The raccoon still had the alchemist's hand in his paw. He suddenly had a happy squeal and started taping quickly on the floor. Camalia allowed all the relief go through her body and she let out a very nervous laugh. She thanked every single person she could think of, you never know. A noise from the boy pulled her out of her prayers. He was waking up, sitting and looking very confused. Ruddiger immediatly went on his shoulders and licked his face.

-Hey Ruddiger ! Gross ! What has gotten into you ?!

He was tackled by the music mage warm and tight hug. Feeling his heart happily beating in his chest while he was completly lost about what was going on was probably going to stay with the girl forever. Suddenly the whole situation hitted Camalia back in the face and she pushed him back and properly slapped him.

-Okay now I am really, really confused ! What did I do to deserve that ?!

An insane giggle crossed the girl's mouth.

-Oh, oh you want to know what you did, uh ? Wow, never heard a bigger joke than that ! Hilarious ! Can't overthrow such an hilarious JOKE !

Ruddiger hid behind Varian's back, which was trying to stop the burn in his cheek where his friend slapped him. He was lost and a bit angry that point. He held Camalia's look.

-What's wrong, Camalia ? What did I do ? Why are you mad at me ?

She took him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him centimeters from her face.

-What is wrong, Varian, is that you tried to do MAGIC with SCIENCE and it obviously blew up in your face. And do you have ANY IDEA how I felt when I came back to see you lying on the floor ?! I thought you DIED ! And when I look closer, oh wait it's fine, you're not dead, you are in AGONY. You are the only friend I have and I'll really, really hate to lose you. Ugh, I can't believe you were so... so RECKLESS !

-What are you talking about ?!

-I know Varian. I know what you want to do.

Varian's angry face fell and he suddenly looked very guilty and worried. The music mage took that as a confession. She was still insanely angry at him for many, oh lord so many good reasons, but his look forced her to let him back on the ground. But it wasn't enough to stop her from pouring her heart out.

-I was terrified Varian ! I-I didn't know what to do, and you were... you were dying two feet away from me ! And do you know WHY you were dying ? Because you were stupid and reckless and crazy enough to do this ! And... and I didn't know ! I didn't and you could have DIED because of that. I want you to feel guilty and to-to deeply understand what just happened. Because I am not, I am NEVER going through that EVER AGAIN ! I never want to ! N-Never...

At this point, Camalia was crying, and rivers were flooding down her face. All the pressure was going down. The alchemist was looking anywhere but his friend, avoiding her burning glare.

-I knew it... I knew that you would think I am crazy...

-YES ! Obviously ! You don't do memories wiper with ALCHEMY ! It's magic stuffs !

The last words sunk into Varian as he lightened up. He turned to her, still unsure.

-Wait, you mean you don't think my project is crazy ? It's... it's just my method ?

-Of course ! I mean, I don't have a melody to erase memories, but I know a lot of magical artefacts that does that, and I was in a prison for ten years, so-

She couldn't finish her sentence, cut by the alchemist's hug. She was really surprised and didn't react until he broke it and looked at her right in her green eyes, gratitude and a growing friendship shining in his.

-Now you got ME confused. She joked.

He giggled, but the sparkle in his eyes didn't leave. When they cleaned up everything while joking around, when they finally drank that ho- that cold cocoa, when they sat down on his bed to talk about it, it didn't leave. They talked about how keeping secrets actually put them in danger, especially in an empty prison. They talked about Varian's plan, and how to improve it. Camalia jumped on the occasion to underline what she already said : that he really, oh man, did he really, REALLY needed to be more careful with alchemy. And that next time he has a plan like this, he had to talk about it to someone before doing anything, to prevent any new... accidents. He was really embarrassed to be scolded by his friend, even if he could see he needed it. So he listenned. And even then, the light didn't leave his eyes. Then they talked about her secret, what she's been hiding when she went in the forest.

-Well, I-I was practicing melodies.

Varian seemed surprised and a bit sad that she didn't want to test her melodies out with him in those hangouts afternoon they had. Ruddiger, on the other hand, was looking at the music mage with concern. He saw them on all those times they shared to analyze Camalia's melodies, and it had nothing to do with what he saw in the wood. She wasn't practicing melodies, she was building something and writing a song. He didn't know why, but he knew that she shouldn't be lying to him, especially at that moment. Clearly, his master was ready to open up more, and to put all his trust in her. It was a really, really bad time to lie. But the raccoon didn't do anything. He saw things in the forest that made him believe that it probably was for the best. Plus, if the guitare girl was ready to take the consequencies of her actions, then so it'll be.

-After the grass episode, I thought it would be better if I try melodies before we are stuck to the ceiling until our last breath.

-So we can keep testing them together ? Lightenned up the boy.

-Yes, of course !

They smiled to eachothers and a comfortable silence installed itself. Varian was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling while Camalia was sitting on the ground. That's why the alchemist didn't see what happened. Ruddiger approached the music mage and pulled her pants to catch her attention before angrily looking at her. The girl avoided his glare, guilt on her face. The raccoon realized she felt really terrible for lying to her friend at that moment. But in her eyes, he could see she didn't have a choice. The animal sighed and patted her knee, earning a smile from the guitare girl. He went on her lap and decided to rest there, a bit bumped out by what was going on. He couldn't believe that between the two humans, he was the one that knew more. Come to think of it, it wasn't really the best thing.

A red and juicy apple landed in front of him and his thoughts magically disappeared. He jumped on it and started happily eating it, while Camalia, that gave him the fruit, was petting him absentely.

-Camalia... I-I think I am ready to talk about what brought me here. I mean, really talk about it.

Varian sat on the bed, looking at her with gratitude, friendship and complete trust. The music mage throat tighten seeing that, but she didn't let anything slip on her face. She smiled and sat beside him without saying anything, patiently waiting for him to begin. He took a deep breath and started.

-Everything started when I met the princess, Rapunzel...