[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

commentlog

[70ftandcounting]

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."

commentlog

[needsnobottle]

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?

commentlog

[70ftandcounting]

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."

commentlog

[needsnobottle]

"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."

commentlog

[70ftandcounting]

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."

Re: commentlog

[needsnobottle]

"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.

commentlog

[70ftandcounting]

"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.

commentlog

[needsnobottle]

"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.

commentlog

[70ftandcounting]

"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."

commentlog

[needsnobottle]

"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.

commentlog

[70ftandcounting]

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

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

Re: commentlog

[needsnobottle]

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.

commentlog

[70ftandcounting]

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

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

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

commentlog

[needsnobottle]

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.]

commentlog

[70ftandcounting]

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.

commentlog

[needsnobottle]

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.]