Finally, we've made it to season 5! Thank you to all you awesome readers, you guys have been what's kept me going for almost an entire year now. I appreciate all the suggestions and reviews you've given since I started writing this and I continue to look forward to what you have to say as I continue to write this story. I won't keep you from reading the main part for long so just to let you know, there will be another A.N. at the end with some details you may want to read (you don't have to if you don't want).
As always, I hope you enjoy and please, let me know what you think. Later!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from OUaT, LXG or FMAB.
If Nicholas Flamel still had a heart beating in his chest, by now, after watching the woman he loved get swept away in a swirling dark vortex turning her into the newest Dark One, it would be shattered. All he could do was stare at the blade that now had his beloved's name carved into it.
"How could she be so stupid?!" Regina exclaimed in frustration.
"Regina!" David snapped.
"Well, there had to be another way." she argued.
"There wasn't." Snow said not knowing what to feel at the moment, "That thing was going to kill you. She saved your life."
"Don't you think I know that?" she asked hotly.
"And now she's the Dark One." Henry said still not fully believing it.
"Bloody hell." Hook exhaled as he held Ariel as they both thought of their friend.
"Now she's a problem; for all of us." Regina sighed.
"She's still good." Snow argued.
"I hope so. It's not like she rode off on a unicorn. She got sucked up by a vortex of evil." Regina retorted while her brother slowly walked over to the dagger and fell to his knees as he loosely held it, "Oh, God. Nicholas, brother, I'm sorry."
But he didn't respond to her, he probably didn't hear a word any of them were saying. As his grip tightened on the dagger, his whole body began to tremble as his eye twitched and his teeth grinded together in anger.
"Nicholas? Are you okay?" Ariel asked in concern. But instead of replying, sparks of red alchemic lightning began to surge on his body; even the ground began to shake because of his rage. Seething and panting in anger, with his eyes glowing red, he turned to look back at the pawn shop where his anger was focused.
"GOLD!" he roared as he scrambled to his feet. Knowing what his blinded comrade wanted to do, Robin pulled out a transport rock, crushed it, tackled his friend, and threw the dust where they landed allowing it to teleport them away from the others. In an instant, they landed on one of the coffee tables back in the debriefing room at the mansion.
"Activate emergency lockdown sequence!" Robin yelled as he struggled to hold down his friend, "Code: S4, N.F.A.!"
"EMERGENCY LOCKDOWN: COMENCING." the computer's voice said throughout the mansion as the lights went red and all the windows, doors, and walls were covered by thick metal covers.
"Get off me!" Nicholas shouted over the sirens as he zapped Robin with his lightning.
"What the bloody hell is going on?!" Skinner yelled as he and the others stormed into the room.
"And why are we under lockdown?!" Sawyer shouted.
"Take it down, now!" Nicholas ordered Robin.
"What's happening here?!" Mina asked covering her ears.
"Terrible news, that's what!" Robin shouted as Nicholas tried and failed to transmute himself out, "I had no choice but to bring him here! He was about to go on a bloody rampage!"
"Whatever for?!" Nemo asked as Quartermain turned off the sirens.
"Emma just became the new Dark One." Robin exhaled sadly.
"What?!" Mina asked, "You mean she killed Gold?!"
"No, no. Gold's alive, just barely." he informed.
"Flamel!" Quartermain shouted startling them, "Stop jumping around! You know you can't get through these walls!"
"Take them down, now!" he shouted in his anger before he was shot in the head by his superior.
"Now, what happened?!" Quartermain asked Robin hotly.
"It's not good, Allan. Not good at all." he replied gravely, "After we returned from the book, everyone threw a celebration party at Granny's. Everything was fine, Nicholas was actually about to tell everyone about us since the threat was over with. But just before he could tell them, Belle came in and told us that Gold was about to lose control of the Dark One's spirit. We all went to his shop with the Apprentice, he tried to seal the darkness into the Hat but it didn't work. One thing led to another, and then it tried to kill Regina but Emma stepped in and tethered it to herself before it took her away. Now she's not only the Dark One, but she's just taken Gold's place as one of the sacrifices. That's what's got Nicholas all riled up."
"The dagger?" Quartermain asked gritting his teeth.
"It-it got left behind as Emma was taken away." Robin replied, "Nicholas had it, but he must've dropped it when I tackled him before poofing us here."
"Boss," Nicholas growled as the last of the shrapnel left his head.
"You cooled down, yet?" he asked matching his glare with his own.
"Let, me, out!" he shouted.
"Apparently, not." Quartermain sighed as he shot him again.
"Stop it!" Mina interjected, "You shooting him isn't making this any easier for Nicholas!"
"Buddy, are you okay?" Sawyer asked as he tried to help Nicholas only be shrugged off.
"Get off me!" he snapped which made Quartermain shoot him in the head again.
"Boss!" Sawyer shouted.
"Either he calms down, or I keep shooting." Quartermain barked, "I'm not letting him out there with his head full of steam, like this. It won't do him or Swan any good."
"You have no idea why I'm so angry, do you?" Nicholas asked as he healed.
"Boy," he sighed, "We know you're hurting, but you can't charge into this blinded by your anger; that's not how we operate. Take a breath."
"I can't take a breath, boss!" he shouted, "I can't even breathe knowing what's waiting for Emma out there!"
"Mate, what are you talking about?" Skinner asked in concern which made Nicholas look at them all baffled.
"You guys really don't remember?" he asked, "She's going to be reborn as the Dark One from the Well of the Dark One in the Enchanted Forest. Don't you know whose territory that is?!"
Realization dawned upon the other agents as they each remembered the specific detail Nicholas was implying. Now they had a better understanding of why he was so desperate to get back out there and find his true love.
OUaT
In the darkest parts of the Enchanted Forest, the Well of the Dark One unlocked itself and let a pool of dark sludge poor out into the world. From this, now wearing tattered gray robes, the new Dark One, Emma Swan emerged.
"Where am I?" she asked herself before the sound of whistling could be heard, "Who's there?!"
When she threw up her hood and turned around, she saw Rumplestiltskin, only his appearance was that of what he looked like before the first curse. "You're supposed to be in Storybrooke. You were in a coma."
"Ah, yes, I am." he giggled, "Or, uh, rather, he is."
"What are you?" she asked.
"I am many things. I'm the voice in your head, the Dark One's powers inside you, inside all the Dark Ones. Rumplestiltskin is but one of many. Perhaps I can be another. How about Gorgon the Invincible?" he asked before turning into a very large, fire-breathing boar before turning back to Rumple, "Yes, probably easier this way. Now, are you ready to begin?"
"Begin what?" she asked.
"Well, learning to be the Dark One, of course. Think of me as your guide, but only till you've learned to embrace your powers." he replied.
"I will never embrace the darkness." she calmly argued.
"Ah, they all say that!" he humorously waved off, "Everyone who sips from this well enjoys the taste too much. The only way to stop is to be stopped. This is the fate of all Dark Ones."
Emma scoffed at the ghost before her and tried to walk away. Of course, there was no avoiding him, because, in a manner of speaking, he was her. "You can't just walk away from it."
"I'm in the Enchanted Forest now, which means Merlin can't be far from here, and the Apprentice told me he can destroy the darkness, so I'm going to find him."
"Merlin?" Rumple asked, "Oh, you're better off with me."
"No, I'll never be like all of you!" she shouted, "I'll never hurt the people I love; the people who love me."
After making it out of the woods and to the nearest road, Emma thought she might catch a break when she saw a man pushing a cart while another man watched her from the trees. He had graying brown, curly hair that reached his neck with a matching full, bushy beard and blue eyes and he wore a dark blue coat over a brown shirt and black pants with boots, gray fingerless gloves, and a tattered dark blue scarf around his neck like a bandana.
"Hey! Excuse me! I need help!" she called startling him as she ran up to him, "I need directions to Camelot. Do you know the way?"
"Of course." he said, "It will only cost you two pieces of silver."
"Oh, uh, I don't have any silver." she replied.
"Three pieces now." he said.
"I'm in a hurry." she said losing her patience.
"Four."
"Just tell me!" she snapped as he began to choke and rise into the air. From the trees, the mystery man looked both surprised and intrigued at the sight.
"What are you doing?" he choked.
"I'm not doing anything." she said.
"But of course you are." Rumple said appearing beside her with his hand raised.
"Stop." she pleaded.
"It's not me doing this, dearie. It's you." he smirked as Emma realized it was her hand raised choking the man. When she let him go, it couldn't stop shaking as her fear controlled her. "So, did you enjoy it? Your first taste of darkness?"
"Excuse me." the other man said as he came up behind Emma with a welcoming smile, "Correct me if I'm wrong, it-it was hard to hear down the road, but did you say you were looking for Camelot?"
"Yes." Emma said desperately, "Yes, I am. Do you know how to get there?"
"As a matter of fact, I do." he nodded, "If I may ask, what happened to the gentlemen who ran off?"
"He learned what happens when he tries to take advantage of a woman in need of help." Emma partially lied.
"Ah." he nodded, "I see. Shame on him, then. I take back the 'gentlemen' comment in that case."
"Yeah." Emma nodded, "I'm Emma, by the way."
"Pleased to meet you, Emma." he nodded kindly, "My name is Giles."
OUaT
Back in Storybrooke the following morning, after having been explained the last bit of information the Apprentice gave the others before he died, Robin and Nicholas formulated a plan of their own with Regina after she explained that, even with the Apprentice's wand, she couldn't open a portal to the Enchanted Forest. With no other choice, they went to the last person they wanted to see, Zelena.
"Well, if it isn't my dear little brother and sister?" she asked sarcastically as they entered her cell, "Sorry, dears, I'm trying to meditate. It's good for the baby. Please go. You're ruining my chi."
"We need your help." Nicholas stiffly informed.
"Wow." she laughed standing up, "You must be really desperate."
"We are." he replied before anyone else could speak, "Something's happened to Emma. She's the Dark One now and is in the Enchanted Forest. We need your help to get us there."
"Well, now, that is quite the pickle." she smirked, "And why should I help you lot?"
"Because out of the two of us, you don't hate me as much as you do Regina. And, whether you'll admit it or not, you actually have a soft spot for me." he replied catching everyone off guard, "That day when we defeated you, when you pulled me against your cell, you felt a connection to me like you've never felt before. Because unlike Regina, I know better than anyone what you went through growing up because I went through the same thing. You felt something. I know you did. I could see it in your eyes. So I'm not demanding you to help me because I'm with the 'heroes,' I'm asking you to help me, as your brother."
Like Nicholas said, she wouldn't admit it, but Zelena agreed to everything he just said. In fact, she knew what Nicholas went through, or most of it at least, back when she was spying on him and Regina back in Oz and felt connected to him instead of being jealous and bitter like she felt towards her. In fact, knowing Regina was able to be loved by such a kind and caring brother like him was just one of the many things that made Zelena jealous of her. Not only that, but that day in the station, when she stared into his eyes as she spilled out her heart, she felt it again, stronger than ever.
So instead of making any further attempts to irritate him by not helping, Zelena sighed and said, "What do I get out of it?"
"How does giving a demonstration in front of everyone that your powers are superior to Regina's by using the wand she can't use to take us to Emma sound?" he asked dryly.
"Hmph." she chuckled, "Sounds like you've got yourself a deal, brother dear. When do we leave?"
OUaT
"So why exactly do you want to go to Camelot?" Giles asked Emma as they walked through the woods.
"I'm looking for…someone. I think he might be there." she replied making sure to give out too much information.
"Might?" he asked, "Wouldn't you rather know for sure?"
"Of course, but I don't know how. I'm not exactly from around here." Emma replied as he chuckled.
"I gathered that the last three times you almost went in the wrong direction." he said in a friendly manner, "But what if I told you there was a definite way to find out where the person you're looking is?"
"I'm listening." she said as they came to a stop.
"Well, around these parts, there's this spirt known to guide people to what they desire. It's called the Will-O'-the-Wisp."
"Rather smart fellow, despite how he dresses." Rumple giggled beside Emma.
"Where can I find it?" she asked.
"If we continue along this way, we'll come across a small lake where wisps are known to appear, but there's a catch." Giles warned, "You have to catch it first."
"I think I can handle that." she said as she started walking again.
"I hope so. They are fairly quick little things." he added before pointing in the direction opposite of where Emma was going, "And they're also this way."
"Right." she said trying not to look embarrassed, "So what made you decide to help me?"
"Can a man not simply want to help a person in need?" he asked with a smile, "Besides, believe it or not, I'm actually a servant of the Lord."
"Wait, you mean like a priest?" Emma asked.
"Of sorts." Giles said mysteriously.
"So then, what kind of god do you worship?" she asked causing him to chuckle.
"Oh, there's only one God, my dear." he smiled.
"But I thought people here worshipped multiple gods, or something?" she asked.
"Perhaps," he shrugged, "But where I come from, people have learned that there is only one almighty God. Although, it has not been easy convincing people I meet that is what I believe; I don't know how many times my Bible has been thrown in the mud this past month."
"Sounds rough." she remarked.
"Not as rough as what others have gone through because of their belief in Him." Giles sighed before they both saw a little blue ball of fire dart around their heads. It didn't take more than a second for Emma to realize it was the wisp her new companion was talking about and began to chase after it with Giles following her. But just as she was about to grab it, someone else beat her to it and ran off with it.
"Hey! Hey, I need that! Stop!" Emma shouted unintentionally using her magic to make the running girl stop and fall. When she rushed over to try and take the wisp, the girl took off her hood and pointed her bow at her.
"Back off, lassie." she warned with a heavy Scottish accent, "My aim's true. Don't test me."
"I wasn't trying to hurt you." Emma reasoned.
"So that was just a wee magical love tap?" she asked not buying it, "Oh, I've met my share of witches. I know one when I see one, witch."
"No, I'm not a witch." Emma assured, "I was just cursed with dark magic."
"And the difference is?" she asked.
"She wants to be rid of it." Giles replied, "Right?"
"Right." Emma nodded, "The Will-O'-the-Wisp is the only way."
"You want to be rid of it?" she asked as Emma reached for the wisp in her bag.
"Desperately." she nodded.
"Aye. I know what that's like." the girl nodded, "It's a terrible fate to be cursed. Just be glad you're not a bear."
"That's oddly specific." Giles muttered as he and Emma found that last part odd.
"Oh, never mind. Look, I wish I could help you, but I need the wisp, too, for my kingdom, for my family. So I'm afraid you're gonna have to fight me for it." the girl said as she raised her fists.
"What?" Emma asked.
"I'm willing to fight fair if you are. No magic."
"I like her spunk." Rumple said appearing again, "Break her neck."
"I'm not going to fight you." Emma said trying to ignore the Dark One.
"You're not?" she and Giles asked.
"Why not?" Rumple asked in disappointment.
"Magic or no, that's giving in to the darkness, and I won't do it." Emma said holding herself back, "Go on, take it and get on your way. It's yours."
"Don't be trying to sucker-punch me." she warned.
"I'm not going to. Just go."
"Thank you. I'm Merida." she introduced while lowering her fists.
"Emma."
"Giles."
"You're in dire straits, aren't you, Emma?" Merida asked.
"You could say that." she admitted.
"Well, it wouldn't be fair to leave you two. I can help." the redhead offered.
"I don't think so." Emma disagreed.
"Well, now wait, she just might, Emma." Giles intervened.
"That's right. I take it you don't know much about the wisp, do you?" Merida asked.
"He does. I don't." she replied.
"Well, they're born in a magical place, the Hill of Stones. They answer your question when you bring them back home. It's about a day's trek from here. If we all go together, I can get my help from the wisp, and maybe, I can give it to you and you can get yours." Merida offered kindly causing Emma to smile at the gesture. As the newly formed trio continued on their journey, Merida led them in a rushed pace.
"Not to sound rude, but have you ever heard the phrase, 'slow and steady wins the race'?" Giles asked.
"I don't have time for slow." Merida replied.
"What exactly is your hurry?" Emma asked, "Why do you need the wisp?"
"My brothers." she said coming to a stop, "They were kidnapped by the united clans of my country. Just three wee, innocent boys. Savages. 'Cause of me. My father is-was the king. And when he passed, the clans no longer approved of me being queen. In my land, people, well, men don't think a woman can lead."
"Oh, not just in your land." Emma replied understanding.
"Well, I'm gonna show them. I need the wisp to take me to my brothers, and when it does, I will save them, no matter the cost. If it's war the clans want, it's war they'll get." Merida threatened before tripping over a rock.
"You won't do your brothers any good passed out from exhaustion." Emma said helping her up.
"When's the last time you slept?" Giles asked.
"What month is it?" Merida asked earning a pair of looks, "Fine. We can make camp. But just until first light."
After they made camp and night fell, Emma found herself tossing and turning on the ground after being up for hours through the night. "Can't sleep?" Rumple taunted beside her, "Worry not. Dark Ones don't need sleep."
In an attempt to ignore the image of her predecessor, Emma turned to the other side but saw him once again lying beside her. "That's why I spun straw. Passes the time. You need a hobby, something to take your mind off all the terrible things you're gonna do. Do you like knitting?"
"Nicky, I'm starting to understand what you go through at night." she muttered before looking at Rumple, "In case you haven't noticed, I'm doing good here. I've made a friend with Giles, I'm helping Merida, and when she's done with the wisp, it'll be my turn."
"Yes, there's one thing your 'friend' neglected to tell you." he giggled, "The wisp isn't a toy you can share. She can't just give it to you. The person who whispers to it becomes its owner forever."
"So if I let her use it, I can never use it?" Emma asked.
"Not while her heart beats." he darkly replied.
"You want me to take it for myself."
"I want you to start behaving like a Dark One!" he snapped.
"You knew this would happen. You wanted me to betray Merida and Giles." Emma said not knowing her companions were awake and listening.
"No, no. Not betray them. Kill them." Rumple giggled before hissing, "Come now, dearie. You can't fool me. There's no denying that prickling sensation every time you see our bushy bearded priest; and no, it's not because Dark One's dislike religion. Call it whatever you like, but deep down you know that that man is a threat. And as a Dark One, you must do what all Dark Ones do when threatened, end it."
"I'm not going to kill him." she whispered. Little did she know as she said this, Giles was smirking while he pretended to sleep. When the sun rose several hours later, Emma decided to look for some berries for breakfast while the others slept. When she returned, she found out that they ditched her.
"No. No, no, no, no." she muttered in panic.
"Oh, yes." Rumple smirked against a tree.
"Where are they?" Emma asked.
"Doing what you should be doing, taking care of themselves first. If the girl gets to the Hill of Stones and whispers into that wisp, it's all over for you, dearie. Unless you kill her." he warned.
"I'm not killing anyone." she argued.
"Ah, you don't really mean that." he waved off.
"…What does the Hill of Stones look like?" Emma asked.
"You're not thinking of magicing there, are you?" Rumple asked tauntingly.
"Tell me."
"I thought you didn't want to use Dark One magic."
"What does it look like?" she snapped in desperation.
"Well, if you insist." he "gave in."
OUaT
Back in Storybrooke, everyone stood in the town square to keep an eye on Zelena as she readied the Apprentice's wand for them. Nicholas watched his eldest sister carefully in case she tried anything foolish while his friends stood by him.
"You think we can trust her?" David asked him.
"I can." he replied, "But I would advise against any of you doing so. Out of all of us, I'm the only one she wants to have on her side. She couldn't care less about the rest of you."
"You know, that really doesn't bother me." David sighed before Zelena spoke to them.
"Alright, now all we need is something to direct us to Emma."
"Here." Nicholas said tossing her the watch Emma gave him for their anniversary.
"Oh, yes." Zelena grinned wickedly, "This will work perfectly."
Waving the wand under the watch, Zelena gathered a massive amount of her magic and sent a single blast of green energy towards the clouds out by the docks, creating a green, magical twister. But as soon as this happened, the wand zapped her and left her feeling weak giving Regina the chance to put the magic-binding cuff back on her.
"What happened?" Hook asked in confusion.
"What happened is that I'm not stupid." Regina smirked at Zelena, "I knew you'd be able to open that portal, but I also knew it'd weaken you. No more magic for you, sis."
"I guess you're more like Regina than I thought, brother dear." Zelena sneered at Nicholas.
"I had no idea she was going to do that, I swear." he defended feeling sorry for her.
"He's right. He didn't." Regina smirked, "But it doesn't matter, because now, now we have a way to Emma."
"I just hope it's not too late." Nicholas gravely thought.
OUaT
After transporting herself to the Hill of Stones, Emma made it just in time to watch Merida run off with the wisp while Giles stared her down in the circle of tall stones.
"No! Do you have any idea what you've done?" Emma asked the man.
"As a matter of fact," Giles calmly said before pulling out a small double-barrel shotgun and aimed it at her, "I do. See, we may not have been able to hear who was talking to you last night, but Merida and I heard every word you said."
"I knew I forgot to mention that." Rumple joked with a lie, "Though, it's not very priest-like to point a gun at a young lady, no?"
"You don't know what you what you heard. I can explain." Emma reasoned.
"Oh, there's no need, Dark One." Giles replied shocking her.
"You knew?" she whispered.
"The whole time." he nodded with a faint smirk, "See, I'm actually in charge of patrolling the area where the Dark One's well is. And by the Lord's guiding wisdom, I came across the well the exact moment you emerged from it. From there, it was just a simple matter of telling a lie here and there."
Without a chance for warning, Giles fired the gun and shot Emma in the stomach making her feel a world of pain before her newfound immortality and magic healed her. When she looked up at him in shock, she didn't see a look of hate, or remorse, or even a blank expression. Instead, it looked like Giles was enjoying what he was doing.
"I though you said you were a priest!" Emma growled. Pretending to put some thought in next choice of words, Giles hummed and nodded his head before darkly smiling at her.
"Of sorts." he reminded smirking, "The truth is, Emma, I'm much more than just a wondering priest. No, no, I'm much more special than that. See, I'm actually a professional witch hunter; that and among other things."
"What?" she asked not believing her ears.
"Well, well, this is becoming interesting." Rumple said giddily.
"I've been waiting a long time for this moment. To finally have a chance at taking on a Dark One other than Rumplestiltskin. Once I take you in, my promotion is guaranteed." he explained happily before taking another shot which was caught by her magic.
"Not sure what he's talking about, but I think we can both agree the second shot was a bit uncalled for." Rumple commented, "Go on. Use your anger. Use your power."
"I can talk to him." Emma whispered to the ghost.
"Talk is cheap. And I get paid upon delivery." Giles remarked as he reloaded and fired his gun again only to watch Emma catch the bullets in the air and drop them to the ground again.
"Well, that'll make things interesting." he deadpanned before quickly pulling out a handgun and firing at her. This time, however, she wasn't able to stop it and as soon as it hit her face, it popped like a paint ball and made her skin burn like acid.
"Stings, doesn't it?" Giles asked standing over her before squatting down and grabbing her hair, "It's squid ink mixed with holy water; standard issue. I told you, didn't I? I'm a professional."
He then punched her right in the face repeatedly as he hoisted her up. With a blast of magic, Emma was able to stop him by knocking him to the ground only to see him flip backwards, land on his feet and take cover behind one of the stones.
"You're embarrassing yourself, dearie." Rumple lectured watching the fight, "More importantly, you're embarrassing me. This is how it's done."
Taking control for a moment, Rumple willed Emma to flick her hand in an attempt to snap Giles' neck only to see a ripple of magic do nothing to him.
"Ah, the old magical neck snap trick. A classic." he said with a fond smirk while pulling out his shotgun and pointing it at her, "Unfortunately for you, that doesn't work on me."
"You-you're immortal?" Emma asked growing more confused and afraid.
"Ha! No, no." he chuckled, "I just know how to handle magic users."
"Well, now, this is an intriguing ordeal." Rumple giggled as Giles tried his luck shooting her again, "You need that wisp, Dark One. Kill him, then kill the girl."
"No." Emma whispered as she kept stopping the bullets.
"Kill him." Rumple advised as they repeated their actions, "Kill him. What are you waiting for?"
"Stop!" she bellowed before using her magic to stop Giles and drag him over to her. When she pulled her hand back and tried to rip out his heart, her hand hit some sort of metal under his shirt which prevented her from tearing out his heart.
"Good try." he praised as he revealed a black chest-guard before striking the sides of her head in her baffled state which discombobulated her, "But that doesn't work on me either. Now then," he said in a soft terrifying voice as he slowly drew a shiny hunting knife, "Let's end this and be on our way, Dark One."
"STOP!" a voice cried as a blur came in between the fighters. As Emma's head cleared, she saw Nicholas stand between her and Giles with his arms reached out towards both of them to end the fighting.
"Emma, Giles, please stop!" he begged with a worried look on his face as the others came up the hill to join them.
"Nicholas?" Giles asked surprised to see the immortal before looking beyond happy, "As I live and breathe!"
"Lower the knife, Giles." Robin calmly ordered as he aimed his dragon-bone bow at the priest.
"And Robin, too. This is just fantastic." he said smiling as he misunderstood what was going on, "While I am very happy to see you both again, I'm afraid you caught me at a bad time. I'm just about ready to take the Dark One back with me."
"Bluey, please, you understand." Nicholas pleaded as he continued to defend Emma, "You can't take her!"
"And why not?" he asked in disappointment.
"Put down the knife, and let me explain everything." Nicholas pleaded. Giles paused for a second while staring at Emma before he sighed and sheathed his blade.
"Oh, alright." he relented. While the rest of Emma's loved ones hugged her and explained how and why they came, the two League agents informed the priest of the situation at hand.
"And then we came here in a tornado." Nicholas finished.
"So, Rumplestiltskin isn't dead?" Giles asked, "And yet, there's a new Dark One. Well, that is a first."
"Look," Robin began, "We know that you've been wanting to take down the Dark One for a long time, but this woman hasn't done anyone any harm."
"Yet." Giles countered dropping his usual friendly disposition, "People who become the Dark One aren't exactly known to be the most peaceful of souls. How long before that one starts tearing out the hearts of innocents just for fun? You can't do this again, Nicholas. Not like after all the things your sister did."
"It won't come to that." Nicholas defended, "You can't take her in, anyway."
"And why is that?" he asked.
"Because, as of last night, she's a Human Sacrifice." Nicholas replied causing the priest's eyes to widen, "She's under my protection and jurisdiction."
"…Yes, it would seem so." Giles reluctantly acknowledged, "You do understand that I have to report this, yes?"
"Go ahead." Nicholas replied without a care, "Tell them everything we just told you. It doesn't change things."
"Maybe not. But it does mean that so long as that woman is the Dark One, all eyes will be on her." Giles reminded, "Despite how so many people wanted to get rid of Rumplestiltskin, we at least knew how to deal with him. Who's to say how she'll operate?"
"I do." he retorted.
"We actually hope to find a way to rid her of the darkness and put an end to the Dark One once and for all." Robin informed, "We're looking for Merlin."
"Good luck with that." Giles scoffed, "No one's seen him for over a thousand years."
"Doesn't mean we don't have a shot." Nicholas argued.
"Sigh…she really means a lot to you, doesn't she?" he asked.
"More than you could ever understand." he sincerely replied.
"I suppose…I could wait awhile before reporting all this." Giles informed his apparent friends.
"Really?" Nicholas asked in hope.
"You get one month." he warned raising his finger, "That's it. You can't get the darkness out of her before then, and-and I will tell the higher-ups so fast, a bullet couldn't keep up."
"Thank you!" Nicholas said happily as he hugged the priest, "Oh, thank you, Bluey! You're the best!"
"Oh, well, I know." he grinned bashfully waving him off before heading into the woods, "Good luck, my friends."
"So long, Bluebeard." Robin smiled at their fellow League agent. As they joined the others, they walked in on their conversation.
"Mom, Dad, this is too dangerous. You shouldn't have come." Emma said to her parents.
"We had to." David said hugging his little girl.
"You're our daughter." Snow reminded.
"Well, at least you don't look like a crocodile." Hook joked at his friend which earned him a jab from his fiancé.
"I guess I lucked out." Emma smirked finding the joke funny.
"Here." Snow said showing her daughter her dagger, "We think you should have this."
"Take it. You'll be able to control yourself." David nodded while Emma spotted Rumple again.
"No." she said.
"Emma, think about this." Nicholas advised, "If it falls into the wrong hands, what it could do, what you could do."
"The fight to control my darkness has just begun. It's too much power. Someone needs to watch me." Emma reasoned as she took the dagger and presented it to Regina.
"Are you serious?" she asked.
"I saved you. Now save me." Emma said, "And if you can't save me, do what no one else will willingly do. You're the only one who will get past their feelings and do what is necessary; destroy me."
"It won't come to that." Henry assured.
"I know, kid." she nodded as she hugged her son, "So, are you guys gonna tell me how you all got here?"
"Uh, that might be easier to show rather than tell." Nicholas chuckled taking her hand as he led her to their crash site.
"You brought Granny's?" she asked as the door opened.
"Backup generator's working, but the fryers are shot." Granny informed as she came outside.
"And Granny."
"Terrible news!" Leroy complained as he, Happy and Doc came out with him, "No onion rings!"
"And Leroy." Emma chuckled.
"There's no shortage of people who want to help you." Snow replied.
"Emma!" Belle cried as she came out with a dome covered rose in her arms. Just then, the sound of horses galloping towards them could be heard.
"What now?" Leroy asked as the riders came before them.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" Nicholas asked defending his true love.
"I'm King Arthur of Camelot." the leader introduced, "We've come to find you."
"Find us?" Hook asked.
"My lord, they think their arrival is a surprise." one of the knights said.
"You were expecting us." Snow realized.
"It was Merlin." Arthur replied, "He prophesized your coming here a long time ago, just as he prophesized many things."
"Merlin? Where is he?" Emma asked, "We were told that he's been missing."
"For years, yes." Arthur nodded, "But not for much longer because according to his prophecy, you're destined to reunite him with us. Now then, if you'll all follow me."
"Where?" she asked.
"Why, Camelot, of course." he grinned. After a short journey to the marvelous castle, everyone walked in with hope and smiles in their hearts for the lucky break they had found. And just as they were about to walk through the mighty gates, they-
OUaT
(Six Weeks Later)
CRASH! That was the first thing that went through everyone as they awoke in a daze on the floor of Granny's in the middle of the night in Storybrooke. Everyone inside was confused for various reasons, why they were back, why they were no longer entering Camelot and why they were all wearing the clothes they would have normally worn back in their realm.
"What are you guys doing here?" Sneezy asked as he and Sleepy walked into the diner; though for some reason, he was wearing Emma's red jacket and one of her stalking hats.
"What happened?" Snow asked as she and David held their son.
"We're back." David exhaled.
"Bloody hell." Hook cursed as he helped Ariel up.
"This doesn't make any sense." Regina said in a daze, "We were just walking into Camelot."
"What the hell are we wearing?" Leroy asked just as confused as everyone else, "Sneezy, what happened? How long were we gone?"
"Six weeks." he replied.
"What?" Regina whispered.
"Our memories, they're gone." David finally realized.
"Again?" Snow asked.
"Where's Emma?" Ariel asked, "I don't see her or Nicholas anywhere."
"Relax. I'm right here." Emma said frightening everyone. When they turned around, they couldn't believe it was her. Instead of her normal appearance, Emma had taken on her form as the Dark One. No longer was her golden hair let loose behind her back, now it was a sickly, pale white almost matching her skin color tied in an overly tight bun. And instead of wearing her casual clothes or anything like what the other ladies were wearing, she wore a tight black coat made out of what the others assumed to be dragon scales.
"Mom?" Henry asked, "What happened to you?"
"Isn't it obvious?" she asked, her voice now dark and hoarse, "You went to Camelot to get the darkness out of me. And you failed." she said caressing her mother's cheek as Sneezy sneezed.
"What the hell are you supposed to be?" she asked before turning him into a statue, "There's no Savior in this town anymore."
"Emma, stop." Regina pleaded, "That's enough."
"Or what?" she asked.
"Or I'll do exactly what you asked me to." she replied trying to find the dagger, only to realize she didn't have it anymore.
"Looking for this?" Emma asked raising it in the queen's face, "Nobody's gonna touch this dagger but me. Now, for what you all did to me, you're about to be punished."
"Emma," David asked trying not to show his growing fear, "Where's Nicholas?" But the fear only grew when he saw his daughter smirk at the question.
"Where is my brother, Swan?" Regina asked.
"Don't worry about him. He's already been punished. He's where he's always been." she calmly replied as she pulled out a long chain necklace with a glowing red stone attached to it, "Right here. Close to my heart."
It was then that everyone realized what she meant. The stone around Emma's neck was Nicholas's Philosopher's Stone and by extension, Nicholas himself!
"Why are you doing this?" Regina asked as she stared at her brother's life source.
"Because…I am the Dark One." Emma replied before poofing away in a cloud of black smoke.
Wow, seems things are a bit different than what you may have expected, huh? I'd really like some feedback on what you guys thought of Gilles cause I've been wanting to write his introduction for months. For those of you who liked him, you're in luck, he will come back soon and will have a very big role in the upcoming sagas. Here are some details concerning him.
Gilles de Rais (a.k.a. Bluebeard)- played by Timothy Omundson.
If his appearance was hard to picture, look up the scene from the tv series Supernatural where Cain meets Castiel and that's basically it with a hint of medieval to his clothes. You'll find that his personality is a bit of a blend between Cain and King Richard's from Galavant (both played by the same guy).
And just to make this clear, the Bluebeard is in no way AT ALL like the Bluebeard from the anime Stay/Zero even though this version is a very tweaked version of the original story of Bluebeard (which I will explain once he comes back). I just want to make that clear.
Also, there's a good chance that this may be the one and only time Merida makes an appearance in this story. I haven't fully decided yet, but if you want me to include I will. In fact, let me know where you stand on that through either a review a PM.
That about covers it. If there's anything else you'd like to bring up or ask me, you know what to do. Hope you guys liked this (I know I did).
See ya around!
