Maybe that was some sort of sleeping monster. See their wide-opened eyes ? All of different shapes, all of different sizes, but definitely all of the same specie. And best would be, not to wake them up. Who knows what power they hold in their strange looking bodies ?

Carefully, Eugène took a step back from the four-wheeled monster he had just approached. He had touched it, and it felt very cold, maybe metal ? There were dozens of them everywhere he looked at, and it was quite frankly terrifying. The one he touched even had its name written on the forehead : Toyota. Absolutely terrifying.

Yesterday, he fell asleep peacefully in the arms of his beloved Rapunzel, in their castle in Corona. And next thing he knows, he wakes up in the middle of the night in this unknown place, without anyone to ask for help. He went knocking on a few doors, but either everyone was heavily asleep, or all the people were killed by these sleeping monsters. Eugène was totally convinced of the latter.

What was he doing here ? Was this place even real ? And what was he supposed to do to go back home ? Wandering nervously around the silent village, the brown-haired lad was trying to understand what was going on. His leather boots' heels slammed the ground at a frantic pace. He took a glance at them. How was he even wearing them ? He obviously did not go to bed with his boots on, let alone his former thief clothing that he was now wearing. Something was odd.

It felt like hours, even days passed by without the sun rising. And Eugène felt very relieved of the matter because the monsters couldn't wake up before the sun (at least he decided so). But he also felt gradually anxious. He was all by himself, and Rapunzel or Maximus were nowhere to be found. Plus, this place was incredibly bizarre. He looked everywhere for a way out. He opened every door that he could possibly open, hoping to find an exit. But he was still stuck there, and the dawn was dangerously approaching.

I need to hide from the monsters. This thought would not leave his mind. He noticed that the monsters liked to sleep as a flock, in certain areas of the town. The more he walked away from the central area, the less monsters there were. Fine, he'll keep walking towards those isolated houses. Maybe he would even find a few survivors he could ask some help to.

The sun was almost up now, and Eugène looked up at the houses surrounding him. They were very off-looking, what kind of strange place was this ? The first ray of sun appeared.

And that's when he heard it. Her voice. He could recognize it amongst a thousands. She was singing this song he knew by heart.

"- Rapunzel !" he whispered, all his fears gone.

He ran towards the sweet melody, and ended up in front of a large and tall house in an even more secluded area. He raised his head, and there she was, looking through a window of the first floor. His queen, his loved one. Finally ! He smiled, and took a deep breath.

"- Rapunzel, what are you doing up there ? he said loudly. No because really I've been walking around all night, and I am dead tired. Do you even know what this place is ? I'm super confused to be fair, maybe I could even say I was a bit terrified. Oh and did you see those monsters ? ... What ? I can't hear you love, wait I'm coming.

He tried to open the front door. Locked ? He rolled his eyes. She never makes things easy for him. She could at least have unlocked the door to let him in. He looked at the house front and sighted. Anyway, it wouldn't be the first time he has to climb a wall to reach her, right ?

‘This is a story of how I got really, really bored’, Gabrielle scribbled on the notebook sitting in her lap. The young woman stared at the flyer that was handed out to her in front of the video-club and bit the inside of her cheek. ‘Bonefire on the beach’, it read. ‘Don’t miss the party of the year!’

Hearing the jingling keys of her mother downstairs, Gabrielle joined her in the lobby. The older woman pressed her daughter against her heart and caressed her long blonde hair. When she let go, the younger woman gathered all the courage she could muster, and started spouting her lame talking points inaudibly.

‘Gabrielle, what did I tell you ?’ her mother interrupted. ‘Stop with the mumbling. You know how I feel about the mumbling.’

Her mother had qualities, but she certainly was not the lenient type.

‘See, there is this party’, the girl muttered, a bit more clearly. ‘It’ll be on the beach, and there’s supposed to be a bonfire. I was hoping…’

Her mother gave her a disdainful look.

‘Mother, can… can I please go ?’

‘Hundreds of times I have told you this. Evil lurks about, and the souls or intentions of men are as dark as night can be. You are all I have in this world. After your father…’ The words seemed to get caught in her throat. ‘I would feel so much better knowing you are sound and safe at home.’

Gabrielle stared at the framed picture sitting over the fireplace and sighed loudly. Her mother cupped her face in her hand.

‘You are my home. I know I can trust you. I love you very much, dear.’
‘I love you more.’
‘I love you most.’

She suddenly let go, grabbed her travel bag and headed for the door.

‘Gold will be waiting for me. Have to go. I will be back first thing Monday morning. Ta-ta, my dear one.’

Of course the tentative dialogue with her mother had gone horribly. What was she expecting, really? A beach party! How could the woman who raised her to believe the whole world was too dangerous a place for her agree to letting her only and most precious daughter go to a beach party?

The only places she was allowed to visit were the library, the book-store and the video-club. After having been home-schooled her entire life, she was now taking distance courses for her Art History Major at the Storybrooke College.

‘Mother knows best’, she grumbled, climbing the stairs back to her room as the older woman was leaving the premises.

Gabrielle paced in her room like a bird in a cage. It was Friday evening, her mother was out who-knew-where. Working, she had told her. She was always working. And she was all alone. Again. She did not feel like studying. It was Friday night, after all. Reading? Nope. Painting, maybe? Not in the mood. She fed a few dried insects to her pet chameleon in its terrarium and sat at her piano, picking out a tune she liked to play by ear when she was bored. It was some sort of lullaby she sometimes hummed as well. Gabrielle had no idea where she had heard it before, but she had the haunting feeling it had some deep meaning she could not fathom. She was being silly. It was most probably something her mother was singing to her when she was a baby. That was all it was. After a while, she ate, doodled on her notebook for a while and fell asleep.

Next morning, like every morning, Gabrielle woke up with the first rays of the sun. As usual when she was alone on weekends – which was most of the time – she grabbed a bowl of cereal downstairs, and ended up sitting at her favourite spot on her bedroom's windowsill. Through the open window, she was looking idly at the forest and sometimes at her neighbours. Imagining what their lives could be like. They all had their own morning routines. Except today was Saturday morning, and most of them where still sound asleep. The song was still with her. She hummed and, staring at the trees in the background, the words came out of her.

‘Save what has been lost,
Bring back what once was mine.
What once was...’

She stopped abruptly. She noticed a silhouette that she did not recognise on the curb in front of her house. That was not ‘old-man-walking-his-dog’, nor was it ‘lady-with-the-curlers-and-the-bathrobe-picking-her-mail’. This was a new figure. Somehow, she could not shake-off a strange feeling of déjà-vu. Was this person familiar? No, it was something else.

A scene from a movie? Yes, yes. The guy holding that huge radio thing on top of his head under the open bedroom window of the girl he was courting. She could not put her finger on the title. Except that did not look like a romantic movie at all. That creepy person was not holding a boom-box and was shouting incomprehensible stuff. No. No, no, no.  It was more like scene one of almost every horror movie her mother had strictly forbidden her to watch, but that she had watched anyway. Young girl alone at home. On a remote and empty street. Strange man staring at her from the street, then trying to find a way in to kill her.

The seemingly madman crossed her lawn, and Gabrielle immediately rushed downstairs, her heart racing. She was just reaching the lobby when she saw the doorknob turning from side to side. The man was trying to force her door. Locked. Thank heavens the door was locked.

Gabrielle ran to the phone in the kitchen and dialled 911. The phone rang for what felt like forever.

‘Sheriff’s office’, a lady’s voice finally answered.
‘Someone’s trying to break into my house. Please help me!’ the young woman blurted out.
‘Can you give me your name and address, honey?’
‘It’s Gabrielle Hightower. I’m at 11 Sundrop alley. Please hurry!’
‘Stay put, hon’. I’m dispatching a team straight away.’

The blonde girl put the phone down and started to look for something to defend herself. She grabbed the first thing she could find, a huge frying pan hanging over the kitchen counter. The window! The upstairs window was still open! Holding the pan in her two hands, she went back up and crossed her room to the window, trying to get a better view of the man outside. Was he gone? Was he still in front of her home?  She took a look at the house’s surroundings but could not see him any more. Just to be safe, she closed the window and sighed. Everything was going to be ok.

Eugene was grumbling loudly while climbing the house front. It was much easier to climb on a rock front with holds here and there, than this smooth surface he did not trust at all. Several times, he blessed his abilities as a climber. Without them, he would have fell off long before.

He swiftly reached a window front, then another one, and he finally looked up to see if he could catch a glimpse of Rapunzel's hair. With a little bit of luck, she could even throw him her long blond hair to help him... Wait, long... blond... ? How come ? The young lad almost ripped against the wall, with a sudden look of astonishment on his face.

His dear queen now had short brown hair, why did the figure he saw up above has those memorable golden blond and infinitely long hair ? For a second, he doubted. Maybe he got it all wrong ? Maybe he was acting like a weird stalker, trying to break into some strangers' house ? But then he remembered the voice that guided him, the song she was singing. No doubt possible, it was her. Just... the old version of her. Weird. Still, he needed to reach out to her and together, they could go back home safely, where they were meant to be. Together.

With a gasp of exhaustion, he hoisted himself to the final window front. And that's when he heard them. The monsters' roar. It was strident, alarming, and terrifying, nothing like he ever heard before. He turned his head towards the dangerously approaching growls. His heart was racing in his chest, not because of the climbing effort, but because of pure panic. He knocked frantically on the window, his eyes still glued in the direction of the threat. The monsters could show up anytime now.

"- Rapunzel dear, the monsters are coming for me, could you please let me in ? Not that I want to beg or anything, but..."

The words chocked in his throat. The monsters just appeared in the corner of the path, wide WIDE awake. Apparently when they roared, the monsters flashed red and blue coloured lights. Probably a manifestation of their pure anger. It looked like they didn't eat anything for days, and were hunting with the energy of despair. He could count at least three of them were chasing him.

"- Come on love it's not funny anymore !" he shouted to the window.

With shaking hands and short breath, he tried to pull up the window himself. To his relief, the lock ceded under his hand and he managed to open it. Without looking back, he threw himself inside the house.

"- Wow, I can't say you were of great help here dear."

He laughed nervously, took a deep sight of relief, and gazed at the silhouette in front of him. And he bursted in laughter.

"- I see, trying to recreate our first meeting right ? I must say, you are full of surprise. You could just have told me you know, if your love for frying pans never really died... Wait what are these weird clothes ? I'm not saying I dislike them though, your hips look truly amazing in these."

He did his best charming smile. But the smile flickered when he saw her face : her look of pure fear was troubling. It was probably the monsters, she must have felt so unsafe here all by herself. Eugene felt his heart sink at this thought. He took a step towards her, and whispered in a comforting voice.

"- The monsters won't reach us here my love. You're safe with me now. We will find a way to get back home, I promise you."

She looked so fragile that he wanted to covered her with his arms, and let her snuggle on his shoulder like she always do. Confidently, he took another step forward. He stretched his hand out for her to let go of the frying pan. He wanted to cuddle her, kiss her and reassure her. He missed her awfully these past few hours.

Just to make sure, Gabrielle went to check all the windows of the first floor. At each and every of them, she stopped for a while to look around, to check the exteriors of the house, but no-one was there. Feeling satisfied and rather reassured, the young woman decided to go back to her room. Hopefully, this was just a drunkard on a Friday evening. Nothing much to worry about. The police would soon be there and she could tell them that it was all a misunderstanding, that she had just gotten a little panicky for she was all alone at home tonight. Surely they would understand that.

Gabrielle was at her doorstep, trying to think of what exactly to tell the sheriff's team when they would show up when she realised, terrified, that someone was in her bedroom. The man had manage to pry open the window she had closed on her way out. She had closed it. She was sure of it. He had forced his way inside her house.

Oh, god. Her mother was right. Her mother was always right. Men had evil intentions. Why would that man climb into her house if not to hurt her ? No-one in their right mind would do such a thing. But her mother had also promised the house was a safe place. Why was her house not said safe place ? How could this man be in her home right now ? And where was the police ? Had she not heard the sirens just a few moments before ? Had the dispatched team gotten the address wrong ? Hopefully they would turn around. But if she was there, in front of this person, who would open the door for them downstairs ? Would they turn around and leave if no-one answered the door ? Why was her mind buzzing with so many questions ? Her head was about to explode. She started shaking like a leaf. This was a proper nightmare.

The poor girl was holding the pan miserably in front of her. Really ? Out of all the cutlery in the kitchen.... Could she not at list have chosen a steak knife instead of this ? Anything more threatening than a frying pan ! Gabrielle felt like crying. As grown-up as she was, she wanted her mom. She was not fit for this.... or was she ? The blonde girl took a sharp breath in.

- Get back, she snarled, like a wolf caught in a wolf's trap. She was trying to look as menacing as one could be while holding unthreatening kitchen utensils.

- The police are on their way, she added, trying to convey a sense of certainty she did not feel at all.

The crazy man kept rambling and calling her "my love". He was talking about monsters. What monsters ? He was the only monster she could spot in her vicinity. He took a step in her direction. Mirroring him, Gabrielle took a step back, away from him.

Safe with him ?? Going back home ?? The man was intent on kidnapping her ! No way she'd let him take her without putting up a fight. This was not a movie where her daddy would come and get her if she was taken. She had no daddy. Not anymore. Evil men like this one where the reason why she was fatherless. The police officer had died "in the line of duty". Her mother had tried to explain, but it had been really hard for her to fully comprehend the meaning of the words for a long time. Now she knew better. Understanding did not bring her father back, though.

- I said get back, she repeated, her voice edging into hysteria.

The blonde girl suddenly dropped the pan. She curled up her fists and punched the trespasser straight in the nose. She then went for the hand still pointed in her direction, held it firmly and swirled to gain momentum. In the sudden jolt of adrenaline, she threw his weight over her shoulder and sent him sprawling. While he was laying flat on his belly, she held one of his arms in his back, maintaining it in an armlock. In that instant, she was so glad for the self-taught self defence classes she had taken.

- No way you are taking me anywhere, crazy person ! She exclaimed triumphantly.

Everything went so fast, Eugene didn't even have the time to react. His nose was hit with a surprising strength for such a small woman, and suddenly the world went spinning around him. Next thing he knows, he was laying on his stomach, breathless, the hard floor painfully reminding him of the bruises already starting to cover his face and body. One of his arm was held behind his back, so that he could not move and was left at the mercy of Rapunzel. Or was it even Rapunzel at this point ?

He should have had fighting reflexes, he should have feel a strong desire to punch back burn inside his guts. But right at this moment, Eugene only felt confusion. Now it was very clear that the princess was not joking. It was very clear that she was as terrified by him as when they first met in this stone tower years before. And that in the meantime, she gained some surprising fighting skills. While Rapunzel was still holding his arm firmly, he carefully tilted his face towards hers. The move sent a prickling pain trough his whole back, but he didn't move back. He needed to see her, understand what was going on.

Just when he was about to open his mouth, he heard the resounding sound of someone drumming on the door downstairs. Instinctively, he turned his head towards this direction, and again, winced because of the pain.

"- Mrs Hightower, police here, are you ok Miss ? Please open the door !"

Miss Hightower ? Even more carefully, Eugene glanced at the woman standing on top of him. He detailed her carefully. In spite of her strange clothing, she was without a single doubt his beloved Rapunzel. This nose, these eyes, and these hair... Eugene gathered the remaining energy he was left with to speak again.

"- I am sorry if I frightened you, it was never my intention, he started without moving. I am Euenge, or Flynn Rider if you remember me this way..."

He paused to examine her face. He was waiting for any sign, even the slightest light on her face, that would prove that these name rang a bell somewhere in her memories. But nothing came, only her face staring at him the way one would stare at a terrifying stranger that broke into your house on a random morning.

"- You remember me right... ?"

At this point, he sounded like a begging man. How on earth could his queen and love forget about him ? For the very first time since he woke up in this hostile world, he felt hopeless. Without her he was nothing, without her he wouldn't have the will to fight anymore.

He tried to get away from her grip but she was holding him too firmly, and he was too afraid to hurt her back. So he kept on speaking while tilting his face with more and more difficulty.

"- Listen, I don't know what you might or might remember, nor what you might believe is true or not. But I can tell you what I know. Both of us do not belong to this world. We live in Corona castle, you are the Queen and you made me your King. The only thing I know is that this is where we belong, and that we need to find a way back home, together."

His heart was sinking while he was talking. The more he was trying to explain her their past, the less he felt that he was convincing. But he couldn't let go of her, he needed her and couldn't imagine a world where Rapunzel did not remember all their memories together. Now, his heart was aching even more than his body.

"- Miss Hightower, are you still here ?"

Increasingly panicked, Eugene shifted again towards the door downstairs, when his eye caught a paper laying around. Bonfire by the beach. This seemed like some sort of invite to a party nearby. And suddenly, the coincidence struck him.

"- Are you still living with your mother who prevents you from seeing the outside world ?"

If only her mother could have seen her in this moment. She would have proved how apt she was at taking care of herself. The thought was chased by another one. If her mother saw her in this instant, she would go completely berserk. A stranger was in their home. Gabrielle was standing on top of an unknown man, in her own bedroom. Her face and neck reddened at the idea of the scolding she would get for all this, as much as for the extremely uncomfortable position she was in.

Saved by the bell ! The police were here. But Gabrielle was stuck in the weirdest of dilemmas. Let go of the man to get the door, risking him flighting from the scene, or stay there and, well, not be able to tell the police about him. This was definitely the craziest – and most exciting – thing that ever happened to her.

The blonde girl was still trying to decide what to do – let go, don’t let go, let go, don’t let go –, when the stranger spoke up again. Remember ? Had she really met that guy before ?

For a second there, she thought he might be going to the same video-club as her. That might be where they could have met. Even though she was quite certain she would have remembered someone like him. Well, she would have remembered someone talking to her at all, apart from the store cashier. No, she was certain she had never met him. … but was she, really ? Somehow, she could not shake the feeling that he did look kind of familiar. Maybe. No. Perhaps. Most certainly not. Then again.

He went on rambling about some crazy fairy tale, and that was it. No, she had never met such a person. He was most likely an escapee from some loony bin somewhere nearby. Was there an actual asylum in the vicinity ?

She tilted her head, thinking hard. The harsh knocking on her main door brought her back to reality. She was about to decide what to do when his voice caught her by surprise again.

- Hey ! She exclaimed, aggrieved. She’s not preventing me. It’s just that… Well, the outside world IS scary.

Her ears reddened. She suddenly halted, realising the full extent of what he had just said, and nervously pushed her hair behind her ear.

- Hold on, how… how do you know… ?

The policeman banged on the door again, and his voice loudly echoed through the house, more pressing now.

- Miss Hightower ! I’m going to break down the door and come in, now.

Gabrielle looked at the strange crazy man and sighed. This was the stupidest decision ever. She grabbed the audio headset on her dresser and put it around her neck.

- Do not move ! She ordered.

She let go of him, rushed down the stairs and half-opened the door, flustered.

- I am so sorry, officer. I was upstairs and did not hear you, with my music on.

She pointed at the headset. She then paused, pretending to stutter and be at a loss for words.

- I… I… I am so sorry I bothered you. You must be so busy. I… hum… I’m all alone, and. Hum. I guess I got a little… skittish ?

What was she doing ? Why wasn’t she telling him the truth ?! Why wasn’t she telling him what was really going on. “There is an insane person in my bedroom right now. Please get rid of him for me”. Why did she not just say that. “Oh, and please do not tell my mother about it”. Well, that was why, then. Or at least one of the reasons why. To be honest, a part of her wanted to understand. What if there was more to him than she knew ?

- My sincerest apologies. Good evening, officer McNeill.

She pushed her hair behind her ear and batted her eyelashes. The policeman’s stare softened slightly at the sight of this adorably silly girl. For a girl cute as that one, he’d play hero every other day. Filled with some false sense of mission “mission accomplished”, the officer turned to leave. He looked over his shoulder while walking back to his car to join his partner waiting there for him. She waved at him deceptively gleefully, and closed the door with a sigh.

She looked at the stair and rushed back up. Crazy guy had not moved. How had he not moved ? How was insane enough to stay put when given an opportunity to run away ? Except he was looking for her. Or at least he believed he was.

- Let me be clear. I. Do. Not. Know. You.

She pointed an accusing finger at him.

- Now, tell me the truth before I call the police officer back in here. Who ARE you ? I mean… not this crazy non-sense of a bad joke about being king of whatever fairy tale land. For real ! Did someone pay you to play me a trick ?

Who would do that ? She didn’t really have friends to joke with. Nor did she have enemies, since she basically knew no-one apart from her mother. Her mother…

- Did my mother send you ? Is that some sort of a test ? Is that why you know her ? No, she would not dare to this to me.
- Or would she ?
- No, she would not.
- But that is kind of her style.
- But I’m her daughter ! What kind of mother would do that ?!
- No, I’m imagining things.
- Oh, God, did I just accuse my mother of manipulation ?
- I’m such a bad daughter !

Gabrielle was pacing, from side to side, talking to herself, and ended falling face down on her bed, completely ignoring the fact that she was not alone in this bedroom. A strange man was still in the bedroom. The blonde girl jumped up and seated herself neatly on the edge of the bed.

- Answer me ! What do you want with me ?

There, finally ! At the mention of her mother's borderline sequestration-like practices, Rapunzel's gaze shifted for a second. Eugene saw the shadow of a doubt passing through her ever blue eyes but it faded almost as fast as it came when the rambling sound of someone practically breaking the door came from downstairs. The blonde girl gave him this nervous look oh so typical of her, and after commanding him not to move, she swiftly grabbed a weird looking accessory and went downstairs to interact with whoever or whatever was coming for him. Eugene released a sigh of relief but couldn't help being worried about what the creature would do to Rapunzel. He risked an eye down the stairs and saw a middle-aged man dressed funnily talking with her. He took a deep breath. It looked fine for now.

Taking advantage of his momentary freedom, he took a look around the room he landed in. Here and there, some books were laying around, unsurprisingly some fairytales stories. The walls were covered in paintings - or at least they looked like some sort of paintings on very thin and glossy papers ? But what struck him the most were the incredibly large amount of extremely thin books without pages but which most definitely looked like books. Carefully, Eugene grabbed one nearby, stared curiously at the book cover which depicted a young boy with a wizard wand on his hand - apparently named "Harry Potter". He opened the book and looked blankly at the "pages": there was only a circular object in there with the colours of the rainbow on it. It was probably some sort of magic, that made books lighter and maybe easier to read. Rapunzel did not seem to have lost her love for books and tales. He remembered the first time he encountered her, in her room on top of the high tower. It looked more or less like a more familiar version of this very room he was standing in. The hideout of a creative young lady, full of ressources and imagination but who clearly had never ever left the comfort of her own room - thanks to this monstrous creature whom she called Mother.

A nearby sound of footsteps brought him back to the present moment. Eugene quickly closed the magical book and faced the staircase, waiting for Rapunzel to come back. She was all alone, apparently she convinced the monsters not to take him away. The young lad felt an immense gratitude at that very moment. It was still her, even if dressed differently, even if living in a different environment, it was undoubtedly her, with her sense for adventure and the purest heart one could ask for. If only she would remember him.

But the slight relief faded away as she covered him with her angry stare again, and pointed an accusatory finger at him. She started rambling again on how she did not know him, that his story was a fairytale nonsense and that he was probably being paid to play a trick to her. Eugene felt his patience coming to its end. But he could not lose his temper, not now, not in front of her. He needed to convince her gently and hopefully at some point, will she recover the full extend of her memory.

Right when he was about to try for the hundredth time to explain his situation, she started talking to herself, pacing rapidly and quite frankly, looking absolutely mad. To anyone else actually, she would have looked mad like no other. But for Eugene, she was the most adorable being he have seen. She was the exact same Rapunzel he had found in her room years ago, she was the same and yet different. How ? Why ? Who knows, but at this very moment he could only think of taking her away from this horrible place, far from her psycho mother, and taking her back to where she belonged, with him in their castle.

"- Listen, you..."

But she wouldn't listen. She kept on spouting and speculating at an incredibly fast pace, and all Eugene could do was trying to follow her thoughts, but he couldn't even interrupt her. That's kind of her style ? 100% yes, see how evil she is ? Am I a bad daughter ? No you're not even hers if only you would listen to me...

Suddenly as if lighting struck her, she jumped on her bed and stared at him suspiciously from there. Now was his chance.

"- Rapunzel, he started a little randomly. Or whichever name they gave you here. This world is not yours - not ours. Who knows why but you are stuck here and I was sent here. He grabbed one of the magical books nearby. You are still into reading right ? Didn't any one of those stories ever ring a bell in your memories ? Stories of towers, thieves, magical hair ?

He gave her a few moments to let that sink in. But the miraculous remembering he was hoping for did not seem to be happening. So he went on.

"- I know you're craving for adventure, I know you want to see the world out there regardless of what your alleged mother tells you. We can even go to the bonfire by the beach together. I know you've wanted to go there - because actually you were in the exact same situation when we first met, he added to himself. This woman who is detaining you here, she's not your mother. You have to trust me, she does not want your happiness she only wants to use you to her own advantage. I mean, you said it yourself, which kind of mother would treat her child like this ? Bathing you in lies and fear of the outside world to prevent you from having any friends, anything apart from your own bedroom ? I know it's hard to hear and even more to accept, but let me tell you that you are better off away from her."

He tried to remain as calm as he could, but mentioning this evil lady brought back a raging fire within him. She deserved the worst for what she did to Rapunzel. And there he was again, trying to convince her to escape this prison. But this time, it was even harder than the first time because he had absolutely no clue what to do next.

"- I am lost here, you're the only remaining hope I have to get out of this nightmare. So I need you to come with me right now, and help me find a way back home.

He paused his eyes almost supplicating her. He knew this would probably be his last chance before being kicked out of here and sent back God knows where.

Slowly, he approached the window. Yes they could use the door, but it was so much more exciting to escape from there. Shivers of restlessness went trough his body. He had not lost his love for adventure for the slightest. He looked right into her so familiar eyes, his lips hinting a smile.

"- Are you with me Rapunzel ?

'Rapunzel', he began.
'Not Rapunzel', she mumbled.

He had grabbed her e-book reader. Gabrielle propelled her arms forward, afraid he would throw it away and smash it. She had thousands of books, and hours - even days - worth of reading material in that tablet. It was the most precious object she possessed in this room. She paused, listening to him very intentely.

Towers, thieves, magical hair. Of course she had read about that stuff. About knights in shining armours crossing the world the fight for their kings and realms. About a school for children gifted  with magic and a boy surviving to the greatest sorcerer of all times. Magical scar, though, not magical hair. About a gentleman thief who relieved French aristocrats from their earthly possessions. About a man who had a portrait of himself in his attic that grew old instead of him. She could talk for hours about all the stories she had read. But none of them ever involved a thief and magical hair at the same time. Although that could have been a fun story. She could certainly read that.

'Yes, I am into reading.'

Not a hard guess. You just had to take a look at her room. Paper-back books. Reading tablet. Quotes, written on post-its all over her walls.

'So, please. Put that tablet down' was all she answered.

Crazily enough, he did. Then he started a long monologue about having adventures and seeing the world. Of course she would have loved seeing the outside world. Had not the outside world been so scary. Her mother had told her so. And her mother was always right… or was she ?

To be honest, the blonde girl never heard a single word after the stranger said 'we can even go to the bonfire by the beach'.

The bonfire. How did he know ? Of course, the flyer was still lying around on her desk.

Her heart litterally melted at the idea. She had dreamt about the possibility ever since that flyer had ended its course in her hands. Seeing young people her own age. Making friends, maybe. Seeing the dancing lights and the flames in the night sky. But it was utter and complete madness. Especially to leave the house with someone she did not know and who acted like a crazy person. Yet why did she feel like she still wanted to trust him ?

*****

'Cassandra, how can I just lie like that ?'
'You know it would be worse if they knew the truth. Please, Princess, they cannot know the truth.'
'The truth of what ? That my father, much like that insane Gothel witch, tried to have me locked away in this castle ? To forbid me from seing my very own kingdom ? The world ?'

Rapunzel was pacing angrily accross her bedroom, her extremely long and shiny blonde hair flowing behind her, sparkling with its recently recovered magic. Cassandra and her had tried to cut it again, but to no purpose. All involved pairs of scissors had sadly died in the process.

'Why do they all keep doing that ?' she ranted. 'Taking me for granted. Expecting me to stay put ! After so many years stuck in a tower !'

She paused, looking for the first time at the distressed maid.

'I know you are afraid, Cassandra, but Eugene is the only one to see me for who I truly am. I can't lie to him.'
'I would be losing my position at the castle.'
'He won't betray me. Us. He'll understand', she insisted.
'After you've rejected his proposal ?'

Rapunzel sighed.

'Please understand. I cannot not trust him, Cassandra.'

*****

Well, not trust him so much as want to take the opportunity he was offering. That was it. An opportunity.

'Are you with me, Rapunzel ?'.

His last words suddenly brought her back to reality.

'Seriously, what-did-you-say-your-name-was-?, will you… pleaaaase just stop calling me Rapunzel', she complained loudly. 'The name's Gabrielle. Y'can call me Gab', she added. She regretted it almost instantly.

Why would she say that ? No one had ever used a nickname for her. You needed to have friends for that. She did not have any. The blonde girl started pacing through the room, her loose hair swaying around her face. She was considering this insane idea. Go to the bonfire. Almost an obsession. She could think of nothing else.

Gabrielle stopped abruptly and stared straight into the eyes of the strange man, piercing him with her blue-green stare.

'You are not going to murder me, are you ?' She asked, perfectly serious.
'Well, I mean. Even if you said no, how would I know ? I mean…. You did not murder me right now, although you kind of had the opportunity, hadn't you ?'
'Gabrielle, this is the stupidest idea ever', she added, burrying her face in her palms.

She looked at him once again, defying.

'Would you ? I mean, not the murdering part. Would you really take me to the bonfire ?'

Gabrielle eyed him suspiciously.

'I don't suppose you have a car, do you ?'

Gabrielle ? Well not that it did not suit her but it felt so bizarre to call her any differently than Rapunzel. Nonetheless, she started to demonstrate a keen interest into his proposal so that was at least a small victory.

He couldn't resist bursting into laughter when she asked him with a dead serious stare if he had any plans of killing her anytime soon. But his laugh went a little bitter. How bad was her situation for her to seriously consider that he could raise even his pinky finger on her ?

She then repeated her question, would he really take her to the bonfire by the beach ? Of course he would and guess what, he even knew exactly what to tell her to make her fall back for him - if she didn't find her memory back in the meantime. Eugene started to slowly realize that it might take time for his beloved Rapunzel to come back to her. And that hurt more than expected. He was doomed to start from scratch again. But why exactly ? What in this world could have happened for this unthinkable situation to arise ?

For a second, he started blankly at her, as if he was discovering a stranger for the first time. But she then asked him a question he did not understand. A car ? Was that some kind of weapon to defend themselves against those monsters out there ? Eugene made his best prince charming smile and lifted his shoulders.

"- Unfortunately, I was sent here unarmed. But I don't need anything to protect you from the monsters out there, you can trust me. They won't harm you and we will find our way."

That, he was not sure. Which way ? First the beach but then where ? Was there any kind of help out there that he could seek for ? Would they all react like Rapunzel - or Gabrielle - did, treating him like the maddest man ever ? Anyway, he had more urgent matters to consider first - escaping Gothel's very cute-looking prison. He took a new glance at the blond girl in front of him.

"- Gabrielle (this name sounded so unfamiliar in his mouth) I will take you to the bonfire by the beach and I will ensure no one touches a single strand of your hair - quite literally in fact but you wouldn't understand it. And for the record, no, I have no intend of murdering you anytime soon.

He could laugh or he could cry at that last sentence. He decided to move on. He grabbed his bag that had fell off, and instinctively opened the window. But the young lady's stare took him back. Well, maybe it was better not to make her change her mind now. For this time, it would be the door.

"- You know, usually Max would bring us anywhere much faster than we could by foot but for now you will have to walk, princess."

Rushing in fear that she might snap back and decide not to come anymore, Eugene hurtled down the stairs and rushed to the door. However, he could not help but have a look around and get a feeling of what this place looked like. Everywhere he looked at, there was some unknown objects, here and there. Was magic working any differently here than in the world he used to know ? Surely it did. Now that his initial fear of the unknown was gone, Eugene felt the urge to explore this new world he landed in. He wanted to know what all these weird things were, what this new world looked like. But he simply did not have the time. He couldn't lose focus on the sole obsession that has been driving since ever since he woke up here : returning home at all costs, with Rapunzel by him side. And that apparently started with him bringing her to the beach. Fair enough.

The young lad took a deep breath to encourage himself and carefully took a step out the door. He looked right, then looked left. No monsters around, the only ones he could see were still asleep. Good. He glanced back at Rapunzel, making sure she was still following him. Was she also getting that feeling of excitement, the call for adventure ? Was she still so eager to discover the world, and would she still be as impressed by the outside world as she once was a long long time ago ? Or was it even that long ago ?

The best strategy for now was to avoid those sleeping monsters at all costs. Eugene saw a small path going to the opposite direction of where the monsters were waiting. The path seemed to go through a small hood. Perfect for hiding. He had not lost his thief-time reflexes.

"- Alright Rap... Gabrielle, he whispered. When I count 3, we will run to the hood nearby. Stay close to me, and stay silent not to wake up those monsters here. All clear ? 1, 2,..."

Once they would get out of this home, far from Gothel's threat, then he would properly ask her for directions. She maybe had a rough idea of where to beach was. And if not, they would ultimately find it out somehow. That's what they always did, right ?

"- ... and 3, now !"

Eugene dashed through the small garden, straight to the path. The surroundings were still empty, but who knows where danger could come from. In his rush, he didn't think about grabbing Rapunzel's hand to run with her. Did she even followed him to here ? Too late now, he needed to hide first, then see from there. Out of breath, and with a heavy stare towards the monsters - whom luckily enough had not been awakened by his steps - he reached the entrance of the hoods. Once hidden behind a tree, a took look back. Hopefully she would still be here.