Alright, here we are with the next chapter of Moonlight Phantom. I was worried I wouldn't finish this today since I had errands for my mom's wedding tomorrow. I'm not sure if I'll get any writing done tomorrow, but you never know.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Tangled. I only own this story idea.
It was another day at the castle. Eugene and Cassandra followed Rapunzel and Varian as they walked through the halls with King Frederic and Quirin.
"What did you want to show me, Your Majesty?" Varian asked, curiosity evident in his voice.
"Patience, Varian, we're almost there," his father smiled back.
The king chuckled. "It's been difficult keeping you distracted so we could pull this off, but I think you'll enjoy it."
"He wouldn't even tell me what he's been up to this past week!" Rapunzel added excitedly.
"We've had a lot of fun this week, though," Eugene chuckled in agreement. They did everything possible to keep Varian entertained at the king's request. They participated in everything from horse rides to exploring the woods to hosting random contests to maintain his focus. He and Cass even began teaching Varian how to fight to keep him busy. Now, it was all about to finally pay off.
"Here we are," King Frederic said, stopping at a door.
"Go on, Son," Quirin encouraged him.
Varian approached the door, gripping the handles before pushing them open. His eyes widened as he entered a large room resembling a proper alchemist's lab and workshop. It was filled with lab tables, alchemy equipment, and boxes of materials. Varian absorbed it all before releasing a breathy laugh. "Wow, I... I don't know what to say," he turned to the king with a huge grin. "This is amazing; thank you so much!"
"It was my pleasure. Now, go see everything we prepared," King Frederic smiled. "Quirin and I put this together for you, so you don't have to keep going back and forth to create your alchemy."
Varian beamed before hugging his dad. "I promise I'll still come home to see you," he said as he went inside to explore. Ruddiger followed him closely, looking equally interested.
"Thanks for doing this for him, Dad." Rapunzel smiled at her father.
"Well, after he came last week at night to deliver the 'goo bombs,' I figured we should prioritize his lab here at the castle." King Frederic smiled at her.
"Mm, good idea." She smiled at Varian, who was already lost in his own little world. Goggles over his eyes, he turned on a burner and started working on his alchemy.
"That didn't take long," Quirin remarked fondly.
"Let's leave him to this," Rapunzel suggested.
"Varian? You good?" Cassandra asked.
"Yeah, I'll catch up with you later. Thanks again!" Varian said, looking over his shoulder. "See you later, guys."
The princess giggled. "I'll drop by later."
"Have fun, kid," Eugene said, wrapping an arm around Rapunzel's waist.
"You too," Varian said distractedly.
Quirin looked at his son before turning to the others. "I'm going to stay for a few more minutes. There's something private I want to discuss with my son."
"Okay. We'll leave you two alone," Rapunzel nodded, and the others walked away.
Once alone, Quirin took a deep breath and approached his son. "Varian?" he said, getting his attention. "Before you get started, I want to show you something."
"Okay," Varian nodded, turning off the burner. Quirin led him to a corner of the room where a chest sat. "What's in here?"
To answer, Quirin pulled out a key and held it out to his son. "There's one way to find out."
Confused but curious, Varian took the key and knelt to unlock the chest. He opened the lid and saw that it contained books, various knickknacks, and… women's clothes…?
Varian's eyes widened when he realized what this was.
These were his mother's things.
"The King and I had a conversation not long ago, and I realized he was right about something," Varian looked up as his father knelt beside him. "Son, I'm sorry. Losing your mother was hard on us both, but I shouldn't have let that stop you from knowing her. I–"
Before he could say anything else, Varian launched himself at his dad, surprising him as he wrapped his arms around his neck. "I miss her, too, Dad," Varian murmured, and Quirin could hear the tears before feeling them when they fell.
The village leader frowned sadly as he held his son, knowing this should have happened long ago.
(The next day)
After an emotional hour together, the rest of the day passed quickly for father and son. Quirin had to return to Old Corona at one point, so Varian spent his first night at the castle and decided to take the night off from patrolling. The following day, Varian and Eugene joined the royal family for breakfast, running into each other on their way to get food.
"Morning, kid," Eugene grinned. "New clothes?"
Varian wore a different outfit that looked similar yet nicer than his usual one. He had brown pants that fit his size and new dark brown steel-toed boots. Under a turquoise vest, he wore a long-sleeve deep blue shirt and his usual gloves and goggles.
"Yeah. They made me extra clothes to keep at the castle when I stay over, so I thought I'd try some on."
"You look good," Eugene complimented.
"Thanks." Varian grinned.
After getting food, they walked to the pavilion, where Rapunzel enjoyed breakfast with her parents. "It's the first thing people see when they enter the castle, Dad!" Rapunzel said. "I mean, maybe we could remodel it or something. You know, make it warm and welcoming."
"That archway is an important line of defense, Rapunzel," King Frederic said patiently. "It is imperative it convey strength and security."
"You want strength and security," Eugene said, with food in his mouth. He and Varian sat down on either side of Rapunzel. "Here's what you do."
King Frederic raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. "Lion statues! Ohh, ohh, better yet, turn the archway into a giant lion's mouth!"
"Sounds like a carnival archway," Varian remarked. "Besides, Ingvarr's already got the lion motif covered."
"Not entirely false," Queen Arianna agreed.
"No, wait! Let's do the whole lion–" Eugene continued, getting up as his excitement grew.
"Thank you, Eugene," King Frederic said patiently. "I'll take those suggestions under advisement."
"Ah, teamwork!" He brushed his hands off and raised a hand, unaware of Rapunzel and Varian cringing. "Up high!"
Frederic ignored him and returned to his food. Varian sighed and shook his head. "Eugene, not now."
"Oh, right." He sat back down and offered a sheepish smile. "Not the time. Next time, then… cool."
(Later)
After breakfast, Rapunzel convinced Varian to paint with her, so they sat side by side with small canvases. Rapunzel placed a rose in Pascal's mouth while he posed for the portrait. Ruddiger popped out from behind the flower vase beside him, making the teens laugh.
"Ruddiger, not now," Varian chuckled.
"It's okay, he can stay there," Rapunzel smiled. "We'll just add him to the painting."
"You know, Blondie, you might wanna start coming up with lion designs for that archway," Eugene said casually, leaning against the table beside them. "I think that idea got some real traction with your dad. You can help too, Varian!"
Varian sighed. "I'm really not sure if I should tell you or not…"
"Tell me what?" Eugene frowned.
"When a dad says, 'I'll think about it,' it rarely means 'yes,'" Varian said as he looked at him. "It often means, 'I want you to stop talking about it, so I'm going to make you think I might do it.'" He then muttered, "Ask me how I know."
"He's right, you know," Cass said, rolling her eyes behind them before leaning on Rapunzel's chair. "The King was just being polite and probably didn't want to call you a nitwit to your face."
"Guys!" Rapunzel lightly scolded them. "If my dad didn't like Eugene's ideas, I think he would just say so."
"Rapunzel, you have a lot to learn about having a dad," Varian mumbled before returning to his drawing.
"Oh, come on," Eugene countered. "He's never been shy about calling me names to my face before."
Pascal rolled his eyes at his remark. "Well, before you have your royal advisor nameplate made up, you should probably know that whenever the King wants to ignore an idea, he always says, 'I'll take it under advisement,'" she emphasized her point with finger quotes.
Varian fought back a cringe but didn't say anything. "Ha!" Eugene laughed at her. "Shows what you know! I clearly remember him saying, 'I'll…" He cut himself off as the rest of the king's words echoed in his mind. His eyes widened in horror when he realized Cass and Varian were right. "Oh no! He does think I'm a nitwit!"
"And there it is!" Cassandra gestured to him mockingly.
"Told ya," Varian said as Rapunzel looked back and forth between them.
"This changes everything!" Eugene exclaimed, holding his head. "I cannot have a father-in-law who doesn't take me seriously!"
"Why not?" Cassandra shot back with a smirk. "No one else takes you seriously."
"That's not true, Eugene," Rapunzel said, rising from her painting and approaching him to adjust his vest. "My dad thinks very highly of you." Cassandra exaggeratedly shook her head as the princess spoke. "Though maybe there are times you could be a bit more selective about the kinds of things you suggest to him." Cassandra nodded in the same manner as Varian sighed. "He is the King, after all."
"Varian?" He looked at the younger man.
"I did say your lion-head idea reminded me of a carnival." Varian set down his pencil and paused, smirking thoughtfully. "Although..."
"Whatever you're thinking, stop right now," Cass said bluntly.
"Okay, fine," he relented. "You have a creative mind, Eugene, but you gotta think about practicality, too. Other kingdoms wouldn't take Corona seriously like that, plus lions are more Ingvaar's thing. A castle archway is supposed to convey strength, but it also needs to be sensible."
"Et tu, Hairstripe?" Eugene asked, hurt, turning away from them.
Varian stood up, attempting damage control. "Why not use your ideas for other suggestions, like… security improvements?"
"Yeah, I'm sure you can point out all the weak spots," Cassandra said with a smirk.
"Not helping," he deadpanned at her.
"Okay, you know what? It's fine, it's fine. I can fix this," Eugene said. "Quick, name things your dad likes that I can pretend I also like to impress him!"
"That's not how it works, Eugene," Varian said, raising a brow at him.
Bells began ringing, interrupting the conversation as they all looked up.
"The emergency alarm!" Cassandra gasped slightly.
All four rushed into town, where they encountered King Frederic, Queen Arianna, and the Captain of the Guard, along with townspeople who stopped to gawk. The trio was gazing at a goofy-painted statue of the king with a wreath and sign that read "EQUIS RULES!" with little birds perched in the crown. Arianna glanced at her husband, concerned, as his mustache twitched slightly in agitation.
"Equis?" Rapunzel asked, confused. "As in, the kingdom next door, Equis?"
"Mmhm." Cassandra nodded with a hum.
"What's that got to do with my dad's statue?" She glanced at Varian. "Why is it all messed up?"
"Your dad's lifetime rival, King Trevor of Equis, likes to play pranks on him," the Captain whispered to her.
"By just drawing a silly face on Dad's statue? I can't imagine any intelligent person finding this funny."
"Yeah, it's kind of pathetic," Varian frowned, crossing his arms as the four heard laughter. They turned to Eugene, who found it amusing as he wiped his eyes. He suddenly realized what he was doing and quickly stood up straight, clearing his throat and smiling sheepishly as the others gave him looks.
"Smooth," Varian deadpanned at him.
"Anyway, King Trevor always manages to thoroughly embarrass your father," the Captain continued.
"I can hear you, Captain," King Frederic spoke tensely. "And yes, I am embarrassed… embarrassed for him! Really. The very idea of a grown man partaking in such… infantile boobery!"
"And it's not even a decent prank," Varian criticized. "If you're going to sneak into a kingdom under the cover of darkness to mess with them, at least have something clever in mind." King Frederic looked at him, and Varian raised his hands in surrender. "I'm just saying."
"I still don't get it," Rapunzel said to Cassandra.
"I'll explain later," she assured her.
"Trevor has been trying to lure me into partaking in his shenanigans since our youth." King Frederic said irritably as he stepped closer to the statue. "Well, I won't partake! Do you hear me, Trevor?! I won't partake!"
He shouted so loudly that birds flew away in fear. The king then stormed off to the castle, with the Captain following behind him.
Queen Arianna watched him go, then sighed as she turned to a guard. "Let's get this cleaned up."
"Yes, ma'am," the guard replied as they walked off.
"And we might as well head back to the castle now," Cassandra suggested. "There's nothing more to see here."
"Good idea," Varian agreed as the friends made their way back to the castle.
"Hey," Eugene walked up beside him. "Did you ever run into those Equis guys while on patrol?"
"Sometimes. But they're not actually out to hurt anyone, so I usually just leave them be."
"That makes sense," the boys were quiet for a moment before Eugene asked, "Do you think I'm a nitwit?"
"I think you're trying too hard to impress Rapunzel's dad," Varian replied. "You should try being more genuine like you were with the Queen when you returned her ring. I don't know for sure, but I think you've already won her over."
"You sure?" Eugene raised an eyebrow.
"Well, you haven't been kicked out of the castle or banished from Corona, so I'd assume she either hasn't told her husband the truth about the ring or convinced him that it was handled."
"Good point," Eugene said, though he kept glancing at Varian with concern, catching the teen's attention.
"What?"
"It's just… When we talked about dads earlier, it seemed like you wanted to unload something."
"I'm fine, Eugene," Varian assured him. "I just… Dad finally opened up about Mom yesterday. I'm glad he did, but it took nearly a decade to do it. It's just stuff I need to sort through on my own."
Eugene smiled sympathetically, patting the younger guy's shoulder. "You know I'm here if you need me, right?"
"I know," Varian smiled back. When they returned to the castle, he turned to the older man and said, "I'm going to work on something in my lab and then head back to Old Corona after lunch. Dad will probably want to know how this is working out."
"Sure, kid, I'll cover for you with Blondie."
"Thanks, Eugene." As Varian walked away from the others, his smile faded; he no longer had the energy to keep it up.
Upon reaching his new lab, Varian locked the door behind him, drawing Ruddiger's attention from one of the tables. The alchemist approached his mom's trunk and sat beside it, resting his head on his arms over the lid.
"I miss you, Mom…" he murmured, knowing he was going to grieve for a while as the tears began to fall again. Ruddiger padded over and curled up in his lap, trying to offer his human the comfort he needed.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Hello? Varian?" the queen called from the other side, surprising Varian. He thought she was still in town.
"Uh, just–just one moment, Your Majesty," he replied, wiping away his eyes as Ruddiger moved for him to stand up. Putting on a smile, he opened the door to greet Queen Arianna. "Sorry about that. How are you, Your Majesty?"
"Arianna's fine, Varian," she assured him with a kind smile. "I was wondering if I could see your new lab since I didn't get the chance to do so yesterday."
"Oh, of course," he agreed, stepping aside to allow her to enter. "Welcome to my lab, Your Majes–Lady Arianna."
"My, this is certainly a professional area," she commented as she looked around. "How do you like it so far?"
"I love it," Varian responded. "I can't thank your husband enough for doing this for me."
"You've done so much for our daughter since becoming her friend. This is the least we could do," Queen Arianna replied before noticing the trunk in the corner. "What's this?"
"Oh, that's, uh," the alchemist started before sighing. "It's… my mom's things."
Arianna instantly turned back to Varian when he said that, seeing the sad look return to his face. "Oh, Varian, sweetheart," she said, walking back over to him and pulling him into a hug. "I know, I know. Losing her was hard on all of us."
"I just… didn't think it was going to hurt this much," Varian said. "It's been ten years for me, and I barely knew her. Now… Plus, I'm mad at Dad for not doing this sooner."
"And you're more than allowed to feel that way," Queen Arianna assured him before they pulled apart. "I can imagine it wasn't easy for your father to open up either."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not sure how much Quirin told you about his past, but he lived a life before you where he couldn't be open with his feelings. Sometimes, those traits can carry over into your personal life and affect how you interact with others, including your family," the queen sighed heavily. "I've seen that first-hand in my own family."
Varian glanced away, unsure of what to make of her words. "But I think this is a big step forward for both of you," she continued, taking Varian's hands. "Now, the healing can start."
"… Yeah… it can," the alchemist agreed, smiling slightly.
"If you'd like, I can share some of my stories about her," Arianna offered.
"I'd like that very much…" Varian replied, tearing up slightly.
"Then, why don't we have a private lunch, just the two of us?" she suggested, guiding Varian out of the lab. "It's been a long time since we spent time together."
"That would be nice, Lady Arianna," Varian agreed.
(Meanwhile)
After returning to the castle, Rapunzel read up on Equis while sitting in a small nook she had created on her bookshelf. "Blondie, great news!" She looked up at Eugene as he entered her room. "Your dad just asked me to steal the Royal Seal of Equis for him!"
"Stealing from Equis?" Rapunzel closed her book and glanced at Pascal, who slapped a claw to his face. "That doesn't sound like a great idea." She slid down the ladder and approached him, holding up her book. "Did you know that they have over a thousand guards on duty at any given time?" Pascal turned the pages, displaying pictures of Equis's guards.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know." He took the book and closed it. "But don't you see?" He set the book aside as Pascal climbed onto the globe next to it. "This is the perfect way to prove to him I'm more than just some nitwit thief!"
"By stealing something?" Rapunzel crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.
"No," Eugene spun the globe around, with Pascal hanging on. "By stealing something well." He stopped the globe, causing the chameleon to fall onto the book.
"Hm," she gave a disapproving look.
"Hey, come on, it's for the official royal prank! I'm sure that makes it completely legal…ish." Eugene added at the end, not entirely convinced.
"Oh, well, then let me come with you!" Rapunzel grabbed her blue purse. "I'm pretty good at surprises."
"Sorry, Blondie, but I've assessed the situation, and this is a one-man job. Luckily, Flynn Rider does his best work alone." The former thief smirked.
(Outside)
"Let's go, partner!" Frederic, dressed in an all-black outfit, walked away from the archway just as Eugene arrived.
"Wait, I'm sorry, you wanna come with me?" Eugene asked in surprise.
"Of course, I'm coming with you," Frederic replied, turning around with his hands on his hips. "You think I'm in the habit of dressing like this?" He gestured to his dark clothes. "Though, this new dashing adventure suit I had made is quite slimming. I must witness Trevor's humiliation firsthand!"
"Ooh, yeah," Eugene winced as he approached the king. "See, um…" He chuckled nervously. "I was thinking you wanted, you know, me to do it alone. Uh, not that I wouldn't love to have you along. It's just… you probably have way more important–"
"This is a matter of national pride, Son," Frederic interrupted, not taking no for an answer. "Of course, it's important. And I specifically said 'we' would steal the Royal Seal of Equis, remember?"
"I do, I do re–yes, you did say 'we!' I thought you were using the royal 'we,' you know, being king?" He smiled nervously, not wanting to anger the king.
"Come on, let's do this!" King Frederic cheered, the former thief dropping his smile. "How'd you put it before? Teamwork! Up high," he held up his hand, and when Eugene went to slap it, the King walked away.
"Yeah, you know, when you say 'up high,' you usually–" he started to say before a satchel was thrown into his arms. "Okie dokie, never mind…" Eugene sighed as he put on the bag, following Frederic.
As the men headed out, they didn't realize Varian had seen them from the castle window. "Now, where are they going?" he wondered, concerned.
(Outside Equis Castle)
Eugene and Frederic reached Equis in just a few hours, the former using a telescope to survey the area. As Rapunzel mentioned, hundreds of guards were present, from the roof to the grounds below. "So, Your Majesty," he said, lowering the spyglass before taking out a scroll. "I've drawn up this map based upon the brilliant way I got into Castle Equis before to show you how this is gonna go down."
Frederic emerged from the bushes, leaning over the map as he continued. "All we need to do is borrow a couple of uniforms and waltz right through the front door! Eh?"
"We're not doing that," he denied after looking it over.
"We're not?" Eugene asked slowly.
"Eugene, as king, I've received top military training." King Frederic looked at him. "After studying this map, I can say with certainty that what is required here is stealthy ingress." He tapped a spot on the map. "And this is the perfect spot to do it!"
"The northeast tower?" the former thief questioned skeptically. "The heavily guarded, impossibly fortified northeast tower?"
"No one will expect it..." He grinned slyly, moving backward into the bushes.
Eugene didn't respond as he gazed back at the castle, unconvinced by the idea.
(Meanwhile)
Back in Corona, Varian stepped into Rapunzel's room while the princess sat at her window, still unhappy about being left out. She huffed before hugging her knees. "What's so fun about pranks, anyway?" she asked as Cass went around the room watering her plants.
"Mostly, the look on the other person's face when they realize what's happening," the lady-in-waiting replied as she stepped up to her.
"Sooo, it's supposed to surprise people?" Rapunzel asked, perking up since she liked surprises.
"Well, it's more like a joke," she explained as the princess rose. "But only the person responsible for it thinks it's funny."
"Like King Trevor," Varian rolled his eyes.
"Oh. So, like the jokes my dad tells," Rapunzel said, looking over at Cass.
"Noooo," she rolled her eyes, almost laughing at how bad the king's jokes were. "There's more to it than that. You need to get somebody to expect one thing and then do something unexpected instead. It's basically entertainment for morons."
"Or people who think they have too much time on their hands," Varian remarked. "Seriously, adults are allowed to prank, but you'd think a king would have more self-respect."
"Yeah, and he wonders why he's the laughingstock of the Seven Kingdoms," Cass agreed.
"Say, while we're on this topic, do you girls know where Eugene and the King are headed? I saw them leaving the castle earlier, and the King was wearing all black."
"Oh, my dad wanted Eugene to steal the Royal Seal of Equis, so he must have gone with him," Rapunzel said.
Varian's eyes widened in shock. "… They're doing what?!" Cass almost dropped her watering can in surprise.
"Eugene said it was the official royal prank, so he claimed it was… mostly legal," the princess continued, wondering why her friends seemed worried.
"No, it's not," Varian shook his head.
"Okay," Cassandra chuckled nervously as she set the can down. "This is taking the whole thing a bridge too far."
"That's the understatement of the year, Cass," the alchemist added. "Sneaking into another kingdom to vandalize a statue is one thing, but the Seal…"
"So, this is a bad prank?" the princess deduced from their reactions.
"It's worse than that. King Trevor is so protective of that seal he'd declare war with Corona to get it back," the alchemist explained.
Rapunzel grimaced. "Okay, yeah, that's bad."
"I can't believe Eugene's going along with this…" Varian said, facepalming.
"Well, he really wanted to impress my dad…" the princess replied.
"He's going to end up in Equis prison, along with your dad. Trevor's an overgrown child, but he's not an idiot."
"Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do now," Cass said. "At this point, they're probably already within Equis's borders, so we can't reach them without attracting King Trevor's attention."
"There has to be something!" Rapunzel insisted, worried about her dad and boyfriend.
"Okay, let's go tell your mom what's happening. Maybe she'll have some ideas," her handmaiden assured her before leading the princess out of the room. Varian watched them leave before looking out the window. The sun was setting, and it would be dark soon. Knowing the girls would be preoccupied, he decided this was a good opportunity for the Phantom to head to Equis…
(Back in Equis)
A group of guards walked past two bushes, and moments later, Frederic popped his head up. "All is clear," he whispered, causing Eugene to look up in response. "Just follow my lead." The king hid again, picked up the bush, and walked behind the guards. Eugene reluctantly followed him, harboring grave doubts about this plan. He then noticed an outhouse ahead.
"Your Highness," he called out, but Frederic didn't hear him as the former thief paused before the door swung open to reveal a guard. Fanning himself, the guard's eyes widened when he noticed a bush move in front of him. Suspicious, he put on his hat and grabbed his halberd before following it. Acting quickly, Eugene snuck up behind him and pulled the guard into the bush, knocking him out. The former thief emerged from the bush donned in the guard's uniform. Collecting himself, Eugene looked up and spotted more guards. They didn't see anything unusual but were also heading in their direction.
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!" He ran to where the King was still moving, trying to hide him. "Oh, boy," he said, looking around. He dashed over and pulled a horse in front of the bush, leaning against it casually as he fed the steed a carrot. "Heh, heh, heh… hello, guards." Eugene waved as they walked by, glancing in his direction but dismissing it as unimportant.
King Frederic soon reached the wall, bursting out of his disguise. "Yes! There. See? Easy," he exclaimed. He turned around and noticed Eugene's outfit. "Eugene, I thought I said the guard uniforms were unnecessary," he remarked, hands on his hips. "Come on!" He jumped out of the bush and scooched along the wall as if camouflaged.
"Oh, yeah, no, don't mind me," Eugene said with a broad smile as he removed his hat. "I'm just gonna scream into this for a little bit." He screamed in frustration into his hat, startling the horse enough to stop chewing. Eugene then put his hat back on and walked away, the horse watching him leave with wide eyes as it resumed eating its carrot.
(Later that night)
The two climbed up the tower, with rocks tumbling down onto the former thief courtesy of the King, causing him to cry out in pain. "Quiet, Eugene!" he said. He kept climbing, slamming Eugene into the bricks before dragging him the rest of the way as the younger man groaned. Soon, they found a way inside. Frederic dusted himself off while Eugene descended a flight of stairs, holding his cheek before checking the hall. Peeking around the corner, he spotted two guards heading their way. He cringed as they turned and walked through a doorway.
"Okay, follow my lead—"
His eyes widened in dismay as the king began rolling on the floor, his movement evident by the grunt he let out when he tripped before running off. "Really?" Eugene deadpanned.
"What was that?" The guards peeked out the door, catching the former thief's attention.
"Better check it out."
Eugene quickly dug into his pockets and pulled out two gold coins. He tossed them over the guards' heads, making them believe it was in the opposite direction.
"This way!" They turned and followed the sound, leaving the intruders alone.
Eugene saw Frederic on the floor in a different entryway. When he realized the guards were gone, he gave the younger man a thumbs up. "They didn't spot me," he said as he got up before descending the stairs behind him. "Aha! Let's move out."
Eugene watched him go before groaning into his hands as he trailed behind. "You love Rapunzel, you love Rapunzel, you love Rapunzel…"
(Outside)
In the woods surrounding Equis Castle, a pack of wolves dashed through the trees, making their way toward the castle. A familiar black wolf with blue eyes soon paused at a ledge overlooking the stronghold, joined by a white wolf. In a fluid motion, the wolf transformed into Varian, now wearing a dark blue version of his old shirt, a black vest, black pants, and black traveling boots. His gloves and goggles remained in place, and he carried his satchel over his shoulder.
"Thank you for the escort, Whitefang," he smiled at the wolf. "I'll be fine from here."
Whitefang nodded and said something else to Varian that only he could comprehend. "I will, and congratulations on your first litter."
Whitefang nodded, his eyes sparkling at the thought of his pups before he and his pack retreated into the darkness. Now alone, Varian slid down the slope to a ledge below, crouching as he pulled a telescope from his bag to observe the grounds below.
"Whoa…" he murmured upon spotting the guards. "They weren't kidding about Trevor's guards…" He lowered the scope and glanced at his bag. "I hope I brought enough knockout gas."
Thinking over his options, Varian considered his next move. While he recalled Eugene's last heist, which involved dressing up a guard and walking inside, there was a chance they didn't use that method since King Trevor would have been expecting it again. Besides, Frederic was recognizable, so stealth would have been crucial.
That led to the next problem: How did they enter the castle? Any path to the Seal would take them past hundreds of guards…
Varian's eyes widened as he slowly looked toward the northeast tower, his stripe and eyes glowing as a vision filled his mind. He saw the king and Eugene climbing up the building and through the window at the top.
Varian blinked, and the glow faded along with the vision. "So, that's what he meant..." he murmured, recalling how Whitefang had told him to 'listen to the moon.' "Anyway, how do I get in there without being seen...?" His usual phantom costume would stand out too much because of the cloak. He needed something that would blend in with the shadows thoroughly.
Getting an idea, he focused on his powers and envisioned lightweight, all-black armor that entirely covered his body, with slits in the helmet for him to see. His rocks spread over him as he imagined the armor forming precisely as he wanted.
"Hmm," Varian hummed, wiggling his fingers to test the armor. "This will work." With that, he stepped out into the cover of darkness, making his way towards the tower.
Varian put his new armor to the test when he reached the courtyard. Guards walked by, and he stood perfectly still, grinning beneath his helmet as they passed him. He moved through the garden, pausing with curiosity when he noticed some bushes that seemed out of place, especially since a naked guard was in one of them. Each time a guard walked by, he froze, remaining unseen.
When he reached the tower, Varian considered how to get inside. He could use his moonlight abilities but didn't want the guards to see him. Deciding to take a physical approach, Varian placed his hands on the wall and formed a ladder of black rocks along the side of the building. Once finished, he climbed up, surprised that he seemed faster than usual. Soon, Varian slipped through a window and into the tower. He then retracted the rocks into the stone like they had never been there.
He descended the stairs to the hall where the king and Eugene had been. Peeking around the corner, he spotted two guards walking down the corridor. Watching them closely, he dashed across the hall when the guards looked away just before they turned back. Sighing in relief when they didn't come looking, Varian continued down another flight of stairs, instinctively knowing where Eugene and King Frederic were.
(With Eugene and the king)
Frederic and Eugene had finally reached the doors they were looking for. The king sighed, relishing the moment. "Ah… the royal seal room. How do you like that, Eugene?" He turned to the other as he walked up. "Told ya," He slapped Eugene on the back, startling him as he knocked his hat off, revealing twigs and leaves in his hair. "Flawless plan."
Still annoyed, Eugene silently removed the twig and used it to pick the lock. He opened it with ease, and they stepped into the room. It was primarily paintings of King Trevor, but something was covered at the end of the room. Eugene cringed nervously as Frederic sighed with happiness.
"Ahh… Behind that curtain lies the Royal Seal of Equis," he said, his shadow falling over the curtains. Eugene watched anxiously as King Frederic pulled the shade aside, chortling. "Oh-ho-ho, sweet revenge!"
Eugene opened his mouth in shock… to find an actual seal wearing a crown and collar lying on soft, plush pillows in front of them. The seal let out a sleepy bark, but it was not loud enough to alert the guards.
"It's a seal..." he said in disbelief.
"Indeed," Frederic smiled, hands on his hips. "The Royal Seal... of Equis!"
The seal barked again as if responding to the title.
"It's a seal, seal!" Eugene exclaimed in exasperation. "Not a royal seal!"
"It is a seal owned by a king!" King Frederic declared sternly. "Thus, a royal seal." He stepped closer to the sea animal, which simply barked as the king gestured to it with a hum. "Hm?"
"You have got be kidd–" He said in disbelief before pinching the bridge of his nose, thoroughly exasperated. "You know what? You know what? At this point, never mind!" The king and the seal exchanged glances, eyebrows raised, puzzled by his behavior. "Just grab your end, and let's get out of here!" he instructed while moving behind the seal to lift it.
"I take it this prank isn't going well."
Everyone jumped in surprise as they turned to the door, now closed and barricaded with a long black pole. Leaning against it, arms crossed, was a figure dressed in black from head to toe, except for their eyes.
"Who are you?!" the king demanded, realizing they were trapped.
"Perhaps this will clear things up." They stepped away from the door, standing in the light of the windows before he transformed. Within seconds, his black attire shifted into the familiar costume of the Moonlight Phantom.
"Phantom." Frederic glared at the vigilante.
"Your Majesty." Moonlight looked back at him, unimpressed.
"What are you doing here?" the king questioned.
"Believe it or not, I'm here to help you."
"Help me?" Frederic raised an eyebrow doubtfully.
"Let's just say your daughter became greatly concerned when she learned that you decided to commit a war crime as a prank!" the vigilante explained, blunt and irritated.
"War crime's a bit strong, don't you think?" Eugene asked, becoming nervous.
"Given how protective Trevor is of that seal, no, a war crime fits perfectly!" The Phantom retorted, then glanced back at the king. "Honestly, what were you thinking?! Vandalizing statues was one thing, but this is too much!"
"This is a matter of national pride! I can't allow Trevor to keep making a fool of Corona!" King Frederic argued.
"You could've been the bigger person and let him keep embarrassing himself! No one takes him seriously anyway!" Moonlight countered, then turned to Eugene. "And I'm amazed you went along with this! I thought Flynn Rider didn't do kidnappings?"
"Okay, first of all, I didn't even know the Seal was literally a seal! I thought it was a pin or plaque!" Eugene defended himself.
"And you've been to Equis before?" He threw his hands up in exasperation.
"I wasn't after the Seal that time! Even as a thief, I knew better than to go after it!"
"Wait a minute," Frederic held up his hands, looking at Eugene. "If you didn't want to go after the Seal, why did you agree to the task?"
"One, you're the king. No one says no to the king," Moonlight held up his fingers to count. "Two, you're the father of his girlfriend and someone he wants to impress, and he thinks you don't take him seriously."
Frederic was about to say something when the younger man's words sank in. "Wha—" He glanced at Eugene, who had turned away from the king. "Eugene, Son, is that true?"
The former thief sighed wearily, keeping his gaze averted. "Cass told me what your 'take it under advisement' response means. I thought this prank might be my chance for you to take me seriously, and I was starting to get frustrated when I wasn't able to do that…" Eugene explained as he approached and dropped to the floor beside the seal. "I know, it was dumb."
Realizing something, Frederic walked over and placed his hand on the disappointed man's shoulder as he sat down. "You know, there are many things I fail to take seriously. Eugene, Son…" He turned to the younger man. "You brought my daughter home after eighteen long years." Eugene remained quiet as Frederic thoughtfully remarked, "If there's one man in the whole world I take very seriously… it's you."
His face brightened with surprise. "… Wow. Thanks… Your Majesty," Eugene smiled, feeling slightly better before asking, "Can I ask then why-why didn't you listen to my ideas?"
"You know, I suppose sometimes I let good ones slip through the cracks," he admitted sheepishly. "I should've given your plan more consideration." They exchanged smiles.
"What you should've done is stay in Corona, but that's not the point now," the Moonlight Phantom said while listening through the door for any signs of guards.
"Phantom, we're having a moment," Eugene said deadpan.
"We're also neck-deep in someone else's castle," he retorted, glancing back at them.
"As much as I hate to admit it, the Phantom's right," Frederic agreed reluctantly as they got up. "We should leave before we're spotted."
"What about the seal?" Eugene asked, noticing that the seal had climbed out of its bed.
The Phantom sighed heavily after a minute before returning to the other two. "Alright, if you're going to insist on this prank… I have a different idea that doesn't involve this poor creature becoming your collateral." He gestured to the royal seal, who barked softly as it waddled up to him.
"Are you sure?" Eugene asked, looking at him in surprise.
"If it means shutting Trevor up..."
"Hm..." King Frederic pondered. "What do you have in mind?"
They could almost see the smirk beneath his mask.
(A short time later)
A couple of guards walked past the door to the seal room. "Please, listen, Your Majesty! This plan will not work!" They heard Eugene call out.
The guards ran to the door and burst into the room, which was no longer barricaded. All they found was the Seal in its bed, not realizing it was pretending to sleep. As the guards looked around, they didn't know that Frederic, Eugene, and the Moonlight Phantom (now back in his black disguise) were hiding in the chandelier above. The vigilante watched closely, summoning a pink orb in his hand.
Frederic turned to the rogue. "Alright, what now?"
"Follow my lead," he replied. Looking at the guards below, now seeing six of them, he dropped the pink orb onto them. Pink smoke billowed up as they yelped in shock while being encased in pink goo.
"What is this stuff?!"
"Where did it come from?!"
"We need backup in here!"
"Care to tell us why we're drawing their attention?" Eugene whispered frantically.
"Wait for it," he whispered back.
More guards came rushing in, and the vigilante dropped another goo bomb, trapping them. He continued this at least three more times as Eugene and Frederic watched the guards become trapped and disoriented. By then, there were enough guards to form a battalion, all still calling for help and demanding answers about what was happening.
"Still waiting for the plan, kid," Eugene remarked.
"Any minute now..." he whispered.
"What is the meaning of this?!" The Moonlight Phantom grinned as a pompous man dressed in elaborate robes and jewelry entered.
"Trevor," Frederic sneered quietly.
"Now we get down to business," the Phantom said, summoning a small platform of moonlight beside him.
"What are you all doing?!" King Trevor demanded as he poked at the pink goo. "And what is this?!"
"We don't know! It just came out of nowhere!" a guard responded.
Moonlight placed three knockout orbs on the platform before turning to the other men. "When I say three, hold your breath," he whispered, focusing on the commotion below.
"One… two… three." He made the platform disappear at three, and the orbs dropped onto the group below. The room was filled with green smoke before the pompous man could realize what was happening.
They heard several people collapse, and once the smoke cleared, Moonlight glowed as he hovered down to secure the doors. Eugene and King Frederic climbed down the grappling hook rope and looked around in awe. King Trevor and all the guards in the room were sound asleep. Even the seal emerged from its nest to observe the unconscious humans curiously.
"Okay…" Eugene turned to the magic teen. "What now?"
He gestured to the king, "Go wild, Your Majesty." King Frederic's eyes widened, sparkling with possibilities. Oh, this was going to be fun…
(Later)
After some thought, Frederic decided to have the guards stripped down to their underwear and locked in the dungeon. They also painted the portrait in the Royal Seal room with Corona Suns, wrote "CORONA RULES!" on the wall, and left a sign on the seal's (called Trevor Jr. on the collar) bed that read "out to lunch" before leading him out of the room with them. For any guards they didn't catch, the trio worked together to either lock them in a room or incapacitate them. As for King Trevor, he was given the same treatment as his men, with the added insult of a jester's hat, before they tied him to his statue outside. After placing a sign that read "CORONA RULES!" around his neck and letting Trevor Jr. out at the ocean, they all fled into the night.
The older men stifled their laughter until they were far from the castle. Once alone, they burst out laughing, leaning on each other for support as they shook. "That was… an excellent prank!" King Frederic managed between laughs.
"Oh man!" Eugene laughed even harder. "I wish we could see the looks on his face! What do you think, kid–?" He turned to the Phantom, only to stop when he realized their third companion was gone. "Man, how does he do that?"
"I have no idea," Frederic said with a sigh. "As much as I would love to see Trevor humiliated, and I truly do, I don't think we should leave Rapunzel to worry all night."
"I agree, Your Majesty," Eugene nodded. "If we leave now, we should be back by morning."
"Then, let's not dawdle," Frederic said as they began the long walk home. "Despite the rough start, I would call this heist a success, wouldn't you?"
"I would, Your Majesty. I would," Eugene replied. They were silent for a minute before the former thief spoke up. "Your Majesty, if I may ask, this business with the Moonlight Phantom? What do you think of him?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I know he's a wanted man back in Corona, but I don't think he's such a bad guy. He helped us when Lady Caine attacked the coronation; he helped us catch an art thief and saved Cass and me from the Stabbingtons. He even helped Rapunzel when she and Monty were having a feud."
"Really?" Frederic's eyes widened, having not known about the last incident with Rapunzel.
"All I'm saying is, maybe he's not as bad as you think," Eugene summarized.
The king was silent for a minute, humming as he contemplated his words. "Perhaps… you're right, Eugene. Tonight has definitely given me something to ponder." His response brought a slight smile to Eugene's face, knowing this was a step forward for both of them.
They didn't notice Varian linger behind as they departed to watch them leave. He gave Eugene a grateful smile for standing up for him before silently sinking into the earth.
(The next morning)
They returned to Corona with smug smiles. Frederic clapped the former thief on the back, causing him to stumble slightly before he smiled back. When they reached the castle, however, they stopped short… the archway was adorned with graffiti depicting animals, leaves, birds, and everything in between, all of which suspiciously resembled Rapunzel's art style.
"Oh my…" Eugene murmured.
Suddenly, Rapunzel ran out. "Dad! Eugene!" she cried, catching them both in a surprise hug. "Thank goodness, I was so worried about you two!"
"Welcome back safe and sound!" Varian greeted them, dressed in his nice day clothes.
"Yes, thank you," Frederic nodded at the boy before turning his attention to his daughter. "I'm sorry I worried you, darling."
"Me, too, Blondie," Eugene agreed as she pulled away.
"It's okay, just… next time, think a prank through before you do it," Rapunzel suggested.
"You got it, Sunshine," Eugene promised.
"Of course, Rapunzel," Frederic smiled at his daughter before glancing at the archway. "And what is this…?"
"Oh!" Rapunzel gasped. "I was worried about you two, and Cass thought I needed a distraction. So, she taught me about pranks. This was my recent try," she explained. "What do you think?"
Her father shrugged. "Well, I was surprised when I saw the artwork."
"If I may say, Your Majesty?" Varian spoke up. "I think we should keep it. It doesn't affect structural integrity, isn't too disruptive, and embodies the grace Corona is known for."
"I agree with Varian," Eugene smiled. "I know the archway is meant to convey strength and security, but I don't see why it can't have some color. Plus, this adds a nice Rapunzel touch, don't you think?"
"Besides, if Equis can be intimidating with a green and gold castle, we can certainly add some flair to the archway," the alchemist added.
King Frederic looked over the drawings thoughtfully. "You know… they're right," he smiled at Rapunzel, who smiled back in surprise. "Let's keep it." He patted her shoulder as he walked inside, Cass bowing her head slightly as he passed.
"Wow… Thank you, Dad!" Rapunzel smiled. She then kissed her boyfriend on the cheek before hugging Varian. "Thanks, guys!" The princess then ran after her dad, Cassandra following behind her.
"Hey, thanks for the save, kid…" Eugene walked over to Varian. "Again."
Varian smiled at him. "No more heists?"
"Can't make promises, but I'll try," Eugene agreed as they walked inside.
Varian chuckled. "Looks like her dad likes you now."
"Yup."
"And I'm glad the 'abduction' didn't happen," Varian added. "Is that personal or just one of Flynn Rider's rules?"
"Hm, a little bit of both…" Eugene sighed. "Growing up in an orphanage… I dunno, the thought of putting people in danger like that, especially kids…"
"… Tell me more?" Varian asked after a moment.
Eugene blinked. "More of what?"
"Your past. I know a lot about the Flynn Rider character and your history as Flynn Rider, but I'd like to learn more about Eugene Fitzherbert." Varian smiled.
Eugene chuckled as he draped his arm around the younger man's shoulders. "Well, I guess I can give you some backstory. I was brought to an orphanage before I was old enough to crawl..." He began recounting his story, with Varian listening intently.
(Meanwhile)
Frederic walked into his chambers with a thoughtful expression on his face. As he sat down, he couldn't shake the troubling thoughts from the previous night. The Moonlight Phantom had used alchemy back in Equis, and the only alchemist around…
King Frederic shook his head at the thought. Alchemy wasn't definitive proof. Just because Varian is an alchemist doesn't mean he is the Phantom. There were others out there, and there may be more in Corona who are more secretive about their practices. Besides, Arianna had asked him a moment ago if he had taken any of Varian's alchemy for the prank. The lad noticed that some of his goo bombs were missing when he checked his lab this morning. Then again, why would the Phantom need alchemy with his powers…
Frederic hummed quietly as he looked out the window, fatigue setting in from being up all night. "I'll sleep on it for now…"
And that's the end of this chapter. Next up, it'll be time for Great Expotations.