Chapter Text
“Okay, Marco and August,” Emma yelled as she rushed down the stairs. “I’m off to take the Hunter Exam!”
Marco sighed from his place on the couch. He placed his mug on the coffee table and stood up. He knew this day would come where Emma would want to go after her parents, but that didn’t mean that he had to like it. It was quite the opposite in fact. He had been dreading it since Emma first expressed her interest in meeting them, back when she was only 6 years old herself.
He had never lied to her and told her that though he loved her like a daughter, he was not her birth father. He told her that her parents were famous hunters, and that they left her with him when she was just a baby to give her the best chance.
Even at six years old, Emma could sniff out the bullshit in his words.
“Hmm,” young Emma contemplated, mulling it over in her head. She shook her head once. “No that doesn’t sound quite right. What you’re really saying is that they abandoned me so that they could keep traveling all over being famous hunters because there’s no way they could’ve had a kid and continued their legacies.” She paced back and forth for a few steps. When she turned back around, she had a huge grin on her face that surprised, and to be honest, scared Marco a bit. Why on earth would she be smiling upon finding out she was abandoned for no good reason? “Then I’m going to be a hunter too!”
Marco began choking on his spit. Had he heard that right? “Emma?” he questioned as soon as he got his breathing under control.
“Well, think about it, Uncle Marco! Being a hunter must be great if you’d give up your kid for it! So I’ll be one too and then one day I might even get to meet them!”
Emma looked so excited at the prospect of meeting her parents that Marco didn’t have the heart to even try to persuade her otherwise. He forced a smile and nodded his head. “Yeah, Emma. If you b-“
“When!” Emma interrupted, her eyes full of light and innocence. Marco’s heart broke just a little bit more. He would never ever tell her that they probably didn’t want to meet her. Those bastard cowards would have to tell her themselves.
“Okay, when,” he corrected, “you become a hunter, you might get to meet your parents.”
Emma’s dazzling smile actually forced a genuine smile onto Marco’s face as well, despite the fact that he was still uneasy at the idea of Emma ever meeting them. Or becoming a hunter.
“I’m going to go tell August!” and with that, Emma took off towards the back door to go outside where her big brother August was likely reading on the hammock.
Maybe when she gets older she won’t want to meet them.
He always knew that Emma changing her mind was highly unlikely, and, finally, the day has come for his young Emma to make the journey to find her parents. He had never tried to talk her out of it. His only condition was that she wait until her 18th birthday. She obliged. She even waited an extra couple of years to help with Henry for a little bit longer, but she still very much wanted to go.
The only thing that had changed was her outlook. Yes, she still wanted to find her biological parents, but not because she idolized them. Not anymore. She had so many damn questions for the two of them. She wanted answers and she wanted to tell them off.
“Emma! Are you getting ready to leave?” came the excited voice of Henry. She squatted down just in time to catch the five-year-old just before he collided with her legs. She reached up and ruffled his hair.
“Sure am, squirt,” she smiled. He grinned right back.
“That’s so awesome. My big sister is going to be a hunter.” Emma laughed and nodded. It died off when she saw a serious look cross his features. He was way too young to ever be that serious about anything but playtime and food. “You won’t leave me behind and forget about me like mom and dad, right?”
Emma’s heart broke. She looked over his shoulder and met Marco’s equally somber eyes. This is why she hated those bastards who gave birth to her. How could they abandon not one, but two kids? And with the second kid, they didn’t even have the decency to drop him off themselves. Just through a messenger who showed up with two-day old Henry with a note. A two lined note. She shook herself out of her thoughts and looked back at him. “Never, Henry. I promise.”
And just like that, he was beaming again with his carefree spirit back in place. She had never broken a promise to him before so that left him no room for worry or doubt. He believed in her wholeheartedly, which is why she often said he had the heart of the truest believer. When he believed in something, he believed in that thing with his whole heart. Just like he believed in her ability to become one of the world’s greatest hunters. He was practically vibrating in place from his excitement just from the thought of it. “Okay! Then I don’t want you to come back until you’re a hunter, okay?”
Emma grinned. “Didn’t plan on it.” She ruffled his hair once more before pulling him into a tight hug. He returned it just as vigorously knowing it would be a while before he saw her again. After a while, Emma finally released him and stood up. She smiled down at him and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.
She walked over to Marco. “Hey,” she greeted him softly. She wasn’t an idiot. Okay, maybe sometimes she was, but she knew that he wasn’t as okay with her becoming a hunter as he pretended to be. “How you holding up?”
He sighed. “I don’t want you to do this,” he started bluntly, and Emma didn’t interrupt. She knew this wasn’t an attempt to persuade her to change her mind. He never once tried to do that before so she was pretty sure he wouldn’t start doing that now. “But I know you will be alright so I’m okay.”
Emma waited for her inner lie detector to go off and when it didn’t, she smiled. He believed in her just like Henry did. If only all the members of the house felt that way. “August?”
Marco smiled sadly. “He went to the treehouse. He said he didn’t want to see you today just for you to leave him behind.”
Emma smirked. “Fat chance of that happening.”
Marco chuckled back. “That’s what I told him.”
Marco continued to laugh as he watched Emma jog off in the direction of the treehouse that he, she, and August had all built together twelve years ago. Well, technically, him and August had done most of the grunt work and actual building, but she contributed as much as an eight-year-old could. He put his hands in his pockets and continued reminiscing the good old days.
“She’ll be alright,” he smiled to himself.
Approximately 100 yards away, there Emma was walking up to August. He sighed but didn’t turn around. He already knew who it was. It was the only person who would follow him when he didn’t want to be followed. His dad would give him space and advise young Henry to do the same. But Emma? Yeah, no. She was with the shits.
“What are you doing here, Emma?”
“Did you really think I was going to leave without saying goodbye to my big brother?” August only grumbled because of course he knew she wouldn’t. Emma grinned. “Exactly.”
August huffed. “I still don’t like this.”
“You’re so dramatic.” Emma rolled her eyes. Not this again. Even Marco, the man who raised her, didn’t make such a big fuss like August. He was such a big baby. “I don’t care if you like it or not. I’m going to do it regardless. Yes, I’d rather have your support, Aug, but not having it won’t stop me.”
August sighed but still didn’t turn to look at her. He didn’t want her to see the tears he had in his eyes. “At least let me come with you.”
Emma smiled sadly. ‘Not this again. But at least he’s finally coming around again. Sort of.’ She shook her head negative even though he wasn’t looking at her and placed her hand on his shoulder. “I can’t let you do that, brother. If you actually wanted to become a hunter, I’d have no problems allowing you to come with me, but you don’t. You want to be a writer. So stay here and write books, okay? I can’t have you risking your life just so you can keep a protective eye on me. I can take care of myself.”
August sighed again and they let the quiet wash over them for a few moments. He finally turned towards Emma and didn’t speak until he was able to catch her eye. “Promise me you will be careful.”
Emma nodded her head. “I promise, okay? I will make it back home, August, and I will see you and Uncle Marco and Henry again. Okay? I. Promise.”
He searched her eyes but saw nothing but honesty and determination. He nodded his head once and glanced down at his watch. “Well,” he trailed off into a small smile. It wasn’t entirely genuine but he was at least trying. “Enough with the feelings thing. Don’t you have a boat to catch right about now, Swan?”
Emma’s eyes popped out of her head when she caught the time. “Shit, I was out here for forty-five minutes! I thought I could talk you down in thirty, tops. I have to go! Come on, Booth!”
It was their thing to call each other by their last names. Marco had allowed them to all pick them themselves. August had chosen the name August Wayne Booth. Emma had chosen the name Emma Swan, no middle name. Henry hadn’t yet chosen. His name was simply Henry.
August laughed and they both ran back to the house. She rushed past and ran upstairs for her backpack that she packed last night. It only contained three spare outfits and a few nonperishables. The only sentimental thing she was bringing was one that meant the most to her, next to her red leather jacket, which she was wearing. It was a necklace that young Henry had gotten her a few months ago for her twentieth birthday. It had four charms, a whittling knife to represent Marco, a pen to represent August, a heart to represent Henry himself, and a swan to represent Emma. He said he had gotten it to remind her on her journey to be a hunter that her family was at home waiting for her.
She definitely cried.
When she came back down, it was August who was rushing her out the door, much to the surprise of Marco. Not Henry though. He looked up at Marco with a smug look on his face. He had always told him that August would eventually come around.
“To the boat!” Henry proudly exclaimed. They all laughed and repeated his ‘to the boat’ chant. Once Emma was boarded, she walked to the side of the boat where she could still see her family.
“Attention, passengers! The Jolly Roger is now taking off. This is your final chance to turn back.”
Emma smiled and waved at the three most important people in her life. She would definitely be seeing them again. No way was this the last time she would see them. She vowed to be there to watch Henry grow up. She vowed to see August get his first book published. And she vowed to be there to finally see the day where Marco retires. She smirked at her own thought. He’ll probably sooner die than retire. He loved his work too much to give it up.
“Bye, Emma! Don’t come back until you’re a Hunter! Remember our promise!” called out Henry from his place on August’s shoulders with his hands cupped over his mouth to boost the volume of his shout.
Emma waved back. “Don’t worry, Henry! I’ll definitely pass the exam if they let these losers take the test too!” she grinned back waving wildly at them as the boat finally took off.
August’s easy-going expression became exasperated. “Did she really have to say that with all of them standing right there next to her?” Henry and Marco let out loud, boisterous laughs.
Marco turned to look up at the sky. “I know she’ll be alright, but please, watch over her, amore mio,” he whispered up to his dearly departed wife. “You were the smartest person I ever knew. Please lend her your knowledge.”
Back on the ship, Emma was already off to a rough start. The ship’s occupants weren’t too pleased with her big declaration to Henry. Because of that, they were now mocking her. She didn’t like that very much, but she decided to ignore them. She could look at them and tell that they were of no real threat to her. She was content to just listen to them talk shit now and prove them wrong later. She was more for showing with actions than talking with words.
“Seriously? She’s ignoring us, men!” A tall, muscled guy loudly laughed. “I thought it was bad enough that she’s a mere girl talking big words or maybe even the fact that she’s just a kid, but I was wrong! She’s got big enough balls to ignore me!”
‘He’s annoying, but nonthreatening. I don’t need to react.’
He turned to Emma. “Hey, girlie, you’ve got guts, I’ll give you that much, but why don’t you just run along and let the big boys play, huh? I’m sure you can swim back to shore since we haven’t gotten too far… or are you worried about messing up your hair and nails?”
‘Girlie..? Okay, calm down, Swan. Remember there’s need to fight right now.’
Most of his buddies started laughing along with him, but a couple stopped and looked at her wearily when they saw the expression on her face. “Boss,” one of the scrawnier ones in the back whispered and gestured to her. The ‘boss’ turned towards her a chuckled a little more. “Look here, girlie, they don’t call me the boss for nothin’. Now run along before I get serious. Baby girl.”
‘Okay, dickhead. Three strikes.’
Emma stood up in an instant and punched him square in the jaw, sending him flying over the side of the ship. His groupies stared at her in shock at what she had just done. None of them moved an inch until Emma spoke up. “Now, who else wants to call me ‘baby girl’ and be taught a lesson for it?”
The man in the back squawked “That’s what you’re mad about?”
Emma met his frightened eyes head on. “Yeah. I hate that name. It’s degrading and it pisses me off.”
One of the guys tried to run towards her but was intercepted by a crew member who forcibly shoved him into a sitting position. “Sit down. No fighting on my captain’s ship. Next one of you to try something will walk the plank and swim with the fishes. Right along with your former ‘boss’.”
The boss’s groupies grumbled a bit but complied, and Emma had already moved on. She was looking over the rail to the lower deck and saw a bunch of pirate jerks messing with a shorty, chubbier pirate by knocking all of his stuff out of his hands.
“How’s that for being the captain’s right-hand man? I can’t believe it!”
“Yeah, he’s so weak!” another one snickered as they walked off leaving him to pick everything back up. He was just about done gathering it back up when the captain came out of the door marked ‘Captain’s Quarters.’
“Hurry and finish that off, Smee,” the handsome young captain said. “I’ve got something to discuss with you.”
“Yes, Captain,” he said and stood up. Emma saw that he was missing the red beanie he had on before he was shoved down and moved to get it for him.
“Wait!” she exclaimed. She jumped down and grabbed the beanie that was lying only a few feet away. “Those jerks made you drop this.” She held it out to him.
He thanked her and hurried off to finish his chores. “Hey, Captain,” she said, suddenly turning towards him. Her eyes caught sight of something shiny out the peripheral, and she briefly got sidetracked. “Whoa cool! What happened to your hand? That’s a hook!”
The captain laughed. “Aye. They call me Captain Hook for a reason, luv.”
Emma smiled. “That’s awesome.” She walked over to him and reached for his left hand. She continued to grin and inspect at his hook, and he started to feel a little awkward. “You had something to say, luv?”
She snapped out of her trance and nodded, “Right.” She didn’t let go of his hook yet though. “There’s a storm coming. Strong one.”
He looked over at her surprised. He looked at the sky and quickly came to the conclusion that she was right. “Aye, there is. How did you figure that out?”
Emma shrugged and finally let go of his hook. She was no longer interested in it now that she touched it. “Because I can hear the birds warning each other,” she said with a sheepish grin. “Plus I can smell it,” she added as an afterthought, gesturing halfheartedly at her nose. Hardly anyone ever believed her when she said that, but she could tell Hook did. He actually looked impressed. She smiled slightly at that and turned away slightly.
‘She can hear the birds? And those eyes… Could this lass really be…? Bloody hell.’ Hook smiled inwardly as he came to the realization. Not wanting to give himself away, he successfully played it off, which wasn’t that hard to do considering Emma was no longer paying him any mind. She was too focused on looking at the panicking birds.
“I’ve heard tales of those who can sniff out a storm,” he said thoughtfully. “It is a skill I wish I had, but what can you do, right?” He then turned his attention to the sky. He pointed his right hand towards the sky. “It’s turning dark already. This one’s coming in fast. Take cover, luv.”
And with that, he walked off to the mass to guide the ship through it correctly. Not even five minutes later, the sky was too dark to see more than two feet ahead and the clouds had already began coughing out buckets of water. The downpour was insistent, promising nothing good. The wind was pushing the ship causing it to rock along with the choppy waves. This sudden storm was one far past severe.
From his position on the ship. Hook was laughing to himself at how everyone on board, save for himself and about fifteen passengers were all panicking. Just then one of his crewmembers rushed in talking nonsense about how the ship couldn’t withstand the storm and asking if they should let down the sails.
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Hook scoffed, yelling over the thunderous clouds. As if his Jolly Roger couldn’t withstand any storm as long as he was piloting. “The fun is just about to start!”
The crewmember stared dumbfounded as he watched Captain Hook sail right into the storm and laugh. ‘This ought to knock the rest of the lot right out,’ he thought humorously. The ship rode the wave and went airborne for a few seconds. Hook was still laughing, appearing to be having the time of his life. After the ship landed back on the waves with an unsteady crash, Hook settled the ship enough to hand the wheel over to Smee.
He walked around his ship and chuckled at what he was seeing. “Pathetic,” he said to himself. Even his crew was sick, though, to be fair, this wasn’t his usual crew, aside from Smee. And regular captains didn’t usually do the things he did. They were typically boring. All of the passengers were either passed out or keeled over, sick to their stomach. “Not one of them can survive a simple storm yet they think they can pass the Hunter exam?”
“So you’re a thief and a sore loser, huh? Do you have any redeeming qualities?”
“Hey! I only stole a little food! Besides, he won’t miss one measly apple. He had crates of them!”
“That doesn’t matter right now! Just take your loss with dignity,” he heard three voices from somewhere to the right of him. The first two voices were unfamiliar, but he recognized the last one. He walked over and saw the blonde from earlier, a young woman with brunette hair, and a slightly older looking blonde man sitting on the floor.
And the three of them were playing cards.
Go Fish to be exact.
The blonde man grumbled but nodded his head in defeat. “I still think this game is rigged.”
“You’re just a sore loser, old man,” the blonde girl laughed back. The brunette said nothing, but her amusement was written all over her face.
Hook gawked for a second before finding himself. His facial expression morphed from complete shock to a smirk. ‘Her again, huh? Very well.’ He cleared his throat, gathering the attention of the three of them. He gestured for them to follow him and turned and left without seeing if they were actually following.
They were, and they met up with him in the Captain’s Quarters. He lined them up side by side and eyed them with a blank expression. His expression turned friendly. “Go down the line and state your names.”
Emma recognized him from earlier and realized that she did indeed forget to share her name with him. “My name is Emma Swan,” she stated proudly.
“I’m Ruby Lucas.” The brunette.
“Robin Locksley.” The man.
“Good. Now tell me. Why do you all wish to become hunters?”
Instantly, Ruby’s guard was up. “Who wants to know?”
“Yeah,” Robin agreed as he eyed the captain suspiciously. “Why should we tell you anything?”
Emma shrugged. Honestly, what harm could come from telling a stranger why she wanted to be a hunter? The information wasn’t a secret, not really. “I want to become a hunter because my parents are hunters. I’m trying to find them. That’s the only reason I left Storybrooke Island.”
Hook’s expression shifted to one of confirmation. ‘Storybrooke Island? So this is her. This is the kid of The Charmings. The day has finally come.’
“Hey, maybe you shouldn’t tell him anything so soon,” Robin suggested, still looking at the captain with hesitance.
Emma looked at Robin. “Why not? He asked, and it’s not really a secret.”
Robin nodded his head and conceded. “Well, I’m still not telling him anything.”
Ruby looked down at her nails and started mindlessly picking at them. “I hate to admit it, but I agree with the thief over there. I have some things I don’t want to share with a group of strangers.”
Hook raised a single eyebrow. “So you both refuse?” At the nod both of them, Ruby’s firm and Robin’s hesitant, gave he shrugged. “Fine with me.” He turned to Smee who was still in the room. “Smee, call the exam committee and let them know two more have dropped out.”
Robin and Ruby gasped and turned so fast their necks almost snapped clean off. “What’s going on?” Robin asked.
“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” Hook sighed in annoyance. “Your exam has already started.” Both Robin and Ruby stared on in shock so Hook took that as his que to keep going. “There are a lot of people who want to take the exam each year and the committee simply does not have the time nor patience to sort through all of them. That’s where people like me come in to help cut off the dead weight.”
“Yup,” Emma nodded along with her arms crossed. “It was kind of obvious, guys.” She was, of course, lying. And by the looks on everyone else’s face, they knew it. They ignored her.
“I’ve already called the committee about the rest of them in there. I failed them all. None of them passed.”
Robin’s eyes bugged out of his head. “Really? All of them failed?”
“Aye. If they can’t survive a simple storm, they don’t have what it takes to be a hunter,” Hook continued. “What I’m trying to say is this: you only pass if I say you can. So I’ll ask one more time. Why do you want to become a hunter?”
“You could have led with that,” Ruby mumbled before clearing her throat. She stared off into the distance to avoid making eye contact with any of the room’s occupants. “I am the sole survivor of my village. Three years ago, the entire village was murdered in cold blood.” She snapped her eyes to look at Hook dead in the eyes. The intensity of her gaze was frightening though Hook looked right back at her without the slightest hint of fear. “That is why I want to become a hunter. So I can capture the people who did this! I will capture the Phantom Troupe!”
While that was the truth, it wasn’t the entire truth. Ruby held back the part about her village being Lycanthria, the village of the werewolves. People hunted them down for their eyes and their teeth. They were both worth a fortune. Hell, Ruby even knew a couple of friends who sold their own body parts and organs when they were desperate for cash. Others hunted them down simply because they didn’t like werewolves and thought they were a threat to humanity.
“Hmm,” Hook rubbed his chin in thought. The Phantom Troupe was legendary. He knew getting revenge on them would be a death mission, but who was he to judge? After all, he spent over one hundred years trying to skin himself a crocodile before he finally let go of the grudge (though it was mostly because he came to understand that there was no way he would be able to kill the dark one). That bastard killed his love then turned him immortal so that they wouldn’t reunite in the afterlife. To top it off, he was only Twenty-six at the time. Thankfully, he was able to keep his youthful appearance. He refocused his attention back to Ruby. “Sounds like a black-list hunter.” He clapped his hand to his chest. “Aye, that sounds sufficient enough. Keep in mind that this quest will be dangerous.” When Ruby nodded, he seemed satisfied with that and turned to Robin. “And you?”
“Wait,” Robin cut in curiously, still looking at Ruby. “Why do you have to become a hunter to get your revenge?”
Ruby didn’t even look in his direction. “That is the dumbest question I’ve ever heard.” Robin’s eyes widened in offense, but he didn’t get the chance to defend himself before Ruby continued on. “There are places only hunters can go, intel only hunters can access, and so on and so forth. There are plenty of other reasons, but I’ll leave it at that so that your brain can comprehend it.” Ruby knew she was being a little mean, but even thinking about the way her village was slaughtered made her heart pound with rage. Besides, he was a grown ass man. And a thief. Surely he could handle a few mean words.
Emma looked back and forth between them silently enjoying the verbal smackdown Ruby just handed out. She turned to Robin in wait for his response, but he said nothing and instead just glared at her while silently fuming. But Emma could tell he had a few choice words he was holding back and inwardly booed him. Ruby obviously didn’t hold back so why should he?
Emma rolled her eyes at the fact that he was just going to stand there and take that from a complete stranger. “Well, Robin, why do you want to be a hunter?” she asked. Her head tilted to the side as her ears picked up a faint sound of a horn blowing in the distance. She erased it from her mind as Robin answered her question.
“Me?” Gone was his anger as he turned sheepish. “Oh well it’s simple actually. I’m in this for the money.”
Emma paused. Okay, she was not expecting that. Maybe she misheard? “Wait, really?”
Hook nodded along, “That’ll do it.” He was still very much a pirate after all. He loved three things. Rum, treasure, and women. In that order.
“Yes. Money could buy you whatever you want!” His expression turned excited as he thought about the possibilities. “A huge house. A limo with a chauffeur. A private jet. The possibilities are endless!”
Ruby sighed. “If only you could buy class as well. You’re just lowly scum.”
Robin’s jaw clenched hard at that and Emma could tell he was done holding his tongue. “That’s it. Step outside. I think it’s time for me to finish of your filthy village once and for all,” he said before turning towards the door.
Emma hissed as Ruby’s head whipped around to him. “Take that back,” she said in a low voice. Robin turned around and stared hard at her. “Make me.” And he stormed out of the room to go to the top deck for more room to fight. Ruby wasn’t one to back down from a clear challenge so she rushed off right after him.
“Hey! Wait a minute, that’s not why we’re here, guys!” Emma tried to intervene.
“Let them go,” Hook said while pulling out a bottle of rum. Emma turned to him with a questioning look on her face. “You can never truly understand a person until you know what makes them angry.” He took a long swing. “Whatever’s got them so upset is important to them. There’s nothing you or I can do now but stay out of the way.”
Emma nodded in understanding. “Yeah. I think my Uncle Marco said that to me before.”
“Captain!” Smee said rushing in to his quarters. “You need to take a look at this.” The three of them walked out on the main deck and gasped at the sky. The storm was getting worse. “If we don’t let the sails down the ship will surely be wrecked.”
Hook nodded in agreement. “Aye. Let’s get those sails down, men! I’ll take over the helm!”
He and Smee ran out to do just that, and Emma didn’t want to be a useless sack of doorknobs so she followed them out. When they got there, Emma noticed that Ruby and Robin were in some kind of showdown. She helped Smee lower the sails, but had her ears trained on their very loud conversation.
“Take back what you said about my village. If you repent, I will forgive you and show you mercy.” Emma furrowed her eyebrows. Wasn’t she the one who threw the first taunts? Though Robin did cross a line with that remark about her dead village. Kind of. Seriously, who speaks ill of the dead like that?
“You’re the one who owes me an apology. And seeing as you won’t do that, I think we have nothing left to talk about,” Robin angrily replied, pulling the bow and arrow off his back and quickly drawing an arrow.
Ruby’s eyes hardened. “Very well.” Ruby pulled her fists up into a fighting stance. Things sounded like they were heating up and getting super intense, just like the storm.
Emma paused. Wait a minute. She looked into the sky and realized something. “Wait, I know these clouds,” she whispered. Then it clicked. The sound she heard earlier. It was the sound of a mermaid’s conch shell. Her Uncle Marco had shown her and August before. The only way to stop the storm was to…
She turned to Ruby and Robin who were exchanging punches at this point. “Hey! Hey stop! It’s not a regular storm! It’s fueled by rage! Stop! Stop fighting!”
Neither were listening to her and when she turned to Hook for help, she noticed that he and Smee were smirking at Ruby and Robin. She growled. Because of course those assholes were the ones behind it. This was an exam of survival after all. She rushed to the edge of the ship and tried one more time to get them to stop arguing. One back at Ruby and Robin arguing told her that wasn’t about to happen by trying to reason with them. She had to do something considerably illogical.
“Drastic it is then,” she decided. “Leap of faith. Here we go,” she muttered as she stood on top of the ship’s rail. It was now or never. Hook’s eyes grew wide as he noticed Emma standing on the railing of the ship. Robin looked over and stopped mid dodge as he watched Emma jump. “Hey w-“ his scream was cut off by Ruby’s punch to his jaw, making him stumble backwards a bit.
He ignored Ruby’s shout of ‘come back you coward’ and ran off to where Emma jumped and immediately jumped after her. His left hand caught her leg while his right tightly gripped the side of the ship, leaving him dangling. He grit his teeth at the realization that he didn’t think that through at all. Now they were both going to die.
Then Ruby’s hands grabbed at his right arm, and he just knew she was going to toss the both of them over. “Hey! Let go, you demon spawn! I’ve got the kid with me!”
Ruby rolled her eyes. “Shut up! Or do you think you can pull yourself and her up with only one arm, Hercules?” Robin squeezed his eyes shut as he realized that he had no choice but to trust her or die. With a surge of power, he used his right hand to propel himself, and by extension Emma, upward into Ruby’s grasp. She caught him, and with the help of Hook and Smee, she pulled them both back onto the ship. Robin was gasping for breath at the exertion while Ruby tended to Emma. Her head had hit the ship on the way down a bit too forceful and rendered her unconscious. By the time Robin grabbed her, she was already unconscious with her head submerged.
After a few seconds, Robin turned his head to see Emma cough up a bit of water and sit up. She flashed them a weak grin. “Told you guys it was you,” she said with a quick glance towards the sky which was already clearing up. Ruby and Robin stared at her before they both threw their heads back in laughter.
Hook let out a sigh of relief upon seeing that Emma was just fine. ‘The Charmings would have my head if I let their kid die this early. Probably literally.’
Robin stopped laughing when he saw Ruby staring at him. “What?” he asked curiously. Surely, she wasn’t about to start insulting him again. She just might be the next thing to go overboard if she does.
Ruby shrugged and let out a little chuckle. “I am… ashamed of my behavior towards you. Please excuse my rudeness, Mr. Locksley.”
“Well I wasn’t expecting that,” Robin’s right hand reached up to rub the back of his neck. Emma couldn’t help but silently agree. “And please, drop the formalities. Just Robin is fine.”
“Okay, Just Robin,” Ruby joked. Robin let out a light laugh.
“And I’m sorry about what I said before about your village before. It was wrong of me.”
Ruby smiled genuinely. “Don’t worry about it. I provoked you.”
Hook’s boisterous laugh broke the moment as the three of them turned to look at him. He ignored Smee’s small whisper of ‘maybe you should lay off the rum for now, captain’ and spoke true. “You three sure are something else. I’ll be sure to the port closest to the exam site. How’s that?”
“Yeah?” Robin asked excitedly.
Hook only grinned in response. “I decide who goes on. You all pass.”
“Hell yeah!” Emma shouted, pumping her fist in the air. Ruby, Robin, and Emma all stood there with a content smile gracing each of their faces at the fact that they had passed the prerequisite of the exam. Soon they would be on to begin the real exam.
A couple of hours later, when they pulled up to the port, Hook handed his card to all three of them. If you ever need a captain, give me a call. Afterwards, Robin and Ruby jumped ship quickly, eager to get back on solid ground. Hook stopped Emma before she could follow. “Allow me to give you a wee bit of knowledge, luv.”
Emma tilted her head curiously. “Advice you say?”
“Aye,” he confirmed. He turned and pointed towards a huge hill in the distance. “See that oak tree? The one atop that huge chunk of land?”
“Yeah? What of it?”
“Go there, luv. It’s a shortcut to the exam site.”
Emma stared at him for a few moments to see if her lie detector would go off. When it didn’t, she nodded her head in thanks. “Thank you for the tip, Captain. I appreciate it.”
She walked off and Hook stared after her as he mused. ‘Rest assured, Charmings. The lass grew up strong and capable.’
“So what do you guys think of this card that the captain gave us?” Ruby asked as Emma finally caught up with her and Robin in front of the island directory. She had a slightly disgusted expression on her face. “Dude seems like a creep.”
Emma looked down at the card in her hand. “I think I’m going to hang on to it. It could come in handy one day, you never know.”
Robin nodded in agreement and stuffed his into the pack on his back. “Yeah, that’s true. I’ll keep it too.”
Ruby crumbled it up and tossed it in the trash can next to the map board. “Well I don’t want it. That weirdo totally tried to kill us.” She turned to Emma. “Hey, why’d he pull you to the side anyway?”
Emma’s face lit up. “Oh right! He said to go to the oak tree at the top of the hill. He said it’s a shortcut to the exam site.” They all looked at the map and realized that the oak tree was in the opposite direction of the bus to Epcot Park. That was the place where the official email said the Hunter Exam would take place. Robin didn’t know which information to believe. A bus that’ll take you right to Epcot seemed a tad too easy and too suspicious to him. This was a hunter exam after all. One that has apparently already started.
“You think we should trust him?” When Emma simply nodded without any explanation whatsoever, he gently prodded. “How come?”
“The thing about me, buddy, is I have a built-in lie detector test. I always know when someone is lying. I call it my superpower,” Emma said. And by the look on her face, Robin could tell that she was serious.
“Well then,” he laughed. “You’re the one who figured out that the monster storm was being fueled by our petty bickering,” he said well gesturing back and forth between Ruby and himself. “My gut tells me to trust you, and following my gut is what’s kept me alive so far. I trust your judgement.”
Emma beamed at him before turning to Ruby. “How about you? Have enough faith in me, a complete stranger?”
Ruby sighed. “My brain is telling me that I absolutely shouldn’t trust this ‘superpower’ of yours,” she said with finger quotes around the quoted text. “But, like Robin, my instincts are telling me to listen to you. And I’ve never been led astray by my instincts before.” The way she said it seemed more like she was thinking out loud than actually answering the question. In fact, she hadn’t actually answered it.
“So…? You with us or not?” Emma pressed. Ruby hesitated only a second before grinning at the two of them.
“Yup, I’m in. Looks like we’re a team now, guys.” Emma and Robin grinned at her and whooped at that. They turned in the direction of the hill and started the long path. When they got closer to the bottom of the hill, Ruby got bored of Robin’s whistling and decided to make conversation.
“You’d think that they would be stealthier,” Ruby commented after a while as they continued down the path just to create a bit of small talk.
“Yeah, seriously,” Emma agreed. “They’ve been sloppy since we were by the big map directory thing so we can’t chalk it up to tiredness.”
Robin chuckled nervously. “Is there someone following us?”
Both Ruby and Emma stopped to turn to him with raised eyebrows. “Yeah. Two of them,” Ruby confirmed slowly as if talking to an infant. Robin wasn’t even offended.
“You seriously can’t sense them?” Emma asked incredulously. ‘This guy must have seriously weak senses. Those guys are so sloppy it’s like they aren’t even trying to hide the fact that they’re tailing us. And Robin still couldn’t sense it.’
Robin blanched. “I guess I’m used to doing the hunting instead of being hunted. The beasts that hunt humans in the forest where I live are all loud and obvious.”
Ruby shook her head. Emma just sent him another bewildered look at the fact that he lives in the forest yet still can’t sense enemies hunting him but continued on. Eventually, they reached a seemingly deserted town. When they got there, they realized that the tree was further away than it looked. Halfway through the town, there was an old lady sitting at a wooden desk in the middle of the road with a two bodyguards flanking her.
“Are you three here for the exam?” she asked.
“Looks like we made it to the right place,” Robin said. Emma hummed in agreement. The two people, a guy and a girl, who were following them came from out the shadows were they were lurking.
“Thanks for getting us here,” said the girl.
The guy grinned cockily like he was the best thing since sliced bread. “Yeah, thanks, ladies and shrimp.”
Robin raised an amused eyebrow but said nothing. Was that seriously the best “insult” he could come up with? Shrimp? Seriously? The old woman called out to get the attention back on her. “Listen up. To move forward to the exam, you have to answer a question first. If you answer correctly, I’ll allow you to pass. Is that clear?”
The man scoffed. “I ain’t answering no questions lady. I came here to become a hunter, not to be interrogated by some random old hag.”
His partner grabbed his arm in an attempt to calm him down. “Maybe you should just do what she s-“
But he roughly shoved her off before she could finish her sentence. The force of his push caused the woman to fall over on her ass. “Get off of me,” he growled. Robin glared at the man as he felt his anger build up. What kind of a coward would push a woman like that? A woman who obviously only looking out for him at that. He held his hand out to her.
“Need a hand, m’lady?” She thanked him and took the offered help. She didn’t meet his eyes out of embarrassment. They all turned their attention back to the asshole guy as he approached the old woman. Neither of the guards moved, and Ruby smirked at the realization of what was about to happen. If she were unable to protect herself, the guards would have definitely stepped in. That can only mean one thing: he was about to get his ass handed to him. ‘Serves him right. Damn dirtbag.’
He raised his hand to shove her out of the way and proceed behind her, but before it was fully even raised, he was on the ground with her foot on his neck. He gasped under her as her heel dug into his larynx.
“Try that again, and I’ll kill you,” she said in a frighteningly calm voice. After making sure her point was made, she removed herself and sat back in her chair. “As I was saying, you must answer a question before you move on.”
The guy got up to his feet and everyone saw that a wet spot had formed in his crotch area. Robin and Ruby contained their laughs, but Emma didn’t. “So much for tough guy,” she snickered. Robin lost it and joined in, and Ruby’s smirk was now visible. He was getting angry, but when his eyes fell on his partner and saw that she too was amused, he turned beet red and scurried off but not before shouting one more thing over his shoulder.
“Fuck this exam… and fuck you, lady!”
The old woman didn’t react. “Are you ready for the question?”
Emma, Ruby, and Robin all had determined looks on their faces. Gone was their amusement. The time for jokes has passed. ‘Let’s do this,’ Emma thought. She nodded her head and so did the others.
“If you could only save one, who would you sacrifice: mother or lover?”
Emma, Robin, and Ruby all looked at her in disbelief. Ruby shook her head. Surely she misheard. “I’m sorry, ma’am, will you repeat the question?”
The old lady simply nodded. She was so accustomed to the examinees asking that question that she’s grown to almost expect it. “I will, but keep in mind that you will only have five seconds to answer it. Again, this question will determine whether or not you move on. If not you’ll be disqualified from this year’s exam.”
The young woman lit up as if she figured it out. “No need. I would save my mom.”
“Your reasoning, young woman?”
“It’s your mom,” she scoffed. “You only have one mom, but you can always find another lover.” Robin’s blood began to boil. What a disgusting answer. People are not expendable and easily replaced. At least, not to him. It was enraging that everyone else didn’t share his sentiments. He was silently fuming, trying to keep his anger in check.
The old lady regarded her with a blank expression then nodded once. She shifted over slightly so that the trail behind her was in better view. “You may pass.”
“What?!” Robin asked in disbelief.
She glanced back at Robin. “Seems the trick is telling the old lady whatever she wants to hear.” She winked and blew a kiss at Robin and did just as the old lady said, leaving only the old lady, her two guards, and, of course, the other three test takers behind her. Once the girl was out of sight, old lady spoke up. “Since she answered that question, I’ll give you a new one, only now I’m growing impatient so you will have only five seconds to answer the first time I ask. I will reiterate. You must pass a quiz made up of a single question. If you are correct, you may proceed. If not, you are disqualified from this year’s exam. Choose either one or two. Any response that is not the one or two will be deemed incorrect and you will fail.”
Robin was not okay with that. “Hold on! These questions are total crap! I’m going to find my own way.” He turned to walk away but the old lady stopped him with a couple of sentences.
“You may refuse to answer the question if you wish but know that if you walk away, you will be disqualified.” Robin growled and turned back. He might as well hear the question out before throwing everything away.
“Here is your question. You learn both your son and your daughter have been kidnapped, but you will only be able to recuse one of them. Choose one for your son and two for your daughter. Who will you save? Who will die?”
Emma dropped down into a squat position and pressed the tips of her fingers together as she weighed her options. Ruby remained silent as she too weighed her options. ‘Son... or daughter? That is an impossible question.’
Robin’s anger took the better of him. ‘She’s toying with us.’ He couldn’t believe this was even an okay thing to ask. Who comes up with questions like that anyway? Psychopaths, that’s who. “Are you serious right now? Are those really the types of questions we have to answer here?” At the lady’s blank stare he only got more upset. “That’s an impossible question. I refuse to sacrifice anyone. I’ll try my damnest to save them both, even if I must die in the process. I won’t answer it! There’s no right answer and there never has been!”
At that particular phrasing, something clicked in Emma’s head. A voice that sounded an awful lot like August echoed in her mind. ‘Sometimes no answer is the best answer.’ The two of them were so clever when they got in trouble together when they were younger, so much so that Marco would interrogate them separately. August said that same phrase every time before she went in for her round of questioning.
The old lady barely glanced at Robin, completely unfazed by his outburst. She had grown accustomed to that reaction as well. She only had one thing to say. “Three seconds.” Robin growled in frustration and began to walk away. He’d try again next year. The exam was different every year anyway.
On the other hand, Ruby began to panic. She did not come this far only to fail in the preliminaries. She needed to start her quest to capture the Phantom Troupe as soon as possible. She feared that time would quiet the rage in her heart and she did not want that. She needed to avenge her brethren. ‘Here goes.’ She had a fifty-fifty chance so the odds were good for guessing. There was simply no time to rationalize or think it through. “I guess I-“
But Emma’s hand was suddenly over her mouth preventing her from speaking. The old lady’s eye twinkled for just a second. It was so fast that Ruby was almost sure she imagined it. “Is that your final answer?” It was then that Ruby got it.
Her eyes widened in realization and Emma nodded. “Yeah, that’s our final answer.”
“Then you may continue on to the next part of your exam.” And this time she did smile.
Robin hadn’t made it but three steps away and he froze in his tracks. He turned around slowly. “What?”
Ruby patted Emma’s hand which was still covering her mouth. “I see now.” She turned to Emma. “Thank you.” Emma just smiled and waved her off.
Robin was still confused. “I don’t understand. If no answer was the right answer, why was the girl able to continue too?”
Ruby shook her head. “She never said that she was correct.”
The old lady nodded in agreement. “She is correct. I simply said she my pass.” At Robin’s (and Emma’s because she hadn’t yet figured that out either) blank expression she got to the point. “That path leads back to the harbor even though that’s where the official notice said to go. It isn’t the way to the exam.”
“It isn’t?” Emma asked incredulously. “Huh.”
The old lady waved her hand and a door appeared to the left of them. She flicked her wrist and the door opened to reveal a dark tunnel with a light at the end. Robin laughed in understanding. “A glamour spell.”
“Yes.” The woman nodded. “Now if we’re done with the chit chat, I believe you all have an exam to get to. Follow this path for two hours and you will reach the real oak tree. There, you will find a couple in a cabin. They will lead you to the true exam site if they see fit.”
The three of them grinned and moved to go through the door. Once they got through and the lady closed the door behind them, Ruby paused and turned to Emma. “How’d you figure it out?” she asked curiously.
Emma patted Robin on the shoulder. “It was because of him actually.”
Robin looked at her in surprise. “Me? But... I didn’t do anything?”
Emma shook her head. “When you refused to answer. It made something click. Sometimes no answer is the best answer. Well, at least I was hoping. It was honestly a gamble,” she chuckled while raising her hand to rub at her neck. She didn’t know how Ruby would feel about her basing her fate on a hunch.
Ruby’s eye twitched. “A gamble.” She was literally about to take a gamble as well. Oh well, at least Emma’s was the right one. She sighed. “Let’s go.” But Emma could tell she was more amused than upset.
“But what was the true purpose of that exam?” Robin wondered curiously. “Perhaps it was to show that things like that may actually come to pass and as a hunter, we have to be ready for it, even at the most inopportune times.”
Ruby had to agree. “Reality can be cruel and it often strikes without warning.” She thought back to her clan. “A hunter should be prepared for all crossroads in life.”
Robin laughed lightly. He was just so relieved that he didn’t hold back his anger and simply pick one or two. He was glad that he didn’t have it in him to do so. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. We can go now.” He pointed ahead. “Onward!”
“Right!”
Two hours later found them exactly where the lady told them the path would lead them. They went to the cabin door and knocked, but no answer came. “We’re coming in,” Emma announced.
The sight behind the door made all three gasp and pause in place. There was some type of beast standing over a bloodied man with its back to them. At the sound of them, it turned around slowly to reveal that it was holding a hostage.
“I guess that’s the magical beast the signs were warning us about,” Robin swallowed as he reached for his bow.
“It’s a kiriko,” Ruby quickly explained. “It can take on human form, and they’re extremely intelligent.”
Emma focused on one thing. “It has a woman hostage.” She did not like that one bit.
Robin’s eyes snapped to the floor, “And that man is injured. He needs a doctor quickly.” He took a cautious step forward with his bow trained on the beast. But the beast took the woman and leaped out the window. “I’ll dress his wounds and find you guys later. Save the woman, okay?” Robin quickly rushed to the man as Emma and Ruby rushed off after the beast.
On the chase, Ruby couldn’t help but be impressed with Emma’s tracking skills. Her senses were above human level. She was leaping from branch to branch and effortlessly keeping up with the beast. Even in the pitch-black night only dimly lit up by moonlight, she was able to see such a faint shadow and keep pace. Even Ruby herself had to use her wolf eyes.
“Hey, ugly! Leave the lady alone!”
The beast glanced back in Emma’s direction with a snarl on its face. “Why don’t you make me?”
Emma was so surprised she miscalculated and tripped over a tree branch. She fell to the ground, but quickly caught up and ran over to Ruby in a daze. “Hey, did you hear that? It spoke to me!” She sounded so amazed that Ruby couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yes. The kiriko is a magical beast that can copy human speech.”
“Yeah?” Emma asked, suddenly looking more alive. “This just got way more fun. And a hell of a lot easier.” She jumped up and once again began leaping off of tree branches to cover more distance at a quicker speed. “Hey! Get back here you dumb beast!”
The kiriko turned around in shock. ‘She caught up quick. She’s fast.’ That was all it was able to think before Emma jumped at him, and her fist connected with his jaw, causing him to drop the girl.
Emma’s eyes widened. ‘Shit, didn’t think that through,’ she thought as she watched the girl plummet to the ground. “Ruby!”
And Ruby was there just in time, catching the girl mere seconds before she hit the ground. ‘That was a tad reckless, Emma,’ she thought while watching Emma chase after the kiriko who was now on the run again. After a couple of seconds, the girl in her arms began to stir. “Hey, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” the woman replied. “What of my husband? Is he okay?”
“Don’t worry,” Ruby reassured her. She knew how it felt when your loved one got killed in front of you. At least hers didn’t die. “He’s fine. Our friend is patching him up.”
“Then please! Take me to him!” She raised her hands as she pleaded with Ruby, and something on her arm caught Ruby’s attention. ‘Those tattoos…’ “Wait…”
“Ruby!” Robin exclaimed while running towards her. “You okay?”
“Robin,” she said, still in a bit of a shock from what she just saw.
“I see you that are. That’s good.”
Ruby nodded. “How’s the man you were caring for?”
“He’s going to be just fine. My home, Sherwood Forest, is similar to these woods. I used some herbs as painkillers. Luckily, his wounds weren’t as bad as they looked.” He looked pleased with himself.
“I see,” was all Ruby said.
Then she got up and decked him with her werewolf strength. The woman on the ground gasped, but all Robin did was laugh as he picked himself up off the ground.
His voice was distorted when he spoke his next words. “How’d you know?” He question. He began transforming his body and when he was done it was back to one of a kiriko. “How’d you know I was an imposter?”
“I honestly didn’t know,” Ruby replied calmly. “But Robin said that he would protect that man. When I saw you, I thought he left the man defenseless with the beast still on the loose. I only punched him for abandoning his obligation.” The beast laughed wildly and ran off. Ruby turned back to the woman. “And you,” She grabbed her wrist in a tight hold. “Tell me who you are right now and what you want from us.”
The lady smiled.
“Dammit!” Emma exclaimed in frustration when she lost sight of the kiriko. She was faster, but the kiriko had the advantage. This was his domain. Her nose, eyes, and speed could only get her so far. ‘My sense of smell is strong, but I’m no Ruby... Oh wait, I’m supposed to be pretending that I don’t know that she’s a wolf.’
The kiriko was suddenly in front of her again and Emma skidded to a stop. The kiriko was talking and taunting Emma but she just looked back in curiosity. “Hey, buddy, I’m sure you enjoy your taunting, but… who the hell are you?”
The kiriko paused. “What?”
Emma tilted her head. “Well you’re not the same one from earlier, the one I punched. Is he a friend of yours? Your body is slightly thinner, and you’re a hair shorter. Also, your voice is an octave higher.”
The kiriko stared at her.
Emma stared back.
Then the kiriko suddenly started laughing. “It’s been so long since anyone could tell us apart! Honey! Get a load of this one!” And the kiriko took off in the direction of the cabin.
“Hey, wait!” And Emma was right on her trail. When she caught up with her, she and the other kiriko, her honey, the explanations started.
“How many years has it been since anyone could tell the two of us apart?” The one with the deeper voice, the male kiriko asked rhetorically with a reminiscent look.
“I know! That’s what I said,” the female kiriko replied. The woman from earlier who was being held “hostage” came out along with the man that was in need of medical attention.
“Can you tell them apart?” Robin quietly asked Ruby. He was surprised that Emma could. They were so similar, even next to each other. It would have been impossible for him to tell them apart, at least not immediately. Kind of like how a person would need to be around a pair of identical twins often to be able to tell them apart.
“No. Not at all,” Ruby replied back just as quietly. ‘what the hell?’
“Can’t you see, guys? The kiriko that Ruby and I chased was the husband,” Emma pointed out with her eyes still focused on the two kirikos in front of her as well as the woman and man.
“Which one was that exactly?” Ruby and Robin asked simultaneously, equally baffled with this whole ordeal.
Emma turned at that. She looked at Ruby perplexed. “You can’t smell the difference with your wolf nose?” It was only when both Ruby’s and Robin’s head snapped to her did Emma realize her mistake. Both of her hands shot to her mouth. ‘Crap!’
“You know I’m a wolf?”
“She’s a wolf?!”
The kirikos looked on silently as Emma rubbed the back of her neck with a meek expression. “Yeah, sorry to spill your secret. I could tell pretty much from the moment I met you. I have an enhance sensed of… well, everything… except touch, I think. I grew up on an island that was practically one huge mountain jungle thing. I guess my senses adapted or something? Anyway, I can pretty much sniff out anything.”
Ruby looked at her for a few more seconds before bowing her head in acceptance with a small amused smirk. “Well that does explain some things. Like how you were able to track so well, even in the dark.” Ruby paused to take a quick whiff of the air. “And now that you mention it, their scents are different. Subtle, but different.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Robin cut in incredulously. “You would have actual killed me with your werewolf strength during our disagreement aboard the vessel?”
“Of course not,” Ruby scoffed. She dug in her shirt and pulled out a necklace. “I wear wolfsbane around my neck to control my powers. I’m stronger than the average human, but not wolf strong. I can’t control my full powers yet.”
Robin opened his mouth to respond but shut it back. What could he say anyway? Thank you for holding back?
“Anyway,” the female kiriko interrupted in an attempt to get back on track. “Allow us to introduce ourselves.” They all stood up. “We are the navigators. Our family provides support for the hunter exams.”
“I’m their daughter,” the woman said with a wave.
“I’m their son,” the man replied also with a short wave.
“The exam site moves around each year,” the male kiriko continued. “It keeps it interesting, and previous testers don’t have any kind of advantage over newer applicants. They hire navigators like us to help by guiding worthy applicants to the examination site.”
“But don’t get the wrong idea,” the daughter said. “We don’t help everyone.”
“Yeah, first we test them to determine whether or not they are even qualified to take the exam. You know, make sure they have what it takes.”
“Miss Ruby,” the daughter said.
Ruby regarded her, defenses down. For the most part. “Yes?”
“We were sure to provide you with only the most basic hints and you still were able to catch on and figure out that we aren’t actually a married couple. You only caught a glimpse of my tattoos, but you knew that in this region these tattoos are only worn by women who have taken a vow of chastity,” she said while showing off said tattoos. She licked her finger and rubbed away the tattoo. “You demonstrated that you are very knowledgeable; therefore, you pass.”
Ruby let out a sigh of relief. “Hell yeah, Rubes!” Emma said to her.
“Mister Robin,” the son said.
“Yes?” he replied back nervously.
“Unfortunately, you never realized that I wasn’t who I claimed to be.” Robin gulped because damn it, did he really just fail the exam before actually taking the exam? “However, you dressed my wounds faster and more thoroughly than any doctor around could have. You also demonstrated admirable empathy and kindness by constantly reassuring me that my ‘wife’ would be okay. Your compassion alone makes you worthy of taking the exam.”
Robin blushed a little from the praise but continued to listen without saying anything.
“You may be a little slow to pick up on things like your friend Ruby and lack strong senses like both your friends, but your herbal knowledge and reflexes, especially with a bow and arrow, are both quite impressive. With that being said, you also pass.”
“Really?!” Robin asked, just to be sure. His tension caught up with him and he slouched down to the ground and plopped. He let out a long sigh of relief.
“Hell yeah, Rob!” Emma said excited for him as well. She raised her fist for him to bump and smiled when he did.
“And you, Miss Emma,” the father spoke.
Emma’s attention turned back to the family of kirikos. She could barely contain her excitement. “Yeah?!”
“Your superhuman physical abilities and your powers of observation defy logic. That alone makes you pass.”
Emma gasped. She was expecting to pass but actually hearing the words ‘you pass’ hit different. Robin held out his fist and Emma connected. She then held out her other fist to Ruby who also connected. It was then that Emma allowed a huge grin to pass over her face. The three of them could now take their exam.
“We’ll take you straight to the site of the exam,” the husband finished. He transformed his body around so that he now had wings, encouraging the other kirikos to do the same. Emma was the first to move, whispering cool under her breath as she climbed up on the husband. Ruby was the next, climbing on the daughter, and Robin was last, climbing on the wife. They took flight with Emma yelling one last “Hell yeah!”
And with that, Emma and her friends partook in a brief journey through the sky. But even though they went through all of that, they had yet to reach the starting line.