The Magic Within ↠ Once Upon A Time

[Chapter 76] Reunited Once More

Getting back home should be easy. I know every turn I have to take and every street to cross.

However, I can't accommodate for the tropical wildlife and newly merge territory to block my way home. I already have trouble finding my way through the forest, even on trails, but with large bushes and palm leaves littering the ground, I can't tell where there is a trail or if I'm following an elephant's footprints.

I feel so lost in a land I was familiar with. But Storybrooke change because of Sabor's curse. My home and Melody's home became one, and this maze can end up being my deathtrap.

It's a good thing I could find my way back before I became someone else's meal. Canada geese are still in the area and haven't migrated South yet—although I highly doubt they'll leave now that Storybrooke is a tropical jungle. Geese always travel to water, and I took the risk at letting them lead me to town. They're useful after all.

But even if I'm back in town, it doesn't mean the trail gets any easier. The town is split up differently since the Forbidden Jungle's territory is much larger and rougher. If I thought my mom's (Emma's) house was down the street, I can assume that it's a mile further and I'll have to battle through uneven and littered trails.

In fact, Main Street already looks different.

One of the most notable changes is the increase of greenery in a man-made town. Palm trees sprout in and out of stores, making some stores look like gigantic décor vases. Granny's is taken over with bushes that tower over me. I can't see through the windows to tell if Granny is hacking away at the leaves covering her restaurant. There might be monkeys trashing the pawn shop. I didn't bother to check. I only saw them heading that direction. Gazing away from the primates, flocks of birds, all forming a splotchy rainbow, fly in and out of the bakery. They've already made their intent evident with crumbs at their feet. I don't even want to begin thinking at what's inside the butcher shop, whether there are animals indulging at the meat or they are the meat. Who knows if the ice cream shop is thriving with all the new tropical ingredients now at its doorstep?

In spite of all the changes, the animals don't seem to mind. However, everyone—and I mean humans—are running around mad trying to understand what's happened to their homes and businesses.

And I'm stuck in the middle of this mess. Finding my way home is already hard enough, now I worry about stepping on other peoples' feet as they avoid being greeted by their furry, winged, or scaly friend.

With the amount of shoulders I bump into, it took me a second to realize that I collide with my grandpa, Gold.

He steadies me as others swarm past us.

Once in clear ground—at least for the next minute—I turn my attention to my grandpa. I expect others to be with him, but given that no one we care for is beside us, I take it that he's here alone. "Where's everyone at?"

"We're split up—"

"In this mess?!"

"I'm not a babysitter, Henry. I can't keep track of everyone while this town is a literal jungle." Ignoring my intentional dramatic eye-roll, he surveys the situation in Main Street, and given the drastic change, it's a lot to take in. "This isn't good."

"You think?!" I spat.

"Who's responsible for this?" he asks, scrunching his brows. If it wasn't for the fact that he's serious in his question, I would've fought the urge to slap my own grandpa.