Chapter Text
It was one of the warmest and sunniest days in Corona. Varian was definetly surprised by this fact, since the past few months haven't exactly been the...well, brightest. Really no day has ever been all that bright since he ended up saving the kingdom from explosive chemicals dropping out of the sky.
Of course, he wouldn't have been in that situation if he hadn't agreed to work with Andrew and his gang, which also wouldn't have happened if he hadn't ended up in prison, which lead down a long line of 'wouldn't have if's', all the way until he agreed to help Rapunzel. Or had disobeyed his father by working on the black rocks skewering Old Corona. But maybe he shouldn't be on that topic while working on machinery...
He stopped all of his thoughts, knowing it wouldn't be good for him to go down that path of thinking. Especially when he was with two of the people that attached to those thoughts and bad memories. Two people who, somehow, had forgiven him for his mistakes and idiocy, and allowed him to prove himself trustworthy again.
Speaking of, he just noticed Eugene reaching to touch the engine, after telling him over a dozen times the past hour NOT to.
"Don't touch that."
Eugene rolled his eyes, pulling his hand away from the engine to instead reach for the paint bucket. At this point, Varian might as well let him blow them all up if he was gonna be so stubborn about getting his hands on something.
"Or that."
Eugene scoffed, before moving his hand again to what was probably the least dangerous piece of equipment in the area. Maybe a little prank outta get him to cut it out...
"Oh wait! Don't touch that, it's gonna blow!" he screamed, causing Eugene to flinch back with a cry of surprise, falling backward into the basket. Varian couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter, followed by Pascal, who stood next to the princess on the edge of the basket.
"Gotcha! Just messing with you!" Varian teased once Eugene sat up again, brushing dust off his vest.
"I knew that..." he muttered. "And you're on my list, frog."
Before Pascal could answer, Rapunzel turned towards them and ordered them to focus on the map, which was tied around the ropes of the balloon's envelope. "Look at this. It took us weeks to get to The Spire on foot. But thanks to Varian's speed balloon..."
Varian stood from where he kneeled on the ground, leaning against the basket to get a better look at the map.
"...and this direct route, we'll make it in a day!"
Eugene hopped out of the basket, giving the young alchemist a congratulatory pat on the back and a "Good job, Buddy!" Varian rolled his eyes in return, not noticing the mischievous look he was given when he took a moment to study the map further. He frowned when he noticed where the route lead them.
"Oh, wait, this takes you over Kresten Loch!" he pointed to it's place on the parchment. He turned to Rapunzel, expecting some kind of reaction or question, only to be faced with Rapunzel's casual smile. "Uh, Kresten Loch? The frozen sea? Miles and miles of deadly wintery expanse?"
He ignored the way 'wintery' made his gut churn in favor of awaiting Rapunzel's reaction, completely unaware of Eugene gluing his boots to the ground. To his surprise, Rapunzel just nodded. "That's the one!"
"Well, if it were anybody other than you, I'd be wor- AH!"
He couldn't help but scream when he fell backward, feet slipping out of his boots as he did. He pushed himself onto his elbows, frowning at the sticky white substance covering the souls of his shoes. "Who glued my boots to the ground?"
Eugene, who stood next to him with the bucket of glue, smirked down at him with the brush in his hand. "That's for your little balloon prank, earlier. Eugene Fitzherbert never forgets!"
The man tried to put the brush back into the bucket, only to have it stick to his glove. He frowned, and tried shaking it off, but it stayed stuck to the fabric. Varian rolled his eyes, but was unable to contain the amused smile forming on his face. Rapunzel giggled as she watched Eugene continuously try and force the glue brush off, before hopping out of the balloon and helping the alchemist to his feet.
"Thanks again for the help, Varian." she smiled kindly. "We really need to get to The Spire as quick as possible, so this will be a big help!"
The teenager blushed, a hug-like feeling warming his chest at the praise. Before the whole amber incident, he never thought he could ever be praised or thanked like he just was. Not by his father, not by his village; he just felt useless and like a piece of scrap metal that just didn't fit in with the rest of the machine. Even after meeting Rapunzel, things only got worse and his mental health deescalated like a drop off a ninety-foot cliff.
Then he met Andrew, who basically showered him in what he thought were praises and compliments over him and his work. But then he realized, after being betrayed, that they were all just lies to manipulate him into doing their work. Into being his clueless automaton.
But then Rapunzel returned, and he had the chance to redeem himself. After that, he and Rapunzel built a better relationship. Something more stable, built on the foundations of trust---not fake promises or experiments. And...he started feeling better about himself.
Of course, he still felt horribly guilty for his past, and he knew he'd be reminded about it everyday at some point (mostly from the people who would forever blame him for his mistakes); but at least he had people who'd make him feel differently. To be proud of him and support him, and only be reminded by his accomplishments.
And it just felt...good. Really, really, good.
"I-It's nothing, Rapunzel." he replied after a moment of silence. He rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous tick he picked up on when he was little. Rapunzel smiled wider, before suddenly, the look came on her face. The look she got when she had an idea. This made Varian curious. "What are you thinking, Rapunzel?"
"Just..." she paused, before looking at him nervously. "Would you mind coming? You know, with us to The Spire? I don't want to waste any more time learning how to handle the balloon, and since you know how, I just though that-" she stopped, taking a breath, before continuing a bit slower. "I mean, it'd be nice to have you along with us to also bond more. You, me, Eugene and Pascal."
Varian had to take a minute to process everything she'd just said, since her words had been so fast and blurred. When it did occur to him what she was saying, he couldn't help but widen his eyes.
He was...shocked, to say the least. Not just at the question, but at the fact that she wanted him to come. She didn't just need him (though he suspected that she said the second part to keep him from thinking as much), but she actually wanted him to join her on an adventure. Out of the flipping kingdom for heaven sakes! And he was about to say yes---of course he'd come! He'd absolutely love to come with her and Eugene to some crazy artifact museum!---but right before he was about to say exactly that, he stopped.
He had to remember that this wasn't just some fun little escapade out of the city, or some vacation to spend the day together. It was a mission, a dangerous mission, to help someone at the hands of the woman who'd been his captor not three weeks ago. Who'd drugged him, forced up a thousand foot tower (that he helped her make), beaten him with a bunch of black rocks, locked him in a cage thousands of feet above ground, and nearly killed him from that drop.
Could he go back and face her again? Face the person who nearly caused his death, and gave him bruised ribs for two weeks?
When he looked back at those memories, and the nightmares he had afterward, it was a close no. So close, that he opened his mouth to say it. Opened his mouth to say, "sorry, I don't feel up to looking at the woman I thought I knew, who kidnapped me and almost killed me". The air even came out for it. But the words didn't.
He couldn't say no, because then he'd be showing Rapunzel that he was a coward. Which he didn't want to admit to being, because he wasn't.
He also didn't want to admit that he believed Cassie was gone. Because...he didn't want her to be.
He couldn't give up on her yet. And if she proved herself to be just as cruel and dark as she was before, than he'd stop. He'd stop trying to convince himself that Cassie was still alive somewhere in that body. But right now, the only way to prove that was to go face her again. No matter the trauma that came with it.
He realized, suddenly, that he'd been silent for a while, because Rapunzel was giving him a worried look.
"It's okay if you don't want to! I don't know why I even asked, because you obviously are still a bit scared after the whole incantation thing, and-"
"I'll go." he interrupted. She stopped, staring at him with wide, shocked eyes. "Really, Varian? But what about-"
"I'll be fine, really Rapunzel. I just...I think I need some closure after what happened in the tower. I-I want to know if Cassandra's still in there."
The princess, though still surprised, gave him a warm and thankful smile. "Great! But maybe ask your dad first. I don't think he'd really like you leaving the kingdom to go see the person that...well, you know." she said, warily. Understandable, honestly. Quirin had been the person to blame Rapunzel for what happened to his son, so if he were to know that Varian left the kingdom to find the exact reason for his kidnapping...then he didn't really need to know, did he?
"Yeah, of course. I'm sure he'll be okay with it as long as you and Eugene..." Pascal hissed from Rapunzel's shoulder, making the teen roll his eyes with a laugh. "AND Pascal, are there to protect me." he finished the lie disturbingly easily, but he ignored the guilt settling in his gut.
"Well, then it's settled. Eugene, Varian's coming with us to The Spire!"
Her boyfriend, who the whole time had been attempting desperately to get glue brush off his hand, didn't seem to be really paying attention, because he was now trying to get it off with Max's weak assistance. The two rolled their eyes as Max released the brush handle, causing Eugene to fall backwards into a bail of hay.
"This is gonna be interesting..."