As they all ran up to the castle, Eugene went to open the door.

"Oh, what? It's locked!" Eugenep cried before Ruddiger, mutated by one of Varian's concoctions, ran down the door. "It's unlocked!"

They all raced inside the castle to the throne room but there was no sign of Cassandra or Zhan Tiri.

"Huh?" Rapunzel looked around.

"Where are the bad guys?" Attila asked and Eugene hummed.

"I don't know, but let's just get that machine built before they get back!" Eugene said quickly. "Alright?"

Fidella led in the cart with all the materials needed to build the portal.

"I'm going to find Cassandra," Rapunzel said seriously.

"Sunshine." Eugene turned to her with a smile. "Good luck."

"You too," Rapunzel returned before she left to go find Cass.

Aquaria went with Varian and they started to build the portal to the netherworld.

🧪

"And... there!" Varian announced as he tightened the last bolt.

Aquaria stood up and smiled as she admired their work.

"Okay, just pull that lever, and we've got ourselves a transdimensional portal," Varian said with a light laugh.

"Oh! You weren't kidding! That was fast!" Eugene looked in shock.

"Okay, we've just gotta make sure everyone is clear of the portal or else, you know, they'll end up in limbo, right along with Zhan Tiri," Varian explained and Aqua held his hand.

"Although, I gotta admit, this all feels a little too eas-" Eugene started before a cry came from Quirin.

Aquaria whipped around to see Quirin trying to pull down the lever and everyone watched.

"For Cassandraaa!" His helmet glowed yellow as it shocked his neurons and stunned him.

Quirin started to seize up and he fell backwards, unconscious.

"Dad! Dad, don't worry!" Varian quickly knelt by his father's head. "You'll be okay, I promise."

Aquaria frowned, having hoped this wouldn't happen. She knelt beside Varian and put a hand on his shoulder gently.

"It's alright, Var. It worked," Aquaria murmured.

"What happened?" Eugene asked as he knelt on the opposite side of Varian, putting a hand on his shoulder as well.

"I thought about what you said so I took... precautions..." Varian looked to the side sadly. "I rigged his helmet with a temporary stun mechanism."

"Score one for Team Awesome!" Eugene cheered and laughed but Aquaria pulled a face, silently telling Eugene to shut up.

Varian let out a disheartened laugh. "Yeah... Team Awesome..."

"Let's say we get him someplace more comfortable, huh?" Eugene suggested and Varian smiled as he nodded.

Aquaria helped Eugene and Varian move Quirin to the side and she stayed by him.

She was worried about him too, seeing him as a second father to her. She hummed softly and then she quickly stood when the castle shook.

"What was that?!" Eugene looked at his father with concern.

"Do you think it was Rapunzel? She might've found Cass," Aqua said as she stood beside Eugene.

"I'm going to check on her," Eugene said before making his way to the exit.

"Stay here, Hamuel. Keep an eye on things with the others," Edmund said before he left with his son, leaving Hamuel behind.

"It's gonna be okay. We'll fix this," Varian assured Aquaria when he saw how nervous she looked.

"I know... I'm just-" Aqua gasped when she saw the portal open.

"What?" Varian turned to see what she was looking at. "Ohhh, that's not good."

"What's going on? Ah-" Feldspar cried as he was sucked into the portal.

Monty was next and soon Aqua was getting pulled.

"Varian!" Aqua cried as they were pulled into the blue swirling gateway.

Shorty was the last one and he was clinging to the lever.

"Look at me! I'm a flag!" Shorty cheered.

"Hey, is everyone-" Eugene stopped when he saw what happened.

Shorty was pulled from the lever and the lever went into the red zone which closed the portal.

Eugene looked in shock and spoke, "kay..."

Edmund frowned as he said, "well, ain't that a humdinger?"

☀️

Rapunzel found Cassandra's room and her heart broke when she saw the state of the bedroom.

She trailed her fingers along the top of the wardrobe and the reached for the headpiece Cass wore as her lady in waiting.

"I know we've grown apart, it breaks my heart in two. I miss your company, the closeness we once knew," Rapunzel sang as she put up the painting of her and Cassandra on Cassandra's desk.

"I won't pretend to know just what you're going through."

She thought about when she gave that painting to Cass and she had ripped Eugene out of the painting.

"But I'd give anything for you. Yes, I'd give anything to relive everything with you," Rapunzel continued as she set down the headpiece and then dropped back on the bed, turning on her side.

She smiled as she booped Pascal on the nose before getting up again, looking at the large painting on the wall.

"So if you find that you're in darkness or despair, though you won't turn to me. Please know I'll be right there," she sang as she reminded the times she raced through the woods with Cassandra on horseback.

"Name any sacrifice, I'll pay the price that's due. 'Cause I'd give anything for you. Yes, I'd give anything to relive everything we knew."

Rapunzel picked up the headpiece and hugged it close to her chest.

"Yes, I'd give anything
For you."

She folded the headpiece and got up with a frown. She walked to the window and sighed softly.

"I know Cassandra can still be saved, Pascal," Rapunzel said before the sundrop on her chest started to flicker.

🌙

Cassandra looked out at the eclipse and then looked down at the moonstone on her chest that was pulsing.

"The eclipse has already begun to weaken the sundrop's strength. It is time for you to face the princess and takethe power that is rightfully yours," Zhan Tiri spoke before she curtsied with a grin.

"Yes, it is time," Cass agreed as she walked to the door. "There's just one other thing."

Black rocks erupted from the ground around Zhan Tiri, trapping her in a cage of black rocks.

"It's not that I don't trust you... no, that's exactly it," Cassandra grinned as she bowed to Zhan Tiri before leaving the room.

After Cassandra left, Zhan Tiri laughed and felt the bars.

"I've been in far worse prisons," the little girl spoke.

💧

Aquaria held Varian's hand as they floated into a green cloud.

They popped their heads out and Aqua immediately looked around.

"Okay, so I'm gonna come right out and say it. This is just awful," Kiera complained as she threw away some sort of pig creature and crossed her arms.

"I'm not sure if I should be fascinated or terrified," Varian said as there was a tiny knight riding a bumblebee.

Aqua then looked up to see a giant eyeball. When the eyeball blinked, it exploded into around one hundred little eyeballs.

"And we have a winner..." Varian looked at the event in horror.

"Everybody, let's just relax. I'm sure Eugene will have us back in no time," Lance said after he popped out of the cloud with a cute blue unicorn on his head.

He then let out a cry when he was lifted up on the head of a huge giraffe.

"I hope," Lance added with fear.

Varian helped Aqua stand up and looked around at his surroundings.

"Guys, I know we gotta get out of here, but is it weird that these delicious looking things are making me hungry?" Lance asked as a bunch of flying foods floated past him.

"Not to me," Shorty said as he pulled out a cabbage and fish swam out of it into the air with a girls head on it. Shorty took a bite of the cabbage and Aquaria gagged.

"I uh- I think- I think we're safe up here for a while," Varian said and Aqua looked at him with wide eyes. "What?"

"Uh... V, I don't wanna alarm you, but the stripe in your hair, it's alive!" Kiera pointed out.

The snake eith goggles on his head looked at Varian and he shouted in shock.

"Get it off! No! Why?!" Varian cried as he ran around.

"Oh, man! I can't look!" Lance covered his eyes before an eye popped up on his chin. "Why can I still see this? I shouldn't be able to see this!" Eyes popped up all over Lance's body.

Frederic tried to move but he looked down and saw that his lower half was his upper half upside down, like a king in a card deck.

"Um, Frederic!" Arianna pulled at the bunny ears now attached to her face.

Ruddiger, still a mutated beast, had pink flowers sprouting up all over his fur. Big Nose's nose popped off his face with wings. Stan and Pete were stuck together and couldnt separate.

"Welcome to my world," Shorty said as if these were all completely normal events. "Oh, hi, Big Nose's big nose." He waved to the nose that flew past him.

Aquaria was playing with a pink cat tail that was now on her body along with two fluffy pink cat ears on top of her head.

"I think I know what's going on here," Varian said as he came out of his initial panic. "This place, it's changing us."

"Oh! Really, Professor Snakehead? How'd you figure that out?" Lance asked sarcastically.

"And if we don't get out soon, these changes could be..." Varian trailed off as he looked at Aquaria.

"Irreverssssible," the snake on his head continued.

"We're gonna get out. Eugene wouldn't just leave us trapped here," Aquaria said positively and she hummed softly.

"Ooo, you're ssstunning," the snake flirted when he saw Aquaria. "Do you come here often?"

"Um, no?" Aqua couldn't help but giggle and Varian glared at the snake on his head.

"Well if you're sssingle, let me know," the snake continued.

"She's taken, for your information. Back off," Varian grumbled to his head.

"Aw, Varian. Are you jealous of a snake?" Aquaria teased and he huffed.

"Just stop hitting on my girlfriend, would ya?" Varian looked up at the snake on his head.

"Fine. But let me know if thingsss go sssouth." The snake grinned at Aquaria. "I'll sssweep you off your feet."

Aquaria laughed and Varian grimaced. Lance marched up to Varian.

"Mr. Snake, the princess is off limits. You may not get in the way of Nia and Keith being born!" Lance shouted.

"What?! You're pregnant with twins and you didn't tell me?! Arianna! Did you know of this?!" Frederic gave Varian a deadly glare.

"I'm not pregnant! Still innocent! I promise!" Aqua quickly clarified.

"I thought we were going with Lloyd and Dixie." Varian looked at Lance.

"Seriously?" Aqua looked at Varian incredulously.

"Yeah, but I thought we should think up some back up names just in case," Lance said and Aquaria groaned.

"Oh, we're thinking of future names?" Frederic realized. "How about Elena?"

"You too dad?" Aqua blushed bright.

"Alexandra? Or what do you think about Nikkie?" Arianna piped up.

"Mom!" Aqua hugged herself.

"I like Nikkie," Varian agreed with the queen.

"You may lose me to the snake on your head, Var," Aqua threatened but Varian chuckled.

"You love me too much to do that," Varian said with a cheek grin.

"Don't test that theory, freckles." Aqua crossed her arms but she knew he was right.

He hugged her from behind and kissed her cheek.

"Hailey is a cute name," Lance suggested.

Aquaria slumped and let out a sharp breath. "This isn't going away any time soon..."

☀️

Rapunzel walked through the halls of the castle and a frigid breeze blew through, putting out a candle beside the princess.

"Cassandra?" Rapunzel looked and turned around.

"You know, Raps, it's funny," Cassandra spoke and some black rocks pulled away to reveal the holder of the moonstone upside down. "I look at you and see a girl who was used for her gifts and lied to her entire life."

Cassandra jumped down, landing right side up. Rapunzel looked at Cassandra, desperately hoping to get through to her best friend.

"And I think if there's anyone who should knows what it feels like to be taken for granted and cast aside for something better, it'd be you," Cassandra continued as she pointed at the blonde princess.

"Who says I don't?" Rapunzel spoke as she stood firm. "Cassandra, I am not giving up on you. We can work this out, trust me."

"Trust you? The last time I heard those words, you had Varian imprison me in amber," Cass reminded with a solid glare.

"You know that wasn't my plan!" Rapunzel persisted. "This isn't you, Cass!"

"This isn't me? Don't you get it by now?" Cass marched up to Rapunzel and put her finger in her face. "You don't get to tell me who I am. No one does!"

The two circled each other, the sundrop and moonstone glowing when they were close.

"Only I decide that," Cass stated firmly before turning from Rapunzel.

"And have you decided, Cassandra? Is this who you are now? Is this what you really want? Because I think Zhan Tiri has your head so clouded with anger and hate, that you don't even know what you want anymore," Rapunzel said as she looked over her shoulder at Cassandra who's back was still turned.

"I know exactly what I want. I want you to know what it feels like to fall short, despite your best efforts." Cass turned to Rapunzel. "I want you and the rest of the world to know that I come second to no one."

Cass pulled out her sword and black rocks erupted from the floor behind her as she grit her teeth.

Rapunzel returned the hard glare that Cassandra was giving her.

"Cass, hand over the moonstone so we can end this. You are playing right into Zhan Tiri's plan," Rapunzel said sternly.

"I've already taken care of Zhan Tiri. Now, give me the sundrop," Cass ordered as she pointed her blade at Rapunzel.

"I'm warning you, Cass. I am prepared to do whatever it takes to protect this kingdom," Rapunzel apprised before letting down her hair.

Cassandra's glare only hardened as Rapunzel looked at her with a new fire in her eyes.

The two ran at each other. Rapunzel's hope for Cassandra's was dwindling, still there but it's flame was dying out.

"I was hoping we'd be able to talk this out, but now that you've made that impossible, I am not holding back!" Rapunzel shouted as she grabbed her hair.

The long golden hair started to glow bright and Rapunzel swung at Cassandra, knowing her down the hall.

"I can't tell you how disappointing that is to here, Raps. Because if you're not holding back, that means this is the best you can do." Cassandra smirked as she regained her footing.

Rapunzel swung her hair at the air, bursts of golden energy shooting out at Cassandra.

Cass swung her sword and stopped the two blasts which caused a huge burst of energy.

"And your best is pathetic," Cassandra finished, sending a stream of black rocks at Rapunzel.

Live rocks formed as wolves were growling at Rapunzel from in black rocks.

Pascal shrieked and hid in Rapunzel's hair but the princess merely pressed forward, destroying the rocks and the rock wolves with her hair.

She then walked forwards, the rocks bursting apart in front of her as she made her way to Cassandra until she was face to face with her old friend.

The two swung at each other again, busting through the walls into another hallway.

"Huh, these are new," Cass spoke as she sat up, looking at the vases on display on the hallway.

"Yeah. I thought this hallway could use a bit of sprucing up. What do you think?" Raps asked as she stood up before a vase was thrown at her which she quickly dodged. "A simple 'not my style' would've been fine, but okay."

Cassandra continued to chuck vases at the princess until Rapunzel saw Cass go for a vase with an üümlaut.

"Wait! My Aunt Willow made that one. Please," Rapunzel looked at Cass with a pleading look to which Cass set down the vase.

As soon as she set the üümlaut vase down, Cass used black rocks to shoot a bunch of other vases at Rapunzel.

Rapunzel used her hair to block the vases before she slung her hair at Cass. She got her hair wrapped around Cassandra's leg and torso.

"Ha! Bet you didn't see that coming!" Rapunzel grinned.

"You forget who taught you that move," Cass started as she sat up. "Not to mention rule number one of combat. Turn your enemy's strength into a weakness."

Cass grabbed Rapunzel's hair and black rocks grew, encasing the golden hair as it traveled closer to the princess. Within seconds, Rapunzel's body was encased in black rocks. Cass used black rocks to put a hole in the side of the palace and she took Rapunzel up to the balcony of her room where she had trapped Zhan Tiri.

"This fight is over, princess," Cassandra said as she stepped onto Rapunzel's balcony.

"What are we doing here?" Rapunzel asked with fear peeking through her voice.

"I want the entire kingdom to see me get that sundrop," Cass explained as she walked towards the window.

"And then what, Cassandra? If you win, what will you do? Have you thought about that?" Rapunzel tried to get through to Cassandra. "What will be left for you? Who will be left for you? Huh?"

Cassandra let out a chuckle as she turned back to the princess. "Who will be left for me, Rapunzel? Let me tell you something. This whole ordeal has taught me I don't need anyone."

"Please. I know you don't believe that," Rapunzel spoke calmly.

"You don't get to tell me what I believe!" Cassandra raged, encasing Rapunzel completely in black rocks.

Rapunzel closed her eyes as she gripped at her hair by her sides. She burst out of the black rocks that had imprisoned her. She threw her arms to the side, a blast of golden energy throwing Cassandra back into her room.

"Listen to me, Cass. Give up the moonstone. Together we can reunite it with the sundrop and put an end to all of this right now," Rapunzel said as she walked into her room towards Cassandra.

"Yeah. Like that's going to happen," Cass argued before Rapunzel whipped her hair at Cassandra's sword, shattering the blade.

Cass scowled and threw the hilt of her sword to the side before Rapunzel wrapped her hair around Cassandra's body. Cassandra knelt to the ground and looked up at Rapunzel.

"It's over, Cass," Rapunzel stated as she looked down at Cass.

Cassandra looked at the sky behind Rapunzel before letting out a gasp. The eclipse was nearing completion.

"I was thinking the same thing," Cass replied with a smirk.

Neither of them noticed that the cage in the room was empty. Zhan Tiri watched from the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Then a shadow fell over Corona.

The full eclipse was upon them.

Cass chuckled as the moon completely covered the sun. She looked at the princess, the sundrop's power flickering out.

"Time's up, Raps," Cassandra spoke as Rapunzel fell to her knees, holding her head. Cass stood up with a grin. "It's the eclipse, when the moon blocks out the light of the sun."

Cass shot black rocks up and trapped Rapunzel against the wall.

"Wait!" Rapunzel tried weakly.

Cassandra smirked as she looked at Rapunzel. "Tell me something. How does it feel to be in the shadow?"