No More Pirates (Book Two)

Chapter 6 - The Crocodile

Storybrooke...

"Mr. Gold is... The Crocodile?" The captain asks her first mate.

"Aye. I did some digging and found that his name here is Mr. Gold, he is married to a woman named Belle, and she is in possession of the dagger that controls him. It's the only weapon that can kill him, captain."

"Excellent job, Smithy. Alas, we are not here to kill him. He's going to... assist us." Elizabeth smiles wickedly.

Smithy moves to open the door to the pawn shop.

"Ah, ah, ah," Elizabeth scolds. "I'll be doing this one alone."

"But-"

"Go back to the ship. Supervise the crew and make sure that little rat doesn't try to escape. Can you do that?"

He opens his mouth in protest, but remembers the last time the captain turned him into a rat. He walks quickly into the other direction without another word.

Elizabeth walks straight into the shop without hesitation. A bell rings above her head as she enters. All around the large room are strange objects and trinkets that seem very out of place. Clocks, umbrellas, animal horns, jewelry...

Behind a glass counter, stands a man very different from the Crocodile she once knew. This one seems old, and weak.

Her wicked smile returns. "Crocodile,"

"Can I help y-" his smiles fades as he raises his head. "What in God's name are you doing here?" He nonchalantly pulls a small pistol from underneath his counter.

"Oh, relax. I'm not here to kill you. I require your assistance, Dark One."

"And what makes you think I'll assist you, Miss Elizabeth?"

"I prefer Captain, actually." Elizabeth approaches the counter. Rumple still grips onto the pistol. "And because helping me comes with revenge on Killian Jones."

The Dark One narrows his eyes at her. Slowly, he releases the gun. The corners of his lips curl into a smile. "What can I assist you with?
Captain,"

Elizabeth grins. "A potion. A love potion."

"Ah, there's where you're wrong, dearie! Magic cannot make someone love you."

"But," she lifts her hand to correct him. "Magic can make someone love you if they loved you once before."

Rumple turns and places a large box on the counter. "Why don't you concoct your own potion? I do sense magic within you."

"Your senses are correct, Crocodile, but alas, I'll be too busy killing The Savior." Elizabeth casually opens the box and begins rummaging through The Dark One's potions and obscure ingredients.

"And so the plot unfolds." Rumple observes. "You want to kill his wife so you can make the pirate fall in love with you without... interference."

She drops the bottles back into place. "You always were a perceptive one, Crocodile. Now, are you going to assist me or not?"

"I'll work on your love potion. As long as you can assure me that I will never have to see the face of Captain Hook again."

Her lips curls into an evil smile. "We have a deal then."

Neverland; A little less than a century ago...

"I've been searching for you, pirate!" The Dark One giggles with delight as he holds Hook off the ground by the throat.

"Let him go!" Elizabeth screams.

"No..." Hook gasps. "Don't..." he gasps again. "He'll..." Rumple squeezes tighter. He moans in pain. "He'll kill you!"

"No! I'm not going to leave you! I'm not going to let him kill you!"

"Oh, really?" The Dark One almost laughs, rolling his tongue on the r. He drops Hook to the ground, letting him breathe. "Then how about I kill you, and then him?" He giggles like a child. "Two pirates in one!" He thrusts out his hand and Elizabeth is lifted off the ground by the throat just like The Captain was.

"Say goodbye, dearie!"

The sound of a sword being unsheathed draws The Dark One's attention.

"Let. Her. Go." Hook demands. "Now!"

"Hmmm... Maybe I'll just kill you together then! Not as fun, but still satisfying!" He smiles wickedly. With his other hand, he picks Hook off the ground once again.

Elizabeth looks to her captain with fear in her eyes.

"Oh, I am really gonna enjoy this!" Rumple exclaims.

A smooth, childlike voice pipes in. "No you aren't."

The Dark One's eyes widen with fear as he drops the pirates to the ground with a loud thud.

A child of no more than 13 emerges from the thicket. He looks as if he hasn't had proper clothes in years with his torn, forest green rags. "Let them go, laddy." The boy says.

"Pan," The Crocodile growls.

"Rumple," he grins a sinister grin.

Pan turns to the pirates. "I suggest you run before I change my mind."

The two share a glance before retrieving their weapons and running as quickly as they can towards the beach. "Is he... Letting us... Leave?!" Elizabeth asks between breaths.

"I believe so. Fetch your things and gather the crew! We're getting out of here."

Aboard the Jolly Roger; Present day...

Smithy looks curiously around the Captain's Quarters. He reaches for what looks like a human skull lying on a shelf.

"Touch anything, and you lose that hand." Elizabeth firmly interjects.

"Aye, Captain. My apologies, Captain." He mumbles.

"Oh, cheer up lad! We're close to victory!"

"I just don't know how I feel about... killing someone to get what you want..." Smithy hangs his head low.

"Oh, Smithy. When I asked that tired, lonely boy in Tortuga if he could sail under the command of a pirate, what did he say?"

"Aye Captain..." he mumbles.

"What was that? I didn't hear you!"

He brings his head up and meets the Captain's hypnotic eyes. "Aye Captain!"

"That's more like it, lad!" Elizabeth smiles.  She turns from Smithy, and from underneath her large elegant desk, she brings out a small black box.

"What's in there?" Smithy asks.

"This is what garuntees my success." She opens the lid, grinning at the contents.

"Dreamshade."