[video]

[tower_bound]

[Okay, you can do this, Rapunzel, you can do this. Just follow the directions, it can't be hard. Well, maybe not the saying hello to people part, though successfully turning on the odd communication... thing... is proving to be quite the challenge.

In fact, it may or may not have taken her tripping over her own hair to hit the correct button; inattentive pacing isn't conductive to grace, but it seems to do the trick in terms of technological difficulties.

She sits up and takes a moment of looking quizzically at the device, turning it around, peering at the screen from every possible angle. Behind her are trees and grass; it should be pretty clear she's calling from somewhere in the park.

But is it on? What is it doing? Does she have to press anything else? She talks now, correct?]

Am... am I doing this right?

Hello?

Comments

[freezespirited]

I guess they don't have phones where you come from.

[tower_bound]

You could say that.

[She sits up a little taller, turning the phone the right direction as she looks down at the screen.]

So that's what this thing is called. A phone. That's kind of a strange name, don't you think?

[freezespirited]

Is it? I think feet is a strange name.

[tower_bound]

[Okay, the produced a small giggle.]

I guess "feet" is stranger than "phone".

[freezespirited]

Guess so. Jack Frost, at your service.

[tower_bound]

It's very nice to meet you, Jack Frost. My name is Rapunzel.

[freezespirited]

You're handling all of this pretty well, Rapunzel.

[tower_bound]

To be honest? I'm kind of really freaking out on the inside. I don't know where Flynn is, and Mother's sure to find out that I'm missing...

[She shakes her head.]

But I know the world isn't as cruel as I thought it was. I'm sure someone here can help me find the way back home.

...Right?

[freezespirited]

I don't know how long it will be until we find a way out, but there are plenty of people here who want to do the same and who are willing to help you. And when you do get back, I'm sure this Flynn person and your mom will be happy to see you.

Why did you think the world was so cruel?

[tower_bound]

I don't know about Flynn, but Mother will be. [She'll also probably be furious.]

Well... I guess that's because Mother always said it was.

[freezespirited]

It's not your fault you were brought here. So you might as well enjoy it while you can.

But what about you? You'd have to have seen something good in the world.

[tower_bound]

I guess so; I think enjoying it might be a little bit easier when I start to get used to everything.

[Though this new place is definitely exciting, it's also utterly foreign, not just in the cultural sense, but the technological sense as well.]

Hmm... well, I did meet a bunch of thugs who turned out to be nice people.

[freezespirited]

There's no rush. You'll get used to it eventually.

See? That's...something.

[tower_bound]

I'm sure I will; it can't be so bad with all the nice people around.

[She smiles a bit wider, her recent memories of those in the Snuggly Duckling fond.]

They really were an amazing group! I would have never guessed that bone-crushing thugs could have such good hearts and dreams.

[freezespirited]

That shows that you shouldn't let fear and first impressions be the basis of your decisions.

[tower_bound]

You're definitely right. Though it's still kind of strange to me that everyone here seems to be so nice.

[After all, she had to blackmail Flynn into doing the decent thing and helping her, and she had to get through to the thugs and pull on their heartstrings for them to show their other sides. Here? There's none of that.]

I guess I have a lot of learning to do.

[freezespirited]

I can see why if you thought it was cruel. The only way for you to figure it out is if you learn. But I think it's more of a mix than an extreme of the two.

[tower_bound]

I'm glad I haven't seen too much "bad". It makes me wonder if Mother just has bad luck with bad people; for as long as I can remember, she always said that the world was a horrible place.

[freezespirited]

Maybe she had some bad experiences. Why else would she say the world is horrible? Still, not one person's experiences are ever the same. There are a lot of good people too.

[tower_bound]

[She nods in agreement.]

That's exactly what I discovered once I left the tower. The good people, that is.

Still... I'm sure Mother had her good reasons. She'd never lie to me.