bildungsromans | for watcheslanterns

[ Rapunzel's eyes sparkle at the mention of a circus. She's read about them in books, but obviously had never seen one. After first reading about one, Rapunzel had asked her mother to see one, but like to many things, she had forbidden it. Her mother had peppered her with tales of pickpockets and con artists that would steal her blind or trap her in some kind of freak show. The idea had chastened her, but somehow the idea of the circus still seemed alluring.

And looking down at the boy - Dick - the curiosity of the idea burned anew. Certainly someone like him couldn't be a part of the scary tales her mother had weaved. Of course, there's the fact that he's hurt, too. It doesn't seem right that she should let him go back injured when she could help him.

She hesitates though, picturing how angry her mother would be if she gets caught. All of her warnings swirl around her head in a torrent of confusion.

In the end, Pascal presses a foot to her cheek. She looks at him and she knows what he thinks they should do.

And she agrees.

She edges out of the window a bit more, studying Dick. ]

...Can you keep a secret? Like...a really, really big secret?

[ That's always a weird question when it comes from a complete stranger, but Dick doesn't see the harm in this particular person asking. ]

Uh... sure.

[ What's he got to lose, anyway? ]

As long as it's not something creepy that people might kill me for knowing, I'm all ears.

[ Rapunzel thinks for a moment. Maybe a terrible person would try to harm him if he knew her secret. But then again, nobody would know if he kept the secret to himself. So really, it had to be safe.

So, after a moment, Rapunzel swings her hair over the hook outside the window. It cascades down the side of the tower, falling just short of the ground. She's small still, but her hair had already grown to it's outrageous length.

She shouts out the window to Dick again. ]

Grab on! I'll pull you up!

[ Once a seemingly endless ream of hair descends from the high window, how can Dick not grab on? This might be the coolest thing he's seen in a long time, and he's the traveling circus kid!

He instantly snatches a sizable amount of hair to hold onto for dear life. ]

You sure this is gonna work?

[ He looks up at Rapunzel in pure earnestness. ]

I'm a growing boy, you know!

I'm sure!

[ Her voice is filled with the confidence that only experience can bring. Dick was much lighter than her mother, after all. Once she feels the tug of Dick's hands she makes for a testing pull upward.

Yes. There's no doubt that she can do this. ]

Hold on tight!

[ And with no more warning than that, Rapunzel begins pulling her hair, and Dick with it, up towards the window. ]

Holding!!

[ Dick should be used to heights by now (and he is), but the feel of all this hair doesn't give him the same security that a rope or wire does. He takes great pains to hide any evidence of himself panicking, only to clumsily tumble over the windowsill.

Fortunately, he lands on his good leg, but doesn't quite find enough balance. Instead, he just falls flat on the floor. ]

Ow.

[ He makes no attempt to get up, looking a little defeated. It's only his flair for dramatics, though. ]

Awfully nice establishment you've got here.

Is there a reason for no stairs, though?

[ When Dick falls into the room, Rapunzel releases her hair and skitters backwards. She grabs a chair and holds it firmly in front of her. Even if she has decided to allow him into her tower, she needs to be careful. Just in case.

She watches him carefully, as does Pascal from his perch on her shoulder. ]

It's for....safety? [ Even she sounds a little doubtful as she says it. But that's what she's been told and there was no reason for her mother to lie to her. ]

So no one can take me away.

I guess that's as good a precaution as any, huh.

[ Parent logic. Dick's no stranger to it... even if this is a little much. ]

Oh hey, is that for me?

[ He chuckles as he looks at what Rapunzel's doing with the chair, a tad oblivious to the fact that she's holding it as a defensive gesture.

Maybe if he jokes about it, he'll seem less threatening? ]

Thank you, I appreciate it, but I think I'm okay down here.

[ He gets up so he can properly sit on the floor, bad leg sprawled for perusal. ]

So what tonics have you got for this?

[ The joking does help a little. Rapunzel sets the chair down, be remains behind it. Pascal, meanwhile, makes his way down to the floor where he skitters closer to Dick. He eyes the boy, inspecting him from head to toe. ]

There's no tonics. [ Rapunzel holds on to some of her hair, playing with it nervously. ]

The secret I mentioned...you have to promise not the freak out either.

[ Dick quirks an eyebrow as Pascal inspects him, as he's never been this up close with a chameleon before. Even though he's ridden and hopped on elephants before, this is still a cool experience! He's tempted to pet Pascal, to get Pascal to sit on his shoulder, but he ultimately refrains - might be rude to do so without asking Rapunzel first.

And Dick can't bring himself to ask once Rapunzel makes her admission. Doesn't sound like a thing to interrupt, until he can finally ask a different question. ]

So the hair wasn't the secret?

How bad could it be?

[ Rapunzel doesn't reply. Instead, she moves around the chair and makes her way to where Dick is sitting. She kneels down beside him and bundles up a length of her hair. ]

Just don't say I didn't warn you...

[ Carefully, she takes his wounded ankle and wraps the bundled hair around it. Ignoring any strange looks from Dick, she closes her eyes and sings the healing incantation. Her hair glows, lighting up the entire room.

At her side, Pascal watches, making sure Dick doesn't completely lose it. ]

[ That's oddly ominous, but there's not enough time for Dick to complain as Rapunzel sings, her hair glows, and his leg magically heals.

His eyes widen at the spectacle, hair on his skin rising as he witnesses what's essentially a miracle. ]

You-- you--

[ It's like he's on the verge of a panic attack as he exchanges glances with Pascal, then Rapunzel, then back to Pascal, and-- ]

You have magic powers!? That's so cool!

[ He finally sits upright, appraising his restored leg as Rapunzel's hair unravels around it. He soon stands up, and to test himself, performs a backflip. ]

Wow! Good as new!

[ Dick's seen a lot of things as a member of a traveling caravan, but never anything outright supernatural, like something straight out of myth and folklore. He regards Rapunzel with an inquisitive look, practically on a sugar high with how visibly pleased he is. ]

Are you some kind of demigoddess? What's your name?

Why is this a secret when it's so amazing?

[ In all his naivete, Dick forgets what might necessitate the secrecy surrounding Rapunzel's magic - the 'parent logic.' ]

[ Rapunzel just stares at Dick for a moment, partially awed by his backflip. She's never seen anything quite like it. Part of her wants to clap and cheer, but she knows that she must make sure he knows how serious her secret must stay.

Pascal sees her anxiety, and crawls back to her shoulder to comfort her. ]

My name is Rapunzel...I'm just a girl though. Mother says my magic came from a drop of sun.

[ She blushes slightly at his praise. ]

But it's a secret because people could take me for my power. Bad people.

'Bad people,' huh?

[ Dick remembers how some bandits, Zucco's gang, keep running into Haly's Circus and asking for protection money. Though the Circus members have been strong enough to fight off these bandits, Dick secretly hopes things never escalate.

He tries not to think about it, even though it's been an obvious worry in his parents' minds. ]

Don't worry, Rapunzel. I'll protect you!

[ He shadowboxes, though he's about as threatening as a little boy throwing punches at nothing can be. ]

I'm strong, I'm fast, I'm agile... and you can always heal me if I get my butt kicked!

[ So that he doesn't overdo it, he stops it with the punching and sits back down to meet Rapunzel at eye level - what with her still on the floor. ]

I owe you, after all. It's really nice, what you did for me.

Thank you, friend.

[ Rapunzel laughs at his show. His confidence and playful manner puts her more at ease. Pascal, too, watches in amusement. It seems Dick has won the chameleon's approval.

Her heart flutters at the word "friend". Pascal is her only friend in the world, and while she loves him dearly, having friends her own age, her own species, is something she's dreamed of for a long time - almost as much as seeing the floating lights. ]

Can we...I mean, are we really friends?

[ Dick collapses on the floor underneath him, crossing his arms underneath his head as he stares at ceiling. ]

We're friends now, that's for sure.

[ He doesn't stay that relaxed for long, tilting his head to look at her. ]

Unless you need time to think about it. I mean, I am a complete stranger.

But maybe I could change that if I showed you the circus? Introduced you to my friends and family?

[ Rapunzel considers Dick, and after a moment flops down on to the floor as well. The ceiling is a familiar sight for Rapunzel. She hasn't gotten all the way up there yet, but she imagines one day she will so she can paint more. As it is now there's a smattering of paintings on the walls and on some of the rafters. ]

I've never had a friend other than Pascal.

[ Pascal curls up in some of Rapunzel's hair, confident in his place.

Rapunzel turns her head and looks sadly at Dick. ]

I don't...no. I couldn't do that. I'd like to, but...

[ Her voice trails off into a tiny puff of a sigh. ]

[ Dick gives Rapunzel a look of concern, somewhat mystified at what could possibly be stopping her. ]

But what?

[ Before she can answer, though-- ]

Hey, wait. Before you tell me, if you wanna tell me...

My only real friend before you and Pascal is an elephant. Her name's Sitka, and she's amazing!

[ It's hard for a lot of the other circus members to count as 'friends' (the way kids ought to think of friends) when they're more like Dick's 'extended family.'

There's also nobody in his age group at Haly's Circus, which doesn't help matters. ]

[ Rapunzel's eyes go wide. She flips on to her side, in Dick's direction. Pascal also peeks up with curiosity. ]

An elephant? Really? She must be wonderful! I've only ever read about them. What is she like?

[ Her expression glows with delight. All thoughts of answer his initial question have temporarily floated away. ]

Gigantic.

I love doing back-flips on her, and doing handstands on the tip of her trunk. She also likes flinging me onto handles and platforms.

And believe it or not, but she's not a fan of peanuts, and she isn't afraid of mice.

[ He glances at Rapunzel's other friend, wearing a teasing smirk. ]

Don't know how she'd feel about Pascal, though.

[ Likewise, Dick's not sure how to feel about the wonderment in Rapunzel's eyes. His uncertainty isn't negative by any means, he's just-- there's butterflies in his stomach he's never felt before, and he's unsure what to make of that. He's never even been one for performance anxiety! ]

I think you'd love it. Haly's Circus, I mean.

You sure you can't come see it? Even for a little bit? After the leg thing, the least I can do is get you a free ticket to the next show.

[ Rapunzel can just picture the elephant in her head. She can almost hear the crowd applauding their tricks and stunts. Yearning tugs at her heart as she imagines a world she's never even seen. ]

It sounds wonderful.

[ She sighs then. ]

My mother wouldn't like it. She doesn't want me leaving the tower.

Well, my folks don't want me leaving camp for long, yet here I am.

I mean, [ He chuckles lightly, ] I was only supposed to get firewood.

[ He looks around for a second, wondering if Rapunzel's mother is bound to show up at any moment. Maybe she's as nice as her daughter, but just really protective? ]

Aw, that's okay. I understand if, like, she wants to be there to keep an eye on you.

Which is why she can come, too!

[ Little does he know, of course... ]

[ Rapunzel's eyes widen, her expression stricken. She could never picture her mother taking her out on any excursion, let alone one where crowds of people would be - possibly ruffians! Or thugs! ]

No. She wouldn't do that.

[ She shakes her head solemnly. ]

It's my hair. She doesn't want anyone to hurt or take me for it's magic.

Hmm...

[ Dick takes a moment to come up with some crafty plan. He’s had no outlet for such things, but he bets that had he the right mentor, he’d totally be a master strategist! ]

Well, nobody at Haly’s needs to know you’ve got magic hair.

Maybe braiding it will bring less attention to it? Because I can help with that!

[ Dick seems very determined about this. And who can blame him? Rapunzel’s the first friend he’s ever met that’s his age! ]

See, even if we’ve gotta sneak you out or something, I think the circus would be fun. Your mom doesn’t have to know!

[ Rapunzel sits up and tucks her knees close to her chest. She sucks at her bottom lip as she considers the possibilities. She knows that her mother won't be home for a few more days. And it didn't sound like the circus is very far away. Could she really go against her mother's wishes this one time?

If Dick is right, it really wouldn't be any danger at all. The siren call of the sights and sounds of the circus are tempting, especially to a curious child like Rapunzel.

She glances at Pascal, silently imploring him for his opinion. The chameleon, for his part, has no doubt in his mind. He firmly nods his head. They should go.

Then she looks back to Dick, concern still in her eyes. ]

Are you sure it would be safe? Really, really sure?

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