Chapter 2: you found her
Izzy picked up some coffee and a bagel before heading out to the library. As she walked she noticed Emma walking toward her, so she crossed the street to avoid her. Emma was headed to the Sheriff's station and she looked concerned. Izzy didn't worry herself about it, she had work to do. When she arrived at the library she was confronted with a giant closed sign. Izzy decided she would wait. It gave her time to finally eat her breakfast. Just as she was about to take the first bite into her bagel, Belle came fumbling up to the door. She was carrying enough stuff for three people.
"Oh, hey you need help with that?" Izzy said as she reached out and grabbed some of the books that covered bells face.
"Thank you, sorry I'm late, Slept in." she said as she struggled to unlock the doors. Finally she was able to unlock them, Izzy followed her in.
"I hate to bother you, but I was told you may need help here in the library. I'm looking for work." Izzy said nervously.
Belle smiled brightly "Finally, do you know the Dewey Decimal System?"
"Um, no but I'm a very fast learner." Izzy replied uncertain.
"It's fine I'll teach you." Belle said easily.
Emma dreaded walking into the station that day. She looked at her desk and shuttered at the pile of records she was to go through for a second time. She didn't know what she would find but she hoped she would find something. Just as she had sat down and started working Hook arrived with donuts and coffee.
" Hey" Emma said lazily as she looked through the records.
"May I ask what your doing, love?" Hook said irritated
" Looking for the person who broke into Regina's vault." she said still looking through records
"Now?"
"When else am I gonna do it?" Emma said irritated
"Can we at least have a moment for breakfast?"
"I'm sorry Hook I really don't have time for this."
"You mean you don't have time for me?" Hook said angrily
"Are you really doing this right now?"
mimicking Emma "When else am I gonna do it?"
just then David walks into the room.
"Is there a problem here?" David says, while staring daggers at Hook.
"No, I was just about to follow a lead. Can you handle things here." Emma says flashing a random folder at David.
"Yeah, you do what you need to. Hook and I will take care of things here." David said while giving Hook a deep stare.
"I really don't need-"
"If something comes up my dad will need you, ya know, for back up." she says as she grabs her jacket and heads out the door.
Izzy spent most of her morning learning how the books in the library were organized. She had even managed to pick out a few that she might need and Belle helped her sign up for a library card. Izzy found that she liked the library. It was quiet and empty most of the time, and there, she would be able to work with little to no interruption. Belle told her that she spent more and more time at Gold's shop and was relieved to finally have help in the library. Izzy was happy to help she saw it as a win-win situation. No one came in that morning so Izzy had time to do some research. She was looking for a sorcerer name Clerix. He was an immortal man, that could be found all throughout history. Izzy had already done extensive research on the sorcerer, He was known to have the ability to duplicate himself making it impossible for one to fight him on their own. She needed to find him, immediately. It was hard for Izzy to stay focused. The memories of her childhood plagued her as she read about him. She wanted to know his habits. For her, it was the only way to find him. She never had formal training when it came to her magic, and she couldn't help but feel that if she had more control over it she could find him easily. She was overwhelmed with guilt over her family's death, and always felt it was her fault. The lives of so many now rested on her shoulders and failure was not an option.
Emma walks into Granny's diner and orders a coffee.
"Jeez, you look beat." Ruby said concerned
"Yea? How could you tell?" Emma said with a chuckle. " Hey, have you seen any new faces around here?"
"Yup, I see them everyday." Ruby said sarcastically. "But there is this one girl, Izzy. I think she just got here." Ruby continued.
Emma perked up "Why do say that?"
"Well, she had money but didn't know how to use it, she ordered a burger but didn't know what it was. She even ate it with a knife and fork." Ruby said with a chuckle " And to top it off, she's staying at the inn, in your old room."
"Huh, thanks Ruby." Emma said while quickly grabbing her coffee an heading out to the bed and breakfast.
When Emma arrived, Izzy was nowhere to be found. She asked Granny for a room key. At first Granny refused on account of her "privacy policy", but Emma reminded her of the consequences of interfering with a police investigation. Finally, Granny relented and gave her the room key. When she entered the room she saw nothing out of the ordinary. She walked around the room and suddenly bumped into something she couldn't see. Emma focused her magic on the object in an attempt to lift the cloaking enchantment to no avail. So she called Regina.
Phone call:
"Hey, I think I found her." Emma said confidently.
"What? Where?" Regina says with excitement.
" I'm at Granny's bed and breakfast. She has stuff in this room but it's all cloaked I don't know how to lift it."
"Ugh! Fine. I'm on my way."
Emma sits on the bed and waits for Regina. Looking at the door Emma was reminded of the last time she and Regina were in this room. She smiles with the thought that they have come such a long way since then. Everything they have been through, the fighting, and bickering, it all led to the strangest of friendships.
"I was in my underwear" Emma unintentionally said out loud
"What?!" Regina says confused
"Oh, nothing ." Emma says embarrassed
Regina begins to walk around the room casually.
"Wait-" Emma exclaims
"Ow!" Regina screams angrily. She had bumped into Izzy's desk.
"I told you she has stuff we can't see."
Regina scowls at Emma "Right." Regina lifted the enchantment with a single wave of her hand. It revealed her clothing folded and stacked neatly on top of the dresser, her dresses hanging on the back of the closet door, and finally her desk. Emma took a particular interest in her clothes while Regina focused on the desk.
"These dresses look like something that's straight out of the enchanted Forest." Emma said sarcastically
"They probably are, take a look at this." she says holding up a satchel exactly like the one she found in her vault.
"I wonder what the symbol means." Emma says
"Well it's a swan with a crown on it's head. I'm guessing it has something to do with you. Swan."
"OK, so now that we know it's her and where she lives we can steak her out and figure out what she up to."
Izzy lugs a heavy bag of books as she makes her way to Granny's inn. Emma and Regina are hunkered down in Emma's bug. Regina is uncomfortable and on edge.
"You OK?" Emma says concerned.
"I'm fine, Emma. I just hate doing this." she replies annoyed
"You can go home if you want, I can handle a stake out."
"You may be able to handle a stakeout Ms. Swan, but I highly doubt you can handle this woman's magic. Besides, I want to know who she is."
"I've gotten better Regina!"
"But your not great."
"And who's fault is that?!"
"Excuse me!"
"YOU were supposed to teach me, and as of late we haven't had any lessons."
Regina was stunned, however she knew Emma was right. Between the snow queen and her recent drama with Robin Hood , Regina did not want or have time to continue teaching Emma.
"Well Ms. Swan, effort is a two way street. If you weren't always with Captain Guyliner, maybe I would've had time to teach you."
"Okay let's just agree to disagree, it's both of our faults."
"It's not my fault, it's your fault." Regina said getting the last word.
" Look." Emma says suddenly while pointing out a woman entering the inn. "Granny said there is only one person checked into the inn right now."
"So let's go!"
"Wait! I may not know much, I know enough to plant a mirror. Do you have your compact?" Emma says reaching toward Regina.
"Always." Regina says impressed.
The two watched the mirror closely as Izzy entered her room carrying a grocery bag of books. Izzy immediately dropped the bag on the floor. Someone had been in her room. To anyone else the room would look undisturbed but for meticulous Izzy it was a mess. Her dresses were no longer neat to her standards. And the satchel on the desk, though in the same spot was wrinkled, not to mention the fact that she could see it all. She rushed over to the desk to fix the satchel, and as she did so, she noticed a long black hair stuck to it. She immediately cast a locator spell.
"Uh, oh. We've been made." Emma said nervously
"Let her come!" Regina was angry and hell bent on revenge. She jumps out of the car waiting for Izzy to emerge.
"Regina wait! We don't know what she wants!" Emma says trying to get out of the car as fast as she can. Regina hurls a fireball at Izzy just as she comes out of the front door, knocking her back into the inn. Regina goes running after her. " Regina stop it!" Emma screams.
Izzy is shocked and disoriented, as she had no time to defend herself. Regina grabs her by the throat and lifts her off of her feet. Izzy chokes and struggles.
"What the hell do you think your doing breaking into MY vault!"
Izzy is unable to answer her, the lack of air has caused her to grow weak. With her last ounce of strength Izzy uses her her magic to knock Regina out of the door and across the street smashing into Emma's bug. They both hit the ground with a sickening thud, both are unconscious.
To Be Continued...