♚ don't test me. ♔

“I’m getting very little enjoyment out of this. Especially seeing as you’re in my gym, I don’t know who you are, and I don’t know why you’re here. For all I know, you could be putting my other patrons at risk.”

[ @ofdarkregals ]

        Charming slowed down his cruiser as the other vehicle slowed down as well, parking on the side of the road. He’d never sen the car before in Storybrooke, ever. That definitely worried him. Bad guys had been popping up recently without warning, so he had to take every precaution he could. He slowly emerged from his cruiser and made his way over to the other with his hands on his hips. Delicately, he placed his hand on the top of the roof as he motioned for the other to roll down his window. “Hi there. Never seen you around here before…you new or something?”

“No, you’re not wrong… But I just don’t see failure as a bad thing. It’s a way to grow… it’s the only way to grow. If you never failed at anything, how could you get any better?” Oliver tilted his head, a quizzical look on his face. “What are you aiming for then? I mean… maybe if you were to share that information with people you trusted they could help you get whatever you might want? I know I would help you if I could. You’re really nice to me.”

❝ Though you may know the story of regina mills, her legacy and triumphs as well as trials and challenges. What if I told you there may be a story that you never heard of. This story is told in shadow, hidden by the naked eye. This narrative of Regina Mills not about her in fact, but her younger brother, REGIS ARASTAR. Hidden behind a shroud of deception and lies, their mother conjured another universe to hold Regis’ life, one that no one could even know about. UNTIL NOW. Don’t let the similarities of the two sibling’s lives lead you astray because Regina’s brother could be described as even WORSE than Regina herself. ❞

Regis took one look at the being before him, wondering where he had seen that exact face before. “ I don’t think we have met. Or that’s what my memories have been telling me. Care to share who you are supposed to be? “ 

“ Didn’t expect to see you back here? Or was there something else you wanted to discuss...? And will that require clothes? Because that’s what I was thinking if you ever returned. “

“Eh, we do pretty well. Give it half an hour, something will pop through the worm hole and then we’ll have peace treaties being signed and what not. It wouldn’t startle me a bit-” he shrugged. 

“Well, there’s the restaurant of course. Best view in the multiverse in my opinion. There’s a two year waiting list to eat up there. And we’ve got the comets next week coming through. And usually we’d have the Host here but bless him he’s busy on Terran doing who knows what.” James didn’t need to defend the bar, it defended itself. Just because it was slow tonight didn’t mean it wasn’t overall successful. 

Sometimes it was just nice to have a quiet night instead of having to have four blenders going while standing on a story tall ladder. That way you didn’t have to sacrifice customer service.

There were some traditionalists who balked at James’ rules and Regis giving him the hairy eyeball made him think that this might be one of those guys but eventually he accepted the drink. James knew what he was doing. He’d been working here long (or short) enough to be at least confident in that.

James smirked. Ah, the guy wanted to get to know him. Although calling the bar petty was not a way to James’ heart. He’d refurbished this place with the key Merlin had given him. Now he had a name throughout the galaxy as a bartender, a star surfer, and the one man in this timeline that knew how to make a version of the Hitch-hiker Gold Bricker if you were looking to forget the past few days.

“Well, petty seems a stretch. Considering the three story tall viewing window,” James noted, defending his bar’s honor slightly. “Oh, well I commute from Terran and just kind of make trouble while I’m there. I’m an actor at a theme park, nothing special,” he said- generalizing his role by a long shot. 

“Are we opening up a tab for you tonight?”

“Looks like we have a difference of opinion, no?” Regis smirked as he took another sip of his drink, knowing that the hardest of hearts were always the most fun to play with. It was as if he was defending the bar in the way of not defending it at all. Whatever comment Regis seemed to make about it, was given a response by the bartender that made his skin crawl. The place was old of course. Or at least it seemed to hold up by some old weary magic set in from centuries ago as a staple at the end of the universe. Either way, it was a place to crash and have a bit of fun in a time where both seemed to escape Regis. He’d have to go out and obtain it for himself. “An actor at a theme park…? What does that necessarily mean? Meaning that you are paid to be someone else at a place where humans pay large sums of money for amusement? Seems like a happy place to be.”

“True.” The thief spoke, the corners of her mouth quirking up at the prospect of someone challenging her opinions. She’d never been part of any decisions that occurred in StoryBrooke, always hiding in the background for fear of being repeatedly dragged into Heroic antics. Not that she disapproved of them, but doing the right thing didn’t make money, and that was the point of her occupation.

Her elbows propped her up, idly leaning against the front of her counter as she considered his proposal. The less she knew of it, the urgency intrigued her. After a few moments, Bela pushed herself up and stepped past him just to lock her store up.

“Then, I suggest we discuss the details. Come.” No strings attached? Perfect. 

What Regis hated most about the current situation was asking for the assistance of a common thief. Of course, she had made a big name for herself back in their land and even in Storybrooke, she was still small in comparison to the grand scheme of things. Still, crucial in the game. “Have a place we can sit and discuss? Might want to map out this plan of ours if its going to be done accurately and with ease. I trust you know what you are doing, but it’s the circumstances of the situation that I’d rather us have worked out.” He didn’t care to move around much in the store, and let her do whatever she needed to to prepare for the details.

“Then why don’t you  go ahead and tell me why you’re here? It would get this over with a lot sooner.”

“That’s the thing. You can handle it. Even if you fail, you’re gaining something from it. Something important.” Oliver always loved talking to his teacher. It was rare for Ollie to find someone who he felt comfortable about this. “What about me? I mean… Obviously you don’t like care about me or whatever. But I mean like do I get in your way?”

❝ Though you may know the story of regina mills, her legacy and triumphs as well as trials and challenges. What if I told you there may be a story that you never heard of. This story is told in shadow, hidden by the naked eye. This narrative of Regina Mills not about her in fact, but her younger brother, REGIS ARASTAR. Hidden behind a shroud of deception and lies, their mother conjured another universe to hold Regis’ life, one that no one could even know about. UNTIL NOW. Don’t let the similarities of the two sibling’s lives lead you astray because Regina’s brother could be described as even WORSE than Regina herself. ❞

“Are you– are you kidding me? The only reason I’ve survived up until now is because I know how to hold myself together. I’ve taken everything people have thrown at me, I’ve taken the mess they’ve made of me and not let it break me…. what– what makes you think I can’t hold myself together?”