The Mischievous of Them All {OUAT/Henry Mills} [1]

Heart of Darkness

Henry and I walked into the apartment to see Emma at the window checking the locks. She turned around to see us.

"Henry. Aria. What are you doing here? Why aren't you in school?" Emma asked us.

"We have to help Miss Blanchard." Henry said.

"I am helping her. That's why I'm searching the apartment. But you got to go home." Emma said.

"This is my home!" I told her.

"Not going to happen." Henry said, standing his ground.

"Just stay out of the way." Emma walked over to the other window.

"What exactly are we looking for?" I asked her, "I'm very skilled with stuff."

"Reading mystery books doesn't make you skilled, Aria." Henry told me.

"Yes it does." I said, "I know what to expect."

"I'm trying to see if maybe, someone broke in. Looking for busted door jambs, broken glass, muddy boot prints. That kind of thing." Emma said, moving the curtains out of the way and checking the window.

"So, you think someone's setting her up." Henry stated.

"It's the only thing that makes sense. The only problem is, nobody's got a motive." Emma said, turning around to pic up something.

"My mom does." Henry said.

"Regina?" Emma asked.

"Well, duh. She is the Evil Queen. The Evil Queen hates Snow White and Mary-Margret is Snow White." Emma looked at me, "Hey, you wanted a motive, I gave you one."

"Well, I don't think 'The Evil Queen hates Snow White' will hold up in a court, Aria." Emma said.

"Hey, it could be. I once saw a video on YouTube in a court room where somebody said, 'Casper, did it.' and they believed the guy." I said. Emma rolled her eyes in amusement. We all look around to find a clue. I was checking the floorboards to see if there was a loose one. Suddenly, the heat noisily turned on. Searching for the source of the noise, Emma looked to the floor and saw the heating vent. She walked over the vent and kneeled down in front of it. She took off the grate of the vent and stuck her hand in.

"Did you find something?" Henry asked her. Emma pulled up something wrapped in a cloth. She took the cloth off and the thing hiding in the cloth was a hunting knife. No way.

———–

We sat at the bar in Granny's Diner except for Emma who had to go do something. Henry is drinking a hot chocolate, well he isn't really drinking it he's really just staring at it, while I'm just staring off into space thinking. August entered the Diner and sat next to Henry. Yeah, I know his name now. Emma told us what is was.

"I don't think that hot chocolate's going to drink itself. You're upset about your teacher, aren't ya?" August asked us.

"She didn't do it. Why can't anyone see that?" Henry asked. I just narrowed my eyes at the wall.

"Because most people just see what's right in front of them. And I don't think you're going to find the answers you want at the bottom of that mug." August told Henry.

"Then where?" Henry took a drink of his hot chocolate. I stopped staring at the wall and looked at August.

"That a book in your bag? You know I'm a writer. So, I'm partial to finding my answers in the literary form." August said.

"It's just a book. Nothing more." I said, dismissively.

"Is it?" August asked.

"Yes. It's just a book. Like I'm just a person and this is just a counter." I said to him.

"I think we both know that that's not the case." He said to me, "Can I get a water, please?" August asked the waitress.

Henry turned to look at him too, "What do you know about it?"

"I know it's a book of stories." August replied.

"So, aren't all books?" I questioned him.

"Stories...that really happened." August continued.

Henry leaned closer to him, "You think our book is real?"

"As real as I am." August answered.

"How do you know?" Henry asked.

"Well, let's just say that, uh, I'm a believer. And I want to help others see the light. That, my friends, is why I'm here." He told us. 

"But we already believe." Henry told him.

"Oh, I'm not here for you, buddy. I'm here for Emma." August corrected him.

"So, you want to get her to believe? Why don't you just tell her?" Henry questioned.

"Well, there are some people – like you and me – we can go on faith. But others – like Emma – they need proof." August explained.

"Really? Last time we tried to find proof, we got trapped in an abandoned mine that was about to collapse." I said.

"There are less dangerous places to look." August said, tapping the book. Henry then opened the book and we started reading as August left.

–[Outside of the Apartment]–

We sit on the steps out outside of the apartment waiting for Emma to show up. We were talking for a little bit when we saw Emma walking up the steps.

"We have proof." Henry help up the ring of skeleton keys to show her, "This is how my mom got into your apartment. This is how she framed Miss Blanchard."

"Did you steal these from her office?" Emma asked, taking the keys from Henry

"Actually, I did. The book said it could open any door." I answered.

"There's no way they'll even fit in the lock." Emma stated.

"We have to try." Henry said, taking the keys from Emma. We tried to open the apartment door with multiple keys, but each time we're unsuccessful.

"See? What did I tell you? Come on, Henry, Aria. I know you want to think the answer to everything is in Operation Cobra-"

Henry cut her off, "It is!"

"But, sometimes the real world needs to come first." Emma told us.

"Just try one more. One more and we will stop. Please." I begged her. You know it's real when I beg, I never do that.

"Okay, one more. But then we're done." Emma said, sighing a little.

"You do it. This one." Henry said, handing her the key.

"Okay." Emma took the keys from Henry and tried the key he picked out. Then, Emma twisted the key and the door unlocked. The door then opened wide.

"Do you believe now?" Henry asked her

–[End]–