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seven ; when it burns


vii. when it burns

━ ❝ that strange sensation ❞

━━━━★✼☆。━━━━


LIVING IN A fairytale world can be odd sometimes, considering Melody had been under a curse — believing she was normal like everyone else in the world — whereas she was actually a fairytale character herself. And because of her thinking she was normal under the curse, she had watched basically every Disney movie. So when she saw a guy in leather with a hook on one hand, she instantly knew who he was.

"Hello, Hook," Cora greeted when she and Melody apparated to a beachside.

The pirate smirked slightly. "Hello, Cora. You told me you had something important you needed to show me." He hadn't turned around just yet so he was unaware of the girl with the sorceress.

"Well, two things actually. First, this is the girl that I spoke to you about."

He turned to her and Melody saw he looked absolutely nothing like the Disney movie. She was surprised to be met by icy blue eyes and raven hair. Pain floated in them and she couldn't bring herself to hate him for some reason. "Aye. You must be Melody."

Melody just nodded, biting her tongue to keep a sarcastic comment. Hook took her silence as her being shy so he looked at Cora who seemed to take it the same way. "Now Melody, I told you I wasn't going to hurt you and you were going to be able to see your mother again, so there's no need to be shy," Cora said softly.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Please." She looked at Hook. "Yes, I'm Melody Mills. A pleasure I'm sure. And as for why I didn't say anything... well I'm not sure you would like to hear what I have to say." It was the best she could come up with at the moment. She wasn't proud, but what else could she have said? Eh, she could've said anything else really.

Hook smirked and chuckled lightly. "I'll keep that in mind."

Cora, moving onto the next important thing, held up the vile of wardrobe ash. Melody saw and rose an eyebrow. From an outsider's point of view, they would've just seen dirt that held no use. But even she could feel the magical aura it released.

"Sparkly dirt. Wonderful," Hook commented. Apparently, he didn't. Melody couldn't help but smirk. It seemed as though he could be just as sarcastic and sassy as her.

"Just the remains of a magical wardrobe that can travel between worlds," Cora replied as though it was the simplest thing in the world.

Melody nodded again. "Yep, that's totally not important at all." They both ignored her which pissed her off. Adults. It was funny because that's exactly something Pan would say. Of course, this was unbeknownst to her. She didn't know anything about what her father had become.

"Is there enough to get us to where we need to go?" Hook asked.

"Not quite. But it's a start," Cora told him.

He looked out to the sea. "We're almost ready to set sail. What's our port of destination?"

"Storybrooke."

The sound of the town she called home for the last twenty-eight years would've felt great except that Cora and Hook traveling there wasn't good. Henry was there and so was many other innocent people. These two would disrupt everything they made there.

"Hm, curious name. Is that where—" Hook started.

"She is. And so is he."

Melody stood as she listened. Who could Hook possibly be looking for? But the way he asked, it didn't seem like him and the person he was looking for were on good terms. Revenge seemed to be a normal thing. Everyone held a grudge against someone.

"Excellent. You'll be able to see your daughter, and I can skin myself a crocodile," Hook announced.

Crocodile? Melody's nose scrunched up in confusion but then she started laughing. Cora and the one-handed pirate looked over at her confused. "Oh I haven't heard that nickname for my brother in a long time," she explained as she stopped laughing.

"Pardon," Cora questioned with a curious expression.

Melody put a hand on her hip and smirked. "My brother. The Crocodile. The Dark One. Rumplestiltskin. Yeah, he's my biological brother." The news seemed to shock the both of them. The Dark One had a little sister was something that neither of them thought could be possible. However, the resemblance was there, no doubt. Both were wicked. And even though Melody didn't seem evil, she could be.

"Is he now?" Hook mused.

The teen stood there still smirking. She was amused by the fact she surprised them. "But you have nothing to fear from me. The apple fell far from the tree."

Cora seemed annoyed by the fact she mocked her words and scowled. Hook chuckled, humored by her wit. "I like you, love. You got fire."

Melody rolled her eyes. "Don't call me love. It's weird."

"Why is that, love?"

She glared at him. "Call me love one more time, and I'll rip out your tongue." Her magic began to burn once more in her veins. The sensation brought her pleasure but also made her feel disgusted. Because the power she had made her feel great, knowing she could burn anything at her own will. It was a blessing and a curse.

Cora seemed to notice because she put her hand on Hook's shoulder. "Careful. She has magic that she does not know how to control."

Melody was offended but forced herself to calm down. "I'm in control of my magic thank you very much."

Hook nodded once, giving her a small smile. "My apologies." He seemed to genuine about his apology which made her decision not to snap at him again. There was just something about him that made her not want to snap at him all the time.

She sighed and stood behind them as Cora gave Hook instructions on what to do. She caught the words blacksmith, portal, and giant but that was all. The teen then turned her head and looked out in the distance. She didn't know what to do. But she knew she had to make a plan of her own.

———

Emma was getting frustrated as she angrily gripped the sword in her hand. The man in front of her frowned. "I already told you. I'm just a blacksmith," Hook lied, still covering his true identity.

The blonde knew he was lying and each second that ticked by she just got even angrier. Melody was out there somewhere and this blacksmith could have answers. And she was determined to get them. "Sure you are," she snapped to his comment. Then she whistled. "You don't want to talk to us? Maybe, you'll talk to the ogres while they rip you limb from limb. Come on, we're wasting time. We need to find Melody."

"You... You can't just leave me here like this!" Hook yelled.

The previously cursed princess stopped and looked at Hook. "What if he's telling the truth?"

"He's not," Emma replied with an eye roll as she continued walking away. She knew her superpower never failed. And sitting there and interrogating this man would be wasting their time. Melody was out there somewhere with Cora.

Hook looked annoyed and then called out to them  "Good for you! You bested me. I can count a number of people who've done that on one hand." He nearly smirked at his own joke. They didn't seem to get it but he did obviously.

They turned back around and made their way over to him. Emma narrowed her eyes, stopping in front of him. "That supposed to be funny? Who are you?" Emma questioned.

"Killian Jones, but most people have taken to call me by my more colorful moniker — Hook." He motioned towards his bag with his head. "Check my satchel."

Emma stared in shock. "As in, Captain Hook?" She shouldn't have been so surprised but being thrown into a world of fairytales will have that effect on a person. First the Evil Queen, Mulan, and Sleeping Beauty, and now the one and only enemy or Peter Pan. Asking about the said immortal boy didn't seem to be the best question to ask him.

Hook smirked. "Ah, so you've heard of me."

"You better hurry up. They're getting closer. So, unless you want to be dinner, you better start talking," Emma threatened.

Taking a glance at the forest where the rumbling became louder, he sighed and looked back at them. "Cora wanted me to gain your trust, so I could learn everything there is to know about your Storybrooke. She didn't want any surprises when she finally got over there." It was the truth. Just maybe these people could help him get his revenge rather than the older woman assisting him.

"She can't get there," Emma pointed out. "Melody destroyed the wardrobe."

"Ah, but the enchantment remains. Cora gathered the ashes. She's going to use them to open up a portal. With the girl, she can do that. Now, if you'll kindly cut me loose."

Mulan stepped forward. "No. We should leave him here to die. To pay for all the lives that he took."

Hook looked offended that they would ever think he could do such a thing. Sure he had killed before. But even he had limits and morals. "That was Cora, not me." Nothing he said convinced them and while he didn't blame them, it still stung a bit. Was he really that bad?

"Let's go," Emma agreed, going to leave again.

"Wait. Wait!" She stopped and turned to him. "You need me alive."

Emma raised an eyebrow, not looking impressed in the slightest. Her stance showed that she was getting more annoyed by the second. Did he seriously think that they trusted his word? "Why?"

"Because we both want the same thing — to get back to your land. And I can help you get the girl back."

That flared up some anger in the blonde. She stomped closer and glared up at him. "You would say anything to save yourself. Why are we supposed to believe you now?" Her point was valid and he knew it. He just wanted to kill Rumplestiltskin. But that girl had a look in her eyes that he hadn't seen a while. She was lost.

"I arranged for transport with Cora and Melody. But, seeing how resourceful you are, I'll offer you the same deal. I'll help you if you promise to take me along."

Emma stepped towards him closer. "How are you going to help us get home and find Melody?"

"The ashes will open a portal, but, to find your land, she needs more, even with Melody's magic it wouldn't be enough. There's an enchanted compass. Cora seeks it. I'll help you obtain it before she does."

"So, Cora won't make it to Storybrooke, and we'll be one step closer to getting home."

Mary Margaret spoke up, not releasing the hold on her bow. Aurora stood by Mulan who still held a sword, ready to attack Hook at a moment notice. The former bandit sighed, giving her daughter a look. "Sounds too good to be true." She too was worried about the sarcastic teen. And them sitting there was wasting even more time.

"There's only one way to find out," Hook replied smugly.

"You tell me one thing, and whatever you say, I better believe it — why does Captain Hook want to go to Storybrooke?" Emma asked.

His face turned serious though it was full of rage. He recalled the very memory where he watched as the Dark One stole the life of his precious Milah. She didn't deserve her fate in his mind. "To exact revenge on the man who took my hand... Rumplestiltskin."

———

Nothing she came up with was good enough. She had to be smart, diligent. If Cora caught her before she could escape she'd be screwed. The brunette brought her knees to her chest and laid her chin on top of them. Her magic was running through her veins — burning her. She felt the need to release it; to burn everything around her. But she was afraid of losing control and not being able to stop.

Cora stood nearby as she stood stone-faced, her lips pressed into a thin line. Her patience was thinning. Melody knew she had to think fast. She had to do something. The woman sensed the teen's magic growing and quickly stood up. Her hand flew up and aimed it at the girl. Melody flew to the ground gasping.

"You stupid girl. You really think you can beat me?" she laughed. "How adorable. I didn't want to have to do this but it seems you've left me with no—"

Before Cora could even finish, a shadow flew down and knocked her out. Melody jumped back in surprise and her eyes widened in remembrance. It was the shadow. Its glowing eyes stared at her and then it nodded once before flying away. She looked at Cora's unconscious body before running a hand through her hair. "Thanks, shadow."

The teen looked up into the sky to see the shadow disappear into the same star as she'd last seen it disappear into. Her brown eyes pricked with tears back before she could break down she ran into the woods.

———

Never did she think she'd be climbing a beanstalk. That stuff only happened in stories. But then she remembered she was a story. She was a fairytale. And the fact she didn't have a good one was disappointing. What parent would read their child her fairytale? Oh, that's right! No one.

The teen had snuck around Mulan who was talking with Mary Margaret who was watching over Aurora. She didn't want them to know she was okay because she wanted to surprise them.

Melody grunted as she heaved herself up. Her brown hair hit her face as she swung herself to the next branch. The white clouds were close which meant she was nearly to the top. The brunette still couldn't get the shadow out of her head. Why had it come and helped her? And why was it watching her? The idea of her dad actually caring about her after all this time didn't seem likely.

Finally, she had reached the top. She pushed her hands against the ground, pushing her body upwards and onto the cracked ground. A castle stood in front of her in rubbles. Much like Mary Margaret's castle. Melody started walking towards it and walked inside. It was beautiful, there was no questioning. Everything in the Enchanted Forest seemed broken and in shambles. The curse had really destroyed it.

"With that toothpick?" a voice questioned, echoing through the castle.

She realized it as Emma's voice and she followed it.

"Well, it packs quite a wallop. You'd be surprised," another voice replied. This time Melody realized it was Hook. Her nose scrunched up in confusion. Why would Hook be helping Emma? That wasn't part of Cora's plan at least that's what the teen thought. Perhaps he switched sides. The thought made her smile because she actually kinda liked him.

Right as she walked into the room, Hook was about to take a step, which would set off a trap. "Stop!" she yelled.

Hook immediately stopped and he and Emma snapped their head towards her. "Melody?!" Emma said, shocked. She ran towards the brunette and the two hugged. "Oh thank god you're okay."

"Wow, you had a lot of faith in me."

The pirate gestured forward. "Why the bloody hell did you stop me?" Hook asked annoyed. Melody and Emma pulled back and the teen smirked.

"It's a trip wire. Quite a security system." She pointed up and the two followed to see a wire that led up to an iron cage hanging from the ceiling. And indeed, he would've been trapped for the giant to come and find him.

"Thanks," Hook said gratefully when he and Emma looked back down. 

Melody nodded with a quirk of a smile. She shrugged. "It's not going to happen again Captain so watch yourself."

Hook smirked and Emma did too. She looked ahead at the treasure room. It was filled with gold and jewels. Finding a single compass was going to be difficult. And it wasn't like they had hours to search either. "Come on. Let's find the compass and go home."

They began to search and Melody's nose scrunched up in confusion again. "So it's just... in here somewhere?" Not even five minutes had passed and she was already bored. If only she had control over her magic and could just magic the compass into her hand.

"Allegedly. Give me a boost would you, love?" Hook asked Emma.

She gave a look. "So I can't see what you're pocketing? No way. You give me a boost," Emma argued.

"Try something new, darling. It's called trust."

"We do it side by side and fast. Who knows how long before the—" Before Emma could finish her sentence, the giant's loud footsteps echoed throughout the room. They all looked at the entrance, going wide-eyed. He was awake and they still hadn't found the compass.

Melody smiled sarcastically. "Lovely. Who's ready to be eaten by a giant?"

Hook and Emma were determined to survive through this so they both grabbed her arm. "Get under something," Hook instructed. Without question, Emma pulled Melody over and the two hid while Hook hid somewhere else just as the giant stormed into the room.

His foot slammed down against the floor making parts of the ceiling fall. The giant continued storming forward and the debris then fell on top of where Hook was hiding. "Hook!" Emma and Melody yelled, giving away their location.

The giant was alerted by the sound and it ran towards them, grabbing them. The two struggled in his grip and Emma tried to reason with the giant. Melody groaned in annoyance, pushing down on his hand but getting nowhere. Where was the shadow when you needed it?

"I'm not what you think!" Emma told the giant.

"You're a thief, and you poisoned me. So yeah, I'm pretty sure you're exactly what I think."

Melody looked up at him. "No. Look, you have a compass. We need it," she explained between breaths.

"I don't care what you need."

She rolled her eyes, pushing down again. Man, the shadow really needed to appear right then and there. The giant tightened his grip on the two of them and they both struggled to breathe. "For my brother! To save my brother! Don't you have a family?" Melody asked, trying to pry her way out still.

"No. Because humans killed them all."

The two of them started losing consciousness so Melody let some of her magic go, burning him and making him drop them. Melody and Emma hit the floor with a thump and then they both sprang up as they ran towards the skeleton. Emma snatched the sword and they both jumped over the trip wire and Emma swung around to cut the wire just as the giant came towards them, trapping him.

"Nice security system. Efficient," Melody commented. She felt her magic burn and a fireball appeared in her hands. Emma pointed the sword at the giant with a glare.

"No. No! No! No! No!" the giant pleaded, covering his face.

His was afraid of both of their weapons. The effects of the sword were obvious but the girl's magic was unpredictable. And the fact that she had already used it on him made him cower away in fear.

Emma didn't move from her spot. "I can tell by your face you know what this is. Let me guess — it's dipped in some sort of poison." She sighed and then continued. "You have a compass. We need it."

The giant looked at them through his fingers. "You're going to kill me either way. Go ahead. Kill me."

"You don't know me."

He snapped at them with anger though fear still was laced in her voice. "I know your kind. They massacred us and destroyed our beans." The sight of his own family, his brothers falling one by one at the hands of two humans was not something he wished to endure again. He didn't want to face the sword that killed them.

"I heard it the other way," Emma mentioned.

"That's because the victors get to tell the story."

Emma looked over at Melody and the teen walked closer to the giant. She didn't want to hurt him. But if scaring him was the only way to get him to talk, then she had to do it. And besides, she knew that Emma wouldn't make her hurt the giant. That just wasn't her.

"Okay! Stop. Here," he called He slid the compass across the floor and Melody extinguished her flame and picked it up. "See? I'm not the bad guy."

Melody looked down at it with a pursed lip and looked back up at him. "Maybe you are telling the truth but it doesn't matter," she clarified. It didn't. She believed that humans had truly killed his family. Because people were just cruel that way she supposed.

Emma noticed something hanging from his neck and pointed her sword at it. "What's this? Is this a bean? Can this make a portal?"

"Not anymore." He looked down at it. "It was destroyed like the rest of them. I wear it as a reminder... a reminder that you're all killers." The accusation received a glare and a scoff from the brunette teen. Yes, he probably hated all humans. But they were sparing his life. Didn't that count for something?

Emma pointed the sword at him with an equal glare. "You're wrong." She lowered her sword and grabbed Melody's hand pulling her away. When they turned away the giant breaks free of the cage. The two whipped around and Emma pointed her sword again while Melody conjured another fireball.

The giant grabbed a boulder that was covering the tunnel that led to the outside and threw it across the room. "Go."

"Why?" Melody asked, confused by the seemingly kind gesture. She felt her shoulders stiffening because the idea of this being a trap entered her mind. What if the giant was working with Cora? What if the shadow saving her was just all a trick?

"Because you could've killed me, and you didn't. You get one favor. Now go, before I change my mind."

They both go to leave but then Emma stops Melody. The teen turned to her with a confused expression and the blonde looked back at the giant. "Actually... I get two favors."

"What?"

Emma saw the look Melody was giving her. She wanted to get out of the ruins as soon as possible. "Well, the way I see it, I could've killed you twice: the poison and when you were knocked out. I didn't."

Melody was confused as to what the blonde could want. The giant was letting them go, all they had to do was grab Hook and leave. He thought for a moment then replied, "What do you want?"

———

"No!"

"Melody-"

"Emma he helped us!" Melody argued. "Why can't he come with us?"

The older woman sighed. "Because he's working with Cora," Emma explained.

She rolled her eyes. "I know that. But he helped us. He showed his loyalty."

The blonde pressed her lips together and then sighed. "Melody, we can't trust him."

Melody didn't know why she cared so much. But she did. She had just met Hook earlier that day and she already felt close to him. Maybe it was because she wanted an older brother. Her biological brother didn't seem to care about her so maybe Hook could fill that gap.

Emma didn't wait for another reply before turning and going over to where Hook was. She pulled him out of the debris. "You two are bloody brilliant. Amazing. May I see it? The compass," Hook said, extending his hand toward the teen. Melody brought out the compass and let it rest in her hand. "It's more beautiful than legend."

Emma intervened and grabbed the compass, putting it in her pocket. Hook cleared his throat and smiled. "Come. Let's go."

Hook extended a hand for either girl to take, but instead, Emma grabbed a nearby shackle and chained Hook to a wall. Melody looked away because she didn't want to see his betrayed eyes. "What are you doing? What are you doing?" Hook repeated with wide and confused eyes.

"Hook, I... I... I can't," Emma told him quietly, guilt covering her face.

And when she saw that he looked truly surprised and a bit betrayed, the guilt began to eat away at her. He shook his head. "Emma, look at me. Have I told you a lie? I brought you here. I risked my own safety to help you. The compass is in your hand. Why do this to me now?"

"I can't take a chance that I'm wrong about you. I'm sorry," Emma apologized.

The pirate's eyebrows knitted together in confusion while rage covered his features. "You're sorry? You're sorry?! I got you here! I got you the compass!"

"I got the compass."

"Well, you're just going to leave me here to die? Have that beast to eat me, to crush my bones?"

"He's not a beast. And you're not going to die. I just need a head start — that's all." Melody tried to go and untie Hook, but Emma stopped her. "Melody."

The teen glared at her then looked at Hook who looked betrayed. "I'm sorry," she whispered to him. He heard her and he frowned. He hadn't expected her to fight for him. They had just met after all.

Emma grabbed her hand and pulled her away. Hook's screams of plea carrying after them, making Melody feel worse. The whole way down, the brunette wouldn't speak. Because she felt like she failed Hook. All he needed was someone to care. Just like her. People did care about her. But no one would care about her like her father did.

———

Melody couldn't even look at Emma still as the two dropped from the beanstalk. Mary Margaret and Mulan were fighting but Emma yelled at them to stop. They turned to them and were surprised to see Melody with her.

"Melody." Mary Margaret sighed in relief. The former princess rushed over and hugged the young girl. Then Mary Margaret moved and hugged Emma. "You guys okay?" Mary Margaret asked when she pulled.

"Just great," the teen responded. sarcastically.

Emma gave her a sad look but then replied,  "Two earthquakes and a jump from a beanstalk. I think my brain's still rattling around a little." It was meant to be a joke to lighten up the mood. But it did little to bring up Melody's spirit.

"I did what she ordered, nothing more than that. Did you get it?" Mulan asked Emma.

"Yep," Emma told her.

Aurora spoke up, looking behind them. "W-Where's Hook?" She was still a bit timid with the newcomers, knowing that the youngest one didn't care for her very much.

Melody looked at the previously sleeping princess and smiled fakely. "Oh, him. Emma here detained him. She made a deal with the giant that he gives us ten hours before he lets Hook go. Now he's going to want all of our heads. Isn't that great!"

Emma looked over at her and tried to talk to her, but then Mary Margaret changed the subject. "You told her to cut it down?"

She sighed. "Yes. I couldn't risk—"

"We go back together," Mary Margaret insisted. "That is the only way. Do you understand?"

The mother and daughter hugged and Melody stepped away, feeling like she was left in the dust. Seeing these two made her think of Malcolm. What was he doing at that moment? Did he still think about her?

"Now, let's go get that dust from Cora," Mary Margaret announced when she and Emma split apart.

"Yeah, and go home," Emma agreed, smiling.

The brunette didn't listen as the two start making a plan to get back home. All she could think about was how Hook was up there. He was upset because they had turned their backs on him just because they assumed he was truly and completely loyal to Cora. Melody smiled to herself. She was going to save him.

———

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