Rumplestiltskin and the Gray Area Conspiracy
The sun hadn’t even begun to rise when Rumplestiltskin barged into the Immortal Gazette studio, eyes wide with excitement. His hair, as usual, was a chaotic mess of tangled curls, but today, it seemed more wild than ever. He had a plan, a brilliant plan, and it was time to set the stage. Word had reached him that Alice—the Queen of Shadows and Flames herself—had started weaving tales about the Grays conspiracy, the shadowy figures who had quietly manipulated the realms for centuries.
“Oh no, no, no," Rumple muttered to himself as he dusted off the studio desk, setting up his pen and papers. "If anyone’s going to tell the real story about the Grays, it’s going to be me.”
He had to get there early, before anyone else could beat him to it. He wasn’t just going to tell the story, he was going to own it. He’d been waiting for this moment for eons. The Grays, the secretive force that moved behind the curtain of the immortal world, were his personal favorite subject. They were mysterious, devious, and, frankly, had a penchant for making people question everything they thought they knew about 4EverMore. Perfect material for Rumplestiltskin's genius.
Loki, predictably, had already sent him a mocking text about "who could possibly be more obsessed with conspiracies than Rumplestiltskin himself." Loki didn’t understand. The truth was out there, and Rumple was going to find it, reveal it, and make sure everyone knew he was the one who cracked the code.
The clock struck six, and the door to the studio creaked open. Rumplestiltskin straightened, running his hands through his hair and grabbing his journal, ready to dive into the conspiracy of a lifetime.
And then—as if on cue—the door swung wide. Alice entered, graceful as always, her presence filling the room before her teacup even did. She arched an eyebrow, noticing Rumple’s frantic energy.
“Well, well, someone’s had their morning dose of ambition,” Alice said, setting her cup down on the desk with a smile that was all sharp edges. “I hear you’re trying to outdo me with your Grays conspiracy tale, Rumple.”
“Trying?” Rumple’s voice was a haughty sneer. “I’m not trying, Alice. I’m going to knock it out of the park.”
“Oh?” Alice took her seat across from him, leaning back with amusement. “Well, I’d say we have a little competition then, wouldn’t we? After all, we both know who the real expert is.”
Rumplestiltskin narrowed his eyes, cracking his knuckles with the confidence of someone who was about to drop the most devastating bombshell in history. “This conspiracy, Alice, is so much more than you could ever imagine. It’s massive. We’re talking about the Grays—the most influential, mysterious, and dangerous beings in all of existence. They’ve been pulling the strings for eons, manipulating the gods, mortals, and everything in between.”
Alice tilted her head, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. “And what makes your story so much better than mine?”
Rumple leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “You see, the Grays aren’t just puppeteers. They’ve been playing the long game. They’re not just pulling strings; they’re rewriting history. Imagine, Alice—the gods themselves, mortals, immortals—all of them have fallen under their spell, never even realizing they’re under the Grays’ control.” His eyes gleamed with manic energy. “I know their secret, the thing they’ve kept hidden for centuries.”
Alice raised a brow. “And you’re going to tell me? This should be good.”
Rumplestiltskin grinned. “You’ll see. I’ve done my research. I know exactly how they’ve been operating. The Grays, the true masterminds behind every major event in 4EverMore history—the Battle of the Shadows, the Fall of the Elven Kingdom, even the formation of the Day Walkers themselves. It’s all them. All a setup. The Grays have been carefully engineering these events to create chaos—to fuel the rise of heroes, villains, gods, and even the queens.”
Alice’s smirk faltered for just a moment as the weight of his words sank in, but then she returned to her usual posture, cool and unflappable. “Mmm, interesting. But what exactly are you suggesting? That all of us… were just pawns in their game?”
“Precisely,” Rumple said, practically hopping out of his seat. “They’ve been orchestrating the whole show. It’s like a giant chessboard, Alice. The pieces have been moving—we’ve been moving—exactly the way they want us to. And now? The Grays are getting ready to make their next move, and they want to bring me into their fold.”
Alice leaned forward, intrigued despite herself. “And what’s your next move in all this?”
Rumple grinned like a cat who had just cornered a mouse. “I’m going to take control of the board, of course. I’m not going to let these faceless puppeteers win. I’m going to expose them, reveal the truth, and let everyone know who’s been in charge all along.”
He took a breath, puffing his chest out with an air of self-satisfaction. “And then—I’ll have the ultimate power.”
Alice's grin stretched wider, and she clapped her hands once in mock applause. “Bravo, Rumple. Bravo. What a twist.” She leaned back in her chair, savoring his moment of glory. “But… just so we’re clear, I’m going to need to get this one to the presses, and I have a few minor edits to make.”
Rumplestiltskin froze. “Minor edits?”
“Oh yes, darling. I can’t let you have all the credit for this,” Alice teased, her voice smooth as velvet. “After all, we both know there’s a little bit of me in that story too.”
He froze, eyes wide. “What do you mean? You can’t—”
Alice took another sip of her tea, her smile turning wicked. “Let’s just say I have a few ideas about who’s really behind the Grays. And who they’ve really been working for.”
Rumple’s eyes widened as Alice stood, twirling her teacup between her fingers. “Maybe next time, darling. I’ll tell you the story that’ll truly blow their minds.”
With that, Alice was gone, leaving Rumplestiltskin with his mouth hanging open, his conspiracy theory suddenly feeling a lot less secure than he had imagined. "I’ll... I’ll fix this,” he muttered to himself. “I’ll expose the Grays. Just wait until I finish the next draft.”
But in the back of his mind, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the real conspiracy was just getting started… and this time, he might not be the one pulling the strings.
Alice, her footsteps as light as ever, strolled back into the room with that familiar, wicked smile of hers. She took a moment to glance over at Rumplestiltskin, who was still hunched over his journal, scribbling away like a madman—clearly reeling from the sudden shift in control.
"Rumplestiltskin, darling, you don't even know what the Grays' conspiracy really is," Alice said with a gleam in her eye, her voice dripping with playful condescension.
Rumple paused, pencil mid-air, eyes narrowing in disbelief. "What do you mean? I’ve practically uncovered their entire agenda!"
"Oh, sweetie, you wish," Alice chirped, tapping her teacup against her chin thoughtfully. "You’ve got it all wrong. You think you’ve got the conspiracy figured out, but darling, there’s so much more than you could possibly imagine. I mean, honestly, have you even asked yourself what really lies beneath their little game?"
Rumplestiltskin blinked, the confidence he had been strutting around with slipping away. "What do you mean? What lies beneath?"
Alice grinned, clearly enjoying the moment. "Oh, don’t worry, dear. I’m not going to spoil the entire show for you." She took a dramatic pause, her eyes glinting with mischief. "But here's what I’ll do. Since I’m so generous, I’ll invite anyone who wants to know the real truth to join me at my next tea party. We’ll have a nice, cozy chat about the Grays and all their little secrets. Trust me, I’ll be the one to spill the real tea. After all, I do know a thing or two about conspiracies."
Rumple’s jaw dropped, and his fingers tightened around his journal. "You can’t—"
"Oh, but I can, Rumple," Alice said with a sly wink, setting her teacup down with a soft clink. "And I will. Don’t be late—everyone is invited. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on the real story. Who knows, maybe I’ll even let you in on a few of the Grays’ little secrets. That is, if you’re lucky."
She spun on her heel, her laughter ringing out like a bell as she made her exit.
Rumplestiltskin stared after her, his mind racing. "She... she’s messing with me. She can’t know more than I do. I—" His words trailed off as he glanced back down at his journal. Maybe his story was missing something. But if Alice thought she could one-up him, he’d show her. He’d have to. He would get the last word—this time.
But for now, it seemed Alice was the one with the real tea.
