-Have you tried a lower note before this one ?

Camalia played the guitare, but still nothing happened. She sighed. They have been at it for the last three hours and couldn't find a single melody. Varian scratched something on the paper he was holding and wrote something under.

-Try this maybe ?

Again, nothing. The alchemist mumbled under his breath. He looked at all the previous pages he filled with notes, searching for a mistake. Camalia sat on the bed and yawned. She would rather be doing alchemy with him, but he insisted at finding at least one spell together. She lay down on the bed and closed her eyes.

It had been a month since her last crisis. Varian didn't bring it up, but she knew he was thinking about it, just like she was. She couldn't help but think that it wasn't safe for him. And that for the crisis that was coming in less than another month, he shouldn't be there. She didn't want to hurt him, never. So he had to leave.

She had to make him leave.

-Hold on, I think I figured it out !

The boy turned to her with a big smile. He shoved a new sheet of paper in her face. She read it and raised her eyebrows. She sat and thought about it.

-That... might actually work, Ball.

-Try it then !

Camalia stood up and focused on the melody. She took a deep breath and started playing. The familiar feeling of the green fog quickly appeared and she smiled. The melody was gentle and soft, like cotton candy. They both looked at the fog with curiosity as it spread in the cell. It looked like it was searching for something. Suddenly, it focused on Ruddiger that was just watching what was going on with detachment. He did start to worry when the fog placed itself above him and started to slowly come down in swirls.

-Uh, Camalia ?

The fog suddenly swallowed Ruddiger and the two friends gasped. Out of shock, Camalia stopped playing and the fog disappeared. But the raccoon was gone too.

-Ruddiger !

Miles away, near a cliff and a giant tree, the green fog gently laid a rightly terrified raccoon before disappearing. His tail was very fluffy, and his scared eyes shifted from left to right. He was at the place Camalia came to work on her project. She hadn't come in a while, but it was still here. Except now, it was daylight. And Ruddiger could finally see what it was. He turned around, and the giant pile of metal and ropes still seemed like... a pile of metal and ropes. He could see systems and logic, but he still had no idea what this... thing was suppsoed to be. One thing for sure, it was not something to murder Varian and himself, even if, well, he more or less already knew that. He was about to investigate further when the fog ate him again.

It spat him out back in the cells. The raccoon felt sick, all of this moving around in magical fog sure didn't help. He stood back up in his trembling legs before someone tackled him in a hug.

-Ruddiger ! Are you okay ? Are you hurt ? We're really sorry.

Varian turned him around to see if he had any wounds. At this rate, the alchemist was about to receive a lot of apples from the raccoon's stomach.

Behind him, Camalia was looking at Ruddiger with worry. And, to be honest, a bit of curiosity.

-So... What happened ? Where did you go ?

They both turned at the raccoon expectedly. He took time to be able to stand up and walk a few steps without feeling like the world was upside down. After a few breaths, he started drawing with a chalk. A few trees and a giant one and a big gap. The two friends exchanged a concerned look.

Camalia felt like this place was familiar. She searched through her memory and her eyes widened.

-Oh my good lord, you went to the... The big tree. She said in a whisper.

She frowned and the pieces got together.

-I-It's a teleportation melody. It's... It's a melody to travel through TIME and SPACE ! OH WOW THIS IS... THIS IS AMAZING, BALL !

The music mage couldn't find the words, baffled by what she understood. She started stupidly dancing in the cell while Varian was still processing the implication of that discovery. But, he had to admit. It was, indeed, absolutely wholesome.

Even if it was, he needed to rationalize. It couldn't happen "magically". There had to be a logical and scientifical explanation to the raccoon disappearing, travelling miles within seconds and coming back the same way. A very, very simple and scientifical answer.

He was at that point in his thoughts when Camalia grabbed him by the wrists and started dancing with him. Varian was about to protest, but the genuine, big smile on his friend's face blocked his words in his throat. Well, maybe for now he could threw any logic and science out of the window and just enjoy the moment. He started laughing and dancing like an idiot with her.

On the table, Ruddiger lay down and instantly fell back asleep. He had way to many emotions today.

-It only works on animals.

A few hours later and after countless tests, Camalia had no choice but to come to this devastating conclusion. But to be fair, it only worked on small animals AND small plants. It was still something. But after the discovery of physical teleportation, Varian had to admit it left a bitter sweet taste in their mouth.

-Well, it isn't that bad ! It still is Teleportation. And I am still sure everything about this is scientifically explicable.

-Yeah, but... It would have been a great way to bust you out !

-What ?

The alchemist pulled back in surprise. He looked at her, waiting for his friend to explain. Camalia sighed and avoided his stare.

-Look, I've been thinking about it, and I want to help you break out. I still think that going after Rapunzel is a bad idea, but if that's what you want, I'll help you how I can.

Varian hesitated. To be completely honest, he didn't really want to escape. For what ? Take a revenge that shouldn't be, when he had already done so much wrong ? To just run away for ever from his home ? Plus, he had a friend in the prison, and out there, he would be... all alone.

-Is it like... What Captain talked about the first day ?

Back then, the chief of the guards warned the girl to not bust "this one" out. Implying she already did. Numerous times.

-I-No. No it isn't like that. I did try to make some friends -it gets really lonely pretty quickly in here- but it never worked out. Sometime I thought it did, and then they just use me to escape or I accidentally blow things up with a melody... Or to try to win their friendship. It's embarrassing but I... I just wanted a friend.

-Then you can come with me !

-NO ! I mean... No. I-I can't, sorry.

Suprised by her strong reaction, the alchemist insisted anyway.

-Why not ? You told me you wouldn't just walk out because you didn't have a place to go to. I could help you find one, or...

-I just can't, Varian. I'm sorry.

He wanted to keep insisting, but the last time he did, Camalia had what she called a "panic attack". And he really didn't want it to happen again. The music mage seemed pretty down now, and Varian landed a comforting hand on her arm. When she looked up, he smiled to her, with a smile that said that he would always help her as much as she helped him.

After long talks and a bunch of arguments that didn't end up with yelling, thank god, Camalia finally convinced the alchemist that he had to leave. She felt like a terrible friend, pushing him around, lying and not listening to him. But... She was doing that to protect him, so... It's a good thing, right ?

Varian was just worried. He felt like she was trying to send him away rather than help him, but he didn't know why, and it haunted him. But he trusted her, so he closed his eyes on his doubts and fears.

He trusted her.

From Ruddiger's perspective, first of all it was a great day to take a nap, and second, both of the kids were heading straight to disaster. Especially Camalia. She knew what his master has been through, how he needed an anchor and he chose her, and yet, she abused his trust to do what she thought was right. But it was wrong. Everything about it was just wrong. And he hoped, he really did, that she would realize that before it's too late. Also he wanted apples and sunflower seeds. A lot of apples, from grown trees, and a few seeds as the cherry on the cake. The crunch of the sunflower seeds contrasting with the soft feel of an apple... Oh, sweet happiness.

The plan was simple. Open the cell and let him escape. Simple plan, but hard to do. Avoiding the guards should be easy, they always had the same routine, but maybe today would be the day they suddenly decided to change the turn of guards. And this time if he got catched, nothing said they would just put him back in his cell. Thanks to Camalia's knowledge of the place, they could plan his route easily, to make it safer. The only dangerous point would be when he pass the guards' room. After that, he was free, easy peesy.

The music mage detailed her friend up and down. His bright blue shirt and shiny googles wouldn't help. They had to find a cloak. Fortunately, Camalia knew exactly where to find a long black cloak with a hood. She had time to wander around the castle after all.

It was a bit big, but Ruddiger had enough place to hide under it as well, so it actually was the exact right size.

They waited until night. As usual, one of the guards on duty, Pete this time, gave them dinner before heading out. Technically there was only one more guard to come, check around and then they were alone for an hour or so.

Varian didn't want to break out. He needed this time in jail to think about what he had done, and how to fix it. Right now, he was just confused about what he should do next. He just wanted to think. But he trusted Camalia. She must have a good reason. He trusted her. She must be right. She must be.

-Okay, I think it's safe now.

Camalia turned to the shadow beside her. She smiled at him, but she looked sad. The music mage opened the door and checked both ways before signing to Varian. He tip toed out of the cell, and once he was sure no guards were there, he suddenly hugged Camalia tight before running away, without letting her react.

She breathed deeply. Her heart was torn and her throat sore. But at least, Ruddiger and Varian were safe from her.

The alchemist ran through the corridor, not looking back once. When he realized how loud his steps were, he finally slowed down. He felt heavy. And he felt like he made the wrong choice. But he couldn't turn back now. He had to move. He avoided the guards easily, thanks to Camalia's plan. He finally got to the tricky part.

The guards' room.