Wow, I haven't updated for ages, I am so sorry. Anyways, I had another plan, but then I got bored, so I went with this. All mistakes are mine, you know the rest of the stuff. Thank you for reading so far and I'll try to keep updates pretty quick. I promise this is leading up to a really good little arc. Please review, and enjoy!

"Now, just hold your hand up –"

"Like this?"

"Yes, that's it. And just… release," said Regina as a fireball flew out of her hand and impacted against a snow-covered tree nearby. The tree exploded, sending flakes of snow in all directions. Regina smirked and turned to Belle. "Your turn." Belle nodded, wiping snow and twigs from her hair as she took up a similar stance to Regina's – right foot slightly in front of the left, a grounded stance, her right hand stretched out in front of her, her left hand crossed horizontally behind it, her centre of gravity ever so slightly forwards.

"Good," commented Regina. "Now breathe in." Belle did so, filling her lungs to the brim. "And release." Belle breathed out. As she did, she concentrated, and a fireball – much smaller than Regina's, but still burning – formed in her hand.

"Don't lose it," chimed Regina, stepping a little closer. From the last few tries, she now knew it would be a good idea to be ready to produce a shield to protect not only herself, but Belle. She had nearly blasted her eyebrows off with the last attempt. Belle nodded, and the fireball flickered a little, dimming, before growing slightly larger.

"Aim for that tree." Belle focussed on the tree and breathed again, before hurling the fireball through the air. It sailed over the snowy ground and hit the tree, blowing it to smouldering pieces.

"Well done."

"Thank you."

"You really are quite good at this."

"Really?" asked Belle, looking up at Regina with her bright blue eyes.

"Yes. But you have a lot to learn –" Regina didn't get to finish her sentence, as a loud snapping noise sounded from behind them. Both women froze and turned, simultaneously, towards the source. They were deep in the woods, surrounded by trees. Not many people came out here very often. Regina had a bad feeling, but she didn't make a fuss just yet.

"Should we be worried?" hissed Belle, her hands balled into fists as she scanned the trees around them.

"I'm not sure yet," replied Regina honestly. "Just remember what I taught you."

"Alright." Another snap, closer this time. And another. Belle stood on the slippery snow, her brown boots digging in slightly to give her grip. Her black jeans were covered by a long black coat, under which she wore a blue shirt. Her coat tails caught in the light but cold breeze as her hair was whipped to the side. Regina's pencil skirt was barely ruffled, as was her hair. Her black coat seemed to shimmer slightly as she tightened her fist, drawing magic from her core. Then, the roaring started.

Regina and Belle dived apart as a huge oak tree toppled over, nearly flattening them. Belle got to her feet and looked across the metre wide trunk to Regina, who was glowering at a massive ogre.

"Ogres, again?" shouted Belle, hoping her voice didn't quiver too much. Regina didn't answer, but hurled a ball of fire at the creature. It hit its chest, the blast knocking it back, but its skin was barely burned.

"They have very thick hides!" yelled Regina.

"But the inside is tender flesh!" replied Belle, ducking behind the tree trunk for cover. Regina did the same, as she ogre stomped nearer, roaring its head off.

"I am not being eaten by that thing," warned Regina, mentally leafing through her magical arsenal. In the Enchanted Forest, she could do anything, but here, it was more unpredictable. The more practised were more reliable.

"No! We just go for the eye or the mouth."

"Like it's that easy!" Regina peeked out just in time to shove Belle out of the way as the ogre smashed a fist into the trunk, shattering it into splinters.

"What else can we do?"

"Fine!" replied Regina after a moment. "I'll try and fry it, you distract it for me!" she yelled.

"How exactly?" demanded Belle as she hurled a small fireball at the ogre's head. It struck its right temple but the explosion was barely noticeable.

"What have I been teaching you?" Belle quickly went through all she could confidently do. It had been two weeks since she had started learning, and was a quick student. However, she had only ever blown up a few trees or occasionally moved from one side of a room to another. Gritting her teeth, she held her hands out by her sides and concentrated. The snow around her started to move, swirling in a lazy circle around her. When she was ready, she threw it all forwards, the snow sharpening to tiny, sharp icicles by the cold wind. The gust she had created carried the hail to the ogre, where it peppered its skin. Though the damage was superficial, it stung enough for the ogre to roar loudly in pain. Regina took her chance and fired three fireballs in quick succession at the ogre's face. One struck its cheek, another its forehead, leaving nasty black scorch marks, but the third went straight into its mouth, where it exploded and blew its teeth out. The ogre groaned, blood dripping out of its mouth as it seemed to just hang there, swaying in the breeze, before it collapsed, slamming to the ground as fire blazed down its charred throat and into its stomach. Belle glanced at its eyes. They were wide open, but still. Joining Regina, who was brushing herself off, they stared at the ogre for a few seconds.

"How did it get here?" asked Belle, eyeing it curiously. Flashbacks from the battle that seemed not so long ago were racing through her mind. When she thought Ruby might –

"I don't know," replied Regina thoughtfully. "But we can find out." With that, she trudged through the shallow snow, her black boots crunching the snow beneath her feet. Belle hastened to catch up, hands stuffed in her pockets for warmth.

"Shouldn't we get help before we rush off blindly into the woods?"

"My dear. That would take time. And I have enough power to close the stray portal these ogres are no doubt coming out of."

They walked on, the cold breeze chilling their bones. The snow had stopped falling the night before, thankfully. Belle knew she would not win this argument, so she followed on. She remembered the last time she had walked through the woods with the Queen. How very different things were this time. Ruby was working at the diner, and Belle was bored. So Regina had offered to teach her more… offensive magic, but away from the town. She knew Henry didn't like her using magic, especially not harmful magic, but she thought it was the best way to learn. And it was useful. Belle was finding magic easy to learn, much like Regina had herself, and was now grasping defensive magic. Regina wasn't sure exactly how far she should go. Learning magic wasn't really a pick and choose thing. Belle would soon get the hang of offensive magic, and then Regina would have to decide how much was appropriate to teach her. But Regina had faith that Belle wouldn't use magic for her own gain. She wasn't like Rumplestiltskin, or herself for that matter. Regina had been soured, Rumple was bitter, but Belle wouldn't go dark. And Regina decided then not to let it go too far.

They came across a thicket a few minutes later. They both knew that this was exactly what they were looking for. Belle gasped as they approached. In the middle of the clearing was a large, tall portal, stretching around three metres towards the sky from the ground. They could see splashes of blurred colour on the other side, and a strange energy seemed to radiate out of it.

"This was not what I expected," commented Regina.

"Where do you think that goes?" asked Belle, resisting the temptation to touch the blurry, hazy surface. It seemed rimmed with a light purple colour.

"I'd guess to the Enchanted Forest. It feels like it, anyway."

"Can you close it?"

"Not one this big, no. Even I need help to close this properly."

"So what do we do?" Just as Belle finished, something dark moved on the other side of the portal. Regina and Belle both jumped back, a fireball appearing in Regina's hands and the snow began to swirl again around Belle. They waited as the dark things seemed to get bigger, before there was a cry and something tumbled through the portal, landing face first in the snow.

"Is that a person?" asked Regina, careful not to get too close. Belle squinted slightly. There was something familiar about the armour. The person leapt to their feet and drew a sword, pointing it at Regina and Belle in turn.

"Wait a second," muttered Belle. Regina glanced at her.

"You?" said the stranger, bemused.

"Mulan?"