001. (v1) [audio]

[snowtop]

[The audio clips on to some panicked breathing.]

I-I thought-- I--

Th-this place, it, i-it's su--s-supposed to be a s-sa-- sanctu-- safe p--place! A-And I--

F-First I ff--find a-a guy i-in the--the c-cold room, then I-- there--

Th-there's ink i-in m-- my-- my s--skin!

[Letters are crawling onto his fingers and they won't scrub out.]

Comments

[Audio]

[lightwithin]

You don't have to be sorry for that!

Where are you? We can go and look for the freezer man. I know you'd recognize him if you saw him.

[Audio]

[snowtop]

I-- uh-- o-okay.

I'm, um, i-in my room? It's-- o-on the first f--floor.

[Audio]

[lightwithin]

Okay! Mine too. What number?

[There is the sound of a door opening and closing in the background.]

[Audio]

[snowtop]

Uh, o--one thousand a-and one.

[Xanth, too, steps out of his room. He throws a glance up and down the halls in case Kairi's somewhere close by - but what are the chances of that?]

[Audio --> Commentlog]

[lightwithin]

[The chances are very high, as luck would have it. No sooner has Kairi rounded the corner, then she spots Xanth. She pulls up short, not expecting to find him so soon.]

Oh, hello.

[Commentlog]

[snowtop]

Oh!

[Xanth flashes Kairi a quick half-smile and waves to her. He's been caught a bit off guard.]

H--Hi. I-I didn't-- uh-- we live p-pretty close, huh?

[He reaches up to scratch his cheek, but then he pulls his hand back down and curls his fingers into a lazy fist. There were letters on his fingers - how strange.]

[Commentlog]

[lightwithin]

Heh, yeah.

[Though this place is so big, she might not have noticed really.

Xanth's motion catches her eye and she glances at those ink-stained fingers.]

Have you been writing?

[Commentlog]

[snowtop]

[Xanth lets out a nervous laugh.]

N--No. It-- i-it's from-- th-the book. N-Not like-- r-rubbing off, m-more like... cr...crawling off the p-page...

[Commentlog]

[lightwithin]

[Kairi stares, wide-eyed, and then holds out her hand.]

Can I see?

[70ftandcounting]

Uum...

[She shakes herself out of her thoughts and nods, and beckons.]

Here...just, sit down. And...

[She winces a little.]

Try not to freak out. Okay?

[snowtop]

Um. O--Okay.

[Xanth walks over and takes a seat on the edge of her bed. His eyes go a little wide as he realizes exactly how much hair she has. What is that, ten feet? Twenty? But then, realizing it's rude to stare, he blinks and looks away.

He offers her a slight smile and holds up his hand. He can't promise no freak-outs, but he can certainly try.]

[Commentlog]

[snowtop]

[Wordlessly, Xanth steps closer and places his hand in hers. It's a strange sight - they are not smudges or imprints, but fully formed letters, as if he'd written them on his own hand.]

Re: [Commentlog]

[lightwithin]

[Kairi stares.]

And they just appeared? You don't remember...?

[70ftandcounting]

[The ONLY reason she's trying this (and showing someone her secret) is because she's panicked and terrified, and sees few other options.

She took a deep breath before taking his hand and wrapping the end of her hair around it.

Then, she starts to sing.]

Flower gleam and glow,
Let your power shine.
Make the clock reverse;
bring back what once was mine.

[And all...70 feet starts to glow while she sings.]

[snowtop]

[Now Xanth can't help but stare. His eyes go wide, his posture stiffens, and he very nearly pulls back his hand.]

Uh-- um-- wh-- uh--

[Okay, he's freaking out a little.]

[Commentlog]

[snowtop]

N-No, it-- it was l-like a bug, o-or something. I-I had my f--fingers o-on the page, a-and they just... sort of... c-crawled out.

[70ftandcounting]

[Wiiiiiince]

Pleasedontfreakout!

[snowtop]

[Xanth's eyes flick up to meet Rapunzel's. He swallows hard and bites his lip, but he forces himself to stop pulling away.]

I-Is it-- o--over?

[70ftandcounting]

[She unwinds her hair, hands a little shaky.]

Y-yes. It's over.

[snowtop]

[Xanth looks down at his hand, holding his breath... and then he lets it out in a disappointed sigh.

There has been no change. Xanth clenches his inked hand into a fist.]

I-It... didn't w-work on y--you, e-either, d--did it?

[70ftandcounting]

No...

I thought...I thought maybe it was worth a try though.

I'm really sorry.

[snowtop]

N-No, it-- it's okay.

[Xanth offers Rapunzel a smile. He hopes it's comforting and not just awkward.]

You... Y-You tried. Th--thank you.