Tangled *Obi x OC* (COMPLETE)

The ABCs of Animals

Amaryllis POV

Why did I ask this stranger to take me to see the lights? I don't know him and Master Oren said that people from the outside are out to get me. This man doesn't seem to want to hurt me though. I don't exactly trust him but he's my only shot at getting out and back in safely. I'd die trying to step foot out of the cottage on my own. He checks his bag for who knows what, then turns back to me.

"Are you coming or what?"

"Yes but Master Oren locked..." I trail off as he kicks the door and it flies open.

"Looks like I unlocked it."

I take a last look at the cottage and take a deep breath to calm my nerves before heading toward the doorway. Nanaki looks up at me as I stop at the edge of the porch. I haven't stepped on the grass before. The tree that I climb on my birthday is outside my window so I never have been on the ground.

"What's wrong Blondie?"

"I-I've never touched grass..."

"You've got to be kidding me..." He mumbles under his breath as he looks at me in disbelief. "It won't hurt you, just put your foot down."

I sigh and hesitantly take a step down but pain radiates from the bottom of my foot instantly.

"Ow! You said it wouldn't hurt me!"

"Well, you seem to have stepped on the only rock in this whole place, so good job. If this is a sign of what I'm going to expect on this trip, I'd rather toss myself from a cliff."

I stick my tongue out at hit before moving my foot to take another step. Grass is... soft but slightly prickly. It feels weird. I take another hesitant step and wiggle my toes.

"It feels strange."

"Yeah, well life is strange, let's keep going."

I hurry after Nanaki as he starts walking again but I keep getting distracted by everything I see. A bug with wings flies at me and Nanaki sighs and tells me it's just a butterfly. I can't help it I've been inside all my life. We reach the wall surrounding my home and I pause again. Master Oren is going to kill me if he finds out. Nanaki's golden eyes land on me in a harsh glare but the fire slowly dies out.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I've never even been in the yard before, but now I'm going to leave home completely... Master Oren won't be happy."

"If you're going to see them on the night of your birthday anyway, why don't you just stay here and wait for then?"

"Because all I've ever wanted was to see them for real but I was never allowed. I've never left home, I want to see the outside world just this once."

He starts to smile but he covers it by running a hand across his face.

"If you're anything like me, which I doubt you are, once you get a taste of freedom, you won't want to come back. Are you ready for that possibility?"

I bite my lip as I look between Nanaki and the cottage. In front of me lies adventure, freedom, and the fireflies. Behind me lies the same old walls I've seen for the past twenty years.

"Can you promise you will get me there to see the lights and back safely before Master Oren returns in four days?"

"I give my word. I feel I'd never be free of you otherwise. So, are we going or what?" He asks, holding his hand out toward me.

I stare at it for a moment, then up at him before taking his hand. "Let's do it."

This is amazing! I never imagined there would be so many trees around. At my home, we only had the one tree by the house. I've seen a lot of animals too, ones that Nanaki had to name for me. According to him, we've seen two squirrels which are long rodents with fluffy tails, a deer which terrified me, and a rabbit. Rabbits and squirrels are adorable. I hear a strange noise and stop short, my eyes drifting down to the forest floor. There's a weird bug type creature hopping toward me. That can't be good.

"N-Nanaki..."

"What?"

"I-It's c-coming at me..."

He sighs and looks over before laughing at me.

"That is a toad, Blondie. It's harmless unless you're a fly."

"A toad? Oh, I read a book with a frog in it. Is it similar to a frog?"

"Yeah but not quite the same."

I should really go home. Master Oren will hate me for leaving him. What if I get taken or killed? I shouldn't have decided to come. I run a hand through my hair and sigh. Nanaki turns back and asks if I'm having second thoughts. I nod and he chuckles before telling me he knew it would happen. He tells me we still have time to get me back home if I want. Do I want to go home?

"Let me ask this instead: Are you having fun?"

"More than I ever had in my life. I didn't realize there was just so much... everything out here."

"Then why go home now if you can do what you want and get back before he even knows? You'll have an adventure and a secret you can keep for yourself."

"It is giving me new things I can sketch later..."

"See? There you go. If you want to go home, we can turn around, otherwise, we're stopping here for the night."

"Okay... Let's rest for the night."

As I take a step toward him I feel something sticky touch my face. I know what that is even without him telling me.

"I just walked into a spider web... Is there a spider on me? Please tell me there's not a spider on me..."

"Oh most definitely. Right there on your cheek."

"Kill it! Kill it with fire!" I whine as I helplessly hit my face trying to get it off until he laughs. "Oh you are so rude."