All Magic Comes With A Price

Frowned Upon In Most Societies

"People are strange when you're a stranger / Faces look ugly when you're alone" --The Doors

"Rumplestiltskin."

The man looked up as he came through the curtain, pausing at the sight of the trench coated visitor. His face split into a grin. "Ah." He pursed his lips and studied the angel, an eyebrow quirked. "Castiel. Pleasure meeting you again." Mr. Gold took a step towards one of the display cases. "What purpose do you have here in Storybrooke, I wonder?"

Castiel squinted at the man, as was his habit to do when he was confronted with a curiosity. "I would wonder the same thing. Last we met you were in the Enchanted Forest."

Mr. Gold chuckled. "That I was, dearie. And as I recall, you were in quite a spot of trouble. How did that pan out for you?"

His eyebrows furrowed at the question. He was not there to talk about himself. "It is in progress, but I do not see how it is any of your business."

"So time has passed very differently for you than it has for me, then," Gold surmised. "That was centuries ago, my friend. And for you, what... Mere weeks?" The angel remained silent. "But still, I am curious as to why you are here now."

"I am helping my friends investigate this town. A case that seemed to be in their realm of expertise. Clearly it is otherwise if you are involved."

"And why is that?"

"Your magic comes from another world. They are not equipped to deal with your measure of magic."

"They deal with magic on a regular basis?" Gold asked, growing more curious about these "friends" of his.

"Like I said, yours is not the likes of any they've seen." Castiel sighed. "I must go tell them of what I have learned.

"On the contrary," Gold said, stepping closer to the angel. "You're not going anywhere." He nodded subtly toward the door and Castiel watched as an angel warding symbol carved itself into the wood. "I believe it's best that the outsiders don't learn about us. Don't make me get the holy oil, Castiel." He made his way to the door, opening it and turning back to face the now trapped angel. "Now stay here, I've an errand to run." And with that, the door closed, leaving Castiel alone in the shop.

~~~~~~~~~~

Standing silently in the large factory and taking in the sweet scent, Gabriel watched as candy bars went rolling down the many conveyer belts to where those in his employ were wrapping them up in an excellent rhythm. A smile appeared on the angel's face as he turned and snapped his fingers at one of the bars as it rode past.

After this display, there lay what appeared to be a golden sheet of paper laying on top of the delicacy. The smile grew wider as the angel snapped at a few more candies, making more of the papers appear.

"Alright, boys, you know the drill. Wrap 'em up!" he said, giving a little twirl of his finger in the air. He chuckled to himself; his plan was finally, after many years of work, coming together perfectly.

Another chuckle, which was more of a giddy laugh, joined his. Gabriel turned, startled, to see Rumpelstiltskin sitting on a nonfunctional conveyor belt a few rows down. With a defeated sigh, he walked over to see what the Dark One had to say.

"Having fun, are we dearie?" The scaly man asked as he leaped off his makeshift seat.

"I am, but I'm also doing that which you have told me."

"I'm not so certain of that!" Rumplestiltskin said. "Surely it doesn't take years in order to look through this world!"

It was not often that the Dark One was ignorant of what was going on, to which Gabriel let out a small laugh at his employer.