[open commentlog | backdated to day 4 of her amnesia]

[70ftandcounting]

[Fragments of thoughts shift inside of Rapunzel’s mind, and wispy pieces of memory slip away whenever she tried to grasp it. Uncertain as to who she truly is and just what she’s doing here, she’s been wandering the Keep in a listless daze, only eating and drinking when her body reminds her that she is hungry and thirsty, because eating is not something that she remembers to do.
 
She wanders even now, hands loose at her sides and hazel eyes blank and distant while dirty, bare feet take her on an aimless path. Her hair, seventy feet long once more, trails behind her and catches dust and other bits of debris as she walks. The dress she wears is torn and covered in blood, though just who’s it is is questionable. In her hand, she holds a torch that has long been burned out.
 
Approach?]

((ooc: so Rapunzel died. Oops. Feel free to run into her.))

Comments

sobs

[yolonceler]

[The Once-ler finally got all his memories back yesterday, and has been fretting ever since. He hasn't seen Rapunzel on the journal network at all and has spent hours pacing back and forth in his room, chain-smoking, staring at the mural they painted. Them. Together. The Once-ler can't close his eyes for too long because the darkness just reminds him of the staircase, the falling, and then - nothing. He hasn't slept for three days, hasn't eaten in one. His suit is stuffed under his bed so he doesn't have to see it. Just pacing, smoking, staring.

At least, he smokes until he runs out of cigars. The Once-ler drags himself out of his room and makes for the apothecary, praying he doesn't run into anybody looking for a conversation. On the way there, he steps over a trail of hair, and doesn't think anything of it until -

Rapunzel's hair.

He whirls around and stares at it, then follows it with his eyes to the source. The Once-ler is overcome with emotion, unable to move or speak for a good like while.

He finally manages to call out,]

Rapunzel!

/crai

[70ftandcounting]

[The look on Rapunzel’s face as she turns around to face Once-ler is one of confusion – and unrecognizing. She has no idea who this person is, who ‘Rapunzel’ might be, or why he’s talking to her to begin with. A teasing, taunting little strain of memory wafts through her mind and she snatches at it, frantically trying to grasp hold of it before it drifts away again. She’s either not fast enough or it simply vanishes before she even had a chance of getting to it.
 
Peering at him in mild apprehension and wearing a very guarded expression, she swallows, and backs up a step.]
 
Who?

[yolonceler]

[What is that look on her face? What is that - that single word, why - ... Did she just get back? Has she been back? No, if she'd been back, she would have remembered everything. The Once-ler knows very little about these memory shenanigans. He takes a tentative step forward.]

You, that's... your name. You're Rapunzel. You're Rapunzel, and I'm the Once-ler, d... don't you remember? Anything, we... do you remember anything at all? [He scrubs a hand over his face, trying to nonchalantly wipe away the tears building up in his eyes.] We painted a mural, and I m-made you a dress...

[70ftandcounting]

[It hits in a flash - her name, her mother - her HAIR.]

--Oh!

[Rapunzel’s hands instinctively go up, as if she’s trying to ward him off. Her eyes are wide and she looks like a deer, ready to take flight at the first threat of that distance between them shortening.
 
Carefully, slowly, she backs away and leans to pull her hair protectively to her.
 
Mother wouldn’t like it getting dirty like that…Mother would be angry. Especially if this boy were here to do her harm, or worse – kidnap her.]
 
You stay back. Stay away from me. [He was here to take it – wasn’t he?]

[yolonceler]

[If the Once-ler weren't aware of his emotions, he'd think he was having a heart attack. It hurts. His legs feel weak. He forgets to tell himself that boys don't cry. One of his only friends in every dimension in existence doesn't recognize him, not even a little bit, and he feels like his soul is being crushed.

Is he overreacting?]

Please listen to me, I won't come near you, please just talk to me. Rapunzel, please.

[70ftandcounting]

[Her hair finally close to her body – in her arms, wrapped around her waist, pooled at her feet – she appears to visibly relax, just a little.]
 
Talk. Yes. What do you want? [Her eyes narrow a little.]
 
Are you after my hair? Trying to steal it? Cut it?
 
I won’t let you.

[yolonceler]

No! No, I don't want... [He trails off. Give him a moment to stop the hyperventilating before it begins.] Just... please, try to remember. Everything, anything. I - ... Just think really hard. A green suit, you should remember that? A really green suit, unforgettable. And... painting, that mural, with the fluffy trees. And that time you danced with... [Me.] ... someone at a party. And the time when you...

[He has to stop there. More deep breathing exercises.]

[70ftandcounting]

I don’t know what you’re talking about.
 
[She’s looking at him closer now, uncertain and confused – green. Flashes of green and music and other colors – red and yellow and orange and more shades of green. She drops her hair and presses her palms to her temples, eyes squeezing shut.]
 
Stop. Stop it! You’re trying to confuse me!
 
[She looks behind her, gauging the distance of the hall and how fast she might be able to get away from him if she takes off running. He’s – worrying her, frightening her with all of his words and the flashes of memory she brings up and and subsequently forgets.]

[yolonceler]

No, I'm not! Please, just think really, really hard, because I know... [The Once-ler rubs at his eyes. Stop crying you sissy.] ... You kissed me then I kissed you and then we got chased by a guy with an axe and then we...

[He's babbling. The Once-ler drops his hands to his sides helplessly.]

Please just look at me.

[70ftandcounting]

[She swivels her head back to look at him, feeling helpless and rotten and guilty all in one go. He’s – upset, he’s in tears and even if he seems only…vaguely familiar, Rapunzel doesn’t want to see him hurt, especially not by her own actions.
 
Very carefully, she pushes all of her hair behind her protectively, and takes several, tiny, tentative steps in his direction, slowly reaching a hand out to gently touch his arm.]
 
I’m – sorry. I just – I don’t know who you are. Please don’t cry.

[yolonceler]

[It's a tiny comfort that she doesn't seem afraid anymore. The tiniest of comforts. Doesn't change the fact that he feels like he's going to puke emotions. He'd feel much better if he knew this was the whole memory thing, but remember it only took him three days. He's thinking the worst automatically, and it terrifies him.]

But I'm the -

[ - Once-ler.

He wipes his nose on the back of his hand and stops his sniveling. Oncie, you are a full-grown man, dammit. He looks into her eyes, gazing, and only says,]

... No memory at all?

[70ftandcounting]

[Rapunzel doesn't want to answer this question, because in no way shape or form is this boy going to like what she has to say. Swallowing thickly, she shifts her weight and looks around -- anywhere but his face for the time being. She can't take that pleading look in his eyes, or his heart right there on his sleeve.

She's hurting him, letting him down and she doesn't know how to fix it. Tears prick at her eyes and she blinks them away as much as possible.]

I'm...I'm so sorry...

[yolonceler]

[Nothing ever works out for the Once-ler, does it. Ever. Not his family, not the trees, not the company, not even the goddamn magic castle. He instinctively lifts his hands with the intent to brush away her tears, but lowers them and steps back instead.]

That's... That's fine, don't apologize. It's fine. [It's not fine.] L-listen, uh, welcome to the keep, dinner is at seven, and I... [He runs a hand through his hair.] ... have somewhere to be. So.

[70ftandcounting]

[She fidgets, feeling her insides twist into a knot at the look on his face. She -- wants to remember, to know what he's talking about, but she just doesn't. She's trying, truly she is; her face is scrunched in thought, the tears shimmering in her eyes, but --

She can't. She can't pull up his face, his clothes. Despite the...vague sensation that he's familiar, that 'dancing' rings a bell and a lingering scent of tobacco she still can't remember.]

O-oh.

[She swallows.]

Of course. I'm sorry -- that I kept you.

[yolonceler]

It's okay, no, it's okay. Don't worry about it. See you around, I guess.

[One last look at her face. The Once-ler reassures himself that she might remember one day, or they can just start over from scratch, but he's in such an emotional pit it's hard to boost his spirits. He nods once, curtly, then brushes past her, making for the apothecary. He needs a cigar, he needs a hundred cigars. Anything to get his mind off of... this.

But let's be honest, here. That's not going to happen.]

[70ftandcounting]

[She watches him go, feeling helpless in her inability to remember who he was.

He was important, that much was obvious. Or at least, she was very important to him.

But how?

With a half strangled sob she flees the scene, running in the opposite direction that he had gone, bare feet pounding on the ground until she begins to walk again, momentarily forgetting the conversation that had just happened.]