Touching Grass

Getting Rapunzel out of the tower was a logistical marvel. She wrapped her impossible length of golden hair around a sturdy hook near the window, threw the rest down like a shimmering rope, and we slid down together.

I hit the ground first, my boots landing silently on the soft earth. Rapunzel hesitated a few feet up, dangling. She looked down at the green blades of grass as if they were made of lava.

"Just let go," I coaxed, holding out my arms.

She squeezed her eyes shut and dropped. She landed. Her bare feet touched the soil. She froze. Her toes curled into the grass, feeling the texture, the coolness, the life. A shiver ran up her spine, visible even through her dress.

"I can't believe I did this," she whispered, a manic grin spreading across her face. "I can't believe I did this!"

She took off running. She sprinted in circles, cartwheeling through the meadow, throwing leaves in the air, screaming with pure, unadulterated joy. Then, just as quickly, she collapsed against a rock, hugging her knees. "I am a terrible daughter," she moaned. "Mother is going to be heartbroken." Then she jumped up again. "BUT LOOK AT THE SUN!"

I watched her emotional ping-pong with amusement, leaning against a tree. She was a raw nerve ending, experiencing eighteen years of sensory deprivation all at once.

"Are you done?" I asked, when she finally stopped to pant near a stream.

"I... I think so," she laughed nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Is the world always this... intense?"

"It gets more intense," I promised.

Suddenly, the birds in the forest went silent. The shadows under the trees stretched, becoming unnatural and jagged. The air grew cold. Rapunzel gasped, clutching her frying pan, which she had insisted on bringing. "What's that? The air feels... heavy."

"Get behind me," I ordered, my voice shifting from casual to commanding.

The ground erupted. Darkness pooled like oil, and from the black sludge rose the Heartless. A dozen Soldiers, jagged, armored creatures with glowing yellow eyes and two massive Large Bodies, their rotund bellies bouncing as they materialized.

Rapunzel shrieked. "Monsters! Mother was right! The men with pointy teeth!"

"Those aren't men," I said, stepping between her and the horde. "They're shadows. And shadows hate the light."

I summoned The Solar Zenith. The Keyblade appeared in a flash of brilliance that made Rapunzel gasp louder than the monsters did. The gold and coral blade hummed with a pure, white energy.

"Stay close, Rapunzel," I said, glancing back at her. "Watch and learn."

A Soldier lunged. I moved. I knew I could impress her now, so I didn't fight like a thug; I fought like the hero she had read about in her books. I spun, the Keyblade leaving a trail of light in the air. I slashed through the Soldier, dissipating it instantly into smoke.

Two more jumped. "Thunder!" I raised the blade. Bolts of holy lightning crashed down, frying the Heartless mid-air. The crack of the spell echoed through the valley.

The Large Bodies charged, the ground shaking with their steps. I stood my ground. I waited until the last second. "Reflect." A prism of light surrounded me. The monsters slammed into it and were thrown back by their own ****. I leaped into the air, soaring above them. My coat billowed like a cape. "Strike Raid!" I threw the Keyblade. It spun like a buzzsaw of light, cutting through both giants before returning to my hand.

I landed in a crouch, the last of the smoke fading away. I stood up, twirling the Keyblade before dismissing it in a shower of sparks.

Silence returned to the forest. I turned to Rapunzel.

She was staring at me with her mouth wide open, her green eyes huge. She had dropped the frying pan. In her books, the Prince fought dragons. The Hero saved the damsel. She was looking at a living legend.

"You..." she breathed, taking a shaky step toward me. "You have magic. Real magic. Like the sun."

"I am a Keyblade Master," I told her, stepping closer, letting her see that I was unharmed. "I fight the darkness to keep people like you safe."

"A Keyblade Master..." she tested the words, as if tasting a exotic fruit. "You're a hero. A real hero."

"I do what is necessary."

I reached out and lifted her chin. She didn't flinch this time. She leaned into my touch, looking up at me with absolute, blinding trust. The doubts about leaving the tower, the guilt about her mother, it all vanished. She was safe. She was with a Warrior of Light.

"You were amazing," she gushed, her hands hovering near my chest, wanting to touch but not knowing if she was allowed. "You moved so fast! And the lightning! I've read about knights, but... they were just ink on paper. You're real."

"I am very real, Rapunzel," I said softly. "And because I saved you... that means you are under my protection. You belong to the Light now."

"I... I belong to the Light?" she repeated, hypnotized.

"Yes. And since I wield the Light..." I let the implication hang.

"I follow you," she finished, a bright smile breaking across her face. "I'll do whatever you say! You know how to handle the monsters! You know everything!"

"Everything," I confirmed.

I picked up her frying pan and handed it back to her. "Come. The tavern is ahead. We need supplies. And along the way... I'll start your lessons."

"Lessons?" She bounced on her heels, eager to please the hero. "What kind of lessons?"

"Anatomy," I smirked, turning to walk down the path. "Social interaction. And gratitude."

"I'm a fast learner!" she chirped, gathering her hair and trotting after me like a puppy.

She had no idea. The hero she worshipped was the same man who was planning to devour her, but to her naive eyes, everything I did was now sanctioned by the righteousness of my combat. I was the Good Guy. And Good Guys could do whatever they wanted.