"So what do these photographs mean to you, Miss Swan?" Lonnie asked as Emma was still in awe of her recent discovery.
"Well, first things first, I have to find Sidney." Emma explained.
"Sidney?" Lonnie repeated curiously.
"He was a genie from Agrabah who became the servant in the magic mirror for Evie's mother and he later pretty much became her weasel to try to run Emma out of town." Elwin explained.
"He was a genie?" Emma asked in disbelief.
"Are you really surprised about anything anymore?" Jay smirked.
"Watch it, don't make me ground you too." Emma warned him.
Jay shrugged innocently in response.
"Okay, so where do we find this Sidney?" Elsa asked Emma.
"I don't know where he could be, do you guys since you go to school with his daughter?" Emma told her and then asked Elwin, Jay, and Lonnie.
"I don't really know her that well." Lonnie said with a shrug.
"We don't really hang out." Elwin added.
"I've seen her every once in a while, we used to see movies together on the weekends, but nothing really came of it," Jay added. "Her dad's a mysterious person, I think he only really talked to Mayor Mills to talk about his newspaper The Daily Mirror."
"Oh, man, who could forget about that?" Elwin snorted and smirked. "'Jordan Glass, Future Reporter for The Daily Mirror'."
"Yeah, Jordan, we've known you our whole lives, especially Ben." Jay smirked back in agreement.
"Then I guess I might have to ask Regina," Emma then said. "Anyone wanna come with?"
"I volunteer myself." Jay offered.
Emma just slanted her eyes at that in mild annoyance.
"Could I perhaps come along?" Elsa offered. "I guess it would help me get to know the town better and maybe this could be my lead to Anna."
"In that case I should come too." Elwin then said.
"Are you sure?" Elsa asked as she faced him.
"Elsa, let's face it, we're family somehow, especially to this Snow Queen who I believed to be my mother from what I believe to be my whole life or at least a fraction of it, so yes, I'm sure." Elwin replied in determination.
"Wow." Lonnie whispered at how brave and admirable that sounded.
"Show-off." Jay scoffed and groaned, crossing his arms in slight jealousy.
"Jay, if you want, I can stay with you?" Lonnie offered with a small smile. "At least until Ms. Lotus comes over to pick me up since it'll be dark soon."
"Well, okay." Jay said with a small smirk.
"Sure, I'll just need to make a couple of phone calls," Lonnie said before facing Emma. "Miss Swan, may I order some Granny's for mine and Jay's dinner?"
"Aw, come on! That's hardly fair when I have this... this toaster pastry that barely has any flavor." Will complained as he brought out the lame Pop-Tart he was given as his dinner along with a bottle of water.
"Well, it's against policy, but I guess I can make an exception this time, but only this once." Emma advised.
"Yes, ma'am, of course," Lonnie nodded. "I just hate that I'll have to leave Jay alone for a few minutes to go and get the food."
"Don't worry, Granny offers deliveries." Elwin reassured her.
"Really?" Lonnie asked out of surprise.
"Well, yeah," Elwin chuckled. "Her granddaughter is Red Riding Hood after all."
"Oh, that's right..." Lonnie said and realized with a small laugh. "I'm sorry I won't be much entertainment, Jay, but you can at least have my company and some pretty good food tonight."
"I guess it's better than nothing," Jay shrugged and smirked. "Just a shame I can't show you how hard I've been working for Tourney in school the last few days before our next practice."
"Maybe you can and maybe I can show you some of MY moves too, especially in fencing since my mom taught me how to use my very own warrior sword." Lonnie smirked back.
"Are you two sweet on each other or something?" Emma asked the two teens, making them look a little embarrassed.
"Come on, let's go hit the road while we still can," Elwin suggested as he sensed Lonnie's embarrassment. "We don't wanna let the trail get cold... erm... colder than it already is."
"Very well then, let's go." Emma nodded in agreement.
And so, everyone went their separate ways, whether by car or Lonnie sitting on the couch closest to Jay's cell while they would hang out for an hour or two until she would be escorted home.
Meanwhile, at the Charming loft, a couple of visitors come by to help out the couple in need along with little Baby Leo. Goldie was holding Baby Leo in her arms while Koda tried to communicate with the baby.
"My name's Koda, okay? Say it with me now," Koda said as he tried to enunciate and use his hands as gestures to spell his name out to make the baby say it. "Koooooh. Daaaaah."
"Shh. He's sleeping." Goldie said softly as she gently rocked Baby Leo.
"Aw, man... I was gonna tell him about the time me and my friend Cubby in Neverland found the biggest pinecone ever," Koda pouted and grinned as he spread his hands out. "Bigger than Peter Pan's big fat head!"
Goldie snorted and smirked in amusement over that. "Maybe after a quick nap." she then told the Lost Boy she adopted as a compromise.
"Yeah!" Koda cheered at that.
"See...? Goldie's a natural," David reassured his wife. "She's got all the emergency numbers. If anything happens, Leo will be okay and she'll look after Koda too of course."
"I didn't even hear you come in, Goldie, how long have you been here?" Mary Margaret commented and wondered.
"Oh, let's just say that I have a way of coming into a residence undetected," Goldie smirked and winked. "The only evidence is if I need a nap after it."
"Or break a chair?" David quipped.
"That was one time." Goldie scoffed in defense.
"See? It'll be okay," David then told Mary Margaret in reassurance. "Besides, Goldie's on our side especially since she has her brother Robin Hood here."
"I'm not worried about emergency numbers, David. I'm nervous about leaving him at all," Mary Margaret explained to her husband quietly and frantically. "Between the curse and The Wicked Witch, we don't exactly have the best track record with our babies."
"He is gonna be fine. And we need this time away. You need it," David soothed her with a small smile. "Hey. So what do you say? You ready for our evening stroll?" he then offered.
Mary Margaret paused, but she soon sighed and gave a small smile as that did actually sound pretty nice.
Meanwhile, Emma drove into the woods in the direction of Regina's vault, remembering exactly where to go.
"You okay?" Elsa asked Emma in concern, sensing some internal struggle.
"It's just the pictures. Reminds me of when I first got here," Emma explained softly. "Regina and I hated each other."
"Hate's a bit of a strong word, though yeah, she was a bit of a handful and so was Evie sometimes," Elwin admitted. "But... I shouldn't really share that story, it was very different in Storybrooke."
"I can't imagine Evie ever being like that, she seems so sweet and smart." Emma commented.
"Trust me, there are some things that even changed for us like they changed for the adults during The Dark Curse." Elwin said softly as he looked away in the distance.
"Eitherway, we did not mix." Emma soon said.
"But it seems like you've come a long way since then." Elsa reassured Emma with a small smile.
"Oh, she really has." Elwin agreed.
"Are you like my #1 fan or something?" Emma smirked playfully at Elwin before she continued. "Yeah, but it looks like we're right back at it. Just wish I could fix it," she then added to Elsa before sighing and then got ready to get out of the car. "Coming?" she then asked Elwin and Elsa.
"I think this sound like something you two should talk about alone," Elsa suggested. "You know, if things were getting better between you two before, maybe they can again."
"And in that case, I should stay here too." Elwin added.
"Doubt it. I screwed her over," Emma sighed. "Once you screw someone over, there's no getting them back."
"What makes you say that?" Elsa wondered.
"Experience." Emma replied softly as she left the car, thinking about a past experience before she shook it off and then kept going.
Elwin and Elsa then sat together alone and smiled at each other. Elwin then brought out his figurines of The Guardians of Childhood and decided to show them to Elsa while she looked thoughtfully at the image of Jack Frost since he reminded her so much of herself and not just because they both had special winter powers given to them from unknown sources.
Meanwhile, Evie and Regina continued to sit around in the vault.
"Man, Mr. Deley doesn't give out as much homework," Evie groaned as she looked so exhausted. "Mom, can I please take a break?" she then asked.
"All right, my dear," Regina nodded. "You can use your phone like you kids do these days, I just wish Henry was here to help."
"I'm sure he would if he could, but I heard that Captain Hook promised to take him and Harry both sailing for the day and tell stories about Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins or whatever." Evie replied, trying to stay awake, though she looked like she needed more of a rest than phone time.
Regina nodded until she realized that they both suddenly had some extra company. "Miss Swan. What an unpleasant surprise," she then greeted the blonde woman bitterly. "Unfortunately, I'm a little busy trying to save my true love's wife. Or hadn't you heard?"
Emma soon approached Regina and showed the photographs. "What do you know about these?" she then asked the dark-haired woman.
"It appears you and The Snow Queen are old friends," Regina remarked, seeing the one photograph of Emma in the ice cream shop while Henry waited outside at the time. "Well, frenemies at best."
"I have zero memories of this conversation. I was hoping you might. Sidney took these when you had him spying on me," Emma eplained. "He didn't say anything about what was going on here? Or why I was arguing with The Snow Queen?" she then asked.
"He never mentioned anything," Regina shrugged before smirking. "My guess? You skipped the tip jar."
"Mom." Evie sighed at that.
"I suppose I should talk to Sidney, then, but no one seems to know where he is," Emma guessed, but still felt lost due to the obvious. "Have you seen him?"
Evie raised an eyebrow as something sort of hit her when she and her mother took a break about an hour ago, but felt unsure at the moment.
"I've been busy working on Marian, on the problem you created," Regina explained. "You can ask Evie, we've been together all day."
"We pretty much have." Evie added and admitted.
"I guess I'll let you get back to it," Emma then said before asking, "Any progress on thawing her out?"
"It's no concern of yours." Regina scoffed.
"It hasn't been very good." Evie added and admitted.
Emma sighed before offering something. "You know, this could be a concern of mine in a way," she then began to suggest to Regina. "I know I'm not Sorceress of the Year, but if you want some extra juice to undo the spell, let me know."
"Are you offering to help me?" Regina wondered.
"Despite everything, you've done a lot for me, Regina, so yeah," Emma replied. "You've had my back, and I want you to know that I have yours."
"Miss Swan, one thing's abundantly clear. You've never had my back," Regina retorted firmly. "And you never will."
Emma frowned at that and decided to take her leave then.
"Mom..." Evie frowned softly at that, but didn't dare talk back or say anything even though something in her heart really wanted to, but she decided to occupy herself with her phone, seeing several messages from classmates/friends, especially Doug since he really wanted to help her with a fashion project sometime and seemed very genuine and hopeful about it despite being a teenage boy while most boys his age hid that sort of behavior.
Meanwhile, back in Emma's car, Elsa and Elwin continued to wait until Elwin's eyes widened and some sort of song seemed to ring in his ear. Elsa didn't seem to hear that, though she heard something else that caught her attention quickly.
However, as Emma came back outside of the vault, she noticed two things missing from her car and all that was left behind were Elwin's Guardian figures. "Elsa? Elwin?!" she then cried out in concern for the missing duo.
In the vault, Regina and Evie took a break. Regina looked very sad as she looked at a framed photograph of Robin Hood with his beloved Maid Marian, feeling like she might have lost him forever all because she was a villain just like her mother and just like she expected Evie to become in the life of having a storybook based legacy for generations to share for years and years to come. Evie soon felt very sad for her mother and stood up, about to approach her to comfort her until she saw something that shocked her and her sinking feeling from earlier was correct.
"My queen, I-" Sidney greeted from the mirror until he looked wide-eyed. "Oh! Young Evie."
"Evie..." Regina added nervously with wide eyes.
"Mr. Glass? You've been here this whole time?" Evie asked. "Mom, you lied to Miss Swan!" she then gasped.
"Not necessarily! I mean... erm..." Regina tried to explain.
"Maybe I should come back later?" Sidney suggested.
"Yeah, maybe that's a good idea and then-" Regina was about to add.
"No, that's okay, you look like you have news to share," Evie replied as she put her hands on her hips. "I should hear about this too."
"Oh, young Evie, this is news that might not interest you, you kids spread news with a hashtag symbol," Sidney chuckled nervously. "Perhaps you'd like to step out and maybe adjust your make-up?"
"Tell us both the news," Evie then said as strongly as she could before narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms. "By order of the princess."
Regina flinched as that even scared her to see her daughter like this.
"V-Very well, Young Evie..." Sidney replied nervously. "I have found The Snow Queen's lair."
"Well, where is it?" Regina asked.
"I think a little quid pro quo is in order, don't you?" Sidney replied and then suggested. "I'm growing tired of this glass prison."
"Let's see if your information yields results," Regina countered. "Then we can discuss your freedom."
"You expect me to give up my leverage before I've received anything in return?" Sidney chuckled and smirked. "Do you think me an imbecile?"
"Mr. Glass, I've been told about you actually being a genie who fell in love with The Evil Queen who married The Good King and after you helped her, she didn't grant the freedom you desired and only trapped you in a mirror, do you really wanna have that chance again?" Evie retorted, sounding disturbingly just like her mother and grandmother.
"That sounds like an interesting wager," Regina nodded. "And if you find them too constricting, well, then... Perhaps you'd like to return to your cell at the hospital and only see your daughter every so often just like Doug did with his strangely cat-like mother." she then added to the former genie.
"Upon further reflection, it appears I don't have the leverage I thought," Sidney then said, sounding a bit nervous of both Evie and Regina's threats. "Listen closely. I will lead you to her."
"Thank you, Mr. Glass." Evie replied a bit firmly.
"I'll just leave you two to get ready then." Sidney said with a sheepish grin before he disappeared, leaving the two alone with their reflections.
"We're talking about this later." Evie told her mother.
"Yes, ma'am," Regina replied. "Did you bring your compact mirror with you?" she then asked her daughter.
"Always, especially during class." Evie nodded as she took out her compact mirror.
"All right, then Sidney can help us from there and I promise that this will end up being better than you think it might be." Regina promised her daughter.
"I hope so, Mom." Evie said, not meaning to be sassy, but she couldn't just forget about what she just saw and what she heard her mother say in front of Emma and what happened afterward.
And so, they went into the forest, using Evie's compact mirror so it would be easier to travel with Sidney while looking for the mysterious Snow Queen, but they weren't the only ones looking for someone.
"We're walking due North. Now what?" Evie said and then asked, holding onto the compact mirror since it was her own after all.
"Head past The Toll Bridge, then go East," Sidney instructed. "The Snow Queen isn't far."
"It's Troll Bridge." Evie mumbled.
Suddenly, both the mother and daughter heard a noise and saw what it was.
"Regina. Evie." Emma greeted the mother and daughter.
Regina sighed in relief that it wasn't a terrible obstacle. "What are you doing here?" she then demanded.
"Elsa and Elwin disappeared on me. I think they went to go confront The Snow Queen on her own. Afraid they're in trouble," Emma explained urgently. "How about you? Nature walks your new thing?" she then asked.
"I intend to force The Snow Queen's hand, make her reverse the damage she's inflicted on Marian." Regina explained.
"How do you even know where she is?" Emma wondered.
"Explaining my magic to a beginner who isn't going to be my successor is a waste of my time," Regina replied. "She's East of the Toll Bridge."
"Troll Bridge." Evie muttered.
"Well, I think we should stick together, then," Emma then decided. "My best shot at finding Elsa and Elwin is to go in the direction of The Snow Queen. You don't mind the company, do you?"
"Does it matter if I mind?" Regina scoffed as she walked off suddenly in a sassy way. "If I say no, you'll just come anyway."
"I'm sorry, my mom's not exactly herself tonight." Evie said to Emma.
"I could kinda guess that." Emma replied.
"All right, Mr. Glass, now which way?" Evie asked her mother's former "weasel".
"Right." Sidney replied and soon they went that way.
Emma went the wrong way for a moment until she went after Evie and Regina. "Is this a locator spell? Shouldn't we be following some, like, floaty object or something?" she then wondered.
"Oh, now you're a magic expert." Regina scoffed.
"Mom." Evie frowned at that.
"No, it's just, in the past, there was a-" Emma tried to explain.
"There are many enchantments you have yet to be exposed to," Regina interrupted and scoffed. "If you bothered to study your craft, you'd know that."
"Mom, Miss Swan can't help it, she doesn't go to school like me and the other descendants," Evie defended and reminded her mother. "It's not like she can just ask John Darling for a lesson about the history of magic or something since he's been interested after his, Wendy, and Michael's time in Storybrooke and deciding to stay after our Neverland adventure."
"Yeah, I'm kind of learning as I go," Emma added. "It's not like there's a lot of online classes on this kind of thing, but when you helped me, I seemed to learn pretty fast."
"I don't have time for lessons for anyone else other than Evie." Regina replied.
Emma sighed at that. "I know. I know you're busy. And so you know, I think it's admirable, what you're doing," she then added, trying to find a silver lining. "Helping the wife of the man you love."
"Probably not best to mention that." Evie murmured in concern.
"So I've impressed you?" Regina rolled her eyes. "Well it makes it all worthwhile then, doesn't it?"
Emma frowned as that was not the reaction she was hoping for. "Why are you doing that? I was just trying to give you credit. I'm trying to be nice." she then responded in disappointment.
"And then what?" Regina sneered as she stopped and faced Emma, seeming a lot more bitter than she normally would be. "Complimenting my outfits? Giving me a makeover? Braiding my hair? Calling Robin Hood and hanging up?"
"That all sounds so nice," Evie mumbled to herself. "Unlike your recently behavior."
"You're trying to win me over so I can assuage your guilt intentionally or not, Miss Swan, YOU hero descendants brought Marian back. YOU hero descendants ruined my life and will ruin Evie's too. And there is no coming back from that," Regina then continued to Emma, trying to hurt any pain or weakness, though it was clear that she had some hidden in her hostility tonight. "Because I know you think you didn't mean to, but you hurt someone. So do as I do... Learn to live with it. Welcome to my world."
Evie frowned, feeling bad for her mother but still felt unhappy about the exposed lie.
In the sheriff's station, David and Mary Margaret came inside before they would take their nightly stroll together.
"Sure is quiet in here." Mary Margaret commented.
"Yeah, I guess Lonnie went home," David replied. "Come on, let's go get a walkie-talkie while we can."
"And I need one of the good walkies, not one of the short-range things you let Henry play with." Mary Margaret then clarified to him.
"It's a short hike to the bluffs," David reminded her. "We'll be gone less than an hour."
"With no cell reception!" Mary Margaret exclaimed. "I want to be sure Goldilocks can reach us."
David chuckled and smirked as he had a sneaking suspicion. "Or you're looking for a way out of this. We are going on this hike." he then said to her.
"Yes! And we shall be reachable." Mary Margaret then said.
"This will do it. I'll call Goldilocks. Let her know where to find our walkie at home," David said, finding one walkie-talkie before facing her and reassuring her. "Now she'll be able to reach us on our drive, our hike... If we fall through a portal to Asgard wherever we are."
Mary Margaret: My hero." Mary Margaret replied with a small smile.
David smiled back until he realized something. "Hmm... Hang on."
"What is it?" Mary Margaret asked out of concern.
"You know that thief I told you about?" David rhetorically asked her as he came over to the cells that were strangely quiet. "The one who ran from the ice cream shop?"
"Will Scarlet?" Mary Margaret replied.
"Looks like he managed a jail break and he must've convinced Jay to go with him," David said thoughtfully, seeing the cells were both empty aside from one water bottle until he got an idea and rushed away suddenly. "Come on. Let's go."
"Wait. Oh, you mean right now?" Mary Margaret asked in surprise because of how sudden this was.
"Oh, come on. It'll be like old times," David suggested with a small smile. "A prince and a princess on an adventure, but without The Evil Queen on our trail."
And so, they left the station and decided to go on their little adventure together.
Long after Elwin and Elsa had gotten away to do their own thing, they soon found a stopping point that actually felt very hopeful.
"Anna? Anna!" Elsa called out for her sister.
"I still don't see her... Whoa..." Elwin muttered at the snow pile. "Did a snowman die here?"
"Don't be so graphic." Elsa sighed at him.
"I can't help it, I'm a teenager," Elwin shrugged before he looked up and gasped. "Wait! Look!" he then pointed ahead of them.
"Elsa!" A redheaded woman with her hair in braided plaits announced, wearing a winter coat as she seemed to be lost while standing on the snowy ground.
"Anna... I was so worried I'd never find you." Elsa said as she came over and hugged the younger woman right away.
Elwin gave a small smile until he got a literal chill down his spine.
"But I'm so glad you did." The Snow Queen said as she suddenly appeared.
Elsa narrowed her eyes protectively and decided to even keep Elwin safe behind her along with her missing sister. "You stay away from us," she demanded to the icy queen. "It's okay, Anna. I won't let her hurt you." she then reassured.
However, The Snow Queen then suddenly turned Anna into ice the she disappeared then she grapped Elsa and Elwin both with ice chains to prevent them from being able to escape.
"...she was never really here, was she?" Elwin asked The Snow Queen with narrowed eyes as he was also held down.
"I always knew you were a smart kid." The Snow Queen smirked.
"Where's Anna? What did you do?" Emma demanded.
"I'm sorry for all the theater, but she was never really here, sweetheart," The Snow Queen replied. "An icy illusion because... I needed you. Both of you, especially you, my little Snow Prince." she then added softly to Elwin.
"For what?" Elsa wondered.
"Look at yourselves. So much fear. Imagine what you could do if you only learned to control it. You had a chance to do so once, but... You squandered it, mostly you, my dear Elsa and Elwin, not to mention that courtship with the son of an old friend of mine who was the only one who understood me who was like a sister to me after tragic events that left me sisterless," The Snow Queen told them. "Fortunately for me, the more frightened you are, the stronger those chains will hold. And that's all I need for now... You out of my way. I would tell you that everything is going to be fine, that I won't hurt you, but your worry, your fear, are exactly what's needed right now."
"What are you gonna do, Mama?" Elwin asked with dewy eyes in concern.
"I'm going to build a snowman with some help from one of your new friends, my Snow Prince." The Snow Queen replied mysteriously.
Elwin looked wide-eyed and curious about what that could mean.
In the meantime, Evie, Regina, and Emma found an ice bridge which told them all one thing.
"Looks like Elsa was here." Emma noted.
"Thanks, Miss Swan," Regina replied dryly. "Please continue to point out the obvious."
"I don't think any of us should step on it 'til we know it's safe." Evie suggested.
"It's safe." Regina simply stated as she crossed the bridge anyway.
"Hey!" Emma complained before going after Regina and so did Evie.
"I'm so disappointed in you, Mom." Evie sighed, though luckily the bridge was safe so far and she didn't even have to worry about slipping luckily.
"You were saying?" Regina retorted as they were able to make it over without any trouble so far.
"I don't know why I even bother." Emma sighed at that.
"Well, that makes two of us. Now hurry up," Regina replied and practically ordered. "I'd like to get to that Snow Queen before it's actually winter."
The three soon crossed the bridge until there was a suddenly strong gust of wind blowing that felt unnatural.
"Something's not right." Emma noted.
"Maybe your sparkly, blue-dressed friends are closer than you think." Regina smirked smugly.
"No. This is not Elsa or Elwin." Emma said, sounding very on edge right now.
"What do you mean? Of course it is." Evie replied.
"No, check this out." Emma advised.
The wind then blew stronger and stronger, causing the bridge to shiver.
"Oh! It's The Snow Queen!" Emma gasped and realized. "She found us!"
"But how?" Evie wondered.
Regina wondered the same thing until she suddenly had an idea. "Sidney." she then said thoughtfully.
"Sidney? What does Sidney have to do with any of this?" Emma cried out and demanded since Regina suddenly got silent and had something on her mind. "Regina! Talk to me! What aren't you telling us?"
"She lied to us," Evie told Emma, sounding hurt as she shared that information. "Mr. Glass has been in her mirror the whole time!"
"What?!" Emma cried out at that.
"Maybe I did. So what?" Regina scoffed. "I don't have to tell you everything I'm doing."
"Nor do I, Your Majesty." Sidney replied as he appeared on Evie's compact mirror.
"All right, Mr. Glass, what's this about you working for The Snow Queen?" Evie asked.
"TRAITOR! Call him a traitor for me!" Regina yelled and demanded to Evie since her daughter held onto the mirror.
"I'm the traitor? I think Your Majesty should take a look in the mirror. And as you contemplate what you've done, know that she has a present for you that I'd say is well-deserved.
"You didn't have to rope me into this too, you know!" Evie told Sidney.
"I know, but what can I do since you're already with your mother? Do tell Jordan I miss her and make sure she keeps her own magic lamp nice and tidy if she expects to have people come hang out in there for a study date if you survive this, young Evie." Sidney sighed and defended before he suddenly went away.
"Well, that's a bit traumatizing." Evie muttered at how sudden and dark that was.
"SIIIIIIIIIIIDNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" Regina then yelled in deep anguish.
Emma looked over and her eyes widened. "Regina?" she then spoke up.
"Save your moral judgment." Regina scoffed without looking back.
"No, Mom! LOOK!" Evie warned and pointed out what Emma saw.
The ice bridge was suddenly collapsing right behind them and it was time to run to the other side. They didn't have much time to run any further and so there was one last resort.
"Jump!" Emma suddenly cried out.
And so, everyone jumped as the bridge was on its final icicle and it soon all fell and melted straight down into the water down below. Evie gasped and panted, cupping her chest as her heart beated through her chest quicker than usual while Regina and Emma took the time to collect themselves. After a few moments, they got back up and went back on the trail while they still had the chance until Regina saw something rather haunting.
"You okay?" Emma asked the dark haired woman. "Regina?"
"What is it, Mom?" Evie added.
"I think we have a bigger problem." Regina pointed out.
Soon, deep in the woods, there was a warrior snowman that appeared and pounded his shield with his battle axe as he appeared to be looking for a certain someone.
"So much for that snowman being a jolly happy soul." Evie muttered to herself.
And so, the three of them were then under attack. Emma and Evie went to two different sides and Regina attacked the snowman with a fireball. Emma then used her magic to pull it away. Evie wasn't sure what else to do, but used fireballs just like her mother, but despite being a snowman, that wasn't going to work so easily. The arm of the snowman was destroyed but it morphed back.
"Okay, that's gonna be a problem." Evie commented.
"Not helpful." Regina complained.
"I say we all try again." Evie soon suggested.
"Together?" Emma guessed.
"Together." Evie nodded.
And so, Regina, Emma, and Evie combined their powers to destroy the snowman. The snowman brought out his shield, trying to dodge those attacks, but soon due to the intense heat and combined power, it was enough to make him melt and for some reason, a pile of yellow flower petals surrounded the new puddle.
"I think we did it." Emma said with a small smile.
"What a welcome visit, ladies," The Snow Queen smirked as she suddenly appeared. "Thank you for bringing me what I needed." she then waved her hand to take away Evie's hand mirror.
"Hey, that's mine!" Evie complained.
"Give my daughter her mirror back or-" Regina began to threaten.
"No." The Snow Queen smirked and used her magic to strangle Regina in mid air.
"Mom!" Evie cried out because even though she was still very mad at Regina right now, the woman was still her mother.
"Hey, stop!" Emma cried out, only to get strangled next.
"Now what to do with you?" The Snow Queen smirked at Evie since her hands were technically full.
Evie looked worried, but looked willing to fight back if she needed to, only for Elwin and Elsa to appear on the scene and rescue the two women with their own combined magical powers.
"You want a fight? Fight us." Elsa challenged.
"I don't wanna do this, but I will if I have to." Elwin added bravely.
"Well done, you two. You're losing your fear," The Snow Queen smirked in approval after she got back up. "There's hope for you yet."
"Let's just finish this now." Evie challenged as she still looked willing to fight for her family.
"No need. I have what I want." The Snow Queen smirked before disappearing in an icy white cloud of smoke.
Evie cried out, but sighed since one of her favorite possessions was taken from her just like that.
"Are you guys okay?" Elwin asked.
"I'll be okay, Elwin." Evie replied softly.
"We are now. Thank you," Emma added before facing Regina. "Why didn't you tell us about Sidney, especially your own daughter?" she then asked.
"Because, despite what you wish, we're not partners," Regina retorted. "I didn't ask you to tag along."
"Well, I did, and if you had told me, maybe you would have saved us some trouble." Emma coutered.
"Come on, Mom, fess up and talk," Evie demanded bravely. "What happened? Tell us what happened."
"Okay, tell you what?" Regina scoffed as she glanced back at her daughter and the blonde woman. "That I threw Sidney in a mirror to help me kill Marian, but then I changed my mind? What's the point? You never would have believed me," she then added. "I know you too well, Swan. Stop trying to get me to forgive you because it will never happen and I'm sorry, Evie, but there are some things that not even mothers can share with their daughters."
Evie frowned as she felt hurt about that.
"Stop it. You two need to mend your differences," Elsa suggested. "Otherwise Storybrooke doesn't stand a chance."
Regina scoffed at that. "We never will. For one simple reason... I don't want to," she then added before going away out of the woods and then looked over her shoulder. "I guess you won't be coming home tonight?" she then asked Evie.
"No, Mom, I think I should stay somewhere else tonight."
"...I suppose that's fair," Regina sighed. "I'll tell Henry you won't be home."
"Thank you for that at least, Mom." Evie nodded.
Regina also nodded and then continued to leave the woods.
"I'm sorry your mother hurt you, Evie." Elwin said softly.
"Me too, Elwin. Me too." Evie replied, sounding very distant.
Soon, Elsa, Elwin, Emma, and Evie began to get ready to leave the forest as well.
Soon, David and Mary Margaret were shown to be walking on the beach together that night, looking around for the former Merry Man and the boy who had an unstoppable need to take something that wasn't his.
"I should be home with Leo, not chasing after some thief and a kid who needs proper guidance at life." Mary Margaret complained.
"Let's just give it a little while longer." David suggested.
"We've been out for an hour! That's longer than I've been away from the baby since he was born," Mary Margaret complained. "David, I think that's a pretty good start."
David sighed and gave in. "All right, all right. You're right. You head home... And I'll deal with this." he then said before giving her a soothing kiss and smiled and when she smiled back, he stepped away to do his own thing.
Mary Margaret nodded and soon began to leave until she heard someone digging in the sand. She then fully turned around, seeing two people there but thought nothing of it for a moment. "Oh, I'm probably wrong," she then said, going to ignore it until she took another look and it caught her attention. "Oh, no, I'm not." she then said before rushing that way.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Scarlet, but I don't think it's over here." Jay said after digging for a while and started to sound tired.
"Bollocks. Where the bloody hell is it?" Will complained as they seemed to be digging for quite a while.
"Looking for something?" Mary Margaret asked as she came to see the teenage boy and adult man.
"Not really your concern, is it, lady?" Will scoffed.
"Maybe you should have made a map for whatever it is you're looking for." Mary Margaret suggested.
"I did make a map, thank you very much." Will replied.
"Did you lose it?" Mary Margaret wondered.
"No, I didn't lose me map," Will defended. "It's in me travelling sack, safe and sound."
"But you're not 'travelling' because you buried your sack and the map?" Mary Margaret then asked.
"Ow, man, brain pain." Jay grumbled as he rubbed his head since that logic made no sense to him even if he was involved with this idea.
"Yes. Okay. I buried the map to find the sack in the sack I'm trying to find," Will then said in slight annoyance. "I screwed up. Happens to the best of us."
"Not really." Mary Margaret shook her head.
"Well, it happens to the best of us when we have a touch too much to drink." Will replied.
"That I buy." Mary Margaret retorted.
"What's it to you, anyway?" Will scoffed again. "It's not like you're the sheriff."
"Oh, no, but... I am the sheriff's wife." Mary Margaret then said.
"You're married to the blonde?" Will asked out of confusion.
"No, she means Mr. Nolan, Miss Swan is her daughter and Mr. Nolan is her husband, the other sheriff." Jay explained from what he knew.
"What now?" Will asked as he seemed a bit confused right now.
"You know, in your mug shot, you looked taller... And smarter." Mary Margaret remarked.
"Did the sheriff's wife just call me short and dumb?" Will asked, sounding offended.
"Yes." Jay said quietly with a small smirk.
"I mean, you're not even gonna try to run, are you?" Mary Margaret asked them.
"No. Consider yourself lucky that I'm too knackered." Will replied.
"And, uh, maybe we don't feel like it." Jay added, trying to sound tough.
Mary Margaret then suddenly realized something. "You didn't break out of jail."
"We didn't?" Will and Jay replied.
"My husband let you go. So I would have a little victory," Mary Margaret then said, putting the plan together in her mind. "Do a little tracking, put a criminal back behind bars, feel good about myself. I bet that you didn't even do anything very serious."
"I got drunk and broke into a library and heard about this kid who's a master thief in the making and could help me out." Will said to Mary Margaret.
Jay began to look a little guilty about that surprisingly enough.
"Oh! A boozy bookworm and a kid with no proper guidance!" Mary Margaret said once it all came together. "Oh, this is David. This is so David. Well... You can admit it. This whole thing is an elaborate hoax."
"What if we did admit it?" Will asked.
"I'll pardon you." Mary Margaret promised.
"Right... so I'm supposed to believe that the sheriff's wife can give me my freedom?" Will scoffed in disbelief.
"I'm also the mayor." Mary Margaret then added.
"He did it." Will then admitted, making Jay nervous.
"I knew it!" Mary Margaret beamed once she cracked the case by herself.
"Don't tell Lotus about this, please?" Jay asked.
"I won't tell her, Jay, I think you've been punished enough," Mary Margaret reassured the boy. "But you have to promise all of us that you will try not to steal, no matter how tempted you might be. I've heard of a case where you took Chad's cell phone because you didn't have your own."
"Yes, ma'am." Jay sighed and nodded in response.
"All right, let's get you back in there so when she comes back to see you, you learned your lesson," Mary Margaret then said. "She really does love you and care about you, and even Enid, Gil, Carlos, and Carla, but you guys have a lot to learn since you don't have parents of your own to guide you."
Jay nodded as that was very true. "I haven't seen Enid lately, though Gil, Carlos, and Carla spend a lot of time with Dr. Thatcher since Dude's been hurting lately." he then said.
"Hmm..." Mary Margaret paused thoughtfully at that as she began to lead Jay back to the station. "Well, I'm sure she's okay... Jay, do you know what you've been up to?" she then asked.
"Mr. Scarlet said something about getting back to someone named Princess Gelda and he said I seemed skilled enough to help out so he talked me into helping and teaching me the ways of a true Merry Man since he worked with Robin Hood, but I'm starting to think he's not so great like Robin Hood himself." Jay explained.
"Well, we'll worry about that later and I'm sorry you have to go back to the cell, but you know what Miss Lotus said." Mary Margaret told him.
"Yes, ma'am, I understand." Jay said with a sigh.
"And I won't tell her that you snuck out again with Will Scarlet, it can be our little secret," Mary Margaret promised. "I'm good at keeping secrets."
"That's not what I heard." Jay mumbled on the way back to the station before Mary Margaret would go back home to send Goldie and Koda home while checking on Baby Leo.
Meanwhile, The Snow Queen was shown to be in her own kingdom that was white as ice and had a lot of decorations, especially with candles lit all around. "You're free. As promised." she then told the person she was working with to get what she wanted in exchange for something from him.
"Thank you," Sidney nodded as he grinned at her, free at last as he was in his human form and free to wander and roam as he pleased. "Now, what is it you wish me to do first, my queen?"
"I wish nothing from you." The Snow Queen then said surprisingly enough.
Sidney frowned in concern. "I don't understand. The deal was-" he then started to say.
"It wasn't you that I wanted, Sidney. It was the mirror itself. You more than anyone should understand a mirror's importance," The Snow Queen explained as she looked at the compact mirror in her hand and looked at her tiny reflection that could only show her face. "Mirrors reflect our... Mood, our desire, our essence. They are a temporary receptacle for some... Tiny fraction of our soul."
"Well, you... You have other mirrors." Sidney pointed out and reminded her in confusion.
"I have many... Hundreds, but none as important as this one. For what I want to do, your former home should do quite nicely and I'm sure your daughter has been missing you for whatever that's worth," The Snow Queen replied. "The person who trapped you in here imbued it with much dark magic."
"My queen, what are you planning?" Sidney wondered.
"What I'm planning is to get what has been denied to me for too long... What I deserve." The Snow Queen stated mysteriously.
"And what's that?" Sidney wondered.
"That's between me and... Well, my reflection," The Snow Queen replied. "Enjoy your freedom, Sidney."
Sidney just shrugged and blinked at that and started to leave, but was suddenly faced by the woman again.
"A word of advice," The Snow Queen suggested with a small smirk. "Get a warm coat. It's going to get a bit cooler around here."
Sidney nodded and continued to leave as a secret door was opened for him.
The Snow Queen watched him go and then broke Evie's compact mirror and suddenly made a bigger mirror appear. "So close, my dear friend, Jadis... I promise you. Soon I will have what I want," she then said, putting a piece of the compact mirror on the breaking glass before restoring it, seeing her reflection until she changed that quickly. "A family that loves us. Show me my true soul sister, the only one who understood me until she had to go away." she then added as the mirror glowed to show her a certain other person in the mirror that wasn't her own reflection.
The mysterious woman in the mirror with naturally white skin that turned "deathly white, white as salt" after a certain event and wore an outfit that was white with an ornate golden crown and elaborate robes that left her arms bare, with layers of white fur that covered up to her throat as she was staring up at a portrait that was presented across from her where she could see it all the time from her own kingdom in a different world known as Narnia. The Snow Queen approached the mirror and put her hand on it with a small sigh as she looked at her old friend who was banished to another world for reasons beyond her control.
Soon, Emma was walking with Elwin and Elsa after facing The Snow Queen.
"I'm sorry we took off. The Snow Queen tricked me," Elsa apologized to Emma as they left the ice palace in the middle of the woods. "She made it seem like Anna was here. I thought I was chasing her."
"She tricked both of us," Elwin clarified. "She tried to get to me too, I guess because we share a link."
"At least it means I can get closer to you since we're family in a way." Elsa told Elwin with a small smile.
Elwin smiled back at that a little.
"I get it," Emma reassured them. "I'd do the same thing."
"So why did you let Regina just walk away?" Elsa then wondered.
"You heard her. She wants nothing to do with me." Emma said wearily.
"Maybe you shouldn't give up on her so soon." Emma advised softly.
"It's like I said, once you screw someone over, there's no going back." Emma reminded Elsa.
"I don't believe that. If there's one thing my sister taught me, you don't give up on people. If someone's important to you, don't give up on them," Elsa advised. "Even if they say hurtful things or send a giant snow monster to chase you away."
Both women chuckled lightly at that.
Elwin sighed softly as he followed them, staring up at the silver orb in the sky which was the moon as his eyes looked wide and dewy. "Man in the Moon, I don't know if you're there... in fact some people doubt you exist like The Guardians of Childhood, but please... give me a sign... I know I have to be Elsa's descendant somehow, but... why did The Snow Queen take me away from her and what is this secret hidden from all of us? Just give me a sign." he then prayed as he had a moment to himself before he continued after Elsa and Emma.
"So kid, where do you think you're gonna go?" Emma asked Elwin. "I'd hate for you to be all alone."
"I'd hate to be alone too, though I'm not sure who would talk to me." Elwin shrugged.
"I guess you could come back to the station with me for a little while, but only if you don't mind." Emma replied.
"I guess I can stay for a few minutes until something comes up." Elwin said with a small shrug.
"You don't mind a little work, do you?" Emma asked.
"I was raised in an ice cream shop, I'll be fine." Elwin smirked.
Emma smirked back at that.
Soon, Elwin and Emma went to the sheriff's office. Elwin took out his figurines of the Guardians while staring up at the moon and Emma looked a little sad while taking a box.
"Does that moon mean anything to you, kid?" Emma wondered. "You seem to look at it a lot."
"There's a guardian up there." Elwin explained.
"Guardian?" Emma wondered. "Oh, you mean like your, uh, dolls there?"
"I'll thank you not to refer to my action figurines as dolls for one thing." Elwin corrected a bit firmly.
"Sorry." Emma winced at first.
"The Man in the Moon was the very first Guardian who lives on the moon and protects the dreams of all children," Elwin then explained as he stared up at the moon thoughtfully. "They say he has all of the answers to unanswered questions, especially to the dreams and wishes of children."
"You think he might help you somehow?" Emma wondered.
"Yes..." Elwin replied. "Sarah Fisher might have raised me and I called her Mama, but I eventually found out I was adopted. I felt a little shy and insecure about it, then one day, I woke up and found these guys," he then added, showing his figurines to Emma. "The Guardians of Childhood, especially my favorite one, Jack Frost." he then said as he took out his favorite of the ones who had silver hair and icy blue eyes.
"I guess that makes sense, even if the Jack Frost I know nips people on the nose around Christmastime." Emma remarked.
"Hm," Elwin snorted at that with a small smirk. "Either way, whenever I felt lost and alone, I would just look up at the moon and pray to The Man in the Moon to help me find my own path. I know I have to be related to Elsa somehow."
"Do you think she might be your blood mother?" Emma wondered.
"Something like that, but I just wonder why she would give me up and if she's my mother, then who was my father?" Elwin then continued. "No one seems to really know, but I feel The Man in the Moon might know and maybe someday, I'll meet The Guardians of Childhood."
"I guess it's possible in a town where fairy tales are real." Emma had to admit.
"Anything's possible in Storybrooke after your help, Miss Swan," Elwin nodded. "I just try to have faith and hope, especially with Lonnie and Audrey being able to go back home... though I'll miss Lonnie very much whenever she does get the chance to go home." he then added a little emotionally.
Emma looked thoughtful about that and nodded.
"So, um, what's that box?" Elwin wondered.
"Well, your figurines are parts of your childhood and in this box is what's left of mine." Emma explained softly.
"Only if you don't mind." Elwin replied.
Emma gave him a soft look and decided to have him look and then gave him a little box to look over, removing it from her bigger box that had plenty of storage.
Elwin glanced over the contents, seeing an old pair of glasses, a ring, and even a picture of Emma with Neal. "That's Henry's father, isn't it?" he then asked, trying to fully remember as hebarely got to really meet or know Neal.
"Yeah, that's him," Emma sighed and nodded as she recognized it. "We were gonna run away to Talahassee together."
"I'm sorry." Elwin said softly.
"Not your fault..." Emma reassured him before finding her baby blanket and then rubbed it against her face for the warmth and comfort it brought even before she had reunited with her parents and then found a video camera inside before she took it and walked away suddenly.
"Uh, Miss Emma?" Elwin blinked and asked, surprised at how sudden that was. "Where are you going?"
Emma left the office and then went into the next room to use the video camera and put the tapes in the VCR.
"What's going on?" Elwin wondered as he joined her since he still had some free time.
"I haven't watched this since I recorded it, but some things happened today, made me think about the past.
"You recorded it on those black things?" Elwin asked out of confusion.
"No, with this, it's a video camera that makes these black things called video tapes," Emma explained. "It's like a DVD that's a square."
"Couldn't you just use a phone or something?" Elwin then asked, showing his own phone. "I mean, that's what they do for us, especially when Jordan posts video news online."
"It was 1998, kid, we didn't have phones like that." Emma clarified as she sat down on the couch as she waited for the videos to start.
"Wow, and we thought our parents lived in The Stone Age." Elwin remarked.
Emma looked a bit deadpan in response to that.
"So, uh, what's this all about then?" Elwin asked her. "Why look at these now if they're so, uh, no offense for me saying this, but... old?"
"I haven't watched this since I recorded it, but some things happened today, made me think about the past." Emma explained.
Elwin looked thoughtful about that and nodded as he decided to sit down and join her. The video then started and soon, a very young Emma was shown along with a mysterious dark-haired girl who looked very familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
"Who's that girl?" Elwin wondered.
"Just an old friend." Emma replied softly.
"She kinds reminds me of someone... I'm not sure who though, like... someone in school..." Elwin said thoughtfully.
"Hmm... I kinda doubt it..." Emma replied mysteriously. "I didn't grow up with other fairy tale descendants like you did, kid."
The video then continued and soon, there were images from what looked like a foster home.
"Hey, look what the new girl brought with her!" A boy in the video called teasingly.
"Where is that?" Elwin wondered.
"I... I don't really remember. Maybe my next foster home?" Emma shrugged.
"I guess you blocked it out because of the rough times it brought," Elwin guessed. "The past is in the past."
"I guess." Emma shrugged.
"Is that another friend of yours?" Elwin then wondered.
"I don't remember any of this." Emma admitted.
"Give it back, Kevin," A woman's voice said in the video. "The camera is Emma's, not yours." she then added before showing her face and... it happened to be a certain someone and not just anyone.
"Wait... is that...?" Elwin muttered as his eyes widened at the blonde woman on screen who had icy blue eyes that he knew all too well.
"We respect property in this house, Emma." The woman said, coming up closer to the camera and the video was paused on her to take a closer look since it was a very strange coincidence.
"Yeah." Emma nodded.
"The Snow Queen..." Elwin murmured with wide eyes. "You have to tell everyone."
"I will." Emma nodded in agreement.