asgardeventide | 「 oɴᴇ ☼ vıᴅᴇᴏ ⫻ ᴀᴄᴛɪoɴ foʀ ɢᴇfıoɴ ᴘᴀʀᴋ 」

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「 oɴᴇ ☼ vıᴅᴇᴏ ⫻ ᴀᴄᴛɪoɴ foʀ ɢᴇfıoɴ ᴘᴀʀᴋ 」

[ It's not unusual. The video just opens on a face: nose, freckles, green eyes the brightest of pretty, muted features and darting nervously back and forth. But anyone in the area may notice the trail of blonde hair leading from somewhere in the middle of the park up into one of the tallest trees where Rapunzel is sitting, relishing her surroundings and hiding at once. ]

So… Is — This is working, right? I mean - I've never really used a bracelet to talk to other people before and - [ she laughs nervously, toys with her hair ] Actually. I've never really talked to other people before in general. It's kind of — Well - [ sigh ] I just really have to ask and - [ she winces ] Sorry.

I need to know if anyone's seen a chameleon around. My chameleon. Well - my friend who is also a chameleon. His name's Pascal. And this is his first time outside too so if you could do me an amazing favor and send him to…Freyr House I think the person said? Or just - return him? My name is Rapunzel and… I would be extremely grateful.

[ And then the brilliant speech segues into a faint half-smile, a smile that eventually freezes as something occurs to her and, feigning bravery, she narrows her eyes, scowling to say loftily: ] But if anyone finds him and doesn't give him back? Or - Or they try and hurt him? I. Will hurt you. Because uh - I have a frying pan? And I am so not afraid to use it.

[ beat ]

Al…so. What's - a god?

[ooc; all-day driving, but tags will come later!]

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[She shakes her head, trotting closer to Rapunzel as Georgy gets down from the seat at the front to open the door for them.]

Oh, no, it's money! You have to have money to get things, like clothes or carriage rides. [After a beat] And food, but I think the halls have basic stuff to eat...?

[Diva has no idea and probably only went in the kitchen to steal knives.]

But if you have a job, then you earn money, so I guess it's easy? I never really had to worry about it before I came here, since my Chevalier were all rich.

Rich... [ Now she's got it into her head that money has something to do with chocolate, though the reason for currency at all eludes her. Why not simply give things to one another? The question reads as thoughtfulness on her face but she approaches the carriage door regardless. ]

What's a Chevalier?

[And with the door open, Diva will stand to the side, motioning for Rapunzel to get in first since... Well, she figures her hair will take up a bit of room.]

Oh, they were... [A pause, as she looks thoughtful] I guess they were kind of like my family? But that's not really right, either. They were my knights, so they would protect me and take care of me and stuff! But they also wouldn't let me do anything fun, so even if I miss them sometimes, I like being able to do things for myself here!

[ Allowing for the extra room at the far end of the seat, Rapunzel scoots in as far as seems practical before setting her hair down with a soft "oompf!", rocking forward a little with the momentum and hopinh that Diva missed the graceful manipulation. ]

That sounds - almost like a mother. [ this bit of naughtiness makes her giggle; Gothel would scold her for that, for sure ] A mother who isn't your family. Why did you need to be protected?

[Luckily, she did, because she's thinking carefully about her words. It would be easy to just tell the complete truth and explain it, but she's afraid of what Rapunzel's reaction might be. But once she's settled, she'll climb in after, Georgy closing the door after her.]

I guess it is, a little bit! [She laughs] But I didn't need to be protected. At least, I don't think so. But...

[And the carriage starts to move, at a gentle and leisurely pace, which Diva uses as a pause]

Well, it's because I'm a Queen. Knights have to protect their queen, right?

[ It's difficult to chose which is the most startling: the carriage or Diva. But by virtue of retaining some politeness, Rapunzel turns quickly to the latter (a bad idea in retrospect because her head spins a little and she finds her fingers involuntarily curling in the seat beneath her) with a look that speaks volumes of what's going on in her head. ]

A queen?

[A nod] A Queen. Not of anything big or important, but... enough, I guess. And that's why I don't see my sister very much, either. She's a Queen too, so we don't get along.

Uh...ahaha. I think just being a queen would be pretty amazing in itself. Should I call you "Your HIghness" then? [ she's read about such things, after all! Not much (Gothel was, for some reason, extremely sensitive about anything to do with royalty - especially the fiction), but...enough! ] Is your sister here too?

[She shakes her head]

No, just "Diva" is fine! I prefer it, actually. I don't like to boast about it or anything. Ah, but no, she isn't! But it's better that way, since I don't have to worry about her or anything! I can just have fun on my own!

[ The independence and the thrill of it is already something she's beginning to understands, prompting an uncharacteristically curt nod as she tries not to make too much movement. ]Um - that's - good. [ haltingly ] Um, Diva? Is it always like this? Carriages... [ Because although the pace is even and slow, the movement is so drastically unlike anything she's ever experienced and -

quite frankly it's a little nauseating. ]

[She tilts her head curiously]

Huh? Yeah, it is. It's not going very fast, though...

[Diva glances over her shoulder, where Georgy is sitting]

Do you want me to ask him to go slower...?

[ The look on her face is two parts sick to one (big) part fierce determination and Rapunzel shakes her head. Another stupid decision.

and, squeaked: ] It's fine!

Are you sure? You don't look very good....

[She's not sure what "sick" looks like, though.]

[ Rapunzel turns into the seat by way of answering and, without asking permission or giving warning as she probably ought, lays her head on Diva's shoulder, legs curled to her chest. ]

[But luckily, Diva has no concept of personal space. The gesture is really only surprising because it's usually her that has her head set on someone's shoulder. It's a little strange to have the role reversed, but... It's nice, too. She chuckles slightly, leaning her head to lightly rest against Rapunzel's.]

Hey, it's not a long ride, though, so we should be there soon.

[ Good. They can start the What is Personal Space? Club, though Rapunzel keeps her hands on the seat, not wanting to dig nails into anything with skin. It's a bit sad because she was looking so forward to the ride, and she hates that she's ruining Diva's. ]

I'm - really sorry. Maybe it's just...nerves? A-Aha...

No, I understand, at least a little bit.

[This is kind of an embarrassing story, but she's hoping it'll at least make her feel a bit better.]

Um... Well, after I first left the tower, the first time I rode in a carriage, it wasn't the movement that scared me so much. It was the horses. Because I'd never seen anything so big in my life! They were so big and powerful, and I think they could feel that I was scared, so they got scared too. They reared up and made a lot of noise, and...

[She laughs, sheepishly]

I actually cried. It's funny now, looking back on it, because it's not scary at all! But I was terrified then.

[ Oh Diva you really are her. And immediately she feels better with the sense of kinship. Mother has a strict no-tolerance policy, and the sympathy is outrageously strange. Outrageously welcome. She smiles. ]

I'd...probably feel the same if I'd never read about them. [ But it's interesting to think of her in a vulnerable position like that; she seems so untouchable now. ]

Yeah, it was really scary! Because in my tower... Well, I didn't know how to read or anything, so I didn't know anything about what was outside of it. So it was really surprising. Just... everything was, even simple stuff like horses.

[She laughs] Of course, I've gotten used to things now. For the most part! There are still things that surprise me, though.

You - You didn't have anything? In your tower? [ The question doesn't herald any pity or even overt curiosity this time, though. Just simple interest. ]

[She shakes her head, her answer coming after a long pause.]

Nothing. [After another pause,] Not even a name.

[ her answer too allows for a pause ]

Why?

Because humans are cruel.

[That answer comes more quickly, but after a beat, she clarifies,] My tower was a sad place. I didn't get a name because I didn't need one. I was just an experiment, so an experiment doesn't need a name. It's that simple.

[ Rapunzel closes her eyes against another onslaught of nausea, swallows, and takes a small breath before she answers, though it comes with a once-over of Diva that she doesn't try to hide. ]

But...even an experiment has feelings and dreams, right? Even - Even if you're just a girl in a tower you still deserve to get what you want. To be cared about. [ her eyes drop, however ] But Mother - she says the same thing. "Humans are selfish and people are cruel." That's why I've been on my own all this time. For my own protection. I guess that makes it ironic, huh? That you're one of the kindest person I've met? You're much more than an experiment to me.

[Her face stays unchanged, cool and statuesque, but what Rapunzel says makes her chest tighten uncomfortably. Oh, it's so nice to hear things like that, and she knows that she can believe them, from this person. She doesn't want to feel it, but she can already feel the regret and hurt welling up, because she's sure that this is something temporary. As soon as she decides to tell her the whole truth, it'll all disappear.

Her eyes close, and her cool smile becomes warmer.]

I'm glad. It means a lot for you to say something like that, really.

[Diva looks at her, and the warmth increases. She decides that no matter what, she'll at least keep this promise. Hearing kind words like that, it was enough for her to make a promise, even if finding out what she was changed everything.]

But I'll protect you, alright? Not everyone is cruel and... not everyone is selfish. [Even though it feels like she only just learned the lesson.] But there are people like that, you know? So I promise, I'll protect you! Because you're still new to leaving the tower, so it'd definitely be bad if your first experience with people was something like that, right?

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