Previously on August, Not Pinocchio
Recently, two invaders from the outside world had infiltrated Storybrooke and nearly destroyed it. August, who had become human again thanks to a True Love's kiss from Emma, was being manipulated by a bitter human from the future to become the Dark One.
In the epic showdown, Gold gives Tamara magical abilities to torture her psyche(as part of his ego where magic comes in), however she gains control of magic unusually fast and wreaks havoc in Storybrooke whilst August and Captain Hook race towards the Dagger of the Dark One.
Hook is defeated and August attempts to kill Gold, but is overwhelmed with memories of being the Dark One in the future, a direct result of future-August drinking True Love's Potion to save himself.
Now stuck with memories of murdering Emma, August pretends to leave town only to return asking for a favor from Neal...
"I want you to go back to your apartment in Manhattan. There's something there, something that I desperately need."
August crouched closer to Neal's face: "In exchange, I promise to leave and never, ever come back."
Neal nodded sluggishly and August helped him up.
"What do you need?" asked Neal. "A magic potion. Tamara hid it in your apartment."
"Right."
"And don't tell Emma. This is between us." said August.
"Well, why don't you go get it yourself, last time I checked you weren't cursed." wondered Neal. "I'm made of wood. If I were to leave town, its magic would not work and I would be paralyzed."
"I see." said Neal skeptically.
"Please. I know I screwed up big time, but please. Do this one thing and I'll never bother you or anyone again. Deal?"
Neal sighed: "Deal."
After Neal had gone on his merry way, August disappeared, hoping that no one noticed a sneaky guy wearing a hoodie.
He returned to his campsite where he kept the not-so-magical hat and the Fairy Godmother's Wand. He'd gotten both from Tom when he was captured.
This isn't such a good idea, August. whispered the Dark One.
"I know, but we've run out of options."
Not entirely. There's something else, something you don't know about.
"What?"
A magical object, hidden inside Gold's pawn shop. If you get ahold of it, you'll be able to get three wishes.
August suppressed a laugh. "Three wishes? That's the best you come up with?"
Don't laugh. Wishing is a powerful kind of magic and like all magic, it too comes with a price, but I think you'd be willing to pay it.
"What about yourself?" asked August. "You're not even real. The real Dark One is still Rumplestiltskin, which makes you... a voice in my head."
I think, therefore I am.
"What is that object you talked about?"
Aladdin's Lamp. Should be easy to recognize.
"Why doesn't Gold use it?"
It is currently drained of its power and Gold has no idea how to restore it.
"Why doesn't the real you just tell him how?"
Because I'm a voice in YOUR head.
Neal suppressed the urge to tell Emma the truth right away. It was obvious that August slash Pinocchio was up to something and that always meant disaster for them. But ultimately, Neal's care for Emma overrided his need as he didn't want to re-open her wounds. Besides, he had no idea where August was now anyway.
After several long hours of riding his car, Neal arrived back in Boston and boarded the plane to where he needed to go.
What would Pinocchio want with a magic potion? wondered Neal.
As night befall in Storybrooke, mr. Gold and the recently restored Belle shut off the lights to the pawn shop and closed the doors. They were both tired and eager to return home. Around 10 minutes after they were gone, a wooden stick(shaped like a fist and wearing a glove) broke open the glass and shut off the alarm before it could start.
August quietly opened the door and sneaked in very quietly, hoping the floor wasn't creaky. He looked around patiently, looking for the lamp that the Dark One described to him and finally finding it inside a glass case.
It was at times like these that August was thankful for his wooden nature. Those moments were few though. After breaking the glass, August gently took the Lamp out of the case and taking a look at it, noted the three red stones on it.
"Hello, Pinocchio."
In a combination of utter shock and surprise, August dropped the Lamp and fell over himself. He looked up to see mr. Gold standing over him, his cane between his legs like usual. In the dark, he was even more intimidating, with shadows over his eyes and his silky voice that August was beginning to suspect was the same one that told Adam and Eve to eat apples.
"What would you doing here in my shop on this pretty night?" he asked. August grunted and tried to pick up the Lamp, but Gold moved his finger and the Lamp disappeared in a plume of purple smoke.
"Give it back!" demanded August.
"It's not yours to take, dearie. And in case you haven't noticed... it's useless."
Gold limped into August's personal space.
"Or is it?" he grinned.
You knew that Gold would know, didn't you Dark One?
What did you expect? Truth and honesty?
"Maybe." said August enigmatically.
Gold limped away from him. "Well, considering your emotional turmoil, I shan't charge you for the door. Or the break-in. Or the theft."
"How gracious of you."
"I will inform the sheriff, though, of course." he said in an unchanging tone.
No!
"Wait!" August took the Fairy Godmother's Wand out of his pocket and pointed it towards Gold.
"I know this Wand is powerful enough to paralyse you temporarily. And you wouldn't want that, would you? Now hand me the Lamp."
Gold's grin did not vanish. "You think you're powerful enough to use that?"
August's confidence faltered, but he gathered concentration and waved the Wand, focusing on paralysis. Nothing happened.
Gold impatiently limped over and pulled the Wand out of his hands(just like he'd pulled the Dagger). "Now if you'd be so very kind as to leave this shop...?"
August glared at him.