Secrets of an Alchemist

Varian and the Great Tree: Part 9

(And now, the aftermath. Yes I added a whole new scene at the end. So sue me, I want more happy interactions after all the crap that just went down. OH ALSO, I kinda need a vote (though I reserve the right to have the final say :3) from y'all. Should Varian permanently keep (SMALL, don't worry-) fangs as a lasting effect from the Tree's possession? We never really saw Hector enough in the official series after his possession, so we don't know how much it really affected him. Plus, I thought it'd be a cool lil thing to distinguish my Var from others. But I want your opinion! :D)

(Chapter warnings: FLUFF! FLUFF AHEAD (for once) :D - and also crispy hands all around (Though some are worse than others) and fantasy curses)

Varian woke up to his uncle yelling.

"I've told you twice already, no! Leave him be! I already let you bandage his hands, and just that nearly woke him up!" Hector berated... someone.

Ever so slowly, Varian became aware of his surroundings.

Soft grass supporting his back and arms, his sword and sheath removed to allow him to lay flat.

"I just wanted to make sure he's doing alright!" A female voice responded. Rapunzel.

"Hmm, possessed by an ancient tree monster and then burnt by magical vines. Would you be doing alright!?"

There was also a cool, gentle breeze, whispering softly through the grass.

And then, as he finally regained full awareness, there was pain. It wasn't unbearable, though. Thankfully. His hands just throbbed dully, wrapped in what he assumed was Rapunzel's doing. The skin under felt... raw. Charred. Exposed.

Adding to the discomfort was his head. Whispers of something remained... something that had recently resided there. Something that wasn't supposed to be there. Something that wasn't him.

The thing Varian chose to focus on in that moment, however, was the mounds of fluffy, dense fur he felt on either side of him - as well as one near his head - sides gently moving with their breaths.

"Laffy? Archa?" Varian murmured, his eyes blearily blinking open. "Ruddiger?" His vision was still mostly blocked, however, by the gray fur of the binturongs snuggling on either side of him - and the raccoon near his head. He smiled weakly, patting Laf - to his right - before giving a small hiss of pain and dropping his hand. Given his hands' current situation, he resigned himself to simply enjoying the animals' comfort in silence.

Silence that was quickly interrupted.

"Varian!" Rapunzel exclaimed, swiftly moving into his line of sight. He smiled weakly.

"Hey, Princess," he replied, giving her a half-wave.

"You alright, kid?" Hector asked, coming up beside Rapunzel. The two of them shared a short look before making a silent truce.

"Define 'alright,'" Varian joked. He gently gave Ruddiger a pet, quickly realizing that - surprise! - his hands were still just as raw as they had been two minutes ago. "Mmph," Varian groaned, pulling his hands back to his chest. "What... happened? All I remember is falling. Twice." The Princess' face immediately grew downcast as Hector broke eye contact.

"You-" Rapunzel sighed, also breaking eye contact.

"You got possessed by the Tree, Var," Hector murmured, locking eyes with the boy once more. "You tried to kill us."

Rapunzel turned to Hector as Varian blinked, vague, fuzzy, memories rushing back as if summoned. "Well that was a bit... direct," she said, a bit of defensiveness - on Varian's behalf - evident in her tone.