Author's Note
Sorry for the long story, guys! I had this thought in my head when I drew Ruddiger and Varian yesterday and I thought it would be cute. I wasn't originally going to add a Quirin and Varian bonding scene, but I decided to keep it and build on their relationship a little bit, which is partly why it's so long. Just stick with me and you'll enjoy it! I promise!
Ruddiger scurried around Varian's room. "Ruddiger!" Varian cried, nearly tripping on him. "What are you doing?" He picked up the raccoon off the ground. Ruddiger squealed at him, then frowned.
"What's wrong, buddy?" Varian asked.
Ruddiger turned his head and motioned towards the ground. Varian chuckled. "Well, it can't be that important, right?" he asked as he put the raccoon on the table and bent down. He bumped his head on the table. "Ouch!"
He felt around the bottom of the table and pulled out an apple. "Oh, Ruddiger!" Varian said. Ruddiger smiled awkwardly and shrugged. Varian sighed. "Let me clean this off for you, buddy."
Varian cleaned off the apple, checking it after to make sure nothing stayed behind on it. Ruddiger waited patiently while Varian chopped it. "Hey, you know what?" Varian asked, glancing over his shoulder at Ruddiger. "I think I haven't told you the story of how we met."
Ruddiger made a cooing sound and tilted his head. "Hah, I was right!" Varian finished chopping the apple and chopped a few more. He put them on a plate and sat on the floor, next to Ruddiger. Ruddiger cooed happily and smiled at Varian.
"Well, I was twelve," Varian started, petting Ruddiger's head. "And it was just me and dad at the time."
"Varian!" Quirin called. "Varian!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Varian called back. Varian ran upstairs. "Yeah?"
"We have a rodent problem again," Quirin said, shoving a possum outside with a broom. It hissed at him.
"Well, our door is kind of old..." Varian mumbled.
"As much as I hate to agree with you," Quirin said, "we still need to handle this problem, or we'll have to move out."
"Move out?" Varian cried. "We can't move out!"
"Well, then I expect you to handle our rodent problem then, son," Quirin said.
"Really?" Varian asked, shocked. "Y-you want me to do it?"
"Who else has the brains, and heart," he finished shoving the possum outside and closed the door, "to think of something to help without hurting the animals?"
"Really, dad?" Varian exclaimed joyfully.
"Really," Quiring said, smiling. "I expect you to come up with something wonderful and easy to clean, though."
"Right away, dad!" Varian said, saluting.
Ruddiger cooed angrily. Varian chuckled. "Don't worry, bud, you're coming in." Ruddiger huffed and shoved an apple slice in his mouth.
Varian ran upstairs, practically taking them three at a time. Quirin asked him-HIM- to do something science-y for once, and actually wants him to do it! How exciting is this! Quirin never understands Varian's passion and studies, but he always supported him, even if things did get out of hand.
There are some things he told him to stay away from, but it was always out of the kindness of his heart. Varian knew it was to protect him, but he was always curious. His father grounded him from alchemy for a few weeks once for touching Flynntonian. Varian tried to tell him they could make fireworks from it, but since it practically blew up the house, and made him deaf for a few hours, Quirin told him to stay away from it, at least until he got older. He has a stash of Flynntonian in his room in a barrel, but, keeping his word, as much as he hates it, as stayed away from it.
Varian turned a light on over his desk. Varian's lab is filled with lanterns to keep it bright. Candles are a great light source, but they don't do much, unless you buy hundreds of them. Quirin makes candles sometimes when their stash gets low, but Varian isn't a big fan of candle light. The light flickers and it distracts him from his work.
Varian pulled out a long parchment and a pen and sat on the chair at the table. "Okay, let's see here," Varian muttered to himself. "Something easy to clean, doesn't hurt the animals, and wonderful..."
He paused and stared at the paper. "Wonderful...wonderful. How to make it wonderful?" He stared at the parchment for a while before he decided to start over and start with the main idea of the project. After a few moments, and rewritten ideas, he concluded with a sticky substance, which explodes on impact. Although exploding might be a bit too much. The house exploded last time with Flynntonian, and his dad wasn't too happy.
Okay, no explosions. What if it just expanded? Yeah, expanding might work. He scribbled out half of the writing on the parchment and began writing something next to it.
It ended with a sticky substance that expanded. Smoke would come out of it, but it wasn't anything deadly, more like a fog. As much as he tried, he couldn't get rid of the smoke without messing with the chemical makeup of the substance.
Using the substance would cause it to expand around the subject's feet, causing them to get stuck to the ground. Now, to make it wonderful...
He ran his hand through his hair and tapped the pen on the parchment. "Wonderful...wonderful...wonderful..." Varian muttered to himself. "I mean...it could use color. And maybe some sparkles?" He hesitated. "What's a good color? A color that isn't too stressful. Something calm and relaxing...to calm the animal's nerves down when they're caught."
He looked around his room, scanning for interesting colors. "Ooh! Blue!" He paused. "No, wait, blue's a sad color. Hmm, no that won't work. Yellow's too bright, it makes you happy. Red is too angry..." He finished scanning his room and came up with nothing. "Ugh! Why are colors so hard?" he cried. He threw his pencil on the table. He tapped his finger on his knee, his tapping progressively speeding up until he was too stressed.
"Dad!" Varian called. "I'm going out!"
"Okay, Varian!" Quirin cried. "Be back for dinner!"
Ruddiger interrupted him again with a angry coo. "Don't worry, Ruddiger!" Varian said, laughing. "I'm getting there! You have to be patient!" Ruddiger crossed his arms and huffed. Varian smiled and pet Ruddiger's head.
Varian walked outside and walked around Old Corona. He wanted to head to Corona but it would take too long to get there before dinner. Plus, his dad doesn't want him going by himself when he's twelve. He says there's thugs and ruffians. Varian whole heartedly believes him, he just wishes he can go to Corona. Corona might have more interesting things. He's only been there a few times.
Quirin goes once a month to gather supplies they need for a while. Recently, he's been taking Varian. Varian, as pleased as he is, can't go too far from his dad, and his father is very strict on staying where they need to be, to get the stuff they need.
Quirin did loosen up and said he could go to Corona if he had a partner to take with him. Varian would love to, although he doesn't have anyone to take. There aren't many kids in Old Corona and the one that do live there don't like him because they say 'he's the weird one.' Sure, Varian gets more time for his studies, which he does appreciate, although he would like to have some friends. And talking to his dad doesn't count. Like, kid friends his age. Quirin is like twenty years older than him, so it's hard to talk to him about the things he likes since he isn't into 'kid things,' as he calls them.
So, for now, until Varian gets a partner to take to Corona, he's stuck in Old Corona, which is usually really cloudy and kind of depressing.
Varian sat by a tree for a while, trying to find a color to use, but he came up with nothing. About two hours later, Varian decided to go home for dinner.
"How'd it go?" Quirin asked, setting up the table for dinner, when Varian walked in the door.
"Eh, I got most of it down," Varian replied. "I just need a color, and Old Corona is so boring. There's no colors anywhere!"
"Sorry, son," Quirin said.
Varian hinted at his father that he wanted to go to Corona. Now he has to wait to see if he picks it up. Varian sat down at his chair and waited for his dad to bring out the meal. "So...how was it here?"
"Just another possum and a rat," Quirin said. "I think the dinner attracted them."
"Probably," Varian replied.
They sat in silence for a while while they ate dinner. "Hey, uh," Quirin said. "How about we stop by Corona tomorrow?" Varian silently celebrated. "Why?" he asked coolly.
"Well, I figured, we are nearly out of oil and Corona has the biggest supply of oil, and...I figured it would be nice to get out of Old Corona for a bit. And if you happen to find any color inspiration there..."
Varian tried not to smile, but his dad considering his option, and his project, made him too overjoyed to hide it. "Really?" Varian exclaimed, smiling.
"Yeah, I mean, what could be so bad with leaving Old Corona for a bit. I mean, it's a little early but-"
"Thank you, dad!" Varian cheered, hugging him. Varian was in a better mood that night and finished dinner more eagerly, earning him a "Don't choke on your food, son," from his dad.
Varian woke the next morning in a much better mood than he's been in a while. "Today's a great day!" he told himself in the small mirror on his wall. "We're going to Corona, and I'll find a color for my Rodent Trap and dad is taking me early because he believes in me!" He smiled. "This is gonna be a great day!"
Corona is still missing their princess. The King and Queen have been in a little worse mood lately since it's nearly been eighteen years and she hasn't returned. However, despite this, they try to make Corona a peaceful and happy kingdom. Varian heard that it's the happiest of the seven kingdoms, but he doesn't know for sure. He's never been there, or even outside the Corona territory, but he believes the rumors.
"Dad!" Varian called. "Are we heading out?" Varian finished packing his bag, complete with a few chemicals for his Rodent Trap, the parchment, a pen, and a few extra chemicals, some he assumed he would need. He's hoping he packed them right.
"We have to eat breakfast first," Quirin said as Varian ran upstairs.
"Oh, right, yeah," Varian said, chuckling a little.
After breakfast, despite Varian's eagerness to go, Quirin insisted that Varian brush his teeth, while Quirin cleaned the dishes. Varian grumbled but he complied.
By the time Quirin was done, Varian was already done, again, and excited to go. "Slow down, Varian, please," Quirin said, as Varian ran ahead. "I get you like going to Corona but I can't run as fast as you."
"Sorry, dad," Varian said. He slowed down and started to watch the scenery. Quirin says it better to go to Corona in the summer. There's no ice and light snows, although it isn't much safer. He says that the thieves are out more often in the summer, which makes sense to Varian, honestly. Who wants to hide out in the snow and wait for innocent passerbys to rob them in the middle of a snowstorm.
They passed by a large tree with wanted posters of Flynn Ryder and his companions, the Stabington Brothers. Varian stared at the posters while he waited for his dad to catch up. "Hmm..." he said, staring at Flynn's poster. He covered the long, pointy nose with two fingers. "Oh, wow, geez. They really don't like him, do they?" he asked himself. He scoffed at the poster and followed his dad the rest of the way to Corona, enjoying the scenery.
"Hey, dad," Varian asked as they crossed a small brook. "What's that area over there?" He pointed at a group of large rocks covered with ivy. "That's just a group of rocks," Quirin said.
"It looks like there's an empty space back there," Varian said, looking back at the ivy. There is a small amount of light coming in through the ivy, but barely large enough to notice.
"Varian, it's just ivy covered rocks," Quirin said. "If we don't keep going, we'll never make it to Corona."
"Right, sorry!" Varian said, running to catch up with Quirin. They walked in silence for a little longer before Quirin stopped in front of Corona. "Here we are, Varian, Corona."
Varian inhaled deeply. "Smell that air!" he said. Quirin smiled at him. "Come on," he said. "Let's get some oil."
Varian happily walked behind his father. He scanned all the buildings for any color inspiration. "How about white?" he paused. "Hmm...no, that's not right. It'll get dirty too fast and plus, the chemicals to make it white aren't easy to clean." Varian stopped in front of a large bulletin with different posters, pictures, and announcements coming up. The wanted posters of Flynn Ryder and the Stabingtons are on there are well, with multiple, possibly five, posters of Flynn. "Hmm..." Varian said, looking at each one. "There has to be one somewhere..."
"Varian!" Quirin called somewhere up ahead.
"One second, dad!" Varian called.
Varian narrowed his eyes and examined each poster of Flynn Ryder. "Nope," he said, as he passed a few posters where his nose was drawn wrong. "Ah, no, they're all wrong!" Varian cried.
Varian sighed, and rejoined his dad, defeated. "What's wrong, Varian?" Quirin asked. "I thought you wanted to come to Corona."
"I do!" Varian exclaimed. "It's just...oh, never mind."
"Come on, you can tell me, son," Quirin said.
"I'm trying to find the perfect poster of Flynn Ryder," Varian replied. "And I've always come up empty." Quirin smiled. "You'll find it one day, son," he said, putting his hand on Varian's shoulder.
"Thanks, dad," Varian said, smiling.
While Quirin talked with the oil store keep, Varian stood outside, examining the building, clothes, and anything else for the perfect color. Each one came up terribly, and then when he thought he found one, the chemicals would mess with it's makeup and mess up the Rodent Trap.
"Okay, son, ready to go?" Quirin asked, coming outside with a box of oil.
"No, wait!" Varian said. "I haven't found the color." Quirin paused for a moment, then smiled. "I'll give you five minutes. We can't be here too long. It's a while to get back." Quirin wandered off to another shop keep and started talking with him too, staying near Varian, and giving him time to scan for colors.
Varian, knowing five minutes wasn't long enough, quickly scanned for another color. Quirin came back shortly and urged Varian to come home. Varian was disappointed, and sighed dejectedly. "Did you find your color?" Quirin asked.
"No," Varian said sadly. "Every time I came close, I couldn't get the color without making it messy."
Quirin frowned. "I'm sorry, son," he said. "But there's no rush to finish. I can handle the rodents with our broom for a while. It's no big deal."
Quirin had no clue how much this meant to Varian. His father, after all this time of not understanding him, asked him to do something smart for him. This meant the world to Varian! He just has to find the right color. It has to be perfect.
"Hey, make sure you get some sleep tonight, son," Quirin said. "I know you like pulling off all-nighters."
"Yeah, don't sweat it," Varian said. "I'll get some sleep."
"Good," Quirin said. "You know you staying up all night worries me."
"Yeah, sorry," Varian said.
Varian stopped in front of another tree, his father walking ahead of him. Varian sighed. This day ended terribly, but, maybe he can fix it. Maybe he can find a great poster of Flynn Ryder and make the day better. Maybe, if he turns around right now, there'll be the perfect poster of Flynn Ryder and he can go home, knowing he accomplished one thing.
Varian turned around, his eyes closed, and faced the tree. "Okay, when I open my eyes, there will be the perfect Flynn Ryder poster and I can take it home and be happy and stress free, and maybe, get a good night's sleep!" Varian encouraged himself. "One...two...three!" He opened his eyes and looked at the tree.
There are three posters of both Flynn Ryder and the Stabingtons, but none of them have the perfect nose. "Dang it!" Varian cried.
"Varian?" Quirin asked, coming back up around a tree. "Oh, there you are! Don't do that!"
"Sorry," Varian said. "Let's go." Varian trudged along, nearly dragging his feet.
Quirin has seen Varian this upset before, but it hasn't been in a while. The last time he's been this sad was when he grounded Varian from his alchemy for a few weeks when he blew up the house with his Flynntonian. Maybe he pushed him too hard. Maybe it's his fault again. "Varian?" Quirin asked.
"Yeah?" Varian said, depressed. It's worse than it looks. Varian didn't even look up from the ground. "I, uh, I'm sorry if I pushed you, son. I just-"
"No, dad, it's not your fault," Varian said.
"No, listen," Quirin said. "I pushed you too hard. I thought a trip to Corona might relax your nerves, and maybe feel like you weren't pressured, but I pushed you too hard, and I'm sorry. I'm trying to be a good father, and I feel like, sometimes that's hard if I don't understand this alchemy stuff. But I am trying, and I want you to know that. You don't have to do anything with the rodents. I'm sorry."
"No, dad, really, it's not your fault!" Varian said. "It's mine!"
"Son, please," Quirin said.
"No, dad," Varian said. "Listen! It's my fault! You've never understood alchemy and science, but you've always supported me in it. And I get it, you want me to be safe. So when you asked me to make something to stop the rodents from coming in, I was excited! I mean, you never asked me to do anything like that before! So I wanted to make it the best for you! So I'm sorry! I let you down because I can't make what you asked."
Varian threw his bag on the ground and sat down. Quirin put the crate down, frowning, and sat next to his son, wrapping his arm around him. "Varian, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to put so much pressure on yourself. I didn't realize that asking you to do you science thing-"
"Alchemy."
"'Alchemy...' meant so much to you. I just don't want you to work yourself too hard." Varian sniffled and moved closer to Quirin. "How about this," Quirin started, "we go home for today, and then we can come back to Corona once every two weeks?"
"R-really?" Varian asked quietly, wiping his eyes.
"Yeah, and we can start it by coming back tomorrow," Quirin said. "We can explore instead of coming for supplies instead."
"You would do that?" Varian asked.
"To make you feel better, yes," Quirin said. "I don't like seeing you put so much pressure on yourself, son."
Varian smiled a little. "Thanks, dad," he said, hugging him. Quirin smiled. "Ready to go home?" he asked.
"Yeah, let's go."
Quirin and Varian used the time they had back home to relax and be in each other's company. Quirin felt like some father-son-bonding was overdue, and insisted on playing with his son. Varian preferred he used 'hang out,' over playing, as not to get embarrassed by the other kids, and Quirin had no complaints.
The next day, Varian was in a much better mood, and happy to see Corona again. Quirin had to clean the house of rodents before leaving, but they used the day to see Corona, Varian still searching for the perfect color. He didn't find it, but instead, enjoyed exploring Corona with his father.
"Varian," Quirin whispered to Varian in the morning. They had returned home after their exploration, and for once, Varian went straight to bed. "Varian!" he whispered, a little more excitement in his voice.
"Yeah, dad?" Varian asked, rolling over in his bed.
"I've got a surprise for you, but you need to get up first," Quirin said.
"Okay, give me five minutes," Varian said, rolling back over.
More than five minutes passed, but Varian met his father upstairs. "There you are, son!" Quirin cheered. "I've got two things to tell you. One, I've handled the rodent problem for a little while." He pointed at the door. The bottom of the door is sealed with a few horribly nailed planks of wood. "Heh," Varian said, chuckling.
"And the second thing," Quirin said, reaching his hand behind him. "Some of the guards from Corona stopped by Old Corona this morning and hung a bunch of those Flynn posters up, and guess what?" He smiled seeing Varian's smile widen. "I got the perfect one for you!"
Quirin removed his hand and held up the Flynn Ryder poster. This one looks just like all the others, except his nose. His nose is perfectly sculpted and flat, looking just like a normal nose. And, better yet, it's just like the nose that Flynn Ryder actually has. Varian never told Quirin, but he saw Flynn Ryder before, jumping from building to building, and landing in front of him. Flynn Ryder winked at him and shushed him before taking off again. When the guards questions him, he was too stunned to speak.
"Dad!" Varian cheered. "This is wonderful!" Varian accepted the poster from his father. "It's perfect! Thank you!" Quirin smiled. "Of course, son. Now go have fun."
Varian beamed and hugged the poster. He ran downstairs, in a much better mood than before.
Varian looked at his parchment. He continued to stare at it as he hung Flynn's poster on his wall. "Hmm, wait a second," Varian said, coming back over to the parchment. "This isn't right." Varian corrected some of the math on his parchment. Then, he tapped the parchment with the pen. "This'll work. Yeah, this'll work!"
Varian beamed and began gathering his chemicals. Varian boiled a yellow liquid, watching it carefully, and twisting a little nozzle above the fire. Varian changed his gloves for thicker ones, grabbed the beaker carefully, and poured it into another, larger beaker. He pulled a green liquid out of his freezer and mixed the entire beaker in with the small yellow liquid, putting his goggles on.
The mixture turned blue, then white, and a light, harmless smoke rose from it. He put a pipette in it and squeezed a small bit of it onto a small tray. He pushed the tray under a small, bendy pipe, above a small fire, which he turned on. The fire pushed the small mixture drop up the pipe and into a circular mold, boiling the mixture the whole way through. Varian watched as it squeezed out of the pipe and into the mold. Varian turned the fire off and put the mold in the freezer.
Just as the door closed, there came a scurrying sound behind him. "Hmm?" Varian asked, turning around. "Hello?" He walked closer to the darkness of his room and turned on a lantern.
A small raccoon hissed at him, making Varian scream. The little raccoon ran back upstairs, Varian recovering and chasing it. "Aha! Gotcha!" Quirin said, holding the little raccoon away from himself.
"How'd it get in here?" Varian asked.
"I don't know," Quirin said. "It's going outside now." Varian opened the door and Quirin gently tossed the raccoon outside. Varian quickly closed the door, and returned downstairs.
Varian pulled the small orbed mixture out of the freezer a few hours later and held it up, to the light. It's a smoky grey color, with small little bubbles rising up from where his fingers touched it. He tested the durability by squeezing it lightly. It didn't burst. "Hey, dad?" Varian said, walking upstairs with the orb in his hand. "Dad! I...I think I got it!"
"You did?" Quirin asked.
"I think so. I-I haven't tested it yet, but if my calculations are correct, then it should create a sticky substance that traps anyone inside of it."
"How about cleaning?" Quirin asked.
"Well, these should work," Varian said, holding up a yellow ball.
"Isn't that the thing you use for the dishes?" Quirin asked.
"Yes," Varian replied. "But it should work. Mind if I test it?"
"Go ahead," Quirin said, moving away from Varian in case it exploded. Varian pulled a chair closer to the door.
Varian tossed the little, grey ball at the horribly nailed plank of wood at the bottom of the door. It exploded in harmless smoke. When it cleared, the bottom of the door was sealed shut with a large, grey, goopy substance.
"Now, for the test," Varian said, satisfied. He tugged at the chair. He started pulling at it before he gave up. "I...I can't believe it...It worked..." Varian's smile grew larger. "It worked!" Varian moved away from the door and threw the yellow ball at the sticky substance at the door. The grey goo melted in yellow where the ball touched it, removing the chair. Varian threw two more yellow balls at the goo, completely evaporating it. "Dad! It worked!" Varian cheered.
"Good job, son!" Quirin smiled. "I knew you could do it."
"I'll go make more!" Varian exclaimed, running downstairs.
Varian instantly began a quick production of the Rodent Traps. Varian sighed, satisfied, when he got the last batch in the freezer, and sat down on his chair. He stared at the wall with Flynn's poster.
There came a loud crash behind him, and a cloud of pink smoke exploded. Varian coughed and opened his window, fanning the pink smoke outside.
He turned on more lanterns and found the small raccoon in his room again. "You again?" he cried. "Hey!" It took off upstairs again. Varian chased it and grabbed it this time. "How do you keep getting in here?" He tossed the raccoon outside, gently, again, and closed the door.
Varian went back downstairs to see his entire room covered in pink, sparkly dust. "Ugh, that raccoon blew up my room. And in pink! The nerve of that raccoon!" Varian used his yellow ball and cleaned up his room, evaporating all the pink dust. Varian grumbled, and pocketed the rest of the yellow balls. He gasped. "Wait a minute! Pink!" He ran to the table and picked up a vile of pink liquid. "That's perfect! And it won't mess up the chemical makeup!"
Varian made one more batch of Rodent Traps and used the pipette to put some pink, sparkly liquid inside the liquid balls after they were squeezed into the mold. He shoved those in the freezer.
The next day, Varian put the traps into action. He decided to call them Sticky Bombs. He set up a mechanic that went off after there was some sort of movement, that would toss the Sticky Bombs at the subject and stick them to the ground. Varian, however, would have to free them himself, so they would be trapped for a while, but it would work perfectly. The next step is testing it.
Varian set up a string, which activates a wind device, that allows the little wooden boat on wheels to move. That lights up, brushing against a piece of wood above the boat, boiling a beaker with the pink Sticky Bomb liquid, shooting it down a pipe, filling up a glass ball and tossing at at them subjects, trapping them. Quirin went out for the day, so Varian could set up what he needed to activate the trap.
Varian sat in the dark, with the light of a few candles, and waited. Varian started falling asleep waiting before he heard the boiling of the Sticky Bomb liquid. Varian rubbed his eyes and looked at the ground, to see a herd of possum and that small raccoon again. "Aha! Got you!" Varian cheered. He stood from his chair, knocking it over, and walking over to the rodents. There was no pink, as he decided to use the grey, smoky ones first. Some of the possum were biting at the good before they stopped. "Yeah, that doesn't taste too good," Varian said, letting them out one at a time, and putting them back outside.
Varian picked up the raccoon last and paused. "Hey, there, little guy. You're hurt." The raccoon hissed at Varian. "Hey, hey, it's okay," Varian said calmly. "It's okay." Varian gently lifted up the small raccoon and carried it into the restroom. "Easy, there," Varian said calmly, as he put the raccoon on the sink counter.
The raccoon hissed at him, tried to run, and fell. Varian pulled out some rubbing alcohol from the medicine closet, a cotton ball, a roll of gauze, and replaced his gloves with the thick ones for burning the chemicals.
"Easy, there," Varian said quietly and he slowly reached for the raccoon. He stopped when it hissed at him. "Hey, hey, it's okay," Varian said, putting both his hands up. "It's okay. I'm just going to help you, okay?" The raccoon stared at him skeptically, but stopped hissing.
Varian slowly reached for the raccoon's foot and dabbed the cotton ball on the rubbing alcohol. "This is going to hurt, okay?" Varian said to the raccoon. "It'll be done fast, I promise."
The raccoon narrowed its eyes at Varian, hissed once, stayed silent, and put its ears down. "There you go, it's okay," Varian said. Varian reached for the raccoon's foot with the cotton ball, inhaled deeply, and subconsciously held his breath as he quickly dabbed the raccoon's foot. The raccoon screeched, tried to fight him, bit at his glove a few times, and stopped when its teeth did nothing to him. Varian tossed the cotton ball aside and quickly wrapped up the raccoon's foot with the gauze. "It's okay, it's okay," Varian said, ending the gauze and tying it off.
"See?" Varian said, letting go of the raccoon's foot. "See? All better! You'll feel better in no time!" Varian picked up the cotton ball from the ground and tossed it into the trash. Varian carefully reached for the raccoon and carried him to the kitchen table. "You hungry, little guy?" he asked. The raccoon hissed at Varian.
Varian stared at it for a moment before he smiled. "I'll take that as a yes." Varian raided the cupboards, trying to find something good for the raccoon to eat. He knows raccoons eat anything and everything, but this one's hurt. Eating something healthy will help it recover.
Varian found nothing good in the cupboards and walked over to the fridge. He kept occasionally glancing back at the raccoon to make sure it stayed and didn't mess anything up. "Aha! How about this?" Varian asked, holding up an apple. "You want this, little guy?" Varian sliced a piece off and handed it to the raccoon. The raccoon stared at it skeptically, before snatching it and smelling it. It hesitantly ate it, seemingly enjoying it after a little. Varian sliced off another piece of the apple and handed it to the raccoon. "See? Isn't that better?" Varian asked. "Eating healthy always help you hear faster!"
The raccoon stuck its tongue out and snatched the next apple slice. Varian finished slicing up the apple and put the slices on the table. The raccoon ate them all and then happily cooed. "That's better, huh, little guy?" Varian asked. He looked at it. "Your fur's kinda messy."
The raccoon hissed at him. "Hey, hey, it's okay!" Varian said reassuringly. "It's okay." He picked it up again and brought it into the bathroom. "Here, let's try this." Varian continued to hold the raccoon, pulling it a little closer to himself, being careful not to antagonize the raccoon, and grabbed his hairbrush. "This is gonna take a while to clean, but you need to be brushed, little guy," Varian said. Varian sat on the edge of the tub, put the raccoon in his lap, and held up the hairbrush, so the raccoon could smell it.
The raccoon sniffed it, pushed it away, and stared at Varian. "Sorry, little guy. This'll help."
Varian gently touched the raccoon with his hairbrush, causing the raccoon to flinch, but nothing more. Varian brushed its fur, ending with its tail. "See?" Varian said, smiling, holding up the raccoon to the mirror. "Better! Don't you think?"
The raccoon cooed happily. "Okay, little guy. I gotta get you back out there." The raccoon hissed at him. "Hey! Don't do that! It's better for you!" It hissed again. "No, you're going back out there, and you can't stop me."
Varian walked over to the door and opened it, seeing Quirin's face. "Aah! Dad!" Varian cried. Quirin looked at Varian, then the raccoon, and then glared at Varian. "Care to explain?"
"Dad, it's not what it looks like!" Varian tried.
"It looks like you're holding a raccoon with your science gloves and your clothes are battered," Quirin replied, sarcastically.
"Dad, I was just letting it back outside," Varian explained. "I just bandaged its leg and gave it an apple and brushed its fur and then I was just about to let it outside."
"I sure hope you hadn't grown attached to it," Quirin said.
"No! No! Of course not!" Varian said. He put the raccoon on the floor outside and pushed it along. The raccoon looked at Varian and ran off. Quirin walked inside the house. "Uh, dad, watch out for the string!" Varian warned quickly. "I was testing the Sticky Bombs."
"'Sticky Bombs?'" Quirin repeated, stepping over the string.
"Yeah, that's what I called the Rodent Trap," Varian replied.
"Ah, okay, I get it," Quirin said.
Varian went to go clean his brush a little later. The raccoon seemed hesitant of him, but yet, it didn't mind him helping it. Maybe it was warming up to him?
Varian and Quirin woke up from the sound of a crash and a glittery sounding puff. Varian had removed the temporary solution Quirin had thought of for the rodents since his was more effective, and in better condition than the nails and wood he used. Maybe more animals got into the house again. Varian rubbed his eyes and hoped he was just hearing things, until he heard possum screeching from upstairs.
Varian and Quirin both went to the doorway to see a group of possums, the same ones from before, and the raccoon again. "Well, at least your...Sticky Bombs...are working," Quirin said.
"Yeah," Varian said, yawning. "Eventually, they'll learn not to come in, or al least slow down." Varian opened the door, tossed the yellow ball at them, picked up the possums and put them outside. Quirin yawned and picked up the raccoon. "Hey, dad, wait!" Varian said.
"What?" Quirin said.
"It's the raccoon from before!" Varian said.
"How can you tell?" Quirin asked, moving the raccoon away from himself.
"Look at his leg! I bandaged it up yesterday." Varian grabbed the raccoon from his dad. "How's this looking, little guy?" Varian unwrapped the bandages. The raccoon's leg is no longer bleeding, and closed up, but his fur hasn't grown back yet. "Hey, look at that," Varian said. "You're a persistent little guy, aren't you?"
"Varian," Quirin said. "Put it outside."
Varian rolled his eyes and put the raccoon outside. "See you, little guy." Varian closed the door.
Within the next few days, Varian's Sticky Bombs went off once a day. Each time, it was the same possum family, and the raccoon. After three days of this repeated process, the possums stopped showing up, learning they can't get inside anymore. However, the raccoon continued to be stuck each time in Varian's Sticky Bomb trap. Even on those days he was out of the house with his father.
Quirin was started to get annoyed with the raccoon's persistence. Varian began to grow attached to it, with its courage, persistence, and its perseverance. Even after Quirin threw it out the house a few times after Varian freed it.
This time, Varian got it before his dad could. "Dad, can we talk, please?" Varian asked, holding the raccoon, carefully. It is still a wild animal after all. "If it's about the raccoon, I don't want to hear it," Quirin said.
"Dad, please," Varian said. "Just listen to me!" Quirin sighed and crossed his arms. "Dad, I was thinking. You won't let me go to Corona unless I have a partner. And none of the very few kids here like me because, you'll never guess this, I'm 'the weird one.'" Quirin opened his mouth but said nothing as Varian continued.
"I've been doing my studied because I don't have any friends! That's why I've never gone to Corona! Maybe, since this raccoon keeps coming back, maybe he can be a pet?"
"Varian, consider things!" Quirin said. "What about its parents?"
"I did consider his parents!" Varian replied. "I've watched him run off from our house and there was never a group of raccoons waiting for him. He never ran back to anyone but right up a tree! His fur was a mess when he first got in here, and he was starving! I think he's alone!"
"But, its still a wild animal," Quirin stated.
"Yes, I know, dad, but he's warmed up to me, and I to him," Varian argued. "I think we could be friends. I mean, he's still a baby. He can't really protect himself out there too well, especially if he's not eating well."
"Varian," Quirin said.
"No, dad, you don't get it!" Varian replied. "I grew attached to him. He kept coming back, and even after you threw him out. I mean, he's never attacked you or me. He could grow used to people. He can be my partner when I go to Corona!" Quirin stayed silent. Varian is right. He's never had any friends, even when he was younger. The kids always thought he was weird. It would be great if he could have a friend. It's what Quirin's always wanted.
Quirin inhaled deeply. "Okay, son," he said, earning s small smile from his son. "You can keep the raccoon on two conditions. You raise it to be respectful, and so that it likes people. If I ever find out its attacked anyone for no reason, if he wasn't defending you, then you have to get rid of him. Understand?"
Varian cleared his throat. "Yes, dad," he said coolly, before his act broke. "Thank you, dad! You won't regret this!"
"I hope not," Quirin muttered. "What are you going to call it?"
"Hmm..." Varian said, holding up the baby raccoon. "Ruddiger."
Ruddiger jumped up and down, excitedly. "Yep, that's right, buddy. Dad let me keep you and you were my first friend. And after that, well, I made more." Ruddiger's ears went down and he grumbled. Varian laughed. "Don't worry, buddy. You'll always be my best friend. No need to get jealous. You can share, right?"
Ruddiger hesitated, then nodded. "There you go!" Ruddiger climbed up on Varian's shoulder. "Now let's go see Rapunzel. She wants me to help with a few designs for a party at the palace." Ruddiger cooed happily. "Yeah, I love you too, buddy."