beautifulsynergy | ♫ •||• The Original Meet Cute

♫ •||• The Original Meet Cute

[ Life really has a funny knack for poetry and irony, especially in those moments when you're least expecting it. Days ago Piper had come across a fork in the road and been pressed to make a decision. If she'd known then where that road would lead her in life, would she still choose it? No one can say for sure, but there's no taking it back now... ]

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[ When she left home she didn't have a specific goal or direction in mind. She'd only wanted to get away, clear her head, break the cycle that had become her life at some point- she wasn't sure which.

Honestly, some days it feels too much like a damned fairy tale for her own liking, with monsters, and adventure, bandits, and now even gods turning up on her proverbial doorstep. Most people would have run screaming in the other direction, but somehow to Piper it felt right, natural. It was the life that she was built for. Even if it wasn't the one that she wanted she can't deny that it feels like she's really starting to thrive for the first time in forever, finding herself in every new, dangerous encounter. A life safe behind walls, seated at a desk in some classroom in one of the kingdom's most illustrious boarding schools, wearing corsets and learning how to be a "lady"- no, thanks. But this? Fighting brigands and sleeping under the stars? Wondering where she'll end up the next day? Yeah, it's an improvement. That's the thing she continues telling herself.

Of course there were some pitfalls to her new lifestyle, like being on the run from beasts all the time, and never really knowing anything about the place she ended up, but she's had some very pleasant surprises along the way. Corona is one of them. What made her turn left at the fork, towards the coast, she couldn't say, but something inside definitely felt drawn there. It's only been a few days since she turned onto the path and she's happily made meals of apples plucked straight from the trees as she went along. She was halfway through her second one of the evening when the sound of commotion up ahead causes the hairs on the back of her arm to prickle. It's not hard to pick up on the cues of a struggle. Someone is in trouble, and it sounds as if they need help.

Immediately her hand finds the hilt of Katoptris,and Piper ducks into the shadows of the trees at a fast pace towards the sounds of the struggle.

A group of three roughshod looking men have a younger guy (maybe around her age, it's hard to tell in the dark) in goggles at a standstill. Judging by the expressions she can gather what's going on. The scrawnier guy (compared to the rest!) is standing in a defensive position in front of a cart, its contents covered by a sheet. The other three have him blocked off from continuing down the road. Where it gets interesting is the colorful mess scattered around the area BEHIND him. One thug is pinned to one of the trees by a glowing mound of orange goop, and another is in the process of ripping his own shirt to try to get out of a puddle of extremely sticky purple. A third lies on the ground unconscious, looking as if he'd been smacked in the face by a glittery rainbow bomb.

Slowly Piper arches one dark eyebrow, silently impressed. He'd taken down half of them all on his own, and she kind of wishes she'd been here to see it.

But alright, then. ]

[ For run of the mill bandits they seem to be pretty self assured. Then again, maybe self assured isn't the right word choice, since they feel the need to outnumber and surround one guy to get what they want. One of them, a tall fellow with a snaggle tooth protruding from beneath his top lip is the one making demands. He jabs a meaty finger at Varian, a malicious gleam in his eye and sandpaper in his voice. ]

ENOUGH! I've lost my patience! Now hand over the gadget, kid, before I start BREAKIN' things, like your hands!?!

[ He takes two steps forward to make good on that threat, but before he gets any further a dark shape drops from the trees overhead and lands on his shoulders, sending him pitching face first into the dirt at Varian's feet.

The figure that straightens up is actually no taller than Varian himself, covered by a plain, somewhat tattered and hooded dark brown cloak that continues to obscure her face from view. An apple, half eaten, rests in her free hand, the other at her hip. ]

You guys have got to be the ugliest tax collectors I've seen yet. Do the local authorities know you're out here on the King's road harassing his subjects?

[ Piper can practically feel the big one's growl down to her bones. She makes him as the muscle of the group. The shortest fixes her with a scowl, but seems more focused on getting whatever is on that cart, under that sheet. ]

I'll take that as a no. [ Beneath her, the head of the leader shakes with a groan. The shock of the remaining two wears off when the smaller one snarls out an order. ]

Don't just stand there, y' idiot!

[ That apple? It doesn't stay in her hand for long, because she turns and lobs it full on at the big one's face. It beans him in the forehead pretty harmlessly, but frees up her hand to draw out Katoptris, which she holds up assertively, turning to face the group and standing decisively between Varian and his attackers. ]

Oh yeah, by all means. Come and get some. Who's first?

[ There's so much confidence reverberating in her voice (and a quite literally disarming smile that Varian can't see) that it actually makes both men pause. Varian's rescuer doesn't wait for them to make good on her challenge, taking the initiative and charging in quickly. There's a scrape of metal, then both men find their swords flying, landing point first in the dirt. She sweeps her leg hard and manages to catch the bigger of the two enough off guard. He yells as he goes crashing onto his back, hard, and in that same moment she's already turning towards the other and punching him square between the eyes. Pained, HE crashes backwards into the tree just behind him and smacks his head, sliding down to the ground, breathing but not moving.

Piper shakes out her hand and stands over the big guy once again, a very sharp point aimed at his face. This time there's a definite command in her tone, coloring her words with compulsive magic that someone could easily mistake for her simply being extremely persuasive. ]

Take your boss and leave.

[ Strangely enough (or maybe not so much) that's exactly what he does, scrambling to his feet and pulling up the half-conscious bandit over his shoulders so that the two can beat a hasty retreat. The ones who managed to free themselves from Varian's traps are also getting while the getting is good. Suppose they've had enough of being beaten up by alchemists and little girls for one day. ]

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[Well, it already hadn't been a normal day. Of course, most of Varian's days were far from normal. The day of the Science Expo, though, had been a good kind of abnormal for the most part. Sure, there'd been the chaos, but it hadn't been his fault, which was a refreshing change of pace! And as exhausting and stressful as the day had been, he'd had the chance to spend a lot of time with Cassandra, and maybe even prove himself some in her eyes. And showing her and Rapunzel the rocks had lead to a promise that the three would work together to solve that confounding mystery.

So... All in all, a success.

At least until the bandits had showed up. That had been an unwelcome cloud on an otherwise bright day, to put it lightly. But then, if he hadn't been targeted, he wouldn't have been rescued in that amazing manner.]

Wow...

[He watches the thugs flee in undeniably delight. Varian may have been a "brains over brawn" sort, sure, but he can't deny that was an impressive display, and not without the need for intellect. It took quick thinking to fight that well.

Varian approaches his rescuer with an awed smile - she's undeniably stunning, but he's far more impressed by what she's just done than her appearance - and gives a laugh of disbelief.]

That was... Wow! I - Thank you, very much. You were amazing.

[ She watches them run off, as though to make sure that they actually stay gone. They've gotten a decent distance when Varian speaks up and catches her attention. Lowering her hood she turn back towards him, suddenly self conscious with the praise now that the immediate danger has passed. So, maybe she'd gotten a little carried away, but it came so easily she couldn't help herself. Being praised like this, though, reminds her why she preferred to keep a low profile while traveling.

It's not his fault she has mental hangup's about being in the spotlight, though, so she offers an incredibly awkward smile in answer as she sheaths the celestial bronze dagger. ]

No problem... I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, that's all. Besides, it looks like you had the situation pretty well in hand to a point.

[ There's a cursory glance around them at the signs of Varian's own handiwork, and a definite hint of awe in her words. Honestly anything to get the focus off of her again, but the praise is genuine, too. ]

[Varian shakes his head at her modesty. It's genuine, he feels sure, which somehow makes her all the more impressive. When the praise is turned on him, he gives an easy smile and shrug.]

It was a start. [He manages to keep his tone casual, but the fact that his smarts had been recognized as noteworthy twice today has him overjoyed. He offers her a gloved hand, his smile becoming a grin with his bucktooth overbite on full display.] I'm Varian. I don't think I've seen you around before!

[ It's clear she feels a little more at ease by the fact that he doesn't insist, so when he offers a relaxed and modest response to her own compliment she can't help feeling a little bit like she's maybe found something of a kindred spirit. At the very least his own easy going manner helps her relax. She finds the grin to be cute and charming, especially since he just owns it (not that he'd have any reason NOT to). It's pretty easy to see straight away that he's definitely a character. Consider her curiosity piqued.

She accepts the offered hand with a bare one of her own and an easier smile than the previous one, surprising herself. ]

Piper, and I've only been in Corona for a few days now. I'm not from around here.

[He laughs a bit at her explanation, nodding. That would explain it, of course. If he shakes her hand with a little too much gusto, it's because social interaction isn't his strongest suit, and being eager certainly is.]

Welcome to Corona, then - if you haven't seen the Old Corona village yet, that's where I'm heading. I can show you around! It's really the least I can offer.

[ O-Oh! Okay! That's a solid handshake? A little surprising, but not a bad thing. And considering all she's had for the last few days are apples... maybe there'll be a tavern where she can get a solid meal (well, what passes as one around here for a vegetarian, anyway) and rent a bed for the night? Sleeping under the stars is amazing for inspiration but terrible for the back over the long term. ]

If Old Corona village has an inn I can check out, I'm definitely game. Is that where you're from...?

Oh!

[Varian makes a soft, uncertain "hmm" sound.]

Yeah, Old Corona is home, and - well, there's not exactly an inn. If you need a place to stay, though, I'm sure my dad knows someone who has a spare room. People do that in the village all the time.

[His smile turns hopeful - and a little awkward - as he realizes that he'd like to get to know Piper more.]

Edited 2019-03-13 23:47 (UTC)

[ She's surprised, and maybe she shouldn't be. Kindness isn't impossible to find, it's just... not really what she expected. Even now she's not raising her hopes too much on someone in the village being willing to take in a road-weary traveler, but who knows? No point in ruling out the possibility either, and nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Worst case scenario, she camps out again in a barn loft or something. Varian's company is nice, not too overwhelming or intrusive, and he hasn't done anything weird like stare at her for minutes on end or drool and trip over his own tongue, so that's a plus. Sure, the villagers might, but... tackle that obstacle when it comes.

She'd be lying if she tried to pretend he didn't make her really curious, too, so the next response from Piper is a casual shrug of her shoulders, as if to say "Yeah, sure, why not?". ]

Alright, as long as it isn't any trouble... Thanks, Varian. [ She smiles, grateful, then takes one more look around to be sure none of his things are in need of picking up off the road before they go. ]

[He's not concerned about picking up the components he'd used to fight off the thieves, honestly - his invention is fine, and everything else is entirely replaceable, so he's quite content.]

No, not at all! Really, having someone new in the village will be a nice change of pace for everyone, I'd say.

[ For a second Piper's not sure how to respond, to tell him she's not really big on being around a lot of people, or the center of attention. Pointing it out might either sound ungrateful or weird, after all, so she bites her tongue about it and starts following his lead, instead. ]

So... how exactly did you do all that back there, anyway? Those didn't look like any kind of traps or potions I've ever seen before.

[Varian, who had begun to lead the way to the village, now turns back around eagerly.]

Ah, that's because they weren't normal traps - and definitely not some kind of magic potion! [He's grinning, clearly so excited to get to talk about this.] What you see back there is an alchemist's handiwork!

[ Once again Piper arches an eyebrow in surprise, but she also flashes him a crooked smile, drawing up alongside him. For a moment she considers helping with the cart, but she's not sure if whatever he's carrying is delicate or not, and he seems to have it under control for now. ]

Seriously? I had no idea alchemy could really do all that. That's pretty amazing. How'd you get into it?

[ She's reminded of some of the legends that she's read, about things like Archimedes spheres and automatons, and Asclepius, a demigod who used alchemy to create legendary medicines and cure all's. ]

Oh, sure! There's basically no end to what alchemy can achieve.

[He chuckled, but at her second question, he stopped in his tracks and smiled over at her sheepishly. No one had ever asked that - not even Rapunzel. In fact, even his own father saw alchemy as something that had "cropped up" at some point, it seemed... And Varian was pretty sure Quirin wasn't too happy about it, still. He fluffed up his hair, taking a moment to fiddle with the blue section.]

I read a lot. And when I found a book about alchemy, I just saw so much potential to change life in my village.

[ She wants to ask more about the first, but the fact that he physically stopped and looked... sort of somewhat embarrassed catches her attention before she can drum up which question to ask first. Piper stops too, so as not to outpace him, and turns to look at him instead. Is he worried she'll judge him for his answer...?

She's even more baffled by the reaction once she actually hears it. ]

So you picked it up to help your village? That sounds like something to be proud of to me. I've met a lot of people who'd only think about how to use something like that to get rich.

[ She grins, too, because- ]

I read a lot, too. Mostly about myths and legends... I've never done anything that cool with it, though. Just... helped my dad study for roles.

[ With some concentrated effort she manages to keep the smile in place without it looking too strained. The memory of her father is still a touchy subject, one she doesn't think about much on the road. But she doesn't want to shift the subject to her, let alone so abruptly. ]

So. Self taught?

[His smile grows even weaker, because yes, he wants to help his village and that's genuine, but... Varian also knows it's not entirely altruistic. He also really wants to make people (especially his father) proud, and show them what he's capable of. Of course, he's just met Piper. There's no need to get into all of his insecurities, so he focuses on the bit about books instead.]

Myths and legends, huh? I mean, that stuff's cool, too!

[Honestly, his favorite works have always been non-fiction - and The Tales of Flynnigan Rider, which he long thought were in that category as well - and having his reservations about magic means he sees myth and legends and not having much truth to them. That said, he's read up on some of these, and they're still interesting to him, in their own way.]

Self-taught? Yeah, I guess so! It's - heh - a lot of trial and error. But it's not boring! [He rushes to add this.] It's anything but boring.

[ If he just knew the half of it...

She can't help laughing at the rushed addendum, shaking her head a little. ]

Who in the world would think that's boring??

[ Granted, she's seen the finished result, but it's still an interesting idea, getting to play around with trial and error. Maybe she wouldn't be able to keep track with the minor details, but- ]

Would you mind showing me some, when we get there?

[He's delighted - over-the-moon happy. Someone who seems to understand just how exciting this all is; someone who's actually interested... That's rare. All but unheard of!]

Y-Yeah, of course! [His excitement is palpable.] I'd be happy to - as soon as we get you set up in the village, I can show you my lab!

[ Oh gods. That is too cute. That excitement about ready to bubble over is really palpable and contagious. He's putting her in a really good mood. ]

Sounds like a plan, goggles.

[ It slips out, not that she regrets it. ] So, speaking of which: What's under the sheet, anyway, that those guys wanted so badly?

[He almost doesn't notice it straightaway - but he does. She gave him a nickname. That means they're friends, now, right? He really doesn't have many at all; there are few other teens in the village and none seem that interested in him, socially. He laughs a bit, grinning.]

Oh, that! It's the invention I brought to the expo in the kingdom today. It's used to create the new mineral I discovered.

[He pauses for a moment.]

And sometimes cause small disasters, when people don't know what they're doing.

[ Oh, you know, causing small disasters, AS YOU DO. That bit makes Piper double take at him incredulously, and then she looks utterly amused at the casual air with which he just said that.

HE REALLY JUST SAID THAT. ]

So let me get this straight: You discovered an entirely new mineral AND someone used your machine to create a natural disaster? That must've been some expo!

[Varian's a bit surprised by her surprise, but then, Piper isn't a local to Old Corona. She hasn't seen countless projects of his end in chaos and disaster when someone - namely Varian himself - does know what he's doing.]

It... Happens a lot, actually. Not the mineral thing, that was an exciting discover, but uh...

[He presses his lips together, trying to decide the best way to explain.

Maybe the best way is not to explain.]

...Well, like I said: A lot of trail and error.

[ Her mirth shrinks pretty quickly when she sees his response. Instead she's left feeling guilty. Probably wasn't the most sensitive reaction she could've had there, it's just that he said it like it was so common place. Then she wonders if he might've been the one to set off the machine, and his add on at the end only (incorrectly) solidifies that thought. ]

Is that really such a bad thing? I mean... You probably don't want to know how many times I had cut myself learning how to use my dagger. And besides, that's what science is about, isn't it? Trying new things until you make a discovery, or figure out how to make it work?

[ It's her genuine opinon on the matter, but also her way of trying to say that she doesn't see anything wrong with trial and error. ]

... You know, Greek history is filled with all kinds of accidental discoveries, and people who became legends through trial and error. Have you ever heard of Hipparchus?

[Varian's smile gains a bit of strength in his attempt to be reassuring.]

Not... Really? I mean, you're right. It's not a bad thing. It's the only way to learn anything, but...

[He shrugs. This is so complicated, and he's glad when she mentions something that - while still relevant - can divert the focus off him specifically.]

Is Hipparchus the kid who flew too close to the son?

[They do sound... Slightly similar...]

[ She gets it, not in the same sense as what they're discussing, but she gets it. Her entire relationship with her dad for the past ten years in a nutshell basically. ]

No, that was Icarus, his dad invented the wax wings. Hipparchus is the founder of trigonometry. He ALSO incidentally discovered the precession
of the equinoxes. There's no way he could have done all that without making some mistakes along the way.

[ Honestly, the fact that Varian had already discovered a new mineral- I mean, she could've stopped there, but he seemed more comfortable with the focus off of himself. ]

I guess what I'm trying to say is, there's nothing wrong with making mistakes... Think about where we'd be if people didn't.

[ Though now she feels like she's maybe being a little preachy, and now SHE's feeling self conscious, hoping she didn't just make a fool of herslef, ooooor make it worse... ]

Huh... Well, that's a good point. Thanks.

[He gives her a small smile. The kindness is appreciated; the attempts to build up his confidence are not what he's used to, exactly. And that means he's not totally sure how to respond to it, but it doesn't mean he dislikes it.]

Anyway, I can't help wondering - You said you taught yourself how to fight with that? That's definitely cool, but... How did that start?

[ Even though she'd been trying to encourage him Piper herself manages to look a little bit relieved when he takes it as intended and not the wrong way. She's never really gone out of her way to interact with people so being social is still largely new to her. Despite that, though, the urges to do things like "be kind" or "be snarky" seem to come naturally all on their own depending on the situation and the person- so there's that.

When the topic returns to her at first she tenses again just a bit, but opening up should go both ways, and it's not like HE makes her uncomfortable. Just, talking about herself isn't something she's used to. But where does she START? How much does she tell? ]

I didn't really have a whole lot of choice. This was a gift from my mom, the only thing I have from her, actually. Once I was out on my own I had a lot of opportunities to practice with it. The roads beyond Corona can be kind of dangerous.

[ Her smile is awkward, and small, but sincere. She's a little nervous about scaring him off by telling him "Monsters hunt me, I kill them.". This is honestly the first chance she's gotten to spend any decent time with someone her own age since she took off. Varian's cool, besides. ]

[Varian's not great at reading people, honestly. Especially not when he gets excited - and learning about Piper is definitely exciting. So he doesn't notice the shift to her tensing up. However, a particular aspect of her answer strikes a chord with him.]

Yeah, I don't remember mine much, either.

[He says this very casually, so much so that it indicates he probably really doesn't remember her; enough not to be bothered by the fact. He just keeps smiling, and gestures behind him, to indicate the shuffle they'd gotten into.]

Well, I can't argue about the danger on the road, obviously. So it's good that you've learned! [A self-deprecating chuckle.] Maybe I should, too, although I think my dad would freak out if I owned a knife or anything.

[ That he doesn't notice is good, in Piper's mind. It means he won't draw attention to it and she can simply roll with the conversation without having to explain. There are a lot of things she's not ready to get into with a relative stranger, new friend or not.

She does make note of the way he makes an almost passing observation about his mother, and she definitely gets the sense that he was too young to be upset by his lack of memories. She'd only been a baby herself when her mother left her more or less on her father's door step, but she'd asked about her at every chance she could get. Even so, she doesn't correct him. More personal matters, it's complicated, and she'd rather not explain why her mother's only tangible gift to her was a blade.

No, much easier to focus on the present line of conversation. She smiles a bit, raising an eyebrow. ]

Maybe he'd freak out less if you had someone to teach you how to use it? But I think you should find something that suits your style. This... well, honestly anyone else you asked would say this was just for decoration, a ceremonial dagger. Maybe your thing isn't blades. Maybe your thing is staffs, or archery, or spears, or even nets.

[ ... She's studied a lot of Greek and Roman culture alright? ]

If you want we could trade. You show me your lab and tell me more about alchemy, and I'll show you what I know about self defense and tell you more about that kind of stuff?

Hmm, a spear could be cool. Wow, you know a lot about all of this, don't you- Wait, did you say nets? Huh.

[The confusion is short-lived. He absolutely beams at her offer, plenty excited. It almost doesn't sound like a fair trade, because he's already delighted to have someone who's actually interested in his alchemy, but she wants to learn - the fact that he also wants to teach isn't the point.]

Yes! Uh... Yes, please. I think that's a great idea. Thank you.

[It comes out a bit stilted as he tries to dial his enthusiasm back. He may not be the best at reading people, but he's been flat-out told that he can come on too strong in social situations.]

I, uh... I've done a lot of reading.

[ Piper replies with a rueful chuckle, a grin, and a shrug. And hey, wouldn't you know it? There's another smile after, expression shifting from bemused to pleased. It may be too soon yet for her to pick up on his holding back for her sake, but she's definitely looking forward to their little exchanged tutoring program now. ]

Then it's a deal.

[Between this newfound possible friendship, the chance to spread the merits of alchemy, and the idea of learning something new - something so useful, at that - Varian was delighted. Over the moon, really.]

That's great! [He laughed a little, excess joy spilling out as he struggled to contain himself.] And to start, I can teach you the concepts behind this!

[He gestured with his free hand to the wagon.]

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♫ •||• The Original Meet Cute

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