Hey all! Been kinda sick but I'm back! Thousand Foot Krutch gets us going this chapter. Onwards!

"This is beyond messed up." David groaned. "Seems like reality shifts every five minutes. Either my memory is faulty as hell or I've lived both lives in a vacuum."

"First my son turns out to be that schizoid psycho's heart. Then we find out Pan used to be an innocent kid that got whacked by his own family centuries ago. Not only is Felix his second in command but his nephew and LOVER." The shiver that ran down Neal's spine couldn't be concealed. "The guy who was boning my mother is some new aged zombie soul collector. And the Evil Queen's true love. Because, fuck you too logic. Is anything the way it's supposed to be?!" Neal buried his face in his hands.

"In order: Reality is all about perception. With how mortal brains work, memories aren't exactly trustworthy to begin with. And yes, everything is exactly the way it should be. But that's rapidly changing."

Behind team Good n Evil, a familiar silvered haired teen appeared. Instantly, The Lost Boys were kneeling, heads bowed. This was definitely the same kid from the forest.

Who they now knew to be the Moon, the God Pan faithfully served.

"Took you long enough. For three heroes, a con artist and two veteran grandmasters of villainy, you have the deductive skills of a radish. There's a whole lot that doesn't make sense about the world you live in but it never bothered any of you because everybody had different pieces of the puzzle. Welcome to the Masquerade."

*OUATE*

"Holy shit..."

The sight that greeted Ruby, Grumpy and Blue was concerning. Sand as far as the eye could see. Gold's shop had been ransacked. Display cases busted, merchandise strewn about and tables over turned. Grains crunched loudly under their feet as they entered. The walls looked to have been scoured by a brillo pad. Nothing was standing.

It had been decided that they may as well fight fire with fire. The most powerful dark sorcerer the knew trusted Belle to enact a spell to protect the town. So maybe she had access to more spells. Speaking of which...

"BELLE!"

There was no sign of her as far as the fairy and dwarf could tell but they lacked Ruby's senses. She darted over to a pile of broken shelves and bric a brac furiously digging into the mound of sand. Leroy joined her until tufts of brown curly hair were uncovered. Her friend was barely conscious. Skin battered, bruised and bleeding. Her hair full of silica.

"Child what happened? Are you alright?" Blue cleared a small area to kneel beside the young werewolf cradling her injured friend. With a wave if her wand, most of the injuries faded and Belle let out a relieved sigh. "I'm sorry but with limited fairy dust my spells are not quite as powerful."

"Don't worry Blue, you did plenty." She laughed only to immediately wince and clutch her side. "Or at least enough."

"What the hell happened in here kid? A tornado?"

"Really Leroy? Just take it easy and get oriented first Belle." Ruby helped her sit up, offering support when the poor girl threatened to tip over. Steeling herself, she began to explain.

"I was cleaning behind the counter. Gold never dusts there so I was crouched down and did see who came in when I heard the bell. A woman's voice asked if this was the Dark One's shop. I'd never heard this person before and shot up in shock. Then she introduced my face to the display case." She sighed.

"Did she have bronzed skin and black hair?" Blue asked.

"No idea. Never saw anything before she clocked me and threw me over here and gave me the world's worst exfoliation. I did manage to hear her mumbling about a box. Something she needed for a ritual. After that, Ruby was pulling me free."

"What was Jasmine was looking for?" Ruby rolled her top lip between her teeth.

"Who?"

"The wife of Mozenrath. She already stole someone's heart now she tore apart the shop." The supreme fairy sighed. "She's powerful on her own and whatever she's looking for can't be good."

"Well she either found it or didn't. Regardless, I would have to do an inventory to know."

"I could help." Ruby offered. "I mean the digging alone could take days by yourself."

"Thanks, I appreciate it, but no. Some of this stuff is too dangerous to be handled by anyone other than me or Rum. He got paranoid about me triggering some wicked thingamajig or another in here by accident. I have a charm that shields me but the protection is only to the wearer." With great difficulty, she got to her feet. "You all should be looking for that she devil. Gimme a sec and I'll be fine."

Even with the logic behind it, Ruby really did not want to leave. Her protective instincts were telling her the other woman would be vulnerable alone. But, Jasmine knows they'd be looking for her so why come back? At least so soon? Still...

"Alright. Just keep in touch. Here's my cell-"

"Um...no need to give it." The injured woman's face flushed. "Rum bought me a nice phone last week. I have everybody's numbers in it."

"That's not creepy." Leroy muttered. "You heard the lady. So where to now Blue?"

"Well, we'll need all the fairy dust we can get. Ruby, tell Granny to dust off her crossbow and gather any warriors we have. The girls and I may have a way but it's risky."

As the bell chimed, signaling their departure, Belle sank to the gritty floor holding her head.

Naturally no one saw the smirk that played across her face.

As her skin took on the coarse properties of stone and her body crumbled to dust.

*OUATE*

"Yeah well you could have just told us! No one wants to solve riddles with their lives in danger!" Emma snapped.

"He didn't have a choice mom. There's rules-"

"No need to defend me kid. Thanks though. As Henry said, I'm bound by rules. Unless very specific conditions are met, I can't tell you anything. My direct interaction with you could only be limited." The Moon motioned to the kneeling boys to rise and continue their business.

"So what was that about the village? You told us where to go and avoid Seether." Neal questioned.

"No he didn't. He lied." Rumple scoffed. "You knew there was no way we would make it past the barrier."

"Now you realize that? It's not like I could come right out and say that. Instead, I got you close to someone who could. Our Priests and Priestesses serve as our intermediaries in the mortal world. Tiger Lily was chosen by my sister but her devotion to exercising her duty made her the perfect person to save your bacon. She even told you so. Henry I had more leeway with because he's part of my Evil Angel.

Any way, since you finally figured it out and Pan's whole again, I can talk to you about the real issue. Destane. The guy is harder to kill than a plague and just as bad."

"I thought this Destane guy was dead." Emma huffed.

"That was his plan. Bottom line, he wants my mother's job as ruler of this reality. Something happened that yanked my twin sister into another reality and he pounced on the opportunity. For that last couple of millennia, he's been trying to amass enough power by simply stealing it from others."

"Any you just let him?" Regina scoffed.

"Unfortunately I've been so busy trying to keep the universe from folding in on itself I didn't notice the bastard until one of my destined priest was murdered. Lady Aurii, who holds all of creation together by the way, was and still is unconscious and my sister is affinity knows where right now. Sorry one wicked but still mortal man didn't seem like a priority to me at the time your highness" The Moon shrugged. "If it makes you feel any better, he started this whole mess. Destane orchestrated events to prevent me from stabilizing anything after my mother lapsed into a coma by trying to take away my priest. Giving him a better shot at usurping her throne. Too bad he didn't consider that I can be just as much of a manipulative bastard."

*OUATE*

"No. I won't do it." Jefferson shook his head.

"(Sigh) And why not?" Jasmine let go and flopped back down in her seat.

"The last time I did...what came back was not a person. It wasn't alive."

"Mm? You made a mistake once. We all do-"

"No! You don't understand! The thing that came back looked like her. Sounded like her. Even smiled like her but it wasn't. It was a mindless killing machine. It used my trust and almost took my daughter's life! If a person is killed by dark enough magic, all that remains as a twisted shadow of who they once were."

The desert Queen sat in silence for a moment. Judging from his shaking, the emotion in his voice, she concluded that the one he spoke of was someone very close to him. After a while, she finally asked

"Who?"

"Grace's mother. My Alice."

*OUATE*

I know Gold and Regina drained all the magic in the mine. But was it just me or were the tunnels not very deep into the earth?

Oh no! What happened to Belle? The shop's condition is a big clue.

As for Blue's plan? Let's just say desperation leads to dangerous and often infinitely stupid ideas.

What's the story behind Alice?

What do you guys think? Reviews are like hugs! Sirensoundwave out!