Chapter I: Little Cursed Town

There was an enchanted forest filled with all the classic characters we know. Or think we know. One day they found themselves trapped in a place where all their happy endings were stolen and changed completely. They were sent to our World. This is how it happened…

Weddings were happy occasions. Seeing two people come together in a single union could bring a tear to any eye, even the eye of the toughest man. That's what today was.

The princess of the kingdom of Lucidus, along with her personal guards, were among those who attended the long awaited wedding of Snow White and Prince Charming. One of the princess's guards, however happy as he was, was trying to hide the misery of having to wear the stiff clothing the princess and his colleague forced him into. It was the only thing they could do to make him look presentable for the occasion. The teenage boy's unruly mane of brown spikes could not be tamed by a simple hairbrush or at all. Even with the occasion, it didn't stop the knight from messing with his collar. His colleague—and best friend—tugged his hand down away from it.

"Sora," said his friend in a harsh, barely audible whisper. "Stop touching it."

"I can't help it," the boy, Sora, replied in a hushed tone. His hand dropped to his side. "This thing is uncomfortable." Sora gave his friend a side glance. Unlike him, he was much taller, more muscular and had actually managed to clean up, with his long, silver hair tied back for the wedding.

"It's not supposed to be comfortable. It's supposed to give a person a good appearance."

"I'd rather be in a looser shirt. Or even my armor."

"Sora, stop complaining and be quiet."

"Riku, how are you not—" A harsh shush came from the princess between them. Although her regal appearance gave off the look of a perfect princess, both Sora and the silver-haired boy, Riku, knew that she wanted nothing more than to release her dark reddish hair from its bonds and just have a little fun.

"This is an important event for them," said the princess. "She's your friend, Sora. I'd believe you—or you, Riku—wouldn't want to interrupt." The boys' minor conversation ended.

"Yes, Kairi," muttered Sora.

"Alright," Riku added. Their attention turned back to the wedding.

"I do," said the groom, formally known as Prince Charming. His dirty blonde hair, cut to perfection, really did make him look more of a prince than in previous weeks.

"And do you, Snow White, promise to take this man to be your husband, and love him for all eternity?" asked the priest who mandated the ceremony.

"I do," said the bride, Snow White with a smile. Her black hair, adorned with flowers, made her look like a snowbell.

The trio among the crowd cheered and applauded. This moment was long in the waiting. Sora's voice cut over a majority of the crowd's. He couldn't help it. This was put off for far too long. Snow White and Prince Charming leaned in for a kiss, to seal their marriage and to complete their happy ending.

Before they could, the doors swung open with a loud bang. In walked a regal-looking woman. She brought a sense of chill into the room. The moment the Evil Queen stepped into the wedding hall, both Sora and Riku's dominant wrists were held on by Kairi before the boys could even flinch.

"Not here," she told them both. "Not yet."

"Sorry I'm late," said the Queen. She approached Snow White and Charming.

"It's the Queen. Run!" The Lucidus delegates watched as two guards were flung out of the Queen's way with magic. Sora caught sight of Riku's hand curling into a firm fist. Snow White drew her husband's sword, pointing it at the Queen.

"She's not the Queen anymore," she said, "She's nothing more than an evil witch."

"No, no, no," Prince Charming reassured her, taking the sword from Snow. "Don't stoop to her level. There's no need." He turned his attention to the Queen. "You're wasting your time. You've already lost. And I will not let you ruin this wedding."

"Oh, I haven't come here to ruin anything. On the contrary, dear, I've come to give you a gift," said the Queen with a wicked smile.

"We want nothing from you!" Snow yelled.

"But you shall have it! My gift to you is this happy, happy day. But tomorrow, my real work begins. You've made your vows, now I make mine. Soon, everything you love, everything all of you love, will be taken from you." Sora wormed his way out of Kairi's grip in favor of wrapping his arm around her. He and Riku exchanged a look with each other. "Forever. And out of your suffering, will rise my victory. I shall destroy your happiness, if it is the last thing I do." The Evil Queen turned and headed for the door. Without warning, Charming stepped forward, sword in hand.

"Hey!" He shouted. The Queen turned at this attention, giving the prince his chance to throw the weapon directly at her. Unfortunately, the Queen disappeared into a cloud of smoke before the blade could even nick her. Snow went up to meet her husband. The pair held each other close.

Sora, Riku and Kairi exchanged a worried look. Things weren't about to get better. They were about to get worse. Far worse.

The sun incredibly low in the sky as it hung over a sleepy little town. The town's name was Storybrooke. Storybrooke, Maine.

A teenage boy barely on the edge of adulthood had just gotten home. His long silver hair was an absolute mess. It had been a long day for him. It wasn't the first time. The near permanent bags underneath his aquamarine eyes proved that.

Mamoru Miyano was sure his father was asleep by now. He would have most likely passed out from a drunken haze. The boy was only seventeen years old and had to provide for both him and his father.

Mamoru made his way to his bedroom, if it could be classified as that. The apartment that qualified as his home only had three rooms. One for living, one for his father and the third was the bathroom. Mamoru's room was only a renovated linen closet.

He dropped his school bag on the floor, shutting the door behind him. Mamoru collapsed on his bed. He was tired. He could have slept for an eternity if he could.

He was on the brink of slumber when a shrill ring came from the main room. Mamoru scrambled up and almost ran out to answer the phone before it woke his father. He seized the object to cease the noise. The moment he put his ear to the receiver, Mamoru's dark mood began to seep into his voice.

"Who is this?" Mamoru asked, not even bothering to allow the person on the other end to speak.

"It's the sheriff, Miyano." Mamoru looked over to his father's door at the end of the hall.

"Is this about my father?"

"No. Not this time," said the sheriff. "Do you know Henry Mills?"

"The mayor's son? Yes. Of course I do."

"Shanelle Workman went to pick up Henry from his therapy session. When she arrived, Dr. Hopper told her that Henry never got there." Mamoru ran his hand through his hair.

"l just got off my shift, Graham."

"You'll be paid overtime for this." Mamoru glanced over at his father's door again. He sighed.

"Give me a minute. I'll meet you at the station."

Sora and Riku were pacing around the halls in Snow White's castle, clad in blue & gold and black & silver armor respectively. Snow White had become heavily pregnant since the wedding. Worried for Snow's child and over the Queen's threat, the princess of Lucidus sent the two knights to her aid. Fortunately, everything so far had been considered rather peaceful.

"I'm telling you," said Sora as he and Riku walked down a long corridor. "We could take the Evil Queen."

"Magic or not, she would torch us," Riku replied. "Even with the Keyblade."

The Keyblade. A powerful and magical key-like blade concealed in a mystery. It could only be used by very few people. Riku and Sora just happened to be part of that minority.

"Okay," Sora continued to give his side of the debate, "I'm not saying we use the Keyblade on her. We could… I don't know. Somehow trap her."

"I don't think that will work."

"It worked with the—"

"You two!" Sora and Riku turned their attention away from each other as Charming walked towards them. He looked stressed out beyond belief.

"Is everything alright?" Riku asked the prince.

"I'm afraid not," said Charming. "Snow's worried. About the Queen."

"So is Kairi," Sora told him. "You should have seen her after when we returned from your wedding."

"The thing is Snow wants us to go down to the mines. She wants to see… him." Riku and Sora's expressions turned blank.

"We trapped him down there for a reason, Charming," said Riku.

"She must be desperate if she's willing to go that far," muttered Sora.

"We all are," said Charming. There was a moment of silence as he looked between the two boys. "I want you both to come with us. He has fear of what you can do. Snow trusts you and so do I." Sora felt a lump form in his throat. Every time he saw that man, he felt a shiver run up his spine. There were two circumstances in his life that hadn't been the case. The last moment had been a year ago. To Sora, that had been far too long a time.

"We'll go." Sora snapped out of his thoughts the moment the words left Riku's mouth. He pressed his mouth into a flat line.

"Thank you," said Charming. "Meet us at the mines' entrance in about an hour." Sora watched Charming walk away, making his way back to his beloved Snow White. He didn't speak until the prince was out of sight.

"Are we really doing this?" he asked Riku. Riku gave him a side glance before turning and heading down the opposite end of the hall.

"Yes," Riku answered. Sora jogged to catch up with him. "He can see into the future. He'll know what the Queen is planning."

"He's dangerous. He's… the Dark One. You don't get a name like that without a reason. And dark usually means evil." Riku glared a dagger at Sora. Sora's eyes wandered away from his. Simple memories of when he was fourteen resurfaced in his mind with that one look. "Sorry."

"It's fine, but if we don't go, we'll never know what's going to happen. We won't be able to protect the balance between the kingdoms, Snow White, Charming, or even Kairi." Sora thought about Riku's words. All of it was true. It was Sora's greatest weakness. His heart. His desire to protect his friends, his family and the person he loved most.

"You got me there," Sora sighed. "Fine. I'll come with you. Besides, I can't be afraid of Rumpelstiltskin forever, can I?"

It was night in Storybrooke. A young teenager was riding down the road on a skateboard, the wheels smoothly gliding across the asphalt. His spiky brown hair was gently blowing in the autumn wind. The good thing about living in such a small town was that there were barely any cars on the road at night.

Miyu Irino had to work the late shift at the diner he was employed at. It was a simple job. He was just the delivery boy. However, the kind heart he possessed urged him to stay and help the old woman who served as his boss close up at night.

Miyu pushed against the ground again, adjusting bag on his shoulder to keep his balance. It was a small distraction, but small enough that Miyu didn't notice a car come driving down the road. His azure eyes widened as he came to a screeching halt, frozen like a deer in headlights. The car came to stop. Miyu's skateboard came out from under him the moment he stopped, sending him flat onto the road. The car's headlights dimmed the moment the driver stepped out. Miyu propped himself up, resting up against one of his hands. The other was running over his head, checking for any injuries. The woman who had been driving the car held out her hand to him. Miyu took it, giving her the opportunity to pull him up. The light from the streetlamps bounced off the driver's blonde hair.

"What do you think you're doing?" asked the woman. "You could've gotten killed."

"No one usually takes this way," Miyu replied, "That and I have a thick skull. I'm okay." Using his foot, he caught his skateboard stuck between the car and the curb. He pulled it out, stepping on the end to bring it up to his hand.

"Yeah, well—" The woman was cut off when the passenger side door opened. Miyu almost dropped when he saw who climbed out. Henry Mills, the mayor's son.

"Henry?" Miyu found himself saying. "What're you… why are you here?"

"Miyu, it's okay," said Henry. "This is my mom." Henry gestured over to the blonde woman. Miyu glanced over at her.

"Her? This is your birth mom?" Miyu caught himself. "No offense."

"Some taken," said the woman. "What were you doing in the middle of the street?"

"No one really comes down the street in the middle of the night," Miyu said with a shrug. "It's a quicker way to get home."

"Quicker or not, that would get you killed," said the woman. "Get home, kid." Miyu dropped his skateboard on the ground.

"Yes, ma'am." He turned to Henry. "I'll see you tomorrow." Miyu skated off, heading off down the road.

Sora could feel his heart beating loudly in his throat. This was a bad idea. A terrible idea. The darkness was not something you could trust so easily. He, Riku, Snow White and Prince Charming even had to wear hoods to conceal their faces from the Dark One. Sora glanced over at Riku. His face was barely visible in the dim light of the torch he carried.

"I still think think is a bad idea," he muttered under his breath.

"It's not your choice," Riku said in a harsh whisper. "It's theirs." He looked back at Snow and Charming.

"Remember," he told them. "When we get to the cell, you must stay out of the light. Whatever you do, do not let him know your name." They approached the cell, and Sora stepped forward when Riku urge him to.

"Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpelstiltskin!" he called out, hitting a hand against the bars of the cell, "I have something to ask you." A man crawled out of the shadows. He had brown hair and amber eyes, but he didn't look human. His skin was a greenish-gold with his teeth and nails yellowing. Sora found him an absolute mess of a man that he once might have been. He grinned upon seeing the four.

"No, you don't. They do," said the madman. "Snow White and Prince Charming… You insult me. Step into the light and take off those ridiculous robes." Exchanging a look, Snow and Charming removed their hoods. "That's much better."

"We've come to ask you about the…" Charming began to say before he was cut off.

"Yes! Yes! I know why you're here! You want to know about the Queen's threat."

"Tell us what you know," Snow White ordered.

"Ooh, tense, aren't we? Fear not! For I can ease your mind. But… It's going to cost you something in return."

"This is a waste of time, Snow," Sora whispered. "I say we just—"

"What do you want?" Snow said quickly.

"Oh… The name of your unborn child?" asked Rumpelstiltskin.

"Absolutely not!" said Prince Charming in a firm tone.

"Deal!" said Snow, not taking in consideration her husband's response. "What do you know?"

"The Queen has created a powerful curse. And it's coming," Rumpelstiltskin told them. "Soon, you'll all be in a prison. Just like me, only worse. Your prison, all of our prisons, will be time. Time will stop, and we will be trapped. Someplace horrible, where everything we hold dear, everything we love, will be ripped from us while we suffer for all eternity. While the Queen celebrates, victorious at last. No more happy endings."

"What can we do?"

"We can't do anything."

"Who can?"

"That little thing, growing inside your belly." Rumpelstiltskin gestured to Snow White's pregnant belly. In a swift instinct, Charming drew his sword. He slashed at Rumpelstiltskin's hand, only to end up nicking him.

"Next time, I cut it off," the prince said through his teeth as he sheathed the weapon.

"Tsk tsk. The infant is our only hope. Get the child to safety. Get the child to safety and on its... twenty-eighth birthday, the child will return. The child will find you and a final battle will begin!" The man inside the prison laughed wildly.

"We heard enough," said Prince Charming, taking his wife in his arms. "We're leaving." The prince and his wife headed for the dungeon's exit, Sora trailing behind them.

"Hey! No! We made a deal! I want her name!" Rumpelstiltskin yelled. "We had a deal! I need her name! I want her name!" The royals turned back.

"Her? It's a boy."

"Missy… Missy… You know I'm right. Tell me, what's her name?" There was a brief pause as everyone waited for Snow White's answer.

"Emma," she said at long last. "Her name is Emma."

"Emma…"

Sora couldn't wait to get out there. The large concentration of darkness that Rumpelstiltskin emanated made him feel sick. A few feet down the path, Sora could feel someone straggling behind. He turned. Riku was far behind him.

"Riku!" he called out. Riku looked back at him. He glanced back at the prisoner before finally turning away. Riku made his way back to Sora. The two began walking side-by-side. "What was that about?"

"It was nothing," Riku answered. He was avoiding Sora's question. Sora didn't break eye contact with his best friend. "I had a simple question. Don't worry about it." Sora gave his friend a small nod. While Riku's words did worry him, he refused to pester further. He learned long ago not to question Riku's actions.

Mamoru had met Sheriff Graham at the station hours ago. Darkness shrouded Storybrooke when their search ended. Henry was nowhere to be seen. Mamoru was now stuck sitting with the mayor and the sheriff, waiting to plot their next move.

"Alright," said Graham after he and the mayor, Regina Mills, had talked together for a few minutes. "We can give the town a search one more time before we—" Regina stood up.

"It's not good enough," she said. "Henry couldn't have left Storybrooke." Mamoru followed in Regina's suit, standing up as well.

"I don't doubt he did," said the teen, "but Henry's smarter than he looks. He could have found a way. He's been missing since sundown."

"Are you implying something?"

"I'm not implying anything, Miss Mills. I'm just saying—"

"Uh…" Regina and Mamoru looked over to Graham. Some time during their conversation, he had made his way over to the window. "You might want to reconsider searching any more than we already have. Henry's right outside."

Regina practically rushed over to the door with Graham and Mamoru following her. Regina opened the door. Standing on the walkway was a woman with blonde hair and green eyes. With her was—

"Henry!" Regina exclaimed as she rushed towards her son, embracing him. "Henry… Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?" Henry pulled away from Regina.

"I found my real mom!" he said. He pushed past Graham and Mamoru and ran into the house. Regina stood to look at the woman standing before her.

"Y-You're Henry's birth mother?" she stuttered.

"Hi…" said the woman. Graham and Mamoru exchanged a glance with each other.

"I'll just go… check on the lad," said Graham. "Make sure he's alright." Mamoru watched as Graham went inside the house. He felt awkward being stuck between Regina and this woman who Henry claimed was his birth mother.

"I'm going to get going," he said, sidestepping past Regina and out the door. "It's late, and I have school in the morning. Good night, Madame Mayor." Mamoru blocked out the conversation Regina had struck up with the strange woman. He had to get home before his father noticed he was gone.

Every one of Snow's and Charming's allies had been gathered around a table at the castle. The curse they had been told about had the prince and Snow in a frenzy. The logical thing was to find a way to stop the Queen's curse before she could cast it. Being that they were there to help, Sora and Riku were brought to the meeting as well. So far, no one had found a plausible solution to the problem at hand.

"I say we fight!" recommended Charming as he lead the discussion.

"Fighting is a bad idea," said the small Jiminy Cricket. A magnifying glass was propped above him, helping him to be seen by the rest of the party. "Giving into one's dark side never accomplishes anything."

"I can second that," Riku added.

"How many wars has a clear conscience won?" said Charming. "We need to take the Queen out before she can inflict her curse."

"Are you sure we can even trust Rumpelstiltskin?" Doc, one of the dwarves and Snow White's closest allies asked. Sora opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off by Charming.

"I've sent my men into the forest. The animals are abuzz with the Queen's plan. This is going to happen unless we do something."

"There's no point," Snow White interjected. "The future is written."

"No. I refuse to believe that's true," Sora said, cutting into the conversation. "We haven't lost against our enemies yet. The light can't just lose." Sora had a promise he had to keep, after all.

"Maybe it can," said Snow.

"No," said Charming, getting closer to his wife. "No, not as long as we have each other. If you believe him about the curse, then you must believe him about our child. She will be the savior." The door to the hall opened. A few guards entered, dragging behind them a large piece of a tree. The beautiful and powerful Blue Fairy was with them.

"What the hell is this?" asked Riku. His face—along with everyone else's—were etched in confusion. Sora couldn't take his eyes off of the tree.

"Our only hope of saving that child," the Blue Fairy told them. Grumpy, another one of the dwarves, laughed.

"A tree?" he said. "The fate of us and this entire world rests on a tree?" He turned to Charming. "What were saying about the fighting thing?"

"The tree is enchanted," the Blue Fairy explained. "If fashioned into a vessel, it can ward off any curse." She turned to the old man sitting at the table. "Geppetto, can you build such a thing?"

"Me and my boy, we can do it," Geppetto told her. He put his hand on top of the small boy sitting at his side.

"This will work," the fairy told the royals. "We all must have faith. There is, however, a catch. The enchantment is, indeed, powerful, but all power has its limits. And this tree can protect only one." Sora's eyes went wide. The Blue Fairy's words echoed throughout his mind.

"Only one…" he breathed. He looked over at Snow with a worried look. The tree could only take one. Snow would have to go through alone.

Miyu had woken up far too early for his liking. It could have explained why he was so tired later on in the day. As much as he hated going to school, especially on a Monday, there was one reason he actually went. A chance to see his favorite teacher.

After his classes let out, Miyu made his way to the elementary school. He leaned up against the doorway of one of the classrooms. He watched as the teacher taught her lesson.

She had short, black hair and eyes that were as green as a forest. She had a kind face, and an even kinder heart. She was one of the first people Miyu could turn to in times of trouble.

Mary Margaret Blanchard stood there, instructing her class, with a bluebird resting on her finger.

"As we build our birdhouses, remember – what you're making is a home, not a cage," she reminded her class. "The bird is free and will do what it will. This is for them, not us. They're loyal creatures. If you love them and they love you, they will always find you." The bell rang before she could get out anymore. The class began to gather their things. "We'll pick this up after recess. No running!" Miyu stepped out of the way to keep himself from being run over by fourth graders. As soon as the classroom was empty, he took the chance to enter.

"Hey, Miss Blanchard," he said with his usual grin. The woman turned around and smiled.

"Hello Miyu," she replied.

"That was an amazing lesson. From what I heard of it, anyway."

"Thank you." Mary Margaret turned to the window, staring out at the birdhouses. "I'm hoping the children take my advice to heart."

"I'm sure they will." Miyu walked across the classroom to join Mary Margaret. "Hey, if you need any help hanging them up, I'd be happy to lend a hand."

"I would appreciate it."

"It's no prob—" Before Miyu could finish his sentence, two people entered the classroom. They were Mayor Regina Mills and the blonde woman from the night before. Henry's birth mother.

"Miss Mills," said Mary Margaret, turning away from the window. "What are you doing here?"

"Where's my son?" asked Regina.

"Henry, I assumed he was home sick with you." Regina's cold gaze turned Miyu. He felt a chill run up his spine. He shook his head.

"I haven't seen him since I ran into him and her—" said Miyu, gesturing to the blonde, "—last night." Regina looked over at the woman.

"We ran into him on the street when I came to take Henry home," she said.

"Is Henry alright?" Miyu asked.

"You think I'd be here if he was?" said Regina before turning on Mary Margaret. "Did you give him your credit card so he can find her?" Regina gestured to the woman with her.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Mary Margaret asked the stranger.

"I'm his… I'm his…" the blonde woman stuttered.

"The woman who gave him up for adoption," Regina finished.

"You don't know anything about this do you?"

"No, unfortunately not," replied Mary Margaret before she went to look through her wallet. She shifted through her bag, pulling out the item in question and went through it. "Clever boy… I should never have given him that book."

"What book?" Miyu asked. He didn't remember Henry having any book on him last night. At least not one that he had seen.

"What in the hell is this book I keep hearing about?" Regina asked rather angrily.

"Just some old stories I gave him," Mary Margaret explained. "As you well know, Henry is a special boy. So smart, so creative, and as you might be aware, lonely. He needed it."

"What he needs is a dose of reality. This is a waste of time." Regina turned to leave, knocking over a stack of books in the process. "Have a nice trip back to Boston." And with that, she left.

"Sorry to bother you," said the blonde woman.

"No it's… It's okay," Mary Margaret told her. "I hear this is partially my fault."

"How's the book supposed to help?"

"What do you think stories are for? These stories are classics. There's a reason we all know them. They're a way for us to deal with our world. A world that doesn't always make sense. See, Henry hasn't had the easiest life."

"Yeah, she's kind of a hardass." Miyu snickered a little bit, causing the attention to fall on him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh," he said, apologizing. "It's just… I kinda agree. But… Henry's really like any kid who gets adopted."

"He's right," Mary Margaret continued. "He wrestles with that most basic question they all inevitably face – why would anyone give me away? … I am so sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean in any way to judge you."

"It's okay," said the woman.

"Look, I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have. Hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing."

"You know where he is, don't you?"

"You could check his castle," suggested Mary Margaret. The woman looked at her.

"I know where it is," said Miyu. "I can show you if you want."

"Thanks." The woman left without another word.

"See you, Miss Blanchard!" said Miyu before he followed after the woman.

Sora and Riku wandered the halls of the castle, keeping their guard up. They were silent. No conversation was sparked between them whatsoever. Geppetto and his son were at hard work on carving the wardrobe, which was at long last finished. Only one problem remained, well two. One: the curse. Two: Snow was having her child. Sora was worried about the baby.

Ever since he woke up that morning, Sora had felt a very strange feeling lingering in the air. That, along with the threat of the Queen's curse, hung heavily on his heart. But he, Riku and the rest of the royal guard were ready for whatever was to come.

"Do you think everything will turn out alright?" Sora found himself asking Riku before he could even think about what he was going to say. Riku glanced over at him.

"It usually does," Riku answered. "One way or another. It tends to take a while."

"What do you mean?"

"It took you, Kairi and I two years to successfully defeat our ultimate threat."

"Riku, they still exist."

"And since when am I the positive one?" Sora sighed, putting his hands behind his head. An old habit that had carried on from when he was a child.

"Since almost never. Maybe you're right. Things will turn out for the—" Sora was cut off by the ringing of a bell. It was loud enough to echo throughout the castle. The ringing of that bell only meant one thing.

Riku and Sora hurried over to the closest window. In the distance was a dark, storm-like smoke that was progressing towards the castle.

"Oh no..."

Mamoru found the coastline along Storybrooke to be quite calming. It wasn't exactly the picturesque beach. There was no white sand, no turquoise waters, and no palm trees. But Mamoru loved it. There was just something about the waves crashing against the rocky shore that seemed to please him.

Mamoru walked along the shoreline until he spotted something up ahead. It was an old wooden structure, built like a castle. He narrowed his eyes when he caught sight of someone sitting on it. Brown hair… an elementary school uniform…

Mamoru walked up to the small boy who was sitting on the structure. Henry didn't even notice him.

"Hey, Henry," he said. Henry jumped before turning around to face Mamoru as he sat down beside him. "Why aren't you in school?"

"I… uh…" Henry stuttered. That's when it clicked.

"You never went," Mamoru concluded. Henry didn't make eye contact with him. "Regina's bound to be looking for you." Henry still didn't say anything. "Do you mind if I sit with you?" Henry shook his head. Mamoru sat down beside him. As tall as he was, his toes barely touched the wet sand. "About last night…"

"I don't want to talk about last night." Henry looked over at the teenager beside him. "Did I make my mom worry?"

"I don't think she's mad at you, if that's what you mean," The boy sighed. "Then again, I know nothing about how a mother works." There was a lengthy pause.

"Mamoru?" Henry asked. Mamoru looked over at him. "How long have you lived in Storybrooke?" Mamoru racked his brain for the answer. To be honest, it was a strange question.

"I was born here," he answered at long last. "I've lived here as long as I can remember."

"Gimme a minute. I wanna show you something." Henry reached around to the schoolbag he had with him. He rummaged around in it for a second.

"You left this in my car." Mamoru and Henry turned as they saw the blonde woman from the night before walking towards them. Miyu Irino was with her. The eyes of both boys narrowed when they made contact with each other. The woman handed Henry his book before sitting down next to him. Miyu remained standing.

"You're Henry's mom, aren't you?" Mamoru asked her, taking his eyes away from Miyu. She nodded. "I'm Mamoru."

"Emma Swan," she said. There was silence again. Emma looked across to the clock tower. "Still hasn't moved, huh?"

"I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here," Henry admitted. "That the final battle would begin."

"What?" Mamoru said. "Henry, what are you talking about?" Henry looked over at him and Miyu.

"There's a curse. Everyone here is a storybook character. In my book," Henry explained. "No one remembers because of the curse." Both of them didn't say anything.

"Emma's the only one who can break it. She has to fight."

"I'm not fighting any battles, kid."

"Yes, you are. Because it's your destiny. You're going to bring back the happy endings."

"I don't mean to interrupt," Miyu cut in, "But, can I see the book?" Henry nodded hesitantly. Miyu took the book in his hands, running his fingers along the cover. He sat down next to Mamoru, distancing himself quite a fair distance away.

"Can you cut it with the book crap?" Emma asked. Miyu opened the book.

"You don't have to be hostile. I know you like me – I can tell. You're just pushing me away because I make you feel guilty. It's okay. I know why you gave me away. You wanted to give me my best chance." Miyu stopped at each illustration, looking at how each drawn character bearing a remarkable resemblance to someone he knew. Eventually, Mamoru glanced over at the book with him.

"How do you know that?"

"Because it's the same reason Snow White gave you away."

"Listen to me, kid. I'm not in any book. I'm a real person. And I'm no savior. You were right about one thing, though. I wanted you to have your best chance. But it's not with me. Come on, let's go."

"Please don't take me back there. Just stay with me for one week. That's all I ask. One week, and you'll see I'm not crazy."

"I have to get you back to your mom."

"You don't know what it's like with her. My life sucks!"

"Oh, you want to know what sucking is? Being left abandoned on the side of a freeway. My parents didn't even bother to drop me off at a hospital. I ended up in the foster system and I had a family until I was three, but then they had their own so then they sent me back. Look, your mom is trying her best. I know it's hard and I know sometimes you think she doesn't love you, but at least she wants you." Miyu looked through the book, his eyes scanning every single word.

"Your parents didn't leave you on the side of a freeway. That's just where you came through." This didn't seem like most fairy tales he knew.

"What?"

"The wardrobe. When you went through the wardrobe you appeared in the street. Your parents were trying to save you from the curse."

"Sure they were. Come on, Henry." Mamoru flipped the book shut, almost catching Miyu's fingers in the pages.

"Hey!" exclaimed Miyu. "You almost got me."

"But I didn't," Mamoru said before taking the book and handing it back to Henry. "Get home, kid. Before the mayor's up the sheriff's ass again. And keep your head out of the clouds." Mamoru gathered his things before jumping off the castle. Miyu stood up as well.

"I gotta go. My shift's starting soon," he said "Besides, it's a nice story. But not everyone's in a storybook." Miyu started off towards the diner.

"Well, they seemed like they hated each other," said Emma, watching the two boys go.

"They do," Henry said. "As long as I've known them, Miyu and Mamoru have always acted like that." Emma looked over at him.

"That kid said not everyone was in your book. What's he talking about?" Henry opened the book, flipping through the pages quick enough to give Emma a look at each illustration.

"They're not in it. Them and more people in Storybrooke. If you break the curse, they'll get their memories back and we'll know the answer to who they are." Emma muttered something under her breath. Henry slid his book back into his school bag as he and Emma headed over to her car.

The Evil Queen's guards had begun to swarm the castle. Sora had a tight grip on the gold and silver Keyblade in his hand. While the weapon itself couldn't kill, it provided a great defense.

Sora pushed back someone who had tried to stab him in the back, landing a hard enough blow to his chest to incapacitate him. Sora looked over his shoulder. Riku was standing behind him. His weapon, his own Keyblade, reflected himself internally—a perfect fusion of the Light and the Darkness. He was glad to fight alongside a friend like him.

Once the guards in the corridor were clear, Sora and Riku were free to move on.

"What's the plan?" Sora asked.

"We find the others," said Riku. "We have a better chance in numbers." Sora gave him a nod as they rounded a corner. Only two guards stood in their way, their faces blocked by their uniform.

Before Riku and Sora could react, one of the two guards darted forward. He ran at Sora, using the force he had built up to push him into an abandoned room.

"Sora!"

Miyu had trouble concentrating on his work after his run-in with Henry and Emma. That book. It was wedged into his subconscious and wouldn't let it go. Henry had to be imagining things. Fairy tales weren't real. They were just stories told to him when he was little.
Miyu's thoughts on the book carried over to when he got home. He sat at the dinner table with his mother, barely even listening to her.

"Miyu," his mother said. Her son looked up from his plate to her. "Are you alright? You don't seem like yourself."

"I'm fine Mom," Miyu replied. "I guess I'm just tired." His mother reached over, putting a hand to his forehead.

"You do feel a little warm. Alright. Go on to bed." Miyu gave her a nod.

"Okay, Mom. Thanks." Miyu abandoned the table in favor of his bedroom.

Sora fell backwards into an overturned table. The guard who had forced him in the room slammed the door shut. He bounded forward.

Sora ducked and rolled out of the way. The person attacking him collided with the table, landing on the other side. Sora called his Keyblade back to his hand. He went over to the person, only to be met with a swift kick to the chest. The person picked up a discarded sword off of the floor.

"Good luck fighting with that," said Sora before attacking.

To Sora, the following duel was strange. Although his opponent fought with only a sword, Sora could tell his fighting style was similar to one he had seen before. Incredibly similar.

It was the same way he fought in combat.

With a small maneuver, Sora managed to disarm his opponent. He held the Keyblade to the person's neck.

"Who are you?" he asked. The person gave no reply. Instead, they dropped to the ground, the edge of the Keyblade scraping against their skin in the slightest. "How can you copy me and the way I fight?" Before the person could grab at the sword again, Sora got to it first. He kicked it under a turned over cabinet and out of sight. "How?"

The next moment revealed something Sora couldn't believe. The guard, in desperation for a weapon, summoned forth a Keyblade to his hand. He took a second to summon another. Each Keyblade was the exact opposite of the other. One Keyblade of darkness, and the other of light. Sora's face went pale. He recognized those Keyblades.

"No," he said. The person went to attack him, forcing Sora backwards as he tried to counteract the weight of the two Keyblades. "That's impossible."

"You finally got it?" said Sora's opponent. "About time." Sora ducked one of the blows and blocked another.

"How? How are you alive?!" He aimed for the boy's chest. "Just tell me."

"It's too late now." The boy dual-wielding lowered his guard. "The Curse is already here. If I did tell you, you'll forget." Sora knocked the boy off his feet.

"It's better than not knowing." The boy swept his legs under Sora, sending the Keyblade knight flat on his back. The boy pinned him down, keeping a foot firmly on his chest and the Keyblade too far to reach.

"I'm sparing you," he said. "Consider it a favor for when we meet next time." Sora reached out in vain for his Keyblade.

"What do you mean?" Sora had finally given up on ever getting his Keyblade back into his hand.

"I'm saving your life."

"By keeping me pinned down like a bug?"

"Never said it was a good way." Wind howled on Sora's ears. He couldn't move. The Curse had finally reached him. He didn't know if any one of his friends were safe, if his family was safe or even if Riku and Kairi were safe.

"What's going to happen?" Sora asked. The room began to fall apart as the windows shattered. Thick, purple fog entered in. It swirled and surrounded the two

"You know what?" Sora could see the boy's messy, bedhead of golden blonde hair from under his hood. "I don't know."

Mamoru had worked overtime again. It was all he could do to keep his home life stable. God knew that his father wasn't going to do anything about it.

If he could sleep, Mamoru would have. He couldn't. What Henry had shown him was stuck in the back of his mind. A work of fiction that was driving him to insomnia. He knew it wasn't real. He had stopped believing in fairy tales long ago.

Mamoru sighed, dropping his school bag on the ground. Any schoolwork had been done in between his busy work. He could sleep. Finally.

As Mamoru and Miyu stared up at their respective ceilings, both of them had the same thing on their minds. The thoughts would be gone by the morning.

But what both of them failed to even notice was the hands on the town's long dead clock had finally begun to move.

A/N:

The following are the Storybrooke names mentioned in this chapter that are related to Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy characters that have been introduced in this chapter. This list will be updated upon future chapters.

Sora: Miyu Irino

Riku: Mamoru Miyano