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Centuries ago, Corona was engaged in a years-long war with its rival kingdom, Saporia.
Corona's then king, Herz De Sonne, created a complex system of tunnels to move his knights and supplies wherever he needed. He then made a detailed map of these tunnels and their secrets in a secure journal.
At the height of the war, Der Sonne's sworn enemy, General Shampanier, launched a full-scale invasion on Corona. Shampanier fought her way through the castle to face King Herz De Sonne himself. Their battle waged for hours with neither side relenting.
That is, until Shampanier discovered that the book's final pages contained Herz's profession of love for her. It was then she realized she held similar feelings for him as well. And soon, the two were married.
"And a lasting peace was brought to the newly united nations forevermore," Big Nose finished off with a soothing voice, clasping his hands together to perform the sweet motion of being swooned. He retold the story of how the Journal of Herz De Sonne to the growing crowd outside the castle. Pretty sweet that a hopeless romantic was retelling it.
Attila blew his helmet as tears formed under it. How would that even work? Does that mean he sneezes with the mask on? "Gets me every time."
Rapunzel was head over heels over the story, swooning over this enemies to lovers' type of story. "Oh! Isn't that the most romantic story you've ever heard?" Rapunzel cooed with delight, holding her face with a classic hopeless romantic pose.
And she happened to ask that to Cassandra. Someone who didn't have much experience with romance. Did she even like the genre? "I guess. If you're into romance and that kinda thing," Cassandra replied, not sounding that interested in the story.
"I think it's interesting," [Name] popped out of nowhere behind the two, startling the woman. Their entrance was unexpected. They manage to drag Varian out with them. It's been a week or two since they began doing research on the black rocks. With... barely any rest. [Name] did the honors of giving Varian a day off alongside themselves, for all the hard work they were doing the past two weeks.
For Varian's part of the story, he was dragged here unwillingly.
"What would you think would happen if General Shampanier never found out about the king's feelings for her? Would have Corona been destroyed? Would the Saporians have taken over it?" [Name] rambled so many questions and possibilities.
"Our Kingdom commemorates this day, the Day of Hearts," Big Nose announced, forming a heart with his hands. "Each year by displaying the book, so all those who have found true love may sign its pages."
Everyone's eyes were on the king and queen, who jotted their signatures down on the journal before sharing a kiss. The sight made people cheer for them while young audiences (and those who weren't much of a fan of romance or physical affection) cringe. When the royal couple parted, Queen Arianna threw paper hearts to the crowd.
This kingdom will never grow sick of cheering.
The red hearts danced in the sky, descending the people of Corona and the ground. One landed right on Varian's face, making him yelp a bit. Unfortunately, [Name] snickered at the sight of it. They did help lift the paper heart up and away from his face. All with a cheeky smile on their face.
One landed on Shorty's nose. If you take notice of his outfit, he was dressed like a cupid of some sort (he slayed). Grabbing the heart, he made a sober grin to the nearest person besides him (cause the man is always drunk).
Cassandra.
"Happy Day of Hearts, my lady," Shorty soberly spoke, handing Cassandra the heart. The sight was more disgusting than sweet in Cassandra's eyes, making her snatch the heart with a growl. The woman soon ripped it into shreds, groaning in despair. "Can't this kingdom go one day without celebrating something!?"
That said, the raven-haired woman stormed away. With everyone watching the woman take her leave.
"I'm a little worried about Cass," Rapunzel admitted. "She's been acting kind of weird lately."
"I didn't receive a weekly letter from her," [Name] noted, putting a finger under their chin to get into their thinking position. It may not sound like much, but Cassandra at least went through her way to send a letter or two for [Name] every week. Yet Cassandra did say something about a mission in her last letter to them.
"Does she always act like this?" Varian questioned. Compared to the others, he didn't know Cassandra much.
"Probably just the Day of Hearts," Eugene suggested, not really taking in all of the questions and comments the group were making about Cassandra. He was just checking his nails like the queen he is. "People either love it or loathe it. Cass obviously falls into the latter category because she hates everything," Eugene stated, actually making a point there.
"I stand by Eugene's point," [Name] joined in the conversation. "Cassandra never was a fan of the Day of Hearts. She didn't bother celebrating it much when she was younger." [Name] remembered Cassandra spending the Day of Hearts like it was any other normal day back then.
"There's nothing we can do then."
"Ahh! Or maybe there is," Rapunzel spoke up, an idea popping up in her head as she smiled. Surprisingly, the sight alone made [Name] and Varian begin to question a lot of things.
"Rapunzel, I love how you want to help Cassandra. But maybe she doesn't want to talk about it," [Name] suggested, patting Rapunzel's shoulder. They're saying this from experience, trust me. Thanks to all this talk about Cassandra is making them reminisce about past memories. The good, the bad, and the ugly ones, too.
Will Rapunzel listen to their words?
...
Absolutely fucking not. Which brings us here: Rapunzel dragging Varian and [Name] to help Cassandra brighten up on this Day of Hearts.
"Princess, are you sure this will work?" Varian queried as he helped carry a picnic blanket outside in the castle garden. He alongside [Name] and Friedborg were helping Rapunzel set up a sweet little picnic for Cassandra. And yet Varian would much rather keep on trying to figure out the situation about the black rocks.
But [Name] did say they worked hard enough to deserve at least say off. He just didn't expect it to be like this. Same thing could be said for [Name].
"Positive! This is the perfect thing to cheer up Cassandra!" Rapunzel beamed, setting down the picnic basket to help the others set everything up perfectly!
First came Varian, who was already beginning to set up the picnic blanket. He got down to extend the blanket properly (kind of like how Hunter was setting up his sleeping back in Thanks to Them), making sure it didn't look wonky.
After the boy set up the blanket, it was time for Friedborg to shine. She was in charge of the food. But it took a lot of good luck to make her not devour everything with one bite.
As for [Name], they were too busy setting up the umbrella and the small yet lovely decorations for the picnic. Finishing touches, such as a small table to eat food together, a banner with the words 'single picnic' for obvious reasons, and maybe they brought along a couple of cornflowers to give a touch of blue all over the place.
It didn't take long, fortunately. And the picnic for single ones was set! All they needed to do was sit and wait patiently.
Rapunzel and Friedborg sat next to each other, with the princess hoping she would get a word out of the iconic handmaiden (live, laugh, love Friedborg). All while [Name] was trying to make a simple flower crown with Varian following along.
"We tried everything, but no positive reactions seem to be happening," [Name] began to go on their little rambles, a trait they managed to obtain thanks to Varian (+ 1 rambles). Their eyes were still focused on the cornflowers in their hands, reaching them close to their face to not mess up the crown. "All we got were explosions right to our face."
They were discussing their recent failures revolving around the black rocks. After the events of the exposition and Rapunzel trusting them to help figure out the secrets behind it. All they got so far was it was weirdly connected to Rapunzel. And [Name] was a bit too scared to even touch it, which is why they mixed the compounds and brought ingredients while Varian did the test runs. All they got were minor explosions so far.
"I don't understand. We did almost every single chemical solution I ever made," Varian added on with a puzzled yet frustrated look, groaning as he dropped his barely finished flower crown. "No matter what we do, those rocks aren't reacting. It must be something else..."
Maybe he was overthinking. It's only been a week or two. Usually, it takes him longer to find any source of light in any of his experiments. And yet this time, he felt like he had to know what's the deal with these black rocks.
And maybe to continue helping [Name] with their questions revolving around the unusual incidents that occurred before. Like when the giant pipe that was going to crush them broke mysteriously or when the ground almost shook when they snapped at Dr. St. Croix for disqualifying him in the science exposition.
"Maybe we should mix new compounds?" [Name] suggested out of the blue, just barely managing to finish their flower crown. Decorated in blue, that seemed to be the only defining trait to justify the crown's beauty in their perspective. It looked wonky, about to fall apart, and some petals were falling into their hands.
Did that stop them from placing it on Varian's head? Nope. They went along with placing the crown of cornflowers on him, adjusting it so it wouldn't dare to fall off.
Varian giggled a bit at their small act of kindness, touching the flower crown sitting on his head like a throne with such care. A small, blue petal fell off the stem of one of the cornflowers, finding its way down to his nose. He huffed the petal away, making it sway away and towards [Name]'s nose. The duo looked at each other before bursting into a fit of giggles.
Seems like their thoughts about the black rocks seemed to fade away whenever the two had fun.
"Ladies lunch!"
Wait, but they aren't ladies (unless if you are, I apologize)-
Oh, that was the cue, right?
"And I brought cupcakes!" Rapunzel chirped with her classic bright smile, holding up a pink cupcake to hand to Pascal, who is usually always by Rapunzel's side. He even tied a napkin properly so he wouldn't make a mess as he devoured all these delicious treats. Rapunzel took two more cupcakes and handed them to Varian and [Name].
"Each one is a single serving, because there is nothing wrong with being single," Rapunzel spoke through her smile, nudging Pascal lightly in an adorable manner that made him giggle. "Right, Friedborg?"
That particular handmaiden did indeed finish a lettuce in one bite.
Cassandra just happened to arrive ten seconds ago. The reason behind Rapunzel's sudden announcement. "This is great, Raps, but I don't have time right now, okay?" Cassandra politely refused this cute little picnic. As the raven-haired woman lifted the hem of her dress a bit to walk properly, she sent a small wave at the two kids.
"You four have fun, though." Cassandra then left.
"Huh, I thought that would work," Rapunzel hummed, watching Friedborg taking a bite in her single cupcake. Taking note that the handmaiden was already digging into the food, [Name] took it as their cue to eat a couple of fruits on a nearby plate. They even handed some to Varian, who was already unpacking some ham sandwiches that he prepared for the two of them.
"Do you have more tricks up your sleeve, princess?" [Name] questioned after finishing their choice of fruit.
Rapunzel sure as hell did.
. . .
Rapunzel soon came back with three canvases. Friedborg left a while ago thanks to Old Lady Crowley fetching her to continue her errands.
"How about we paint something for Cass! To make her cheer up!" Rapunzel suggested, wearing another grin-eating grin that surpassed all grins, handing the two kids a canvas each alongside some paintbrush and... well, paint! It almost knocked out their flower crowns off their thrones (since Varian decided to finish his flower crown for [Name] since he wore theirs).
"I'm down. But are you sure you want to keep this up?" [Name] was up for anything to consume time. Seems like today was going so slow! But they weren't complaining much. At least spending time with their best friend is today's blessing.
But for Cassie? They weren't against the idea of helping cheer her spirits but isn't this being too... pushy?
"This is my second attempt. How bad can it be?"
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Very bad. Rapunzel ended up giving Cassandra the paintings herself as Varian and [Name] were still in the great outdoors.
Currently, the two were resting under the shade that the umbrella offered, shielding them from the sunlight. The two lied down on their backs as they were too busy chatting about the situation they were dealing with.
"I mean, we could always experiment with your compounds. Sounds dangerous but what do we have to lose?" [Name] offered with a light yet sheepish smile, chuckling a bit since they knew how Varian might react to this suggestion.
"Actually... I think that's the best shot we have," Varian, surprisingly, agreed with their idea. He was just as desperate to get answers or any sort of reaction from the black rocks as [Name] was. And he will do anything to obtain answers, even if it means getting in trouble with his dad. All in the name of science!
"Huh, really? Well, I suppose it's not a stupid idea. Since you literally tried everything and nothing seems to work! And-" [Name] kept on talking about the situation, getting into more depths about it. They even offered brand new suggestions such as mixing some of his chemical compounds together such as a stink bomb and that pink goo substance!
They were too focused with their own words to even notice Varian staring at them the entire time.
He took notice of everything about them! Their expression shifts from slight frustration to how their eyes light up a bit when they come up with a brand-new idea. How they tend to use their hands to exaggerate their 'little' rants at times. How emotionally they usually are around him. Like them expressing everything, and I mean everything. It even got to the point where weird events happened sometimes because of it.
He honestly... He didn't mind much. Varian sort of likes that about them. Even from the start. Varian never planned on meeting them. But did he ever regret it?
Nope. Varian never once did regret meeting them. Meeting [Name] four years ago is one of the best things that ever occurred to him. Now that he thought of it, it's one of the only things that improved his life, aside from meeting Ruddiger, his raccoon companion. Oh, and maybe his dad-
Other things aside, [Name]'s really the best thing that happened to him.
...
A younger looking Varian is met with a much shorter kid looking up to him with a cheeky smile. Said kid clasped their hands together, looking up at him with bright eyes. The way they looked like right now and Varian would assume that this kid was planning on doing something that might cause trouble.
Yet again, he's used to trouble.
Varian encountered this kid earlier in the day. After the common, daily commotion in Old Corona, he encountered this kid by pure accident. Since he was the only one around when said commotion happened (not even he dares to try to remember it, but he has a permanent memory of it), the kid spotted him nearby and offered a quick conversation.
But... It was pretty awkward on his side. Varian just never expected to encounter this kid again.
"Huh, twice in one day. You think it's fate?" The kid made a stupid little grin that shone. Enough shine to rival a burning star. Nevertheless, it's that very stupid grin that made Varian grow a bit nervous. What's up with this boy? His stomach feels a bit odd and fluttery.
"I'm not sure it's fate," Varian awkwardly replied, almost fumbling through his words. All he did was use mini hand movements as she made a small, bucked tooth grin back. Maybe the weird feeling was thanks to the height difference, since he was at least a head taller than this kid. Maybe they were younger than him?
"Your head's too small for your hair." That was unnecessary and rude. And the kid's snickering at their own comment wasn't helping Varian.
"Hey! It's not!" Varian exclaimed back with a huff, crossing his arms as he turned to the side. Unintentionally, he made his hair move dramatically. That only raised the bar of snickers coming from the kid, that was soon turning into a huge fit of giggles.
"Sorry, sorry-" They apologized through giggles, coughing a bit to stop themselves from harming the poor boy in front of them emotionally. Eventually, they recovered (after a good minute).
Varian didn't know why. But he kind of missed hearing their laughter.
"So... uh- what's your name?" Varian asked them, tilting his head slightly (that also made his hair move). He swore he'd seen them before in the past. Maybe it's because this is the same kid the town sometimes talks about.
The kid in front of him still had their stupid little smile.
"The name's [Name]!" They happily introduced themselves with a chirp, taking his hand to rapidly shake it. The kid, [Name], shook his hand with such force that they made Varian wobble up and down during this friendly handshake.
"Nice to- oof- meet- you-" Varian stammered in between the rough handshake, with [Name] looking like they won't stop any time soon.
Much to his delight, they did.
"Wait, I think I've heard of you," [Name] noted, finally taking in all of his features. That blue streak in his hair is a dead giveaway. It kind of reminded them of their mother's hair stripe, the main difference being that it was white. And plus, something about his face screams familiar.
"Well, I'm-"
"Vari- erh... Varitas!" [Name] guessed with a hopeful tone.
"Varian." Said boy corrected them.
"Close enough."
...
Okay, that meeting was unexpected. Varian is still surprised that the sweetheart right next to him used to be such an honest kid back then. A bit too brutally honest at the time. And pretty goddamn short, too. Oh, younger them would be thrilled to know they outgrew him in the future (not to mention Varian was surprised when they revealed their age to him. Turns out they were older than him by a month or two).
Younger him would still be surprised that they were best friends right now. Considering the commotion and problems revolving around [Name] and him in the past. Yet it wasn't that shocking when everyone found out that the two kids befriended one another.
Weirdos stick together, right?
But younger Varian would be more shocked when he finds out he didn't really view [Name] in such light as before. The dreaded light that was deemed romantic. Sure, if he had to be with someone romantically, it would be [Name]. But that didn't mean anything, honestly.
Or did it?
[Name] was being a dumbass for once (or again), not even noticing that Varian was staring at them during the entire time. Did he space out? Was he too lost in his head?
"And maybe we'll get some sort of reaction out of the black rocks. I predict that you might even create a new element! How amazing would that be!?" [Name] just kept on talking about all the possibilities that could occur if they persevere and continue their mission behind the mysterious black rocks. "Oh- OH! But what if we managed to get rid of the problem!? That would be great!" They exclaimed proudly, quickly sitting up as the rush of adrenaline began to take its course.
And just when they jolted up to sit properly, a bushy tail covered their view.
"ACK!" The sudden tail entrance startled [Name] and snapped Varian out of his thoughts. The bushy tail and its owner curried on top of [Name]'s head, making them quickly snatch whoever this creature is away from them. Grabbing the creature from its armpits, [Name] removed it from themselves to see...
"Ruddiger!?" [Name] and Varian exclaimed with pure confusion. How did Ruddiger manage to arrive from Old Corona all the way to the castle? Now that they thought of it, it's not that surprising honestly. The only other thing missing is-
"Wait, if you're here... where's Fido?" [Name] eyed the raccoon with suspicion, not setting him down until Ruddiger gave them an answer. Which doesn't seem possible since animals can't talk but Ruddiger does have his ways of being expressive. But why were they even asking where their beloved beagle is (and why did the author just decide to bring up the lovable animal companions now?).
Speak of the beagle and he shall arrive.
The beagle suddenly cuddled up nearby Varian, who now sat properly (next to [Name], obviously). Fido snuggled up on Varian's lap, resting his tiny body on the tiny boy ("Such a tiny boy. So much rage."). Said tiny boy couldn't help but pet Fido during his peaceful rest.
All while [Name] felt the urge to throw Ruddiger away but used the power of self-control to peacefully set him down. The raccoon scurried away to the basket of food, lifting his cute chubby build onto the basket to give himself a feast.
They were so getting their revenge on that raccoon someday.
"Guys! Guys! I have another plan!"
Can the two just have a peaceful day spent with each other?
Varian turned to face the princess coming up to them with Cassandra's sparring dummy. It dangled as Rapunzel carried it to their way. But something seemed off about the dummy. Why the hell was there a painting of Eugene's face on it?
"And you believe this will be the key to cheering Cassandra up?" Varian raised an eyebrow. It's been a couple hours and yet Rapunzel still persisted in this mission? That's dedication right there, he can't blame her. Varian is a bit like that, too. Wait- he shouldn't even be speaking to begin with!
Rapunzel rapidly nodded like a cheerful little kid, her sun rivaling grin coming back to shine across her face.
"You got the motivation to continue, I have to respect that," [Name] commented, not really minding over the fact that Ruddiger came over to be on their shoulder. Fido lifted his tiny little head to bark with agreement.
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"So, we've just gotta let Cass come to us when she's ready to share what's going on," Rapunzel spoke with a smile (does her cheeks not hurt)? Pascal squeaked in agreement as he hopped on Rapunzel's hand.
Turns out that all her methods to cheer up Cassandra didn't work. That explains why it's nightfall already. And why the group was sitting on the porch of the castle entrance.
"Don't you think Cassandra wants some alone time?" Varian suggested, with Ruddiger chittering out his own form of agreement. "I mean, there's nothing wrong with having some solitude from time to time, of course!" Varian was famous for being alone for the majority of his time back then. And he still enjoyed being alone now. It just felt lonelier considering that he has a best friend now.
"Hey, guys. Isn't that Cassie?" [Name] pointed out, their head peeking out the balcony a bit so they wouldn't be caught red handed in the act of spying. The other two alongside their own respective animal companions joined [Name] to surprisingly find Cassandra!
They found the woman running amongst the shadows, being absolutely stealthy about this. Despite the fact three people were watching her leave the castle.
"What is she up to?" Rapunzel muttered out. "Maybe we should find out."
Pascal squeaked as he gave Rapunzel his own form of an eyebrow raise. All while Varian and [Name] (probably Fido the beagle, too) gave unamused looks at the princess. Seems like she was alone in this.
"Not to be nosy, just to make sure she's okay," Rapunzel reassured the group of both humans and animals. But they all knew better. But they should probably tag along with Rapunzel in case she happens to find trouble, again.
...
Cassandra walked down the docks with such grace and elegance. All while Rapunzel and Pascal hurriedly ran behind a large crater near the docks and the river. Rapunzel climbed up the barrels to catch a better view of Cassandra. That just made the odds go completely against her, since the barrels were sideways. It's not surprising that they would begin rolling down if it wasn't for Pascal supporting it.
Varian, [Name], Ruddiger and Fido all hid nearby the princess, amongst the shadows of the nearest building. It was more logical, and they desperately wished that Rapunzel would ditch to join them to not get caught or ditch her mission as a whole. But Rapunzel is... herself. There's no way that'll happen any time sooner.
The group anticipated for something to occur. Good for them that they didn't have to wait long when a golden lantern with a heart pattern floated towards Cassandra's way. And that surprised everyone. Cassandra smiled softly(!?) as she grabbed the lantern with utmost care. And what was more surprising is the man walking behind her on the docks with a red rose in hand.
Everyone watched them exchange a sweet meeting. The man even tucked the rose behind Cassandra's ear as she looked up at him with adoration!?
"So that's what's going on! Cass is in love!" Rapunzel exclaimed as high as a whisper can be. She was elated by this new information she just discovered! She was completely over the sun and the moon!
All that fell when she literally fell. Pascal could no longer support the barrels as they rolled over him. Making Rapunzel cry out as she fell into the river alongside the crater.
"Princess!" The two kids shouted out for her, watching her form a huge splash when she came in contact with the river. The two rushed to see if Rapunzel was alright, with Fido planning to jump into the water to save her. But Rapunzel managed to swim back to the surface level, reaching for the side of the deck to catch her breath.
She was met with Cassandra and the man who came to see her. The two helped her get back on her two feet, with different expressions. Varian and [Name] felt like backing out but that was just plain rude. Instead, the two confronted the adults with Ruddiger and Fido trailing behind them.
"No introduction? Okay- yeah, that's fine." Rapunzel is still being herself, only with long, damp hair. The two kids came in between the adults, beginning to drag Rapunzel away to dry her off.
"We are so sorry about this," Varian apologized first, smiling a bit sheepishly as he tried to pull Rapunzel away.
"We didn't mean for all this to happen. You two enjoy your... uh... hangout, though!" [Name] finished off the apology with a weirdly optimistic view, awkwardly laughing in the end as they aided Varian to drag the princess away.
"No, it's fine, really," The man reassured them all, trying to ease the tension in the air. Judging from looks alone, nobody could really blame Cassandra for being with him. Look at that face filled with charm! He alone was screaming handsome and barely anyone would refuse that fact.
"You must be cold. Please, take my jacket," the man offered his jacket. Wow. Him showing kindness and his good looks? That's definitely a keeper right there.
"Thank you," Rapunzel even found herself smiling as the man wrapped his jacket around her (and in front of Cassandra, too). "Ooh, nice and warm." She even made sure to grow comfortable thanks to the soft jacket. It was very tempting to touch it to find out if it really is that good.
"I made it myself," the man claimed with a suave voice. "It was shorn from the fleece of poquito Juan Pablo, a blind orphan mountain sheep I rescued from a pack of ravenous wolves. I gave him a home; he gave me warmth. I often ask myself, 'who rescued whom'?"
Wow. Quite the storyteller. And very charming, too. Safe to say that Eugene might not have a girlfriend anymore. "Wow, this guy is smooth," Rapunzel commented, not noticing Cassandra creeping up behind her.
"Actually, Rapunzel was just leaving," Cassandra muttered, taking the princess away to hand them to the children. "Here, take her home, you two. Please."
"Of course, Cassi-" Fuck. [Name] didn't want to ruin a possible time for Cassandra actually finding love. They cleared their throat and corrected themselves, "Cassandra. We'll take her away."
"I believe I never introduced myself," the man spoke up. "I'm Andrew." The way he said it, too. Cassandra definitely got lucky.
"Well, it's been nice meeting you," Varian awkwardly chuckled out an interruption, beginning to drag Rapunzel away and back to the castle alongside [Name]. "Have a nice day!"
"He meant 'have a nice night'!" [Name] corrected.
"Right!"
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It wasn't long for Varian and [Name] to find themselves walking on the bridge that led to the kingdom the next day. This time with the company of both Ruddiger and Fido, who were chasing each other down the bridge and into the kingdom. All while the two kids were discussing possible plans,
"So, we tried mixing your compounds but no results so far! And I've even tried throwing some at them and nothing even happens!" [Name] slurred, finding themselves using exaggerated arm motions as they spat out understandable gibberish.
"Seems like whatever we use just explodes. In our faces," Varian commented with a defeated sigh, his hands grabbing their shoulders as he spoke. Wait, why did he do that? Especially under the moonlight since it was dark? After five seconds of that, Varian immediately pulled away to continue talking.
[Name] would be a bit confused, however (like always in every fic).
"Maybe we should check out Xavier's blacksmith if he's got something to help us," Varian suggested, clearing his throat from that awkward thing he just did. That was the reason why the two came to the kingdom this late. That and for them to check on Rapunzel to make sure she wasn't getting into Cassandra's business with her possible partner.
"What about a cool weapon? What if there was actually something that could cut through the black rocks!?" [Name] squealed with delight, really hoping their theory could be true. If the possibility of the black rocks not being as indestructible as they appear to be, maybe there can be a way to get rid of them! How awesome would that be!?
"We can't give up, [Name]. Sure, there may be some mishaps but who knows! Maybe we'll get a reaction one day," Varian managed to bring the two out of their blues with some words of slight hope and motivation. After all, what's better than succeeding a goal after all the troubles you went through?
"We'll succeed! We'll rise with triumph this time!" [Name] cheered, pulling their good old best friend into a side hug as they walked through the kingdom. Thanks to their cheers, their animal companions rushed up to them and chittered/barked with a similar enthusiasm. Varian let out a weak cheer, followed by laughter as he raised his fist slightly in agreement.
"Oh! OH! Look! We're already here," [Name] pointed out (literally) to Xavier's blacksmith shop. Their second-to-final destination they need to make for the night! And the fire light was on, indicating that he was awake. That spared them the trouble of waking him up (and apologizing profoundly afterwards).
Despite it being the night, [Name] was beginning to be pumped with ecstatic energy. So, like any other normal person, they quickly took Varian by the hand to scurry their way to the blacksmith shop. And that made the poor boy startle out a small yelp as he picked up the pace.
The moment they stepped foot to catch a first glance from inside the blacksmith shop, the two were met with the surprise of Rapunzel and Eugene being there. "Princess! Mr. Rider!" The two exclaimed with bright smiles, waving at her and Eugene. This certainly was an unexpected surprise but definitely welcomed.
"Oh, hello you two," Eugene greeted, waving a morning star (weapon) at them like it couldn't hurt anyone in the room. Although, it still bugged him whenever they used his former and false surname to call him by.
"Hey Varian! Hello [Name]!" However, Rapunzel was very enthusiastic with her greetings. Per usual.
"Hey Xavier," the two greeted the man, who was currently doing something with a possible piece of jewelry. The man sent them a wave in greeting as he placed something into the water to cool down, leaving behind water vapor.
"Xavier, I can't thank you enough for getting out of bed to do this for us," Rapunzel eternally thanked for the favor Xavier was doing during the night. She seemed a bit apologetic over the fact she woke him up, that was obvious enough. Still mostly grateful, though.
"It's my pleasure," Xavier replied with a soothing tone, one enough to put someone to sleep. Maybe that's why his tales usually sound so calming. He picked up whatever he was working on with a heavy cloth, wiping it to finish off his job. "I'm just surprised you would want to fix something like..." Xavier cleared his throat as he brought up the locket that he was fixing. Inside the locket was a white symbol, decorated with red as its background. "This."
"But why? It's so sweet," Rapunzel questioned, her naivete unknowingly playing a role right now. "It means love is true inner wealth."
"Where'd you get it from?" Varian asked, his curiosity growing.
"From Cassandra's boyfriend, Andrew," Eugene answered, his voice growing a bit sour whenever he mentioned the man being Cassandra's boyfriend. Sibling dynamic at its best, since most would probably poke around with the other whenever they found a love life. Or maybe this guy just didn't like Andrew.
"Andrew?" The handsome looking guy? If it is Andrew, he has good taste in jewelry. But something was off about it. Especially towards [Name]. They felt like the necklace was a tad bit familiar. Where have they even seen it?
Oh, OH! Yeah, they remember now! They saw one thrown out like it was a rotting pie.
Xavier chuckled, although what he was going to say wasn't anywhere near lighthearted. "Whoever told you that was lying," he told them, bringing up the locket to each of their views as he began retelling a tale. "This is the emblem of the separatists of Saporia."
'Oh, the kingdom that was at war with Corona... oh fuck-'
"The what, now?" Eugene stammered out, catching the locket when Xavier threw it at him. They just heard about that kingdom the other day when Big Nose was retelling the story behind the Day of Hearts. Now they're hearing something else about it.
"Centuries ago, after the war brought Saporia and Corona together," Xavier began, walking to a chest to take a useful piece of information to show them all. He brought out a rug that retold the tale through art (and it was handcrafted beautifully, mind you). "There was a small sect of Saporians who felt betrayed and swore revenge on our kingdom."
The rug displayed the first events of what led to this rebellion group, showing Herz de Sonne and General Shampanier getting together. But the rest of the rug didn't show a positive effect of these two falling in love. It showed a much darker path, one ending with Corona in ashes. "Some say their descendants are still around, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike back at Corona."
Everyone in the room shared the same gasp of surprise. Varian spoke, "Wait, but that does mean-"
"We have no time! Cass is in danger!" Rapunzel exclaimed out of panic, adrenaline, and worry. Panicked because she knows the truths, adrenaline because it's always the time for that when danger is arriving at their door, and worried because Cassandra might get hurt!
The princess rushed to the outside, preparing to save Cassandra like a good best friend. But she stopped to turn back to the kids who just happened to also find out the situation. "We might need both of your help for this," Rapunzel admitted.
Would they ever learn to say no?
"For Cassie!" [Name] smiled, a hint of determination unlocking from within them. They turned to Varian, who did a firm nod with similar determination. Besides, they could always visit Xavier's blacksmith the next day.
...
"Cass is gonna be devastated when she finds out the truth about Andrew!" Rapunzel exclaimed, her and the rest of the group running through the streets of Corona. The good thing is that Xavier's blacksmith wasn't that far from the entrance to the castle. The bad thing is that they have a short time limit to save Cassandra.
"Yeah. The only guy who can mess with Cass is me," Eugene pointed out, running right besides his girlfriend with the two kids trailing behind them. Sibling dynamic at its best, really.
In what felt like five seconds at best, the group already reached the castle. "Okay, guys. We'd better split up," Rapunzel told them, making the two kids snap their heads towards her. But before they could stammer out words against her plan, the princess spoke. "I'll check the throne room, Eugene takes the courtyard, and you two check the hallways inside the castle."
"But isn't it better if we-" It was too late for them to say something, since the two adults rushed to their respective locations. They had no plan at all! Just going with their guts and hoping the odds would be in their favor!
"No plan? Okay, we can deal with this. Don't worry, we got this," Varian managed to ease the nerves alongside the developing bad feeling growing inside his stomach. Sure, going in without a plan may work sometimes. Key word: SOMETIMES! Who knows if it won't work this time!? "We got this."
"Listen up, bluey," [Name] called out to him, grabbing him by the shoulders to make him face them. "I have a feeling Rapunzel will probably get to them first. And if it backfires, Andrew might escape the castle. So, I'm putting my money on the best-case decision we have: waiting for him to leave."
"But how can you be sure? What if he takes another route to escape if Rapunzel fails?"
"The other parts are with guards. And he can easily charm his way out of it," [Name] addressed. "The best way for him to get away without anyone noticing is through here. At least, that's my guess."
"That's actually not bad," Varian hummed, looking down to the ground before another idea popped into his head. "Wait, I think I brought some things in my pockets!" He added with a gasp, checking his front pocket of his apron to take out some small vials (that surprisingly didn't break). Upon noticing that, [Name] rummaged through their pockets to take out similar compounds.
"We might have a chance if we use these!" [Name] exclaimed, brightly smiling at the positive possibilities.
"But... what if I mess up?" Varian hesitated for a second, slumping his shoulders down in defeat. "What Corona is doomed because of me?"
"Because of us, mind you," [Name] corrected. "Did you really think you'll be alone in this? If you fall, I'll be right there with you. I don't plan on leaving you, ever," [Name] reassured him, putting a hand on his shoulder with another light smile of theirs. "I'm not letting you take the blame. Besides, we... just happened to be here. And we're just kids. Nobody our age deserves to go through such a thing."
They weren't even so sure themselves. What if something happens? What if he or anyone else gets hurt because of them? And it wasn't even the time to develop the mid-existential character crisis or go to their next arc yet! None of that mattered now! They just want to be there for him.
Before they could even continue talking, the faint trace of footsteps made the two quickly hide. And by that, I meant they ran out of the castle entrance to hide in the nearest shadows. Varian dragged [Name] with him, immediately pulling them close to an embrace when they managed to hide themselves well enough.
The two anticipated for something to happen. And as luck would have it, a man stepped outside the castle. His man-bun was an obvious hint to him being Andrew, especially that facial hair- wait, no! Focus! The man is on the run!
"Damnit..." Varian muttered, looking down on his hands to see himself gripping the small vials he had the entire time alongside [Name]. "I think we can use these to our favor. But we have to catch up to him before anything bad happens."
"Best guess is that he's going to leave the kingdom. We should use a shortcut," [Name] added on, taking Varian's hand to bring the two of them to the nearest path that led to the bridge. All while they shoved the small vials into their pockets carefully, not wanting to crack any of them. No need for more accidents to occur.
Hand-in-hand, the two rushed through the tight alleys of Corona to beat Andrew from rushing through the gate. It took a while, but they eventually made it! But... somehow Ruddiger and Fido beat them to it?
"Have you two seen a rather handsome looking guy pass by here?!" [Name] questioned the two critters, looking around the bridge for any sight of Andrew. Ruddiger chittered out a response, nodding his head as he pointed past the bridge. This made the two kids curse under their breath before going back to running. And yes, the critters followed them this time.
The two are unaware that a trio were right behind their trail.
After all that adrenaline running, the two managed to arrive at a cool as hell hot air balloon. Andrew was already on board, heating up the air balloon to take off.
"No, this is bad... this is really, really bad," Varian muttered out, pinching his nose as he couldn't bear to look at the sight of it.
"Wanna double down?" [Name] quizzed with a knowing look on their face (Yes, I am aware that saying didn't exist back then, but I do love a good reference). Varian knew that look. But it was the best choice they had on their deck as of the moment.
"Great! Glad you're in, bluey!" On cue, [Name], who was beginning to feel the aftereffects of the amount of adrenaline coursing through their veins, rushed towards the hot air balloon. Looking back, the two noticed Eugene and Rapunzel catching up to them. Their sight alone was good news.
Where's Cassandra, though?
"Ha-ha! So long, Corona!" Andrew cheered at their own possible downfall, bringing up the book of Herz De Sonne to mock them as he was lifted higher to the ground. So, the man was after the book? Was he that much of a loser that he had to discover on how Herz De Sonne confessed his love or something (/j)? No, he was obviously after the secret tunnel pathways!
Varian and [Name] rushed to reach the porch of the hot air balloon, just barely holding onto it when they came in contact with it. Ruddiger managed to climb on top of both of them to get inside, leaving behind poor Fido who was left barking out for them.
"I just realized. I never gave you your good night kiss." That voice belonged to Cassandra! So, she was alright after all! What a relief! Well, if you ignore the fact they're literally being taken to a fight in the air that could lead to their deaths.
The two nearly lost their grip when Andrew fell down thanks to a good old punch to the face from Cassandra. "Now, hand over that book."
Varian was first to enter the hot air balloon, yelping when he almost stepped on Andrew's stomach. [Name] made sure to give him a kick to the stomach when they managed to enter the hot air balloon. And Ruddiger just climbed on his face to lightly scratch him unintentionally. Cassandra didn't expect them to enter the fight. Although nearly everyone tumbled when Eugene managed to grab onto the hot air balloon for dear life.
"You kids should stay out of this," Andrew warned as he got back to his feet, bringing his sword into this fight. He swung the sword towards their direction and missed because each of them possessed the amazing dodging skills equivalent to a Disney princess (for now). Ruddiger chittered out a sound or protest, almost having Varian hold him back if it wasn't for the raccoon being on his shoulder.
"Never!" [Name] cried out, throwing a small vial of randomness to his way. It left behind nothing but pink ashes, oozing to reveal Andrew with... a hilarious new look. He now possessed pink hair thanks to the dust from the compound, alongside his face being tainted in pink (literally). The sight was amusing, making the group take their precious time to laugh at him before Andrew killed off that laughter with a sword swing.
"Oh, that was insanely hard," Eugene huffed, finally climbing onto the fight area within the hot air balloon. He watched as Cassandra blocked Andrew's attack with her own sword, deflecting everything he threw at her. She drew Andrew's attention away from the kids and all on her, the two respective sides grunting as they struggled to gain the upper hand.
"Uh, you guys... who's driving this thing?" Eugene wondered, noticing the new problem in sight.
"What matters is the book, Mr. Ridder Sir!" [Name] reminded him, knowing that nobody could really fix the upcoming issue involving trees. Best case scenario: the hot air balloon would be stuck in the trees and would make the fight a bit easier. Worst case scenario: they die. Simple as that.
Varian prepared to throw a possible compound of his own design at Andrew. Sure, him and [Name] barely even knew the guy but after hearing what Xavier said, they didn't really respect him anymore compared to yesterday. Crazy how things can change that quickly. Just as he threw it, the hot air balloon moved thanks to Rapunzel holding it back with her hair. That made everyone tumble forward, although it was in their favor since Andrew was affected the most.
As for Varian's compound, the pink substance managed to get stuck in Andrew's hand, making him and the sword in his hand become one. Which can be either a good or a bad thing.
When Rapunzel tried to hold back the hot air balloon, she unfortunately couldn't and let out a loud cry when she began flying away with the hot air balloon. Everyone tried to regain their balance again, with Cassandra falling on top of Andrew (much to her dismay).
"I knew you cared after all," Andrew commented with that smug yet shit eating look on his face.
"Well I don't!" Eugene yelled, preparing to throw an even bigger punch at Andrew. Said man countered his attack with the book, making Eugene wince back with pain. "Fuck- Bibliophilic!"
"Enough! Give me the book!" Cassandra demanded, trying to yank the book out of Andrew's grasp. Fortunately, Andrew only had one hand to properly hold the book (since the other one stuck his sword). Cassandra managed to take the book but a bit too harshly, making it fly nearby to Varian.
"The book!" Varian gasped, taking it into his hands. Ruddiger chittered, pointing his paw to where Cassandra and Andrew fought. Varian made sure to back away from that.
"Get us down from here!" Cassandra commanded Eugene, who was nearby the burners. She and Andrew held another sword fight once more, with the man trying to inch near Varian to snatch the book away.
"Now that I can do!" Eugene smirked, drifting his attention to the burners. "Now, was it clockwise or counterclockwise...?"
"Counterclockwise!" Varian told him, handing [Name] the book (before telling them, of course). Varian made his way to where Eugene was to help. He was unfortunately met with Eugene pulling the operating lever. The fire within the burner grew stronger, sending the hot air balloon high enough to touch the clouds. It sent the three down, with [Name]'s grasp on the book faltering for a second.
Andrew and Cassandra were still at their duel, each side refusing to lose. However, Andrew threw a sidekick at Cassandra when she missed an attack. It sent her aside and her sword to fly off the hot air balloon.
"Get us down, Eugene!" Cassandra choked out, trying to get up to keep on fighting. She refused to give up. She can't give up! She refuses!
"Working on it!" Eugene was just banging on the burner, hoping for something to work. Varian and [Name] tried to yank him away from it, knowing that he doesn't know what to do. Jokes on that, Eugene did manage to bring the hot air balloon down by surprise. Only problem is they were all going to be tangled with vines now.
Oh, how the two kids really wished they weren't here. Unfortunately for them, I'm forcing them to be a part of every single chaotic thing that I'm going to throw at them in the future.
"Don't! That is extremely delicate!" Varian warned despite knowing that Eugene probably won't listen. His raccoon companion got onto Eugene's face, blocking his vision to prevent him from doing anything else that could screw everything up (cause I finally managed to bring him up). "Wait, Ruddiger! Don't!" That happened to be bad news, too.
All their worries turned into something far worse when Andrew's sword collided with the burner. He meant to hit Cassandra, but this turned out to be a successful failure for him. The burner heated up (obviously) again, lifting the balloon up high once more. When everyone tried to stabilize themselves, Ruddiger grabbed the book from [Name] for safekeeping.
Before they could even say anything, their worry escalated into fear when something cold neared their neck.
Andrew took this as his chance to obtain the book. If he had to shed blood, so be it. So, the man took [Name] as his chance to get a step closer to Corona's doom. "Give me the book or the kid gets it," Andrew threatened, the blade growing dangerously close to [Name]'s throat. It's to the point where they suddenly felt cold.
The trio around Andrew froze in fear, even Cassandra. They couldn't give up the book like that but if they don't, [Name]'s life is at huge risk. Both options were going to lead to bad results but losing [Name] is the worst one considering they were close with two out of the three people. Varian and Cassandra tried to draw closer but that only risked [Name]'s life more.
As for the person whose life is literally on the line, they felt fear. Which was weird because usually, it wouldn't be in moments like these. Or when they might die. [Name] wasn't new to this emotion, but it certainly felt like it.
For the first time, they felt scared for themselves. It was really selfish in their opinion, really. So, that's why they were mainly scared for the ones around them. For Cassandra since they knew her the longest, they were siblings. For Eugene, despite the fact they just met a month or two ago, they honestly respected the guy (besides, it would be pretty traumatizing to see someone die right in front of you). And especially Varian since there's a more likely chance that he might be alone if they die.
They weren't planning on that. But they didn't know what to do! They wanted to do something. Anything, really! But they couldn't muster up the courage or heart to do so.
"Let go." Was all that [Name] could say. Even if they tried to do something, they knew Andrew held the upper hand. When they felt Andrew's sword closer to their throat, they froze once more. If Andrew dares to make a final move, they were most likely dead weight after it.
"Didn't you hear me?" [Name] whispered, the adrenaline beginning to kick in again. The trio anticipated for something to happen, preparing for the worst. Before Andrew could even move again, [Name] spoke a bit louder than before.
"Let go, you bastard!"
Right before accepting their possible end, [Name] let out their possible last words. What a twist. But what nobody in the group expected was for a sudden force of wind to send Andrew and everyone else back, [Name] included.
That shit caught everyone off guard, so Varian took it as a chance to throw another vial right under Andrew. It made the part of the basket beneath him become like butter. Andrew slipped back, his sword unintentionally cutting through two ropes that held the basket. Andrew and Cassandra held onto the ropes (with Andrew barely grabbing on since his other hand is practically useless now when it came to these things) while Eugene and Varian held onto the upper edge of the basket. [Name] fell before managing to grip onto the bottom edge of the basket, on the verge of slipping off.
Ruddiger, fortunately, was sitting on the side of the basket with the book.
Many things fell down, almost knocking down Rapunzel (who was still beneath the hot air balloon thanks to her hair). It almost even led [Name] to their death if it weren't for them pulling themselves back up in time.
"Guys, the book!" Cassandra reminded them, her mind turning back to the main goal. Now that [Name] is safe and alive, the book is the final thing to ensure their victory.
"Ruddiger, get down," Varian told the raccoon, who did a tiny salute as he carefully led himself down to where [Name] was. Once he made it to them, he handed the duty of the book to them the moment they grabbed it.
"We're fine, too. Thanks for asking." Even nearing his second possible death, Eugene always had something to say.
Andrew managed to climb up the rope with one fucking hand. He managed to use sword-hand to his favor, using the fingers that weren't that stuck onto the pink substance to support himself. The man eventually found his way inside the balloon, with Cassandra following in pursuit (and for one final battle).
Eugene held onto Varian's hand when the boy tried to lower himself to [Name] and Ruddiger. He carefully reached down enough for Eugene to let go. The second that Varian was near [Name], he quickly engulfed them into a hug (carefully, though. Since they were still midair).
"You're okay! Tell me you're okay!" Varian begged, wanting to know if his best friend really was fine after all that. He made sure not to squeeze them too tightly or slip up in case the book of Herz De Sonne would fall any minute. To secure that from never happening, Ruddiger took it into his paws once more as the two reunited from... all that.
"I... could be better," [Name] weakly chuckled, finding themselves returning the hug. Of course, they weren't fine. Who would be fine after almost dying if it weren't for some weird force of nature to save your ass? Was that weird wind blow even a gift from mother nature herself? Seems more like a reaction rather than a gift.
Never mind all that! That isn't any of their concern right now. They could always question all that later! What matters now is that good old [Name] lived, not worrying anybody else (hopefully. Unless their mom hears). Without having to imagine the look on everyone's faces, especially Varian.
If they were gone, the boy would probably be alone. He wouldn't have any friends (around his age). And watching someone you knew for about four years now would be pretty... impactful. In a bad way. [Name] is just so glad they wouldn't be leaving him any time soon.
"I'm just so glad you're safe," Varian crooned, still hugging them close as he buried his head into their shoulders. He didn't want to lose anyone, especially his best friend. He still held onto them tight, growing afraid over the thought of losing them. Ruddiger came into the hug, too. The raccoon nestled around their necks with his whole body (yes, tail included).
Fido sure was going to get through an emotional rollercoaster if anyone ever retold the beagle the events of tonight.
Wait, who had the book?
The sweet reuniting moment was interrupted by Eugene jumping down to them, getting the book since Ruddiger kind of left it (it didn't fall this time, yippee). And Cassandra's sword hitting the edge of the basket thanks to Rapunzel's aim, giving them a weapon to hand over to its rightful owner. The three looked up to see the burner igniting a huge light, revealing two figures within the balloon fighting for their lives. For their own respective kingdoms.
Although Andrew held the upper ground since he still had the pink substance attaching his sword and hand into one. It seems like Cassandra might lose.
"Eugene! Get Cassandra's sword up there, please!" [Name] told the man, breaking the embrace from Varian (much to their dismay) to snatch Cassandra's sword out of the basket. They handed it to Eugene, knowing he held the better chance to aim correctly (and the height, too).
"You finally called me by my name!" Eugene exclaimed with a gasp of delight, a chuckle escaping his mouth. He gratefully accepted the sword and threw it up to the direction of the fight. And just as luck would have it, Cassandra caught it with ease. She tore the balloon beneath her, causing her to fall down to make an escape.
Of course, she wasn't going to retreat from a fight like that. Cassandra grabbed the nearest rope to swing her way to the other direction of the balloon. The raven-haired woman sliced through the balloon to sneak up on Andrew by surprise. Nobody down there knew what she said but guessing of the light from the burner, they spotted the woman throwing a swift punch right at Andrew's face. And even a kick in the shins, yikes!
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"There's Corona's hero!" [Name] squealed, standing right behind Cassandra with a huge grin on their face. Their sudden entrance startled Cassandra, who was admiring herself with the badge of honor in the mirror. She really did earn such an honor, didn't she? "Everyone's talking about how you saved Herz De Sonne's book!"
"Eh, I'm just glad to be back on my dad's good side," Cassandra admitted with a smirk, walking over to her closet filled with her collection of cool kick-ass weapons. Opening the closet door, [Name] felt like they were a kid once more. Observing all those shiny weapons, it's almost tempting to touch them.
Of course, they never did touch them. All [Name] did is watch Cassandra place her medal of honor on her closet, which conveniently happened to be nearby a rose.
The same rose Andrew gave her.
"Huh, I thought you'd get rid of that," [Name] commented, sounding a bit bitter when the rose reminded them of Andrew. Cassandra immediately shut the closet door and faced them, breaking into a small and warm smile. Another warm smile from Cassandra?
"I'm glad you're safe, [Nickname]," Cassandra admitted, grabbing them by their shoulders. She must say (but will never outright admit it), she grew scared when Andrew just put their life on the line like it was nothing. They are a child for goodness' sake! A child that just so happened to randomly enter their lives and accidentally grow close to her.
"Yeah, me too," [Name] admitted, kind of hoping for a sweet moment between the two. So, out of instincts, [Name] brought their arms up as a simple offering for a hug. It took Cassandra exactly five seconds for her to make her choice. Said choice being to accept the hug.
And so, the two shared an embrace. One between friends, One between a sweet sibling connection. Eventually, the two parted.
"You know... I'm always up to offer you some training lessons," Cassandra offered. "It could help you a lot."
Training lessons? With Cassandra? Learning how to fight to defend themselves and everyone else!? Heck yes! "Sign me up, please," [Name] answered with a look of awe. Training with Cassandra seemed like such an honor. She alone could lead the royal guards if they let her. If Cassandra spared them time with valuable lessons, it could greatly be beneficial for them.
"You're eager to learn."
...
"We're so glad you're okay now, [Name]!" Rapunzel admitted with a relieved look on her face, hugging [Name] like it was the end of the world. When [Name] and Cassandra left the room, Rapunzel, Eugene and Varian happened to be waiting outside to congratulate Cassandra. But everyone still made sure to double check on [Name].
"Glad to hear, princess-" [Name] slightly choked out, not used to her bear-crushing hugs. But they weren't exactly complaining. They're a sucker for hugs.
"You doing alright, kid?" Eugene asked, genuinely concerned for them. Going through situations like those himself, he could imagine how scared they were during that. Rapunzel let [Name] free from her tight grasp, giving them space to breath. They still tried to regain themselves, but they managed to send him a weak thumbs up.
"Is nobody going to mention what else happened?" Varian is puzzled, that's for sure. He obviously wasn't the only one who saw what happened when [Name] managed to free themselves from Andrew and death itself. And this is one of the few weird things that have revolved around them.
It wasn't their first. And from what he's been collecting, all of these occur whenever [Name] feels a strong emotion. Such as fear.
Everyone exchanged looks before looking back at [Name], who cringed back at the amount of attention they were getting.
"Okay, uh... even I don't know what happened back there," [Name] admitted. "But... Can we please keep whatever happened to ourselves? I don't want anyone else to find out." They were secretly begging for them to keep it a secret. Only them and Varian were aware of... all this. Maybe Cassandra, too. They didn't want the word to spread like wildfire.
"Of course, [Name]." Rapunzel was first to accept their offer to keep everything secluded. "You can trust us."
Eugene and Cassandra shared a look before nodding. "You can count on us, too."
"I'm with you. Every step of the way," Varian told them with a smile, grabbing them by their shoulders again. Their words could almost make [Name] tear up.
"Thank you, guys. I- uh- mean that, too."
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Fun Facts!
- Varian and [Name] still got a free day off before venturing to discover the black rocks. And they spent it together.
- Varian used to view [Name] in a small romantic light when they met. But that quickly dissolved into friendly feelings. But this is an X Reader fic so don't count on that lasting long.
- [Name] got a growth spurt since they were smaller than Varian when they met.
- Varian was famous for creating all the messes (still is) and for his weird blue hair stripe when he was a kid. That's why [Name] recognized him when they first met.
- Mom mentioned, holy shit!? And she has a white hair stripe!? Maybe it's an age thing.
- Fido retreated back to the castle to warn the guards about Andrew. Thank him for bringing the support after the gang (Cassandra) kicked Andrew's ass.
- [Name] does remember seeing the emblem of the separatists of Saporia. They think they've seen a neighbor, or their mom throw it out when they were little-er.
- Cassandra threw out the rose from Andrew right after [Name] left.