Good morning and good night
(Jeremy Jordan-Varian Meyer)
I'll wake up at twilight
(Eden Espinosa-Cassandra Guard)
It's gonna be alright
(Mandy Moore-Rapunzel/Sunny Corona)
We don't even have to try
(Zachary Levi-Eugene Fritzherbert)
It's always a good time
(Jonathan Banks-Quirin, M. C. Gainy-Mr. Guard)
Whoa oh oh oh, whoa oh oh oh
(James Monroe-Lance)
It's always a good time
(Sean Heyes-Pete, Diedrich Bader-Stan)
Whoa oh oh oh, whoa oh oh oh
(Peter MacNicol-Principal Nigel)
We don't even have to try
(Julie Brown-Ariana, Clancy Brown-Fredric)
It's always a good time
(All other voices)
Written by Cupcakegirlpower
Tangled is owned by Disney
Theme Song: It's Always a Good Time
By Owl City and Carly Rae Jespen
Off the Ball
"Cassandra has the ball. She weaves past numbers 32 and 12. She's taking the ball for the shoot. She kicks! She shoots! She scores! She brings her team yet another exciting victory!"
"You know, for someone who makes herself look like the cold, uncaring type of persona, she sure does have a vivid imagination when it comes to sports."
Cassandra whirled around. Varian was leaning back in a bleacher. She thought she had been alone. "How long have you been there?" she ordered.
Varian held his hands up in defense. "Long enough to know how much you enjoy soccer."
"You got a problem with that, kid?"
Varian shook his head. "No. What I do have a problem is why you aren't on the Coronan Guards' soccer team. You've been pulling off amazing tricks all morning."
"So you've been here for two hours, haven't you," Cassandra accused.
Varian shrugged. "Maybe."
"Ok, why do you keep following me around all week? How many times have you spied on me?"
"Dunno. Haven't been counting. Have you?" Varian fired back coolly. "In my defense I haven't been spying, I've been sitting in plane sight and I've always been in plane sight. You're making me sound like a creep."
Cassandra crossed her arms. "Fine."
"How do you do the drop kicks? I've never figured out how to successfully make one."
"If you wanted me to teach you, you could have just asked."
"Then I would have missed the excellent game you just had. That trick you pulled on number 13 was sensational," Varian teased.
Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Are you gonna have me teach you, or are you just gonna sit there and watch?"
Varian hopped off the bleachers. "I'm game."
"You at least know how to kick the ball, right?" Cassandra asked.
"Pfft. Yeah! Use the side of my foot. Never use hands in soccer either unless you're the goalie."
"That's also only within the goalie line," Cassandra added. "Have you played?"
"Mmm... not for a few years. I used to play, but I quit a couple years ago. Haven't exactly touched a ball since," Varian admitted.
"Why'd you quit? Get hurt or something?" Cassandra said as a joke.
"Well, not in soccer... I quit after the accident that killed my mom."
Cassandra stopped. She felt guilty for her coldness and being inconsiderate. "Oh... I'm sorry..."
"Naw, you're good. You didn't know." Varian gave a sheepish grin.
"Sooo, you're thinking about starting again?" Cass asked.
"Not join a team or anything," Varian answered.
"Right."
"You know, you still haven't told me why you're not on Corona's soccer team," Varian gave her a mischievous grin.
Cassandra sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Because the coach said-how did he put it?-I was 'too aggressively violent intentionally'," she deadpanned.
"Uh-huh. How did I guess?" Varian teased.
"Oh, shut up." Cassandra gave Varian a shove. It only resulted in making the teen laugh.
~~~~~~~~~~
The two teens sat on the bleachers, panting. "Well," Cass began. "You aren't too bad. Though I think I could have done alright without you popping my ball." She held up the flat ball.
"I'll get you a new one," Varian promised.
Cassandra shrugged. She stood up. "Guess I better get home now."
"See ya, Ca-" Varian was cut short.
"Roar!" Eugene jumped out behind them.
Cassandra stumbled backwards in surprise as Varian yelped. The seventeen year old girl fell to the ground with a thump.
"Cassie!" Varian exclaimed.
"Varian! I said it was Cass!" Cassandra said through gritted teeth. She groaned. "Ow... my back."
"Eugene!" Varian scolded. "What in the world?"
Eugene held his hands up. "How was I supposed to know that I would actually succeed in scaring dragon lady out of her wits?"
Varian huffed. "Well, now you're gonna have to find a way to take her home and help her back."
"I am! Sheesh kid. You act like I don't have an ounce of compassion in my body!" Eugene said.
Varian gave him a dangerous glare. Eugene made a pouty face. "Don't look at me like that."
"Hello? Guys! My back?" Cassandra interrupted.
"Sorry," the two boys said.
~~~~~~~~~~
"What happened?" Rapunzel asked. She had met them at the emergency room. Mrs. Guard was already there.
Varian gave Eugene a look. "Eugene decided to scare the living daylights out of us and Cassandra fell off the top bleacher."
"Kid, I told you, it was an accident," Eugene defended himself.
"Yeah, jumping out behind us and shouting 'roar', sounds so accidental," Varian said sarcastically.
"Varian, you know what I mean." Eugene crossed his arms.
Varian rolled his eyes.
"Ok." Rapunzel held her hand up. "I have heard quite enough you two. Varian, you need to calm down. How bad was it?"
The two looked at their feet from her gentle scolding. "Nothing's broken or anything," Varian said.
"She can't do anything strenuous for a while, but she'll be fine..." Eugene explained.
"Technically, moving is very painful. She almost passed out in the field," Varian added.
Rapunzel flinched at Varian's tone. "Please, Varian. Can you please not say anything until you're cooled off. You'll regret it later. After all, Eugene didn't mean for Cass to hurt her back."
Varian sighed. "Alright."
Mrs. Guard came out into the waiting room. "She's going to be okay, boys. Why don't you go home now."
"Yes, ma'am." The two nodded.
"Again, I'm sorry about her back," Eugene said.
"Don't worry. Cassandra is going to be just fine. These sort of things happen. If I remember correctly, the same thing happened to you a few years ago, just role switched." Mrs. Guard said.
Eugene gave a small chuckle at the memory. "That is true..." he turned to Varian. "I'll give you a ride home. Alright."
"Ok." Varian gave a weak grin.
Eugene put his arm around the boy's shoulder as they walked to the car together. Rapunzel sighed with relief when she noticed that the two settled things on their own so quickly. She got a little worried, to be honest.
Varian and Eugene got in the dark blue car. Varian but his lower lip. "Sorry if I wasn't being fair."
"Naw, you were right to be scared. Being upset is just a part of that," Eugene assured him.
"Did she really do the same thing to you?" Varian asked.
"Yep. First year I knew her and Blondie. A year right before you and I met, actually." Eugene began driving out of the parking lot. "She, uh, came up behind me when I was hiking with Rapunzel. She surprised us by sneaking up behind me while we were on a wooden bridge with no rails. It was just to cover a muddy ditch, but didn't land too gracefully. I twisted an ankle."
Varian let out a small laugh. "I guess it was only fair you returned the favor then."
"Unintentionally, but yes. I guess I did. Except maybe hers is a little more serious, but, hey! Who am I the judge in that?"
"Maybe, next time, scare us where no damage can be done," Varian said.
"Note taken, buddy." Eugene smiled.
~~~~~~~~~~
Cassandra was sitting up in her bed the next day. If it wasn't for her phone, she'd be bored out of her mind. Instead, she was annoyed beyond what was for her own good. Rapunzel kept checking on her every five minutes. She was always like that whenever Cass got hurt.
Knocking came at her door. Cassandra looked up. Her mother came into the room. "You have a visitor."
Varian came into the room. Mrs. Guard left the room. "How are you doing?" he asked.
"I've been better," Cassandra stated.
"Well, I know you won't be able to use it for a while, but I got it anyways." Varian held out a silver soccer ball with red and black accents to it. "I believe I owed you one after I popped yours yesterday."
"Thanks, Varian." Cassandra blinked in surprise. "Ha, it's even in my colors..."
"I hoped you'd like it," Varian beamed.
"So, are you and Team Awesome doing alright recording without me?" Cassandra asked slowly.
"We've had a couple setbacks, we got it recorded. Team Awesome is really on demand right now. You should join it some time. Rapunzel is so set on you and her having a band so you can be in with Team Awesome."
"Yeah, I told her I'd think about it," Cassandra deadpanned.
"Cassandra, I've known you for about a month, but I know when you say you think about something, you usually want to do it, but you're just too nervous to."
Cassandra snorted. "Says what you know."
"No, I mean it, Cassie. I mean, Cass. It's alright being nervous. I was so nervous my first time. And then I was really nervous when I played my first live performance. You should have seen Eugene when we did our first song together. I don't think I've ever seen him in such a mess." Varian laughed, remembering his friend's anxiousness. "He literally stared at the screen all day, waiting to see if people liked it."
"And you're telling me this because..."
"I know how you feel when it comes to things like these. Whatever decision you make, Rapunzel and Eugene and I will respect it. I just wanted you to know that we understand if you decided not to." Varian rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I promised my dad I'd get home soon, so I better go. See ya, 'round?"
"Sure." Cassandra remembered not to shrug at the last moment.
Varian gave a weak smile as he closed the door behind him.
~~~~~~~~~~
Varian sat in science class. Cassandra wasn't in school that morning. It hurt to move her back, so she was watching the classes live. She could see him, but he couldn't see her. It was a bit unnerving.
(Fun fact: I wrote this before the Corona virus, back when I didn't even know what zoom was. Ah, those old days.)
He mixed the chemicals together, very carefully. As much as he wanted to focus on his science, his mind kept wandering to Cassandra in her bed with a hurt back.
"Psst, Varian," Rapunzel whispered. "You've been staring at that beaker for ten minutes."
"Have I?" Varian jolted from his trance. He turned to look at Rapunzel. As he did, his arm hit the breaker, causing it to fall over and spill on the table. "Oh, no, no, no, no..."
Principal Nigal was walking through the hall, looking at a clipboard. He passed the science class to find a student burst the door open. Smoke pouring out. He could hear them all coughing. He looked in, finding Rapunzel holding the fire extinguisher, the goggles still over her eyes like all the other students.
"Varian Meyer! A word please," he said. Who else would it have been?
Varian had been coughing and waving the air to get the smoke out of his face. Upon hearing Principal Nigel, his shoulders slumped. It had been a month, but this time, it truly was his doing. Still an accident, but his fault, his clumsiness entirely.
~~~~~~~~~~
Varian and Quirin were in the car. Varian looked down at his feet, biting his lower lip. "Dad, I-"
"I'm not ready to talk about it, son," Quirin said.
Varian slumped in his seat. Now his father really was mad with him this time. He wouldn't be surprised if he was expelled now. Right when he was comfortable and making friends. Cassandra and Rapunzel and, he supposed, Brad. He wouldn't consider Brad a best bud, but he was starting to believe that they were starting to befriend each other.
Quirin sighed. He could see out of the corner of his eye how miserable his son was. "Varian, we've had this conversation so many times, there's nothing left to say. Not right now, anyways. It was another accident, but son. You really have to stop this. What is this? Five? Five times and in three months. Last month it was four in two."
"Yeah, I know. It was my fault this time. I should have been paying more attention..."
Quirin glanced at his son. Varian not paying attention in chemistry? Something was just wrong with that. "Varian, is something bothering you? Are you alright?"
"I'm... I'm ok. I was just worried about a friend, is all." Varian answered.
"Who?"
"Cassandra. She hurt her back Saturday. So I guess I was just kind of thinking about how she was doing, I suppose..."
Quirin's heart sank. There it was. He knew one day his son would start having feelings for someone, but he didn't want it to be so soon. Then he mentally chided himself for jumping conclusions. Varian could just be friends with her like he was with the Headmaster's daughter. After all, Varian would be worrying over Eugene in the same way, right?
"I see," Quirin finally said. He looked at Varian. He noticed the tears his son was trying so hard to hide. His face softened. "Varian, you're not in trouble. You know that right?"
Varian nodded.
The rest of the ride was silent.
~~~~~~~~~~
Cassandra had her phone on her ear. Rapunzel was on the other end.
"No, everyone's fine. We all breathed a couple breaths of smoke, but that's it," Rapunzel said.
"That's good to hear," Cassandra replied. "The place sure did fill up with smoke quickly. Does it always flare up so fast? I don't remember it being smoked up so quickly before."
"Mmm... I don't think so. Apart from that, I'm worried about Varian."
"You're always worried about Varian," Cassandra pointed out.
"Cass. He's our friend and he needs help."
"Sorry," Cassandra apologized.
"I think I might know what to do... Don't go anywhere!"
"Wasn't planning to, Raps," Cassandra deadpanned.
"That's not what I meant."
Cassandra chuckled. "I know."
~~~~~~~~~~
Varian sat at his desk. Ruddiger snuggled up in his lap, sleeping. He was working on formulas again, not daring to actually test again. He was just typing them down by memory.
His phone dinged. Surprised, he looked at it. It was Eugene asking how he was doing. Varian blushed, wondering if his friend knew what had happened. He simply texted that he was fine.
Another text binged.
Do you want to stop by my place?
Maybe some other time. Varian texted back.
Ok. Eugene sent.
Varian sighed. He noticed the picture of his mother. He looked away. She never made mistakes like he did. She was so good at science. If it hadn't been for the fire, she would be there. He didn't even know what caused the fire and it bothered him.
Another ding. He looked down. It was Rapunzel this time. She sent a painting of him and Cassandra and Eugene and herself. They were laughing. Varian grinned. He put the photo as his lock and home screen.
He suddenly felt the urge to draw himself. He began to sketch himself sitting on the log in front of the bonfire. Cassie was sitting on the other side, but they were laughing. It was their first real conversation. He smiled at it. He felt like he didn't give Cassandra's eyes justice, but it was close enough. No artist could truly capture her eyes.
~~~~~~~~~~
Cassandra was looking at her phone. She was swiping through her photos. She stopped as her eyes widened. It was the pictures of the case file to Varian's mother. She quickly sent him a text.
Varian looked at his phone, thinking it was Rapunzel again. Instead, it was Cass.
We need to talk.
Varian texted back. What about?
I need to talk to you about this in person. It's serious.
Varian's eyes widened. On my way! He grabbed his jacket and set his cat on the floor in a hurry.
~~~~~~~~~~
"What is it?" Varian asked Cassandra, out of breath.
Cassandra put a finger to her lip. He gave her a confused look. She whispered. "Do you know what started the fire at Dk Tech?"
"No... what are you-"
"That's what I thought," she whispered. She held out her phone and pointed to the photo.
Varian stared at it. "How did you-"
"I randomly came across the file. My dad doesn't know. I'm not supposed to know about the file, let alone it's contents. From the information this has provided..."
"The fire wasn't natural like my dad said it was," Varian finished, seeing what her screen had. He clenched his fists as his face paled. "I need to get to the bottom of this," he whispered.
"I thought you might say that," Cassandra said.
End of Episode
Next episode coming up-Not So Easily Solved