AN: Hey, y'all! Hope you're all doing okay. I know things are tough right now, but we'll get through it together! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter; It's nice and long, just for you!
REVIEWERS!:
Acecove: I'm glad you liked it! You mean the bridge to the Moor? No, Hiccup's really far away from there. Like, other side of the Archipelago far. It was a concept I toyed with a while back, but it just didn't fit the purposes of the story.
The Rebel Knight: You are wise to know that it's the calm before the storm.
Adaminaart: AWWWW! Thank you so much! It's kinda crazy to think about how long I've been working on this project for. Thanks for your support and I hope you continue to enjoy! :)
Music: "Ugly Truth" by Lauren Aquilina
NOTES: Denial is Knowing the Truth, Seeing the Truth, but still believing the Lies...
Chapter 23: Ugly Truth
The afternoon sun was bright and hot. Emma walked along the beach, the water rushing up and covering her feet in cool and refreshing salt water before receding back again. She lifted her chin, enjoying the mist that came from the waves and the smell of the open sea. It was too hot to be comfortable, but that meant it would give way to a warm night, ideal for the Ball they would all be attending later that evening.
Though the beach was empty as everyone prepared for the Ball and Tournament, leaving the surrounding space calm and peaceful, Emma's mind was spiraling. Whether that spiral was going up or down, she wasn't quite sure.
It had been weeks since she finished sharing all of the details of her research with Antonio, and still nothing had happened. When she asked him about it, on two different occasions, he had assured her that he was looking very closely with the Auror he'd been assigned to and they were simply checking the information over again before bringing it to the higher ups. Now that they were already at the Moor, she feared there was no helping Hogwarts at all. She had tried again to speak directly to the Guardians two days ago when she realized Antonio was taking too long, but she'd once again been shooed away by Lady Tremaine and the Prime Minister. Now they were almost out of time. The last of the guests would arrive the day of the final challenge, and Emma knew that would be the perfect time for Pitch to attack Hogwarts. She was racking her brain, trying to think of a way to make them listen, to save the school, but she'd exhausted every resource and every ability within her limited power.
She had considered going to Jack for help for a little while, he was her big brother after all and she knew that in simpler circumstances she could always count on him, but the idea quickly lost it's appeal because she knew Jack wouldn't let her vague sources for the information slide. He would want details. Details that could lead to sharing secrets that shouldn't be shared or that weren't hers to share in the first place. She also knew she couldn't lie to him directly. He would see through it in an instant. Similar thoughts had barred her from approaching Rapunzel and Merida as well because they would be suspicious as to why she didn't bring her concerns to Jack.
She felt caught between two impossible situations; sacrifice herself and the dire secrets she was holding onto, or sacrifice Hogwarts which could set the pace for the coming war. No matter which path she took it would lead her to death and destruction.
Meanwhile, everyone else was squealing and giggling about a party and dresses and who's going with who. It was really quite frustrating. Rapunzel had tried to convince her to join her and the other older girls while they got ready together throughout the day, but Emma kindly declined the offer with a vague excuse of enjoying her extended family while she was here.
Sighing, Emma looked up at the stone stairs ahead that lead up from the end of the beach to the more solid ground just a little bit above the sand. She was nearing the hotel and the afternoon was quickly slipping by. Soon everyone would be gathering for the Ball.
She decided to head back and see what sort of chaos had developed in the hours prior to the Ball. She was not surprised to see people racing through the hotel, giggling in small groups, chattering to each other, going over dance steps in a panic. The entire place seemed overrun by students and the management seemed to be at their wits end trying to keep them all in line. Of course the teachers were there to help bring order, but even with the fear of detention or the possibility of being banned from the Ball, there was still much to do to get everyone ready on time.
Emma slipped along the edge of the chaos, trying to get to the room she was sharing with her year-mates. She figured she still had a good hour or two before she'd need to put on the dress her mother made. She was too distracted to enjoy day-long pampering with the rest of the students, and she wasn't planning on doing anything too special with her appearance anyways.
Walking down the hall until she reached the right door, Emma pushed on the heavy wood and entered the room. She noticed all of the girls were gathered around Margo who was seated on one of the plush stools by a vanity, turned towards the other girls. Her eyes were red from crying and she gently dabbed at her nose with a handkerchief.
"Did something happen?" Emma asked, looking at all of the other girls as she wondered what was happening. Her confusion only grew when the other girls looked at her with glares of disapproval or disgust.
"Like you don't know." Margo snapped, standing abruptly. She glared at Emma and then stalked passed her, leaving the room. Pippa, Riley, and the other girls all followed after her, casting varying looks of distaste and angry disbelief. Emma stared after them, even more confused, and then she turned to Vanellope and Cupcake who were the only two left. Cupcake fidgeted awkwardly, looking uncertain and worried, and Vanellope was looking off to the side, her brow furrow in a glare and her arms crossed over her chest.
"Did I miss something?" Emma wanted to know, facing her two friends while also pointing in the direction all the other girls had gone.
"You tell us," Vanellope retorted, dropping her arms as she waved one at Emma. "We haven't seen you in weeks. But now you're apparently flirting with Margo's boyfriend?"
"What?!" Emma gaped at her. "What are you talking about? I haven't been flirting with anyone!"
"That's not what Antonio told Margo." Cupcake mumbled, still fidgeting, though her movements slowed as she looked up to meet Emma's gaze.
"What did Antonio tell Margo?" Emma asked, her hands curling up a little bit.
"Antonio says he's been helping you with the filing in the Aurors office to be nice, but then you started flirting with him. He said he tried to say no, but you insisted, and because he's a man I guess that means he can't be alone with a girl for an extended period of time without making out with her!? Which he then turned back on Margo, saying that you were just so easy and willing while Margo's always pushing him away whenever her dad's around? Emma, seriously, what is even happening?!" Vanellope ranted, waving her arms about.
"What?" Emma yelped, her stomach lurching as it attempted to empty itself, but she managed to hold it down. "That is not what happened! Not even close! I -I would never!... You guys know I wouldn't, don't you?" Emma looked at them, her arms hanging limply at her sides as she watched their expressions desperately.
"Well, how could we?" Vanellope demanded, her hardened expression cracking a bit to reveal some hurt. "We haven't seen you in weeks! And when we see you around, you're getting all chummy with those Durmstrang kids!"
"We see each other all the time in classes! And maybe I've been busy with work, but you've been just as much with Quidditch practice!" Emma defended herself, waving a hand at Vanellope in return. "And if you mean Jim and Toby, so what? They've been kind to me, which is more than I can say for some people at Hogwarts! They're my friends! That's the whole point of this tournament! International Magical Cooperation!"
"I think they've got a little more than friendship on their minds! Have you even considered that maybe they're just using you to win the tournament? It's like you don't even care if Hogwarts wins or not! Where's your loyalty?" Vanellope shouted.
"Loyalty?" Emma fumed, her hands balling into tight fists. "What do you know of Loyalty? You won't even believe me over Antonio! And the second the Guardians made a deal with the Ministry everyone was perfectly happy to forget everything and focus in on ball gowns and courting! Have you all forgotten that under all this glitz and glam there is a War coming?!"
"Why don't you go cry about it to your new best friends? You obviously don't care about any of us anymore!" Vanellope snapped, stomping passed Emma and heading for the door.
"Vanellope!" Emma shouted in utter disbelief, her heart twisting painfully inside her chest. The only thing that met her cry was the slam of the door, and her arms fell limp as she felt her eyes itch, but she squeezed them shut until the feeling went away.
She felt a small weight on her shoulder and looked up to find Cupcake standing beside her. The larger girl offered a small smile, and Emma nodded more to herself than to Cupcake as she took a deep breath.
"If it makes you feel any better, I don't believe Antonio." She said, and Emma smiled at her through the pain.
"Thanks, Cupcake." Emma muttered, her voice feeling scratchy from the emotion and yelling.
"I don't think Vanellope believes it either, but you know her. She yells a lot before she thinks, especially when she's mad or hurt. I'll talk to her and I'm sure she'll come around eventually." Cupcake continued trying to assure her, but Emma just sighed and hugged her arms to herself. "Maybe you should try talking to Margo, explain your side of the story."
"Did you see how angry they all were? Margo will never believe me." Emma said, still wondering if what just happened was actually real or not. A big part of her was hoping she'd wake up back at Hogwarts two weeks before the final challenge and this whole thing would end up being just a bad dream.
But the giant mushrooms in the corner were already burnt and oozing with black, oily decay. The ceiling was cracked and crumbling, the corruption dripping to the ground all around them. But Cupcake couldn't see it. None of them could. Only Emma.
"Don't give up. Things will turn out okay. Just try to stay out of trouble, and I'll talk to Vanellope." Cupcake said, giving Emma's shoulder a pat of comfort and then quietly heading towards the door.
Emma just watched her go.
The ball was starting in just a few minutes and everyone was hurrying on their way from the hotel to the square. Emma was in the room she shared with the other girls. Since none of them ever came back, Emma stayed there to try and follow Cupcake's advice of staying out of trouble.
She slipped her dress over her head, the silk feeling soft and smooth on her skin. It dropped into place, all flowy and blue. It reminded her of the ocean, and she was grateful for her mother's intuitiveness. The cascading shades of blue offered some calm and comfort while the world was falling apart all around her; both figuratively and literally.
She winced at the accuracy of that thought.
She turned away from the mirror after tying the bow at her waist and bent to pick up her shoes. They were a pair of strappy heels; small and a thin heel so there wasn't much weight on her feet. She slipped them on and took a moment to enjoy the extra three inches before trying to figure out how to tame her hair. After about ten minutes, she finely managed to pin up her wavy locks into a low, messy bun. She decided it was good enough and the strands on either side of her face would make it look like it was on purpose.
She took a steadying breath and then headed for the door, lagging behind the few stragglers that were still heading towards the ball. It wasn't a long walk, but she was really hoping to avoid anymore altercations.
"Just try to stay out of trouble..."
She sighed as Cupcake's words echoed in her ears. It felt like that was all anyone was ever telling her to do: stay out of trouble. But she'd already determined that was pretty much impossible for her. Maybe it was the promise she'd made, or maybe it was her own morbid curiosity. Whatever it was, Emma was more focused on how to fix the more serious problem of Pitch's attack rather than the drama that had unfolded because of a poor decision on her part.
Her hands fisted at her side again as she glared at the path she was walking along. How could she have been so stupid? It must have been what Cat was trying to warn her about, and, once again, he was right. She never should have trusted Antonio. The few hours she'd had to herself in that big room had her questioning what other mistakes she had made in all her naivety.
She looked up as she entered the viewing garden. A few people passed her line of sight, and the she saw him across the garden. Jim was scratching the back of his head, dressed in simple black wizards' dress robes, as he talked with Claire Nunez who looked absolutely perfect in her maroon and gold gown, her hair neatly placed with gentle curls. Jim looked nervous with her, and then Professor Varvatos came up beside them and gestured from them to come with him. Claire took Jim's arm, and he grinned brightly at her as they both trailed behind the Durmstrang Headmaster.
"I think they've got a little more than friendship on their minds! Have you even considered that maybe they're just using you to win the tournament?"
Emma's heart squeezed so tight in her chest, she felt like she couldn't breath for a second. Jim and Toby wouldn't do that... would they? They had been so kind to her. In truth, she'd only helped Jim with the tournament a couple of times. Maybe three times? The rest of the time they spent together was just them hanging out. Emma showed them around the castle and introduced them to the Joke shop in Hogsmeade. Jim and Toby often invited her to join them in visiting their Troll friends in the Forbidden Forest, which she had recommended to them so they wouldn't risk being stumbled upon in the garden by someone less understanding than her. She'd even come to consider Blinky, Draal, and AAARRRGGHH! her friends as well. Jim had even said that once the tournament was over, he'd take her to see Trollmarket. Toby had gotten excited and called her an Honorary Trollhunter...
But maybe it was all a lie. Maybe she really was just a naive, stupid girl. Maybe she was in over her head with this whole thing.
Someone bumped into her from behind, and, being lost in her own thoughts and completely unprepared, Emma stumbled forward but she managed to catch herself before falling over completely.
"Oops! Sorry about that! I was just trying to figure out this stupid -Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?" Emma turned around, recognizing the voice instantly, but when Toby looked up and saw her his mouth fell open and he just stared.
"Uh, Toby? Are -are you okay?" She questioned, waving a hand in front of his face a little. He seemed to snap out of it then and he positively beamed at her.
"Emma! You look incredible! Someone cleans up really nice, don't they?" He wiggled his eyebrows and gave her a sly grin, and a laugh burst out of Emma before she could help it.
"Toby!" She chastised him jokingly, shaking her head at him with her hands on her hips.
"What? I'm just stating the obvious!" Toby told her before gesturing to his own outfit with a very displeased expression. "You and Jim look so cool! Meanwhile I look, and smell, like my Nana!" Toby whined, and Emma wasn't sure how to make him feel better. His robes were really old, with lace and patterns and a heavy coat that more resembled a dress made out of carpeting.
"Ah, well, you know, it really isn't that bad..." Emma tried to comfort him, but it sounded weak even in her own ears.
"Please, there's no saving this disaster! I only hope Darci doesn't mind..." Toby fidgeted with the lacy sleeve cuff as he glanced all around them to see if his date were there yet. Emma reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.
"If she does then she doesn't know what she's missing. You're a total catch, Toby! Don't let anyone tell you different." Emma smiled, and Toby's grin was so wide she could see his gums behind all of his braces and his eyes crinkled a little.
"Thanks, Emma. You're an amazing friend." Toby told her, and Emma's heart swelled inside of ribs that were currently trying to crush it. She was surprised when Toby held up his fist. "Trollhunters?" He smiled.
"Huh," Emma let out a sharp breath of surprise and she felt her chest expand a little, easing the tightness on her heart. "I've never even been on a Quest with you guys, how could I possibly be a Trollhunter?"
"Sometimes you just know." Toby shrugged. "Besides, anyone else totally would have ratted us out, but you didn't. You just kind of accepted us and then you helped us, too. We're kind of a weird group, and you're kind of weird too, so it just kind of works!" He was still holding out his fist expectantly, and the pressure in Emma's chest eased entirely as she smiled and lifted her own fist.
"Trollhunters, then. May we always be weird!" Emma said, and Toby laughed.
"Toby!" They both turned and saw Darci standing with a couple of Beauxbatons girls who were giggling behind their hands, but Darci was smiling and waving to Toby.
"Well, there's your date." Emma wiggled her eyebrows at Toby who blushed a little and Emma gave him a little push. "Go get 'er, tiger!"
"Okay, I'll catch you in there!" Toby called over his shoulder as he went to join Darci. The Beauxbatons girl took his offered arm and they made their way to the stairs that would take them down into the square.
Emma smiled, her heart feeling much more free. Maybe she had made a bad call with Antonio, but Jim and Toby have always been kind and honest with her. She had no reason to doubt them or their friendship.
She looked around and ended up catching the disapproving looks of Pippa and Riley. Both girls turned their noses up and walked off to the stairs after glaring at her, and Emma's shoulders felt heavy again. She took a few minutes to steady herself, ignoring the way slick, black oil oozed up from the cracks between the brick paths of the garden. Opening her eyes, Emma realized she was one of the few people who had not already made their way into the square. She went to the stairs, but as soon as she reached the first step she mentally kicked herself.
There was Jim and Claire, standing with the rest of the Champions, Eugene, and her brother. She hesitated, wondering if she should enter through the other side, but before she could act on what was probably a wiser decision, Jim's eyes lifted up and went wide as they locked onto her. Then Rapunzel looked up, and then Claire, and then they were all looking at her, and she forced out what she hoped was a small smile and not a grimace as she slowly walked down the steps, chanting to herself to not trip!
"You look great, Emma." Jack smiled at her, and Emma nodded in return. The mischievous wink he sent her way doing wonders to boost her confidence.
"Thanks, Jack." She ducked her head, tucking hair behind her ear. Jack always knew how to make her feel better, even without realizing he was doing it.
And boy, did she need it tonight! She felt like she was out at sea in the middle of a hurricane with how much emotional whiplash was happening. It was all really confusing.
"She looks better than great," Elsa said, smiling brightly at her. "You look beautiful."
"Yeah, she does." Emma glanced quickly over at Jim, wondering she'd actually heard that or if she imagined it, but judging from Claire's raised an eyebrow at him, Emma was going to guess it wasn't just her.
"Thank you. I'm going to go join the others. Good luck with the dance." Emma said, deciding it best to make a quick exit rather than linger any longer. She directed the last comment to Jim and his expression suddenly dropped with realization as he gulped. "You'll be fine!" Emma laughed over her shoulder as she started down the next set of stairs.
The square was beautifully decorated. The floor was the same white stone as the Temple of Light, glowing gently with any light that was cast onto it. There were small lanterns hung all around the square, filling the space with a warm light that was more prevalent than the soft glow of the moon or the stone floor. Colorful flowers were in bloom all over the place, large bouquets decorating the tables, and green ivy vines and leaves were grown along railings and around the edges of tables.
There were also large cracks on the ground, not cracks that stones would make but cracks as if on a mirror, and the praying mantises may have been battling wasps on the edges of the large, ornate vases if the tiny shouts and screams of battle were any indication.
The majority of people in attendance were also fond of the Spring theme, apparently, and were wearing colors that were rich and bright or warm and pastel. Very few cool colors could be spotted among the large crowd. Emma realized she probably stuck out a bit with her blue dress, but she was thankful that Jack and Elsa were also wearing blue.
She wandered through the crowd a bit, ending up near the snack table. She turned at the sound of trumpets blaring, announcing the arrival of the Champions and their dates for the evening. She watched the opening dance and part of her wanted to jump in and join, but she was too distracted by the thoughts racing around her head. She spotted Margo twirling by with Antonio, a big smile on her face.
Emma shook her head and turned away from the dance floor, looking at all of the bite-sized food laid out before her. She plucked a cauldron cake from a cake tower and picked at the wrapper. She started wondering why she was the one who was hated, and Antonio was given a free pass without question. If she were Margo, even if she believed his story, Emma would've at least been angry at his lame excuses for letting it happen.
The more she thought about it, the more angry she got. At Antonio, at Margo and the other girls, at Vanellope, at the Guardians, even at herself. She was mad at everyone.
She put her cauldron cake on the table and planted her hands on the pristine table cloth, her shoulders hunched as she glared at the cheese squares. Someone moved up to the table near the punch bowl and when Emma looked over who should she see but Antonio Perez himself. He was filling two little cups and hadn't noticed her yet.
Emma glanced behind her, spotting Margo quickly. She was a few yards away with her back to them and speaking with Pippa, Riley, and a Beauxbatons girl called Mary who came from the small town of Arcadia, according to Jim and Toby. Deciding that the crowds of people would be enough to obscure their vision, Emma stalked over to Antonio.
"We need to talk. Now." Emma hissed, clenching her teeth so hard her jaw hurt a little. She kept moving without waiting for his response and slipped out behind the staircase where there was a shadowed corner hidden behind the snack tables, decor, and a few small trees that were part of the Spring Temple's garden.
Antonio followed not far behind her, though he walked at a leisurely pace with his hands half-tucked into his pockets. He had a smirk on his face and looked at her from behind hooded eyelids, and it just made her all the more infuriated.
"You told Margo that I was flirting with you," Emma stated more than questioned, but Antonio didn't have too much reaction to it. "I trusted you! You were supposed to share my research with the Aurors!" Emma blinked, drawing back as Antonio started laughing.
"Oh, you really are so naive." Antonio shook his head. "Did you really expect me to take your random little scribbles and conspiracy theories to some of the most important people in the Ministry's Investigative unit?"
"You said you wanted to help!" Emma argued, some of the fight leaving her as her heart twinged with his choice of words.
"And you believed that? You're as crazy as they say." Antonio snorted. "But I will say that some of your intel got me quite a bit of praise from my commanding officer, so I suppose I should thank you for that."
"You used my intel?" Emma demanded.
"Of course! Had to get some use out of all the hours you used to go on and on about 'Pitch Black attacking Hogwarts'." He quoted mockingly, waving his hands around his head.
"So, what? Helping me was just for getting a good laugh? What did you accomplish through all this?" Emma wanted to know, waving her arms out around her.
"Well, I knew you were smart. Weird, but smart. So I figured I'd get whatever useful information out of you. Margo getting jealous was an... added bonus." Antonio gave her a half-smile and wink that made her stomach churn with oil.
"Margo was worried you cheated, so you told her you did but it was my fault for tempting you." Emma growled.
"Close. I told her you were more... open. Didn't shy away from a touch or two. That week we spent together, well, nothing ever felt so right." Antonio reached out and smoothed a lock of her hair between his fingers. Emma slapped his hand away. Antonio pulled his hand back with a sigh. "Do you honestly expect to get anywhere in life trying to be an investigator? No one is ever going to respect a naive little girl like you. At least with me your information would be able to see the light of day. With Jamie or any other boy, you'll be a tame little housewife within a year."
"Do you even care that Margo and her friends hate me now? That half the kids in our year think I'm some kind of boyfriend stealer?" Emma asked him.
"It's a dog eats dog world out there." He shrugged. "Margo is a bit too 'good girl' for my taste. But if you were to keep giving me information, we could grow into quite the team." His eyes slid over her from the side.
"You mean I do all the work, and you get all the credit? Oh, and I'd have to be your girlfriend? Sounds pretty miserable if you ask me!" Emma spat.
"Maybe, but you'd have more freedom with than with anyone else in the whole world." Antonio countered, and all of the fight drained from her as realization hit. "Face it, Emma. You're a girl. A Lady of high society. Your future is to become a wife. And you can try all you like, but Margo and the others are never going to believe you over me. And even the people who do believe you will have their doubts. It's only your word against mine." He moved in close, using a finger to lift her chin as he leaned in as if to kiss her. Emma shoved him hard on his chest and Antonio stumbled backwards but stayed up right.
"You are vile!" Emma glared at him, her heart pounding and her finger nails digging into her palms. "You disgust me!"
"Say whatever you want," Antonio waved her off, and then he gave her a twisted grin. "I'm still the guy who caught the crazy shrew."
Emma fists tightened even more as Antonio chuckled to himself, his eyes falling shut. In a blink, she drew her arm back and punched him in the nose. There was a loud and satisfying crack as blood spurted out, some of it getting on her fist. Antonio shouted as he fell backwards, his back hitting the ground pretty hard, but Emma wished he'd fallen on stone rather than the soft grass.
"You broke my nose!" Antonio cried out as he held his hands to his face. Blood had already stained the entire front of his shirt.
"Don't try catching something you can't control." Emma retorted, stomping passed him and back towards the ball. She was so angry her fists were shaking at her sides. Her eyes were swollen and burning with tears that wanted to bubble over, but she refused to let them fall. She would not give him the satisfaction.
Coming back into the light, Emma found the ball still in full swing with people dancing and chatting and having a grand old time. She saw her brother with Rapunzel and Merida in a group of their friends across the dance floor. She couldn't see Margo and her friends anymore, but she couldn't find it in herself to care.
Then she spotted Jim. He was slow dancing with Claire at the edge of the dance. Off to the side, out of direct line of sight for most people. They were close and they were smiling at each other, getting closer and closer. And they kissed.
Emma's chest fell inward, forcing out a shuttered breath and her fists dropped open at her sides as a couple of the tears she'd been holding in fell. She didn't know why, but in that moment she felt very small and stupid. Her heart gave a painful twist and she was highly aware of the fact that Jim, Toby, and Claire were all a year older than her.
"Oh, you really are so naive."
She squeezed her eyes shut and turned away, hurrying towards the side exit across the room. She swiped at her eyes, forcing herself to keep it together for at least a little bit longer so she wouldn't make a complete fool of herself. Not that she hadn't already done that, but the last thing she wanted was a scene centered on her.
"Hey, Emma! Would a fair lady such as yourself care for a dance?" Toby appeared in front of her, extending his hand out to her with a bright and friendly smile, and it just made her heart squeeze tighter. Toby noticed. "Whoa, hey, are you okay?" His smile fell into a concerned frown, his brow knitting together in worry as his outstretched hand hesitantly flipped and reached out to her.
"Toby, I appreciate the offer, but I, uh, I really need to be alone right now." Emma sputtered out weakly as she stepped around him and continued towards the exit before he could say anything else. She pretended not to hear as he called after her.
She got to the exit and her pace increased with each step, building into a run, but she couldn't run fast enough with those stupid heels, so she reached down and yanked them off of her feet, letting them fall wherever they landed in the pathway. She raced barefoot out of the gardens of the Seasonal Temples and down the cobble stone streets of the city. She didn't know exactly where she was going and she didn't much care, she just needed to get away.
The oil that bubbled up from the cracks in the cobblestone was sticky and slick on her feet. She vaguely wondered, if she didn't didn't get herself under control soon, if she would slip through.
She found herself bursting into the lobby of the hotel, the door swinging shut behind her as everything slowed. She saw the Prime Minister speaking to the hotel manager and Lady Tremaine across the room, but she was too far away to hear anything they were saying. There was no sound anyways, the only thing she could hear was a ringing in her ear as she watched the manager and lady walk off into another room, but Claude Frollo looked directly at her.
Emma locked eyes with the Prime Minister, her breath labored from her run, and his mouth turned up in a satisfied smile. He slowly turned away and started to follow after the other two adults.
Emma stumbled backwards and the whirled around, shoving the door open as she raced out into the street again. It was so bright outside she almost thought it was day time. She couldn't even see the other side of the street because the white light was so blinding, and yet the sky was completely black.
Pain shot through her head, and Emma groaned as she gripped handfuls of her hair in her fists. The light was getting brighter and brighter as the pain increased and she fell to her knees. And then she landed on her feet as if she'd jumped down from a step. The pain was nearly gone, but her surroundings were different and unfamiliar.
She walked out into what looked like a corridor of a dungeon, but the walls were tilted, making the archways smaller and awkward to walk through. There were lanterns on the walls and ceiling every few feet to guide her along the dark tunnel, but every direction was a dead-end except forward. So she walked quickly, anxiety rushing through her whole body as her mind spun.
She could see a red light glowing at the end of the hall and as she got closer, reaching the end of the brick path, she found an arched passageway that was distorted to look like a heart. She walked through without stopping, her heart racing as the stone walls became covered by wiggly, raw flesh that oozed and slithered. The ground squished under each of her steps because of the red liquid that soaked it.
She quickly found the end of the path to be another dead-end with an endless pit. There was a fleshy overlook sticking out of the ground and Emma stepped out onto it, peering down into the darkness. The whole earth began to shake as three, giant tentacles rose up from the depths of the pit, wiggling back and forth. Emma stepped back at the sight, but before she could turn back the overlook collapsed.
And then she was falling down into the depths of the raw, bloody pit.