Disclaimer: I do not own "Once Upon a Time" or the characters or places depicted within. I'm just letting my Imagination play in the Enchanted Forest.
Chapter One: Darkness
Emma yelled in pain. Her nerves were alive with the power coursing through her. She could feel the wraith penetrating every pore, every crevice, every nook and cranny of her body. It was consuming her.
Her eyes strayed to Regina, the tears sliding down the former Evil Queen's face telling her far more than the arms encasing her ever could. Regina was feeling guilty.
Good. It's her fault. All of it.
Shaking away the invading thoughts, Emma turned her gaze to Hook. Killian. The man she had, only moments before, declared her love for, of, and too. He was looking at her, his gaze echoing of betrayal. She felt a crushing weight settle on her, as the pain in his gaze tore at her heart. And a perverse sense of joy settled over her.
He would have betrayed me anyway. He's a pirate. He's the reason Milah's dead, anyway. Good riddance.
A sudden, chilling realization flowed over her, and she tried pushing back thoughts the Dark One was feeding her. She directed her magic, that pure power that she'd been using for over a year now, directing it to corral the evil force.
It wasn't enough. The darkness was overwhelming, and it seemed to be never ending.
Her feeble barriers were nothing compared to it.
Suddenly, she felt the darkness moving, felt it hooking into her, whirling around her, and instinctively knew what it was going to do. As quickly as she could, Emma let go of the dagger in her hand, just as the magic flowed around her and in an instant, she was displaced.
She'd never poofed before, she'd never had a reason to learn the skill that Regina, Gold, and Cora seemed to live by. Her yellow bug had always been enough to get her where she needed to go. Now? Now the knowledge was just there for her use, as was the accumulated knowledge of all the previous Dark Ones: Rumpelstiltskin, Zoso, Morgana, Cthulhu, and Azerith.
Even now, she could feel someone holding the Dagger meant to control her, could feel the surety that they were going to summon her, hold her prisoner for the crime of existing, and could feel the eagerness to escape while it was still within her ability to do so.
So she held out her hand, calling the Black Fairy's Wand from its hidden location. Without hesitation, she cast a spell that she'd only once cast before, holding this exact wand. Unlike before, when she had to focus so much of attention on the outcome she wanted, the Wicked Witch's time portal just burst into existence.
She smiled as she jumped into the portal, her mind focusing on her destination. It was as she passed through the portal that she felt fury fill her: the pirate had dared summon her. The compulsion was weak, however. It held no power over her.
After all, she was no longer tied to that realm.
As she landed, Emma grinned in excitement. Exhilaration filled her as she felt her tether snap, breaking the leash that had for so long corralled her. Her entire soul screamed in freedom, as she celebrated outwitting the Evil Queen and her thieving so-called soul mate, the idiot pirate that she wished she'd killed centuries ago, and the sanctimonious Charming's, who condemned the use of Dark Magic only when they were the ones not conjuring it.
It never occurred to her that they were her friends, her family.
It didn't matter.
Finally, as her sharp laughter subsided, so different from the Imp's cackle and Zoso's emotionless satisfaction, she took a look around.
Ah, she was home after all. Or at least a version of home. After all, the Enchanted Forest was the Darkness's home for millennia. The thirty-three years that Emma Swan had lived in the Land Without Magic was nothing compared to that, a fraction of a second.
A soft chuckle blew past her lips as Emma stared at the dirt road she'd landed beside. It was reminiscent of her previous incursion into the Enchanted Forest, when she and the pirate had stumbled upon, and changed, Snow White's meeting with the shepherd. It was that set of circumstances that inevitably led to her becoming the Dark One, the chain of events that started it all began there with her falling into that portal, making cosmetic changes that had monstrously affected Storybrooke. Time was a fickle mistress, indeed.
Standing, Emma snapped out of her reminiscence and began across the road, ignoring the sound of stampeding horses coming her way. She was happily surprised to find that she no longer had the hobble that had plagued her for the past four centuries, so caught up that she started spinning around in gleeful circles, the exhilaration of having a new body.
Or old body. She really didn't care to think about it.
Skipping merrily down the road, Emma hummed a nonsensical tune that she'd heard in the Land Without Magic, a wholly appropriate song considering her predisposition. As it was, the galloping of horses drew nearer to her, and Emma was considering blowing them up for their audacity.
"You there," a voice called from behind her, drawing her attention to the black carriage that had pulled alongside her. She studied the guard at the reins, before she said, "Yes?"
"You dare not pay homage to the Queen," the Guard asked in outrage.
"Your Queen dare not stand against me," Emma said simply.
"You dare!" the Guard said, before he jumped off of the horse, drawing his sword as he landed. Emma smirked, before a voice said, "Enough! I'll deal with the impudent wench myself!"
Suddenly, Emma's gaze moved to the carriage, noticing for the first time the decorations that adorned it, as she looked at the veil that had been swept aside before a bumbling little man fell to the ground, and set a carpet down before extending his hand.
The gloved hand that grasped his drew her attention, black leather with a shine that spoke of wealth and authority. Then, one smooth, flawless leg exited, soon followed by another before the Evil Queen herself graced Emma with her presence.
"You dare not bow before your Queen?" Regina, who was so different from the woman Emma had left not fifteen minutes ago, half asked, half demanded. Emma smiled.
"Regina dear," she said smoothly turning her golden hued eyes to the woman, "Do you really not recognize me?"
Suddenly, the witch's eyes widened and she gulped as she asked, "Dark One?"
"Indeed," Emma said, enjoying the fear that was suddenly filling her apprentice's gaze. "How do I look?"
"I was unaware you could shapeshift into a woman, Rumpelstiltskin."
"Oh, no Regina dear. This isn't a shapeshift, this is my newest host's body. Isn't it Grande?"
"Yes, of course," Regina said, "I was unaware you had need of a new host, though, Dark One."
"Oh, no need, dear. As a matter of fact, this host isn't yet born, but by the time the Imp dies, a new spell was invented that allows the castor to travel backwards in time."
"Oh," Regina nodded. "How may I assist you, Dark One?"
"Such a good apprentice," Emma said, stalking forward, and caressing Regina's cheek with her own, as she had so many times before, drawing the Evil Queen to light yet possessive kiss that brought fear to the Evil Queen's eyes. "Changing hosts is such a horrid experience, Regina. I require a room for a week and information on the happenings in your kingdom so I can ascertain where my other self is."
"Of course," Regina said, slightly fearful of angering her. Emma smiled, drawing her hand down Regina's cheek as she said, "I will, of course, reward you for your cooperation."
"Now you really do sound like the Dark One I know," Regina said. "Please, come aboard. What shall I call you, since I doubt you will respond to the Imp's name?"
Deciding to smile even as she approached the carriage, where Regina's shaking servant, and father, extended his hand to aid her in climbing in, Emma said, "For now, you may call me Emma, as that is the name of my current host."
"Very well, Emma," the Evil Queen said in agreement. "As for the information you require? This evening, I will be attending the engagement party of Prince James, son of King George, and Princess Abigail, daughter of King Midas. Would you like to attend, Dark One?"
"No," Emma waved off, "I've been there before, and it would be too exhausting to try and explain my presence, and in my limited patience, I would most likely kill my counterpart should she recognize me."
The Evil Queen nodded, "I understand. Tomorrow, I have the execution of a stable girl, a common street rat that dares keep the location of Snow White from me, to attend. You would be most welcome."
"Eh," Emma shrugged, "To be honest, I have enough memories of bloodshed coursing through my mind at the moment that the death of some common harlot holds no interest for me. Though," she said looking at the Evil Queen, "I do, of course, retain the prerogative to change my mind. Anything else important happening that I need know about?"
"Just the rumors that I've heard concerning the Imp," Regina said calmly, "And the decrees that I'm going to be implementing in the next week detailing the punishment inflicted on those that abet Snow."
"Ah," Emma said, frowning as a voice screamed at her.
"Dark One?"
"Don't you worry dear," Emma said caressing Regina's face again as she smirked and drew her lips to the startled witch's own, "I'm just dealing with the unwanted addition of a conscience."
"I thought you subsumed the soul of the body you inhabit?"
"This was a… different… set of circumstances, dear," the Dark One stated. "Maybe soon I will speak of it, but for now, I require rest."
"Yes Dark One," Regina said, "Please take any hall on the west side of the castle as your own."
Emma nodded and poofed away, unaware of the shocked gaze that followed in her wake.
Eighteen hours later, as the sun rose on the horizon, startled green eyes opened, as a beautiful, blond-haired woman sat up, clutching red satin sheets to her naked breast. She looked around, fear in her eyes as she said, "What the hell? Where the fuck am I?"
"Dark One," a meek male voice asked from behind a large set of double doors, "Do you require assistance?"
Emma Swan frowned. She remembered the overwhelming control that the Dark One had the day before, how she had directed attack after magical attack at the consciousness, and nothing had seemed to work. She had no idea what the Darkness had done while in control of her body, and yet, everything seemed back to normal. Something, she couldn't tell what, had changed overnight.
Standing up, she allowed the sheets to pool at her feet whilst looking around for her clothes. Nothing looked right. The bed, while wonderful to sleep in, was easily five times the size of her own, and the floor was made of a beautiful wood, as were most of the accents.
"Dark One," the same voice said as a light knock came at the door, "The Queen has extended an invitation to breakfast with her. Shall I announce you?"
Emma's heart raced as she processed the man's words. "Of course," she said on instinct, suddenly overwhelmed as images of the previous day came flowing back at her. She saw the entire conversation between Regina and the Darkness, cringing at the fear reflected back at her in the Queen's dark brown eyes.
Hunger suddenly had her ravenous, even with an entirely new set of instincts running through her. And as she studied the room, Emma gasped as she remembered the seductive, yet possessive kiss shared between Regina and she the day before, the result of an overactive, unsuppressed, libido. Equally, she was repulsed and amused at the fear reflected in the Evil Queen's dark brown orbs.
Finally giving up on finding her clothes, she walked to the closet and gasped as she saw the beautiful gowns hanging before her. Picking one entirely at random, Emma quickly pulled it out as she walked over to the chest of drawers, and pulled out what looked, to her, to be a corset.
Once she'd dressed and exited the room, the man that stood there bowed sheepishly, as memories of the man; younger, more energetic, flowed through. "Prince Henry."
"Dark One," the man gulped, "I would be honored to show you to the dining room."
Emma nodded, before she rigidly followed the tempered man, her instincts warring with those of the darkness; which was telling her to intimidate the man for her own amusement. Her eyes shifted as she studied the decorations lining the halls: dark colored draperies, silver suits of armor, flowing red carpets, and walls that glistened they were so well kept.
"Her majesty is in the main hall," the feeble man stated as they neared. She nodded, biting back the urge to ask why he referred to his daughter in such supplication. It really wasn't any of her business.
She reached for the handle, when a scathing scoff filled her mind, before knowledge just appeared there and she gestured, throwing the doors open. Regina was looking around up, glaring anger in her gaze. "Emma, would you refrain from destroying my castle?"
Emma had to suppress the urge to hurt her former teacher-slash-apprentice. The Evil Queen was visibly upset about something, her rage palpable from across the room, and Emma had the feeling that it had to do with Zelena-slash-Marian, 'Leia' or Snow's escape the night before. "Not all of us have had the pleasure of sleeping for almost an entire day."
"Yeah, well you try gaining the knowledge of the millennial embodiment of Darkness, all at once, and see if you're any different," Emma snarled, incredibly angry at her friend's nonchalance.
Regina frowned, her gaze suddenly perceptive, "You're not acting yourself, Dark One."
"That's because the Dark One's taking a fucking holiday," Emma growled, stomping over to the table and waving her hand instinctively gathering a veritable feast on the plate before her. "I woke up this morning in control, and I plan to stay that way."
Regina smirked lightly as she said, "Tell me, Emma was it? What makes you think that you're any challenge for the Dark One? Believe me, I've felt the Dark One's power, and I know of its immense, overwhelming presence. You're a frail of a thing."
Emma looked at the woman who would one day be her son's mother, saw the curiosity and something else in her eyes, and answered, "I know things about how the Dark One works, and also that the Darkness and I are connected on a deeper, stronger level than any of his previous hosts in the past millennia. I have all of the knowledge of the previous Dark hosts, and all of the associated powers they absorbed and integrated into the Darkness."
Regina's eyes widened and she said, "How? How did you come by this connection with the Darkness? Rumpelstiltskin told me that he gained the Darkness from killing Zoso, who gained his from killing the previous Dark One."
"Morgana," Emma supplied needlessly, "And it simple. I didn't kill Rumpelstiltskin. The Sorcerer's Apprentice exorcized the Darkness from the Imp, but didn't contain it. Then, through a series of mishaps, the Darkness ended up going after my best friend. Naturally, I thought this was unacceptable, and since I controlled the Dagger, I sacrificed myself to stop my friend, a redeemed Dark Witch, from succumbing to the power of the Darkness."
"And you're what?"
Before, Emma would have shrugged, giving Regina a nonsensical answer, like all the times she remembered saying, "I'm the Savior" having no clue what it actually meant. Now, with the immense knowledge of the Darkness at her disposal, her answer was different.
"I'm a light witch, a product of true love."
"Interesting," the Evil Queen. "Your friend must be relieved?"
"I'd like to think so," Emma said quietly. "She had too much to live for, had finally found her happy ending."
"Villains don't get happy endings," the Evil Queen said snarling. Emma looked up and smiled, "Like I said, she's a redeemed villain, she's actually the one that taught me how to produce my magic. And I was the one destined to defeat her."
"What kind of idiot would do such a thing?"
Emma smiled before she said, "That is a story for another time. One that I shall, of course, continue. Think about what I've said, and when you decide you'd like the rest of the story, ask."
"So I can make a deal?"
"Do I look like the Imp?" Emma asked amusement laden in her voice. The Evil Queen shook her head, but said, "No, but I don't know what to expect from you."
Emma smiled. "As long as I'm the one in control, which I hope is a very long time, I want you to consider me your outlet. You know that I can take anything you can dish out, you've tried to kill the Imp a multitude of times and none of them have worked. Hopefully, in your own time, you'll come to consider us friends. I think my friend back home would proud of me reaching out to help another Villain reform themselves."
"I have no desire to be reformed."
"And I know that isn't true," Emma stated. "Even before becoming the Dark One, I could tell when someone was lying, probably my magic now that I think about it. Now? Now lies just scream at me. You desire reformation, Regina, you just don't know how to obtain it."
The Evil Queen sneered, "Be gone, Dark One."
Emma shrugged, "Alright. I never stay where I'm not wanted, Regina. Just let me give you a piece of advice, for your future. One day, you'll come to love a child more than any other. On that day, promise yourself that you'll try for redemption."
The Evil Queen huffed as she stood, whirling her hand and poofing away. Emma sighed, before a massive surge of anger hit against her shields, causing her to lean her hands against the table, where she looked into a silver plate. She looked at her mirror image, only to her surprise it was her, but dark. The eyes were black, and were glaring back at her with malice she'd rarely felt. All that directed hate was overwhelming.
"Get used to it, Dark One," Emma said to the image.
And though she couldn't hear the response her image gave, Emma knew instinctively it wasn't good.
Taking a deep breath, Emma closed her eyes and visualized where she wanted to go, or rather to who. With the slightest of urges, she felt her magic rise up and cover her, soothing against the dark temptations of her inner Venom.
As the white smoke swirled around her, and she felt the magic moving her, Emma opened her eyes. To her shocked disbelief, she'd gotten her destination on the first try. The cabin, a large, albeit dainty construct, was in the middle of nowhere, far in the depths of the Enchanted Forest. It was a small estate, one she'd read about many times before. Seeing it in person was amazing.
She stalked towards it as if the dwelling were hers, pushing the doors open with a wave of her hand. As they flew open, Emma's eyes widened as a very familiar sword flew towards her, before she reached out, stopping it with magic as it turned around and she wrapped her hand around the hilt.
Suddenly, the dwarves rushed out the door, spears and their pickaxes in their hands as they surrounded her. A few seconds passed before Ruby, Red here, rushed outside with Granny holding a crossbow aimed at her head.
Then, the woman she was expecting, came running out. Snow White.
"What do you want, witch?" her mom asked, her biting voice digging deeper than Emma thought it would. She'd expected apprehension, but not outright distrust. Her mom had always been the more levelheaded of her parents, and suddenly she was seeing the woman as a scared teenager, instead of the Queen and mother she would turn into.
Still, as she stepped closer and out of the shadows, Emma saw her suspicion lessening slightly, and the trusting woman her mother undeniably was. As a gesture of good faith, she waved her hand and returned the sword to her mom, but didn't say anything else, so Emma said, etiquette and formal greetings flowing through her mind as quickly as she could think them, "I apologize for causing you and yours to worry Princess Snow White. I am a seer, and I have a message for Red Riding Hood, one that I sense will be important in her future."
Red stood, her eyes wide as she sniffed Emma instinctively before her eyes flickered to the Princess. "Very well, Seer. I will take your message."
Emma nodded, and stepped forward, waving her hand and causing time to slow around the two of them. Ruby… Red, looked around and said, "You're a powerful witch, Seer."
"I am," Emma said. "I'm also a product of True Love, if that helps."
The Wolf nodded, "slightly, but I have a question."
"You want to know why I smell of Snow White," Emma stated. "I noticed that you picked up my scent."
Red nodded. Emma sighed, "That is a long, harrowing story that, for reasons long and complicated, requires events to fall in the same pattern as before. What I can tell you is that I am the daughter of Snow White and her True Love, Prince Charming."
Red's eyes widened as she said, "Snow marries the Prince?"
Emma only nods. A few seconds later, Red says, "How can I help you Princess?"
"I need to pass a message to my parents in the future, and I cannot risk my mother attempting to change events by telling her now. I'd like to implant the message into your mind, and set it to re-emerge when it needs too, but only with your permission."
"It is important?"
Emma nods. "But I'll need your word that you won't tell Snow, or her Prince, until the time comes far in the future."
"I would be honored, your highness."
"Emma," she said.
Red, smiled, "Snow chose well, your highness, and yes… You have my permission."
Emma concentrated first, feeling the pulse of knowledge flowing into her mind. With a wave, Emma held her hand left hand atop Red Riding Hood's head, which started emitting a yellow glow, before her right glowed a matching yellow. She then brought her right hand to her face, and whispered into it. As an afterthought, she added a few instructions to aid her parents in the future.
Seconds passed as Red's eyes glowed in the same yellow, before she blinked and said, "Is it done?"
"It is," Emma stated, "I'm not sure how long it will be until you pass the message along, but I do know that Snow will come to you in the future, and will say something that should trigger the message. No one else will remember my arrival, so you shouldn't be asked any questions."
Red nodded. "May I ask why you are here, and most importantly, how you came to be here, your highness?"
Emma sighed. "I made a decision that sacrificed my safety to save my friends life. Said decision caused me to become infested and temporarily controlled by a dark power that I'm attempting to suppress using my own magical powers."
"Dark magic?" Red asked horrified, "This message would ease your mother's mind?"
"Probably not as much as I'd like, but she would at least have the knowledge that I'm still alive."
Red bit her lip as she said, "What will you do now, Princess Emma?"
Emma sighed and said, "I don't know, other than leave this realm. I can only assume that the darkness brought me here in order to further its own agenda, and I have no intention of doing so."
Red smiled and said, "I will keep your secret, your highness. I will ask on behalf of my friend, whether now or in the future, to please come home safely."
Emma smiled. "Red, one thing you can tell Snow White once you've given her your secret is that I consider you both a knight to our realm, and a true friend."
Red's eyes widened as she grinned, "I am honored, Princess. Please be safe."
Emma nodded, and said, "Once I've left, just clap your hands and they should awaken like nothing happened."
With that, Emma poofed, safe in the knowledge that her mother and father would know she's alright.
Chapter Two will be coming soon. I expect it to be called Aid