Organization Apprentices: The Tangled Aftermath

Times Up

 "What business do you have with the princess of Corona?" Asked the guard at the gate to the castle.

"We're looking for someone and we think the princess might know where she is." Answered the bubbly orange haired girl.

The tall guard looked down at the two girls in front of him. "I'm afraid the princess isn't open for conference today." He replied.

The scarlet haired girl pushed past her energetic friend. "Listen, the princess was one of the last people in this place, besides some kid named Varian, to talk to my sister. So we need to talk to her!" She shouted.

"Did you say Varian?" A passing woman with black hair asked. She walked up to the guard. "I'll handle this Stan." She said dismissing him.

"Yeah, my sister mentioned that she met some kid named Varian here. Do you know him?" Marissa replied to the black haired servant.

The lady-in-waiting placed a hand on her hip. "Yeah I do. In fact he was here in the snowstorm yesterday asking for Rapunzels help."

"And neither of them saw my sister? She looks just like me, but with blonde hair. She would have been in some sort of pink outfit." Marissa continued.

"No I don't think so." The black haired woman shook her head. "And I can tell you that she's not in the castle. Maybe try looking in Old Corona? Thats where Varian lives."

The two girls looked at each other and nodded. "I guess we're heading to Old Corona than." said Marissa.

"Looks like it!" the freckled girl known as Gab replied. "Thanks so much, uh..."

"Cassandra."

"Right! Thanks so much Cassandra!" Gab replied cheerfully

The two set off towards Old Corona, following every sign that pointed them in the right direction. Eventually they came to what they could only guess was Old Corona. It looked deserted, with many of the black rocks Ashley had mentioned protruding from the ground and through many houses.

"This is where Varian lives?" Marissa asked in disgust.

"Didn't Ashley say he was a kid? No wonder she's concerned about this place!" Gab said in shock.

They continued to wander through the bleak looking town. "Which house do you think is Varians?" asked Marissa.

Gab shrugged in response. "I guess we could knock on doors and hope for an answer?" she suggested.

Ashley is woken up by the sound of banging on the door. Groaning she sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Where am I?" She groggily questioned. She took a look at the sleeping boy and raccoon next to her. "Oh right."

There was another round of banging banging on the door to the lab. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" The blonde girl shouted and made her way to the entrance.

She opened the door. "Can I help-oh." She stopped speaking when she caught sight of her sister and friend.

"You said you'd be home before morning. I think your times up Ashley." The scarlet haired sister scolded and leaned on the doorframe.

Ashley crossed her arms in front of her. "I'm sorry but I can't leave."

"I'm sorry, you what?!" Marissa challenged her sister.

"I can't leave." Ashley rebutted.

Gab stepped forward. "Why?"

Ashley looked back inside. "Things changed." She stepped out of the doorway and closed the door behind her. "Something happened to Varians dad and I promised I'd look after Varian until we can get him back."

Concern showed on both of the girls faces from what Ashley had said. "What do you mean "until we can get him back"? Where is he?" Gab asked.

They door creaked open behind Ashley and she turned around. Varian was peering out from behind her. Marissa and Gab looked at the boy, gabs face showing more concern than her friends.

Varians face was still red and his eyes puffy from crying. "I thought you'd left me." Despite the fact that he looked like he had been sobbing he spoke with almost no emotion to his voice.

"No, of course not." Ashley said to him. She took his hand and led him out in front of her. "This is my sister Marissa and my friend Gab. They were looking for me."

"To bring you home?" He asked.

Ashley glanced to away from Varian. "Yeah..." she quickly placed her hands up in front of her as if to defend herself, "but I'm not going with them."

"Like hell you're not! We said you got one night and we meant it!" Marissa yelled at her sister.

Ashley looked unfazed by the shouting. "Look, I made a promise to look after Varian. So that's what I'm going to do. Just tell Merlin that my mission has changed but I'll be back ASAP."

Marissa opened her mouth to try and yell at her sister again but was cut off. "Goodbye and safe travels." Ashley said and slammed the door behind her and Varian.

She walked back into the lab with the black haired boy trailing behind her. "I guess we better get started if we want to make any headway in freeing your dad." Ashley stretched out her arms, readying herself for the day ahead.

"What did you mean when you said you made a promise to look after me?" Varian said with concern.

"Pardon?" Ashley turned back towards Varian.

"You said you made a promise to look after me. What did you mean?" He repeated.

"Oh! Right." The blonde sorceress looked back to the amber behind her. "Your father asked me to look after you and keep you safe."

"When did he do that?" Varian asked, almost in anger.

Ashley sighed and took a seat at Varians work table. "You probably won't believe me but I'll tell you anyway. Last night your father came and talked to me."

Varian looked confused, like he couldn't decide which emotion he was feeling the most. "Like in a dream? You're basing your promise on a dream?!" He decided to go with anger as he screamed at her.

"No." Ashley blatantly said and made sure to keep her cool. "It was not a dream. The heart is a powerful thing Varian. Your fathers heart reached out, and mine was open enough to listen. As strange as it sounds, I was able to communicate with your father in my heart."

Varian looked at the floor, his face contemplative and his breathing rapidly increasing. He seemed to come to a decision and his head shot up to meet eyes with Ashley. "Teach me how you did it!"

"What?" The blonde asked in confusion.

"Teach me how to do that heart thing, how to talk to my dad!" He shouted again.

"I-I can't just teach you how to do it-"

"Why not? You're a witch aren't you?" Varian cut her off.

Ashley's face dropped to an unamused visage. "I prefer sorceress. But I can't teach you because first of all, you don't even believe in magic, and second I don't even know how to do it." She scolded.

Tears began to well up in Varians eyes and again his face became angry. Instead of screaming again he tugged at his hair in frustration, letting out small whines as he paced the room.

Ashley watched him as her mind raced to figure out what to do. She stood and walked over to him. Ashley lifted her hands and placed them on Varians shoulders causing him to stop moving. "Relax Varian. We will get your father out, but until then just know that I'm here for you." The dark haired boy looked up at the girl in front of him. She ruffled his hair teasingly, "Just think of me as your older sister."

Varian fixed his hair. "Thanks, Ashley." He said with a weak smile.

"No problem." She smiled back and walked to a nearby table. Ashley summoned her wand and tapped it on the table a few times causing several books to appear. "I'll look through some of my books to see if I can find any spells to help your dad. Why don't you try some more experiments?"

Varian nodded enthusiastically and ran to a table covered in chemicals to start working.