``and i am done with my graceless heart{gabe/ask!}

[Regina Mills]

Everything had been so clear, once. There'd been Snow, and what she'd done, what she'd caused to happen to Daniel - and there'd been Regina's vehement desire for revenge because of it. Simple as that. She'd never imagined that, in this strange new world, everything would become so complicated. The curse was broken and nearly everyone in Storybrooke was out for her blood, and normally none of this would have frightened the former Queen - she feared nothing. But...to die before she could achieve her revenge would be very unfortunate indeed after everything she'd been though.

The only problem was, hurting Snow would inevitably provoke Emma's rage - and a resulting confrontation. And hurting Emma was more or less an absolute guarantee that Henry would never, ever forgive her. It was a troublesome dilemma for Regina, who had never before cared about anyone or anything more than she'd cared about vengeance. But now, the son she'd raised, the son she'd loved for ten years was...almost enough to force her into letting the grudge she'd held for so long go.

Almost.

She'd promised Daniel long ago that she would avenge him, and to break that promise? To lose after all this time? Well, if the angry townsfolk didn't kill her, Regina was sure that would. No, Snow still had to be dealt with...it was only a matter of how.

Still, the flurry of conflicting thoughts that had been slowly overwhelming her over the past few months had nearly pushed her to the breaking point. She needed to get away from all of this - at least for a little while - until she could stuff her emotions back down into the void of nothingness where they belonged and regain her usual cold, indifferent composure. So that morning, she'd taken one of the horse's from Storybrooke's stables, and fled far out into the forest. It was something she would have done as a girl to get away from the shadow her mother had always cast, and being on horseback again, just being able to...run away after all this time gave Regina a sense of freedom she hadn't felt in quite some time.

By the time she slowed the horse's pace and dismounted, she wasn't even really sure where she was anymore. She estimated that she'd gotten a good ways into the woods that bordered Storybrooke before she'd finally come to her senses, but being lost wasn't really an issue. She could simply teleport back if that became an issue, but for now....the isolation was more than welcome. It meant that her hair, disheveled as it was by the wind, or how un-regally she held herself, or how casual her riding clothes were -all things that would have normally mattered quite a bit, didn't for the moment.

As the horse wandered off to graze near the edge of the clearing, Regina wrapped her arms around herself and braced against the cool wind that swept through the area. Autumn was coming to Storybrooke early this year; she could already sense it. The only question was...would it be the last autumn she spent in Storybrooke? The last before the curse broke entirely, hurtling them all back into their former world? Regina hardly knew - and she'd most certainly pretend not to care, either.

[The Trickster]

Peace...quiet...and oh the tranquility...it was such a wonderful thing for those who needed to clear their heads. Especially people like the one rushing on over upon her VALIANT steed. From what he did know about the woman she had more issues than she could balance on a big serving dish! That was probably why her hair was so big....full of all kinds'a secrets. Now this trickstering arch angel didn't go around all willy nilly knowing everything about everybody. That would make life sooo boring! Right now, he was more focused than anything on some form of just desserts with this woman and possibly shove her on a better half.

Even he could tell that deep down she may very well have some sort of heart that could be put to good use. The humans needed all the help they could get and if he could smack her in the right direction then kudos! That's why he decided that on a very vulnerable day is when he'd strike. Man this was going to be an interesting sort of day...mostly because it looked like he could just about strut around and sell paper towels in the manliest way possible. In fact, he looked like a dusty blonde, lumberjack version of Sam Winchester....if he grew a masculine mustache and built some muscle. Okay so not COMPLETELY like the missing bro of the brotherly duo. Whatever!

Adjusting the collar of his red plaid shirt a bit while waiting for his dear maiden, he stopped and realized it'd be more manly if he had chest hair popping out a bit. Or...look like he should go around saying ``SWAG``. Ah to hell with it! Snapping his fingers, he upgraded his chest hairs a bit to add a CHEST HAIR LIKE GASTON grizzly flare to his lightly haired chest. NOW it was a little more obvious that he had testosterone up the yinyang. A mustache, lumberjack build AND extra chest hair?! The ladies better get in line for their slice of rugged man lovin'!

Snapping his fingers one more time...he fully intended on getting this distraught woman's attention. Snapping his fingers once again, a chainsaw formed on the ground which he scooped up. A grin of `Oh yeah, that's how I roll` slid across his lips and slightly quirked a brow. Cleverly, he was within earshot of the horse rider rather than in plain sight. So when she had...oh...about a minute of tranquility, Gabriel in disguise who had lots of fun in soda commercials decided to rev up his chainsaw and get to work at hacking into an innocent tree. Murdering Silence in an Obnoxious Way 101 would be taught by him if he educated adults paying for college.

[Regina Mills]

After a moment or two, she felt her racing heart begin to slow somewhat, the emotional haze she’d allowed to take over her mind fading a little and beginning to allow her to think a little more rationally. Taking a few deep, calming breaths, Regina closed her eyes. Out here, so isolated from the rest of the world, it was almost easy to see past the hatred that usually blinded her. To forget -

…What on earth was that ungodly noise?

She looked up sharply, tensing at the sudden roar of what sounded suspiciously like…a chainsaw. how could ppl put chainsaw in woodsand 2 die What would anyone be doing all the way out here, in the forest on the edge of Storybrooke, chopping down trees? Surely anyone from town had more pressing matters to worry about, what with having to…regain the lives they’d lost for twenty-eight years and all. The very sound of the thing actually made her cringe, Regina realized – probably because she now associated it with Emma breaking into her yard and cutting branches off her apple tree like the delinquent she was. Why did people in this world insist with coming up with various inventions that seemed to have the united purpose of directly or indirectly destroying things in nature? It was no wonder forests here were so sparse compared to her world…

The horse had reacted uneasily to the noise as well – it seemed to be getting skittish. Regina moved back over to him, holding the reigns in one hand and touching his muzzle with the other, murmuring soothingly until he seemed to have calmed down a little. Reaching over and producing a (thankfully non-poisonous) apple from the bag attached to the saddle, she held it out for the horse to take – which it did, seeming content to munch happily and forget the commotion for the moment. Trusting that the creature wouldn’t wander off too far, she gave him one last scratch behind the ear before turning and heading off in the direction of the noise. As if this day couldn't get any worse - now she had to deal with this mess as well. Whoever was responsible for this was going to be very sorry they'd chosen today to test her patience, and...

Her angry thoughts trailed off as she stopped at the edge of the clearing, staring wide-eyed at the perpetrator. ...Alright, well, for one thing, he most certainly wasn't from Storybrooke - that she was sure of. In fact, he looked like someone straight out of...well, Regina couldn't even say, a paper towel ad, or something. She gaped at him a moment longer, looking him up and down, before quickly snapping out of her stunned state and stormed on over to the stranger. ...She seemed to be developing an unhealthy habit of aggressively approaching people who were holding power tools. But now wasn't the time to contemplate that. "Excuse me!" she called, raising her voice in an attempt to be heard over the chainsaw. "What - "Breaking off momentarily to step back in an effort avoid the cloud of saw dust resulting from the man's actions, Regina only spent a moment reflecting on how bizarre this day was turning out to be before she tried again. "What do you think you're doing?"

[Steve Rogers]

[/b] what Steve is wearing, but with shoes.[/center]

Heading out of the inn, Steve began to jog through town, heading out of town and into the woods, to his favorite spot he had found, near a well that was old and the woods had grown around. He never did know what happened to the person or persons who built the well, but he assumed that the house or whatever was taken over by the forest and nature over time. As he jogged, Steve did not have anything technological with him, as he was from a time, where the most tech item was what Howard Stark was inventing for the future, or the "World of Tomorrow' as he called it.

Slowing, Steve took out the bottle of water and took a drink of it, replacing the cap and the bottle into the backpack and started jogging again, only he stopped as he looked and listened, hearing a noise that was echoing through the woods. Curious, he listened and began to walk/jog in the general direction of the noise and kept his eyes and ears open for any beasts that may be roaming up here, since he was in a heavily wooded area. Although, he would be a match for whatever he ran into, as he could probably beat back whatever is out here.

However, he slows as he hears the noise again and slowly walked, knowing he would have to use what was around to fight whatever it is that is making the noise, if it was dangerous. As he came over the hill, he saw two people, one looked like a log man, and the other he knew, was Regina, mayor of Storybooke. Slowly he walked towards them, and stop as he listened to the two talk.[/size][/ul]

[The Trickster]

{OOC: I'm going to just use bold for now and edit in the color for talky text when I feel less bluh and on a better computer -lazy.exe- (HAHAHAHAH THE COLOR IS NOW ADDED ALL OVER THE PLACE)}

THERE WAS THE DIABOLICAL MINX! The woman's annoyed tone rampaged through the air trying to fight against the sounds of his stepping stones to mass tree murder. "TIMBEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Using the most masculine tone he could possibly muster to suit has MANLY, towel selling physique. Figuring ON BIGGERING that it was PROBABLY not the best idea to neglect the angry woman on a verbal warpath, he flipped the off switch with a content smile. All as though he was quietly telling himself he deserved a small little break for now and fetch some lumberjack level of food. Of course, he pretended to be all kinds of surprised when he saw the woman hiding all the secrets in her big hair who appeared to have some sort of authority.

Absolutely baffled at WHY OH WHY she seemed so upset! Sure, he heard her efforts alright, but was he going to let on about that? No way JOSE! "Miss, you seem to be pretty upset right now, are you in some sort of trouble?" Carefully setting down the chainsaw with a bit of concern settled about his features and tone, it would appear this man with the red plaid shirt hadn't heard a single word that spouted out of the upset woman's mouth. Though he SWIFTLY held up his hand to plop a finger on her mouth as though to SHOOSH her and suspiciously looked off toward the sound of an approaching individual.

Hmmm...it seemed like someone, a wild card, played their way into Gabriel's plan today. Could be beneficial...so he would play this by ear and try to proceed with his original intent at the same time. Strange combo, sure but he's done stranger. Whispering in a hushed tone while looking about the area in a suspicious as could be fashion, "Did you hear that, miss?" Yes...he could hear twigs snip and snap but not her heightened voice over the sound of his chainsaw. Not a detail he really paid attention to cause it wasn't all that important to him. Besides he could play it off as some woodsman mumbo jumbo!

[Regina Mills]

((NO NOT ACCEPTABLE LEXI.))

Was she in some sort of trouble?! Exasperation slowly seeped into Regina's expression, which had previously been dominated by anger - he evidently hadn't heard a word she'd said. And it was no wonder, with all the commotion that horrid chainsaw had been making. She eyed the device disdainfully, as if it were sentient and equally responsible for making the decision to disrupt the forest. All local wildlife had probably been frightened all the way into New Hampshire by now, she reflected irritably. Despite circumstances being what they were, it was still difficult not to be protective of the town and its surroundings after she'd nurtured them for so long, and it was with that in mind that she unhappily lifted her gaze to meet the man's again. "Actually, I'm more concerned with y--"

And then, just like that, he was shushing her. Shushing her! Momentarily stunned into silence, Regina bristled with indignation until he removed his finger from her lips, and immediately opened her mouth to rebuke him once again - only to pause once she'd registered his words, as another soft crack permeated the silence. There was, in fact, someone else approaching, and Regina immediately stiffened at the realization. Who else had reason to be out in these woods? Her first uneasy suspicion was that someone had followed her out here - a woman fleeing town on horseback wasn't exactly sneaky, after all, especially when that woman was the 'evil queen'.

Of course. Of course these people were incapable of just leaving her alone, even all the way out here. However frustrated she'd been with this strange man with the chainsaw, he'd at least provided a legitimate distraction from all the drama that continued to unfold in town. Of course, there was still the possibility of this new stranger being simply attracted to the noise of the chainsaw just as she herself had been, but she knew better than to hope for the best. If whoever the approaching individual was meant to cause trouble, she very much doubted she'd get the chance to ask any of the questions she now had. Unable to stifle a short sigh, Regina turned towards the source of the noise. "You seem to have attracted quite a crowd." she dryly told the man beside her in a slightly quieted tone. First herself, and now whoever it was moving about in the trees - who else was going to show up to this delightful little gathering?

"Who's there?" she called after a moment, her tone wary. A direct confrontation seemed as good a plan as any at the moment - after all, she doubted this situation could really get any more baffling.

[Steve Rogers]

Slowing, Steve blinked as he came around the tree, backpack on his back and he looks at the two as he hears Regina's voice. Steve looks at the two, as he speaks, "I heard something while out for a jog," he says as he has no weapons on him, but some food in his bag, a book, pencil and a bottle of water.

Slowly walking down, he was ready fro whatever came next and knew that something could happen at any time and so was ready, since he was a weapon himself. However, he stayed near the trees as he moved closer and stopped and looked. "Eveything ok here?" he asked the two.

[The Trickster]

{OH YEAH?! WELL. WELL. MY FACE IS UNACCEPTABLE YOU MEANIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!one}

"I didn't attract anyone, that would be my chainsaw..." Sagely whispering those words to her before they saw the MYSTERIOUS individual who...was....apparently out on some sort of stroll? Honestly, he wasn't too sure who this new guy was but EH! Whatever! The disguised archangel over here had an agenda and could work just about anyone into this pretty little picture! Letting out a big, ol' hearty laugh filled with nothing short with amusement of BRAWNY joy, he set the chainsaw upon the grass with a huuuuuuge grin. "Of course everything is alright! I was simply cutting down a tree, after all..."

Flashing off some teeth and putting his hands upon his hips and looking off toward the two. "...I am a lumberjack." Wiggling his eyebrows a couple times, he slapped his hand upon his stomach and let out a big, heavy sigh as the man's stomach DEMANDS ALL THE SWEETS! ALL OF THEM! complaining in it's own way about needing a meal. "A hungry lumberjack! How about we all go into town and get some pancakes?" It was worth a shot to try and get to know these two a bit on a more casual level before actually being some level of serious.

After all...for now...he was just having a bit of fun...DUN DUN DUUUUUUN

[Regina Mills]

((HOW DEHR YOU TALK TO ME LIKE DAT, HYOU SHOULD TELL ME EVERYTHING.))



True to form, she rolled her eyes at the words the lumber jack initially whispered to her - but had no time to respond before the newcomer they'd heard approaching finally revealed himself. Regina tensed briefly in the instant before she recognized the man's face. ...Steve Rogers. The stranger who had found his way into Storybrooke several days ago. At the time, she had decided that he was no great threat to her or to Henry, and had dismissed the matter at that - but now her eyes narrowed suspiciously. What was he doing all the way out here? Her expression only softened a little when he mentioned that he'd been out for a jog. It was a story he could have easily invented on the spot, but given what he was wearing - and the fact that it was certainly plausible that he'd been attracted by the noise of the chainsaw - she supposed it wasn't too unlikely.

Composing herself, she gave a brief nod. "Mr. Rogers." she greeted curtly, deciding it was more prudent to focus her suspicions on this so-called 'lumber jack' at the moment. She narrowed her eyes slightly and remained silent , allowing the two of them to speak while she contemplated. There was something...off about all of this, and Regina would have very much liked to know what it was. She might have spent twenty-eight years in this world...but they had been twenty-eight years of interacting with the same town of people; all from her own world. Now that strangers seemed to be appearing in or near Storybrooke more and more frequently, the former queen was beginning to feel a little on edge. On top of everything else that had been happening recently, it certainly wasn't making things any better.

She quirked an eyebrow at the lumberjack's suggestion. Going out for breakfast with two men she hardly knew was hardly the way she typically spent her time, and beyond that...the evil queen walking into a restaurant in Storybrooke was bound to attract some unwanted attention. Given that most people in town were still terrified of her, and that Snow had recently managed to baffle her by ordering the townspeople to leave her alone, Regina doubted they'd run into any real trouble. But it would more than likely blow her cover to these two. The question was, did she care?

....Well, at the moment, there were things she cared about more. Turning to gaze at the man who claimed to be a lumber jack once more, she responded, "I'd like to ask you a few questions, actually. If that means I need to accompany you to a diner to do so, then fine. Mr. Rogers, you're welcome to come along, if you'd like." Of course she was incapable of accepting a simple offer to grab something to eat without conditions - that would have been too easy.

With one last glance at both of them, Regina turned and began heading down the trail she'd taken to get there. It would ultimately lead them back to town, but would first sweep through the area she'd just come form. "We'll need to get my horse first. He's grazing nearby." she told them without turning around, as if this were completely normal.

[Steve Rogers]

Steve looks between the two and thinks for a moment as he nods. "Thanks, I think I will join the two of you," he says to the two of them simply as he pulls out a bottle of water from his bag and takes a drink of it, before putting it back in the bag and the bag back onto his back. Slowly walking down the hill, he stops between the two of them, more towards Regina than the Lumberjack.

Looking between the two, he hears Regina mention her horse and he nods. "I am not good with horses, but I will help you if you need it Mrs. Mills," he states to her simply as he looks at the two, with a well trained eye, to make sure nothing funny happens. Right now, Steve is an outsider and one who does not get to involved in what happens here. But something might happen, and it will depend on whatever that maybe before he will do anything.

[The Trickster]

{STOP TRYING TO CONTROL MY LIIIIIIIIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!one}

FABULOUS! Gabriel, the trickstering messenger of God KNEW that no one in their right mind could resist a lumberjack who enjoyed a good stack of pancakes! OH BUT OF COURSE THERE WAS THE MATTER OF THAT HORSE! The raven haired woman's valiant steed! Despite knowing all about the horse, he wasn't going to blurt out any clues that he knew all about this woman's antics in the horse back riding department. So instead, he spared a glance to the fellow who seemed to already be acquainted with Ms. Mills and let a confident smile cross his lips. "I really don't know anything about horses myself, just a simple lumberjack to be honest!"

With a hearty laugh, he brought his hand up above his eyes and looked off toward the horizon. Sure, he could make this much easier....but he was pretty sure the mayor of this cursed city knew where her stallion was no not the one standing in front of her with the chest hair poking out of his shirt. Unless of course it decided to majestically graze about the forest...then there would DEFINITELY be some searching involved. Either way, he had no intentions of blowing his cover at this time. Eventually, yes but now wasn't the proper time for such shenanigans.

"Soooo...where should we start trying to look for this misplaced horse?" Yes...he just spoke about a horse as if it was an object rather than a creature. That's how he figured stupid lumberjacks had their thoughts work more often than not. Most of them were total idiots, not all but enough for him to figure it was a better route to be a bit of a buffoon. Besides! It was kind of fun....OKAY PLENTY OF FUN for him to act like an idiot rather than a know-it-all smart ass angel who delivers messages for Daddy dearest. Nice breath of fresh air to occasionally be one of the humans...more so because his family were always at each others throats. Not really the company he wanted to keep for now despite how much he cared for em'.

[Regina Mills]

It didn't particularly surprise her that neither of these two claimed to know much about horses - this was the twenty-first century, after all, and in this world people so typically relied on their cars and buses and trucks. Of course, all of those things did make life...somewhat easier, but none of them gave you that irreplaceable sense of pure freedom that horseback riding did. Now was hardly the time to lecture about any of that, though, and Regina merely gave a light shrug in response to both Steve and the still-unnamed lumberjack. "That's alright. I appreciate you wanting to help anyway." she told them, her tone at least softening a little as she scanned the expanse of trees before her. Though she certainly didn't have the bond with this horse that she'd had with Rocinante in the Enchanted Forest, she was fairly confident that it listened well enough not to run off.

Regina suppressed a quiet sigh when the lumberjack spoke again, referring to her horse as if it were a misplaced set of keys rather an an actual sentient companion, but let the comment slide as if she hadn't noticed anything wrong with it. "I left him in a clearing just a little ways from here when I came to investigate the ... commotion." At that last word, she cast a pointed glance back over her shoulder at the lumberjack who'd only recently ceased his tree-cutting antics. Smirking faintly, she continued, speaking to both of them now. "I'm sure he hasn't wandered off too far, and it's on the way back to town...if you two will just follow me." And with that, the former queen began continuing on up the path, just sort of assuming the other two were going to follow her...that, or perhaps run off into the forest to cause even more trouble.

Well, that was no longer her problem. If Snow and Charming were so eager to take charge of Storybrooke, they could deal with any further incidents like these.

As she'd thought, the dapple-gray horse was grazing at the edge of the clearing, its head swinging up and its ears pricking forward as it heard the group approach. Regina approached it without hesitation, reached up to scratch briefly but reassuringly behind its ears, and then took hold of the reins, intending to lead it back to town on foot rather than riding it. She was beginning to become uncomfortably aware that between her uncharacteristically casual appearance (dresses and skirts didn't exactly make for convenient riding clothes in comparison to jeans and boots, after all) and the way she was fawning over the horse, she was probably starting to lose a bit of the...professional, guarded credibility she liked to maintain. Clearing her throat softly, she attempted to rectify this by turning back to her two newfound companions and coolly raising her eyebrows a bit. "Before we get back to town, it might be best to get the formalities out of the way - Mr. Rogers, I don't believe either you or myself have been properly introduced to this man." Regina pointed out, turning her gaze on the lumberjack with guarded curiosity. "Regina Mills. And you are..?"

[Steve Rogers]

Steve looks at the man and he nods as he listens to Regina, "Steve Rogers," he says to the man as he offers a hand to the Lumberjack. Looking at the horse, Steve comments, "Beautiful horse," he says as he walks over and pets it on its neck for a minute before he looks at the two and waits for them to start the trek back to town.

Thinking, Steve watches the guy, and as he does, he pulls out a bottle of water form his bag and takes a drink from it. Beautiful day," he comments as he looks between the two as he watches the both of thm, before he starts walking back to town with them.