Alice continued to travel and try to make her way in the world singing helped her but there was still quite a bit of competition and some days she made almost no money. Being forced to resort to finding scarce food in the forest.
Her parents had taught her how to forage for some of it which was useful but she had some close calls all the same. A poorly chosen berry left her sick for days and a week went by she had to survive on tree bark.
It was becoming clear that she needed to find some way to supplement her income. Performing was not enough. But her voice was all she had. One night as she sat in the corner of a tavern eating what could GENEROUSLY be called soup, she overheard some people talking about a rat problem.
"They've been eating through the food in the barns and biting the children making them sick," said one fellow.
"We've tried the rat traps but they just come back the damn things," grumbled another man.
A thought struck Alice as she left that night. And finding a branch she spent the night through whittling herself a pipe with a knife she'd stolen from a smith. It wasn't as fancy as her father's pipe but it was serviceable. Her father had only been able to use the pipe for his magic but they'd found that she could more easily target her tunes with instruments.
Her voice worked better for wide crowds. Seeing a nearby squirrel she decided to test her theory. After all, if she could influence human minds the mind of an animal couldn't be that difficult. Slowly she played a hypnotic tune on the pipe channeling her intent into every note.
The squirrel froze and then it began to creep towards her. Close and closer it came until it was right at her foot. The creature almost seemed dazed. She stopped playing and the squirrel shook its head before scampering away.
She had her new plan.
OUAT
The next day Alice walked confidently into town and sat back at the tavern. When talk of the rat problem crept up, she spoke up.
"I could help you with that." Heads turned. A burly man with a dark beard scoffed.
"You? What could you do girl?" Not wanting to give away the game just yet Alice shrugged. "Give me a chance and I'll prove it to you. I'll get the rats out of town and keep them out. For a price. Fifty gold for the whole town."
"Fifty? As if a child could do that," said another man.
"Fine sixty. I do it for sixty. If I fail, I pay you."
"Sounds fair to me," said the barkeep.
"When can you do this?" asked a woman by the door.
"Today," said Alice with a smirk before standing up and heading out. Several people followed her as she headed for the center of town. Once she was there, she took out her pipe and started to play.
At first there were jeers and a few people began to walk away. But then the jeers were replaced by cries as rats began to scurry out of hiding and into the town square to where she stood. More and more gathered as her song wove inside their tiny minds bending them to her will.
When at last the rats ceased to come she stepped down from her seat and began to walk away out of town the rats followed in a line and many people followed after wondering what she was doing as she played. She walked until she reached a river just outside town it was deep and swift. If one fell in it the current would likely snatch them away.
It was into this river she forced the rats. One by one they jumped in driven to die by her command. For simply taking them out of town would not have been enough. They'd have returned as soon as she left. The rats washed away. It was only when the last one was drowned that she removed the pipe from her lips and turned to look at those who had to come to watch.
Some were mesmerized, others looked amazed, and a few disgusted. She raised an eyebrow.
"Well? I told you I could do it." The barkeep who had come nodded.
"Indeed you did. We'll get you your money Miss?" Alice paused if Cora was hunting her perhaps her true name was not one that should be bandied about.
"Piper. You can call me the Piper," she replied crisply before following them back to the inn.
OUAT
As it turned out pest removal was a significantly better business than just singing. She still did the latter but whenever she heard about a pest problem, she was the first to offer her services. The money tided her over though it couldn't be said to be completely reliable. After all infestations weren't uncommon but they weren't everywhere.
She kept on the move continuing to hone her magic. Each day she'd find time to call different creatures to her, slowly moving up to more and more complicated ones learning how to hypnotize them with her song.
Tinier ones like rodents were easily swayed but smarter ones like deer, and even the occasional bear were trickier. She also found herself getting worn out the longer she performer her magic on a great number of complex creatures.
Then there were the different types of songs. Each one was influenced by her intent but she changed the tune each time to match that. A soothing song for a hypnosis. A quick one if she wanted to distract or agitate a creature. She had a feeling that harsher tunes would likely cause pain but she'd not ever tried that out.
This was very different than how her father had always taught her to use her music. He'd always been very much a pacifist when it came to his musical talents, he knew the power he carried and didn't want it ever used against even the tiniest creature let alone a person, at least not in a hurtful light. Influence to get a little extra money was one thing, but killing, that was another.
Unfortunately that was not an option for Alice. Or at least it was not one she was willing to take. She needed the money and while she didn't take pleasure in killing the animals she exterminated she wasn't crying over it.
Still in her opinion it wasn't like she was really harming people. The creatures that infested the towns were technically harming the people there. Taking them out was helping the people.
She kept an ear out for news of Regina who had married the King unsurprisingly, though there was no word of Cora. Not that Alice was willing to take any chances and relax.
OUAT
Before she knew it three years had passed and she was twenty. It was upon that birthday that she sat in the town square of Hamlin. Nearby some children played one dropped a doll and she reached to hand it to them.
"Hello," she said.
"Hello," replied the little girl shyly. "Would you all like some music to dance to?" she asked for she had noticed the children had been pretending to dance to none existent music.
"Would you?!" exclaimed one. Alice nodded. She enjoyed children. Placing the pipe to her lips she played a merry tune not bothering to put any magic into it. When she was done the children thanked her profusely which made her smile. Deciding it was time to see if there was any chance of earning money via extermination she headed to the tavern where one could usually hear the best news.
"The mice have been getting into the feed again."
"We've got to get rid of them." Hearing this news Alice as usual declared herself in a, mostly friendly manner, as the Piper and offered her services which the town accepted for a generous, but reasonable price.
And so she charmed the mice of Hamlin as she had so many others leading them away and sending them off a precipice just off the edge of town. When the job was done, she returned where the mayor and several townsfolk were waiting for her.
"The job is done, you shan't have anymore issues with the mice," she said politely, holding out her hand for the money. The mayor smirked.
"We thank you for your help but we won't be paying. It doesn't seem fair to pay for something that likely would have resolved with time."
"Resolved with time? It was you who agreed to my assistance to end the conflict!" exclaimed Alice indignantly.
"Yes, and now we'll let you leave. Run along now," said the mayor dismissively. Alice glared.
"You sir are all breaking your..." however before she could finish her rant she was being grabbed by several men one hit her on the head and she blacked out.
When she came to she was tied up in the wood with the men who seemed to have just finished taking her out of town.
"Ah! Little missy is awake," said one.
"Now we can have some fun," sneered another. Alice's eyes widened no this was not happening as one man reached for her again. She screamed it was high pitched and the men cried out in pain. Covering their ears. Alice didn't know what panic had been released inside of her but she continued the men were in too much pain to stop her as their ear began to bleed and the sanity began to leave their faces they dropped their weapons rolling and rocking on the ground. A knife fell near her and she fumbled to grab it cutting herself free.
Her screams had driven them to insanity. Now they would fully pay. She took the knife and slit their throats without a second thought.
Fury coursed through her at the wrong done her. She'd helped these people and in return they'd betrayed her. It was abominable behavior. They would regret it. They'd not only refused to pay her they'd tried to harm her.
There was no mistake about what the men would have done to her had she not defended herself.
She cleaned the knife and stuck it in her belt before heading back towards the rim of town. It was getting late and she had the perfect revenge in mind. They'd taken what was rightfully hers so she'd take what was theirs.
Author's Note: Dun Dun DUNNN! And so the Pied Piper begins to flourish! If you like the story please leave a note below! Until next time! Thanks for reading!