The rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons - The sequel

At least it's not boring

(Jack's POV)

The others were all huddled together around the fire, sleeping soundly. We were all to tired for me to help Elsa defrost the country, so the fire was the best we could get in terms of heat.

Only Rapunzel and I were awake, having offered to take the first guard. I did it because the cold didn't bother me and the need for sleep didn't either. But she did it because she wouldn't be able to sleep even if she tried, at least that's my guess since she hasn't said anything about it, has only looked down with her brows furrowed as id troubled greatly.

"It wasn't your fault, you know?" I asked and she jumped.

"Huh?" she asked and I offered a smile.

"I said it is not your fault. If I had been possessed by sand, I would have done the same. Although I might not have made such a drastic change. I mean that song, that version of the song was creepy. And then the octopus hair with the life-sucking power, it was almost creepier than Pitch's powers... but it wasn't you, it was too different." I explained, stumbling over the words as I was also trying to process everything that had happened.

"I know it's not my fault. And I didn't know this song before." she sighed. "It's a bit of a blur, but I think Pitch taught it to me while I was still there and had just inhaled the sand." she explained and I nodded slowly.

"I am sorry, you know?" I asked and she seemed even more puzzled than before.

"You don't have to be sorry, it's not like you were the one kidnapping me." she joked and I chuckled half-heartedly.

"I guess. But I know you have been dreaming of going out here for quite some while. And then when you finally do, it is hell. And only because I dragged you into this mission."

"Don't worry about it." she said, stopping to look out at the view around us. "The world isn't what I imagined, but at least it is not boring." she said and I laughed, muffling it with my fist to keep the others from waking up.

It was... nice? It was nice to hear someone else value fun. And it was a relief to know she wasn't blaming me either. But it was hard to cling to the nice feeling when she still looked troubled, though she seemed to be pushing it away to help me cheer up, which is wrong since if anyone here should be expected to be mature, it should be the three-hundred-year-old, not the girl who's eighteen.

"Is something wrong?" I asked and she sighed, slowly dropping the smile she was wearing as a mask.

"I saw something when Elsa had just left and Pitch had just arrived." she took a deep breath. "I was pretending to be asleep and they fell for it so, they lowered their guards."

"They?" I asked and she nodded.

"He wasn't alone. He came there with his then hooded accomplice. And since they lowered their guards at the sight of my sleeping form, the accomplice took off their hood and I caught a glimpse of their face." She said, trailing off while getting a distant look in her eyes, but I needed an answer.

"And? Did you recognize the person?" I asked and she nodded. "So, who was it?" I asked and she turned to me.

"Jack, I have only known one person in my life." she said and my eyes widened slightly.

"It was your mom?" I asked and she nodded. For a while, we were both quiet, looking out in the world as our minds spin. Then something in the tornado that was my thoughts stopped long enough for me to understand it, and I turned to her with excitement bubbling in my chest. "I think I have a plan."

I was trying to come up with something to write down here, and I failed so... yeah.

- A/N