A/N: AHH! I'm trying out the short chapter. Puts a bit less stress on me, I guess. Have to see how it turns out in the long run. Here ya go, tho.

Emma's POV

Twinkling stars were beginning to fill the dark sky. Unlike in the many cities Emma had lived in, the stars here were bright and numerous. They were also unrecognizable. There was no Orion's Belt or Leo The Lion, only random dots that broke the darkness.

Despite said darkness, however, there were a lot of people out. Most were adults, human in appearance and actions, and the rest were children. Overall, it looked like Emma could have still been on Earth, just in a quaint town built in the 1700s. That is, if you could ignore the small, but noticeable differences. Like the handful of people that had plants growing on their arms, or the few whose features were more animalistic.

It made Emma feel a bit nervous. After all, she had only ever seen these kinds of things on television. But that had never stopped her crazy life before.

In the back of her mind she could still feel whispers, indistinct, but loud nonetheless. They filled the empty space between people. Her face twitched slightly.

As Emma and Regina walked further into the town, they could see the tell-tale signs of a festival going on. Stalls were open and buzzing with activity. Food was everywhere, and the warm smell of it filled the air, making Emma's stomach give a phantom grumble. Once they stepped onto the main street, Emma noticed banners hanging all over; they were a variety of colors, but they all held one thing in common. On them rested a symbol, similar to an upside down cross, except the longest line was curvy. The sight made Emma's body prickle all over, and at the same time her chest constricted against her will.

Attempting to ignore these strange sensations, Emma set her mind toward the task at hand.

Money was everywhere, luckily. People exchanged it for goods of all kinds. Adults handed some to children, who would then promptly run off with a huge smile. The kind of money they used here was spherical, almost pebble like. All Emma had to do was grab some.

If there was one thing Emma felt slightly grateful for about her childhood, it would be her ability to pickpocket. Her younger self, through trial and error, had found a way to easily grab people's extra change. Which was exactly what she needed to do now. So, with the skill of a master, Emma ran into someone.

"Hey! Watch it, lady!" The person spat out and stumbled away. Emma smelt a hint of alcohol on their breath.

"My bad." She apologized hollowly before slipping through the crowd and continuing down the street. She didn't stop until she rounded a corner. Regina was, of course, right behind her, and just a few feet behind her Emma caught a glimpse of Nadie. Stiffly, Emma held out the small bag, "Found some."

A bit surprised, Regina took the bag into her own hand. "Remind me to watch my purse around you when we get back," She commented dryly. Emma shrugged in response. She knew it wasn't reasonable, but she was still irritated with the woman.

Inside the bag were several metal coins. Inspecting them, Regina nodded, "This should be good enough. These will not be too hard to replicate."

Pocketing the money, Regina waited silently, examining the surrounding area. Emma, ready to just be done, asked tersely, "So, how're we going to find the others?"

Looking at the blonde, Regina reminded, with a mix of haughtiness and concern, "We arranged a meeting spot. Remember?" This time she kept her eyes locked on Emma.

'Who does she think she is to talk like that?' The thought popped into Emma's head. She was really getting sick of that. So, turning away from Regina, she shrugged, "I wasn't really paying attention."

Despite this Regina did not start walking toward the meeting spot.