Disney's Tinker Bell in Storybrooke
A Disney Fairies / Once Upon A Time Crossover
Season 1, Episode 11, Chapter 8

STORYBROOKE, MAINE

Emma and Sydney were preparing to sabotage Regina at the upcoming Town Council meeting. The pair sorted through the documents they had acquired from the mayor's office. Included were payment receipts and blueprints. "What is she building out there, a castle?" Emma muttered.

"We've got her," Sydney exclaimed.

Then Emma began to balk at what they were about to do. She couldn't go through with this. "It's fruit of the poisonous tree, Sydney," she told him. This evidence was illegally obtained and wouldn't hold up in a court of law. Waving around these documents, which were only found on the mayor's computer, would definitively reveal that they had broken into the mayor's office and stolen them. Moreover it would disclose to Henry that Emma had done exactly what she had promised she would not do. Stoop to Regina's level.

Sydney was beside himself. They had come so far and now Emma wanted to back out over her conscience. "If you don't do this I will," he told her. His words didn't sway her. Desperate he pulled out a shoebox and plopped it down in front of the sheriff.

Inside were hundreds of photographs of Emma and Henry together. "She had me follow you," he confessed, looking regretful for his past actions. The photos dated back to just after Emma first arrived in Storybrooke. Pictures showed them on Main Street, at Granny's Diner, in her yellow Beetle and several at Henry's "castle" the old wooden playhouse destroyed by the storm. One such moment Emma remembered distinctly. She had her arm around the boy consoling him just after Graham died.

Swan was infuriated. Regina wasn't just keeping tabs on them she had used Sydney to intrude on private and personal moments. She had gone too far. Anger and hate welled inside of her. Emma wanted a taste of revenge. "Alright, Sydney, let's do this."

~O~

Monday morning came. The Super Bowl had left a bitter taste in everyone's mouth. The New York Giants were the NFL Champions again but Claire had already put it behind her. She was confident the Patriots would win back the Lombardi Trophy soon enough. Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick had a knack for keeping the team highly competitive each year.

In the here and now, though, the City of Storybrooke was holding a Town Council meeting and Claire had opened up her calendar to attend today's session. Tina was dropped off at school and Valerie agreed to accompany her. As the two women approached the front steps they spotted Hartley at the top of the stairs.

"Funny meeting you here," he told Claire with a welcoming smile.

"I was about to say the same thing to you," she replied while coyly pulling a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. "I didn't know you had any interest in these meetings."

"Funny, I was about to say the same thing about you," he replied, playfully tossing back Claire's own words.

She admitted that it was rare for her to have a free day to attend. She had work and family to attend to frequently. But on a day like today she was more than willing to sit in and listen. "I've always had this strange fascination with how a government works. I even have this little voice inside that tells me I might be good at this sort of thing. Y'know, sitting on the council. I never listen to it, though."

"Really? Why haven't you?"

Claire laughed at just how unrealistic the whole idea sounded.

"Yes, why haven't you?" Valerie cut in. "You would be great at it."

"Oh no, dear. I wouldn't."

"Yes you would," Valerie responded doggedly. "You're the Queen of Pixie Hollow. That's why you have that desire to be on the council. You're the ruler of an entire kingdom, born with the special leadership talent."

"Well, it seems you have an advocate," Hartley grinned.

Claire put her arms around the girl both in gratitude and to console her. "Oh thank you, sweetheart, but I'm not a queen. And even if I were this isn't a monarchy it's a democracy. First I would have to campaign to get elected. Once I'm on the council I can't just make law on a whim. Bills have to be introduced followed by open debate and votes have to be cast by the other council members. If a bill fails to get a majority of votes then it doesn't become law. But thank you for that wonderful voice of confidence. It's much appreciated."

~O~

PIXIE HOLLOW, NEVER LAND (The Late Georgian Period)

Marianna's watery fish ride had become the attraction of the day. Every creature in the pond that could swim had to try it at least once. Too often, though, the fish couldn't wait to go back and ride it again.

By the evening none of the fish had moved on upstream. They were too taken with Marianna's ride to go on about their business. That is when she realized that they had accomplished nothing all day. Marianna finally remembered why she so loved being a water talent and why she wanted to teach others. Somehow over the decades the instructor forgot her past and gave in to the cynicism of dealing with sometimes difficult students.

Now she was taken back to those heady days as a young initiate learning her trade and just how much fun she used to have. Yet as the sun dipped low on the horizon it was another memory that took front and center in her mind.

Realizing that the fish were unwilling to carry on so the other water talents downstream could do their work and meet their quotas Marianna felt as though she had let down her brothers and sisters in the guild. This was why Cordelia didn't want Marianna fooling around. It was why Marianna didn't want Silvermist to do the same.

These fish, fun and precious as they were, had to swim further along the stream to spawn. Then as they matured they would be taken to the mainland to populate the rivers and lakes where the humans lived. Keeping them here to play put the entire process out of sync.

"We have jobs to do," Marianna told Silvermist. "As much as we want to entertain this lovely creature it can get in our way."

The young fairy looked sullen. "I understand now," she replied looking further up the stream. She could only imagine the angry faces on the other water talents as they were kept waiting for fish that never arrived. "I'll be more focused next session."

"Thank you, Sil. We can make instruction engaging and fun, but it cannot get in the way of our duties."

Silvermist nodded. "But afterwards I can't make any promises."

Marianna smiled. "Afterwards you can play all you want."

Marianna sighed. She broke down the complex structure she had built out of water and let it fall back into the pond. That fulfillment she had felt earlier didn't fall apart, though. It stayed, never allowing her to forget just how much fun being a water fairy could be.

"I'll see you here tomorrow, then?" Marianna asked her student.

"Tomorrow, bright and early," Silvermist replied. "This time I will be ready."

As the two parted for the evening Marianna was left thinking about what the queen had said the other day. The teacher had to learn what motivated the student. Marianna had certainly found it. Just as Marianna's own teacher had done with her.

However, there was a nagging suspicion. Was the queen talking about Marianna discovering what motivated Silvermist? Or was she talking about Marianna rediscovering her own motivation for teaching? Maybe she was talking about both.

She grinned. "I guess we'll never know."

~O~

STORYBROOKE, MAINE

Misty Wen woke well after her alarm had sounded. She slept through it, never remembering that it went off. Of course, she had an excuse. Sunday night was the busiest the restaurant had been in months. Though the game ended badly for the Patriots, the final tally for the dining room was astounding.

Dave even called to congratulate her on such good work. Since she wasn't up yet he left a delirious message saying he wanted to do it again next year.

"Oh please no," she mumbled. Misty's legs ached, her arms felt like jelly and her back didn't want sit straight. When she arrived home last night Ms. Wen was so exhausted she could barely cast off her clothing before flopping down onto her bed and falling asleep. She still smelled of fish, beer and the deep fryer.

Upon arriving at work very late she apologized profusely. Then she noticed that food preparation was severely behind schedule. "All of us, huh?"

"Yep," her sous chef answered. "I'm still trying to figure out how none of us keeled over after last night."

"DYAAAHHH!" A cook had burned herself. She was in charge of the soup and had fallen asleep while standing over the stock pot. Her chin made contact with the searing hot metal which woke her instantly, but not after giving her a minor first degree burn.

"Oh, that's going to leave a mark," Misty replied.

Her sous chef laughed adding, "Yeah, she's going to spend the rest of her life looking like Harrison Ford."

"Huh?"

"Harrison Ford? He has that scar on his chin from a car accident? Remember it was featured in the third Indiana Jones movie?"

Misty looked at the cook rubbing her chin with ice. "No. Sorry, I don't see it."

The sous chef sighed followed by an eye roll. "You're probably just too tired."

Despite how much her body hurt all over, Misty dove in and helped the kitchen staff in their preparations. The store was about to open for lunch and there were always a few customers who arrived promptly at eleven.

~O~

The Town Council session began in earnest. Behind the ruling body was a large projector screen which was used to display bullet points. At the moment it shown the seal of the City of Storybrooke. The hall was packed with citizens, as was the norm. Moments into the meeting, though, Sheriff Emma Swan stood and interrupted the normal procedure.

"I have something to say," she proclaimed.

"This isn't an open forum, Sheriff," Regina demanded. "Now sit down and be quiet."

"Or what? You'll bully me? I can't be frightened," Swan replied. That's when she announced that Regina had taken fifty thousand dollars from the city funds without authorization to build herself a house. Swan then held up page after page of documents which confirmed her conclusion.

Those in attendance gasped. Everyone turned to look at Regina for a response.

"You're right," the mayor answered. "I am building a house. A play house." The large projector screen behind them switched to the very same blueprints Emma had in her hand. Regina continued, reporting to the citizenry and the council that she had purchased property to build a new play house for the children. It would replace the old wooden, and unsafe, structure that was damaged in the recent storm.

Emma was completely blindsided. Nothing she had read suggested that this was anything but a residence, not a play area. Worse yet, Emma had been exposed to the city. She had shown herself as vindictive and untrustworthy. And Regina had gotten the best of her yet again.

The defeat stung, badly.

Thanks again for your patience. This episode will conclude with the next chapter. Thanks for reading and I look forward to your feedback.