TWICE CURSED
In response to guest's review: No, Mary Margaret and Ruby are just friends. If you want to know more about my policy on character relationships, you can look at my profile. I've got to warn you though, it's a rant. I apologize for that. Previously on Twice Cursed "Ruby and I are going to gather supporters, does anyone want to help?" Mary Margaret asked. Practically everyone else went with them, not knowing how else to help, since magic was way beyond their understanding. David watched, fascinated, as the red pushed on green, and then the reverse happened. Back and forth the colors went, as their wielders struggled for dominance over each other. Charming really hoped the red would win. "Dr. Hopper," a voice said, right as he was about to open the door. He turned around to face the speaker. "They don't need your help. I do." Belle was sobbing too hard to speak. "No, Papa," Bae whispered. He couldn't lose him like that. He bent over, to give him one last kiss goodbye on his cheek, as Belle did the same. A final, loving goodbye for a loving father and true love. As soon as Henry's fingers touched Black's forehead, their magic met head on; the pure light magic of the Truest Believer, and the sinister dark magic of the cruelest Dark One to ever live. Now was the time for Henry's theory to be put to the test. Did good always defeat evil, or were there some things that it could not overcome? Bae and Belle felt a shockwave flow through them, as true love's kiss broke the curse Black had cast. However, that wasn't the only thing it did. Rumple sat up, and hugged them both, now perfectly healed. "You broke the curse," he whispered, and Belle realized he wasn't talking about Black's curse, but the curse that had turned him into a Dark One. But she'd thought true love's kiss was too weak to break the curse of the Dark One in this world. The monster suddenly roared, and started toward them, having realized that the opposing Dark One to it's creator was going to recover. "Rumple, what do we do?" Belle asked. They had come here to recover the dagger, but Gold was no longer able to use any magic. He, Belle, and Bae would be easily defeated by the magical creature. "Run!" … A shockwave passed though everyone, and the town hall became a unorganized mess, as people regained their real memories, and attempted to figure out what exactly was going on. "Neal!" Snow exclaimed, taking her baby from Ashley and hugging him, tears flowing down her cheeks. This was the second time a curse had stolen her children from her, but at least this time she wouldn't have to wait twenty eight years to see him again. Emma and Killian almost instantly took a step away from each other, both blushing furiously. "I, let's, um …" Emma had absolutely no idea what to say to him. "We'll take things slow," he said. "Yeah. Really slow," she agreed. "What's going on?" one of the townspeople asked, everyone having finally calmed down enough to realize they needed to figure out what was going on. Snow sighed, not wanting to let her baby go, but she knew way more about the situation than Emma. Luckily, Ruby stepped up to the mike. "Okay guys, let's do the condensed version, so we can go help quicker. Ashley, Mary Margaret, tell me if I leave anything out." They nodded, and Ruby launched into an explanation, hoping she understood enough of what was going on to properly communicate the situation to the crowd. Well, she supposed she could easily get the main point across; Black and Zelena needed to be stopped. … Zelena's fire slowly inched closer to Regina, and when she realized she wasn't going to win, she jumped off to the side, letting the fire rush past her into the tree, setting it on fire. Hoping David wasn't stupid enough to stay in a burning tree, Regina tried to move closer to Zelena, only to discover that her sister was suddenly standing right next to her. She started to shoot a spell at her, but Zelena was faster, and she sent Regina flying backward onto the ground. "How can people choose you over me, if you're dead?" she asked, raising her hand to smite the sister who'd always stood in her way. David jumped down on top of her, aiming to grab Zelena's green pendant, knowing that without it, she'd be powerless. He ripped it off her neck, and sent the two of them sprawling onto the forest floor. She punched him in the stomach, trying to get him to let go of the pendant. He groaned, but kicked her away from him, springing back onto his feet. She was up half a second later, but by then, he'd pulled his sword out, and Regina was up, ready to shoot a spell at her sister. "Zelena, stop. We've won," David said. "Yes, stop before you hurt yourself. You're no match for us as long as we have your magic." "I suppose you're right, sis. It would almost be like Henry attempting to go up against Black, what with the minimal training he has. I'd be squished if I tried to resist you." Of course, at those words, Regina teleported away instantly. She'd already wasted enough time on her sister, she needed to go save her son. "Regina!" David yelled, but it was already too late. She was gone. Couldn't she have at least restrained Zelena first? "Goodbye, Charming. Next time we meet, I will have that pendant, and you'll wish you hadn't sided with my sister." Zelena burst into a run, and Charming followed her, but she managed to run faster than him. He lost her. … Henry concentrated, fighting off the dark. He had to win, the whole town depended on him. They needed him. It was finally his turn to be the hero. He pushed on the darkness, but it pushed back, and the Dark One's magic was much stronger than his own. It would easily crush him. But your heart is much stronger than his. You are the Truest Believer, and your heart, your love, can overcome anything. He told himself that, but he was still slipping. Black was winning, and his darkness was about to overcome the light. Perhaps there were things good could lose to. Or perhaps he was thinking of this all wrong. He was thinking like he was the only one fighting Black, but if he was relying on his love to win, then he couldn't be the only one. His family, his friends; he had to let them help. He couldn't be a hero on his own, he needed their support. It was them that made his heart so strong. "I'm not the hero!" he yelled. "Everyone who I love is." He let their love for him strengthen him, and that's when he started to win. He pushed back on the darkness, and finally, it had no choice but to relent to the light; the light of the love everyone had for Henry. He gasped as he opened his eyes, which he hadn't even realized were closed. Black was gone; he couldn't see the magician anywhere. "Did …" He was cut off as his mother pulled him into a hug. When had Regina gotten here? "You did it, Henry. You defeated Black. I'm so proud of you." "You helped. Everyone helped," Henry admitted, ignoring her puzzled look. "So, what happened, did he die, or …" "Yes, he's finally dead. He didn't return to the Netherworld. He's gone for good," Jack said. Henry nodded, half-relieved for everyone's safety, and half-shocked by the knowledge that he'd ended a life. "Let's go tell everyone the good news," Regina said, and Henry numbly followed. Being a hero definitely wasn't all it was cracked up to be, especially if it involved ending a life. He still couldn't really wrap his head around what that even meant; being a murderer. "Yes, and since the curse is broken …" "Wait, it is?" Regina interrupted Jack. "Well, I'm assuming. Rumple doesn't die easily. Hopefully, he broke the curse with true love's kiss, and broke his own in the process." "What are you talking about, don't you know that he can't break his curse here? True love's kiss is too weak in this realm," Regina reminded him. "Yes, but if Bae and Belle kissed him at the same time, his curse should break, just like I was hinting, and …" "You were hinting at that?" Regina asked incredulously. "Why do you think I told him to accept help?" "You need to learn the difference between subtle hints and being just plain confusing." Jack shrugged, looking a little sheepish. "Seriously, how was Rumple supposed to discern that from what you said?" Again, he shrugged. "People in the Netherworld would have gotten it," he muttered. "Well, now you're in the real world, where people need actual information to come to a conclusion. Vague non-hints don't work." "Well, okay. I guess my hint-giving skills could use a little work," he admitted. That's when it finally sunk in for Henry. He'd just ended a life. On purpose. How could he? He stopped walking forward, and both Pan and his mom turned around to look at him. "Are you alright?" Regina asked. "I … I killed someone." Tears started to flow down his face. "Black was a villain. Why do I feel so sad about this?" he questioned. Regina walked over and pulled her son into a hug, letting him sob into her shirt. "Killing someone hurts. You have to sacrifice a part of yourself to do it," Regina informed him, gently rubbing circles on his back. "But know this Henry, if you hadn't defeated him, he would have killed everyone. You made the best choice you could have; there was no way to avoid this." Regina stopped talking, and simply hugged her precious boy. She wished she could take away all the pain he was feeling, that she could shelter him from it, but it was too late for that. She was just going to have to help him deal with it to the best of his ability. After a while, Henry finally got his sobs under control. "I think I want to talk with Archie." It had been a while since he needed to talk to the psychiatrist, and he really needed a session after what he'd just done. "Alright, I bet we'll find him at the town hall. Let's go." Henry nodded, and let her lead him toward the town. Jack followed a few steps behind them, not wanting to bother Henry. Regina kept an arm around Henry's shoulder as they walked, and she hoped her little prince would be alright. … "Why in the world should I believe you?" Archie asked, instinctively taking a step away from the speaker. "Oh, you don't have a reason to. Yet." All it took was a simple wave of her hand, and Archie's eyes became glassy. He stared at a random spot on the wall, as he processed the images she'd implanted in his mind. "This is going to be all too easy," she said, smirking as she watched her newest friend. She could already feel him coming around to her way of thinking. Soon, she would be able to use him to get what she'd been waiting years for. … Suddenly, there was a loud poof behind them, stopping the monster mid-roar. They turned around, and saw that it was gone. It had just vanished into thin air. "They must have defeated Black," Rumple commented. Belle and Bae nodded, relieved that they didn't have to worry about being chased by the dark monster any longer. "Let's get the dagger," Belle suggested. The boys agreed, and they retraced their steps a little to find it. Unfortunately, that proved difficult. The dagger seemed nowhere to be found. It was Rumple who stumbled upon the dagger; that couldn't possibly be his. It was straight, and pure looking, with a white opal imbedded in the hilt. He picked it up and stared at it, trying to reconcile it with the Dark One dagger. It couldn't possibly be the same one, could it? However, Black had said the White Fairy had bound her magic to the dagger, and let him kill her so the dagger would control him. Somehow, he couldn't see someone called the White Fairy with a twisted dagger. He wondered if this was the Dark One dagger, restored to it's original, nicer form. "I might have found it," he called out, explaining to Belle and Bae his theory. Belle said she'd research it, and then the trio started for the town hall, wanting to learn what happened. … David arrived at the town hall at about the same time as Regina, Henry, and Pan. He'd been considering going to check on them, but had decided that he'd just get in the way, and he should focus on finding Emma and Mary Margaret. "So, he hasn't turned on us yet?" David questioned, nodding at Pan as he opened the door for them. "What? Oh, right, you don't know," Regina realized as she walked into the meeting hall. Only a handful of people knew who Jack truly was. She was about to explain this to the prince, when Leroy yelled "It's Pan," and the whole town was thrown into chaos. "Calm down!" she bellowed, and luckily, they listened to her. "This isn't Pan. He's Jack, and he's on our side." Everyone seemed a bit skeptical, but they accepted that answer. "Henry!" Emma yelled, running over to her son. He hugged her back, hoping she didn't notice his tear-stained eyes. He really didn't want to explain that he was upset over finally being a hero. "Charming?" "Snow!" Mary Margaret handed Neal to Ruby before running over to greet her husband, pulling him into a hug. Yet again, they'd found each other. "Not to ruin the family get-togethers, but what about Black and Zelena?" Leroy asked, reminding them of the purpose of this town meeting. "Zelena got away, but I have her pendant, so she can't use magic," David informed them. "We can worry about her later." "Ok, what about Black?" Emma asked, and she felt Henry tense a little. She hugged him tighter. "He's no longer an issue," Regina informed them. "But how did you defeat him?" Snow asked, and that's when Emma felt Henry start to shake. What had happened? "That's none of your concern," Regina snapped, trying to protect Henry from the pain he was feeling. "Suffice to say, he won't bother anyone ever again." The town grudgingly accepted her answer, deciding they could press for all the exciting details later. "Well then, now that we know Black's defeated, what should we do with Zelena's pendant?" David asked. He was certain he'd do a lousy job of protecting it. "I could keep it safe," Blue offered. Relieved, David handed it over to the fairy. Just then, the door opened, and Rumple, Belle, and Bae entered. Jack almost immediately ran up to them, embracing his brother. Rumple seemed shocked, before gently hugging him back. Maybe he could get used to this, having an older brother. "I've got to go," Jack whispered, shattering the illusion that someone in his family could stop themselves from abandoning those they cared about. "I promised the mist I would return once I defeated Black. But, if you ever go back to the Enchanted Forest, and find my body, you can wake me up." "But, I only just met you!" he protested. Jack backed up, smiling slightly. "I know you'll come save me. And then we can get to know each other, alright?" Rumple nodded. "Until then, enjoy the time with Bae." "Wait, why is Bae fourteen?" Belle asked, wondering if the teen knew. "When I rescued him from the Netherworld, the mist gave him a steep price. He had to become fourteen again to be able to leave. I don't know if it's reversible, but at least you have him back." Rumple hugged his confused-looking son. "Thank you, Jack. For all your help." He nodded, smiling. "Just remember, this isn't really goodbye. This is just a see you later." And with that, Jack disappeared, back into the Netherworld where he could continue to help fight evil. "Henry, what is it?" Emma asked as everyone erupted into talking after Pan disappeared. "I just need to talk to Archie. Where is he?" "I don't think he's …" just as she was about to say 'here,' she saw him slip into the town hall, unnoticed due to all the discussions surrounding the hall. "Ok, I see him. Do …" "I'll get him," Regina interrupted, not wasting the time it would take to force her way through the crowd, but simply transporting him in front of her. He blinked in shock, but Regina didn't give him time to recover. "My son needs a session. Right now." "Of course. Why don't you come over to my office, Henry?" "Yeah, okay," he whispered, and before they could make their way out, Regina teleported them away. "Is Henry alright?" Emma asked. "He will be," Regina responded. "Now, I'm sure you have several other people to concern yourself with, Miss Swan. Your parents look like they want to talk to you." She walked away then, leaving Emma to find anyone to talk to other than Killian. It was just too weird to see him and think he was her husband. … Everyone met for dinner at Granny's that night, Henry doing much better after his session with Archie. The psychiatrist had made him feel slightly better about being a murderer, but he knew it would take time to truly get over his sorrow and guilt. However, that didn't stop him from interacting with everyone, and getting to know his father, who was turning out to be a really great friend. Maybe he didn't mind that Baelfire was fourteen. Rumple and Belle sat next to each other, of course, discussing how they were going to raise his son. Mary Margaret and David sat super close to each other, just staring at their baby boy with unfiltered joy. Emma was avoiding Killian, but Henry supposed that everything couldn't fix itself in one night, and at least his other mom was happy. She was laughing at Roland's jokes, and sitting next to Robin, who was now officially courting her. Maybe, he thought with an ironic smile, they could get a week of peace before something else happened to the town. Archie watched everyone interacting from a table in the corner, quietly munching on his food. "Good job with the boy today; he didn't realize anything was amiss." He jumped, and looked over at her. "Won't they see you?" "No, only you can, and you'll look like a bumbling idiot if they see you talking to yourself." "No one's watching me," he pointed out. "And anyway, why would he notice? I'm very good at keeping secrets, after all. In fact, that's why I have my job." She had to admit, he was right about that. Doctor-patient confidentiality had given him plenty of practice at keeping secrets. "Anyway, enough idle chit-chat, I have a mission for you." He set down the fry he was about to bite into and looked up at her waiting for his orders. "Blue has Zelena's pendant. I think we should start by recovering it. Have fun breaking into the monastery." She teleported away, not waiting for his answer. She knew he would do it; he had no choice. She laughed to herself as she imagined Blue's face when she discovered the pendant was missing. This was going to be fun! Author's Note: This is it you guys! The end of Twice Cursed! Don't worry though, there will be a sequel coming very soon. I'll post a sneak peak of it at the end of this when it's ready so you can find it. Also, I will be writing it with my friend, VyeLoyomBrightwarrior, who I'll refer to as Vye. I bounced so many ideas off of Vye that we're just going to co-write it. I hope you guys have enjoyed it, and stay tuned for the sequel!
Back Home Once Upon a Time Main Page