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.

5. Chapter 5: Fitzherbert PI

I'm sorry for the delay, and thank you all for your patience. Here is the new chapter of Adventures of the Sun and Moon.

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

"Okay, guys…" Rapunzel put on a flower headband. "Wait for it… how's this?" She was sitting on the ground, posing with her guitar. Next to her were some books and burning incense.

"Uh…" Hugo stared, wondering how he got roped into this. Oh, right, he wanted to see Varian, so this was the trade-off.

"Hmm," Cassandra rubbed her chin. "Too bohemian."

"Ugh." Rapunzel sighed as she slumped, glancing at Varian holding a tambourine. Her brother shook his head before she grabbed the books and balanced them on her head.

"What about… this?" She put on a pair of glasses and held an open book near a bouquet. Pascal sat on top of the stack, balancing his own book on his head. Varian stood next to his own stack of books, holding his journal to his chest like a scholar. Ruddiger sat around his neck, holding a writing quill.

"Way too uptight."

"Not to mention, it says quiet and studious, and that's not you," Hugo commented to Varian.

"I was going for scholarly," Varian muttered as Ruddiger got down.

"Nah, you have to be taller for that," the blond boy jabbed playfully, laughing when Varian shoved him with a joking smile.

"Mmhmmmm?" Rapunzel prompted as she posed beside a bust with sculptor tools in her hand.

"Too…" Cassandra was looking for the right words.

"Absolutely not." The boys said together, surprising them as they glanced at each other.

"Besides, I don't sculpt," Varian added.

"Nothing says you two have to pose the same way," Cass reminded him.

"Lighten up, Cass," she turned to Eugene, playing with an apple. "It's just a painting."

"It's more than a painting, Eugene. This is the Prince and Princess's royal portraits." Cassandra gestured to Rapunzel as she played with a tennis racket.

"I'm from a less-than-common background; that means nothing to me," Hugo reminded her.

"No, she's right," Rapunzel sighed, gesturing to the portraits with her racket. "I mean, every one of these portraits says something about what made that particular king or queen unique."

"I just see a bunch of people in fancy clothes," Hugo shrugged, getting a side-eye from Cass.

"He's not wrong," Eugene shrugged.

"Regardless, it's tradition, and they've gotta decide on their looks soon. The Giovanni gets here in two days, and, from what I hear, that guy is as famous for his temper as he is for his art." Cass smirked a little in amusement.

"Haven't you done this before?" Hugo asked Varian as he moved his books to the side.

"One with just me, no," Varian shook his head. "I've posed for other portraits with my parents, and they're the ones who picked the pose."

"Why not just wear your alchemy gear?"

"I was going to do that, but…" Varian sighed. "The more people talked about how important this was, the more unsure I started to feel." Hugo frowned at what he said because it sounded like he was listening too much to other people and not enough to his intuition.

"Well, look at this guy," Eugene said, nudging the painting beside him. "He's not doing anything, and he seems pretty happy."

"Whoa! Careful!" Cassandra ran over and righted it. "These paintings are priceless, especially that one. That's the only known painting of Robin the Eleventh."

"Wait." Rapunzel went over to join them. "This kingdom had eleven Robins?!"

"Nope. Just this dud." Cassandra pointed at the picture. "They called him Robin the Eleventh because the only thing interesting about him was that he had–"

"Nine, ten… eleven fingers," Rapunzel realized. "That's right, I remember reading about him."

"Listen, Raps, Vari, if you're trying to find your defining activity, don't listen to this dud," she jabbed a thumb at Eugene over her shoulder, "whose whole work history is being a two-bit hood."

Eugene laughed condescendingly. "Two-bit hood?! Hold the pastry! I'll have you know, Cassandra, Flynn Rider was a légende."

"If that's French for hack," Hugo said, getting a laugh from the handmaiden as Eugene glared at him.

Cass regained control of her laughter before crossing her arms. "Key word being 'was.' And what is it you do now?"

"I, uh… I do many… things. You know, important things. So important that you wouldn't understand them! Sometimes, I don't even understand them! Tell her, Blondie, Hairstripe." He said awkwardly before turning to Rapunzel and Varian, who were busy thinking while Pascal bounced on the tennis racket and changed colors.

"What?" she asked in confusion when she noticed them staring.

"What'd you say?" Varian asked, mirroring her confusion.

"Don't look at me, pal," Hugo raised his hands in surrender. Cass simply looked at Eugene smugly.

(Later)

Eugene went to the Snuggly Duckling, laughing as he paced around. "Can you believe that Cassandra?" he ranted as Hook Foot, Big Nose, Shorty, and Ulf played cards while Milton stood on the barrel behind them. "Two-bit hood? I mean, she acts like the only things I've ever been good at are lying, cheating, and stealing, which, in fairness, I am very good at."

"Hmm," they murmured, staying silent.

"So you guys agree with Cassandra?" Eugene asked with a frown.

"No, no, no, no, no," Big Nose held up his hands. "We don't agree with her. We've simply arrived at a, well, um, nearly identical assessment, is all."

"Oh, okay," he nodded slowly before eyeing them angrily. "Okay, I see how it is. You know, I am capable of being more than a handsome, devil-may-care rogue. In fact, I can be a handsome, devil-may-care anything I want!" His eyes widened at an idea before smirking. "Maybe I'll just have to find a way to prove it. Boys, Eugene Fitzherbert is gonna find his new calling!"

He got no response as the thugs focused back on their cards.

"Does no one in this kingdom have an attention span? Come on!" he replied as he left the establishment.

(Back at the castle)

"Hairstripe!" Eugene burst into Varian's before stopping short. The prince had a miniature science lab set up on a table with various chemicals, sitting in front of Hugo.

"Uh, yeah… I think this might be a bit much, Hugh," Varian said hesitantly.

"Yeah, now that I'm looking at it…" Hugo agreed, hand on his chin as he thought about it. "Maybe you should ask your dad for advice? Didn't you say he was a knight or something? He had to have done this before."

"Hmm, maybe I should." The prince agreed with the idea.

"Boys!" They turned around to see Eugene. "I need your help."

"Oh, this should be good," Hugo smirked, liking the thought of the older man owing him one.

"Stay out of this, Blondie." Eugene glared at the teenage thief.

"Okay, come on, guys," Varian broke it up before focusing on Eugene. "What do you need, Eugene?"

"A job."

Both boys blinked. "Huh?"

(Out in town)

Varian led him to where the job listings were posted, and Hugo came along for a laugh. Eugene decided to try being a baker's assistant. He got the job… but messed it up, and smoke filled the room. The boys coughed as they waved the smoke out of their faces.

"Well, you said to bake the pie at 300 degrees for an hour, but I figured save time and do 600 degrees for half an hour! Math!" Eugene explained confidently. The baker opened the oven to see a badly burned pie. "Hey!" Eugene smiled before wincing when he saw the pie. "Hey…" He smiled sheepishly under the baker's glare.

The next poster he chose was for a cab driver. An older woman flagged him down, and he came to a fast stop beside her, helping her inside. "Thank you," she smiled, waving to Hugo and Varian. "Oh, what lovely children you have."

"Oh, heck, no," Hugo deadpanned, getting elbowed by Varian.

"We're not related to him or each other," the prince responded. "We're just here to support a friend."

"Well, isn't that sweet?"

Eugene snapped the reins. "Hi-yah!"

He took off so fast that the woman lost her hat. He soon stopped in an area of Old Corona. "Record time!"

The woman stumbled out of the carriage, her head spinning along with the boys as they pulled themselves back into the seat. Eugene took off, and she adjusted her glasses, staring at the cottage in front of her. "But this isn't my house…!" she called after him.

After more failures with the other postings, the last one was for a cobbler. Eugene took it with a shrug, figuring he had nothing to lose at that point… and it turned out he was actually good at this. Finishing a good shoe, he handed it to Feldspar.

"Impressive cobbler-ing," he praised. He then stared at Eugene before glaring. "Whoa, whoa, wait a minute! Now I know where I know you. You stole a crate of boots once!" He pushed the boot into Eugene's hands.

"Seriously!" Hugo hissed in frustration as he and Varian facepalmed.

"Does this mean I'm getting the boot?" Eugene asked.

"No, it means you're getting fired!" Feldspar snatched the boot from him.

(Around sunset)

Back at the castle, Pascal landed on a pillow, nuzzling into it to nap. He had just closed his eyes when the door suddenly opened, causing him to wake with a shock.

"Who knew having a job would be so much work?!" Eugene asked tiredly, slumping into a chair.

"Hey, Pascal." Varian greeted the lizard with a tired smile.

"I mean, what with all those rules and responsibilities. You should've seen some of these guys I worked for. Like, hey, buddy, who died and made you boss?! Ugh," he put his head in his hands. "Maybe Cassandra was right… Ugh, just saying those four words sent bile into my mouth, down my throat—oh, that–ugh!" He groaned in disgust.

"I honestly thought this would be funny. In reality, it was just sad," Hugo remarked.

"Don't rub it in," Eugene glared at him before becoming depressed again. "But it's true; maybe the only thing I was meant to be was a–"

"Thief!" They suddenly heard a woman cry before looking out the window. "Stop, thief!"

A man in a dark hood ran through the castle courtyard, holding a sack over his shoulder. "I know where he's headed," Eugene murmured when he realized the direction the man was taking.

"Duh, the docks," Hugo said, obviously.

"I know where he's headed!" The former thief bolted out of the room, leaving a confused chameleon and teens behind. Varian and Hugo looked at each other before running after him.

The guards showed up as the thief slipped through the crowd, trying to find him. "Guys, he's headed for the docks!" Eugene ran up to them, pointing in the direction he went.

"We'll handle this, Rider, and besides, he ran in the opposite direction, genius," the Captain retorted before they ran the other way.

"Captain, wait!" Varian called after him when they caught up, but he didn't listen.

"No one calls me a genius and gets away with it! Come on, boys!" Eugene declared, running towards the docks. Hugo grabbed Varian's hand and ran after the former thief.

The thief reached the docks just as Eugene anticipated, smirking over his shoulder at the absence of followers. Midway down the pier, a black boot emerged from behind crates, sending him sprawling onto the wooden planks. Upon looking up, he spotted Eugene and the boys before scrambling to his feet to confront them. The former thief kicked a knife into his hands, which he used to slice through a rope nearby. This caused a deluge of fish to cascade onto him, followed by a net that fell and ensnared him.

"Psh, amateur," Eugene scoffed at him.

"That was so cool!" Varian exclaimed excitedly, Hugo rolling his eyes with a fond smile.

"Rider, what are you doing here? And you brought kids with you?" The Captain showed up with the other guards, staring at Varian and Hugo.

"Well, Captain, I don't wanna say I just did your job for you, but I just did your job for you. It was the old distract-and-run-to-the-docks-to-catch-the-last-ferry tactic. I know because I invented it. Nice hustle, though. Keep your chin up," he said smugly, walking past them and the gathered crowd, with Varian practically bouncing after him. The blond thief smiled lightly, following after them.

"I don't believe it. Flynn Rider on the side of law and order," Stan commented, making Eugene pause before beaming in realization.

(Back at the castle)

"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!"

"Vari, Hugo, you two agree with him?" Rapunzel turned to the two boys.

"You should've seen him, Raps!" Varian smiled widely. "It was classic Flynn Rider thinking!"

"Well, he knows how to catch a thief better than the actual guards," Hugo offered. "People might start taking the Coronan Guard seriously with him around."

"Why, Glasses, I think you just complimented me." Eugene smiled smugly.

"Don't push it," the teen thief said, glancing around the room. "By the way, 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. She let out a sigh, glancing at her journal.

"I was having a lot of trouble picking just one interest, and then it hit me. I'll pose with all of them, right?! What do you think?"

Eugene offered a small smile, and the teens glanced at each other. "Uh," Varian said, rubbing the back of his neck, unsure how to tell her it might be too much.

"You tell her; she's your sister," Hugo said unhelpfully.

Eugene turned to the raccoon and chameleon as they played with the telescope. "Pascal? Ruddiger?" The two pets offered no help, but their expressions said they were not part of this. "Maybe not your best idea, but I've heard worse."

"Like you becoming a 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. You really think you have what it takes to be a guard?" She smirked at him.

"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."

"Are you sure they're gonna want you around after that?" Hugo asked.

"Oh, quiet," Eugene glanced at him in annoyance.

"You wanna know what I think?" Cass asked.

"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," she smirked as she walked past him.

"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."

His eyes widened at her answer.

(The next day)

"Alright, maggots!" the Captain exclaimed the following day. "Line up!" Three students in boot camp uniforms, including Eugene, 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.

Varian waved to Eugene from the sideline, with Hugo sitting beside him. Cass and Maximus were there, too, glancing at each other skeptically.

"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."

"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.

Varian and Hugo frowned at each other, knowing that the Captain would be unreasonable with Eugene because of their history.

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 trainee's shoulders before jumping successfully over the wall with a smile.

"Yes!" Varian pumped his fist joyfully, Hugo being a good sport and clapping for the former thief.

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, causing Eugene to 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 while Hugo looked amused at the Captain's annoyance.

After that, they practiced with weapons. Eugene navigated an obstacle course with a crossbow as if searching for convicts. When a target cutout appeared, he shot, scoring a hit. Two more cutouts emerged, and he struck both. Eugene stepped back with pride while the Captain looked annoyed. Behind him, Cass and the horse watched in disbelief. She beamed in approval, along with Max and Hugo, while Varian cheered. However, the moment soured when the Captain triggered a tripwire. As Eugene left the course, he stumbled and unintentionally fired at a cutout 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.

"Captain, that wasn't supposed to be part of the training." Varian stepped up to him with a glare. "Also, why is there a cutout of my dad on this course?"

"Our sessions have changed, Prince. Every trainee needs to expect the unexpected and not shoot at innocent targets," the Captain brushed him off. "But it seems like even a thief can't do that."

Varian balled his fists as he glared at the man while the others frowned in disapproval. Ruddiger hissed angrily at him for talking to his human as if he didn't know anything.

After that, things seemed only to get worse. Eugene had to climb another wall, losing his grip for a second before continuing. He struggled with push-ups, and the captain smirked down at him since the heaviest guard was on his back.

"Come on! Not fair!" he groaned.

Eugene reached the top of another wall, breathing heavily. When he leaped down, he unexpectedly landed on a seesaw. The weighty guard jumped onto the opposite end, launching him back up the wall and leaving him hanging by his shirt. The guards laughed at him while Cassandra shot her father a disapproving glare.

"Can he seriously get away with this?" Hugo pointed at the Captain as he turned to Varian. As much as he didn't like Eugene, even this made the young thief's stomach turn.

"Unfortunately, yes," Varian said, crossing his arms in annoyance. "Unless Eugene gets physically hurt, I can't make him stop. And if I tried to go to Dad about this, the Captain would say he didn't do anything wrong."

"I believe that's for me to judge." The boys jumped out of their skins before they spun around to find a displeased Quirin behind them.

"Dad!" Varian gasped, getting the guards' attention before they stood at attention. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to see a cutout of me get shot with a crossbow," he replied, causing the Captain to become nervous. The king stepped forward, not even looking at the guards as he focused intently on the wall. Looking up at the stuck Eugene in contemplation, he pulled back his fist and punched the wood hard enough to leave an indent. Taking a step back, the sound of screaming was heard as Quirin held out his arms just in time to catch Eugene when he fell.

The former thief looked at the king, stunned as he caught his breath. "… You have my eternal gratitude, Your Majesty."

"A simple thank you is fine, Eugene," Quirin responded as he set the younger man down. "Now, go take a break and get some water."

"Yes, sir." Eugene nodded before jogging away. Quirin gave the Captain a warning glare that the man withered under before walking away, patting his son on the head as he left.

"… Well, there's our answer," Hugo commented, eyeing the dented wall nervously.

(Meanwhile, in Rapunzel's room)

"Alright, Pascal," Rapunzel spoke up from behind her stacks of hobbies. "I think this is everything." She put the final touch of a rose in a wave, Pascal smiling at her. "We're gonna be more than ready for The Giovanni tomorrow morning." She took a deep breath, but the stack the chameleon was on started to slip. Rapunzel gasped as she caught it in time. "Oops!" Then, the other one tilted, causing everything and herself to fall just as her mother walked in.

"Darling!" Arianna stepped up to her. "Is everything okay?"

Rapunzel lifted a bowl off her head, frowning at her mother. When she realized what was going on, she chuckled.

"Let me guess: your portrait? Let me show you something." She led Rapunzel to a storage room, pulled something from the corner, and removed the cloth.

"Oh!" Rapunzel couldn't help but giggle as her mother joined her. "Sorry… Mom, come on. It's just…"

They were looking at a tacky portrait of her mother on the back of a horse, holding a sword with a bird on her arm. She was surrounded by animals, books, a spear, and a harp, to name a few things. Basically, she did what Rapunzel was going to do, and it was the most ridiculous thing the princess had ever seen.

"Horrible?"

"Yes, horrible, it's horrible," Arianna rolled her eyes playfully, giggling a little. "My point is," she continued, taking her daughter's hands, "we're not always defined by the things we can do, Rapunzel. But rather… by the people we are. That's what your portrait should communicate."

Pascal looked at his friend knowingly. "I know, I know," she said, rolling her eyes fondly at him. "Don't be so smug, Pascal. I'll tell Varian your advice, Mom. Thanks."

"He's out?" Arianna raised a curious brow.

"Oh, he's out with Hugo, supporting Eugene for the guard training."

"Hugo?"

"His new friend. He's interested in science and alchemy like he is, so they hang out a lot."

The queen gasped, smiling happily. "Ohh, my son is being social and making friends his own age."

"I know, right? I'm really happy for him."

"So am I, Rapunzel," Arianna thought back to her conversation with Varian. It looks like his wish came true. "So am I."

(That evening)

When training ended, Eugene returned to his room and flopped on his bed. "Well," Varian said, sitting in the armchair. "That was as bad as I thought it would be and yet worse than I imagined."

"Yup." Hugo agreed, taking a seat on the trunk.

"Ready to give up?"

They looked over to see Cass leaning against the door. "Oh, you'd love that, wouldn't you?" Eugene retorted.

"Honestly… I don't care," she admitted.

"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."

"And no royal can interfere," Varian held up the Royal Guard's rule book. "I checked."

"I get that he's probably still sore about not catching you, but that…" Hugo shook his head. "That was just petty."

"I wholeheartedly agree."

Everyone jumped for the second time when they found Quirin standing in the doorway.

"Oh, Your Majesty," Cass immediately stepped aside to allow him entrance, bowing respectfully.

"At ease, Cassandra," Quirin said as he entered the room, the handmaiden relaxing at his command. "I just came down to check on our potential recruit after that… display from earlier." He explained, letting his disgust be known about the Captain's actions.

Eugene sighed tiredly. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Your Majesty. On one hand, I don't want to give the Captain the satisfaction of bullying me out of the tryouts. On the other hand, I know he'll make some cheap shot tomorrow in the final to make sure I fail."

"Hmm, yes, the odds do seem stacked against you," Quirin nodded, a hand on his chin in thought. He then gave Eugene a slight smile and added, "But I seem to recall you've been in these kinds of situations before." The former thief looked at the king, wondering what he was getting at. "And look where you are now."

Eugene didn't quite understand, but Quirin simply smiled before turning to his son. "By the way, Varian, how are you doing with deciding on your look for your portrait?"

"Uh…" Varian thought about it before sighing. "I don't know. I thought I knew what I wanted to do, but now I'm not sure."

Quirin nodded in understanding, moving over to Varian to place a hand on his shoulder. "Well, if I may give some advice, instead of focusing on what you can do, why not focus on who you are? That's what your portrait is supposed to showcase."

Varian considered what he had said before smiling and sharing a hug with his father. "Thanks, Dad."

"You're welcome," Quirin smiled back as they pulled apart. "Now, I'm going to finish some work before dinner." He headed out the door. "Don't stay up too late, Eugene. The final is first thing in the morning."

After the King left, Cass started to go as well before pausing. "You know," she looked back at Eugene. "The King has a point. 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 gave the former thief a knowing smile before leaving the room.

The teens glanced at each other before turning to the older man. "Do you still want to go through with this?" Varian asked.

Eugene glanced to the side, quiet for a minute before a ghost of a smile appeared on his face, becoming determined. "… I do."

"You sure?" Hugo questioned.

"Yup," Eugene grunted slightly as he got up, feeling sore but with renewed energy. "If the Captain wants to play hardball, I'm just going to have to change tactics. Besides, I'm not giving him the satisfaction of thinking he won by my dropping out."

Varian smiled slightly, glad Eugene was going to be all right. He then got up, knowing it was getting late. "Well, good night, Eugene. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll walk you out, Hugo."

"You will?" The Ingvarrian thief looked at him in surprise.

"Of course," Varian smiled. "I'm the prince, remember? It would be rude of me not to see you out."

Hugo blushed slightly at the other's smile before responding. "Well, in that case, I accept your offer… Prince."

They waved at Eugene as they departed, oblivious to the older man's uncertain frown. Even though the blond boy had been around for weeks, he still questioned whether their friendship was a wise choice…

(The next day)

As the sun rose over the castle, the final began. Two participants arrived while Shorty slept nearby. However, Eugene was absent. Cass, Max, Varian, and Hugo stood to the side, watching the final. The only female in the group let out a deep sigh as they scanned their surroundings.

"Where is Eugene?"

"He was gone when I went to get him this morning," Varian told them. "Rapunzel said she didn't know where he went."

"I hope he didn't change his mind about taking the exam," Hugo said as he crossed 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, Max, and Varian looked at each other in surprise while Hugo 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 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. "I'll admit when he's focused, Flynn's quick on his feet," Hugo acknowledged. 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.

"Whoo hoo! Yeah!" Varian cheered. The Captain's mouth was agape in shock as he glanced at the hourglass that was almost half full. Eugene quickly encountered a recognizable sight: the massive wall from the previous day. He grinned slightly, then took out two arrows. He leaped up and plunged the arrows into the wall, climbing just as he had at Rapunzel's tower. Upon reaching the top, he flipped over to the other side, landing again on the seesaw. However, as the large guard jumped this time, Eugene dismounted beforehand, leaving the guard trapped in the mud.

"Come on, Rider!" Hugo 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 Hugo, Max, and Cass smiled.

Eugene was about to cross the line when he suddenly stopped, causing the Captain to 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 that the time was almost up.

Eugene ran toward 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!"

"Wait for it," Hugo held up a hand to the others before they could be disappointed.

The Captain 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.

The teens ran up to him, proud of their friend. "Way to go, Eugene!" Varian cheered happily.

"Thanks, kid."

"Glad to see you haven't lost your touch," Hugo commented, knowing he had used the hug from earlier to steal the Captain's whistle.

"Hey, you never know when some of that comes in handy," Eugene shrugged.

The Captain just looked on with a glare, not noticing Quirin standing a few yards behind him, smiling at the results.

(Meanwhile)

A man in clogs walked up the hallway to a door that led to the royal siblings' rooms, guarded by Pete and Stan. "Hey, Pete," Stan leaned in to whisper. "Look alive. This must be the guy. Look at him." He then focused on the man as he approached. "Mr. uh, The Giovanni. Giovanni-Johnny-Johnny. Johnny, welcome!" He held the door open for the man. "Corona is happy to have you."

"Well, at least someone is happy," he retorted in a heavy Italian accent as he walked past them. "Now, where's Princess come si chiama?"

"Uh, she and her stepbrother will be here shortly," Pete smiled nervously.

"The Giovanni, he don't like to wait!" he warned the guards. "Now leave me here…" He examined a bust in front of him. "Ah. Maybe the Giovanni he learn something… by studying how not to paint." The guards closed the door, leaving him alone as he asked.

(Elsewhere)

Eugene put on some white gloves, his belt, and the helmet of his new uniform before proudly stepping into the guard room. Everyone stopped short at the sight of him, and he basked in the attention. "Hey, nice," he greeted the other guards as he walked up to the Captain's desk, saluting him. "Reporting for duty, Cap. What do ya got, huh?" He chuckled at his words.

"Okay, while I get my portrait done, you stay here and make sure everything goes smoothly," Varian whispered to Hugo as they looked in from the doorway.

"Normally, I would complain about that, but I don't wanna go through another round of job hunting again," Hugo muttered.

"Then, we're on the same page," the moon prince agreed. "I gotta go."

"Varian!" Hugo spoke up as the other jogged away, causing him to stop and look back. "I, uh… I'm sure you'll look great."

He smiled softly at him. "Thank you, Hugh. Bye." He waved to him, taking off down the hall. Hugo smiled after him, feeling a warm sensation in his stomach that he had never felt before… and he liked it.

"Good morning, Hugo." He snapped out of it as King Quirin walked past him.

"Uh, yeah, you too!" The teen thief sputtered as the man walked into the guard room.

"Gentlemen," the king nodded to the guards, who, including Eugene and the captain, stood at attention when he entered.

"Ah, Your Majesty," the Captain cleared his throat. "I was just about to give Rider his first guard assignment–"

"There's no need for that, Captain," Quirin interrupted. "I have a personal assignment I want to give Eugene.

"Me?" he gasped.

"Him?!" the Captain gasped before gaining composure. "Uh, begging your pardon, Your Majesty, but Rider just passed the final this morning. He's still on trainee status–"

"I'm aware that this is unorthodox, Captain, but given the circumstances, I believe Eugene would be the best fit for the job," the king explained patiently before turning to the new guard. "What do you say, Eugene? Up for the task?"

"Absolutely, Your Majesty!" Eugene saluted happily, seeing this as a chance to impress Rapunzel and Varian's dad.

"Very well. Follow me," Quirin led the way out of the room, with Eugene following him eagerly. Hugo ducked into the shadows of the hallway and watched the two men pass him before turning invisible and following them.

"So, what's the assignment, Your Majesty?" Eugene asked.

"First, we need to get you fitted for another uniform," Quirin said simply.

"Oh, I see–wait, what?"

(A short time later)

Eugene stood inside the royal tailor's room, being fitted for a red and black suit with a white sash featuring the Corona sun. "Hm, I don't normally wear red, but this looks good on me." He admired himself in the mirror.

Hugo rolled his eyes from where he leaned against the wall a few feet away.

"So, Your Majesty, let me see if I fully understand this," Eugene got back to business as the tailor finished. "My assignment is to be Varian's personal bodyguard?"

"Correct," Quirin nodded.

"But I'm going to be undercover as Varian's new equerry?"

"Precisely."

"Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, sir, but why are we doing this?" Eugene couldn't help but ask. "With all due respect, I've seen Varian in action. He doesn't really need a bodyguard."

Quirin sighed. "I agree with you, Eugene, but as a father, I will always worry about Varian's safety, especially since his powers returned. There will be those out there who will take advantage of his abilities."

"I see your point," Eugene agreed, remembering Rapunzel's story. "Still, why the cover story?"

"Varian would find it demeaning to be followed by a guard, even if it is you."

"Also, a good point," the former thief noted as he followed the king out the door. Hugo slipped in line behind them. "So, what do I need to know to make my cover convincing?"

"Well, your main job in that area will be to make sure Varian gets up on time, goes to bed at a decent hour, help him get ready in the morning, keep him on schedule for his lessons and royal duties, and make sure he takes meal breaks from his lab," Quirin explained, looking exasperated at the last part. When Varian got invested in his projects, he would forget basic necessities.

"Understood," Eugene nodded.

"In that case, you can get started right now, helping Varian prepare for his portrait," Quirin suggested as they parted ways.

"Yes, sir," Eugene saluted. He turned to leave when he bumped into something he couldn't see. "Oof!"

"Ow!" Hugo gasped, turning visible.

"Blondie, what are you doing here?" Eugene gave him a stern look.

"Varian asked me to keep an eye on you to make sure this new job goes smoother than the last ones," Hugo said. "And you probably got off easy with this assignment since I'm sure the Captain would want to make your job harder in any way he could."

Eugene deadpanned at him. "Okay, fair, but that still hurts," he said as he walked away. "… but thanks, Hugo."

Hugo blinked in surprise that he called him by name and thanked him. "For what?"

"For not giving up on me," Eugene smiled over his shoulder at him, the boy slowly returning the sentiment before jogging alongside him.

(After that)

"So, Dad wants you to be my bodyguard?" Varian clarified as he and Rapunzel walked down the hall with the other two.

"He worries about you, Goggles," Eugene shrugged. "Besides, now we can hang out more."

"And the bright side of that is?" Hugo teased.

"Hey!"

The step-siblings laughed at their banter, and their pets were also amused. "I'm glad things are working out for you, Eugene," Rapunzel praised her boyfriend.

"I bet the Captain was thrilled when he saw you get a special assignment from my dad," Varian smirked.

"At least he won't have as many chances to haze you," Hugo pointed out.

"Good point," Eugene agreed before turning to the siblings. "So, what did you guys decide on for your portraits?"

"I was thinking of keeping it simple," Rapunzel said.

"Me, too," Varian agreed.

Thinking for a minute, Hugo got an idea. "You know, I didn't hear anyone say you had to pose separately. Why not… pose together? It could show your guys' bond or something…"

"Hey, that's a great idea!" Rapunzel smiled in agreement. "And we can have Pascal and Ruddiger with us, too!"

"Thanks, Hugo," Varian smiled at the blond boy.

"Uh, sure… not a problem," Hugo blushed slightly again.

The group entered the hall. The Giovanni was ready with his easel and paints. "Eh, it's about time!" the painter exclaimed as he watched them enter.

"Sorry, The Giovanni," Rapunzel tucked a hair behind her ear as Eugene went to grab a stool for them to pose on. "We were, um…"

"The Giovanni, he doesn't care!" the man snapped, causing the royals and their pets to jump. "Now, how you wanna look?" He raised a brow at them, noticing they didn't have any props like the other portraits.

"Oh, um, we thought we would pose together since we're brother and sister. Also, we were hoping our pets could be in the portrait." Rapunzel gestured to her brother and their animals, smiling softly as Hugo stepped back.

The Giovanni hummed in thought before nodding in approval. "Very good. Now, let us begin."

"Oh. Okay," she raised a brow toward her brother, who shrugged. He had never met the guy, so he didn't know what to tell her.

"Here you go, Blondie," Eugene brought over a stool. "Now, you sit here," he led Rapunzel to sit on the chair, Pascal getting comfortable in her lap. "And Hairstripe, you stand behind her like so." He then moved Varian into position behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders as Ruddiger got comfortable on his boy's shoulders. "And voilà! All yours, The," he smiled at the painter.

"Sig, sig," he nodded, unimpressed, before pointing to him and Hugo. "Now, you two go, now!" He ushered them out as he spoke in Italian.

"Wait, wait, what did you say?" Hugo asked in confusion, Eugene feeling the same way.

The man repeated slowly but firmly before translating, "I can no concentrate!" As he walked away, Eugene was about to say something when Hugo covered his mouth with a fake smile.

"Outside. Now," he whispered through clenched teeth as he pulled the older man out the door.

(Down the hall)

"Something's not right here," Hugo paced the corridor in thought. Eugene stood nearby in thought while Shorty showed up randomly. "My boss drilled several foreign languages into me, and that was the worst Italian I've ever heard."

"I know, right? Subject-verb agreement was way off," Eugene agreed. The blond paused and looked at the older man. "What? I speak Italian."

"Ugh, never mind," Hugo shook his head as he paced again. "Okay, more than likely, this guy's a fake. No guards are watching the castle doors, but some are by the portrait hall…"

"The Giovanni's not the usual painter of the royal portraits, from what I heard," Eugene mentioned. "No one in the castle has seen the guy before, so it would be easier for an imposter to sneak in early. His Italian is good enough to fool someone unfamiliar with the language."

"So, what's he doing here?"

"Cassandra did say those paintings were priceless, especially that Robin one."

"But he couldn't just take a painting and leave. Someone would notice an empty frame."

"Unless he swapped it with a fake," Eugene realized. "If the guards left him alone, that would give him time to switch the painting he was after with a fake one."

"And he'd walk right out the front door with it," Hugo agreed. "Then all that would be left to do is get out of Corona before anyone noticed the switch."

"So, the questions now are what painting he is after, and where the real The Giovanni is?"

Before they could discuss further, someone ran down the hallway and slammed into Eugene. "WHOA!" he yelped as a case the other was carrying fell open, and a rolled-up paper peeked out of it, catching Hugo'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.

"Okay, something definitely smells fishy," Eugene rubbed his chin.

Shorty pulled a fish out of his beard. "That would be me." Hugo cringed while Eugene just smiled slightly.

"Hey, guys?" Varian soon joined them, getting their attention. "Could you come look at this?"

(The portrait hall)

Rapunzel was inspecting her and Varian's portrait with a frown (the animals had gone somewhere else for the moment) when the boys walked in. "Hey, Blondie," the older man greeted her as Hugo looked for anything out of place. "Portrait's done already. That's great. That was quick. How did it turn out–holy horribleness!" He gasped when he saw the painting.

"I don't know; I don't get it; it's just… mm," Rapunzel tried to put it into words while Hugo's eyes widened at the picture. "Really bad."

The portrait in front of them was not even close to resembling the siblings. It looked like something a little kid would paint.

"Right?"

"Yeah, I'd say," Eugene agreed. "That is really terrible!"

"I thought this guy was a professional?" Hugo questioned, looking away from the portrait to examine the ones on the wall.

"He's supposed to be," Varian raised a confused brow, wondering what the other boy was doing.

"Some world-famous painter!" Eugene brought a hand to his chest. "I could do a better–" He glanced up by chance and saw Hugo getting his attention. He pointed to the painting of Robin the Eleventh before pointing at his fingers. Getting the message, Eugene saw what he saw and gasped sharply. "I gotta go see the Captain! Come on, Glasses!" he said before running out the door.

"Right behind ya, Rider!" Hugo ran after him.

"Whoa, wait, what's going on?" Varian asked, racing after them.

"We'll explain on the way!"

(In the Captain's office)

The Captain was at his desk, with Cass standing beside him. The former glared at the man before him. "Look, Cap, I know you don't like me and wish I wasn't on the Guard, 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 the 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."

"I know you don't like that a former thief is trying to help you, but he didn't outwit you for years by being stupid," Hugo added. "If he says something's missing, then I'm inclined to believe him, and you should, too."

"Stan? Pete?" Eugene looked to the other guards for help.

"Umm, sorry, Eugene. We just checked two seconds before you two arrived," Pete said awkwardly. "Everything was fine."

"It's a counterfeit, you din-dongs!" Hugo facepalmed at their idiocy. "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!"

"Excuse me?!" Varian slammed his hands on the desk, glaring at the captain angrily, catching everyone off guard. Small black rocks appeared around his feet, grabbing Hugo and Eugene's attention. "Who do you think you're speaking to, Captain?!"

"I, uh," the Captain said, sweating when he realized he had just threatened the prince with magical powers.

"Whoa, easy, Varian, easy," Hugo grabbed the other teen around the waist and pulled him away. "The jerk's not worth losing your temper over."

"Blondie's right, Goggles," Eugene eased the prince into calming down. He gave the Captain a sharp glare, his usual playfulness gone. "Let's go."

The Captain and the others stared in disbelief as Eugene escorted the teens out of the room, Shorty following with a distracted smile. Cass watched them go, conflicted, before narrowing her eyes. "Come on, Shorty," Eugene said bitterly in the hall. "We're just gonna have to stop him on our own."

"Hey, wait, what about us?" Varian protested before he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Varian, you mean a lot to Rapunzel, and I know you can handle yourself, but I can't risk something happening to you if you come along. The same goes for you, Glasses."

"I take care of myself, Flynn!" Hugo glared in protest.

"Yeah, we can be just as tough as you and the girls," Varian pointed out. "I helped fight off Lady Caine's crew, and who knows how many scrapes Hugo's been in on the streets."

"Those were a different set of circumstances, but you guys are still kids, one of whom I'm now responsible for the safety of." Eugene ruffled the prince's hair.

"They're coming with."

They turned just as Cass stepped out of the room. "Cassandra?" Eugene asked in surprise, his hopeful smile evident. "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, as much as I enjoy seeing Flynn insulted, the clock is ticking," Hugo interrupted, although he looked slightly mirthful.

"Yeah, so can we just skip to the 'but' in this sentence?" Eugene interrupted, getting annoyed, while Varian giggled a little.

"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 before gesturing to the boys. "Besides, these two have stuck with you regardless of what's happened. Strength in numbers could be helpful."

"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 smirked at him as she stepped ahead of them.

"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 in 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 with the thief.

(Back with the others)

Max and Fidella raced toward the docks with Eugene, Hugo, Cass, Varian, and Shorty. Up ahead, they could see a figure fleeing toward 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. 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, Hugo hugging Eugene with wide eyes as they 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, with 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 spat out some water before giving a thumbs-up to let her know she was okay. Eugene sent her a smile as Varian got off the horse.

"Keep going, guys!" he called out, Hugo nodding.

"It's just us, guys." Eugene dismounted with a crossbow while the boy took an alchemy bomb from his pocket. The older man signaled for them to split up. Max went one way, Hugo the other, and Eugene continued forward. The deck was empty but cluttered with crates for hiding. The former thief scanned the area, unaware of a blue sleeve retreating. As Eugene navigated the cargo cautiously, he wasn't alert enough; a fake Giovanni elbowed him, causing him to drop his crossbow. The thief picked it up and aimed at Eugene, who stared 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 while Max worried it would fall into the sea. Suddenly, a hand snatched the painting midair before Hugo stepped out from behind the boxes and joined 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," Hugo said bluntly before walking away.

(A short time later)

Once they returned, 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 and Hugo out. His Italian was terrible! Subject-verb agreement was way off!" Eugene explained with a laugh before noticing the looks the Captain and the boys 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." He placed a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Eugene was right, Captain," Varian looked toward the man with a stern look that could rival his father. "We backed him up, but you let your personal feelings get in the way. That's no way for a captain of the guard to make decisions."

The man flinched slightly at the prince's scolding, thinking thoughtfully afterward. "… Perhaps I acted precipitously when I dismissed you, Rider. I can see now why the King wanted you for this assignment." He glanced at the prince, having been filled in on the nature of the task.

"Well, there were other reasons, but thank you, Captain," Eugene grinned playfully, knowing that was the closest thing to an apology they would get.

"And if you are willing, I have a job of my own I'd like to offer you," the Captain said.

(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 them, the others 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," Hugo said, slightly amused. "The other idea I had was bounty hunting."

"Hopefully, he keeps this job. All that job hunting was exhausting," Varian sighed tiredly, remembering that day.

"By the way, are you guys sure you didn't want the real Giovanni painting your portraits?" Cass turned to the royal step-siblings.

"Yeah," Rapunzel smiled softly along with her brother. "We had better ideas about how we wanted it. See, two wise people once told us, we're not always defined by the things we can do, but rather by the people we are…"

While walking into the gallery hall, Arianna and Quirin conversed. Suddenly, something on the wall captured their attention, prompting them to smile.

"And by those we love."

Two new portraits were created. One was painted in Rapunzel's style, depicting her and her mother in a hug, surrounded by flowers and a dove above them. The other was more realistic, featuring Varian and Quirin standing beside each other with warm smiles, moonflowers surrounding the border, and an owl above them.

And that's the end of this chapter. I'll see if I can get the next chapter up before the end of the year.