Fandom Race Against Evil RP

[PrincessKarai8]

Elle walked down the streets of Storybooke, frowning. She and her fianceé had agreed to meet up at Granny's Diner, but after nearly two hours of waiting, Elle had given up and decided to just return home.

 

[NerdyBirdy]

The clicking of heels on pavement were oddly comforting to Mina . It reminded her of walking the quiet cobblestones of Notre Dame in the midnight hours, hunting the creatures of the night. Unlike the city of light and shadows, however, she didn't have to worry about vampires following her. It was an unfamiliar feeling, not waiting for the rustle of crushed velvet and the sound of wind sharply cutting as the demons descended on helpless victims. Mina felt more comfortable on her toes, waiting for the monsters to attack. She shivered in the cool Maine air and closed the contemporary leather jacket around her. One thing she liked about this world, their taste in leather wear was rather stylish. Mina turned at the corner and spied a young woman ahead of her walking alone. Her natural instinct to follow the girl kicked in. Just because there were no leeches in Storybrooke doesn't mean anyone should be walking the streets alone.

PrincessKarai8

 

[AceofRoses]

To say Cecilio was late would be inaccurate. True he was running behind his normal schedule but really, the musician could be 20 minutes late and still be ready to play by the allotted time. It was probably more if one considered that he knew every piece of equipment and barring special circumstances it never changed from where he had set it. One of the advantages of being the main musician at the tavern, and having been the driving force behind them putting in new sound equipment once the 28 year stasis was broken.

Turning the corner from his usual parking space he shifted the violin case sitting over his shoulder, encouraging it to lay nicer, more balanced with the harp and flute case that were under his arm on the other side. That was when he caught sight of the pair...well maybe not pair, they didn’t seem to be walking together. Still, two people out late at night usually meant that they were already coming to see him, or that their night was going rather sour enough for them to want some sort of distraction anyway.

Expression shifting into a good natured smile he whistled, not breaking stride towards the main entrance. “Coming to see the show tonight?” He had no doubt he would be visible enough. For one the harp case was white, his hair not far behind. A pale blonde that was actually natural, as evidenced by the eyelashes although he tended to darken the eyebrows just to make them visible. The wardrobe for tonight was semi casual, a nice button down in some dark color that no one would be able to actually pinpoint outside or inside unless they were beside him, and black pants.

PrincessKarai8 NerdyBirdy

 

[PrincessKarai8]

Elle froze at the sound of a voice and spun around, only to be greeted by a familiar face of Storybooke.

"Hello, Cecilio." Elle greeted, tucking a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear and then tugging on her blue silk dress. "I would, but I'm not feeling up to being around too many people at the moment. Drew stood me up again."

She frowned deeply, her blue eyes almost full with tears.

"I, uh, I'll catch your show another time." She cleared her throat and started to hurry off before she broke down in front of the white blonde make.

She made her way further down the street, her hair blowing behind her as the night air soundly became a breeze.

Looking around, she felt like she was being followed and instantly went into defense mode, holding her palm open at her side nervously.

Yes, since Emma broke the curse, her powers had come back, but she still didn't have full control over them.

AceofRoses NerdyBirdy

 

[NerdyBirdy]

Mina quickly turned her face down and pretended to be interested in a nearby newspaper kiosk. In her peripheral vision, she spotted a young man in casual clothes call out to the woman she was tailing. Were they familiar? Maybe he would walk her home. Mina turned her head to get a better look at the man and her heart perforate with cold fear. Pale skin and a handsome face with long white hair. Classic vampire. Impossible. She would have felt his presence!

Mina put her hands in her jacket pockets, fingers feeling the old iron cross and chilled vial of holy water she kept on her. Minimal defense but it would work in a pinch. She waited as the duo exchanged pleasantries, keeping an eye on the pale one. He seemed to make his way into the building but he could easily flit his way around. She needed to close the gap between her and the woman. The vampire would have to pick between the two and the woman, while an easy target, wouldn't be a tactical option. No, he would try to take Mina and he will be surprised.

Mina quickly sped up to catch up to the woman ahead. Her eyes watched the rooftops for any drops as she got closer.

PrincessKarai8 AceofRoses

 

[AceofRoses]

Cecilio raised his hand slightly in acknowledgement. He knew the basic workings of the world around him, the games of politics at least well enough to know who it was better to avoid. It was generally enough to get by, and to ensure that he would continue getting by. “If you need someone to serenade, you know where I am.” It wasn’t his preferred style but he would do it happily enough.

For a moment after she walked away he waited, debating on if he should call out to the other. She was making it a point to make it seem like she wasn’t interested. It was a reaction he had grown used to long, long ago. Leaving it at that he started off into the tavern once again.

A lively crowd tonight. Good, that meant that he would be able to play more lively music. If he did it right he might just get them clapping along, or better a few of them dancing. If not…well, Cecil was perfectly capable of dancing himself, and considering he hadn’t done it in a while he might not get in trouble for stepping on the tables. Not the ones people were eating at of course, but there was those who only got drinks.

The case that he set down proved to have an artfully done violin in it, the wood holding a shine to it that made the grain seem almost alive as the light moved over it. The sound that came from it as he tuned put its appearance to shame. The harp that he drew out next was much the same, the instrument soft as he laid his cheek against it, the wood a lighter tone there, showing its age. He probably wouldn’t play much of that until later, when things shifted to the quiet calm that was the midnight hour. The flute though he would draw out now, the instrument capable of cutting through the early evening din without an amplifier. He would of course play all of them in a duet with his own voice, and often with the background music. A combination that shifted and melded throughout the night with a kind of ease that came from being able to read his crowd.

PrincessKarai8 AngelofMusic Dear Mrs. Psycho Stray Cat NerdyBirdy

 

[Stray Cat]

Regina had been stern when she instructed Anna Marie to return home after her session had ended. Yet, her meeting with Archie had come and gone over an hour ago, and now she was wandering around town like a stray cat or something. Her mind was brimming with maddening thoughts just as it did on most days; images danced around and around in her head causing it to spin. Two different realities were playing out in her head, there was the known present that she was living now and what she dubbed the nightmarish past which seemed to continuously haunt her. Whether she was wide awake or fast asleep the visions still haunted her, they were not all clear but the ones that were truly ones that last her unhinged. She never knew which one was real and which was the delusion. Was this the dream? A place of escape. Somewhere her troubled mind created to cope with that which she didn’t wish to believe was the reality. It was all possible but then again it was all very absurd. But, then again it was that absurdity which earned her the reputation she had come to hold. Now, not everyone thought she was crazy and in fact, some instead referred to her as eccentric or even unique. There were some people didn’t think she was either one and liked her. Or at least she assumed so. Anyone who was caught talking poorly of her by Regina suffered consequences. Anna was used to it, while it did bother her she tried not to let it because after all those people could consider themselves lucky because they weren’t the ones who had to deal with what she did. They didn’t understand- no one really did. The saviour might have broken the curse, but she was still at war with her inner demons.

PrincessKarai8 AngelofMusic Dear Mrs. Psycho Stray Cat
AceofRoses ​

 

[MiladySolo]

It was just an average day for Lysandra, or as average as a day in Storybrooke could be. She went on her usual morning run around the small town at 4 am, got the same coffee she'd gotten every day since she'd first arrived in Storybrooke and gone to work at the Hospital. Lee worked in pediatrics as she loved kids, always had. She put on her kitten heels and a nice blouse, as well as some dress pants, the usual. It was as close to normal as the town got.

After her shift had ended, she walked home from Storybrooke General, deciding against taking the bus. It was easier, and she loved to look around at the beautiful town. It was different from everywhere she'd been; The Enchanted Forest, Camelot, Wonderland. It was quaint and filled with normality, however absurd some occasions might have been.

Lee walked past some people loitering on the side walk. She vaguely recognized some of them from around town or her past, but nothing really stood out. She identified Elle, Mary Margaret's assistant or something of the sort. She waved at the young woman politely from across the street. Lee noticed Elle's defensive posture, curious about what might've caused it. "Are you all right?" Lysandra called over the near to empty road.

Mentioned: PrincessKarai8 ​

 

[PrincessKarai8]

((So sorry guys! My phone fried Thursday night and I didn't know until I got home from work last night. I have a new one now that I'm still trying to figure out, so please bear with me. Also, I've had work all weekend so I've been busy.))

Elle smiled politely at Lee, shaking away the feeling she felt of someone following her away.

"Yes. Thank you for asking, though. How was your shift at the hospital, Lee?"

Elle visibly relaxed as she talked to the brunette. Though, Elle hadn't interacted with the female often, the times she had, she found the girl quite pleasant.

************
Adrian rushed to the restaurant he and his fianceé agreed to meet at.

He got caught up at work again and ended up being late to leave for their date.

The young male had been doing that a lot lately, which he terribly regretted.

He hated hurting his beloved.

Last time he was late, Elle looked so disappointed and said she wouldn't be able to take another missed dinner date on his part.

Groaning, he picked up his speed, weaving through the townspeople out for night strolls or own their way to the local bar where the white blonde haired musician was playing.

Stray Cat , M MiladySolo Dear Mrs. Psycho NerdyBirdy AngelofMusic AceofRoses

 

[Stray Cat]

She looked toward the clock tower and took note of the time. It was late, but she knew that. Go home. A voice in her head urged. Anastasia knew that she should heed this warning, but instead, it went ignored. She didn't want to go home; not yet. She continued down the familiar path and took in the surroundings that met her eye. There were some she recognised from passing them on street; just as she did now. Then, there were others that were merely strangers to her. No one seemed to recognise her which allowed for some relief. For once she was allowed the pleasure to blend in with the crowd. The wind carried a cool breeze which tousled her dark hair, but there was something else as well. Her ears twitched in response to the gentle melody which made Anastasia stop and listen for a moment. It took a second to realise where she stood and whom might be playing. This wasn't the first time the song had grasped her attention. Her eyes rest on the building as she continued to listen; this lasted for a second longer before something else captured her eye. Someone ran past her rather quickly. Her eyebrows furrowed as she managed to catch a brief glimpse of the person; he looked familiar.

PrincessKarai8 , M MiladySolo Dear Mrs. Psycho NerdyBirdy AngelofMusic , AceofRoses ​

 

[MiladySolo]

"Same old, you know. Kelly Hickman broke her arm on the swings this morning, she told me that you were her favorite teacher and that she couldn't wait to go to school. I wish I was that enthusiastic when I was running on coffee all through med school." Lee joked. She loved her 'kids', they were usually so eager about everything, it was refreshing.

"How about the school? How are the rest of the kids?" The doctor asked curiously, crossing the street towards Elle. She glanced around quickly, feeling a presence that wasn't either of theirs. There was a woman behind Elle, with lovely brown hair and a leather jacket, though she seemed slightly familiar, probably from the store.

Stray Cat PrincessKarai8 NerdyBirdy AngelofMusic AceofRoses ​

 

[PrincessKarai8]

"The kids are doing great. Aw, Kelly is a bright girl. She is one of my best students. It's been unfortunate without her in class. I hope she's healing well." Elle smiled, and tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear added, "You know since Mary Margaret took some time off last year and I covered her class, the school offered me my own class to teach. English Literature."

* * * * *
Adrian finally reached the restuarant, but frowned when he noticed Elle was no where to be found.

Running a hand through his hair, he wandered where she could have gone.

His first logical thought would be the blonde headed home, but when he passed by the small house she lived in, it didn't appear as if anyone was there.

Looking up and down the road, he looked for his fianceé.

It took him a long time before he finally spotted her talking to a brunette woman dressed in scrubs.

Sighing in relief, Adrian rushed over to them.

"Elle, I am so sorry! I got caught up at work again." He began apologizing immediately.

* * * * *

Elle glared at Adrian when he ran over to them.

"Save the excuses, Drew. I'm done with them." She said with anger, turning her back on him.

Stray Cat NerdyBirdy AngelofMusic AceofRoses M MiladySolo Dear Mrs. Psycho

 

[PrincessKarai8]

Meanwhile, at the edge of town, a black portal appeared, causing a group of dark clouds to form above it and killing the grass and any living plant near it.

Out of the portal stepped a tall in stature blonde with piercing, ice cold blue eyes. She dressed in a black gown that showed lots of skin and cleavage, a pair of black boots ending at her knee, a silver crown that ended at a point on her forehead, a pair of silver, spiky earrings, and in her hand she carried a staff made of metal and crystal.

She peered around at her surroundings, her gaze scanning over the town the so called evil queen had created with a curse that was easily broken by a measly savior.

 

[PrincessKarai8]

((Here is Alvah))

 

[PrincessKarai8]

Stray Cat NerdyBirdy AngelofMusic AceofRoses M MiladySolo @Dear Mrs. Psycho 

 

[MiladySolo]

"That's great!" Lee told the blonde, genuinely happy for her. She could tell it meant a lot to Elle. When her ex approached her and they began to argue, Lysandra looked away. It wasn't her business. Lee's had her fair share of boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives, after 500 years in the world it was bound to happen.

She's only had one child as of yet, though. Lee's son, Wayland , attended the very school Elle taught at. His father, Callum, worked as a Surgeon at the Hospital. The pair weren't married, but they might as well have been. The way they acted, it was near to official. They didn't really feel the need to make it official, but they planned on it.

"I'll, uh, I'll be off then, but I'll see you soon Elle. Adrian." She didn't want to make things worse nor more awkward, so she decided on leaving. No reason for staying and witnessing the argument.​

 

[NerdyBirdy]

Mina's demeanor relaxed as people began to approach the woman. She stopped walking at the entrance to the alley and contemplated going to Granny's for a midnight drink. That easy feeling evaporated as she felt the sensation of coldness run up her spine. Darkness. Lots of darkness. Mina's first instinct was to look up, but the feeling made her look down the alley. She turned her head and saw a woman in a black gown strolling down the alley like a catwalk. She envoked the air of the Evil Queen and had murder in her eyes. Mina shook off the fear and turned towards the street of people.

"RUN!" She shouted, turning back to the alley, "DARKNESS IS HERE! GET OFF THE STREETS!" She started down the alley, charging the woman. She pulled out the cross from her pocket and held it up as a ward.

"BACK, DEMON! THE POWER OF THE LORD COMPELS YOU!" She recited, the woman advancing closer. Mina stood her ground and used both hands to her cross.

"THE POWER OF THE LORD COMPELS! THE POWER OF THE LOOOOOooooooor...." Mina felt the darkness coming from the woman hit her full on and her voice trailed off as the woman walked through the cross and her body as if she were a spectre. She felt the cross slip from her outstretched hands and clatter to the ground, the iron rusting and twisting. Mina's hearing seemed to fail as her vision blurred. She felt herself sink to her knees as the ground rushed to her face and everything went dark.

PrincessKarai8 M MiladySolo Stray Cat

 

[PrincessKarai8]

"That's great!" Lee told the blonde, genuinely happy for her. She could tell it meant a lot to Elle. When her ex approached her and they began to argue, Lysandra looked away. It wasn't her business. Lee's had her fair share of boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives, after 500 years in the world it was bound to happen.

She's only had one child as of yet, though. Lee's son, Wayland , attended the very school Elle taught at. His father, Callum, worked as a Surgeon at the Hospital. The pair weren't married, but they might as well have been. The way they acted, it was near to official. They didn't really feel the need to make it official, but they planned on it.

"I'll, uh, I'll be off then, but I'll see you soon Elle. Adrian." She didn't want to make things worse nor more awkward, so she decided on leaving. No reason for staying and witnessing the argument.​

Elle frowned when Lee left, but realized how awkward it might be hearing her and Adrian argue. Sighing, she spun around and faced her fianceé.

"Drew, I understand work can overrun sometimes, but you could have called and told me. I mean, this has happened several times now." She ran a hand through her blonde hair in frustration. "I just feel like I don't matter anymore, Adrian."

Adrian felt his heart squeeze when she said that.

"Elle, don't ever think that." He rubbed his thumb over her cheek. "It's far from the truth. You mean the world to me and I would be lost without you."

A smile formed on her face as he said that and leaning forward, she pressed her lips against his.

The kiss didn't last long, however, for a change in the air occurred that had her going in defense mode.

"What's wrong?" Adrian asked in worry.

"Someone wicked is in town. . ." She said and gasped when she spotted a familiar blonde figuring coming out of an alley nearby.

Mina's demeanor relaxed as people began to approach the woman. She stopped walking at the entrance to the alley and contemplated going to Granny's for a midnight drink. That easy feeling evaporated as she felt the sensation of coldness run up her spine. Darkness. Lots of darkness. Mina's first instinct was to look up, but the feeling made her look down the alley. She turned her head and saw a woman in a black gown strolling down the alley like a catwalk. She envoked the air of the Evil Queen and had murder in her eyes. Mina shook off the fear and turned towards the street of people.

"RUN!" She shouted, turning back to the alley, "DARKNESS IS HERE! GET OFF THE STREETS!" She started down the alley, charging the woman. She pulled out the cross from her pocket and held it up as a ward.

"BACK, DEMON! THE POWER OF THE LORD COMPELS YOU!" She recited, the woman advancing closer. Mina stood her ground and used both hands to her cross.

"THE POWER OF THE LORD COMPELS! THE POWER OF THE LOOOOOooooooor...." Mina felt the darkness coming from the woman hit her full on and her voice trailed off as the woman walked through the cross and her body as if she were a spectre. She felt the cross slip from her outstretched hands and clatter to the ground, the iron rusting and twisting. Mina's hearing seemed to fail as her vision blurred. She felt herself sink to her knees as the ground rushed to her face and everything went dark.

PrincessKarai8 M MiladySolo Stray Cat

Alvah cackled wickedly, looking down at the weakling as she walked by her.

Silly girl. A simple cross wouldn't be able to dispel her like some demon. Especially when the evil she had was much more than that.

Walking with confidence out of the alleyway, her eyes locked with those of someone she hadn't seen in many years. Her only niece

 

[Stray Cat]

Another breath of cold air blew against her neck. She shivered from exposure as it proved to be chillier than before; Anastasia brought her arms around herself but the chill remained. Something was in the air, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Perhaps, it was nothing. It could have very well been her mind playing tricks on her; it wouldn't be the first time. She broke away from the spot she once occupied and began to walk again. Unlike before there was no one else on the street; aside from herself. It was quiet, save for the sound of her heels against the pavement and the wind. As time moved the unsettling feeling grew, and she was becoming more anxious. The voice in her head from before returned; urging her to go home. For once she would listen. Then, something shattered the silence. It was a voice- a woman's voice; high-pitched a nearby. At first, she was stunned due to the noise; this was the second time tonight her sensitive hearing was victim to noise. Once, she recovered she began to move again, but this time at a faster pace. Her cat-like eyes darted back and forth through the thicket of darkness that seemed to cover the town. She questioned what it was, but the question was dismissed when her eyes locked on something. A tall silhouette which lingered in place for a moment before fleeing. It wasn't the only thing present. She spotted a woman sprawled out on the ground. Her heart picked up a bit at the sight, but she approached. She remained motionless with what looked to be a cross at her side. Anastasia remembered the fleeing silhouette and could only wonder what had assaulted this woman. She knelt down and examined her more closely; she appeared pale. The ravenette pressed her two fingers against her neck and checked for a pulse. One was present. It was faint but present.

NerdyBirdy , PrincessKarai8 M MiladySolo ​

 

[AceofRoses]

Cecilio "Karma" Morgenstern​

Cecilio had settled into a lovely blend of celtic and pirate songs when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Nothing extremely extraordinary about that. Large magic somewhere in the area although who he didn’t care to pay enough attention to. In general Cecilio stayed well enough out of the politics, content to play his fiddle for the crowd. Not that the crowd was keeping a lot of interest. Even the regulars were glancing towards the windows and when noise rose up they started to gather outside the door like a flock of fools.

Drawing the current song to a close no less details than anything else even for lack of his wanted attention, Cecilio let the bow fall to his side. Keeping the violin close to his body, he slid through the gaping morons to see what it was that could distract them so. No doubt the source of the magic he had sensed earlier was out there, Cecilio shifting backwards slightly. If this was going to be a fight he needed to get himself, and more importantly his instruments out of here. He had spent to long working to perfect his little balance in the world, not reaching for the greatness or the widespread fame. He didn’t need it when he could draw the bow across the strings and entrance the entire room without once reaching for the actual magic.

Sliding back away from the crowd he positioned himself so that he could be ready to duck back into safety. From there he could disappear with his instruments.

***
Rumpelstiltskin / Gold​

Nights were generally quiet for Rumplestiltskin, the shop closed, rent collected, Belle probably home and reading. It was a quiet that soothed him, made him happy even, at least until something or another came knocking. This time it wasn’t even a physical knock, or one of the ‘heroes’ come to ask for his aid in saving the day. Instead it was a quiet whisper that had him putting a hand up against the wheel to stop it. True, full silence fell over the room as he closed his eyes. Someone was using magic, and a lot of it.

That was something he would have to investigate, the thought crossing his mind to do it tomorrow. His wards were strong enough to hold against most of his enemies and anyone who could break them would have enough trouble doing it that he would be awake and ready for them when they made it through. Then he caught where the outpouring of magic was coming from. The tavern…not impressive in and of itself, except he knew a certain sorcerer who played there who would only be using a noticeable level of magic if all hell had broken loose and the town was about to go up in flames, either by whatever source or by Cecilio himself.

Rumple vanished in a cloud of crimson smoke, reappearing in the middle of the street with eyes already casting for what was happening. A great jumble it seemed, with people scattered back and forth. Someone was down although he…didn’t have a guess at who or why beyond a faint curiosity at the cross. Then his attention settled on the magic wielder who was very obviously one of those who used their craft publicly. “Well, well, well dearie. What brings you to our little town?”

 

[NerdyBirdy]

(Backstory Flashback sequence! It ain't Once Upon a Time without them!)

Some time ago in the Black Forest...

The crimson train let out a shrill whistle as it pulled into the station. A sea of finely dressed men and women amassed on the platform with luggage and bags moving on trolley. A conductor in a black uniform stepped off the train and addressed the departing train passengers.

"THE RED LINE HAS ARRIVED IN PARI, VILLE DES CLOCHES! ALL DEPARTING PASSENGERS PLEASE EXIT THE TRAIN AND PROCEED TO THE EXIT PLATFORM! THE RED LINE WILL BE DEPARTING TO SLEEPY HOLLOW IN TWENTY MINUTES!" He announced.

A young man in a vest and coat stepped off the train and looked back to the door of the train, hand extended. A small gloved hand took his as a young woman in a beautiful yellow dress stepped off behind him. Her eyes wandered around the platform in wonder. The man wrapped his arms around her waist and held her.

"Oh, Jonathan, I cannot believe we're here! What a wonderful place to have a honeymoon." She praised, looking back at her new husband. Jonathan gave his new bride a quick kiss on the forehead.

"Anything for the new Mrs. Jonathan Harker." He mused, smiling. He grabbed their bags from the nearby luggage trolley and interlaced his hand with her own, leading her outside to the bustling stone streets. Mina let out an excited breath as she took in the high buildings and overcast sky.

"Oh, this city is so big!" She exclaimed, hanging tightly to her husband's hand as if she would float away. She looked at Jonathan with merry eyes. He gazed lovingly into hers.

"Yes. And we'll see all of it in time. The Opera house, the Bells of Notre Dame, the Tower of London district, the art museums. This city is a bastion of culture." He told her as they strolled down the streets. Mina looked around again and tugged on Jonathan's sleeve, pointing at a poster of a pale man in black clothes. The words "FOR THE REGENT LORD" were emboldened in red letters. His gaze was piercing as Mina looked at it. It was almost as if the image were staring through her very soul.

"Jonathan, who is that?" She inquired, studying the pale, handsome face. Jonathan looked where she had her attention and Mina felt him tense up.

"That...is the Regent Lord of Pari and many of the outlying regions of The Black Forest. Vladimir Tepes. But he prefers the name "Count Dracula". He is a vampire lord, you see. A terrifying creature of the night." He explained. Mina kept her eyes on the poster.

"A creature of the night? But why would the people elect such a thing to regency?" She asked.

"Despite his nature, he is a hero in these parts. It was he who chased away the monsters that once plauged this land. The werewolves and witches and beasts. He even defeated the terrible king of nightmares, Skeleton Jack. He is...a savior." Jonathan said through gritted teeth. Mina looked at her husband in surprise. He normally never acted so harshly. Mina gave him a reassuring squeeze. Jonathan seemed to snap out of his anger and looked at his bride's concerned face.

"Sorry, my love. I shouldn't be so tense. This is a honeymoon. Joy and good faire with my wife." He said, smiling. Mina returned the gesture and kissed Jonathan on the lips.

"Don't worry, my husband. This trip will be enjoyable. It's just the first step to the rest of our happy ending." Mina said, assured.

(I'll keep posting in flashback until someone gets Mina to a hospital in the real world. I'll try to take everyone as I can.)

PrincessKarai8 AceofRoses M MiladySolo Stray Cat

 

[PrincessKarai8]

Cecilio "Karma" Morgenstern​

Cecilio had settled into a lovely blend of celtic and pirate songs when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Nothing extremely extraordinary about that. Large magic somewhere in the area although who he didn’t care to pay enough attention to. In general Cecilio stayed well enough out of the politics, content to play his fiddle for the crowd. Not that the crowd was keeping a lot of interest. Even the regulars were glancing towards the windows and when noise rose up they started to gather outside the door like a flock of fools.

Drawing the current song to a close no less details than anything else even for lack of his wanted attention, Cecilio let the bow fall to his side. Keeping the violin close to his body, he slid through the gaping morons to see what it was that could distract them so. No doubt the source of the magic he had sensed earlier was out there, Cecilio shifting backwards slightly. If this was going to be a fight he needed to get himself, and more importantly his instruments out of here. He had spent to long working to perfect his little balance in the world, not reaching for the greatness or the widespread fame. He didn’t need it when he could draw the bow across the strings and entrance the entire room without once reaching for the actual magic.

Sliding back away from the crowd he positioned himself so that he could be ready to duck back into safety. From there he could disappear with his instruments.

***
Rumpelstiltskin / Gold​

Nights were generally quiet for Rumplestiltskin, the shop closed, rent collected, Belle probably home and reading. It was a quiet that soothed him, made him happy even, at least until something or another came knocking. This time it wasn’t even a physical knock, or one of the ‘heroes’ come to ask for his aid in saving the day. Instead it was a quiet whisper that had him putting a hand up against the wheel to stop it. True, full silence fell over the room as he closed his eyes. Someone was using magic, and a lot of it.

That was something he would have to investigate, the thought crossing his mind to do it tomorrow. His wards were strong enough to hold against most of his enemies and anyone who could break them would have enough trouble doing it that he would be awake and ready for them when they made it through. Then he caught where the outpouring of magic was coming from. The tavern…not impressive in and of itself, except he knew a certain sorcerer who played there who would only be using a noticeable level of magic if all hell had broken loose and the town was about to go up in flames, either by whatever source or by Cecilio himself.

Rumple vanished in a cloud of crimson smoke, reappearing in the middle of the street with eyes already casting for what was happening. A great jumble it seemed, with people scattered back and forth. Someone was down although he…didn’t have a guess at who or why beyond a faint curiosity at the cross. Then his attention settled on the magic wielder who was very obviously one of those who used their craft publicly. “Well, well, well dearie. What brings you to our little town?”

(Backstory Flashback sequence! It ain't Once Upon a Time without them!)

Some time ago in the Black Forest...

The crimson train let out a shrill whistle as it pulled into the station. A sea of finely dressed men and women amassed on the platform with luggage and bags moving on trolley. A conductor in a black uniform stepped off the train and addressed the departing train passengers.

"THE RED LINE HAS ARRIVED IN PARI, VILLE DES CLOCHES! ALL DEPARTING PASSENGERS PLEASE EXIT THE TRAIN AND PROCEED TO THE EXIT PLATFORM! THE RED LINE WILL BE DEPARTING TO SLEEPY HOLLOW IN TWENTY MINUTES!" He announced.

A young man in a vest and coat stepped off the train and looked back to the door of the train, hand extended. A small gloved hand took his as a young woman in a beautiful yellow dress stepped off behind him. Her eyes wandered around the platform in wonder. The man wrapped his arms around her waist and held her.

"Oh, Jonathan, I cannot believe we're here! What a wonderful place to have a honeymoon." She praised, looking back at her new husband. Jonathan gave his new bride a quick kiss on the forehead.

"Anything for the new Mrs. Jonathan Harker." He mused, smiling. He grabbed their bags from the nearby luggage trolley and interlaced his hand with her own, leading her outside to the bustling stone streets. Mina let out an excited breath as she took in the high buildings and overcast sky.

"Oh, this city is so big!" She exclaimed, hanging tightly to her husband's hand as if she would float away. She looked at Jonathan with merry eyes. He gazed lovingly into hers.

"Yes. And we'll see all of it in time. The Opera house, the Bells of Notre Dame, the Tower of London district, the art museums. This city is a bastion of culture." He told her as they strolled down the streets. Mina looked around again and tugged on Jonathan's sleeve, pointing at a poster of a pale man in black clothes. The words "FOR THE REGENT LORD" were emboldened in red letters. His gaze was piercing as Mina looked at it. It was almost as if the image were staring through her very soul.

"Jonathan, who is that?" She inquired, studying the pale, handsome face. Jonathan looked where she had her attention and Mina felt him tense up.

"That...is the Regent Lord of Pari and many of the outlying regions of The Black Forest. Vladimir Tepes. But he prefers the name "Count Dracula". He is a vampire lord, you see. A terrifying creature of the night." He explained. Mina kept her eyes on the poster.

"A creature of the night? But why would the people elect such a thing to regency?" She asked.

"Despite his nature, he is a hero in these parts. It was he who chased away the monsters that once plauged this land. The werewolves and witches and beasts. He even defeated the terrible king of nightmares, Skeleton Jack. He is...a savior." Jonathan said through gritted teeth. Mina looked at her husband in surprise. He normally never acted so harshly. Mina gave him a reassuring squeeze. Jonathan seemed to snap out of his anger and looked at his bride's concerned face.

"Sorry, my love. I shouldn't be so tense. This is a honeymoon. Joy and good faire with my wife." He said, smiling. Mina returned the gesture and kissed Jonathan on the lips.

"Don't worry, my husband. This trip will be enjoyable. It's just the first step to the rest of our happy ending." Mina said, assured.

(I'll keep posting in flashback until someone gets Mina to a hospital in the real world. I'll try to take everyone as I can.)

PrincessKarai8 AceofRoses M MiladySolo Stray Cat

Another breath of cold air blew against her neck. She shivered from exposure as it proved to be chillier than before; Anastasia brought her arms around herself but the chill remained. Something was in the air, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Perhaps, it was nothing. It could have very well been her mind playing tricks on her; it wouldn't be the first time. She broke away from the spot she once occupied and began to walk again. Unlike before there was no one else on the street; aside from herself. It was quiet, save for the sound of her heels against the pavement and the wind. As time moved the unsettling feeling grew, and she was becoming more anxious. The voice in her head from before returned; urging her to go home. For once she would listen. Then, something shattered the silence. It was a voice- a woman's voice; high-pitched a nearby. At first, she was stunned due to the noise; this was the second time tonight her sensitive hearing was victim to noise. Once, she recovered she began to move again, but this time at a faster pace. Her cat-like eyes darted back and forth through the thicket of darkness that seemed to cover the town. She questioned what it was, but the question was dismissed when her eyes locked on something. A tall silhouette which lingered in place for a moment before fleeing. It wasn't the only thing present. She spotted a woman sprawled out on the ground. Her heart picked up a bit at the sight, but she approached. She remained motionless with what looked to be a cross at her side. Anastasia remembered the fleeing silhouette and could only wonder what had assaulted this woman. She knelt down and examined her more closely; she appeared pale. The ravenette pressed her two fingers against her neck and checked for a pulse. One was present. It was faint but present.

NerdyBirdy , PrincessKarai8 M MiladySolo ​

Alvah stalked like a cat towards her niece, fury in her eyes.

"I've been searching across the realms for you, my dear Elle." She raised her hand, palms upwards and facing towards her, dark energy seeping out.

Elle gasped as Alvah thrust her hand forward, dark energy heading straight towards her.

She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing herself for the impact, but instead was greeted with the noise of an explosion, followed by a bright light filling the air.

Alvah, enraged, begins to attack again when she hears a male voice.

The blonde, eyes glaring daggers and teeth clenched, turns to spot a familiar male with brown hair and eyes, wearing a suit and having a nonchalant attitude to him.

"Ah, Rumplestilkin. A pleasure to finally meet you." Alvah spoke in a suddenly friendly tone. "My collegues have told me great things about you."

**************

Mary Margaret strolled down the street with David, hand in hand, when she sensed a sudden change in the air.

"What's wrong?" David asked when his wife stopped suddenly.

"Something doesn't feel right." Was all she said.

Then, he sensed it as well and became immediately alarmed when he noticed a crowd coming out of the local tavern.

"What's going on?" David asked one of the bystanders.

"A strange woman has appeared." The person pointed ahead to where the young teacher, Elle, stood in fear, another blonde lady walking towards her.

Mary Margaret and David shared a look before pushing through the crowd and towards their friend.

Before they made it past the crowd, an explosion was heard and a sudden bright light appeared, nearly blinding everyone.

The couple pushed through the last of the crowd and spotted Elle, her entire body alight for a brief moment before dying out and she passing out.

"Elle!" Mary Margaret ran forward towards the blonde before noticing Adrian.catch her and pull her away from the woman who before was heading towards her, but now was talking to Mr. Gold.

David started to follow his wife when he spotted a familiar ravenette checking the pulse of a girl who appeared unconscious.

"Anna, what happened?" He ran over to her without hesitation.

 

[PrincessKarai8]

NerdyBird Stray Cat AceofRoses M MiladySolo

 

[NerdyBirdy]

(Working on the next segment.)

 

[Stray Cat]

She pressed her fingers gently against the skin and felt for a pulse. There. It was present but faint. This could be taken as a good sign, but it didn't mean she was out of the woods. Anastasia took her eyes off of the woman for a second in order to look for her phone. She would call for the paramedics so that she may be taken to the hospital in order to be properly taken cared of. Her mobile was located soon, and seconds later she punched in the necessary number. Upon receiving an answer she explained the situation to the operator; who in return prompted her for an address. Her gaze searched the darkness for a landmark or a street name; luckily she discovered the latter, Anastasia was told that someone would be there soon after it was quiet. No one else was on the street aside from them. For the second time, she examined the woman who was laying on the ground. There was still no movement aside from the gentle movement of breathing. Anastasia inhaled the night air and could pick up a few scents. Some were familiar and then there were others that weren't. One, in particular, seemed to stand out making her remember the shadow that fled when she arrived. She questioned herself over who or what that was. Whatever it was had gotten to this woman before she could do anything. She remained alerted as there was a possibility of it making a return. If need be...she could defend herself. For a second she looked down at her hands, there was a familiar tingle in her fingertips. Magic. Again, she questioned her sanity as this whole thing had her head spinning again. Her ears were ringing once more after the sound of others could be heard. It had been quiet for so long that she had been taken off guard. She would have questioned it had a voice not stolen her attention. She turned only to be greeted with a familiar face who was now heading in her direction. "I'm not sure," she admitted to the man. She wasn't surprised to see him. "...I think she was attacked" she remembered the fleeting shadow once more. "Something doesn't feel right"

NerdyBird PrincessKarai8 AceofRoses M MiladySolo ​