[video]

[70ftandcounting]

[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.]

Comments

[70ftandcounting]

[She holds up a big butcher knife.]

With this.

[drinkuntilidie]

[Kevas' eyes widen when he sees the knife.]

Sweet Loa Sunshine, joo couldah cut joor hand off!

[70ftandcounting]

[She shakes her head.]

I knew what I was doing.

[SHE'D SEEN IT IN A DREAM.]

It's better this way.

[drinkuntilidie]

[Kevas sighs and shakes head.]

If joo insist.

[At least she didn't hurt herself.]

Joo coulda ask fuh my help joo know.

[70ftandcounting]

[She finally smiles.]

I know. But I needed to do this myself.

[drinkuntilidie]

[Kevas chuckles and ruffles her hair. It's going to take some time to her looking like this.]

Alright, I can undahstand dat.

[70ftandcounting]

You...remember what my hair could do?

[drinkuntilidie]

Glow a lot and heal mons. Dat be kinda hard t'ing to fuhget Sunshine.

[70ftandcounting]

[She smiles.]

Exactly.

But...that dream...it triggered things...things I remembered.

[drinkuntilidie]

[A worried look appears on Kevas' face.]

Good t'ings I be hopin'.

[70ftandcounting]

The person I thought was my mother kidnapped me at birth from my real parents.

[She says this flatly.]

I remember that I am the lost princess that they send the lanterns up in honor of, every year.

[drinkuntilidie]

[Sounds like a bitch. Kevas will refrain from saying that out loud though.]

Whaddya know, my ray of Sunshine be a princess too.

[His smile returns to his face as he tries to keep the mood from falling too much.]

[70ftandcounting]

[Her face is still a hard line.]

She's been using me, my entire life, to keep herself young.

[drinkuntilidie]

[So much for that then.]

Den it be a good t'ing joo don't need her. Aftah all, joo been takin' care of joorself since jah got here.

[70ftandcounting]

[Doesn't look convinced. She thought this woman was her mother for almost eighteen years.[

...Of...course. Yes.

[drinkuntilidie]

[Kevas frowns a bit and puts an arm around her shoulders. Of course this wouldn't something that can be solved with only a few words.]

Be soundin' like jah ain't all dat convinced.

[70ftandcounting]

It's just -- a lot. To take in, you know?

[Mainly because the woman she had thought for her entire life had been using her. It was a betrayal of the very worst kind.]

[drinkuntilidie]

Yeah, I know. I know what it be like to be used.

[This something he can relate with her completely. Anything he says won't take the sting away but he knows how she feels at the very least.]

[70ftandcounting]

[She peers at him, then nods.]

It'll -- take a little getting used to.

[drinkuntilidie]

I know. If jah be needin' to talk 'bout anytin' I'll be dere to listen.

[He gives her an one armed hug and kisses the top of her head.]

[70ftandcounting]

[She hugs him back with both arms, and squeezes.]

Thank you. Really. It means so much to me that you're here for me.

[drinkuntilidie]

[Kevas smiles and puts his other arm around her, holding her tightly for a moment.]

Always will be Sunshine. I promise jah dat.

[70ftandcounting]

And...me too.

[A promise is a promise -- they're unbreakable, in her eyes. They'll always have each other, at least.]

[drinkuntilidie]

[He looks down at her with some pride and ruffles her hair. As far as Kevas is concerned, Rapunzel has been a part of his family for a long time now.]

Dat be my girlemon. Knew I could count on jah.

[70ftandcounting]

Always, Kevas.

[He's her family, too.]