And here we are with the second part of Fitzherbert P.I. Like I said last time, the Captain irritated me in this episode, so it took a while to get past that irritation to write this. Either way, it's done.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Tangled. I only own this story idea.
"You're gonna become a royal guard?" Rapunzel asked her boyfriend in surprise.
"It makes total sense, right?! I tried to have a normal job, but I'm just not great with authority! Being a guard, I am the authority!" Eugene said excitedly before striking a pose. "Plus, I'd look great in a uniform!"
"What uniform?"
The couple jumped in surprise when they noticed Varian in the doorway with his satchel. He came back with the girls after lunch to get some supplies from Xavier, leaving a note for his dad.
"Seriously, kid, get a bell!" Eugene stressed.
"Sorry. I ran into my dad, and he had a few things to discuss with the King first, so I thought I'd hang out with you guys until he was done," Varian apologized as he walked into the room before noticing something. "What's all this?"
Rapunzel was kneeling on the floor with her journal open on her lap. Surrounding her in a semi-circle were books, an easel, vases, flowers, instruments, and more. "Oh, this is everything I was using earlier to figure out my portrait. I just haven't put it away yet. I'll do that once I decide on my look."
"I thought you'd decided on that?"
"I have, I'm just working out the details," Rapunzel replied, drawing designs in her journal. "I'm thinking of wearing a shorter skirt and anklets to show off my feet, but I don't know what style to tie my hair up in."
"Well… why not just go with the usual braid?" Eugene asked.
"I thought of that, but that's the look I do every day. I wanted to do something different for the portrait."
"Hm," He nodded before asking. "And, uh, how short a skirt are you talking about?"
"Oh, probably just knee-length. I don't know if I could do any higher." Rapunzel blushed.
"Uhm, sure, whatever you want." Eugene nodded, thinking of Rapunzel in a miniskirt.
"I know she's your girlfriend, Mr. Rider, but get your mind out of the gutter," Varian side-eyed him.
"I'm behaving!" He said quickly, causing the Princess to sputter out laughing. Eugene blushed before clearing his throat. "Anyway, uh, you should go with the usual braid."
"Or maybe two braids," Varian threw in. "It would show off how much hair you have."
"Hey, yeah!" Rapunzel nodded, drawing the design. "It's perfect!"
"All that's missing is your crown, and you're good to go."
Meanwhile, Pascal was messing around the telescope. As he looked through it, a face with green eyes looked back at him, causing him to jump back with a terrified squeak.
"What the–?" Eugene looked over at him.
"Oh, sorry," Varian apologized as Ruddiger climbed onto the book stack. "That's Ruddiger, my raccoon. He came with me from Old Corona."
"It's okay, Pascal, Ruddiger's friendly," Rapunzel assured her lizard friend.
Pascal stepped closer to the raccoon again before he gave the lizard a friendly squeak. He held out his paw, and Pascal shook it with his claw, the two smiling at each other.
"Oh, that's so cute!" Rapunzel cooed before drawing in her journal. "This, I've gotta sketch!"
"So, getting way off topic, what were you guys talking about when I came in?" Varian asked.
"Just Eugene's dumb idea about joining the Royal Guard." They turned around to see Cass in the doorway.
"Ho… How long have you been standing there?!" Eugene demanded, pointing at her.
"Long enough to know you're about to make a fool of yourself," Cass said as she walked over to Rapunzel. "Still deciding?"
"Nope, I've got it figured out now," Rapunzel smiled. I'm going to wear two braids, a shorter skirt, and anklets to show off my hair and feet."
"How short?"
"Just down to the knees."
"Okay, then. How about your crown?"
"That, too. Dad has his crown on in his portraits."
"Well, I'm off to get signed up." Eugene started out.
"Uh, Eugene–" Varian started,
"You really think you have what it takes to be a guard?" Cassandra cut him off, smirking at the older man.
"Hmm, let me think…" Eugene turned to her, tapping his fingers against his cheek. "Superior athletic ability, razor-sharp acumen, impressive stature, making guards all around the world, including Corona, look like bozos for decades? Yeah, I think I can swing it."
"You wanna know what I think?"
"That I care what you think?" Eugene asked sarcastically, laughing at his remark. "Let me save you the trouble. I don't."
"I bet you don't even make it through basic training."
"Training?" Eugene scoffed at the thought. "What, like school? I was great in school! Easiest three days of my life. Who's the teacher, anyway?"
"My dad," Cassandra said casually. His eyes widened at her answer.
"Yeah, you might wanna reconsider this idea," Varian said. "Don't get me wrong, I think you can do it, but do you really wanna be a part of a guard where you're taking orders from the guy who would gladly launch you out of a catapult?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Cass looked at the alchemist with narrowed eyes.
"I'm sorry, Cass. I like you and see you as a friend, but I have some serious negative opinions about the Captain," Varian stated honestly.
"What opinions?" Rapunzel asked.
"He's close-minded, prideful, egotistical, obstinate to the point of being irrational–"
"Obsti-what?" Eugene asked.
"It means refusing to change one's mind despite the words of others. To put that into an example, no matter what you do or try, the Captain's always going to believe that once a criminal, always a criminal," Varian explained, hoping the former thief would get what he was saying. "I guarantee he's going to do whatever it takes to find a reason to fail you, and if he can't, he's going to make your time on the Guard miserable until he can find a reason to kick you off."
"You're right, those are strong opinions." The older man commented.
"My dad knows how to separate his personal feelings from professional opinions," Cassandra said defensively.
"The events of earlier say otherwise." Varian retorted.
"What happened earlier?" Rapunzel questioned.
"Oh, I caught a thief the Captain was chasing. I tried to tell him he was heading to the docks, but he wouldn't listen," Eugene explained before his eyes widened. "Wait, how did you know about that?"
"I hear things," Varian glanced off to the side.
(Flashback)
In his Moonlight Phantom disguise, Varian watched from the roof as Eugene dropped a net of fish on the escaping thief.
(Present)
"Okay, look, my dad is an honorable man who plays by the rules," Cass argued. "If Fitzherbert passes training–which I doubt–he'll treat him like anyone else on the Guard."
"I'll wager a trip to Monty's he won't." Varian countered. He honestly didn't want to have this fight, but he had enough encounters with the Captain as Phantom that he knew the truth.
The handmaiden groaned. "Look, it doesn't matter. Fitzherbert wouldn't make it through boot camp anyway."
"Well, it would be my pleasure to prove you wrong," Eugene said before leaving the room. "I'll prove to you and the Captain that I'm more than just a former thief!"
After the former thief was out of sight, Varian gave Cass a stern glare, taking her by surprise before he followed after the older man. Ruddiger and Pascal looked at each other before the raccoon went after his human.
The handmaiden looked at the ground, feeling guilty about the fight. Although she liked Varian as a friend, the Captain was still her father.
"Cass…?" Rapunzel spoke up, knowing her friend was upset.
"I'm fine, Rapunzel," she said before moving around the room, picking up stuff to put it away. The Princess watched her for a minute, knowing the conversation bothered her. She wasn't naive enough to think friends never have disagreements, but she could imagine it's worse when they disagree about someone one of them cares about.
"… Not everyone has to like everyone, Cass. You taught me that," Rapunzel said gently, making the older girl pause. "I mean, you and I get along, but you don't like Eugene. Maybe you and Varian could agree to disagree?"
Cassandra sighed. "Maybe…"
While she was willing to defend her father, the warrior handmaiden knew Varian was right about some of his statements. Her father could be stubborn and hard-headed, but hearing the opinions she kept to herself being said so candidly by someone she trusted was weird.
"Want some help?" Rapunzel asked as she got up and approached her. "I was going to do this myself later."
"Thanks, Raps," Cass smiled slightly as the girls got to work.
Meanwhile, Eugene was heading for the Captain's office when Varian caught up with him. "Eugene, are you really sure about this?"
"Of course I am! I've tried every other job in the Kingdom, and none of them worked out. This might be the only one I can do."
Varian was silent for a minute before saying, "You don't have to prove anything to anyone, you know. Rapunzel loves no matter who you were or what you did. She knows you've changed. I know you've changed. Isn't that enough?"
The boys stopped when Eugene paused, sighing heavily, "Yeah, I know, it's just…"
Knowing this would take a minute, the former thief ushered Varian into a guest room where they could talk privately. Closing the door, Eugene sighed again as he tried to put his thoughts together. "Look, I'm glad Rapunzel believes in me and, yes, you two knowing I've changed would be enough. The problem is the love of my life is surrounded by people who don't believe in me, and I don't want to put her in the middle of that, especially since one of those people is her best friend."
"Yeah, Cass grew up hearing less than flattering stories about you from her dad. I don't like talking bad about my friends, but she can be just as stubborn as the Captain sometimes." Varian said honestly as he sat on the bed.
"Well, that explains why she doesn't like me," Eugene muttered before sitting beside him. "Speaking of Cass, mind if I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"She mentioned once that the Phantom led a prison breakout. What's all that about?"
"An example of the King's rampage at its finest," Varian scoffed before becoming severe. "A group of street performers came through a few months before you showed up with Rapunzel. They were mostly musicians, playing instruments and dancing, but a couple knew things like tarot card reading and sleight-of-hand tricks, which put some people on edge. The fact that they were Romani, a group with negative stereotypes, didn't help."
Eugene nodded, having seen groups like that when he was on the run. Despite stereotypes, they were actually a very hospitable group. Eugene ran into one group when he was injured after a job, and they helped him without question.
"The moment someone accused them of stealing, the Royal Guard rounded them up, including the kids that were with them. One of them was barely any older than me."
"Yeah, that's the age when they start treating you like an adult offender."
"Well, it felt like those rules didn't exist then," Varian remarked as he continued the story. "The boy my age accused the Guard and King of targeting his people unfairly, and the King thought that warranted an execution."
"What?!" Eugene gasped at what he just heard.
"That was my reaction, too, when I heard about it. A lot of people spoke out about it, but the King didn't listen. The rest of the group was going to be kept in the dungeons until after the execution, and then the adults were going to be shipped off to a prison island while the children were put in the orphanage. Obviously, I didn't let that happen, but breaking them out was one of my more daring feats since I had to break into the castle and fight off the Guard."
The former thief was silent momentarily before asking, "What happened to them?"
"I led them out of Corona through the tunnels that criminals use to sneak into and out of the city undetected."
"You know about those?!"
"I found one close to my village but kept the discovery to myself in case I needed it. I told them to avoid Corona, even if the Princess returned."
"Wow…" Eugene breathed, shocked by what he just heard. "You were right about things being bad."
"They've gotten better, I'll admit, but the King is so paranoid about the rocks, I'd call it a fragile peace."
They were quiet for a minute, Ruddiger climbing into Varian's lap for him to pet him. The alchemist gave his raccoon what he wanted before turning to the older man. "Eugene, are you really sure about this? I do believe you could be a great guard, better than the ones we've got now in more ways than one. It's just that the Captain won't give you a fair chance out of spite, and the King may make choices you disagree with."
Eugene sighed again. "You're right, but I've tried everything else, and nothing worked out. The one job I was good at, I got fired because the guy remembered I stole something from there years ago."
"One of Corona's flaws. They welcome everyone as long as they're perfect, law-abiding citizens. If it's someone with a criminal record, they turn cold and pretend they don't exist. It's no wonder they turn back to crime. They can't get their lives back on track because no one will give them a chance." Varian criticized, having seen this first hand as the Moonlight Phantom. "It's all a vicious cycle that everyone refuses to break because they don't want to acknowledge this kingdom isn't as perfect as they thought."
Eugene looked at Varian, seeing the frustration he had been holding onto for years. Ruddiger climbed onto the alchemist's shoulders, patting his face with his paw to comfort him.
"… Then maybe it's time for that cycle to break," Eugene smiled, catching their attention as he got to his feet. "I'll be the first reformed criminal on the Guard! Not only that, but I could be your eyes and ears inside the Guard! That way, if someone catches onto your identity or the King tries to do something like before, I can send you a warning!"
"What, wait, Eugene, no!" Varian rejected the idea, jumping to his feet. "I can't ask you to take that kind of risk for me. The King wants me caught so badly that hiding my identity is practically considered treason. You could get arrested if he finds out, and I don't know if Rapunzel could protect you."
"If he finds out. Besides, you're not asking. I'm giving you my help free of charge." He placed his hand on the teen's shoulder reassuringly. "I've got your back, kid."
Varian looked up at Eugene before smiling as he hugged him. The older male returned it, giving the kid his full support. "If this doesn't work out, I'll help you find another job," The alchemist offered as they pulled apart.
"Thanks, kid."
"And good luck with the Captain."
Eugene laughed before becoming nervous. "I nearly forgot about that…"
(Later)
"Alright, maggots!" The Captain exclaimed the following day. "Line up!"
Three students in boot camp uniforms, Eugene included, lined up in front of him, standing straight with their hands behind their backs. The Captain's look made it clear that he didn't want Eugene there.
Cass and Maximus sat on the sidelines to observe, glancing at each other skeptically. Varian was there, too, wanting to support Eugene. He also wanted to know who he would have as future adversaries.
"This boot camp will push you to your very limits," The Captain explained as he paced in front of the group. "By the time I'm through, you'll be sweating tears and crying sweat! But if you make it through camp and pass the final exam–" He turned around and stopped short when he saw Shorty, who had appeared out of nowhere. The old man let out a yawn, smacking his lips. The Captain laughed at him before continuing, "And for some of you, that's a highly unlikely if–will receive probationary trainee status."
"Shorty," Eugene whispered to him. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm sorry. Is this the line for the men's room?"
"Well, well!" The Captain whipped around to him before approaching the former thief angrily. "Looks like I got a couple of aces in the mix."
"Captain, sir," Eugene responded. "I know we've had our differences, but I'd just like to say–"
"Quiet, maggot!" The other man snapped, cutting him. "You are a loathsome, pathetic excuse for a human being, and it is my full intention to make your life a living nightmare."
Varian frowned, giving Cass a pointed look that she tried to ignore.
"You know, I've never said this to another man… but you have handsome teeth." Eugene smiled pleasantly, trying to appeal to the Captain, but it wasn't working.
With that, it was time for training. First, the trainees had to face a wall to climb over. The Captain blew the whistle, and the first trainee attempted to climb up but slid back down to the ground. The second one tried to use the other to jump over it, but he was still too short to reach the top. Taking his turn, Eugene ran and leaped onto the other's shoulders before jumping successfully over the wall with a smile.
"Yes!" Varian pumped his fist, happy for him.
The Captain poked the former thief on the shoulder before pointing to a wall behind him that was much taller than the first. Eugene stared at it in dismay as he had no idea how to get over it. The Captain blew his whistle again, making Eugene flinch before running to the wall.
They did push-ups next. The Captain walked among them before stopping at Eugene, who was doing one-handed push-ups. He winked at the Captain, who glared down at the man for his tactic. Varian smiled proudly from his spot.
Then, they practiced using weapons. Eugene walked through an obstacle course of boxes, armed with a crossbow like he was looking for convicts. When a cutout appeared, Eugene fired at it, hitting his mark. Two more popped up, and he fired twice, hitting both targets. Eugene stood back proudly while the Captain stared in irritation. Cass and the horse stood behind him, staring in shock. She smiled in approval, actually impressed, along with Max, while Varian clapped happily for his friend.
However, the moment was ruined when the Captain decided to play dirty. He kicked a switch on the ground, forming a tripwire. As Eugene exited the course, he tripped and fell to the ground, causing his crossbow to go off and hit a cut out of the King. The Captain laughed at him, reveling in his failure. "Crossbow procedure number one, Rider. Always keep the safety on." The former thief side-eyed the Captain from the ground while Cass and Max frowned in disapproval.
"What I'd tell ya?" Varian said, knowing this was going to happen.
After that, things seem to only get worse. Eugene had to climb another wall, losing his grip for a second before continuing.
He struggled with push-ups, the Captain smirking down at him since the heaviest guard was on his back. "Come on! Not fair!" He groaned.
Eugene reached the top of another wall again, panting in exhaustion. When he jumped down, he was surprised to land on a seesaw. The heavy guard jumped onto the other end, catapulting him back up the wall and leaving him dangling by his shirt.
All the guards laughed at him while Cassandra gave her father a disapproving look. Varian balled up his fists and glared at the Captain, struggling to maintain his temper as small black rocks formed around his feet (thankfully going unnoticed).
(That evening)
When training ended, Eugene returned to his room and flopped on his bed.
"Well," Varian said, sitting beside the older man. "That was as bad as I thought it would be and yet worse than I imagined."
"Yup."
"Ready to give up?"
They looked over to see Cass leaning against the door. Varian noted she wasn't as smug as he thought she would be.
"Oh, you'd love that, wouldn't you?" Eugene retorted.
"Honestly… I don't care," Cass admitted.
"Then why are you here?" Varian questioned without thinking, surprising himself and the adults. He sighed guiltily, knowing that it was from hours of pent-up rage. "I'm sorry, today was just…"
"No, no, I get it," She replied understandingly. "Today left a bad taste in my mouth, too."
"Still, I shouldn't be taking it out on you."
"It's okay, kid," Cassandra assured him before directing her attention back to Eugene. "Back to my question, though…"
"Look, it doesn't matter anyway, okay?" Eugene responded. "No matter how hard I try on that final tomorrow, your dad will cook up some cheap shot to make sure I fail! He wants me out, end of story."
Cass stared at him for a bit, sharing a look with Varian. The teen's eyes said Eugene was right, but they didn't hold any fire in them; they were just concerned and maybe even helpless. She decided to leave, stepping off the door before pausing.
"You know, for someone who spent most of his life breaking the rules to get what he wants, you're having an awful lot of trouble dealing with someone who is breaking the rules to get what he wants." She looked back at the former thief with a knowing smile before leaving the room.
The boys watched her go before Eugene looked to the side. Varian turned to the older man. "Do you still want to go through with this?"
He was quiet for a minute before a ghost of a smile appeared on his face, becoming determined. "… I do."
"You sure?"
"Yup," Eugene grunted slightly as he got up, feeling sore but with renewed energy. "If the Captain wants to play hardball, I'm just gonna have to change tactics. Besides, I'm not giving him the satisfaction of thinking he won by me dropping out."
Varian smiled slightly, glad Eugene was going to be alright. He then got up, knowing it was getting late. "Well, I better get home before my dad gets worried."
"Need a ride?"
Varian shook his head. He glanced around to ensure no one was listening before whispering to Eugene. "I can use the rocks to go anywhere I want as long as I know where I'm going. My dad knows I came to visit you guys, and as far as he's going to know, I left an hour ago and just got back."
"In that case," Eugene walked over and closed the doors before leaning on them. "As far as anyone else will know, you just left, and I'm getting ready for dinner with my girlfriend. Come and see my final tomorrow?"
"Wouldn't miss it," Varian smiled as he removed his gloves. Black rocks appeared around him, silent as a mouse, a blue light flashing under his feet before Varian sunk into the floor. The rocks disappeared behind, leaving no trace as Eugene watched the show.
"That was weird," He commented to no one. "Cool, but weird."
(The next day)
The sun rose over the castle as it came time for the final. Two of the participants showed up as Shorty slept on the ground beside them. However, Eugene wasn't one of them.
Cass, Max, and Varian were off to the side to watch the final. The lone female let out a deep sigh as the trio looked around. "Where is Eugene?"
"I hope he didn't change his mind about taking the exam," Varian whispered, crossing his arms.
The Captain walked up to the recruits to begin the exam. An hourglass sat on a barrel beside him. "The rules are simple. Obstacle course," he explained, glancing at the course before holding up a silver whistle. "Whistle. Complete the course before the whistle blows." As he paced in front of the men, he was pleased to see Eugene absent. "Is that clear?"
"Actually, sir," His eyes widened in shock as the man himself showed up. "Can you go through that one more time? It's just my brain is so used to tuning your voice out that I–" Cass and Max looked at each other in surprise while Varian smirked, knowing he did it intentionally to mess with the Captain.
"Line up, Rider!" the Captain interrupted before sneering at him. "I can't believe you made it this far, but I'm glad you did because I made this course especially difficult. Just. For. You."
"I'm touched," Eugene hugged the man, much to the other's shock.
"Get off me!" The man knocked him off. "Go!"
With that, Eugene and the other trainees ran for the obstacle course. The Captain stepped over Shorty and walked over to the hourglass, turning it over. He smirked before glancing at the short man, still snoring at his feet.
Eugene was in the lead. He ran through the mud, jumping onto the grass as a net swung up, catching one of the other trainees. Varian beamed from his spot, seeing Eugene in his element.
The Captain growled before signaling to some guards who had sandbags ready. Eugene stepped onto the wooden beam, shuffling a bit for balance. The guards threw the bags, but he was able to dodge them easily. The other trainee was taken out in the process as Eugene moved on.
The Captain's mouth was open in shock, glancing at the hourglass that was almost half full.
Eugene soon reached a familiar sight, the giant wall from yesterday. He smiled slightly before pulling out two arrows. He jumped up and stabbed the wall with the arrows, using them to climb like he did at Rapunzel's tower. Once at the top, he flipped to the other side, landing on the seesaw again. This time, however, when the large guard jumped, Eugene got off before he could be catapulted, leaving the guard stuck in the mud.
"Come on, Eugene!" Varian encouraged quietly. "You're almost there!"
Eugene kept running, seeing the finish line, when several guards stepped in to block his path. However, Eugene smiled and forged ahead as the Captain observed him. He slid under Stan, pantsing him as he stole his belt. He then used the belt to tie the middle guard's wrists and swung him into the last guard, jumping on them as he ran toward the finish line.
The Captain looked nervous when he saw the time. Varian cheered as Max and Cass smiled.
Eugene was about to cross the line when he suddenly stopped, making the Captain pause. "Almost forgot something."
The others looked at each other in confusion as Eugene approached the Captain. When he arrived, he picked up a still-sleeping Shorty to carry him across the goal. "Someone had to make this challenging," He sniffed the air as he turned to leave and gagged. "Ugh, you never did find that men's room, did ya, Shorty?"
The Captain was baffled as he left. Glancing at the hourglass, he smiled when he saw the time was almost up. Eugene ran towards the finish line as the Captain watched the hourglass expectantly. He had just reached the goalposts when the last grain of sand ran out.
"Ha!" He heard the Captain laugh, causing him to look back. "You lose!" The man laughed as he reached for his whistle but stopped when he couldn't find it. "Where's my whis–?"
The sound of a whistle cut him off, and he looked up to see Eugene with his whistle on the other side of the finish line. Shorty was on the ground beside him while the other trainees watched, panting for air. "Complete the course before the whistle blows, right? Look at that. I can follow rules," he said, walking over to the Captain before tossing the whistle back to him. "I'll take a medium uniform, sir. Athletic fit."
The other recruits ran over to cheer for him. Cass crossed her arms in approval as Max whinnied. Varian ran up to him, proud of his friend. "Way to go, Eugene!"
"Thanks, kid."
The Captain just looked on with a glare.
(Later)
"Well, you're going to be surprised." Cassandra walked over to Rapunzel. After the final, she went to get the Princess ready for her portrait. "Eugene got in."
"He did?" Rapunzel turned to her. The Princess was wearing a version of her day dress with a shorter skirt and, as planned, had her hair done in twin braids.
"You almost sound surprised, Princess," Varian joked, having been allowed into the room once Rapunzel had changed. He had decided to hang out with the girls since Eugene needed to get fitted for his uniform.
"It's not that I doubted he could do it. It's just everything you told me happened yesterday…" Rapunzel explained.
"I think he actually listened to your advice, Cass," Varian said, smirking slightly at the handmaiden.
"Well, there's a first time for everything," Cassandra chuckled before adjusting Rapunzel's skirt. "Anyway, he's been assigned guard duty in the dungeons."
"Exciting." The alchemist said sarcastically.
Cass laughed again as she stood up. "Are you sure this is what you're going with?"
"Uh-huh." Rapunzel put the crown on her head and smiled brightly before turning to her lizard friend. "Ready, Pascal?"
Pascal squeaked with a nod before climbing onto her shoulder. Ruddiger chittered and climbed onto Varian's shoulders, having been hanging out with the Princess and Pascal while he was watching Eugene's final.
"Alright, good." Cassandra nodded. "Let's go get you painted. I have some other work I have to do, so let me know how it goes."
"I'll keep you company, Rapunzel," Varian offered as they headed out.
"Thanks, Varian," Rapunzel nodded.
Cass broke off from them before they reached the portrait hall. Rapunzel and Varian entered, finding The Giovanni already there with his easel and paints set up.
"Eh, it's about time!" The painter exclaimed in a thick Italian accent as he watched them enter.
"Sorry, The Giovanni," She tucked a hair behind her ear as Varian grabbed a stool for her to pose on. "I was just finalizing my look."
"The Giovanni, he doesn't care!" the man snapped, causing the Princess and lizard to jump in surprise. "Now, let us begin!"
"Wow," Rapunzel glanced at Varian, mumbling, "Cass wasn't kidding."
Varian shrugged before moving to the side so he wouldn't be in the frame. However, he kept half an eye on the painter as he worked. His internal alarm started going off the moment they walked into the room. At first glance, nothing seemed out of place, but he would have to look closer once everyone was gone.
Suddenly, Eugene burst in, startling Varian and the painter. "Oh, The Giovanni! Can I call you The? You're the best!" He winked before turning his gaze on Rapunzel. "Hey, Blondie, I see you went with the simple choice of beautiful."
"Aww. Thank you," Rapunzel smiled back at him.
"Uh, Eugene, what are you doing here?" Varian walked over to him when Rapunzel and Giovanni glanced between them awkwardly. "Cass said you were on dungeon duty."
"Oh, I do. The Cap told me to walk the block every five minutes, but it just seemed like a waste standing there. So, I walked it twice in a row, and now I can take a ten-minute break! Math," He tapped his head.
Varian pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing Eugene had just blown it.
"Yeah, uh, I don't think that's right," Rapunzel smiled nervously.
"Oh no, no, trust me, Blondie," Eugene replied as The Giovanni gritted his teeth. "I worked it out all in the brainium."
"Agh! You go now!" The Giovanni shouted, pushing Eugene out the door as he spoke in furious Italian.
"What did you say?" Eugene asked in confusion.
The man repeated slowly but angrily before translating, "I can no concentrate!"
As he walked away, Eugene was about to say something when he heard a familiar voice shouting his old name. "Rider! Where are you?"
"Oh no," Varian facepalmed as the man cringed.
(In the dungeon)
When Eugene went down for dungeon duty, there was only one cell with one prisoner. Now, that cell was open, and it was empty. "He escaped?! How?!"
"Apparently, someone didn't follow regulation and left the main door unlocked so they could go visit their girlfriend!" The Captain retorted accusingly.
Eugene groaned. "Math."
"And because of your delinquency, the prisoner was able to seize the opportunity to pick his cell lock and escape!" He slammed the cell door shut, making Eugene flinch at the sound.
"Uh… I know this looks bad…" He smiled sheepishly at him.
"You bet it does! Turn in your helmet and shield, hotshot!" He jabbed his finger at him before storming off. "You're off the Guard!"
Eugene watched him go before looking at the ground dejectedly. He had really wanted this one to work out, too…
(Scene Break)
Eugene walked down the hall to the armory with his helmet under his arm. Shorty and Varian walked with him on either side.
"Ah, I should've just done what I was asked. So stupid!" He lamented.
Shorty pulled a yam with a bite in it out of his beard. He sniffed it before offering it to Eugene. "Why don't you drown your sorrows in the yam?"
Eugene cringed. "Uh, thanks, buddy, but I filled up on yams earlier."
"I'm sorry this didn't work out, Eugene," Varian said.
"You know what really hurts, though?" Eugene stopped and turned to the alchemist. "I feel like I let you down the most, Varian."
"Me?" He blinked, confused.
"You believed in me the most next to Rapunzel, and I feel like I failed you by messing this up." The older man explained as they started walking again.
"Eugene, you didn't fail me. The only way I would've felt like that is if you gave up without trying," Varian assured him.
Eugene smiled, thankful for the kid's support. "Thanks, Varian."
"Let's take some time off from job hunting, and I'll help you find something better."
"Sounds like a plan. Who wants to be a guard anyway, right? All those responsibilities and rules. Plus, the Captain is a total jerk–WHOA!" he cried out as someone ran from another hallway and slammed into them. A case the other was carrying fell open, and a rolled-up paper peeked out of it, catching Varian's eye.
"So sorry, The Giovanni." Eugene focused on the man when he saw it was the painter, reaching for his dropped case. "Let me help."
The man grabbed the case and held it protectively. Grunting, he said something in Italian before adding, "Watch where you're going!" He then ran off as the other men watched him leave in confusion, everyone back on their feet.
"Something smells fishy," Eugene rubbed his chin.
Shorty pulled a fish out of his beard. "That would be me."
"Let's go check on Rapunzel. If he's leaving, that means her portrait's done, and I want a look at that painting," Varian suggested before they got moving again.
(Portrait Hall)
Rapunzel was inspecting her portrait with a frown (the animals had gone somewhere else for the moment) when Eugene walked in, now sporting casual clothes. Varian came in behind him, looking around for anything out of place. "Hey, Blondie," the older man said awkwardly, knowing she would ask about the job. "Portrait's done already. That's… great. That was quick. How did it turn out–holy horribleness!" He gasped when he actually saw the painting.
"I don't know, I don't get it, it's just… mm," Rapunzel tried to put in words while Varian's eyes widened at the picture. "Really bad."
The portrait in front of them was not even close to resembling the Princess. It looked like something a little kid would paint.
"Right?"
"Yeah, I'd say," Eugene agreed nervously. "That is really terrible!"
"I thought this guy was a professional?" Varian questioned, looking away from the portrait to examine the ones on the wall.
"Some world-famous painter!" Eugene brought a hand to his chest. "I could do a better–" He glanced up by chance and saw Varian looking at him in horror. He pointed to the painting of Robin the Eleventh before pointing at his fingers. Getting the message, Eugene saw what Varian saw and gasped sharply. "I gotta go see the Captain!" He said before running out the door, Varian following behind him.
(In the Captain's office)
The Captain was at his desk with Cass standing beside him, the former glaring at the man before him. "Look, Cap, I know I'm not on your good side, but the portrait of Robin the Eleventh has been stolen!"
"No, it hasn't," The Captain argued. "You wanna know why it hasn't? Because my men can adhere to procedures. Procedure dictates that gallery be patrolled every five minutes."
"Unless there's a formal portrait being done, in which case, all guards are to hold off on patrols until it's finished," Varian remarked, tossing the Coronan Guard Handbook on the desk. "Yeah, I read this, and I know the flaws in these procedures."
"Stan? Pete?" Eugene looked to the other guards for help.
"Um, sorry, Eugene. We just checked two seconds before you two arrived." Pete said awkwardly. "Everything was fine."
"It's a counterfeit!" Varian countered. "If you count the fingers, you only get ten."
"Enough!" The Captain slammed his fist on the table, and his attention turned to the older man. "Get lost before I lock you up! And I won't hesitate to do the same to your friends!"
"Oh, you'd love that, wouldn't you?" Varian hissed, eyes narrowed as he tried to get in the Captain's face over the desk. "Locked up like all the other so-called witches you found over the last eighteen years!"
"What's that supposed to mean?!" The Captain glared back at the kid.
"I'm saying I know you and the King have been trying to find a reason to lock me up since my first experiment failed," Varian whispered, eyes flashing as the Captain lost some of his ego to shock. "Tell me, what exactly are the catacombs?"
"Easy, Varian. He's not worth it," Eugene eased the kid away from the Captain, ushering him outside. An unspoken conversation and a slight nod told Varian to go ahead, and Eugene would catch up. Once the teen was out of the room, Eugene turned back to the Captain with a glare the older man, Cass, and the guards had never seen before, all his usual playfulness gone. "At the risk of being arrested, Captain, I'm going to be quick and blunt: Stay away from the kid."
They stared in disbelief as Eugene walked out of the room, Shorty following with a distracted smile. Cass watched him go conflictedly before narrowing her eyes.
"Come on, Shorty," Eugene said bitterly in the hall. Varian was gone, so it was time to meet the Phantom. "We're just gonna have to stop him on our own."
"Not totally on your own." He stopped and turned around just as Cass stepped out of the room.
"Cassandra?" Eugene asked in surprise with a hopeful smile. "You believe me?"
She walked towards him. "You may be an arrogant, self-centered, inconsiderate–"
"Poorly dressed." Shorty cut in.
"Bloviating, tremendous waste of space windbag–"
"Okay, okay, can we just skip to the 'but' in this sentence?" Eugene interrupted, getting annoyed.
"But I'm guessing you didn't become a legend by not trusting your gut. So, if you say something's not right, I might believe it," Cassandra finished, her last four words sounding reluctant.
"Cass, I…" Eugene started, feeling touched.
"Plus, if you are wrong and fall flat on your face, I'll be the first to see it." She said with a smirk as she walked past him.
"I can work with that. Okay, come on, I think I know where he's headed!" Eugene led the way down the hall, leaving Shorty behind.
"Uh… wait. What are we doing again?" He asked before running after them.
(Meanwhile)
The Captain was working on some reports when he looked up as Stan and Pete hauled in a man who was bound and gagged.
"Sir, we found this nut by the palace gate. You want us to lock him up?" Stan asked.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down," The Captain held up a hand. "Who are you?"
Stan removed the gag and, after saying something Italian, added furiously, "I am the real The Giovanni!"
The Captain's mouth opened in shock.
They quickly untied him and rushed to the gallery. Inspecting the painting of Robin the Eleventh while the painter ranted in Italian, they found that it had only ten fingers. "Ten fingers…"
"Captain, that means Eugene was–" Stan started.
"Don't you DARE finish that sentence!" The Captain snapped, glaring at him. Stan and Pete glanced at each other, not saying anything. "Now, come on!" He led them out of the room, hoping to catch up to his daughter and Eugene.
Rapunzel watched them leave before looking towards the irritable painter as he stopped ranting. "Uhm…" She spoke up. "Hi. I'm Princess Rapunzel."
"I know who you are." He looked her up and down, reading to get down to business. "So, what makes you unica?"
"Oh, well, I'm always barefoot." She gestured to her legs. "I have really long hair and always have my friend, Pascal, with me." The lizard squeaked a hello from over her shoulder. "So… I thought I'd showcase those."
"Hm." He nodded approvingly and then tossed aside the fake's attempt before setting up his canvas. "Do not move."
Once Rapunzel was in position, he started to paint. Pascal sat on her shoulder as she rested her hands in her lap, smiling brightly.
(Back with Eugene and Cass)
Max and Fidella raced towards the docks with Eugene, Cass, and Shorty. Up ahead, they could see a figure fleeing towards a boat.
"He's gonna try to catch the last ferry out of Corona," Eugene said.
The fake Giovanni hopped on some crates before jumping onto the ferry as it pulled out.
"Hyah!" Eugene whipped the reins, spurring Maximus to go faster. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a familiar figure running across the rooftops, heading in the same direction.
The riders rode past some people on the docks, startling them into dropping their cargo. Turning the corner, the horses raced to the edge of the pier. Once there, Max took a mighty leap and jumped the distance onto the ship. Fidella, however, was forced to stop since the boat was too far for her to jump. The sudden halt caused Shorty to fall off the horse and into the bay. Eugene looked back when he heard the splash, Cass checking on the pub thug.
"I'm sure that my beard can be used as a float–" Shorty started before sinking into the water.
"I got it," Cass chuckled before diving into the water.
Eugene watched as she tossed Shorty back onto the dock. As she climbed out, the short man spit out some water before giving a thumbs-up to let her know she was okay.
Eugene sent her a smile before some commotion caught his attention in another direction. His eyes widened as he saw the water turn to ice, courtesy of the Moonlight Phantom. The vigilante jumped onto the ice and ran, turning more of the ocean into ice as he made his way to the ship. Once close enough, he used the ice to propel himself upward as he jumped, landing on the boat a few feet away from a stunned Eugene and Max.
"I took a page from Queen Elsa's book," He said bluntly.
Max was immediately on guard, knowing this man was a wanted fugitive, but Eugene calmed him. "Easy, Max, easy. He's on our side."
The horse settled as he eyed the vigilante. The young man walked up to them, holding out his hand. "A truce? For now?"
Horse and man stared at each other before Maximus bumped his nose against Phantom's hand, sealing the deal.
Eugene smiled before turning his attention back to the thief. "It's just us, guys."
"Then let's start searching." Moonlight suggested as Eugene climbed off the horse's back with a crossbow. The older man nodded before gesturing for them to split up. Max headed in one direction while Phantom went opposite, and Eugene continued straight ahead.
The deck was clear of people but covered in crates that could be used for hiding. The former thief looked around, not noticing a blue sleeve move away.
Eugene made his way carefully through the cargo, keeping alert. However, he wasn't vigilant enough as he was suddenly elbowed by the fake Giovanni. He fell back in pain, dropping his crossbow, which the thief picked up and aimed at him, making Eugene stare back in fear.
"Arrivederci, baby. It means, 'goodbye'." He sneered evilly before pulling the trigger… but nothing happened. "Huh?"
"Crossbow procedure number one," Eugene said with a grin. "Always keep the safety on!"
The man then heard a whinny before being kicked by Maximus. The real Robin was sent flying as the thief smashed into a crate, bouncing on boxes as Max worried it would fall into the sea. Suddenly, a rope of moonlight grabbed the painting, snapping it into Moonlight's hand as he walked over to the others.
"Yeah, baby!" Eugene cheered as they regrouped. Max dragged the thief over, who crossed his arms with an annoyed expression, while the former thief picked up the crossbow. "Huh. Actually saved by one of the Captain's dumb rules." He mused, then paused and gave Max a look. "Don't you dare tell him. The last thing I want is to see that guy get a big head." As he crossed his arms, the crossbow suddenly went off because Eugene was waving it around. Max narrowly ducked out of the way before glaring at Eugene, who smiled sheepishly.
"I'll go tell the captain to turn the ship around," The Phantom said bluntly before walking away.
(A short time later)
Once they returned (Varian quickly changed back before they arrived), the thief was delivered to the Royal Guard with Stan and Pete escorting him to the waiting prison cart. "See, I knew something was up when he cursed me out. His Italian was terrible! Subject-verb agreement was way off!" Eugene explained with a laugh before noticing the looks Varian and the Captain were giving him. "What? I speak Italian. They have stuff to steal in Italy, too, you know. Anyway, the rest was just putting the pieces together. You see, you gotta think like a crook in order to catch one. You just can't teach that, Cap."
The man looked thoughtful for a minute. "… Perhaps I acted precipitously when I dismissed you, Rider."
Varian rolled his eyes, knowing that was the closest thing they were getting to an apology.
"Ah, let me guess," Eugene grinned as he playfully rolled his eyes. "You want me to join the Guard again. Well, I'm flattered, but–"
"Oh, no. Heavens, no." The Captain waved his hands, denying the idea. "You're a terrible guard, Rider… but I do have something else in mind."
(The Next Day)
The guards stood proudly as Eugene walked past them, clearing his throat to get their attention. "Good afternoon, gentlemen, and welcome to Thinking Like A Thief," He addressed the class, Shorty standing at the front dressed in a guard uniform. "I am your instructor, Eugene Fitzherbert. You may call me 'Mr. Fitzherbert.' No, wait. Professor Fitzherbert. Let's add an 'honorable' in there. The Honorable Professor Fitzherbert! Esquire. Masks on." He pulled out a black mask and put it on.
Shorty glanced at him, yelping before he started quivering. "Take the women and children! Don't hurt the money!" Eugene looked at him before the old man ran away, screaming and crying, forcing the taller man to chase after him.
"Shorty! Wait, Shorty, it's me! Come back!"
Above, Varian and the girls watched from the balcony overlooking the training yard. "Wow, my dad has no idea what he just unleashed!" Cass commented before shrugging. "Eh, all's well that ends well, I guess."
"This seems to work for him," Varian said, looking up from his sketchpad. "The other idea I had was bounty hunting."
The handmaiden smiled at Rapunzel, "Nice to see you back in a long skirt again. Are you happy with the painting?"
"Mmhm." Rapunzel smiled. "I think I am. Mom and Dad seem to like it, too."
"Good." Cassandra nodded.
The Princess glanced at the alchemist, catching his eye. "A wise friend reminded me that hobbies don't make you unique. Hobbies are something anyone can do. What was important was what makes you stand out among all the rest."
Varian smiled as he blushed slightly. He was flattered that she thought he was wise.
"Thanks for helping her with that, kid," Cass said. "I was worried she would try and pose with everything if she couldn't figure something out."
Everyone laughed at Cass's remark before looking back at Eugene's class.
"Say, Varian, what're you drawing?" Rapunzel asked after a minute.
"Oh, just blueprints for a new invention," He answered, though he was actually sketching new outfit designs for his phantom costume. He had wanted to redo it for some time and hoped to ask Eugene later for input. Varian put his stuff away and moved to stand with the girls. "Eugene's class is probably more interesting."
"Do you draw for fun?"
"Sometimes. I'll show you some of those sketches later."
"Great!"
(Meanwhile)
"Your Majesty," King Frederic turned around as the Captain approached him. "May I have a private word with you?"
"Of course, Captain." The two men left the hallway and went to the King's study for privacy. "How's Eugene's class working out?"
"I'm regretting this already," The Captain mumbled as the King closed the doors before getting back on track. "But that is not what I wished to talk to you about, Your Majesty. It's about Sir Quirin's son."
"Oh, dear," Frederic sighed, having heard this more than once. "What's he done now?"
"Nothing, sir, but… it's more about something he said," The Captain tried to find his words. "The other day, I had a… dispute with Rider. In a moment fueled by emotion, I told him to leave, or I would lock both of them up."
"Captain." The King looked at him sternly.
"I know, I shouldn't have done that, but I wanted to inform you about what happened afterward. Instead of leaving after I said that, Varian became… agitated, almost hostile even," The Captain explained, watching King Frederic's growing concern before sighing. "He revealed that he was aware of us monitoring his actions."
"What?" Frederic's eyes widened.
"He made it clear that he is aware and unafraid of us. He also asked what the catacombs were, which left me quite confused since I didn't have the faintest idea of what he was talking about."
The King turned pale when the Captain mentioned the catacombs but quickly composed himself by clearing his throat. "Let's not worry about that right now, Captain. Do you know how Varian could have been made aware of our movements?"
"I do not know, Your Majesty, but I suspect the Phantom may have told him."
"What would make you suspect him?"
"My daughter did some research for the Guard during her off-hours recently. She discovered that all the earliest sightings of the Moonlight Phantom started in Old Corona. They stayed there for a time before spreading out across the Kingdom."
"So, the Phantom is holed up in Old Corona, is what you're suggesting," King Frederic deduced from the information.
"Yes, sir, but we are still no closer to discovering his identity," The Captain added.
The King hummed in thought as he digested this information. He knew he could easily send a squad of guards to search the village for clues. However, he didn't want to sour his friendship with Quirin, knowing the former knight would never agree. Besides, if they found nothing, they could scare the Moonlight Phantom into changing locations, and they would never find him.
"There is one other thing, Your Majesty," The Captain spoke again after a moment of silence. "I'm not sure exactly how much he knows, but Varian seems to have gained an ally in Rider. He intervened in our, uh, dispute, and once he ushered the boy out of the room, he made it clear to, as he said, 'stay away from the kid.'"
"Hmm," Frederic hummed again. "And he's become close with my daughter, too…."
"Both of our daughters," The Captain said before getting back on topic. "How shall we proceed, Your Majesty?"
The King was silent for a minute, considering how best to handle this new development. "Let us continue as we were for the time being. As far as we can tell, Varian has not informed his father or our daughters of what he's learned. Let us keep it that way."
"As you wish," The Captain bowed at the waist.
"Alert me if the situation changes."
"Yes, sir." With that, the Captain left to return to his duties.
Alone in his study, King Frederic looked out the window in thought. While he seemed calm, his mind went a thousand miles a minute.
How could Varian have discovered the truth, especially since the Catacombs were sensitive information only the sitting blood-royal of the Sonne Family and the Royal Advisor knew of? If he did learn this from the Phantom, how did he discover it? Then again, who knows what that ruffian sees and hears when out of sight.
Even so, the King had noticed a shift in Varian's… activities in the last few years. He would want to lay lower with his experiments if he believed he had a target on him.
It didn't seem like Varian had told his father of the situation, and knowing Quirin as well as Frederic did, the former knight would've threatened regicide if Frederic even considered hurting Varian. He was just as protective of his son as he was of his daughter.
Since the Moonlight Phantom was Varian's most likely source, Frederic wondered what else the masked felon knew. He obviously knew about the rocks since he could summon them, but how much did he know? Did he know why they were here and what they wanted…? Had he told Rapunzel about them?
King Frederic hardened his expression at the thought. "No. I will not lose her again." He glared defiantly at the sky, silently declaring war on the Moonlight Phantom.
At the same time, Varian felt a chill come over him as he spectated Eugene's class. If he didn't know better, he felt like someone had just threatened his life…
And that's the end of this chapter. I'm serious about redesigning Varian's hero costume. I may use it as a season two costume for him or sooner. In the meantime, I'll be back when the chapters for Challenge of the Brave.