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INDIANA JONES
lv. JINGLE BELLS
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PRESENT
NEVERLAND
SNOW WHITE AND PRINCE Charming made what was assumed to be casual small talk while Indiana Jones led the ragtag team to the location of Peter Pan's camp. Following behind them was the Evil Queen, Emma Swan, and Killian Jones.
As a large leaf slapped Emma in the face, she knitted her eyebrows together. "We should be getting close to Pan's Lair. Going in a straight-line course..." Emma announced before pausing. The map rustled in her hands while they all came to a stop. Her eyes widened. "Son of a... How is it now behind us?"
"How can that be?" Snow immediately wondered. Indiana scoffed, turned around, and walked over to them to take the map from Emma. As she studied it, Indiana sighed. "What's wrong, Indie?"
"Oh, strip my gears and call me shiftless. That stupid boy is moving the camp! He's playing tricks on us!" Indiana exclaimed. Everyone exchanged worried glances. How were they supposed to rescue Henry if Peter kept moving the camp?
Then, Regina proceeded to complain once again, saying, "So this whole trek has been for nothing. I told you walking was idiotic. If I can just some magic, we can materialize in the camp and grab Henry."
"We don't know where the camp is," Snow calmly reminded her stepmother. She was beginning to grow annoyed of Regina's consistent nagging. Overall, everyone was expecting Indiana to complain the most, seeing as she was the teenager of the group and she was Indiana Jones, after all. They were all wronged by Regina. "Have you even been listening?"
"There's no point of using magic," Indiana added in agreement. "Peter will have shields against any magic that could be used against him. Besides, I'm afraid such a noble attempt would result in your death, and more importantly, mine... which is why we're walking."
"Well, then what's your idea?" Regina challenged. "How are we going to find it?"
"By using someone he trusts," her brother piped up as an idea went off in his head like a firework.
"Who? Because I guess he certainly doesn't trust you," David mentioned. "And I don't think Indie is in the right mental state to even look at Pan."
"A fairy who lived here when I was about. She may still be on the island," the pirate explained. "She'd be an inside source. She knows all about the camp, and can get us in. She might even have some Pixie Dust left. Perhaps we could fly in?"
Emma raised her eyebrows, asking, "You mean Fairy Dust?"
"Nope. He means Pixie Dust. It's 20 times stronger. Think nuclear fairy dust," Indiana corrected, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Why did Emma feel the need to question everything? She didn't know anything about the Enchanted Forest, so why should she know anything about Neverland, aka the one place Indiana and Killian spent the most time in?
"Wait... fairy... Neverland... Tinker Bell?" Emma questioned, half expecting to be right. Killian, surprised, questioned if Emma knew her. "Every kid in the world... knows her."
"It's a bad idea!" Regina suddenly exclaimed, making Indiana raise an eyebrow at her outburst. "This... Tinker Bell... she isn't going to save us."
That little statement only left Indiana to wonder what past Regina exactly had with the fairy of every child's dreams.
After an even longer trek through the forest, the group reached a quaint treehouse that was composed completely of wood. After Killian had been the brave soul to go in first, it was revealed that the treehouse was empty. Indiana climbed up after Emma, managing to hear the end of the pirate and the prince's conversation about Pixie Dust.
"It's pretty bare," Emma commented. She took a minute to observe her surroundings. "Reminds me of some place..."
Meanwhile, Indiana folded her arms and walked around, observing her surroundings. Her long shoelaces made a clicking sound as she examined the treehouse. "You'd think a treehouse would be a little cheerier," Indiana mumbled.
"My old place," Emma realized, causing Indiana to snap her gaze in the blonde's direction. "That's what this place reminds me of." Indiana snorted in amusement, shaking her head in response at the dark humor.
The wooden home was dimly lit by the Captain's lantern. There were several openings where a window would have normally been placed. It was evenly spaced out. There were vases, jars, and other trinkets that sat on wooden tables and other flat surfaces. Finally, there was an unmade bed that looked as though it had been recently slept it.
All in all, Indiana was impressed with the makeshift home. She wished she had thought of such a thing when she was left to sleep on the ground like a true Neverland inhabitant.
She listened as Emma and Snow White spoke of Snow's old days when she was living in a tree stump as she ran away from the Evil Queen. Indiana's gaze fell onto the ladder. "Why does she have a ladder?" Snow wondered. "Fairies have wings."
"Hey, guys. I found something," David announced, holding a piece of cloth. "It's a handkerchief." Snow declared that it belonged to Regina. She wondered how the item ended up in Tinker Bell's home. Come to think of it... where was Regina?
Emma casually stated that they were being tracked. The fairy must have been watching Regina. "But if she's been watching her..." Snow trailed off.
"Then we're in the wrong place," Indiana finished for the woman.
➖➖➖
Tinker Bell walked out of a small cave with dirt imprinted all over her face and body. The leaves rustling around her suddenly greeted her. A miscellaneous group of 6 jumped out at her with their weapons aimed in her direction, making the fairy hold up her hands in surprise. "Where's Regina?" Emma Swan demanded.
"Who the hell are you?" Tinker Bell questioned. She stared down each person while speaking.
"A pissed off mother. Where is she?" Emma repeated, glaring at the fairy. Tinker Bell fell silent. No one moved a muscle until they heard Regina's voice. The Evil Queen ran out of the cave, stating that she was fine multiple times.
"Would you mind lowering those?" Tinker Bell wondered. "You may stick me, but I'll take you down with me."
When no one moved, Regina told the group that it was okay and that Tinker Bell wasn't going to hurt them. Indiana lowered her weapon.
"So are you going to help us or not, Jingle Bells?" Indiana demanded.
Tink stared at her. "Hm, look who the Queen dragged in. I heard Pan sent you away," she said.
"And I heard the Blue Fairy let you go," Indiana responded with fake sympathy. Sarcasm was laced in her voice as the next word sailed out of her mouth. "Tragic."
"Wait, you two know each other?" Killian wondered.
"No."
"She wishes she knew me."
This was true, for they had only heard stories of one another. The group each exchanged confused glances, but nonetheless brushed it off. Regina, then, proceeded to tell them that Tinker Bell wasn't going to help the group of misfits. "Tink... after all we've been through together... a little assistance?" Killian asked.
"She doesn't have any magic," Regina continued to explain. David asked if she had pixie dust, but Regina shook her head. "Not even her wings."
Emma asked how. Tinker Bell stared at her with pain in her eyes. "I guess people just stopped believing in me," the fairy emotionlessly spat. "And even if I wanted to help you, he's too powerful."
"But you know where Peter is," Indiana mentioned. She stared at the fairy with distaste. Although they had never met each other until then, Tinker Bell and Indiana took an instant disliking toward one another. Must be a girl thing.
Indiana constantly thought about how she knew where the camp was, but since they'd been turned around so much, she was unsure of where she was at this point. She hardly recognized the area they were in anyway. "Sure," Tinker Bell answered. "But it won't do you a bit of good."
"Let us be the judge of that," Snow kindly told her. "Does he trust you?"
"Can you get us inside his compound?" Emma interrogated immediately after her mother.
"Maybe," Tinker Bell answered, folding her arms over her chest. "Why should I help you?"
"Because I believe in you," Snow easily said in attempt to convince the fairy... well, former fairy.
"Just get us inside and we'll take care of things from there," Emma compromised.
"And what's in it for me?" Tinker Bell wondered. "Other than a death sentence from Pan when you're gone with your boy?"
"You can come with us," Emma answered.
"That's right. A home," Snow added with a smile on her pale face. "That is what you want, isn't it?"
Tinker Bell was silent for a moment as Indiana continued to stare her down. Then, she finally said with a stern voice, "Okay. Listen closely. Pan trusts me. He'll let me in. And maybe, just maybe, I'll leave a way open for you. But you only have one shot, so you better have a good plan."
"Trust me," Indiana replied. "We won't throw away our shot." [a/n: HAMILTON REFERENCE BOOM CHECK MATE]
➖➖➖
"I think we can handle a few children with pointy sticks," Regina Mills assured the fairy as the group continued to discuss the plan. All Tinker Bell had to do was talk her way in and leave some kind of opening for the others. Easy in, easy out.
"I don't give a damn if you can handle a bunch of boys who still pick their noses. No one is to kill any of them," Indiana ordered, straightening her posture. "If you do, I'll replace your eyes with burning coals from hell."
"Besides," Killian added, giving his sister a look, "it's not the pointy sticks you need to worry about. It's the poison they're dipped in."
"Yeah, you two mentioned that before," Snow stated. "Dreamshade, as you lot call it."
"Yes! It's good you mentioned that," Tinker Bell praised. "Because one nick and you'll spend the rest of eternity—"
"Got it! Pointy sticks equal death," David interrupted. Indiana narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. He normally didn't interrupt people, especially when they were warning him about something so deathly. "Now, when can we put this rescue mission into action?"
"I'm ready to go, just as you tell me the exit plan," Tinker Bell told them as everyone immediately grew silent. Their gazes fell upon anything that wasn't the former fairy. "You do have an escape plan, don't you?"
"Well, when your childhood best friend gets shot and falls through a portal and you jump in after them, you don't really think about escape plans, now don't you?" Indiana sassed.
"It's—It's more of a last-minute trip," Snow stammered in excuse. Tinker Bell sighed, wanting to disbelieve what she was hearing.
"If you don't have a way off this island, then none of this matters," Tinker Bell exclaimed, irritated. Regina stood up, saying that they would figure it out. "You'll figure it out? No one comes and goes from this place unless he allows it. This is a waste of time."
"Hey, when it comes to family, we always find a way," Prince Charming snapped. He was bothered by her pessimistic attitude.
"You don't get it. Here. Let me show you something," Tink offered, pulling something out of her pouch. She held up a watch. "You know what this is? I got it from the people who brought your son here."
"Greg and Tamara? Where are they? Why'd they give you that?" Emma immediately demanded, shooting up from the log that she once sat on.
"I got it off the girl's body," Tinker Bell revealed. Indiana's head tilted to the side with interest. "Spent half the night cleaning the blood off it. And the other guy... well, there wasn't enough left of him to find anything useful. This is what Pan does to people he employs. What do you think he's gonna do to you? I'm not sticking my neck on Pan's chopping block without a way off this island. When you figure that out, you know where I live."
"Where the hell is she going?" Snow whispered in shock at her monologue.
"I'll get her... Bring her back," David muttered. He turned and began to walk when Emma interrupted him.
"Don't. She's right," she stated. "If there's one thing I learned, it's that you never break in somewhere unless you know the way out."
"And where'd you get that, in Bail-Bondsperson School?" Regina retorted.
"Neal taught me that," Emma quietly answered. "Which he learned from his childhood best friend." She glanced at Indiana, who smiled weakly. David spun around to face Killian.
"What about you, Hook? You said you got off this island before," David said.
"Yes, aboard my ship, which would require some form of magic to create a portal, which I got from Pan in a deal I don't think he would be willing to repeat," Hook said, looking down.
"So no one's ever left the island without Pan's permission," Regina stated.
"One man," Hook pointed out. He looked over at Emma. "Her partner in crime, Neal." When Emma asked how, Hook sighed. "Maybe we can find out."