalyan and now she's gone."
He rubbed the back of his head and looked away from her. How did he feel? He wasn't sure. He hadn't thought about Stalyan in years before he ran into her back on XRL1. But she still had been somebody that he once had feelings for. It was strange to think of her being gone but it also made his life easier, if he were being honest.
"I'm fine," he said, realizing how true that statement was. "I'm fine."
Rapunzel nodded and didn't press for more.
They reached the tower where The Baron was still leaning against it. He stood up straight when they arrived. "What the hell are these things?" he said, glaring down at the bunnies.
"We're going to fix it," Bunny Leader said. "So, step out of the way."
The Baron grumbled but did as they said. The bunnies all laid their hands on the tower. Their heads were bowed. Nothing was happening.
And then the tower glowed, like a light was turning on.
Within minutes, the tower was fully restored.
The Bunny Leader hopped over to them. "There. Now leave."
"We will," Rapunzel said. "I just have to go get my parents and then we'll be gone."
"Good." Bunny Leader hopped away with the rest of his people. The silence without a hundred chittering bunnies was almost deafening.
"Where's my daughter?" The Baron asked, making Eugene jump. Oh no. Here we go.
"Your daughter didn't make it," Cass said bluntly, not even leading The Baron up to the news.
"What do you mean 'she didn't make it?'"
"She died. The bunnies forced her over the side of a cliff because she tried hurting them." Cass crossed her arms. "So, it was her own fault, really."
The Baron growled, setting his eyes on Rapunzel. "Let me inside your tower and heal me. Now."
"You're not upset your daughter is dead?" she asked.
"I'll deal with her later. But right now, I want to be young again. So let me inside your tower."
Eugene could see the war on Rapunzel's face. She obviously didn't want to but she didn't have a choice.
"Ok," she said, motioning for him to follow. The four them entered the tower.
The Baron stood with his arms outstretched in the middle of the room. "Heal me!"
"I can't force my tower to do anything. It will heal you if it wants to."
"If it wants to? You never said anything about that."
Rapunzel shrugged. "We're all at the mercy of my tower."
A low hum started and grew louder and louder. Eugene had never heard the tower make that sound before.
And then a flash of light hit The Baron, knocking him to his knees. Eugene was expecting to see The Baron turn younger again but instead, The Baron threw his head back and screamed.
The sound was excruciating.
The light disappeared and The Baron slumped forward and laid on the ground, unmoving, smoke rising from his body. He still looked old.
"What happened to him?" Eugene asked.
"He died," Rapunzel said softly. "My tower killed him. It didn't want to heal him."
Eugene jerked. "I didn't know your tower could that."
"There's a lot of things my tower can do. Now, let's move his body and retrieve my parents. We're heading back to XRL1 and we're finding the portal that will take us to headquarters. I'm tired of all of this. I just want to see to it that it's done."
Eugene had never heard Rapunzel sound so… exhausted before.
It frightened him. Rapunzel had always been a go-getter since they met and now it sounded almost like she was giving up.
A Rapunzel who gave up was a Rapunzel he didn't know.
After moving The Baron's body outside and getting her parents back, Rapunzel plugged in the coordinates for XRL1. They landed back on the planet within seconds. At least this time, they got to bypass the short or long path and her tower offered them protection from the killer robots.
Rapunzel faced Eugene, Cass, and her parents. "Ready to find headquarters?"
"I've been ready for a whole year," Cass said.
"I'm ready to get our freedom back," Arianna said.
Frederic wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I am too."
"Are you ready?" Eugene asked Rapunzel.
Was she ready? She didn't even know where the portal was within XRL1 and if it would even take them to headquarters. They could be on a mission searching for it for years.
But she knew she was ready to be done. She was ready to go off with Eugene and live a simpler life, one where she wasn't being hunted by assassins, where she didn't have to choose between right or wrong. A life where she could just… relax.
But she couldn't relax yet. She needed to find headquarters and restore the Society to the vision her parents intended it to be – a place to help people. Not a place to hurt people.
So, with that all in mind, she nodded. "I'm ready."
Until Wednesday!