Twilight

17 - Dinner

A rap on the laboratory door shattered the focused silence. Varian glanced at Lashanie, a questioning look in his eyes.

"Come in!" he called out, setting down his vial with a soft clink.

The door creaked open, revealing a flurry of blonde hair and an infectious grin. Rapunzel, Varian's younger sister, bounced into the room, a mischievous twinkle in her emerald eyes.

"There you both are!" she exclaimed, her voice bubbling with excitement. "Guess who's coming for dinner?"

Lashanie smiled, a warmth spreading through her chest. Rapunzel's visits were always a welcome break from their alchemical endeavors, a burst of sunshine in their forest sanctuary.

"Who?" Varian asked, wiping his hands on his work apron.

Rapunzel's grin widened. "Well, for starters, there's Lance," she began, counting on her fingers. "He finally figured out how to solidify himself for more than a few minutes at a time, thanks to Professor Fitz."

Lashanie raised an eyebrow, a flicker of amusement dancing in her eyes. "The ghost who wants to be a chef? This should be interesting."

"Indeed," Varian chuckled. "Especially with you around, Lashanie. He might get some serious competition in the kitchen."

Lashanie playfully swatted his arm. "Hey, I may have heightened senses, but that doesn't automatically make me a culinary genius."

Rapunzel giggled. "Oh, relax you two. Besides Lance, Eugene and the Professor are coming too. They've been cooped up in the castle for weeks, working on some new contraption, and they're itching for a change of scenery."

Varian's eyes widened in surprise. "Eugene and the Professor together? That's... a recipe for either disaster or brilliance, there's no in-between."

Lashanie couldn't help but smile. The prospect of a lively dinner party, filled with Varian's eccentric friends and Rapunzel's infectious cheer, was a delightful change to their usual routine.

"Sounds like fun," she declared, already picturing the chaos and camaraderie that would ensue. "Though, we might need to move the experimentations to another room. I wouldn't want any rogue explosions to ruin the Professor's appetite."

Rapunzel clapped her hands together. "Excellent point! I'll help you tidy up this place while Varian prepares the guest room. We need to make sure Lance has a place to, well, solidify himself at night."

Lashanie and Varian exchanged a smile, a comfortable understanding passing between them. Their life in the forest may have been unconventional, but it was far from lonely. With Rapunzel's frequent visits, their shared passion for alchemy, and the promise of a boisterous dinner party on the horizon, their sanctuary felt a little more vibrant, a little more like home.

The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows on the stone walls of the makeshift dining room Varian had constructed within the forest clearing. Laughter echoed through the trees, a welcome sound that contrasted with the usual quietude of their sanctuary.

Rapunzel, seated at the head of the table with her hair cascading down her shoulders like a golden waterfall, regaled the group with a hilarious tale of Pascal's latest escapade involving a stolen pastry and a very disgruntled castle guard.

Across from her, Lance, his form a shimmering blue now holding steady with the help of Professor Fitz's invention – a strange contraption resembling a backpack – leaned back in his chair, tears streaming down his translucent face.

"Oh my gosh," he wheezed, his voice a slightly ethereal echo, "I can't believe Pascal actually got away with that!"

Eugene, sporting a new, slightly singed eyebrow (courtesy of a minor mishap with the Professor's latest invention), chuckled and nudged Lance with his elbow. "See, that's the beauty of being a chameleon. They just can't resist a good disguise, especially with a pastry in hand."