Inner Demons

Chapter 12: The Totem

  Rapunzel held onto the totem and her eyes glowed a brighter, emerald green. "Hi, Dad!" She yelled, hugging a plant. "Isn't this amazing?!" She asked everyone, holding onto one of the plant's leaves. Everyone glances at one another, questioning her sanity. "Look, Blondie, I know you're homesick, but this is just plain creepy." Eugene pipes in, grabbing her hand. Rapunzel gave a confused glance towards everyone and whispered something to the plant. "Ooohhh! Maybe you have to hold it!" She exclaimed, handing Eugene the totem. As soon as he held it his eyes glowed an emerald green too, and he started blabbing about the royal yacht and stood on a rock.

Everyone was confused at first but once they held the totem, they saw supposed visions that make them happy. Cassandra was sparing with her dad, Lance was pretending to be royal, and everyone was having a good time until it became Varian's turn.

"Here, Varian! You might need this the most," Rapunzel said, holding the totem up to him, Varian hesitated, "C'mon! It wouldn't hurt to be a little happy, would it?" She asked him.

"Don't do it, don't grab it, don't be happy." The demon started to say, making Varian step back even more.

"No, I don't want to, sorry..." Varian muttered to Rapunzel, looking down in shame. "She shouldn't have even considered to offer it, she shouldn't care about me." Varian thought. Rapunzel's huge grin turned into a sad frown, "Please?" She asked him, holding it up again. Varian shook his head, Rapunzel sighed. "Varian, you need this, just please take it. Don't you want to be happy?" She started to question.

"I don't deserve to, it'll only hurt." He thought, clutching onto his arms. He shook his head frantically, and walked away to the shelter. As soon as Varian started walking, the voice came again, "Good boy...Trust me, she despises you, she only did that to tease and mock you."

Varian sighed and walked past Ruddiger, who gave Varian a pitiful chitter, still keeping his distance. Varian just sat by a boulder and stared at Ruddiger. If Varian was being honest, he missed his friend, he missed him so much. When everyone left him, Ruddiger stayed. When everything started to fall apart, Ruddiger still stayed. Ruddiger was always there.

But now, he isn't. He seems scared of Varian and distant. Even when Varian would just look at the raccoon it would whimper back. Varian hated that, he hated everything about this, he hated it all so much, but the thing he hated most, was himself. Varian sighed and looked at Ruddiger again, the raccoon stared at him with fearful eyes. But slowly, the raccoon started to crawl towards Varian. Varian's eyes widened, "R-Ruddiger?" He whispered, tearing up a bit. Ruddiger looked up and put his paw on Varian, chittering.

Varian was about to respond, until...

Varian's eyes started to glow red and he put on a sickening grin, "Go away, you disgusting rodent." The demon said through Varian. Ruddiger looked at Varian and scurried off, terrified.

Varian opened his eyes, "Did I just black out?" He wondered, he looked around, and Ruddiger was gone.

"I want a turn!"

"Give it back!"

"I thought you wanted to share!"

Varian heard the gang shouting at each other and glanced over to see what they were doing.

Were they...fighting?

Varian was shocked, the gang was shouting and throwing punches and kicks, all for the totem.

"It's mine!"

"Stay away!"

"Back off!"

They continued to fight and scream, until the totem was yanked. The totem flew above everyone else and landed right on Varian's lap.

Varian didn't know what to do, he picked it up. He was planning to toss it back, but the totem's magic was already taking effect. Gusts of green smoke appeared and formed into something that Varian wished he didn't see. He tried to cover his eyes to prevent himself from looking, but already saw it. He wanted it to stop, but he couldn't get himself to drop the idol. He didn't wish to see. He didn't want to hear it anymore.

He saw his parents.

Varian couldn't help but look, he slowly put down his arm.

"M-Mom? D-Dad?" He trembled, he knew it was an illusion, but it felt so real.

Varian was shaking, he didn't know how to react. Should he cry? Should he turn away? Should he scream? Should he hug them?

Varian eyes involuntarily teared up, he tried to blink them away but couldn't. Tears fell, crocodile tears. Varian was loss for words, the lump in his throat became more prominent, he couldn't swallow it. He just had his mouth wide open and his tears falling.

But he wasn't crying tears of sadness, they were tears of joy.

Varian couldn't remember the last time he saw his parents, he couldn't help but cry.

"Come here, son." The illusion of Quirin said, holding out his hand.

"Oh, look at my baby boy! Come to us!" His mother cried, holding out her hands as well.

As if his legs had a mind their own, he sat up and ran towards them, colliding into an embrace.

Varian let out more tears of joy, he was so happy. It was as if nothing else mattered, it was just him and his parents.

The Medallion Demon was furious, Varian was being happy, he couldn't allow that. This needed to stop, but he couldn't interfere, Varian's mind seemed to not allow him to.

The lump in Varian's throat was still there, "I-I've missed you guys s-so much." He was able to muster up, tightening the embrace. He felt his father's strong grip and his mother's gentle arms wrapping around him. He missed this, he missed having his mother and father around so much. More tears of joy waterfall down his cheeks. "We love you, Varian." Varian's parents said in unison.

"I am so proud of you, son." The Quirin illusion said.

It was as if the world stopped for Varian, he just opened his eyes wide and loosened the embrace.

"P-Proud of me...?" He trembled, backing away from his parents. They looked confused, "Varian, honey, are you ok? You're as pale as a ghost!" His mother asked him with concern. "Perhaps a good meal and some rest will help." His dad suggested.

"No-no-no-no...you wouldn't say that...you wouldn't think that at all..." Varian continued to tremble, backing away even further, clutching the totem in his hand. "P-Proud of me? No-no-no-no-no-this isn't real...you aren't real-my father wouldn't say that." He cried, tears of sorrow falling down.

Varian swallowed and cried tears of anguish, why couldn't he just be happy for once? His teeth gritting, eyes sharpening, he stared at the totem with pure rage. "I'm sick of this, I am so sick of this, I can't enjoy something for once, I can't have a break. Why must everything torment me? I am so done with being teased, mocked, and tortured of my past mistakes. I won't put up with this anymore, I can't take it anymore, I want it to all end. Please, just make it stop..." Varian pondered, his anger turning into sorrow.

With the last bit of give inside Varian, he tossed the totem away from him, the illusion of his parents disappearing. Varian kept shaking, he dropped to his knees, hugged himself, and cried.

The Medallion Demon now smiled, it seems that the boy was incapable of being happy, he didn't even need to interfere.

Now the world seemed to close in on Varian, darkness surrounded him and the only thing he could do was to hold onto himself. He cried in agony once more, and just allowed it to consume him. He didn't even feel Rapunzel rush over to his side to comfort him.

He wanted it all to be over.

Chapter End.

(Author's Note: Sorry for the lack of updates, but it seriously hurt me to write this chapter, UGHHHH.)