[video]

[paints_lanterns]

[When the screen clicks on it is covered by a small, pale thumb, with only bits of the Porter room visible around the edges of the digit. The bits appear to be moving though as the phone is swung about.]

That voice said people will talk to me through this, Pascal. Do you think Eugene will? Or maybe Mother? Although she's already mad at me and getting sent somewhere even further from home is just going to make her more angry...

[After a few seconds the phone is placed on a surface and the thumb disappears, only to be replaced by a featureless wall. For ten seconds there is nothing.]

...Nothing's happening. Do you think...

[A few seconds later the screen whirls as the phone is turned around, revealing the long haired Rapunzel with a tiny green chameleon on her shoulder. Rapunzel is bent over slightly, her hair tumbling down off the side of her head in waves, and the phone must be propped up on a desk. Girl and Chameleon both look very expectant, eager even, their eyes wide and hopeful, faces maybe two feet from the phone. And nothing happens, of course. Eventually Rapunzel frowns.]

Maybe I'm supposed to say something?

[This is whispered in an aside to the Chameleon, who just shrugs at her, and she turns back to the screen and holds up a hand, giving a little wave of her fingers.]

Hello? I'm Rapunzel. I just woke up here, but I don't know how. Or why. The voice in the ceiling was not very helpful. Uhm. Eugene, if you can hear this I didn't mean to leave the boat, and Mother if you can hear this...I don't know...I'm sorry? [And then in another aside to the chameleon.] Do you think that's enough?

Comments

[sweetvalleygirl]

Well, it's years for us, but it's like a nanosecond back home.

'Least that's what they say...

[paints_lanterns]

...What?

[sweetvalleygirl]

Okay, so like, while you're here, time stands still in your homeworld. So, that Eugene dude will totally still be in the boat when you go back. And he won't even notice that you were gone.

[paints_lanterns]

[That...actually makes her feel a little better. Even if she has no idea how it could possibly work that way.]

...How does that happen?

[sweetvalleygirl]

I have no idea. But it's happened to enough of us that I'm pretty sure it's true, you know?

[paints_lanterns]

[Well no, she doesn't know. But she nods.]

So. What do we, uhm. Do? Here. I don't mean being a hero, but just...

[She has no idea how to explain what she means, and her hand comes up to tug on her massive braid lightly, a nervous habit.]

[sweetvalleygirl]

Well, there's a school to go to. Or you could get a job. Stuff like that.

[paints_lanterns]

[Okay. She knows what those things are, from the books she's read and some of the stories mother told her. But that's it, really.]

I have never had a job. Well, I had to keep the tower clean, Mother said that was my 'job' but I don't think it's the same...

What's school like?

[sweetvalleygirl]

School is pretty fun, and coming from me, that's saying something. We read books, and learn math and stuff. And there's really cute boys there...

[paints_lanterns]

Mother taught me to read, and math, and astronomy.

[She hadn't thought much about boys until Eugene. Was that strange?]

Do I have to do something to, to...qualify?

[sweetvalleygirl]

Nope! You just have to show up!

[and then....... an idea!!]

You could join the cheerleading squad!

[paints_lanterns]

[Well, that sounded easy. She suspected there was probably a catch. Still, 'cheerleading' sounded fun. Or at least, she knew what both cheer and leading meant.]

What's that?

[sweetvalleygirl]

Well, we wear these cute outfits and we do dances and cheers! And it's the best thing ever!

[paints_lanterns]

Well...I do like to dance. I've only ever really had my dresses though...

[sweetvalleygirl]

That's okay! Because it's just you and me so far, we'll get to pick our own uniforms! And our team mascot!

They are both going to be disappointed when it turns out rapunzel is too old for school.

[paints_lanterns]

...Mascot?

jessica will cry for a week :(

[sweetvalleygirl]

Yeah! Like, my old school had the Gladiators! But they could be like, the Lions or the Mustangs or the... Chameleons.

Although an exception could probably be made for 'raised in a tower'

[paints_lanterns]

[Pascal appears to like this last idea, as he hops down Rapunzel's arm and nods vigorously.]

Oh, so an animal. But why the Gladiators? There were some in the books mother gave me and they were very...violent.

exception: "THIS ONE NEEDS LEARNIN'!"

[sweetvalleygirl]

Gladiators are tough and scary! And they're intimidating and stuff.

But she's actually pretty smart and surprisingly knowledgable. And yet...

[paints_lanterns]

Oh. Well, I guess that's true. But...

Why does a mascot need to be those things?

and yet she'd look ADORABLE in a cheerleading uniform~

[sweetvalleygirl]

So that the other team is afraid, duh!

That too.

[paints_lanterns]

Team?

\o/

[sweetvalleygirl]

The team that we cheer for!

We... don't have a team yet, so we'll have to cheer for ourselves until we get one.

They could incorporate seventy feet of hair into a routine.

[paints_lanterns]

But...

A team of what?

jump rope???

[sweetvalleygirl]

Like... football, or basketball. Maybe even hockey!