Disclaimer: I do not own Tangled. Or Flynn Rider. Cue the heart-wrenching sobs and the waterfall of tears. :'(

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My jaw drops as my eyes travel up the lofty and clearly unsound architecture. It stand at the base of a waterfall, surrounded by treacherous cliffs and a glow of fairytale-ish mystery. The Eugene side of my mind flits back several years, to the days of my childhood. Back then, I read countless stories of swashbuckling pirates, daring adventures, and princesses locked away in towers. Could this be such a tower, with an eagerly awaiting damsel in distress?

Flynn Rider quickly shoots down that idea. There's no such things as fairytales. But this tower provides the perfect hiding place.

Grinning in self-satisfaction at my own audacity, I retrieve two arrows were aimed at me moments ago, and use them to scale to the top of this strange, yet inviting tower. After what seems like hours, I make it to the top, arrows and satchel in hand, and a sharp pain developing in my back and shoulders. Nevertheless, I felt at ease. There is no way the guards will find me here.

I glance around at my surprisingly welcoming surroundings, checking for any possible intruders (other than myself, of course). Then I turn my attention to the satchel hanging from my shoulder. Lifting the flap, I smile widely at its shining contents, and heave a sigh.

"Alone at last," I mumble fondly toward my spoils. I lift a hand to reach into the bag, intent on lifting the glittering crown from its resting place.

Then, with a loud clang and a sudden, sharp blow to the back of my head, the world disappears into blackness.

Where am I? I think to myself. Why am I on the floor? Whose floor? What just happened? Memories flash across my mind. Stealing the crown from the castle; running through the forest with the Brothers; running off with the crown and trying to escape the guards; coming across the tower...

Oh, yes.

I'm in the tower. That leaves only one question unanswered: why am I on the floor?

The answer rings like a bell in my mind, and I gasp inwardly. There's someone else there. I open my eyes, hoping to find this person. However, they must have been watching me, ready for when I woke up. No sooner do I allow my vision to take in the tower once again, than I feel a familiar pain in my head, and fall into the abyss once again.

There is something wet in my ear.

"GAH!"

There is a loud, high-pitched squeak to my left, but I ignore it. I have far more pressing matters on my mind than to figure out what the squeak was. Like the fact that I'm tied to a chair in the center of the room, still in that blasted tower. If I'd known it was going to be so much trouble...

Wait.

Whatever's holding me down isn't rope.

In fact, it looks like...

"Is this... hair?" I wonder aloud, feeling more and more freaked out by the second.

"Struggling is pointless," a shaky, feminine voice calls out from somewhere within the room. It sounds like it's coming from above me. I lift my eyes to the beams holding the roof up, and sure enough, I can see the silhouetted form of... well, I don't know who. The person hops down to the floor, still hidden in the shadows. I follow her every movement, my extra-sharp thief-senses kicked into overdrive. Who is this chick? Why did she tie me to a chair? And where, in the name of heaven and earth, did she get the hair to do it with?

"I know why you're here," she says suddenly, "and I'm not afraid of you!"

Um. That was weird. "What?" This is getting ridiculous. I squint, hoping to see through the darkness, but to no avail. However, my efforts aren't totally fruitless; right at that moment, the figure takes three determined steps forward, exposing herself to me.

As the light washes over her, my breath catches in my chest. Standing before me is the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life. My eyes widen, and I feel my mouth hanging open, as I take in every inch of her, bottom to top.

A pair of surprisingly adorable bare feet stick out from beneath the hem of a lavender skirt, which is, no doubt, hiding a pair of killer legs. The skirt disappears into a tightly-fitted bodice, hugging some positively sinful curves, the sight of which makes my mouth go dry.

It's at that moment that I notice the thick, golden hair that flows down her back... and around the room... and holds me captive. Holy crap. That's not creepy at all. Not in the slightest.

Forcing myself to ignore this new information, I will my eyes to continue their exploration. They travel past the slender, delicate arms, which hold up a frying pan (that must be what she hit me with!), to the tantalizingly low, yet surprisingly innocent neckline, trailing up the side of her long, elegant neck. They pause, momentarily, at the full, pink, slightly pursed lips, before roving over the smooth, rosy cheeks, cute button nose, and then stopping at the pair of striking, emerald green eyes, narrowed in suspicion.

"Who are you?" she asks. My eyes fly back to her lips as she speaks, and I become mesmerized by their movement. "And how did you find me?"

I don't fully register her words. That, combined with my mounting interest in her mouth, makes me give what has to be the most senseless, and most embarrassing reply I've ever given:

"Uh-huh..."

Doh.

Brilliant, Rider. Way to kill the ladies with your dazzling charm and fiery wit.

Her eyebrows pull together, and she raises the frying pan, prepared to strike if need be. That catches my attention a little bit. "Who are you, and how did you find me?" she repeats firmly.

It takes me a moment to remember how to speak. Eventually, though, the trusty Flynn Rider takes over, displaying a magnificent performance.

I clear my throat, and in my Shakespeare-voice, say, "I know not who you are, nor how I came to find you," I let my eyes close, "but may I just say..." I open my eyes, letting the false vulnerability shine through them for a moment, before quickly switching into rogue-mode. "Hi," I finish in a husky growl, coupling it with my best smirk.

And then, something happens, something that I never, ever would have expected from such a lovely and innocent-looking young female.

She frowns.

Determined not to be fazed by this, I continue. "How ya doin'?" I ask in the same flirtatious drawl. "The name's Flynn Rider. How's your day going?"

Unfortunately, she doesn't fall for it. Don't get me wrong, I've met girls that haven't instantly succumbed to my unfailing charm and gorgeous smile. However, these girls were either already married, or were tomboys that had seen and heard enough from the male sex to not be fooled by it. But this girl is different. Though her girlish sweetness and naïveté radiate from her, she's also no simpering bimbo. She can take care of herself. As evidenced by the frying pan she still holds in her hands, and the two lumps on the back of my skull.

The girl scoffs and extends the pan in my direction. I lean back as far as I can without the chair falling over. "Who else knows I'm here, Flynn Rider?"

She says the name with such... distaste? Disdain? I can't tell, but whatever it is, it doesn't sound good. And Eugene finds himself feeling terrified for his life. But Flynn pushes that fear aside.

"All right, Blondie—"

"Rapunzel," she interrupts me.

Is that her name? Oy vey, her mother is a very cruel woman! "Gezundheit," I offer. "Here's the deal," I begin my explanation, keeping my expression carefully blank. "I was in a situation, gallivanting through the forest. I came across your tower, and fi—" I stop mid-word and panic shoots through me as I finally realize that something's missing. "Oh no! Where is my satchel?"

She smirks, leaning back and folding her arms. "I've hidden it," she announces proudly. "Somewhere you'll never find it."

I lift an eyebrow. This girl grossly underestimates my ability to find things that don't want to be found. It only takes me a few moments of looking around, and I know exactly where it is. "It's in that pot, isn't it?"

Her face falls. Next thing I know...

CLANG!

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