DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT THE GENERAL PLOT AND MY ORIGINAL CHARACTERS!
A/N: WELCOME BACK! CHAPTER 3 HAS NOW ARRIVED! THIS MEANS - THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE MAIN STORY IS HERE! YIPPEE!
Like I stated before, I am including a "Previously... " segment on This Chapter.
"PREVIOUSLY... An Animal-talent fairy named Fawn granted the wish of Christopher Robin's youngest daughter, Donna, wish to bring her stuffed animal friends to life. Seventeen years later, Donna asked for directions from Captain Killian Jones, who led her to Rumplestiltskin. Before Rumplestilskin could warn her about the price of magic, Donna and her animal friends (Winnie-The-Pooh and the others) were sucked into a magical storybook. Rumplestiltskin then asked Belle to place the book on the shelf in the castle's library!"
So, how was THAT for the reminder of what to remember for This Chapter? Please let me know in the Reviews!
Plus, I am looking forward to the 2-Hour Finale of "ONCE UPON A TIME -SEASON 5-" later tonight. I have a pretty good idea about what might happen in it. I will not tell any of you what I predict since it might end up being an indirect spoiler.
For those of you who are looking forward to the next chapter of "Kingdom Hearts - Season OF Light", Please Be Patient a little longer. Now that classes are officially over, I have more time to write, read, and do the many other things I like to do. I promise, another Chapter will be coming sometime during May - and I mean it.
So, with that all taken care of, HERE IS CHAPTER THREE! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW ALIKE! PLEASE POST AT LEAST SEVEN REVIEWS OR I WILL HOLD BACK CHAPTER 4 FOR A MUCH LATER TIME! In other words, CHAPTER 4 WILL NOT BE POSTED UNTIL AT LEAST SEVEN REVIEWS HAVE BEEN POSTED ON THIS CHAPTER AND/OR CHAPTER(S) 0 TO 2!
CHAPTER 3
The Magical Book
(Fawn is shown flying through the air.)
Somewhere in the state of Maine was a town. Not just any town, but one located specifically alongside a vast forest. From a distance, any outsiders would believe it was to be a quaint, little place. In truth, there was something peculiar about it….
The architecture matched the designs of each and every other such location around it. It was small, but held a decent-sized population. Large forests surrounded it on three sides while the fourth was open to a small harbor. Lots of fishing boats and a few sailing ships were docked or anchored there.
One long, paved road led directly through the town. On either side was a building that happened to be home to either a business, facility, or apartments with one to ten occupants. A couple traffic lights were positioned at regular intervals throughout the town and an occasional car or two could be seen parked at different times of the day.
At one corner was a large building that had been boarded up for ages. The roof of this structure was peaked and a large clock-tower was visible on its roof. The clock's hands were positioned at about 8:27 A.M. Almost five years had passed since they had started moving again.
This was the town of Storybrooke. A magical place within a world without any real magic. The town had been visited by lots of strange and bizarre characters over the last few years. A handful of powerful villains had tried to take over, and each one had been defeated before they could succeed.
This town had withstood the test of magical nature. Three very strong curses. An ice wall. The presence of an Olympian god. Giants. Portals. It now would have appeared nothing new could happen to it. After all, who would dare try to conquer a place where many others had been struck down trying to do the same?
At one particular spot was a small store labelled by a sign hanging above its entrance. "GOLD'S PAWN SHOP" was what it read. The writing had been changed about two years ago, shortly after Zelena had struck down Hades and saved Regina from certain death.
The front window was now tinted, making it hard to see what was going on inside. Yet, it was during this time when Henry and Belle were going through various items on the shelves in the office. All the various magical trinkets Rumplestiltskin had gathered over the years… Belle still wondered how he could have kept all of these with him for so long. She was also curious about what each of them could do.
One of the few she knew for sure was the gauntlet armor she had found lying on the floor. She recalled how this very piece of metal had originally come from the kingdom of Camelot. She knew how it worked, mainly since it had led her to Rumplestiltskin's dagger once.
It was designed to lead its wielder to someone else's weakness — what it is he/she loves most.
Henry picked up a glass swan from a nearby bookshelf. As he moved the trinket, a handful of books sudden fell from the shelf above. He stepped back a few feet as the books crashed onto the floor before him. He noticed the shelf above where the swan had been had suddenly collapsed.
Belle strode over. "Are you okay?" she inquired.
"Yeah," Henry nodded. "I'm fine."
Belle knelt down and started to scoop up the fallen books. As she did so, Henry's eye landed upon one particular book in the pile. It seemed to be glowing slightly. The title stood out to him.
WINNIE-THE-POOH
"What's this book?" the young man asked aloud. He picked it up and held it up for Belle to see.
When the brown-haired young lady saw the cover, she stared in surprise. Henry took note of this and handed it to her. As Belle continued to look at the cover, she thought back to the last time she had seen this very tome.
It clicked into place. Rumplestiltskin had requested she put it on the shelf in the castle's library. At the time, she had sensed something a little strange about the book, only… it had not registered in her mind to wonder why. Now, it did.
What was so special about this book? She wanted to find out.
She turned to Henry. "Get everyone together. I want Emma and Rumple to see this book."
Henry gave a nod of agreement. "I may be the Author, but Mom and Rumplestiltskin would know more about this than I would."
The sun was high in the sky. All across the tropical island, the sights, sounds, and smells gave away the magical land's identity. This was a place where children could visit in their dreams. A paradise for those who believed anything was possible. A comfort for those who were lost or felt abandoned.
This was Never Land — the magical island where mermaids played, children's laughter echoed throughout the day, and people never grew up. A land where time itself stood still and anything was possible, even flying. All anyone there had to do was believe.
It was on this wonderful day that a certain Animal-talent fairy was calmly soaring through the air above a river that had long been named "Havendish Stream". The sunlight sparkled on the water like it was dancing.
Fawn smiled brightly as she flew along. The further down the river she went, the clearer the air seemed to get. The immense forest on either side of the stream appeared to go on forever. She swirled herself around in a spiral as she proceeded past the next turn in the river and to the trees. She swerved over and under the branches as she zoomed through the forest.
A small flock of bluebirds came over to observe the swiftly-moving brown-haired fairy. Fawn acknowledged the birds with her smile. She had some patches of mud and dirt on her brown skirt, but she did not care. Playing and spending time with animals was a part of who she was. Nothing would ever change that. Fawn was convinced of that.
She swooped through an open meadow covered in sunflowers. "Sunflower Meadow" she knew it was called. She glanced to her left. In the distance, she could see the Home Tree rising over the rest of the landscape. Beyond it, in the far distance, was the peak of the island's dormant volcano, Torth Mountain.
This was Pixie Hollow — the secret heart of Never Land. Sometimes it was called the "fairy kingdom", or "Fairy Haven". This was where fairies of every talent, shape, size, and personality lived out their lives….
…Unless they tended to go abroad and share their magic with the lands beyond. Fawn had heard of one such place; the Enchanted Forest. She had never been there herself, but she had heard stories about the various people who lived there. Kings, queens, wizards, and knights in shining armor. The descriptions sounded like characters straight out of a fairy tale storybook.
Fawn continued to smile as she soared across the meadow and continued into the forest beyond. The bluebirds had flown off, but they were not heading where the brown-eyed fairy was.
Fawn had a play-date with two of her friends.
As she continued to fly, her mind went back to the voice she had heard not too long before. It had sounded like someone was pleading for a special friend. She had shrugged it off at the time.
Yet, the sensation of the desperation in the voice remained. She decided not to let it distract her any longer.
She soon reached her destination. A patch of meadow not too far away from the sunflowers. It was here Fawn came across a young bluebird named Cleo, and the harmless hawk, Hannah.
Fawn smiled as she approached her two animal friends.
"Hey, guys!" she said in another language. It consisted of a series of chirps, squawks, and caws. Only a member of the bird family would have understood it.
Both Cleo and Hannah chirped back when they saw Fawn approaching them. Fawn looked over her friends and smiled brighter. "Who's up for a game of 'Hide-And-Chirp'?"
The two animals chirped their excitement. Fawn felt happy. "Hide-And-Chirp" was one of her favorite games to play with these two. First, she would cover her eyes and start counting (in chirps) to twenty. She would be facing a tree she had designated as the "base". Cleo and Hannah would then hide. When Fawn reached twenty, she would listen for their chirps and see if she could find and tag them before they both made it to the "base".
If Cleo or Hannah made it to the "base" before Fawn could tag them, whoever made it back first would be the winner. If Fawn tagged them both before they made it back, she would win.
Fawn pointed to a nearby oak tree. "This will be the 'base'," she announced in another series of chirps. "Who's ready?"
The two birds chirped louder than before. This made Fawn grin with joy. Nothing could affect this lovely day.
The sound of a bugle rang through the forest. Fawn turned around. The noise was coming from the direction of the Home Tree. She paused, certain this meant something important.
She sighed, knowing she had to go — and she had just arrived for the play-date. Fawn turned to her friends. "I'm going to have to take a raincheck," she told them in a sad voice. "That was Rhia's signal. Queen Clarion must be making an important announcement."
Cleo and Hannah both glanced at one another. They nodded and approached the fairy. Fawn found herself being comforted by Hannah's wing and Cleo's feather (and beak, since she was unintentionally poking Fawn's head). Fawn had to smile, knowing she had true, understanding friends.
"I'll be back," she assured the two. "I promise."
She hopped into the sky. As Fawn flew away, she waved to the two young birds below. Cleo and Hannah waved back with their wings. This sight made Fawn smile all the more. She headed for the not-too-distant Home Tree.
The Storybrooke Town Library was located at one of the most-visited intersections in the town. It was not too far from Granny's Diner, a popular hangout for the local residents. Some of the apartments were situated across the street.
At the roof of this building was a tall clock-tower. The hands on it had been turning since the time Emma Swan had first arrived about four years back. This particular building had always stood out to the townspeople as a symbol of their home.
Inside the first floor of this place was a library. Many of the books had never left their shelves. Hard-cover, soft-cover, and even magazines were kept in their proper places almost constantly.
It was here that Belle and Henry had gathered everyone together. Emma, Killian, David, Snow White, Regina, and Rumplestiltskin had all shown up at about the same time. Each of them was wondering what "important thing" Henry and Belle had to show them.
Rumplestiltskin suspected whatever it was had something to do with magic. Why else would his wife draw him away from his mid-morning stroll? Then again, perhaps she wanted him to use his magic for something good. How many times did he have to remind her? He no longer possessed his dark magic.
After Emma had had him pull Excalibur from the stone, Rumplestiltskin had sensed how much better he felt as a hero than a villain. Maybe he did not need to have everything…. The last action he had taken as a villain was when he had turned on his father and sent the latter's soul into the River Styx for eternity.
David and Snow had come over in a hurry, even though they had been busy trying to catch up on a stack of paperwork at the sheriff's station. Fortunately, Lancelot was still there helping out. The former Knight of The Round Table had suddenly shown up in Storybrooke less than two days after Zelena had struck down Hades in the town hall. He had explained his discovery of a magic bean in Camelot to everyone before agreeing to help out at the station. He had been there ever since.
Regina had been having a meal with her sister at the diner. The two had spent a lot of time together, mainly since they were in the same boat. After Robin had been killed and Hades terminated, they had both come to accept they would never get the happy endings had dreamed of. Instead, they had decided to make do with what they did have.
That was one of the reasons why Zelena had become the new leader of the Merry Men. Regina, on the other hand, was still the mayor of Storybrooke. Henry did come over to spend the night from time to time, even though he still needed to let Emma and the others know where he was — just to be safe. For all anyone knew, there might still be a villain lurking in the background.
When they had received the call from Henry, Emma and Killian had been spending time in the town's new park. It was a small space, but had enough grass for both Happy and Dopey to plant flowers. Even Leroy seemed to enjoy the gardening, even if he was really doing it to please Sister Astrid — the fairy, Nova. She had come by each morning to smile at the work the dwarves had been doing, which made Leroy grin.
It had been during one of these times when Emma's phone had rang. She had answered it, listened to Henry, and confirmed they were on their way. She had informed Killian about the meeting, so the two had hurried over.
Now that everyone was gathered around one of the tables in the library, Henry carefully placed the book onto the table. Everyone else (except Belle) stared at it in different ways. Emma and Killian were surprised. "I sense magic," Emma indicated.
"A lot of it," Killian added.
David and Snow were equally confused. "Why's it glowing?" Snow asked.
"It might have to do with the magic inside," David said.
Regina looked bored. "This is a book — an ordinary book someone must've poured some magic on," she stated. She gazed into the direction of Rumplestiltskin. "And I think we all know who could have done it."
Rumplestiltskin shook his head. "I know what book this is," he informed the group. "But I am not the one who gave it its magic. It came that way. I obtained it from a sorceress in Agrabah during one of my visits to the desert."
"How magical is it?" Snow asked.
"Very magical," Rumplestiltskin explained. He seemed to be giving a hint of a grin at everyone. "This book is more than just a cover and pages. You should know not to judge a book by its cover."
Regina nearly rolled her eyes at that last statement. "What's so 'magical' about it?" she insisted to know.
Rumplestiltskin reached out and unlocked the book's cover. He turned the book to a particular page. It contained an illustration of a forest with some particular areas and trees labelled. He leaned over the page and looked directly at it. With a nod, he looked back up at Belle. "I need that wand now," he said.
Belle nodded. When Rumplestiltskin had confirmed his presence, he had requested Belle bring a magic wand, just in case. She held out the wand for her husband. Rumplestiltskin accepted it and waved the wand over the book's pages. After a few moments, he set it down beside the book, and peered down at the pages. "Are you there, dearie?" he called into the book.
"Let me out!"
The voice makes everyone jump. Emma is taken completely by surprise. The last thing she had expected was someone living inside this book. That explained its magic… sort of. She leaned over the table and looked straight into the book. "Who are you?" she called.
"I'm Donna," the voice replied. "Can you get me and my friends out of here?!"
Killian's ears perked up in an instant when he heard the name. He knew that name, and he knew that voice. It was the same girl he had met years ago in the Enchanted Forest. She had gone into the Minotaur's Maze and retrieved the compass for him. In return, he had directed her to Rumplestiltskin's estate.
Now, it appeared she had somehow gotten trapped in the book before his eyes. "Bloody heck," he remarked. "I know her."
Emma and the others stared at him in alarm. "What?" David inquired.
"Excuse me?" Snow White added.
"I know Donna," Killian explained. "She was a girl who asked me how to Rumplestiltskin. It was long ago, before the Dark Curse. She helped me retrieve my compass."
He reached into his pocket and held up the small item for everyone to see. "She was a kind child."
Emma was as amazed as her parents. Killian now looked perplexed. "How did she get stuck in this book?" he questioned.
All eyes turned to Rumplestiltskin. "I tried to warn her about how magic always has a price," he told them. "But she wouldn't listen. Leaving her trapped in that book was my way of teaching her a lesson."
"That was then," an unamused Regina stated in a firm voice. "You're no longer the 'Dark One'. Set them free."
"I need powerful magic to do that," Rumplestiltskin pinpointed. "Magic I no longer have. You'll need someone who is still a wizard to undo this spell. It might not be easy to find one. This spell came from Amara. That's some very strong magic."
"Wait," David blurted suddenly. "Merlin. His powers are strong enough to open portals between realms. Maybe he can help us."
Emma's eyes lit up when she realized she had forgotten about Merlin. Even though Killian had crushed his heart and used it to enact a curse back in Camelot, the good sorcerer had shown up in Storybrooke. According to his account, he had been revived by Zeus specifically because he had ultimately been successful in helping Emma get rid of all the Darkness from the earlier "'Dark Ones'", including Nimue. Besides, he had drank from the Holy Grail, which actually had made him immortal. He now was living in his mansion near the town's outskirts.
"Yes," Emma approved. "Merlin should be able to help us."
"Let's go," Henry urged. He scooped up the book from the table and locked the now-closed cover. Less than five minutes later, Emma, Killian, Henry, David, Snow, and Belle were out the door and heading for the mansion. Regina was not too far behind.
Only Rumplestiltskin remained in the library. He strolled outside, locked the building's doors, and proceeded down the street. He grinned a little more, knowing his daughter-in-law was on the verge of restoring another lost happy ending.
The skies were rather empty by the time Fawn reached the Home Tree. Being the largest and tallest tree in Pixie Hollow made it the most-recognizable landmark. Inside were the rooms for hundreds of fairies and sparrow men.
Fawn flew into view of the tree in time to find everyone gathering outside the tree's entrance. She quickly spotted her friend, Tinker Bell, in the crowd. She slipped in between Tinker Bell and another fairy named Silvermist.
A young, rather thin fairy hovered a little before everyone's eyes. She had fair skin, long, braided brown hair, and reddish-brown eyes. She was wearing a blue, sleeveless dress with a golden apron, a golden pair of leaves forming a miniature necktie around her neck, a pair of golden anklets, blue shoes, and a golden bandana-like leaf over the top of her head. She had a small, silver bugle in her right hand.
Fawn knew who this was. Rhia, one of the queen's four "Helper fairies". She was the one who helped the queen keep track of her schedule and gave the signal for everyone in the kingdom to gather for special announcements (such as this one).
Rhia glanced back for a moment. She turned to the crowd of spectators. "Fairies and sparrow men," she announced in a calm, clear (somewhat high-pitched) voice. "Her Majesty, Queen Clarion."
Fawn watched as the queen gracefully came forward. If it was not for her bluish dress, no one would have had any reason to call her the Blue Fairy. Of course, to the fairies, she was still Queen Clarion, the ruler of the fairy kingdom and the oldest, wisest fairy alive.
Fawn kept her eyes on the queen, even when Tinker Bell and Silvermist both moved a little closer to her to allow enough room for their other two friends, Rosetta and Iridessa, to join them.
"Attention all fairies and sparrow men of Pixie Hollow," Queen Clarion declared. "Earlier this afternoon, something magical happened. We received a message from the Enchanted Forest. Some of you may have heard this message, but for those of you who did not, it was about a young girl who wants to have some special friends of her own."
Fawn's heart nearly leaped. So it had not just been her? If the queen had felt the same strong sensation, maybe it was something serious. Perhaps the little girl was desperate after all.
A series of chatter had followed the queen's words. It took a few minutes of Rhia to have everyone in the crowd quiet down. At last, Queen Clarion could continue. "I know some of you will want to help this girl. But I advise you…. "
Fawn's mind had drifted away. She was thinking about the girl from the message. Was she living all alone? Did other people pick on her? Why had the message felt so terribly sad? It almost made Fawn want to cry the more she thought about it.
There was only one thing she could do. "I'm going to help that girl!"
Silence immediately filled the air. Fawn looked around in question. Everyone's eyes were now on her — including the queen. Tinker Bell's hand was over her face. Silvermist looked perplexed. Rosetta and Iridessa both looked worried.
Fawn gulped a little. She gave an anxious smile. She had unintentionally spoken out loud. Her cheeks started to blush a little, turning a slight shade of pink against her freckles. "I spoke out loud," she said aloud. "Didn't I?"
Silvermist nodded. "It's okay," she said. "I've done this many times."
Fawn had to smile at her friend. The Water-talent fairy had spoken out aloud during an assembly in the past. Then again, Silvermist had done a lot of things without intending to. She easily made mistakes and got herself mixed up in various problematic situations.
Once, she had taken a cloud from a magical sprite… but that was another story.
Queen Clarion gestured Fawn to come forward. With a nervous chuckle, Fawn fluttered to the front of the crowd and up to where the queen was Rhia were waiting.
"I'd fly backwards if I could," Fawn apologized.
The queen was not smiling. This did not prevent Fawn from smiling. Queen Clarion took a deep breath before she spoke. "Fawn, I know this is hard for you, but…. "
"I know, I know," Fawn said. Her smile seemed to fade a little. She gave a sigh. This was not the first time she and the queen had had this talk. "I always listen to my heart. But, I also need to listen to my head."
"Yes," Queen Clarion affirmed. "That's what I mean. Fawn, listen to me. Do not get involved with that girl. She will one day have all the happiness she wants."
Fawn was taken by surprise. What was Queen Clarion saying? She was not allowed to make a desperate request come true? That did not sound like something a fairy should do. She needed to help her. What's the worst that could happen? She needed to at least know that!
"Why can't I help?" Fawn shrugged. "What's the worst that could happen if I did?"
Queen Clarion looked Fawn straight in her eyes. "You will lose your wings," she stated.
The crowd of fairies gasped in complete alarm. Fawn was speechless. Losing their wings was the WORST punishment a fairy could endure. When it happened, not only would the fairy no longer be able to fly, they would also be banished from Pixie Hollow. No one knew what became of a fairy who got banished like that.
Only one fairy had ever been banished in this terrible way. Her name had been Vidia. Ever since then, everyone had nicknamed her, "The Dark Fairy". She had been exiled specifically for using dark magic with her fairy dust.
Fawn gulped with anxiety. She felt a few drops of sweat flow down her face. She gave Queen Clarion a quick nod. "O-Okay," she said. "I will not get involved."
This seemed to please the queen. Deep down, Fawn still wished she could help the girl.
The Sorcerer's Mansion was not a difficult place to find. Thanks to its location not too far from the beach, it stood out for most of the townspeople who tended to go out for strolls along the coast in the morning. It had originally been found by Belle sometime after Storybrooke had been re-created by David and Snow White when the two had launched their own curse.
When Emma and the others arrived, they found the front entrance being moped clean by a magical broomstick. The sight of the enchanted broom reminded Emma of "FANTASIA", a Disney-made movie she had seen years ago.
After carefully stepping up the steps to the front entrance, David knocked at the door. A few minutes seemed to take a few hours for Regina. At last, the door opened and a tall, young man sporting dark skin answered. He grinned when he saw the group. "Hello, Emma and friends," he said.
"Merlin," Emma said. "We have something to show you."
Merlin welcomed the group into the mansion. Once inside, Henry and Belle showed the sorcerer the book they had found in the shop. Merlin took a moment to examine the tome. "I'm sorry," he sighed. "I'm afraid I can't help you."
Regina's hands flew to her hips. She looked completely unimpressed. "Why not?" she demanded to know.
"The spell on this book can only be broken by someone who has magic relating to animals," Merlin responded. "That form of magic is very rare. I never did learn it myself."
"That is unacceptable," Regina stated. "You call yourself a sorcerer, and you can't break a simple spell."
Emma stepped forwards. "Is there anyone who would have that form of magic?"
"The only one who might have animal-based magic," Merlin paused for a few seconds. "Other than Cruella De Vil… a fairy. Fairies each have special forms of magic."
"Mother Superior," David realized. "She might know someone."
"Let's keep going," Henry agreed.
Killian wanted to grin. "This is starting to turn into another bloody quest."
This made Emma and the others all smile themselves. It was true. First, they had come to Merlin because Rumplestiltskin was unable to set Donna free from inside the book. Second, Merlin was unable to set Donna free because the book's spell was very, very, very, very specific.
Now, they were going to ask the Blue Fairy for help. Who knew how many more people they would have to ask before they reached their goal? It might take the rest of the day for all they knew.
The sun had started to descend from the sky. Long shadows were now stretching across the forest and the meadows. Owls were starting their hunting trips. The fireflies were on patrol, lighting up the more well-traveled areas of Pixie Hollow.
Even from inside her room in the Home Tree, Fawn could see everything through her window. She sighed deeply. As she laid on her leafy bed, her mind was thinking over what had happened at the assembly.
Queen Clarion had insisted she not help the young girl. To make things worse, the queen had warned Fawn she would lose her wings if she did try to help. This was still troubling her. Why should she be banished for wanting to help someone innocent?
It did not make sense. Most fairies (like her) were allowed to make people's wishes come true. There were not supposed to be limitations to that. And yet, that was exactly what Queen Clarion had done here.
Fawn was torn between her eagerness to help the girl and the fear of losing her wings and being exiled from Pixie Hollow. She wondered what mattered more. Her status as a fairy? Or helping someone in need? True… she had been trying hard to listen to her head instead of her heart. But… was this one of those times when she should listen to her heart? She was not sure.
"What should I do?" she said to herself.
There was a knock on the door. Fawn sat up in a hurry. A younger fairy flew in, closing the door behind herself. Thanks to her brown hair that was tied into a pair of pigtails, bluish eyes, green leafy tunic, brown vine belt, brown boots, and green elf-like hat, Fawn immediately knew who it was.
"Beck," Fawn recognized.
Beck smiled at Fawn. "I know you didn't mean to shout out during the assembly," she said in her high-spirited voice. "I know you want to help that girl."
Fawn gave a very, very deep sigh. "What should I do?"
Beck's smile faded. She looked out the window. "I think… you should follow your heart. Everyone says that, right?"
Fawn paused for a minute. True, everyone except Queen Clarion said it was best to follow your heart. Why should she be an exception? Her heart was telling her to help the girl by granting her wish. She had to do it. She needed to do it. There was no exception.
With a smile, Fawn turned to Beck and hugged her. "Thanks, Beck! I'm going to do that now!"
Beck was startled. "Huh?!"
Fawn was soaring out the window before Beck could have asked what was going on. Beck watched her friend leave in a wingbeat. She was completely mystified. "What did I say?"
Less than three hours had passed since Fawn had flown away from her room in the Home Tree. She was long out of sight from Pixie Hollow and a great distance away from Never Land for that matter. In fact, she was now somewhere on the edge of a lush, green forest.
The Enchanted Forest.
Fawn smiled as she soared through the trees and headed in the direction she had sensed the wish had come from. It was a good thing fairies automatically could sense the origins of wishes. It helped keep them from getting lost in unfamiliar areas.
She soon arrived at a small, two story house with a wooden roof. The walls were also crafted from wood, a sight that made Fawn curious. She took a moment to look at the woodwork before she heard someone sighing from above her. She looked up. A window on the second floor was open.
"Just follow your heart, Fawn," she told herself.
The conversation with Queen Clarion returned to her mind. She paused. Should she really go through with this? She knew she needed to listen to her head. Her heart tended to get her into trouble. "Head is your friend," she told herself.
She froze and hastily took a look around the immediate area. Nothing appeared to have changed. "And yet… head is making me talk to myself, out loud, and in the Enchanted Forest. No, no, no — I need to be a model fairy."
She turned to fly away. The painful sensation she had felt earlier crossed her mind once more. She glanced back at the window. Her smile returned. "Starting first thing tomorrow."
Without another word, she soared through the open window.
It had not taken too long for Emma, Killian, Henry, Belle, Regina, Snow White, and David to find the Blue Fairy. The leader of the fairies had been stepping out of Granny's Diner when the group had come rolling past in their vehicles. It was not long before Henry and Belle filled her in on what they had discovered and what Merlin had said.
After Henry had handed her the book, the Blue Fairy had taken a few moments to examine the spell over it. Emma asked, "Do you know someone who can remove it?"
"Yes," The Blue Fairy answered. "I remember a certain Animal-talent fairy named 'Fawn'. She was banished from the fairy kingdom because she granted someone's wish without permission."
Belle seemed confused. "I don't understand. How is that a reason to be banished?"
"It's not," Regina told her. "It's no different than what happened to Tinker Bell."
"I know," a voice said from behind the Blue Fairy. Mother Superior spun around. Standing at the entrance doors of the diner was the golden-haired young lady Emma and the others had met during their quest on Never Land. The only notable difference was her dark-blue nun's robe.
"Tinker Bell," the Blue Fairy said. "I thought you were at the chapel."
"It's all taken care for," Tinker Bell replied. "Don't worry about it."
She turned her attention to the others. "I remember Fawn. She was my friend. She was always dirty, but it never bothered her. She only wanted to help bring someone's wish to life, but Queen Clarion said she couldn't. When Fawn disobeyed her orders, Queen Clarion banished her from Pixie Hollow."
"I always thought Tinker Bell was the only fairy to be banished," Killian spoke up. "I guess there were two."
"Three," the Blue Fairy corrected the pirate captain. "Tinker Bell, Fawn, and Vidia."
Now it was Emma's turn to speak. "Where can we find Fawn? Is she in Storybrooke?"
The Blue Fairy shook her head. "I'm sorry, but when a fairy gets banished, they end up somewhere in the Enchanted Forest. All I know is the name of the kingdom closest to where she landed — Swan Lake."
"'Swan Lake'?" a startled Emma declared. "Seriously?" Last she had checked, "Swan Lake" was the name of a world-renowned ballet. She had once seen an animated movie based on it as a child. Still, not even that was enough to prepare her mind for hearing it was a real place in her parents' homeland.
"I know where that is," David stated. "It's on the far side of the Enchanted Forest, near the town of Sleepy Hollow."
Emma's eyes grew. Now there was Sleepy Hollow? As in… that ghost story, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"? Now that was even more unexpected. "Swan Lake" seemed more like an actual fairy tale than "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". After all, the first one contained magic. The second was all about a schoolmaster and headless ghost. How could both of them exist in a land filled with magic and characters from classic fairy tales?
Even now, nearly four years since Henry had first brought her here to Storybrooke in October, 2011, Emma was still taken by surprise when she learned more and more about the land she was originally from.
"How can we get over there?" Snow White asked. "There aren't any more magic beans."
"Not even fairy magic could open a portal there," the Blue Fairy added.
Emma sighed. Not only was someone trapped in a book without their happy ending, there was no way of reaching the only one who could set them free? She wondered what they were going to do — now.
"There is a way," Tinker Bell said as she strolled up beside the Blue Fairy. All eyes swung to the young lady. "A Fairy Circle."
The Blue Fairy stared at Tinker Bell. "No, it's too dangerous for anyone who's not a fairy. You know that, Tinker Bell."
"What are you talking about?" Snow White inquired.
"What is a 'Fairy Circle'?" Emma wondered aloud.
"A portal," the Blue Fairy explained. "It is specially-designed for a fairy to travel from Pixie Hollow to another land and back. They only stay open for up to twenty-four hours."
"That should be enough time," Killian grinned. "Let's go."
"Hold on," the Blue Fairy states all of a sudden. "Only five who are not fairies or sparrow men can cross through because a Fairy Circle is a small, narrow passage. The same number must come back as go through or there will be a terrible price to pay."
"What price?" Henry asked.
The Blue Fairy did not answer. Tinker Bell looked a little uneasy. "I don't think we want to find out," Killian muttered.
Emma looks straight at the leader of the fairies. "It doesn't matter what the heck the price is. We need to find Fawn and set Donna free from the book."
Donna's happy ending was yet to come. Emma was convinced that, until everyone's happy endings had arrived, her job as the "Savior" was incomplete. She needed to restore happiness and order in each and every land out there — especially in her home, Storybrooke, Maine.
The nest felt nice and warm. A few cracked eggshells were situated inside. Fawn had assumed the owner had flown off for the night. This made the perfect place to stay and watch how everything had turned out.
She peered over the edge of the nest's woven railing. The sounds of a delightful child could be heard through the open window. This made Fawn smile. Even though she could still hear Queen Clarion's words ringing through her mind over and over, she could hear the young girl — Donna — squealing with delight.
At that particular point in time, Fawn did not care if she lost her wings. All that mattered was she had brought happiness to someone who really wanted it. That was enough for her. Who knows? Maybe Queen Clarion would change her mind once she realized how pleased Donna had become.
With that in mind, Fawn nodded. "I did the right thing," she declared out loud.
She smiled all the more as she hopped into the air and started to soar away. It was not long before she was on her way back to the Fairy Circle she had used to travel to the Enchanted Forest.
Night had fallen across the tall mountains and volcanoes on the island of Never Land. The enormous moon could be seen in the distance, silhouetting Never Peak Mountain, the tallest point on the island.
Fawn's Fairy Circle exited on the other side of the sunflower meadow. She quickly found herself flying in the direction of the Home Tree. A trail of fairy dust followed behind. She noticed a passing owl fly on by. It was late, but that did not bother her.
She liked spending time with the nocturnal animals as much as she enjoyed being with her daytime friends. Yet, she was focused on getting back to her room.
She gave a small yawn. She was too worn out from her trip to the Enchanted Forest. She needed to head to bed. She could visit her nighttime animal friends tomorrow night.
When Fawn reached the Home Tree, she noticed Rhia was flittering out front like a lookout. Her eyes were peeled for something or other.
Fawn slipped behind a small bush near the tree's roots. She peered at the fairy standing outside. She wondered if Rhia was watching for her. Did this mean Queen Clarion already knew about her journey to the Enchanted Forest?
Before she could think any more about it, a bluish glow appeared from behind. Fawn glanced back. To her astonishment, there was the queen decked out in her usual blue dress. She holding her bluish magical wand in her right hand.
Fawn grinned with a hint of anxiety. It was impossible for her not to show her nervousness. She never could hide anything very well. Maybe that was her weakness because she was a fairy? She had no clue of knowing for sure.
"H-Hi, Queen Clarion," Fawn said in a rather shy voice. It almost sounded like a squeak. "Is this a beautiful night or what?"
Queen Clarion did not look pleased. In fact, she appeared to be frowning. "Fawn, I know all about what you did," she said in a solemn voice. "You went to the Enchanted Forest. You used your fairy magic to bring Donna's animal friends to life. You took away her future happiness. One day, she will pay the price of using magic, all because you granted her wish."
Fawn was shocked. How could one, little wish being granted destroy someone else's happy ending? It did not make sense. She did what was correct. She brought happiness. "I made a little girl's dreams come true," she tried to explain.
"I'd fly backwards if I could," Queen Clarion told Fawn. "But there's no other way."
Fawn gulped. She felt a few drops of sweat slide down her face and drip off her nose. She knew what was about to happen.
"Fawn," the queen stated. "I don't believe in you anymore."
Fawn was well beyond terrified. Before she could say anything, her wings suddenly vanished in a small cloud of orange magic. She started to glow brightly and suddenly found herself being catapulted through into the night sky. In a few seconds, she was visible as nothing more than a small, sparkling light. The light turned into a shooting star and disappeared below the horizon.
Rhia came flying over, stunned silent at the display. Queen Clarion sighed deeply. "If only you could have followed my instructions…. "
Another fairy came flying over. She possessed long, flowing reddish-brown hair, reddish-brown eyes, and clear skin. She was decked out in a purple dress with sky-blue sleeves and a matching apron, sky-blue shoes with purple straps, and a sky-blue bonnet fastened on top by pair of green vines. Her name was Lisel, another of Queen Clarion's four "Helper Fairies".
"Queen Clarion, it's time for bed," Lisel said in her calm, very high-pitched voice. It would have sounded like a squeak to a human ear. "Come along. I got everything all ready."
Unknown to any of them, there was a pair of eyes peering through the nearby foliage. From the lush, dark forest, Tinker Bell had witnessed the whole scene. She was starting to feel more rebellious after watching her Animal-talent friend get banished from Pixie Hollow. This was an unfair punishment for an innocent fairy like Fawn.
She would be protesting this by breaking the rules herself. She had to take a stand. Never again would another fairy get forced out of the fairy kingdom. She would personally see to it!
The shop was eerily still when Emma, Killian, Henry, Belle, Regina, David, and Snow White came inside with the Blue Fairy. Standing behind the cash register was none other than Rumplestiltskin himself. When he saw the group coming inside, he gave a sigh of annoyance. "Sorry, dearies, but I'm closed for the day today."
"We have business here," Emma stated. "We need your help."
Rumplestiltskin grinned. "And just why would I help you this time, Emma? You're the Savior. I'm just a make-believe hero you created. How would I be able to help you?"
"By finding a fairy in the Enchanted Forest," David clarified. "Her name is Fawn. She's the only one who can set Donna free from that book you trapped her in."
"I see," Rumplestiltskin said. He was not amuse in the least little bit. Emma knew his grin was a fake. "And what do I get out this deal?"
"The satisfaction of knowing you helped someone?" Snow suggested with a smile.
Regina rolled her eyes. All of them knew that was never going to happen when it came to Rumplestiltskin. He was always open to making deals, as long as he himself got something out of it. It did not matter what it was he was after. Thank goodness no one had ever made a deal by giving their soul to him! Then again… maybe someone had done that?
"I have a better option," Rumplestiltskin said. He reached below the counter and picked out a wooden box. He placed it onto the countertop and opened it. To Emma and the others surprise, a glowing piece of marbleized glass was inside. Emma, Henry, Regina, and the Blue Fairy instantly recognized it.
"'The Olympian Crystal'," Emma realized. She remembered it from the storybook. It had been in the part that described Hades's story and weakness.
"You could strike someone down with that," the Blue Fairy gulped.
"You mean 'smite' them," Henry corrected.
"I don't care what the heck it means," Regina stated in a firm voice. She scowled at Rumplestiltskin. "Where in the heck did you get that? The last one to use one was when Zelena used it on Hades."
"You'd be surprised where you might find these trinkets," Rumplestiltskin responded. "If you want me to come along, I must take this for my own protection. Not having any dark powers makes me… vulnerable to anyone still living in the Enchanted Forest."
"Rumple," Belle started to say.
"Fine," David agreed, cutting the young woman off. "You can take that — on one condition. You can't use it on one of us."
"I don't intend to," Rumplestiltskin stated. "Let's just say, I have some living enemies still in the Enchanted Forest."
"Okay," Emma approved. "We'll be going to the Kingdom of Swan Lake. Do you know anyone there?"
Before Rumplestiltskin could answer, the Blue Fairy stepped forward. "I would hate to break this up, but if you're still planning to travel to the Enchanted Forest, you'd better decide who's going through the Fairy Circle."
It took only a few minutes for a party to be formed. Emma, Killian, David, Snow White, and Rumplestiltskin were chosen. Regina agreed to stay behind and keep an eye on Henry. Belle stayed back to keep an eye on the book.
With everything arranged, the Blue Fairy held out her navy-blue magical wand. She waved it in a circle over the shop's back wall. There was a slight wind, followed by a few bolts of magical lightning. An opening appeared in the wall. It was a dark-blue color and resembled a wormhole from a science-fiction movie.
"Alright," the Blue Fairy called to the group. She did not have to shout since the Fairy Circle had calmed down enough to make very little noise. "You may proceed. Remember, after twenty-four hours this portal will close. You must make it back before then."
"Thanks for the reminder," Rumplestiltskin commented.
"Let's get to the Enchanted Forest," Emma declared.
She leapt into the Fairy Circle. Killian was next in line. David and Snow held their hands before jumping in together.
Rumplestiltskin was the last one to approach it. As he walked up to it, a voice called out to him. "Rumple, promise me you'll be safe."
Rumplestiltskin glanced back. Belle was looked at him with a worried look in her eyes. He grinned in her direction. "Don't worry. I will make it back."
This seemed to cheer up the young, brown-haired woman. After one last look at the watching Belle, Regina, Henry, and the Blue Fairy, Rumplestiltskin turned to the Fairy Circle. He strode over to the opening and casually stepped through.
A/N: ...AND THERE YOU HAVE IT! CHAPTER 3 - THE MAIN STORY'S FIRST CHAPTER - HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN COMPLETED!
So, here is the main thought I was wondering immediately after I wrote that Flashback into the Storyline Summary. Where is Fawn now? Is she really still at Swan Lake? Or is she somewhere else entirely? Technically, she WAS banished long before Regina launched her Dark Curse and first created Storybrooke. A LOT can happen in a short time. You would be surprised.
As it is, I wanted to point out (in case you did not notice), the opening of This Chapter, where I described Storybrooke, was taken directly from the Secret Ending of my "Kingdom Hearts - World Unto Dreams" Story. Yes, yes - that WAS Storybrooke mentioned in my KH Story. I might be including some "Kingdom Hearts" thing(s) in my "Once Upon A Time" Stories, too!
Plus, Please let me know if anyone feels out of character to you. Any and all constructive criticism will be appreciated - especially since this is my first "Once Upon A Time" Story. My only request is you do not say anything so extreme, it could be considered cursing... or worse.
By the way, Rhia, Lisel, Beck, "Rosetta", "Iridessa", and Silvermist are all characters straight from "Disney Fairies". I made The Blue Fairy the ruler, Queen Clarion, since that is the role she seems to play in the "Once Upon A Time" show.
Also, Fawn's outfit in This Chapter was based on her appearance in "Tinker Bell And The Legend OF The NeverBeast (2015)"! The opening scene of the Flashback used in This Chapter was written while listening to the song "Float" from that very movie.
In addition, the "Disney Fairies" concepts used in these stories are all based on the franchise's books - not the movies. Why? Simple! The movies take place BEFORE Disney's "Peter Pan (1953)". The books take place AFTER Disney's "Peter Pan (1953)". Besides, I am not planning to include any of the things exclusive to the books in my KH Stories. If you want to see the "Disney Fairies" Franchise told from the books or the movies, you may have to switch between which series ("Kingdom Hearts" OR "Once Upon A Time") has the version you are searching for.
I sure glad to get THAT taken care of!
Lastly, I would like to re-state that I might Not be able to write this story very rapidly - Especially in comparison to how swiftly I wrote "Kingdom Hearts - World Unto Dreams". Besides, it has taken me a long time to write each Chapter for "Kingdom Hearts - Season OF Light". I shall be trying my best to focus on these two separate stories - at the same time. As a matter of fact, I will be going back to "Kingdom Hearts - Season OF Light" for a while so I do not completely lose my place in it.
So, here is a "Foreshadow"/"HINT" for the next Chapter! Why did I do this? The show does the same thing!
HINT: "THE TOWN OF SLEEPY HOLLOW COMES INTO VIEW WHEN EMMA AND THE OTHERS SEARCH FOR A WAY TO THE SWAN LAKE CASTLE! EVERYONE SEEMS WARY OF STRANGERS, YET WHAT COULD IT MEAN?! PERHAPS RUMPLESTILTSKIN KNOWS SOMETHING!"
FIND OUT WHEN CHAPTER FOUR ARRIVES!
IF You believe you know what might happen in Chapter 4 (and the story beyond it), Please post your answers in the Reviews section for THIS Chapter!
Please at least TRY to do this, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT REVIEWING! THE FATE OF THIS STORY DEPENDS ON IT!
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET - THE REVIEW GOAL FOR THIS STORY IS 50 REVIEWS! THERE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY [ABOUT] 20 CHAPTERS! IF THIS GOAL IS REACHED, I WILL POST THE SEQUEL I CURRENTLY AM CREATING THE STORYLINE SUMMARY FOR! SO, PLEASE POST SOME REVIEWS!
This Is SoraLego278 Saying, "See Ya Later, Keybladers!" Plus, "Have A ZIP-A-DEE-DOO-DAH DAY!"