AU verse [locked to Regina]

[themaniwanttobe]

Madness. This was utter madness, he was sure of it. But madness or no, he was here.

Here in the worst place possible, somewhere he never thought he'd end up, but doing something he had to try, for the sake of everyone.

He had to try and talk to Regina. There was so much at stake, with the constant fighting, that he had to take the risk. Deep down, he doubted that he would be able to do much to get through to her, but if he didn't try, he end up regretting it for the rest of... well, however long they lived.

Flying up to her castle, he pushed down the stab of fear he felt. Regina was not to be trifled with, and he knew she wouldn't like his words. But still he flew up to an open window. The advantage of being a cricket meant that he could sneak past her guards. The feel of magic all around him made his teeth itch - or it would if he had any.

He'd struck lucky. Regina was alone in the third room he checked, and he hovered uncertainly for a moment, trying to work out the best way to approach her without getting swatted.

Comments

[themaniwanttobe]

Jiminy thought about Geppetto, and Pinocchio, and how they would be in danger if she linked them to him. But then, why would she pay attention to who a cricket was connected with other than Snow and Charming. No one else seemed to matter to her.

"Jiminy!" he squeaked out, barely able to breath. "My name is Jiminy!"

[unhappilyeverafter]

When he complied, she slackened her fingers just so, as though he should be rewarded for obeying her. "Good. Now, Jiminy. What do you know of Snow White?"

This was the answer she wanted most of all, that would decide if Jiminy was useful to her, or if he would meet his untimely end. Regina only cared about those who were valuable to her, a fact that had not gone missed during her bloody tirades across the villages.

[themaniwanttobe]

The pause he gave before speaking was telling. Not just because he was getting his breath back from having been squeezed so tightly, but he was deciding how much to tell her.

"I know how much she wants this to end. That there was something in your past... that she won't talk about." It maybe gave away too much about how well he knew Snow, but he was scared, and babbling a little.

[unhappilyeverafter]

There was a flash of bared teeth and her hand tightened again, soon ending Jiminy's reprieve. "No, she won't talk about it. Because she knows what she did," she whispered through a hiss, not caring that these words would mean little to Jiminy.

She turned away from the fireplace with the cricket still in her grasp, stalking across the room with a dramatic flare of her dress. Today's defeat was still raw, and the reminder of what that wretched child had done was another wound opened.

"The only way this will ever end is when I have Snow White's heart," she promised in dark, unfurling tones, lifting Jiminy back to her line of sight.

[themaniwanttobe]

Jiminy felt entirely out of control. His life, literally was in Regina's hands at the moment. "But what if there was another way?" he asked, trying desperately to keep some sense of equilibrium. Not easy when you were moving because of someone else.

[unhappilyeverafter]

"There is no other way," she assured him, narrowing her eyes at the mere suggestion. It wasn't the first time people had tried to convince her of another path - her father, namely. But all he wanted was his daughter's happiness, and if that meant pursuing Snow, then he allowed it.

"But you would have me do that, wouldn't you? To spare your precious Snow?"

Yes, she most definitely noticed how well he knew the princess.

[themaniwanttobe]

"I want to spare everyone." His first concern would always be Geppetto and Pinocchio, and if it helped Snow and the others, then that was a bonus. "Because this feud between you will only lead to loss of life, not only Snow, but everyone else, and who knows what it will do to your soul? It's not too late to help yourself, your Majesty!"

[unhappilyeverafter]

It had already led to loss of life. There were villages burning in her name, graves piled with the bodies of those her men had slaughtered. It was too late to turn back, there was nothing to turn back to.

"I am helping myself!" she declared with a shake of her fist. "This is the only way I will ever know happiness. A happiness that wretched girl took from me in the first place! If you want all this to stop, then help me put as end to Snow White's miserable existence."

[themaniwanttobe]

Snow put a stop to her happiness? Jiminy made note of it, but struggled against her grip. "What happens when it's done?" he asked her curious now. He knew that it wouldn't bring her the happiness she thought, it was obvious there was something more missing in her life. Snow was a target, that was all.

[unhappilyeverafter]

"Then, it is done," she answered simply, lifting her chin with a dignified air, like she should be commended for not being complicated. She simply wanted Snow gone, then her life could begin. But she was wrong, of course. Because with Snow's loss, came the loss of her own heart, as the last of its light was taken over by evil.

[themaniwanttobe]

"And that's it?" he pressed on, knowing that there had to be more to life than that. "The story ends? Everyone gets their happy ending?"

There would be no happy ending while this carried on, of that he was sure.

[unhappilyeverafter]

"Yes," she said curtly, slowly tilting her head at him, hearing the unspoken implication. Whether she truly believed it was that simple, it wasn't clear, but one thing was sure - she would stop nothing to find out.

"Now, it's my turn to ask the questions." She pulled him closer, that threat ever present, a reminder that she could finish his pathetic existence without any magic at all, just a simple crush of her fingers. "Are you going to help me get my happy ending, Jiminy?"

[themaniwanttobe]

"I will not help you kill Snow," he said defiantly, even though he knew at that moment he could be crushed into nothingness. He was not going to help anyone kill anyone else. He'd killed Geppetto's parents, there was a line he would not cross now.

[unhappilyeverafter]

"Oh, I didn't ask you to help me kill her," she said, giving him a smile as though that made everything easier. "I would hardly put that task upon you. I merely want information."

[themaniwanttobe]

He stopped his struggling momentarily to look at her. Information? That wasn't what he expected. "What kind of information?" he asked her carefully. "Because I won't betray her, or her friends." But if he could use it to get through to her...

[unhappilyeverafter]

"I want to know how she managed to escape today," she said, her eyes darkening at the thought, the reminder that once again she had slipped free. "How did she know I would be there?" Her glare fixed tighter upon him as she continued. "You said you wanted to help me. So help me."

[themaniwanttobe]

Jiminy shook his head, laughing to himself. He thought that was well known. "There are many who would sing of Regina, and her movements," he said, deliberately vaguely. "Snow listens."

[unhappilyeverafter]

Evidently not well known to her. Perhaps her own arrogance had a part to play in her numerous defeats.

But Jiminy's vague words were not enough for her, Regina wanted answers, now more than ever. And fresh from another loss,, she had no patience.

"Who?" she demanded, thrusting her hand higher, shaking him for good measure. "Who dares speak of my movements?" She glared into the cricket she held, again overcome with an urge to turn him to dust. But she withheld her murderous desires, because he was still useful, and useful was what kept people alive around the Queen.

[themaniwanttobe]

"All sorts of voices," he shrugged. "Your movements are always watched, your Majesty, by all sorts of people."

He could see an opportunity to escape when it was in front of him, and he could twist it enough to use it. Not lie. No, he'd never lie, but he could... manipulate it. He'd watched his parents doing it for years, he'd learned from the best, after all.

[unhappilyeverafter]

"I want their names," she then instructed curtly, levelling her eyes on the cricket in clear and dangerous threat. "And you're going to get them for me. Because if you don't. If you defy me, I will crush you like the insignificant little insect you are."

[themaniwanttobe]

"The names of those who would tell of your movements?" He looked shocked. She believed him... But he couldn't just tell her bird names and her not crush him. No, he had to be believable to get her to trust him. And it was only by a modicum of trust that he could get close enough to try and figure out just what was behind her vendetta.

[unhappilyeverafter]

She mistook his shock for fear and she slowly smiled, as though her threat had never been uttered. "That's all I ask," she said simply, almost sweetly, as though he would enjoy such a task. She turned then, walking towards the balcony and holding her hand out into the open air.

"Return to me at dawn with the names I require. And make sure you do, bug. Because if you don't, I will find you. Snow's not the only ones with spies."

With that, her hand finally loosened on him. "Off you go."

[themaniwanttobe]

He was a cricket. One cricket out of millions. How was she going to find him. But it helped him to help her. He could use that just to get this little bit closer. He flew out of her hand, straightened his jacket, then nodded at her. "Dawn, then."

With that he simply turned, flying out of the window.

It only took him a few minutes to find a stable surface to stand on, and gather his wits. He'd taken on Regina verbally, and got away with it. He was here now, a step closer to actually getting somewhere. Not that he thought it would be easy to get information out of her, but it was a start. Now if he could get his legs to stop shaking...

***

He'd flown around, caught some sleep, and now it was approaching dawn. Although running away, not going back to Regina was appealing, he knew what he had to do, If there was the vaguest chance he could stop this war before it started, he had to follow it up. And so here he was, in Regina's bedroom of all places, hovering uncertainly over her bed. It was coming up to dawn, and that was when she'd demanded his presence, but... here? Really?

Perching delicately on the pillow next to her, he simply sat and waited, chirping gently to himself.

[unhappilyeverafter]

It wasn't often that the Queen slept soundly. Sometimes, there were simply too many horrors in her memory that kept her awake. It meant that by morning, she had only just settled and was lost to a deep sleep when Jiminy flew back into her palace.

There was something less threatening about Regina when she was asleep. Her expression lost its harsh frowns, and gone were the dark palettes of make up that made her look all the more severe. But it was a peace that wouldn't last for long, for as the gentle chirps filled the room, Regina began to slowly stir, for a moment not quite realising who was sharing her bed.

But then her bleary eyes focused upon the insect besides her, and, unsurprisingly, she let out a sudden gasp, sitting up in a bid to put distance between herself and the shock. It was not the most pleasant wake up call.

"What are you doing in my bed chamber?" she snapped, her tone not inflicting quite as much damage as it did so soon out of sleep.

[themaniwanttobe]

He'd noticed the difference when she was sleeping. It was hard not to. There were glimpses of a much younger woman in there.

But that was lost as soon as she woke up, and the Evil Queen returned. "F-following your orders, your Majesty," he replied meekly, not wishing to upset her any more.