Aquaria woke up all alone in Varian's bed and she sat up with a light groan.

She still didn't feel great, but she didn't feel as awful as the say before. Her nose was still stuffy, but her stomach didn't feel queezy and her head was pounding as much anymore.

The door opened and Varian peeked in.

"Oh, you're awake," he said as he came into the room fully. "I was just checking on you because I'm ready to go."

Aqua just hummed and nodded, her eyes still droopy.

Varian could tell that she had only just woken up and wasn't truly awake yet. He chuckled lightly to himself at how adorable she looked as she let out a cute little yawn.

He walked over and scooped her up in his arms before taking her out of the room. Her head fell against his chest as her eyes shut once again.

Varian hummed softly and kissed her forehead, taking her to the wagon. He sat down as he held her on his lap. He looked at Fidella who was hooked up to the wagon.

"We're ready to go, Fidella. Just take it slow and easy. The princess needs her rest," Varian said and they started moving.

☀️

"Varian! Hey!" Rapunzel waved when she saw the alchemist.

"Shh, don't wake-" Varian started, but it was too late.

"Mm... are we home yet?" Aqua sat up slowly and rubbed her eyes.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't realize she was asleep," Rapunzel apologized and Varian sighed.

"It's fine. She at least got some rest," Varian said and Aqua hugged his side.

"I got snuggwes wif a cute boy." Aqua giggled and Rapunzel looked at her sister weirdly.

"She's sick," Varian explained to Rapunzel.

"She seems drunk," Rapunzel commented and Varian chuckled.

"She gets like this when she's really tired. Really clingy, but also a little cuckoo," Varian said to which Rapunzel nodded as Aqua leaned against Varian, her eyes fluttering closed. "But she's gonna need a lot of rest so she can feel better."

"I don't think I've ever seen her sick before," Rapunzel realized.

"She hasn't gotten sick in a while. I mean, she might've gotten sick when she was Arendelle, but I don't know. I want her to get rest, but she really wanted to help so I'm letting her watch since I don't want her working while she's sick." Varian looked down at Aqua who was asleep again, cute little snores escaping her lips. She didn't usually snore, but she couldn't breathe through her nose at the moment.

"Well, I've gotta find Eugene. I'll be back for your reveal," Rapunzel said quietly, seeing that her sister was asleep.

"See ya, Rapunzel," Varian said with a wave, keeping his voice down. He moved to start setting up, waking Aqua only slightly.

"Barian?" Aqua's stuffy voice sounded. "Don go... don weave me..."

"I'm not going far, blue. Just go back to sleep. I'll snuggle you in a bit. Okay?" Varian looked at her but she was already asleep again.

He smiled as he carefully lied her on the seat, kissing her forehead gently. He then started to get to work unloading the stuff from the cart.

He set it all up before he hid it with the boards and hummed to himself as he looked up to make sure everything was covered.

"Bar?" Aquaria tapped his shoulder and he jumped.

"Ah! Aqua! Sorry, I thought you were still asleep," Varian said as he turned and looked at his girlfriend.

"Awe you done settig up?" Aqua asked softly as Varian wrapped his arms around her.

"Yeah, I'm done. How was your nap?" Varian asked gently as he trailed his fingers through Aquaria's hair.

"It wad okay," she murmured as she leaned against him.

"Well, do you wanna wait for the others with me. You can help me unveil the Rooster if you want to," Varian offered and she smiled.

"I wouwd wuv to, but I fink I shouwd jut watch," Aqua admitted and Varian hummed softly.

"Are you sure you don't want to pull the rope?" Varian looked at her with a grin and she perked up, nodding quickly. "Alright. I love you." He kissed her forehead. "Stay here," he said before he ran to get on top of his hidden invention.

🧪

Soon they were ready to unveil the Rooster and Varian stood on top of the piece of the Rooster that was hidden by boards of wood.

"Ladies and gents! I give you, The Roo-" Varian started as he threw his arms up but he was cut off by Eugene.

"I'm- I just can't believe how much this guy looks like me! And he's using my moniker!" Eugene complained to Rapunzel as he held up the wanted poster for Flynn Rider... but it wasn't him.

Varian put his fists on his hips as he cleared his throat dramatically. "I'll wait..."

"Oh." Eugene cleared his throat a bit before saying, "sorry."

"Thank you. I'll start again." Varian grinned and threw his hands up again. "I give you!" He jumped down and Aquaria pulled the rope with what energy she had. "The Rooster!"

The panels of wood fell to reveal the piece of the machine.

"Or at least it will be once we've put it together," Varian said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"It doesn't look like a Rooster," Kiera said as she looked at the parts with her arms crossed.

"Uh, it's an early warning system," Varian started as he walked over to Rapunzel. "If Cassandra or any other danger threatens the kingdom, this will fire a glowing mortar into the air and alert everyone in Corona."

"Great idea. Right, Eugene?" Rapunzel put a hand on Varian's arm before she looked for her boyfriend's approval, but she saw him distracted by the wanted poster in his hand. "Eugene?"

"Sorry, it's just, cheekbones like these, they just don't come around twice in a generation, people! They don't!" Eugene blurted.

"Eugene, this is more important than some fake Flynn Rider," Rapunzel told him after she pushed his hand that was holding the sign down.

"Rapunzel, he stole the crown!" Eugene exclaimed and Aquaria perked up. "I mean, only I could get away with that! Look, Flynn Rider has a reputation. I refuse to have it tarnished by some hack imposter! I am going after him!"

"Well, then I'm going with you," Rapunzel compromised.

"Uh, uh, hate to nag, but who's gonna oversee the Rooster's installation? All military-grade applications require supervision by the captain himself," Varian pointed out with crossed arms before he saw Lance about to touch a window hole on the Rooster. "Gah! Don't touch that!"

"Lance, you're acting captain of the guard until I get back," Eugene said as he walked away, looking at the wanted poster again.

"Sweet! A promotion!" Lance cheered.

"A-ta-ta-ta. It's temporary," Rapunzel clarified as she walked after Eugene with Maximus.

"Sweet! A temporary promotion!" Lance cheered again and Aqua rolled her eyes.

"Barian... I'm hungry..." Aquaria admitted and Varian hummed softly.

"Alright. We can get a snack before we start. But you're not lifting anything, missy. Understood," Varian said gently but with seriousness in his voice.

"Sir, yes, sir." Aqua saluted with a giggle.

Varian chuckled lightly before he took her hand and they made their way into the palace.

🧪

Varian held the blueprints as he walked up to the roof with Aquaria, eating an apple.

"So before we install the internal chamber-" Varian started to explain but was cut off.

"No need to consult the schematics. It's already been assembled!" Lance announced, startling both teenagers. "And we improved on your design."

The three of them went outside to see a metal rooster on the roof of the palace.

"Now it actually looks like a rooster! You're welcome," Lance said with a grin.

Varian facepalmed and Aquaria put a hand on his shoulder gently before the head of the rooster fell off.

"My back!" Pete cried from on the ground and Aqua flinched.

It was gonna be a looong night.

💧

Aquaria had taken a nap while Varian fixed the Rooster.

She tossed and turned while she slept until she woke up in a cold sweat.

She panted and looked around to see that she was still in her room but she couldn't remember the dream she had in her sleep. Only one word ran in her mind.

Vallestrella.

🧪

Varian used a pipette to suck up a bit of Flynnolium.

He put one single drop into the tank of the Rooster with a smile.

"Hmm. I don't think that's enough," Lance commented to which Varian grimaced.

"Okay." Varian put down the pipette and moved his goggles from his eyes onto his head before saying, "with all due respect, I'm the alchemist. Flynnolium is very powerful. Add too much of it and this think will shoot so far we'll end up warning another kingdom."

Lance looked at Varian with an expressionless face.

"Oh! I forgot the fuses. Keep an eye on this stuff and do. not. touch! anything." Varian turned to go up the ladder.

"I am the alchemist," Lance mocked as he made the talking motion with his hand. "Well, I'm the guard wearing the captain's uniform and I don't think it's enough. Do you?"

Kiera and Catalina walked over to Lance as he held up the pipette.

Kiera laughed a little and looked at her sister before replying, "nope."

Lance threw the pipette over his shoulder with a smirk and grabbed the whole barrel of Flynnolium, dumping it into the tank.

💧

Aqua was in the lab that was in the basement of the castle, going through the encyclopedia, that was the letters u through z.

She was looking through the v section.

"Vallestwella... Vallestwella..." She muttered to herself, but it wasn't in the encyclopedia.

"Aqua? Hey, what are you doing in here? I thought you were napping?" Varian asked after he walked in and saw his girlfriend looking through a book.

"Oh, hey, Barian. I was wookig for Vallestwella," Aqua said to him as she looked up.

"Vallestrella? Hmm... that sounds familiar... I think it's a place. Maybe I've been there. I don't remember," Varian said as he went over to his desk to grab the fuses.

"When I woke up, I jut remembewed dat wowd," Aqua replied and she stood up, closing the encyclopedia.

"Well, do you wanna come with me to see if the Rooster works? I mean, of course it will. You helped with it," Varian said as he shot her a cheeky smile. "But do you wanna see the test run?"

"Yea!" Aaua nodded quickly and Varian went to peck her lips, but she pushed him back. "Nope, I don wan you gettig sick too."

"This sucks..." Varian grumbled as he slumped and Aqua giggled a little.

"Come on," she said as she grabbed his hand and then walked out with him.

🧪

"The Rooster's first test is a go in a-three, a-two, a- oh you don't have to stand back," Varian said as he saw Kiera and Catalina back up, pulling Aquaria with them. "I calculated it so the blast is contained and focused-"

Out of nowhere, the Rooster exploded into a bunch of fireworks over the palace of Corona.

Everyone on the roof was blown back by the force of the explosion.

Varian sat up and leaned back on his hands before coughing out some gas.

"You added more Flynnolium, didn't you?" Varian asked Lance as he glared at the acting captain of the guard, his face and clothes splattered with oil while his hair was all messy.

Aquaria's head spun a bit as she sat up with a light moan of pain.

"I said no more than a drop! One drop! What part of that did you not understand?!" Varian shouted at Lance angrily.

"WHA?" Lance shouted back, his ears ringing loudly.

"I said don't touch anything!" Varian growled and Aquaria stood up, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Calm down, Bar. We can fix dis," she assured him and kissed his cheek.

"Blech!" Kiera gagged and Catalina covered her eyes.

"Alright, but I think we'll wait until Eugene can oversee the installation. Come on. You should get to bed and I have to get washed up," Varian said after he saw Aquaria yawn.

"But I just-" Aqua yawned again before continuing, "woke up."

"I'll snuggle with you," Varian offered and she perked up.

"I'll go to bed. Come on. You have to get cleaned up!" Aqua quickly started towards the ladder to go back inside.

Varian laughed lightly and shook his head before following her inside the palace.

🧪

Varian was getting settled into bed beside Aquaria and he wrapped his arms around her.

Her sleeping form kept flinching every so often. Varian ran a hand through her hair gently, trying to soothe her a bit, knowing that she was dreaming.

He kissed her forehead gently and closed his eyes, drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

During the night, Aquaria shot straight up and panted slightly. Tears were trickling down her cheeks as she looked around.

She saw Varian still sleeping so she quickly snuggled back down into his arms. She clung to him tightly as she tried to get back to sleep.

Do you really expect me to say that I love you back after you betrayed my trust?! After you were gonna just let my father stay stuck in this amber forever?!

Aqua clenched her eyes shut as Varian's words ran in her mind.

I may have loved you once, but I will never love you again! We are over, Aqua! I hate you!

She cried into Varian's shirt and trembled slightly. No matter how much Varian told her or how many times she told herself that it was over, she couldn't stop thinking about how she let Varian down. She blamed herself.

Aqua cried herself back to sleep and her breathing eventually evened out.