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“There's good in all people. There's good in all people.” The cricket mumbles softly to himself, he turns to the pink-haired male “You know, Jack, maybe we need to dig a little deeper. T-Tell me about your childhood.”
Jack sighs “You know, I never had much as a kid. Just loving parents and stability and a mansion and a thriving baked goods enterprise for me to inherit. Useless crap like that,” the ethical bug’s mouth drops open as he slaps his face in distress as the tall male continues “But once I get my wish, I'll finally have the one thing that will make me happy.”
The cricket looks hopeful “Oh, well, what's that?”
Horner looks at the crystal ball where he is depicted as a giant on Earth “All of the magic in the world. For me. And no one else gets any. Is that so much?”
“Yes!” the bug says exasperated since the wish is simply horrible.
“Agree to disagree,” Jack utters and turns to the magical carriage that looks like a tank.
He prepares to order the driver to bring it over on the improvised bridge made by the bakers but stops. He pulls out of his pocket the map he snatched from the bears. He opens it and stars appear in his blue eyes as the map shifts and changes. In big letters, it’s written Forest of Memories as the landscape changes.
The ethical bug stares in puzzlement when a beautiful forest materializes. From what he saw, the Dark Forest transformed according to how selfish a person was. The first person that used the map was a selfless person, Goldi was so-so, and he fully expected Jack to be the most self-interested individual in existence, but this Forest looks harmless. The gap Jack passed using the bakers is no longer there and the carriage comes over and Jack turns to get on it.
A soft humming is heard and when the cricket looks, he sees a small transparent girl. A memory perhaps if the name on the map is to be taken into account. The small child, no older than 5, gathers flowers as she sings to herself delicately.
Jack turns when he hears the sound, and he inhales sharply “Y/n…”
The bug’s focus turns to the tall man, and he sees something he never expected, a broken look in the pink-haired male’s eyes. Jack approaches the figure, slowly, afraid that it will disappear. The specter gets up and walks away and Horner follows, going deeper into the forest. The girl vanishes and another one appears. It’s the same girl, but older, around 7 years old. The cricket’s eyes bulge when he sees a young Jack with the girl. There’s an innocence to him as he allows the girl to put flowers in his hair as blue as his eyes.
“Why do you like flowers so much?” the memory of the young boy asks.
“They all have their unique appearance, shape, color, size, and even different meanings. For example, the ones in your hair mean affection.”
The boy blushes and looks at the ground. He quickly picks up some small white flowers and gives them to her.
“Then you need flowers as well.”
The girl’s cheeks flush and she accepts them with a sweet smile.
Horner stares at the memory, pure anguish gleaming in his eyes as he moves forward. The cricket can’t help but think that the flowers looked like Baby’s breath.
The next specters show Jack with the girl at maybe 15 years old. The boy had his growing sprout and now towers over the female. They are playing tag or something similar because the teenager is running after her. He catches up to her and takes her in his arms, spinning with her and laughing happily. The bug chuckles when memory Horner loses his footing and falls down with the girl, still snickering as they tumble. The cricket covers his eyes but still looks through his fingers as Jack, timidly leans to kiss the girl.
The bug looks at the real pink-haired man and sees his lips quirked upward slightly, pure yearning flashing in his blue eyes. The heavyset man takes a deep breath and continues to move onward.
Another memory shows the girl and Horner at a picnic. Jack’s head is in the young woman’s lap, and he simply beams in happiness. She cards her hand through his hair, and he is close to purring in delight.
“I love you.” The young man whispers and if the ethical bug and the real Jack weren’t close, he wouldn’t have heard.
“I love you too, Jack.”
The cricket can’t comprehend what happened to the boy in the memories. He truly had everything and now he is the opposite of the young man he just saw. He does wonder where the girl is as Jack moves forward. Maybe she is the reason Horner is so malicious. Maybe she left him and broke his heart. The ethical bug’s pondering is interrupted by another memory of Jack and the girl. The cricket can’t believe how nervous and, dare he say, shy memory Jack looks.
“Y/n…” the young adult whispers and slowly lowers himself onto one knee “…marry me?” he asks so full of hope and love, presenting an engagement ring.
The bug’s mouth is hanging open in shock.
“Yes,” the girl whispers with tears of happiness glistering in her eyes.
The specter stands quickly up and takes her in his arms, spinning with her and only stopping to pepper her lips with tender kisses.
The cricket looks at the real Jack and can’t believe it when he sees his blue eyes glisten with unshed tears. The overweight man averts his gaze and speedily walks away.
Jack stiffens when the last memory shows itself. He throws it an angry glare and clenches his fists as his teeth grind in rage.
The bug watches as memory Jack is with the girl and what appears to be a fairy.
“So… you refused my son for this pathetic, buttered baker's boy?” the fairy asks with pure venom, looking at the young couple “Very well.” She waves her wand and Jack yells when the girl is lifted off the ground and spun around until she becomes smaller and smaller. When the spell ends a purple jewel falls on the ground at Horner’s feet.
He takes the jewel in his large trembling hands as he shouts “Bring her back!”
The fairy laughs evilly “No one can do that. Maybe if someone was to master all of the magic in the world,” the fairy says with an evil cackle before flying away, leaving a weeping Jack behind.
Slowly, the cricket turns to look at the real Horner. It’s clear the man is furious as he looks away from the memory. The insect realizes that the jewel attached to the tall man’s cravat is the same as the one the girl was captured in. The ethical bug is conflicted because Horner isn’t a good man by any means, but it appears that his wish isn’t as selfish as he thought.
“What does the map say, Jack?” the bug asks timidly.
Horner opens the map and again shows the forest, but it flickers and disappears while elegant writing appears on it.
To find your wish
adjust your view
What you wish may be
simpler than you think.
“Of course, the map had to be cryptic,” he huffs in annoyance and gets on the carriage.
Not even one of the bakers dares to comment on the memories they just saw of their boss. They move forward in their journey for the Wishing Star and the cricket remains on Jack’s shoulder, contemplating the message the map showed.
It’s an intense fight when they reach the star, and the ethical bug finds himself hoping that Horner gets the wish. He feels awful when Jack falls into his magical nanny bag. But to his surprise, Jack manages to get out of the bag in the form of a giant.
“I was worried for a second, I would come out naked, but my clothes grew, too. Cool.” He takes the map from Kitty and throws the two cats away “Thank you. The last wish. It’s mine.”
The ethical bug flies as fast as he can to reach Horner as the pink-haired male starts saying the words on the map.
“Star light, star bright,
first star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might
have this wish I wish tonight. I wish…”
The cricket reaches Horner and goes to yell in the giant’s ear “Jack! Think of Y/n! There’s no need for you to wield all the magic! The Wishing star is powerful enough!”
The heavyset man stops speaking and takes a deep breath almost stuttering. The ethical bug jumps back on Jack’s shoulder when the male starts to shrink, the effects of the magical treats wearing off. The man is back to his usual height as the others surround him, ready to fight.
“…for her to be in my arms again.”
A bright light explodes, blinding all of them. When their visions come back to normal, they see Horner holding a young woman in his arms as he kneels on the ground with her. The cricket watches as the man caresses her face tenderly until finally, her eyelashes flutter open.
You smile “Jack…”
A sob escapes him “Y/n…” he hugs you to him “… you are back,” he breathes out, kissing her forehead.
Everyone stares in disbelief as Horner smiles because for once it isn’t a malevolent smirk, but a true affectionate smile.
The cricket beams. He learned a lesson as well. Even the cruelest people can have good intentions sometimes.