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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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?

You'll...protect me? [ This is surprising enough that she forgets the carriage (even if her stomach doesn't) and the man driving it and the fear that sits heavy and rooted in her stomach like something twisted and gone to seed, fear despite all the wonder she's seen so far, the fear not of being betrayed (she doesn't have all of humanities automatic defense mechanisms built in, doesn't know to expect certain kinds of hurt for her honesty or blossoming trust), but the fear of disappointment and of never seeing her mother, her best friend, ever again.

They were all she had for the longest time, after all, and to lose them now as she's beginning to suspect she has, seems a thing too sad to accept.

So maybe it's just a relief. Reassurance. Maybe it just feels good to know she isn't alone in whatever her experiences have left her with. It surprises her to think that someone might want to protect her at all when for Gothel it had seemed such a terrible burden. And despite that, despite not wanting to be a hassle for her new friend, she finds herself starting to cry again and looks down. ] It's okay. I-I'm fine by myself! Like you, right? I can take care of myself. I can...

No matter what happens.

[She says it coolly and confidently, because she has to assure herself of it. It was... strange, to even want to protect someone, but she also hadn't expected to meet anyone that knew what it was like to be imprisoned and alone, even partially. And even more than that, Diva can too easily see her own decisions repeating if she doesn't offer that help. What if Rapunzel were to make friends with someone like Amshel? Diva knew that those kinds of people were here. They were her friends, because it was too late for her to undo that damage. But she could maybe stop it from repeating itself.

It's a sad thought, and one that she really wants to push away, but now it's stuck there in her mind. So she just decides to be honest.

Diva takes Rapunzel's hand delicately, intertwining their fingers to hold her hand.]

Even if you can take care of yourself, you don't want to be like me. That's a sad person to be. So if I can, I want to help and make sure that you don't make the same kind of decisions I did. Because not very many of them were good, I don't think.

[Seeing Rapunzel's tears feels strange, Diva suddenly realizes, because she knows that she should be crying too, but she just can't manage something like that. It doesn't come easily to her anymore.]

But I think if I do that, I'll be doing something right, for once.

Is that - is that what friends do? [ She's not familiar with any of this, after all, can't even lay name to the alarming number of emotions she's feeling. ] Protect each other? That's - [ a sniffling laugh ] - really nice...

[ And beyond that, it doesn't seem such a bad thing being out here. Even if there's still disappointment there for not being able to see the floating lights after all (she was sure that this would be the year!) and even if the idea of being trapped again grates, if getting to know Diva is part of the compensation, it...can't be too terribly bad. ]

[She laughs a little, brightening]

Ahh, well I'm not completely sure if that's exactly what friends do... I think it's a part of it? I'm not really familiar with things like this either, if I'm honest!

[Diva brightens, her posture relaxing slightly. This is an easier topic to go to than one that's so strange and new for her, after all.]

I left my tower a long time ago, but I still didn't get to do things like normal people do... My knights didn't really let me, you know? So coming here was my first chance to do things like my friends and really talk to people! It's fun, but I guess I'm still learning about it. But I'm definitely serious about protecting you, don't worry!

[ Rapunzel's smile takes on a bit of a wry edge, though she swallows in an effort to fight down another wave of nausea. ]

I guess we really do have a lot in common don't we? [ But she brightens too soon, clearing her throat. ] Oh but unknown things are meant to be investigated and made known, so that's okay. We'll just have to do some research and investigating. That's the best way to learn about things, you know. Investigating them. I didn't get to do much of that in my tower... Well, I did but - there were - limits? I guess you could say? Mm. So...now we both have an opportunity to do more.

[At least they are almost there! Not that... Diva really has any idea what motion sickness really entails, but you know. No one's perfect.]

Research and investigation, huh...

[Diva says it thoughtfully, then giggles] Well, I can at least try! I was never good at anything like that. Amshel always said I was suited to the arts more than science or anything, so that's probably it.

[And just a basic distrust of science, but these things happen and are unimportant!!]

Asgard is definitely fun, though! I've had a lot of fun here, at least. Don't listen to anyone that tells you that it's awful and terrible—They just can't appreciate how free they are here, that's all!

[ If she's being honest with herself (which isn't terribly hard to do with this) then she'd say her faith in the very idea of freedom isn't especially strong at the moment, not when she's just gotten free of her tower only to be thrown into a city she can't leave. But it's better, at least, than before. And Diva's right. It's something.

Besides she's equal parts scientist and artist, practical and full of whimsy. And while the fantastical part of her very much likes the idea of the world as something shining and bright, something better than she'd been led to believe all this time, the realistic side knows that Gothel had to have been right about some things. Thug-like gods kidnapping people and keeping them locked up in cities probably wasn't what she'd meant by "the world is cruel" but it's close enough. ]

How long did you say you'd been here again?

Oh... Probably about three months now? I've heard of people being here longer, but not a whole lot longer... Like maybe four months.

[The carriage starts to slow to a halt, and Diva leans forward to peer toward the Hall, smiling]

But there's the Hall. Ours is definitely the prettiest and the nicest out of them, so it's not bad at all. I'd like it all to myself, but... [She laughs] Well, I'll get a mansion eventually.

Wow... [ As soon as they're within range she's moved to where she can see properly. ] That's - amazing. I don't know what a mansion is but - but this is really neat.

Oh, a mansion is just a really really big house! Like one of the ones I lived in had... Let's see, I think it was seven bedrooms? That sounds right. But they're really fancy and luxurious too, so I like them the most.

[And once the carriage comes to a complete stop, Georgy gets off a few moments later to open the door for them]

What room are you in, by the way?

Oh, well, whe maid said I was assigned room 105? It's a little weird that they're numbered like that. Are there really over one hundred rooms? I-In one place? My tower had three. Seven seems like a lot on its own...

Oh, no, there's not a hundred! The hundred kind of tells you what floor it's on, and I think there's eight rooms or something on a floor, so it goes from 101 to 108. Then the second floor is 201 to 208!

[She steps out of the carriage and to the side to wait for Rapunzel to get out]

But you're really close to my room, so that's lucky! I'm in 102.

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