Forever and Always

1 - Alchemy Mishap

A flurry of bubbling concoctions filled Varian's makeshift lab. Sunlight streamed through the dusty window, illuminating swirling beakers and a table covered in scribbled notes. In the center, Varian, hair askew with excitement, held aloft two vials filled with gleaming metals.

"And now, the moment of truth!" he declared, a manic glint in his eyes. "The results are in! Who will win first prize for best metal? Will it be... Steel, for its durability and thermal conductivity?" He slammed a vial dramatically on the table, the metallic clang echoing through the room.

"Or iron?" he continued, brandishing the other vial, "For its lusterous shine and high melting point?!"

Varian paused for effect, drumming his fingers on the table in a makeshift fanfare. Ruddiger, his pet raccoon perched on the counter, diligently stirred a bubbling concoction in a beaker. With a flourish, he transferred the result – a steaming mug of cocoa – into another beaker, carefully placing it beside Varian.

"Thank you, my furry assistant!" Varian grinned, snatching the beaker. "Warm cocoa will really hit the spot! Thanks, bud!" He raised the beaker in a mock toast before taking a large swig.

Suddenly, the lab door creaked open. Cassandra, arms crossed, stood framed in the doorway. Varian, caught mid-sip, choked on his cocoa, eyes bulging. The warm liquid erupted from his mouth, spraying Ruddiger in a sticky brown shower.

A strangled yelp escaped Ruddiger as he scurried around, cocoa dripping from his fur. Varian spluttered, sputtering apologies and frantically grabbing a towel. Cassandra, lips pursed in a barely-suppressed smile, raised an eyebrow.

"C-C-Cassandra! I-I didn't, uh, I mean, th-there was an exothermic reaction with the, uh, the cocoa solids and..." his voice trailed off, cheeks burning. He could only stare helplessly as Ruddiger, looking like a disgruntled chocolate chip cookie, glared up at him.

"Care to explain the... chocolate explosion, Varian?" she inquired, amusement dancing in her eyes.

Varian coughed, desperately trying to salvage the situation. "I was just, uh, conducting an experiment! Yes, an experiment! To see if cocoa... uh... conducted heat better in a beaker or a mug! Very scientific, you see!" He gestured wildly at the beakers, his voice rising in pitch with each word.

Cassandra's smirk widened. "Right," she drawled, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "And just how conclusive were your findings, Varian?"

Varian bounced on the balls of his feet, his goggles perched precariously on his forehead. Across the workbench, Cassandra, arms folded, regarded him with an expression that could curdle milk. Ruddiger, thankfully cocoa-free again, peeked out from behind a glass vial, his beady eyes reflecting Cassandra's skepticism.

"Alright, alright," Varian chuckled nervously, "so maybe the whole 'best metal' showdown wasn't exactly on point. But Cassie, you gotta admit, the cocoa conductivity experiment had merit!"

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "Cassie?"

Varian flushed. "S-sorry, Cassandra. Just, you know, trying to lighten the mood a bit." He gestured vaguely at the beakers and vials scattered across the table, remnants of his cocoa-fueled chaos. "See, I was hypothesizing that the, uh, thermal properties of the beaker would..." he trailed off, his brow furrowing as he tried to untangle his thoughts.

"Varian," Cassandra interrupted, her voice flat, "you were making cocoa in a beaker."

"Y-yes, but for science!" Varian insisted, his voice cracking slightly. "I mean, the ceramic of the beaker has a different heat capacity than, say, a traditional mug. So, I figured the cocoa would cool at a different rate depending on the container, thus..." he stammered, his hand gesturing wildly, knocking over a vial of shimmering blue liquid.