Well, what can go wrong when Reina and Regina are pretending to be the other? Everything! Let's hope that Emma and Tink survive this.
"Ouch." Comes from her lips when her body collides with the hard ground of the unknown land. Wherever the portal has sent them. She just hopes it's where the crosser is.
Her legs feel shaky when she is finally able to stand straight. The sun is beaming and shines directly into her eyes, so she covers them with her hands.
A throat is cleared nearby her.
Emma lowers her gaze and sees Reina with an outstretched hand.
"Act quickly, Miss Swan." She shakes her hands, beckoning the blonde to move herself finally. She can't just stand there and do nothing.
Emma rolls her eyes and pulls the other woman to her feet. "A bit too much, don't you think?" The question is just thrown out there. She doesn't really expect an answer. She just wants to find the crosser and be done with this madness.
"This was the only safe option. It's not me who sent you here." Reina straightens her clothes. "Plus, if you had of stayed with Regina she could become target to easily. No one is going to come after Tink and her beloved."
The logic of everything is what kills Emma. She knows that they are right and yet she is so, so angry for being separated from Regina. Again. The universe seems to not want them together for too long and she wonders why. Does it have to do with being Truest Love?
"Emma…"
The voice near her startles her. She shakes her head and looks at the woman in front of her with questioning eyes.
"The magic comes from there." Reina points in some random direction and Emma groans.
She just can't catch a break. She wanted to spend the next six months of Regina's pregnancy working and preparing the mansion for the arrival of the three little babies. Not to chase some evil crosser who might be related to them.
Nevertheless, she follows the brunette, ducking when a leaf is about to hit her in the face. If that was Regina back in Neverland she would think that it was on purpose. But Reina didn't have anything against her right? Except maybe keeping her on her toes. Which she should definitely be. Because she is too distracted from wanting to be home with her wife. Get a grip, Swan. She pushes herself to be more present because this mess depends on her and Reina.
"Are you sure you can use that kind of magic?" Tink asks, taking a sip of her coffee while her friend was frowning in concentration.
"It's rude to drink something I can't drink." Regina groans and waves her right hand in front of the mirror on her left hand. It is simple hand-mirror that she keeps in her purse to check on her make-up, the very same they used in Neverland, when talking to Henry.
"Sorry. But I need coffee in my life."
"Since when? Since you stepped foot in this land? I highly doubt that." This time the tone is far from friendly.
Though Tink suspects there is something that is troubling the other. "What's going on?" Her eyes drift to the mirror which is still not working.
"I don't know." Regina hisses and suppresses the urge to throw the object to the nearest wall. She needs so little to start her magic and somehow something is holding it back. She is not sure what it is.
"If magic is emotion can't you… I don't know… Think of Emma?"
"It doesn't work like that." Regina snaps at her friend and groans. She is overlooking something and she can't, for the life of her, figure out what it is. It drives her crazy and maybe that is part of the problem. Maybe she needs to take a step back, inhale so she could fill her lungs with air and then the answer will come by itself.
"I wonder why Regina has not open the mirror yet." Emma mumbles more to herself but Reina still hears her.
"Maybe she is just watching us right now." The brunette suggests but the sight before her makes her freeze at her spot. "Look." She points straight ahead.
What Emma sees when she peaks over her shoulder amazes her. There is a tall brunette who is sitting peacefully on a round stone, with her back to them. Her hands seem to be locked together in her lap and a swirl of magic is surrounding her.
It takes all of Emma's will power not to bounce forward and grab the woman by her hair and demand some fucking answers. That's how much she's pissed for having her relatively safe life being interrupted.
That and also Reina's hand on her shoulder and "Don't.", that reached her ears.
She wills her legs to remain still, although hard she manages and glares at the woman beside her with questioning eyes.
Reina takes a moment or two to look around and assess the situation. Her eyes take in the woman but her focus remained on the magic cloud. It is powerful and somehow the unique taste of this magic feels completely familiar to the brunette. As if she has dealt with it before. It doesn't keep her on her toes which could mean that the magic user is good, not some evil planner. But she has to do something. If only Regina was here to guide her and offer advice.
Before her brain can formulate the plan a ball of energy erupts from Emma's hands and flies directed at the mystery woman.
"Stop,' is all Reina yells before taking Emma's hands in her own, in attempt to stop the magic flow.
The brunette is quick to raise a shield around herself so Emma's magic won't touch her. She has sensed a presence a few moments ago and was already on alert when the magic was directed at her. She doesn't move though. She just stands there.
Which is what makes Emma even more angry. "Show yourself, dammit." A loud cry leaves her, her whole body plunging forward. If it wasn't for Reina's arms wrapped around her middle to stop her no one knows what could have happened.
A low and dark chuckle comes from the mystery woman and it sends all kinds of wrong chills down Emma's spine. It reminded her of the way Maleficient's laugh was affecting her. Or more like bugging her.
Then the brunette spins on the stone, arms still clasped in her lap; finally revealing herself to them.
Emma's eyes narrow. She can't believe what she is seeing.
The brunette is not tall but her pose makes her look like she is larger than life. It did reminded Emma of the Evil Queen, when she met her. Her back straight, chin up; eyes gazing down upon her opponents like they are the mud on her high heels. The woman is giving her the very same vibe.
Not to mention her long thick hair. Black as a moonless night, shiny as if it's part of some commercial from the TV, cascading over the shoulders like a dark waterfall. Almost like the thick black locks Emma loves to pull so much.
Add to that the gorgeous brown orbs that seem to drill a hole in her own very soul and it gets Emma Swan really confused. This is Regina in all her outer glory, downright to the huge and fabulous Evil Queen style dress.
But there is also something quite different about her. It is on top of Emma's tongue but she can't seem to figure it out. Maybe it's the fact that the face is made up, perfectly and very Mayoral-like. Or that there is not scar above the upper lip.
There is no fucking scar.
No scar at all.
"Cat got your tongue?' Comes from the woman, as she chuckles and shakes her head. "Even in this time you are not that smart."
"Who are you?" Reina can't take this anymore and steps before the blonde, hands ready to conjure fireballs. Her whole body is vibrating with magic since the moment Emma's exploded and she is finding it harder and harder to control it. And she is also masking it as Regina's. Because every magic has its own unique signature and any user could find out the difference.
"I thought I have the looks for you to recognize me but apparently you are too invested in each other to figure it out." The brunette shakes her head, seeing just how sickeningly close these two are even in that episode of their relationship. Apparently it is a common occurrence with these two. In any lifetime.
Both Reina and Emma frown at the words that come from the other woman. Emma blinks few times. She knows what she is seeing – there is a different version of Regina in front of her but her messed up brain is wondering which one exactly she is. Is she future Regina? One of their children? Some twisted version of her?
"Why don't you tell us and spare us all some time?" Reina tilts her head to the side with a raised eyebrow, challenging the other.
"Oh…" The brunette chuckles and puts a hand over her stomach. "You expect me to give you the answer just so easily?"
"We expect you to cut the crap." Emma hisses, her anger already boiling just under the surface.
"Well, since you are blind to see the truth, why don't you follow me… moms." And with that the woman disappears in a cloud of smoke, leaving the others to understand what just happened.
Her magic transports her to Regina's old castle. Or what is left of it. They never decided to rebuild it. Much to her dismay. It was a magnificent building but everyone preferred to live in Storybrooke.
Lina frowns at the strange feeling her mother's magic left inside her. There is something unsettling that is bothering her. Well, she is pregnant and maybe that is the reason she muses. After all she hasn't felt it in her own timeline because Regina is not pregnant there.
She dismisses the thought and waits for the women to follow her.
"Did she just…" Emma's throat is suddenly dry and her whole body is frozen. Her brain barely functioning as it is.
"Yes. She is…" Reina stops before saying the truth out loud. The story is just getting more and more interesting.
Oh, my bad! That slipped under my fingertips.