Adventures of the Sun and Moon

by Wolf of the Black Rose

Rapunzel returns to Corona and meets her stepfather and stepbrother: King Quirin and Prince Varian, who has a connection to the dark powers of the Moonstone, the Sundrop's counterpart. When her hair returns, the lost princess and her new brother have adventures while adjusting to life and each other with their friends as they try to solve the mysteries of the Sundrop and Moonstone.

4. Chapter 4: Rapunzel's Enemy

Here I am with chapter four. I finished this a few days ago but wanted to edit it first.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the "Tangled" franchise. I only own the story idea and any minor OCs I make up.

"And… we are… done," Varian said as he finished setting up the goo dispenser to the fence post. Straightening up, he stretched and breathed in the fresh air of Old Corona. Varian hadn't been back to his village in a long time. The last time he was here was when he and his father moved to the castle. Varian had snuck out and come to the area a few times but never went into the village because of his powers. Today, he was installing his humane critter traps for the villagers. He had just finished the last one and felt like hanging out in his old home for a while.

Varian took a quick look around the village. Everything looked almost the same as when he had left it. He waved to a couple of farmers, and they kindly returned the gesture. He found it odd to acknowledge. Prior to his departure from Old Corona, he firmly believed that no one in the village cared for him. At that point, he had been engrossed in his mother's alchemy and had already encountered several mishaps. Eventually, he discovered that many villagers worried about him when he began to withdraw into the castle. It seemed that their perceptions shifted when they recognized he was struggling.

The point was that Old Corona had few people who were still wary of his abilities. Maybe that was why he loved returning here—it reminded him of simpler times.

"Good morning, Varian." The prince turned to see Earl, one of the shepherds, coming over.

"Morning, Earl." He greeted the older man. After his father became king, he appointed Earl to watch over Old Corona, and he was doing a pretty good job.

"All finished?"

"Yup," Varian nodded proudly. "With these, you'll be able to keep pests out of the fields without hurting them or yourselves if someone steps in one by accident. Have all the farmers been given the neutralizer?"

"Yup." Earl nodded.

"Great. All of these are set up with a month's supply, so when you run out or if one of them breaks, send word to the castle, and I'll come back with refills. I should probably also show people how to fix these on their own if they need to."

"That would be a good idea."

Varian then glanced around, realizing something was missing. "Wait, where's Ruddiger?"

"Over here!" another voice called, amused. The alchemist and Earl turned to see a farmer and his wife had found Ruddiger caught in one of the critter traps.

Varian walked over, shaking his head as he looked at his raccoon. "Just don't learn, do ya, buddy?" Ruddiger grinned sheepishly at him as he was released, making the villagers laugh.

"Well, as nice as it's been being out here again, I need to get back to the castle," Varian smiled at everyone before he and Ruddiger headed over to Galaxy and their cart. "There are some preparations for the Goodwill Festival I need to help with."

"Ah, right," Earl said as Varian put his tools in the cart. "This is going to be an important one this year."

"Yup. It's the 500th anniversary, my first public appearance, and my sister's first festival ever," the alchemist said, climbing onto the cart.

"Must be exciting."

"Yeah. Rapunzel's just as excited as everyone else."

"I know some of the villagers are going to take time off to go, so hopefully, you'll see some familiar faces in the crowd."

"That'd be great. Well, I better get going before my dad sends a search party," Varian said, remembering he was supposed to have guards with him. He flicked the reins, and Galaxy started moving. "See you later."

"Have a good day, Your Highness," Earl waved as the prince left.

Varian waved back before focusing on the road ahead. He then sighed, thinking about one person he hoped to see…

The prince shook his head. It's time to stop dreaming. For all he knew, Hugo was miles away from Corona by now. He just hoped he was safe wherever he was.

(The Goodwill Festival)

It was the 500th anniversary of the Good Will Gopher Grab, announced by the banner on the castle arch. A crowd cheered in the courtyard as King Quirin spoke before them with his children.

"We have much to celebrate during this year's Gopher Grab. Not only is this the 500th anniversary, but we commemorate this Crown Princess Rapunzel's very first festival and Prince Varian's first festival with his sister."

The crowd cheered joyfully as Quirin turned to the siblings with a wink, and they smiled back at him. "To mark this joyous event, our princess has redesigned the Gopher Grab seal of goodwill, and our prince will be the one to put it into place." The King nodded to his son, who nodded in return before activating a crane device he designed. Entering the commands to make the machine work, the crane raised a covered plaque underneath the railing. Once in place, his father removed the curtain to reveal a picture of a gopher inside a fused sun and moon symbol. Vines surrounded it as an owl and a lark circled it, each holding a marigold and a jasmine in their respective beaks. The audience clapped and cheered once more. "Ladies and gentlemen of Corona, Crown Princess Rapunzel, and Prince Varian." The king gestured to his children as they smiled at the crowd.

"Thank you so much. Aw. You're all too kind," Rapunzel said.

"We're happy to be celebrating this event together," Varian smiled, and they hugged briefly.

"Booo!" a voice yelled, shocking the siblings.

The jeering was loud enough to be heard by everyone, even the king, who glanced at the crowd. However, since Rapunzel was unfamiliar with this kind of response, she misinterpreted it positively. "And a booo to you too, sir."

"Uh, Rapunzel…" Varian tried to tell her the truth, but his stepsister just gave him a one-armed hug as she waved at the crowd below. When Quirin and Varian looked at each other, the prince shrugged, not knowing what to tell him.

(Later)

Around town, the logo was replaced by Rapunzel's design, and the villagers waved to the royal siblings as they walked by.

"I gotta hand it to you two," Eugene said as he walked arm-in-arm with Rapunzel. "The people of Corona love you."

"You're the best!" A little girl cheered as she ran up to hug the siblings.

"They sure do know how to make a brother and sister feel special," Rapunzel beamed as the little girl walked away with her mother. "I mean, I've never heard so much applause, and someone actually booed me."

Eugene's smile dropped as he turned to Varian. The younger man shook his head in response, meaning he hadn't told Rapunzel. "Forget that guy. I wouldn't pay too much attention–"

"I've never even heard that cheer before. It's so exotic!" Rapunzel smiled happily while her boyfriend stared at her in confusion. "Do you think he's from overseas?"

"You don't know what boo means, do you?" Eugene asked slowly.

"Yeah, I do," she smiled confidently with a hand on her hip. "It's a cheer, like Yippee! Hooray! Boo! Right?"

The two winced, glancing away to show she was wrong. "No? Alright. So what does it mean?" she asked.

(At the Gopher Grab tents)

"It means someone hates you," Cass answered when they found her.

Rapunzel's eyes widened in shock. Someone… hated her? But why? She had been so nice to everyone, and they liked her back! So, what was different about this man?!

"Way to candy-coat it, Cassandra," Eugene replied sarcastically as he tossed an apple between his hands. Cass ignored him as she tended to something else.

"Why wouldn't someone like me?" Rapunzel asked dejectedly as she stepped outside the tent. "What could I have done to this person?"

"Rapunzel, who cares?" Eugene called out. "Not everyone has to like you. That's part of life."

"Imagine how many people hated him when he was stealing," Varian jerked a thumb at the man. "And they probably still hate him to some extent. Plus, do you know how many people don't like me either? While things have improved, several people in my old village still don't like me. Lady Caine and her crew hate my guts for messing up their plan. Nigel has a problem with me, and most of the guards are either scared of me or just don't trust me."

"I know you're trying to make a point, Varian, but that's still concerning," Rapunzel said, giving the prince a worried look.

"I cope by laughing through my pain," Varian shrugged.

"Getting back to the point, Eugene and Vari are right. Someone could not like you for any number of reasons," Cass picked up the animal she was tending to before grabbing a brush to smooth out its fur. She grinned at Eugene as she continued, "For instance, maybe you have a stupid goatee that makes you look ridiculous, and someone might not like you for that."

"You know, Cassandra, it's a little hard to take your insults seriously when you're holding that thing." He retorted, pointing at what she was holding. The handmaiden turned to him, revealing a tired-looking gopher she was brushing. Cass glared at him as she put down the brush.

"This 'thing' is important. Gregorio the Goodwill Gopher represents half a millennium of honor and tradition throughout this kingdom," she explained, walking past various portraits of previous gophers with ancestors from past festivals.

"And animal abuse," Varian coughed, getting a glare from Cass. "What? Allergies."

"Yeah, right."

"I thought you liked the Goodwill Festival?" Rapunzel asked her brother.

"No, I said I was looking forward to it… because you're home, and this is our first festival together. That doesn't mean I like it." Cass sighed tiredly since this was a conversation he had heard before. "All I'm saying is there are better ways to show kingdom spirit and cooperation that don't involve torturing a gopher for fun and profit."

"… We're still talking about the rat, right?" Eugene spoke up.

"Gopher!" Cass corrected him. "For your information, the Gopher Grab is a Corona institution. I was entrusted as the mascot's caretaker because it is a mark of hallowed esteem."

"Yeah, that's special," he replied carelessly, causing her to glare at him. "He just pooped on you."

She gasped, looking down at herself, only to find nothing there. "Listen, Blondie," he walked past a growling Cass. "You're just gonna have to accept that some people aren't gonna like you."

"I'm sorry you have to hear that, Rapunzel, but it's the truth," Varian said.

"Ugh! All I can hear is his gravelly 'boo' over and over in my head," she lamented before Eugene placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Rapunzel, I know your feelings are hurt. I get that. But you gotta admit if Cassandra and I are actually agreeing on something," he sent a smug grin toward the woman. "It's probably worth listening to. Let this one go."

She smiled a bit, letting out a small sigh. "You know what? You're right," she said as he pulled her closer. "Thank you." They shared a brief kiss before the woman left. Eugene and Varian watched her as if they could sense her smile disappear when she turned away.

"… Yeah, no, she's not."

"Nope, not letting it go," Cass said knowingly, still brushing the gopher.

Varian sighed, turning toward the other two. "I'll make sure she doesn't go overboard."

"Hairstripe, hold up," Eugene spoke as he started to leave. He moved closer to the prince as he put his hands on his shoulders. "You okay?"

"What do you mean?" he responded, confused.

"I know you were trying to make a point to Rapunzel, but you also just unloaded a lot of baggage," the older man explained.

Varian sighed again before saying, "Eugene, I'm fine. Or as fine as I can be with the situation. I accepted a long time ago that people would hate me for one reason or another."

"But that doesn't mean you have to deal with it alone," Eugene countered gently. "You have me to talk to, Rapunzel, your parents, even Cassandra. My point is, you don't have to deal with it alone."

The alchemist looked at Eugene before smiling, thankful for the support. They shared a quick hug before the younger male started to leave again. "Well, I better go catch up with my sister. You two behave yourselves."

"Psh, I can behave," Eugene waved off. "It's her you should be worrying about."

Cass sent him a glare behind his back. Varian rolled his eyes and left the tent.

(Elsewhere)

Varian caught up with Rapunzel at a cafe, sitting with her at one of the outside tables with their pets. "You know, maybe you, Eugene, and Cassandra were right," Rapunzel said, looking at Varian across from her. "I shouldn't let this booer bother me. It's not the end of the world because I got booed, right? Happens to a lot of people, I'm sure… Has it happened to you?"

"Not to my face," Varian thought. "Usually, it's all behind my back, in mutters. The things I see are dirty looks and fearful expressions, depending on the day."

"But this means he doesn't like you either," Rapunzel frowned. Her brother may hold the power of the Moonstone, but that didn't make it right to hate him. His powers didn't define who he was.

"Not the first time, Rapunzel," Varian told her with a shrug. "I'm used to it now."

Rapunzel sighed before sitting up. "You know what? I'm not even gonna think about the word boo anymore. Let's just sit and enjoy our afternoon."

"Baba boo," a musician walked past them, playing his mandolin. "Ba ba boo."

"Hey! Check out my new taboo!" a thug ran by.

"Boo repair!" the local cobbler walked around holding up a pair of flats. "Get your boo repair!"

As more people passed by, they all expressed a form of "boo." Rapunzel groaned, resting her cheek on the table while Pascal crawled over to her in concern. Varian sighed wearily as he patted her back.

"Just having one of those off days, I guess…" he said, knowing the feeling.

"No, thank yoooou!"

Their eyes widened as Rapunzel sat up. That voice... they both knew that voice. The step-siblings looked over and saw an older man tip a cab driver generously.

"Wow! Thank you," the driver said gratefully. "Thank you, indeed."

"My pleasure, son. Spread the goodwill," the man said as he climbed into the carriage. The driver closed the door behind him.

"That sweet little old man can't be the same person who booed me, can he?" Rapunzel asked skeptically. Varian hoped not… because that would mean someone he had known and respected for years was now among those who didn't like him.

But as he passed them, he shot them a dirty look out the window before saying… "Booo!" The four of them gasped, the alchemist looking the most shocked and hurt of all of them.

(Later, in Rapunzel's room)

The princess painted one last red line as she finished her painting. "Okay, I'd say that looks like our booer, wouldn't you, Pascal?" The lizard stared at the detailed portrait of the man from earlier before shrugging. "Now, we just need to figure out who he is," Rapunzel said, looking at the picture thoughtfully. "Someone has to know him, right?"

"Hey, it's Monty!" Eugene peeked in from Rapunzel's door, causing the princess to gasp.

"Wait, you know him?" Rapunzel pointed at the painting.

"Of course I—everyone knows Monty," Eugene stepped into the room.

"Well, probably because he's really grouchy and doesn't like anyone, right?" She raised a brow.

"What? Uncle Monty? He's the sweetest guy in all Corona. Let me tell ya, if there was someone he didn't like, that person would have to be the most horrible–" He noticed the look Rapunzel was giving him before coming to a horrible realization. "Oh my goodness! That's the guy who booed you, isn't it?"

"Yes," Rapunzel looked away with a sad pout.

"Wha–wait, wait! Wait a minute! No!" He realized what he was about to say to her and quickly switched tracks. He moved closer to lean toward the painting as if he was taking a better look. "Now that I'm looking at it, 'cause I'm really looking at it now, because before I glanced at it. That is not Monty. No, that… is… Rude Guy… er. Rude Guyer! Yeah! Oh, boy. Nobody likes Rude Guyer."

Pascal gave him a 'really?' look.

"'Cause he's such a rude guy…"

"Hey!" They turned to see Stan enter the room. "Look at that! Uncle Monty!"

Eugene nervously waved his arms as he stood in front of the painting, silently telling him to stop.

"Oh, hi, Eugene," he greeted, not getting the hint. "That's some painting of Uncle Monty, huh?"

"It is Monty," Rapunzel turned to her boyfriend with an accusing look.

"I'll say. You know, you don't forget the guy who introduced you to your wife." Stan chuckled a bit.

"And everyone likes him?" She crossed her arms, giving her boyfriend a tiny glare.

"No, no, of course not; don't be silly." Eugene waved it off.

"Eugene's right. Everyone loves him," Stan corrected him.

"Uh, do you know where I can find him?" Rapunzel asked hopefully.

"Monty's a very private person," Eugene said as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Oh, sure, Your Majesty," Stan replied eagerly. "He has a wonderful little shop in town. Here, let me draw you a map." He took out a piece of paper and started drawing a sketch.

Rapunzel looked at Eugene as the guard held up the finished map before she snatched it from him. "Thank you, Stan."

"Yeah," Eugene rolled his eyes at the oblivious guard. "Thanks so much, Stan."

"No problem. And when you see him, tell him thanks for the flowers he sent to my mom when she was sick." He then left the room as Rapunzel stared at the map.

"So, listen, Rapunzel…" Eugene started, placing a gentle hand on her arm.

"I know. I know," Rapunzel waved his hand away as she stepped back. "You're gonna tell me to leave it alone, but this is all just a simple misunderstanding. I need to clear things up so me and Uncle Monty can be friends. I better tell Varian what I found."

"Hey, where is Varian?"

"Well, after Monty booed us a second time, we came back to the castle to investigate. I suggested he look in the archives to see if he could find anything. He said he'd get back to me and walked off, but now that I think about it, he was acting strange…."

"Strange, like how?" Eugene asked, concern starting to form.

"He had been quiet the whole walk back to the castle and seemed a little distracted, too."

Sensing something was wrong, the former thief said, "Let me go check on him for you, Blondie."

"Thanks, Eugene," Rapunzel smiled before leaving. "Tell him I'll meet him by the front door."

"You got it, Sunshine." Her boyfriend smiled awkwardly before running in the opposite direction.

Eugene headed toward Varian's room, and sure enough, Ruddiger met him halfway. "Take me to him." Without further instructions, Ruddiger led Eugene to the prince's chambers. The door creaked open, and Eugene hesitated before stepping inside. He discovered Varian lying facedown on the bed, gripping a pillow as if he had just been crying or shouting into it. The sight nearly shattered Eugene's heart, particularly when Ruddiger rushed over to the bed, mewing to catch the alchemist's attention.

"Varian, kiddo?" Eugene said softly, walking over to them. "You okay?" Varian didn't look up, shaking his head into the pillow. Eugene sat down on the bed next to him. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

The prince looked up at him, eyes red from crying, with tear tracks on his face as he sniffled again. "Oh, kid, hey," Eugene said, opening his arms as Varian threw himself into the hug. "What's wrong, buddy?"

"... I don't get it," he said after a minute. "Of all the people… why Monty?"

"You two know each other, huh?"

Varian nodded. "The day after my mom disappeared… I was crying on the sidewalk, and Monty came over. He gave me my favorite treat and sat with me for a while. Dad was… still too torn up about Mom being gone to comfort me."

"I see."

"After I started locking myself in the castle because of my powers, Monty would send me cookie bouquets with my favorite lollipop in them on my birthday. Just to say he was thinking of me…" Varian smiled fondly at the memories before frowning sadly. "What did I do wrong…?"

"Oh, come on, we don't know what any of this is about," Eugene consoled him before moving to look Varian in the eye. "Listen, I know I kept telling Rapunzel to leave it alone, and I don't want to encourage it, but maybe you should go down to Monty's shop and talk to him. Who knows, maybe Rapunzel will turn out to be right, and it is all a misunderstanding, and everything can go back to normal."

Varian looked at Eugene for a minute before nodding. "Yeah… maybe I should."

Eugene smiled, giving the boy one more hug before they got up. "You gonna be okay?"

"I'm just gonna need a minute…" Varian wiped his eyes.

"How about some hot chocolate from the kitchen?"

"I'd like that." Ruddiger climbed onto Varian's shoulder as the boys left the room, Eugene keeping a comforting arm around the younger man.

(Out at the tents)

"Ugh, these berry stains are impossible!" Cass grumbled as she cleaned Gregorio's teeth. Some of the toothpaste dripped from his mouth, but the gopher didn't notice or care.

Eugene sighed as he paced around. "I hope I did the right thing with Varian… "

"For what it's worth, I think you did," Cass surprisingly agreed. "Varian handles things better with logic and facts, even if he doesn't like them. Once he gets an answer, he'll work out how to deal with it and be fine again in a week or so."

"Okay, Varian will, but what about Rapunzel? She's not letting it go. Okay, so one person doesn't like her. Who cares?"

"I know!" Cass said as she picked the gopher up. "I mean, only two people do like you, and you're okay with it."

"Exactly–" He smiled fondly before realizing what she said. "Oh, I see what you did there."

"I gotta get some lotion for his paws," Cass held the gopher out to him. "Can you watch him for a few minutes?"

"Oh, are you sure I can be trusted with this hallowed Corona institution?" Eugene retorted as he took the animal by the scruff.

"I was talking to the gopher," she replied as she walked away. He put the gopher in his hands and looked toward the berries before taking a handful and popping one into his mouth. It was a little tart but mostly sweet. Overall, it was a satisfying taste.

"Oh, yeah, I see why you like these…" He ate another before giving some to the gopher. "Wanna go halfsies?" he hummed as he ate more berries.

(Elsewhere)

The step-siblings were walking through town, looking for Monty's shop. "Okay, Monty can't be as great as everyone says, you guys," Rapunzel glanced at the pets and her brother. "I mean, this here says that he owns a sweatshop."

"What?" Varian furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "No, he owns a–" He was cut off when Pascal pointed ahead of them. They looked to see not a sweatshop but a sweet shop. Kids were looking around happily, hoping to get a treat.

Rapunzel pouted. "Sweet shop. Yeah, okay, way to spell, Stan…" Varian simply shrugged as they approached the shop. Through the window, they noticed various displays Monty had arranged. Sun and moon symbols decorated the ceiling, and the window showcased a red ship, a yellow castle model, and a purple flower with a butterfly. Rapunzel couldn't help but gaze in wonder while Varian looked through the window affectionately. Each piece was so intricate that it seemed ready to spring to life. The princess opened the shop door, her brother trailing her as a bell rang to announce their entry. Her jaw dropped at the sight of all the candy, sweets, and decorations. Inside, Monty presented a tray of chocolate gophers he had crafted for the festival. The children eagerly grabbed one, cheering with delight. Monty slid the last treat off the tray before giving it to a little girl.

"There you go, dear," he said kindly, watching as she took a happy bite before leaving. "May you spread the spirit of goodwill throughout Corona."

Rapunzel approached him from behind. "Pardon me."

"And you, sweetie, how can I help…" He turned around and glared when he saw who it was. "You…!"

"Hi!" She waved eagerly but anxiously at his reaction. "Uh, Monty. Can I call you Monty?"

"Apparently," he replied thinly before lighting up at the prince. "Varian, my boy!" Rapunzel's mouth opened in shock as Monty walked past her and hugged her brother, catching him by surprise despite hugging him back. "It's so good to see you," Monty said as he stepped back. "I was starting to think you were too royal for us now."

Varian chuckled nervously as his sister stared in disbelief. "No, no, that wasn't it…"

"So, what can I get you today, Your Highness?" Monty asked. "Your usual or something new? On the house."

"Uh, my usual," the alchemist answered, deciding to get something for himself. "And maybe some dark chocolates."

"Sure!" Monty walked over to the shelf with the chocolates. "Bars, malt balls, or bite-sized?"

"Malt balls."

"Sooo," Rapunzel said, noticing nine medals on the wall as she tried to appeal to him. "I see you're a Gopher Grab fan."

"Figured that out all by yourself, huh?" Monty asked sarcastically, handing Varian a bag of dark chocolates with a yellow and brown lollipop. "Well, give the girl a lolly." He held out a pink and purple striped lollipop for her, walking away when she took it and licked it eagerly. "Ha! That one fell on the floor!"

She looked down and saw it covered in dark particles, which could only mean dirt. Pascal glared at the man while Varian and Ruddiger cringed in disgust.

"Ew," her brother commented.

"Um… Monty," Rapunzel stepped closer. "How do I put this? Um, during my speech… somebody booed me, and I was wondering–"

"And what are you gonna do, huh? Huh?" Monty demanded of her. "You gonna throw me in the dungeon 'cause I booed you, huh? Is that why you're here? To oppress me?"

"No! No!" she denied quickly. "I don't wanna oppress anyone. I–I just wanna know what I did."

"Listen, Your Highness." Monty held up a hand. "I don't need to explain myself to you."

Rapunzel looked sad and started to leave the shop. Varian frowned at her as he followed his sister.

Monty glanced at them as they went before calling, "Wait, Princess!" She turned around, hoping that he had a change of heart. "… That lollipop wasn't free, you know."

She stormed out the door, with Varian following a few steps behind. "I am not giving up that easy, guys! If he can't see what a likable person I am, well, I will make him see."

"Oh no," Varian placed a hand on his forehead. "Rapunzel, don't you think you're taking this too personally? I mean, a lot of people don't like me, and I'm not going out of my way to change their minds."

"Think of this as me standing up for myself," Rapunzel responded. "Like that saying, kill 'em with kindness."

Varian just gave her a look. "Please, Varian," she pleaded. "I need your help with this."

He took a deep breath, nodding slowly. "Alright. I'll help you."

"Yay!" Rapunzel engulfed him in a big hug. Varian sighed heavily but still smiled slightly.

(Back at the castle)

The group was up in Rapunzel's room as she plotted how to get Monty to like her. "Here's what we know so far: Monty has a candy shop, everyone loves him, and he likes yelling mean things at me," Rapunzel looked at drawings of everything she described before flipping over the chalkboard. "Time for Operation Make Stuff." A few candies and notes fell off the other side, causing the three to facepalm.

Her first idea was to give him a green scarf she had sewn herself.

A blue bird landed on Monty's shoulder as he fed some animals in the park. Rapunzel walked over and put the scarf around his neck, making him gasp.

"Look at this; now this is flashy!"

She smiled happily at his comments… before he narrowed his eyes. "I hate flashy," he stated, shocking her. "Also, I hate green." He threw it into her face, and she pulled it off when she returned to the castle. She crossed the scarf off her list.

She started melting chocolate on a small countertop stove for her next idea before pouring it into a concrete box. Then, she went to his shop with a huge chocolate head of Monty. She beamed at him, holding it out, but then he poked one of the eyes out.

"Ha! Just as I thought. Hollow. In my day, chocolate sculptures were solid, like our values." He then closed the door in her disappointed face.

The sculpture was taken off the list.

As Monty stepped outside to clean his shop, a splash of red liquid landed on his nose. He glanced up to find Rapunzel busy repainting the sign of his shop.

"Wow," he commented as she smiled down at him. "Much better than the one my great-grandfather painted... when he built this shop with his own two hands!"

He went back inside and slammed the door shut, causing the sign to fall. She frowned and crossed paint off the list.

Back at the Gopher Grab tents, Eugene was still eating berries when Rapunzel walked in with a groan, planting her face into a chaise pillow. "He hates me…." She muttered into it.

"Okay, come on, Raps, give it up," Cass glanced at her before focusing back on brushing the gopher. "Clearly, this jerk's got serious problems."

"You wouldn't say that if you knew who it was…" Varian walked in, shaking his head.

"But if Monty could just see that I was–"

Cass turned around in shock. "Monty's the guy who hates you?!"

"Ugh," Rapunzel lifted her head. "Let me guess? You love him."

Eugene waved his hands while Varian shook his head. The last thing Rapunzel needed was someone else loving him.

"No, me? Love him? No, I hate that guy." Cass chuckled nervously before kneeling next to the princess. "Look, you'll just have to accept that Uncle Mont–Monty doesn't like you, and there's nothing you can do to change that."

"You're right… there is nothing I can do," Rapunzel smirked as she got a new idea.

"Why does this make me nervous?" Varian murmured to Eugene. The former thief shrugged before the prince decided to leave. "Okay, I'm washing my hands of this. I'm going to go hang out at the festival."

"Have fun, kid." Eugene waved, still munching on berries.

As soon as Varian left the tent, he bumped right into someone. The prince stumbled back, nearly falling over, when the other person grabbed his arm and yanked him back up. "Whoa!" he yelped, eyes closed, as he ended up chest-to-chest with this person. "S-sorry, I didn't see you."

"Not very graceful for a prince, are we, Hairstripe?"

Wait a minute… He knew that voice.

As Varian opened his eyes, he was met with Hugo smirking down at him. The expression didn't come across as condescending; instead, it seemed almost affectionate if Varian dared to think so.

Hugo's outfit had also changed. Although the colors remained unchanged, he appeared less like a local and more like someone visiting from afar. He wore the same pants and boots but now wore a sleeveless shirt with torn sleeves and gray goggles with bright yellow lenses perched on his head.

Right now, Varian was more focused on Hugo's eyes. He stared into bright green as Hugo looked into his light blue ones. For some reason, his heart was beating faster all of a sudden…

Someone cleared their throat, and they turned around to see Rapunzel looking at them with confusion. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, fine!" Varian yelped as Hugo let go of him. "Heh heh, well, we gotta go, see ya later, Sis, bye!"

He grabbed Hugo's hand and ran off with him. Rapunzel stared after them before shrugging and leaving to plan her next move.

"Okay… What was that about?" the blond boy asked when they stopped.

"Long story," Varian sighed, feeling the day weigh on him. He looked at the bag of treats he still had before looking at Hugo. "Since you're here, do you want to hang out, maybe walk around town? I stopped by the sweet shop and got some snacks."

"Sure." Hugo shrugged, not having anything to do at the moment. Varian smiled at him before the boys started walking together.

(A short time later)

"So, what 'cha been up to since I last saw ya?" Hugo asked as they walked together, snacking and taking in the sights.

"Not a lot. I haven't gotten around to fixing my analyzer, but I was able to install my critter traps in Old Corona. I also experimented with my powers for a bit. Turns out my rocks don't just come in black; they come in white and different shades of blue, too. I used them to patch the holes I made in my walls and turned them into secret compartments for personal items I want hidden."

"Nice," Hugo commented, slightly impressed.

"I also built a claw crane for the Gopher Grab presentation, though. My sister redesigned the goodwill seal, and I guess Dad didn't want me to feel left out."

"Did you get to read the results from the tests?"

"No, but Rapunzel didn't seem to mind much," the prince replied, his eyes downcast.

Hugo noticed the shift and asked, "Did… something happen… between you and your sister?"

"She's dealing with someone who doesn't like her for the first time, and I kinda got dragged along for the ride."

"Let me guess. She's not taking it well."

"Nope, especially since she doesn't know why this person hates her."

"It could be any reason. This person may not like her purely because of her title. There are lots of places like that, even here in Corona."

"I know, but I'm pretty sure that's not it. Monty has always been a staunch supporter of the Royal Family. This just seems so out of character for him…" Varian trailed off as they slowed to a stop.

"You know the guy?" Hugo looked back at him.

"Yeah…" The prince admitted, still feeling hurt by the whole thing. "Monty runs the sweet shop and is about as well-loved as my sister. He practically watched me grow up, so I don't know what to make of this."

"Well, how did you find out he didn't like your sister?"

"He booed at her twice in public. The first time was during the goodwill speech, and then again while he was passing by in a cab. I was with her both times…"

"… And because you were with her, you thought he hated you, too." Hugo deduced slowly, starting to see why Varian was holding onto it.

"I could've taken it from anyone else…" Varian explained. "I have a long list of people who don't like me, and I either barely knew them or didn't like them to begin with."

"But this time, it's different because it's someone you knew and liked back, right?" Hugo summed up.

"And yet, my sister wants me to help her get him to like her. How am I supposed to do that? She's the sun princess everyone loves and waited for eighteen years to return. Me…? I'm the darkness people wish would disappear…"

Hugo stared at him, seeing how upset he was. He glanced away for a second, trying to find what to say. "… You must think I'm pathetic, right?" Varian asked after a minute.

"No! No!" Hugo burst out, surprising both of them. "No, I… I was thinking that you've been holding that in for a while, haven't you?"

Varian looked at him, eyes widening as Mr. Nonchalant tripped over his words. "I was also thinking… what do I say now?" The blond rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "I'm not really… I don't do the whole emotional comfort thing. How I grew up, you can't think about people's feelings–"

"If you wanted to stay alive," Varian finished for him, no judgment in his eyes. "Much less get ahead."

"Yeah…" Hugo nodded in surprise.

"Eugene and I had a similar conversation a few weeks ago. I get it," the royal alchemist smiled slightly. "Don't worry about not having anything to say. I honestly just wanted to vent a little."

"Okay…" Hugo replied after a minute. "If you'll accept blunt honesty, you need to step back from this. Whatever this is between the princess and the candymaker, that's between them. It's not worth the stress of getting into a problem that's not yours. I know as a prince, you're supposed to help solve other people's problems, but all I'm saying is pick and choose your battles."

Varian was silent momentarily, thinking over his words before nodding slowly. "Yeah… Yeah, you're right. This is just going to be something Rapunzel has to learn on her own. Thanks, Hugo."

"Eh, I'm a genius," Hugo shrugged, his old confidence back right before he tripped and fell. "Ah!"

Varian cringed before smirking playfully. "Who's clumsy now, Pretty Boy?"

"Shut it, Hairstripe," Hugo muttered on the ground.

The boys continued walking until they saw a young woman in an orange dress with brown hair tied in a bun and glasses heading to the Sweet Shoppe. Despite the disguise, Varian could tell who it was. "Oh no," he murmured, facepalming.

"I take someone's gotten a little desperate," Hugo commented knowingly.

"You guessed it…" the other alchemist replied before following her. "Come on."

"I thought you were taking a step back?" the blond questioned as he followed the prince.

"I am. I'm just keeping an eye on her as an observer."

Meanwhile, Monty was adjusting one of his sun decorations when a disguised Rapunzel entered the shop. "Can I help you, young lady?"

"Good afternoon, sir," she said, adjusting her glasses as she stepped inside. Suddenly, she tripped on the chocolate Monty sculpture from earlier. "Whoa!" Acting quickly, Monty caught her and helped her up.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! Are you all right?"

"Oh, don't worry about me; I'm fine," Rapunzel assured him, dusting herself off.

Varian and Hugo stuck their heads in at that moment, catching Monty's attention. "Ah, Varian! Hello again! And who's your friend?"

"Oh, this is Hugo," Varian introduced the blond as they joined the adults. "He came to Corona recently, and I'm showing him around."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, young man," the candymaker said kindly. "Did you move here, or are you passing through?"

"Not sure at the moment," Hugo glanced at Varian, knowing he couldn't reveal too much about himself. "I live a… nomadic lifestyle. I move around a lot and stay somewhere for as long as I can find work before moving on."

"I see. Well, help yourself to whatever you want, and I'll be with you in a minute. It's on the house as a 'Welcome to Corona' present."

"Wow, thank you," the blond boy was starting to see why everyone liked this guy so much.

"So, what happened here…?" Varian asked, touching the chocolate head with his boot.

"I got that thing as a gift, and I'm trying to find some use for it," Monty explained as the four stared at the sculpture. "Gotta tell ya, it's not even useful as a doorstop."

"Yeah, dumb and totally useless thing…." Rapunzel agreed, rolling her eyes. Monty looked up at her before she scoffed lightly, the boys glancing at each other. "I sure hope the foolish, though clearly well-intentioned person who made it regrets it," she continued as she lightly kicked it away. "Even though it probably took her, or him, who knows, hours to," she cleared her throat. "get it just right."

"She made that?" Hugo whispered to Varian.

"Yeah, she got a little crazy with gifts earlier," he whispered back.

"Yes… right, well," Monty said, finding the woman odd but letting the matter drop. "What can I get for you, Miss, um…."

"Um… Miss Missy–Misty! Miss Misty!" Rapunzel said after struggling to find a fake name before placing her order. "And I will have some jelly beans… every kind but green because I-I hate green."

"Ha ha!" Monty placed an arm around her. "A girl after my own heart. I'll tell you what: I've got a personal stash where I've already picked out all the green ones. Let me get them~."

Rapunzel smiled as she watched him leave. Once he was gone, Varian turned to her with a deadpan expression. "Rapunzel, what are you doing?"

"If he warms up to me, I'll find out why he doesn't like me!" Rapunzel whispered to him.

"Or you could just ignore it," Hugo suggested. "It's not the end of the world if one person doesn't like you."

"I have to know!"

He turned to Varian, who just shrugged. At this point, the prince was taking Hugo's advice and stepping back.

(Meanwhile)

Gregorio sat in a mini-castle while Cass checked her pocket watch, gasping when she saw the time. "Two hours to the big race. Chow o'clock," she held out the bowl Eugene had eaten from, only to notice something wrong. She turned to Eugene as she showed him an empty bowl. "Eugene, did you eat all the bimberries?"

"No! No! Of course not," he held up his hand to hide the bimberry residue on his teeth, but she still saw it. "Okay, so I ate some. I offered to split. Is that really such a big problem?"

She chuckled lightly before dropping the bowl. "Okay, well, let's think. If Gregorio doesn't get his bimberries before the race, he'll be lethargic, and if he's lethargic, he won't want to run, and if he doesn't want to run, the Gopher Grab will be ruined. AND I CAN'T HAVE THAT!"

"So, I'm gonna go with big problem?" Eugene asked nervously. She grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close so that he could see her glare.

"Find me some bimberries, now," she growled at him, causing him to smile anxiously.

(Back at Monty's Sweet Shoppe)

"And I'm tellin' ya, my great-granddad would've won the Gopher Grab that year… but he was running the wrong way!" Monty narrated before laughing with Varian and Rapunzel (Hugo opted for an amused smile). Once Monty returned with the jelly beans and the boys got their treats, the quartet hung out in the sweet shop while snacking. Rapunzel and Hugo enjoyed some jelly beans while Varian worked on his lollipop. At some point, Monty started telling stories about his family and the Gopher Grab.

"That Grab means a lot to you, huh?" Rapunzel said, taking another jelly bean.

"You know, Misty, boys, I've never told this to anyone, but I feel like I can trust you," Monty said, tapping his fingers together before picking up a chocolate gopher. "I come from a long line of Gopher Grab champions. Oh, they used to say that our family had the gift for Grab, and it was my dream to carry on our family tradition…." Monty's smile fell as he turned to the medals on the wall. "But no matter how hard I tried, that little rascal always managed to slip through my fingers. And while I've never admitted this out loud before, sometimes… deep down… I can't help but feel ashamed." He placed the chocolate gopher back on the counter as Rapunzel put her hand on his. He smiled at her, which she returned.

"Ah, that's enough of the weepies," Monty said after a minute before getting an idea. "Hey, I know. I've got just the thing to cheer us up." Rapunzel's smile widened, wondering what it could be.

(A short time later)

As it turns out, Monty's idea involved throwing tomatoes at a statue of Rapunzel. "Yes! Right in the royal kisser!" Monty laughed before he bowed slightly to Varian. "Excuse my language, Your Highness."

"It's fine. I can accept that not everyone is going to like my sister." Varian crossed his arms, giving Rapunzel a discreet look. She smiled awkwardly before Varian turned his attention to Hugo. "Though, I am wondering why you look amused by this."

Hugo was smothering his laughter before turning to the prince. "Sorry, I'm imagining my homeland's royals in place of the statue."

"I thought you said you were nomadic?" Rapunzel questioned.

"I am, Misty, but I came from somewhere," the blond boy explained, hands crossed behind his head. "My home kingdom is heavily divided by class. The side where I came from hated the royal family, the noble class, and anyone associated with the previous two." Varian's eyes widened slightly, getting an idea about where Hugo came from.

The candymaker threw more tomatoes at the statue, causing Rapunzel to laugh uncomfortably. "Wow. You really don't like the Princess."

"Well, I wouldn't say I don't like her, but I would say I can't stand her!" Monty said before throwing another tomato.

"Why?!" Rapunzel asked in slight agony before catching herself. "I mean, why?"

"You wanna know why I don't like her? I don't like the Princess because–"

A bell went off, interrupting him. "It's Gopher Grab time! Come on, Misty, boys, let's go!" He ran off excitedly, not noticing Rapunzel hold out a hand to stop him.

"Sure you don't wanna finish that sentence?"

As she ran after him, Varian turned to Hugo. "Ingvarr…"

"Huh?"

"That's where you're from, right?" the prince asked. "The Iron Kingdom?"

Hugo blinked. "How did you–?"

"When you mentioned divided classes, Ingvarr was the first place I thought of. I've met the Royal Family a few times. Like their technology, hate their politics."

"… Yeah," Hugo sighed, admitting he was right. "I was a street orphan from Ingvarr. I was despised by the Kingdom purely for that. My boss took me in and taught me everything I know about alchemy, mechanics, and engineering."

"That sounds lonely," Varian said, taking the blond by surprise. "Did you ever talk to anyone your age?"

"No," he shook his head. "I was the only kid in the gang. You had to grow up quickly in my world, so I never really got to act like a kid."

Varian stared at the blond boy before stepping forward, holding out a hand to him. "Then, let's go have some fun…"

Hugo looked between the prince and his hand before slowly taking it, letting Varian pull him along as they ran to catch up with Monty and Rapunzel.

As Monty headed to the arena, Rapunzel caught up to him. "You know, we could watch the Gopher Grab, but it's also not too late to sign up," she suggested as they stopped, giving the boys a chance to catch up.

"Wait, you mean… you want me to compete?"

"Ah, trust me, Monty," Rapunzel waved it off. "Sometimes you just gotta say, the heck with it!"

"Maybe… but I couldn't. No, I mean, I–I don't even have a partner."

"Well, guess what?" she placed a hand on his shoulder. "You do now!"

He smiled happily at her before turning to the boys. "What about you, kids?"

"Ah, it wouldn't be fair," Hugo waved it off, gesturing to the two of them. "A couple of genius alchemists competing, we'd win easily."

"Besides, you know how I feel about this event," Varian said.

Monty chuckled good-naturedly. "Just like Ulla."

"Ulla?" Rapunzel asked.

"Varian's birth mother," he explained. "She always had this special connection to animals. Because of that, she hated the Gopher Grab event. Varian took after her in that way as well as in others."

"But I suppose I can put up with one Gopher Grab to cheer you two on." Varian sighed dramatically but with a joking grin.

Rapunzel and Monty laughed a bit but smiled in appreciation.

(Gopher Grab Arena)

Everyone was gathered to watch the Gopher Grab. Inside Gregorio's tent, Cass paced around anxiously. The event was about to start, and Eugene hadn't returned yet.

"Did someone ask for dimberries?" Eugene finally showed up, holding a dish of berries.

"You sure took your own sweet time getting them," Cass retorted as she took the bowl. "Don't you realize the Gopher Grab's about to start any minute now?" She sighed wearily, ignoring Eugene's smug grin as she went to feed the gopher. "I hope these aren't store-bought…"

"Well, you know, for someone careless enough to leave ol' Gregorio alone with someone who would eat all of his berries, you're being really particular."

"Okay, Gregorio," Cass held out a berry. "Time to eat." She tried to feed him, but he didn't seem interested in eating until she stuffed the berry into his mouth. "Oh boy, this could take a minute…"

"Ladies and gentlemen!" The announcer's voice boomed, causing Cass to look around in worry. "It is nearly time for this year's Gopher Grab!"

"Hey, hey, don't worry, I'll handle it," Eugene told her before running out of the tent. As Gregorio ate his berry, his eyes spun into wild spirals for a moment before returning to normal.

Outside, to everyone's confusion, Eugene got on top of a crate in front of the crowd. "Attention, ladies and gentlemen!"

Hugo and Varian sat in the stands as the blond leaned toward the prince. "What is he doing?" The other alchemist shrugged helplessly, though he felt something was wrong.

"I know we're all anxious to see Gregorio the Gopher do his thing. I know I am," Eugene chuckled before continuing. "But before we get started, I'd like to say a few words about the true meaning… of goodwill." The crowd started murmuring, causing him to glance around. He spotted Varian and Hugo eyeing him oddly. It was taking Eugene's strength as an actor not to show his displeasure at the blond brat still being here.

Back in the tent, Gregorio had eaten half the bowl when Cassandra decided he had enough. Cass sighed before grabbing the dish. "Okay, Gregorio, time to, um… get ready!" However, to her shock, he gripped the bowl as she tried to take it. "Wow! Oh ho, you are a hungry little guy, aren't ya?" Once she finally got the bowl away from him, she put him into his carrier. Unseen, his eyes started swirling around again once the cage door was locked.

"I mean, you gotta ask yourself, am I spreading goodwill? Or am I spreading good-won't?" Eugene continued his made-up speech outside.

"He's stalling," Hugo whispered to Varian. "Something's going on."

Although Varian remained silent, his apprehension intensified. When the arena doors swung open, Eugene spotted Cass entering with the gopher. In that instant, Varian's foreboding feeling surged to new heights.

"So, in conclusion, spread goodwill! Thank you for your time, bye!" Eugene said quickly before walking away. Rapunzel and Monty grinned, joined by the other contestants, while the alchemists observed cautiously from their front-row seats. Cass approached the arena's center, raising the cage as cheers erupted from the audience and competitors. After setting it down, a tune began playing from the case. Monty and Rapunzel beamed with anticipation as stairs unfolded from the carrier, and Cass moved to stand beside Eugene. When the cage door swung open, a castle servant sounded a whistle, causing the handmaiden to flinch at the sound. Yet, to everyone's surprise, nothing occurred, leaving them puzzled.

Cass winced before dashing to the cage. She crouched down to gaze inside. "What the—"

In the dimness of the cage, Gregorio's swirling eyes appeared just before he lunged forward. Cass had no time to react before the gopher barreled into her, knocking her down and sending her headdress flying as she exclaimed in surprise.

"Cass!" Varian called out, the two boys jumping out of their seats and running toward her.

Now outside, the gopher bared his teeth, eyes swirling. He looked around with a roar before sprinting past the contestants as they tried to circle him. He ran with a speed that had never been seen before, shocking the crowd.

The boys got onto the field and knelt beside the handmaiden as she picked herself up. "Are you okay?!" Varian asked her in surprise.

"And what did you do to the gopher?" Hugo asked as they looked back at the chaos unfolding.

Gregorio dodged a pair when they tried to dive at him before two more attempted the same. He ran over to Rapunzel and Monty, who caught him in their hands. However, the gopher broke free, nearly knocking Rapunzel's wig off. She quickly adjusted, giggling sheepishly when Monty glanced at her.

The crowd cheered with excitement, stomping their feet and clapping their hands. Some even hugged the person next to them to symbolize catching the gopher. "Grab that gopher! Grab that gopher!"

Gregorio's speed was so fast that he could run along the arena's wall while dodging competitors. Eugene just laughed as he munched on a bowl of berries while Varian, Hugo, and Cass stared in shock and disappointment, respectively. "Oh, boy."

"Whoa!" Hugo's eyes widened in alarm as they all ducked in time.

"You guys really undersold this whole Gopher Grab thing," Eugene commented, thoroughly entertained.

"He's not supposed to be acting like this," Varian said.

"And I thought games in Ingvarr were dangerous," Hugo muttered.

"You're saying they're not?" the prince retorted.

"Flying arrows don't eat your face."

"I just don't understand it. Why would Gregorio react to bimberries like this?" Cass murmured as they watched the mayhem unfold.

"You mean dimberries," Eugene corrected, tossing another berry into his mouth.

"Dim-what?" Cass looked at him. "No! Bimberries."

"Dimberries. No–"

"I thought you said bimberries–"

"You mean–"

"Wait, you've been talking about–"

"What do you mean?"

The four ducked again, and Varian took over the conversation. "Did you give him dimberries? Yes or no?"

"Yes!"

"These were supposed to be bimberries!" Cass growled at him.

"You know, for someone who is careless enough to leave–" Eugene started a comeback but was cut off when they had to duck again.

"Don't you know dimberries cause hyperactivity in rodents?!" Cass asked him in disbelief.

"Uh, yeah, who doesn't?" Eugene replied with a grin, even though he didn't know.

"Looks are all you've got going for you, aren't they, Flynn?" Hugo deadpanned.

"Hey!" Eugene glared at him.

"Is there anything we can do to stop him?" Cass asked Varian.

"He'll wear himself out eventually. Until then, we need to keep him contained."

Gregorio slipped past more contestants as they tried to grab him. "Good boy, good boy," Rapunzel tried to calm him down before he jumped at them, knocking the pair over. They held on as he dragged them along the ground before losing their grip. "Yep, not so fun…."

Growling, the gopher ran toward the wall and started digging underneath it. He surprised Stan and Pete when he popped up on the other side before sprinting off. The guards looked at each other in confusion before Monty threw open the doors, knocking them over. "Come on, Misty! Let's show these youngsters how a gopher's really caught!"

Rapunzel dashed away with Monty, attracting Varian's and Hugo's attention. They exchanged glances, conveying everything needed without words, before quietly leaving the arena in pursuit of them.

Monty and Rapunzel's search led them to the woods as the sun set. Looking around, the princess heard a growl. "Look!" she pointed, clearing her throat. "There!" A line of dirt popped up in the grass, going in random directions as it burst through a rock on the surface. Gregorio burst forth from the dirt before them, leaving a hole in the wall as they stepped closer. He ran around a tree near the river before jumping off. By the time they reached the tree, he was nowhere to be seen. "Where did he go?"

Monty shushed her as they looked towards the river. They spotted Gregorio on a rock in the middle of the current, panting heavily as he started to tire himself out. "All we gotta do now… is hop," he murmured.

"No, no, no, no, let's take that bridge," Rapunzel noticed an old bridge not too far away. "We'll catch him on the other side."

"Sorry, Misty, I can't take that chance. I think you were right. Sometimes you just gotta say to heck with it!"

Rapunzel looked on in concern as she watched him run off, the boys catching up to them moments later. "Monty!"

The man approached the river, watching the gopher perched on its rock. He adjusted his hat, snapped the straps of his apron, and stepped closer before awkwardly leaping onto a nearby rock. Sensing his presence, Gregorio jumped to another rock. Monty followed suit, leaping again, but his luck failed him this time as he landed in the water with a shout.

"Monty!" the three shouted before the candy maker bobbed to the surface, hugging Gregorio's rock.

"Forget me! Get that gopher! No, no, don't forget me! I was trying to sound brave!" The teens watched in horror as he lost his grip and started being pulled downstream. "It backfired! No!"

They ran alongside the river as Monty bobbed in the water, trying to stay afloat. When they got onto the bridge, the trio turned to the candymaker coming their way, realizing how old the bridge was after a piece of railing broke under Rapunzel's hand. Debris flowed under the bridge, and they turned around to see it fall down a waterfall.

"Who puts a bridge by a waterfall?" Hugo questioned, making the siblings glance at him.

As Monty shouted and flailed his arms while nearing the falls, Rapunzel turned to him, her mouth agape in horror, fully aware of the impending outcome. As he passed beneath the bridge, the princess and the alchemists grabbed him, halting his plunge over the falls just in time. Yet, the sudden weight shift produced a foreboding crack. The alchemists exchanged worried glances, aware the bridge wouldn't last much longer.

"Hold on, Monty! We got you!" Rapunzel assured before glancing nervously at the cracks forming in the joist she clutched for support.

Monty then started to slip until, to their horror, they lost their grip, and he began to fall. "Monty!" the teenagers shouted before Rapunzel broke another piece of the bridge as she dove off. Monty's descent was halted briefly when he fell onto a branch, breaking it as he fell again. Suddenly, Rapunzel swung out of nowhere on her hair, the golden locks tied around the bridge as she brought them back to the top. Seeing them return, Varian and Hugo raced off the bridge to the bank when the prince's foot went through the wood. He cried out, causing Hugo to spin back to him.

"Varian!" he gasped, running back to the other boy. The blond boy grabbed and pulled him out, helping him to the grass just as the bridge collapsed. At the same time, Rapunzel and Monty landed safely on the ground. The candy maker peeked out through the blond hair.

"Princess Rapunzel?"

She chuckled nervously. "Surprise…!"

Getting off the ground, the older man moved to sit on a rock with a deep frown while Hugo checked Varian's leg. "I told you I'm fine…" the prince said, hissing slightly as the foreign blond worked his boot off.

"No, you're not," he replied, prodding the injury before saying, "Definitely a sprain. You'll have to keep your weight off it for a while…"

Varian turned his gaze, slightly blushing, as the blond retrieved bandages to tend to his foot. Rapunzel smiled, touched by Hugo's concern for her brother.

"Your Majesty, you went through all of this just to win my favor?" Monty asked in disbelief after a minute.

"I know, I know, it's a little crazy, but…" Rapunzel agreed as she finished retying her braid before taking off her disguise. "I just had to know why you booed me."

"Fine… you really wanna know why I booed?"

The boys glanced over as Rapunzel knelt in front of him. "Uh-huh. Uh-huh."

"The seal," he said simply.

"Wait… the Goodwill Seal?" she asked in confusion.

"Yes, the Goodwill Seal!" He held up the new seal. "You redesigned a perfectly good seal!"

"I–I'm sorry?" Rapunzel stammered, not sure what else to say.

"Seriously?!"

They turned in surprise when Varian spoke up, wearing an expression none had seen before. It was the look of someone who finally couldn't take the nonsense happening around him anymore. "That's what this was all about?!" In his outburst, Varian reflexively jumped to his feet, forgetting that his ankle was hurt. As soon as he put weight on it, he gasped in pain and slumped back to the ground, clutching the spot that hurt.

"Varian!" Rapunzel gasped, moving over to him with Monty. "Are you okay?"

"The honest truth? No! I'm not okay! And not just because I hurt my ankle!" he snapped, unable to deny it anymore. "I've been dragged around on an emotional carriage ride all day, and I find out it was all because of–of–!" Varian's throat tightened as his other emotions caught up to him. Unable to finish his sentence, he turned away so he wasn't facing him, biting his lip as tears started to sting his eyes. While the others couldn't see his face, they knew what was happening when his shoulders shook.

The other three looked on in disbelief, as none had ever heard Varian raise his voice before. Stunned, Hugo found himself feeling sympathy for the boy—an emotion he believed he had buried long ago. Seeing how confused the other two were, Hugo narrowed his eyes, stood up, and resolved that it was time to take action.

"Okay, I don't know the whole story, but from what I've been told, this is what I'm going to say: You both have taken this feud too far," he put his foot down, starting with the princess in his rant. "Princess, I'm sorry your feelings were hurt, but it's not the end of the world that someone booed you! Back in my home kingdom, many people hated me purely because I was a street boy, and on that side of town, people would've hated you because of your title. Heck, there's a whole section hidden in Corona full of people who don't like the Royal Family, period, for that same reason. There will always be someone who doesn't like you for some reason, and it's not worth wasting your energy trying to change their minds. You just have to accept it and move on."

"And you," he turned to Monty. "It's not the end of the world because a seal was changed. Change happens, and it's not always a bad thing. When Rapunzel's dad was in charge, this kingdom had daily executions, and I doubt anyone protested that change."

Rapunzel cringed slightly, remembering what she had learned about her father's actions while she was missing.

"That's always been a problem I've had with this kingdom. You guys care so much about your "traditions" that you're unwilling to change things. Corona still holds onto old ideas that places like Ingvarr threw out twenty years ago. Change is inevitable, whether we like it or not. Sometimes, you just have to adjust and accept it."

Varian watched in awe as Hugo stood up for him, telling off Rapunzel and Monty without hesitation.

"Final note: if you guys are going to fight, don't put Varian in the middle of it," Hugo finished, gesturing to the prince. "Seriously, Monty, he was standing next to Rapunzel when you did that, and he thought you hated him, too."

The revelation surprised the candy maker. He looked at Varian, who turned away, silently admitting that what Hugo had said was the truth.

Realizing the hurt he had caused, Monty frowned before sitting next to the moon prince. "Oh, Varian, I'm so sorry. I never meant to upset you or hurt your feelings. Your friend's right. I overreacted to the situation."

Varian looked at the man he'd known since childhood as he smiled kindly at him.

"I could never hate you, Varian. You're a good kid, and I don't care what anyone says about you or your powers." The prince smiled slightly after a minute, accepting the man's apology.

"And I'm sorry, too, Varian," Rapunzel stepped forward to offer her own apology. "This was between Monty and me. I shouldn't have dragged you into it."

Varian wiped his eyes, smiling at his step-sister. "It's okay, Rapunzel." Rapunzel smiled back, grateful that he'd forgiven her.

"And Varian's not the only one I owe an apology to…" Monty said after a minute, getting up to face the princess. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. Hugo was right. Things change. I preferred the old seal, and I took it out on you in the name of 'tradition.'"

"It's alright, Monty," Rapunzel said gently. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't plan to replace the old design. I was so excited about the Gopher Grab that I was inspired to paint my own seal. When my father saw it, he thought we could use my design to mark the occasion since this would be the 500th anniversary and my first Goodwill Festival home."

"It's okay, Rapunzel, I understand. Besides, I've started to realize that your free spirit, the heck-with-it attitude, isn't so bad after all."

"Really?" Rapunzel asked, a smile starting to form on her lips.

"Well, you did inspire me to achieve my life's dream…." He opened his apron pocket, revealing Gregorio back to normal as Varian had predicted.

Varian chuckled, surprised yet not at the same time. "'The gift of Grab.'"

Rapunzel giggled as well before speaking to Monty again. "So, does this mean… we're friends?"

"Well…" Monty thought it over. "I don't know about friends. I'm a little upset about this charade you put on. But I can promise to be civil with you and keep our disagreements private so Varian and others don't get caught in the middle."

"I can work with that." She smiled before offering her hand.

Monty shook it, sealing their agreement. "Well, we better start heading back. It'll be getting dark soon."

"Right."

The Gopher Grab partners then headed back, the teens watching them leave. Hugo smirked with a 'my work here is done' expression before glancing at Varian, who gave him a grateful smile for his help. Blushing slightly, the blonde boy looked away again, his expression becoming more modest. "I'll take you back to the Gopher Grab."

"Okay, just help me to my feet and–"

He gasped as Hugo lifted him in a bridal carry. Caught off guard, Varian instinctively clasped his arms around Hugo's neck as they followed the other two.

"Is this necessary?" Varian squeaked, hiding his blush into the blond's shoulder.

"No, but it's fun," Hugo smirked teasingly.

"For who?!"

"Me, mostly."

Blush deepening, Varian stopped talking as he nuzzled his face into the blond's shoulder. "… Thank you… for what you did back there."

Now it was Hugo's turn to blush, going unnoticed as they made their way back to the arena. "Yeah, sure… no problem, Goggles."

(A short time later)

Once they'd returned, everyone gathered at the stage for the winner to be announced. Rapunzel and Varian stood on stage with their parents, Eugene, Cass, the captain, a few guards, and Hugo. At this point, Varian was out of the blonde's arms and leaning on him like a crutch.

"Alright, alright, as you know, the Gopher Grab is a sacred tradition…" Quirin started to announce.

"So, Blondie," Eugene looked at her as the king continued talking. "Feeling okay about how you left things with Monty?"

"Yeah. I mean… you guys were right. I just have to accept that not everyone is going to like me." Rapunzel smiled a little.

"Thank the Sun," Varian sighed in relief, eliciting a chuckle from Hugo.

"And the winner of this year's Gopher Grab," the king read from a scroll, "is good old Uncle Monty."

The crowd cheered as he smiled and shook hands with the butcher before stepping onto the stage to accept his medal. Rapunzel beamed and applauded for the man, who returned her smile when their eyes locked. Varian mirrored her gestures, giving the man a thumbs-up.

(After the Festival)

Monty hung his framed medal on the wall beside his family's other awards, smiling proudly. As he glanced at the flower framed in the bottom corner, he caught his reflection in the glass. He had to admit he was beginning to appreciate the princess more and more…

And with this update, we're moving on.

I planned to reset my lists after New Year's Eve, so I will work on "Charmed" for now. I'll see how far I can get with that before the calendar flips, but hopefully, I'll redo a few of the old chapters and repost them.

After New Year's, I will roll back to "100% Lost and Found." Until then, see you soon.