"So what's his plan, Pan's, what's he trying to do??" Emma questioned. Rumple turned in her direction.
"He's...not the same. He's changed. That dagger he had was given to him. It can curse even the strongest." Rumple's eyes darkened.
"What has he done with my daughter?!" Isabelle finally demanded.
"He plans to change her, so her heart is just as black. Why else would he hide her? Because you see, dearie, you can't have power and love at the same time. One has to cease to exist, or either be contaminated. As for the power..." a smile tugged at his lips, "the dagger's its source. You take the dagger, you take its power."
"Then we'll just take it," Regina suggested. "And...we'll worry about the other things later--"
Rumple interrupted her with a passionate chuckle. "You can't just take it--"
"Then how about you try being a little more specific instead of feeding us riddles," Regina firmed, placing her fists on her hips.
"As I was trying to say," Rumple glared at Isabelle for previously interrupting him, "Pan's shadow has never been his own. He found it when he first came to the island. It had the ability to alter its form. Pan has killed the shadow's latest form, hence, gaining control over the dagger--"
"Then we'll kill him with the dagger," Regina suggested again.
"Except there's a twist," Rumple added. "Once you've killed the shadow's keeper with his dagger, you'll have the power it bestows, with help of the shadow's children."
Regina's brows furrowed and she was about to speak when she was interrupted.
"That's not all, dearie."
"Well don't stop there, keep going!" Emma urged in desperation.
"His appearance has...altered as well. He withholds the dagger's power, and it's taken not only a mental toll on him, but a physical one."
"Pan did all this for a wardrobe change?!" Regina barked in irritation. Rumple laughed.
"It comes with the magic of the dagger, he can't change back, not unless he was stripped from its power."
"So then what's the price? What's Pan's weakness?" Neal spoke up.
"A blackened, frozen heart. Soon enough, he won't feel anything, no remorse, no...love--"
Isabelle scoffed, laughing. "Doesn't sound like he'll be any different." Her amusement turned to frustration and anger. "What the hell kind of price is that?! He needs to PAY!" Regina rolled her eyes at Isabelle, wanting to say something but bit her tongue.
"All this for one girl??" Emma was flummoxed, overwhelmed as she struggled to make sense of it all.
"Not just for Anne," Rumple spoke, lifting a finger.
"Does he want more power?" Snow asked curiously.
"I can't say," Rumple admitted.
"Can't say or won't?" Neal intercepted, assertively.
"Can't because for the first time, I'm not quite sure," Rumple explained further. And he meant it, he had ideas but nothing too definite. He only knew Pan's plan for Anne because Pan practically told him when he talked about making her his 'queen'. It couldn't have been more obvious.
"How do you expect us to believe you?" Neal made a point. "Because apparently you've known all this and you haven't said a damn word until now, what's changed your mind?"
"Yeah," Emma tore through, her gaze hardening in distrust. "Has Pan offered you a deal?"
Regina raised a suspicious brow, crossing her arms.
"Fine," Rumple spoke through slightly clenched teeth, "Would it help if I said I had an idea?"
"Spit it out, Gold!" Emma snapped.
"For the same reason we all take possession of something that can give us power, to rule the realms, to be the only one that's feared."
"So then...what does that mean?" Snow inquired, fearful.
"Power," Regina replied, coming to the center of the group. "We have magic, he plans to steal it away from us."
Gasps arose from different places. Regina couldn't help rolling her eyes again. "He won't be able to do that," she commented, looking back at Rumple with a smug smile and a humored laugh.
"I beg to differ, love," Hook started, moving into the center. "I remembered recalling blacking out on the ship with Tink, she's been weak ever since," he pointed out, raising his dark, flurry brows. Emma gasped, shocked.
"That could be why she nearly fainted!"
Tinkerbell's blue orbs were wide. "And I've been feeling a bit weakened myself," Hook confessed.
"You're both powerless," Regina protested, looking at him stupidly.
"Then perhaps he not only plans to take our magic, but our strength," Hook suggested.
"But why start with you two?" Emma suddenly asked.
They both had an idea, Tink and Hook. And gradually, they began fearing their past together could slowly unravel, so, they stayed quiet. Furtively eyeing them, Regina began growing suspicious. But she wouldn't interrogate them yet. She still wanted to hear more from Rumple.
"So what's your plan, Gold?" She asked. "We've still got Pandora's box. We can't kill him, why not trap him?"
"We don't even know where he is," Emma mentioned. Regina glanced back at Rumple, smirking.
"We don't, but you might," she directed towards Rumple. "You took the key, where'd it lead you?"
"It was a dead end..." Rumple lied, timidly.
"That's bull and you know it," Neal pointed out; he knew his father didn't want to confess but he'd eventually get it out of him. Rumple refused to meet his eyes, cowardice. Pan had completely humiliated him and he wasn't about to humiliate himself.
"I don't, but I've got a few dearies that might." Rumple gained a fake confidence, hoping it'd convey everyone in a different direction.
"Oh?" Regina smirked again.
"The puppets," Rumple hissed, grinning.
The lost boys.
A.N. They're coming back!!! They might be a little mindless as puppets are but they're coming back! They've been toys since Pan claimed the shadow's powers, some have changed into wolves, some have been used as decoys, some have even been slaughtered! So how many have gone unchanged? I've just been thinking lately and really miss the lost boys and the old Peter Pan so I just really wanted to throw them into the mix again.
Along with that, I promised answers and hopefully you've got the majority of your drawn out questions answered through this chapter. No doubt some of you still might be confused so please DO consult me if you really need further clarification! I also wanted to apologize for how long it took me to get this chapter out. I've just been ubber busy and I planned to update earlier this week but I had exams and study guides to take care of--but I'm all finished now and I'm finally on my winter break so the next update will come sooner than usual!
Just a few extra things I keep forgetting to mention. Firstly, I try to reply to every comment I get under my chapters so I very much apologize if you haven't got a response and you wanted one. If you really want to talk to me, you can always send me a message, I always reply to those. And I've also got a few other ways you can communicate with me if you want to look in my bio. I've listed a few places.
Secondly, I feel like you guys have some really unsatisfied urges to scream and yell at Pan for his choices (though who can blame you?) and maybe Anne, so I'm thinking about posting an ask for the two of them. I'll reply to your comments through either POVs, if you really feel like soothing some of your urges. But you guys have to request it if you really want it and I'll make it. I just think it'd be fun and quite humorous XD I've seen some comments showing that.
And lastly! I really want to thank you for all your wonderful support, and I know I've thanked you recently but I really wanted to do it again. I've noticed I've been associating with some lovely people and keep forgetting to follow you guys back so I'll be working on that. And I wanted to ultimately thank you for reading this chapter and really hope you enjoyed! As I've said, the next update will be out soon!
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The Shadow's Keeper ~OUAT Peter Panfiction (Book 2)
Fanfiction***SEQUEL TO THE PIPER'S SONG*** Pan's different. Since killing the shadow man, he's gained his powers. He has a new army, and this time, it's not Henry's heart that he wants but the love and affection from his lost girl, Anna. Her destiny means ev...
