Tangled the Series Season 2 Finale Fanfic

Fanmade alternate progression of Tangled the Series Season 2 Finale
I wrote this with the opening song “With you by my side” as foreshadowing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RewtgEyEmsM
This is made with the idea that everything up to Eugene’s father’s reveal staying the same.

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Part 1
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“You are my son” the mysterious attacker lowered his weapon.

Startled, Eugene threw his arm out “What kind of mind games are you playing at old man? You really think som-“

“Fitzherbert.”

“Wh- how did you…” Eugene squeezed his eyebrows together, his gaze now reflecting intrigue.

The assaulter took off his beastlike helmet, his compassionate leer fixated on the intruder “Follow me.” He turned around.

It had been 25 long years, but he would never forget the eyes of his son, his only remnant of his late wife. Oh, how much he looked like her. Lost for a moment amidst her memory, he almost forgot to introduce himself.

“I am king Edmund Fitzherbert of the Dark Kingdom. Ages ago our founder, King Herbert the Great, found a precious opal wrought with power. As the legend goes, its weight he took to shape the earth, its glow he lay to end all dearth, its strength he used to form each birth.” Edmund looked back to his son, “We are the descendants of a long line of rulers, each of us infused with the gift of the moon. Including you, my son. I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors of the sundrop’s power. Just as the sun gives us life, the moon protects us.”

Eugene steadied his hand on the cave wall, the opening growing wider. Trying to think with what little rationality he had left, his smirk got the better of him. Gentle laughing echoes filled the corridor, and as quickly as they came they left. “Man,” Eugene patted his so-called father, “You really are a crazy fella aren’t ya? Out in this rusty ol’ castle for who knows how long must’ve taken a heck of a toll on you buddy.” His mind lingered on his family name. “D-Don’t worry your majesty.” He shook his head “Now that your, uh, ‘son’ and his magical girlfriend with sundrop powers is here, we’ll have the kingdom saved and the stone destroyed in no ti-“

“THE SUNDROP!?” King Edmund grabbed Eugene on both shoulders. “The sundrop is alive!? And here!?”

“Yes, is there a, uh, problem with that?” Eugene squeaked out

“We must make haste.” Edmund quickened his pace. “If the sundrop is to ever make contact with the moonstone there’s no telling what danfer will befall us. We must stop her before anything dangerous happens.”

Eugene panicked. “Dangerous?! But Adira told us- Adira…!” he growled. Of all the things Cass could be right about he hoped this wasn’t one of them. “So, what is so ‘dangerous’ about the sundrop and moonstone interacting, exactly? Um, father.” He forced a smile as he tried to play to the king’s good side.

“Well it’s only a theory really, given that the two have never interacted. You see my boy, as the sun grants life and energy, the moon gives us solitude and rest. They are two opposing forces of nature, no one can for sure predict the outcome, that is why it is far too dangerous to entrust its power to anyone but us, and why I sent all my subjects to a safer life in nearby kingdoms upon the true harm it revealed to me on that day…  We must not protect only the world from the opal, but ourselves. I don’t know what your girlfriend is- Wait, you have a girlfriend?” Edmund squealed at the thought. “Oh, my little boy all grown up, how did I ever miss all your milestone? I’m so proud of you.” He reached for a hug which Eugene promptly deflected.

“Uh huh, that’s great. And I’ll be proud of -you- as soon as you tell me what you were going to say. It sounded like you were getting somewhere pretty important.”

“Oh yes, erm.” Edmund clears his throat, regaining his stoic face. “Just as the ultimate life has palliated the sundrop’s power, so should the ultimate rest alleviate the moonstone’s.” Edmund stopped in his tracks and faced Eugene. “A birth to quell the sun, and a death to cease the moon. Only in a vessel of their kind will their thirst for destruction be satiated.”

Eugene’s ears fixated on those words. “A life… Rapunzel’s birth.” He looked towards the king “But it should all be good, right? The moonstone will neutralize the sundrop’s powers and she’ll become a normal human being… Right?” He questioned, hoping for words of affirmation, only to hear the quiet distant echoes of the cave.

King Edmund spoke, “I can assure you…” Eugene flashed a smile. “That will not be the case”.

“Oh, are you KIDDING me!?” exasperated Eugene.

Edmund continued. “The sun holds predominance over the moon on an ordinary day, however should a fateful event befall where the moon collides with the sun, a phenomena known as a solar eclipse occurs, blotting out the sun. In other words, the sun dies.”

Eugene slumps to the ground, “No. Nononono, that can’t be. There is NO way that is going to happen! I have faith in Rapunzel and myself to know that we’ll get through this together! No blottings, no injuries, and certainly no deaths. That last one is an EXTREME no-no! I came on this journey to assist with her destiny, not lead to her doom, and I’ll see through to that! We’ll get this whole magical destiny thing out of the way through and start our destiny 2.0 back in Corona, with a castle, a marriage, a few grandkids down the line maybe-”

“Destiny? HA!” Edmund bellowed a laugh. “You believe your destiny is with her?”

“Well of course! But that’s not the point, the point is she’s-“

“Listen here boy,” Eugene faced Edmund. “Your destiny is here, with me, putting an end to that stone’s misery and guarding it for humanity’s sake. While I am glad you have someone willing to protect you cannot delude yourself into having her calling replace your own destiny. I mean, do you honestly believe you had ever sought her from your own free will?”

Lost for words, Eugene furrowed his brow at the stranger “What are you trying to say?”

“You said it yourself, she has the sundrop’s essence. And you have the moonstone’s.”

“OH enough with that!” Eugene snapped his eyes in a glare “I can’t take this anymore! Listen here pal,” He poked a finger at Edmund’s chest, “Just because you knew my name doesn’t prove anything! For all I know you could be making this whole story up because, because…. Because you’re just some crazy lunatic that’s been hiding alone in a castle all his life with poorer social skills than Shorty!”

Edmund silently lowered his head, eyes turned to the exit. “I believe we are here. Welcome home.”

The floor had shifted to smooth, dark tiles. Around him, Eugene saw a great expanse of abandoned dressers, beds, and armoires. High ceilings exemplified the lack of natural light coming into the room. Everything seemed cold and obtuse. Black drapes spread across the floor as makeshift rugs, ornate black rocks not unlike the pointed ones he and Rapunzel had been following wrapped around even the smallest of furniture. How anyone could call this place home was an anomaly to him. Yet as he thought that, a familiar cold, musky air entered his senses.

“Wow, you really went all-in with the whole dark theme, didn’t ya?” He shifted his body in the eerily comforting atmosphere.

“Here, you think you aren’t my son? Let this spark your memories.” The king spoke with sophisticated diligence, it was hard to disobey his command, “Take this in hand.” He set a crescent gem in his son’s hand.

“Is this… the moonstone?” Eugene asked, drawing his thumb over its comforting shape.

The king chuckled heartily. “No, don’t worry.” His reminiscent stare lying on Eugene, who was visibly deep in thought.

Eugene looked around, then back at the jewel, holding it up to the ceiling. Its distant glimmer struggling to shine in the gloomy room. Its shape felt so familiar, just like this palace. Delving deeper and deeper into his mind, Eugene recalled past crescents, the distinctive familiar pattern he would always lose himself in on every night in the orphanage before bed, on every clear night sky during a heist. He remembered the sound of chimes. Hundreds of crescent-shaped chimes singing in the moonlight outside his window. Outside that window. Right next to…

“This crib.” Eugene turned to Edmund.

“Is yours” He beamed a tender gaze.

Eugene clenched the crescent moon, trying to find the words to express everything he was feeling. “You’re my… This is my…. But, how were you so certain?”

“You can tell a lot about a man by his eyes.” His father replied. “I can see the moon reflected in yours, just as your mother’s.”

Well he was right about that, thought Eugene. Every time he looked into Rapunzel’s eyes he swears he can see the sun, her dreams, and their love. He turned to his father.

“What am I supposed to do with this information? I’m a prince. I have a father. I have…. What else do I have?” He softly inquired. “You said my mother. Do I have a mother?”

“I’m afraid not anymore.” He eyes grew heavy. “She fell victim to the moonstone’s power. It was my fault, really. If I hadn’t argued for her to stay away when I tried to destroy it, then maybe I could’ve…” He stopped. Eugene was visibly disheartened.

“But you do have an entire generational lineage connected to the moonstone.” Edmund changed the subject. “In fact, your entire life has been building up to this moment. Just as our ancestors.”

“My entire… What? No, my entire life has been building up to be with Rapunzel, I-“

“The sundrop?” his father burst out. “I see your mind’s still in a haze, so let me state this clearly: The moonstone and sundrop, as well as all who are connected to them must never, EVER intermingle, lest catastrophe fall upon them. Let me ask you this boy, has your entire relationship with her been smooth sailing? Have all your adventures together been sweet sugarplums and peaches? Just how many times have you endangered yourselves ever since your first step outside Corona!? Can’t you see what toll the struggle of the sun and moon are inflicting on a single girl? Any sane person would stay away from such dangerous perils but your sundrop has come all this way! Do you not see the inherent attraction between the sun and the moon, and that all that spreads in their path is destruction?”

Eugene choked, feeling his throat close with every word that came out of that mouth.

“How did you meet her, boy? Let me guess, it was by chance encounter wasn’t it? You were strolling along one fateful day when something, a ‘feeling’, just pulled you towards her. You hadn’t even seen her yet but-” Edmund brought his face to Eugene’s. “You simply knew you had to go there, and when you did,” he smiled, “from the first moment you laid your eyes on her, you knew,” Eugene gulped as his father whispered in his ear “You knew right there and then: ‘I love her’.”

Edmund brought his head back from the side of Eugene’s ears, locking onto his trembling eyes, visibly shaking. His whole worldview shattering right before his very being.

“Love at first sight only exists in fairytales, my dear boy. What you have been feeling all along was the natural attraction of the sun and the moon.” He stepped back to give him some space. “I’ll go check on the other entrances. Meet me downstairs when you feel ready.”

The only sound in the room was the slow creak of the weathered door closing, but all Eugene could hear were the words of his father, his questioning destiny, ringing around him. He really was part of this royal family with connection to the moonstone, but what did that mean about him? His life? All his time with Rapunzel… Everything he knew, everything he thought he knew…

~~~~~ Eugene’s solo “Everything I ever thought I knew” ~~~~~
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBqXL5Q3KR8

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Part 2
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Eugene got up and head downstairs. He was uncertain about his new destiny, but Rapunzel and his love for her -if he can still even call it that- was steadfast. He would not let her be hurt by this curse any longer. He had to destroy the moonstone.

“Alright pops,” Eugene spoke up to the king “What’s phase one to get rid of this lunar doohickey?”

Edmund raised a brow, “You can’t simply destroy the moonstone. Its magic is of inequitable power. The only way to get rid of it once and for all would be the sundrop, even just a single drop of its power would be enough, but as I have stated earlier there is no guarantee the sundrop would survive through that.”

Eugene groaned. “Oh come on! Here I am realizing my destiny is to take care of this crystal and you go ahead and snip it in the bud? What are we supposed to do, just watch it for eternity? Listen, I didn’t give up my whole life to come here just to end up in front of a brick wall!” Eugene sat down and rested his cheek on his knuckles.

“Well, there is this sword” Edmund showed Eugene Adira’s sword made out the black rocks that had fell down the chasm with them. “I was going to try to break it with this once we knew your friends were safe and far away from here.” He handed it to Eugene. “But seeing them try to break in here I suspect that is easier said than done.”

“Father I promise I will take care of the moonstone with everything I’ve got.” Eugene was determined now.

“Are you crazy?” Edmund chuckled. “You’ll get yourself killed. I’m the one who will be going. You will hold the rope so I can get across the broken platform. Now stay here in case they reach the room, I’ll search for a rope.” Edmund left, leaving Eugene dumbfounded.

Just as he was starting to recoup from his would-be-heroic turning point, he heard a squeaking noise.

“Pascal?”

“ighyau” he squeals chameleonishly.

“What are you doing here? You know what, that doesn’t matter.” He picked him up. “Look this is going to sound crazy, but this place is… where I come from.” Pascal looked around the room before finally focusing on Eugene.

“Isn’t this great? All this time I’ve been dreaming about living in a castle, and now it turns out I have two! With a bit of renovation this could easily be our summer getaway, just wait ‘til I tell Rapunzel about this-“

Pascal gave him a knowing look.

“Rapunzel…” He reminisced. “I… I forgot. I shouldn’t be with her anymore- I can’t be with her. For her sake. It’s better this way. I know we brought her here to grab the stone but everything… everything is different now. You have to go back.”

Pascal gave a queried look.

Eugene hesitated. “Look, the last time someone tried to destroy the moonstone, I lost my mother.”

Pascal gave a sympathetic pat.

“I don’t want us to lose Rapunzel too.” Eugene seemed torn.

Pascal scampered across his torso and into his belt.

“What’s this?” Pascal held up the note. Eugene read it, “One of her company will turn against her…” His mournful eyes found Pascal’s. “It’s me…” Pascal nodded. “I’m the one who turned against her….” Conflicting emotions echoed in his words. His whole world was crumbling all over again, just like…

“The castle!” Eugene snapped out of his trance. The castle was shaking. “We’ve got to find Rapunzel and- and- and-….” He looked to Pascal’s eyes for guidance and his own heart for a compromise. “And make sure she’s safe.” Pascal nodded and scurried into his pouch. Just as he was about to leave, he heard struggling grunts approaching.

“Hu-ungh!” A familiar voice pushed beside a fallen platform. It was Rapunzel.

She gasped, “Eugene! I’m so glad you’re safe! Oh, and you even found Adira’s sword!” She remarked. “We ran into that crazy guy who attacked us on the gondola and he said you had joined his side but I knew, deep down I knew you’d never leave me!” She went in for a hug, yearning for his touch.

“Stay back!” He warned, wishing he could tell her why, only for a falling rock to do his work for him.

“Oh right,” she exclaimed. “This is kind of a danger zone. Sorry about that” she feigned a smile as her glowing hair betrayed her. The rumbling grew louder.

The rest of the party hastily entered the room, king Edmund blocking their attacks somewhat successfully.

“Raps we need to get you into that room!” Cassandra braved a hit with her sword.

“Make sure she is the only one inside when she sings!” Adira reminded them to Cassandra’s annoyance.

“What? No, that’s stupid! I need to be in there with her to make sure she’s safe! There’s no telling what’s going to happen to her in there!” Cassandra ran towards the wall hoping to avoid the caving ceiling. “I have just as much of a right to be in that room with her! The rocks led ALL of us here!”

“You have no idea what kind of power the moonstone holds, you are far too weak!” Adira somersaulted out of Edmund’s range as Cassandra’s temper brimmed.

“NONE OF YOU are getting into that room!” King Edmund roared. “Change of plans, son. You’ll have to use the sword without me. Catch!” Edmund threw the rope across the room.

“Son?” Rapunzel flashed a smile, she didn’t even process the rest of the sentence. For a moment all tension in the room was lost. “Eugene you have a father?” She looked towards him with an urge to hug him had he been closer.

Cassandra tripped. “Now’s really not the time for this, Raps!” The tremors made it hard to get closer to the door.

“You finally got adopted!” Lance chimed proudly, barely dodging a falling rock.

Cassandra sighed and sounded a loud “A-HEM!” to get everyone’s attention. “Can we please focus on completing this destiny thing first? The whole castle is collapsing!” She blinked, amazed at all the irresponsible companions she called her allies.

“Oh, um right, right.” Rapunzel collected herself and invited Eugene with an innocent gaze, “Come on Eugene, let’s do this.”

But he didn’t return the favor. He couldn’t look at her in the eyes. He couldn’t bear to see her as her whole world crumbled, not after she would know what his next action would be.

“I love you” were his last words before the shut the door and barring the handles with the sword.

“Wh- Eugene?” Those three words he had always said to fill her heart with joy now sucked it all out. In a way, it was worse than saying nothing at all.

“Eugene, wait! Open up! Why are you doing this!?” There should’ve been a door muffling those yells yet here he heard them, clear as bell, drenched in all the horror of his worst fears.

He concentrated on lassoing the rope so he could shuffle his way to the moonstone. Hardly concentrating as the door projected all his sorrows the whole time until he finally got it across.

“Rapunzel I can’t let you do this!” He tied the handles with rope, replacing the sword which he strapped to his back. “I’m sorry but you have to trust me.”

“Please, just open this door and let me in! We’ll talk it through -whatever is on your mind- and everything will be alright!” Rapunzel pleaded. “Eugene!” The door kept banging, begging to be open.

Cassandra barged at the door. “Raps we have to get you in there to sing, the whole room is caving in.”

“But Eugene-”

“Will be fine.” She was lying. Cassandra had no idea what would become of Eugene, but her goal was to help her friend to the moonstone room, no matter what.

On the other side of the door Eugene set down Pascal. “Now listen here buddy, if you open up that door that means I fall down that deep, dark, spikey death trap and you wouldn’t want that now, would ya?” Pascal looked below the seemingly endless dark chasm and shook his head. “Good, now make sure that rope doesn’t get loose before I make it across.

Cassandra charged at the door once more. “Ugh! This is impossible! We need to find another way in.”

“No, there isn’t enough time!” Rapunzel banged the door, “Eugene!”. Pascal cried. A glint of hope flashed across her eyes. “Pascal! Oh Pascal, please, try to find a way to open this door!”

“gwyuh…” Pascal squealed. How could he explain the situation to her?

“Please, I’m begging you.” She pleaded, not sure what to expect anymore.

Pascal couldn’t resist her. He untied the knot as Eugene barely reached the opal’s platform.

The door swung open to Rapunzel. “Thank you, Pascal. I knew I could trust you.” She picked up her friend and set him outside the room, “Now go hide somewhere, things might get a little ugly.” She let down her hair.

“weeiuy” Pascal pointed to Eugene, who was scrambling on to the pedestal’s edge after the brief incursion.

“Oh! Eugene! Are you alright? Don’t worry,” Rapunzel grabbed the rope, “I’ll get you out of there-“

“Don’t!” Eugene got up, “You’ll only hurt yourself, I’m doing this for your own safety!” he implored.

Rapunzel searched for somewhere to tie the rope so she could get across but in her panicked state she couldn’t think straight. “Eugene, listen to me,” Her mind was not working properly today. “I know what I’m doing!” Her pleas getting more desperate. She consulted Cassandra “I need to get over there. Someone has to knock some sense into him.” Her hands were still occupied with the rope when Pascal started scurrying along it. Rapunzel called out to him in vain. How could she protect everyone if no one would listen to her?

“I’m sorry Rapunzel” Eugene lifted the sword, preparing to strike the moonstone only to feel a scaly sensation rummaging around his sleeve. “Wh- Pascal stop that! I’m only trying to protect everyone!” Eugene’s attention left the moonstone long enough for an opening. Rapunzel whipped her hair around the black sword, as it flung out of Eugene’s grip and pierced the floor right in front of Cassandra.

“Cass hurry, take that thing and get out of here!” Rapunzel hoped she would at least listen to her. She knew to have faith in her best friend. Cass would have enough common sense to know it’s safer outside. There was no way all of her friends could betray her in one day. The note only said one. Just one… “Cass, hurry.” They exchanged looks. She didn’t move. Rapunzel’s face melted into sorrow. “What are you standing there for!?” She snapped, tears welling in her eyes.

“I’m sorry Raps.” Cassandra gripped the sword and held it high.

“No. Not you too…” Rapunzel leaned into Cass when she swung the sword.

*SHWING*

Cassandra let go of the hilt. Rapunzel’s arms fell silently around her. “Now it’s just the two of us.” Cassandra turned to Eugene.

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Part 3
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“How could you do this…“ Rapunzel wept in Cassandra’s shadow trying to feel faith in her friends but couldn’t find it. “You won’t be safe like this…”

“Come on, we don’t have much time.” Cassandra knelt next to Rapunzel. Now that she had barricaded the door with the sword interruptions were of no concern, but the castle was still crumbling down. “So what’s the plan? Come on Raps, we’re in this together,” Rapunzel had her head against Cassandra’s breast trying to fight back tears, “We promised that much. I’m not leaving you, not now, not until we get to that stone and destroy it. I know the risks.” She put her hand on her shoulder. “So tell me, what do we do?”

“I- I don’t know…” Rapunzel wiped her tears and stood up. “But maybe now he’ll listen.” The slightest bit of determination returned to her voice.

Eugene was at a loss. Without the sword he had no chance. After all that was his only way to destroy the moonstone without the sundrop, but he would not let Rapunzel die from this. He couldn’t even bear the though. She deserved better, she deserved a fulfilling life free from everything magical and strange. He owed her that much.

 “I’ve already died once and I’m not afraid to do it again! Not for her sake!” Again… Eugene’s mind sparked.

“Even a single drop of its power… would be enough…” The words of his father echoed through his head. Eugene reached for his cheek where Rapunzel had mourned his loss two years ago. “Rapunzel shared the sundrop’s power… with me.” He turned to Pascal, as if a frog could understand what his mind was going through. “The moon cannot be seen without the sun’s light. That’s what Demanitus said.” His mind raced through each time they had been in danger, every time her hair had saved them. When he was the most faithful to her he could feel the warmth of their love, like the sun rises after the moon trudges through the night, trying its best to reflect what little light it can, enduring until each dawn. “All this time…” Eugene smiled to himself. “She’s been my moon…“ He wiped a tear from his eye and reached for the opal. “Now it’s time for me to be her sun.”

“Eugene!” Rapunzel gasped, “What are you doing!?”

He ignored her, “If I just sing that song,” he thought to himself, “Then whatever small amount of the sundrop I have should resonate with the moonstone.” He squeezed his hand through the embellishing, stretching his fingers to the stone. Pascal hid in his pouch.

“EUGENE!” Rapunzel cried, but as he grasped the moonstone she realized she had no choice. She looked to Cassandra, who gave her a reassuring nod. Song filled the room like tears filled her eyes.

~~~~~ Sundrop and Moonstone incantations play at the same time ~~~~~
http://www.youtubemultiplier.com/5cb3bc73d81b3-tangled-healing-and-hurt-double-voice.php

Rapunzel’s hair filled the cavernous room, their tendrils joining the rocks like columns of stalactites. The whole room was engulfed in a darkness that only Eugene’s glow could penetrate. Cassandra dodged the hair while staying close to Rapunzel as best as she could.

Rapunzel’s eyes darkened into smooth black orbs, her gasp quivering at the tremendous power she held. But in all that darkness she could see a light.

“Eugene…” she whispered.

The room went quiet, save for the faint echoes of three breaths.

“I-it’s working….” Eugene panted as a fracture appeared across the moonstone. It was small, yet it was there. “You just need to, hng” he struggled strained against the overflowing power his body could barely tolerate. “You just have to leave.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for me.” Rapunzel struggled to get the last words out. “Not again...”

Cassandra looked to her friend’s sorrowful face, her remorse resonating with her.

Another fracture developed across the opal. Eugene could feel his life weakening, but his grip remained steady.

“Raps we need to get you over there!” Cassandra carefully maneuvered around the princess. “If I could just carry you across-“

“No!” her voice carried the strength of the outstretched arm she couldn’t hold “Please, you’ve done enough. Just, just- uagh…” her head hurt. Her fingers grew numb.

“Raps I know what I’m doing. I know the consequences and I knew them the moment we started this journey. All this time I’ve been asking you to trust me, yet I’ve never been proving to you -why- you should. Now is that time,” Cassandra clenched her right hand and whispered to herself, “Now is the time to put an end to all of this.”

She picked up Rapunzel. “Cass, no. W-what are you doing?” She begged. “I’m going…. to hurt you… again...” She couldn’t resist. Her body felt heavy.

“Look at you,” Cassandra hauled her legs through the thick bramble of hair which had now filled the gap and filled the platform’s gap. “Always worrying about others and never for yourself.” Her gait grew sluggish. It was hard to see with the only light beaming from the silver moonstone’s refractions and Eugene’s steady golden glow. “Always caring about others to the point where you can’t see us caring about you.” She shifted her weight to her good leg. The only thing Rapunzel could feel was the warmth of her armor. “Always trying to make everything better by making it worse.” A tear rolled down Cassandra’s cheek, Rapunzel could swear it was glowing, but it could just as well have been reflecting Eugene.

“Cass…” Rapunzel wished she could console her. How many times had she hurt her without knowing it?

“I’m tired of you hurting me, and I’m tired of -letting- you hurt me, but most of all,” Cass cringed on her next step. “Most of all, I’m tired of letting -myself- get hurt by you.” Rapunzel said nothing. “From now on, I am going to be the only one I let myself hurt.” She lifted her foot onto the pedestal.

Rapunzel could barely muster a word. “You… Eu…” Cassandra lifted her up.

“I believe your prince is here.” Cassandra took Rapunzel’s elbow and guided her outstretched hand past Eugene and towards the stone. Her fingers casting dancing shadows across their faces.

Rapunzel’s finger had almost reached the opal’s facet when she heard her name.

“Rapunzel…” It was Eugene. “Don’t do this, please.” He was struggling to form words. The moonstone was severely cracked. “I don’t want to put you into anymore danger.”

She blinked and reached for her words. “Then what do you call this?”

He looked around, the entire room as black as night. The only light illuminating her tears. What had he done? All this time trying to protect her, yet she still ended up like this. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was and how foolish it had all been. But he needn’t say what his face already showed.

He reached for her hand.

They interlocked fingers.

Her dancing shadows fainted backstage.

His streaming light draping over the corners.

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Part 4
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The sun was barely on the horizon, but it already looked like a bright day was ahead. Rapunzel reached for her aching head, pleasantly surprised by the feeling of her short brown hair again, not that it was the thing she was most concerned about now. She helped Cassandra up next to her, her armor broken all over and her clothes torn at the legs and arms.

“Cass, you’re…”

Cassandra groaned. She lifted her hand to her bruised arm. “Oh, that stings. It feels…. feels…” She looked to her body, surprised at the lack of serious injuries. Besides her still-recovering right hand, it was as if she had been bruised all over with a few slight wounds, nothing compared to the blistering sensation he had been enduring up until a minute ago.

“This must be because of the moonstone’s power.” Rapunzel answered her thoughts. “Didn’t Adira said it had the power to protect? Maybe that also meant protect from injury. When I touched Eugene I think I also felt- oh no, Eugene!” He had to be around here somewhere. He had to.  “Where’s Eugene?” she panicked.

“I’m over here.” His voice muffled under the rubble. “100% okay too, might I add.”

Rapunzel sighed, “OH Eugene!” She followed his voice. “Stay right where you are, we’ll get you out of there right away.”

“Hard to get anywhere under this much debris!” His shout just loud enough to locate him.

The girls made their way to the rubble where Eugene lay and started sifting through it.

Cassandra softly opened her mouth, “Raps, I’m sorry for being a jerk.”

“What are you talking about?” She reassured her. “You just helped me save Eugene, Corona, the whole world.”

“I mean this entire trip.” Cass corrected herself. “All this time I was jealous, and hateful, and it was just building up inside without me knowing it.” She avoided looking at Rapunzel’s eyes. “Before today, I didn’t even know what the moonstone meant for my destiny. I thought…”

“You thought what?” Rapunzel hands slowed down.

“I thought that the moonstone could’ve even been my destiny.” Cassandra confessed to a startled Rapunzel. “But after seeing you and Eugene, thinking the same thing I did, and even making all those tough decisions I never even thought were inside of you… I realized it wasn’t the moonstone that was my destiny” She finally looked in her eyes, not afraid of the truth anymore. “It was each other.”

Realizing what she had just said, Cassandra returned to digging Eugene out of the rubble trying to hide her embarrassment. Rapunzel smiled sincerely. She was glad to have such a trustworthy friend. They continued to move aside the fallen debris and finally dug out Eugene.

“Hey, you alright blondie? If I should even be calling you that anymore?”

Rapunzel giggled “Not anymore, and not ever.” She jumped into his embrace. “Oh, I was so worried!”

“Me too.” He held her tightly, feeling her breath in his arms. “But it’s all over now”.

She smiled warmly, as if she was full of light. “So what do we do now?” Rapunzel turned to Cassandra.

“I guess we go back home?” She had no idea. Not that it mattered, as long as they were together.

Pascal emerged from Eugene’s pouch.

“Oh there you are Pascal!” Rapunzel lifted him in her hands and nuzzled him gently.

Over the distance they could see their friends emerging.

“Looks like everything turned out fine.” Adira arrived first with Lance oogling behind her.

“Hm, oh yeah. Great job everyone. Knew you had it in ya!” Lance halfheartedly congratulated them, too mesmerized by his muse.

“It appears everything is… finally over.” Edmund sighed with relief.

Rapunzel looked to her friends. “I guess so.” She held onto their hands with hers. Cassandra on her left, Eugene on her right as they watched the new day dawn.

Rapunzel briefly let go and pulled them both in for a hug.

The moon had set, and they embraced under a new sun.

___________________________________
Alt ending
___________________________________

“Hey, you alright blondie? If I should even be calling you that anymore?”

“Probably not, but I don’t think that nickname has quite, erm… retired yet.” Rapunzel glanced at Cassandra, who held a confused look.

“Well I don’t see how you can call a brunette ‘blondie’ without getting weird loo-oohoohoohoohooks- MY HAIR!” Eugene twisted and turned his head at the mirror in Cassandra’s hand. “This is a disaster! A catastrophe! Everything’s gone horrible wrong!”

Adira runs up to the rubble. “What’s wrong? Is the moonstone still intact!?”

“WORSE!” Eugene interjects, “I’M BLOND!”

“Oh my,” sneered Adira, “That -is- a tragedy.”

“Hmm, well at least it’s the same length,” Rapunzel quizzingly examined his hair amidst his mumbling.

“I’m not freaking out, are you freaking out?” Eugene paced around biting his fingers “I mean we’ve seen this happen before, right? Just in the reverse order?” He looked to Pascal and rotated his index fingers around one another counterclockwise, who returned an innocent shrug.

Cassandra shifted the rubble aside, helping king Edmund, Lance, and Shorty up and catch everyone up to speed.

“I’m sure there’s a perfectly logical explanation for this,” Rapunzel tried to calm Eugene down but he wouldn’t listen.

“-and how am I supposed to pass of a ‘tall, dark, and mysterious’ vibe without the second part!? It’s like trying to make a grilled cheese sandwich without the cheese! Then it’s just toast! And another thing-”

Cassandra plugged her ears, “If he doesn’t shut himself up soon, I will!”

“I wonder how this could’ve happened.” Rapunzel questioned out loud.

“Oh well it’s simple, really.” Adira opened her eyes surrounded by sullen looks. “From what Short Hair told me it seems that the sundrop resonated so well with Fishskin over here that its power came back. It’s funny though, I’d expect you to have gone through this given how much more power still lies inside you.” She gestured to Rapunzel. “It must be because he acted as the bridge between you and the moonstone.”

“So how do we fix this?” Rapunzel asked with Eugene shaking Lance the background. “I mean, unless this isn’t a threat, in which case I can’t see any no reason to-“

Eugene cut in, “No threat!?” he squeaked. “This is a threat to my fashion statement!”

“Alright, alright, we’ll just cut it” Rapunzel reached for her scissors. “If it’s anything like my hair was this shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”

“Wh- Do you even hear yourself?” Eugene exasperated. “I can only have a haircut every fifteen days.” Cassandra and Lance shared looks. Rapunzel knew already what he was talking about. “And today’s day 5! I can’t risk mangling up my hair any worse than it is now! You know a wise poet once said-”

The gang exchanged confused looks as Eugene trailed off.

Rapunzel turned to Cassandra, “Either way, I guess this means we still have some unfinished business. If I’m really the one who caused this, it could even I have some powers still hidden inside of me I don’t know of. Do you think it’s too early for another adventure?” She asked anticipant.

“Well, the only problem is,” Cassandra remarked, “We don’t know where to go from here.”

They both looked towards Adira. “What?” She raised an eyebrow. “Why does everyone always assume I have an answer to everything?”

They sighed. Then king Edmund spoke up. “I have heard rumors” he started. “About an ancient Saporian city. They say they were the first witnesses of the sundrop and moonstone descend from the heavens. Now how to get there…” He knew no more information.

“I shall guide you.” Adira stepped forward. “I actually happen to have stumbled upon this ancient map during one of my travels.” She removed an old scroll from her belt.

Cassandra blurted “You -literally- just said we assume you know everything.”

“Yeah,” Adira quipped, “But I didn’t say you were wrong in that”.

“Could’ve said so sooner.” Cassandra growled, snatching the map from her hands. “How do you even read this thing anyway?” It was covered in glyphs, or an unknown alphabet of some sort.

Adira plucked it out of her hand. “It’s an ancient writing system the Saporians developed. Nowadays it’s only used for encrypting classified documents. I’ve yet to decipher the whole thing, but it’s a start.”

Eugene had calmed down by now and the three heroes stood side by side, Rapunzel in the middle. They looked to each other.

“So our adventure continues?” Cassandra peeked a curious smile.

“I guess so.” Eugene smirked to the expansive horizon.

Rapunzel grabbed both their hands. “Well what are we waiting for?” The sun shone brightly in her eyes. She grinned and pulled them in. “Let’s go!”