Hey everyone, I'm back.
Sorry for the ultra long delay, but here is the next part. I have all these stories in my head, but they just don't want to come onto the paper, I just can't put them into words. And during the last year, I've been focusing on online college. But right now, I had the time and forced myself to sit down and try to continue. So here it is.
Enchanted Forest, past:
"And why should I help you with this itty-bitty problem, what would I get out of it?", the imp of course asked.
Regina rolled her eyes. "You get my past self back, the one who can actually cast your damn curse. I have found light and new love, one who is in my time, so my father wouldn't cut it anymore. You need her, and that is why you want to help me."
That argument seemed to sway the Dark One. "I suppose, it would be favorable to aid you … for a price." Regina rolled her eyes. What did she expect, it was Rumplestiltskin after all? "One single detail from the future: will I find my son?"
That information seemed insignificant enough to not destroy the timeline. And also, Regina remembered Emma Swan telling her that she had told - or would tell? - Rumple that as well, so it couldn't hurt to tell him now either, right? So the mayor replied: "Yes." That elicited a smile from the Dark One, one containing a happiness Regina had never seen on the man pre-Storybrooke.
After he had allowed himself a moment, the Dark One went straight to business. "The first and best option would obviously be leaving the same way you came. So how did you get here?"
Regina contemplated for a bit. She didn't exactly know what had happened either. "There was - will be - a little box in your possession. It was broken and kicked in my direction. There was a grey smoke and then, a portal opened that pulled me back here."
"Anything else? Any little detail can help find your way home, dearie", Rumple prodded. "Well, I collided with the past version of myself while travelling through the portal. She seemed as confused as I was and was somehow travelling in the direction I came from." The Dark One nodded. "I believe I know what object that was and I happen to already have it."
With an overexaggerated twirl of his hand, he held a box in his right hand. "Is this the artifact that brought you here?" Regina had only seen the box in its broken state, so she couldn't be sure, but she did recognize parts of the box' intricate design, so she nodded Yes. "Well, well, well…" He stopped talking and started pacing.
"So? What is it?", Regina finally interrupted him after a while, the silent pacing had driven her almost mad. Rumple giggled, his little test was successful. Deep down, she hadn't changed a bit. After all this time, she still easily fell victim to his subtle psychological torture methods.
"This is the Zsimpet, an ancient artifact that allows its user to switch places with their counterpart in a different time. I assume it was activated by its destruction and you were caught in the spell due to your proximity."
"Alright, and how can it return me to my time?", the mayor asked. "That is a good question." Rumple shrugged. "I am sorry dearie, but I don't know."