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Post by Kristi Lynne on Sept 11, 2020 16:32:23 GMT -8
"Miss Swan. To what do I owe the honor of this visit? Or are you just on a morning pint, on the search for a souvenir? In that case, feel free to have a look around. And don't hesitate to let me know if you find anything that interests you."
"Maybe later," Emma replied, deciding it was better to stick to business. Besides, there were so many items in the display cases and on the shelves and even hanging from the ceiling, it would take a while to thoroughly survey it all. Given Gold's reputation, or what she knew of it so far, she had to wonder just how many of these treasures had been acquired from a willing seller. And how many had caught the bad end of one of his deals.
"I figured I should formally introduce myself as your newest tenant," she offered with a congenial smile. "Since I'm going to be around for a while, Mary Margaret Blanchard offered me her spare room. And given that you own the whole town, I assume you're her landlord. So what do I owe you? Security deposit, first and last month's rent....?"
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Sept 12, 2020 2:01:03 GMT -8
"Maybe later,"
That's what he'd thought. Yet, he was curious about the reason for this visit then. If he had to guess, he'd say it was to form her own opinion about him. The townspeople surely weren't spearing with one or two stories. Of course, Mr. Gold wouldn't live up to that reputation he had, because here stood one of those potential friends he might need at some time or another.
"I figured I should formally introduce myself as your newest tenant,"
Mr. Gold had, also of course, already heard about Emma's check out from Granny's at necessity. He was mostly well informed about each of Regina's moves. But yet again, he put on a surprised face.
"Since I'm going to be around for a while, Mary Margaret Blanchard offered me her spare room. And given that you own the whole town, I assume you're her landlord. So what do I owe you? Security deposit, first and last month's rent....?"
Studying her in silence, Mr. Gold assumed that she was someone who didn't like to owe anything to anyone. He needed her to owe him something, though, just not now.
"That depends.", he replied with a friendly smile.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Sept 12, 2020 7:45:09 GMT -8
"That depends."
"Depends on what?" she asked. If this was the beginnings of some 'deal,' she wasn't exactly in the best position to negotiate. As Regina had been so kind to remind her, a transient single woman with a criminal past wasn't exactly anyone's idea of an upstanding new resident.
"Look, what they said about me in the paper wasn't true," Emma declared, in an effort to ease his suspicions. "Okay, well, most of it was true but I can explain. What do you need from me? A letter from my HOA back in Boston? Three personal references? I'm not looking to relocate here permanently, I just... I want some time to get to know my kid," she stated. And it was the truth, uncomfortable as she might be with it. She was actually getting a second chance and didn't want to lose it.
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Sept 12, 2020 9:55:25 GMT -8
"Depends on what?"
Of course, the distrusting tone didn't slip his attention. Well, he'd be lying if he said he hadn't provoked that a little bit, at least. Winning her over at his side didn't have to mean to be an angel. He probably wouldn't even be able to pretend he was. And so Mr. Gold couldn't help but smile in silent amusement while Emma went on with explanations he technically hadn't asked for.
"Look, what they said about me in the paper wasn't true,""Okay, well, most of it was true but I can explain. What do you need from me? A letter from my HOA back in Boston? Three personal references? I'm not looking to relocate here permanently, I just... I want some time to get to know my kid,"
He chuckled quietly before finally finishing his former sentence to clarify a misunderstanding, or rather to build the picture of a man people wronged to be whatever they might call him. "I was going to say... depends on how long you are going to stay." Mr. Gold stepped closer into the salesroom as he had been still standing half in the door frame leading to the back.
"There's no need to alter the tenancy agreement already now unless you're able to estimate how long that will be. If it were up to our dear lady mayor, that would be yesterday, right?" He chuckled again, with his tone and expression sticking out that he was, at least, not on Regina's side. "But you don't seem like someone who would make it be up to her."
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Sept 12, 2020 10:32:43 GMT -8
"There's no need to alter the tenancy agreement already now unless you're able to estimate how long that will be. If it were up to our dear lady mayor, that would be yesterday, right? But you don't seem like someone who would make it be up to her."
"Regina doesn't get to decide where or when I go," Emma protested. "But I have to be...civil with her if I want to continue to see Henry." It was a bitter pill to swallow, but she would have to do it. Besides, she was already starting to find her own allies in town -- Vlad, Mary Margaret, the Sheriff when he wasn't arresting her. And given what Gail had told her, it was also in her best interest to stay on Gold's good side.
Emma crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to study the shopkeeper. "Seems like you're one of the few people in town who isn't scared of Madame Mayor. How does that work?" she inquired, genuinely interested but quite doubtful she would get a straight reply.
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Sept 12, 2020 12:01:15 GMT -8
"Regina doesn't get to decide where or when I go,""But I have to be...civil with her if I want to continue to see Henry."
"In Regina's eyes, everyone is subservient to her. You can try that, being... civil with her. But then you will just give her what she wants. Thinking that she will do the same for you in return... now, that is a delusion. So, unless you're going to perform some kind of heroic action that would save her life or something," he made a gesture with his hand that turned his words into ridicule. That was, of course, purely hypothetical spoken, "that route won't lead you anywhere."
That still didn't answer her actual question, of course. And so Mr. Gold took up the thread again before Emma could have reacted to anything he'd said already. Instead of serving her with a straight reply though, he asked her a question in return. "Are you scared of her, Miss Swan?"
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Sept 12, 2020 13:42:20 GMT -8
"Are you scared of her, Miss Swan?"
"I hunt down hardened criminals for a living. I don't scare easy," Emma answered. It wasn't really Regina that scared her, in spite of the repeated threats to her very existence. It was getting to know Henry and him getting to know her, and then being disappointed. "Besides, I have a punch card for the local jail. One more night's stay and I get a dozen doughnuts."
Since he wasn't going to be straightforward, she might as well use the time to wander the shop. The nearest object to catch her eye was a baby mobile of delicate crystal unicorns hanging at different lengths. No doubt enjoyed by some child in a trendily decorated nursery room filled with toys and stuffed animals and a rocking chair occupied by loving parents that sang them to sleep.
"Maybe just put me down for a month," she finally said. "We'll see how it goes from there. Don't want to risk overstaying my welcome."
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Sept 12, 2020 14:47:35 GMT -8
"I hunt down hardened criminals for a living. I don't scare easy,""Besides, I have a punch card for the local jail. One more night's stay and I get a dozen doughnuts."Mr. Gold wasn't exactly laughing at her joke, but, at least, it brought a slight smile to his face. He had a feeling that this was very true. Emma Swan didn't scare easy, and that was exactly what they needed to win her little battle against Regina. "Then there you got your answer," he commented parenthetically, as Emma started to wander around. When she stopped at the unicorn mobile, the smile on Gold's face grew wider. "Maybe just put me down for a month,""We'll see how it goes from there. Don't want to risk overstaying my welcome.""That's fine," he replied in a rather finishing tone to that matter before taking up the other again.
"You're going to win this, Miss Swan." His words made this sound more like it was a battle of life and death than one of a child's love and a mother's rights. With Regina, any battle was one of life and death. In a transferred sense, at the very least.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Sept 12, 2020 16:12:24 GMT -8
"That's fine. You're going to win this, Miss Swan."
Emma turned back to him with a look of confusion. "Well, thanks for the vote of confidence," she said hesitantly, assuming he must be referring to some sort of imminent custody case. One she wasn't even really considering at the moment. "Not sure if it's well-placed, though. You and Dr. Lee have quite the unjustified high opinion of me."
She proceeded to walk along the row of display cases. Maybe she would find something that would make a good gift for Henry. Not that she should start trying to buy the kid's affection. "it must be tough being a small business owner here," Emma observed. "The waitress at the diner, she said you don't get many visitors from out of town. Detective Smith said the same."
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Sept 12, 2020 17:02:09 GMT -8
"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence,""Not sure if it's well-placed, though. You and Dr. Lee have quite the unjustified high opinion of me."
Dr. Lee? Who the hell was that? Mr. Gold knew almost everyone in this town and had made one or two deals with at least a quarter of them, but right now, he had no face to that name. Well, probably no one he had a past or any kind of connection with.
"Don't be too hard on yourself," he stated with another smile, as he watched her continuing her walk around.
"it must be tough being a small business owner here,""The waitress at the diner, she said you don't get many visitors from out of town. Detective Smith said the same."
"That's probably why I had invested in bricks and mortar in the past. The shop is more like a special zeal. So, you've already made the acquaintance of Detective Smith. Had he bombarded you with questions already?" He didn't like that guy. Always interfering in affairs that weren't his business, and still waiting for the day to catch him at some kind of crime. Granted, Mr. Gold had his fun with him this morning. He was probably sitting at Granny's right now, being wild with anger about the girl that no one knew, not even himself, had been slipping through his fingers. At that thought, a sudden wave of glee flashed over Gold's face, yet could pass as a smirking over the Detective's, just mentioned, nosy attitude in general.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Sept 13, 2020 10:44:11 GMT -8
"That's probably why I had invested in bricks and mortar in the past. The shop is more like a special zeal. So, you've already made the acquaintance of Detective Smith. Had he bombarded you with questions already?"
"Well, it was a casual interrogation over breakfast. I've had worse," Emma replied. She was about to remark on their annoying shared habit of answering a question with a question, but decided against it. But where Walter's questions seem to come from a place of curiosity about the town newcomer, Gold's questions seemed to refer to some sort of deeper mystery that only he knew -- something about her and Regina.
"He told me about the town, how long he's been here, how he knows everything about everyone," she continued. "You've obviously been here long enough to build up quite the empire. Were you born here, Mr. Gold?"
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Sept 13, 2020 14:57:09 GMT -8
"He told me about the town, how long he's been here, how he knows everything about everyone,""You've obviously been here long enough to build up quite the empire. Were you born here, Mr. Gold?"
A sudden smile, somehow different from the others before, came across his face at her question. Different maybe, because he thought it was kind of neat that someone asked him about his birthplace. If it hadn't influenced his childhood so much - and that not in a good way - he probably wouldn't even remember, for it was hundred of years ago. Of course, this wouldn't be the right answer to give to someone like Emma Swan, or anyone around this place, for that matter.
"It's seldom our place of birth where we want to settle down, am I right?" And yet again, he did what she seemed to love about him already - answering a question with a question. On the other hand, this was his way to draw her out and make her open up to him as much as needed to form some kind of bond. Maybe not a bond of friendship, but, at least, of allies.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Sept 18, 2020 16:42:27 GMT -8
"It's seldom our place of birth where we want to settle down, am I right?"
"True enough," Emma agreed. "Or maybe some of us just have a hard time settling down." Most of her life had been spent on the move, between orphanages and foster homes and one crappy apartment after another. It probably wasn't for everyone, but it was her normal. "Anyway, I'll let you get back to work. I just wanted to make sure we were good, about the rental terms," she said, looking at him expectantly.
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Sept 19, 2020 13:06:53 GMT -8
"True enough,""Or maybe some of us just have a hard time settling down."
Mr. Gold gave her an approving and, at the same time - surprisingly - knowing smile at that. He wouldn't say so already now, but it was one of these looks stating that they were a lot alike. They actually were. It could unquestionably be said that he had, as well, spent his childhood without his parents. Maybe for other reasons, but when it came down to it - they both were orphans.
"Anyway, I'll let you get back to work. I just wanted to make sure we were good, about the rental terms,"
"Of course.", Mr. Gold replied with another smile, one of those that you couldn't tell where it was coming from. Yet, all he wanted was to be on good terms with her. And if that would contain having a little less rental income than he actually could claim, so be it. "Enjoy your stay, Miss Swan."
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Sept 19, 2020 17:13:44 GMT -8
"Of course. Enjoy your stay, Miss Swan."
"Thanks. I'll...be seeing you," Emma said, giving him a courteous smile before turning to depart. Why did there seem to be some deeper meaning to all his words? The fact that he wasn't as afraid of Regina as everyone else in town should have been a comfort, but it only served to make her suspicious. How scary was the thing that scared the boogeyman? Ah well, at least she had bought a little more time to look into this and many other mysteries of Storybrooke. She took one last look back at him before opening the door and walking out, hearing the bell jingle overhead.
*** Emma leaves for Will's Itty Bitty Wonderworld ***
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Sept 20, 2020 2:53:14 GMT -8
"Thanks. I'll...be seeing you,"
Emma Swan was a toughie who didn't win over easy. Fortunately, Mr. Gold was a good player who knew one or two tricks. Well, let's not call them tricks, but rather assistant moves. He'd always made a point correcting people when they would dare to call him a lier. There had been only one deal he broke, but all the other times, the Dark One had fulfilled his part - one way or another. And for this one time he hadn't, he was here to atone for his mistake.
By the time Emma took one last look back at him, the sudden grief on his features was long gone. A smile accompanied the tolling of the shop's bell and grew even wider once she had walked out.
They hated the same person, that was a good start.
***
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 5, 2021 17:20:38 GMT -8
*** Cora enters from elsewhere ***
"Gold, are you here?" Cora didn't even wait for the ringing of the bell to cease before announcing her entrance. Because of course he was here, where else would he be? The polite greeting was just a formality. "I brought you a chamomile tea, just the way you like it," she continued, deftly balancing two cups with her leather-bound portfolio. "And it's definitely not a bribe. Frankly I'm insulted you would even suggest that...."
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 6, 2021 2:22:22 GMT -8
"Gold, are you here?" a female voice suddenly accompanied the ringing of the bell. And once more: out went a visitor, in came another. Busy day, as it seemed. Gold turned back around toward the door, meeting another gofer of his. Well, in the past at least. Anyways, best kind of visitors. He smiled. "... Miss Mercouri." Almost would he have called her by her first name, one reason for that probably being the memories that came up whenever he thought of that first name of hers. Cora. Just like her. An irony of fate? Yeah, well, but she wasn't really like her. Fortunately. Anyways, his affairs in Storybrooke all were very professional and business-like, same as his manners. Sometimes he even wondered if those were a vestige of his alter ego before his true self had awakened. Well, he wouldn't really bother if that was the case. Mr. Gold was part of him now, and definitely a helpful part in this kind of land. "I brought you a chamomile tea, just the way you like it,"
The smile on Gold's face grew wider. He wondered what it was that she wanted. People weren't just friendly. It always was a favor for a favor. Who would know that better than himself? Granted, this woman surprisingly sometimes seemed to be just friendly indeed. Still smiling, Gold waited for her to go on with the issue, yet he moved slowly to meet her halfway to help with the cups. "Let me lend you a hand. And thank you, by the way."
"And it's definitely not a bribe."Of course not. Frankly I'm insulted you would even suggest that....""How are you doing, dear?" he suddenly intervened, making a point that he wouldn't accuse her of such a purpose on mind. "Is everything prepared for the premiere on Sunday? I'm already dying to see it." Gold hid the smirk that was about to rise. Of course, he already knew about the complications with her lead character of the play. Such a shame that lady had lost her beautiful voice to something yet uncertain. Only a little bit of his sneer came through his mask, although that would change into just a spark of anticipation right after.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 6, 2021 9:27:34 GMT -8
"How are you doing, dear? Is everything prepared for the premiere on Sunday? I'm already dying to see it."
"Oh, well, so am I," Cora huffed. "I'm afraid all anyone will be seeing right now is a dark stage. Our star has gone and lost her voice. And yes, I realize the irony given the subject matter." She took a deep breath before placing her portfolio on one of the glass displays and drinking generously from her own cup. "The thing is, any other time, a silent Vanessa Bennett would be a blessing. But now, the week of the premiere...ugh," she groaned, shaking her head.
"You know Vanessa doesn't believe in understudies. As I recall, she's 'morally opposed' to them," Cora continued in pouring out her pent-up frustration. Sadly, Gold had been a captive audience to many of her melodramatic monologues. To his credit, he didn't seem to mind, and he usually had a way of making her rethink the situation, if not outright solving it himself.
"So no one else knows the role," she sighed in conclusion. "Well, except me, and I am not prepared to slip into that clam-shell bra."
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 7, 2021 9:21:12 GMT -8
"Oh, well, so am I,"
Gold put on a face of surprise, pretending to be empathetic enough to have sensed that something was causing her trouble by only the tone in her voice. That even might have been the case with her, if he wasn't well aware of the reason for it already.
"I'm afraid all anyone will be seeing right now is a dark stage. Our star has gone and lost her voice. And yes, I realize the irony given the subject matter."
"Now, that is... intriguing. Along with frustrating, of course. Well, you know me and my fable for mysteries," Mr. Gold talked his way out of the fascination that had been visible on his face. He wasn't, of course, not really talking his way out of anything since that would mean to have said something that had been unmeant. He just couldn't help but show off at times. Also, he actually had to make sure to not act too differently around Cora, for they had spent enough time together so that one might be right in saying she knew Mr. Gold very well. But she didn't know Rumplestiltskin yet, or rather, she'd forgotten that she once did.
"The thing is, any other time, a silent Vanessa Bennett would be a blessing. But now, the week of the premiere...ugh,""You know Vanessa doesn't believe in understudies. As I recall, she's 'morally opposed' to them,"
Mr. Gold couldn't help but react with a toneless chuckle to the dead-on picture she gave of Miss Vanessa Bennett before taking a sip of his own cup of tea as well. Sometimes it felt surprisingly refreshing to talk to someone who wasn't wary, frightened, enraged, or even terrified by him. So he just let her go on, as he usually did.
"So no one else knows the role,""Well, except me, and I am not prepared to slip into that clam-shell bra."
At that, Mr. Gold suddenly almost choked when the hot liquid went down the wrong way. He looked up at her, a smirk on his face. "I can relate to that. So," he then started again, placing the cup on the counter next to him, "There is someone on my mind, actually. Would you like to hear it?" Of course, she would. He just liked to stall things with her. Doing all this for free, sometimes even without getting an advantage out of it himself, which was a very uncommon thing for him, required, at least, that he decided when and how to offer that help. This time though, there actually was an advantage behind that he desired, an important one, at that. It was not like he would be particularly keen to have the nuisance of a sensing heart in his chest, especially not ever since he had his memory back, but it was still better to know it safe in a place where it caused a little stress than far away from him in another land.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 7, 2021 13:44:52 GMT -8
"I can relate to that. So, there is someone on my mind, actually. Would you like to hear it?"
"Ah, yes please," Cora urged, after staring at him with her mouth agape for a few seconds. "Come on, Gold, don't torture me with suspense. I'll give you my firstborn son if you actually have a way out of this mess for me." And she sort of meant it. The theater was all she had here, and Regina was always looking for an excuse to shut it down. So far it had been constant budget cuts, with an axe rather than a scalpel, but investing all this time and money into a show only to shut it down within a week ... Cora loathed the thought of giving the Mayor that sort of satisfaction.
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 7, 2021 14:32:58 GMT -8
"Ah, yes please,"
Mr. Gold smirked yet again. Knowing that you had the answer to someone's problems with that person being dependent on that was one of the greatest pleasures in his eyes. The appreciation for that probably was the foundation of the business he once had dedicated his life to. Of course, not without the counterpart to that, namely, the price for those answers. He was no frigging fairy godmother.
"Come on, Gold, don't torture me with suspense. I'll give you my firstborn son if you actually have a way out of this mess for me."
At that, he actually had to gulp for a little moment, not because taking somebody's firstborn would be something unusual to him - he had done that more than once -, but because of her namesake, the only person that once had given him just that promise and then tricked him in the most wicked way. There were no feelings left for Cora Mills nowadays, especially not in his current state of owning no heart, yet those had left a scar in a place that no magic could entirely rip out of anybody's chest. Mr. Gold quickly brushed those hideous memories off.
"For now, I guess the tea will do just fine," he eventually replied her offer with amusement before finally going into detail about the resolving of her little problem with the show. "So here goes my little tip. You go to the back door of the bakery sometime during the early morning hours, and there... you just listen." The smirk grew wider as he watched Cora's confusion, once again showing in her unique way of just staring at him with her mouth agape. "You won't regret it, dear, trust me."
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 8, 2021 16:51:19 GMT -8
"So here goes my little tip. You go to the back door of the bakery sometime during the early morning hours, and there... you just listen. You won't regret it, dear, trust me."
Her dark brows furrowed in confusion. "I'm sorry, what exactly am I supposed to discover behind the bakery?" Cora queried. "Day-old croissants? Burnt baguettes?" She crossed her arms and sighed. "Fine, be annoyingly cryptic. I'll have to postpone the show anyway. It would take at least two weeks for someone else to learn the part, and that's assuming Vanessa doesn't miraculously recover."
Cora wandered the shop as she continued to sip her coffee. "Speaking of thorns in sides, a little birdie told me that Emma Swan decided to extend her stay," she mused, using her deftly manicured hand to lightly move a pawn on an antique chessboard. "But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" As if. Gold knew about everything that happened in Storybrooke, and every now and then he could be persuaded to share.
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 9, 2021 8:10:37 GMT -8
"I'm sorry, what exactly am I supposed to discover behind the bakery?""Day-old croissants? Burnt baguettes?"Mr. Gold smirked. It was just too enjoyable to see her reactions every time he said something cryptic. Maybe that was why he did that even more often with her than with anyone else. "Fine, be annoyingly cryptic. I'll have to postpone the show anyway. It would take at least two weeks for someone else to learn the part, and that's assuming Vanessa doesn't miraculously recover."Keeping his silence while taking his own cup back into his hands as well, he watched her wandering his shop, still a smile on his lips. "Speaking of thorns in sides,"
He raised an eyebrow. Not surprised but eager about where this was heading.
"a little birdie told me that Emma Swan decided to extend her stay,""But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" "Then that little birdie probably also told you that this is a free land. But you wouldn't ask me that to catch some insider knowledge from me, would you?" Since he knew that she knew that he was indeed aware of practically everything that happened in Storybrooke, that was easy to guess. Mr. Gold placed his cup back onto the counter next to him. Then he made some steps into Cora's direction, joining her by the chessboard. "I think I said listen, not watch. Stay there for a while, and you might get your miracle," Mr. Gold answered her question from before while moving one of the counterpart colored pawns on the board, as if there wouldn't just had happened a break in their conversation that already led to a completely different topic. To explain this, sometimes they were doing this thing of having different conversations on two, sometimes even more than two, planes at once, and that even without the need to announce on which of the planes they were currently walking. That whole thing was most times attributed to Cora's way of going on and on with talking along with Gold's way of shifting towards the former said because she brought a topic up that he wasn't willing to provide more details on. Sometimes, however, it happened that Cora wouldn't allow him to end their queer way of conversing with him and, once again, take up the topic he thought to have warded off. Either way, it never was boring with her. He was curious to see how it went this time. Her draw.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 9, 2021 16:48:46 GMT -8
"Then that little birdie probably also told you that this is a free land. But you wouldn't ask me that to catch some insider knowledge from me, would you?"
"I think I said listen, not watch. Stay there for a while, and you might get your miracle."
"Alright then, I shall listen at the bakery's back door," Cora relented. "I just wish this miracle didn't require me to get up early." She drummed her fingers on the counter as she considered her next move, having unwittingly been drawn into the game. "The thing is, you never miss a chance to rile up Regina," she observed, her hand lingering over the queen on the chessboard. "And though some might think it downright diabolical to play on her deep insecurities regarding her son by keeping Henry's birth mother here in town, well ... it seems Emma Swan is quite capable of forging her own path. Wouldn't you agree?"
Cora settled with nudging another pawn forward before looking back up at him. He had to know something about this woman showing up out of nowhere, how the clock in town just happened to start working again when she showed up. How did he benefit from her sudden appearance? "She and Dr. Lee looked quite cozy at Granny's last night," Cora said slyly. "And I've heard that an hour on that man's couch can be very therapeutic.'
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 11, 2021 10:44:51 GMT -8
"Alright then, I shall listen at the bakery's back door,""I just wish this miracle didn't require me to get up early.""And that coming from an eager young person like you," Mr. Gold teased her while at the same time actually making her a compliment. There was no woman in any land who didn't like to hear such things. However, this time it was this matter that he wished to not expand on. In the end, somebody might be getting the idea that he was saying something nice for actually the sake of being nice. Since he knew that she wouldn't want to expand on that either, he had, this time, replied to it right away to tick that off their planes of conversation. "The thing is, you never miss a chance to rile up Regina,"Mr. Gold watched Cora as her hand lingered over the queen, surely not to move it but rather to underline her words. Regina might not be a queen in the legal sense around this land, yet still, somebody who could, due to her extravagant actions, be described as such, even if only by herself. "And though some might think it downright diabolical to play on her deep insecurities regarding her son by keeping Henry's birth mother here in town, well ... it seems Emma Swan is quite capable of forging her own path. Wouldn't you agree?"Mr. Gold smirked as he observed Cora's next move on the chessboard, waiting once again for her to get rid of everything she wanted to say before he would launch into an answer on his part. And as usual, she had some more things to say. This time though, something that sent a sudden shudder like poison through his veins, not of fear but disgust. Usually, Mr. Gold wouldn't allow any reaction like that to get shown on his face, yet this time it might for at least a second. "She and Dr. Lee looked quite cozy at Granny's last night,""And I've heard that an hour on that man's couch can be very therapeutic.'"First and foremost, Mr. Gold didn't appreciate, to say the least, that man to involve himself. Oh, surely not this time. There was too much at stake. At Cora's last words, though, he gave a smile of amusement, primarily to cover with it any other emotion underneath. "Now, that is good to know if I ever end up needing someone who thinks problems would die away when you just talk numbing enough." And that man was quite a talker, oh lord. No wonder that this had become his function in this land. Mr. Gold couldn't help but utter a quiet huff. "Anyways," he took up the thread while placing one of his bishop pawns on a white square. "While the bishop can become a real nuisance, it yet has to remain on predefined squares, either light or dark." That was cryptic enough to make anyone of Storybrooke's citizens believe that he was just talking about chess, but Cora was not anyone. She was used to his way of talking, probably the same as she was used to him being involved in more than he would say out loud.
Suddenly Mr. Gold chuckled in an almost apologizing way. "I'm sorry, dear, I tend to get quite obsessed with this game." And with that, he meant, of course, more than just their game of chess.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 18, 2021 17:43:18 GMT -8
"Now, that is good to know if I ever end up needing someone who thinks problems would die away when you just talk numbing enough."
"Well, just so you know, I'm more than happy to lie down on that particular grenade, should you ever need me to," Cora offered with a gleeful grin. The esteemed Dr. Lee had proven an elusive sort. A respected doctor, of course, and an avid supporter of the arts. But it was as if he felt compelled to avoid her.
"Honestly, I don't know what Dr. Lee ever did to vex you so," she sighed. "Perhaps someday you'll see fit to tell me." She gave Gold an expectant look as she leaned on the counter and rested her chin in her hand.
"Anyways, while the bishop can become a real nuisance, it yet has to remain on predefined squares, either light or dark. ... I'm sorry, dear, I tend to get quite obsessed with this game."
"You know it's far too early in the day for your riddles, Gold," Cora groaned, moving a knight forward. "I'm just saying you seem awfully disinterested in young Miss Swan. Who is she? Where did she come from? What brought her here?" Then she stood up straight again, her face lighting up as a possible explanation for his apathy hit her. "Unless you've already spoken to her....?"
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Apr 10, 2021 8:49:54 GMT -8
"Honestly, I don't know what Dr. Lee ever did to vex you so,""Perhaps someday you'll see fit to tell me."
Mr. Gold smirked, yet there was a slight twitch seen around his eyebrows that gave away that something made him wonder. What made her think there would be something to tell in the first place? Did he ever indicate having a problem with Dr. Lee? It took him only half a second before he came up with an answer to that himself. Oh yes, he did - like only a minute ago. The smirk widened. It seemed that, at least around Cora, Mr. Gold wasn't always able to keep every affair that had been an issue in different times and different lands to himself.
"You know it's far too early in the day for your riddles, Gold,"
He came up with a toneless chuckle whilst watching Cora making her next move. It was never too early for riddles.
"I'm just saying you seem awfully disinterested in young Miss Swan. Who is she? Where did she come from? What brought her here?""Unless you've already spoken to her....?"
Mr. Gold watched her with amusement when she almost jumped up, her face lightening up with one of her famous light-bulb moments of hers. It was almost a shame - yet only almost - that he usually wasn't going into details with anyone, not even her. "You know...," he started slowly, diverting his gaze from her and instead onto the chessboard between them. "It's far too early in the day for so many questions, Cora." he finished with another smirk of amusement while, at the same time, finishing their little chess game by moving a rook towards her unguarded king. "Checkmate." Mr. Gold looked up again. "Too early for this?"
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Apr 21, 2021 15:33:27 GMT -8
"You know... it's far too early in the day for so many questions, Cora. .... Checkmate. Too early for this?"
"Oh, morning, noon, and night, you always find the quickest way to win," Cora pouted as her King took a dramatic tumble from his throne. "It's alright, though. Chess isn't my game, but I would run circles around you in charades." With a self-indulgent smile, she swept up her coffee and portfolio and headed toward the door. "I better head over to the Daily Mirror and get them to run an announcement about postponing the show. I suppose it gives me more time to drill those children on their choreography. I swear, some of them were born without an ounce of rhythm. No juice boxes until you nail the Act 1 finale, you little urchins!"
Her hand paused mid-way toward opening the shop door, instead turning a questioning finger toward Gold. "Our Miss Swan, what do you reckon?" Cora queried. "Alto, soprano? She seems like an alto...."
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Post by DarkSideCookie on May 7, 2021 12:03:22 GMT -8
"Oh, morning, noon, and night, you always find the quickest way to win,""It's alright, though. Chess isn't my game, but I would run circles around you in charades."
"Oh, without a doubt," Mr. Gold answered with a soft chuckle. "Gesturing is not my thing." Inwardly he smirked. That had so been his thing back in another land. Maybe not for games, but surely for fun. Granted, the kind of fun that not a lot of people would share.
"I better head over to the Daily Mirror and get them to run an announcement about postponing the show. I suppose it gives me more time to drill those children on their choreography. I swear, some of them were born without an ounce of rhythm. No juice boxes until you nail the Act 1 finale, you little urchins!"
Listening to her vividly remarks whilst watching her doing a lot of that gesturing thing herself was one of his favorite pastimes here in Storybrooke. And that even without any mark of malice. That really meant something. Mr. Gold kept his mouth shut, knowing that she would turn around for more words anyway. Cora always had a question following for him, mostly one to which she wouldn't receive a satisfying answer, yet that fact seemed not to discourage her.
"Our Miss Swan, what do you reckon?"
And there it was. Instead of more questions about the mystery of Miss Swan, though, she went on with a rather unusual question.
"Alto, soprano? She seems like an alto...."
For a moment, Mr. Gold looked at her in surprise, but he always was quickly back to his ready wit. "If I had to place a bet, I'd say you won't make her sing easily." Then he smirked and, along with the next words, nodded towards her in a silent farewell. "Better stick with the tip I gave you."
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