We all eventually made it to the beanstalk. "It's a little freakier than I remember from the story." Emma admitted.
"Reminds me of death." Mulan stated.
"Encouraging." Mal said plainly.
"Well." Hook started, "The compass awaits. Shall we?"
"Wait, if these beans create...portals, why not just pick one and go home, why the compass?" Emma asked as we walked to the base of the beanstalk.
"Because there aren't any more beans." Hook explained. "Whatever story you think you know my dear, is most certainly wrong."
"There was a guy named Jack, and a cow-"
"Giant who had treasure." I added,
"And something about a goose. Or harp."
"Sounds like a lovely tale." Hook stated. "But the truth's a little more gruesome. The Giants grew the beans but rather use them for good, they used them to plunder all the lands. Jack, whose mean fought a terrible war, defeating all the terrible giants. The beans were destroyed by the Giants when they died, they couldn't have the magic nobody could. It's very bad form."
"Evil giants, who made magic portal beans, why doesn't anyone go up and grow some more?"
"Because one giant survived."
"Great." Jay muttered angrily.
"The strongest and most terrible of them all. And we'll have to get past him-"
"To the magic compass." Mary Margaret finished.
"Indeed. The treasure remains and amongst it is the compass. Now it will guide us to your land." Hook pointed at Emma. "Cora has the means to open a portal with the wardrobe ashes, but she can't find your land without the compass. So we get it, Hadley steals the ashes from Cora and were on our way."
"Why do I have to do it?" I asked.
"How do we know you're not just using us to get the compass for Cora." Mulan accused, ignoring my protest.
"Because you lot a far safer company." Hook admitted, "All I need is a ride back. I swear allegiance to whomever gets me there first."
"Then we better start climbing." Emma stated. I gasped,
"I just remembered!" I exclaimed,
"What is it?" Mary Margaret asked,
"I remember reading that the beanstalk is enchanted." I took my bag off my back and fished through it. "It repels all intruders."
"Alright so how do we get up there?" Emma questioned,
"Hold your horses blondie, she has a plan." Mal replied. I bought out Mother's spell book.
"Here it is." I muttered, running my hand over the cover.
"That's Cora's!" Mary Margaret exclaimed. I ignored her and opened the book, setting my bag on the ground. I flipped through the pages until I found a spell.
"I only have enough magic to cast this spell on two people. So that means that we need to figure out who else is to go. Hook has to be one of them because he knows what what his doing, unfortunately."
"If you'd be so kind." Hook spoke up, holding out his bound hands. Mary Margaret handed her bow to Emma as she walked up to Hook. She glared at him as she undid the rope around his hands. Hook leant down so he was closer to Mary Margaret, "Thank you m'lady." Hook winked. I glared at him. I walked up to the pair,
"She is a married woman Hook, don't waste your time." I stated, pulling Mary Margaret back.
"Cora was to accompany me, as she cast the spell on herself. So, which one of you seven lovely ladies will take her place, hmm? Go on, fight it out. Don't be afraid to, you know, really get into it. Or if the gentleman want to accompany me, I'm alright with that too." Ben glared at Hook, obviously not trusting him. All of us grouped together, deciding who was going to go up.
"All due respect, I don't think any of you six should go up." Mary Margaret said, looking at us, the teenagers of the group.
"We do have experience in dealing with situations like this, 'ya know." Jay told her, crossing his arms.
"But you're too young."
"Too young to take on a dragon?" Mal challenged,
"Yes, definitely." I huffed in anger and sat cross legged on the floor.
"Then you clearly don't trust us." I accused.
"All due respect, I'm the best equipped to go." Mulan stated, "How many wars have you been through?"
"My share." Mary Margaret argued,
"It should be me!" Aurora told them. Mal, Evie, Carlos, Jay, Ben and myself tuned out after that, sitting in a circle.
"Imagine when we go back home what Lonnie, Audrey and Sonia would think of this version of their parents!" Carlos suggested. I let out a giggle,
"That would definitely not like them." Ben agreed. I scooted closer to Ben and rested my head on his shoulder. Ben wrapped his arm around me. After a couple of minutes, I felt someone poke my head. I looked up to see Emma,
"I'm going up, put the spell on us." I nodded as I stood, dusting off my dress. I opened the spellbook to the page.
"I'll hold it up for you." Ben said, also standing. He took the book from my hands and held it out for me.
"O magnum potestatem habitant in manu mea et scutum formet. Magia Flau!" I chanted. A golden light emitted from my hands and surrounded Emma and Hook. After a second the light faded. "There." I said, before promptly collapsing onto my knees. Ben knelt beside me to check if I was ok. After I assured him I was fine, I looked up at Mal, "We really need to work on our magic when we get the chance." I then looked over to Emma and Hook.
"I can't climb one handed can I?" Hook was asking. Emma gave him a look before pulling Hook's...well...hook from the satchel and giving it to him.
"Don't think I'm taking my eyes off you for a second." Emma threatened as Hook took what was his. Hook the latched his hook onto the stump of his hand.
"I would despair if you did."
"Let's go." Emma and Hook approached the beanstalk. Emma looked back at us. I gave her a smile of encouragement. The two then started to climb. Emma was, surprisingly, keeping up with Hook. I kept my eyes on the dup as they disappeared into the clouds. When I couldn't see them anymore I crossed my legs and closed my eyes, listening to the sounds of the wild.
"Hey." Ben muttered. I opened my eyes and smiled at him.
"Hey yourself." I greeted. Ben started to trace the Dragon Mark on my arm.
"I remember I first saw this was on our date."
"Yeah…"
"Do you mind telling me more about it?"
"You have a right to know." I sighed. I placed my hand on Ben's so he stopped tracing my arms. "I got this mark when I was a kid, around five or six. I don't remember much of it except pain. A searing pain as this was burt into my skin. The Jabberwocky gave me this mark as he died. He was a large dragon on a small island, I was surprised he lasted longer than he did. He never had any kids, can't have kids when the only other dragon on the island is stuck as a human. He gave me this to remind me who I was. I was the daughter of the Queen Of Hearts who ruled an entire realm with an iron fist. Now...I can't look at it without remembering what my mother has done and how conflicted I feel about all this." I looked up at ben, "You came with me because you wanted to see my mother after all I've told you about her, how do you feel about her now?"
"She's the woman that raised you, Hadley." Ben said, taking my hands in his, "She was the one who made you who you are today. I like that woman. But this woman who's trying to stop you from getting to the rest of your family, I don't like her. She's stopping you from meeting your father, your nephew, and I'm sure there's a whole load of people in Storybrooke who want to meet you." I nodded.
"Yeah…" I looked up at Ben and smiled at him, "I've got more family that I can count on." I smiled a little wider as Ben pressed a kiss to my cheek. I yawned as I rested my head on Ben's shoulder.
"Tried?"
"In the last twenty four hours I summoned two fireballs and cast a protection spell on two people, I need to rest. Wake me when Emma comes back." I closed my eyes as I fell into a light sleep.
TIMESKIP
I jolted awake when I heard the sound of chopping. "Whats going on?" I asked. I looked around to see Mulan hacking into the beanstalk. I jumped to my feet and raised my arm towards Mulan, holding my hand as if I was holding a cup. I glared at Mulan as she pressed a hand to her throat, her eyes wide as I lifted her off the ground. "How dare you." I growled.
"This was your sister's wish!" Mulan gasped.
"You may be our mentor but as of now I care not for your words. I have only found my birth family and I am not letting us be seperated."
"Stop!" A voice shouted. I looked over to see Emma fall to the ground. I released my hold on Mulan and ran over to Emma, Mary Margaret at my side.
"Emma!" She shouted. We helped Emma stand,
"Are you alright?" I asked frantically.
"Two earthquakes and a jump from a beanstalk, I think my brain's still rattling around a little." Emma said as she stood.
"I did what she ordered." Mulan told me and Mary Margaret. "Nothing more than that."
"Did you get the compass?" Evie asked.
"Yep." Emma said, pulling the compass from her back pocket to show us all.
"Where's hook?" Mal asked, looking up at the beanstalk.
"He's detained. Let's go, get your stuff." Ben appeared beside me and offered me my bag. I smiled as I took it, slinging it over my shoulder. "We've got ten hours before he follows us."
"Wait, how did you manage to convince him to stay?" Carlos questioned as most of us went to gather our things. Mary Margaret and I stood by Emma.
"I got a friend looking after him 'till then." Mary Margaret and I pulled Emma aside,
"You told her to cut it down?" Mary Margaret asked,
"Yes, I couldn't risk-"
"What were you thinking?" I questioned hysterically, my eyes stinging. "I've only just found you and I'm not losing you. The only way we are getting back to Storybrooke is if we all go together. Do you see where I'm coming from?" Emma said nothing but instead pulled me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her tight, butting my head into Emma's chest.
"Yeah."
"Good." Mary Margaret finalised, placing a hand on my back. "Now let's go get that dust from Cora."
"Yeah, and go home."
