(And now we're back into the swing of things :3 Credit for the idea of Varian having put something in the cauldron goes to the one and only ElizabethShelby !)
(Chapter warnings: MILD language (It's "shut the heck up" this time 😜))
"Well, it's been a real hoot seeing you two again," Eugene said with fake-cheerfulness, stepping in between Hook and Rapunzel. This effectively placed him in front of Varian, and Varian honestly appreciated it. "Crone, primate, I bid you adieu." With that, Varian, Hook Foot, and Eugene backed away, the latter dragging Rapunzel along with him. Rapunzel, however, whipped her arm out of his grip and attempted to walk back up to Madam Canardist and Vigor.
"You should really be ashamed of yourselves," she scolded, pointing a finger at them as Varian gently dragged her back by the arm.
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Hook Foot grunted as he pulled himself over the cliff edge, Varian close behind. Hook Foot fell over onto his back with a groan once he reached the top.
"I wish I was gonna have to rock climb today, I would've worn my grappling hook," Hook Foot panted. Varian looked at him, weirdly intrigued. Sort of like how a cat is intrigued by a feather.
"Grappling... hook?" He asked, looking at the man's foot. "How would that be poss-"
"Oh hush it, smarticle!" Hook Foot interrupted, still panting on his back. Nearby, Eugene helped Rapunzel over the cliff's edge, who in turn helped Varian stand up.
"Can you believe that?" Rapunzel asked Eugene and Varian indignantly. "And after we helped her find Vigor when Red and Angry monkey-napped him-" Varian raised an eyebrow.
"I'm getting the notion that I missed a lot," he muttered, stretching his back. Ruddiger chittered and clung to his shoulders until he returned to the upright position. He chittered at Varian, who waved him off.
"-honestly," Rapunzel continued, uncharacteristically angry. She gave a small, disbelieving, slightly salty laugh. "Really? A curse?!? Ugh, the whole thing is just absurd."
"Uh, I don't know if I'd blow it off so quick," Hook Foot interrupted, coming up to stand by the others. "Few years ago, Big Nose ticked off a shaman and got himself cursed."
"Really?" Rapunzel asked. "What happened?"
"I don't want to get into details, but before that day, we just called him..." Hook Foot paused for dramatic effect. "...Nose." Varian scoffed.
"Nice try, Hook Foot, very funny," he said, then turned to Rapunzel. "Princess, there's no such thing as curses. Take it from a man of science such as myself-" Varian put a hand to his chest. "-although some strange magic has proven itself to be true-" He glanced at Rapunzel's hair. "-curses are definitely not." Rapunzel looked reassured, but that only lasted until Hook Foot decided to open his big mouth again.
"O-oh yeah?" He exclaimed to Varian. "I-if you don't believe in curses, what happened to your hair?" He pointed to Varian's hair stripe, which the alchemist touched self-consciously.
"What do you mean?" He asked, shifting away while looking slightly uncomfortable. Hook Foot made a "duh" motion.
"Hair doesn't just-" He waved his hand for spooky effect. "-become blue. Either someone cursed you, or there's something else we don't know." He raised an eyebrow at Varian. "Wait... is there something we don't know?" Varian took another step back, now clutching his stripe a bit tighter.
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Secrets of an Alchemist
FanfictionI 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...
