Rapunzel/Story

Spoilers!*"Your greatest villain Drake shall warn you, SPOILERS AHEAD!"*The following article or section contain **spoilers!** Viewer discretion is advised.

Overview**Story**VoicelinesGallery

## Information

### Affiliation

Goddess (formerly)
Pioneer

## Behind the Scenes

###

Lee Seul

###

Tamara Fritz

###

Suzuko Mimori

## Profile

A member of "Pioneer", the Pilgrim group that upholds their duty to reclaim the surface from the Raptures. Despite this, she and her fellow Pioneers tend to avoid interacting with the Ark or anyone who hails from it.

As with most Pilgrims, Rapunzel suffers a quirk in her neurology where her memory storage is very limited, risking a Mind Switch if she does not regularly purge old memories. Her way of dealing with this is to delete everything except two memory sets she deems most important; the early days of the Rapture invasion, where she fought beside her comrades and commander, and the most recent memories of wandering the surface. The latter is important due to the duty she has charged herself with, of finding Nikkes who've died on the surface and giving them the last rites, allowing them some dignity and hopefully peace in death.

Rapunzel's hair has the ability to disrupt the sensors of Raptures in the vicinity. This not only allows her to sneak past Raptures without needing to fight, but also allows her to ward the graves she digs for her "sister" Nikkes, preventing them from being desecrated by Raptures for some time. A sufficient concentration of hair can even outright disable Raptures.

### Nikke Backstory

A saint-like figure who appeases the spirits of those who have died on the surface. Often found lost in prayer, she is also prone to reminiscence.

## Personality

While her initial impression is that of a demure nun, who keeps faith in God and holds regular prayer, Rapunzel is highly concupiscent, who encases a gigantic pervert within, whose mind is a torrent of impure thoughts. Whether it be fantasies run amok or prayers that take a turn for the salacious minds, Rapunzel's libido is something to behold. While there are implications that she's *always* held this...curiosity unto degeneracy, Red Hood is actually the culprit who drew out and enabled her tendencies, regularly flaunting adult books and videos in her face, or even *gifting* them to her. Nevertheless, Rapunzel holds up to her duty of giving prayers for the fallen ones, whether it may be Nikke or humans.

## Story

### Background

Main articles: Over Zone and Red Ash
Information regarding Rapunzel's past life as a human is somehow diminutive. What is known is that she was affiliated with V.T.C., a medical organization run by the church. She was actually a candidate for assuming the papacy, and very well could have if she didn't become a Nikke. Though Rapunzel asserts that she wanted to join Goddess and spread hope to the people, there are implications that becoming a Nikke was...not entirely a choice on her part.

In the early days of the Rapture invasion, Rapunzel was a part of "Goddess", the squad led by the Legendary Commander, who were the first to return triumphant from fighting Raptures. In Goddess, Rapunzel formed an unlikely friendship with the Nikke Red Hood, who often messed with her in fashions like possessing, reading, and even giving her explicit books and videos. However much she protested this kind of "heretical" material to the point of slapping Red Hood across the face, Rapunzel harbored a buried curiosity that kept her looking for more...

When Red Hood was corrupted by the Raptures over the course of the war, Rapunzel promised to save her, setting herself and V.T.C. to finding a cure by any means necessary. She even took samples of Red Hood's blood and ran her through clinical trials, but in the end, it was concluded at the time that there was no cure for corruption. Following Red Hood's abrupt retirement from Goddess, Rapunzel threw herself deeper into her research on a cure for corruption, driven by regret from being unable to keep her promise.

Rapunzel participated in Operation Ark Guardian as part of Goddess, and protected the gates to the Ark until it could be sealed. Following the operation's conclusion and the Ark's betrayal, each member of Goddess went their own separate ways, doing their own thing as they split up to search for the Rapture Queen. After regularly meeting up with Scarlet and Snow White to update each other and confirm survival, the three chose to rebrand themselves as the squad "Pioneer," deeming it inappropriate to call themselves Goddess in the absence of acting leader Dorothy.

### Main Story

#### Chapter 14

Rapunzel assists Snow White and Scarlet in pacifying Marian when her desperate pleas to stay with the protagonist cause a violent energy burst. The presence of all three Pioneers also serves as a sign that Snow White will do all she can to uphold the protagonist's request; to take Marian away from the grubby hands of the Ark's denizens, and protect her.

#### Chapter 17

On a little stroll before meeting with her fellow Pioneers, Rapunzel detects three Nikkes all blaring distress signals. She follows them to find Counters incapacitated by Exotic's betrayal, plus the unconscious protagonist sporting two bullet wounds in his stomach. After saving Counters, Rapunzel administers first aid to the protagonist while the squad secures the area and seeks shelter. She then notices movement in his abdominals, and (with slight arousal) notes that he has awoken. Noticing how long Counters is taking to report back, Rapunzel supports the protagonist as he treks outside to reunite with his squad.

After reuniting with Counters, Rapunzel questions the protagonist on his reasons for being outside. She learns that he wants to meet the Pioneers so he can acquire more Vapaus, and use it to free the Nikkes of the Ark from the yoke of NIMPH. Astonished by how the man can *still* trust Nikkes after the recent betrayal, Rapunzel confesses that she *does* know something about Vapaus, but she isn't at a liberty to tell him since it is not her secret alone. So she decides to invite him to accompany her to her monthly meeting with the other Pioneers.

On the way to the meeting, more Raptures are encountered, despite Rapunzel's ability to jam their sensors. Unfortunately, the size of the group and their need to stay on the move limits her jamming's coverage. Watching the antics of Counters makes Rapunzel nostalgic for her squad from her early days as a Nikke.

Eventually, the group meets with Snow White and Scarlet, but are assailed by Raptures, Snow White wonders why Rapunzel's jamming isn't working, to which she sheepishly responds that perhaps she's used too much power patching up Counters and the protagonist.

The protagonist's attempt to ply information on Vapaus and mass-produce it is received poorly by the Pioneers, even Rapunzel. But his motives, about giving Nikkes the *choice* on living free of NIMPH or living in eternal happiness, sway the Pioneers to disclose what they know. Rapunzel is the first to voice her approval, wishing to offer a key to the future for those who would follow in her wake, rather than simply leave traces of the past.

Rapunzel explains Vapaus was an accidental discovery, a compound that existed in human blood. More specifically, it was the blood of their old commander, **the** Legendary Commander. By Rapunzel's testimonial, the man went inside the Ark after it was completed, but none of the Pioneers have seen nor heard from him since. She *does* assure Counters that a nearby research facility should still have some Vapaus in stock, as the records were still preserved when she last checked the facility

As Pioneer adjourns the meeting, Rapunzel is tasked with escorting Counters back to the Ark. On the way, she explains the dynamic Pioneer operates by; because of how different they'd become and how their goals diverged between now and when the Ark was completed, it was too difficult for them to try and rally the others under their banner. Thus they agreed to go their own ways and meet up every month or so to confirm survival and trade information.

After dispatching another horde of Raptures, Rapunzel notices how much Rapi reminds her of her old comrade Red Hood, even though the two have drastically different personalities. This spirals into a conversation about Rapunzel being a remnant of Goddess, a First Invasion-era squad famous for being the first to defeat the Raptures and live to tell. She also explains one of the keystones of her personal mission; to atone for her failure to keep the promises made to those Goddess fought beside in the First Invasion.

Eventually, the group finds an elevator which will lead back to the Ark. Before she goes, Rapunzel questions the protagonist on his reasons for coming to the surface. This era is by no means a peaceful one, so for what reason would he go to the surface and struggle alongside the Nikkes? The protagonist answers that he wants everyone to live peacefully, and for his teammates and all Nikkes to be able to live freely. Accepting his reasoning, Rapunzel offers a final nugget of wisdom.

The world is full of harsh realities, and others making their way in the world will decry his path as the wrong one and try to steer him way from it. But so long as he holds to his sense of purpose, his path will undoubtedly be the right one. Encouraging him that he has a just purpose driving him, Rapunzel offers her blessings to the squad and leaves.

### Event Story

#### Over Zone

As a member of Goddess Squad, Rapunzel is deployed to protect the gates as part of Operation Ark Guardian.

#### White Memory

Rapunzel accompanies Snow White on her trips to the suburbs to scavenge for resources. In addition to food and potentially useful tools, the two end up finding a particularly salacious book that was a favorite of Red Hood's, both to read and to wave in Rapunzel's face to fluster her. Pondering on how she's become inured to such debauchery and could handle something even *more* explicit, the priestess is filled with a wistful nostalgia for the days she squabbled with her friend.

### Character Story

#### Episode 1 - The Sandstorm

On what should have been a routine mission, Counters and the protagonist find themselves caught in sandstorm. While Anis and Neon are spitting sand out of their mouths, Rapi notices the winds beginning to pick up and urges everyone to grab onto something. She tries to ask the protagonist to take her hand, but gets no response, as the man is nowhere to be seen...

Meanwhile, the protagonist comes to with an aching body and a dry mouth, but given how he can't feel the winds anymore, it can only mean someone has moved him somewhere safe. He can feel a warm breath on his face, becoming increasingly ragged as it draws closer to him. His eyes snap open to the sight of Rapunzel, looming over him with hungry eyes.

Rapunzel jolts back from the protagonist, leading the man to ask what she was doing. The priestess replies she was going to ~~kiss~~ give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation since he was unconscious. The silent look on the protagonist's face is clear that he isn't buying that excuse for a second. Rapunzel decides the look on his face is a request to continue, and she eagerly invites him after "deciding" that she *has* to follow his orders as a Nikke to their commander. The protagonist simply thanks Rapunzel in response, and the priestess ~~drools over the thought of his sleeping face~~ accepts the thanks in stride.

With *that* bout of shenanigans handled, the protagonist asks for their location. Turns out Rapunzel had found the man unconscious during her wanderings, and brought him into this building for safety. Unfortunately, the current Alva particle concentration makes contacting Counters impossible without a radio tower. Fortunately, Rapunzel happens to know the location of a nearby tower, and offers to escort the protagonist there. She waves off his concerns about interfering with her own mission, since she can't really leave him or his teammates be like this.

A while later, the two arrive at the radio tower. The protagonist is impressed Rapunzel knew the way without an operator, but the Pilgrim simply states she and the others have wandered the surface long enough to know it better than (almost) anyone. The protagonist operates the radio equipment, and successfully contacts Counters. Rapi tries to ask the man's coordinates to rendezvous, but Rapunzel warns that this area tends to see a lot of Rapture activity, and asks for the man's Combilink so she can suggest a better meeting point. He hands it over, and...

Using the protagonist's phone, Rapunzel offers a different set of coordinates to meet up with Counters...and also asks for a photo of everyone's underwear. Seeing this, the protagonist frantically rips the phone out of Rapunzel's hands and curtails any such illicit messaging. After a moment's silence, the protagonist asks Rapunzel for an escort to the rendezvous, and she agrees.

#### Episode 2 - Fantasies En Route

Rapunzel and the protagonist make their way to the rendezvous point, with the Pilgrim becoming impressed by how the commander can keep up with her despite her deliberately fast pace. She assures it's not to wear him out so she can take advantage of him, rather she'd like to secure a campsite before it gets dark. The protagonist's assurance of his ability to endure inexplicably sets Rapunzel into a fantasy where the man loses his self-control and thrusts himself upon her. Only slightly perturbed by this lascivious tangent, the protagonist asks for an ETA on the campsite, which after some more delusions, Rapunzel gives it a few hours to their destination.

Three hours later, Rapunzel checks in on the protagonist, who's become a little thirsty from all the walking. She asks him to wait for a moment, ducks into a building, and comes out with a glass of water. Rapunzel explains she has memorized which buildings in this area still have running water, and though she could only find this one glass' worth, it should at least keep him a little hydrated. The protagonist is concerned that there's nothing for Rapunzel, but the priestess assures him Nikkes don't need to drink water, at least, not as much as humans do. In response, he only downs part of the cup and hands the rest to Rapunzel. After a token protest, she accepts the rest of the water.

Two hours later, the duo are holed up in a building to set up camp. The protagonist expresses how tired he is, but Rapunzel takes it as some gambit to try and cozy up to her for some...nightly activities. Moving past yet another libido spike, the protagonist has a more pressing question in his mind...

Normally, anyone trekking the surface would inevitably bump into a Rapture or few about an hour into their time on the surface. So how did they, a lone Nikke and commander, go completely unmolested for hours on end? Rapunzel gestures to her hair and explains that every strand has a low-level jamming effect. Take a veritable bushel around like the one she has on her head, and you can walk, camp, and sleep completely safe from Raptures, no decoys or stealth equipment necessary. The protagonist marvels at such an ability, and Rapunzel giggles as she assures the man he can sleep without worry tonight.

The protagonist lies down and tries to sleep, but can't quite seem to nod off. He tries to head off any attempts by Rapunzel to...comfort him, to which the Pilgrim decides to read him a story from a book she has, set during the events of the First Invasion. He gives her the go-ahead, and she begins to read...

The sky filled with red dots, and something told the man watching them that every single one was an eye that promised only ruin for humanity. As the world he once knew crumbled around him, he looked to the love of his life and...propositioned her for one final intercourse?

The protagonist immediately calls out this questionably-appropriate development, which turns out to have been something Rapunzel wrote into the story herself. Feeling tired (for various reasons), the protagonist shuts his eyes and bids Rapunzel goodnight...

...only for his fall into slumber to be interrupted by a whispered prayer for forgiveness from Rapunzel. It would seem she's making a confession...about her lewd fantasies regarding him. The "confession" devolves into a session of Rapunzel whispering and writhing as she imagines the protagonist doing &^\*# and $#^@ and especially ~$#%. Filled with a sense of foreboding, the protagonist decides to avoid actually falling asleep...

The next day, Rapunzel asks the protagonist how he slept, which he says was ~~barely a wink~~ adequately enough. The two make ready to reach the rendezvous, but Rapunzel asks if they can make a stop along the way. She doesn't quite specify where it is, only ominously commenting on the feeling of death in the air...

#### Episode 3 - The Prayer

Rapunzel guides the protagonist to her intended stop in near silence, barely answering his questions with more than one word responses. As they pick up the pace, the protagonist can smell the distinctive aroma of gunpowder, and on the Rapture-infested surface, that can only mean a gunfight...

The two reach their destination, and as they suspected, the scene is one of total carnage. Broken items, destroyed Raptures, and of course, fallen Nikkes. The two move to check the Nikkes for any survivors. Good news, it only takes 10 minutes. Bad news, it's because all the Nikkes are dead.

Rapunzel kneels before a corpse and places a hand on their head, offering a prayer to rest in peace as golden particles float from the head into her rosary. The protagonist asks what the particles were, but the Pilgrim simply asks him to help her lay her sisters to rest. No matter the grisly state, he must not avert his eyes. He is to position each cadaver so they can lie down with dignity, and offer a prayer of his own. She will handle the rest...

Confirming his task, the protagonist sets about dignifying the fallen. Each of their faces tells a story of those who fought to the bitter, inevitable end. Laying them down with dignity, he thanks the fallen for their sacrifice. Rapunzel kneels besides each and every cadaver, offering a prayer and extracting golden particles that rest within her rosary. Eventually, all the fallen are tended to, and Rapunzel proposes setting up camp after noticing how late it has gotten.

Inside another building, the air is silent save for the crackling campfire. The protagonist offers words of consolation to Rapunzel, which she accepts with solemnity before asking him to do her a favor. She assures that this favor is nothing licentious, merely to accompany her to another stop on the way to the rendezvous. She explains that the next stop is the hometown of one of her sisters when they were still human. It turns out those golden particles she was extracting are the NIMPH of the fallen Nikkes, still infused with lingering memories. By peering into these residual memories, Rapunzel takes the departed back to their hometowns, where she can truly lay them to rest as per her personal mission. The protagonist considers such a goal laudable, but Rapunzel simply laments that consoling her sisters after they've perished is all she can do...

After a moment's silence, Rapunzel tells the protagonist that she must carry out this final rite, before she forgets about it completely. Seeing the protagonist's confusion, the priestess explains the issue; she only carries two sets of memories, one of the past year's events, and one of everything that happened long ago...

#### Episode 4 - That Place, That Time

Certain Nikkes, particularly older-generation models like Pioneer have a solid limit to their memory storage. Should this capacity be exceeded, the victim will suffer a Mind Switch, and so older memories must be continuously deleted to make room for new ones. To date, Rapunzel has yet to suffer a Mind Switch, which she has accomplished by deleting most of her memories to the point where by tomorrow, she will forget everything that happened one year ago from today. That's why she has to make laying her sisters to rest priority one. Should she not strike while the iron is hot, she will undoubtedly forget any unfinished work in due time.

Learning of this, the protagonist decides to lay the Nikkes to rest immediately. Rapunzel thanks the man for his understanding, then ruminates on this...strange sense of nostalgic peace she feels around him. Almost as if she's gone back to the days of yore. The mood is summarily ruined when her mind predictably gets lewd, claiming he ravaged her so long ago only her subconscious would remember. Setting that tangent aside, the protagonist is more curious about Rapunzel's other set of memories, pertaining to the distant past. Rapunzel confirms that her other memories are those of the Rapture's early invasions, but with the widening gap between that time and her present memories, the chronological disconnect only becomes more disparate. Despite her insistence on her stories of that era being boring, the protagonist insists on hearing them, and she complies.

In the era of the First Invasion, the Raptures brought an abrupt end to the peaceful day when they landed, and every day after that. The Raptures did not accept communication, negotiation, or surrender. All they seemed to be after was the destruction of humanity and all they had built. No conventional weapon in the armies of humanity could so much as scratch a Rapture's paint, and it seemed mankind was doomed to fall. Then the people began a series of campaigns to track down Suiters, compatible individuals who would become "mankind's last hope". Rapunzel was one of them, chosen to be reborn as a Nikke and fight. Together with the other Suiters, Rapunzel fought back against the Raptures, and they became renowned and celebrated as Goddesses.

Thinking back on it, Rapunzel found all the adulation a bit childish, but the protagonist is more curious about who her teammates were. She can remember them all by name; Snow White, Scarlet, Dorothy, Red Hood, and Lilith. Together, they stood against the monsters seeking humanity's extinction, and bonded amidst their shared sense of purpose. She continues that Lilith was the squad leader, and was like a big sister to them all. Not even Scarlet, the most battle-hungry of them all, could best Lilith in a fight, and Snow White always followed Lilith and calling her by all sorts of nicknames. The idea that the taciturn gunner could be anything but taciturn is a surprise to the protagonist, and as Rapunzel giggles over the perspective that hindsight gives her, she suddenly remembers her commander...

At the protagonist's questioning, Rapunzel explains that the Goddess Squad's commander was the *very first* commander, who she describes as someone whom both a grown man and a child dwelled within, given how he was prone to sophistication, seriousness, and eccentricity on the flip of a coin. Most of all, he was someone who treated Nikkes no differently than he would humans, and the equal regard he held Goddess in was why they all had faith in him. Last Rapunzel had heard, the commander had taken shelter in the Ark and hasn't been seen or heard since, and given how long ago that news was, she has no way of knowing for sure if he's even alive...

Changing the subject, the protagonist asks Rapunzel if she truly values memories so much, given how many she's cut away. The Pilgrim can see what he's trying to say, and admits that if she'd only delete her memories of the First Invasion, she'd free up 5 years' worth of storage. But she doesn't care much for how many memories she could afford to keep, since those memories are the ones she wants to retain the most.

Those memories of the days even before the Ark, they are her only remaining proof that she and her squad existed in that place, at that time. She wants to remember each and every one of her comrades, and how they all used to be. To cherish the past, and prove that it happened at all...

Noticing how late it's gotten, Rapunzel urges the protagonist to go to sleep while she keeps watch. As the protagonist closes his eyes to sleep, he hears footsteps gradually getting further away. He considers opening his eyes to see the source, but chooses not to when he hears whimpers mixed with the footfalls...

#### Episode 5 - Golden Nymph

The next day, the two make for the hometown of the nameless fallen Nikke. The trip itself isn't too dangerous, save for Rapunzel making innuendo every time they stop to look at or interact with something.

Finally, they arrive at the hometown. Or rather, the flower field where the hometown used to be. Nary a structure nor sign of life can be found, but it's a beautiful place nonetheless. There's just one tiny problem of the Raptures tromping about the field...

Strangely enough, the Raptures seem to be avoiding the flowers as they walk. Rapunzel notices that they're malfunctioning, and so weak she could easily scrap them in a fight. But she won't do that, not if it means ruining this flower field where she plans to bury her sister. Ergo, she plans to handle this a different way, ignoring the protagonist's questions to clutch her rosary, and ask "them" for assistance.

Golden particles flow out of the rosary and scatter on the wind with flower petals. At once, the Raptures suddenly freeze in place. Entranced by the sight of a lone Rapunzel gracefully walking through a sea of Raptures, he nearly subconsciously takes the hand she holds out. Guiding the protagonist to the center of the flower field, Rapunzel gathers the golden particles in her hands, and gently sets them down, where they seep into the soil. The two pray for the fallen Nikke and make a mound to mark her burial site, with Rapunzel adding a few hairs to ward the grave against Rapture desecration. They will last long enough for the fallen Nikke's NIMPH to fully dissipate, after which the hairs will become powerless. The priestess ponders if her fallen sister will ever know salvation, thanking the protagonist when he affirms such.

Later, the two arrive at the rendezvous, spying Counters off in the distance, who've yet to notice their presence. Rapunzel urges the protagonist to reunite with his squad, but before he does so, he asks the Pilgrim if she plans to build more burial mounds for all of her sisters. Hearing the priestess affirm her duty, the protagonist bids her goodbye and turns to leave, but...

Rapunzel calls out to him, taking his head in her hands and putting their foreheads together. She promises to pray for him and wishes he remain true to himself going forward. Accepting the blessings, the protagonist tries to leave, but finds Rapunzel's grip on his head unbreakable. The priestess notes the proximity between them now and wonders if he wants to do anything with her, when Anis and Neon notice them and holler for the protagonist. His gaze whips to the squad and back, but Rapunzel has already vanished, leaving a few strands of hair and her lingering warmth on his face...

## References

Notes

References
1. ↑ Event, Red Ash, Side Story: "First Meeting Record II"
2. ↑ Event, Red Ash. Cutscene: "Red and White."
3. ↑ Event, Red Ash, Cutscene "A Fine End."
4. ↑ Event, Red Ash, Side Story "Corruption Treatment Records"
5. ↑ Event, Red Ash Cutscene "Passing of Time"