A Different Fate
is a Once Upon a Time fanfic written by Robin4.
The Black Fairy leaves the Dark Realm to find Rumplestiltskin. Slowly, they build the relationship they should have had, and Fiona grows determined to restore the destiny she cut away. Later, when Belle makes a deal to become the Dark One's maid, she never expects to find his mother living with him, or to find Fiona encouraging her growing relationship with Rumplestiltskin.
This fanfic provides examples of:
- Adaptational Heroism:
- In return for being freed from the Dark Realm's pull, Tiger Lily forced the Black Fairy to try and free Rumplestiltskin from the dark curse. As a result, the Black Fairy is portrayed less like a For the Evulz Madwoman and as someone who is genuinely trying to do something good. She takes a liking to Belle and even gains Tinker Bell as an ally who, after helping Nova reunite with Grumpy, unceremoniously quits as a fairy, leaving before the Blue Fairy could take her wings and wand away.
- Because Cora was eliminated before she could goad Regina's Start of Darkness, Rumplestltskin could never get to corrupting Regina and had to resort to Zelena. As a result, Zelena was the one who murdered Snow White's father and Daniel, causing Regina to run away with Snow White as a fugitive and never become the Evil Queen.
- Adaptation Personality Change: Rumplestiltskin displays much more of a temper, resorting to tirades and destruction of his own property if anything sets him off.
- Hearing Voices: Rumplestiltskin is constantly hounded by the voices of past dark ones, constantly trying to make him give in to his darker impulses. Thankfully, he doesn't listen to them very often.
