In only two and a half month, Varian and Camalia made eachothers very important in their respective life. But to be honest, since they were stuck together all the time, for someone with a normal schedule, it would have been more of a year of knowing someone rather than two months. The two were very close and they spent most of their time with eachother. They did kept secrets, but they both agreed it was important to have at least a glimpse of privacy. So, when Camalia was leaving for an entire day and part of a night before coming back drained and tired, Varian never said anything. Or when Varian was working on this idea he had back when Camalia had her first periods, the music mage never asked any questions. They would be lying if they said they weren't curious, but they wanted to respect their privacy.

But when you live all the time with someone, secrets and privacy become polar opposites.

If someone would know everything that was going on, it would be Ruddiger. The raccoon was either with Varian or Camalia. And strangely enough, they were always saying everything to him. He didn't really understand why, but sure didn't mind being the one that knew more than others. Some night, he would follow Camalia to the forest, and behind the biggest tree, near a cliff, he would watch her working on... something, before rehearsing a song. She often mumbled things such as "Yeah, that should break it" or "Is it really from my heart ?" and some time even "Oh god, what if this doesn't work out". To be honest, Ruddiger had no idea what she was working on, it was really a blur. But when they head back to the prison, Camalia often talked to the raccoon. She would explain how it had to be it. How she would have no idea what to do if it didn't work. How she worked on that for years. How she could finally get rid of them. That last part always kind of triggered him. He just hoped she wasn't talking about Varian and him.

Talking about him, Varian was really, really easy to read, the complete contrary of Camalia. Everytime the music mage was off to take a bath or work on her weird project, the alchemist would work on a way to erase everyone memories. It was the big idea he had when Camalia talked about how Masha had to look past his mistakes to see the real him. If there wasn't any mistakes, there was nothing to look past of ! He would work with all the tools Ruddiger gave him when he went out with the guitare girl. The raccoon listened hours of the alchemist talking about how it was a great idea, trying to reassure himself more than actually talking to his pet. He would also make countless tries with him, which always ended up with failing. But Varian didn't lose hope. But he was afraid of Camalia's reaction to this insane project, and he really didn't want to hear her say that this was crazy and that he shouldn't be doing this. So he kept it a secret.

This day, Camalia was out working on that thing again, and Varian was all alone in the prison, studying books about the human mind and trying to make a memory wiper. Thanks to the music mage, he had now a table, and even in the tight space of the jail, it was really useful, especially to do alchemy. Or hot cocoa. He took a sip of the one he made before starting to work. He yawned, it was getting late, and even if he could work at night now since they found a lantern, he still needed sleep.

-Just one more, I'm sure this one is going to work.

After a long hour of work, the mixture was ready. Maybe not to wipe memories, but it was ready. He just had to test it out first. He looked around and spotted a small sprout of grass growing in a dark place of the cell. He walked up to it and poured a little bit of the brownish liquid on it. The grass didn't seem to react at first. Then it turned black and crumbled away. Varian sighed and put the beaker on the table beside his cup of cocoa.

-Okay, I think I know what is wrong this time ! This is easy, I just have to...

The alchemist started to work again, confident and very tired. He yawned for the third time in the same five minutes and thought that maybe the cocoa would keep him awake. Still in the head in his work, he searched for the cup with his hand and drunk it all as soon as he catched it. But it had a very, very weird taste. Varian frowned and put the cup in front of his eyes. A cold sweat ran down his spine when he saw that the beaker was in his hand. And the cup, still filled with hot cocoa, wisely waiting on the table. He staggered backward, his vision became blurry and he felt his strength leaving. He fell on the ground, unable to move as he dived into unconsciousness.

Camalia had spent a lot of time working on her project, but Ruddiger had been really useful, she was glad she took him with her. When she entered the castle, everything was dark, and she only crossed the path of old lady Crawly, that just greeted her with a mumble. The music mage was in a great mood. She actually worked really well that day, and with a lot of luck, it should be ready on time. She strechted and yawned as she was taking the stairs to the prison. She was really tired and couldn't wait to meet her pillow with a satisfied sigh.

-Ball, I'm back !

She walked in the corridor, waiting for Varian to greet her as usual, but only the silence answered. She knew he wasn't asleep, the lantern in his cell was still on. Well, even if it did happens that he fell asleep while working.

-Ball, you're asleep ?

Still no answer. Ruddiger and Camalia exchanged a look before the raccoon hoped down and ran to the cell. When he got there his eyes widened and he let out a scared squeal. He came back to Camalia and pushed her forward, with hurry in his eyes. The music mage felt her throat tighten. She had a terrible feeling about this. Her legs were heavy but it didn't stop her.

-Varian ?

When she got there, she felt numb. Varian was on the ground, a broken... vial beside him. Everything on the table had fallen, and the only thing that catched Camalia's eyes was a cup of hot cocoa, full, and the empty vial, well, beaker, with a drop of brown liquid. She opened the cell with trembling hands, praying whoever she could that he was just asleep. She threw herself beside him and took his hand, listenning to his heartrate... if there still was one. Thank the king, there was. But it was... it was slowing down. Camalia felt sick, way, way worse that when she had the periods. She let herself fell, still holding Varian's hand, and feeling his heart dying so painfully slowly. She couldn't breath, couldn't see, couldn't hear. Her world at that instant was the oh so slow beat she could feel in her hand. Ruddiger forcefully pulled her out of her trance and pointed at the empty beaker than at Varian, and then crossed his arms.

-Y-yes, right. Sorry Ruddiger, you're right, I have to pull myself together. Okay, okay, I-I can fix this. Think Camalia, for the love of all music mages. Think think... Okay, so he took some kind of... of poison. So the melody of heal won't work. Okay hum... Ruddiger, this might help, do you know what he was making ?

The raccoon nodded and took one of Varian's chalk. He drew people and the symbole of Corona above them. Everyone was angry at a replica of the alchemist. Camalia turned to the real one with worry before coming back to the drawings. The people was pointing at him, and they were talking about what he had done. Then Varian threw a mixture to the bubble where the drawing of his past was, and suddenly everything disappeared and they forgave him. Ruddiger stopped drawing and looked up at the music mage.

-A... He wants to... Oh man WHY are you so freackingshly dumb Varian ! Ok, he wants to wipe everyone memories, that's right ?

The raccoon nodded quickly.

-Okay, I have to breath. Camalia, you definitely don't have time to be absolutely MAD at him. Breath. What should I do. Alright, first, Ruddiger I want you to keep me updated about the state of his heartrate, can you do that ?

Ruddiger started to protest but one glare of Camalia made him obey. He taped at the rythm of Varian's heartbeat. It was a lot more slow than what the music mage anticipated. She pulled herself together and started to think. Varian had to drink the poison, so it was in his veins, and the melody of heal only worked on what it could touch. She had to make an anti-poison, but had no knowledge of it, and they didn't have time to go look for what they needed. They had to do with what they had. Camalia turned to the alchemist tools and started look through his stuffs, not really knowing what she was looking for. She saw Varian's books on the human mind, and pointed them at Ruddiger with an angry look. It wasn't really important, but still. She did find something interesting. It was Masha's pain killer recipe. With the ingredients needed for it.

The boy's heart rate was getting painfully slow, and he didn't have much longer. Camalia had to act, one way or another. She looked at the recipe, the ingredients and her guitare. She didn't have a choice. It was hit or miss. She took at deep breath and focused. She wiped the table of all the tools and started working, the slowing rythm of Ruddiger's feet following her in every single one of her movements.

It was all her fault. She should have been here. She shouldn't have given him that idea. She was guilty, and she should admit it. Isn't that right, Camalia ? If you didn't talked to him, maybe he wouldn't have this stupid idea. If you were there tonight, you could have stopped him from drinking that. If you two talked to eachothers, if could have worked out. But you didn't because you're scared and weak. You're disgusting.

Camalia slammed her fist on the table, and hold her head, hoping it could keep them away. It was getting stronger, she'll probably go through a crisis very soon. But now was not the time to worry about it. The pain killer was done. She took her guitare and played the melody of healing, concentrating in the medicine. The green fog fell on it, before disappearing. The alchemist heartrate was so slow that Ruddiger had to hold his feet in the air to be sure to keep up.

-Okay, Ruddiger, it's done. I don't know if this will work, but it better be.

Ruddiger crossed his fingers... paws... things and Camalia had a weak smile. She held Varian's head and made him drink the medicine.

-Please, please make it work. Please... Please Varian, wake up.