Day 63: The Twin Pine Restaurant

[hairraising]

With Eugene in need of some time to just rest up and let more of the drug get out of his system, Rapunzel had to wonder what she was going to do for lunch. It would be too loud and crowded in that Tasty Burger place, but she doubted he had the energy to sit down to a full meal with her either. In the end, they compromised. Eugene came with her to the Twin Pine Restaurant, but opted not to eat just yet. There would be other opportunities for him to get food later, when he was more ready for it.

So Eugene sat in a comfy chair near the front while Rapunzel found her way into the main seating area of the restaurant. To be honest, she had other reasons for wanting to sit down by herself for a bit. This was the place she had met Facilier the week before, and with any luck, she hoped he would show up to have lunch with her again. She hadn't seen him since the night they had talked to Harrington. Moreover, as much as she wanted to show off her boyfriend (could she actually call him that now?) to people as soon as possible, she doubted either Eugene or Facilier would be up for awkward drugged-up conversation during a meal.

She sat down at a booth, picking up the menu as she had the week before. What to try that she hadn't tried last time, she wondered as her eyes scanned down the page.

[Facilier]

Comments

[hairraising]

Rapunzel's cheeks flushed pinker (oh gosh, had they been pink before?) when Facilier called Eugene things like "talented" and "valiant". While it was true that Eugene wasn't the noblest of men, and could even be annoyingly cocky at times, it still stood that he was all the things Facilier was saying. He was talented, and he was valiant, whether he wanted to admit it or not. And even if he hadn't been, Rapunzel probably would have fallen for him anyway. Underneath whatever flaws or alternate personas the man may have had, he was still Eugene Fitzherbert at bottom, and Eugene Fitzherbert had a good heart — one that Rapunzel wanted to keep close from now on.

"Mmhmm, he is those things, for sure. I don't even want to guess how lucky I am to have him here now, and with his memories all back, even," she said, continuing to stroke her hair as she spoke. "I'd hope that you meet someone from back in New Oreleans some— hair?"

Rapunzel blinked, wide-eyed and confused. It took a moment for her eyes to follow Facilier's horrified gaze and realize what he meant. Her eyebrows lifted, and she went "Ohhhh! Oh these!"

She carefully lifted one of the lone brown strands out of her long, full mane of gold. She was surprised Facilier had even noticed. She had barely noticed herself for a while after they had appeared. "That's just what happens when any of my hair gets cut. Thank the dragonflies for that," she explained before sliding her hand around the back of her neck, lifting the hair there, and turning her head so that Facilier could get a look at the base of her hairline. There, in a place few had ever seen, was an old but silky lock of short brown hair. "See? When it gets cut like that, it turns brown and loses its power. That's kind of why it..."

She sighed, letting the hair fall back into place. "Why I'm so valuable to some people." Her expression had fallen at that, a certain someone starting to take over her thoughts.

[doctor_voodoo]

"Goodness! Y'all should be more careful next time!" Facilier chided the young girl, "What if something took a huge chunk of your hair off? Or your whole head?" Facilier paused a little too late after that blurting out that rather unpleasant detail. Giving out a small, uncomfortable cough, Facilier carefully steered the conversation towards a less bloody topic.

"Ah... That certainly seems to be part of Doctor Landel's game..." he grimly replied, cupping his hands together upon the table with a saddened visage placed over his face. "But don't y'all worry dear!" Facilier added, suddenly shifting his expression into a reassuring grin, "I'm sure your valiant friend over there will protect you once he's recovered."

If he recovered of course; and if that dopey fellow did but proved to be a nuisance after, Facilier would give him a good reason to wish he never ended up in Landel's limbo in the first place!

"I can give you my word that I shall be of service as well!" Facilier said, gently patting Rapunzel's shoulder with a cordial smile. "No one should ever be used like some poor work horse!" Not if said horse was being used by the wrong owner...