Ravishing Evil

The Evil Queen breathes a satisfied sigh as she brings herself to sit on the side of her bed. Pulling a short, black satin robe from her nightstand, she loosely affixes it to herself.
“I wish we could just rest in bed all day, but there’s a lot to do if we want to fool my subjects into accepting you as their Long Lost Princess,” she says in a playful tone.
Dark Swan laughs and stretches, noting the darkness encroaching her skin has nearly passed her shoulders.
“You’re right,” Dark Swan muses, but rolls over to Regina and wraps her arms around her waist. “It’s just so nice here with you.”
“We’ll have plenty of time for it once the feast is over. I haven’t even told my cooks we’re having a feast, yet,” Regina chuckles, trying in vain to escape the Dark One’s grasp.
“Sounds to me like that’s their problem,” Dark Swan says in an attempt to coax Regina back into bed.
“Well, you’re not wrong,” Regina laughs, again. “But, come, Emma. We have to do something about your skin.”
“What do you mean?” Dark Swan asks, slightly offended.
“What do you mean, ‘What do I mean’? You think my people will accept you’re their Long Lost Princess looking like that? No, they’ll sense you’ve come under the curse of the Dark One, Rumple has been around far too long for them not to know the Darkness when they see it.”
“But, I’m nothing like that scaly creep,” Dark Swan insists with a frown, now feeling strangely self conscious.
“I know you’re not, sweetheart, but no one looks like this, not even myself who’s allowed darkness into my life. My heart may look like that, but not my skin. See?” Regina then takes out her heart to show Dark Swan to blackness of it.
Dark Swan’s breath catches as she sees the red of her heart being drowned out by the same darkness that’s cursing her complexion.
“We’ll just have you in gloves and a long-sleeved gown,” Regina says assuringly, “Don’t worry, my love.”
Dark Swan brings her hand over Regina’s heart in her hand, “I’m not. May I?”
Regina looks at her lovingly, and smiles, “Please.”
She takes the heart and brings it close, moving so that she can sit beside Regina. Gently, she caresses it and notes how some clouds of black are deeper than others, and they appear to swirl around the red center of it.
“How terribly intriguing,” she breathes.
“Strange, isn’t it? How the Darkness chooses to infect us? I think Rumple believes he’s the only one to wield it, but I think that it’s all around us. We can choose whether or not to give in, but it’s always there. I don’t know if that’s right, it’s just my opinion. How else would the Darkness have infected my heart, though?”
This causes even the Dark Swan to wonder what the bounds of her magic are. Does she even have any limits? Could she infect others’ hearts with the Darkness like Rumple had with Regina? She imagines so and it causes a rush of excitement within her. Though, she can still feel the annoying persistence of the Savior trying to break free, and it irks her.
“Intriguing inquiry, indeed,” Dark Swan says softly. “Well,” she brings her face to Regina’s and kisses her as she inserts her heart back into her chest. “Let’s get to work, then.”
Regina’s face brightens with a smile as she stands, “Right! Let’s see, what needs to be done? First thing’s first,” she walks to the looking glass and conjures a new and exquisite outfit for herself: A fitted black gown with a black feathered collar and large skirt. “Now, you,” she steps aside and motions for Dark Swan to stand before it.
She does so, and summons a sleeveless black leotard over a black lace bodysuit and a sheer black, floor-length duster. Blood red, lace gloves cover her hands, hiding the Dark Curse from plain sight and matching the red bag secured at her side.
She then turns to Regina, holding out her hands to show-off her new look, “Well, what do you think?”
To her surprise, she says nothing. In fact, she is stood looking at her, stock-still, seemingly frozen.
Confused, Dark Swan approaches her, “Regina?” she asks cautiously.
It’s then the realization hits her, and a deep rage sets in as she grabs for the velvet pouch containing the heart of her cursed counterpart. But to her dismay, she finds it missing.
“Looking for this?” she hears an all too familiar voice taunt from behind her.
A hollow laugh comes from the Dark One, and she takes a moment to shake her head before saying, “Madam Mayor.”
Dark Swan then turns and sets eyes on the reformed Evil Queen.
“Hello, Ms. Swan,” Regina greets with her signature sass.
She rejects the comfort that it brings and pretends not to have missed it while they were apart. “What the hell are you doing here?” she asks, eyeing the pouch in her hand.
“Seriously?” Regina retorts with a sly smile, “You need to ask me that? You know exactly why I’m here. I’m here to save Henry, and everyone else you have trapped in Storybrooke in the mountains.”
“Nobody asked you to be their Savior, Regina,” Dark Swan spits.
“Well, nobody asked for you to drag them into your mess of a Curse, either, yet here we are.”
“Yes, here we are. I must say, I’m impressed. Breaking into Rumplestiltskin’s vault must not have been easy,” Dark Swan smirks as her abilities sense the illegally obtained potions hiding in her pockets.
Regina opens her mouth to speak, but no words come out. She had underestimated her power and for once, is frightened.
“So, your plan was to have your past self drink the Forgetting Potion, is that right?” she sneers.
In an instant, Dark Swan magics herself directly in front of Regina and grabs her heart before she has time to react. Regina gasps and stares at her in saddened horror. With a low laugh, Dark Swan watches her struggle to move. She looks at the Mayor’s heart, and to her surprise, finds it to be a much more vibrant red than that of the Evil Queen’s. This change shakes her up a bit, and she struggles to swallow the realization that the Darkness in her beloved Evil Queen will not be permanent.
Becoming blind with the need of having an equal at her side, she grips tight on Regina’s heart. “Drink the Forgetting Potion,” she orders into it.
Unable to restrain the order, Regina’s hand slowly reaches into her pocket and extracts the one Forgetting Potion she had pulled from Rumple’s vault.
Dark Swan watches with an evil pleasure as she uncaps it and brings it to her lips. It is then that something inside her stirs and her grip on the heart loosens slightly. Unsure of what is happening, she commands, again, “Drink it.”
Regina’s motions stop in their tracks. It’s then that the Dark One notices a bright light beginning to shine through the palm of her gloved hand. “No,” she gasps, and doesn’t realize her influence over Regina has been compromised.
“Emma,” Regina says quickly, sensing her True Love is there.
All at once, Regina reaches up, cupping her face with both hands and leans into the Dark One. Her lips meet Emma’s, as does their combined light and dark magic. A rainbow stream of magic bursts from their connected lips and the power of True Love breaks through, defeating the curse residing inside of Emma.
“Oh, my God, Regina,” she breathes once the kiss ends.
“Emma? It worked!” Regina grins as tears of relief flood her eyes.
“It worked. You saved me. Looks like you’re the true Savior, now,” Emma says with a giddy laugh. But, her smile soon falls, as she brings her eyes to the bag still held in Regina’s hand. “Oh, no,” she bemoans, “Oh, shit, oh, fuck, oh God... What have I done? Lily.”
“I saw her in the dungeon. She’s in rough shape, Emma. But, she’s come to terms with her fate, as hard as it is. She asked me to save Storybrooke, and get this back to her mother for her,” Regina says, motioning to the necklace hanging around her neck.
“I have to see her and apologize. This never should have happened and I have to take full accountability for it.”
“As you wish,” Regina nods. “But, first thing’s first,” she says and walks over to the Evil Queen. She then drinks the Memory Retaining potion, and pours the Forgetting Potion into the Evil Queen’s mouth that is still held agape. “Now I’ll be able to keep the memories we had together here in the Enchanted Forest, but she won’t remember a thing.”
“You tricky minx,” Emma smiles slyly at her.
And with that, they synchronize their magic and transport themselves to Lily’s cell in a cloud of smoke.
“Lily,” Emma cries at the pitiful sight of her.
Immediately, she disables the magic on the cell door keeping it barred, and opens it.
“Emma Swan, the Dark One. Or is it back to being the Savior, now?” Lily jokes sarcastically as Emma helps her up.
“It’s neither. Regina is the true Savior here,” she says, and they look at her.
“So, you succeeded? Congratulations, Your Majesty,” Lily smiles weakly.
“There’s no celebration here,” Emma says darkly. “Lily, this was never supposed to happen, I’m so sorry I used you to curse us all to remain in the past,” her voice breaks as she begins to cry with regret. “Your entire life has been ruled by the insanely poor judgement of either myself or my family, and for that I deeply apologize. I’m so sorry, Lily.”
Lily’s expression changes to that of deep understanding and caring, “Well, at least we can say most of it wasn’t your fault. I brought a lot of anger with me to Storybrooke which certainly didn’t help. But, I appreciate your apology, seeing as you are my only friend and the one who is going to kill me.”
Emma and Lily give each other a small, sad smile for a brief moment.
“Lily,” Regina says, “Thank you. Without you, I wouldn’t have known where to start with breaking the curse.”
“Just make sure everyone gets back safely, yeah?” Lily looks at her with a knowing eye.
Regina gravely bows her head.
“Well, let’s get this over with then,” Lily says resolutely.
Emma tearily takes the pouch from Regina and pulls from it the nearly pitch black heart of Lily’s.
“See you on the other side, guys,” Lily smiles.
“Wait. No, this isn’t right. Emma, put her heart away. You helped me by ensuring in the curse that I keep my memories. Maybe there’s a loophole for you, too. Either way, we can’t leave you behind,” Regina states. “First, I suggest we leave this fortress before the Evil Queen finds us, that spell I cast won’t last.”
“That’s fine by me ‘cause that would be really awkward,” Emma responds with a relieved laugh and receives a look from Regina that says You’re in trouble, Swan.
She shrugs.
“So, what do you suggest?” Lily asks with conviction.
“We need to head back to Storybrooke,” Regina says urgently. “It’s hidden in the mountains, not even Rumplestiltskin will be able to find us there.”
“Of course, let’s go, I, uh, know exactly where it is,” Emma mumbles, and holds both women by the arm as she teleports to the empty home on Mifflin Street in her cursed town.
“Whoa,” Lily gasps, taking in the grandeur of Regina’s mansion, “Nice digs.”
“Thank you,” Regina nods. “Any ideas on where to start, Swan?”
“Just one, or two,” she replies and sets the heart in the center of the coffee table. “I’m gonna try to reverse it, so just, hold tight.”
She then brings her hands above the heart, channeling the powerful light magic inside her. Using it to feel her way around the constructs of the Dark Curse within Lily’s heart, she concentrates for any weak spot that might dismantle it.
After minutes of searching, a frustrated groan fumes from the back of her throat.
Regina looks at Lily with an apologetic eye.
“Okay, so, that didn’t work. Let’s just see what happens if we put your heart back?” Emma offers, picking it up and walking over to Lily.
“Are you sure you’re a professional at this?” Lily pesters, cocking her head.
“Har-har,” Emma drones. “Now, hold still, this shouldn’t hurt.”
Watching from a few steps away, Regina takes a deep breath as she sees Lily’s heart disappear in her chest. They wait a few seconds before accepting that didn’t work to break the curse, either.
“Fuck,” Emma whispers in defeat.
“Listen, guys, I am set to die at any time,” Lily admits, “I appreciate you’re trying to save me and all, but honestly, do I really deserve it? I lied about my true intentions of coming with you to Storybrooke, I almost murdered your parents-”
“That doesn’t matter,” Emma says coolly. “It isn’t your fault we’re all stuck in the past, it’s mine. I can figure out a way to get us home.”
“Emma,” Lily starts, gently taking her arms in her hands. “You already know the way. I know there’s nothing I can say that will make you accept my decision, so I’ll do it myself.”
Still holding Emma with one hand, she brings her other to her chest and pushes her fingers in. She strains to wrench it free, but soon extracts her cursed heart.
“No,” Emma whispers with a cry. “I won’t let you.”
“Sorry, Savior,” Lily shrugs and pushes Emma back with her magic.
“Lily!” Regina calls in desperation, beginning to run toward her as Emma is sent halfway across the room.
“Say bye to Mal for me,” Lily says to her with a smile, and crushes her own heart before Regina reaches her.
Then, everything goes white.