After I had very recently escaped the Enchanted Forest after Cora and all, I didn't really want to go back. But at least this time, I had my friends. I had my family. Unfortunately, I could not keep them for long.
When I actually arrived in the Enchanted Forest, I was alone. When I looked around, there was just woods. I guess Regina's tweak in the curse had caused everyone to go separate places. From my knowledge of curses, I knew I couldn't be too far from the group because we were all in the same place when the curse washed over us. Out of all the people of Storybrooke, there had to be one near me, and there was. Two, actually.
"Ashton?"
A hug and the voice made it clear it was Devin.
"Are you alright?" I asked. The other boy was Augur, Devin's best friend.
"Yeah, we're fine. What the hell happened?" Devin asked.
"Regina changed Pan's curse. We were brought back here instead of being put under his. Everyone from the town is here too but they must have come back somewhere else."
"Let's find them then," Augur said.
"Um, yeah, that's a good idea in theory. But which way do we go?" Devin said.
"I guess they'll head towards wherever there is safety. Regina's castle? She must've protected it from the curse," I offered.
They nodded and we headed north, assuming Regina would pick the best lands for her castle to be. I had not spent enough time in this section of the forest to be sure, but I had a gut idea and decided to follow it.
After walking through woods for what seemed like a while but could not have been longer than half an hour, we saw something up ahead.
"That looks like them," I said.
I waited for an answer behind me, assuming that one of them would agree or say something. After a minute of silence, I looked behind me. I was alone.
"Devin?" I called out. "Augur?" There was no one around, and no answer from the direction we had come.
"Ashton?" It was not Devin, it came from the group I originally thought was the group I had been with when the curse came over. It was them, but out of the two, I would have preferred Devin.
"What happened?" David asked. Or Charming. Whatever he was here in his princely clothes. I guess they could tell something had happened because I knew I looked spooked.
"I-Devin and Augur were right behind me..."
"Well where are they now?" Hook asked.
"Do I look like I know? They just disappeared," I said.
"You're sure they didn't go a separate way? You didn't separate?" David asked.
"Don't you think I would have noticed that?" I asked. "We just stopped a little ways out to make sure we were headed correctly. They couldn't have just left. I know it."
"Well, there's not much of an explanation for this," Mary Margaret said.
"Yes, thank you, I realize that." I said. "I know they didn't just disappear."
"Well, something happened. And it couldn't have been normal if they just disappeared," Hook said.
"So, whoever is keeping me out of my castle, maybe they're making people disappear. Torturing them or getting help for somet-" Regina stopped when she realized what she was going to say. "But I'm sure that's not true. There has to be a reasonable explanation for this."
"Yeah, sure," I said.
"Well, as soon as we get everyone together we can find out who's inside our castle," Mary Margaret said.
"Our castle?" Regina questioned.
"Yes, it was my father's after we took over the kingdom. We'll return there. And so will you."
"I will?" Regina asked.
"Yes, what better way to come back then united! Show the whole kingdom that we can all restore our lives to how it was before."
"I'm not sure we can," Regina said. "Everything's in ruins. Except for my castle which we can't get to."
"Which is why we need to show a union and prove we can all rebuilt the kingdom. Together."
Regina rolled her eyes slightly but didn't say anything else. They all began walking back towards a clearing where many horses and Storybrooke folk were waiting.
"Hey, Your Highness," Leroy said. "Jiminy says 50 more Storybrooke folk landed not two miles from here. They're popping back all over the place."
"That's good," David replied. "At this rate; we'll have the whole kingdom back in no time. Grumpy, you and the dwarfs spread the word, all new arrivals make haste for the Queen's castle."
"Consider it done," Leroy said and went to talk to the other dwarfs.
Than he started talking to Hook.
"That's a lot of supplies you have there, Hook," he said.
"Well, you know what they say about preparation and all that."
"There's no need to overload your horse. The Queen's castle is less than a days ride from here. And we'll have everything we need once we get there."
"Aye. Well, that would be lovely, if I were going to the Queen's castle."
"You're not coming with us?" David asked.
"You are a perceptive Prince, aren't you?" Hook replied.
"Where are you going?"
"Listen, mate, the Enchanted Forest is your home, mine is the Jolly Roger."
"Hook, you don't even know if it's out there..."
"Regina told me how this bloody thing worked. That it returned all our belongings to this land, as well as us. That means that somewhere out there is my ship. All I have to do is find her."
"And what if you can't?" David asked.
"I'll just have to take another one then, won't I? That's what pirates do."
"Huh. And here I'd thought you'd gone and changed."
"I tried the hero thing it didn't take."
"So that's it?" mary Margaret asked. "Emma's gone and you're gonna go back to being a pirate?"
"Back, my lady? I've always been a pirate." He looked at me. "Coming?"
"You want me to come?" I asked.
"Well; I thought that was obvious. I didn't think you'd want to come. What do you say, up for an adventure?"
"Sure" I replied. "Why not."
I got my own horse and got up on it.
"Leaving?" Neal asked.
"Yeah, I'll be back though. You can't get rid of me."
"I know that," he laughed.
I nodded and Hook and I left.