Nothing Left To Lose (Tangled)
The day started like any other for the Dunphy - Pritchett - Delgado family, but everything changed in an instant. A blinding flash of white light engulfed them, and when it faded, they found themselves in an enormous, opulent theater.
The room was grand, with gilded walls, plush crimson carpeting, and rows of luxurious velvet seats. A massive screen loomed at the far end, its surface dark and foreboding.
“What the hell is going on?” Jay barked, immediately on edge.
“Where are we?” Claire asked, her voice tense as she clutched Phil’s arm.
“I don’t like this!” Lily whimpered, clutching Cam’s leg.
“Calm down, everyone!” Mitchell said, though his voice betrayed his own nervousness.
Suddenly, glowing text appeared on the screen:
“Welcome to the Multiverse Theater. Please take your seats.”
“What is this, some kind of sick joke?” Gloria asked, pulling Manny closer.
Phil raised his hand cautiously. “Um, is this, like, an interactive escape room? Because I was really hoping for dinner tonight.”
The text shifted.
“You are here to witness alternate versions of yourselves across the multiverse. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.”
“Alternate versions? What does that even mean?” Alex asked skeptically.
Before anyone could protest further, an invisible force yanked them all backward into the plush seats.
“Hey! Let me go!” Mitchell shouted, struggling against the unseen force.
“Daddy!” Lily cried as her body was forced to sit.
“It’s okay, sweetie!” Cam said, trying to reassure her, though his voice trembled.
The lights dimmed, and the screen lit up with text once more:
“Nothing Left To Lose” lights up on the screen
“Nothing left to lose?” Luke asked, confusion etched across his face.
The theater grew dark, and the family sat silently, still reeling from their forced seating and the bizarre circumstances. The screen flickered to life, revealing a dimly lit, ethereal world. It looked otherworldly, with glowing blue veins running along jagged rocks and shadows casting long streaks across the ground.
---
At the center of the screen stood two figures. One was an alternate version of Mitchell, whose appearance was startling. His red hair had streaks of glowing blue, and black veins crept up his arms and neck, pulsing ominously. His eyes were shadowed with dark circles, his expression cold and defiant. His attire resembled battle-worn armor, hinting at a long, arduous journey.
Opposite him stood Claire, wearing patched-together clothing and oversized scientist goggles perched atop her head. Her stance was cautious but determined, her voice breaking through the silence.
---
Claire :
“Mitchell, I get you’re angry, I get it.
Believe me, I know what it’s like,
But you are making a mistake.”
Her voice was steady yet tinged with desperation. The camera lingered on Mitchell as he crossed his arms, his body language radiating defiance.
Mitchell :
“The path I’m on is a path paved in black.
I’m taking that road, and I’m not looking back.
Each twist and each turn
Leads straight where I’m yearning to go.”
---
“Is that me?” Mitchell’s voice cracked, his eyes glued to the screen. “Why do I look like I’ve been possessed by a demon?”
“Your alternate self has... a lot going on,” Phil said, wincing.
“Why am I singing? Why is she singing?” Mitchell asked, gesturing toward Claire on the screen.
Gloria sighed. “Just watch. Maybe it’s trying to teach us something.”
---
Claire:
“Don’t you see this path you’re on leaves a permanent mark?
It feels good at first, then it slowly turns dark.
With each passing day,
You’re further astray from the light.”
Claire’s voice grew more desperate, her hands reaching out as if trying to pull Mitchell back.
---
Mitchell:
“Yes, it’s true, my path is dark, but I see where it ends.
My rivals will fall as my power ascends.
Despise me, that’s fine.
I’m taking what’s mine, even so.”
His voice was powerful, filled with bitterness and determination. He turned away from Claire, the black veins glowing brighter.
---
“You’re... really committed to this villain thing,” Haley remarked, her eyebrows raised.
“I’m not a villain!” Mitchell snapped. “This is... this is some twisted version of me!”
“Then why are you singing about power?” Alex teased.
“Can you all not?” Mitchell hissed. “This is horrifying enough!”
---
The screen’s energy intensified as the song reached its most emotional moment. Claire stepped forward, her voice trembling yet resolute.
Claire:
“You have so much to hold onto.”
---
Mitchell turned sharply, his voice cutting through like a blade.
Mitchell:
“I only want my rightful dues.”
---
Claire (pleading):
“Listen, please, you’ve lost your grip
And lost your mind—”
---
Mitchell (interrupting, furious):
“I’m not gonna lose!”
---
Claire:
“All’s not lost, don’t be so blind—”
---
Mitchell:
“I refuse!”
---
Claire (desperate):
“Cut your losses, drop the IOUs!”
---
Mitchell:
“I refuse!”
The voices collided in perfect harmony, the emotions raw and unrelenting. The screen showed Claire’s tears glistening in the dim light, while Mitchell’s glowing veins pulsed rhythmically, his expression hardened.
---
“Wow,” Cam whispered, leaning closer to the screen. “That was... intense.”
“‘Intense’ doesn’t cover it,” Mitchell muttered, his face pale. “That... that version of me—he’s so angry.”
“It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion,” Haley said. “You can’t look away.”
“Maybe it’s symbolic,” Claire suggested. “You know, the whole black veins and refusing to listen thing? It’s about... losing yourself.”
“Great,” Mitchell groaned. “So I’m a metaphor for emotional damage. Wonderful.”
---
Mitchell:
“You’ll stay in that cage until this is done.
And just in case you think of escaping...”
His voice dropped, filled with icy finality. He walked away turning his back to Claire
“Now I have nothing left to lose....”
The screen darkened, leaving only the echoes of the duet lingering in the air.
---
The lights came up slightly, and the family sat in stunned silence.
“That was... haunting,” Phil finally said.
“Haunting? That was a nightmare!” Mitchell exclaimed, running a hand through his hair.
“Maybe it’s not about you,” Gloria said gently. “It could be showing us the consequences of... not dealing with things.”
Cam placed a hand on Mitchell’s shoulder. “Whatever it was, just know—it’s not you. Not really.”
The screen flickered again, displaying text:
“This multiverse explores themes of inner conflict and emotional scars. The duet represents the struggle between redemption and self-destruction.”
Mitchell buried his face in his hands. “Great. I’m the poster child for angst and bad decisions.”
“Cheer up, uncle mitch” Alex said, smirking. “You sounded fantastic, at least.”
“Can we not talk about my singing?” Mitchell groaned as the screen darkened, signaling the start of the next universe.