Chapter 84: Fingerprints
The time to meet was set and the group dispersed for the time being. Everyone had had enough excitement for the day and wanted to relax. Crystal walked home with Harry to make sure that he actually went there instead of claiming that he would. She did not want him to be wandering the streets or the woods at night. Even when he'd broken into her place, she'd still ensured that he was safe and had a place to sleep. Since Emma and Killian had to go and deal with Uma's crew who were harassing August and his dad, they could not ensure their son would return home.
When they reached Emma and Killian's house, CJ was out in the backyard, trying out the tire swing. Emma had the swing installed a couple of years back to make her place feel a little more like a home and Henry still enjoyed it, even though he was a teenager by then. It was also there to be used by little Neal, Robin, Gideon, and the new baby when they grew old enough. It would give the rambunctious youngsters something to do when the families came to visit. Anyone could assume that the Saviour had wanted such simple things due to growing up in foster and group homes not likely having the experience of simply playing in someone's backyard. Snow was also trying to convince Emma to install a swing set in the back and Crystal would not miss the opportunity to witness Killian trying to put something like that together. She would have to take pictures.
The blonde teenager hardly acknowledges her brother or the other girl, but there was a faint smile on her face, enjoying swinging around… childhood luxuries she was likely deprived of on the Isle.
"Are you going to be okay?" Crystal asks Harry.
He looks at her with hypnotic eyes, they are filled with doubt.
"We'll try to talk to Uma tomorrow." Crystal knew that Harry's friendship with Uma was worth saving, even if the pirate captain was less than desirable company. "She's probably going through a lot and she didn't mean to lash out at you."
"I hope yer right," he mutters.
The daughter of the Dark One pulls him into a hug, knowing it's what he needed at the moment.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she says, ignoring the flushing in her cheeks. So much was rushing through her head about her feelings for him that it made her dizzy. Everything was so complicated right now, why did love have to be thrown in there too?
When she disappears around the side of the house to the front yard, CJ jumps off the swing, landing as their father had taught them to whenever swinging from the mast.
"When's the wedding?" she smirks.
Harry glares at her and turns to go into the house, letting the door slam on his way.
…
"So it's your daughter as well?" Maleficent says over the phone.
"Apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Regina says. She stands in her kitchen preparing dinner for everyone while communicating with the Mistress of all Evil, letting her know Mal was staying for dinner. Both the daughter of Maleficent and her "boyfriend" were staying, which meant the mayor of Storybrooke was cooking for what felt like an army. The teens were socializing and hanging out in the living room while two of their mothers talked privately.
"And it's powerful?"
"Extremely, you probably felt some aftershock of the blast. It was worse than Crystal's sonic blasts."
Crystal's waves of energy were well-known to the town already as being extremely destructive and powerful.
"The poor thing is scared to death about hurting people,"
"Ah…" Maleficent says with some sympathy. "The cornerstone of any beginner. Lily went through it as well."
"Emma and Crystal too. Since I studied with the Dark One, I was never given the chance to be afraid and to him, it didn't matter if I hurt people anyways."
"Me as well, but what about Mal? What sort of magic does she have?"
"Well, the dragon thing does not skip a generation," Regina replies. "It's the form she entered Storybrooke in."
"So, I've heard."
"But she does have other magic, including true love with Ben. We're starting to believe that their love is what awoke these other kid's powers."
"The bane to any curse," Maleficent smirks.
"But we're hoping you'll be able to help us. We start training tomorrow and we're hoping you might be able to attend. You are the only one who can understand what Mal goes through with dragon magic and such."
"I do agree that it's best for me to be there. She is a child of great potential. It's a crying shame that their world attempts to suppress everything."
"Well, you and I are living proof that sometimes magic cannot always be trusted."
"Indeed," the Mistress of all Evil chuckles. "You cast one sleeping curse…"
"Try a few," Regina mutters with a smile on her face.
"Well have a nice evening Regina dear and please ensure Mallary comes home safely."
"I will," the former Evil Queen says before hanging up.
She checks the roast beef in the oven before calling up the Blue Fairy.
…
As Crystal walks home, she can't shake something in the back of her mind, and it wasn't about Harry.
She turns a corner away from her house and down a different street.
Reaching the front porch she knocks loudly instead of ringing the doorbell, knowing Gideon was probably down for a nap.
Belle opens the door.
"Hi Belle, sorry to bother you, but is Dad home?"
"No, he's at the shop."
"Okay, thanks."
Crystal waits for her stepmother to close the door before teleporting to her father's shop.
The sign was up saying closed, but being the shop owner's daughter, she had access regardless.
She finds her father behind the counter sorting through some documents. He hardly acknowledges her presence, having long given up the concept of keeping his shop closed as anyone could
"Dad, can we talk?" Crystal asks.
His brown eyes flicker upwards to his daughter's face for a brief moment before returning to his paperwork.
"By all means talk," he says in a soft voice.
"I want to know why you were so excited about the Auradon kids' magic," she says. She remembered seeing the seemingly uncontrolled delight on her father's face earlier in the day. It made her stomach twist in anxiety. She, like everyone else, knew what this imp could be like, especially when faced with something that he could use or exploit.
"Well, it had been a rather exhilarating experience with young Evie losing control… a lot like your magic in fact"
"No…" she says. "That's not what I meant." She places her hands over the documents and slides them to the opposite side of the counter so that they can gaze into each other's eyes. She gives him a glare, demanding that they talk face-to-face. She knew that there was more to it than that… with him, there was always something. While he'd been doing well at being a hero for a while, VERY old habits die hard, and everyone knew it.
Rumple could always see Lillian Miller in those blue eyes, one of the many facial features that shone through in their daughter. His heart would flutter with sadness at the memory of his affair with the miller's maid, but at least a piece lived on in Crystal. The intensity told him that she suspected him of something.
"I wanted to know why you looked as if you'd just won the lottery. I know 'The Look,' Belle knows 'The Look,' we all know what happens when you get that look in your eyes."
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," he says, he reaches over for his papers, but Crystal glares at him and doesn't let him have them
"Why are you suddenly so interested in them?" she inquires, not prepared to let this go just yet.
"I've always been interested in magical potential," Rumple responds calmly. "It happened with Cora and then Zelena, and then Regina… and even you. While your power is mutated from my darkness and your mother's light, the unique magical abilities you have are of great interest to me. It's unpredictable and interesting. I often think of magic as a fingerprint or a signature, each is distinct and gives off varied patterns of energy. These children are no exception and since they come from another realm entirely, their magical "fingerprints" are unlike any that I've seen before in my centuries of existence."
"And you swear you've never heard of Auradon before?"
"Crystal, my child, even if I had heard of such a place, I would have no such interest in visiting it. The only reason I ever wanted to come here in the first place was to find Baelfire. You know as well as anyone that I do not take to being powerless."
The daughter rolls her eyes in annoyance. Magic was a drug, and her father was not only an addict, but he was looking for a way to make the experience better for him.
"The rather unpleasant atmosphere of happiness has never been to my taste. Besides, I likely would have been sent to that Island if I had been discovered," he continued.
The two snort in amusement at the same time, knowing the Dark One could have easily overpowered those in the kingdom if he so desired.
"You can understand why I'm not taking you at your word,"
"Of course, most people would not."
"But what was it that made you look like a kid in a candy store?"
"You must have felt it too," Rumple answers. "You're better at energy detection than I am."
Crystal tries to think back to earlier in the day and she realized that Evie's seismic wave had felt unusual, and it was powerful. Even when Jay's hands were on fire, the energy was different. And Mal.
"It did feel weird, but it could just be the kids' magic reacting differently in this world than their own."
"Quite possibly, and even when Mallory entered this world, her power is beyond what I'd seen… mix in true love magic and you have quite a combination."
Like me, Crystal wonders.
"My child, I assure you I have no hidden agenda, but these children need to be taught control for their sake and the safety of our town. You of all people know the consequences of unchecked, untrained, and uncontrolled power."
The girl shudders, knowing he spoke the truth. She sucks in a breath and closes her eyes to let the memories pass before facing the Dark One again.
"I simply want to study and find out where their magical sources are coming from, which is why we are having all magic users in this town be present in case they can offer input." The imp did resent the fairies being around as he hated the gnats with all his being, but with Jane and Tallia Bell, they will be needed.
Crystal finally pushes the papers back to her father, before going around the counter and embracing him, something that Rumple had begun to enjoy with his only daughter.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she says. "Love you Dad."
"Love you too," he says.
When the door to the shop swings shut, the Dark One retrieves a book to continue his research on sources of magic and finish his letters to Tinkerbell, Mulan and a few others who are requested to come to Storybrooke to meet their alternate children. As he removes the book from under the counter, out of the corner of his eye he notices that the white sheet of the mirror with the thorny frame is on the floor. Puzzled, he approaches it. He knew what the device could do, had similar power to what the Evil Queen's mirrors did, with the exception that this one needed blood to see one's relations. A perfect price for the king of prices. But Rumple found little use for the artifact as his family was here and the sheet kept it from gathering dust. He examines the thorns and notices a dash of red. Had someone cut themselves? Or had someone figured out how to use it? Who had been in his shop recently?
The Dark One ponders this with a frown but decides to investigate when all the other problems had been taken care of and he covers the mirror again without another thought.
A/N: Here is a new chapter. Thank you for the wait and I hope it's worth it. Please let me know if you would prefer a different chapter title, I'm not 100% sold on this one. . Please follow and review.