Varian wanted to very much be a part of helping to reconstruct Old Corona. It was another way to help make up for his mistakes. But that didn't mean that his help was appreciated by everyone. The boy was always an outcast amongst the other kids in his village, long before he even met the princess. But now, the bullying he got only intensified. Even a few adults were giving him a hard time. Varian would be told to go rot in jail and have rocks thrown at him. The difference between back then and now however was that the alchemist had Rapunzel, Eugene, and Lance to stick up for him.
Varian never thought he would ever be friends with other kids, but along came Angry and Red. Two girls who knew what it was like to a checkered past, having been thieves like Lance and Eugene back in the day. Angry had a attitude that was a little bit big for her britches. Red on the other hand was shy and quiet, but very sweet, to Varian especially.
But then, he noticed that his hair stripe was glowing around the redhead. The boy thought that was weird and thought his powers were just acting up. But then again, they were new and there was still a lot about them that Varian had to learn.
Today, the work for the "Rebuilding Old Corona Together" project continued as people from the village and the capital came together to pitch in. Some folks helped with the construction/reconstruction of homes and businesses while others assisted in replanting crops. Rapunzel and Quirin were head collaborators of the program, overseeing all the progress.
And today, the princess and her closest friends were taking Red and Angry on a tour of the recovering village. When the girls announced that they were staying in Corona permanently, Rapunzel was practically bursting to help them find the perfect home. While doing so, she greeted the volunteers who had rallied to the important cause.
"Hi, Mary." the sundrop said to a woman who was cutting wood.
"Well, hello, Princess!" Mary cheerfully replied.
"Looking good up there, Monty!" Rapunzel complimented the candy man who was painting a building, only for him to scowl in response.
Varian found himself drawing back apprehensively. He didn't know if Monty was glaring at the princess or him, but it was probably best not to stick around and find out.
"Red and Angry, welcome... to New, Old Corona!" Rapunzel chirped to the two girls.
"Heh, t-the name is a b-bit of a working process." Varian giggled sheepishly.
"You know, it's about time you guys decided to settle down near us." Lance said as he lightly bumped Angry with his fist.
"We were getting kinda sick of life on the road. Never knowing what you're gonna eat, or where you're gonna stay." Angry explained, kicking a pebble. "I mean, you should see the treehouse we've been staying in."
"Yeah! It's-" Red started in a positive tone.
"A total dump." her sister interrupted her.
Varian couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the way Angry jumped in just as Red was about to voice her opinion. He knew all too well how demeaning that could feel.
"With the princess's initiative to rebuild Old Corona, you're gonna have your choice of places to live!" Eugene told the girls, much to Angry's delight. Red, on the other hand, had nothing to say.
"You know, you can always ask Rapunzel or my dad for anything you might need." Varian offered kindly. "They'll make sure that you both have all the necessary accommodations."
Red glanced up to make eye contact with the boy, but once again did not say a peep. She then returned her attention to the leaf shaped pendant she wore as she twiddled it in her hands. That was when Angry noticed her sister's distant behavior.
"Ugh! What is with you?" she groaned. "You're acting weird."
"It's just... I like the treehouse." Red sighed.
"Ugh! Not this again, Red." the raven-haired girl scolded her, crossing her arms. "Look, this is what is best for us."
Varian didn't like what he was hearing one little bit. Why did Angry get to make all the decisions for both girls? It just didn't seem right.
"But, but I-" Red was about to argue again.
"Your Majesty! Help!" a distressed voice cut her off.
That voice happened to belong to a man named Earl. Varian knew him. The shepherd lived a couple blocks down from him and his dad. He was a nice guy. One of few rare people of Old Corona who didn't scrutinize the kid for his alchemy. And now, Earl was running to Rapunzel, seeking her aid.
"Earl! What's the matter?" the princess asked.
"It's my sheep. Come quick!" the shepherd said, gesturing the group to the group to follow him.
Rapunzel and her friends followed the man to the forest where she and Varian used their telescopes to spot the flock of sheep. They were all stacked up on the peak of a hill.
"Well, that's interesting." Varian commented.
"What are they doing up there?" Rapunzel asked.
"Something's got them scared." Earl explained.
"Like what?" the princess inquired.
"I'm not sure, but the same thing happened to my neighbor's flock." the shepherd replied. "In fact, livestock all over Corona's been acting strange."
"Don't worry, we'll get to the bottom of this." She then turned her attention to Maximus. "Max, do your thing."
As the stallion put his nose to it, Red heard an odd sound coming from the bushes. She squinted at the undergrowth as the leaves continued to rustle. Varian noticed this and looked in redheaded girl's direction. He too could now hear a growling sound. Maybe it was some kind of wild animal? But then, Red's focus was broken when Angry put a hand on her shoulder.
"Come on." the raven-haired girl urged her sister as she ran in the direction of the others.
"Are you okay?" Varian asked, noticing Red's spaced out expression.
"Yeah, I just thought I saw something over there." the young girl explained. "But I guess it was just my imagination."
But, it couldn't be her imagination if the teen heard the sound too. But then, he decided to brush the thought aside.
"Um, we s-should probably c-catch up with the group." he suggested as the two kids ran to join their friends, unaware that someone or something was watching them.
In the meantime, Maximus had just sniffed a clue that could prove beneficial to the search for the livestock terrorist.
"What did you find, Max?" Varian asked as he and the others caught up with the white stallion.
There on the ground, clear as day, were massive paw prints. Each one was the size of a cartwheel.
"These look like wolf prints." Eugene deduced. His wilderness skills meant that he could recognize certain animal tracks at a single glance.
"Hmm, they're definitely dog like." Varian analyzed. "And claws are always out in wolf tracks."
Angry then dropped to her knees to examine the paw print's size.
"If they are, that is one big wolf." she said as got back on her feet.
"No, this is something else." Rapunzel conveyed, investigating the prints for herself. "These tracks aren't side by side. Whatever made them walks on two feet."
"What? A bipedal wolf?" Varian said in disbelief.
"That can't be right." Angry disagreed.
That was when the group noticed a stocky stranger spying on them in the treetops.
"Uh, are you sure about that?" Rapunzel spoke, her eyes narrowing at the spy as they tried to flee. "Let's move!"
She, Varian, Eugene, and Lance proceeded to follow the furry, masked stranger through the forest and down a cliff.
"Eugene, Lance, come on! Stay on it!" the princess told the two men as they stayed on the stranger's tail. "Varian, help me trap it!"
Varian followed Rapunzel as she let her hair down. The spy was fast, despite that, Eugene and Lance were still close behind. Just when it seemed like they were going to get away, one of Varian's alchemical orbs smashed at their feet, trapping them in the boy's patented, raccoon trapping goo. Then, Rapunzel's hair restrains the stranger's arms using the tree limbs for support, farther limiting their movement.
Despite being restrained, the spy was snarling and thrashing around like a beast of some kind. Varian couldn't help but feel a little fearful about this. He stayed close to Rapunzel.
"Struggling- struggling is pointless! We're not- we're not scared of you!" the child stammered, trying to sound as brave as he could.
Eventually, the stranger tired themselves out and breathed heavily in exhaustion. That was when Rapunzel and Varian saw a flash of skin under the spy's skull indicating that it was a mask. Feeling brave, the sundrop reached the mask and lifted it to reveal the scarred face of a woman who yelled at her pursuers. The quartet shrieked in fear, Varian being loudest of all as he clung to the princess while hyperventilating. Rapunzel then dropped the mask back down and wrapped her free arm around the alchemist.
"Who are you?" she demanded as the woman flipped her mask up again.
"Captain Creighton, world-class big-game tracker, at your service." the woman proudly introduced herself. She then, readdressed her restraints while Red and Angry arrived on Max. "Do you treat all Corona's guests this way?"
"Only the ones who creep up on people in the bushes." Varian answered, still shaking like a leaf.
Back at the Corona castle, the group treated their guest to a bountiful feast so that they could have somewhat of a diplomatic discussion. But it was getting hard to watch Creighton eat entrée after entrée. It was like her stomach was a bottomless pit. And she didn't have the best table etiquette either. The huntress was chewing with her mouth open, throwing her table scraps everywhere, and guzzling down a gravy boat of its contents. Creighton's manners were so stomach churning, she could make Shorty look like a gentleman. Everyone looking on was either astounded or appalled, with the exception of Angry who was in awe of the huntress for some weird reason.
"Should we be impressed or disgusted?" Lance asked, turning to Red. But then, his own question was answered when Creighton burped and didn't even excuse herself. "Disgusted it is."
Even Pascal had fainted from shock.
Meanwhile, Varian had his mouth covered with one hand and the other clutching his stomach. He felt like he was going to be sick.
"Ugh! At least use a napkin." the alchemist gagged, feeling dangerously close to heaving.
Rapunzel noticed how queasy her boy looked so she decided it was time to address the elephant in the room. "So, uh, Captain, what is a world-class tracker doing in Corona?"
"Uh, tracking?" Creighton answered vaguely while holding a bread roll.
"Okay, yeah, th-that's on me. I could've been more specific." the princess admitted as the kids giggled.
"L-let me try." Varian stepped up, having recovered from his squeamish episode. "Uh, would you be so kind as to tell us what exactly you are tracking, ma'am?"
"Uh, that thing that's been terrorizing your sheep? A werewolf." the huntress told him. Pascal was startled awake to hear that bombshell. "Now, who do I gotta slug to get a glass of water around here, huh?"
Everyone was rendered speechless.
"D-d-did you just say werewolf?" Eugene stuttered.
"Oh, that's rich!" Varian laughed as if he had just heard a hilarious joke. But, the guest didn't laugh back which stunned the young alchemist. "Wait, you weren't kidding?"
Creighton licked her fingers clean and then pulled out a heavy looking grayish-blue book titled "Lycanthrope." She dropped on the table with a loud thud, startling Varian.
"It's all right here in this book." Creighton told the group, pointing to the hardcover. "What we are dealing with is, Maledicta lupis."
"The Wolf's Curse?" the boy shivered.
"Yes. But, for you laymen, a werewolf." the huntress responded ominously. The Coronans gasped in shock as she opened the book to read the text aloud: "The wolf's curse travels the globe... in search of host bodies. It feeds on untapped rage, so its ideal host is someone who harbors a deep-seated anger. It inhabits his body, and causes him to turn into a raging werewolf every full moon... for the rest of his life!"
As Creighton read, Rapunzel and Eugene noticed how attentively Varian was listening to the story. It was only when the huntress slammed the book shut did Varian snap out of his trance with a yelp.
"And here's where it gets interesting." the woman continued. "The wolf has found a new home here in Corona."
"W-who is it?" Lance asked anxiously, popping his head from under the table where he was just cowering.
"'Who is it?'" Creighton mimicked mockingly. "If I knew that, you think I'd be wasting my time with you milksops? The wolf can be anybody!"
She slammed her fist on the book to prove her point, making the friends gasp once more.
"But the good news is I'm not just tracking this thing." the huntress said reassuringly before she whipped out a cumbersome crossbow decorated with wolf symbols and her tone turned intense again. "I'm not leaving Corona until I've destroyed it."
When Varian heard that, he felt blood start to boil and his hands clench. How could Creighton think that killing some werewolf was the best way to get rid of it? Violence begets violence. The boy knew that for a fact. The huntress's method was just downright inhumane!
Rapunzel could see the alchemist tremble with rage. Ever since Varian's moon powers awakened, his anger had become explosive for lack of a better term, especially for those the child directed his fury towards. The princess and her friends had to try to lessen as many magical temper tantrums as they could manage. The sundrop could already see the young alchemist's eyes and hair stripe start to glow with slight intensity. So she put a calming hand on Varian's shaking fist, negating his fury and assuring him that she would take care of Creighton. Rapunzel cleared her throat as she approached the other side of the table.
"Uh-oh." Eugene said, knowing exactly what was about to happen.
"Let me be clear, Captain." the princess said, pushing her guest's feet off the table and narrowing her eyes at her. "You will not be destroying anything in my kingdom."
"Ooh, I'm not sure you can stop me." Creighton dared, clearly not intimidated by the princess's threat.
In response to that, Rapunzel had Stan and Pete kick the huntress out of the castle, effective immediately. Her quiver spilled arrows all over the ground.
"Oh, you're making a huge mistake!" Creighton warned, pointing an arrow at the sundrop.
"I will take that ch-" she shot back, slamming the door the hunter's face, cutting herself off. "I didn't time that right. I wanted to slam it after 'chance.'"
"We knew what you were going for, yeah." Eugene said, getting the gist.
"By the way, uh, t-thank you for that." Varian added timidly, running the back of his neck with his hand. Rapunzel smiled lovingly in response.
"Okay, guys." she began seriously as she took the werewolf book from her boyfriend. "There's a werewolf out there, and have to take action."
"Uh, excuse me, uh, Princess, ha, just a question here." Lance jumped in. "Uh, was throwing the werewolf hunter out of the castle the best idea?"
"But, you heard her! She wants to destroy the monster. Well, that monster is one of my subjects." the sundrop argued.
"Yeah! I don't condone the destruction of any innocent creature, even if that innocent creature is in fact a monster. It's just not right." Varian backed her up.
"So, we have to find it before she can." Eugene stated.
"Exactly." the kid nodded.
"So, the plan is we do this quietly." Rapunzel proposed, walking to the door. "We do not want a panic on our hands."
But when she opened it, there was already an angry mob gathered outside with anti-werewolf picket signs. Varian could see the livid faces even from afar and the cacophony of rage filled yells was pounding in his eardrum. The pace of the the kid's breathing started to accelerate and Eugene reacted quickly. The dark prince wrapped his arms around Varian with his boy's face buried in his chest as he rubbed his back to calm him down.
The princess quickly closed the door and braced her back against it to keep the mob out.
"Okay, we're gonna need a new plan." she said plainly.
Varian turned his face halfway and glanced at Rapunzel with the evident look of fear in his visible eye.
The group had gathered on the castle's front steps to confront the angry mob as they continued to shout above each other. Rapunzel stepped forward to quiet the storm. Varian knew that if anyone could deescalate a frightening situation like this, it would definitely be her.
"I know you've all heard the werewolf rumors, and I am here to tell you there is nothing to be afraid of." she declared calmly. "We have everything under control-"
Just then, Varian saw everything turn red and Rapunzel transform into a werewolf out of nowhere. The princess in her monstrous form then turned to face the boy who had a look of terror on his face, which became more prominent when he saw that Eugene and Lance were now werewolves too. The three monsters growled and snarled at the frightened alchemist as he backed away grabbing Angry and Red's hands.
"Let's go, guys! Come on!" Varian cried, pulling the girls along as the crowd around all warped into werewolves, swinging their claws.
The teen stepped dead in his tracks when he realized that the other kids were not holding his hands anymore. He turned around and was shocked to see that the girls also had werewolf faces.
"We're not going anywhere with you!" Red reviled at him.
"You don't belong with us!" Angry added in denouement.
"You're the real monster here!" her sister vilified.
It wounded Varian emotional to be scorned by the two kids that he finally thought understood him in some way. Eventually, he found himself backed up against the balcony railing, werewolf claws continuously swiping at him, barely missing his face. The child was bracing himself for the worst.
Just then, a bright blue light penetrated the nightmarish scene, drowning out the red and werewolves who all screeched in pain. Varian had his face shielded to protect him from going blind, unaware of his glowing blue hair. When he lowered his arms again, he found himself in a moonlit glade with white flowers all around. No red. No werewolves. The young alchemist saw that he was wearing his dream outfit again and finally noticed his hair had turned blue.
"Varian." a familiar voice called out to him. "Varian!"
"You, again." Varian breathed as the same feminine spirit appeared once more.
"The time has come for you to take the first step towards your destiny. The Lunar Triad must be completed." she told him.
"What do you mean? What do I have to do? What's the Lunar Triad?" the child asked.
"Don't worry. You will be guided to where you are supposed to be."
"But there's a werewolf around. What about that?"
"The wolf will not harm you. You have nothing to fear from the creature. She will help you.
"Help me how? Do you know who the wolf is?"
"You will learn the answer on your own in time. Now, are you ready to start your journey?"
"Yes, I am." Varian took the woman's hand and closed his eyes.
"Be brave, my child. Be very brave!" her voice echoed as the boy was swallowed in a white light.
Varian awoke with a start and his hair that was glowing blue and floating above his head, faded back to mostly black and feel down. He panted heavily as he processed the dream he just had.
Rather than go back to sleep, the teenage alchemist decided to go look for Rapunzel and tell her about his dream. He got out of bed and peeked in the princess's bedroom, but she wasn't in there. So, Varian went around, thinking that he would bump into her, but no such luck. Eventually, he went out to the castle's front balcony to get some fresh air.
All of a sudden, the boy heard a low grumbling sound and he frantically darted his eyes about to find the source. And that was when he saw it: a massive dog like creature with shaggy fur and blood red eyes. The alchemist's hair stripe glowed in the presence of the creature.
"Y-y-you're the w-wolf." Varian gasped in horror as the beast moved closer and closer.
He was so scared that it was going to eat him. The teen closed his eyes and turned his head away. That was when the wolf pressed its wet nose into his neck and started sniffing it.
"Hey! Stop it! That's tickles!" the boy laughed as he tried to pull away. But the wolf would let up. It even nuzzled Varian's face which tickled him some more.
And then, the beast scooped the kid up in its arms, cradling him like a baby. Soon, they both left the castle and the capital behind, heading for the forest on the mainland. They were moving so fast Varian feared that he would fall, but the little alchemist felt oddly safe in the wolf's hold. The creature slowed to a walking pace upon reaching the forest.
"What are we doing here?" the boy asked the wolf.
"You'll find out soon enough." a young feminine voice answered amongst the beast's rumbles.
Varian gasped when he heard the wolf speak to him.
"The woman from my dream was right. The wolf is a she." he thought. "But then, who exactly is she?"
As they continued to venture deeper into the woods, Varian was finding it hard to stay awake, try as he might. The warmth the wolf gave off felt like his Rapunzel's or even his mother's. And her fur was more comfy than of the castle's blankets. The child found himself yawning constantly as sleep was trying to call him back. And the moonbeams shimmering on his face only instigated his drowsiness.
"I shouldn't be out for too long. Rapunzel will be worried sick if she finds me missing..." Varian said through his yawns, his voice trailing off as he drifted off to sleep.
The wolf looked down at the slumbering alchemist in her arms. He had one hand in her fur while his face was partially hidden in it as he softly snored. Maybe it was best to head back. So the beast turned around and left the forest behind.
Varian was still deep in sleep when started hearing distant voices.
"He couldn't gone too far."
"Look! There he is!"
"Oh, thank the sun!"
The third voice drew closer and started urging him, "Varian, wake up. Wake up."
The boy opened his eyes and saw Rapunzel, Eugene, and Lance hovering over him as he laid on the front balcony. He let out a soft yawn as the princess sat him up.
"Oh, thank goodness." she said in relief, lightly hugging Varian. "We've been looking all over for you, sweetie. We were just about to send out a search party."
"What were you doing sleeping on the balcony?" Lance asked.
"Huh? This can't be right." the kid spoke, looking around. "I was just in the forest."
The three adults exchanged some confused glances were each other.
"Were you sleepwalking again, kid?" Eugene inquired.
"No. I was really in the forest. The werewolf abducted me and brought me there." Varian argued.
This raised concern among his friends. There was no way the werewolf would be bold enough to roam the capital.
"Are you sure you didn't just dream that you saw the wolf?" Rapunzel asked the child.
"I don't know. Maybe it was just a dream." he shrugged.
"Well, come on. We've got a werewolf to catch. Again, I've never said that before." the princess instructed with a chuckle as she guided Varian inside.
"But then again, it couldn't have been a dream, could it?" he thought to himself.
The boy looked back towards the mainland. So many questions were abuzz in his brain. Who was the werewolf? Why would she abduct him? Who was that voice in his dreams? What was the Lunar Triad? And most of all, would he ever find the answers?