Week 5: Saturday amRapunzel: Mum? Mum? Who’s that?
?? (Automated voice): Congratulations on completing the Beta Testing Phase of your project. Please wait for further instructions. (hangs up)
Rapunzel: Well that was weird? What do you make of that FG? FG? She’s gone too? What’s going on? Oh! OH! That gate wasn’t there a minute ago.
And I’m out of here for real. I don’t know what’s going on but I know exactly what I want to do next!
That was great but everyone’s leaving – oh – Dad! I can hardly believe you’re here.
Geoffrey: Yes, I’m here, darling girl. How can you ever forgive me?
Let’s talk. You must have a thousand questions.
Rapunzel: I do. But I don’t know where to start. Nothing has really made much sense since I left with Mum & Malcolm to visit – well – here. Although this house wasn’t here – it was an amazing tower and I went in and the door disappeared and…
Geoffrey: Well first let me say that I didn’t know that was happening at the time. But I’m still really sorry it did because it was sort of my fault. I’d been working from home and I left the room for a mo and your brother…
Rapunzel: I knew it!
Geoffrey: He was just being a bit silly…
Rapunzel: Silly!
Geoffrey: Well, I’d left the computer logged on and – he signed you up for this Beta Test Project. He must’ve installed a back door on my account because he managed to intercept the acceptance email with all the details.
He persuaded your Mum that it would be a good prank. I really don’t think she knew the full details. I don’t think Malcolm did either.
Rapunzel: Really!
Geoffrey: Anyway – they brought you here and then the project locked you in and took over. When work spotted the irregularities, we got in so much trouble.
Rapunzel: But why didn’t you get me out?
Geoffrey: Well – this is a top secret project with a lot depending on it. My bosses didn’t want to admit there’d been a breach of security. They pointed out all the waivers that I or rather Malcolm had signed. Ah – here’s your mum!
Rapunzel: Mum – Dad’s explained but I don’t understand why YOU couldn’t get me out?
Nancy: I am sorry. I was cross about your life-choices, or lack of them, and Malcolm told me it was one of those escape room experiences. You know – just an hour or two! You know how I love my little pranks
Rapunzel: !
Nancy: When I realised how serious it was, all my connections weren’t worth a thing against you know who!
Rapunzel: Well, actually, I don’t know who.
Nancy: You don’t want to know who.
Rapunzel: Maybe I do! But – why all the texts? Why all the phone calls? Why all the invites? Did you think that was just a bit of fun?
Geoffrey: We never sent any texts. We were blocked from your phone so we couldn’t have. The only people who could call were the project managers.
Ah. Maybe it was part of the project. They were keeping all sorts of records of tests and so forth.
Rapunzel: Tests! So I was just a zoo exhibit after all! But you kept coming round – all of you. Even Malcolm
Nancy: Well – we always knew where you were, although you always seemed to be out. And you’ve got this pool. I must say, you had some nice-looking boys visiting. Do any of them come from good families?
Rapunzel: So you couldn’t see me either? I was here all the time – in a tiny house – caged in! I don’t understand how you couldn’t see me! And no-one aged while I was in there. It was nearly 6 weeks!
Geoffrey: They’ve been working on all sorts of experimental research and with what the people from Sixam are offering…
Rapunzel: Unbelievable! That’s a bit of a lazy plot-device!
So what am I supposed to do now? Just go back to ordinary life? With you & Malcolm.
Geoffrey: There’s some people you need to meet – to debrief, as it were. They’re a bit exercised by your various infractions of the parameters. Don’t worry it’ll be fine.
Yes – you can come home with us but Malcolm won’t be there. He’s – um – having some alone time… It was part of our deal with you know who.
Later that dayRapunzel: Hello? I think I’m a little lost. My Dad told me to come here?
D: Ah yes – the Landgraab candidate! Go inside and talk with M. She’ll explain everything.
Rapunzel: Wow! You’re an…
M: Alien, yes. Your Dad told you that we are collaborating on this project. It does have universal implications, after all.
Rapunzel: I don’t understand.
M: You can’t be told everything now but we do have some work to do to overcome the irregulaties of your participation.
Because we thought Geoffrey had applied for you to be part of the project and because we were unaware of the disfunctional nature of your family…
Rapunzel: Disfunctional? OK, I guess that’s fair.
M: we assigned a Watcher with very little experience.
Rapunzel: Watcher?
M: You know her as Fairy Godmother, or FG? Well – the whole money tree situation should never have happened. Your freegan nature will have serious ramifications for our purposes. And the Aging Setting should never have been left in the off position.
Rapunzel: So – not my fairy godmother…
M: Forget about her. She’s been reassigned to the Manual Writing department and she’ll be lucky if it’s not permanent!
Rapunzel: Oh! So what do I need to do?
M: You’ll be assigned a new Watcher, one with more experience. You need to:
- get your school grades up;
- get all 5 of your character traits up and
- build some more skills.
Your new Watcher will help. With your resources, I think you have a decent shot.
Rapunzel: Resources? I don’t have any resources – just my disfunctional family.
M: You have earned over $350k. Use it. Any you don’t need to go back to your family. You’ve proved you can live independently. You’ve got 10 days before you become a young adult. Just make it work!
And Malcolm?
NotesMy apologies for the slightly longer post but I just couldn’t stop in the middle.
The story is not quite over as there are still a few questions to be answered:
Why, when the Landgraabs are so well-known, is Rapunzel never spoken of?
What are the universal implications of this project that’s only in it’s beta-testing phase?
What did Malcolm and Rapunzel look like as toddlers?
