Shaya

Chapter 6 - Neverland

The beach was a little gulf hidden by a dense jungle corner. The Jolly Roger was anchored not far away from the beach, made invisible by a spell.

The little group reached the land with a tender, Charming and Hook at the rows. They landed and hid the boat between the plants. Emma and Snow were looking around, vigil. Regina was ready to fight, glad that magic flowed so powerful in her veins in Neverland. A quick look at Rumplestiltskin let her know that he felt the same. Magic was strong in that world.
Snow suddenly took her bow and aimed at a point in the jungle. Emma pointed her gun at the same point. A ball of fire burned ready in Regina's right hand.
" What's happening?" she asked to Emma in a whisper. The Savior was the nearest one to her. Charming unsheathed his sword and went behind them, Hook at his side. Rumplestiltskin was protected by the sea at his back and by himself on the front.
" Dunno." Emma replied with widened eyes, trying to understand what Snow had seen.
" There's someone there." Snow answered with a low, warning voice. A rumor from the jungle confirmed her words. Regina kept herself from admiring her watching capacity: she would have never noticed anything. After all, she wasn't used to such things. The years spent in the palace and the others in Storybrooke had left her without experience in "wildlife" stuff. Snow White, on the other hand, had her time spent in the forest because of her. She thanked herself for having forced the girl to do it, and even more she felt grateful for the idiot's cowardice, which had made her runa way in the forest at the time. Ultimately, it happened to be useful.
" Calm down people. Don't force me to hurt you." a voice came from the vegetation. It struck Regina in a weird way.
" Show yourself! Slowly!" Emma automatically said, regretting it a second later. Snow smirked at her to reassure her daughter.
" Alright. But don't throw that arrow, Snow White. You'd kill me, and it would be unfair after all this time. "
Regina swallowed. She knew that voice.
Snow literally jumped in surprise. Charming immediately intervened. " Show yourself now or she will!"
A few rumors later a black boot showed itself between the dark green leaves. A tall, muscled but absurdly delicate feminine figure followed it. Regina faltered. " You..."
Snow White lowered her bow and her jaw dropped. Rumplestiltskin smirked, lightly shaking his head. The others were looking at the three knowing persons, waiting for an explanation.
Rapunzel eyed Snow White and smiled at her, then bowed slightly towards Rumple, making him laugh, and finally looked at Regina. A tiny smile tightened her lips. " Your Majesty." she greeted her, gently hanging her head. Regina was speechless. Rapunzel seemed to notice it, but then she smiled and put her attention back to Snow White, who seemed frozen with her mouth open. " You'll eat flies if you don't close your mouth, Princess. "
" You...you're alive!" Snow exclaimed, making her laugh.
" Aye, sort of. However...where is your hair?" Rapunzel asked with an amused sneer, making Emma stifle a laugh.
" Who are you?" the younger woman asked, but Rapunzel's answer was blocked by Snow, that basically crushed her in a hug. The warrior laughed hard after a moment of mute surprise, and hugged back the other woman. Regina's eyebrows lifted vertiginously.
" I was right, after all." she commented with a hint of anger in her voice. " You tricked me, Rapunzel." Dark eyes, dark tone. But Rapunzel smiled happily.
" Yes! Busted!" The warrior had the dignity to blush. She let go Snow, and walked towards Regina. But Snow was still too surprised to stay silent. And she was crying.
" You didn't kill her."
It wasn't a question. She was smiling to Regina. Charming, Emma and Hook were going crazy trying to understand what had happened between them. None but Rapunzel seemed to have noticed Rumplestiltskin's amusement. Regina felt embarrassed. " Indeed. Perhaps I should have. " she murmured, hatred in her eyes, fixed in Rapunzel's. Snow swallowed. The fireball was still burning in Regina's hand, but the warrior seemed not to be worried at all.
" Probably. " she smirked, but Regina's expression didn't change. " But the ring sent me here, and you're here too, now. At first I didn't understand why it had sent me here, but now it's clear to me." She eyed Rumple. " Isn't it, my old friend?"