Eugene ran into the palace, not speaking to anyone. "Hey, uh, is Captain okay?" Stan asked.
"How am I supposed to know?" Pete asked.
"Well, he usually talks to us on the way in," Stan said.
"He was in a bit of a hurry," Pete said. "Maybe something is wrong?"
"Max!" Eugene cried. "Max! I need you!"
Max ran up to him, stopped, then neighed. "Max, let's go!" Eugene cried. He hopped onto Max's back as the horse ran out of the palace. "To Old Corona!"
Max neighed a response.
If only he had been there to do something. Varian would've have had to stab himself. Varian wouldn't have had to deal with Zhan Tiri on his own. Varian is brave. Varian's braver then him. And he's only sixteen. If...if this works, if the flower can heal him, then Eugene will tell Varian just how much he means to him. How much it means to be on Team Awesome.
Eugene ran into Varian's house. Quirin wasn't there so it made things easier, so he didn't have to explain anything. Eugene ran downstairs and into Varian's lab. "Where is it? Where is it?" he asked. He moved beakers and test tubes out of the way. One ball fell and exploded in pink, but it was too far for Eugene to really take any notice of it. It's just his sticky bombs anyway. The one he uses for his rodent problems.
Eugene shuffled around in his lab for a few minutes. "Where is it?" he cried. He slammed his hand onto the table. "I can't do this. Not like this," he muttered. "Not like this. I don't want to lose him."
Eugene sat in silence for a moment. "Flower gleam and glow," he started singing. The healing incantation has to make it react. "Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine." There came a small, faint, golden glow from the other corner of the room.
Eugene began walking towards it. "Heal what has been hurt. Change the fates design. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine. What once...was mine..." The flower began to glow brightly. "Thank goodness," Eugene sighed.
He grabbed a pot in the corner and carefully pulled out the Sundrop. He placed it inside, along with some dirt from the garden. "Okay, flower, let's go heal."
Eugene climbed back onto Max's back. "Hah! Go on, Max! Back to Corona! And make it quick!"
Eugene leaned forward, cradling the flower in his arm, while holding onto Max's reigns. Max neighed and began running at his fastest.
Eugene and Max made it back to Corona. Max's speed took a few hours on both trips, but Eugene hoped that it wasn't too long. Rapunzel's there helping Varian. She has to have put something on his wounds, even just if its wrapped up. Anything she could do could help.
Eugene burst through the doors. "I have it! How's he doing?"
"Eugene, he's..." Rapunzel said, holding back tears.
"He's not dead...right?" Eugene asked. "Please tell me he's not dead."
"Not...not quite..." Varian said, at practically a whisper.
"Varian!" Rapunzel cheered. "Thank goodness!"
"Did...did you...get the..." Varian tried.
"The flower?" Eugene asked. "It's right here."
He held up the pot. The Sundrop is small, with small petals, and purple spots on the edges of the petals, and in the center of the flower. "G-good..." Varian said. He coughed.
"What do we do, kid?" Eugene asked, kneeling.
"T-take a petal..." Varian whispered, "and...and s-smash...it...turn it into...d-dust..."
Pascal walked over with a bowl in his hands and placed it on the ground. Eugene used tweezers to pull off a single petal, and stuck it in the bowl. Eugene shuffled through Varian's bag to find something flat to squish the petal with. The only thing he could find was an empty test tube. "Hang in there, Varian," Rapunzel said quietly. "Please, we're-we're almost done."
"Okay...what now?" Eugene asked. Varian reached for the bowl, tapping it with his fingers. Eugene pushed it back up before he knocked the dust out. "Varian, please, tell us what to do," Eugene said.
"Varian," Rapunzel said, putting her hand on his face. "Varian, hang in there, please. What do we do?"
"You...you need to...to m-m-mix it..." Varian tried, only to be followed by gentle coughing.
"Mix it with what?" Rapunzel asked, softly. "What do we do, Varian?"
Ruddiger cooed and walked next to Varian. He rolled into a ball above his head, avoiding the blood stain on the ground. "Mix...mix it with..." Varian lost his thought and reached for the bowl again. Eugene pushed it closer to him. Varian grabbed it with a weak grip and held the bowl over his stomach.
Eugene carefully grabbed the bowl from Varian and started spreading the dust on Varian's wound. Varian seemed pleased and put his hand back down. "Now what?" Eugene asked, trying to keep his voice steady. "Varian...please..."
"R-Rapunzel..." Varian said, moving his other hand away from his wound. "You...you have...the S-Sun...drop in y-you..."
"Yeah, I know," Rapunzel said, her voice becoming shaky.
"You...you need to..." Varian tried. Varian reached his hand out to Eugene. "Eugene..."
"Varian, please..." Eugene replied silently, grabbing Varian's hand.
"Eugene...I'm...I'm s-sorry..." Varian continued.
"No, Varian, I'm sorry. I...I couldn't help you..." Tears started forming in Eugene's eyes.
"You...did help...Eugene..." Varian replied. He turned his head to Rapunzel, in the best of his ability. "Rapunzel...you...you'll know w-what to...to do..."
"I-I don't," Rapunzel said. "I don't."
"You'll...know..." Varian said, smiling.
Ruddiger cooed softly, and nudged Varian's arm. "Heh...h-hey, buddy..." Varian whispered. "T-take care of d-dad f-for...for me..."
Eugene grabbed Varian's hand tighter, only for it to go limp. "V-Varian? Varian, please. Please don't go."
Varian didn't answer. "Eugene...is he...?" Rapunzel asked. Eugene closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "Varian...please..."
"Varian..." Rapunzel cried, quietly. Ruddiger cooed softly, then nudged Varian's arm, pushing it up a little with his nose. "I'm sorry, buddy..." Eugene whispered. "He's...he's gone..."
Ruddiger cooed, then sat in a ball near Varian's head again. "Eugene..." Rapunzel said. "He wanted me to know something. S-something with the...the flower dust."
Eugene didn't reply. If he said anything, he'd probably break down. "W-what do you think he meant?" Eugene hesitated. He needs to keep it together. For Rapunzel. For...Varian. "I...I don't know, Rapunzel," he replied.
Rapunzel brushed Varian's hair out of his eye. Pascal walked over to Eugene, dragging Varian's goggles on the ground. He put them down and squeaked. Eugene took his eyes off of Varian, turning his attention to Pascal. Pascal squeaked silently, then pushed the goggles closer to him.
Eugene grabbed them with his free hand. One of the lenses, the right lens, is broken, and the strap is battered, but it's not torn. Eugene pulled the goggles closer. "Varian..." he whispered.
"Flower gleam and glow..." Rapunzel started singing. "Let your...power shine. Make...the clock reverse...bring back what once...was mine..."
The dust began to glow faintly. Small specks of light fluttered off before vanishing, almost instantly. "Heal...what has been hurt..." Rapunzel continued. "Change the fates...design. Save what has been lost...bring back what once...was mine...What once...was mine..."
They both waited in pained hope. The flower's glow began to fade. "Rapunzel..." Eugene said.
"It...it didn't...work..." Rapunzel said. "Varian..." she began whispering, "I'm sorry."
Tears fell from Rapunzel's cheeks. "Eugene...I'm sorry...I-I don't know what else to do." Eugene put his hand down, but he left his hand on Varian's. "Blondie...it's...it's okay," Eugene said. "We tried. That's all we can do..."
"Y-yeah, but..." Rapunzel said cried, "he's...he's just a kid. He-he didn't deserve this!"
Eugene put Varian's goggles down and put his hand on her cheek. "Rapunzel...it's okay." Rapunzel broke down. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she couldn't hold them back. "Eugene...I'm sorry. I...I didn't want this to happen...I...I wanted...I'm sorry!"
Eugene put his other hand on Rapunzel's shoulder. "Blondie, if you cry, I'm gonna cry, and it's not gonna be a pretty cry..." Eugene said. Rapunzel didn't answer, and instead, sobbed harder, wiping her eyes. Eugene started crying. "Rapunzel, I told you...it won't be a pretty cry!"
Eugene and Rapunzel both began crying, making Ruddiger cry as well. Pascal pat Ruddiger, lying down next to him. "Varian...I'm sorry..." Rapunzel cried.
The flower dust began glowing, mixing with Rapunzel's tears. Pascal squeaked and tapped Rapunzel's cheek with his tail. Pascal squeaked again, then pointed at the dust on Varian's wound. "Blondie! Look!" Eugene exclaimed, pointing at the dust glowing faintly, and wiping his eyes with his wrists.
Rapunzel recovered enough to see, then looked down at Varian. The glow started to fade. "Rapunzel, do it again!"
"What cry?" Rapunzel asked.
"No, the song!" Eugene replied.
Rapunzel sniffled, and tried to hold back more tears while she sang the healing incantation. Rapunzel's tears mixed with the Sundrop dust and began to glow. It was a faint glow, but it was bright enough. Pascal squeaked happily, then ran over to Ruddiger, tapping him with his foot. Ruddiger pushed Pascal away, angrily grumbling at him, before Pascal came back and did it again. This time, Ruddiger looked up, and Pascal pointed at Varian.
Rapunzel finished the incantation. The Sundrop dust on Varian's wound sank into his body. A small flower shape emerged from Varian's wound. "It looks just like the one when I healed you!" Rapunzel cheered. "We did it!"
Eugene sniffled and smiled. He pulled Rapunzel in a tight hug. "I knew you could do it, Rapunzel!" he whispered.
The flower pattern around him dissipated. Eugene, Rapunzel, Pascal and Ruddiger waited for anything. A sign of movement, a cough, anything. There came nothing. "Wait..." Rapunzel said. "W-what happened?"
"Didn't this work last time?" Eugene asked, a hint of desperation in his voice.
"It...it did...but...I don't know what happened. I don't know why it didn't work! Eugene...I'm...I'm sorry!"
Rapunzel stood up. "I..." She wiped off more tears and walked into the corner of the room. "Varian..." Eugene said. "Varian, kid...wake up, please..."
Varian's finger moved, lightly. He slid his hand across the ground, then stopped in front of Eugene's hand. Eugene put his hand back onto Varian's again. "Kid...please..." Eugene whispered. "I...I can't do this without you..."
Varian's finger's twitched, then gripped Eugene's hand, lightly. Eugene looked down at his hand, seeing Varian's fingers wrapped around his hand. He pulled his hand up, Varian's coming with it. "R-Rapunzel! Rapunzel! He's okay!" Eugene cheered, tears in his eyes.
Rapunzel walked over, tears still in her eyes. "Eugene, you better not be pulling my leg."
"I'm not!" Eugene cheered, putting hand back down. "Look!" He put his hand up again, Varian's still holding on. Rapunzel let out a small gasp, covering her mouth. Pascal cheered, squeaking, and danced around with Ruddiger.
"Varian?" Rapunzel asked, kneeling down on the ground. "Varian, are you okay?"
Varian didn't answer. It took a few moments, but he did stir. He moved his arm, gripped Eugene's hand tighter, then coughed. "Varian!" Rapunzel cheered.
"Kid!" Eugene exclaimed, tears in his eyes again. "Kid, I'm so glad you're okay!"
"Did...did it work?" Varian asked.
"It worked, Varian," Rapunzel said, smiling.
"That's good," Varian said. "I was afraid it wasn't going to."
"What?" Eugene asked. "You rascal!"
"Why wouldn't it have worked?" Rapunzel asked, concerned.
"It's so small," Varian replied, looking at Rapunzel. "I was afraid that, because of it's size, it wouldn't even work. It feels like it didn't work all the way..."
"You're not fully healed?" Rapunzel asked.
"No, not quite," Varian winced. "I'm in excruciating pain..."
"Here," Eugene said, helping Varian stand. "Better?"
"Yeah, kinda," Varian winced. "I think I need to get this checked."
"Well, you're not bleeding out," Rapunzel noted.
"Definitely a good thing!" Eugene exclaimed.
"What?" Varian asked.
"Oh, nothing," Eugene said. "Oh! Here!"
Eugene handed Varian to Rapunzel. Rapunzel stumbled for a second before regaining her balance and keeping Varian up. Eugene picked up Varian's goggles from the ground. "It's, uh, a little broken."
"I can fix it," Varian smiled. "Can you hold onto it?" Varian put his hand against his stomach.
"Yeah, sure," Eugene said, putting it on his head. Even though he has a matching pair, it feels different. Wearing Varian's goggles. They feel worn down, but still sturdy and in good shape. "They look good on you, Eugene!" Rapunzel cheered.
They walked outside of Feldspar's shop. "You guys are okay!" Feldspar cheered. "What happened?"
"Some...things," Rapunzel said.
"Uh, sorry about your store," Eugene said. A chunk of the wall fell down, breaking against the floor. Eugene and Varian winced from the sound. "Don't worry, the royal family will pay for your repairments," Rapunzel said, smiling awkwardly.
Eugene and Rapunzel quickly pulled Varian away from the shop, Ruddiger and Pascal following. "Max!" Eugene cheered. "Take Varian to the palace! And Bring Blondie! I'll follow you in a moment."
"What are you doing?" Rapunzel asked, holding Varian up.
"I have to get that Sundrop from Feldspar's shop," Eugene replied.
"Good call," Varian said. "Mind helping me up?"
Even with Max ducked down, Eugene and Rapunzel struggled helping Varian onto his back. They did eventually get him up, Rapunzel climbing on behind him. "We'll meet you at the castle, Eugene. The nurses will take care of Varian."
Eugene met back up in the castle. He took the Sundrop, stealthily, his thieving skills came in handy with hiding it from people, and met Varian in the recovery room. There was no one in there, besides Varian, which is the first time it's been empty in a while. "Varian?" Eugene asked.
"I'm over here," Varian replied.
Eugene walked over to Varian, the Sundrop in his hands. "I, uh, I got the flower back." Eugene held it up. "What do you want me to do with it." Varian looked at it. "Well, it looks like its still in good condition. You can, uh..." Varian looked around the room, "stick it on that table."
Eugene walked over to the table and put the Sundrop on it. Eugene hesitated, then walked over to Varian. "Hey, uh, Varian?" Eugene started, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm gonna be sentimental with you for a second."
"Go ahead," Varian said, smiling.
"I, uh...well..." Eugene sat at the edge of the bed. "I feel really bad about what happened earlier. I..I knew what to do, but I...I couldn't do it. I...I couldn't bear to see you die, and...I didn't want to be the one to do it. But then you..."
"Eugene..." Varian said, smiling. "It's okay. I get it. I wouldn't have done it if it was you either. I wouldn't be able to."
Eugene chuckled. "Varian...I'm sorry. I..I never told you...how much I..." Eugene inhaled. "Varian, I really like you. I've never told anyone before, because, well, you know, but...I realized earlier that I never told you how much I appreciated you. When I thought you were going to die...I thought that...things would be different without you. So...thank you, Varian. You mean a lot to me."
Eugene looked at Varian, who has tears in his eyes. "Eugene, really?"
"Hey, kid, don't cry!" Eugene cried. "I'm gonna cry!"
"S-sorry!" Varian replied. He wiped his tears. "I...that means a lot to me, thank you!"
"No problem, kid," Eugene smiled. "Team Awesome?"
Eugene put his fist out. Varian smiled and bumped it with his own. "Team Awesome."
Author's Note
I had this story for a while but I wasn't sure how to end it. I guess it ended on Eugene and Varian's relationship! Team Awesome all the way!