The wizard

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Cassandra took a deep breath, steeling herself before knocking on the imposing wooden door. Bringing Rapunzel to the so-called wizard wasn't an ideal solution, but they were running out of options to understand what was happening with Rap's hair.

They waited a few moments, the silence stretching uncomfortably, before Cas raised her hand to knock again. Just as her knuckles were about to connect with the wood, the door swung open, forcing her to step back to avoid getting hit. She glanced down and blinked in surprise at the figure standing before her. She wasn't quite sure what she was expecting the wizard to look like, but the small, angry child in front of her was not it.

"What do you want?" he asked, eyeing them suspiciously.

"Hello! Do happen to be the wizard?" Rapunzel asked, her usual smile fixed to her face. The boy's eyes narrowed even further.

"There's no wizard here, so you can leave."

Eugene let out a weary sigh. "Look, kid, we just need help with Blondie's hair situation. We're not here to cause any trouble."

The boy's trailed to the golden locks, eyes widening as suspicion was replaced with curiosity. "Fine, you can come in. I'll see what I can do."

The trio exchanged nervous glances before following him inside.

While the outside of the house was unremarkable and plain, the inside looked like something of another world. Dried herbs and flowers were tied in bundles and hanging from the ceiling, Glowing orbs and glass bottles illuminated the space in a kaleidoscope of colors, while half-finished contraptions cluttered shelves and tables. Doubts about whether or not they were in the right place dissipated as the boy led them deeper inside.

"So... you're pretty young for a wizard," Eugene remarked, breaking the silence. "What are you, twelve?"

The boy scowled. "First of all, I'm fourteen, not twelve. And second, I'm not a wizard—I'm an alchemist."

"Is that just a fancy word for wizard?"

"No! Alchemy is a science. It deals with chemicals and logic. Wizards study and learn magic, like my mom."

"And where's your mom?" Casandra asked.

"She's traveling. She'll be back in about a week, so if you want some magic-y help, you'll have to wait."

Eugene frowned. "What about your dad?"

"He died when I was little." The boy shrugged, already busy setting up a strange contraption. "Anyway, I made this. It should tell us what your hair is made of, and then we can figure out how it works."

He guided Rapunzel to lie down on the machine before carefully strapping her in.

"Is this safe?" she asked, her voice uncertain.

"Yes! It won't hurt at all. Might be a bit uncomfortable, though."

They watched uneasily as the machine whirred to life. Rapunzel was gently pulled and prodded by various attachments, while the boy grinned almost manically. large goggles covering his eyes and hair sticking out in odd directions.

"Okay, kid," Eugene said, trying to ease the tension, "I don't think we actually introduced ourselves. The woman in the chair is my lovely girlfriend, Rapunzel. The one glaring in the corner is Cassandra. And I am—" he struck a dramatic pose, "none other than Eugene Fitzherbert."

The boy glanced up briefly, his goggles reflecting the light and giving him an owl-like appearance. "I'm Varian," he said before refocusing on the machine. "Nice to meet you."

Eugene nodded. "Does your mom leave on trips often?"

"Sort of. She'll leave for a bit, stay for a while, and then leave again. She said I could come with her once I'm sixteen, though."

"Uh-huh, do—"

DING

Varian's head whipped around as the machine emitted a triumphant chime. "Oh, the tests are done!" he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

He zipped around the room, eager to retrieve the results while Cassandra and Eugene carefully unbound Rapunzel from the machine. The tension in the air shifted to anticipation, and they exchanged glances filled with curiosity as Varian hurried back.

"Wow! This is incredible! I've never seen anything like it!" Varian exclaimed, his excitement palpable as he waved his arms and clutched the results tightly. "It shows that your hair is made up of all the normal substances, like keratin, but at the same time, it doesn't seem to contain anything natural at all. It's like something powerful and alien is masquerading as hair! Or maybe the structure has changed so drastically that it no longer qualifies as hair in the traditional sense? I don't know, but it seems virtually indestructible! At least by physical means. I don't have any way to test for magical properties, but maybe—"

"—Whoa, slow down, goggles!" Eugene interrupted, raising his hands. "Take a breath. We can't understand what you're saying."

"Sorry! This is just too amazing!" Varian said, his voice still bubbling with enthusiasm. "I haven't had the chance to use my machine on much yet, and to see it work on something so clearly embedded with magic while still providing a logical response? It's more than I ever expected! I might need to tweak some settings—maybe condense a few tests? Hmmm... I should probably run a few more experiments before making any major alterations—"

"Did your test tell us how to fix the hair, or was this just a waste of time?" Cassandra snapped, her frustration bubbling to the surface.

Varian blinked, caught off guard. "Uh, right. Sorry, um—no. It didn't."

"That's okay, we'll just come back later and ask your mom for help!" Rapunzel chimed in, her tone brightening.
"Alright, Princess. Maybe come by next Wednesday? She should be back by then."

"Great! It's a plan!" Rapunzel said enthusiastically. "Oh! We could bring cupcakes as a thank you! Or cookies? Do you like cookies or cupcakes better, Varian?"

"Cookies?" He replied, feeling a bit lost.

"Perfect! See you next week!"

———

"Hurry up! We shouldn't spend any more time here," Cassandra urged as she hurried the others out of the house, gripping their arms tightly.

"Cas, what's going on with you?" Rapunzel asked, concern etching his features.

"This was a mistake," she replied sharply. "It's way too dangerous, and we shouldn't have come."

"What are you talking about? Varian isn't dangerous," she insisted, a hint of disbelief in her voice.

"I have to agree with Blondie. You're being way harsher than usual."

Cassandra stopped abruptly, turning to face them, her brows furrowed in frustration. "I'm not worried about us. I'm worried for him. If I had known he was just a kid or that the wizard had a child, I would have never brought us here."

"I don't understand," Rapunzel said, her confusion evident.

"Look, Raps," Cassandra began, her tone softening, "when you were taken, your father really cracked down on crime. The death penalty was used more than ever, and minor offenses were punished as harshly as major ones. It was...really bad."

Eugene stiffened at her words, the weight of the past hanging heavy in the air.

The blonde girl grabbed the edges of her hair and lightly pulled on them. "But he's not like that anymore."

Cassandra sighed and took the younger girl's hands. "He cracked down hardest on witches, believing Gothel was one. He still hasn't eased up on his witch hunts, and despite what Varian says about not using magic, alchemy is still seen as witchcraft."

"But—Varian's just a kid! My dad wouldn't lock up a kid."

"I hope you're right, Princess, I really do, but maybe it's best if we don't show up next week."

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