It was getting late and both girls were famished but it was also time to put their plan into action. Meredith studied the lock on the door, wishing she had a bobby pin or a paper clip to try to pick it as she'd seen characters in movies do.

"Regina can you look around and see if you can find something like a bobby pin or a paper clip?" she whispered.

"You gonna try to pick the lock?"

"Yep."

"Okay." The little girl ran around the room opening dresser drawers and closets and throwing items out while she searched. "Nothin but clothes, Merri! Whose room was this?"

Meredith shrugged her shoulders. "It was a girl's room. Keep lookin! She had to use some kinda pins to put her hair up. Gramma does. I really miss her."

"Do you miss Archie now too?"

"Uh-huh. I really gotta tell him I'm sorry. He's always tried hard to be nice to me."

"You can when we get outta here. Aww crap! Merri I can't find anything! We're gonna havta wait for that witch to open the door." Regina sniffled. "But what if she doesn't? What if she lets us starve in here?"

Meredith threw her arms around the younger girl and hugged her. "Hey, hey it's okay. We're gonna get outta here. We're naughty and we never fail, right?"

Regina smiled through her tears. "Right."

An hour later they heard the doorknob turn and Zelena entered the room. "I suppose I should feed you. What do you want?"

Both girls smirked. "Cookies!"

"Cookies?"

"You know how to make 'em. don'cha?" Regina demanded.

"Yes, I know how to make cookies!"

"So make us chocolate chip ones or we'll have you arrested for child abuse," Meredith threatened. "You know what they do to witches in prison?"

Regina giggled behind her hand.

"No."

"It's not pretty, my pretty..." Meredith taunted. Regina giggled.

"Shut up!"

Meredith held her nose. "What stinks in here? Smells like a toilet. You forget to flush or what?"

"What are you talking about, child?"

"It stinks like poop! Can't ya smell it?" Regina held her own nose. "Better check your undies lady in case you got skiddies."

Meredith leaned against the wall laughing hysterically. "She doesn't even know what skiddies are! I bet she's got a whole racetrack in there. Gross!"

"Shut up! Both of you just shut up or you'll have zippers for mouths!" Zelena threatened though it was an idle one. Her mother would skin her alive if she harmed one hair on her precious daughter's head. She spun on her heel and slammed the door behind her, grateful for a reprieve from the annoying little brats. She went into the kitchen and summoned one of her cookbooks. She'd once tried to use her culinary talents to seduce the Wizard of Oz but all they accomplished was making him so ill he couldn't get out of bed for two days and banished to the Haunted Forest. She also needed to cook for her other guest but he always refused her offerings and she had to wonder how he managed to survive without food for so long.

"Wish I had a wand so we could send Witch Hunting Barbie and Cannibal Barbies after her," Regina murmured from her place on the bed in their room while Meredith attempted to pick the lock with only thing they'd been able to find, a letter opener. "How's it goin?"

"Shh...I'm listening," Meredith whispered, her ear pressed against the door. Regina jumped off the bed and lay down, attempting to see through the gap between the door and the floor.

"Hurry up 'fore she comes back."

"I'm trying but these locks are really tricky. Get back. I think I got it. I got it!" They heard a click. Regina reached for the knob and opened the door just enough to poke her head out. "Coast's clear!"

The two girls took off their shoes and threw them in the bedroom, tiptoeing down the hall.

"Watch for those flying monkey things," she whispered to Meredith. They approached the kitchen and saw smoke emitting from the room followed by a string of curses. They pulled their shirts up over their noses to avoid inhaling smoke and continued down the hall. Regina clapped her hand over her mouth and ducked behind a statue when she spotted a flying monkey asleep in the hallway. It opened its eyes briefly then fell back to sleep. The girls waited several minutes before they emerged from their hiding places and crept past the sleeping creature as quietly as they could. The monkey opened its eyes again and took flight. It flew out a window and down the yellow brick road, landing softly. A puff of smoke surrounded it and a dalmatian now stood in its place as the Commander approached.

You owe me for this Archie!

Archie Ozopov Hopper shook his head. "I don't enjoy being the Commander again any more than you do being Pallux, Pongo but I need information about that castle and its inhabitants."

You can't go in?

"I can attempt it as a cricket but even that will be risky. I can feel MacNamara draining my powers as we speak."

How is that possible? He's locked up.

"I'm not descended from the gods. Zelena is. He can't drain her as quickly as he can drain me unless he's out of the prison she built for him. Even you run the risk of being trapped in your mobat demon form until we can get back to Juno Beach."

Pongo growled. I'd like to avoid that if I can. And if you go in as a cricket you risk being trapped in that form until Azkadellia can fix it.

"Unless..."

Unless what?

"I did have MacNamara make me a promise that he would summon me if he needed me. I wonder if he remembered it."

Let's hope for our sakes he did. Why? What are you thinking?

"He's not going to like it but I'm going to suggest that he play nice with his hostess."

Please excuse me while I vomit.

"He's not going to get out of his prison at the rate he's going and he needs to be out in order to weaken her."

Then we can make our move?

"We can try. But first let me see if I can get in there long enough to talk to him."

Zelena scraped another dozen of burned cookies off the tray and threw them in the trash. Those brats were going to eat what she cooked next and like it or they would do without. It was what her adoptive father always made her do when she refused to eat his cooking that was no better than her own. She slammed a pot down on the stove and began chopping vegetables for a stew. They were fortunate she didn't give them stale bread and water.

"Guess we can forget having cookies," Meredith whispered when they snuck past the kitchen again. "She's making veggie soup...and I'm so hungry I might just eat it."

"We gotta make her taste it first so we make sure she didn't put no poison in it. She's coming!"

The girls concealed themselves behind two antique vases then followed Zelena down the hall to the throne room and hid behind two suits of armor. Regina spotted a familiar looking wand on the table.

"There it is! That's the wand I used but it's up really high!"

"Not for me." Meredith grinned.

"Get it Merri!"

As she climbed onto one of the chairs to reach the table Meredith noticed a broom sitting in the corner. She snatched the wand off the table and climbed down, handing it to Regina. and grabbed the broom. "Wonder how you get this thing to fly?"

Regina aimed the wand at the broom. "Start flyin you!" she commanded.

"Holy crap! Regina, it's working!" Meredith smirked. "Watch this!"

"Go Merri, go!" Regina cheered when the older girl took flight.

"Yooo whooo witchy poo! Guess who's got your broom!" Meredith taunted when she flew into the kitchen.

"GET BACK HERE NOW!" Zelena screamed.

Meredith flew over to Regina and held out her hand, pulling her onto the broom behind her. "Hold on tight! We're getting outta here."

"Oh no you don't!" Zelena summoned another broom. Her old broom would now obey those brats' commands but this one would follow her orders and no one else's. "Out of my way, bug!" she yelled as she flew past a cricket and nearly clipped his wings. She waved her hand and a set of bars appeared on the window Meredith and Regina were about to fly out of. Regina pointed the wand and the bars turned into licorice sticks, the window into bubbles.

"Oooh, cherry! My favorite!" Meredith cheered and bit into a licorice stick. "Duck, Regina! We're goin out!"

Regina held on tighter.

"...What the bloody hell is going on out there?" MacNamara mused and set his book side. Seconds later a cricket crashed against the glass of his prison and fell to the floor. MacNamara stood up and chuckled as the cricket took the human form of a man he knew all too well.

"Well, well well...Commander Jiminy Ozopov! I was just thinking about you! Still look the same as you did eighteen years ago...well, except for a few grays in the mustache and beard."

Archie rose to his feet and glowered at him. "Cut the jokes! Regina and the girl she's with just hijacked Zelena's broom and are trying to escape but they're gonna need our help and I'M not gonna be much help to them while you're draining me faster than a car with the lights on all night!"

"I thought maybe you found some way around that."

"Well I haven't. Stand back and call me Jiminy. Don't want to confuse the girls since they're used to this world's Archie." Jiminy summoned his umbrella and swung it against the glass.

"Don't you have anything stronger?"

"My umbrella does a lot more than just keep me dry," He swung it again. "Dammit!"

"You have Thor's hammer anywhere in your arsenal?"

"Rumple...dammit...might have it...but he's in the hospital. Not even a scratch! Do YOU have any of Loki's weapons in your arsenal?"

"Why would I have anything belonging to gods? That's your department. Forget about me! Go after the girls!"

"I need you to weaken Zelena and to do that I need you of this cage. Not how I planned it but we're running out of time!"

"Then go!"

Jiminy sagged against the glass.

"Oh no...don't you dare pass out Commander! Last thing we need is both of us in this cage!"

"Drained me too much..." Jiminy murmured and turned back into a cricket.

"I have got to get this under control!" MacNamara slammed his fist against the wall of his prison in frustration.

"Regina, I'm gonna take her down. Hold on!" Meredith called out as they flew down the yellow brick road with Zelena in pursuit.

"Merri, she's gaining on us!" Regina cried.

"I'm gonna head for the trees!"

"Yay! Let's make her smash into one! How'd you learn to fly so good? I thought you read all the time."

"Stole some girl's Nintendo DS," Meredith replied. "Keep holdin on! We're goin back up!"

"STOP! STOP!" Zelena screamed, yanking on the the handle of her broom while it sped toward the trunk of a large oak tree.

Whap!

"Hey witch, don'cha know you're not 'sposed to drink an fly?" Regina asked, giggling.

"Hey Marty, look at this!" the oak tree raised its branch and pointed at the witch wrapped around it. "Ole Greenie musta tied one on!"

The other trees howled with laughter.

"Hey! You talk!" Meredith exclaimed.

"Course they talk. Don'cha 'member Wizard of Oz. Hi, Mister Tree." Regina greeted.

"Hello little one," another large oak lowered one of its branches and lifted the girls onto it.

"Hey, you're new around here," said the oldest oak.

"Just helping the little ladies out."

"My name's Regina an this is Meredith."

"Well I'm very pleased to meet you both."

"What's your name?"

"My name? Well...ahhh..."

"Is it hard to say?" Meredith inquired.

"Umm...I guess you can call me Tricky. Yes, I think Tricky will suit me for this occasion." The tree chuckled.

"But my real name is Skytreader."

"Okay can we call you that?"

"You may."

"Cool!"

"I know you ladies would like to get home and I know someone who can help you. He's locked in the castle. I cannot free him in this form but perhaps you can. And...I think our green skinned friend has more just desserts coming to her, don't you?"

"Yeah!"

"Well then...here's what you can do..." The tree began to whisper in the girls' ears.

Zelena sat up and rubbed her aching forehead.

"Those brats! When I catch them I'm gonna rip the hair from their scalps!"

She rose and brushed the dirt off the front of her dress, whistling for her broom. They were only children and this was her domain. They couldn't hide from her forever and she had their only route home; the silver slippers on her feet. She flew off into the Haunted Forest.

"I'm getting sleepy," Regina yawned.

"Me too," said Meredith.

Skytreader shuffled his branches to form makeshift beds for them. "Go on and lie down for a while girls. She won't find you here."

He began to hum a lullaby as he rocked them to sleep. Moments later he heard screeching and a monkey flew at him holding a cricket in its claws.

Keep your master outside so he can recover his strength, Pallux.

Who are you? Do I know you?

No but I know you Pallux Demonio of Ephesis.

I prefer Pongo and I live in Juno Beach now, not the Ozian Hell Realm.

Pongo it is then. Tell me, why is your master here? He is not a Guardian of this Realm.

No but one of our darkest evils is roaming free in this realm. The witch is of her bloodline and she holds an ally of his captive.

And both will answer to ME!

Why is that?

Because the man your master is attempting to rescue is MY kin!

Ah. I see. And which pantheon do you belong to?

That is my business for now.

Fair enough. Can't you free him?

Not in this form but these naughty little ladies certainly can.

And what of the witch?

We have a few surprises in store for her. Some that may require your assistance.

I am at your service. My master won't mind.

Oh I know he won't. Rest up little demon. We have a witch to torture.

The Black Pearl

Will was busy scrubbing the decks when he spotted two objects floating in the water along the Pearl's starboard side. He gestured and they appeared on the deck before him. "Jess! Go get Mama and Papa quick! We just received two of their message ships!"

"What's all the commotion lad?" Jack demanded when he emerged from his quarters with Rhea at his side.

"Look. Two of Mama's message ships!" He held out the first one.

"A Piece of Eight sail. A message from the Brethren Court," Jack murmured.

"A spinning wheel sail. That's Rumple's symbol!" Rhea exclaimed.

She waved her hand over the first ship and her brother's image appeared on the deck. "Cora is here and she's taken Regina. Come as soon as you can, dearie. I need you," it said.

Jess waved her hand over the second ship. An image of the Pirate Lord Elizabeth Swann-Turner appeared on the deck. "Captain Sparrow, Hook has captured the sea goddess Ursula in violation of the Code. We are at war. Hoist the Colors, Captain and join us in the seas at Storybrooke!"

"Will! Bring the bean lad!" Jack shouted. "We sail for Storybrooke!"

Rhea summoned one of her own message ships. "Rumple, Hook has captured the sea goddess Ursula and intends to invade Storybrooke. Call in your favor, dearie. I know Ursula will be happy to repay it. We're on our way!" She tossed the smaller ship into the water as the portal opened to take the Pearl to Storybrooke. Across the realms similar portals opened as pirates loyal to both sides set sail for the small Maine town.

Another Realm

"Where's Loki? He missed dinner again," Frigga complained to her husband.

"Loki's not here. He's in Oz," Odin replied, petting his raven Huninn.

"Oz? What's he doing there?"

"Playing with children and torturing wicked witches. The usual mischief."

Frigga laughed. "That's our Loki. I'll just save him a plate."

"Better make it a huge one. He'll be famished after this job."

"So what did this witch do to piss him off?"

"The thing one should never do if they hope to live to see tomorrow. Harm one of his own."

She smiled evilly. "And ours. In that case I'll save him a feast on the condition that we meet this new kin of ours. Why didn't he tell us?"

"He wasn't aware of their existence until now."

"Their? There are more?"

"There are three. Twin boys and a girl."

"Wonderful! New grandchildren to spoil and send home!"

"They're adults now dear with offspring of their own."

"All the better."

They were looking forward to meeting the newest members of their family.