AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello! Two things: first of all, I apologize for the fact that my Tuesday-scheduled chapters have been coming in on Wednesdays recently. I've been having some issues with the editing process, and that's been keeping me from uploading right on time. Hopefully the remaining chapters will come in on schedule, but if they don't, now you all know.

Second of all, we're actually nearing the end of Book I! After this chapter, there are only five more left. I'm still working on Book II; it's about halfway done still. As soon as it is completed, I will start submitting it. Just letting you all know so that, if there's a big gap between when this part ends and the next part begins, you know the reasons. Also, Book II will be shorter than Book I, so it will obviously finish faster once I DO start uploading it. How soon Book III and all other books that follow arrive will depend entirely on when I get them done. But I WILL get this massive monster of a story done, make no mistake about that. ;)

Now, let us proceed...

Book I: Serial Dilution

Chapter XXIII: The Trap is Sprung

The underground passages beneath Quirin's Castle were gloomy and claustrophobic. The faint, repetitive "plip-plip-plip" of dripping water from the damp clay ceiling echoed everywhere in a dull, thin, haphazard sort of rhythm. They were just barely wide enough for Sora, Rapunzel, and King Frederic to walk through without having to duck their heads down.

Frederic carried a lantern he'd had the good sense to bring along; at his side, he wore a short sword in its scabbard. Sora had put away his keyblade (the massive weapon had banged against the wall once and made a dreadful clang that they feared might give them away when they got closer), and he and Rapunzel walked side by side. Pascal was perched upon the princess' shoulder; he glanced cautiously about, the lizard always alert for any signs of a problem.

There was nothing. Nothing but the hollowed out tunnels.

"Varian's lab should be dead ahead," Rapunzel whispered.

"How did you find out about this place?" Sora asked.

"One time," Frederic broke in, "The alchemist tried to create a bunch of machines that would give his village hot running water."

"Yeah, he told me about that," Sora nodded.

"Well, the machines went haywire – classic Varian," Rapunzel said, with a sad sort of chuckle.

"He told me that, too."

"Well, he'd hidden them down here, when he made them," Rapunzel shrugged, "So I remembered the event."

"It was hard not to," growled Frederic.

Sora frowned at the King's voice; he remembered the damage the other teen and Quirin had described to him…but he couldn't help but feel a bit defensive. It wasn't as if Varian had WANTED the machines to explode.

Under the circumstances, however…attempting to defend Varian too much was a bad move. So Sora, against his own judgment, opted to keep his mouth shut on the matter.

It was not long thereafter that the trio saw a rickety ladder, leading up to a huge, black trapdoor that led directly into Varian's laboratory.

"I'll climb up first," Sora offered.

"I appreciate the offer, but why?" the King asked, putting down the lantern near the base of the ladder.

"Simple: if anything is waiting up there for us, I'll be the first to step into it," Sora snorted, crossing his arms. "Better I make a doofus of myself than you two."

Rapunzel and the King could only smile.

Sora took a deep breath, then hopped up onto the ladder. He clambered up quickly; it creaked with his weight. Halfway up, it wobbled, and he hissed through his teeth, clutching it tightly as he felt gravity shift…

"Ah! Careful!" hissed Frederic.

Sora waited till the ladder felt still and steady again, and climbed up the rest of the way, pushing open the trapdoor slowly. He was relieved when it moved open easily.

The young warrior blinked his blue eyes as he peered into the room beyond. He could see cobwebs and smell bitter dust; something of a golden amber shade caught his eye, but he thought little of it. He glanced about…but saw no sign of Varian.

"I think the coast is clear," he called down, in a hushed tone.

"Then let's hurry!" Rapunzel urged.

Sora nodded, and scrambled up through the trapdoor, leaving it open. The princess and Pascal followed him, and the King came up last of all.

Once all three were inside the dark laboratory, they brushed themselves off, and looked around for a moment…

…Then gasped and stopped short as they saw the frozen form of Quirin, trapped within the massive sculpture of amber-like crystals.

"Varian's father!" Rapunzel exclaimed, in a strangled sort of voice, clapping her hands over her mouth while Pascal covered his eyes, like a frightened little schoolboy.

"No wonder the lad snapped," shuddered the King, a look of grief upon his face upon the sight of his former friend trapped inside the Soranium.

Sora could only stare in shock. How had this happened? What could have caused it? He cursed himself, wishing he'd done something more…wishing he'd at least asked Varian what was really going on…wishing he'd come on his own volition, right away…

He felt something sting his eye, as he remembered the kind and caring way Quirin had acted during dinner together. He wiped the back of one fingerless glove roughly against his face…

…Then froze, as he spotted something past the statue. In a flash, he swung out an arm, and in a flash of light, his keyblade appeared.

The King jumped.

"What are you…?"

"Shh!" Sora hisse, and pointed subtly around the edge of the crystal monument. The princess and her father peeked around the corner…

…And narrowed their eyes, as they saw what looked like Varian, standing at the window of his laboratory, gazing out in a solemn, silent way.

"We got the drop on him!" Rapunzel smiled excitedly.

"I'll take care of him," Sora said, then looked to Frederic. "Your Majesty? Follow me."

The King nodded stiffly, and the two moved forward. Rapunzel rolled her eyes slightly as both tip-toed somewhat exaggeratedly towards Varian, and then pulled her frying pan out of its hiding place. Holding it like a sword, she followed the pair sneakily.

Varian never once seemed to notice the trio advancing on him. He never noticed the moment when Sora nodded to Frederic, who lunged forward stealthily. He didn't even seem to react when the king grabbed him by the shoulders and whirled him about…

"What?!"

The King stepped back with a startled grunt…as a large ragdoll, dressed in a wig and a spare set of Varian's preferred clothing, thudded to the floor, limp and lifeless.

"What is this?!" Frederic snapped.

Sora and Rapunzel gulped.

"Oh, no," they said in unison.

FAH-PSH!

FAH-PSH!

FAH-PSH!

Without warning, three bright, pinkish-purple spheres dropped from the ceiling, clearly released by some sort of machine, if the distant whirr of gears and squeak of levers was any indication. Before the trio could jump out of the way, they burst into cotton-candy-colored smoke…

…And as all three choked, coughing and wheezing as they tried to fan the mist away, they soon found their feet stuck to the floor by a strange, bubble-gum-like substance, which faintly smelled of strawberries. Sora sneered and swung his keyblade to try and cut through the material…and cursed internally when he found that even his mighty weapon just bounced off the stuff harmlessly.

"We've been out-tricked!" Rapunzel exclaimed.

"I can't get free!" Sora cried out. "Not without the 'neurolizing' element!"

"Neutralizing."

"Whatever!"

"Where are you, Varian?!" shouted Frederic. "Show yourself, boy!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…"

All three froze as a chilling whisper of a laugh slithered into their ears like a horde of small serpents. Pascal gulped nervously on Rapunzel's shoulder, and tried to hide behind her hair, as the trio saw a shadowy figure march towards them in the gloom. At first, all they could see was a glove and a shock of teal-colored hair, illuminated by a makeshift staff covered in glowing vials, which twirled through the air in a masterful flourish.

Then…the staff tapped down…and Varian lifted his head to grin at the three…and Sora shuddered as the toxic green glow from one of the vials illuminated a menacing smile and wide, wild-looking eyes.

"Welcome Back," Varian hissed to his captives, "My Friends…"

"Keep an eye out, everyone."

"Pete's right; it's too quiet, for my liking."

"Thanks, Stan."

"If you two keep bantering," Flynn groused, "It won't be quiet for long."

The two guards swiftly snapped their mouths shut.

The group had just crossed the bridge that led into Old Corona, and were only yards away from the entrance to the Old Castle. The horses drew to a stop as everyone but Donald hopped off. The duck was grumbling and pouting, arms crossed over his chest as he blew part of the wig he wore out of his face.

The rest of the team – Goofy, Eugene, Stan, and Pete – all listened intently, looking around cautiously.

All was still and quiet. Not a single sign of life. The castle and its ground seemed utterly devoid of danger…only the omnipresent silence of the empty village could be detected.

"Gawrsh," mumbled Goofy, scratching his nose with a furrowed brow. "Maybe Sora and Rapunzel were wrong, an' we overestimated the li'l guy!"

Flynn gave the walking, talking canine a bored look.

"You don't know Varian very well, do you, sidekick?" he sighed.

Donald continued to grumble, ignoring the situation…until, suddenly, his eyes widened, and he sat up a bit straighter.

"Hey!" he called out.

"SHHHH!" all the rest shushed him fast. Donald nearly toppled off his horse. Max, who was standing nearby, let out a whickering, braying horse-laugh.

The duck glared at the horse, then looked to his comrades.

"Listen!" he hissed, in a hushed tone of voice. "Can you hear music?"

The group furrowed their brows and all tilted their heads. Max raised an eyebrow and allowed his ears to swivel as he tried to pick up what Donald was referring to. Sure enough, a faint, tinkling, jingling noise filtered into their eardrums.

"Hey, yer right!" Goofy realized. "There is somethin' out there!"

"Sounds like a music box," mumbled Stan.

"Yeah," nodded Pete, fingers flexing around his sword's hilt.

Flynn Rider sighed.

"Music boxes…from Varian…that can't be-"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Something huge and misshapen burst out of the ground, like a terrible zombie clawing its way out of its own grave. All yowled in fright, and some of the horses reared up. Donald yelped as he fell headlong to the ground, his wig tangling up in his webbed feet and being torn off his white-feathered head.

Max snorted indignantly and adopted a battle ready stance, while the rest of the assault party gasped in surprise. Half-hidden by a cloud of dust, looming over them, was a group of huge, iron-forged giant. Each one was at least a dozen feet tall, and built with gorilla-like bodies, involving long, burly arms of steel, and stumpy, thick legs. Five glowing green "eyes" were built into their helmet-like heads, which swiveled around smoothly to peer at the whole group.

The music came from music boxes that were attached to their backs: clockworks that allowed them to work.

"Oh, great," Flynn muttered. "Leave the kid alone for just one or two days, and he builds…whatever the heck that is."

He then addressed the rest of the team.

"Alright, guys!" he called out, and lifted his sword confidently. "This thing may be big, but we've got him outnumbered!"

Not a single person looked convinced. Donald gulped and pointed behind Flynn.

"Are you sure about that?" he quacked.

Flynn furrowed his brow in confusion, and turned around fast…and turned faintly gray as the dust cleared…revealing roughly a dozen more Automaton creations.

Then – BANG! – all jumped and wheeled about again, as a fourteenth Automaton dug its way up and stood before the team.

Flynn held his sword tightly and hurried to move closer to the rest of the group, while Donald deseperately struggled to remove his costume and whip out his trusty magic staff.

"On guard, comrades!" Flynn shouted. "IT'S AN AMBUSH!"

Back inside Varian's laboratory, Pascal whimpered and squeaked as he grabbed hold of the wooden bars on the cage the alchemist had stuffed him inside.

"Varian, wait!" Sora called out, still struggling to try and break free. "You're hurting him!"

Varian didn't look the keybearer's way as he lifted the cage up to his face, peering into it clinically, while Pascal whimpered and scrambled into a corner of the containment unit.

"Not yet, I'm not," Varian said, smoothly. "And if you behave, I won't."

So saying, the alchemist began to move towards one of the tables in the room. King Frederic clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

"Varian!" he barked. "I demand you release us…and tell us where the Queen is!"

Varian smirked in Frederic's direction. He let out a twittering, phony giggle and pretended to curtsey.

"Your MAJESTY!" he sang out, sarcastically, then cooed as if speaking to a child. "I know it's hard for you, but for the first time in your life…"

The smirk vanished…and with a look that could have withered a rose, the alchemist SLAMMED the cage down upon the table. Rapunzel clenched her own fists in a protective show of anger, while Sora flinched upon hearing Pascal let out a shrill, startled squeak.

"…YOU," Varian snarled, "Are in no position to demand anything!"

Sora narrowed his eyes as he heard the King snarl right back. Varian seemed to stand straighter and truer now, shrouded in darkness that only the Keybearer could physically sense. The once soft eyes were like broken blades of glass, and the once funny buckteeth seemed sharp as a pair of kitchen cleavers. Varian seemed more confident, more self-assured…

…And much more dangerous.

The alchemist seemed to sense Sora's eyes upon him…and smirked deviously.

"A pity you can't simply fight your way free, isn't it?" he taunted. "Does it bother you, Sora, to know how defenseless you are to help anyone?"

Sora's eyes narrowed into cobalt slits.

"Let me out of this," he said, warningly, "And I'll show you how defenseless I am."

Varian snickered and waved his hands dismissively.

"Nah, I'm good!" he sing-songed, a bit too cheerily to be real.

"Where is my mom, Varian?" Rapunzel cut in. "Let us go!"

Varian shot the princess a withering look.

"I can't guarantee that second part," he said, darkly, then grinned anew. "But hey! In the spirit of compromise…"

The alchemist bowed theatrically and stepped back towards a large, dark purple curtain near the back of his laboratory.

"…How 'bout I meetcha halfway?"

So saying, Varian clutched the edge of the curtain in one gloved hand. He smirked towards the captured trio, eyes unblinking as he kept his gaze upon them…

…And, at the same time, slowly drew the curtain open.

"MOM!" Rapunzel yelled, and lurched forward to try and run to her…only to nearly fall on her face as the adhesive goop held her fast. Sora moved quickly to catch her and hold her back.

"I'm okay, Rapunzel!" the Queen reassured her daughter, holding out a hand in a soothing manner.

"Arianna, are you hurt?" the King called to his wife.

"Not really," Arianna answered with a shake of her head and a slight sigh.

The King's eyes shone with relief…which changed into rage as he heard Varian coo. The young alchemist stepped in front of Arianna, blocking her from sight once more. He clasped his hands together and batted his eyes dreamily as he rested his cheek against them.

"Awww…what a happy family reunion!" he crooned.

"Let her go, Varian, please!" Rapunzel nearly sobbed.

The teenager smirked again, seemingly enjoying the sound of Rapunzel's distress. Sora shuddered; he'd seen that look on many a face in his young lifetime…but he'd never expected nor hoped to see it on the face of one he had called a friend. Not even Riku had ever given him a smile like that...

"First," Varian stated, quite calmly, and gestured between himself and the Royal Family, "You're going to do something for me."

"What do you want?" Sora inquired.

Apparently, this was the wrong question to ask: in a flash, Varian's eyes sparked with azure flames, and he let out a cackle of unhinged laughter.

"OH-HO! So NOW you all care about what I want! HA HA!" he laughed, and threw out his arms in an almost celebratory gesture. "Who'd'uh thunk it, huh?!"

In an instant, he was kneeling behind Arianna…and the whole group went very still as his hands wrapped around her shoulders and tugged her close…each resting uncomfortably close to the Queen's throat.

"And all it took was threatening the things you care for most," the alchemist commented, in a dead, hollow sort of voice, his grin shifting into a ruthless sort of sneer; an expression that almost seemed challenging.

Don't test me, the blue eyes seemed to warn, Or she WON'T leave this room alive.

For a moment, there was a tense silence. Sora looked down and realized he still held the keyblade in his hand. He sighed and flicked his wrist…and it vanished in a flash of light.

Varian smirked, and nodded in approval…then released the Queen and stood up, he straightened up his apron and swaggered across the laboratory. Sora noticed he briefly cast a glance towards his father's encased form…he saw a hint of something soft and frail flicker in those eyes…

…Then, he marched past the captured trio, and the softness faded away.

"What are you going to do, Varian?" the King asked, cautiously, as the alchemist grabbed hold of a large device on wheels, hidden under a ratty tarp. The mad boy chuckled through his nose as he rolled it closer to the center of the room, and the Soranium trap.

"Yeah," he snorted, tossing his head flippantly as he moved the huge object into position, "I-I'll spare ya the details about the Sundrop, and Darkness, blah-blah-blah, an' get to the good stuff. 'Kay?"

So saying, the young mad scientist threw off the tarp rather dramatically, revealing a large steam drill. Sora noticed that the point of the drill ended in a small hollow, and there seemed to be a feeder pipe of sorts stuck into the side of the machine.

"Look," Varian's voice cut in, and he approached the Soranium. He tapped it twice with his knuckles and raised an eyebrow. "Unbreakable?"

He then moved closer to Rapunzel…who flinched back as the boy suddenly lifted up a bundle of her golden hair.

"Unbreakable!" he chirped, in conclusion, and ran his fingers through the hair for a moment before moving back towards the drill. "To put it plainly: with assistance from my drill, Rapunzel's hair SHOULD be able to shatter the amber…"

Varian's shoulders slumped slightly…and he looked up towards the trapped Quirin.

"…And free my father," he whispered, seemingly more to himself than his prisoners, eyes glowing with a far-away sort of look as his arms went slack at his sides.

Sora, Rapunzel, and Frederic all looked to each other, then back to the boy.

"What do you mean by should?" Sora questioned, suspiciously.

Varian blinked, and looked towards the group as if he had forgotten they were there…then smirked.

"Weeeeeell," he sing-songed and tapped his chin in mock thought, "I suppose it's just as likely that the AMBER shatters RAPUNZEL. I mean, the properties-"

"Absolutely not!" bellowed the King, and drew his sword…but then stopped when he heard a small sound, like the coo of a dove, at his shoulder.

"It's not your choice, Dad," Rapunzel whispered, lifting some of her hair and eyeing it sadly.

Frederic's gaze softened and his grip on his weapon loosened…just enough for Varian to suddenly sidle over and push down on it, pointing it uselessly towards the ground.

"She's right, Dad," the alchemist quipped with a superior, smug smile, making the king's beard bristle with agitation.

Sora frowned, then looked to Rapunzel and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Rapunzel," he said softly, "I won't stop you, but…you realize whatever this thing is…it could HURT you…isn't there another way?"

Rapunzel shook her head.

"To save my mom? To make this nightmare end? If you know of one," she said, shakily, "I'd like to hear it. Please. If you have a solution, tell me."

"Yes, Sora," interjected Varian, and suddenly crossed his arms behind his back as he stood in front of the keyblade wielder with the same self-satisfied smirk he'd given the king. "Tell her everything will be okay, why don't you? Tell her about how you'll help her. Tell her you're her friend, and you'll never let her down."

He leaned closer, and both the princess and the spiky-haired teen cringed as his voice became a serpentine hiss.

"Make a promise. Lie to her. It wouldn't be the first time either of you tried that, would it?"

Neither gave him any reply.

Varian paused, waiting for them to react. He seemed to almost pout when he got no answer…then, abruptly, he snapped his fingers as if he'd suddenly remembered something.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "I almost forgot: we're on a bit of a time crunch here? So…"

He stepped back towards Arianna and pulled a vial of golden fluid from his apron pocket, along with a small dropper. Once again, his voice became hollow and corpse-like as he showed both to the pair with a mirthless wiggle of his hands.

"…I'm going to have to speed things along."

Sora felt himself turn pale as he saw Varian squeeze some of the fluid into the dropper. He knew what the fluid was; even if he hadn't been shown and told, he would have known, he was sure.

"No!" he shouted. "NO, DON'T DO IT!"

But Varian wasn't listening. A look of absolute emptiness was in his eyes as he lifted the dropper and allowed a single drop of the formula to fall onto the bolt at the end of Arianna's chain…

…Then, with a crackle, amber-like crystals – the same ones that had trapped Quirin, began to slowly crackle and crawl their way across the chain and the floor around it…moving closer and closer to the trapped Queen. Arianna gasped and pressed herself against the farthest wall…but the crystals kept coming.

"VARIAN, STOP!" Rapunzel pleaded.

Varian calmly watched the crystals form, quietly placing the dropped back in the vial, and then placing the vial and dropper alike on the table beside Pascal's cage. The emerald chameleon whimpered as Varian slowly looked back to Rapunzel. He then moved with agonizing slowness back to the trio. The alchemist cast scornful looks at both Sora and Frederic…then pulled the shaker of neutralizing particles free from his apron pocket, and sprinkled them on the floor at Rapunzel's feet.

The alchemist pocketed the shaker and grinned, a faint yellow mist rising from the evaporating goo as he flashed another mad, sadistic grin at the blonde-haired young lady and her keyblade companion.

"Well then," he purred, a devil-like look in his eyes as he tilted his head and leaned closer to the pair. "Shall we get started?"