Chapter 16 'Agerasia'
Cloudy skies were easily overlooked by the people of Storybrooke. They had gotten used to it since the curse and when gray days like these come by, they usually never think twice about it. The weatherman had said it was to last for a few days, concluding after the weekend. But when the gray continued for a week, the citizens started to think a curse had washed over them once more.
Days passed and soon it became a month of what seemed to be forever night. The skies darkened to the extent where you couldn't distinguish day from night. People were forced to bring flashlights to venture out of their homes in the morning, clocks had to be checked twice- This strange phenomenon was happening in not only this Maine small town, but in other states across America. Talk about the apocalypse bubbled within the population when experts had no explanations or theories of how this might have happened. Fear had now struck the hearts of people far and wide. All they knew was that there was no chance of a sunny day and it would only get darker and darker…
Tigerlily's footsteps echoed off the imperial walls of the Dark Castle. Her body jerked forward to the a distinct noise. It was the sound of a baby crying. She didn't know why but she had to find the source. The hallways were a twisted labyrinth and every door she opened taunted her with empty rooms. Frantically, she searched every nook and corner and could not find the baby. It was driving her mad. She rounded the corner, convinced she will find it in this section of the castle, when she collided with the Dark One himself.
"Not yet, dearie," he cackled and the cries intensified, both sounds burning her ears, "You'll have just have to wait a tad bit longer."
The dark provoked nightmares. Tigerlily had the same recurring nightmare since Emma and the others had departed for Neverland. It left her restless, itching to do something about it. But she was restricted to her bedroom due to her the gun wound courtesy of Princess Tiana. Yeah, weird right?
Bedrest. How Tigerlily loathed it. But she had to admit, the attention and care she had received in this time touched her heart. Fluffy pillows, the breakfast in bed, and the visitors seemed like luxuries to her. She was still wrapping her head around the fact this was her life now. She was being taken care of for once in her life, she was letting Jefferson, Belle, and her friends take care of her. She had been wary to not have accepted help before. She was worried that once someone helped her, it made her less as a person.
Now, it was nice. People care for her and that is more than she could ever ask for.
Too bad she was going to have to leave that behind. Bedrest was good for recuperating, though with the extra time on her hands, it had done wonders for plotting.
Plotting for a way to get to Neverland.
How could she lay in bed while Grace was in danger? That island was no place for her or Henry. It crawled with ravenous beasts and poisonous plants and rocky caverns. She couldn't bear to imagine Grace, dressed in her fuzzy, pink boots, traversing the harsh terrain of Neverland and wandering into Dark Hollow. Her shadow waiting to be torn from its person...As much as she didn't want to return, she couldn't just sit around while these thoughts lingered. She had to go after her. She had to do something.
Tigerlily called for her backup: The Zimmers. Their cover was a sleepover at her place and the plan was to scour the house for supplies. They were in her room now, waiting for Jefferson to sleep before taking action. Ava was perched on a yellow armchair near the window, staring into the night sky. Nic laid on the bed in front of Tigerlily, his legs sprawled lazily and his hands fiddling with a bobby pin. They were left to talk to pass the time and all they could talk about is Grace and Henry.
"Do you think he's okay? Do you think she's okay?" Nic mused out loud, "I mean what could they be doing to them."
"I imagine with Henry, they could be smearing the blood of a boar on his face," Tigerlily called from the bed. The twins stared quizzically at her, "To initiate him," she clarified, "They probably just want another Lost Boy."
She lied. It was more than that. She didn't know how but it sure had nothing to do with shortage of boys. Henry is special, and Tiana and Greg went through alot of trouble in kidnapping him. Orders from the Home Office? No doubt it was the Lost Boys' doing. She wondered what happened to them since Peter's passing. Ombra must me leading them, turning them into his henchmen for evil.
"But he isn't lost. He has a family. He has us,"
Silence overtook the room. Then, the alarm on Tigerlily's phone went off. They friends shared a look before jumping into action. The glum mood was replaced with a driving atmosphere. Ava stood up and rushed to the closet. Yanking it open, there was a large trunk with a padlock on it. Nic came forward with the pin and inserted it into the lock. Turning it expertly, he popped it open. On the opposite side of the room, Tigerlily had left the bed. She donned a pair of basketball shorts and a baggy sweatshirt that didn't flatter her feminine side at all. Slipping into a pair of Nic's Nike's, she went to the twins.
"Ready?"
Jefferson had this trunk moved into her room as 'Welcome to the family' present. It had been in his possession since the curse started and said it had always belonged to her. His only words about the contents inside were that they were to be used in case of emergencies. Tigerlily had no reason to open the trunk until now. The twins lifted the lid. There only two things inside and they were all Tigerlily needed.
Her bow and axe.
The mystery would always be how these ended up with Jefferson. She figured she had lost them during the transition from Neverland to the Enchanted Forest. Taking her trusty weapons in her hands, nostalgia rushed over her. Then she handed them to Ava, who had a burlap sack filled with supplies.
"From one to 'Deathly Hallows Part II', what is the chance of people dying on this rescue mission?" Nic asked offhandedly.
Tigerlily cupped Nic's face. She noted how young he was. His view on the world had not been tainted yet. This was no story in a book. The future lay unwritten. A happy ending is uncertain, "Beyond any scale," she whispered.
The three of them sneaked out of the room moments later. They dispersed, with Nic and Ava taking the second floor and Tigerlily covering the entire first floor. She trusted that her friends would do their job.
Tigerlily crept down the stairs. Her socked feet muffled the sounds of her footsteps as she came around the foyer and into the kitchen. Expertly, she slid to the fridge and scrounged for food. Ava and Nic had the important tasks, but obtaining things from the kitchen was incredibly risky since Jefferson was in the next room watching TV. Grabbing a cookie from the cookie jar was like mission impossible. Stuffing a couple of water bottles and kitchen knives into her bag, she turned to dash, but the voices in the living room made her freeze.
Shouldering her bag, she investigated. The kitchen and the living room were separated by a thin wall and a easy swing door, one that reminded Tigerlily of a restaurant kitchen's. Her hand added some weight to the door to peer through. She recognized two people arguing in front of the TV.
"I knew I should have never told you first," It was Belle. No surprise. The kind librarian had been a frequent visitor. She would drop by and see how Tigerlily was faring and often read her excerpts from 'Anna Karenina' to keep her entertained.
Now back to the present, Belle sounded exasperated and slightly angry. Tigerlily never heard this tone coming from her before.
"She has to know what is to come. Rumple gave me specific orders-"
"No," Jefferson interjected, "You can't go and tell people their fate. Prophecy or not. Knowing too much of the future isn't a good thing," Prophecy? What is this about a prophecy? No doubt they were talking about her. Digging her head deeper, she strained to listen. Jefferson was opposed to telling her though she would very much like to know.
"She'll be conscious about every move she makes but it will just end up the way it is foretold. The girl is already on her toes with everything that's going on. Relaxation, taking a break- that's what she needs," Tigerlily repressed a scoff at that. Only if he knew what she was up to this very moment. She wanted to know what this was all about
"The future will be coming at her, and you know Tigerlily. She wants to be prepared,"
"Such a burden to put on a young girl,"
"Agerasia,"
Jefferson frowned at the foreign word. It was just like Belle to throw out words from her extensive vocabulary, "What?"
"A youthful appearance that contradicts the person's true age. Tigerlily looks 17, but she's carried enough burdens to last multiple lifetimes. She is mature enough to handle this,"
"Not news this big! You're uncovering more than you think. Do you care about enough to think what you'll do to her?"
For the entire argument, Belle had kept a steady tone. But she reached her breaking point. She was not afraid to defend herself, resulting her getting into Jefferson's face, "This is not just about her! She has a destiny to save us all,"
"From what?"
Then, out of the blue, the power died in the house. Belle's spark of confidence went out as the lights did. The temperature dropped and Tigerlily could see a cloud of breath emitting from her mouth. The sounds of branches hitting against the windows mimicked knocking. The eerie setting reminded Tigerlily of unspeakable moments in her history. Sinister beings were coming. Suddenly, the house didn't feel so safe.
Belle backed up into a corner, cowering, "The dark," her voice was barely a whisper and it shook.
That was Tigerlily's cue to go. She darted out of the kitchen just when the windows shattered. Shards of glass peppered the floors wherever she went and the harsh winter air rubbed against her short-clad legs. Furniture Rounding the stairs, she raced up, ignoring Belle and Jefferson's calls. On the second floor, she searched frantically for the twins. They needed to be protected from them.
She found them in Jefferson's millinery. The room was trashed. The hats had blown off the shelves due to the wind. Scissors and measuring tapes were strewn on the floor hazardly. Nic knelt by Ava, whose hand was bleeding. She must have scraped it against a piece of window glass.
"Ava, are you alright?" She nodded through the pain. She hissed upon standing, "We're being attacked. They're trying to get inside- the Shadows. They've been the ones darkening our world,"
"That explains why its forever night," Nic realized. His face morphed into panic, 'They're after you Tigerlily. They've been informed of your return,"
A woman's scream alerted them. They had gotten Belle.
"Quick. Barricade the door!" Tigerlily knew the drill. The Shadows could do either of two things to a human. One is to kill them by ripping their shadow. The other is possession. They could bend a human's shadow to control its movements. On rare occasions do the Shadows control a human being. Only powerful Shadows had the ability.
She knew the Shadows had tact. They didn't kill Belle or Jefferson. They aimed to possess them to prevent Tigerlily from leaving.
Nic and Tigerlily made a barricade fortified with chairs and a dresser. Ava was nearby, treating her cut with a piece of cloth. Tigerlily then pasted the door lining with strong fabric glue. It might not do, but she was desperate. They heard people coming.
"Where is it?" the princess asked finally.
Ava pointed to the work desk, "Over there."
An orange hat box sat ontop of it. Inside was Jefferson's hat. The hat that can travel between realms. It was the ticket to Neverland. Jefferson had vowed to never activate the hat again and kept it out of reach, which meant locking up the millinery. With the twins' lock picking skills, they gained access and had planned to give it to Tigerlily later.
Tigerlily made the hard call of going to Neverland alone. Leaving the twins here with the Shadows ready to feast- it was better that way. The one controlling these creatures was in Neverland. She reckoned the place was far worse than what was occurring now.
People were pounding on the door and unholy sound followed each violent knock. Tigerlily wasted no time in opening the box and grabbing the famed top hat wanting to wait and see a possesed Belle or Jefferson, she gave it a mighty spin. The hat landed on the ground, its brim expanding to a size of a pool. Still in rotation, it created a mini vortex. Just one jump and you're in the realm of your choosing.
Tigerlily turned to the twins, leaving a word of caution, "Once I'm gone, those Shadows won't have a reason to play nice. They will kill you," Her voice quavered, "Now, I have something that could ward them off."
The girl stepped back and summoned the Light in both her palms. Her control had improved slightly. Fortunately, it was good enough to form two small orbs of light, about the size of a marble. She learned a little trick that enabled her to distribute balls of the Light. They were safe to touch and can fit into one's pocket.
"Like stars," Ava breathed. Her fingers were wary to touch one orb, but Tigerlily forced them into each twin's hands.
"They're cold,"
"I know. Never let go of these. They will protect you. I will be back soon. I promise,"
The twins nodded. The door rattled as the possessed Belle and Jefferson rammed against the door. Then a black smoke started to seep in underneath the door, spreading to the children's feet. The Shadows were coming inside.
Tigerlily didn't want to leave just yet. Her compulsory need to protect the ones she loved almost overpowered her voice of reason. Nic and Ava saw this and practically gave their friend a shove into the vortex. She was unprepared to fall but did so anyway. She turned and tumbled into the portal, hearing a faint shout,
"Bring them home!"
Tigerlily shot out of the portal and landed in a field of flowers. Sprawled on her back, she groaned at her harsh landing. A branch must have been poking out from underneath her. A very sharp branch. She recovered in due time, relieved her shoulder hadn't been further damaged during her journey.
The musty air of Jefferson's house left her, the aroma of fresh daisies and rain gracing her nose. Toucan squawks and the gushing of the waterfall mixed to make a harmony she spent her childhood listening to. Her grimy fingers combed the tall grass underneath her, crisp at her touch.
This was Neverland alright.
"So far so good," she muttered to herself, not thrilled to be back. Untangling herself from the sack, Tigerlily plopped her survival kit on the grass. She stood and fished through the contents to find her axe. Then the snapping of a twig interrupted her search.
"There you are!" Tigerlily swept away her bag with foot. She hid it behind the a nearby log and lifted her sweatshirt hood to hide her face. A group of boys in hoods approached her. It didn't take long for them to find her, and it made her wonder if they knew she was coming. If they knew it was her. Her plan would have failed before it even started.
At the front of the herd towered Felix. The years had not been kind to him. His face was partly caked in dirt and his domineering scowl was fixed permanently on his lips. She expected the scowl to deepen once catching site of her, but he showed no signs of recognition. Then she thought back to the tone he had used. It was bland, lacking venom.
The disguise must be working because he bowed to her. He was welcoming a potential Lost Boy. Standing up, Tigerlily pretended to be flustered and confused as she had seen a number of new Lost Boys do.
Dropping her voice an octave lower, "Um...yeah. Where am I?" she safely asked. Felix and three other Lost Boys crept closer to Tigerlily. If it weren't for the dark hoods, she wouldn't be able to pick out a face. She didn't know if they were the same boys she knew.
"Why Neverland of course?" They slapped Tigerlily's back in a jolly manner. It stung a little but she covered her grimace with a convincing smile, "This your home now, kid. We'll take you to our leader. He sure wants to meet the new ones."
No turning back now
Tigerlily remembered when Peter had first shown her his camp. She recalled the giant fire pit the boys gathered around to hear their leader's tales of his courage and triumph and the cots that were hung from the trees like comfortable hammocks woven from the feathers of the Neverbird and the cotton from the fields. The fairies would nestle in the leaves to guard the boys from the Shadows as their nightlight. Laughter and joy was the way. Beautiful and innocent.
But as Felix brought her to a blackened clearing with boys in grungy hoods sharpening their spears and concocting poisons, it was far from a child's paradise. Tigerlily could see the ropes that had hung the cots were sliced, now swinging eerily with the wind. Some tied into nooses. The leaves were absent of the firefly light which provided protection. The fairies were dead. They had been killed not long after her wedding.
Tigerlily stayed off to the side of the fire, awkwardly shuffling her feet. She needed to sell the 'newbie' Lost Boy act if she wanted to grab Henry and Grace and go. She ignored their stares. They eyed her like how a hawk does with its prey. She was in the presence of beasts, heathens, not boys. She searched for familiar faces because it had only been Felix she recognized.
Speak of the devil, said boy clamped her shoulder (her wounded one) and led her to the fire, and that was when she saw him.
Her blood ran cold and she forgotten how to walk. Her feet were anchored, refusing to move closer to the boy Felix was guiding her to. It couldn't be. She kept telling herself. This was an illusion.
He was darker than she remembered. He gazed sullenly into the fire as if its light pained him. The spark of boyish mischief still remained in his eyes but he was longing for something. Something to quench his thirst for not adventure anymore, but power. He sprouted an inch or two and had the decency to wear shoes now. Vermillion tinge shrouded most of his signature green eyes.
It was the boy who caused her much grief, much sorrow. This boy made her feel a range of emotions, from joy to fury. This boy spun magic to become a god, only to morph into a demon.
He was alive.
Shit.
A/N: Reviews! Oh how I love them! It makes me so happy to hear what you guys think of the story. In fact, they made me so happy, I'm treating you with two chapters in one update! No flashbacks in this one though.
We're getting closer to figuring out what Ombra's plans are. It's not like on the show. And remember the prologue written so many months ago? I mentioned the power of controlling people. That's what Ombra's been doing to Peter all this time, though as the years went by his possession of him grows stronger.
The season finale looks amazing! Can not wait for tonight! So much CS. I'm debating whether or not to include CS in the story or TinkerHook. I prefer Captain Swan, but Tinkerhook has a good relationship I'm willing to write into the storyline. What do you think?