(The Enchanted Forest)
Everyone knows the story of Pinocchio and how he became a real boy. But this is the story of Jiminy Cricket and how he became a conscience.
Years ago, in a small village, a little boy was walking through the crowd picking people's pockets as they watched a puppet show. That little boy was Jiminy, you see, his parents were con artists that trick and lied to people for money and poor Jiminy was a part of the family business. Every town the con family goes into, they use a puppet show to distract people while Jiminy would steal coins, pouches of gold, and anything valuable. Once they finished up the show, they head into a meadow and pool out all the money and valuables that they stole. Jiminy didn't pay much attention to his parents, he hated being a thief and wanted to be something more meaning full.
He found a cricket in a cage that he took. Jiminy always loved crickets but his parents just saw them as disgusting irritating little bugs. To Jiminy, crickets get to do whatever they want and hop from place to place freely. His parents remind him that he was free to do what they want and to be who they want to be, a thief. "Well, maybe I want to be something else. Maybe I don't want to steal. Maybe I want to be good." Jiminy blatantly said to his parents.
His parents refused to have him turn good. Jiminy remembered the harsh words that his parents said to him, "Good is another word for weak. Let us think for you. That's what parents are for. To help you. You are who you are and there's no changing it, Jiminy."
(Storybrooke)
Dr. Hopper started Henry's therapy session of the day. The two talked about how Henry thinks Dr. Hopper is Jiminy Cricket and why he thinks that. Henry just told him that he's a conscience and that's who he is. Dr. Hopper figured that Henry was trying to imply that the crickets in Storybrooke were once people too. "There aren't any crickets here. Listen." Henry said as they heard no crickets chirping in the night.
The two continued to talk more about the "curse" that is happening here. Harry knocked on the door and opened it, he was here to pick up Henry from his therapy session. Before they left, Dr. Hopper asked Henry the same question from before, why do you think it's so important that this is real? Henry just answered that he just believes that it is real.
Dr. Hopper wanted Harry to stay for a minute to talk, Harry asked Henry to wait for him while he talks to Dr. Hopper. He asked Harry how he was adjusting to having someone else taking care of him beside himself. After the kidnapping and the months of medical bills, Dr. Hopper insisted on some therapy to help him. "It's different but I have Toothless with me," Harry answered.
"Toothless?" Dr. Hopper asked.
"Oh, right I guess Henry didn't tell you. That wolf that was found in the woods, I decided to take him in. Toothless is the name Henry gave him." Harry explained.
Just then, the whole room began to shake violently and the sounds of something exploding fills the air. Harry got a call from Graham that something happened near the old cave mines. Dr. Hopper took Harry and Henry to the sight of the explosion and they saw almost half the town looking at the huge crater. Regina showed up barking orders at Graham and the fire department. She looked coldly at Emma saying that she had no business being here but Graham stepped in saying that she is the new deputy.
Regina put Emma on crowd control then she addressed the town that the situation was being handled. She plans to use this area for "city use" by bulldozing, collapsing it, and paving it. Henry came out of the crowd saying that Regina can't just pave over the mines. There could be something in there that Regina doesn't want anyone to know about. Her lips were sealed and she asked for everyone to step away from the mines. Henry saw Regina pick something up then hide it in her pocket.
He tried to ask Emma but Regina came over and dragged him away. "Listen, this is a safety issue. Wait in the car," she ordered.
Henry did as she said but only for a little while. He checked to see if the coast was clear then got out of the car. He saw that Archie and Harry were talking so he signed them to come over. Emma saw Henry sneaking around so she joined them to hear what the kid had to say. "This requires all of Operation Cobra. All of you." Henry stated.
"I didn't realize I was in Operation Cobra," Archie said, confused.
"Of course you are. You know everything. We can't let her do this. What if there's something down there?" Henry explained.
Emma figured that these were just old tunnels but Henry stated that they collapse right after she came here. She was changing things around here and weakening the curse. Harry explained that Emma was just named the new deputy of Storybrooke by Graham. Henry said that Emma being the new deputy caused the mines to fall which proves that the curse was weakening.
Suddenly Regina spotted Henry and she was furious. She took Henry with her but gave Emma glares that could kill her. Emma just left and so did Dr. Hopper but Regina stopped him from leaving. "Harry, watch Henry for me. I'd like to have a word with Dr. Hopper." She stated.
Harry wasn't sure what Regina was planning to do but he told Henry to stay by the car while he investigated what Regina was doing. Henry figured Harry was gathering info for Operation Cobra so it worked. Harry snuck behind the police car and what he heard was shocking.
Regina wanted a new treatment plan for Henry, a treatment to destroy his image. Dr. Hopper tried to reason with Regina but she threatened to fire him. She even threatened to leave him nothing but the umbrella he has for a roof. Archie reluctantly agreed to try something else and asked what he needed to do. "You take that delusion out of my son's head and you crush it." Regina darkly explained then left.
Harry had heard enough and popped out of his hiding spot to get through to Archie. But he realized that Archie was in a place far from reasoning, Harry just decided that he was gonna do Henry's sections in secret.
(The Enchanted Forest)
Years passed by and Jiminy still lived with his crooked family. They always guilt him into staying with them for their actions. The trio stopped at a festival for their next scam to rip people off. Jiminy's parents figured they could run their Elf Tonic scam to steal people's money. Jiminy just wanted to put on a show like they normally do "We make enough from the ticket sales. Do we have to steal, too?" Jiminy asked.
But of course, his parents just made it seem like they just need to for fun. Jiminy has enough, he wanted to change, to quit, and be something else than a thief. Yet his parents just kept guilting Jiminy into staying. They kept saying that they were getting old and parts of their bodies were weakening. "It's better to just stay with us. Just until we die." his father spoke.
Poor Jiminy, desperate to change but being held back by his parents. Hours later, a huge storm hit the town hard. Everyone including Jiminy was packing up and seeking shelter from the storm. Jiminy was still packing up while getting drenched in the rain with no help from his parents. Just then, a little boy with a black umbrella came up to Jiminy thinking that he had a great job with puppets. He didn't speak a word to the boy until the boy asked if he didn't like his job.
"No, I don't." Jiminy stated, "Same show, same fairs every year"
"Well, then why don't you do something else?" The boy asked.
That's all Jiminy wanted to do with his life but with his parents controlling him, he was just a puppet with strings attached to him. He asked the little boy if he just came here to watch Jiminy set up but he was just out here to listen to the crickets. Jiminy hadn't listened to the crickets in far too long.
The little boy gifted Jiminy his umbrella for him to keep. Jiminy seemed to be concerned that the boy should keep it and not catch a cold. The boy insisted that Jiminy keep it, plus the boy didn't live that far. With that, the little boy ran home. For the first time, Jiminy had felt a warm glow that was telling him to listen to his heart and leave his parents. But how?
(Storybrooke)
Poor Archie sat in his office with thoughts of doubt running around. Regina had threatened to leave him with nothing unless he squashes Henry's fantasies. He didn't have the heart to crush Henry but he had no choice. Just then, his old friend Marco came into his office saying that they would be going out for lunch together. Archie had been so spaced out that he completely forgot about it.
Henry and Harry came in as the two friends agreed to plan to do lunch another time. "Harry, don't forget you said you would help with one of my projects," Marco spoke in an Italian accent.
"I'll be there once Henry finishes up with his session," Harry said.
Henry figured that Marco was Geppetto from his storybook and that Archie was recruiting him for Operation Cobra. Geppetto is Jiminy Cricket's best friend just like Marco is Archie's friend. Archie told Harry that he should wait outside but Harry insisted that he should stay. Now the bomb was about to go off. Archie tried to talk to Henry but Henry was convinced that he was gonna get proof. He showed Archie and Harry his supplies for going down into the caves.
"Henry, it's dangerous. You can't go down there, it's honeycombed with unstable caverns that could kill you." Harry reasoned.
Archie ended up going off the deep end, "Look, all of this, all of this a delusion. Do you know what a delusion is?" Archie questioned.
"Archie, stop. This isn't a good idea."
"He needs to know, Harry."
"But..."
"Just let me. Henry, A delusion is something that's not real and not healthy. And I thought that you'd outgrow this, but, Henry, you know, now it turned into a psychosis. Do you know what psychosis is? That's when you can no longer tell what's real. And if that continues then they have to lock you away. Henry, look, this has to stop. For your good, you gotta wake up. This nonsense must end."
With all those words stinging at Henry, he took his bag and stormed off. Harry just looked at Archie with disappointment "I hope you are happy now Archie. You broke Henry's heart just to protect your job. I know Regina is threatening you and she is not gonna get away with this. Emma was right, I can't let her walk all over me." Harry spoke then ran off leaving Archie to question if he made the right decision.
Harry walked to Mary Margret's place, after the kidnapping and the stress from the hospital bills, Mary Margret had been letting Harry stay with her. He walked in to find Emma and Mary Margret talking about David and his wife. Mary Margret had developed a crush on him but she hides it. Emma took one look at Harry and knew something was wrong.
A few minutes later, Henry showed up with tears in his eyes. Emma started piecing things together and knew that Regina was behind this. Harry explained that Regina was blackmailing Archie to crush Henry's fantasy. Emma and Harry marched into Archie's office with anger. They found him sitting on the couch, drinking. Emma marched up to Archie stating that he told her not to hurt Henry the way Archie did. But he just told her that he needed to change the therapy.
Even Harry knew that was a lie, he had just overheard Regina threatening him. "I do not need to defend my professional decisions to you, okay?" Archie snapped.
Emma's phone started ringing, she picked up the call who happened to be Regina. "I'm with Dr. Hopper and guess what, you left your fingerprints all over him when you..."
"Not him. Henry. Is he with you?" Regina asked.
That was impossible, Emma had dropped him at her office an hour ago but Regina claimed that he wasn't there. Emma told her that she didn't know where Henry was but Archie knew. Henry was going into the caves. Henry had already reached the mine tunnel with his supplies then he entered the caves.
(The Enchanted Forest)
Within the forest, Rumplestilskin lived in his dark castle. Spinning straw into gold to reward those who bring back treasures and magical objects for his personal use. Jiminy dropped off the bag filled with treasures that he and his parents scammed out of. He even left a list of the names that all of these treasures belonged to. Rumplestilskin looked very pleased with the results and rewarded Jiminy with gold thread that he had spun from straw. When Rumplestilskin turned Jiminy away to leave, he didn't even move.
Rumplestilskin looked at Jiminy with a sinister grin, he knew that Jiminy wanted something else. Something with some magic. Rumplestilskin took the gold thread from Jiminy and started to use it to brew some kind of potion. "Every year I'm stuck in that wagon. I wanna be free. I wanna be someone else. But something keeps holding me back." Jiminy revealed.
"Something or someone?" Rumplestilskin questioned.
"It's my parents," Jiminy confessed.
With that, Rumplestilskin finished the potion and handed it to Jiminy saying that this would help. All he needed to do was to get the potion on his parents or have them inject it and it would set him free. But he had nothing else he could give to Rumplestilskin to seal the deal. But Rumplestilskin found a way to close the deal. After the potion has done its work, Jiminy would leave his parents where they are and Rumplestilskin will come to collect them. "It'll be my fee." He said with a gleeful tone.
"What will become of them?" Jiminy asked.
Rumplestilskin just smiled with a wicked grin "Worry you not, they'll be in safe hands. And you'll be free."
Jiminy took the potion and the deal from Rumplestilskin and left. What would his conscience say now?
Later at night, Jiminy and his parents planned another con with a nice couple. Archie begged his parents to skip this tonight since they don't need the money. Of course, his parents didn't listen to him and just handed him the fake Elf Tonic. With that, a young couple opened the door to hear what all the noise was about. They let Jiminy and his parents come in for a meal and warmth.
Jiminy felt so guilty about robbing these innocent people, they gave them food for the night and all his parents cared about was money. They faked a sob story about a plague that has been going around the next town over. The couple bought the story and looked concerned if it was coming here. Jiminy's parents stated that they were immune thanks to the Elf Tonic. They faked about not having any until the young woman suggested that they could pay them and they sparked them back up.
They scammed almost everything the couple had, they gave them the tonic and dashed out of the door. Jiminy had enough, all the years of anger and regret bubbled up to the surface. He pulled out the potion from Rumplestilskin and threw it about his parents. But nothing happened. His father had switched the bottles on him. Panic rose in his heart as Jiminy ran back to the house.
He barge the door open only the find that the couple was gone. He looked around only to find the potion laying on the floor, almost empty. Jiminy turn to the bed hoping to find them but it was too late. They had already drunk the potion and as a result, it turned them both into wooden puppets. Jiminy stared at the couple in horror, what had he done?
His parents walk in to find the puppets on the bed "New puppets for the act." His mother spoke with laughter.
Suddenly a little boy came running into the house calling for his parents. Jiminy recognized that boy, it was the same boy he had met days ago in the rain. The boy looked scared at the people in his house but he soon turned terrified when he saw his parents as puppets. Jiminy screwed up big time, the nice couple that had trusted them were the boys' parents. The little boy turned to Jiminy with tears in his eyes then ran off. Jiminy, what have you done?
(Storybrooke)
Emma, Harry, and Archie raced to the entrance of the mines, they called out to Henry but no answer. Pongo and Toothless sniffed around the entrance and the two found a candy bar that fell out of Henry's bag. They barked at Harry and Archie for them to see the clue they had found. After a few minutes, the ground started to shake and the tunnel entrance looked like it would collapse. Emma just grabbed onto something but Archie crawled into the mine tunnel as Harry tried to chase after Archie.
But the tunnel entrance collapse and trapped Archie inside the mines with Henry. Both Harry and Emma ran to the entrance to find it blocked off so there was no way in or out. "Regina's gonna skin us alive," Harry said, scared.
Meanwhile, Archie lit up a match to see in the tunnel to find Henry. He called out Henry's name until Henry appeared with a flashlight in his hand. Henry thought that Archie came to help him find proof that his fairytale theory was right. He was wrong, Archie still doubted him. Henry just ran off saying that he will prove it. Archie realized that Harry was right, Regina had taken control and it cost him the bond that he and Henry share.
Archie decided that he was gonna fix things with Henry. He followed Henry to another part of the mine tunnels to try and apologize. Archie found Henry sitting on the ground with his flashlight shining down a smaller hole saying that there was something down there. Archie figured that this would be the time to try and convince Henry to stop. Henry just thought that Archie still thinks that he is crazy. "No, Because we are trapped underground in an abandoned mine, Henry, and there is no way out," Archie stated.
Outside the mines, half the town including Regina was trying to move the debris out of the way to find both Henry and Archie. Marco claimed that Archie will keep Henry safe until they can get them out. But the more they try to open the entrance the more the tunnel fought back. The ground shakes again making the damage worse than it was before. Emma and Regina started to argue with each other about Henry.
Harry marched up to the two of them and split them apart from each other. "Fighting with each other will not save Henry and Archie," Harry stated.
Pongo kept barking nonstop hoping that Archie and Henry can hear him. Emma let go of her anger knowing that Harry was right. Fighting with Regina wasn't going to get them out. The two agreed to put aside their differences and work together. Marco suggested that they use explosives to blow away the rubble. The people backed away as the workers set the explosives to the entrance. But when the explosions
Henry and Archie followed the sound of Pongo's barking as to find a way out of the mines. The two found an old mining elevator that could work as a way out. However the minute they got into the elevator, the explosions that had been set off outside caused the elevator to fall and get stuck. Now Henry and Archie were trapped with no way out. But soon Emma had found a hidden exit that led to the elevator shaft. The townsfolk worked together and managed to get both Henry and Archie out of the mines.
Archie finally found his voice and told off Regina that he was gonna do his therapy sessions his way, not Regina's way. He was no longer afraid of Regina. And the curse was slowly breaking, the crickets came back.
(The Enchanted Forest)
Jiminy still had guilt from giving the potion to that little boy's parents and turning them into puppets. He could never be free from who he was or who his family is. Jiminy stared up at the night sky looking at the evening star. He wished that he could right this wrong, he wished to bring the boy's parents back. He wished for it over and over again in his mind to fix his mistake. Then suddenly, a bright blue light glowed beside him and there was the Blue Fairy. She had heard his wish but she could not reverse the spell.
Jiminy looked at the Blue Fairy with desperate eyes "It's my fault. I have to make it right. I would trade my life to make it happen." he stated.
But the Blue Fairy had another way for Jiminy to correct his mistake. The little boy would grow up to face many difficult challenges and Jiminy could help him overcome them. But Jiminy could not get away from his parents or his past. The Blue Fairy asked Jiminy what he would like to be instead of who he was before. Jiminy remembered how much he loved listening to crickets.
The Blue Fairy heard his wish and turned Jiminy into a cricket with a vest wrapped around his tiny new body. At last, he was free. The Blue Fairy also mentioned that Jiminy will live many years to help the boy once he finds him. "How will I? I don't even know his name." Jiminy cherpped.
"His name is Geppetto." The Blue Fairy answered.
Sorry for the long wait. I've been mostly updating on Wattpad with my books then moving them to here. Sorry for the confusion. But I'm still working on this book but I'm posting it on Wattpad first then moving to here. So please be patient with me.