Secrets of an Alchemist

The Eye of Pincosta: Part 2

(Guess I'm just on a writing kick now! And it's time for that special moment... where Varian meets Stalyan for the first time! Yayyyy. Also, I miiight add a second layer of conflict into this ep, one about Varian feeling/not wanting to feel useless (because I relate to that HARD lol). Let me know what you think! I kind of set it up in part one, but I'd have to put more effort in to actually make Rapunzel address it. Anyways, enjoy!)

(Also, guess who wrote out her BIG CHANGE bullet points for Great Tree while working on this chapter... I don't think y'all are quite ready (and neither am I))

(Chapter warnings: cut off swearing, arguing with self (yes we're doing this again))

Rapunzel and Varian walked into a pub called The Glass Sipper - which was rather reminiscent of the Snuggly Duckling in Corona- just in time to see a redheaded girl pick up a jewel encrusted cutlass and a ruby necklace.

"That's her?" Varian leaned over to Rapunzel, whispering. As if she sensed their presence, the girl tensed. Varian had to admit, he could see what Eugene saw in her. ...Looks-wise, anyway.

"Wow. Didn't think Princess Sunshine could find me in a place as shady as this," she murmured, voice dripping with contempt. Rapunzel crossed her arms, one eyebrow lowering over her eye.

"Well, maybe you're not the judge of character you thought you were," Rapunzel sassed back.

"Let me guess," Stalyan began, turning her head around. "Rider's in trouble, and-" She noticed Varian. "...who's the pipsqueak with the hair dye?" Against his will, Varian's face dropped to a bit of a scowl.

"This is Varian," Rapunzel told her. She smiled as she turned her head to him. "My friend."

"Huh," Stalyan remarked. "He's got some blueberry-lookin' hair." She stepped towards them a moment. "What's your story? Where'd you come from all of a sudden?" She looked Varian dead in the eyes. "Blueberry Boy?" Varian could already tell that he wouldn't get along with this girl. He returned her eye contact, which rapidly devolved into a staring contest. Rapunzel quickly stepped between them.

"Okay, okay, there's more important matters at hand," she said with forced cheerfulness. Varian broke eye contact with Stalyan, looking at Rapunzel instead.

"Let me guess," Stalyan repeated. "You want my help to save your... boyfriend?"

"Yeah," Rapunzel replied, her usually cheeriness gone, as Stalyan set the gemmed cutlass on a nearby table and began prying the stones out of it with another dagger. "We need to find the eye of Pincosta, and you two stole it together."

"We stole a lot of things together," Stalyan retorted flippantly, still prying gems out of the cutlass. "Yeah, I know where it is, but why would I help you?"

"Uh, out of the goodness of your heart?" Varian offered half-sarcastically. His tiredness had shown through, once again. Stalyan gave him a look that was obviously analyzing his stupidity levels.

"Because... I'm charming?" Rapunzel offered, seemingly genuinely unlike Varian. Stalyan turned back to her cutlass, rolling her eyes. Rapunzel sighed. "Was worth a shot." She glanced at Varian momentarily before continuing. "I think you'll help because you still care about Eugene." She paused. "And, there's good in everybody." She shot a meaningful look at Varian, which he smiled at. Stalyan seemed to have caught the interaction, but made no comment for once.

Stalyan let out a short laugh, sitting down at the table. "Then you are a terrible judge of character."

Varian winced. Sometimes...

Stalyan turned away from the pair. "I want nothing to do with Rider." She picked up a nearby drink, which Varian assumed was hers. "And doing the right thing has never been a priority of mine."