Here we are with the last part of Challenge of the Brave. This chapter is a little shorter than I thought, but it was kind of expected.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Tangled. I only own this story idea.
It was time for the final challenge. All the fighters stood around the edge of a large circle, their weapons in the middle.
Eugene took a bite of popcorn before looking at Varian. "Who do you think will win?"
"Hard to say," he rubbed his chin. "At this point, Wreck, Cass, and Rapunzel are the top contenders. Wreck is the biggest and strongest competitor, but he doesn't really fight. He just intimidates his opponents into submission. Cass, on the other hand, is not the least bit intimidated by him. She's also smarter and faster; from what I hear, she's trained with the Royal Guard since she was a kid."
"What about Blondie?"
"While Rapunzel is not a trained warrior, she is adaptable. She knows how to use her environment when fighting, as we saw during the coronation fight. She's just as smart and strategically minded as Cass and unaffected by Wreck's intimidation tactics."
"On that topic, what's this I heard about you getting between him and Cass earlier?" Eugene asked him in concern.
"Eugene," Varian sighed before lowering his voice. "When you've lived the double life I have for two years, nothing scares you after that. Besides, I could take the guy."
"Correction, the Moonlight Phantom could take Wreck," Eugene whispered. "Varian, if he wants to keep his identity secret, will stick to sniveling and running away."
"You're not exactly helping my self-esteem here." Varian gave him a look.
"I'm just calling it like I see it." The older man shrugged.
The competitors were waiting for the start down below. Cass glanced over at Rapunzel before looking back towards the circle. Rapunzel looked at her and sagged her shoulders sadly. She knew what Varian told her but felt she should say something now…
She walked towards Cassandra, Hook Foot switching places with her so she could talk to her lady-in-waiting. "Hey, uh…" She took a deep breath. "I know today's been… weird. I just–I wanted to… you know, I guess I just wanted to say… gook luck." The Princess gave her a genuine smile.
Cass glanced back at her before focusing on the ring. She recoiled when Rapunzel tried to hug her again, only to see the look on the woman's face and back off. "Right, right, sorry! Sorry, sorry, no hugging… gotta remember that." She looked away with a glum smile.
Cassandra looked away, guilty, remembering what she had said and done to her friend. "Raps, I just wan–"
"It's now time for the no-holds-barred elimination round!" The announcer called as everyone cheered. "Remember, folks, once someone steps outside the ring, they are out! The last one standing is our champion!"
"I just wanna say–" Cassandra started but was interrupted again by Wreck Marauder moving between them.
"Are you ready for this?" he taunted. "'Cause it's gonna get ugly in here."
Cassandra glared up at him, clenching her fists.
"Ready… set… battle!" The announcer called.
Everyone ran towards their weapons. Wreck grabbed a club and immediately hit someone out of the ring. Cass grabbed an archery bow and clashed with Skull Kicker and his bo staff. Meanwhile, Rapunzel searched for her frying pan but didn't find it among the assorted weapons.
"Oh! W-Wait, wait, wait! Has anyone seen a frying pan?" she called out, looking around anxiously, catching the boys' attention.
"What's wrong? What's going on?" Eugene asked, turning to the alchemist.
"Rapunzel can't find her frying pan…" Varian murmured, his gaze turning to Cass. As much as he didn't want to believe it, his instincts told him Cass had something to do with that.
Wreck leaped towards Rapunzel, making the boys gasp. "Whoa!" The Princess cried, ducking out of the way just in time.
Behind her, Cass and Skull Kicker were locked in combat until Cass got knocked to the sand. She wasn't out of the ring but no longer had her weapon. "Ha ha ha ha!" Skull Kicker laughed as she glared at him. "Looks like I got the drop on you." His gloating was cut off when Wreck suddenly plowed into him and hit the wall, deeming him out of the competition. The large man turned his attention back to Rapunzel, who gripped her hair and ran forward.
Cass dueled a familiar man with a skull mask, disarming him as she hooked him over her shoulder. "Hyah!" She grunted as she tossed him out of the ring.
Three competitors, including Hook Foot and Razorblade, jumped on Wreck together. "Is that all you got?!" He touted before throwing all three off and outside the ring. "You fools take on Wreck–!"
"Ahem!" Cass cleared her throat, and he turned to her. Growling, he gripped his club as they circled each other. The competitors glared at the other, ready to finish this.
The crowd gasped in anticipation as they moved to strike each other… Before they noticed Rapunzel twirling around. She dodged an attacker, causing him to fall out of the ring before dropping into the splits, causing two competitors to bump into each other and knock themselves out of the boundaries.
"Wow! What a poetic move by Rapunzel!" the announcer declared as she got up, and the crowd cheered for her.
"Yeah! That's my girlfriend!" Eugene pumped his fist, Varian clapping near him.
Rapunzel waved to the crowd as they began to chant her name. "Rapunzel! Rapunzel!"
Cass looked up slowly, hearing the name repeatedly, especially from the young girl, before gritting her teeth in jealousy.
"That chirpy little hairball is mine!" Wreck growled, clenching his fists.
"Not if I get to her first!" Cass swiftly loaded her bow with three arrows and fired at Wreck, pinning him to the pole by his shirt. "Hey, Wreck, stick around." She smirked at him before making her way over to Rapunzel.
As Rapunzel turned back to the fight, she stopped short when an arrow lodged in the ground in front of her. She looked up in confusion to see Cass aiming her bow at her. "Uh, that was close."
Cass said nothing as she dropped her bow and picked up a staff. "Well, looks like it's just you and me." She then charged towards the Princess and jumped in the air with a battle cry. Rapunzel dodged out of the way just as Cass slammed her staff into the ground.
"That all you got?" Rapunzel smirked as she spun around, grabbing her own bo staff. She swung at Cass, who blocked her staff with her own. Cass struck at her, but Rapunzel backflipped out of the way, landing safely.
The handmaiden came in again with an attack, Rapunzel gritting her teeth as she blocked it. She spun her staff and tried to knock Cass off her feet, only for Cass to block it and attack back vigorously. "Cass, what's gotten into you?" Rapunzel asked as she blocked her attacks, neither noticing Wreck break free from the arrows.
"Oh no," Varian murmured when the boys saw it.
"Girls, look out!" Eugene shouted, but Cass was too focused on trying to beat Rapunzel.
The lady-in-waiting continued on the offensive, using her staff or feet to try and beat the Princess. "Hey!" Rapunzel shouted as her friend swung at her head, ducking out of the way. She then blocked Cassandra's kick with her staff, but there was enough force behind it that she almost slid out of the ring. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait, stop! We're supposed to be friends!"
"A friend wouldn't be so oblivious, Rapunzel," Cass said firmly, walking towards her. "You have no idea what this contest means to me! I mean, you're a princess; you have nothing to prove! To you, this was just some fun way to blow off a Saturday, but to me… it was a chance to show everyone that I am more than just your lady-in-waiting!" Neither knew Wreck was hiding behind the pole, grinning with his club in hand. "And just when I thought I might get even the slightest bit of respect…" Cassandra sighed, shutting her eyes. "Never mind."
"Respect?" Rapunzel repeated, remembering what Varian said earlier. "Cassandra, I respect you more than you could possibly imagine. I mean, I-I look up to you."
Cass opened her mouth in shock, taken aback by the Princess's words.
"Why do you think I wanted to enter this thing in the first place? You are my friend, and… as your friend," she looked at the pole in her hands. "I should've realized how important this was to you…" She gripped the pole and lowered her arms. "I'm so…so sorry…" Rapunzel officially dropped the pole to her side.
Cassandra was silent momentarily, unsure what to say or do. However, the choice was taken out of her hands when, suddenly, a growl was heard, and she looked to see Wreck charging toward them. He headed right for Rapunzel and raised his club to strike her.
"Look out!" Cass pushed her out of the way before the club hit the dirt. The man turned to her with a snarl before she slid underneath him. Using the center pole for leverage, Cass jumped into the air and kicked him square in the face, leaving a boot imprint on his nose. When she landed, she swept her leg out and knocked him over. Digging her pole into the ground, she used it and kicked with her leg to throw the bigger man over her.
The man let out a feral yell as he was thrown into the air, landing twice before skidding out of the ring and into the bleachers. The crowd gasped in shock as the now-former champion managed to sit up. A little butterfly landed on his head before he fell over, the bell declaring he was out.
"Hey, Wreck! Looks like I'm not 'knot' going to win," Cass chuckled a little at the pun. "It's a thinker."
The crowd cheered as Cass turned to her friend with a smile… just as another bell was heard. Rapunzel's eyes widened as she looked toward her left foot… which Cass saw stepped outside the ring. Everyone gasped, and she frowned, head bowed, as she walked toward her friend. Cass stared at the Princess intensely before she grabbed her arm and held it up into the air, gesturing to her with a tiny smile. Rapunzel smiled back as the crowd applauded her.
"Congratulations."
"I didn't mean for this to happen, Cass," Rapunzel rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "I just thought it would be fun to compete…"
Cass sighed lightly. "Doesn't matter."
"I should've realized how important this all was to you…" The announcer brought the trophy over, giving it to Rapunzel. "I don't think I'm the one who deserves this," she said, handing the trophy to Cass. The crowd cheered as her friend saw the other competitors grinning at her behind her reflection. Skull Kicker wrote Cassandra's name on his left arm, flexing his muscles to show off both names.
"Yay, Cassandra! Woo hoo!" the little girl cheered.
Hook Foot suddenly placed Cass on his shoulders and walked away with the other competitors while the shortest one held her trophy. Looking back at her friend, she jumped off the pub thug and went back to her, holding out her arms to Rapunzel. "What, no hug?"
Rapunzel gladly gave her one, and the two walked away together as the boys watched on from the stands. "Glad to see they've made up," Eugene smiled at them.
"I hope they don't fight like that again. They're miserable when they fight," Varian said before getting up. "Well, it's getting late, and my dad's probably looking for me right now. I should get home. Come by and visit me sometime, okay?"
"You got it, kid," Eugene promised. "I'll tell the girls you said 'bye' and 'congrats,' okay? Have a safe trip back."
The alchemist nodded. "See you around." He headed out, Ruddiger hopping onto his shoulder as they disappeared into the crowd of departing spectators.
After Varian left, Eugene exited the stadium and met with the girls outside the arena. "Congratulations, ladies."
"Thanks, Eugene," Rapunzel smiled at him. "Where's Varian?"
"He had to head home," Eugene explained, a slight knowing smile on his face. "Something tells me he didn't tell his dad he was here, and now he has to dodge the authority."
The girls laughed good-naturedly. "I'm sure he'll be fine," Rapunzel assured them.
"We'll know for sure if we don't see him for three weeks," Cass added.
(Near Old Corona)
After finding a private spot, Varian warped back to the woods around his home, knowing everyone was returning home by now. He walked through the trees, thinking about the day. Varian was happy Rapunzel and Cassandra's friendship was able to weather the storm and hoped they wouldn't fight like that again.
"Now, we have to get home and hope Dad thinks I've been in the lab or woods all day," He said to Ruddiger, cringing slightly. He knew his father wouldn't have let him go to the Challenge of the Brave, so he snuck off. (Which is easy now, given his abilities)
As he made his way to the village, something caught Ruddiger's attention, and he hopped off Varian's shoulder. "Ruddiger?"
The alchemist followed the raccoon until they reached where he had seen the new black rocks back during the Goodwill Festival. Today, though, he found that the rocks had increased in humber.
"It's getting worse…" Varian frowned, looking at his reflection in the rocks.
"Varian!" He heard his father call in the distance, looking for him. Varian looked back at the rocks before going to meet his dad. He would leave it alone… for now.
(That night)
After dinner, Varian pretended to go to bed as if he was taking his dad's advice about getting more sleep. Once he was sure Quirin was asleep, Varian changed into his phantom costume and snuck out beyond the Wall. He was going to try to deal with the rocks, but he didn't want to risk being seen, so he decided to go to the Sundrop Monument, which seemed to be the center of everything.
Using his powers, Varian made moonlight platforms so he could safely reach the monument. His hair would glow when he passed by the black rocks scattered throughout the landscape. When he reached the spot, he walked up to the damaged stone. He placed a hand on the monument, barely glancing at the rocks as they lit up.
"Here we go…" He gripped one of the rocks surrounding him with his left hand before grabbing a rock on the other side.
The air seemed to respond as his cape bellowed out around him. His hood fell back slightly, his hair turning blue with a white stripe running through it. Varian closed his eyes, gripping the rocks tighter as he tried to focus.
"Come on…" Varian gritted his teeth. "Go back…" He poured his power into the rocks, trying to get them to retract into the ground, but it was like pushing against a brick wall.
Soon, he began seeing visions again. There were the ones from before, along with new ones. He saw a group of warriors standing inside the castle before a king in dark armor. Then, an explosion came from the castle, destroying almost everything around it. The following image looked like two drops of light falling from the sky, causing a stone and a familiar flower to form.
The Sundrop?
Varian wanted to hang on and know more, but he could feel his strength fading. Loosening his grip, the glow from his hair and rocks gradually faded. Once he stopped using his magic, he slumped to his knees, feeling woozy. He panted heavily, and his reflection showed that he looked paler than usual.
"Maybe I'm just not strong enough yet…" He murmured, leaning back until he was fully sitting on the ground. "Still, I think I got results I wasn't expecting…"
If that last image showed the Sundrop's creation, it wasn't alone when it fell from the sky. Perhaps the stone that formed is where these rocks come from… along with his powers. Given his expertise in legends, he should talk to Xavier about it.
"For right now, though… I need to get home." Varian rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I don't think I'll make the walk… Hopefully, I have enough power to get to the Wall."
Pulling himself together, Varian focused what energy he had left before sinking into the ground. However, what he didn't see reflected in the rocks as he went was a tall figure with a sword on their back, watching from the ledge above. Once he was gone, the figure disappeared back into the woods.
With that, we can move on to the next episode. I'll be back soon while working on The Owl Family and Outcasts of Corona.