Ad Meliora (1/?)

Fandom: Tangled: The Series

Rating: Gen

Summary: For everything that has happened, Arianna should be afraid. Afraid for her life. Afraid for her kingdom. Afraid for her family. But she watches, closely, at the slight tremble in Varian’s voice, in the way he shields himself from her gaze, and can’t feel anything but sad.

Or, a Fix It-AU where Arianna is the mother Varian didn’t know he needed but deserved

CHAPTER I

For everything that has happened, Arianna should be afraid. Afraid for her life. Afraid for her kingdom. Afraid for her family.

But she watches, closely, at the slight tremble in Varian’s voice, in the way he shields himself from her gaze, and can’t feel anything but sad. He’s smaller than most village boys she meets, with buck teeth that he tries to hide and a lock of hair that reminds of her niece from far away. He’s a child, she realizes. A child. And younger than her daughter, at that.

Dangerous. Untrustworthy. Reckless. These are the words she has heard about Varian, the only words, in fact, that have come out of Frederic’s mouth. But she looks at the boy’s shaky frame, the dark bags under his eyes, the frenzied, paranoid look he has on his face. She stares and thinks reckless, yes, but also young. Naive.

Broken.

“Believe me I know, I’ve sunk pretty low, but whatever I’ve done you deserve it,” he seethes, blow torch firing away at whatever invention he’s created.

“Varian-” she tries, only to be shut out.

“I’m the bad guy, that’s fine-” she hears his voice breaks at the end, but he steels himself forward and continues to work. “It’s no fault of mine, and some justice at last will be served-”

“Please listen!” Arianna begs. The alchemist ignores her and hammers loudly at the machine. Everything feels like a haze, his words of anger and contempt drowned out by a ringing noise in her ears. The room spins in her peripheral vision as she struggles to think of something, anything, to say.

In front of her, Varian suddenly stops at the amber rocks, a yearning look on his face as he stares up at his only remaining family. There is something unreadable in his expression, something wistful and wanting.

You’ve lost someone, she thinks. You’ve lost someone, and God help me that is something I can understand.

“I know what it feels like!” Arianna shouts before can stop herself. Varian freezes, hand hovering over the amber prison. “Please, just-”

“Be quiet!” Varian scowls. He turns around, furious, but Arianna boldly stands up, feet carrying her as far as the chains would allow.

“You care, you care so much about the people you love that you’ll do anything to help them. I know what it feels like to lose someone you love. Believe, me, I know.”

“You don’t know anything!” Varian cries. His eyes screw shut, hands clench tightly at his sides. “You don’t understand anything. He’s all I have! He’s all I have left!”

“And what would he think of you now?” Arianna counters. “What would he think if he saw you threatening people’s lives, endangering innocents on your quest for revenge? How will this make things better?” She watches as he brings his hands to his face, shoulders shaking violently. There’s an urge, deep and powerful, that makes her want to go over and hold him tight, but she can’t. Not now. Not with her being so close.

“You were friends with my daughter, Varian. You still are, I think. She talked about you, about how smart and brave you were, how incredible your inventions could be. Varian, please, prove to me that you’re the same boy she talked about.”

“There’s no other choice!” Varian says. “I-I’ve done too much, I’ve gone too far to turn back.” He frantically rubs his eyes, desperate to keep her from seeing him too closely. “I need to make my Dad proud. I have to free him!”

“Listen to me,” Arianna pleads. She tugs on her chains and prays that she can get closer to the boy. “This feeling, this empty, awful feeling of despair. What you are doing will make none of that go away. It will only keep adding up until you can barely stand anymore. I would have done anything to see my daughter-” her voice cracks slightly, breath hitching on the last syllable. “-and I know you’re willing to do anything to free your father, but this isn’t the right way. This isn’t the answer to what you’re feeling.” She reaches out her hands with all the strength she can muster. “Varian, are you listening to me-”

“I-I-” he stutters, breathing becoming erratic. “I don’t know what to do,” he whispers, and in that moment Arianna sees the mask he’s built fall apart. “I don’t, I d-don’t-”

“Varian-”

“I want him back.” A strangled sob erupts from his mouth, piercing Arianna straight to her bone, and just like that, a dam seems to break. “I want, I-”. He wraps his arms around his body and bends over. She can hardly make out what he’s saying. “I c-can’t fix this. I can’t fix any of this-” he lets out another choked cry, grips the goggles on his head and throws them to the ground.

It’s agonizing to Arianna as she watches him. She remembers the pain, the suffering that went through Frederic’s mind when he realized there was nothing he could do to save Rapunzel. And it scares her as similar the two are in their pursuit of their goals.

She yanks at the chains, but they only seem to dig deeper into her flesh and the distance between her and Varian remains the same. She wants to speak, to shout, to tell him it will be okay, as he continues to sob. After realizing how useless trying to escape would be, she seriously considers throwing something over there to get his attention before a small chirp echoes from below.

Startled, she looks down at the small raccoon (Rudiger, she vaguely remembers from Rapunzel) and almost lets out a shout of joy when she sees the rusty key in his mouth.

“Thank you,” Arianna says, and she wastes no time in unlocking the chains. They fall to the ground with a loud thump, but the sound seems miles away as she goes to embrace Varian.

In hindsight, she realizes a second into the action, a dozen very bad things could happen. She could be hit. Pushed away. Splashed with whatever concoction he has in his belt. But to her relief, the boy melts into her touch with a pained whimper. She clutches him tighter, murmuring words of comfort that she hopes reaches his ears.

And it is in this moment, in this cold, dark room, that the burdens of the world seem to lift a little.

The rescue arrives a few minutes after. She sees them before Varian does, in the corner of the room, arms raised with their weapons, and despite the urge to run over and unite with her family, she stays stone-still.

Varian’s cries have begun to die down until they are nothing more than soft sniffles and shaky gulps. He looks up at her with a shocked expression, as if he can’t believe she would even consider helping him. In return, she gives him a warm smile and gently tucks back a lock of his hair.

“I-I,” he wipes his nose with his sleeve. Looks away. “I did, I did this-”

There’s nothing Arianna can say now. Because sometimes, no matter how hard you try, the only way to let people heal is for them to accept what they’ve done.

“I’m sorry,” Varian finally cries. Fresh tears spill from his eyes and he furiously rubs them away. “I didn’t want this. I promise I didn’t want this-”

“Varian, Varian-” Arianna brings him close again. “Listen to me. It will be okay. You know it will be okay.”

“I committed treason,” he gasps. “I took you. I’m going to be jailed. I can’t see my dad again.”

“Breathe, Varian,” she firmly instructs. “In and out.” Her voice carries over to Frederic and Rapunzel. They come out of the shadows into the shine of the small light, and she sees her daughter’s eyes widen in shock. Beside her, Frederic stands equally conflicted.

“I’m sorry,” Varian whimpers again. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry-”

“Varian,” Rapunzel says.

With a lurch, The alchemist scrambles out of Arianna’s hold, legs kicking about as he tries to stand up. “R-Rapunzel-” he glances at the King in fear, then back at her. “I, I-”

“We’re not going to hurt you,” she says. “I promise.”

“I’m sorry,” he gasps, voice hoarse. “I didn’t want this. My dad-I wanted-” his back hits the table’s leg and a glass vial shatters next to him. “I’m so sorry-”

“I sorry, too,” Rapunzel says. She takes a small, hesitant step forward, arms reaching out just like Arianna did. “I’m sorry for breaking my promise. I’m sorry that your father is stuck in the rocks. I know we can fix this, though.”

“How?” Varian asks, and Arianna is struck by how young he looks now, head ducked in both shame and fear. “I don’t know what to do.”

“I don’t either,” Rapunzel admits. “But we will soon, okay? We just have to keep trying.” She holds her hand out to the alchemist in hope. “Together?”

There’s a pain-staking silence as a minute passes. Then two. Then three. But Rapunzel never once wavers, never once moves from that very spot, and a swell of pride erupts in Arianna as she witnesses her daughter’s kindness.

Finally, finally, Varian takes Rapunzel’s hand and allows himself to be pulled up. She immediately throws her arms around his neck, head buried in his shoulder. It is awkward at first, with him not what to do or what to say, but the alchemist slowly returns the gesture with an equal amount of affection.

There are no words, Arianna thinks, for the feeling that comes with being forgiven. And in the shadows of the prison, in the suffocating darkness that has trapped Varian for so long, she swears that her daughter’s hair glows with the promise of healing.

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fanfiction tangled rapunzel varian tangled the series king frederic queen arianna saltiness is a great motivation i spent all day writing this i love the series but i am salty over not getting a very detailed Arianna and Varian scene together

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thelonecloudseeker

7 years ago

dere you go

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thelonecloudseeker

8 years ago

RWBY FAN-MADE FILM! RECRUITING NOW!

This is the trailer for a rwby fan film! Contact forcepointfilms@gmail.com for auditions and more information!

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thelonecloudseeker

7 years ago

I have $24 to last me til Friday, what should I buy with it?

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thelonecloudseeker

7 years ago

Steven Greenberg, “Wrestling with God and Men” - Author’s conversation with Rabbi Eliashiv in Jerusalem

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thelonecloudseeker

7 years ago

my name is Stanley Almodovar III i carry the name of my father and his father before me i’m twenty-three years young i dyed my hair saturday but no one got to see it sunday morning my name is Amanda Alvear i am twenty-five years young people know me as a pharmacy tech, the girl who lost almost two hundred pounds, the girl who takes too many selfies but the only place i was truly myself was where i was that night my name is Oscar Aracena i am twenty-six years young i’m a student at Valencia College i was so close to getting my degree… so close my name is Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala i am thirty-three years young i am a supervisor at the OneBlood donation center i never did know if my job was the one who tried to save my life my name is Capt. Antonio Davon Brown of the U.S. Army Reserve i am thirty years young i almost have my doctorate degree of management in organizational leadership almost my name is Darryl Roman Burt II i am twenty-nine years young i just received my master’s degree in Human Resources Management tonight, i was celebrating mi llamo Jonathan Camuy soy es veinticuatro anos trabajo en una cadena de televisión española realmente estaba deseando volver a trabajar el lunes my name is Angel Luis Candelario-Padro i am twenty-eight years young soon, i will be an ophthalmic technician i cannot wait to begin my new job in a few days my name is Omar Capo i am twenty years young i love to dance i always said i wanted to die doing what i loved my name is Simon Carrillo i am thirty-one years young my partner and i just came home from a little getaway to Niagara Falls i was really looking forward to our next vacation together my name is Luis Daniel Conde i am thirty-nine years young my best friend is Juan Pablo Rivera Velazquez he’s been by my side since high school my name is Juan Pablo Rivera Velazquez i am twenty-two years young my best friend is Luis Daniel Conde seems only fitting we left this world together my name is Cory James Connell i am twenty-one years young my brother is getting married this fall and i am to be his best man don’t tell him but i have no idea what to say in my speech my name is Tevin Eugene Crosby i am twenty-five years young i am the owner of a marketing firm, Total Entrepreneurs Concepts hard work truly does pay off; i can’t wait to share my latest meme with all of my facebook friends when i get home tonight my name is Anthony Luis Laureano Disla i am twenty-five years young i love to dance, i want to be a dancer tonight, i want to go dancing with my friends my name is Deonka Deidra Drayton i am thirty-two years young for the first time in a long time, i can finally, confidently, say that i am happy my name is Leroy Valentin Fernandez i am twenty-five years young i love to sing no matter what happens in life, no one will ever take my voice away from me my name is Mercedez Marisol Flores i am twenty-six years young i am studying literature at Valencia College’s West Campus but my true passion is party planning i’ve been thinking about switching majors my name is Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz i am twenty-two years young all i want to do is make people smile i’ve always thought that laughter could cure anything my name is Paul Terrell Henry i am forty-young years young i am the proud father of two amazing kids and i have the most magnificent boyfriend i cannot thank god enough for all of my blessing my name is Frankie Hernandez i am twenty-seven years young i have a little sister, she’s one of my best friends i cannot wait to see the person she becomes when she grows up my name is Miguel Angel Honorato i am thirty years young i have three sons who i love more than life itself i hope they will enjoy what i have planned for the next birthday party my name is Jimmy De Jesús i am fifty years young i love my job but i am so thankful i have tomorrow off i plan on having a good time tonight my name is Javier Jorge-Reyes i am forty years young i am so, so proud of who i am no one can take that away from me my name is Jason Josaphat i am nineteen years young i love life, i love my life and it’s only just begun my name is Eddie Justice i am thirty years young i have a huge family, but i am a mama’s boy at heart i always make sure to text my mom everyday my name is Christopher Leinonen i am thirty-two years young i am madly in love with my boyfriend, Juan Guerrero i cannot wait to see what the future has in store for the two of us my name is Juan Guerrero i am twenty-five years young i am madly in love with my boyfriend, Christopher Leinonen after a long week at work, i just want to unwind with my love tonight my name is Alejandro Martinez i am twenty-one years young i have only been living in Florida for two years but i have always met so many kind people here; that must be why it is called the “sunshine state” my name is Brenda Lee Marquez-McCool i am forty-nine years young i beat cancer twice and i have never felt more alive my name is Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez i am twenty-five years young i am studying health care management at the Ana G. Mendez University’s Orlando campus all i want to do is help people my name is Kimberly Morris, but you can call me ‘KJ’ i am thirty-seven years young i moved to Florida to be closer to my mother and grandmother i love my job as a bouncer at Pulse Nightclub my name is Akyra Murray i am eighteen years young i just graduated from West Catholic Preparatory High School my name is Geraldo Ortiz-Jimenez, but you can call me Drake i am twenty-five years young i love Selena Gomez i hope to meet her one day Joel Rayon Paniagua i am thirty-one years young i love dancing i am going to meet my friends for a night of dancing my name is Jean Carlos Mendez Perez i am thirty-five years young not to brag, but i am the best salesperson Perfumania you can ask Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon my name is Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon i am thirty-seven years young growing up wasn’t easy but i can finally say that i am comfortable in my own skin and i am lucky enough to have Jean Carlos Mendez Perez by my side through it all my name is Enrique L. Rios i am twenty-five years young i am from New York but i came to Florida to celebrate my friend’s birthday my name is Eric Ivan Ortiz Rivera i am thirty-six years young i don’t really like clubs but it’s for a friend, so tonight, i will go my name is Xavier Emmanuel Serrano i am thirty-five years young i have a five year old son who is my entire world i just hope i will raise him to be a genuine and compassionate person my name is Christopher Sanfeliz i am twenty-four years young i am a personal banker at J.P. Morgan Chase bank i am very thankful to have Sundays off, especially tonight my name is Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan i am twenty-four years young i am a proud mom and wife my youngest baby is three months old my name is Jean Carlos Nieves Rodriguez i am twenty-seven years young i just brought my first house i just want my mom to live somewhere nice my name is Edward Sotomayor Jr. i was named after my father i am thirty-four years young i love my boyfriend and i love adventure my name is Shane Tomlinson i am thirty-three years young i am the lead singer in a band i love to bring music to the lives of others my name is Martin Benitez Torres i am thirty-three years young last month, i enrolled in college i hope to be a pharmacy tech my name is Juan Rivera Velazquez i am thirty-nine years young i love being a hair stylist i love making people feel beautiful my name Luis Vielma i am twenty-two years young i love my job, especially working on the Harry Potter ride at Universal but one day i really want to become an EMT my name is Jerald Arthur Wright i am thirty-one years young i have a huge family, both biological and my coworkers tonight i am celebrating my friend’s birthday

say their names (cc, 2017)

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thelonecloudseeker

7 years ago

WARNING - PLEASE READ IF YOU HAVE A PEANUT ALLERGY AND LIKE TO SHMEAR MAKEUP ON YOUR SKIN TO MAKE YOU LOOK AS FLAWLESS AS YOUR PERSONALITY

I am one such an individual, and last night I was super pumped to try this concealer. Out of curiosity I read the ingredients and saw something called arachidyl behenate.

Anything with the root “arachi” such as “arachis oil” is probably peanut related. And, sure enough, I did some research and arachidyl behenate is peanut-derived. Which is the story of how I nearly smushed a deadly food allergen into my skin.

There’s a report here from last year that seems to indicate that some food allergens are neutralized when processed for cosmetics, but I’m not sure that applies for peanuts. And at any rate, they did indicate there was still a risk of a reaction if such proteins weren’t processed properly.

Now, I’m gonna say it outright - I’m not one hundred percent sure that a heavily processed peanut-derived chemical such as arachidyl behenate will cause a reaction. I’ve worn a lot of makeup over the years without checking the ingredients, so I could have easily used a product containing it without knowing. Still, better safe than sorry.

Alternate names for peanut products (anything with the prefix “arachi-” should be considered suspect):

beer nuts, earth nuts, goobers, groundnuts, groundnut oil, hypogaeic acid, katchung oil, mandelonas

A full list can be found here, another cosmetic-specific one here.

Here’s some articles on the subject:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11558642

http://www.national-toxic-encephalopathy-foundation.org/peanuts-in-cosmetics/

http://cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/hydrogenated-peanut-oil

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/700482/ARACHIS_HYPOGAEA_(PEANUT)_OIL/

Stay safe, guys, and please signal boost for any peanut-allergic followers you might have!

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thelonecloudseeker

8 years ago