(Okay, so, at some points it may be necessary for me to switch to another POV, so here's a key of ones I will use. I may add more in the future. 🧪= Varian, ☀️ = Rapunzel, and 🗡️ = Cassandra.
(Chapter warning: Arguing with self.)
Varian quietly followed Rapunzel as she walked through the bushes, away from the group. She picked up her pace, and he did the same.
"Ha ha ha! Suckers!" She yelled, sprinting. "They fell for the oldest trick in the book, ey, Pascal."
Good thing the statue is distracting her, Varian thought, running after her. Or else she would have seen me. Rapunzel gave an evil laugh, but then stopped under the cover of trees.
"Don't give me that look!" She told Pascal the chameleon, who was sitting on her shoulder. "I mean, yeah, sure, I could get rid of the idol, but why? So I can be sad again? What is so wrong with something that makes me happy?!?" She asked Pascal indignantly. "Is that what you want?" She picked Pascal up off her shoulder and held him in front of her. "Huh? You want me to be miserable for the rest of my life?" Pascal shook his small head.
Oh, Rapunzel... Varian thought, sympathizing with her. Didn't you want her to feel the same pain you did? The voice in his head asked. I-I did... but not anymore, Varian protested.
"Good!" Rapunzel placed Pascal back on her shoulder. "Now, speaking of the idol..." She removed the idol from her bag, and the faces glowed the same creepy green as Varian's hair stripe. Varian quickly ducked into the bushes.
Can't let her see the glow, he thought.
"Old Lady Crowley, hi!" Rapunzel said, talking to the totem's visions. "Is that a new dress?" Rapunzel continued talking as Pascal slid down her hair and onto the ground. The small chameleon tumbled into the bushes and landed in front of Varian. Varian leaned over Pascal, who was catching his breath. The small chameleon felt Varian's shadow fall over him and let out a little squeal.
"Sh, sh!" Varian said quietly. "She can't know I'm here." Pascal gave him a skeptical look. "I'm not here to steal the totem. The totem doesn't work on me, remember? I'm trying to find a way to destroy it." Suddenly, there was a rustling in the bushes behind Varian, and Ruddiger tumbled out. "Hey, bud," Varian whispered, gathering Ruddiger up into a hug. After a few seconds, he gently placed Ruddiger on the ground. "We need to find the Lorbs," Varian told the chameleon and raccoon. "They'll know what to do." Varian quietly stood and walked in the direction of the Lorb village.
Please don't let us be too late, he thought before walking into the bushes.
🧪
"What's new, Friedborg? You're looking wonderful," Rapunzel told a vision as Varian, Ruddiger, Pascal, Alfons, and a few other Lorbs stood behind her.
"Sweet gorgensplots!" Alfons exclaimed. "It is as I feared! The idol has indeed taken hold of her!" He turned to Varian. "Although I'm not sure why it didn't affect you, and why your hair is doing that weird thing, thank you for finding us when you did." He turned back to Rapunzel. "We must intervene." He walked forward, Pascal, Ruddiger, Varian, and the other Lorbs following close behind. "Rapunzel!" He called out to her. "Please, I beg you to put the statue down." The other Lorbs stacked themselves beneath him until he was at Rapunzel's eye level. "You are under the spell of the idol of Vershaftsbezeigungengien!" Rapunzel turned to him. "The longer you hold it, the stronger its grip on you will become!" Varian stepped forward to stand next to the Lorb stack.
"Please, Rapunzel," he pleaded, clasping his hands together in front of him the way he did the night of the storm. "It's for your own good."
YOU ARE READING
Secrets of an Alchemist
Hayran KurguI was rewatching Keeper of the Spire randomly the other day, and I had an idea. What if Hector broke Varian out of jail? What if Varian trained with Hector and then tailed Rapunzel's group until they were attacked by the Kirlok at the Spire? (Calli...
