It took Cass a couple of minutes to register that the young man in front of her was her old friend. He looked so different. His face was more mature, more square. His hair was longer but still had that teal streak in it, though the streak seemed to be brighter and more apparent.

He had a bit of scruff on his face, but thankfully it wasn't something stupid like a goatee. However, the thing that stood out the most was his eyes.

They were different.

Wisdom and experience that she never saw before were sparkling in them. And looking deeper, she saw something she recognized from her own eyes. A sadness, a pain. Guilt. She felt a shiver go down her spine and looked away...was that always there?

Granted, last time she saw her friend was the day she left Corona, and after all that happened with the Moonstone, Cass couldn't meet his eyes. Maybe she missed how troubled her friend was? Perhaps he was good at hiding it like she was?

"Ah, Cass? Could you maybe?" Varian waved his hand from the floor, gesturing to his trapped body. "Though I have to say I am impressed, being a bit of a trap expert, myself. Though I would suggest a spring system that way, it will trigger faster and more effectively. Oh, I can give you some of my Alchemy-"

"Do you want to be released or not?." She asked, interrupting him, annoyed.

"Sorry, Cass." He murmured, lowering his eyes embarrassed.

She blinked at how fast his moods seemed to have shifted, before cutting through the ropes with her sword. She lowered the sword and held out her hand to help him up.

He looked at her hand and smiled, taking it and getting up. He felt a little giddy when he was at his full height. Finally, he was taller than her. True, not but much, but his eyes were level with the top of her head. He could gaze at the dark curls all he wanted...n-not that he wanted to! But he could!

They stood there for a minute, taking in the other. Cass was different than he last saw her. She still wore a green long-sleeved tank, but she also wore a vest of brown fur. Wrapped around her waist was a thick, black belt with a sheath for her sword. Her hands were in thick, dark brown leather gloves. She wore black, faded trousers and brown, sturdy boots. But most importantly, she wore a familiar purple necklace that shined like the day he gave it to her.

She lowered her gaze to the ground and moved a stubborn, long curl that escaped her low ponytail, from her face. She cleared her throat and then looked back at Varian, "Look, it's good to see you, but why are you here?" She swallowed hard and turned her back to him. She sat down on her chair and started to sharpen her sword, not looking at him. "It's dangerous here."

He watched her and scrambled to find the right words to say. Why was he here again? He blinked as everything came rushing back. He kicked himself for foolishly forgetting for a moment at the sight of the gorgeous woman in front of him. "I need your help."

She lifted an eyebrow at him questioningly.

"C-corona needs your help! Rapunzel! Needs your help." He corrected himself quickly, cringing internally. "Corona was invaded, and Rapunzel sent me to find you. We need your help."

Cass paused, taking in what he was saying before looking down and sharpening her sword again. "No."

"Oh, good." He let out a breath before it registered what she said, "Wait, what?" He frowned, moving in front of her. "No? W-why no?" He stammered out, racking his brain for any reason she could have said the two-letter word.

She didn't meet his eyes as she lowered her sword and took a deep breath. "Look, kid. I appreciate you coming all this way and doing who knows what to find me... but...Corona isn't my home anymore. Shame, there is trouble there, but it's not my problem."

Varian couldn't believe what he was hearing. This isn't the woman he knew. He ran his hand through his hair as he thought about how to respond.

"Cassandra...it's Andrew and his Saporians." He told her, seeing her flinch slightly at the name and her fist tightening around the handle of the sword. "They have my dad, Cass….and your dad and possibly Rapunzel and Eugene and all your friends and the people you care about."

Her hand went to her left arm instinctively as he spoke, closing her eyes, shaking slightly.

He turned his face to the dirty, grimy window and swallowed hard. "They have my truth serum...as well as a Wand of Oblivium and.." he trailed off, his hand balling into fists as he got the words out, "and they got their hands on a piece of the mind trap. They were using them all and created something that can control everyone in their way." He lowered his head in shame as he remembered when he attempted to try to do the same.

"You think I don't know that?" She finally snapped, standing from her chair quickly, causing it to tip over and crash on the ground. "I'm sure you noticed I live in a wrecked village, what do you think happened?"

She reached out and grabbed his arm and pulled him out the door so he could get a good view of the town. "Where do you think he recruited his followers?" She asked, closing her eyes in disgust. "If they refused, he forced them to anyways, they lost their minds and became completely different people…"

Her hands shook as she remembered the screams and the pleads of the peaceful, humble farmers that lived there and were kind enough to take her in. The people that gave her a home. She did her best to protect them, but they got the upper hand.

She felt his hand on her shoulder, trying to give her a bit of comfort, and she relaxed at his touch. She let out a shaky breath and looked at him. "I confronted Andrew, and he wanted me to join him. When I said "no," he threatened to use the compound on me. I think he called it the Mind Mender? And…" she looked down in shame, holding her arm again. "I ran..I hid like a coward and let the people be taken and brainwashed by Andrew."

"Cass...Cass, I had no idea." Varian murmured, looking around the village in a new light. "But you saw first hand what they are capable of...they are doing it to Corona, and once they have complete control, they can have the power to control the whole seven kingdoms."

She took a deep breath, "I'm sorry, Varian...but, I can't." She turned away and headed back to her house. "It was nice seeing you." She said softly before going back inside.

Varian stared at her retreating form, his hope and spirit crushed. He had so much hope that she would help, but he guessed it was foolish to believe so much in the person he remembered from the past.

He looked at Eden and Ruddiger with a frown. The raccoon looked between him and the door before waving his paw, trying to get him to try again.

He squared his shoulders and approached the door. He placed his hand on it and let out a sigh, "I understand Cass, you're scared, and that's okay because I am too. I am terrified of what I'm going to find once I return to Corona. But it's okay to be scared. Fear isn't an enemy. It's an ally."

He licked his lips and pressed his head on the door, "it's scary to face past mistakes; it's even scarier to think of how people will react to them. It feels like it would just be easier for them to forget.." he trailed off, remembering his realization when he served his time in the Corona prison.

"But it's that fear that you have to grab onto and hold on tight." He clutched his hand, as memories and regrets passed through his mind as he spoke, "fear is what makes you wiser and stronger. And with that strength and wisdom, you don't have to be cowardly or cruel. Fear...fear can make you kind."

He felt Ruddiger rub his head against his leg, and Varian took in the offered comfort from his oldest friend as he continued speaking, "Fear is always going to be with you...but it's also going to be with me. Fear is what brings everyone together...fear can lead us home."

He quickly jumped back when the door suddenly swung open to reveal Cass, wearing a black cloak, a quiver across on her back. and a bow in her hand. "You are just as bad as Rapunzel." She rolled her eyes, "So, what's the plan?"