Of Copyrights and Metaphysics
This little story grew out of half-crazy theory I had about who the actual 'Author' was the characters of Storybrooke are looking for. This takes place theoretically at the end of season 4. Minor spoilers if your haven't seen Darkness on the Edge of Town. At this point of my story Cruella De Vil and Ursula have been defeated.
The Walt Disney Corporations owns all of this. Please don't sue me Mr. Iger.
"Emma, get down!"
Even as Regina was yelling her warning, Emma was diving for the floor of the cavern. She hit the hard pitted surface an instant before a ball of fire ripped through the exact spot she had been standing. The heated air burned in her lungs as she sucked in a breath and tried to refocus on her attacker. Pushing off the ground with the palms of her hands she took in the monstrosity they faced.
The beast was huge, as big as a dragon, likely even larger. But Emma was by no means an expert, she had only faced down Maleficent in her dragon form. For all she knew dragons came even bigger. Her time as the 'Savior' she had fought any number of creatures, from Ogres to a Chernabog, but nothing like this. This...thing nearly defied description. A whirling form of razor sharp claws and grizzly fangs, stone like skin, and glowing eyes the size of her VW Bug. Oh...and apparently it could breath fire.
"Emma, are you alright?" called Mary-Margaret, her voice laced with concern but also concentration as she laced another arrow into her bow. It seemed a fruitless gesture, the creature's hide looked tough enough to shrug off a cannon blast, let alone a measly arrow.
"I'm all right," wheezed out Emma to her mother as she managed to get onto her knees. Still watching the beast as it's massive claws clenched and unclenched she managed to pant out, "What the hell is that thing?"
"Pissed off, I'd say," came Killian's reply. At his witty retort, Emma turned from her half kneeling position to see the rogue pirate Captain extend a hand. She took it automatically and he pulled her to her feet.
"Love," remarked Killian with a boyish smile. "When Henry said he found the path to the 'Author,' did he mention anything about yonder beasty?" He gestured towards the hulking creature with his hooked hand.
"He said the 'Author' had a guardian, didn't really go into details," replied Emma
The beast roared and once again rushed towards the band of heroes and villains. For its size, it moved incredibly fast. Emma, Killian, Regina, and Mary-Margret cowered back, trying to duct from monster's attack. Attempting to focus her magic even as she was avoiding having her head sheared off by one the creature's claws, Emma managed to shoot a blast of magical energy at their attacker. But it was weak and ineffectual against the towering behemoth.
Raising its massive fists high above its head, the beast made to slam its talons into the four of them. It was all happening so fast, there was no time to dodge the attack. Long sharp daggers descended with tremendous speed. Then, without warning, the air blurred before Emma and the others and the beast's murderous attack was blunted as it's claws bounced off a magical barrier.
"I will not be denied!" shouted Gold from behind the group. They all turned to see Rumpelstiltskin clutching a glowing crystal ball. From the glass sphere came cascading violet and ruby light, hallmark of powerful dark magic. Gripping the ball tightly in one hand, he brought it up before him. The lambent colored light coming the orb increased and the magical barrier it produced flared and drove back the beast.
"Ugh," grumbled Hook, "saved by the Crocodile."
"You can just as easily be on the other side of my protective shield," snapped Gold as he strode forwards. As he moved, the vicious beast was forced back. It battered against Gold's dark magic, viciously clawing and snarling, but could not break through.
Regina eyed the collected dark magic in her former mentor's hands. She suppressed a shudder about where Gold had conjured such shadowy powers. "Well, your little magic 8-ball is all well and good, but how do we get past that thing?"
A new voice rose up from the dark path the five had travel to reach the beast's lair. "I think I have just what is needed." Racing out of the dim shadows came Prince Charming, sword in hand. His eyes took in the big beast before him and then to his wife and daughter. "Is everyone alright?"
Nodding fast Mary-Margaret said, "David, we're fine. Were you able to find it?"
"The fairies led me right to the spring." He twirled his sword expertly in his hands. "This blade has been blessed with powerful white magic. It will be able to stop the beast."
Hook took one look at Prince Charming's sword and then at the raging monster beyond the barrier. "You've got to be kidding, that thing's skin is hard as a rock.." But he broke off as the Prince spun in a tight circle, gathering momentum, and then heaving his blade right towards the creature's chest. Expertly thrown the sword sliced through the air. Gold's barrier pulled away from the sword, shrinking back from the white magic enshrouded weapon and then right on to the monster. With a mighty crack, the sword sunk more half its length into impenetrable skin of the beast.
It let out a horrible scream of rage, but also pain carried in its thunderous cry. Staggering back, the creature tried to pull the embedded blade from it's chest. But its massive clawed talons made this impossible. With a gallant smile...and a big of smugness, Charming turned to Capitan Hook and said, "You were saying?"
"Show off," glowered Hook, but it was clear the man was relieved the weapon had worked.
"Well, Miss Swan and Madam Mayor..." began Gold as he looked over the other five. The assembled group of would-be heroes, villains, seekers of redemption, and those that had fallen from grace. Those labels applied to all of them in one way or another. "...shall we get on with this and find this mysterious 'Author'?"
"Can't see any reason to delay," replied Regina. Both she and Emma took their positions as they worked their combined magic to make a fateful blow on the wounded beast. Two bursts of magical energy streaked out from the women, tore towards the monster, and ripped into the wound created by the still embedded sword. The beast's glowing eyes widen in fear as it knew its end was near. It let out a mighty bellow and then crumbled to the ground.
"Well," said Hook, as he surveyed the dead beast, "that wasn't such a chore, now, was it?"
Regina rolled her eyes at the pirate. "You didn't do anything."
"Nearly got killed, that's something," answered Hook with cocky sarcasm.
"Children," drolled Gold as he pocketed his still glowing crystal ball. "Can we please save the incriminations for later?"
Emma looked around, uncertain what they were looking for in the cave. "Henry said the path to the Author's liar lay in the deepest darkest section of the mines under Storybrooke. So this is it. So where do we go from here?"
Hook approached the unmoving beast cautiously. "Unless we think tall, dark, and gruesome here was the 'Author.'" He examined the beast's massive claws and shook his head saying, "Can't see this guy writing much of anything with those blades for fingers."
"No," sighed Gold, his eyes focusing on the far side of the cave. "I believe that is where we need to go." He pointed to a white door.
"Where did that come from?" asked David as he gaped at the entrance. "That wasn't here a moment ago."
"I believe, the 'Author' is inviting us to visit," replied Gold with a wide smile that held nothing but malice. More than anything else Gold desired to have the power the 'Author' wielded, the ability shape the lives of everyone living in the Enchanted Forest or Storybrooke.
In an instant, Regina was at his side, her eyes flashing in anger. "You promised Gold. You swore to me that we would all find our happiness. We'd all have a chance with this 'Author' to fix our mistakes."
"That I did, deary," replied Gold without breaking his pace for the door. But his cold demeanor paused for just a moment. "In my dear Belle's memory I gave my word. I intended to keep it."
Uncertain if she could really trust Gold she followed after the man with a scowl. David had been correct, the door had not been there before. Even the beast attacking it would have been impossible to miss this door. Soon all six of the adventures were gathered around the single simple wooden door. The clean white paint of the door stood out in sharp contrast to the dingy and dark rock face that it's door frame was attached. On the door itself there was a simple brass knob for the handle. It lacked any keyhole and apparently was unlocked.
Emma stared hard at the door, hoping somehow to make sense of it. Beginning tentatively she said, "So...do we knock?
Attempts on her life usual put Regina in a foul mood, and today was no different. She was in no mood for waiting. "I think," Regina replied as she gripped the door knob, "we'll just see ourselves in." And without any further thought of caution she threw the door open and they stepped through...
...Into an office waiting room. There was no other way to describe the place the six found themselves. In fact, it was a exquisite office waiting room. The floor was carpeted in dark green thick plush carpeting. A long dark leather sofa lined one side of the spacious room, flanked by a set of matching leather chairs. The walls were all rich mahogany, their deep red-brown surface giving the office a very lavish appearance. Arrayed on the walls were dozens of photos and pictures. It was the images that drew Emma's attention, nearly all of them showed portraits of a man, dark hair, a bit of a large nose, and a mustache. He was always smiling. Sometimes he was by himself, but other time with children. Often his picture showed him to be working away at a drawing. The combination of both the extravagance of the room and photos of the smiling man gave the place and odd sense of both power and cheerfulness.
"Where the hell are we?" asked Regina, her eyes wide with astonishment. This clearly not what she was expecting.
"Excuse me," said a polite voice from the far right side of the room. They all spun at once. In the corner of the room, there was a young woman working away at a computer. She sat behind a fancy and yet at the same time minimalistic office desk. In this room filled with elegant furniture and its attention-getting pictures, it was easy to overlook the office desk and the woman behind it. She was busy typing away and her focus was on the computer monitor. She gave them an ever so slight glance, as if to say she had much better things to do than be gaped at, and returned to her typing. As she worked, she asked, "Do you have an appointment?"
Emma, Regina, Mary-Margret, David, Hook, and Gold all just stared at her wide-eyed. Mary-Margret was the first to make a partial recovery. "Do we have a what?"
A slight exasperated sigh came from the woman. "Do. You. Have. An. Appointment. With. Mr. Iger?" she asked tersely.
Rumpelstiltskin, showing more confidence than he likely had, marched over to the woman's desk. He stood over her and indeed did look threatening. "Now listen hear deary, I've come a long way. A very long way. And I want to meet the 'Author'. Is this Mr. Iger the Author? Where is he?"
Completely unimpressed with his theatrics she said bluntly, "Name?"
The Dark One was thrown off by the question. Before he answered, Mary-Margret approached and did a better job at a greeting. "Well, I'm Mary-Margret," she began as she pointed to herself. "And this is Mr. Gold," she indicated. She went around the room introducing everyone. The woman, Emma guessed she was a secretary, listened patiently although her hands still worked away at the keyboard of her computer.
When Mary-Margret was done, the woman nodded once and then picked up a nearby phone. She spoke briefly into the receiver, "Mr. Iger, your eleven o'clock is here." Looking back at the six residents of Storybrooke as she hung up the phone she said, "He'll be out shortly."
Emma glanced at Killian and then to Regina. She had a very uncomfortable feeling building in her stomach. "We were expected?"
"Well this...'Author' seems to know everything about us. Shape our lives. Seems like he knew we would be coming," said Killian as he continued to look around the room. Examining one of the pictures of the smiling man he asked, "Who is this guy? Wasn't one photo of him smiling like an idiot enough?"
The secretary managed out a startled cough. She looked at Hook like he was some sort of idiot. Shaking her head with annoyance she answered, "Where do you think you are? That's Walt Disney."
Please let me know what you think so far. Thanks
-Walker