Chapter 12: The Cabin in the Woods

Storybrooke

Rumplestiltskin and the Snow Queen walked through the forest and arrived at a cabin in the woods. The Dark One had just recruited Ingrid to join his coalition of villains dedicated to finding the Author. He sent the other Queens of Darkness to recruit other villains as well.

"This is your base of operations?" Ingrid asked.

"It's small and hidden." Rumple said. "Let's go inside."

Rumple and Ingrid then entered the cabin to find it empty. No one else had returned yet.

"Where is everyone?" Ingrid asked.

"They'll be here soon." Rumple said.

"What happened to my nieces and Alice?" Ingrid asked. She was curious about where Elsa and Anna were now and she wanted to know what happened to Alice, the woman who imprisoned her in the Sorcerer's hat. "I heard she's on another continent."

"Elsa and Anna have returned to Arendelle." Rumple said. "Alice is in Europe looking for Victoria."

"We brought Victoria back to Storybrooke." Ingrid said. "How did she end up in London?"

"She resurrected Maleficent and used magic to go there. Now, she's retuned to Storybrooke, but Alice doesn't know that."

"That's not true." The Jabberwocky said as she entered the cabin with Maleficent. The last time the Jabberwocky saw the Snow Queen, Ingrid almost froze her to death in Neverland. "Victoria is not in Storybrooke anymore. I could smell her before and I can't smell her now."

"I left her here with Cruella." Rumple said.

"Cruella was never here." The Jabber said. "I never smelled her."

"Then who did we bring to Storybrooke?" Maleficent asked.

"The Wicked Witch." The Jabber said. "I'd know her stench anywhere. I can still smell her. Zelena is still in Storybrooke somewhere."

"What about Ursula?" Rumple asked. "I told her to find Jafar."

"They're not here either." The Jabber replied. "They must have abandoned you as well."

Rumplestiltskin then looked around at his new team of villains. The Dark One, the Dragon Queen, the Snow Queen, and a fear monster could still very well find the Author without Victoria, Ursula, or Jafar. He figured that his plans had not completely died.

"We'll just have to find the Author without them." Rumple said.

"How?" Ingrid asked."

"Pinocchio." Rumple said. "That little boy knows something. Back when he was a man, he encountered the Author. Now that he's been made a boy again, he's forgotten. We have to make him remember."

"How do we do that?" The Jabberwocky asked.

"With dark magic." Maleficent said. "I'll take the boy and bring him back here."

"I want to go too." The Jabberwocky said.

"I don't need your help." Maleficent said.

"I've been trapped in the Sorcerer's Hat." The Jabber said. "I need to get some action and some food."

"You can't kill Pinocchio." Rumple said. "Not while we still need him."

"I wasn't talking about him." The Jabber replied. "His father will be scared when he sees me and Maleficent. I want to feed on his fear. I'm so hungry."

"Fine." Maleficent said.

The Dragon Queen then waved her arm, consuming herself and the Jabberwocky in magic smoke and disappearing.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Ingrid said.

"Trust me." Rumple said. "It's all under control."

What all four villains were unaware of was the fact that they were being watched. The Wicked Witch was standing outside the cabin using her magic to overhear their entire plan. She briefly considered joining them, but soon remembered that she works best alone. Zelena then started to craft a nasty scheme of her own. Now that she knew what the Dark One was up to, she needed to find Mary Margaret, Belle, and Regina.