Siblings of Corona-B3:Life On the Road

Chapter 18

They all gathered around a table as Lance tried to fix the top.  "It's times like this when you really need Varian," he muttered.

"Eugene! Andrew! Come back here!" Rapunzel cried, chasing after them around the table.  They were teasing her by keeping a stuffed chameleon away from her, tossing it back and forth.

"Both of you stop bullying Rapunzel!" Cassandra snapped.

They ignored her.  Varian only screamed.

"Ugh!  I don't understand you!" Cassandra cried with frustration, going face first into the table.  Little Varian only screamed louder, flailing his hands.

"Let me try." Lance picked Varian up and cradled him in his arms.  Then he put a passifier he had found in his mouth.  The screaming stopped and Varian blinked his eyes tiredly.  "You know, Varian's not that hard to understand."

"Yes, I'm sure your fluent in baby screams."

"No, I was talking about Varian in regular age.  All you have to do is listen."

"What?"

"Cassandra, we've all been through a lot and we all react differently to the trauma we carry with us.  Varian acts out and has this need to be heard and listened to and the ability to handle himself.  If not, he feels trapped and stuck in a tower all over again.  Or like me, there was a lot of tension growing up, cut loose into the world, no one to hold Eugene and I back.  The exact opposite of your problem growing up, but that came with a lot of stress.  So telling jokes, being goofy was my way of coping and helping Eugene relax."

She sat there, gaping at Lance.

He blushed and chuckled.  "I know I'm the last person you would come to for advice, but let me tell you this.  Cassandra, you feel the need to protect and shelter you siblings.  You want to sheild them from anything that could hurt them, which is very admirable. But in that need to protect those you love, you also feel the need to control everything.  Do you remember who else felt the very same way as you?  Fredric.  I'm not saying you're like him, but if you continue to let your fears control your actions, well, you won't be very different from him pretty soon."

Cassandra sighed.  "I never really thought about it like that...  But what am I supposed to do?  Let the danger get him?"

"No.  Stop standing in front of him trying to be his sheild.  You're hurting yourself too, because no matter what you do, Cass, you can't stop the bad things from happening to him.  You need to move out of his way before you make him take you out of his way himself.  Rapunzel too."

"So you want me to stand to the side?"

"Walk beside them.  That way you're still there for them but they're controlling their life.  One day, you three won't be together forever.  You're going to go your separate ways and live in different places.  And it's going to happen sooner rather than later," Lance said.  "Life is short.  Let Varian make his choices and then one day he'll come to appreciate all that you did for him.  He just needs time."

Cassandra thought about it.  "Lance, I believe I owe you an apology.  I pegged you wrong.  I thought you didn't take things seriously and was oblivious to what was around you.  It appears to be that I was the one being oblivious."

"Fancy this? I see someone has got
into the nursery!" Matthews said, walking in.  He dodged a toy being thrown his way. "Ahh. The Ol' Top of Time. Now, now, now, now, would you look at this mess?"

"He did it!" Andrew pointed at Eugene.

"She did it!" Eugene pointed at Rapunzel at the same time.

"He's lying!" Rapunzel cried.

"She's lying!" Eugene said.

"Matthews, how do we turn our friends back?" Lance asked.  "And how do we fix this?"

"Oh, here." Matthews picked up the top and magically reassembled it.  "Better?"

"What is this place? We want answers!" Cassandra demanded.  "We need to turn them back!"

"Well, is that what you want, or what you need?"

"What?"

"In many cases, they are two very separate things. However, in this case, it's most likely the same thing.  You two do make a lovely couple."

"Uhhh…" Lance's face went red.

"Woah!  We're not a thing!" Cassandra said.  "I have a boyfriend who is currently a child… Well, he wasn't one thirty minutes ago… Mr. Matthews, please. Do you have any idea how to change our friends back?"

"Surely, it's a cinch. Simply use the top, and spin it in reverse.

"Okay... that seems… easy enough," Cassandra admitted.

Matthews nodded.  "Good night.  Hope you all, have pleasant dreams." He turned to leave.

"Ok, everyone gather 'round!" Lance called.

The three ignored him.   Rapunzel was too busy trying to tie the boys up to get the stuffed chameleon back.

"We got candy!" Cassandra called.

"We do?" Lance asked.

"No, but they'll understand in a minute," she whispered.

"We want candy!"

"Alright.  Everyone sit down and be very still and we'll get.  We'll get your candy," Cassandra instructed as she set up the top. Lance set Varian back on the table. Then Cassandra spun the top and there was a flash of light.

Cassandra blinked her eyes open to see them all their regular ages, sitting in their seats.  Or in Varian's case.  On the table.

"Does anyone remember anything that just happened?" Lance asked.

"Hey, ice lady.  I thought you said you had candy," Eugene teased.  "Does that answer your question?"

"I'm never going to live this down, am I?" Andrew groaned.

"I don't remember anything," Varian said.  "What happened?"

"I guess that makes sense that you wouldn't.  You got turned into a baby," Cassandra said.

"What?"

"She's right, you did," Rapunzel nodded. Then she turned to Eugene.

He pushed the chameleon plush across the table to her.  She picked it up and turned her head away with a humph.  Then her and Eugene went into a fit of giggles.

"I don't know about you all, but I'm bushed," Andrew said.

"Yeah, me too," Varian admitted.

"Alright.  Let's go to bed then." She handed Varian his staff back, which he accepted.  "Sorry if I'm a little overbearing at times."

"And I'm sorry that I got mad.  You were just trying to help," Varian said, rubbing the back of his neck.  He gave Cassandra a side hug, which she returned.  Then they all set off to find rooms to sleep in.