《Artemis || OUAT》23. The Heart of the Truest Believer

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Astrid collapsed onto the dirt in defeat while exclaiming in frustration, "I GIVE UP!"

She quickly turned when she heard slow, sarcastic claps from behind a thick tree; Peter stepped out and leaned against the tree, his signature smirk on his face. "Wow, incredible. An inspiration, really, that's what you are, Charming." He remarked.

"Well, I don't need magic anyway. I'm a perfect shot with my weapons, so..." Astrid stubbornly said while folding her arms across her chest after sitting up and sat Indian-style.

Peter straightened up and moved over to her, crouching down beside her and looked at her. "Come on, love, of all people, never give up. Magic is based on feeling, emotion. So, will it and... feel that energy inside of you move."

Astrid gave him a look and asked in slight confusion, "What?"

"What do you feel when you heal people with your magic?" Peter curiously answered with another question.

Astrid sat up and looked at him again and replied with a small shrug, "I don't know... It's like I just automatically feel their pain, like the magic inside of me to heal them."

"Here," He offered his hand, "I'll help you. I can train you with your magic." She took his hand in hers reluctantly and was lifted off of the ground and now stood by his side.

"Don't you have some poor, innocent person to murder?" Astrid sarcastically glared at him.

Pan laughed, "No. Now do you want my help or not?"

Astrid sighed, weighing her options carefully, before giving in, "Fine. Where do we start?"

"The basics." Peter commented, "Concentrate on your magic, will it, feel it inside of you."

Astrid closed her eyes and took a deep breath, breathing in through her nose and exhaling out her mouth. She felt the warm, powerful light magic running through her body and focused on it.

"What do you feel?" Peter softly asked as he now stood behind her closely, his mouth near her ear.

"A warm, weird, tingly feeling... My magic." Astrid murmured, her eyes still closed.

"Now, relax your muscles, love," Peter said still quietly, moving a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear lightly, "And, inside of your mind, imagine yourself making a ball of fire appear in your hand."

Astrid relaxed and imagined what he said as he added, "Hold out your hand and will the magic to your palm."

Astrid felt a burning, but not a painful burning, sensation run down her arm and to her hand as she opened her eyes and saw flames igniting in her open palm. She was now holding a ball of fire in her hand.

"I did it!" Astrid said in surprise, the fireball disappearing as she turned to face Peter, a grin on her face.

"You did great, Astrid." Peter also smiled, "I knew you could do it." He cleared his throat and smirked, "Let's see if you can do it again."

Astrid smirked a little and made the fireball appear in her hand again. "Whoa." She threw the fireball at the target at a tree, hitting it in the center of the target.

"Impressive, Charming." Peter complimented as Astrid hugged him, her arms wrapped around his neck as his arms were around her waist, pulling her close.

Astrid sheepishly chuckled and parted from the hug. "Well, I did have a fair teacher. Come on, let's try again."

Hook steered the Jolly Roger down the portal while everyone held onto something; Snow and David held onto each other, Gold, Regina, and Emma held onto ropes tightly, and Astrid held onto the railing of the helm of the ship beside Hook as he steered.

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The ship came to a splash once it exited out of the portal, it slowly closing behind the ship. When they finally exited the portal, they landed roughly, making everyone almost fall to the ground.

Hook steadied Astrid while also steadying the ship. He gave her a you okay? look as Astrid nodded, returning the look as he also nodded.

"Is that it?" Emma suddenly asked about the island ahead of them.

"Aye," Hook began as Astrid finished for him, "Neverland." She sighed, seeing the look her parents gave her which was a mix between curiosity and concern.

"Didn't tell them about your past on Neverland, AJ?" Hook asked lightly after also noticing the look on their faces.

"Nope." Astrid admitted.

"So, they don't know about what happened between you and I here?" Hook slowly asked but also quietly.

"Nope." Astrid repeated.

"Maybe you should tell them." He said, "Since it might come up once we reach the shore of this bloody island."

"Maybe, but it's in the past." Astrid shrugged, "It's history."

Peter Pan looked at the blonde haired girl through the cage that she was in and smirked, "You ready to start following my rules?"

Astrid looked at Peter with a raised eyebrow and remarked, "What happens if I say no?"

Peter chuckled and smirked while saying, "Well, then you'll be spending the rest of the week in this cage." Astrid sighed with a roll of her eyes and then a nod. "Good. Felix let her out."

Felix nodded before he and a few other Lost Boys lowered the cage the girl was inside; He held a slightly amused look on his face as he glanced at Astrid and Peter who were glaring at each other.

Astrid stood out of the cage once it was on the ground and stretched her legs with her signature smirk on her face as she remarked, "Yow know, I'm starting to think Huckleberry here is only putting me in the cages to keep the other boys away from me because he's jealous of my awesomeness."

Peter stepped closer to her and looked down at her in a challenging way, daring Astrid to call him that again.

Meanwhile, Felix was trying to contain his laughter as he heard the nickname that slipped out of her mouth; Astrid glanced at Felix and winked.

Peter lifted an eyebrow in confusion, wondering when Felix had became such best friends with Astrid. "Did I miss something?"

"Nope." Astrid and Felix both said in unison.

Peter sighed and glanced back down at the girl in front of him and replied with narrowed eyes, one eyebrow lifted above the other, "You infuriate me."

Astrid innocently smiled at him, which soon her smile turned into a satisfied grin as she said, "Good. Then I'm doing my job."

"Oh, is that what you call it?" Peter remarked sarcastically. Astrid nodded proudly, her hands on the handles of her swords at her hips.

Felix smirked at the two in front of him, thinking that the two would make a cute couple.

"It's fine, whatever. It's in the past," Peter muttered about the prank that Astrid had pulled on him that made her be put in the cages for a few days, "It's history, Charming."

"Why are you slowing down?" Regina demanded towards Hook as he turned the wheel slowly a little, "In case you didn't know, my son's life is in danger."

"Oh, I know, my hotheaded queen-" Hook replied as Astrid stepped back over to them, "My plan is to bring us to the far side of the island, link up with the widest part of the river, then we sail right through and take him by surprise. The irony."

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Astrid smirked at using the element of surprise. She always liked using that tactic. "What irony?" Regina inquired towards the pirate.

"Oh. I spent more time than I care to remember trying to leave this place to kill Rumplestiltskin." Hook explained while glancing over at Astrid and back at Regina, "And here I am, sailing right back into its heart with him as my guest of honor. It's not quite the happy ending I was hoping for."

"Greg Mendell said something funny to me. He said I'm a villain, and that villains don't get happy endings. You believe that?"

"I hope not." Hook admitted, "Or we've wasted our lives."

Astrid sadly smiled a little at the pirate and Regina and moved down the stairs to her sister and parents and overheard Emma say, "I didn't grow up in some fairytale land like you guys and even Astrid. My experience is different. That's all I can go on."

"And all we have to go on is ours." Astrid spoke up in defense of their parents while feeling the hurt that her twin was feeling currently, stepping onto the other side of Emma as they glanced over at her.

"So if you would just let us share our wisdom-" Snow began towards Emma who cut her off by saying as her voice broke, "I appreciate you trying to be parents. But we're the same age-- Well, except for Astrid here. We have equal amounts of wisdom. And all I want is Henry back."

Astrid laid a hand on her sister's arm, continuing to feel her emotional pain unwillingly. Emma continued, "I should never have broken the curse. I should've just taken Henry and-"

"You're right. Then- Then you'd be together." Snow stopped her, "We missed you two growing up, Emma, and it haunts us every day."

"And that's why we're here now." David spoke up, "We don't want you to go through the same thing, too. And you won't. We are gonna get our family back."

"We will always find one another." Astrid simply added with a light shrug.

"How can you three be so infuriatingly optimistic?" Emma demanded and then faced her sister and added, "How are you optimistic when you went through so much like me?"

Astrid sighed, still feeling everyone's emotions, and replied, "It's just who we are, I guess."

"Why!?" Emma questioned and faced their parents again and commented, "Ever since you got your memories back, ever since you remembered that you're Snow White and Prince Charming, your lives... they've... well, they've sucked!"

"No." David said with a shake of his head, "No, we found you and Astrid-"

"And lost Henry and Neal and countless other people. I mean, Astrid's had to give up being with her true love however many times to find this family-" Emma cut him off.

"Em, the minute I let go of the belief that things will get better is the minute I know they won't." Astrid cut her off and looked at their mother and added, "And they agree."

"We'll find Henry." Snow added in assurance.

"No, you won't." Gold spoke up, dressed in his Enchanted Forest clothing.

"Oh, well, that's a great use of our time," Astrid remarked sarcastically once she made it back over to the one-handed pirate to make sure that he doesn't do anything stupid, "A wardrobe change."

Hook smirked a little and glanced over at the teenager beside him as Gold ignored her and replied, "I'm gonna get Henry."

"We agreed to do this together." Regina commented as Gold corrected her, "Actually, we made no such agreement."

"Why are you doing this?" Emma inquired as Gold answered her simply, "Because I wanna succeed."

"What makes you think I'm gonna fail?" Emma demanded.

"Well, how could you not?" Gold replied, "You don't believe in your parents or sister or in magic or in yourself."

"I slayed a dragon. I think I believe." Emma remarked.

"Only what was shown to you. When have you ever taken a real leap of faith? You know, the kind where there's absolutely no proof?" Gold began, "I've known you some time, Ms. Swan. And sadly, despite everything you've been through, you're still just that... bail bondsperson, looking for evidence. Well, dearie, that's not gonna work in Neverland."

"I'll do whatever it takes." Emma murmured as Gold replied, "Well, you just need someone to tell you what that is. Sorry, dearie. Our foe is too fearsome for hand-holding-"

"Neverland is a place where imagination runs wild." Astrid spoke up and glanced over at Hook to see him scowl at the Dark One and nudged the pirate on his arm with her elbow. She glanced back at Emma and finished, "And sadly... yours doesn't, Em."

"I'd listen to the Queen's words carefully. She knows more about him and Neverland than any of you." Gold answered and spun his cane around. Everyone watched the cane fall to the floor and found that Gold had disappeared off of the ship.

"What did he mean by the Queen? Regina didn't even say anything." Emma spoke up in slight confusion.

Hook glanced over at the teenager with slightly narrowed eyes and sighed while Astrid now gazed at the island ahead of them in thought. "He wasn't talking about Regina the Evil Queen. Apparently, he was talking about the Queen of Neverland."

"And who's that?" Snow wondered aloud, sharing a look with her husband.

Hook looked over at Astrid who sighed and answered, "I am. And I think it's time I tell you guys part of my story here on this island."

Astrid never understood why mermaids hated her; She knew why they didn't like Peter, though.

Pan always told her to stay away from the creatures and she did. She avoided the Mermaid Lagoon, but after much thinking it over, she decided to visit them and try and settle their anger, like a peace treaty.

Astrid approached the shore as the mermaids turned and faced her and regretted coming immediately.

A dozen of their hands were now dragging her down, deeper into the water, drowning the girl who desperately squirmed in their grip as she tried to fight them.

Astrid's lungs were burning as water filled her nose and mouth and from holding her breath. She actually found herself thinking, "I'm sorry, Peter, this was so stupid. I should've listened to you."

She thought this was the end and found herself thinking about not finding her birth family- and not saying goodbye to Peter, and even thinking about not confronting Hook.

Astrid then felt the mermaids' iron grip loosen as a pair of familiar hands grabbed both of her arms and pulled her out of the water. Astrid gasped and coughed, letting out a desperate cry, "I- I'm s-sorry..."

Pan held the girl close to his chest, her face buried on his shoulder; She was exhausted-- From the lack of air or from crying, she didn't know and she didn't care.

All she cared about was the final thoughts that had drifted in her mind, and she made up her mind to start finding a way off of the island.

"It's okay. You're okay now, you're safe, love." Peter cooed softly and hugged her tighter while planting a light kiss on top of her head.

Astrid heard Peter growl out to the mermaids who were slowly retreating, "Stay away from her. If I find you anywhere her again, you're all ."

"So, the person in charge on this island- Peter Pan- is your true love?" David repeated after Astrid filled them in slightly.

"I guess." Astrid shrugged.

"And Neverland was the place that Hook had abandoned you on?" Snow also repeated.

"Yeah... but it's all good now." Astrid shrugged again.

Suddenly, there was screeches in the distance as the three of them furrowed their eyebrows and looked out into the sea to notice a blur of electric blue heading straight for them.

"What the hell is that?" David demanded.

The sight of the creatures made Astrid's eyes widen in fear and mouth drop in shock. "Oh, my Thor." She let out, drawing the attention of her parents.

Snow looked at the teenager and noticed her worry, asking, "What is it?"

Astrid ran up the stairs and towards the helm, now behind the wheel. "Get Hook!" She ordered, fixing to place her hands on the wheel just as the ship shook violently from the attacks of the creatures.

Astrid clung to the wheel tightly while keeping her balance. "Never mind that last part! Just brace yourselves!"

David and Snow soon grabbed onto the railing beside the helm while holding onto each other.

Regina ran up the steps and looked at the three of them. "What the hell are you doing!?"

"Trying to keep it bloody steady!" Astrid answered, "Hold on!"

"Prepare for attack!" Hook also exclaimed while stopping beside the teenager who continued to steer. She stepped back for him as Hook took the wheel and now steered.

"Be more specific." Regina commented.

"If you've got a weapon, then grab it!" Hook replied, both him and Astrid now steering in attempt to keep the ship steady.

Emma stepped back onto the deck and asked, "What's out there? A shark? A whale?"

"A kraken?" David chimed in while holding a lantern over the sea to try and get a better look at what was attacking.

"Worse." Astrid said as Hook added in agreement after they heard the screeching even closer, "Mermaids."

"Mermaids!?" Emma exclaimed while holding onto the ropes beside her.

"Yes, and they're quite unpleasant-" Astrid started as Hook agreed, "She's right."

"You think?" Regina remarked.

"I'll try and outrun them." Hook said as Emma questioned, "How many of them are there!?"

The mermaids continued to ram into the ship as Astrid stumbled, almost falling overboard, until Hook swiftly caught her by grabbing her wrist and pulling her away from the railing.

Astrid silently thanked the pirate who only nodded and continued to steer the Jolly Roger away from the mermaids. "I will not be capsized by fish!" David exclaimed and ran over to where the cannon was and loaded it.

"Emma!" Snow called as she neared the large net that was laying in the deck a few feet beside them.

Emma followed after her and asked, "What are you doing?" Snow picked up the net and simply answered her daughter, "Fishing."

David fired the cannon into the water as the screams of the mermaids could be heard and a big splash from the impact of the cannon hitting the water.

Snow and Emma readied the net over the side and tossed it over, catching one of the mermaids. "We caught one!" Snow exclaimed with a small surprised gasp.

Hook noticed that Astrid had stepped back and stiffened in fear as she watched her mother and sister pull the captured mermaid onto the deck.

"One? There are dozens of them." Regina commented just as David fired another cannon while Emma and Snow continued to pull the mermaid up.

"Enough of this." Regina made a fireball appear in her hand as she tossed it into the sea, scaring the mermaids away and continued to do so. "There. They're gone."

"Except for one." Astrid murmured but was unheard by her parents, Emma, and Regina, stepping behind her father figure halfway who noticed the action and held a protective arm out in front of her while steering the ship with his hook.

"Not all of them!" Snow panted while she and Emma continued pulling the creature up, "What about that one!?"

Regina looked down at the net and waved her hand, making the mermaid disappear and reappear onto the deck of the ship. "Aah!" The mermaid cried out.

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