the other side of the seaweed

Hearing those words from Ursula made him curious. He knew that feeling all too well, he was just unsure why. Neal remembered all too well about the powerful magical beings. His father had still haunted his dreams, even all these years later. There had always been something extra hanging around his father, he had just never really known what it was. Gently closing his eyes, Neal saw them all come back again, and he quickly opened his eyes, not wanting to react to the feelings that came over him at that moment, and the reminder of one of his only real homes he'd ever had. Hearing that sudden shout, Neal stepped back surprised. He knew what was coming next, it was just like back in the workhouses, but, before he could make his getaway Neal felt himself being pushed against the wall. Neal flinched, as the physical scars that were still there felt the impact of it. “Well, then I guess I should be honoured, but, I really have no idea. I was 14 when I was sent away from home. Your name never really came up.” Neal took a few deep breaths as she let him go, and he stepped forward off of the wall. Noticing the bystanders walking past them at that moment, he rolled his eyes before waving them off. Hearing Ursula's next words, Neal looked at her “Well, I've been harmed by worse things from this world.” Neal said, remembering the workhouses, and the scars left on his body to prove it. Neal glanced at her as she tapped his cheek, but, sighed softly and looked at her.

Neal continued to stand there with Ursula in the aquarium. He couldn't help, but, come to the conclusion that he picked a very wrong place to hide from the rain. Looking at that glare on her face, he could tell she wasn't happy of saying she hadn't been heard of. The truth was, he'd never stayed in school long enough to learn about the gods and godesses, let alone pay attention to them. "I did tell you. Since I was 14. Whatever that curse was, it was that long ago, but, I wasn't a part of it. I was out of there long before it. As for how I look so young, as you put it. I can thank that on a place called Neverland. I was there for countless years." Neal said, thinking back to that place. The one that had kept him trapped for centuries. Raising his eyebrows at Ursula's reaction, Neal waited for her to step back slightly, to allow him breathing room. "It's cool. I've seen worse anger in my lifetime." Neal said, flashing back to both the workhouses and Neverland. Those people had never needed reasons to have anger. "what do you mean, start anew?" Neal asked, curious what Ursula meant by that part. "Yeah, I guess I am your only connection to it. Home." Neal gulped deeply and closed his eyes, as he mentioned that word again.

Neal didn't know why he was agreeing with Ursula, he knew that he wasn't one for sentimental reasonings. They had never worked out too well. Being on his own for his whole life helped with that. He was one for logic and doing things in the moment. Logically he knew that it was bad to argue or lie to this woman, but, he had no sentimental connection to the Forest anymore. No matter how much it had been home once. Hearing her question, Neal sighed before going to answer her question, not being able to stop it from being a sarcastic one "Oh yeah, because doors are always able to turn up in the magic free land without any questions" Neal said, before shaking his head, looking at her again "No, actually I came into access to a magic bean. I opened a portal and it dropped me in this world." Neal kept his hands in his pockets as he looked in Ursula's eyes. Looking down at the ground "Lucky, be glad that you haven't. It's not a nice place." Neal said. It didn't surprise him that she hadn't, he hadn't actually heard of that world until the Shadow arrived at the Darling's bedroom window that first night. tell me Neal did you come alone? or are their others like you ? At that question, Neal exhaled deeply through his nose as he closed his eyes keeping his hands in his pockets, he felt them turning into fists, and he exhaled deeply again, keeping his gaze away from Ursula. Neal rested his forehead against the wall not too far from him, and felt all those feelings and memories coming to the surface again. After taking another deep breath, Neal moved away from the wall before turning back to face her, keeping his back against the wall. "Yeah, I came here alone." Neal said, feeling his hands stay fists inside his pockets.