Once We are Descendants

Chapter 77: Dark One to the Rescue?

Uma stares at the group in front of her, arms crossed in pure defiance and disgust. She did not want to be "interrogated" like this especially by Mal and her crew. Why was her knowledge of the portal formula so vital, as the eyeliner pirate had put it? It was just something she'd thrown together based on the book she'd stolen from the library; it wasn't that complicated. She doesn't want to help them at all, why should she? After all, she'd been nearly dropped from a great height by Mal when they'd come through the portal, threatened by the limping and angry Rumpelstiltskin, thrown in jail by the blonde one, and now the weirdo in the jean jacket was threatening her new mother. She didn't owe them anything and while her original plan of throwing the VKs and Ben through to another world had backfired, it wasn't fully her fault... She raises an eyebrow and then smirks.

"What's this information worth to you?" she asks.

"Are you trying to get us to bribe you?" Emma says in disbelief.

"What could we possibly have to offer you?" David asks.

"Typical Uma," Mal scoffs. "Won't do anything unless she benefits in some way."

"You expect me to do anything out of the goodness of my heart?" Uma smiles. "I'm not you Pwincess Mal, I haven't gone soft, dreaming about unicorns and rainbows."

Mal's eyes flash green in anger and she digs her nails into her palms. She grinds her teeth together to keep the rage at bay. The daughter of Maleficent thought that she'd matured past getting angry at every little thing that Uma said, but evidently old habits die really hard. She closes her throat to prevent herself from snarling like a dragon.

Evie and Jay give their own menacing stares at the daughter of Ursula, but they both take a few steps closer to Mal, in case the mocking gets worse and Cotillion Battle II begins.

"You know as well as I do that, I don't do anything for free. What does it get me? That warm fuzzy feeling of doing something good, of being a hero of the story. Sorry, Princess, I don't roll that way. Either I get something, or you all get nothing."

"Bloody hell, a true pirate to the bone," Killian hisses, recalling his days of such morals. He'd been like Uma for centuries, working only for the person who would benefit him the most. It's the reason that he'd worked with Regina and then Cora during and after the first curse; giving loyalty to the person who could help him achieve his goal of revenge on the crocodile. He had to give the offspring of Ursula credit, she was crafty, she knew what she wanted and how to get it.

"What could we possibly have that you would want?" Crystal asks skeptically. "You've only been in this realm for three days and one of those was spent in the slammer. Our town is not a kingdom filled with treasure or high-stakes adventure (not anymore). How could you possibly think that this could benefit you at all?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Uma snaps, keeping her arms folded in defiance.

That's when Rumple steps forward. "And I would assume that we're going to have to wait because you don't know what you want yet in this exchange." He raises an eyebrow. "Am I correct Dearie?"

Crystal cringes at the word but then comes to the same realization as the group from Storybrooke was. When it came to deals or negotiations, Rumpelstiltskin was by far the crowning expert of withholding information and working a situation to benefit him. Everyone in town knew better than to make any kind of contract or agreement with the imp. Everything had a price; and the Dark One was always able to find some angle to exploit or use to make someone pay that price. If Uma thinks that she can outwit Rumpel, she's definitely not as smart as she thinks she is.

The older man kneels so he can meet the girl's eyes. He can see the stubbornness and overconfidence written all over her face, but he can also sense her vulnerability. He knew that she was going to play them like a flute until she actually figured out what she wanted. The naïve teen was bluffing, plain and simple and the imp knew how to turn the tides.

Uma says nothing and just rolls her eyes.

"I know the game you are playing dearie," he says in an eerily calm voice. Unlike the others who were annoyed by the sea urchin, the man was composed and relaxed. "You're hoping to hold out until you see the other angle... waiting for the big payout... well, I have news for you, it's not going to happen your way."

The daughter of Ursula says nothing, trying to keep the defences up. There had to be something in this garbage little town that could make her richer, a better pirate, anything at all. Something that could make her life easier or even help her conquer Auradon. A weapon, a tool, a magic spell... Her mind is racing with worry, but she's not going to break, not even for this creep.

"You may think you have control over the situation, but you don't and you never have. You see, as the Dark One, I've spent many millennia learning different ways to extract information from someone. Many by force."

Ursula can feel rage growing inside of her. The monster was threatening her daughter and despite the mother and child only knowing each other for a brief time, she would not let the girl fall victim to him. She grabs her seashell necklace, preparing to let her tentacles out if needed.

"But," he continues. "You are fortunate enough to have entered my life at a time when I have given up most of my darkened ways, for the sake of my wife and family." He pauses to let the word most hang in the air, showing to all that despite being a self-proclaimed family man, the Dark One has not lost all of his evil edges.

It was clear that Rumpelstiltskin was once again in control, portraying himself as the most powerful being in the group and a force to be reckoned with. His manipulations made it sound like he was the centre of the world and Uma was merely a speck in his vision. That was the devious nature of the man and he could wield it like a sword.

Killian, despite hating that the crocodile was indirectly threatening a child, knew that this was the best way to get information out of the stubborn pirate lass. While he himself had been too pig-headed and prideful to see what or manipulating the Dark One could do to him; losing his hand in the beginning and then his heart at another point, he had to admire how slimy of a reptile he could be.

"We have a few options available, ones that I'm sure Lady Ursula would like to hear about. I could have my daughter whip a truth serum... where you might end up spilling your darkest secrets. We could extract the required memory from your mind with the appropriate tools...possibly losing something valuable as well. Or you could tell us what we want to know with no magic required. Regardless of your decision, we will need those potion instructions."

Uma bites her lip and attempts to mask the fear she felt in the pit of her stomach. She cannot believe how fast she'd lost control and been manipulated. How could that even be possible? It's never happened before. She always had a plan and she always had the advantage, even when her plans went awry. Her original mother had taught her well, but this... man... had left her with three options, none of which would benefit her and could possibly lead to embarrassing secrets being revealed.

She turns a shade of red and takes a large step back, her arms dropping to her sides and her shoulders slumping in defeat.

Rumpelstiltskin stands up; satisfied and pleased that he'd turned the situation in his favour... everyone else's favour. He'd provided her with Hobson's choices, two undesirables, and one desirable, now it was up to the foolish child to decide.

"I shall leave you to discuss it with your mother," he says. "Now, if you would all excuse me, I'm going to see my son and assist my wife in her research."

In a puff of smoke, he was gone, leaving everyone stunned and try to comprehend what had just happened. Crystal, above everyone else, was completely shocked.

"Did...did he just...?" she turns to look over at Emma, Killian, Snow, and David, ensuring that they'd all seen what he'd done.

"Aye..." the pirate captain says in disbelief.

Evie goes over to Snow and David to ask a very pressing question. "Did the Dark One just save the day?"

A/N: Again, sorry for the delay. I'm actually hoping for some new ideas for the next few chapters. I have some ideas, but I would love some suggestions from readers.