It's been a while, huh? A new chapter is finally here, so read and enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing. "OUAT" belongs to Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, "Sailor Moon" belongs to Naoko Takeuchi/Toei.
The new enemy. Search for the lost memories.
Enchanted Forest
The Wicked Witch was walking around in Regina's quarters of the castle, trying her jewerly and outfits. But she wasn't alone in the quarters, she was with her minions. The green-skinned witch didn't get how Regina could've abandoned all those things of high value.
"All this comfort… was given to the wrong one." - she commented bitterly.
"You've never been so right. All this should belong to us-I mean, you." - Rubeus, a young man quickly corrected himself.
The witch gave a quick look in his direction, seeing how excited he was at the sight of all the precious jewerly, his eyes shining out of desire. Calaveras, a teenage girl, joined Rubeus' statement, sharing her own frustration.
"Yeah, don't we deserve all the best?" - she said, then whispered loud enough for only her to hear - "Especially I?"
"Soon, when we take everything from Regina, you'll bathe in gold." - the witch promised to her minions.
"And in candy!" - Berthier, a girl around 10 years old, added in excitement - "We'll feast when that day comes, right?"
"Of course. You'll get all the sugar in the world." - the Wicked Witch replied - "That is of course, if you work hard enough to reach our goal."
When she said that last part, she was eying one of her minions in particular, Koan. Like usual, the teen girl didn't focus too much on her superior. It wasn't really due to any disrespect for her, but rather her characteristic lazyness. Seeing that the witch was staring at her, Koan hurried to look back with an interested expression. The witch of the west sighed. She couldn't re-educate her, nor did she have the will to take that burden. She then took out of the wardrobe another dress and magically got dressed in it, after what she admired herself in the mirror.
"You look absolutely gorgeous… You'd set men's hearts in fire." - Petz, the eldest of the girls commented with a seductive tone.
"I know." - the green witch replied with a grin.
At that moment, the last of her minions, a young woman named Esmeraude, appeared in Regina's quarters. She was there to make her report.
"Your Wickedness, I'm here to tell that the Evil Queen, along with many people are standing near the line of the protection spell." - she informed - "Shall I take care of them?"
"No, we can't show off now. You'll ruin all the fun!" - the witch protested, but finished her phrase with a grin of anticipation.
The Wicked Witch of the West then called for a flying monkey, who quickly flew up to her. She ordered to her creature:
"Fly and find the Evil Queen. Let her know I'm here."
Hearing his mistress' words, the monkey flew out of the window and in the direction of where the queen was.
Snow White, Prince Charming and their entire kingdom were walking across the woods in order to reach a place where they could temporarily stay while thinking of a way to break and enter the queen's castle. Snow, while holding Little Em's hand, was talking with Red.
"Just like at the old times." - Red commented - "Only we're not running from Regina, but with her."
"She changed for the best." - Snow White replied.
"But for how long?" - her best friend replied, still not entirely trusting the queen - "She looks upset. If she was someone else, I'd be worried about her."
Snow and Little Em looked in the direction of the Evil Queen, who was standing on the side of the road alone, lost in thoughts.
"She's sad." - Little Em noted.
"Let's go talk to her." - Snow suggested to her future granddaughter.
The two walked up to Regina, who indeed looked sad. Charming noticed his wife wanting to start a conversation with Regina, so he joined them. Snow suggested Regina to have a rest, but got no response.
"You're thinking about Danielle, right?" - she then asked.
"I'm always thinking about her." - the queen stated, then added - "But I also remembered that Under the castle, there's a systemof tunnels. Those are deeper than the protection line."
Charming asked if an army could go by those tunnels, but Regina replied that it wouldn't be possible without being noticed. Snow asked what was then the point, and the queen explained that she would go to her castle alone, desactivate the protection spell and allow the army assault the castle. Snow and Charming liked the idea. Suddenly, they heard the scream of a flying monkey. Everyone looked up and saw the creature approach.
"Watch out!" - Neal shouted to the group.
On its way, the creature hit Neal, who fell on the ground, luckily without any injury. Roland, Robin's son who was Walking a few steps behind the royal family but much ahead his father, got in the creature's way too. Scared, he screamed:
"Papa!"
Little Em, who was standing closer to him than his father, ran up to him and threw her favorite toy in the monster's face.
"Lux T shapeshift!" - she yelled.
The toy made an explosion, the pink smoke covered the vision of the flying monkey. This gave enough time for Regina to run up to the two children and stood in front of them in a protective manner. The smoke dissipated and the creature was about to attack again, but the queen didn't let him. She used her magic to transform the flying monkey into something way less threating, a lifeless plushie monkey. Robin ran up to his son and hugged him. Regina walked up to them and gave Roland the plushie:
"It's all over now. Wanna a new toy?"
"Thank you..." - Robin Hood thanked the queen.
Snow and Charming checked if Little Em was alright, while the girl reassured them that she was perfectly okay.
"Little Em, you shouldn't do this." - Snow said - "Dealing with threats is our business. You could've got hurt."
"I'm sorry..." - Little Em apologized - "I just did what Emma would do."
Snow White sighed and gave her future granddaughter one tight hug, while Charming stroked her hair. As they let go, Little Em walked up to Roland and introduced herself.
"Hi, I'm Little Em. What's your name?"
"I'm Roland." - the boy replied a bit shyly.
"Wanna be friends?" - the small princess offered.
"Okay!" - Roland replied, then added - "Your toy is nice."
Little Em smiled in response. The two kids started to walk side by side. The adults smiled, glad that the kids could become friends because they both needed one.
Storybrooke
Emma, Mary Margaret, David, Lux and Hook were sitting in Mary Margaret's loft, discussing their situation. Emma asked what was happening while she was gone, besides "the obvious" (referring to her mother's pregnancy).
"We don't know. I remember seeing how you and your friends left the town and Regina used magic to send us to the Enchanted Forest. And then… it's blank." - Mary Margaret answered.
"The next thing we remember is how we wake up here. An ordinary morning in Storybrooke." - David added.
"Except for the belly…" - Mary Margaret remarked.
"The wife's pregnant and the husband doesn't know how it happened. A classic." - Captain Hook joked.
Mary Margaret just rolled her eyes at the pirate's "joke".
"As for us, we lived in Boston at first. Then we had to move to New York." - Lux said.
"That year hadn't been a rest for us." - Emma added.
"If only we knew where we had been the past year, and what we've been doing." - David commented.
"We've been in the Enchanted Forest." - Hook told to the couple - "Regina did transport us there. I remember how we've been greeted by Prince Philip and Princess Aurora."
At the mention of the royal couple, Emma thought that she should inform Rosalie about her parents. Rose would be glad to know that both of her parents were alright, or at least had been during the past year. Hook pursued his story, explaining that since he wasn't the kind of guy needing companions, he parted ways with others. He went looking for his ship, while Emma's parents and others went in the direction of Regina's castle.
"No matter you met a Dark Curse." - Emma commented.
"Regina remembers as much as we do, I don't think she's to blame." - Mary Margaret shook her head.
"You Believe her?" - Emma asked.
But Mary Margaret didn't have the chance to reply. David asked his own question to Hook.
"If you didn't know about the curse, how did you know you had to bring Emma and her friends here?"
"I was sailing in the sea until one day a bird sat at the rudder, holding a note. It said to find the Sailor Guardians and to bring them here." - Hook explained - "The bird also had a flask of memory potion."
"Who sent it?" - Mary Margaret asked.
"I assumed it were you."
"Bird post is in your spirit…" - David remarked to his wife.
Emma still had only one question that was the most relevant for her at that moment. She reunited with her parents, they were okay, but one person was missing on the picture. She asked:
"Where's Little Em?"
"We were about to tell you about that…" - David sighed - "You see, we…"
"...we don't know. While everyone seemed to be back to Storybrooke, Little Em was nowhere to be found." - Mary Margaret said with a sorry tone.
"She disappeared?" - Emma asked in shock - "Did you try to find her?"
"Of course we did. We looked for her everywhere, but there are no results for now." - David replied.
"Oh my… What if something bad happened to her..?" - Emma said as she grabbed her forehead with her hand - "What if she's hurt, or… worse..?"
"Emma, you shouldn't assume the worst before we try everything." - Lux advised his human friend - "There still are things to try, right guys?"
"Yes, Regina's working at it…" - David answered.
"Oh no… What if Regina's spell didn't work on her when she brought you back to the Enchanted Forest?" - Emma said with a gasp - "Little Em's from the future. What if she was left there alone, in the middle of nothing?!"
"I can assure you that she was brought to the Enchanted Forest, like everyone else." - Hook reassured the worried-sick girl - "We even had a short chat before I left."
"That's good news..." - Mary Margaret sighed - "Emma, I promise we'll find her."
At that moment, Leroy and Happy suddenly entered the loft, with worried expressions. David asked what was wrong, to which Leroy answered:
"Another one's missing! Only five of us are left!"
"Four of us. Bashful doesn't answer." - Happy added.
"Ok, what are you talking about?" - Emma asked, growing even more worried too.
"It's good you're back." - Leroy commented.
"Amnesia isn't our only problem." - Mary Margaret answered to her daughter - "Every night, someone goes missing."
"We're getting slayed, one by one!" - Leroy added.
"How many of you are missing?" - Lux asked.
"Besides three dwarves, it's hard to tell. Things are messy lately, we cannot keep track of everyone." - David replied.
"Wait… if Little Em's nowhere to be found… could she have gone missing like the others..?" - Emma suggested, getting anxious.
"Most likely." - Leroy replied without thinking.
"Leroy!" - Mary Margaret yelled at him.
"So... people are missing, Little Em might be among them and we have no idea who does that since the curse whiped your memories away! We Don't even know if the missing people are alive or…!" - Emma exclaimed as she stood up and started to pace in the room - "I'm supposed to protect her! But I weren't around when I was needed..!"
"Emma, Emma, calm down." - David put his hands over his daughter's shoulders - "Trust me, we're as much concerned for Little Em as you are. But we can't efficiently help her if we panic. Now that girls and you are back, things will get better, you'll see."
"Your father's right, Emma. Just trust in yourself and in everyone." - Lux advised.
"Okay…" - Emma said with a nod as she took one deep breath - "There's just one thing to do. We must restore your memories."
"Yes, but how…?" - her mother asked.
"By finding out who erased it." - the guardian of light replied.
Enchanted Forest
The group of heroes was trying to think what to do with the new situation. The flying monkeys were an additional difficulty. Snow White pointed out that the same creature that attacked her and Regina in the woods. The Evil Queen guessed that those were flying monkeys, surprising Neal that their existance seemed to be known.
"They live in a land far away from here." - Belle informed - "I've read about it. Oz."
"Oz? It's a real place?" - Snow asked, surprised.
"It is, the library rat is right. It's clear now who took over my castle." - Regina said - "The Wicked Witch."
"Of the West or the East?" - Grumpy asked.
"It doesn't matter, none of them sounds good." -Snow replied.
Grumpy pointed out that one is killed being crushed by a house, while the other is killed by water. Charming was more interested by what Regina could've done to her in the past to make her angry. But to everyone's surprise, Regina replied that she didn't even know her.
"Alright, forget about Oz and follow our original plan." - Charming instructed to his people.
Regina's task was to reach the castle by the underground. Snow wanted to go with her, but Regina didn't allow her, claiming that she didn't need anyone's protection. As Regina started to leave, Robin seemed to be concerned for her.
Storybrooke
Emma and her friends were sitting at Granny's, having a meeting to make a summary of the situation. Emma told her friends everything she learned from her parents. She also told Rosalie what Hook told her about Aurora and Philip. Rose was pleased to hear about them.
"Wait, this means that my father's alive?" - Rosalie asked surprised by the news - "I wonder if there's a chance my parents are around too. I'd love to see them."
Emma gave her friend a look of sympathy. Her friend did deserve to finally see her parents after everything.
"It's so good that our family situations are improving." - Alex said with a smile then squeeled a bit - "I saw my baby sister last night. She's so cute!"
"Speaking of siblings, Neal's nowhere to be found." - Emily informed with a sad sigh - "Belle, nor anyone else has seen him."
"Neal's missing too?" - Emma asked shocked to hear that, getting a nod for a response - "This is a serious matter..."
Ruby approached the group, bringing them their breakfast.
"Here's your order girls." - the waitress said as she put the food and drinks on the table.
"Thanks, Ruby." - Cecilia replied as she and her mother exchanged a smile.
"It's so good to see you all around again." - Ruby said to her daughter's friends.
As Ruby went back to work, Emma stated that if they wanted to save the missing people as well as those that were not, they first had to figure out who casted the curse. She then addressed Danielle:
"Does Regina have any theories? What does she think about all this?"
"I didn't see her last night." - Danielle answered - "She must've been out somewhere, because she didn't open the door when I knocked at our house."
"We'll ask her today then." - Emma noted.
It was at that moment, as if fate was benevolant that day, the group heard a gasp and a cup breaking as it hit the floor. Danielle turned around to see that it was Regina (who just dropped her coffee) who was staring at her daughter in shock. Since she wasn't at home last night, Regina had no idea the guardians were back until that moment.
"S-sorry… I didn't mean to startle you…" - Regina managed to mutter, sill shocked.
"It's alright." - Danielle replied as she stood up from her seat and walked up to Regina - "I'm so glad I'm back… mum."
Regina's shock grew even more, but it was a pleasant one. It was the first time Danielle called her "mum". Danielle hugged her mother, who hugged her back. As they pulled away, Regina finally managed a smile, asking:
"But... what are you doing here? And… how do you remember everything?"
As she was asking those questions, Regina sat with the guardians, expecting an explanation.
"It's all Hook, he got a memory potion somewhere." - Danielle answered with a smile - "We came in town last night, I knocked but you weren't home. Where have you been?"
"I was in my crypt, trying to figure something out… without success." - Regina replied with a sigh - "I have nothing to do with all of this."
"I must admit I did think on you." - Emma said honestly.
"But why would I do that?" - Regina asked.
"Maybe you had a bad year, maybe this way you wanted to bring Danielle back?" - Emma suggested, while Danielle glared at her.
"Who wouldn't remember me? Until now I thought your memories were wiped and remplaced, I couldn't guess that someone would restore them." - Regina pointed out - "I make others suffer, not myself."
"We get the idea." - Rose accepted Regina's justification - "But we must check everyone."
"How will you ever do that? Will you interrogate everyone in hopes to see if someone's lying?" - Regina asked.
"Do you have a better idea?" - Emma asked.
Meantime in the woods, Robin Hood and his companions were on the hunt to get some food. Little John showed a (modern) bow with arrows to his friends.
"Where did you get it?" - Brother Tuck asked.
"At the pawnshop." - Little John replied.
"What money did you buy it with?" - Robin asked, to which Little John just gave him a look - "You stole it, huh?"
"We're not rich, okay..? And we're hungry…" - Little John stated, and the others laughed.
Brother Tuck then pointed at a turkey walking not very far from them. Little John decided to try the acquired bow on the animal, deciding that it would be their lunch. He shot an arrow at the turkey, but he missed his target. Robin laughed at him and teased his friend about the fact he wasn't good at aiming. Frustrated, Little John decided to go after the turkey.
"John? Where are you going?!" - Robin asked as he and the companions followed him.
Little John then saw the turkey, as he was getting close to the townline. At that moment, a flying monkey grabbed him and flew away as John screamed.
"John!" - Robin shouted, seeing his friend taken away.
Later, David, Hook and Emma arrived after Robin informed them about what happened. Robin pointed at the townline and said that it was where John was taken away.
"You shouldn't cross the line." - Emma advised him.
"You think Little John was taken for almost crossing it?" - Robin asked.
"It makes sense. The dwarves disappeared when they were checking if anyone entered or left the town." - David said - "But what kind of creature it was?"
"We couldn't get a closer look, something like an animal with wings…" - Robin answered - "Can we go look for John?"
"If we're lucky, we might find other missing people." - Emma stated - "David, go with Robin and the…"
"Companions." - Robin finished for her.
"Yeah, them. And… search through the forest, try to find some tracks."
"You're not coming?" - Hook asked.
"No, I'm not. Regina's right, if I check everyone individually, we'll waste too much time." - Emma replied.
"What do you have in mind?" - David asked his daughter.
"I'll check them all at once."
Later, the guardians organized a big meeting at the town hall. The Storybrooke citizens were all talking with each other at once, sharing their worries, creating a loud mess. Emma tried to call everyone back to order.
"Everyone! I know you're all frightened, but please listen…!"
"Is that true that some monster doesn't let anyone leave the town?" - Archie asked.
"And what happened to my brothers?!" - Leroy asked on his turn.
"Yes, we think it kidnaps all those who approach the townline." - Danielle explained.
"So we're trapped here. Again." - Granny commented, not pleased by the situation.
"The story is being repeated." - Rose said nervously - "But that only means we'll find a solution, just like last time."
"Last time we didn't lose memories!" - Leroy pointed out - "And we weren't dragged in the forest!"
"We need to know who cursed us, why they want us be here." - Belle said.
"We will figure that out, mum." - Emily tried to reassure her mother - "It's just hard to know who casted the curse when no one remembers the last year."
"Who?! Isn't it obvious?!" - Leroy shouted.
"Do you remember something?" - Emma tilted her head.
"Who casted the last curse? Who knows how to use it? Who's the only one who did this before?! The Evil Queen!" - Leroy pointed at Regina, who was standing at the very back of the hall.
The whole crowd turned their heads in her direction. Danielle couldn't help but feel sorry for her mother. It couldn't be pleasant to get all those blaming stares at her.
"For once, I'm just as clueless as the rest of us." - Regina said, raising her hands in a defensive manner.
"You expect us to believe that?" - Dr Whale replied.
"It's the truth." - Regina said calmly.
"This curse has your fingerprints all over!" - Granny said on her turn.
"And you did take away our memories once before." - Belle reminded to Regina.
"To have your big house!" - Granny added.
"Do you think I care about my house, my job or any of these things?!" - Regina protested.
"Just tell us the truth, we'll understand." - Archie told her calmly.
"Speak for yourself!" - Granny told boldly to the psychiatrist.
"I am telling the truth!" - Regina replied.
"Guys, I suggest you to leave her alone." - Danielle said with a fake calm tone.
"Why should we?! Your love for your mum blinds you, girl! But it's clear she'd do something like that again!" - Leroy spoke again - "She got what she wanted now, didn't she?"
"What are you implying?" - Danielle asked, tapping her feet nervously (or in anger?) on the ground.
"Well, she hated the idea to leave you. Now that we're cursed again, she has her daughter back." - Ruby joined in.
"Ha! I'm not the only one then!" - Regina smirked at the irony - "Any of the Sailor Guardians' relatives might've done that!"
"Yet, you're the only one who has the skills!" - Granny remarked.
Everyone stood up from their chairs and send at Regina deadly stares. Some even started to step in her direction. The crowd became loud again.
"So, you want to see me as the Evil Queen?" - Regina asked - "Then, you'll see just that!"
She then moved her hands and magically created an earthquake. Then, she teleported herself away and people started to shout that she mustn't get away from them. Emma walked in the direction of the door and said:
"I'll go after her. Girls, help people to calm down!"
They did as she asked, while Danielle ran after Emma to find her mother. As people were trying to process what just happened and deal with their slight shock, there was a certain red-haired woman in the crowd, who smiled to herself in satisfaction.
Enchanted Forest
Regina used telekinesis to lift a huge rock that covered the entry to a tunnel and to throw it away. Then, she saw Robin, who had been following her. She wasn't pleased by his presence, but Robin stated that he could be useful.
"I didn't ask for help." - the queen stated.
"But that doesn't mean you don't need it." - Robin replied - "The flying monkey wasn't after my son, but after you."
"What makes you believe that?"
"The forest is my home, I know how a predator gets its prey. That creature wanted you, Roland was just in between you two."
"So what?" - Regina asked with an unfazed expression.
"You've been attacked twice now. The witch wants your death." - Robin Hood stated.
"It's not as if you can stop her somehow."
"Maybe, maybe not. It's worth trying."
Robin Hood pointed out she saved Roland from the flying monkey, which was why he owed her. Regina said that she was surprised that a thief had honor, to which Robin replied that he was himself surprised that the Evil Queen would save a child of another. Regina finally agreed to let Robin Hood come with her, but instructed him to not get in her way.
Storybrooke
Regina entered her office. Soon after, Emma and Danielle followed.
"An earthquake?" - Emma asked.
"To be more convincing. No one got hurt." - Regina replied in justification - "Do you think they believed?"
"Yes. Good job." - Danielle replied - "Now, let's figure out who really casted the curse."
Soon, Regina started to prepare everything to work on the remainings of the memory potion. There were about two drops of the liquid left, about just enough to try reproduce the memory potion. Emma texted to tell her friends about it.
"The crowd assaulted me in unison. But you believed me, and somehow made your friends believe me too." - Regina suddenly said to her daughter.
"You're my mother. It's natural I believe you." - Danielle said.
"As for girls and I, you proved enough times we can trust you." - Emma added.
"Maybe, yet the current situation gave me what I wanted." - Regina pointed out - "You are back home, Danielle. It may be some sly evil plan of mine."
"No, I know you well enough by now. You were telling the truth." - Danielle replied with a smile, which Regina returned.
Enchanted Forest
Regina and Robin were walking through the tunnel, while the queen was explaining her plan. They soon arrived to a trap she set up long ago. She intructed Robin to step on the black tiles only, or he'd meet his death crushed by a gate of peaks. Regina remarked that it was to prevent unwanted guests from penetrating her castle.
"Like me?" - Robin asked.
"Like you."
"We're not that bad, you know."
"You convinced yourself and others that stealing from the rich isn't wrong?" - the queen commented with a chuckle.
The Evil Queen couldn't help but make remarks about Robin's hypocrisy, since he was making himself look like a saint, while she was at least being evil openly.
"I admit I made mistakes too. But I hope you didn't bring me with you to trap me. Roland already lost his mother, so don't make him an orphan." - Robin Hood said seriously.
"You should've thought about it sooner." - Regina replied with a grin.
Robin only sighed and kept following Regina. But then, the queen asked about Roland's mother. Robin Hood replied that short after his son's birth, he unwillingly got his wife and Roland in trouble. Regina and Robin soon arrived at the end of the tunnel, but to Regina's shock, the door to her castle was open.
"Maybe you just forgot to lock it?" - Robin suggested.
"No, I did seal it with blood magic. No one except me cannot open it."
"It looks like the witch is much more dangerous than you thought."
The two wordlessly entered the castle. The tunnel led them to the queen's crypt, where she kept all the hearts she ripped off from people, but not only. Robin asked who the crypt was built for, to which Regina replied that it was for her mother.
"I lost too many people I cared about." - she said with sadness.
"Including a child?" - Robin asked.
"What makes you think that?" - the queen asked bitterly.
"I saw how you ran towards Roland and the other girl. Like a mother would."
"...You're right." - Regina replied with a sigh.
"Your child wasn't among those who came back. What happened...?"
"My daughter's not dead, if that's what you mean. It's just that... for me, she's lost."
Understanding the queen's pain and thinking that too much could be at stake, Robin suggested to the Evil Queen to rethink her plan since the Wicked Witch seemed to be powerful. But Regina replied that she wouldn't change her plan, no matter how powerful the witch was.
Storybrooke
Mary Margaret was at Granny's, reading a book about newborn babies in order to be more enlightened when her child would be born. The baby would be born soon and she felt unprepared, which was normal since the pregnancy took her by surprise. Mary Margaret was shaking her head and muttering to herself in disbelief of what she was reading about the "thermotite". Suddenly, she heard a female voice say:
"It goes away quickly and it's not dangerous for the baby."
Mary Margaret turned her head to see that it was a woman with read hair, someone she had never seen in the town before. She had no idea that the woman was no other than the Wicked Witch.
"Really?" - Mary Margaret asked with a relieved smile.
"Babies are stronger than they seem." - the woman replied as she smiled back - "You must be Snow White?"
"I'm Mary Margaret in this world. Are you in Storybrooke for the first time?"
"I wasn't caught by the first curse. So everything's new for me here."
"Don't worry, you'll get used soon." - Mary Margaret reassured the woman - "Who were you back home?"
"Oh, you haven't heard of me. I'm not a celebrity like you."
"Me, a celebrity?" - Mary Margaret asked, laughing slightly.
"Well, you're a princess. Next to you, we're all shadowed." - the woman replied.
Mary Margaret felt embarrassed about that and wanted to say something, but the woman hurried to reassure her.
"No, it's alright." - she said as she kept smiling - "I loved the life I had. I'm a midwife."
"Really?" - Mary Margaret asked as her face lit up, and the woman stoop up and walked up to her.
"Yes. My name's Zelena." - the witch finally introduced herself - "I've calmed down so many mothers. Don't worry, it'll be alirght."
"So maybe you could help me?" - Mary Margaret requested - "I folded so many pages I don't understand that I'm afraid the book just won't close."
"With pleasure." - Zelena replied.
"Be careful, I'll even more need your help after giving birth."
"May I?" - Zelena asked as she reached out to touch Mary Margaret's belly.
The mother-to-be allowed, and as Zelena touched the pregnant belly, she commented how lucky she was in helping Snow White through pregnancy. The two women were just beaming, smiling brightly to each other. They were both oblivious to the fact that someone else, a woman with blonde tied up hair, was watching the whole scene from afar. The blonde woman bit her lip. She didn't like how close Zelena got to Mary Margaret and her baby. She knew that the Wicked Witch was up to something.
In the forest, David, Hook, Robin and his companions were trying to track the creature. Soon, they found blood on the ground and leaves until seeing Little John lying on the ground a bit further. The man was unconscious.
"Is he alive?" - Hook asked.
"He's merely breathing..." - Robin replied and saw a wound on John's shoulder - "John, hold on my friend..!"
"I've never seen a bite like that." - the pirate commented.
"Me neither." - David said.
"We need to bring him to the hospital." - Robin remarked.
Everyone proceeded to lift the man.
Enchanted Forest
In the queen's room, Regina was mixing some potion. Robin Hood immediately got suspicious of her actions and demanded to know what she was preparing. Since she claimed it wasn't his business, he pointed an arrow at her. His threat angered the queen, so she started to magically strangle him.
"How dare you to threat me in my own castle!" - she said angrily.
"Even in my last breath, I can shoot my arrow and my aim's good." - Robin warned her - "So, what is that you're mixing?"
With a sigh, Regina released her magical grip on Robin and answered him.
"A sleeping curse."
"The same you gave to Snow White?"
"The other was given by Maleficent. Since then, I learned to make it myself."
"Is this why you wanted to return here so much?" - Robin understood.
Regina explained that the ingredients are rare, so getting them was very hard, especially if constantly being observed by Snow White. Robin asked if making the witch asleep was Regina's plan, but she replied that it wasn't for the witch but for a person nobody would miss. Robin Hood understood that Regina wanted to poison herself because of the loss of her daughter.
"I won't let this happen." - he said, making a few steps towards the queen.
But Regina didn't need his opinion, so she froze his feet on the ground, making him unable to move. She impregnated a needle in the potion.
"I know how you feel." - Robin said.
"I doubt that."
"When I lost my wife, I thought my life lost its meaning. But I found another, within my son."
"That's what makes us different." - Regina said sadly - "I lost everything."
"It's not a reason to end up your life!" - Robin tried to reason her - "Everyone gets a second chance. You can't just kill yourself."
"I won't die, but just plunge in an eternal sleep." - the queen explained - "I'll awake only if I'm kissed by the person worth to wake up for, my daughter."
Robin tried to reason her, telling that she was making a mistake. The Evil Queen reassured him that she'd remove the protection spell as she promised, and only then she would fall asleep. She then left the room despite Robin's protests.
Storybrooke
Danielle, Emma and the other guardians (who had finished to calm the citizens down and eventually came in the office too) were watching as Regina was trying to make a memory potion similar to the one they drank.
"Did it work?" - Danielle asked.
"We won't know until I taste it." - Regina answered.
She drank the liquid she just created. The six guardians looked at her expectingly.
"So? You remembered?" - Danielle asked.
As the only response, Regina threw the flask against a wall. The girls looked awkwardly at each other.
"So... either the wall did something to you, either it didn't work..." - Alex commented.
"Some ingredient is missing!" - Regina exclaimed.
"Let's try again...?" - Emily suggested.
"I used all of the potion remainings, there's nothing to experiment on!" - Regina replied, sounding almost disappointed in herself.
The situation seemed hopeless. But the Chosen Six weren't about to give up just yet. Rosalie then had an idea. Maybe they didn't need to restore their memories to find out who casted the curse.
"We will figure out who cursed you." - Rose said - "But by another way."
"Like what?" - Regina asked, slightly irritated but still interested.
"Two police agents who wanted to adopt me taught me one thing. If you want to entice a criminal, make him believe you found his tracks." - Rosalie shared her idea.
"How would that help us?" - Regina asked, still confused.
"If the person who casted the curse thinks we're making a memory potion, they'll take action." - Rose explained.
"We just need someone to spread the rumor that the potion's almost ready." - Emma added.
"I already know who." - Regina replied with a smile.
At Granny's Diner, Leroy opened the door and shouted loudly for everyone to hear.
"Big news everybody!"
Everyone in the diner looked in his direction to listen what Leroy had to say.
"The guardians found Regina. She locked herself in the office and is making a potion." - the dwarf announced.
"What potion?" - Archie asked.
"To poison us?" - Mr Clark asked on his turn.
"A memory potion." - Leroy clarified - "Regina says she wants to prove us the curse isn't hers."
"I'm not drinking anything she makes!" - Granny said.
"But someone will." - Leroy replied - "And when the memory returns, we'll finally know who cursed us."
The clients of the diner started to fuss over the news. No one noticed how Zelena nervously stood up from behind her table and walked out of the diner, intending to fix the problem.
Meanwhile, Little John was brought to the emergency room. Dr Whale asked who injured John like that, to which David replied that they didn't know. Suddenly, John got taken over by convulsions, his body shaking violently. Dr Whale ordered a nurse to make an injection, but before she could do it, Little John shouted in pain. Everyone got shocked to see that a furry tail grew on John's lower back. He attacked everyone around with his tail, and within seconds he transformed into a... flying monkey! Everyone watched horrified how the animal flew out of the hospital by breaking a window.
"What is that thing...?" - David asked in shock.
"No idea... I'm a doctor, not a veterinary." - Dr Whale replied, just as shocked.
Outside the Mayor's Office, Regina and the guardians were waiting in the shadows. The teens decided that they should use that calm moment to transform into their sailor forms. Because when the person they were looking for would appear, they'd have no time to waste.
"Light Crisis Power!" - Emma said as she grabbed her brooch.
"Aqua Element Power!"
"Fire Element Power!"
"Wind Element Power!"
"Lightning Element Power!"
"Rose Element Power!"
The girls transformed, and Regina noted that Emma was in her Super form. She couldn't help but ask about it.
"Your powers upgraded?"
"Yes... When Hook came for us in New York." - Super Sailor Light replied - "When a creature attacked me, I somehow... summon the Chalice of Light, which upgraded my brooch and powers."
"Some interesting stuff must've happened when we were gone." - Regina commented.
"Yeah, there were too many enemies to fight with." - Sailor Fire replied.
"Did you make new friends..?" - Regina asked hesitantingly.
"Not really... But there was that boy who tried to woo Emma." - her daughter said, getting a glare from Sailor Light - "But he turned out to be our enemy."
"Huh, that's some interesting stuff indeed." - Regina commented, looking directly at Sailor Light - "Just like your choice in men."
"To clarify, I didn't want to have anything to do with him!" - Sailor Light said, crossing her arms - "And even though he flirted with me, in the end he did try to kill me."
Her friends couldn't help but chuckle at this. True, it had been a fright back then, but thinking about it now was almost silly. Super Sailor Light glared at her friends, but she wasn't mad.
"Plus, we found out that Lux is a prince!" - Sailor Lightning decided to change the topic - "Who would have thought, huh?"
"The cat?" - Regina asked in surprise - "He's royalty?"
"Yes, he's the prince of Babylon, the kingdom of cats." - Sailor Rose said - "He also has an elder sister, Felicia."
"Who's been crowned queen after we rescued their kingdom." - Sailor Aqua pursued.
"Sadly, it was at the cost of the former king's life." - Sailor Wind added - "He sacrified it so Sailor Light could live."
Regina was very surprised to hear all this. She looked at Sailor Light with wide eyes and the latter looked back at her in embarrassement.
"Yeah, I narrowly escaped death... again." - she said awkwardly - "Don't tell my parents. They'd freak out."
"Wow... This had been an eventful year for you." - Regina said quietly.
"I'm glad we're back here." - Sailor Fire said with a smile - "Now, we have those who care on our side."
Regina just nodded. At that moment, they noticed a shadow in the window of the office. They hurried to enter the building and quietly approached the door Regina had locked earlier. She had used blood magic; anyone could enter but couldn't exit. As they entered Regina's office, they saw a figure standing in the corner.
"Don't move!" - Super Sailor Light yelled at the person.
"You cannot escape!" - Sailor Fire added.
But the person just teleported away in green smoke. The group didn't even have the time to identify that person. But what surprised them was the fact that she was even able to leave.
"I thought only people of your bloodline can exit." - Sailor Fire said, astonished.
"Blood magic is supposed to be unbreakable..." - Regina replied - "Even by the most powerful wizards."
"So who are we dealing with...?" - Sailor Light asked herself, no less surprised.
Suddenly, they heard a loud roar. It was coming from outside. Sailor Wind, who looked through the window, said worryingly:
"Guys... I think we have a problem."
Everyone looked in the same direction too and understood what their friend meant. Outside, there was a terrifying creature, who stared back at the group. It had the body of a bear, the head of a tiger and had very long and sharp claws.
"Kalidah!" - the monster roared.
"Okay... Let's get rid of that thing!" - Sailor Light said.
"But can you handle the Emerite?" - a voice said from behind.
Regina and the guardians turned around to see that someone was standing outside the office, in the waiting corridor. It was a girl about 17 years old, with long straight black hair. She was wearing… PJs and a dressing gown?
"Who the heck are you?" - Regina asked.
"I'm Koan." - the girl introduced herself - "I'm here to tell you don't stand a chance against Kalidah. His claws are so sharp it could tear a lion."
"So you're responsible of all this?!" - Sailor Fire demanded her.
"No, but I'm helping the one who is." - Koan replied - "I shouldn't even be here, I just wanted to stay in my bed."
"Who are you working for?" - Sailor Aqua asked.
"You'll figure that out quickly. Now, if you excuse me..."
With those words, Koan teleported herself away. The group then heard another noise emitted by the creature and they recalled they still had their job to do. The sailor team rushed out of the building to immediately meet the creature, standing outside and seemingly waiting them.
"Kalidah!" - it half-shouted, half-roared.
"You don't stand a chance against us!" - Sailor Light tried to sound confident - "In the name of the light, we'll punish you!"
Kalidah attempted to attack the Sailor Guardians by using its dangerous claws. The girls reacted quickly enough to jump aside. Sailor Light gasped, fearing for her own life. Kalidah then stood on his two lower paws (like on legs) and then, with a loud roar, used his two upper paws to hit the ground violently, creating an earthquake due to the waves spreading on the ground. Despite the situation, Sailor Lightning noticed an emerald symbol on the creature's chest. Intruiged, she proceeded to analyze it with her computer and visors.
"I'll try to trap him..." - Sailor Rose said as she stood up - "Love Roses Chain!"
She moved her magical belt in the direction of the Emerite and trapped him. The belt was encircled around Kalidah's neck as if Sailor Rose was trying to keep in control a wild beast. As she was holding the chain, Sailor Rose said to her friends:
"You must hurry, I can't hold him too long...!"
"Ok, let's finish him off!" - Sailor Fire said, ready to attack.
"No, we can't!" - Sailor Lightning said all of sudden.
"Huh? Why not?"
"From what I see, he used to be a person. He was transformed against his will!" - Sailor Lightning explained as she was gazing at the monster through her visors.
"But... what are we supposed to do then?" - Sailor Light asked - "De-transform him? But how?"
"If there's a way, please hurry...!" - Sailor Rose pleaded as her hands were shaking while maintaining the monster still.
"Dark magic transformed him. Only light magic can undo the spell." - Sailor Lightning said - "Sailor Light, only you can help him."
"Me? With my light magic? But… how am I supposed to do so..?" - Sailor Light asked.
"Just like you once helped me in healing." - Sailor Aqua reminded her.
Sailor Light was hesitant since she didn't know her magic well yet, but there was no time to argue. She concentrated and felt light magic awake something within her. She instinctively summon her Stellar Rod, after what she and her weapon glowed brightly.
"I think my magic gave me a new power." - she said.
"Sailor Light, hurry...!" - Sailor Rose yelled, but it was too late.
The chain broke and Sailor Rose fell on her back. The monster grew angry and attempted to hit the Sailor Guardians again. But Sailor Light acted quickly. Without thinking anymore, she pointed the Stellar Rod at Kalidah and yelled:
"Light Princess Restauration!"
As a warm light was emitted, the creature stopped his actions. The emerald mark disappeared and with one last roar, the Emerite transformed back into a person. The person was no other than one of Leroy's brothers, Bashful.
"What... what happened to me..?" - the dwarf asked confused and disoriented.
"Everything's over now." - Sailor Light said as she put her hand on the man's shoulder - "Leroy'll be relieved that you're ok."
Bashful nodded and the guardians helped him to stand up.
Enchanted Forest
Like promised, Regina removed the spell that surround the castle, allowing Charming's army to enter the area. The queen then sat down on a bench and said with a sad tone:
"I'm sorry Danielle... Maybe you'll wake me up someday."
The queen was about to pick her finger. But before she could, a voice from behind said:
"Going to sleep without even saying hello?"
Regina turned around to face the green-skinned witch. The Wicked Witch took away Regina's needle by teleporting it in her own hand. With a mocking tone, she asked:
"What's wrong? Filled with sadness?"
"That's not your business." - the Evil Queen replied.
"You still didn't get who I am, right?" - the witch said with a grin.
"Oh no, I did. The Wicked Witch."
"But who else?"
"I don't care."
Regina was about to take back her needle from the witch's hand, but the latter teleported it away.
"So it's time to introduce myself. My name's Zelena."
Regina then remarked that she was wearing her dress. In response, Zelena teased about how the dress looked better on her. Annoyed, Regina said that Zelena should never have left Oz. But Zelena replied unimpressed that she didn't even need the queen's castle, that she merely "tried" it. Regina asked Zelena how she possibly could've broke the blood magic spell, since only a blood-relative could do so.
"Your mother never told you, did she?" - Zelena asked.
"Told me what?"
"The truth about us, Regina."
"What truth? How do you know our mother?" - Regina asked seriously.
"The same way you know her." - Zelena replied, before making a shocking revelation - "We are sisters."
Regina just stared at Zelena shocked, while the witch quickly precised that they technically were half-sisters, even if it were merely details.
"But it's not possible... You're... green." - Regina commented, the truth hard to believe.
"And you are rude!" - Zelena replied.
The witch then explained that Cora gave birth to her before seducing Regina's father. Zelena then commented about how her mother sent her far away, while the other daughter Regina was given everything. Regina disagreed with that point, since she got all Cora wanted, not herself. Zelena protested that Regina had no idea what it's like to grow up motherless, especially in Oz and being seen as a failure by Cora and another person they both knew, Rumplestiltskin.
"You knew Rumplestiltskin?" - Regina asked curiously.
"You weren't his only student."
"Oh, I get it now." - the queen said with a chuckle - "You're angry that he chose me for the Dark Curse."
Seeing that she got it right, Regina added that the curse wouldn't really make her happy anyway. Zelena pointed out that anything would've been better than her situation, but that she still managed to success something without anyone's help.
"Too bad they didn't live up to your hour of glory." - Regina commented, getting a look from Zelena - "They're both dead."
Zelena was obviously not pleased to hear that, but she made an effort to hide her disappointement.
"What truly matters is that you are still alive." - the witch said.
"Really? Why so?"
"Because now, I'll take everything away from you."
"It's too late. I already lost everything."
"Oh but you haven't lost anything yet." - Zelena said with a grin.
"You'll kill me for revenge?"
"No, too primitive. I want you to suffer. I will get everything I always wanted, but you'll know a fate much worse than death."
Regina challenged Zelena to take the risk, after what Zelena said that she would and then sat on a broom and flew away. Regina returned to her room and freed Robin from his still standing position.
"You changed your mind?" - he asked.
"You were right. To fall asleep forever isn't the solution. Like you said, a new life meaning is what I needed." - Regina said, her natural passion back.
"You found it? What is it?" - Robin asked with relief.
"Someone to destroy." - Regina answered with a passionate smile.
Storybrooke
The guardians and Regina arrived at Mary Margaret's loft to tell about the events. David and Hook arrived just after them, having things to say too. They informed that Robin's friend was transformed into a flying monkey and guessed that it was the fate the dwarves suffered. Emma told her parents and Hook all about her encounter with the Emerite and about Koan.
"So, one of the dwarves is back, which is good news." - Mary Margaret sighed with relief.
"Others are yet to be de-transformed." - David remarked.
"So, Little Em might've turned into that thing too..." - Emma said with a sad tone.
"Emma, we cannot be sure yet." - Danielle said firmly but reassuringly.
"From what my computer could analyze, a flying monkey is the earlier stage of an Emerite." - Emily added as she showed to others the screen of barely understandable things - "It's some complex magic process."
"Hmm... okay. What's the point of the info?" - Lux asked.
"Because this made me think, if today's thief disappeared in a green smoke and can transform people into flying monkeys…" - Emily started.
"Oh, I see. It's clear now who cursed us." - Regina finished.
"The Wicked Witch of the West?" - Emma suggested with an ironic tone, but as others gave her serious gazes, her eyes widened in surprise - "From the book, really?"
"Said Snow White and Charming's daughter." - Captain Hook commented.
"I mean, we're not in Kansas here... What the Wicked Witch's doing in Storybrooke..?" - Emma asked herself as she processed, making Lux and Athena roll their eyes.
Meanwhile, Zelena was walking across a field near her isolated house. She magically opened a bunker, then she walked down the stairs and straight to a big cage.
"Are you hungry?" - she asked.
Her prisoner grabbed her arm and she was forced to look at him. The person she was holding captive was no other than Mr Gold.
"You shouldn't have brought me back..." - he hissed with a mad grin.
Zelena just grinned back in response and stood up, pushing the plate of foot under the bars. She instructed him to eat, because they had a lot to do, and then she walked away with a wicked smile on her face. As Mr Gold started to eat his rice, he started to hum about his situation:
"You're feeding the madness, and it feeds on you... You're feeding the madness... and if feeds on you...!"
He couldn't help but suppress his "Rumple" giggle. The Dark One was back from the dead, but he was completely insane.
A/N: So, like you can see there are some changes. ^^ Zelena's minions have the names of the Dark Moon clan, but each of them also represents one of the seven deadly sins. To give you a better idea:
Esmeraude: anger
Rubeus: greed
Petz: lust
Koan: sloth
Calaveras: pride
Berthier: gluttony
And who can be the mysterious blonde woman who was observing Zelena? Can you guess? :)
Are there among you "Undertale" fans by any chance? 'Cause in case you're interested, I started a OUATxUndertale fanfic, which has already 5 chapters.