70ftandcounting

[video]

[Rapunzel is shown sitting on her bed, book propped up to show her cross legged and toying with her long, blond hair.]

Have any of you ever had something that bound you? That..just…kept you somewhere? Your entire life?

And then when you finally get away, when you think you’re free, you realize that you still aren’t free, because you have that one thing that still holds you in place?

[She looks up at her journal, eyes a little wet.]

There comes a day when you know that it’s time to really be free.

[She’s been at the Keep a year, today.

And now…now because of that truth, because of flashes of real memories she’s had since, she knows the truth. She knows everything.

And she knows what she has to do.]

Today is that day.

[She gets up, and shuts the book.]

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Tammy grins, happy to have maybe brought a little glimmer of good to Rapunzel, considering how upset she seems. While Rapunzel chews she wanders closer to one wall, studying the murals. It's all so beautiful and bright. Tammy can hardly believe it. It's almost possible to pretend this place isn't the Keep, that it's somewhere where only good things happen.

"These are amazing."

"My paintings?" She smiles, and gestures. "I was gifted with some special paints from the Mistress of the Keep some time ago. This is what I used them for. Murals. I have a bit left over, if you would like something similar done."

"Oh wow." Tammy turns to look at Rapunzel, smiling brightly, utterly amazed at the offer. "You'd do that?"

Having her room brightened up would be a miracle in this place, and who knows? It might help make everything less depressing.

"Well..of course! Is there anything in particular that you'd like...?"

Even if she could just make someones day a little better, then her time here would be completely worth it.

Besides, she likes seeing Tammy smile. It's -- pretty.

Tammy is more touched than she can say. Later she'll wonder how she can repay such kindness, but for now she just wonders at such unbridled kindness. It's almost too much to bear.

Almost, but not quite. Tammy is finding that she's enjoying Rapunzel's sweet hesitance.

"Maybe dancers? Something to remind me of home. Or just...mountains? My family lives in the mountains, and I miss seeing them. Whatever is easier."

"Of course! I would be more than happy to." It'll take her a bt to get the paints and everything together, but she will do it.

"I'll have to be able to get into your room, though...I can just let you know when I have everything ready on the journals! Does that work?"

"Definitely! I'd love that." Tammy grins, a sense of eagerness now that she knows her room will brighten up some. Everything had been so dull and lackluster lately; it was nice thinking that it might change some.

Seemed to fit that it was coming from this direction, too. Even without all of that long, long, bright, beautiful hair, Rapunzel had a lightness and glow to her that was easy to be drawn to.

Speaking of...

"So..." Tammy offers up a piece of fruit, her smile softening a bit. "How're you feeling?"

She reaches for the fruit with a smile, and took a little bite.

"I'm...all right. I mean, I feel lighter and heavier at the same time. Have you ever felt like that before?"

Tammy considers this, thinking back over her life. Has she? She knows she walks around with a lot of weight, a lot of the time. Most of the time, in fact. Guilt weighs a lot. Which means any period of lightness she feels, however brief, is weighted by her innate burden.

Makes her wonder what such things feels like for other people.

"Yeah, I think I have. And I'm guessing you mean more than just the weight of your hair?"

Not that cutting all that hair wouldn't have been a huge difference in weight. Tammy would put money on Rapunzel having very strong neck muscles. Probably really tense ones too.

Hm. Think about that later.

Very strong. She has headaches frequently, but one would never really know that. It's so covered up by her sunny disposition that people -- her mother included -- had no idea that Rapunzel was in excruciating pain 90% of the time. And now that the hair is gone and there is no weight to counter put to use muscles she has built, they are aching and cause her entire back to hurt.

And she still has the headaches.

"Yes, more than just...that. It's deeper than just the physical. Like it cuts all the way down into your soul." She tugs on a short strand of hers.

"I don't even know if it will ever grow again."

Oh Rapunzel. If Tammy knew any of this she would be giving you daily head, neck, and back massages. But, barring knowledge of this, she can only guess as to the kind of weightlessness Rapunzel is experiencing; it hasn't occurred to her that the muscles might actually be straining at the lack of weight.

"Mm. I figured this might be about more than just your hair." Tammy thinks for a moment before propping herself against the bed, crossing her feet at the ankles. "Kinda more of a symbolic act than just deciding you didn't want to brush it all again. Though considering how much hair you had, I don't think anyone would have blamed you."

Tammy picks at a piece of fruit before taking a bite and contemplating that last comment of Rapunzel's.

"Why do you think it might not grow back?

She doesn't complain much. Complaining had earned herself verbal lashings frmo mommy dearest, so she did try not to ever say anything.

"Well..." She rolls her shoulders. "When I was younger, someone tried to cut it and steal its power." Probably Gothel, now that she thinks about it. "And it never grew back. It stayed short and brown."

"Huh." Tammy notes the movement of Rapunzel's shoulders, shifts her own but doesn't yet call the fidgeting into question. It could just be her getting comfortable. Or twitching as she thinks. "Weird, that it wouldn't grow back."

The mention of power gives Tammy a moment of pause, but it comes to her pretty quickly; Rapunzel had mentioned the magical properties of her hair in the past, but Tammy, who lived with a daily reminded of power and what it could do, let it slip to the background of her thoughts. Far more impressive was the girl herself; the hair was simply an addition.

"Maybe now that it's all short, it'll grow? I mean, for what it's worth, I like it. But I can imagine it'd be disappointing for it not to grow anymore."

Rapunzel thinks it's quite weird as well, and nods in agreement.

"I always wondered that, when I was younger. When Moth-- Gothel told me, I never questioned it." You didn't question Gothel. Ever. "I did wonder why it never grew long, though. And who tried to cut it."

That question was mostly answered now, though.

"Maybe! I don't really know though, since I have nothing at all to grow on."

"Jealous of the color, maybe?" Tammy makes light but she can guess what the true reason behind the theft had been. People tended to covet power; it was one of the reasons Vessels didn't broadcast their abilities. It was also part of why djinn had taken vessels in the first place, as far as Tammy's understanding went. Antalyon wasn't the most forthcoming with his history but she knew that djinn hadn't always possessed humans, and that it had been a decision made to keep djinn from being trapped into forced servitude. Allowed them to fully take control of their own power.

"Maybe." She smiles faintly, going along with the 'lightness'. Might as well try to look at it without major depression. That was going to be damned difficult, though, especially after she's realized that the person she thought was her mother has been using her for eighteen years. That hurts.

"This Gothel person. She was your mom?" She'd caught the start of that but wasn't sure. Smoething told her Rapunzel's correction of herself was significant though. She eased the question--or attempted to--by offering another snack from the little collection she'd brought.

"My..."

Rapunzel hesitates because for all she was angry with Gothel, she...still loved the woman. She'd raised her, and despite the reasons why she was literally all that Rapunzel knew.

"My adopted mother, I suppose."

"Ah." There's an awkward silence, because...Tammy's never known anyone that was adopted. "So how long have you known she was your adopted mom?" Is this an impolite question? Possibly, but it seems obvious that this is at least part of the problem Rapunzel is fighting at the moment.

"...Do you remember when we all had those strange dreams?" She twists her hands together.

"It...it was then. That's when I knew."

Oh. Yeah.

[Tammy didn't like remembering that dream. Normally hers were fuzzy, indistinct, easily forgotten...but this one felt sharp. Felt like an etching, right into her memory. A vision of the future with all the emotional punch of a memory of the past. Just thinking of the cold, icy eyes that had held her captive, and violently ripped the djinn from her body...and that ear-splitting, deafening scream as the other spoke and destroyed Antalyon...it made her head swim.]

So that's what you dreamed about.

....Yes. I...did.

[She doesn't sound...happy.]

It...wasn't a pleasant dream. Not really.

I'm not sure any of us got pleasant dreams that day, but I didn't take a poll.

[She reaches out to lightly touch Rapunzel's hand, squeeze it gently as a small signal of comfort--should the other girl need anything more Tammy will happily give it. Guarded as she's been, Rapunzel has somehow found a way in, and Tammy can't bring herself to try and push her out.]

I...didn't either, but... [She sighs, and returns the little squeeze.]

It just really opened my eyes to a lot of things. That's...that's all.

Yeah. Yeah, and that's...that'll take it out of you.

[Her thumb strokes Rapunzel's knuckles but otherwise she makes no other move, her grasp firm but just light enough to allow the other girl to pull away, if she wanted.]

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