A Drop from the Moon

The Painting

A/N part of this chapter was inspired was the video show up above. If you can't see it's called the paining and if you want to watch it (it's very short and I recommend you do) all you have to do is look up the paining and Varian on YouTube and it most likely will be the first thing you see. Also I had my COVID shot yesterday and did not reread this so sorry if there are any miss spellings.

"What happened down there?" Varian's dad asked the princesses once Varian was safely put in one of the doctors bed.
"What he saw, with the red rocks were... you getting incased by the amber again and everyone in town yelling at him. I figured he might still be mad, he never got what he wanted to say to us off his chest and maybe it was just eating at him. So I told him to scream at me, get the anger out, get his feelings out, and he did. I didn't know you guys could hear us, really I wouldn't have suggested it to  Varian to do that if I did." Raps exsplaiend to Qurin.
"I know, I- I just can't believe he feels that way, about me. Why would he think that I deserve a better son, there is no such thing. It's him who deserves a better father, someone who could share more, a father who could express how he feels. I never meant to have Varian think I wasn't proud of him, I never knew he felt that way. I'm a terrible father" Qurin vented sitting on the chair next to the bed his son was laying on.
"No" Raps and Qurin looked at the direction the voice came from. Varain. His eyes were half way open as he was trying to sit up.
"No, Varian, stay down" his father tired to instruct him but Varian wouldn't listen.
"I'm not hurt dad, and no. No you are not a terrible father, no you do deserve a better son. A son who isn't a criminal, a son who isn't hated by 90% of people in town"
"Varian we have had this talk before. Princess do you mind if I talk to my son alone" Qurin turned to Rapunzel and she quickly shook her head and went out the door.
"I know, but I don't understand, how you can not hate me" tears were started to form in his eyes.
"Because you are my son, I raised you, I love you no matter what. No matter what mistakes you have and will make, and believe me you will make more. I could never hate you son. This guilt that is inside of you is eating at you. I never realized just how much it was till I heard you down there. You have to forgive yourself, its the only way you will be able to move on from this. You are not a criminal. Also between me and you the King should have made sure you were ok, he left a fourteen year old kid by himself and called you dangerous." Qurion looked his son in the eyes and Varian looked back. Pride was shinning thought Qurin's eyes which made Varian hug him. Varian was just about to ask his dad what caused him to freeze up when the same group that heard Varian release all his inner deep feelings barged in the room.
"Varian we are so sorry"
"Kid we should have forgiven you"
"Varian you are a good kid we were just being jerks"
"We are so sorry" all of this could be heard from the group. Varian had no idea what to do he was so confused on what was going on.
"STOP!" He heard his dad call.
"One person speak" Flespar comes forward from the back to talk for the group.
"Varian we came to apologize. We treated you so poorly after you helped Corona get rid of the Saporians, (even if you did help them)" he mumbled the last part, Qurin glared at the guy who quickly got back on point.
"We didnt even think what you could be feeling right now. Guilt, that you put your only friends it terrible danger by your hand. Fear  wondering what your dad would think of his only son being a trader and corona's most dangerous criminal -"
"OK! What are you saying?" Varian finally yelled not wanting to hear anymore. Before Flespar could continue Uncle Monty jumped in
"We are saying we are sorry for being so hard on you when you have been trying to heal" Varian starred at everyone surprised about their actions.
"You don't need to apologize, I understand why you guys were so angry and upset, but thank you, really it means a lot." A few hours later he was released from the hospital the doctor told him to get some rest, which of corse Varian was not going to do because he had the Demanatis scroll to work on. The next day was a completely different exsprience when walking down the streets. Everyone smiled at him, waved at him, talked to him everyone was kind. Again he spotted his crush, only this time she was a lone and seemed to be looking for someone. Her hair in those high pig tails, her face scrunched up a little her head turning side to side trying to see over the ground of people. The only ThingVarian could do was smile at her. Just as Varian was about to leave they lock eyes and Catalina's face brighten and ran up to him.
"Varian! Oh My god your ok, I heard what happened, are you ok? I had no idea you were hurting so bad. I know we don't talk a lot and I know we don't do much or do anything together really but I am here for you, I am your friend so any time you need me, I will be there" Varian didnt say anything only stared at her and smiled taking in what she said. He just got friend zoned, or did he, he never told her that he liked her so she can't friend zone him technically but she sees him as a friend so maybe he did get friend zoned. The whole thing confused him and when he gets confused he wants to figure it out, but this is a whole different thing. With alchemy you do one thing and if it doesn't work use a different chemical and repeat till you get what you want. With this, there was nothing to research, and there was definitely no do overs. How could she ever like him, while the towns people don't hate him anymore he still needed to heal, he needed to learn to not hate himself.
"Varian? Are you ok?" He head Catalina ask him, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Oh, ya, sorry. You heard about that?" He asked her knowing the answer.
"Everyone in town knows about it, I know you have heard this many times but don't be so hard on yourself, no one hates you, you can now heal. On another note If you ever need an alchemy assistant you can always ask me." Catalina added rocking on her feet. Varian's eyes lit up at the thought of him and Catalina, just the two of them hanging out and doing Alchemy.
"Really?" He asked surprised someone who would be interested in learning about the science. She nodded trying not to blush, she wanted to hang out with Varian a lone, she always thought he was cute and after everything finding out how sensitive he can be only made her like him more. What better way for them to be a lone then having him teach her alchemy. She didn't have any interest in it at all, but if it would get them a lone to where they can talk, just the two of them then that is what she would do.
"Right now Raps is having me decider the Demanades scroll, I'm going to ask her if I can have at least five weeks of solitude to figure it out, if you want you can come down when you want and I can show you some Alchemy, or even help me if you want?" He said hoping she would agree, unfortunately she had to decline on trying to help him solve it, she didnt want to be away from her sister for that long, and figured she wouldn't be much help, but would totally come down to see him. They said their good by's and Varian was off to the palace once again to ask a question for Rapunzel. When he got to the gates he saw Stan and Pete and the guard that tried to arrest him when raps first got back. Which he found out his name was Chad.
"Varian, what brings you around?" Pete asked giving a smile to the boy.
"Just had a question for the Prinsess about the Demanades scroll is all, can I talk to her or is she busy, cause I can totally can come later" he said thinking that maybe he could catch up with Catalina.
"Oh no, she is just in her room painting her walls" Stan said letting the teen in. Varian smiled at the two guards but when he turned to the other Chad just glared at him causing Varian to look down.
"Leave the kid alone Chad" Stan told the guard, "He has apologies for what he has done, he feels guilty and terrible, so just leave him a lone" Stan looked at Varian and gave him a warming smile that mouthed 'we got your back' which wiped off all the negative thoughts the guard brought on him, Varian returned the smile and headed towards Rapunzel's room. On his way to her room he saw the Queen and they had a small chat she asked him about his dad and Old Corona, and he asked her how she was doing. It was a short conversation but a nice one, things were starting to get back to normal. When he reached her door he nocked twice waiting to hear a response.
"Come in" a chipper voice called. Varian opens the doors to see Rapunzel hight up paining the roof of her room.
"Um... I don't know what to say" Varian just stared in aw as he looked around the room he saw a painting of her and Eugene, a painting of when he first meet Rapunzel, a picture of Cass taking the moon stone, then he saw it. It was a painting of him, with the army of Atomatons and Ruddiger just really big with his mask shield on. His hand in the air. He took a step back along with a deep breath.
"Varian, what brings you down here" Raps asked not noticing the panic attack that was raising. When he didnt respond she came down from the rafters and noticed the horror in his eyes. She looked around wondering what could have caused this, but once she turned around she saw it. The paining of him when he went all evil.
"I never realized how terrifing I looked. I'm a mon- no, Varian, we are moving past that, we are healing, we are forgiving and starting to call yourself names is not on the right path. Just breath. Ok" he turned around to face Rapunzel, he didnt even notice that he turne around.
"Varian, are you ok?"
"Yes, I am fine, it just cough me off guard is all" he gave her a half smile not knowing how to respond.
"Well you can look over there, I painted that yesterday" He turned his head a little to the left and saw a little bit of a bigger picture of the two of them in the demanadence chamber and him pouring the last bit of substance on the red rocks and saving the day.
"I wanted a better memory of you up there, while meeting you was also a great memory as well, that's also the day you blew up your village" Varian just laughed at the memory.
"back to the Demanatence chamber though, I was wondering if I could stay down there for at least five weeks to figure out the scroll, its just people and things keep happening and maybe if I am at a place where Demanatence build I can Chanel some of that smartness and"
"You just want to be down there, right?"
"Well not exsactly, it would be easier to solve it in solitude but ya, the place itself is just amazing" he blushed at his Nerdiness the prinsess just smiled and nodded. Together the two with the help from Catalina brought down a table, alchemy stuff and anything else he might need. Raps and Varian decided that he would also sleep here in case he woke up in the middle of the night and thought of something. His dad at first was upset that he didn't talk about this with him first but realized that the reason he didn't was because he would say no and not listen to the reason which was a thing he has been working on. Although it was hard to work on when his son did have a habit of asking for forgiveness then permission.
Two weeks have gone by and he and Ruddiger finished desiphering 99% of the scroll which he was proud that it didnt take as long as he thought it would. There was still a part that he was having trouble with, but decided to tackle it another day. Instead of going up to tell Rupunzel his findings he decided to have a metdel contest to see which one is the best, being the fifteen year old he is.
"The results are in who will win first praise for best medle, will it be steal for its durability thermol conductivity or iron for its high melting point" Catalina laughed at him as he then drummed the table till ruddiger came and gave him and his friend some hot chocolate he did an evil laugh and drank it but spit it out when he was scard by Rupunzel.
"Hi Varian" he spit out his drink all over his little furry friend who was not happy bing soked in hot chocolate. This made Catalina laugh harder, she loved how much of a dork he was. When it came to being smart and talking about alchemy he didn't care what people thought. She loved that about him, that when it came to who he was no one could put him down. Varian turned around to see Rapunzel, Eugene, and Lance standing at the top of the stairs.
"Oh h-hi, I wasn't exspecting you so soon, since we did agree i would need at least five weeks of solute to decipher this thing" he said turning red of embaresment. His friends just watched him have a fake Contest to see what meddle was the best.
"Varian don't be embarest, it was funny seeing you having fun down here" Rapunzel said smiling all him.
"Ya, and besides we much rather see you be all geeking and funny then scary and evil" Eugene said smiling looking at all the stuff Varian had.
"Eh, ya" he said looking down
"Do you have any anti-aging cream?" Eugene asked picking random stuff up.
"HEY! Don't touch that" Varian said running over to take the tube out of the idiot's hand. Rapunzel looked at the wall shocked at what Varian was able to accomplish in just two weeks. She always knew he was smart and clever, but this really was something else. Demanades was the smartest person alive during his time, and to think that only a fifteen year old was able to figure it out in two weeks was astonishing to her. Becasue of how smart he is, its easy to forget he is only fifteen. She loved how childish he was sometimes, like what they just saw with the meddle test or that he had a crush and had no idea how to act or do anything around her but at the same time be the smartest person in the room. She has seen the way he talks to Catalina, studdering over his words, shifting his feet, making sure not to sound stupid. She didn't realize how much she missed Varian till he was back in her life again. She looked over at him and saw him scolding Eugene about picking stuff up in beakers that he doesn't know what they were. she walked over to Catalina as she saw her smiling at the young alchemist.
"He is funny isn't he" before Catalina realized her response she answered.
"He's also really cute" and blushed. Her eyes widened and looked up at the Prinsess. She begged her not to tell and she promised she wouldn't say a word. Raps then walked over to the wall that Varian has worked on.
"So what's this?" She asked Varian looking at the writing on the wall.
"This is the key I created to read the scroll. This is the sun incantation" he said pointing to the picture of the sun on the scroll. "This is the decaying incarnation" he said pointing the the black spot on the scroll. Then he started to get excited, getting to the stuff that he discovered. "This is the moon incantation, whoever posses the moon stone, or even have the power of the moon stone will be able to control the rocks. It even says that there is a person Destin to have the moon stone, that if the person who is destined to have the stone ever gets it, it can cause great harm. If someone who isn't the 'chosen one' posses the moon stone it will still be powerful but it would not reach its full potentionl. BUT ALSO THERE IS A FORHTH INCANTATION! But it doesn't say what it does and its not even on the map. What I think it does tho, destroy who ever is the 'chosen one' if they posses the stone. Demanatis also writes that the sun and moon can defeat anything that comes their way. So it can be used for good, but most likely the chosen one is not. When you have light, you need darkness to balance it out" Varian said with excitement. He then counties to talk about how smart Demanatis was and how he is his idol and all of that, while Rupunzel could only think of one thing. 'Destroy the chosen one' she pondered on weather or not Cass could be the chosen one. She is Gothols daughter and Gothol was a follower of Zan Tire at first. She doesn't want to destroy her, she wants to get her back, she doesn't want to destroy anyone.
"Hey guys i would stop talking about the scroll" Lance yelled as he pointed to the top of the stairs, there stood a tall blue haired women, with black rocks as her armer. Her face with an evil grin.
"Don't stop on my account"
"CASS!"Varian yelled with joy seeing his old friend.
"Varian get the scroll out of here" Raps said in a stern voice.
"But the scroll is useless without the translation key" he said. This only made Cass smile grow ever more.
"Then i guess I'll be taking two things" she walked down the stairs slowly eyeing Varian. This confused Rapunzel, why would Cass care where he was?
"Do you want to know how I knew you were down here Varian?" She walked closer to him, he tried to back up but hit the wall. Rapunzel stepped in blocking her from Varian. Catalina was about to attack Cass but Cass just pushed her away with a black rock.
"CATALINA" Varian yelled with concern in his voice.
"it doesn't matter how you know" Raps said getting her hair reading to fight her old friend.
"Oh, I think Varian would like to know"she paused, she could bearly see Varian but was able to make eye contact. "Do you know where you dad is" Varians eyes grew big, then they became dark, and then he started to feel rage he hasn't felt in about a year.
"What did you do with my dad" his voice was dark and everyone knew that tone, that darkness, they have all heard it before.
"Did i hit a nerve?" Cass smiled as Varian moved in front of Rapunzel.
"Cass, what do you want, what did you do to my dad to get him to tell you where i am?"
"That truth Sireum really works well" He got one of his alkumy balls and thought it at her but It was blocked by the rocks. Cass used up all her streangh to form a cage trapping Varian, Rapunzel, Eugene, Lance and Catalina. Next thing they knew they were looking at the crumbed tower but what Varian saw was his dad wrapped in the black rocks.
"DAD!"
"SON!" He called clearly in pain which killed Varian inside. He tried everything to get his dad out of the amber, again the black rocks are destroying his life once more. Cass arrived not long after and Varians dark voice returned which surprised Qurin, he has never heard his son be so angry.
"Varian is here, because he knows the incantation of the moon stone." Cass said walking over to his dad.
"Cass I swear do not hurt my dad, please" his voice braking, he didn't know how to feel, part of him was enraged that his friend who stooped so low to kidnap his dad, and the other was scared, afraid of loosing his dad.
"What are you going to do Varian, you wouldn't hurt me, what would the citizens think" Cass said looking into his eyes. She heard of the rumors that he broke down when dealing with the red rocks, she knew right where to hit him.
"Well for the fact that you have us in a rock cage, his dad trapped I don't think they will care, I think they would be on his side" Eugene said defending the kid. Cass just ignored him, she had plenty of experience with that.
"Tell me the incantation kid"
"Varian don't, it will only make things worse" his dad said as the rocks around him started to tighten. Varian looked at his dad, then at his friends, he didnt want to, but he couldn't loose his dad.
"I'm sorry, but I can't loose you again dad.
Crescent high above
evolving as you go
raise what lies beneath
and let the moonlight glow Cass
Bend it to my will
Rise into the sky
And let the moon light glow
Let the moon light glow"
Cass repeated the incantation and built a tower tall enough to see all of the land. She now felt more powerful, and that made her more dangoures. She brought everyone to the top with her, letting Varian be free. He ran over to his father scard out of his mind.