I got to go because something's on my mind, and I won't get better no matter how hard I try

[undealt]

Who: GOLD AND ANYONE ON THE MIRROR SIDE + Mirror Gold and Regina
Where: Around the Mirror Mansion + eighth floor hallway
When: July 16th
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Gold's out to capture some Mirrors in his magical hat. Meanwhile, Mirror Gold is about to have a very bad time.

The Story:

♚ MIRROR SIDE: OPEN ♚

It takes Gold a few attempts before he arrives on the Mirror Side, armed with the dagger and the hat tucked away in its little gold box. He writes a note to Regina in the notebook in their customary Elvish, warning her that the plan is being put into motion, and that his Mirror is there waiting, and sets out to start gathering what he needs to complete this damned ritual and sever himself from the dagger once and for all.

It would be easier if he had someone to do it for him. For all the Captain is as frustrating as he is foolish, he made a lovely pawn, but if he's going to prove this isn't something dark and horrible, then he has to be willing to risk it, himself. It's a small price to pay to avoid alienating his loved ones and getting everything he wants.

This time, it will actually work.

While everyone else explores and hunts for the Core, Gold walks with a purpose. The Core, while a fascination of his, has no appeal for him today. That is something he will leave to the brave heroes daring enough to get close to it. He'll take what they learn and apply it to his own research- the Resistance is good for gathering that sort of information. Meanwhile, you'd think the bastard belonged here as casually as he moves through the halls, stalking prey he can lure off to fall victim to the hat.


♞ REAL SIDE: CLOSED TO REGINA ♞

Meanwhile, a very perplexed mustached man has found himself in Gold's room on the Real Side, which comes as a great surprise to him. Rumplestiltskin sighs drearily, figuring that, yet again, he'll be protecting the Reals from the antics of some of his brother and sister Mirrors. Really, it's becoming absurd, all this fighting. He's never going to be able to leave war behind.

Grimly, he steps from the room and out into the hallway of the eighth floor, glancing around for any sign of the chaos. It's coming- you don't surprise the Mirrors and not have them throw a few temper tantrums.

Comments

[madehervows]

It's sooner than she expected, but that's how these things go, isn't it? One idea, a place to start and then Wonderland throws a wrench in the works. At least this time the wrench is beneficial, to one of them. It's almost enough to make her wonder what the price of this is going to be. Something of this caliber is going to cost the Dark One a lot, especially if he's trying a workaround.

With a quick reply in the notebook, she sets out to look for the Mirror. It's a shame, really. She almost liked this one, he had his own unique charm that the real Rumplestiltskin never possessed. But a deal is a deal, and the Dark One owing her is far more important than the life of a magical construct made by a pale imitation of her mother. She steps out into the hall to start tracking him down, only for him to step out of Gold's room.

Well, that was easy.

"Rumplestiltskin."

[uncowed]

Rumple tenses, because he associates that voice to Regina's Mirror and being called by her- gods how come there are so many people on his side who have explicit memories of murdering him- is never a good thing.

His hand falls off the sword that he went to grab instinctively, relaxing visibly. His last conversation with the Real Regina hadn't ended in disaster, so he's not expecting treachery.

"Regina. Lovely to see you, though you seem to have caught me at an odd time." He glances around. "I do hate when the Queen gets her crown on too tight about us crossing over without permission."

[madehervows]

"Wonderland's falling apart at the seams, I'm sure she has bigger things to worry about." So does Rumplestiltskin, but let's not ruin the surprise. Regina takes a few steps forward, arms folded across her chest. As casual as can be, because we don't want to startle the little hero, do we?

And that thought lights a spark of hatred in her chest, because it might not be the same one, who is currently on the other side of the glass, but he represents the same ideal. Rumplestiltskin the hero, if she needed a reason other than 'they made a deal' then there it was.

"Just like you."

[uncowed]

Rumple turns back from his scrutinizing the hallway, frowning at her, and suddenly he regrets not going for his sword when he did... but that's ridiculous. Everyone knows Regina's Real is a far more decent sort these days, unlike his Real.

"Really," he drawls, skeptically. "And what exactly should I be worrying about." He doesn't retreat, however- that would be the cowardly thing to do. He just straightens up a little bit, even if it doesn't really help his height much.

[madehervows]

But just like his Real, her capacity for backsliding is very real. Though, she'd prefer to think of this as a business transaction, and well, Mirrors are simply constructs of the Queen of Hearts, so it's not like it really counts.

"You see, I've learned some very interesting things lately." Unfolding her arms, she flicks a wrist and poofs his sword far, far away. "Namely about your counterpart, and since I can't hurt him, you'll have to do."