mr. gold pawnbroker & antiquities dealer

[sticktomybooks]

Belle is dusting the shop. Rumple has such a lovely collection but he only occasionally remembers to clean it. Having started, she can see why he avoids the task- there's all sorts of small, delicate pieces that accumulate just horrific amounts of dust- but she refuses to let that stop her. The shop is entirely too dusty, and she is going to fix it.

It's something to do, at least. She doesn't need to be in the library for another hour or so, and Rumple's gone off somewhere again. She suspects he's getting her a present again. She keeps telling him he doesn't need to buy her things, she loves him just the same, but the fact that he thinks to buy her gifts makes her so happy she hasn't really made him stop.

She's free, she's found Rumple, he loves her, she loves him. Life is good. And right now, at this second- this shop is going to be spotless.

She moves onto the next piece, humming to herself in contentment.

Comments

[sticktomybooks]

"Not the time, Regina!"

[blooded_poet]

"Does the - mind losing portion include if I were to leave the town? I am rather attached to my mind, if that's the case it's not unsolvable, you just need pretty boy instead of me and need to wait a bit. Bringing him here instead of me going out to find him."

[made_not_born]

Regina glares at Belle, looks at Gold, determines him to be a little too hope-struck to be coherent, and sighs and answers instead. "Henry can come and go. And has, precocious child that he is." This gets a fond smile, at least. "It's only those of us from the Enchanted Forest, who were brought here by the curse. You'll be fine."

[blooded_poet]

"Then, I can go and personally look for him. Are there papers I need to cross borders, identification, anything? I will be going by ordinary means, not by teleportation."

[mask_of_the_monster]

"You could bring Emma," Gold suggests, sounding thoughtful. And a little like he's trying very, very hard not to get his hopes up. "She owes me a favor, and she used to find people for a living."

[blooded_poet]

"I could. I have no idea who Emma is, ordinarily I'd think that someone tagging along would slow me down, but - not my plane. No papers or identification required, then?"

[made_not_born]

"Depends where he is. But if it's not across the ocean, Emma does have the papers to drive you."

In the internal battle between 'never help Gold' and 'have Henry to myself', Henry is winning.

[blooded_poet]

"Well, then. Do you have a globe, or map of the world at hand?"

[made_not_born]

"Gold? Do you have anything useful in that store of yours?"

[sticktomybooks]

"There's a globe on the counter in the back left," Belle supplies helpfully.

It's much less dusty today, even.

[blooded_poet]

"Show me, please?"

[sticktomybooks]

Into the shop Belle goes. The globe is on the back counter as promised.

[made_not_born]

"Nobody," sighs Regina. "Absolutely nobody in this town bothers to plan ahead, I swear." She looks at Adarin. "My house isn't far, if you'd like to see where it is. We can find you and your... friend..." do friends threaten each other with swords? "something less ostentatious to wear while we're at it. And get a hold of Emma, so Lynn has some local company when she goes gallivanting off into the unknown." She frowns. "Can she do anything about her eyes? Magic doesn't exist, outside this town, it would be noticed."

[darkest_evening]

"Thank you, that would be appreciated. Both the place to stay and the less blatantly foreign clothes."

[blooded_poet]

Lynn, meanwhile is - staring at the globe. With uncomfortable intensity.

[darkest_evening]

Adarin eyes her, and then answers, "The eyes are, unfortunately, impossible to change with magic. Or at least, my magic."

[made_not_born]

"I've had some practice with disguises," Regina says, master of understatement that she is, "but of course my magic will break when she leaves the town. She can... say it's a genetic issue, or something. It'll have to do."

She joins Adarin in eying Lynn, but says nothing and makes no move to leave immediately. Clothes will happen after globe... staring... has been dealt with, apparently.

[mask_of_the_monster]

Rumple will just be standing here, hopeful and quiet, holding on to Belle's arm possibly a little tighter than he should be. Baelfire.

[blooded_poet]

Stare, stare, stare (she has not blinked once this entire time) and then -

"Found him," she reports. "He's in a city, with buildings that are made of steel and touch the clouds." She eyes the globe, and then pokes the relevant part of it. If it's not New York, it's certainly close to it.

[sticktomybooks]

"Emma used to live there!" Belle says delightedly. "She'll be so much help, and it's not even that far, the two of you can drive in a day- Rumple?"

[mask_of_the_monster]

Rumple is still there, staring longingly at the dot that is New York on the map. He reaches for it, then drops his hand. "Bae, my Bae..."

[blooded_poet]

"I'll go find him," promises Lynn. She then looks at Adarin. Because she doesn't trust him to not try and save some kittens from trees, she also pokes him in the chest. "And you. No funny business, while I'm away."

[darkest_evening]

"What," he drawls, "not even making jokes? I must be entirely somber and emotionless without you to chaperon me?"

[blooded_poet]

"No. Funny. Business. None of the - things you do when left to your own devices, we do not have time and I do not have the patience."

[darkest_evening]

"How delightfully specific."