We've all heard the great tales of Captain Hook. We have all listened and read about his days as a pirate. There is hardly a child in this realm that has no heard his name.
But no one has heard of the feared archer and bandit, his younger sister Na...
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THE GROUP WALKED UP to the giant beanstalk and stopped to study it. Naomi did not like it one bit. "Well, it looks a bit scarier than I remember from the books," Emma said.
"It looks like death," Mulan said.
"Encouraging," Mary Margaret muttered. Killian chuckled.
"Well, your compass awaits. Come on," he ordered. They moved closer.
"Wait, if these magic beans can create a portal, why not just grab one and go?" Emma asked.
"Because there aren't any more beans," Killian told her. Naomi gave him a small look. "Whatever story you heard, my dear, it is most certainly wrong."
Emma shrugged. "There was this guy named Jack and something about evil giants with a treasure and a golden goose... or a harp."
"Sounds like a lovely tale," he remarked. "But the real story is much more gruesome. The giants grew the beans, but instead of using them for good they used them to plunder all the lands. Jack was a man who fought in the war, defeating all but one giant. The beans were destroyed when they died.
"If they couldn't have the magic, no one could. It's very bad form," Killian explained. Mary Margaret nodded to Emma. Naomi had been oblivious to it all.
"Okay, there were giants that grew magical portal beans... How come no one goes up and grows more?" Emma asked, tilting her head.
"Because one giant survived," Killian said. "Now we must climb up there and get past him-"
"-to find this magical compass," Naomi finished, nodding.
"Indeed," Killian said. "The treasure still remains, and among it is the compass. The compass can guide us to your land."
Naomi crossed her arms in front of her chest as he continued. "Cora has the ashes of the cabinet to open the portal, but she can't do that if she can't find your realm. We get the compass, steal the ashes from her, and we'll be on our way."
"How do we know you're not just using us to get the compass for Cora?" Mulan asked.
He sighed. "Because you five are safer company." He glanced to Naomi. "All I want is a ride there. My allegiance is to whomever gets me there first."
Emma nodded. "Okay, then we'd better start climbing."
"I forgot to mention that the giant enchanted the beanstalk to repel intruders," Killian told her.
Naomi glared. "Then how the hell do you suggest we get up there?" She demanded, becoming impatient. Killian looked up the beanstalk.
"Well, I've got something of a counter curse from Cora," he told them. He looked to Mary Margaret. "If you would be so kind..." He nodded to his wrist bindings.
