Reunited [Neal Cassidy || OUAT || Double Swan #2]

11 - Tallahassee

Enchanted Forest...

Alana, Emma, Mary Margaret, Aurora, Mulan and Captain Hook approached the base of the beanstalk, they looked up to see that it extended through the clouds.

"It's a little freakier than I remember from the story," Alana said.

"Thinking the same," Emma said.

"Reminds me of death," Mulan said.

"Encouraging," Mary Margaret said.

"Well," The women looked at him, "Your compass awaits. Shall we?" Captain Hook said.

"Wait. If these beans create... Portal, why not just pick one and go home? Why the compass?" Emma asked.

"Because there aren't any more beans. Whatever story you think you know, my dear, is most certainly wrong," Captain Hook said.

"Uh... There was a guy named Jack, and a cow, and something about an evil giant with a treasure and a golden goose... Or harp," Emma said.

"Wasn't it goose that laid golden egg and Jack like the harp so he took that too?" Alana asked.

"I don't know," Emma said.

"I don't know either, I thought we grew out of fairytales, princes, princesses, warriors, pirates, fairies," Alana looked at Mary Margaret, "No offence," Alana said.

"When did it change?" Emma asked.

"I don't know, anything that goes upside in my life, I still blame him," Alana said.

"Henry?" Mary Margaret asked.

"No," Alana said.

"Oh, yeah... He's to blame for a lot," Emma said as Alana nodded.

"Sounds like a lovely and now a complicated tale or tales," The twins looked at Captain Hook, "But back to the beanstalk and the story about it and its beans. The truth's a little bit more gruesome. The giants grew the beans, but, rather than use them for good, they used them to plunder all the lands. Jack, was a man who fought a terrible war, defeating all but one of the evil giants. The beans were destroyed by the giants as they died. If they couldn't have their magic, then nobody could. It's really very bad form," Captain Hook said.

"Evil giants, who made magic portal beans? Why doesn't anyone just go up and grow some more?" Emma asked.

"Because one giant survived. The strongest and most terrible of them all. And we'll have to get past him to-," Captain Hook began to say.

"The magic compass," Mary Margaret said.

"Indeed. The treasure remains, and amongst it is the compass. Now it will guide us to your land. Cora has the means to open a portal with the wardrobe ashes, but she can't find your land without the compass. Once we get it, steal the ashes from her and we're on our way," Captain Hook said.

"How do we know you're not just using us to get the compass for Cora?" Mary Margaret questioned.

"Because you five are far safer company. All I need is a ride back. I'll swear allegiance to whoever gets me there first," Captain Hook said.

"Then we'd better start climbing," Emma said.

"Right, so... I failed to mention that the giant enchanted the beanstalk to repel intruders," Captain Hook said.

"Alright... So, how do we get up there?" Alana asked.

"I've got a counterspell from Cora. If you'd be so kind," Captain Hook said as he held up his wrists, which were still tied together.