Author's Notes:
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. I am simply borrowing them for a time, to write a story that was inspired by their close bond. SwanQueen is end game in this fic. Thank you for your understanding, I hope you enjoy this little story of mine! Also this story began originally as a comic, however over the years I have found it difficult to finish it, so I am releasing it's script as a story here on instead. If you would like to see the comic, you may do so here: /series/A-Decadent-Affair However there is no need as this is the full script, the comic only provides a visual aid to my ideas. Having said that, thank you again for taking the time to read my story, I hope you enjoy it. This story is set right after Emma makes' claim to the Dark One's dagger, and is working on an alternative result of how Emma is saved from her curse and how Regina manages to help her in the process.
Chapter 2: A Dark Pursuit - Into The Woods
Emma found herself standing in the middle of the woods. Her head felt heavy as if a huge weight had been placed on her shoulders and was pressing down against her temples. She stumbled forward, feeling the weight flowing further and further down her body.
A sharp pain struck Emma's heart and she doubled forward, clutching at her chest. She winced, and as she bent over to cough, a thick black fog bellowed out of her.
As Emma coughed a few more times and began to straighten up, the fog becomes thicker and denser. It swirled around her menacingly and began to envelop her in tendrils of dark magic.
Emma gasped in horror and raised her hands to shield her face from the oncoming darkness. She felt so very sleepy, and the intoxicating dark magic began to take a hold of her soul, but by bit.
Suddenly, from within Emma's own body, came a burst of white light. Her own magic was fighting against the Dark One's Curse! It expelled the dark magic from Emma's body, cutting through the fog like a sword on butter. However the victory was short live, as Emma fell into a dark slumber, so did her light magic. The Dark magic returned, swirling around the savior. It covered her completely and lifted her up high in the air. The magic pierced deep into her heart and as it did so, a change overcame Emma. Her clothes changed, from the loose-fitted white sweater and pants to a dark leather vest and pants. Her eyes were lined with black marks, the markings of an evil enchantress, and her fingers seemed to ooze the same dark fog as had surrounded her.
Once the Dark Magic had fully assimilated with its host, it dropped Emma's tormented body onto the forest floor. Emma landed with an "Omph!", startling nearby forest-dwelling animals. She rolled off the bush that broke her fall and landed on the soft undergrowth of the forest floor.
Emma groaned, her body aching in so many ways, however, she didn't have enough time to process the damage, as she minds started to cloud and darken again, and her eyes started to close on the world she knew and tried so hard to protect.
Just as Emma was about to slip into a dark coma, a hand reached out to her and grabbed her limp body. Emma tried to say something, but she was gone by the time her mystery captor hoister her up in their arms, and carried her away, deeper into the woods.
"Have you caught a whiff of Emma yet?" Snow asked Ruby as her eyes scanned the trees before her. She clutched her bow tightly, her brow set in a permanent scowl as she tried to suppress the anguish and fear that was threatening to come out at any moment. She knew she had to be the brave and positive leader that everyone knew and expected her to be, so she oppressed her fears during moments like this when she was away from her people.
"No, It's too early to tell" replied Ruby, her keen werewolf senses straining to detect any trace of the savior in the woods.
" There is a high chance that she may not even smell like "Emma" anymore. I'm searching for the traces of Dark Magic which is more likely to be what her scent is now" Ruby added, looking at Snow sullenly.
"Why do these sort of things always have to happen to Emma?" Snow snapped, clenching her fists in frustration " I feel...I wish….-"
"I know what you're trying to say, Snow. We all do" Ruby interrupted and put a reassuring hand on Snow's shoulder "Every single one of us wishes we could take her place. But you know, the only one who is strong enough amongst us to take on the Dark One, and still retain a semblance of herself, is Emma. Trust her Snow, I'm sure she is out there somewhere, trying to find a way back to us"
"Yeah, you're right," Snow said and sighed, massaging her forehead.
Ruby stepped away from Snow and took a look around to see if they had missed out on any clues. The area was calm and peaceful as if no one but the two of them were there in its midst.
"We should mark the way so that we know where we've been," Ruby said after a few minutes.
"Good idea" Snow replied and fumbled in her pocket for the dyed bright red wooden pegs and the small hammer she brought with her to mark the trees as they went by.
Ruby pulled out her handphone in the meantime and tried to get reception.
"We better get Robin and his Merry Men to score these woods," Ruby said as she finally got three bars on her wifi and dialed Robin's number.
"Yeah, it looks like it's going to be a long night" Snow replied, lost in her troubled thoughts as she hammered away at a little wooden peg.
Back in Storybrooke, Hook stood amongst the old bookshelves of the Storybrooke library, waiting as patiently as he could while Belle poured over several books that she hoped would have the answer everyone was looking for. She had immediately sprung into action upon learning of Emma's predicament and hadn't stopped looking since Hook arrived with the bad news.
Hook tried to stifle a yawn and reached over to a pile of books on a table nearby. He flipped through it, and finding that it had no pictures, put it down in exchange for one that looked to be illustrated.
"I swear, sometimes I wish I hadn't been as drunk as often as I had been in the past. Then I would be able to draw on my numerous encounters with the Crocodile" Hook said to himself as he rifled through the illustrated book about roses and its herbal properties.
"Don't worry, I could say the same, only the liquor I had been drinking at the time was love" Belle replied as she put one book down and picked up another, her eyes rapidly scanning the text for anything that could remotely help Emma.
"Well… I guess now you can count yourself lucky. Now you get the man, without the monster" Hook said and looked up at Belle with a goofy smile, thinking that she might like the idea.
Belle paused and looked up. There were so many things she wanted to say. She hadn't even had time to really digest the change that had happened to Rumple, let alone how this would affect her and in turn, their relationship.
Belle sighed and snapped the book shut. Once again there hadn't been anything specifically useful to Emma's unique case in that one. Belle walked over to a nearby shelf and slotted the book back in its place.
"Yes, but Emma is now the beast...and I have no idea whether the man that lies in the antique shop is the same man that I fell in love with" Belle finally replied in a very level-headed tone.
Hook nodded in understanding. " I guess only time will tell" he replied, feeling sheepish that he had spoken up when he did.
Belle rubbed her head and sighed " True, but for now, we search for answers".
Ok, that's the end of chapter 2, I hope you enjoyed it! :3