I really have no idea what to name this little fic, so if you could drop a suggestion or two my way it would be greatly appreciated!
"Concentrate…" Emma mutters, tightening her eyes shut. She had no clue what she was doing but maybe if she tried hard enough she would get somewhere.
Having just endured a long, insult-crammed magic lesson with Regina, Emma wanted to practice so next time she wouldn't be announced as a 'bumbling, incomprehensible idiot.' If she played her cards right maybe she could even impress her picky teacher.
But so far the blonde was getting no where. She squeezes her eyes tighter in hopes the more she concentrated, the more successful she would be with the spell. No luck. "Damn." Emma mutters, opening her eyes. What could she be doing wrong? She was following every order Regina had given her for teleportation; eyes-closed, mind shut down, toes pointed forward. Emma pauses, figuring she must have zoned out at some point. Most likely while glancing at her instructors plump lips.
Sighing, the blonde tries again. Re-adjusting her position Emma allows her mind to melt into darkness, picturing the comforts of Granny's diner. No. Henry might still be there and the last thing she needed right now was her son thinking she was some kind of witch. Even though she was. Instead Emma shifts her mind to Regina's mansion, where the woman would no doubt be inside now. A light smirk flits across Emma's features, how great would it be if she managed to poof right into Regina's line of sight? Who'd be the bumbling idiot then? Emma shuts her eyes tightly picturing Regina's, shocked and hopefully- impressed, face.
When Emma re-opened her eyes it was not the stately mansion before her. Nor was she still in StoryBrooke. "Well fuck." Emma mumbles as she gazes around the dimly lit marketplace, people dressed in cloth tunics milling around beside her. A glance down at her castaway modern garments made the blonde think maybe she was the idiot after all.
Emma, as she tries to swallow down her fear, takes a step forward testing the rocky ground. Solid, definitely solid. She catches the eye of a curious older woman by a cart full of apples. Hesitantly, Emma makes her way over.
"I just saw you land." Her beady eyes assess Emma carefully. "You're not from around here are you?" the saleswoman asks in a thick accent.
Emma figures there's no way she couldn't lie. "No, not exactly. Um…where is here….?"
"You're in the outskirts of the White Kingdom; the Enchanted Forest is just a few roads away." She lifts a bony finger in the direction behind the blonde.
Emma stiffens. Enchanted Forest? Hadn't she gone through this crap already? Glancing around though, the blonde could sense something was different. "Um…wasn't this place a wreck?" the old woman pauses in confusion. "You know, because of Regi-the Queen's curse?"
"Queen Regina? She's a bit of an odd one but I doubt she's capable of a curse. Girls as quiet as a mouse."
This only confuses the blonde further. Where they talking about the same Regina? "Oh. My mistake then…must've been a…different…Regina..." Emma scans the area, this didn't add up. If she was in her parent's kingdom why did it look as though everything was brand new?
The woman watches her carefully. "You lookin for someone?"
"No! No, thank you. I think I know where I'm going." Emma flashes a brief smile before walking away. The castle, if she got to the castle maybe someone there would recognize her and…No. Who's to say that if the marketplace changed, maybe the whole kingdom is different too? Emma stuffs her hands into her pockets as she continues onward, toward the glimmering castle roads away.
High above the confused Savior a light green dust had begun to shimmer down out of the midnight sky, swirling in a light breeze. It hovers momentarily before shooting downward, sliding past the marketplace, lingering by the apple cart briefly. The dust pauses then continues forward traveling the same path Emma had set afoot.
Now in a darkened alleyway, the tired and slightly irritated blonde rests her head against the rough wall, feeling helpless. She wanted to go home and see her son, maybe play a round of Assassins Creed before bed. But unless she found a way out of this mess, that dream won't be fulfilled anytime soon. A tingling sensation suddenly trembles down her spine, not unpleasant. Emma looks up to see the green dust floating slowly towards her.
Unsure if the magic is deadly or not, Emma holds her ground as she gazes at it curiously. It swiftly float forward, close enough to touch, then disappears. Startled, Emma jumps from the wall and turns in a circle wondering where the mysterious magic had flown off to. When she comes about face she freezes. There, standing shyly beneath the moonlight, was Regina. A young, wide-eyed Regina who stares at the Savior in wonder and fear.
"Regina…?" Emma breathes out, making the young woman flinch.
"You…know my name?" her voice surprises Emma, no longer was it laced with malice and-at times- jealousy. She sounded sweet, innocent. Sorrowful.
Emma nods. "I do. You are the…Queen?" she cringes inwardly as Regina nods. "I'm Emma."
Once again the young Queen flinches. "Emma." she repeats softly, more so to herself. "What are you doing out so late?"
Emma's lip twitches. "I could ask you the same question."
Regina blinks, not use to anyone so bold. "I….could not sleep. So I went for a walk." she clears her throat and shifts her eyes to the side of the blonde.
Emma immediately picked up that an important piece was missing from the story. "A Queen should never be alone unguarded." she takes a small step forward, not wanting to scare the brunette away.
"I believe I can handle myself." Regina allows a small smirk to flit across her lips.
"I don't doubt that." Another step forward. "It's still dangerous."
The woman pauses, flicking her eyes along the blondes stature. "You're not from this land." she points out.
"No…"
"Then where?"
Emma hesitates. "A place I'm sure no one here has ever heard of." Only paces away from the brunette, Emma stops. "You wouldn't like it much." Emma had a feeling her words were somewhat true.
Regina meets the blue gaze. "It's probably better than the palace." her eyes grow dark. "Anywhere is better than here." she mumbles.
Emma watches her wistfully. "I'm sure one day you'll get out of here." she replies softly.
Regina snaps her eyes back to hers. "You honestly believe that?" Emma nods shyly causing, them both to blush. "Perhaps Tink was right after all…"
Tink? As in Tinkerbell, fairy who worked for the teenager that wanted to kill their son? Emma clears her throat. "Who's Tink?"
Regina's blush reddens. Emma stares in awe at her beauty. "She's…a friend...who apparently knew what she was doing."
"I'm not following."
Regina pauses, searching Emma's eyes. "I met Tink earlier today and she told me she could help me…by finding my one True Love." Emma holds her breath. "And her fairy dust…lead me to you."
They stare at another in awe and embarrassment for several moments, trying to rein in that this was, in fact, reality. Emma composes herself first. "Me? I-I'm you're True Love?" Regina nods. "Are you sure that fairy was right?"
Regina's face crumbles slightly. "She said it never fails." her voice drops sadly. "Are you…in love with someone else?"
"No! Well…no…" Emma thinks it over. If she likes the older Regina did that mean she had the right to love the young Regina? Or would that be liking two people at once, seeing how very divergent the two are. "No, I don't love anyone."
Relief washes over the Queen. "Oh, okay." she replies coolly. "Then would you…be interested in accompanying me back to my castle? Seeing as you have no other place to go."
Emma hadn't expected this. "Um, okay…" Maybe this Regina could teach her how to get back home. Oh crap. Home. Snow is probably banging on Regina's door right now to see if shes there. Emma stiffens once more. Regina…will her magical slip-up affect the future Regina? Oh God, Emma was in for it when she gets back…or not depending on how this trip plays out.
The awkward pair begins their journey back to the castle, unsure about another but excited to see where this frighteningly exciting new road will take them.