What Once Was Mine (Marianas Trench Ever After Album fanfic)

What Once Was Mine Chapter Seven

Hey, if you read this story before Star Wars Day 2015. I made some changes to chapter six. While I highly doubt you remember what happened since it's been about 2 years since I last updated, it is important that you know what has been changed.

I erased all of Porcelain's P.O.V. from the end of chapter six. It was giving me major writers block. I finally realized that this was because it didn't match the original version of the story in Ever After. After that realization I finally got back into writing this story. While this can't excuse my 2 year hiatus from this story completely, this is part of the reason.

So here it is finally:

Chapter Seven-Fallout

But the princess was convinced to follow him on his quest. She had been alone in the forest by herself, and the boy was good company. The princess also had information to share with the boy. They could find help in another- someone with knowledge on the evil Queen.

DAYS AGO

Prince's P.O.V.

[The Queen's toy soldiers roamed the countryside, stealing everybody's hearts, and locking them away. With all of the toys in Toyland feeling the apathy of heartlessness, no one would stand up to her.]

The voice of Carolina in my head is drowned out by the screams of the people and the thundering footsteps. Losing focus on Carolina's portrait on the wall, I step onto the floor and towards the window.

The world is burning. A wave of soldiers approach the castle, destroying everything in their path. There is another scream, quickly silenced. Looking closer I see a soldier holding its victim's heart in its hand. The rabbit, now lifeless, is thrown behind as to not hinder their advance.

I watched as more soldiers were attacked the kingdom's denizens, ripping the hearts out of everyone they came across. The moment their hearts were out, the toys stopped struggling. They lost their will to fight.

I had to warn Carolina. I had to go save her. We could run away together- leave the soldiers behind.

I ran up my brother's tower. I knew she had commanded my not to follow her, but this was an emergency.

When I reach the top of the though, I stop, startled by the voice of someone I had not expected.

"What have you done to my father?" Porcelain. "Ever since my uncle brought you home, everyone has been acting strangely."

I peek in through a hole in the door. I can't see my brother anywhere.

"Ah, sweet Porcelain-" Carolina says as she grabs her shoulder. "I came here to discuss little details with the king, but instead-" She shoves her hand through Porcelain chest. "You've forced my hand."

In a moment Carolina pulls Porcelain's heart out, just as the soldiers had done with the other toys. Porcelain's body is lifeless when Carolina drops it to the floor without a care. I watch her in shock, my heart broken. Surely this wasn't the sweet Carolina I knew.

"Soon, my king," Carolina says from a part of the room I cannot see, "my soldiers will have the hearts of every toy in the kingdom."

When Carolina re-enters my field of vision, she carries my brother in her hand. His eyes are wide open, but he is listless.

I cannot bear to see a moment more. I flee.

DAYS LATER

Porcelain's P.O.V.

[I told Porcelain my tale, and explained what we must do. She agreed and told me that first we must find the Stuttering Wise Man. The one creature in Toyland who still had a heart, and the other half of the key. We had to find him, before the Toy Soldiers found us.]

That night I dream about a man with a shiny object on his head. He is very unlike Josh. When he brings me in for a hug, his skin is the temperature of the trees.

"P-Porcelain... I'm so so-sorry," he says, "I-I made a t-terrible mistake."

I don't know what he is talking about, but I recognize what he called me. Porcelain. That is the name Josh called me. He called me by another name though: amnesia.

He felt amnesia like I was feeling. He didn't remember his past either, although he knew this was not where he belonged.

This man was different though. It was clear he belonged in this world.

"I-If you'd like, you c-can come find me. I-I've f-found a pl-place where the soldiers would never b-bother to look," he says as his image begins to disappear. "A- cave- south of where you are."

As he finally disappears, I notice something I didn't before. Around his neck is a half key, like mine. As I awaken, the image of the key is burnt into my mind.

"Josh! Josh!"

He wakes with a start. "What?"

"I think I know where the other half of the key is."

Josh's P.O.V."So I thought you said soldiers wouldn't bother to look here."

"That was what I was told, yes." The moment the forest ended, the mountain began, soldiers roaming as far as I could see. "I know this seems unlikely, but there is a place where the soldiers dare not go. It is just past here."

Her voice was strong, but her eyes showed otherwise. She was scared, as I was.

"We have to split up."

"What?" Though her voice was forced into a whisper, the disbelief and anger was clear. "What are you suggesting?"

"I'm not leaving you to fend for your own," I say, a little defensive. "I'm offering myself up as a distraction." I shift from one foot to the other. "You're still weak. You can't run." Perhaps it was a side effect of losing her heart. "I can distract them. I'll take them far from here so you can make it up the mountain." She'll be fine. "As soon as I know you're at the cave, I'll come meet you."

At this point there are tears in her eyes. "I wish I was as brave as you are." She bites her bottom lip. "But what will you do?"

"I'll think of something." I tell her. "But for now, we should sleep. We need the energy for tomorrow."