A Tangled Life

Chapter 7: The Eighteenth Birthday

The next day
(It was May 12th, which was the day of Rapunzel's birthday)
<around seven am>
{With Eugene and Rapunzel}

[Rapunzel, Eugene, and Pascal had arrived with Max in the main town square of Corona. Rapunzel raced excitedly to the entrance of the town square leaving Eugene and the others trailing behind her
{With Rapunzel}

(Max neighs in a laughing manner)
[He then went to Rapunzel, thanked the girls, and walked away with her. They went and bought some milk and a couple of croissants so they could have some breakfast. After that, they then went inside the bookshop so they could get to know each other even more]
{In the bookshop}
(They sit on the floor in the very back, so no one could see them)
Eugene: Tell me more about yourself, about your life, your childhood, everything
Rapunzel: Ok, well, most of the time if not all the time, Pascal and I were mostly by ourselves in the tower, we always woke up at five am on the dot, and we always found ways to entertain ourselves whether that was by doing chores, playing around, or you know just doing any kind of activities, so we wouldn't get bored. My mother is always going out and most of the time returns a day or two later. When I was little, she would be there every day but as I started growing up and taking care of myself, she would leave more and more. She would always bring me back something but she's never been motherly. Growing up she would bring me books, so I could learn to speak, read, and write, she would bring me books about animals, but I had to teach myself, and when I had thoroughly learned each topic she would take the books back. I learned to speak German and English at the same time but before she could take the books back, I would grab canvases and parchment sheets to write down everything, so I could study it later, and I would hide it underneath my bed. When my birthday rolled around, she would never get me anything, she just said that she distinctly remembered that my birthday was last year
Eugene: I guess that's something that we have in common. As a kid, we never really had gifts either, mostly because the orphanage couldn't afford them
Rapunzel: Where is this orphanage anyway?
Eugene: It's in a kingdom called Equis, it's the kingdom next door, and it's not too far from here actually. I had already begun stealing from an early age with my old best friend. It started as pickpocketing food but then it changed to small amounts of money. We left the orphanage and came to Corona around ten years old and we continued stealing. Do you remember the big thugs you saw down at the dam?
Rapunzel: Yeah
Eugene: They're known as The Stabbingtons, their aliases are Sideburns and Patchy
Rapunzel: So, you don't know their real names?
Eugene: No, they're three years older than me, and my best friend and I joined them when we were eleven. A year later, we partnered up with a very big crime boss called The Baron. We came here to Corona and started thieving but we also went to different cities and different small kingdoms. Only my best friend and I kept up with our schooling as we stole and by then we were stealing big time. One-third of what we stole went to our crime boss, one-third we kept, and the other third, my best friend and I gave back to the orphanage where we were raised, so they could buy food, medicine, supplies, and anything they needed for the other kids. Eventually, my best friend and I got separated when I was like seventeen, and that took me to Italy. Before I left, I returned to Equis and stole a great fortune from them, right from under their noses, because the king is a fucking, arrogant, selfish, good-for-nothing asshole, who doesn't give a shit about the people he rules over. I gave them most if not all the fortune and I took some money for myself to be able to live in Italy. I was in Italy for years and then came back to Corona where I rejoined The Stabbingtons. From the very first moment that I started thieving, I always gave them something
Rapunzel: Eugene, that's the sweetest thing I have ever heard. The part of you giving some of the money and fortune that you stole back to the orphanage
(Eugene slightly chuckles)
Eugene: They raised me, gave me a roof over my head, and gave me everything I needed, as much as they could anyway, so I had to thank them in some way. As I said, you can't tell this to anyone, or my reputation will be ruined, I'm trusting you with my secret
Rapunzel: And like I said before, I prefer Eugene over Flynn Rider
(They laugh)
Eugene: So I keep hearing
Rapunzel: I need to ask you a couple of things that mother used to tell me about the world
Eugene: Ask away
Rapunzel: Well, I already know that some ruffians and thugs are not as bad as they seem but what about poison ivy and quicksand?
Eugene: Oh, well, poison ivy can be easily avoided if you know what the plant looks like and even if you accidentally touch it there are always cremes and ointments that can help recover you. Quicksand is also very easily avoided but it's rare to find quicksand around these parts
Rapunzel: Cannibals?
Eugene: I mean, I'm sure they do exist in some cultures and some parts of the world, but I've never heard of a cannibal or groups of cannibals around here, so you don't have to worry about those kinds of humans
Rapunzel: Snakes?
Eugene: Well there are poisonous snakes and very few that are venomous but there are some that are harmless to humans. They can all be avoided if you're just very careful
Rapunzel: The plague?
Eugene: It did happen but it was many years ago and it isn't a problem now
Rapunzel: Large bugs?
Eugene: There are some but it's just like snakes, poison ivy, and quicksand. They can be avoided
Rapunzel: Men with pointy teeth?
Eugene: Now that's just silly
Rapunzel: Well, when you were unconscious in my tower, I did check your teeth, and yeah, they weren't pointy
Eugene: See, what else did your mother tell you?
Rapunzel: She told me I was sloppy, underdressed, immature, clumsy, gullible, naive, dirty, silly, and vague
(By then Eugene had an extremely angry look on his face, which surprised Rapunzel, and slightly scared her)
Eugene: Rapunzel, those are all lies, never believe those words, you are none of those things, not for a second. You're kind, sweet, caring, generous, humble, strong, brave, talented, intelligent, free-spirited, adventurous, stubborn, and you're a persistent girl. You're an imaginative dreamer and you always see the best in people
Rapunzel: You see all of that in me?
Eugene: I mean, I can keep going if you have a few days free
(They laugh and Rapunzel kisses his cheek making him widen his eyes)
Rapunzel: C'mon, let's explore, we'll come back later
[She makes him stand up and they exit the bookstore then go back to the main square to continue exploring. They both went back to the edge of the forest for a few minutes and found a secluded spot to get ready for the day. After a small while, they go back to the town square and explore the shops. They then get in line to go buy some bread, cheese, and some fruit for their upcoming lunch]
{With Rapunzel and Eugene}