Her Collection

Chapter 7: Sight as Needed

Crystal peers inside the large window, hearing all the voices inside. She lets her vision take over and it was clear to her that this place was filled with magical potential. This was exactly like her father's shop back when Storybrooke still existed.

"Thanks for your help," Crystal says. "Just be quiet for a little while so I can find a way in."

The politeness is a nice change

"Don't get used to it. I have hope now, I'm no longer in a dark place.

Matter of opinion really, you still have lots to do.

"Don't remind me," she hisses as she goes up the steps to the front door. The problem is, the store is closed for the night.

"Damn it!" she says to herself. She even tries the door, hoping the owner left it unlocked, but no such luck. She walks around and tries the back door, but it too is locked up. She stands back to see if there are any windows open to try and get the owner's attention, but that's strike three, she's out of options.

You're not quite out of options yet...

"What do you mean?" Crystal asks.

You do have magic, you could use it to unlock the door.

Crystal's stomach twists. "You mean break in?" She swallows a big lump in her throat. She starts having flashbacks to her early teen years, where she was breaking into places all the time to find money or any valuables she could sell. She often did this with the local gang, thinking that they were her friends and what she was doing was cool. It was the darkest time in her life and none of it made her feel proud.

"No...," she says, shaking her head. "I promised myself that I wouldn't go back to crime. Not after what I did to my mom."

It's not really a crime if it's an emergency, is it? Your family needs you don't forget. The clock is ticking, I'm sure The Black Fairy probably wants the curse to become permanent very soon.

"I know, I know but it doesn't make it right!" Crystal insists. Her eyes are filling with tears as she sits down on the front steps of the shop. She wants to save her family, but breaking into someone's shop for magical aid doesn't seem right. Especially if she's caught and must explain that she broke in for magical items, no one would believe her and she'd be locked up in an asylum.

She feels like she did all those years ago, rebelling against her mother and the law. She feels conflicted and afraid. The voice in her head is tempting her, trying to get her to give into the darkness again. She wasn't that person anymore, but her family needed her. She had to break this curse.

Crystal suddenly hears a noise behind her and she sees that the door is slowly opening on its own.

"How... How... it was locked before?!"

Perhaps you were mistaken the first time. At least now your conscience won't bother you when you enter to get what you need.

"It's still trespassing."

You and your moral compass! Once and a while you will have to break the rules. Not everything is black and white!! If you're doing it for the right reasons, it's not wrong anymore!

"That's a first out of you. You actually want me to do the right thing."

When people change, so does their mind set.

"But you're still the darkness in my mind, darkness isn't supposed to change."

Darkness is always shifting, like the clouds in the sky, nothing stays permanent.