X Marks the Spot

Chapter Eight

When Regina and David appeared within her office in a cloud of purple smoke, David watched as Regina used her magic to set up a table as well as her equipment she used to run experiments on cursed items or to make potions from, then stood nearby in silence as she got started on running tests on the musket ball she had pulled out of Hook. Regina sensed that Charming was becoming impatient when he began tapping his foot of the floor and she turned her head to glare at him by way of getting him to stop.

"I'm sorry," he stated candidly when he realized why she stopped what she was doing and why she was looking at him so crossly, then quit tapping as he walked over to her desk to take a seat on top of it while he continued to wait. "I'm just really frustrated. It's as if we didn't have enough to deal with already. And now Black Beard?"

"Well, normally I would say that this other pirate is hardly worth the trouble, but… well seeing as he's done something to Hook that's probably trouble for all of us, I would say that I'd clearly be wrong," Regina replied curtly as she held the ball up close in order for her to get a better look at the object. "As for this tiny piece of junk, I might have been wrong about it being what caused whatever's hurting him. So far, none of my magic is detecting other magic that might be on it. There's only so much I can do to detect anything and I've just about done it. I don't think it's the culprit after all."

All of a sudden, the musket ball swiftly shattered as it burst into flames when she spilled a drop of one of her potions on top of it, then snuffed the fire while David immediately rushed over to her and asked, "Are you okay? What happened?"

Regina shook her head with confusion as she responded, "I don't know. I didn't think the potion I mixed just now was that strong. But even if it was, it shouldn't have done that. This thing must have been extremely old. Either that, or…"

"Or what, Regina?" the Prince asked again sternly when she paused to think.

"It's probable there was some kind of magic on it and whatever it was, protected itself so that it was undetectable to those of us trying to trace it," she answered in frustration. "I might have gotten too close, but we'll never know now. It's also possible my magic could have been too much for an ordinary musket ball."

David sighed and then spoke again saying, "Well, at least we can still talk to Black Beard. In case he's not much in the mood to cooperate, do you really think you can to convince him to?"

The former Evil Queen smiled smugly, then replied, "I can handle him. He'll talk to us all right. He just won't be too happy about it."

"I really don't care so long as it gives us the answers we need to help Hook," he responded coldly.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty," a woman called out from the doorway, causing both Regina and the sheriff to turn around to find Princess Jasmine and Aladdin standing before them with the genie's lamp within her hands. "And David. I'm sorry for intruding. It appears you are busy, but I was hoping we could have a word with you? It is about finding a way to return home to Agrabah."

David looked over at Aladdin and saw the shackles on his wrists, then with remorse he said to the former Savior, "Snow told me about the sacrifice you made for Jasmine. Isn't finding your city the reason why you did it though? So that a wish could return you both to Agrabah?"

Aladdin looked over at the woman he loved, then he turned back to David and Regina as he answered, "Yes. That is why I put these shackles on. But we know that making wishes comes with a price. I learned that from the first genie who allowed me to find Jasmine. Had I not been thieving in the market where I was that day, having found myself poor once again after I made my final wish, I never would have met her. My three wishes worked out for me and the genie who became my closest friend in the end, but it was also because of them that I almost lost what little I cared about, and nearly myself as well. I fear what might happen to Jasmine, should she make a wish now even if it is for the good of finding our home."

"We were hoping that we can make making a wish our last resort," Jasmine continued nervously. "I fear that the consequences might not affect me as much, but my city and my people even more so. And Aladdin too."

"That's certainly understandable," Regina replied, then looked between the two men with them before she turned back to the Princess. "But I'm afraid that so long as the Evil Queen has control over the ins and outs of Storybrooke while her spell around the town remains, no one can escape to anywhere. At least not without magic… as powerful as a wish. Even if we could get the Apprentice's wand back from Gold, not even it could help us right now."

Jasmine turned away from everyone in disappointment while Aladdin moved to stand behind her as he supportively put his hand on her shoulder, then he looked back to the others with them and asked, "Do you suppose there's a chance we could convince the Dark One to help us get home. I mean, I know he probably isn't too happy that I've stolen that wand I took from him for Belle in the first place, or what's now my lamp."

Charming shook his head as he responded, "Unfortunately, we've managed to make him even angrier and there isn't a chance that he'll be willing to help any one of us out. Not now, not any time soon."

"So there's no choice then, but to use a wish?" the Princess stated sadly.

"I'm afraid so," Aladdin answered as he pulled her into a hug. "But don't worry about me or anything else right now. Whatever the consequence, we will deal with it together. I'm here for you all the way, Princess. No matter what and I assure you that's not just because you're my master right now."