A/N: Written for Cherish the Peanut Week on tumblr celebrating Robin's daughter. This is the same universe as my story The Nature of Evil but takes place several years before.

Phil was 9 and Emily was 8 when it happened. They had been both watched the Disney version of his mom's story that morning after Emily found Regina's stack of the movies in the back of a closet. It had been kind of boring until the dragon showed up and so that afternoon they decided to play swords fighting with his toy sword and the one Emily had stolen from Roland's room. He was thirteen now and wanted everyone to know he was an adult and didn't need toys anyway.

They dueled furiously battling each other across the battlements of her castle... well... across the sidewalk along Mifflin Street.

"What are you playing?" Angela Prewitt asked with a sneer as she stopped her bike to watch them. Her little gang of girls who had recently been Emily's friends but had decided she was no longer cool and turned on her behind her smirking.

"We're playing fairytails," Phil said defiantly.

"He's Princess Aurora and I'm Maleficent."

"Your mother didn't sword fight," Angie said with a shake of her head, "And Maleficent was a sorceress. She fought with magic."

"How would you know little girl?" The low voice behind them made the three bullies run cold. Maleficent was tall and imposing and still scary even if she wasn't a villain in town. Especially with the way she was looking at them.

"I can to do magic." Emily said defiantly. "And use a sword if I want to."

"She's lying. She's normal just like her, dad."

Maleficent raised an eyebrow and tilted her head at the children, "Do you really want to test that theory dear."

Emily was angry that they'd been picking on them and so she stuck out her hand and concentrated hard. So hard that she worried she might poop in her pants accidently. But a little flame appeared.

The ageless sorceress smiled and Phil grinned. As soon as the spark appeared the little girls took off on their bikes and Emily shouted after them, "Only brave when there are more of you?"

She threw the little flame but it went out within a few inches of her hand. The dragon lady gave her a wink and blew a long breath at the departing bullies. It wasn't dragons fire but the back tires of their bikes began to smoke a little and they rode even faster away.

Emily shifted nervously, "I... probably shouldn't have tried to throw it at them."

"No," Maleficent agreed, "But it was still fun. And they'll just smell a little singed the rest of the day and it will teach them a lesson."

Phil was quiet now, looking at the woman who had cursed both his mother and his grandmother.

"Phil, this is my aunt Maleficent. She's awesome."

Phil marched up and offered her his hand trying to hide that he was a bit scared. She smiled, "You're Briar Rose's grandson. You know she was the best swords woman of her age. And your mother was very brave too. You take after her."

"You cursed them..."

"I was going through a grumpy period. I've mellowed." Maleficent shook his hand. "You aren't afraid of Emily's magic?"

He shook his head, "She's my friend why would I be afraid of magic?"

"Good. Some day she'll need a friend just like you. Try not to get yourself cursed before that." She nodded to them both, and walked on her way.

Phil turned to Emily, "Think we're in trouble?"

"Nah. Aunt Mal loves trouble. She won't tell on us." She raised her wooden sword again. "Now... where were we?"

"I was about to gallantly fall to your evil ways."

Emily Locksley grinned. "That's right. You'll be sleeping before nightfall..."

And the clash of wooden swords and imaginary battles recommenced.