"My mother could turn into a swan," Mai said after a moment. "She had a cloak that gave her the ability, but she used the magic often enough that it left an imprint on her, and transferred to me."

"A swan?" Jefferson said. "Interesting." He paused. "It isn't the whole Swan Lake thing, is it?"

"Not exactly, that might be kind of based on her, but not quite," Mai said, shaking her head. "There were multiple women who had these cloaks, and one night my mother went out with two others. The other two stole her cloak and left her to drown, only the swamp king went after her because he thought she was too sexy to resist. I was born from that."

"I see," Jefferson said. "I hope those other two got what they deserved."

"The other two girls?" Mai shrugged. "Not really sure, I never bothered to look them up. Besides, they had to do with my mother, not me, so I didn't care."

"Alright, then," Jefferson said. He settled onto a chair and stretched a bit. "Is the talking to birds your only magic?"

"Depends," Mai said carefully. "In Storybrooke? Yes. There's not enough magic there. But here..." She trailed off. "Here I could probably shift forms again."

"Maybe once everything settles down, we can come back and you can test it out," Jefferson offered.

"Maybe," Mai agreed. "I don't really need to, though, not anymore. It came in handy a few times, but it wasn't something I did often."

"Still, it would be good to know if you still can or not," Jefferson pointed out. "Even if you don't plan on using it again."

"Yeah. I'll test it at some point." Mai shrugged, unconcerned. "Besides, I doubt I'll need it unless someone else takes a shot at me."

"Someone else?" Jefferson asked, his attention sharpening a bit at that. "Someone's taken shots at you before?"

"A few someone's," Mai said with a little grin, although it didn't reach her eyes. "Only one of them got me." She twisted a bit and pulled up her shirt just enough to reveal a scar about four inches long just above her waist.

"What happened?" Jefferson asked, his focus entirely on her now.

"For this one?" Mai shrugged. "I didn't realize I was trespassing until he shot at me. And then he shot at me again because he figured duck wouldn't be bad for dinner."

"That's terrible," Jefferson said. One hand unconsciously went to the thin scar around his neck.

"It's okay. It was a while ago. I was still young when it happened." Mai shrugged. "Besides, that's people for you. Some of them are terrible." She looked at him, kind of warmed by his concern.

"That's true," Jefferson agreed, nodding a bit. "Still, it's terrible that it happened to you."

"It's alright, it taught me to be cautious," Mai said, looking at him. "Besides, I'm fine now, which is what matters."

By the time the hat was ready to take them back to Storybrooke, Jefferson had realized one little flaw with the plan to take Anastasia back with them.

"We're going to have to work this out," he murmured as he absently spun the hat in his hands. "Two pass one way, only two can pass the other way again. Taking the extra person won't work."

Mai frowned a little at that, looking at the hat. An idea formed, but she turned it over in her own mind for several moments before giving it voice.

"I could be wrong, but I don't think the hat would notice a bird passing one way."

"A bird?" Jefferson paused at that, looking down at the hat. "It's possible, actually. I've never thought to test it. But something non-human might be able to pass through."

"Right." Mai took a deep breath. "We could test that. It's the only way I see for all of us to get through."

"It's worth a try," Jefferson said, nodding. "It's very possible that it will work. Magic is strange that way sometimes, especially in Wonderland."

"Well then, let's see if I can do it still." Mai took a few steps away from him and focused, trying to pull on the magic in Wonderland as well as her own natural magic. It took a few moments, but then she vanished in a little puff and a brown and gray dove took her place.