Once Upon a Second Chance

(8) - Fate

Some of the group stares at the scene in fear, some in amusement, and some were unfazed.

Killian looked to Emma who responded with muttering a "Yeah."

She sighed took out her gun and shot two bullets into the sky, getting everyone in the area's attention. Regina used her magic to disarm the three teenage girls.

Robin was immediately relieved when he saw his fiancée... as well as a bunch of kids he has never seen before? She gave him a look that says 'I'll explain, later'. He nodded, glad that they arrived in time, before the situation became more out of control than it already was.

Meanwhile Uma, CJ, and Freddie looked in the direction of the group, seeing their familiars and walking over to them.

When Uma came over, Gil engulfed her in a tight hug, which she laughed and returned. Freddie and Celia did their signature family handshake and embraced at the end.

Harry shook his head at his sister. "Laying low is a foreign concept to ye, ain't it?"

CJ scoffed. "Says the boy who pranced around on the Isle with a fake hook for show."

"Nothing for show about it," he growled, pointing his hook at CJ even though they both knew he would never actually think about using it on her. She snorted as the Core Four and AKs gave Harry a disappointing look. He shrugged. He might have recently become aligned with 'good', but it's not something that happens overnight. It's a process—and in Harry's case, a slow one.

"So, do we have everyone?" David asked before before all the newcomers nodded after they gave a moment to think if there was anyone else who was with them who are missing from the now extremely large group.

Ben turned to the Dark One. "So, Mr. Gold, what were you going to say back at the shop? ...You said you knew what brought us here?"

All eyes turned to the Rumplestiltskin, who began to explain his likely correct theory while slowly pacing, making some people slightly nervous. "Yes, you all claim that you were transported to this realm in a flash of blue light?"

The kids nodded.

"And might I assume that your arrival was during an emotionally difficult situation?"

The Core Four slowly nodded, recalling the events that had lead to them retreating to the quad.

And Rumple then added the icing on the cake, "And you didn't happen to be under the spectacle of the blue star? ...And you didn't so happen to... make a wish upon it?"

Now that the Core Four think back, they remember, they were gazing up at the blue star right before they were brought to Storybrooke. But in the midst of everything, they had completely disregarded that detail, not thinking it had any significance at the time. Their silence gives Mr. Gold their answer.

"Well, the mystery is no mystery at all as it would seem," he said with a look of annoyance on his face. "This has her sparkly fingerprints all over it."

"You believe Mother Superior is responsible for this?" Belle asked her husband.

"Wish made true by the blue star—it is her M.O.," David pointed out.

"Yes, she's powerful, but traveling across realms, that's beyond even her abilities," Regina said.

"Well, that is because Auradon is what you would call an anomaly," Rumple said

"'An anomaly'?" Killian asked in question.

"Yes, Captain, an anomaly," Rumple said. "Earlier, when I was observing this Auradon of yours, I noticed something strange—unlike normal realms of story, it's technology and way of thinking shifts over the stretch of time. It crosses territory between the Land Without Magic and a realm of story. It explains why I have never encountered the likes of it before. Due to its abnormality, I guess you could say, it's off the radar."

"And Auradon, it's essence having one foot in the magical world, and one foot in this world, makes the rules of inter-world travel more flexible," Regina thought out loud, catching on faster than the rest, being the only other magical expert in the group.

Emma, being the Savior, had very powerful magic, but she lacks what Regina had for many years—study and experience.

"Okay, and say this is true," Emma said, "Why would Mother Superior bring over nineteen random kids and a dog from their world to this one?"

"Wait, I'm lost," Doug said, shaking his head in exasperation, "Who's Mother Superior?"

Henry answered, "Back in the Enchanted Forest, she was known as the Blue Fairy."

———————————————

The group made their way over to the convent, where they were looking for Blue. They decided to ask for directions and Emma caught the sight of the fairy godmother-in-training, Nova, her cursed name being Astrid.

"Hey, Sister Astrid," Emma approached her. "You wouldn't happen to know where we could find Mother Superior?"

"Like I would know," she chuckled in her always cheery voice. "Woman's all over the place, you know, doing good deeds, changing people's lives, not destroying everything she touches," the cheery tone of the nun's voice started to not match her words. Both Nova and Astrid were known for their low self-esteem and notion that they can't do anything right. She had been seeing Archie for that purpose, but progress is slow as it would appear.

"Oh, she's behind you right now," Astrid pointed to the direction Mother Superior was in. The group walked toward her.

"Hey, Blue," David said. "Sorry to disturb you, but we need your help."

"Earlier, we had a bunch of kids appear from another realm called Auradon. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that," Emma asked hopefully.

Blue smiled, "Yes, I'm the one that brought them here."

"What?" they all said in unison. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Well, I believed it would be more effective if you all met on your own."

"What would be? Why did you bring them here?" Killian asked.

"Ask Evie," the fairy gestures to the blue-haired girl. "She's the one who made the wish."

Everyone looked at Evie as she tried to remember what it was she was referring to until she remembered that while looking up at the star, she had indeed made a wish, not knowing the consequences it would have.

I just wish... wish I could have a mother that loves me unconditionally.

"...I wished for a family," Evie said sadly, "One that loves me unconditionally."

Though Regina felt bad for what had caused Evie to make that wish, knowing how it feels to yearn for the approval of a mother, she still had to resist a smile, knowing what this meant. The kids coming to Storybrooke was no mistake. It was fate that brought them together.