𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑳𝒀 - Rumplestiltskin [2]

eight

8|darling

"Okay, so the protection spell is still up, so they can't leave Storybrooke." Celeste assessed as they glanced around the streets.

"Then what are they gonna do with the box?" Ariel questioned, following behind Celeste with confusion.

"If I wanted to make sure it doesn't end up in Neverland, I'd destroy it." She sighed, contemplating where the two brothers had gone.

"How do you destroy something so powerful?" The mermaids confusion continued to grow.

"You'd need something just as strong."

"Like what?" Ariel asked. "More magic?"

"No." It clicked, Celeste's face dropping even more. "A dwarfs pickaxe. The kind that can smash a diamond. The kind that their friends, who took Henry, used to start all this trouble. Come on, hurry."

They rushed through the town and down into the caves. Using torches from the pawn shop, they sneaked through the dark cavern.

"They're probably just ahead." Celeste whispered back to the mermaid.

"Shouldn't we wait for the dwarfs?" Ariel asked nervously, following close behind her.

"We don't have time."

"Here, use this pickaxe." The pair stopped in their steps as they heard the strangers voices.

"You can't do that." Celeste shouted at them, reaching for her gun and aiming it at the two men. "You destroy that box, people we care about will die."

"Then we have something in common." The one holding the pickaxe yelled back at her as they slowly walked closer. "Because if we don't, someone we care about will die."

"You're gonna have to elaborate, I'm not a mind reader." She sighed, lowering her guard slightly.

"It's none of your concern." The other one cut her off. "Now stay back. We don't want to hurt you."

"But we will." The first one added. "You should know when to walk away."

"I don't like walking." Celeste reached down and grabbed a lever, a mine cart rushing towards the two men. They ran forwards, Celeste grabbing the box while Ariel kicked away the discarded gun.

"Please. You're making a terrible error." One tried to reason with her, his face genuinely terrified. "There's too much at stake."

"Destroying magic?" Ariel snapped at them.

"That's not it. We don't care about magic." They reasoned, hesitant over the box in her hands.

"So tell me." Celeste demanded, getting annoyed at them. "I can't do anything unless you tell me."

"Trying to save our sister."

"Your sister?" She raised a brow at him. "If you led with that we wouldn't be here."

"She's been Pan's prisoner for a long time." The first one sighed and began to explain to the two women.

"Over a century."

"That's impossible." Celeste glanced between them. "You'd be-"

"Dead." He cut her off. "We're well aware. Pan has kept us alive to do his bidding. And as long as we do, she lives."

"And then when we're done, he'll free her. And us." The second one added. "But now."

"Now is your best chance." She grinned at them. "We can defeat Pan and save your sister."

"You think you're the first person who thought they could beat him?" They questioned the determined woman. "We've tried and failed. It's how our sister ended up his prisoner in the first place."

"We tried to be heroes. But it just made things worse." The second one continued. "And now? Now that we've failed, he'll kill her."

"We get this back to Neverland, Pan will have a lot bigger things to worry about than your sister." Celeste lifted the box and admired it.

"Can you really stop him?"

"Yeah." She nodded to him reassuringly. "For once I actually believe we have a chance. And if what you're saying is true,  we will save your sister."

"Who is she?" Ariel asked sweetly.

"Her name is Wendy." They revealed after a moment of hesitation. "Wendy Darling. If you see her, tell her John and Michael are waiting for her."

"Oh shit." Celestes eyes widened as she realised just how twisted the real Peter Pan story was compared to the child friendly books.

After sending the brothers to wait for her at Granny's Diner, Celeste allowed Ariel to get dressed before they wandered back to the beach.

"Remember what I told you." She nodded to the mermaid.

"Don't worry, I'll deliver your message to Rumpel." Ariel smiled at her, fixing the box into her little bag.

"And please, give him this." Celeste pulled a ring off her finger, admiring the small protective band before giving it to the woman. "Good luck."

She watched as the mermaid removed her bracelet, her legs transforming back into a tail before swimming away from Storybrooke.