Chapter 27: When the Truth and Plans are revealed
AN: Hi everyone, so another chapter is finished, with this, in mind I'm cutting down my own rules. That I will do one chapter per month, in the past that has been doing well until recently I've gotten ahead then I've had expected. Before I would work on the story whenever I felt like to, (I know not a good decision) however recently about a month ago I've decided to dedicate on my work on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So, from here on out, you may see more chapters in a month. I hope you enjoy the shortest chapter that I've ever produced.
At the Storybrooke Covent, Mary Margaret looks down in complete shock at the lifeless body that was Mother Superior. Emma and David cover the deceased Blue Fairy up with a tarp, just as Regina approaches holding the hand of Pan, who is still in the body of Henry. "What the hell happened?" asks the formerly Evil Queen, to which David replies the Shadow killed her. "Pan's shadow?" Regina asks, stating she trapped it on the sail of the Jolly Roger. Emma states that even though she did, it still got free. Neal, who has also joined them, turns to Hook and suggests they go back to the ship and get the candle, stating that if it strikes again then they need to be able to catch it. Neal leaves, followed by Killian, Felicity, and Tink.
"Pan's behind it, I know it," Emma states, but Regina reminds the Savior he's trapped in a box under the floor of Gold's shop. Emma questions who else would be doing this, which Regina does not have an answer to. For her everything makes sense, somehow something went wrong, and the question is how she can prove it. The body of Henry then speaks up, "So Pan can still hurt me?" he asks, wanting to keep up the ruse even though he is in fact, Pan. Regina states that they don't know that for sure, but Mary Margaret states they have to assume he is still a threat, and Emma adds that he must still be after Henry. "Then what am I doing here?" Pan asks. David states that he's right; Henry's not safe out in the open. Pan immediately turns to Regina, asking if she'll protect him. "Yes, of course," she replies, hugging what she thinks is her son. Emma watches this, feeling something's off and that it was weird that Henry asks for help to his other mother not her, she has savior magic, rare magic of powerful light magic, even though Henry doesn't know this, she should tell him. However, she tells them to go, stating they'll take care of the Shadow.
As Regina and Pan leaves, however, Emma stops Regina, telling her to keep a close eye on the boy, who has already walked to the car. Regina states she already said she would, to which Emma replies saying she knows, but he just doesn't seem like himself. "Really, because he asked for me?" Regina asks, unnerved. Emma tries to say, to talk that's not what she meant, but Regina doesn't believe her, thinking Emma just can't get over the fact that she's Henry's mother too, and that maybe he just wants her when he's frightened. "You forget, I have ten years of soothing his nightmares under my belt; he's fine."
"This is not about you Regina!" Emma shouts. "This is about our son, Henry!" she shouts again. Then in a lower voice, "I'm sorry but you must listen to me Regina. Henry is not who he is, think about it. He's been acting strange ever since Rumpelstiltskin got free out of Pandora's box and helped him." Regina scoffs however Emma ignores her and keeps talking. "I admit that I have no proof, but my daughter says that not only does she feel something is wrong with him, she can also see the magic around him." Regina at what first confused is now intrigued and finds herself listening. "Felicity has a gift to see the magical aura and what she saw horrifies me, Regina, she sees dark magic around Henry, she sees the color of dark orange-red."
Now convinced Regina suggested what should we do, as Emma repeats her earlier statement, to keep a close eye on him. "So where are you taking me?" Pan asks, to which Regina replies the one place in Storybrooke the Shadow can never get to, the place where she keeps her magic.
At Regina's vault, the formerly Evil Queen takes the hand of the boy she thinks is her son and they approach the door. She takes out her skeleton keys and proceeds to unlock it, and they make their way inside. Regina pushes the coffin of her deceased father out of the way so she and Pan may walk down the steps to where she stores all of her magical possessions. "Promise you won't touch anything?" Regina asks. "I promise," Pan replies with an evil grin on his face.
After Regina left, Emma then told her parents that they're going to find Rumple and shortly after that the three of them were found running towards Mr. Gold Pawnbroker & Antiquities Dealer, where Rumple and Belle are seen exiting. The Dark One tries to push them away, stating the shop is closed, so whatever crisis their dealing with, he's done for the day. "Rumple," Belle says, nudging her true love, meaning she wants him to be a better person and help out. Emma demands Pandora's Box, to which Rumple asks why he would do that. The Savior states they need to open it, to which Rumple replies, "And let Pan escape? What are you, crazy?"
"Felicity can see magical auras." Emma bluntly says and Rumple stills, intrigued as the Dark One hears this. "Something is wrong with Henry; she says that she saw dark magic surrounding him and the color was dark green." He then shakes up, knowing what the color means and most importantly whom it belongs to. Then Rumple asks the Savior what she has in mind, now onboard.
At the town line, two vehicles pull up; one which Emma, Mary Margaret, and David hop out of, and the other Rumple and Belle hop out of. The five approach the line where Rumple explains that since there's no magic across the town line if they release Pan outside of Storybrooke he'll be powerless to fight back. Emma stops the Dark One from crossing, however, stating she's going to do it. Rumple states he can cross the line and retain his memories, but Emma thinks it's best she does it since the Land Without Magic is her expertise. Emma steps over the line and pulls out her gun, stating she'll deal with Pan on her terms. Rumple argues that it's his father, but Emma retaliates that it's her hunch, adding that if she fails then the Dark One is more than welcome to pick up the pieces. Mary Margaret then speaks up, stating for her daughter to be careful. Emma then looks at Rumple, signing for him to wave his hand over Pandora's Box, causing a red smoke-like substance to come out from it. The Dark One places the box on the ground right across the line, and Emma holds up her gun, ready to shoot. The red smoke-like substance soon turns into the body of Pan, lying on the ground. The boy stands up, looking around, and at the body, he is currently in. Everyone behind the town line takes a step back, and the body of Pan turns around to see Emma pointing her gun at him.
"Mom?" he exclaims. "What?" Emma asks, confused. Rumple wonders what she's waiting for; telling her to shoot him. The body of Pan begs for the Savior not to, revealing himself to be Henry. The boy states that Pan switched their bodies and Emma thinks about it for a few seconds and thought to herself this makes sense. However, Rumple tells the blonde not to listen to him, stating it's one of his tricks. Henry swears that it's not, however, going on to say he did it right before Rumple trapped him in the box. Emma tells him not to take a step closer, while Rumple demands she shoot him.
However, Emma thinks maybe he's telling the truth, explaining why she's been thinking there's something off about Henry. Rumple argues that maybe that's what the boy wants her to think, adding that if he steps over that line then they're all dead. Emma tells the boy if he were really Henry then prove it and tell her something only Henry would know. The boy replies that he got trapped in the mines, he tried to blow up the well, and he likes cinnamon in his coco. Rumple states that this proves nothing; Mary Margaret agrees, saying that Henry could have told Pan all that in Neverland. Emma states that Pan might know facts, but life is made up of moments and he can't possibly know all of them; she asks when they first connected, to which Henry replies it was at his castle when Emma first came to Storybrooke. The blonde asks the boy what he told her, and Henry replies that he knew why she gave him up - because she wanted to give him his best chance. Emma lowers her gun, exclaiming "Henry." The two embrace in a hug; Emma then asks the boy to promise not to incinerate them when they step over the line. Once crossing over, Henry hugs Mary Margaret and David while Emma hands Rumple Pandora's Box. Rumple apologizing for doubting Henry and putting him in the box in the first place. Henry states that it's okay, however, as he would've done the same thing. As Emma and Henry head back to the truck, David then realizes something - if Henry's all the way out here then where's Pan?
Back at Regina's vault, the real Pan who is still trapped in Henry's body is seen looking around at all the magical items the formerly Evil Queen possesses. He then notices a certain bottle in particular and a smile comes across his face. "What is it?" Regina asks, to which Pan replies he was just thinking about how lucky he is to have Regina there to protect him. The formerly Evil Queen is touched by this however suspicious; she takes the boy's hands and states that when all this is over, she's finally going to be the mother he's always wanted her to be. Henry continues smiling, and Regina stands up; the two hug, but Pan continues eying the bottle. He picks it up, and as Regina lets go of the boy, she tells him she loves him and suddenly she had a horrible feeling something was wrong and before she does anything. Peter Pan opens up the bottle, which shoots out a magical substance, knocking out the Queen. "I know," Pan says, "that's why this was so easy."
Emma is on the phone, trying to get in touch with Regina, but is unanswered. Henry, who is still in the body of Pan, asks that when they find the evil Lost Boy if they are not careful not to throw a fireball at his face or something seeing as how he's still in his body. Rumple says he'll try his best, and the group makes their way to Regina's vault where Hook, Neal, Felicity, and Tink already wait. "Is it really you?" Killian asks his son, to which Henry replies by running up and embracing him with a hug. David asks if they found the Shadow, to which Tink replies they haven't yet. Killian adds on, however, that they'll be ready for it when they do though; he holds up a coconut which he then hands to Neal. "It's Pan we should be concerned about now," Rumple reminds them, then asking why they have yet gone into the vault. Neal states it's locked up tight and Felicity tried to undo it however it was too strong for her to open up and suspects it could be blood magic but Rumple attempts using magic to open it anyway. He fails, however, so states that it'll take some time. Meanwhile, as he keeps trying, Mary Margaret comforts her daughter, stating that everything's going to be okay. David joins them; Emma states that it's not going to be okay though. She states that even if Pan is in the vault, she can't use her gun since he's in Henry's body. David is adamant that they'll get him out, however, that they'll save him. "Will we?" Emma questions, to which David replies with a "yes," adding that it's all because of Emma because she was right about Pan, just like Mary Margaret was right about Regina all those years ago. He tries to say they'll stop him, but is interrupted by Emma who asks, "And live my moment even though there's still terrible things out there?" "Exactly," Mary Margaret and David reply in unison.
Emma states that they're both good parents, but they're wrong. She goes on about how she's the Savior, so she doesn't have the luxury of having moments; it's just not her life. No matter how much she just wants to sit back and enjoy herself she can't; it's never going to stop. Mary Margaret states she used to think the same way, but Emma believes it's different; magic has a price and the price is being the Savior, so she doesn't get a day off. Rumple finally manages to open the door to the vault. As they all make their way inside, they find an unconscious Regina who Mary Margaret quickly rushes over to aide. David states that Pan's gone, so Emma yells up the stairs that they're clear down there. Rumple uses magic to wake up Regina; the formerly Evil Queen looks around confused and asks what happened. "It's Henry; somehow Pan switched bodies with him," Emma replies. "And I felt for it," Regina realizes, ashamed, but Mary Margaret states that they all did. Regina goes on that she wanted to believe what he was saying so badly that she missed all the signs; she just wanted to believe he still needed her to be his mother. "I still do," calls out the body of Pan. "Henry?" Regina exclaims, and the two embrace in a hug. David then asks what exactly Pan came down to the vault to get. As Rumple looks around, he notices a small container open, and turns to Regina, "Please tell me you didn't keep 'it' down here." Regina then asks where else she'd keep it. A look of fear comes across Rumple's face, and Emma asks what it is the evil Lost Boy took.
Meanwhile at the town well, Pan, still trapped in the body of Henry, unrolls the scroll of none other than the Dark Curse. "A curse?" Felix asks, to which Pan corrects him, stating it's the curse - the one that tore everyone from the Enchanted Forest and dropped them here. "You broke me out of jail to tell me how everyone got to this town?" Felix asks, confused. Pan states that he broke Felix out of jail because this curse is going to give them everything they ever wanted.
"Why would Pan even want the curse?" Regina asks, back at the vault; she states she already cast it. "And I broke it," Emma adds. However, Rumple reveals that that doesn't mean he can't cast it again, and this time without the Savior's parent's true love woven in, even Emma would be powerless to stop it. "I don't understand; we're already in this land," David states. Mary Margaret adds on, asking what exactly the curse would do to them now.
"Everyone will forget who they are," Pan tells Felix, adding that time will stand still once again. He finally finishes by revealing that they'll be in charge. "Of this whole place?" Felix asks, to which Pan confirms, adding that, "And when we're done with it, it's going to be the new Neverland." Felix and Pan turn to each other with wicked grins on their face and then look out at the town which they soon plan to take control of.
"You never cease to amaze me, Peter," says Felix whilst approaching Storybrooke's landmark well alongside a scroll-carrying Peter Pan, whose consciousness remains in the body of Henry Mills. The Lost Boy further commends his master on being able to outwit the Evil Queen in less than a day and Pan explains that Regina loves Henry, which makes her weak. Now standing beside the well, Pan states that this is where the new Dark Curse shall be cast, and he asks his loyal follower if he has all the ingredients needed. Felix hands over a drawstring sack, which Peter opens, and he asks his master if all the residents of Storybrooke will be dead once the deed is done. "Worse," says Pan, "They'll be slaves to this new land we're making. With no idea who they once were. Death is final, Felix. Their suffering... will be eternal." As he explains this, he begins throwing ingredients from the sack down into the well's mystical waters.
Over at the Mill's family mausoleum, Mary Margaret remains stunned that another curse could be underway, and Emma asks Mr. Gold, who's standing in front of everybody if it will be just like the last one. Gold explains that the first curse was enacted to service the Queen's wishes, whereas this one shall be done per Pan's desire; "I would count on something hellish," Regina informs the others that the curse was built to be unstoppable, ergo, there's nothing that can be done, but Rumple mentions that it is possible to stop it. Regina is surprised by this news, wondering what the Dark One means, and he says that the person who originally cast the curse - Regina - would be able to use the scroll to prevent the new one.
"What she did," Pan says over at the well, holding a small bottle that contains a magical substance in his hand, "Is child's play compared to what I've got in mind." He drops the bottle into the well, and Felix, smiling, comments that he knew his master would win, repeating his mantra of "Peter Pan never fails". Pan smiles also before dropping the final ingredient from the sack into the well.
Back at the mausoleum, Regina wonders what it is she has to do, and Gold tells her that she has to destroy the scroll as this shall end both Pan's curse and hers, however, he warns her of a price that will need paying - a steep one. The Queen asks what the Dark One suggests they do, and Rumple says that, instead of going to Pan, they can bring him to them with the aid of a spell: one that shall return Pan and Henry to their own bodies.
Meanwhile, Felix looks down into the well and is disappointed that nothing's happening; he asks Pan if they're missing something, and the leader of the Lost Boys answers positively. Felix wonders what this missing ingredient is, and Pan explains that he needs to add the heart of the thing he loves most. The loyal Lost Boy asks if they need Rumpelstiltskin's heart, as he is Pan's son, but Peter answers negatively this time, admitting that he never did love, Rumple. "Well, then who's heart do we need? Who do you love?" Felix continues to ponder, and his master tells him that love can mean many things; it doesn't just come from romance or family, but from loyalty and friendship as well. "Only one person has always believed in Pan," he states, and Felix, knowing what this means, becomes afraid. Pan tells him not to be, saying that he should be flattered, but Felix screams many defiant "no's" as his master plunges his hand into his chest and rips out his glowing, beating heart. Pan then crushes the heart into dust, killing his sidekick, and sprinkles this dust into the well along with the rest of the curse's ingredients. Felix remains dead on the forest floor.
"If I'm back in my own body, that means... I'll have the scroll. I can bring it to you guys," Henry, who remains in Pan's body, realizes over at the mausoleum. Gold tells the boy that he's exactly right, but Regina points out that even the Dark One isn't powerful enough to cast such a spell. Gold owns up to this but informs the Queen that, given the proper tools, he could be. Tinker Bell then suggests he use the Black Fairy's wand - one of the first fairy's that ever existed; trained in dark magic and exiled by the Blue Fairy - which is currently in the possession of the deceased Mother Superior. Gold figures this, and David wonders what they're waiting for, saying that they need to "hit the convent". Tink asks the prince if she can come too, as she still has to pay her respects to Blue as it is, and Rumple says that it's settled, telling the rest of those in attendance to follow him back to his pawnshop. As the group begins dispersing, with Killian and Neal leaving with Tink and David, the latter of which kisses his wife goodbye, we see that the dastardly shadow is floating above the mausoleum, having eavesdropped on everything our heroes have said. It flies away, knowing where to go to stop them.
At the well, Peter Pan adds the final sprinkling of dust from Felix's heart to his Dark Curse and watches with glee as green smoke begin to rise from the landmark, threatening the entirety of Storybrooke.