Chapter 74 - What do you mean would?

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What do you mean would?

(WARNING SINGING AHEAD AS WELL AS SOME TEA SPILLED)

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Atilla points to near to the fireplace.

Shorty is staring down at the ground, suddenly he starts floating up in the air.

Sophie quickly grabs onto you, she then realises then brushes it off trying to act tough.

"YOU HAVE DISTURBED MY SLUMBER!" Shorty's voice echoes in the pub, his eyes glowing bright green.

"I wish I could say this isn't like shorty, but it wouldn't surprise me if this was just him." You laugh nervously.

"If you don't listen up and note my words by dawn, you will be trapped here with me forever!"

You write down everything he said, making sure you don't miss a word.

"S-Shorty! Ruth? Who- Whoever you are! What do you want?" Rapunzel stutters.

"I want..."

"Yes?" Everyone replies.

"I want..."

Shorty slams into the floor, "A sardine Sammy! And a jug of pickle brine!"

You roll your eyes, "Well, there's shorty."

"Enough of this nonsense!" Captain growls.

"Captain? Didn't you hear? He says we have till dawn to figure out what Ruth wants! Otherwise, we're gonna be trapped in here forever!" Rapunzel explains.

"You gonna listen to him?! You realise he eats cheese on the floor!"

You cross your arms, "Yet he's being more logical then you right now."

"One man's floor is another man's plate!" Shorty eats cheese with a rat.

"The priority is to get these three out of this pub, and back to the castle as quickly as possible!" Captain starts barging into the door trying to open it.
"Anything we can use as a battering ram?"

"A battering ram isn't the answer!" You shout.

"We need to know more about ruth and the listen up club," Rapunzel adds.

The fire goes out.

"Well, they say she lived to terrify those around her." Big nose explains while lighting a candle. "And legend has it that peoples screams were music to her ears."

"The past isn't what it seems..." something brushes past your head.

Big nose continues, "And she would go on terrible rampages storming through the streets of Corona."

Leo hides in your hair, Ash has hidden her face into Sophie's arms.

Hook foot takes over the storytelling, "No one knew when she would strike next, all they knew is that she would disappear from the pub, and when she did, no man or beast were safe from the swing of her club."

Big nose takes over, "Afterwards she would go back to the pub, and etch a notch in her club. For every unlucky creature that got in her path."

"Then she would have dinner, a bowl full of slimy slugs!"

"I heard it were hairy spiders!"

"I heard it were both and she ate them alive!"

"And she didn't chew! She had horrible dinner manners."

Sophie snickers, "Just like Eugene!"

"And- and all of Corona lived in fear of her until she died that day!"

"And the only way to appease her to figure out how to listen up." You smile.

"Or we're gonna be stuck here forever!" Big nose relights the fire.

"I don't wanna be stuck here! There's only one piece of pie left!" Hook foot shouts.

Ulf mimes a violin.

"Cut it out! Pie is important to me okay?!"

"No, look!" You shout seeing a blue violin playing itself.

"Uhh, guys?!" Rapunzel points to all the other instruments playing themselves.

"We've gotta get out of here now!"

They use Vlad as a Ram to barge the door open but it fails.

You sit down at the counter and reread everything you've written, that's when you remember about Varian if you're stuck in here he'll freak out.

While the instruments are playing and they're trying to open the door. You try to connect everything together.

"Listen up." You sing in time with the music.

"No, no that's stupid." You mumble punching your head lightly to try to get your brain working.

Something brushes past you again, "Your a lot smarter than you think young lassie."

It freaks you out so you stand up and go near Rapunzel.

"Ruth please all were trying to do is figure out what you want!" Rapunzel cries.

Suddenly the music stops and something blue comes out of the piano.

The blue mist wraps around you and Rapunzel.

"Listen up, (__) you've nearly got it..."

"Who said that?" Rapunzel freaks.

A face forms out of the blueness.

"Listen up Rapunzel..."

The mist-like stuff floats over to the club and knocks it down.

You walk over to the club. "Woah... look at this..." you pick up the club hook "And the clubs hook... it's a tuning fork!"

Thunder crashes, the moose head comes alive with its eyes glowing.

Everything starts moving. You take a step back to Rapunzel.

Captain notices, "Princess! Lady (__)! You listen and listen well spirit!" He growls.

"Eh, cap? Dont think you wanna give it the angry dog tone, with the undead." Sophie replies.

"No more games! Under the authority of king Frederic of Corona, I demand you to let us out or face the consequences!" Captain shouts holding his sword out.

"Or don't listen then Captain Pinhead."

"You know dead means dead for a reason!" You shout.

Thunder crashes, sinister laughing starts again.
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Meanwhile at the castle

"Your majesty, we've evacuated the east bank. While the flooding has caused some damage there are no reports of any injuries." Nigel stands at the doorway.

"And still no word from..."

Nigel shakes his head.

Frederic frowns and looks out the window.

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In old Corona

Varian is sat on the window ledge of the lab looking out for any scrolls from Leo. Quirin walks in with a plate full of ham sandwiches.

"Dad! Have you got any letters from (__) and Sophie?" Varian asks.

"Why would I get any letter from them? Where are they?" Quirin asks.

"They went back to the castle," Varian replies not saying why.

"In this weather? Those girls must be insane!"

Varian frowns and turns back to the window watching the drops go down the glass.

Quirin walks over to his son, "How about after this storm, we got check there back at the castle?"

"But- but they said they would send a letter once they got to the snuggly duckling."

"Then we'll check there first, C'mon let's go eat."

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At the snuggly duckling

Rapunzel is pacing up and down, Leo and Pascal are sat on a barrel your there too.

"Were running out of time! What do we have to go off?" Rapunzel asks.

"Well, we have the listen up club and this tuning fork." You flick it so it makes a sound.

Blue gunk oozes from a wall with two holes in it.

You walk over cautiously and put the tuning fork into the wholes and turn the fork.

The wall opens up revealing a dark and dusty room.

Leo perches on your shoulder, you and Leo look at each other before you start to walk in.

Suddenly the wall closes only leaving you and Leo in the secret passage.

"Um, Ruth? Are you in here?" You ask.

You move your hand against the tuning forks that is hung up to make them chime.

The blue mist travels over to the organ you get a closer look at it.

There's a music sheet, it's a good job hook-hand taught you how to read music or you wouldn't even know what it was.

You back up and are about to get out of there went you feel something go through you

You scream.

You slowly turn around to see a blue... ghost.

"R-ruth... I- I want to help." You stutter.

"Listen up!" Ruth shouts making you flinch.

"The Legend is wrong... (__)." The blue mist turns the pages of the music book and takes some out making them float around you.

"We all have dreams... all I want is for them to hear my song. And you were the only one to figure it out as soon as the instruments played... There's something special about you." Ruth floats next to you.

"Wait, wait, wait, so you weren't a barbarian?" You ask.

"Oh, I was a barbarian! But I never disappeared to go on a rampages."

"You came here to practice your music!" You grin excitedly.

"Correct my dear, you're very smart for a kid, your parents would be proud."

"Wait, what do you mean would?" Then it sinks in.

"Oh, my darling, your mother and father are waiting to rest their souls just like me, but they're watching over you, and every time you hear their voices, they're  trying to help you on your journey."

You stand there a moment trying to understand everything that's going on until you hear banging on the wall.

"Wait, what do we have to do to let your soul rest?"

"Well, my dream was for everyone to sing my songs in the pub! But I was afraid no one would listen..."

"Listen up means listen to your song!"

"Such a smart lassie! But it ain't just a club (__)." Ruth floats past you then disappears.

Suddenly the passage wall opens back up.

You run out to see everyone getting chased by objects.

You run over to the club, "There musical notes!"

You pick up the club, "Guys! Ruth wasn't as bad as we thought!" You shout. "And this isn't just a club! It was her secret song she was too afraid to let anyone hear! And now we all have to play it."

You run onto the stage where the piano is.

"What?" Everyone says in sync.

"Shorty? Can you hold this so I can play music?"

Shorty grabs the club.

You start to play the song.

Objects fly past your head, "Ah!"

Suddenly all the objects go back into they're place.

"Guys, I think she likes it were gonna be free!" You laugh.

Everyone takes an instrument, while Captain tries to take off the moose head.

Rapunzel sits next to you and joins in on the piano.

Captain manages to get the moose head off and walks straight over to you and Raps. He grabs the club and breaks into the fire.

"No!" Rapunzel shouts.

"Take that Ruth!" Captain shouts.

"NOW ILL NEVER HAVE THE CHANCE FOR MY SONG TO BE HEARD! AND NON OF YOU WILL EVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY AGAIN!" Ruth shouts.

"Way to go Captain pinhead!" You and Sophie shout not caring that Captain was probably gonna tell on you both like a child later to Frederic.

"What are you doing Captain!" Rapunzel shouts.

"You dont stop an evil ghost with a song! You stop it with FORCE!" He shouts.

"Didn't you hear her? Ruth's not evil!" Sophie explains annoyed.

"Yeah! The club was her song!" Big nose adds.

"Well, I- I did have a moose on my head!"

"Captain someone to play her song was her dream!" Rapunzel explains.

"YOU'VE CRUSHED MY DREAMS... AND NOW ILL CRUSH YOU!"
The fire becomes red, Ruth raises from the fire. "None of you will ever see the light of day AGAIN!"

You all gasp and run trying to get away from the flying objects. Ruth possesses some of the thugs to go after Captain.

You, Sophie and Rapunzel run to the stage.

"Ruth! It's not dawn yet we can still finish your song!" You shout to get her attention.

"No, we can't (__)! That hothead with the misplaced eyebrow ruined my music! The new day is nearly upon us, and I'll be relegated back to my chamber!"

Rapunzel takes over explaining, "No, Ruth that club was just a piece of wood, the song is your dream and you can't burn a dream! The song will still be in your heart!"

"But... I can't do this alone..."

"Ruth, only you are in charge of your destiny." Sophie smiles.

Some reason those words hit you like a ton of bricks and your cant get them out of your mind.

You smile lightly, "And we're here to help."

You and Rapunzel get behind the piano while Sophie grabs a guitar.

Ruth turns from red back to blue, "You really think I should sing it?"

"Face your fears, and shine," Rapunzel replies.

You and Rapunzel start to play the song on the piano and Sophie plays the guitar.

"Since I was a lassie,
Just a sweet young thing,
All I truly longed to do
Was make up songs to sing.
Sure, my voice was rotten and had a pitchy twang,
But I had dreams, and in my dreams
This is what I sang!!!" Ruth flies around everyone.

"Listen up, all you goons,
Listen up and hear my tunes.
Every line, boys, is mine
So listen up."

You laugh, "Ooo catchy!"

Ruth smiles and continues to sing: How I yearned to sing it,
Still, I was afraid.
Guess I feared they'd call me weird
And mock the songs I made.
So I shut my PIE HOLE!!!
And hid my work away."

You stand up on the piano as Rapunzel keeps playing, "But you had dreams!"

"And in my dreams,
This is what I played! Listen up, if you please.
Listen to my melodies."

You giggle and sing, "Folks she wrote every note,"

All four of you sing together, "So listen up."

" I kept my song a secret,
But carved it on this club,
Waiting till the perfect moment came.
At last, I worked the nerve up,
And stood before the pub,
I let one note come through my throat,
And then I died of shame!"

"Died?"

"Died?"

"DEAD!"

"And now I haunt this tavern,
Suffering for my art,
Years and years of doubts and fears."

Rapunzel stands up on the piano as you jump down and continue the song, "It's time to heed your heart."

"I can end this curse now,
If I can end this song."

"Like in your dreams?"

"But in my dreams,
You ALL must sing alo-o-o-ong!"

"Listen up, all you thugs,
Lift your voices and your mugs.
Don't be shy, let it fly!"

All the thugs start to sing.

"Listen up!"

"Listen up!"

"Listen here!"

"Raise the roof!"

"And rock the house!"

"Make it loud,
sing it proud, listen..."

"WAIT!!!!" Ruth shouts.

"What's wrong Ruth?" You ask.

"HIM!!" She points to Captain.

"Come on! Everyone needs to sing." You say.

"I-I haven't sung in quite some time, what if I'm rusty?" Captain stutters.

"Your name's not "Rusty", it's "Captain". And I'm Susan."

You and Sophie giggle at shorty.

"Captain, please! We have to free Ruth!" Rapunzel pleads.

"Listen up, listen close.
You're disgusting, old, and gross!
But your song is quite strong."

Everyone begins to sing,

"So listen up!"

"Listen up! Listen up! Listen up!!!"

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You all stayed the night at the Snuggly duckling, and now its dawn.

Ruth is about to leave when you, Sophie and Rapunzel stop her.

"Ruth wait! You've been here for many years. Why free yourself now, and why wait for us?" You ask.

"Because I knew you three would understand, (__)."

"By the way, when it comes to making dreams happen, you three might wanna take your own advice."

Ruth laughs then sets herself free.

"Princess? Sophia? Lady (__)? Are you ready to return to the castle?" Cap chuckles, "I know I am."

"I am so ready," Rapunzel replies.

"I am, but just hold on a second." You take a piece of paper and write a note.

"Can you give this to Varian, Leo?"

Leo nods, grabs the note and flies off.

"Now I'm ready." You smile.

"Good because his majesty has a surprise for you."

"A good or bad surprise?" You ask with suspicion since your journal is still at the castle.

"Uhh, depends on how you take it."

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In old Corona

Varian is still sat on the window ledge, he hadn't gone to sleep yet.

Suddenly when he was nearly drifting to sleep Leo taps on the window waking Varian up.

"Leo! Have you got their letter?"

Leo drops the scroll in his hands.

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To Varian,

Don't worry were fine, we didn't want Leo flying in the storm and now were heading back to the castle.

Come if you want!

From you girlfriend, (__) ♡

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Varian smiles and blushes.

"Hey, dad! I'm going to the castle!" He shouts.

"Alright son!" He hears a faint call.

Varian chuckles, "C'mon Leo, I knew they would make it."

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You're in your room in front of Frederic with Stan and Pete next to you. And Captain talking.

You stand in shock and anger, "You're doing WHAT?!"


























































































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