Roni's
Henry explained that the photo Roni had found was of him as a little boy and her has Regina, the evil queen and mayor of Storybrooke. Roni got out her bat, ready to go threaten Ivy for messing with them. Henry was trying to calm her down when Jacinda arrived with big news. Jacinda and Sabine had bought a food truck and needed tools to fix it up.
"Lucky for you, this place is falling apart" said Roni, lending Jacinda a box of tools.
Henry offered to help Jacinda fix up the truck but she turned him down, much to his disappointment.
"What was that?" Henry asked Roni, after Jacinda left.
"If I was the Evil Queen, I could look in the mirror and tell you" Roni answered, empathetically "but this is all the magic I got".
"They clanked their bottles together.
In Another Time Period
Henry was showing Ella how to use a torque wrench on his motorcycle. Some thieves showed up to try and kill them and steal it. Henry and Ella got out their weapons and fought the bandits off. Regina came with a fireball to help, but Henry said he had it under control.
After the bandits were defeated and left, Henry got ready to take Ella on a recon mission on the motorcycle. Regina saw the toolbox he was using was the Iron lunchbox she got him when he was ten. She marvelled at how much he had changed, how he now had a motorcycle and a girlfriend.
"Still figuring the girl part out" Henry said.
He asked if Regina wanted to come with him and Ella on a mission. However, Regina felt like a third wheel in the relationship and stayed behind.
Present Day, Roni's
Henry showed Roni Ivy's Facebook page was full of pictures of him drinking with Ivy on Halloween.
"This is bad" he said.
"This is why I'm not on social media" said Roni.
"But Jacinda is" said Henry "this explains why she was all weird earlier".
Lucy arrived, wanting to talk to Henry about a photo Ivy told her about. Henry was embarrassed, thinking she meant the Facebook photos.
"This photo" Roni clarified, seeing him the photo of his younger self with Regina.
Lucy was excited and convinced that it proved Henry's book was real and that she knew how to prove it.
Meanwhile at the Hospital
Weaver had recovered from his injury and insisted on going back to work, despite Rogers saying the Captain wanted him to take time off. Weaver left to have a word with the Captain, leaving Rogers with Tilly.
"I need help with a case" Rogers said "so what do you and Weaver do when he needs your help?"
"He buys me lunch" Tilly said, comfortably getting in a wheelchair so ROgers could take her to the cafeteria.
Later, somewhere on the road in Seattle
Henry was driving home from Roni's, thinking he was alone, when suddenly, somebody sat up in the back of his car. It was Lucy, waking up from a nap.
"When are you taking my Mom out for a date?" Lucy asked.
Henry was startled.
"Lucy!" He exclaimed "what the Hell? Your grandma would shoot me if she knew you were in my car".
"That's why we won't tell her" Lucy answered matter-of-factly "now why haven't you asked my Mom out yet?"
Henry gave her an awkward look.
"It's complicated, okay?" He said.
"You've lived all those fairy tales and seen every John Hughes movie in existence, and asking a girl out is too complicated for you?" Lucy asked in disbelief.
"Life is not a fairy tale or a John Hughes movie" Henry protested.
"I can help you figure out how to win her over" Lucy said, undeterred.
"Okay" said Henry with slight amusement in his voice "dating advice from my number one fan. What have you got?"
"My Mom is too proud for her own good" Lucy said "you have to break down her walls, show her you're humble but veeeeery charming. She wants a partner, but not a saviour".
"Get dynamite to blast through a wall, win her over by being Prince Charming without the sword" Henry said somewhat teasingly.
"Do you want my help or not?" Asked Lucy.
"Okay" said Henry "So what's my big move?"
"What do you usually do to impress girls?" Asked Lucy.
"Play some music" answered Henry "maybe some Beyoncee, Only You by Yazoo, The English Beat, Save It For Later…."
"That's the one!" Exclaimed Lucy "she loves The English Beat".
"She's got taste" Henry said, happily.
Meanwhile, back at Jacinda's Apartment
"Hold up!" Sabine said indignantly to Jacinda "You mean to tell me Henry offered to help with the food truck and you said no?"
"I'm not some damsel who needs a man's assistance with my life, my career, or a little thing like a food truck" Jacinda answered defensively.
Sabine rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Spending time with any member of the male species doesn't automatically mean you're a damsel. You're just using that as an excuse to put up walls keeping all men out of your life. Live a little!"
"I don't want him to think I'm backing down" Jacinda said with a pout.
"Henry does have a little bit of a hero complex" Sabine admitted "Why don't you throw the guy a bone?"
In Another Time Period
Regina was looking for something to do to be needed. She contemplated her life. The best thing she had done was raise Henry, but even in that she had made errors in judgement. She once had tried very hard to make him and the rest of Storybrooke think he was crazy. That was one of the worst things she had ever done. Her reign as queen certainly didn't giver her much to be proud of either. So many people she had hurt needlessly. She asked herself why she did those things. Why had she let herself become the type of person to terrorize and manipulate innocent people? She had learned some of it from her mother but her mother was not around when she truly began to embrace her dark side. One of her first tastes of darkness was banishing her mother to Wonderland. It was Rumplestiltskin's mentorship that slowly turned her dark. She couldn't blame him completely, she allowed herself to be influenced by him. She had wanted it on some level, or it never would have gotten so far out of hand. At the time, it had seemed to her to be a way to take control of her destiny, a way to rise above the feelings of constraint her mother had made her feel all her life.
Regina's train of thought was suddenly broken by a scream for help. A young woman was outside Rapunzel's tower, battling a giant Venus Flytrap that was trying to eat her. Regina used her magic to rescue the girl but then saw it was Drizella, who had helped kidnap Henry.
"I should have let that things eat you!" Regina sneered "you tried to kill my son!"
"Only because my mother made me!" Drizella protested.
"Oh for excuses!" Regina sneered, beginning to walk away, exasperated.
"You think I want to do as my mother commands?" Drizella asked "I was born with magic but my mother never let me cultivate it because she was afraid of me actually being independent. I'm tired of having her control my life".
Regina, in spite of herself, began to empathize with Drizella. She knew what it was like to live with a controlling mother.
"You think I'm gonna fall for this sob story? You're marrying some prince". Regina asked, sceptically.
"It's the truth!" Drizella protested "do you really think I want to marry the prince? You think I don't want to have control of my own destiny?"
"A controlling mother who marries you off to royalty because she thinks of it as upward mobility, regardless what would make you happy. I know what that's like" said Regina, empathetically.
"So you see why I need magic?" Drizella asked "That's what I came here to steal".
"You do need magic" Regina said, suddenly inspired to save this young woman from going down a dark path "but instead of stealing, I can teach you to use your natural gift".
"I would love that" Drizella said "but until I learn, I'm too afraid to rebel against my mother. Will the rebels allow you to train me while I'm married to one of their enemies?"
"We will create a hideout here" Regina declared "we will meet in secret until you are ready to leave behind your mother and the prince. The we will explain things to my son, your stepsister, and the other rebels".
Present Day, Belfrey Towers
Victoria lay on the couch with a cloth over her eyes.
"Are you alright mother?" Ivy asked.
"Yes, Ivy, I'm laying here in the dark because I feel fantastic" Victoria said sarcastically.
"I'm sorry, mother, how can I help?" Asked Ivy.
"By sparing me your grating voice" said Victoria.
In Another Time Period
Drizella had been learning from Regina for several weeks. She was able to beautifully make flowers bloom but she was trying to gain more power by moving rocks.
"I cannot do it" she said, discouraged.
"You just need the right motivation" Regina answered.
Regina brought a piece of Rapunzel's tower down upon herself, almost crushing herself. Drizella saved her by pushing it away with magic. Regina was pleased.
"Excellent work" Regina said proudly "but I warn you, magic comes with a price. Temptation. You must resist the pull of darkness, or you'll wind up doing terrible things as I did.
"What did you do?" Drizella asked.
"I cast a dark curse" Regina explained "ripping everyone from their land, erasing their identities and giving myself power".
Drizella knew she was supposed to be horrified, but she was intrigued.
"This gave you what you wanted?" She asked.
"What I thought I wanted" answered Regina "but there was a hole in my heart no amount of power and control could fill. That's why I adopted my son. He was the only thing that really bring me happiness".
Drizella still couldn't help but want power and control over her mother.
Roni's, Present Day
Ivy came into Roni's, looking to let off steam by causing Roni some trouble. Roni could barely contain her angry eyes. Ivy sat at the bar and ordered some champagne, which she then purposefully spilled.
"Woops" Ivy said, playing innocent.
"You're not getting another one" Roni growled as she started wiping the table.
"You'll give me another one" said Ivy "because I have a rich and powerful mother and could find ways to get you and your bar in trouble if I wanted to".
"You're bluffing" said Roni.
"Do you want to find out?" Asked Ivy.
Roni glared and opened another bottle for Ivy.
"Why are you like this?" Roni asked.
"Difficult upbringing, teachers holding me back" Ivy snarked.
Present Day, Belfrey Towers, Secret Room
"Are you enjoying tormenting Regina?" Mother Gothel asked Ivy.
"Very much so" said Ivy "but who I really want to torment is my mother" she handed Gothel a bunch of flowers.
"Patience, my dear, the time will come" Gothel answered. "these beed fertile ground to give us the magic we need".
"I'm tired of fetching things for you" Ivy whined.
"Patience" Gothel reminded her "remember how we survive.
"I close my eyes and imagine mother's destruction" said Ivy.
"Yes, like I have been helping you towards from the beginning" said Gothel.
In Another Time Period
Drizella lay in bed, next to Prince Gregor, when a sudden noise shook her. She sat up, frightened and out of breath. For a second she thought that whatever startled her was merely in her imagination, but just as she was about to lay back down she saw a figure in her bedroom corner. It was a witch, who introduced herself as Mother Gothel.
"Why are you here?" Drizella demanded, grabbing a clobbering bat she kept near her bed for protection. She also shook Gregor in hopes he would wake up.
"He won't awaken" Gothel said, cooly "nor will that weapon hurt me" she said, snapping her fingers and summoning a vine that snatched the bat right out of Drizella's hand.
"What have you done to him?" Drizella demanded, tearfully.
"Relax" said Gothel, in an annoyed tone "it's just a little stun spore, he'll be fine in the morning. Besides, since when do you care, you didn't even want to marry him?"
Drizella said nothing.
"I heard you've been learning magic from some woman from another realm" Gothel said "but she isn't teaching you everything, is she? She won't teach you dark magic".
"She thinks I can break free of my mother using light magic" Drizella said in Regina's defence.
"Of course that's what she says she thinks" Gothel laughed "she is trying to protect her bright-eyed son and your stepsister he's so fond of. She thinks she can turn you to the rebel's side. But she doesn't trust you, so she is holding you back. She is making you take the long way to power, in hopes she'll soften you by then. There are things she isn't telling you, things that could solve your problems quickly and easily, you know it".
Drizella instantly thought of the dark curse.
"If we work together, we can find a way to cast that dark curse of hers" Gothel said slyly "if you can prove to me you have the stomach for dark magic"
"What would I have to do?" Asked Drizella, curious.
"The same thing your mother did to get rid of your stepmother" answered Gothel "seperate your stepsister from Henry by poisoning their hearts so that they cannot be near each other"
"No" said Drizella "if I hurt Regina's son she'll never forgive me".
"Well if she's more important to you than reaching your real magical potential, that's your choice I suppose" said Gothel "I'll just leave the potion and instructions here in case you change your mind".
Drizella looked at her nightstand as a potion bottle and small scroll appeared. She looked back at Gothel only to see Gothel had vanished.
Present Day, Belfrey Towers, Secret Room
Ivy brought Gothel the soil.
"Fresh from that charmless little community garden" she said.
Mother Gothel breathed in the scent of the flowers and she helped them bloom.
"We will see how powerful Regina really is" she said.
Meanwhile in Tilly's trailer
Rogers arrived at Tilly's home. She invited him to play Chess, to help him think better.
"Shouldn't we reset the board?" Asked Rogers.
"Why would we do that?" Asked Tilly "things are always more interesting when you start in the middle".
Rogers and Tilly played while Rogers told her about Eloise Gardener, the missing girl he was searching for. Tilly turned the board around.
"You need to focus on the pieces you already have" she said "what are you missing that is right in front of you?"
In Another Time Period
Regina was furious when she learned that Drizella poisoned Henry's heart.
"Got him his first kiss with my stepsister, didn't it?" Drizella said defensively.
"But you were trying to keep them apart!" Regina said, unamused "I should have known not to fraternize with the enemy".
Drizella explained about Gothel.
"I need you to help me protect myself from Gothel" Drizella said "if you stop teaching me I'll have to learn from her and I won't be able to resist the darkness. I need you to keep me on the right path".
"Alright" Regina said, somewhat begrudgingly "but my son and your stepsister are off limits from now on".
Present Day Seattle, Roni's
Roni greeted Henry by presenting him with his usual order of beer.
"Just dropped the little darling off at Belfry Towers" Henry said "would you believe she snuck into my car to give me dating advice? One day Victoria's probably gonna have me arrested for accidentally kidnapping".
He took a sip of beer.
"Kid's gonna get me in trouble one of these days too if she keeps trying to hang out at my bar" Roni said while wiping down the counter "but she's so sweet and optimistic it's hard to get mad at her. Ivy, on the other hand, her I can get mad at for causing me trouble".
"What did Ivy do now?" Asked Henry.
Before Roni could answer, Ivy came up into Henry's personal space.
"Henry" Ivy said "we need to drink together more often".
Roni glared at her and gave Henry a "please don't humour her" look. Henry was uncomfortable but too polite to turn Ivy away. He pulled back just enough she wasn't in his face anymore.
"Good to see you again, Ivy" he said.
"Glass of wine, please" Ivy barked at Roni, who reluctantly gave her what she asked for.
In Another Time Period
Drizella was cooking a roast, using a little light magic fro flavouring. Gregor came down from upstairs.
"What having you been whittling the hours away at while I do things for you?" Drizella asked snippily.
Gregor smiled. Drizella had been giving him a hard time lately. She had started out nicer, trying to please him. As she became more comfortable around him, her mean side was coming out more. He knew he was about to see her frostiness melt away though, he had a surprise.
"Why, doing something for you" he said cheerfully, and showed her a drawing he had made of her.
It was beautifully detailed and surrounded by ivy. It captured the nuances in her facial expressions surprisingly well. Drizzella tried not to be impressed or flattered, but her jaw dropped.
"I've really been paying attention" Gregor said.
Drizella was overcome by a feeling of affection and passionately kissed him on the lips.
Roni's, Present Day
Henry was carefully avoiding Ivy's advances, looking around in hopes Jacinda didn't see this. Ivy was telling him all about her problems at work, trying to get him to physically return her affection. Henry's heart sunk when he saw Jacinda walk in. Her eyes met Henry's, he looked embarrassed. Ivy looked at Jacinda and smiled victoriously. Jacinda avoided looking at Henry or Ivy while she asked Roni to borrow her tools again. After Jacinda left, Ivy's beeper went off.
"Ugh" she said "I have to go attend to mother. It was lovely seeing you, Henry".
"Pleasure" Henry said, insincerely.
Ivy left. Roni gave Henry an "I can't believe you didn't cut that off before Jacinda saw" look. Henry hung his head.
In Another Time Period
Regina had now been training Drizella for five years. Henry and Ella had a four year old daughter, Lucy, who Drizella heard about but had not met. The plan had been to leave her mother when she was powerful enough, but now she felt she was in too deep and had also fallen in love with the prince.
"Why don't you join the resistance, Drizella"asked Regina "you have inside knowledge that could help us and I'm sure your stepsister will accept you when we explain to her the progress you've been making. You could get to know your niece".
"It isn't that simple" Drizella said, tears starting to form "my mother has too much power and control, and Gothel on her side. If I managed to escape, they would hurt Gregor, and if I try to talk him into coming with me, I may get caught by his father or my mother before I can get away".
"There has to be some way out of this!" Regina insisted, refusing to give up on her proteges's happiness "You have magic, you can get yourself and Gregor out of there"
"And take him where?" Drizella demanded, hopelessly "to the resistance camp where they'll imprison us both? Where even if I use magic to combat them, I'll have nowhere to go after that?"
"There has to be a way I can help" Regina said desperately.
"If you open try to help me, you'll be in trouble with the resistance" Drizella reasoned, tears starting to stream down her face "you would lose your connection to your son. You never should have gotten involved with me".
Regina was so frustrated, watching this young woman she saw herself in feel so hopeless to escape her mother's control, just as she had once been, afraid of losing the man she loved to her mother's wrath, just as Regina had once and it drove her to evil. She couldn't accept that this was Drizella's fate. She couldn't let Drizella be a victim of her mother, or go dark.
"You have to teach me how to use dark magic!" Drizella tearfully insisted "That's how you got free of your mother's control. You sent her to Wonderland, I can stand up to my mother too if you would just show me dark magic!"
"That was my first step towards evil" Regina said "I cannot let you go down that path".
"How else do you expect me to stand up to my mother!?" Demanded Drizella
"There has to be a way you can escape without resorting to that" Regina insisted.
"Only if I move on from Gregor" said Drizella "but according to you that would be going down the wrong path too".
"It would" said Regina "when I was finally persuaded that Daniel couldn't be brought back, it was the push that made me completely embrace the darkness. I don't want to see that happen to you".
"If you really cared about me, you would see that dark magic is my best chance" insisted Drizella.
"It is nobody's best chance" Regina said firmly "now stop this madness and let's find a real solution".