Note: If you notice, I do a bit of foreshadowing in the chapters. I hint at things that come up, like the cure for the Sneeze forgetting his true self, and the shadow from Neverland. I like bring those elements in because it helps to make the story feel more grounded. I hope that while this is following the show it is also giving new twists to the story.
The Outsider
Cora recalled the first time she had met Sybelle as she looked about the Nereid's shop. It had been years ago when she was just about to marry. She had turned her back on Rumpelstiltskin. She was sure that she would be able to gain all the things she wanted when Sybelle had shown up in her chambers.
"How brave of you." Sybelle chuckled. "I hope he does not see through your little lie."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." A young Cora hissed out. "Leave my chamber's at once."
"Oh, you really do not know that you lied to him." The young woman stated as she took a seat on Cora's bed. "Hm, interesting. What will you do now?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Cora sneered with fear.
"You said that." The young woman smiled softly. "I do not like the imp. I do not like you either, but I hate that imp. He takes my happiness. He only knows how to take..."
"What do you have against him?" Cora wondered. "What crime has he done towards you?"
"What an odd question." The young woman chuckled. "He is the Dark One. What crime has he not done?" The woman pulled out a pink potion and gave it to Cora. "This is for you. I crafted it myself. It has helped many a woman...hide things from their husbands."
"What would I want to hide from my husband?" Cora questioned as she took the small bottle.
"You will know soon enough. This will delay things for a few months. Kind of...stills time for awhile..." The young woman gave a knowing smile. "Not useful for me, but useful to women like you. Oh, but I have forgotten my manners." She bowed slightly." "My name is Sybelle and I think you will come to call me...a good friend. You may not like me very much, but you will see. You are going to need me if you want to be the only one that has ever beaten him."
"Why would you help me?" Cora asked as she looked at the potion in her hand. "I don't even know you."
"I know so far you have beaten the imp." Sybelle smirked. "That is all I need to know. That is all that matters at this point in time."
"How long will you keep her in that...ball?" Hook asked the Queen of Hearts.
"As long as need be." Cora frowned.
"I take it you don't enjoy keeping her in that state." Hook remarked as he eyed her closely. He didn't trust the queen and he had better things to do than watch her study a room.
"No, I do not." Cora smiled softly. "I care very much for her. This is the only way that I can be sure I won't have to kill her."
"Right." Hook glanced around the shop. "And she's truly some great princess?"
"Yes, she truly is." Cora laughed softly. "She has a rare heart. I've spent years looking for hearts like hers." She narrowed her eyes as she recalled her search. "I couldn't. Haven't even been close." She frowned slightly, as though she had been trying very hard to so do. "We have work to do. You have a girl to find and I have...somewhere to be."
xxx
"I love you." He whispered to her softly. "You are my heart. Without you, I doubt I would be the man you love."
Sybelle awoke from her dream. She found it odd that she was dreaming about that day. She felt as though it was stranger than waking up trapped in a glass orb and being as tiny as a fairy. She rubbed her eyes and glanced around. Blue was frowning down at her.
"Are you all right?" She asked.
Sybelle nodded her head.
"I am afraid that I am unsure how to release you." Blue sighed out. "I have no idea who did this to you and I have no pixie dust." Sybelle understood. There were few ways she could be freed. One was pixie dust. The dust was strong enough to create amazing feats of magic. Though it's use by fairies pained Sybelle greatly, it would have turned her back to normal within seconds. The other two ways that she could have been freed were through the person that cursed her. The person had to either release her or die. Sybelle doubted that Cora would do either anytime soon. "And I highly doubt that I can find a true love to kiss you."
Sybelle pointed to her lips than the glass. The fairy nodded her head.
"That is true." Blue said through tight lips. "It would be hard to kiss you through the glass."
Sybelle sighed as she tried to think of a way out. Cora casted the perfect spell. Sybelle couldn't think of a way out. The only way was through Cora and no one knew where she was or that she was in town. She cursed as she tried to think of something. Nothing came to mind. She recalled the shadow. His red eyes glowing as he glared down at her. Could he be able to free her? She shook her head. She had no idea when he would be back, if ever, nor did she trust him. You could never trust a shadow.
"It is possible that you could-" Blue was cut off by the sound of shouting. "I'll be back." Blue put Sybelle inside her desk as she went to find the source of the screaming.
"How's that cure coming along?"
"These things take time." Blue stated softly. "We are still working it out."
"What's there to work out?" Grumpy shouted. "Just undo it."
"You know that's not how magic works."
xxx
Lou stared at the shop door. He wasn't sure if he should enter. He wasn't sure what to do. If he opened the door, that would mean that he was putting himself in Sybelle's life. He would be signing away his peace of mind and his carefree days. He didn't mind that, but what if she had been happy without him. What if that had been the reason why she hadn't found him out?
"Just open the fucking door!" Holly shouted. "You're thinking too loud. It's hurting my head."
"We're not in Wonderland." Lou snapped. "You can't hear me thinking too much."
"Yet, I was still able to tell you were." Holly rolled her eyes. "Funny, is not?"
"If I open this door, we can't ignore Sybelle or the fight any longer." Lou sighed out.
"Yes, we can. If that's what we want, we can ignore it." Holly reached to touch his shoulder. "That door is just a symbol. You'll use it to make the choice for you. That's why it seems harder than it is. But really, if you open that door...all you'd have to do is mind Sybelle's shop until she's better." She let go of his arm and turned to leave. "But open the door, or don't open it. I really couldn't care. I'm going for a walk." She waved goodbye.
Lou stared at the door with a heavy heart. Was Holly right? Did it not matter if he took over the shop? Was he forcing an answer to a question, not even asked of him yet, on a simple task? He slammed his head on the door. He was thinking way too hard.
"What are you doing?" A boy asked him.
"Hating myself..." Lou answered.
"Do you know Sybelle? Do you need her help?" The boy questioned him.
"Kind of." Lou sighed out as he pushed himself off the door. He turned to face a young boy. "Your the mayor's brat, Harry right?"
"Henry." The boy corrected.
"You know Sybelle?"
"Yeah, she's my friend. She tells me all kinds of stories and helps me out."
"That sounds like her." Lou chuckled.
"But she's Tinker Belle. She helps fix things and find lost stuff. That's her talent, what she's best at." Henry explained. "She can help you too."
"That's what she's been telling people? That she's Tink?"
"No, I guessed it." Henry beamed.
"You guessed wrong." Lou smirked. "She's not that fairy. She's never been a fairy and never will be. Pixie...maybe, but never a fairy. At least not in this reality."
"I don't understand. What does that mean?"
"It means that there is more than one possible reality. There's different versions of reality.. See ever choice you have ever made has shaped this reality. But let's say that instead of turning right, you went left...well, there's a reality where you went left and that changed your whole life. If you're lucky, or unlucky, you could be able to know the events of these other realities."
"Is that the same as recalling a rewritten history?" Henry wondered.
"No, it's not the same. Another reality is another reality. Rewriting history...means that your reality is now different than it once was..." Lou glanced at the boy with concern. "That was a very odd question to ask. At any rate, you should be going. Doesn't one of your moms need you or something?"
Henry frowned and looked sadly towards the ground. It was at that moment that Lou recalled the rumor going around town. He had asked something stupid.
"By any chance, do you know why the shop is called Second Star?" Lou said after a long silence. "It seems rather strange a name for her shop."
"Oh, it's cuz she's Tinker Belle." Henry smiled at Lou.
"She told you told that? Or hinted at that?" Lou seemed unsure how the boy would believe Sybelle had been Tinker Belle.
"No, she keeps telling me that she wasn't and doesn't know a Peter Pan, but I know better." Henry smirked.
"You believe with all your heart that she's Tinker Belle and that she's meant to find Peter Pan, ah." Lou chuckled. "Kid, I like you. You keep believing and maybe one day she'll become Tinker Belle, but right now...she's never been Tink in this timeline."
"She also says that the Star is meant to be Start, but the T keeps falling off." Henry frowned. "I don't believe that though."
"Oh, if it came out of her mouth, it has to be the truth." Lou grinned. He waved a hand in the air. "See that dark aura around the sign? That's an enchantment. Seems someone, or thing, wants Sybelle thinking about Neverland, or to piss her off. Wonder what's there, in Neverland? True love or something wicked." He amused.
"It's Neverland." Henry snorted. "How could Neverland be bad?"
"Oh, I didn't say. I said wicked." Lou glanced at the sign. "Wicked makes it sound so much more fun, like an adventure."
"Have you been to Neverland?" Henry questioned the man in front of him.
"In a history that's been rewritten...I use to live there." Lou frowned. "In a life that never was, I was a Lost Boy, but in this timeline...no. I have never been there."
"Do all old, magical beings act happy about facing great powerful beings that may or may not be dangerous?" Henry questioned.
"Only the ones that know how to have fun...and the crazied ones." Lou thought it over. "Hm, guess that's a good deal of us."
"Okay..."
"How about we go visit Archie's grave..." Lou stated as he realized that the child had been faking happiness. The kid was holding in a lot of pain. "I can tell you stories about Sybelle when she younger...I'm sure it will make you feel a little better." He promised. "Her stories always make people feel better."
xxx
"Where's Sybelle?" Mary Margaret asked as she glanced at all the grievers working through way toward their cars. "She should be here." She whispered through her tears. They had just buried their friend. "It would be good for her to be here...they were close."
"Really?" Emma thought that was odd. Sybelle seemed a bit odd. The woman thought a shadow was out to get her. Than again, wasn't that a clear sign that Sybelle needed all the help Dr. Hooper could give?
"Yes. In our land," Mary Margaret explained. "I saw them speak a number of times. She tried her best to justify Regina's actions, but also reason with her."
"No wonder I didn't like her." Emma sneered. "She may have helped Regina kill-"
"No, Sybelle wouldn't help her." Snow defended the Nereid.
"How can you be so sure?" David questioned softly. His wife never told him about this. "She trusts Regina and sided with her against us."
"You don't know her." Snow rushed out. "You don't know what she's been through. If I were her, I would be against me too. What I did...it remembered her of her sisters."
"What are you talking about?" Emma raised a brow. "What does that mean?"
"She lost her true love?" David reasoned. "Something her sisters did? Sybelle lost her true love because of them?"
"The story is long." Mary Margaret shook her head. "It's a painful one that...makes our story seem like nothing. Blue told it to me when...we were fighting Regina. She told me the whole story and asked me to understand that Sybelle didn't hate me. She hated the idea of what I did. It forced her to face that her happy ending was gone... She's a good person though. I've never seen someone with such a loving true."
"Don't sale yourself short." Emma made a face. "You're pretty lovey dovey."
"No, I'm kind." Mary pointed out. "There's a difference. She wouldn't just her back on Archie. For better or worse, she cares for him."
"You don't know that." David rushed out. "She could be hiding Regina."
"David is right." Emma nodded her head. "We should go to her shop and check it out."
"She's not behind this." Snow stressed. "She wouldn't do that. She liked Archie. She thought of him as her friend. She's the Lady of the Lake. She's not an evil person."
"Still," Emma made a face. "We can't be too careful. We have to at least look into it. Why else wouldn't she be here if she was such a close friend of his?" She pointed to the grave.
"I don't know." Mary Margaret stated. "But I don't believe she's behind this or helping Regina. She wouldn't do that. I've seen her with Henry. She's a good person."
"I know." David reached a hand to his wife. "But we have to check this out, we'll meet you at the apartment later."
"Alright, but call me when you find her." Mary Margaret rushed out. "I'm sure she'll need our help through this."
xxx
Rumpelstiltskin stood in the center of Sybelle's shop. He frowned as he glanced around it. It was clear that she hadn't been here for some time. That was strange. She wouldn't leave her work behind. He tired to recall her behavior the last time he saw her. She seemed to be doing well, but that had been a while back. He stepped behind her large wooden desk that separated the front half of the room from the back. He wondered what she kept in her shop. Would she keep clues to her past in the open?
He heard the front door open. He listened to the sound of foot steps. He noted that none of them were Sybelle. His sister stepped lightly, with grace, as though walking on air. The woman that walked in had none of that. He turned to face the two that came into the shop and frowned. Of course, it would be the savior and her father.
"What brings you to this little shop?" Mr. Gold asked.
"What are you doing here?" David sighed out. "This isn't even your shop."
"It may not be my shop, but the owner of it and I are close." Mr. Gold frowned. "I take it that you haven't come to repair a watch or some other object."
"We are looking for Sybelle Lake." Emma huffed out. "Have you seen her?"
"Now, why would I know where she's run off to?" Mr. Gold smiled at them.
"Because she's your sister." Emma rushed out. "So, stop playing games and tell us."
"I have no idea what you have been told, but she and I are not that close." Rumple frowned. "The curse made her my sister, but that is the only thing that ties us. I, myself, have come here to question her. Yet, it would appear that she's not in."
"What kind of questions were you going to ask her?" David wondered aloud.
"Nothing that concerns you." Mr. Gold narrowed his eyes. "But what business do you have with her? I imagine that it's nothing good."
"Hm, we think she may be working with Regina." Emma stated. "That's why we need to find her."
"That's not possible." Mr. Gold chuckled to himself.
"Why?" David narrowed his eyes. "Why don't you believe she's helping Regina?"
"Would you help a woman that's curse robbed you of your children, forced you to live with the likes of me, and made you go insane?" He glanced at the two in front of him. Why would Regina and Sybelle be working together? How did they even know each other? Unless, Sybelle had been the Aunt Vivian that Regina spoke about. The Nereid did go by that name.
"Well," Emma crossed her arms. "When you put it like that, it makes it hard to see them braiding each others hair like Mary Margaret said."
"Regina wasn't always evil." David pointed out. "The ending is nothing like the beginning."
"That has to be one hell of a beginning to ignore all that." Emma sighed. "I can't think of anywhere else she would be. Henry said she doesn't go out much. She's very closed off."
"If you're in need of-"
"Save it." David cut off Mr. Gold. "We don't need to find her that bad."
"Let's see Mary Margaret." Emma stated. "Maybe...she went through to grieve."
xxx
Mr. Gold stood back in his shop. He was glancing through a book in hopes of finding more about Sybelle's history. He could find very little about her. Her days as Lady of the Lake painted her as a kind and loving soul, but she had a dark side. It seemed that she didn't care for those that harmed children or stood in the way of true love. It mentioned nothing about Merlin being her son, only that his father was some sort of a demon. Funny how when she talked about her Malcolm, she also spoke about how noble he was and loyal. That didn't seem like a demon. It was at that moment that Belle called.
Her sounded panicked. She wasn't making much sense. All he knew was that he had to get to her. He had to go save her from whatever was attacking her. He could finish his search later. He doubted that the mysteries of Sybelle would be solved in one. Belle needed him and that came first.
xxx
"I'm stuck in a ball." Sybelle sighed out. "With no way out, but there are ways out. I just have to think. Put aside Cora. She's no help. I can't true love's kiss, but pixie...dust...Pixie! I use to be able to change into a Pixie. I stopped doing that because I thought it silly, pointless, and too dangerous. But! I can change into a pixie and use my dust to break out!" She realized. She jumped for joy before it hit her that she didn't know if she could transform. "Now, how to do this?"
xxx
Henry sat on Mary Margaret's bed. He was lost deep in thought. He thought over about his mom, Sybelle, and the death of his friend. It didn't make sense. Nothing made sense and while Lou's stories did make him feel better, Henry still longed for Sybelle to by his side. He had hoped to see her that morning and had been deeply sad to hear that she couldn't come. Lou had made the boy promise not to tell anyone about how the princess of the Nereids had been trapped in an orb.
The young boy heard Grumpy talk about going back to their land. It seemed that no one wanted to stay in his world. He wondered if Sybelle felt the same. Did she want to return to her realm and to her children? She had said that this was her home now, but Henry didn't see it that way. She was alone and cut off from people. She may have been trying to break out of her shell, but no one seemed to notice that she was missing. Would Sybelle stay behind if he asked her? He didn't want to lose her too.
Xxx
Captain Hook. Rumpelstiltskin couldn't believe that the pirate had found away into this land. It seemed that his thirst for blood made him slightly clever. The Dark One vowed to find that sea dog and make him wish he was never born.
"She died." He finished his story to Belle. He did was while hiding a great deal about what happened between Hook, his late wife, and himself. He was not proud of the man he had been and didn't want Belle to know the dark things he had done in his past. He opened the door to his shop and was horrified to find it ransacked. Hook had been in his shop. This had been why he attacked Belle. He had stolen the last thing he had of his boy. He had to get it back at all costs. He needed it to find his son.
Xxx
Belle felt a heaviness in her heart. Everything felt off. Archie was dead. Sybelle was closing herself off and Rumple was... treating her like a child. He was keeping things from her and acting like she couldn't take care of herself. Belle had faced monsters before. There had been no real reason for him to leave her behind like he did. Belle took a seat on the library floor.
The whole place was a mess. She chuckled softly as she thought about Sybelle. The Nereid could possibly wave her hand and everything would be as good as new. It would have been nice to be able to do that now. Belle thought to herself as she picked up a few books. She would be hear for hours cleaning the place up. She paused when she noticed something under the books. It was a piece of rope.
Slowly standing up, Belle stepped towards where she thought the book on knots was. She quickly opened it and glanced through the pages. There was something about the knot that bugged her. She stopped when she found the image she was looking for. It made sense that a one handed pirate would be near the docks. This piece of rope seemed to imply that the man he had a ship. She felt slightly foolish for not thinking of that sooner. Sybelle would have thought of it. Sybelle would have also went off to search for the ship and protect her family. In fact, Belle thought to herself, there was no reason why Belle couldn't find the ship. She could find the vessel and show Rumple that she didn't need to be protected. She could take care of herself. She would find this ship.
Xxx
The Nereid closed her eyes. She crossed her legs and looked deep within herself. She tried to recall what it felt like to have wings. She frowned as she failed to call forth her wings. Pixies were beings of pure emotions. It was often the belief, throughout many realms, that Pixies could hold only one emotion at a time. That wasn't true, not really. Pixies could feel many ways and things at the same time, but magic had a price. Pixies were beings of pure magic and that had a heavy cost. They felt things strongly, stronger than most beings could feel. Sybelle opened her eyes as she realized why she had that dream. She looked down at her body in awe.
Although she hadn't known how to escape the orb, her pixie side had known right away. It had known before Blue had said anything about using pixie dust. She blinked as she thought that bit of information over. She laughed to herself. She thanked the spirits and her mother. She closed her eyes as she focused on the strongest emotion she knew, love.
Xxx
Belle beamed when she found the ship. This would show Rumple that she could take care of herself. She would find the scarf and save the day. She slowly climbed the steps to enter the ship. She reasoned that garment would be in the lower level of the vessel. It would be stupid to keep it on the top deck. As she made her way to the bowels of the pirate ship, she thought she heard something odd. She slowly stepped closer. It sounded like a voice. She softly went towards the source and opened a gate in the floor. She was amazed to see Archie Hooper, alive! What was he doing here? Hadn't Regina killed him?
Xxx
Tk, tk, tk. Small cracks started to form along a glass surface. The cracks were small, but grew quickly. The spread around the clear object as a small green light started to shine from within. The light grew large and large until the orb shattered from the intense glow. The green radiance grew large and large until it was about the size of a seated person. Once at full size, the light slowly faded to reveal Sybelle sitting on Blue's desk. She smirked to herself as she flapped her fairy like wings slowly. She had forgotten the feeling of wings resting on her shoulders. She opened her green eyes and they shined with the dust that coated her wings.
She rose from her seat and glanced out the window. Her heart was beating at a fast, but even rate. She felt tears steam down her face, yet there was no sorrow within her heart. For the first time in ages, she was at peace. She glanced down at the floor and took a step off the desk.
Once she placed her foot down, she magical appeared in front of Rumpelstiltskin as he turned some mortal into a rat. She frowned as she stepped closer to him. He seemed to sense her, or at least someone of great power. She watched, with curiosity, as he turned to look at her.
"You have wings?" He mused as she stopped a two feet before him. "That's new."
"Not really." She stated as she looked through him. "My mother was a pixie. She gave it up to be with my father and after many long years, and births, the magic she gave up found its way back. I was born with her powers, all the magic she had to leave behind."
"You just never knew." Mr. Gold snorted.
"No, I knew." Sybelle frowned. "I use to fly these wings when I was little. I use to touch the sky, but I didn't care much for the sky when I had oceans to swim in. I left my wings behind for the sea... I ignored them, that side of me, until I couldn't get them back anymore. But I didn't grieve over the loss of my wings. Not when so many knew how to create Pixie Dust Trees. Do you know how?" She asked him softly as her wings slowly faded in the light of the sun.
"No, I couldn't find out how." He sneered. "Seems that every text was destroyed or cursed."
"My Malcolm did that." She smiled brightly. "He killed everyone that created such a tree, destroyed all text on it, and wiped out minds that knew how. It was his gift to me before he asked for my hand in marriage. Over hundred years work, and he did it for me. He was a good man."
"I wish I knew this man." Mr. Gold frowned to himself.
"I wish you did too." She whispered softly as she took hold of one of his hands. "I wish to share him with you. You have a right to know him..." The words her caught in her throat. She was finally letting him in and telling him the truth about her. "I... I..." She blinked in confusion.
"You what?" The former imp narrowed his eyes.
"Why is Belle at the docks?" Sybelle wondered aloud. "What business does she have there? You and I do not care that much for sea food. You muttered something about a pirate and I... just don't care for it."
"You sense her there?" He tried to think about why Belle be around that area. "How?"
"I believe I must have had a small power surge from going into my pixie form after so long." Sybelle guessed. "I just sensed where she was when I thought of her. I doubt that this ability will last. I hope it doesn't last."
"I do too." He frowned. It would be troublesome if she could always locate him.
"Archie is with her too?" Sybelle didn't understand why he would be there. Did those two talk? "And someone else? Oh," Sybelle experienced a rush of panic enter her. "I think she need helps, or is in danger. We have to go to her."
"No, I will go to her." Rumpelstiltskin stated in a firm voice. "You will go to my shop and stay there."
"I can't let you go alone." She snapped.
"You can't walk around like this." He pointed out. "You could hurt Belle like this."
"I think I can control it." Sybelle rushed out before she started to glow. "But maybe...I should just stay out of sight until I stop glowing. I don't want people thinking I'm a fairy. I want to stop that Tinker Belle rumor."
"Tinker Belle rumor?"
"Some people think I'm Tinker Belle and lived in Neverland with Peter Pan." She sighed in a hurry. "Not true. None of it. I never met Peter Pan, or lived in Neverland."
"Never?"
"Never," She was taken back by his remark. He knew she couldn't lie. She wanted to ask him about it, but he seemed to sense her change in mood.
"I should go to Belle." He stated swiftly. "Go straight to the shop. We will talk later."
"Alright."
xxx
"Hello Holly." A young man smiled in the dark. "Been awhile."
"Yes," She said as she turned pale. "Yes, it has."
"It's time that I called in that favor you know me." He smirked. "By your honour and life, you are bound." He chuckled.
"What is it that you want?" She hissed out through her fear.
"I need something repaired." He flashed her a wicked smile. "And I hear you're friends with a great tinker."
"If you hurt her-" She rushed out as she called forth her claws. "I will rip you apart." She reached for her throat as she started choking. It felt as though hands where on her neck. She glanced at him to find him holding a hand in the air.
"You will grant me this favor or else." He sneered. "And you will do it with a smile on your face and bright cheerful eyes. Am I clear?" He wanted for her to answer, but found that she was still struggling to breath under his magic grab. He rolled his blue eyes before releasing her. "Am I clear?"
"Perfectly." She said with a horse voice. "What is it that you want me to do?"
xxx
"Hey, Rumple." Sybelle sighed into her phone. "It's late and dark out. I haven't heard from you or Belle! I am kind of worried." She explained as she paced the floor of his shop. "My powers have died down. So... I can't sense where you are or if your okay. Just call me back or send a sign. I don't want to leave the shop just went. What if I start glowing again? Just call as soon as you can." She felt as though something bad were about to happen, something really bad.
End Notes: It took way too long to finish this. I am so happy. I was sick of re-watching this ep over and over again. I was getting rather bored of it. Bright side, I get to write a bit of a love story in the next few chapters. It's something that I am fairly good at. Yay, I'm so happy and I hope you will be too. Peter of White Haven will be an interesting character for Sybelle to deal with.
What are your thoughts on this chapter? Do you like where this is going? Let me know. I can't improve without feed back.