3rd POV:
The curse enacted like a trees started to sway dangerously. The tents started to tremble, unable to withstand the impact of the curse. The very movement woke Destiny from her sleep. Struggling to keep both eyes open, Destiny sat up in her bed and searched her room. As her eyes adjusted, they widened.
Her table started to move across the room. The wind echoed a sinister whistle outside her tent. "What's going on," Destiny thought as she jumped out of her bed. She rushed out of her tent and a strong gust of wind hit her, filling her ears with its whistle. Peeling her wild hair away from her face, her eyes swept across the camp, spotting others emerging from their tents.
Her eyes rested on the middle of the camp, where a cloaked figure stood. Curiously, Destiny headed towards the figure. When she was close enough, she yelled, "Who are you!" The figure spun around, her red lips wearing a smile. The wind pushed the figure's hood off their head, revealing a main of red hair. Destiny gritted her teeth.
"Zelena..."
Zelena smiled widely, stretching her disgusting, green cheeks.
"Looks like my warning didn't sink in well." Zelena laughs at Destiny's reply.
"Did you really believe that I stayed away because of your little warning? You are mistaken. I would have tried to prevent Regina from casting that curse regardless if it weren't for my wounds. But. I'm here now."
"What are you doing here?" Destiny asked, disinterest in her voice.
"I had to make sure my curse went properly."
Destiny shook her head in confusion, "Your curse? What the hell do you mean?"
Regina and Nova were next to arrive beside Destiny, followed by Rumpelstiltskin. "Who is-" Regina broke off. "Zelena?"
"Hello, sister," Zelena snarled. She turned her attention to Rumpelstiltskin.
"It's been a while, Rumple." She winked at him. He stared at her eyes took in the gathering crowd.
"Well, isn't this lovely? Everyone's here to greet me," she cooed.
"Don't flatter yourself. You didn't answer my question." Destiny pushed.
Zelena crossed her arms.
"Well, it is my curse since I made it work, with my own blood. I must say, it really is a wonderful feeling when you cast a curse as powerful as this." She grinned at Destiny's confused expression.
"Ever since you all returned to the Enchanted forest, I've been keeping a close eye on you. And when I heard that you all had found a spell to travel back to Storybrooke, I couldn't miss it for the world. You could say, I was green with envy at the thought of not being summoned to cast it." Zelena let out a shriek laugh at her joke. Destiny clenched her fists.
"Why would we need your blood?" Regina asked. "Only Destiny's blood will work."
Zelena inspected her nail, looking uninterested, "Yes, the blood of the one with the darkest heart. One would think that would be Destiny."
"It is me. I have the curse."
"Do you?" She winked. The anger disappeared from Destiny's face, replaced with realization. Zelena fixed her gaze on the logs. A small purple cloud hovered on top. She held out her hand above it, revealing the thin wound etched in her palm. She turned her gaze back at the crowd.
"Anyway. We'd best get a move on. Just a few more drops of my blood and then all of your fates will be sealed. Who knows, maybe I might be the new mayor of Storybrooke," Zelena sneered, a gleeful look across her face.
'No,' Destiny thought. 'I can't let her cast the curse...'
Before Zelena's blood dropped into the cloud, Destiny collided into Zelena, both falling to the ground. Destiny glanced back.
"Emma! Regina! Rumple! Counteract the curse! We can't let it happen!" Nodding, they get to work. Caught off guard, Destiny felt something collide into her. She flew back towards the crowd.
"Destiny!" Killian yelled, catching hold of her before she made contact with the ground. Destiny's eyes shot at Zelena. Straightening her cloak, Zelena glared at Destiny, her face flustered.
"No one will stop me from casting this curse. Regina had her chance. Now it's mine!"
"Well, you'll have to get through me first!" Destiny countered. She marched towards Zelena, aiming a fireball at her. Zelena dodged the ball. She opened up her hand, forming a green, smoky ball in her palm. Grinning, she thrust the ball at Destiny.
While Destiny distracted Zelena, Emma, Regina and Rumple gathered around the purple cloud and concentrated their power onto it. The storm grew harsher as they fought against the curse, pushing the crowd further back.
"Just keep at it!" Regina called to Emma as she saw Emma's concerned face.
"You cannot undo the curse. It's worthless trying to fight against it," Zelena said, rising back up after a blow from Destiny.
Suddenly, the purple cloud rose up and dissolved into the atmosphere, resulting as another gust of wind that swept over the crowd. Silence filled the camp. Destiny's eyebrows drew together. 'Did we stop the curse?'
Behind her, Zelena screamed with frustration. All eyes turned to her. A murderous glare spread across her face.
"You fools! You just lost your chance of returning back!" She gritted her teeth, unable to control her rage. A smirk crept onto her lips.
"No matter. I'll just have to ruin your lives here." She turned away, pulling her hood up. She stopped abruptly and turned to Regina.
"By the way, sister, your castle is very cosy. You should visit me some time." With that said, she disappeared. Everyone stayed where they were, embracing the comforting silence.
Destiny's POV
I close my phone and walk back to Killian.
"What's up?" Killian asks.
"Nova just called, asking if we wanted to eat dinner with her at the Diner."
He wraps his arms around me, pulling me close. "I'd love that."
We enter the Diner hand in hand and no one stares. I let out a relieved breath and look up at Killian, smiling. He winks at me and leads me over to the table Nova is sitting at.
"Hey, did you notice-?" I start to ask when we sit down.
"That there were no stares? Yeah I did." Nova smiles and pours me some coffee.
We order our food and Killian talks to Nova about our date. I tone them out, looking around the Diner. Just as my eyes sweep towards the front door, Belle bursts into the Diner, looking flustered. Without a second thought, I stand up and rush over to her.
"Belle, what's wrong?" I ask. She runs her hand through her hair as she takes a shaky breath.
"I was at the shop working up front when I heard a noise in the back." She pauses and gratefully takes a cup of coffee from Nova. After drinking some and thanking Nova, she continues. "Rumple was in the back making sure everything was still there from all the back and forth from the Enchanted Forest. Then all of a sudden, I get really weak and sleepy. I've been around magic long enough to know what it feels like and I know someone was making me pass out."
"Was it Gold?" Regina pipes up. I look around us and notice Regina, Killian and Emma had joined us at the door.
Belle shakes her head and takes another sip. "No. He'd never."
"But how can you be so sure?" Regina asks.
"Other than my loving faith in him?" Belle asks, raising an eyebrow. "I heard movement as my knees gave out and felt arms catch me. I heard Rumple yell, 'What are you doing here?' Then." She pauses.
Nova looks at me, then back at Belle. "Then what?" She bursts impatiently. The group turn to her, causing her to blush. "Sorry," Nova replies sheepishly. Belle creases her forehead as if trying to remember.
"Then... I guess I blacked out. When I woke up, I...I couldn't find Rumple anywhere. All I found was this..." She raises her other hand, revealing a chipped cup. My eyes soften. It was the cup that represented their love. Belle hands the coffee back to Nova and grips the beloved cup with trembling hands.
"Who would want to take him?" She stops, her tears overcoming her. Her sobs rattle her body. I pull Belle into a hug and stroke her hair soothingly. I fix my gaze on Regina. Regina nods.
"Don't worry. We will find him," I whisper before retreating from the hug. I turn to Nova.
"Stay with Belle. We'll go to Rumple's shop and see if we can find anything that can help us."
"I'll come with you," Killian adds. I turn to him. Seeing my surprised look, he shrugs.
"Although I can't stand the man, it would be unfair to let his love suffer because of him," he justifies. Belle smiles. A silent thank you. As Nova leads Belle to her table, Regina, Killian and I head out. I shiver as the cold night breeze seeps through me.
"You cold, love?" Killian asks, taking my hand.
I shake my head. "A bit but I'll be fine." He lets go of my hand and before I could argue, he removes his jacket and puts it around my shoulders. With a sigh, I slip my arms through the holes.
"Eh hem." Regina coughs. I look up and she rolls her eyes. "Come on. We need to find Gold."
I nod, grab Killian's hand and follow Regina.
"This place is full of junk!" Killian exclaims. Once we arrived at Gold's Pawn Shop, we split up to look for anything suspicious.
"Hey!" I defend. "I found my necklace here." I look down at a shelf of trinkets, my hand rubbing the chain hanging around my neck. "Gold told me once that during the first move over to Storybrooke, everyone's little personal items came here. Their owners, if they lived in Storybrooke, would at one point come into the store and find it." I put down a rusty compact and move to the back of the store where Regina is searching.
"Find anything?" I ask, looking around.
"No. It's like there wasn't a struggle. There are no clues whatsoever as to who did this." Regina pulls out a chair, sits down and groans. "And just when we thought we'd get a break from drama." She looks at me apologetically. "Sorry."
I shrug and wave it off, "It's okay." I pick up a book and start leafing through it. "Belle had said something about magic."
"There are only four people in Storybrooke that has magic. Gold, Me, Emma, and You."
"That we know of." I add.
"You think-?" Regina trails off.
"I don't know what I think but it's a possibility." I put the book down and look at Regina. "No one can remember the actual spell working. There's a gap in everyone's memory. What if someone was there? Someone with magic that created that gap?" I propose.
"But how is that possible? We'd recognize a new face."
"Magic. They could've disguised themselves so we wouldn't recognize their face."
"So what do we do?" Regina asks.
"Nothing." She gives me a look. "At least for now. If we start looking for this person, word will get out and they'll hide. Right now, we just need to focus on finding Rumple. Do you think you could do a locater spell?"
Regina rises from her chair.
"I could," she answers as she rounds the counter and clears the space. I follow her behind the counter.
"We just need something that represents Gold," Regina adds. Her eyes wonder around the shop. My mind diverts back to the cup in Belle's hand. A look of realisation crosses my face.
"The cup!" I turn to Killian but reading my mind, he already makes his way out of the shop. I turn back to Regina instead.
"Anything else you need?" Regina shakes her head. Killian returns to the shop. Breathlessly, he hands me the cup. I pass it to Regina who gets straight onto the spell.
Placing her hands above the cup, Regina focuses deeply onto it. Nothing seems to happen. Regina scrunches up her forehead, a stressed look washing over her face. Heaving a sigh, she steps away from the cup.
"What's wrong?" Regina shoots a worried glance at me.
"I... I can't use my magic." I stare at her.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I can't use it. It's like the magic's been sucked out of the atmosphere. How can that be possible?" She whispers to herself.
"Do you mind?" I ask and she motions to the cup.
"Go ahead."
We switch places and I place my hands on either side of the cup. I close my eyes and concentrate. Normally, I'd feel the warmth of magic deep in my stomach as it rises and flows out of my fingertips, but now… there's nothing. I open my eyes and look at Regina. "It really is gone."
"What do you mean, gone?" Killian asks. I glance at Killian. I cross my arms, suddenly feeling vulnerable.
"Magic," I sum up, unable to emphasise on the empty feeling creeping into my stomach. Killian takes it in, speechless.
"Could it have been a side effect to the curse?" Killian speaks up, aiming the question at Regina. My breathing starts to grow ragged. Regina shrugs.
"Possibly." Regina's eyes rest onto me.
"What do we do?" She asks. Regaining my voice, I reply, "Without magic, we can't locate him. So that leaves us with only one option. We keep an eye out for anything or anyone who looks suspicious. I have to go..."
Unable to finish the sentence, I rush out of the shop. I stop and breathe in as much air as I could. My eyes start to swell up with hot tears.
"Destiny!" Killian's voice calls out behind me, his footsteps growing closer. I tilt my head back, trying to retreat my tears.
"Are you okay?" He places his hands on my shoulders, looking into my eyes.
I nod my head. "Yeah. I just have to get back to the shop." I jerk myself away from him and head towards the shop.
"Destiny!" I hear him call my name but I ignore him. I don't know why the loss of magic is affecting me so much. I shake it off and decide if anyone could help me right now, it'd be Nova.
I turn onto our street and run right into someone, their papers flying everywhere.
"I'm so sorry!" I apologize and bend down to help.
"It's quite alright."
I look up, not recognizing the voice. "I'm sorry, are you new here?"
She looks up and makes a face that almost looks like recognition. "Destiny?"
Now I'm even more suspicious. "Do I know you?"
She must have caught on because she starts defending herself. "I'm not a stalker, I swear! I was in your shop the other day and I was talking to your sister, Nova." I straighten back up, clasping her papers tightly in my hands.
"Ok. But how do you know I'm the one Nova was talking about?" I interrogate, not yet convinced.
"I... I saw you both at the Diner. I assumed from there," she stammers. I pass her papers back to her, my eyes still on her. A pang of guilt hits me as I look at her frightened face. I pull an apologetic smile.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I'm already in a bad mood so-"
"You don't need to apologize," she interrupts, her face glowing with friendliness. She hangs her hand out to me.
"I'm Zelena. I'm Mary Margaret's midwife." Something in the back of my head nags me at the sound of her name, but I don't know why.
I shake her hand slowly.
"It's nice to meet you. Welcome to Storybrooke," I reply. Zelena smiles widely. I walk past her and turn around.
"I've got to go. See you around," I say as I drift away from her. With a small wave, Zelena walks off in the opposite direction.
-THE NEXT MORNING-
"So... what you're trying to say is that magic is gone? Is that even possible?" Nova asks, whisking away at her cake batter. I move further back onto the table, letting my legs dangle off it. Half heartedly, I bite into one of the thickly iced cupcakes.
"It's likely that it's a side effect to the curse but I can't say. But like Rumple always says, magic comes with a price," I say, my mouth full of cake. Belle's distraught face comes to mind.
"How's Belle?" Putting the cake tray into the oven, Nova turns to me, giving me her full attention.
"As you would expect. I tried to calm her yesterday but she was insistent on finding Rumple. I'm thinking of going over to the shop now with some cupcakes. I can't imagine what she's going through. Is there any way we can bring magic back to Storybrooke?"
"It's hard to say, really." I swallow the last bit of cupcake and fold the wrapper. "Regina's looking through her stuff and we still need to find Rumple." I toss the wrapper at Nova.
"How?" Nova asks, catching the wrapper and throwing it away.
"I don't know, but it needs to be soon. Who ever has Rumple is a threat. A very big one if they can control the Dark One."
-SOMEWHERE-
Hidden away from sight in a dimly lit, confined cage, sits Rumpelstiltskin, lost in his own world. Beside him, stands a spindle. A means for him to pass time. He mutters nonsense to himself, trying to organize the muddled voices in his mind.
Light enters the room from above as a small door flaps open. A figure descends down the stairs, the light behind her masking her with its shadow. She approaches the cage and grips onto it, peering in with a smug smile.
"Hello, Rumple," she greets.
Rumple tilts his head, trying to give a name to the shadowy figure. Then, for a split second, the light behind her dimmed and the stranger's face becomes visible.
"Zelena." He growls.