Chapter 41: Rationale
Uma steps back in fear. She didn't expect this old man to be able to conjure up fireballs and who knows what else. She may have magic of her own, but it's a far cry from what she is seeing right now. Her heart leaps from her chest into her throat and she's unable to really speak or breathe. She immediately regrets the taunts she made towards this man, especially teasing him about his affliction with a cane. She feels stupid for trying to pick a fight with him, the impulsivity of her nature likely to become her downfall if she doesn't de-escalate the situation soon. Her sword lowers slowly with hesitation and fear. She tries to remain brave, but the fact that she has picked a fight with a very powerful sorcerer has shaken her confidence extremely hard.
Rumple can sense the girl's hesitation, pleased that her stubborn ego has been deflated and is finally allowing common sense to take over. She needs to realize that she is no match for him in any shape or form. It was very unlikely that he would do anything to harm the child, he was a far bigger person than that, but her next few actions should be thought out very carefully.
"W-Who are you?" Uma finally manages to squeak out.
"My name is Rumpelstiltskin, and I am the Dark One. Do you know what that is?"
The daughter of Ursula shakes her head, her turquoise braids shuddering with the movement.
"The Dark One is the embodiment of all the darkness that has ever existed in the realms. A revenge-fueled woman once drank from the Holy Grail and became the darkness that exists in the minds of all people and within the very fabric of these many worlds. The wrong side of a coin, that gives the person unimaginable power, very little can defeat such a capability. The lust for revenge and of anger from one dark-hearted woman becomes a lust for power; destroying the good nature or kindness that may have scarcely even existed inside the individual cursed with this wretched gift. We live eternally, beings that hang in the shadows; we continue to frighten and harm those foolish enough to become connected to us and to above all, snuff out the light. We destroy anything and everything that stands in our way of this mission… Now, are you still willing to taunt me, continue to call me a crippled old man?"
Uma swallows her fear heavily and takes another step back. Her back is now against the counter of the shop. Several books and the cash register are stacked on top of the surface and the teenage pirate feels cornered, with no way of escaping.
With great reluctance and embarrassment, she finally lowers her cutlass completely.
"Wise choice," Rumple grins and he extinguishes his fireball. "Now that you've had your history lesson and learned your place, I can assume that you came through the portal with all those other nuisances, and from what I've learned just recently, you all have alternate parents in this town. Who are your parents?" The purple-haired one had likely mentioned this one's parentage before, but it had slipped his mind as it seemed like an unimportant detail to his personal situation at the time.
"Why should I answer that question?" Uma snaps back, crossing her arms angrily. "You just threatened my life and where I come from, if someone threatens your life and then asks you questions, you either fight or die trying."
"That is exactly why you should answer me. If you want to leave this shop alive, I recommend that you do so."
"Since when do you rule this town?" she snarls stubbornly.
"I don't, but I am the most powerful being within it and I have the power to do whatever I want to you. Would you like to spend the rest of your life as a sea urchin?"
Uma glares at her opponent and remains silent; despite being deathly afraid of this "Rumpelpiltskin" or whatever his name was, she wasn't going to be a coward. She was going to remain strong and defiant to his demands. She'd never listened to adult authority before, they'd never helped her or they would simply threaten her life like they were doing now. She is not going to fold like a piece of paper, she listens to herself and only herself.
Rumple grinds his teeth together, becoming more impatient. Yes, he'd had to deal with Crystal's stubborn teenage angst and attitude in the past, and he'd nearly burned down his shop a few times while dealing with it. He was not a good father in the sense of patience or tolerance for such behaviour, something he is trying to fix about himself for Gideon's sake, but the darkness is slithering back into his veins. It is trying to provoke an attack on this girl, and while she is far from innocent, she does not deserve the fate the Darkness is whispering in his ears.
He clutches his fist, taking in a deep breath. He knows he won't be able to control this darkened rage much longer. He needs some time to pause and reflect, go back to the people who love him, bring the goodness and light back. His hand glows, he freezes Uma in her place so she cannot escape and could still answer for her transgressions later, takes her pirate hat from her head and then poofs himself back to the hospital.
…
Mal, Evie, and Dizzy have joined the group outside. Dizzy hugs everyone with great relief, happy to see familiar faces again. Mary Margret, David, a sleeping Neal, Belle, and Emma also join the group.
"Okay, so Mary Margret, Regina, and David, this is Ben, Doug, and Jane," Mal introduces them. "Guys, this is Snow White and Prince Charming, and the Former Evil Queen."
Dizzy's eyes widen in shock for a moment as the nice couple who had helped calm her were actually Prince Charming and Snow White. She has an impulse to bow to them. Ben does his best to try and appear professional and royal, he stands up and goes to shake the hands of these royals.
"King Ben of Auradon," he says, shaking David's hand firmly. "It is an honour to meet this town's royalty. Hello Prince, Charming and Princess Snow. Your Majesties."
Mal does her best to not smile, despite everything that has happened, her ex still tries to remain diplomatic and polite while meeting royalty. The people are not even wearing crowns and yet Ben is bowing like they must be worshipped like gods.
Emma snickers to herself and goes to be next to Killian. "Kid," she says to Ben. "Just so you know, royalty doesn't really exist here. At least not in the sense that Mal describes in Auradon. My parents may be Snow White and Prince Charming, but here… they're just my parents. My mom's a teacher and my dad's a farmer. The closest thing to royalty we have is Regina, who is our mayor and our leader of the town. Does that make sense?"
Ben's eyes look at Regina's accented face and he swallows a lump in his throat. He goes over to the former villain and shakes her hand. "Your majesty."
"Just call me Regina," the former evil queen says. She can sense the boy's discomfort with the fact that she is a reformed villain "It will make this a lot less awkward for all of us."
Evie gives a small smile and then goes to see Doug. The two wrap their arms around one another and Regina is slightly taken aback by it. She'd seen her daughter run to this boy's aid earlier, suspecting a relationship of some kind and this fully confirms it to the queen. She gives off a soft smile, watching the two cuddle against with one another. While his wiry and nerdier appearance could be seen as off-putting, Regina can fully see that this boy respects her and treats her like the princess she is. It's the protective parenting instinct taking over, she'd felt the same way when Henry first started dating Violet, although she was more concerned with him treating her with respect. The newly discovered mother reminds herself that next time she gets Evie alone, she's going to ask her more about this Doug.
"And call us Mary Margret and David, it's easier that way," the teacher says, taking their sleeping son from her husband.
Just then, Rumple appears in the room, scaring everyone and taking them all off guard.
"Dad, where have you been?" Crystal asks. Gideon claps his hands upon seeing his father appear and reaches out eagerly. The Dark One obliges with his son's demands and takes him into his arms. Belle goes to stand next to her husband.
"An alarm was triggered in my shop when I went to investigate, I found a delinquent juvenile trying to rob valuables from my shop and had already struck once as the place was filled with junk food, likely acquired illegally as well. She had very bright blue braids and wore this hat."
He tosses it to Mal. The distinct smell of rotten shrimp hits her nose.
"Uma…" she hisses through her teeth.
"I assume by her foul salty stench that she is related to some sea creature?" Rumple inquires.
"She's the daughter of Ursula and a thorn in all of our sides," the daughter of Maleficent says through gritted teeth.
"Well, she won't cause trouble now. I've frozen her in place, so we can decide what to do with her."
"Rumple, how could you?!" Belle says angrily, shocked by her husband's brash actions.
"Believe me, Belle, this was the rational solution. She was provoking my dark side and I decided to come here to cool off."
"B-Belle?" Ben gasps, his mouth falling open in shock. "Mother?!"