"soulmate"

chapter 5

"That's bullshit," I blurted out, unable to contain my frustration. *Why do I have to be in this situation? Out of everyone, it really had to be me?*

Regina's eyebrows shot up in surprise at my choice of words, but a slight smirk danced on her lips, betraying her amusement. "Language." The twinkle in her eyes suggested she found my outburst more entertaining than offensive.

"Sorry," I mumbled, feeling a flush of embarrassment creeping up my neck as I looked down at the floor, suddenly feeling like a scolded child.

Snow, ever the peacekeeper, stepped forward. "Hey, no need to apologize," she said with a reassuring smile. "We're all a little on edge right now." I shot her a grateful glance before turning back to the group.

"So, let me get this straight," I began, pushing aside my own doubts and insecurities for the moment. "You're saying I'm supposed to be some kind of chosen one?"

"It appears that way," Regina said , her voice carrying a weight of significance that sent a shiver down my spine. "But whether you believe it or not is entirely up to you."

I couldn't help but scoff, the absurdity of the situation threatening to overwhelm me. "Well, that's a relief. Here I was thinking I'd have to go buy a cape and start fighting dragons."

Regina's lips quirked into a small, almost imperceptible smile. "I'm afraid it might be a bit more complicated than that."

“Yeah.” I sigh, this is gonna be a long couple of days.

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Regina cleared her throat, her demeanour shifting back to business. "Now, back to the matter at hand. Finding the Author is our priority."

I leaned against the table, crossing my arms over my chest. "Right, but how do we do that? Do we have any leads?"

Regina exchanged a glance with Emma before turning back to me. "We have a few ideas, but it won't be easy. The Author is difficult to track down, to say the least."

I let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Of course he is. Why would anything in this situation be straightforward?"

Regina's lips curved into a sympathetic smile. "Welcome to the world of fairytales, Hana. Nothing is ever as simple as it seems."

I couldn't help but chuckle at her words. "Tell me about it."

Regina nodded in agreement. "But don't worry, we'll figure it out. We always do."

"Alright, so where do we start?" I asked, eager to dive into the next steps of our quest.

Emma stepped forward, her expression determined. "We'll need to gather information. Henry, can you check the archives in the library? See if there are any records of the Author or any prophecies related to a chosen one."
Henry nodded eagerly, already pulling out his phone to jot down notes. "On it."

Regina turned to Killian. "And you, Captain Hook, do you have any contacts who might have information about the Author?"
Killian nodded, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "Aye, I have a few old mates who might be able to help. I'll reach out to them and see what I can find."

"Alright then," Regina said, clapping her hands together. "Let's get to work. We'll meet here once we have more information."

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As the group began to disperse, I found myself lingering by Regina's side. Despite our rocky start, there was something about her presence that felt comforting.

"Hey, Regina," I said softly, catching her attention. "Thanks, for... everything."
Regina smiled warmly, her eyes softening.

"Anytime, Hana. We're all in this together."
I started laughing because of what she said. “Did I say something funny?” regina asked looking at me giggling. I shook my head, “I would presume you haven’t watched high school musical?” I ask her. “No, what’s that?” she asks me genuinely curious. “It’s a movie, series that came out some while back. It’s iconic, but something inside me says it doesn’t exist here?” I look at her waiting for an answer. “Not that I ever heard of it, no.” She replies. “Okay well, we're all in this together is a song in the movie.” Regina nods her head in understanding while I explained the movie and songs to her. “It just reminded me of it.” I shrug not really knowing what else to say.

Regina's smile widened at my explanation, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes. "I see. Well, it sounds like an entertaining film. Perhaps I'll have to check it out sometime."

I nodded enthusiastically. "Definitely! I think you'd enjoy it."