"Hold on a minute, run that by me again," Emma said.
"How many times do I have to say this?" Regina sounded exasperated. "Emily is one or both of these wolves."
"She can't be a werewolf. Unless...Ruby?"
"Yes, Emma."
"Please tell me you or Granny did not turn Emily when she was with you."
"Fine, I won't then."
"RUBY!"
"I'm sorry, Em. It was a complete accident. She was in the woods during wolfs-time and she scared me and I attacked. I bit her neck, and immediately regretted it. Granny then started to scold me about turning people against their will. She has been able to transform, but with her magic, she can do it only if she wants to. I have never seen her actual wolf, so I can't tell you which one is her."
"Granny, tell me you can smell a difference between them."
"I can, but it's odd. They have almost identical scents, but this white one smells more innocent and the black one is darker."
"Do either smell weird for Emily?"
"The black one, but we can't be sure."
"Can't you talk to them?"
"I would never be able to tell them apart. They have the same memories."
"Okay. Regina, is there a spell that we can use."
"There is, but it comes at a price. Someone can magically become a werewolf for a bit, but it is very painful and we need werewolf blood to do it."
"Why does it always have to hurt? Okay, so we have two werewolves here that we might be able to use if they are willing and I am willing to find out which one is our daughter."
"Emma, it has to be me. I know her the best, so I need to find out which one is her."
"And if your wrong? What happens to the other?"
"If I am wrong, I hope she will be able to forgive me. As for the other, send it to the dungeon and we can discuss the punishment later."
"Okay. Let's do this and get our daughter."
They started to walk off, when they realized that there were some werewolves that were causing problems. Regina sighed and conjured some cages for them. She pointed and they both obediently walked into them. They were locked and carried with them. They ended up in a study and going through the spell book. Regina was doing her best to explain what is going on, so that Emma wouldn't freak out. Snow, Charming, and Neal were eyeing the wolves carefully. They didn't know what to do with them. Ruby gave some of her blood because this was partly her fault. She bit her hand and the blood came out. Regina was mixing the potion in this vat and when she was done drank a little part of it.
She screamed at the pain of changing. Her bone structure was being altered, her organs shifted, and her face was converting to look more like a wolf. What was amazing was that she was a purely black wolf with violet eyes that had brown flakes in them. She looked amazing. She turned to look at everyone and they were all amazed.
"Regina, you are the best looking wolf I have ever seen," Ruby said. "I am sure Emma approves. Now, find out who your daughter is, so we can deal with the impostor."
Regina looked at the two in the cages. One looked horrified, while the other was snarky, almost arrogant. Regina was barking, but the other wolves could understand.
"I have some questions that I know the answers to about Emily. Whoever gets the most right wins. You will say your answers at the same time. First questions, who raised you?"
"Eugenia Lucas and Ruby Lucas," both said in unison with the same tone.
"Don't use that tone with me. Questions 2, how long have you been fighting?"
They both answered the exact same. It was a little annoying at first, but it was also frustrating when she couldn't tell them apart. She asked the final question and the black wolf was the only one that knew. "When we first met, what was going on and what was I doing in the process?"
The white was silent, but the black spoke up immediately. "I was in a duel with Snow and we were sword fighting. I knocked her off her feet and you and David seized me, while Emma helped her up. You looked at me and called me Emily."
"That is correct. It seems like you are Emily. Now, what are you and how did you do this?"
"I have no answer that will help with that because I am not the creature. She is. I am the host and I honor your decision of choosing, but what is your gut telling you? What is your heart telling you? Because I have seen so many wrong choices be caused my the head and with no heart. I can't just stand here and let you throw me away like I meant nothing because I can't answer a factual question."
"I can't go back on my promise. When it has come to Emily, my heart has never helped. She means so much, but she plays with my emotions and I can't handle that. My gut keeps flipping between the two of you. Also, I was told you can transform in and out of a wolf at will."
"I can. I can't right now because the cages are magic proof. Also, if I did, we both would become one again because I am rejoining our bond as look alikes. It can only be attached and controlling if it can attach to the host in the same state, that is why we are both wolves."
"There is still nothing I can do. You will be sent to the dungeons and we will the figure out a suitable punishment."
"I accept for I can't change your mind, but I have some things I need to say before I never see you again. I love you, mom. I truly do. There is nothing I would rather do that keep you safe from heartache. I would have left entirely, but you would have suffered from my own selfish ideas. Don't let the past haunt you and make sure to listen to your heart instead of your brain. Never be afraid to ask for help and always make room in your heart when you love someone. I hope you find the happy beginning you were looking for."
Regina was transformed back into a person after those words. She looked at the little white wolf, but didn't want to go back on her decision. She looked at the crowd and told them to take the white wolf to the dungeon. They had to find a way to un-tether them from one another and Regina refused to give up. She watched as the wolf was taken away and waited for them to release the black one. Once they did, Regina was covered in dog kisses. She was laughing through it and was joined by Emma and Henry. They started to pet the wolf to provide some comfort in the situation. It is unconventional, but they can get through it.
The smaller one had a look of sadness on it's face and it was slightly whimpering. She knew what had just happened, but nothing can change her mother's mind. Emily Remma Swan-Mills was being sent to the dungeon under the assumption that she is not herself. Isn't that a bit of a fender bender? She was set in one of the cells and released in it. She looked around and there was nothing, but darkness and stone. She was confined to being alone until they decide her fate. No one is ever sent down to the dungeons, so she is more than likely to die without any human interaction. She was sad and alone again and there was nothing to be done about it.
Back upstairs, the black wolf was looking at Ruby and there was something still not right.
"Hey, I'm going to make sure our guest is okay. She still deserves to have someone listen to her."
"Fine, Ruby. Do be quick about it. You need to help me translate what she is saying, so we can break the bond."
"Okay, Regina. See you soon."
Ruby left the room with the adoring family. "Wolfpup, what's wrong?"
"Granny. There is nothing wrong."
"Yes there is. You don't usually leave like that without a reason, so spill or I'll tell Regina and she will get it out of you."
"Fine. That wolf that everyone is flaunting over, I think that is the wrong wolf."
"Why?"
"It has a look that Emily never had and when they were all talking. The white one says that though she can't sway Regina's decision she still wishes her the best. Emily is always sincere no matter what and that sounded like Emily. That other one is off and I need to know what is going on."
"If you're right about this, Regina just sent her won daughter to live in solitude for eternity. You need to be careful."
"I will, but I need to go. If I'm right, she will be the happiest wolf in the universe."
"Then go. Save our pup."
Ruby sprinted down to the dungeons. She looked and saw one figure in a cell. It was the wolf and it was so sad and depressed. It looked like a kicked puppy, though it could have been, who knows what the guards will do to protect a leader.
"Em, is that you?"
"Not now Ruby. I was just sent away, so I don't want a lecture."
"So, it's true. You're really Emily?"
"What can I do to prove it?"
"Your best friend when you were growing up, Amelia. What did you see in her that you knew you shouldn't have?"
"Joy, happiness, home. She embodied everything that I would get, but she would lose it. I would have taken her innocence and destroyed it. She deserved better and I knew that I would have never been enough."
"That is all I needed to hear. You said the same thing to me after you pushed her far enough away."
"Yes and after you slept on my floor for a week and started to complain about it," Emily chuckled.
"Yeah, but it worked. I now have a good way to tell you two apart. She doesn't understand the emotions because she never felt them. Why weren't you chosen?"
"Because I didn't answer the when did we first meet question immediately. I was going to go into the emotions that we all felt, but she heard the other first. I need to stay down here. If she thinks that the other wolf is me, she will be safe hopefully. I need you to promise me that you are not going to tell her about this. She needs to be safe and she can't be when she knows that I am down here, while some creature is up there."
"She has a right to know what she did. She needs to lock the other one up."
"The other one will dematerialize and then come at me again in my dreams. It will escape and cause chaos. There is no safe place if it is here. She needs to find a way to get our souls apart, long enough to see it's true form."
"You know that I won't be able to keep this secret forever."
"Just help as much as you can find away to get us apart. You can tell anyone, but Regina or Emma. Henry can help with this. I am sure he would love another operation."
"He would, but he wants a name."
"Operation Husky. Duh."
"Oh, right. Though I like Operation Night Howler, sounds cooler."
"Fine. Just go before you get caught. And don't tell them. Also, basic rule, if you have to fight it and it looks like me, avoid the face."
"Alright, pup. See you tomorrow with some food."
With that Ruby left the dark place. She really didn't want to leave her there, but she knew that she had to or else this would end very badly for the family. She was walking through the hallways and was looking at all the pictures. Each one was a little different. All the royal family portraits adorned the walls. Neal, Henry, Charming, Snow, Emma, and Regina were along the walls. She has never seen one picture of Emily, which makes sense, but it would be nice to have one. She was looking and at the end of the hallway where this years portrait will be there was a picture of a beautiful sunset with all the colors. It had a date, time frame, and a signature. SE. She didn't get it at first, but remembered that Emily used to love painting and her signature was usually just an 'S'. This was one of her works with a modified signature that also included her name. Sky Emily. She was glad that Emily was part of the royal line of pictures.
She continued to the gardens when she heard more fighting. She rushed over and was about to defend when she saw that it was Emily fighting David. Regina was partial to her daughter, but everyone else was not sure who to root for. Emily looked like she was doing great and that sickened Ruby. Emily was good, but never this good. This Emily was fighting like there was no tomorrow and that is a frightening thought to have. Then Ruby was confused, if this Emily was human shouldn't she be back with the other Emily, ut then she realized something. Emily is the host, so when she dies something, so does the parasite, but it doesn't apply the other way around. This was going to take a long time to wrap her head around. Everyone seemed to be too caught up in joy instead of the details.
David looked like her was struggling to go on, so Ruby took Henry and pulled him to the side. "Rubes, what is it? Emily is kicking grandpa ass."
"Henry, that isn't Emily. The one in the dungeons is and she made mepromise to keep it a secret from everyone else but you. There is an operation that needs to be dine. It was either Husky or Night Howler."
"Night Howler sounds better. What do we need to do?"
"We need to help find a spell to separate their souls and fast."
"Okay, but we need to hurry. If this is like a parasite, if it is away from the host for too long it grows weak. We need to keep it from dining because it could also kill Emily."
Just as Henry was speaking, David was knocked to the ground and was out. Emily smiled victoriously, but then collapsed to the ground.
"Henry, things just got a lot more complicated."