One Shots

Just because you can doesn’t mean you shouldSummary:
After returning from the Grand Exhibition and being viciously attacked by the puppets inside, Pinocchio can't help but question his father and Venigni about why they would build such things.Characters: P, Geppetto, Lorenzini Venigni, Gemini, Antonia, Sophia, Eugénie, Polendina, PulcinellaTags: HumorWord Count: 2,007
Published: 2024-01-08

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Your Springs are reactingSummary:
Pinocchio sometimes wonders how others can tell he is a puppet.What the poor boy doesn't know is that his springs are way louder than he thinks.Characters: P, Gemini, Geppetto, Red Fox | Claudia Volfe, Black Cat | Lucio, Giangio | Philippus ParacelsusTags: Humor, Mild Hurt/ComfortWord Count: 1,975
Published: 2024-01-22

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CuriositySummary:
Pinocchio is very curious about the world around him, lately one thing has been on his mind: SleepingTo the dismay of the residents of Hotel Krat, Pinocchio decides to fulfill his curiosity by watching them sleep at night.Characters: P, Geppetto, Gemini, Lorenzini Venigni, Eugénie, Antonia, Polendina, Pulcinella, Giangio | Philippus Paracelsus, Alidoro, Belle, Sophia.Tags: Fluff, Humor, Hurt/ComfortWord Count: 4,226
Published: 2024-02-07

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Workplace BullyingSummary:
Phlippus Paracelsus is a legend even among the alchemists, his knowledge of alchemy is envied by many, his medical ability to turn everything into the right cure, after all, the dosage is what matters when it comes to mixing chemistry not to mention his skill when it comes to making weapons. Truly a man that shows the true potential of what it means to be an alchemist.It’s a shame that doesn’t stop others from mocking him due to his height.Characters: Giangio | Philippus Paracelsus, Simon Manus, Valentinus Monad, Laxasia the Complete.Tags: Humor, BullyingWord Count: 2,706
Published: 2024-02-09

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DelusionSummary:
After Carlo dies, Geppetto slowly starts losing his sanity, desperately trying to put together the pieces of his fractured mind.Characters: Geppetto, P | Player Character, Carlo, Romeo | King of Puppets, Antonia, Lorenzini Venigni, Simon Manus, Spring the CatTags: Mental Instability, Mental Breakdown, Self-Harm, Memory Loss, Dissociation, AngstSelf-Hatred, Guilt, CryingWord Count: 5,369
Published: 2024-02-22

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Gemini’s Big AdventureSummary:
After Pinocchio gets stuck in a trap with no way out, it is up to Gemini to find help and rescue him.And it's up to Sophia to rescue Gemini by reviving him each time he gets killed.Characters: Gemini, P, Geppetto, SophiaTags: Humor, Mild Hurt/Comfort, FluffWord Count: 2,705
Published: 2024-03-06

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Pouty FaceSummary:
Pinocchio is more capable of what most give him credit for, he is a skilled fighter and he is very smart for someone who was basically just born. Maybe those who don’t know him may see him as clueless but everyone that knows him takes him seriously.Expect of course when he is angry because the poor boy looks too cute for anyone to take him seriously.Characters: P, Geppetto, Gemini, Eugénie, Antonia, Lorenzini Venigni, Simon Manus, Romeo | King of PuppetsTags: Humor, Fluff, P is a little sillyWord Count: 1,877
Published: 2024-03-15

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Wasn’t himSummary:
When Venigni hands Pinocchio the message, revealing the truth of who caused the frenzy the boy lies to protect his father.A lie that Venigni is able to detect, but unfortunately for him, Pinocchio is not willing to reveal the truth, no matter how badly he tries to lie his way out of the situation.Characters: P, Lorenzini Venigni, Geppetto, GeminiTags: Humor, GaslightingWord Count: 1,671
Published: 2024-03-17

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AnythingSummary:
After Carlo is brought back, Geppetto promises his son he will do anything for him.
Carlo learns the hard way that you should be careful what you ask for.Characters: Carlo, Geppetto, Romeo | King of Puppets, PTags: Emotional Manipulation, POV Multiple, Mental Breakdown, Mental Instability, Body Horror, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Angst, Dead Dove: Do Not EatWord Count: 4,280
Published: 2024-04-28

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Dress FittingSummary:
After Giangio borrows a room inside Hotel Krat to stay the night, he finds a peculiar dress that he decides to try out against his better judgment.Characters: Giangio | Philippus Paracelsus, P, GeminiTags: Humor, FluffWord Count: 1,775
Published: 2024-07-01

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It’s over isn’t itSummary:
Paracelsus leaves the alchemists behind, but he is leaving more than simple work endeavors.Characters: Giangio | Philippus Paracelsus, Simon ManusTags: Implied Relationships, Abusive Relationships, FicletWord Count: 434
Published: 2024-12-23

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A kiss of true loveSummary:
Pinocchio's attention is caught by a certain story, and Sophia is eager to learn why.“It’s a beautiful story,” Sophia extended her hand wanting to touch his face, stopping herself as she remembered her hand would pass through his body, “When I was a little girl, I’ve thought of myself in that situation, saved by a prince”Characters: P, Sophia, GeminiRelationships: P/SophiaTags: Romantic FluffWord Count: 1,307
Published: 2025-03-03

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ThudSummary:
Geppetto’s puppet had picked up the weapon of his choosing, ready to leave the train where he awoke when he heard a sudden noise.Characters: P, GeppettoTags: Angst, FicletWord Count: 411
Published: 2024-12-23

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His FavoriteSummary:
Geppetto would have rather not done this interview, yet here he is, representing the Workshop Union, as it is his duty as the director.“I am quite curious, and I believe I speak for a lot of people when I ask this… which is your favorite puppet? What is your greatest creation?”It took him some time, but now, Geppetto knows the answer.Characters: P, Geppetto, CarloTags: AngstWord Count: 1,365
Published: 2024-09-21

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Brand New DaySummary:
A day in the life of Lumacchio Pantalone, the Leader of the Bastards.
Made this for the event held at the Red Lobster Inn discord server. ♡Characters: Lumacchio, Leo, White Lady | Patricia Corday, VéroniqueTags: Event Fic, Slice of Life, Slight AngstWord Count: 4,995
Published: 2025-07-24

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Anatomy LessonSummary:
Pinocchio just asked an innocent question, and for some reason, everyone is acting so weird about it.Characters: P, Geppetto, Gemini, Antonia, Sophia, Eugénie, Lorenzini VenigniTags: Humor, Fluff, Mild Hurt/Comfort, P is a little sillyWord Count: 2,074
Published: 2024-01-01

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Who am I?Summary:
Everyone always looks at Pinocchio the same way, everyone looks at him and they see Carlo.Characters: P, Geppetto, Gemini, Black Rabbit Brotherhood, Romeo | King of Puppets, Red Fox | Claudia Volfe, Black Cat | LucioTags: Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Alternate Universe-Canon Divergence, Light AngstWord Count: 3,129
Published: 2023-12-31

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Twas the night before ChristmasSummary:
Twas the night before Christmas and Pinocchio had asked for a very special gift.
So his father, I mean, Santa is on his way to gift it to him as Pinocchio has been a good boy.Characters: P, Geppetto, Gemini, Lorenzini Venigni, Antonia, Polendina, Pulcinella, Sophia, Eugénie, Spring the CatTags: Fluff, Humor, Family Fluff, HumorWord Count: 2,221
Published: 2023-12-24

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CatboySummary:
Pinocchio is a very quiet boy, he hasn’t spoken a word since he first awakened, but that’s okay for everyone, they love him for who he is.
They are all surprised when he finally starts talking, or rather when he starts meowing.Characters: P, Geppetto, Sophia, Antonia, Lorenzini Venigni, Black Cat | Lucio, Red Fox | Claudia Volfe, Eugénie, Spring the CatTags: Fluff, Humor, P is a little sillyWord Count: 1,200
Published: 2023-12-16

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MelancholySummary:
Pinocchio is a good boy and always does what others ask of him, and they praise him, and thank him for helping them.So then, why isn't he happy about it?Pinocchio wants to be useful, to help others, but sometimes it's just too much, wishing he could just disappear.Characters:
P, Geppetto, Gemini, Sophia, Antonia, Lorenzini Venign, iPolendina, Pulcinella, Belle, AlidoroTags:
Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Suicide Attempt, Angst with a Happy Ending, References to DepressionWord Count: 2,122
Published: 2023-12-06

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A moment with kittensSummary:
Spring is pregnant and expecting to have kittens.Everyone at the Hotel gathers around them, giving them moments to spend together.Characters:
P, Geppetto, Gemini, Sophia, Eugénie, Lorenzini Venigni, Pulcinella, Antonia, Polendina, Belle, Alidoro, Spring the CatTags: Family Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Humor, KittensWord Count: 2,065
Published: 2023-11-28

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RecklessSummary:
After his father is kidnapped, Pinocchio starts getting more reckless than usual, and his mood isn't any better.Venigni knows that he isn't his father, but he has to do something for the boy to feel better.Characters: P, Lorenzini Venigni, AntoniaTags: Light Angst, Family Feels, Family Fluff, HuggingWord Count: 889
Published: 2023-11-24

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Stinky BoySummary:
Pinocchio tends to get a little dirty from time to time while venturing outside Hotel Krat, and his father helps him take some well deserved relaxing baths.But one day Pinocchio gets a little too dirty, and he realizes bath time sometimes isn't fun at all.Characters:
P, Geppetto, GeminiTags: Fluff and Humor, P is a little sillyWord Count: 1,381
Published: 2023-11-23

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Gun safetySummary:
Pinocchio has the bright idea to bring back to Hotel Krat a gun he found on the ground.To the dismay of everyone else.Characters:
P, Geppetto, Lorenzini Venigni, Sophia, Eugénie, Antonia, Polendina, Pulcinella, GeminiTags: Fluff, Humor, P is a little sillyWord Count: 1,374
Published: 2023-11-20

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Tummy ache survivorSummary:
Pinocchio gets his first-ever tummy ache.Characters:
P, Geppetto, Lorenzini Venigni, Eugénie, Sophia, Antonia, GeminiTags: Humor, Family FluffWord Count: 1,451
Published: 2023-11-16

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One Last NightSummary:
P held the letter in his hands, Sophia having said her goodbyes, promising to meet again one day.However he manages to find her before she truly leaves, the two of them spending one last night together before her eventual departure.Characters:
P, Sophia Monad, GeminiRelationships: P/SophiaTags:
Fluff, Mild Hurt/ComfortWord Count: 1,453
Published: 2026-05-30

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Your hand, my hand.Summary:
"Eugénie could see his hands beginning to shake, instinctively she grabbed on to them, holding them gently.“It’s okay, it will all turn out okay,” Eugénie knew she couldn’t be certain of those words, but there was no need to fall into hopeless thinking, “And if something happens, it certainly won’t be your fault.”P smiled; his hands stopped trembling, his nerves have gotten the best of him, so much that his heart was still beating rapidly and loudly despite feeling calm. He started at Eugénie’s eyes, not wanting to let go, and Eugénie didn’t wish to let go either."Eugénie slowly falls in love with P, and P cannot help but to fall for her as well.Characters: P, EugénieRelationships: P/EugénieTags: Fluff, Mild Hurt/ComfortWord Count: 3,361
Published: 2026-06-04

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A flower that couldn't bend towards the sunSummary:
How Patricia Corday became The White Lady.Characters:
White Lady | Patricia Corday, Adelina Corday, Original Character
Tags:
Canon Compliant, Character Study, AngstWord Count: 5,204
Published: 2026-06-13

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Forgotten Dreams of a StarSummary:
“I suppose a girl can dream,” Claudia sighed longingly, setting the glass aside, “A girl can dream of many things.”Patricia smiled, amused, “Such as?”“Leaving home, finding a new life, a new family” Claudia paused for a moment, “Kissing a pretty star.”Patricia Corday is not fond of formal events, events she quickly forgets of; yet tonight, there is one person she meets worthy of being remembered.Characters: White Lady | Patricia Corday, Red Fox | Claudia VolfeRelationships: White Lady/Red FoxTags:
Light Angst, Hurt/Comfort, One ShotWord Count: 1,121

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Your hand, my hand.

Eugénie carefully moved around her station trinkets, having changed their position and arrangements multiple times in the past two hours. She not dares to say out loud she is bored, how wrong that would feel when there are others out there who aren’t as lucky as her, having found refuge and safety in a city where safety feels a foreign concept. Anything catches her eye, from the coughing that comes from Lady Antonia, to the tapping of Mr. Venigni’s deciphering machine, and who could forget… whatever it is that Mr. Geppetto is doing upstairs, she doesn’t ask, feeling it would be impolite, though he has been twice as loud ever since his son had arrived at Hotel Krat.Her eyes turn to glance at the stargazer, Ergo particles floating around and accumulating in the air, ethereal butterflies surrounding it’s elegant presence. Speak of the devil and he shall appear; almost as if she manifested P into arriving at the Hotel once more; looking like his usual self, calm, reserved, and a bit of playfulness that he seemed to hide from others for a reason she couldn’t understand.“I know my way around a weapon, you need me to take a look at that?” Eugénie spoke as he approached, he was carrying in his hands a peculiar blade infused with fire, “With a few touch ups, I’m sure this will be twice as handy.”He nodded, P isn’t much of a talker after all, and he doesn’t need to be.Eugénie works in silence, P staring curiously at her work, which compelled her to explain a few of the ins and outs of what she had learned over the years.“Thank you,” P’s voice was soft, always thanking her and the others for their hard work, “I’ll be back, stay safe.”P is always thinking of their safety, a detail that Eugénie only noticed until now, just as she noticed the damage done to his legion arm, the one she had crafted herself just for him.“Let me take a look,” Eugénie insisted , stopping him from returning outside, “What happened?”Why has she only asked until now as how well he does out there? Eugénie is starting feel selfish, a feeling that goes away easily by caring for others.P looked as if he was hesitant to explain, not wanting to worry her for what was nothing in his eyes. In the end, he caved, mentioning how he had gone against a puppet of the future, one that dislocated his legion arm during the fight.“I’m sure father can fix it later…” P can withstand the pain, it’s not so bad, “I better-"“Get going? Not on my watch when you are dealing with that,” Eugénie grabbed his hand, basically dragging him to her work station, “This will take less than a minute.”Eugénie is good at her job and at keeping her promises, sure enough, it took less than a minute for her to fix him up.P looked at his arm, breathing a sigh of relief, feeling good as new, “I… suppose I owe you one.”“What? No, that’s nothing,” Eugénie is just doing the least she can, “Anything’s better than standing around doing nothing, don’t hesitate to ask for help again.”

P took her advice to heart, Eugénie gladly keeping her word.She noticed him spending more and more time by her station; he would ask about her life, about what it was like to be a technician. Occasionally he would bring her little things he found here and there, her favorite being a figurine of a cat that looked exactly like Spring resting in a pillow in the shape of a sun. The most useful ones were clothes, you tend to realize you took your wardrobe for granted when wearing the same clothes for months, while Eugénie preferred to work with her usual clothes, for times of rest it felt nice to change into a lovely dress; when P gifted her that set of ribbons, she made sure to wear a different one each day.“They left you to fend for yourself all alone the rest of the Mallum District? How rude of them, and how rude of that cat stalker to call you that!” Eugénie was furious on his behalf, “I’m glad you didn’t have much trouble against the black rabbit brotherhood, I've heard so many foul rumors about them.”“They seemed to underestimate me,” P wasn’t too pleased about their taunting, “I just hope things would have gone differently.”“Really? How come?” By the sounds of it, everything went better than planned.“I hoped I didn’t have to… kill him,” Even if they attacked first, even if they taunted and mocked him, P didn’t want anyone to die, “And the cat and fox aren’t bad people they are just… I guess I don’t judge them for doing what they can to survive out there.”Eugénie had never seen someone show so much empathy for others that had hurt them, feeling touched about his kindness.“What if I hurt someone and they go after father? After you?” P spoke his thoughts out loud without realizing, “Or the others at the hotel? What if you all get hurt and it’s my fault?”Eugénie could see his hands beginning to shake, instinctively she grabbed on to them, holding them gently.“It’s okay, it will all turn out okay,” Eugénie knew she couldn’t be certain of those words, but there was no need to fall into hopeless thinking, “And if something happens, it certainly won’t be your fault.”P smiled; his hands stopped trembling, his nerves have gotten the best of him, so much that his heart was still beating rapidly and loudly despite feeling calm. He started at Eugénie’s eyes, not wanting to let go, and Eugénie didn’t wish to let go either.

“So, be honest with me, what did he say? Did he like the glove?”Eugénie’s excitement had gotten the better of her, almost jumping from her seat once P mentioned how Alidoro had liked the gift. She was so nervous, wanting to at least give the one who saved her life a small token of her gratitude, even if she knew deep down she could never repay the hound for what he had done; sure he acted a little odd, not quite the same as when he saved her, feelings which she shoved aside, all having a reasonable explanation on her mind. His voice was slightly different than what she remember, but surely that had to do with how brief the encounter was, not enough time to get to know his voice properly. Yes he has been acting a bit apprehensive around her, but perhaps he simply isn't as comfortable staying in the hotel, and with the alchemists around with a city filled with turmoil its comprehensive if he keeps a distance from others. He keeps to himself and avoids others, but it's not as if he has to be this image of a great stalker 24/7.She was so thrilled that she hadn’t noticed how odd P was acting, for a moment, a slight second, the thought crossed her mind that he could be lying, that can’t be the reason right?“Oh, I’m tired, that’s all,” P’s voice did sound that way, looking down as he explained how the swamp has been a tough challenge to say the least.“Maybe you should, I don’t know, lay down?” Huh, can he rest like others? “I mean, wouldn’t hurt to try, right?”P looked as if he was deep in thought, without another word, he walked away from her station; Eugénie couldn’t help to follow behind, seeing him lie down in one of the luxury couches that adorned Hotel Krat.“Better?” Asked Eugénie.P nodded, a bit disappointed that he couldn’t properly rest like others. Still, this is better than standing around or sitting every once in a while.“You are kinda weird, you know that?” Eugénie has dealt many of times of his habit of walking away without a word to try different things she or others have suggested.“Gemini loves to remind me of that,” P replied, hearing Gemini’s chirping that he was right, “Does it bother you?”“I like your weirdness,” Eugénie wouldn’t change his quirks for anything.“You are a bit weird too,” P held back a gasp, feeling as if he had said something wrong, his heart pounding the same as when he held her hands.Eugénie laughed, not noticing his nervousness, “Do you like my weirdness?”“Of course,” P replied. With no hesitation on his voice.

Eugénie almost hopped out of her seat upon hearing the sound of the stargazer, she did not wait at all for P to approach her this time, almost dragging him into her work station to show off all the work she had done with the weapons he left behind for her to tinker with. Modifying some herself with different blades and handles on his behalf, giving him an ample selection of options of his choosing for different fighting styles."What do you think?" Eugénie was proud of her work, more than that, she was happy to help him in whatever way she can."I think you are so dedicated," P looked at her work, examining all the weapons carefully with a smile, "You are so creative.""I might be, I suppose it takes a special type of talent to be this dedicated," Eugénie does not want to be too boastful, neither does she want to discredit her hard work.P gave her a warm smile, having a special surprise for Eugénie as well. He handed her a small chest, one Eugénie opened gently, it was filled with different assembling tools, ones meant for puppet making, that explains why he brought her a high quality wood and metals he managed to salvage from the swamp the last time he passed by, a kind yet confusing gesture at the time. Oh how she missed being able to do creative crafts, her little woodpecker puppet was getting a bit lonely."You could make a little home for Gemini," P joked, letting out a chuckle at that mental image."I think that sounds lovely," Never had she had tried to built a tiny wooden house before, thankfully there is a first time for everything.This time, P did not left, did not expect for him to come back to see her work finished. He stood by Eugénie's side, brainstorming ideas alongside her, asking for Gemini's thoughts (it was his new home after all), giving a helping hand on it's construction. When finished, the tiny wooden house resembled one you would find in the woods of a fairy tale; little Gemini was out of his cage exploring the inside, one that was as intricate if not more than the outside."I suppose it would look better with a bit of color," Eugénie though out loud. Well, it's not as if its an easy task to find tools for painting, besides the wooden textures by themselves give it quite the charm, "Mmm, actually I think it's beautiful the way it is, wouldn't you agree?""It is." P said, staring at warmly at Eugénie's face.

Eugénie felt like a fool, felt betrayed.She had gotten enough courage to try and speak to Alidoro face to face once he returned from the swamp, to thank him personally for what he had done and accepting her gift.He wasn’t wearing the glove she made for him, sure, that was no problem, he didn’t have to. No, the problem was his finger, or rather his lack of missing a finger, this couldn’t be the real him, his change of demeanor, how head been avoiding her… it all makes sense.Yet that wasn’t what hurt Eugénie the most.How could he do that to her? Did P think she couldn’t handle the truth?She couldn’t help to put distance between the two of them, a fact he was quick to notice, Eugénie being quicker to deflect any questions if he had done anything wrong. It was dumb, it was immature, letting her emotions get the best of her when she could tell he wanted to fix his mistake.Eugénie finally couldn’t take it anymore, going away to the training grounds so they couldn’t be heard by anyone else, fearing what that impostor could do if he knew she had caught up to the truth.“I know the glove didn’t fit,” Eugénie went straight to the point, “I know that isn’t the real Alidoro.”P froze in place, not knowing what to say, only apologizing for not telling her the truth.“Why- I- couldn’t you have-?!” Eugenie stammered her words, there was so much she wanted to say, she wanted to be mad, she wanted to yell and cry.She only did that last part; this time it was her who had been left not knowing what to say. Eugénie stood still, crying as she looked down at the floor.P moved closer to her side, wiping away her tears as he softly apologized again; he extended his arms, and Eugénie welcomed his embrace. She understood he was trying to protect her feelings, she couldn’t blame him for that, after all, wouldn’t she had lied as well if she knew something she could have told him could have hurt him?“Don’t let your guard down around him,” Eugénie playfully hit P’s shoulder, “I’m sure he is up to no good.”"Shouldn't we let the others know?" Asked P, "What if he-"Suddenly, the ground began to shake, yet another earthquake, and just how Gemini has said back at the swamp, this feels like foul play on the alchemists behalf. Moments later, Geppetto appeared upstairs, asking to talk with his son in private; when he returned, P looked nervous, saying that he had to keep going, there was no time to be wasted when the alchemists were nearby."We'll confront him together once I return," P held Eugénie's hand, giving reassuring words, leaving behind one of his weapons for her to use, "If he tries something, I'm sure you can teach him a lesson."Eugénie held that weapon firmly, almost chasing after P after seeing him leave towards the stargazer. She told herself to be strong, to be brave, to protect those she cared for.

Eugénie’s heart felt as if it was going to leave her body.She was expecting a confrontation with an impostor, not a complete attack inside the walls of Hotel Krat. Holding that weapon in her hands became pointless, not when she was outnumbered by stalkers, not when the rest of them could be hurt if she made any reckless mistake, or her own life be taken for trying to play hero; she never expected for Mr. Geppetto to be taken; never expected to feel as helpless as when she was trapped under that tower. All she could think of was P, if he was safe, if they had gotten him too, or worse…Eugénie felt an immense wave of relief once she heard his voice through the other side of the barricaded door; she never seen him so angry, and she couldn’t blame him. He asked frantically if she had been hurt, if any of them were injured, if there was anything he could do.What happened to his father.Eugénie could tell that with every question he asked, he only felt more guilt. She wanted to remind him of the words she said not long ago, how none of this could be his fault, unfortunately, P took off as soon as he could, chasing against the black rabbit brotherhood and that impostor.When P came back, he looked defeated, more tired than he had ever looked before. P had spoken with Venigni before her, had it been in any other circumstance, she wouldn’t have payed no mind, this time, there was a feeling in her gut that something terrible had happened.She knew Alidoro, or rather that the impostor was gone, and she wondered about who the real Alidoro was. Was he a great stalker? Was he truly like she remembered?P let out a sigh, not answering her questions directly, instead handing over the deciphering message that had been left behind by the real Alidoro.…Her brother? It couldn't be, it was so sudden, she needed more time to think.P understood, holding her hand briefly, he looked like he was about to say something, only for him to silently make his way towards the stargazer.Whatever conflicted feelings Eugénie she pulled them all aside, before he could reach the stargazer, she tackled him from the back with a hug, holding P tightly.“You are here, that’s what truly matters,” She let him know that she cared, that he was always welcomed, that he didn’t had to face everything by himself.That he was loved.She barely let go when P turned around, this time he was the one hugging her tightly, letting her know that the feeling was mutual.

Processing her brother's death was hard. Why did he have to leave? Why didn't he say anything? She was so angry at first; did he think he was better than anyone protecting her from a distance? All she ever wanted was to met her family. Her anger did not left, but she could not help but to soften her feelings towards him, wondering what other endeavors he must have done to try and keep her safe. In the end, the past cannot be changed, she can only look towards the future.That future seemed bleak at first, seeing Lady Antonia pass away, then finding the truth from P, how Geppetto had caused the frenzy, how he had no choice but to kill his own father. Eugénie gave him space, she knew that no words she could give could change the grief and pain he was going through. She felt devastated on her own circumstances, she could not begin to understand how P must have been feeling."They are beautiful melodies, aren't they?"Eugénie walked right next to his side, the two of them watching the record player spin; the gifts left behind by her brother, ones that felt better on his hands than hers, the only token she could give of her gratitude.P faintly smiled, "Not as beautiful as you."There was a slight pause, a moment of silence shared until the last few notes of the song began to fade out."I'm sorry," At that moment, Eugénie wished she was graceful with words, not with weapons, "You… deserved better."It was not to late for that better to become a reality."When was the last time you went outside?" Asked P.The question threw Eugénie slightly off, "Mmm… probably months ago when Spring ran off, I briefly went to take her before anything terrible could-"Oh, he is asking her out, Eugénie felt embarrassed, so clueless at that moment, making her face slightly red. "Do you have any good recommendations?"P had found a lovely coffee shop in Rosa Isabelle Street once. One that was surprisingly well kept despite the time, and that held a record player almost as beautiful as this one, surely the records would sound just as beautiful resonating across the empty streets. He also read somewhere in a magazine he found that coffee beans do not expire… at least he hopes that is true."You are trying to get me killed on our first date?" Eugénie chuckled, "I can live without the coffee, but… not without you."P could not think of anything to reply, not being a good speaker either, instead, he let his actions speak for himself, giving Eugénie a kiss, one she lovely welcomed. Without any other words, the two of them grabbed each other's hands, this time, P would not be the only one leaving via the stargazer all by himself. The ergo spores moved around the air, the butterflies flying around their presence, all fluttering into a heart shaped as the two of them vanished together side by side.

Notes:
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Thank you all for reading! ♡

One Last Night

“Pal… are you okay?”There was no response, P kept staring at the letter Sophia left behind. She left, and he could not blame her for doing so, not after everything she had gone through; yet it seemed too hard to believe, P felt, no, he knew that she couldn’t have left so soon.“You have a feeling she is still around?” Gemini was a little doubtful, thinking his friend might be in slight denial that she left so suddenly, “Where could she go in the first place?”Despite the alchemists and the puppets having been dealt with, the city isn’t doing much better. Rebuilding and recovering takes time, without mentioning that the truth was that… Sophia lost everything, nothing is tying her back to stay in Krat. Ignoring that fact, where could she have gone in the first place? Certainly not to the destroyed parts of the station, nor the decaying barren Swamp; much less a place like The Grand Exhibition where the alchemists once resided; The Cathedral? Filled with carcasses; The Mallum District? Much the same and filled with shady individuals. Every possible location gave no possibility for it to be her whereabouts.“I know where she is,” P spoke up, making his way downstairs, his hands firmly touching the stargazer, his gaze staring deeply at the glowing Ergo that powered the device.At first, Gemini assumed his friend was double guessing if his assumptions were right. Only until he heard him whisper those words did he knew what he was trying to do.“Please just, one more time, one last time.”After they were sent back the present, they hadn’t been able to go back to the past. The stargazers simply wouldn’t allow them to do so.“P, listen-"It happened in an instant, the Ergo particles moved around in the air, turning from their sky blue to an almost transparent white. The next moment they found themselves inside the entrance Monad charity house, alongside a white butterfly floating around P’s body.“Thank you,” P whispered again, grabbing his weapon firmly and running as fast as he could upstairs.Soon enough he found that there was no reason to hold his weapon firmly, the Charity House was deserted, any remains of carcasses were dead or nowhere to be found, and each step he took echoed throughout the walls.It didn’t take him long to arrive at his destination. The sanctuary that was torn apart; in what was once her beautiful luxurious bed, sat Sophia Monad, looking at the shattered window, avoiding P’s glaze.“I had a feeling you might find me here before truly leaving,” Sophia touched her bed gently, her mechanical fingers grasping at the sheets, after being trapped for so long, Sophia yearned so much for touch, to be able to interact with the world.In their time, any path leading to the charity house would have been almost impossible to find, let alone traverse. Sophia, always staying by his side, knew of the predicament of when he found himself in the past, not being the only one looking after his well being; with her power it was no hard task to find a way to travel back, to see the home she grew up in one last time.P took a few steps forward, until the young man was right in front of her, the light from the broken window making her body shine brightly.“I miss them all.”Lea, Carlo, Romeo; her parents and all the orphans she helped raise and care for. Every staff member, every person that came by occasionally, every kind soul who made this place possible.Sophia couldn’t leave, not without saying one last goodbye.“I’m sorry,” P sat right by her side, gently holding one of her hands.Sophia welcomed his touch, the warm of his artificial skin contrasting against her cold mechanical hands.“I used to feel trapped in here.”Her room was like a cage, Sophia wasn’t allowed to leave the charity house unless she had her parents permission; as an adult, that did not change either. There wasn’t much she could do that didn’t require her father’s blessing, she felt it was so unfair, how she had no control over her life, she knew why, she understood that she was a listener, and that her father had made powerful enemies. Enemies like Simon, who were heartless enough to attack what was supposed to be a sanctuary, to kill countless innocent children and any who might have inconvenienced him.After she was captured, there wasn’t a single moment she didn’t feel guilt. That Simon might have been against her father, but that she was always his true goal; Sophia felt to blame for everyone who lost their lives that day.“How foolish I was,” After being tortured, after being used as a tool, her body and spirit torn apart, Sophia thinks herself selfish for thinking her life wasn’t truly a blessing.There was a moment of silence, a moment for P to compose his thoughts, think of what he truly wanted to say."The moments I had with my father were happy… until they weren't," P felt so much love and care for the man that created him, even despite everything, he still does. He truly believed his father wanted the best for him.At first that is.He couldn't tell Sophia or tell himself the moment where he began to have doubts, regardless, just as her, he felt trapped, simply in a different way. P felt he had no say on what others wanted of him, at the same time, he could not bring himself not to do as he was told, it was for the betterment of Krat, right? The best for everyone else. His efforts were not fully in vain either, he helped plenty on his journey, yet he still felt selfish for wanting things to be differently."Father's gone, Simon's gone," Said P, staring directly into Sophia's eyes now that she had turned to met his gaze, "There is no one to trap us now, and I promise you it will stay that way."Sophia felt a single tear falling from her eye; not able to contain herself, hugging him tightly, so much so that he feel into the bed; Sophia quickly apologizing for the excessive force.“I don’t mind,” P was hugging her back, reassuring Sophia that he welcomed any of her hugs at any time. Then, an idea popped into his head, “You know… I’ve never had a slumber party before.”“Neither have I,” Sophia laughed, her family would have never allowed that, much less with such a handsome young man, “But there is a first time for everything, wouldn’t you agree?”P gave his blue fairy a warm smile, moving his hands towards her face, caressing her cheek. Sophia smiled back, she leaned forward, their faces right next to each other, their lips almost making contact with one another, both of them closed their eyes, leaning for that much awaited kiss.“… Am I included in that slumber party?”“Gemini!” P shouted. It was the first time he shouted at his little puppet cricket friend, now wasn’t the time for his commentary!Sophia let out a small chuckle at first, then she began to laugh louder and louder, completely losing her composure and falling to the floor in the process.P’s face was red with embarrassment, still, he couldn’t help but to let out a laugh himself. Unbuckling Gemini from his belt, and taking out the Monad pocket watch, laying his friend on top of the device, the white butterfly resting on top of the lamp, as he activated the mechanism that would return him to Hotel Krat.“Guess that’s a no then,” Gemini chirped, waving the two of them goodbye from his lamp, Ergo particles flowing in the air as they vanished.P turned to look back at Sophia, extending his hand towards her, "I believe the cold floor is no place for a lady to sit in.""Oh, who turned you into such a romantic?" Sophia accepted his hand, "Where did that quiet gentleman that I woke that day at the station went?""I might have read a few books here and there, when not risking my life," P gave her a playful smile, you would know, wouldn't' you? Since you always had my back."Sophia smiled back, lying down in bed the same moment as he did. Moving gently with her mechanical fingers, grabbing the torn canopy curtains, despite their state, she managed to set them in the perfect angle for their privacy.With their newfound freedom, they would make sure to enjoy every moment of their special night together.

Notes:
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Thank you all for reading! ♡

Tummy ache survivor

Pinocchio was making his way back to the stargazer, he was in Rosa Isabelle Street and had run out of supplies, he needed to go back to the hotel but before leaving something caught Pinocchio’s eyes, a box that looked completely intact, almost as if it had been put by the stargazer on purpose, Pinocchio picked it up and opened it to find a box filled with chocolates, he had never eaten anything before, he wondered if he could, and he had seen by the many advertisements around Krat to know that everyone loves chocolates, Pinocchio picked up one of the chocolates from the box.“Hey buddy maybe you shouldn’t really do that, you don’t know where that came from, you don’t even know if you can eat food properly” Gemini chirped from his cage.Unfortunately for Gemini, sometimes when he tells Pinocchio not to do something, he does the exact opposite to try and prove how wrong he is, so Pinocchio ignores what his friend said and puts the chocolate in his mouth, taking a bite.It was… really good! The sweet taste made Pinocchio start to feel excited, it filled him with energy, he ate a few more; the box had different flavors of chocolate, Pinocchio ate almost all of them, but he ignored the bitter ones, he didn’t like how they tasted. Pinocchio was smiling, he was very happy that he was able to eat, Gemini wanted to be mad at his friend but at least it made him happy to see Pinocchio be happy, and Pinocchio learned something new about himself.Pinocchio didn’t just want to leave the box there, so he took it with him, Once he was back at the hotel, he was greeted by Sophia, who gave him a curious look at him holding the box, but she said nothing and reserved herself to aiding him with her powers.Pinocchio left the box on one of the many empty tables in the hotel lobby, he gathered his supplies from Polendina and upgraded his weapon with the help of Eugéne, he didn’t want to leave so soon, so Pinocchio made conversation with everyone at the lobby, well more like he listened, he was more of a listener than a talker, Venigni certainly appreciated watching Pinocchio get exited about all his inventions, and how he would nod along to what he said.He then made his way to see Lady Antonia and he was also greeted by his father who was talking with her, they quickly ended their conversation, Pinocchio isn’t dumb he could tell it was something private and he didn’t want to be rude by asking what they were talking about.“Son you are back, I hope you have been a good boy while you were gone” His father greeted him, he always asked Pinocchio to be a good boy, to always tell the truth, and Pinocchio felt bad because he would lie, a lot, but his father wouldn’t understand why he had to lie to others.“Please get a little closer boy, I want to take a good look at you, I need to enjoy it while I still have my sight,” Lady Antonia asked of him, he took a few steps but he stopped, Pinocchio felt a sharp pain on his abdomen, he had never felt like this before, yes he had been hurt while fighting but he hadn’t felt something like this, something from the inside.“Is there something wrong?” Antonia said, and Pinocchio could tell that his father was now worried as well.“It’s…nothing” he lied, but it wasn’t a very convincing lie, Pinocchio then started to feel worse, he put one of his hands to his stomach and another to his head, and he was starting to feel dizzy.“Son? Son what’s wrong?!” Geppetto was now panicking.“It hurts,” He said while pointing at his stomach.“That’s odd, that shouldn’t be happening, are you hurt? Did something happen out there while you were fighting?” His father started bombarding him with questions, but there was nothing Pinocchio could think of.Pinocchio was now crying he didn’t understand why he was feeling this way, he could tell that his father and Lady Antonia were taken aback by it as well, and his crying got the attention of everyone else, Venigni and a Pulcinella made their way to them, Eugéne soon followed, they had to inspect what was happening.“Seriously nothing? Is there really nothing you can think of?” He could tell by his father’s tone of voice that he was getting desperate, Venigni was trying to calm his father down.Polendina was the last one to enter the room, and he had the box and his hands, he had figured that if was going to be there he might as well bring what Pinocchio had left behind, the box quickly caught everyone’s attention it didn’t take much for them to put two and two together.“Pinocchio…” his father’s voice had taken a stern tone, “Did you eat something that you randomly found on the streets?”“Um, no”“Yes” Gemini spoke up, “And just to be clear I told him not to do that”His father put his palm to his head and everyone else laughed, why was everyone laughing? He was suffering here!“My dear boy you just have a stomach ache,” Antonia said in between laughter.“Huh, a what?” He was confused.“Oh you poor thing, you have never gotten sick before have you?” Eugéne teased him.“Well maybe that’s a good thing, you really are full of surprises aren’t you?” Venigni found the situation amusing, and highly interesting, Pinocchio certainly wasn’t a normal puppet, he wonders how Geppetto was able to build him.Pinocchio was about to say something but he felt something going up his throat, and Pinocchio ended up vomiting on the floor, it had the brown texture of chocolates and… a few tiny gears scattered around the floor, he started to cry louder, his father went by his side and rubbed his back, “There, there, you just need to rest that’s all”Geppetto was not that good at comforting but he had to try, this was his son after all and he couldn’t make the same mistakes he did with Carlo, also he had no idea how this was even possible so there was also the shook of seeing that, is he becoming human? Is he something else entirely?“You should grab one of the rooms upstairs, Polendina please give them a key so that Pinocchio can lay down and rest” Antonia thought it was best for him to have some space for himself.———-Despite the fact that he was being treated as a prince, Pinocchio still couldn’t stop crying and tell to however could hear how much in pain he was, his father stayed by his side all the time, mostly conforming him, not without the occasional scolding of how “you shouldn't eat things if you don’t know were they came from” or the “what if it was poison”, but after that he would play with his hair and assured him how everything would be fine.Geppetto also wanted to scold Pinocchio for trying to tell such a blatant lie, but in the end, he is the one who gave Pinocchio the ability to lie; well, if it isn’t the consequences of his own actions, he just told his son to be a good boy and be more careful.Everyone else stopped by his side from time to time, even Spring decided to take a nap next to him, which made Pinocchio very happy; Antonia cuddled him and he didn’t want her to go back downstairs, he made the excuse that it would be a hassle to get her back down due to her wheelchair, but the truth was that he just wanted her all by himself, he was reveling in all the attention, in fact, was so happy about all the attention he was getting that for a second he thought that he should get himself sick more often so that he gets spoiled like this more, but then he puked again and the thought instantly left his mind.Once he finally felt better, it was time for him to resume his mission, he went downstairs and Sophia greeted him by the stargazer, she was the only one who didn't spend time with him, but it made sense, only he and Gemini could see her for some reason, Pinocchio is sure that the others think he has an imaginary friend.Sophia gave him a smile, before he could leave she gently poked his stomach and let out a giggle.“Take care clever one”

Notes:
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Maybe Pino needs to actually listen to Gemini for once.Thank you for reading!! <3

Gun safety

The familiar sound of the activation of the stargazer was heard through the hotel, indicating that Pinocchio had arrived back, thankfully Geppetto was downstairs and he made his way to greet his son.“Son, how was-“ But Geppetto couldn’t finish that sentence as something very out of place had caught his eye, “What do have there?!”Geppetto’s loud voice caught the attention of everyone, making them inspect what was going on; and they were just as stunned at him when they saw Pinocchio carrying a rifle in his hands.“A gun” He said it so innocently, clearly having no idea the difference between a normal gun and a rifle or how dangerous they could actually be.“I told him not to grab it but he didn’t listen to me” Gemini had to defend himself, he is supposed to stop Pinocchio from getting into trouble.“Why are you carrying it?!” Geppetto was freaking out, he didn’t know if it was loaded.“Well, it’s a weapon so maybe it can help me fight” Pinocchio was so proud of his thought process, completely ignoring he was holding the rifle backwards.“Hey friend maybe you be more careful, you don’t know if it has bullets in it” Venigni tried to sound calm but he clearly was nervous, his friend was more capable than most would give him credit for but gun safety is important no matter the person.“Oh right, I should check if it does!” To everyone’s horror Pinocchio took the rifle and looked directly inside the muzzle.“DON’T DO THAT!” Everyone collectively shouted, they were all filled with dread, even Sophia who usually has a calm demeanor has lost her cool.Pinocchio stopped, lowering the gun but still carrying it “Huh? Why not?” He was confused, he just wanted to make sure.Before there could even be a moment of peace a loud bang was heard, a shot was fired, landing directly into one of the walls of the hotel leaving a deep whole as the ammunition was of high caliber; Spring who was sleeping at the counter quickly ran away from the scene, too scared from the shot fired.“Pinocchio put that gun down right now!” His father demanded, he was furious and extremely frightened, his son could end up seriously hurting someone. Unfortunately, Pinocchio took the demand very literally as he dropped the gun from his hands, and as it hit the floor another loud bang was heard, this time the bullet ricocheted in a metallic surface, until it hit another wall, precisely the bullet hit the wall nearest to Lady Antonia it was a close call, but everyone felt tense, Polendina despite being a puppet and unable to show much emotion looked as if he was about to faint.“Um… sorry” It wasn't until now that Pinocchio realized how this wasn’t his greatest idea.Eugéne was the one to take the weapon, she might be more of an expert in hand-to-hand combat but she knew a few things about guns, she would keep it safe along with her other things, making sure that the safety lock was on.“What were you thinking?! You could have killed poor Antonia” Geppetto shouted at his son, Antonia’s face was pale as a ghost, Polendina was by her side now, holding her hand and using a hand fan to give her some air.Before Pinocchio could speak up Gemini decided to say something.“Don’t even try to defend yourself this time buddy, you really screwed up”His father was now next to him and started scolding him more, “You are a bad boy, that was unacceptable”Pinocchio started to cry, he had never been called a bad boy, he was always a good boy.“You know what? You are grounded” Geppetto needed to teach him some discipline, “You aren’t allowed to go outside until I said so”Realistically everyone else knew that not allowing Pinocchio to go outside, the only one with fighting skills that could help in this situation, was not the best idea but no one was going to argue with Geppetto about it, first because everyone had a really bad scare and second he is his father so there’s that.“But, but, but-“ Pinocchio’s crying had gotten more intense.“And you aren’t allowed to talk to anyone else either, you are going to be upstairs with me until you learn your lesson” Geppetto grabbed Pinocchio by the arm and walked him upstairs, he was still crying and saying how he was sorry and that he would be a good boy.After a few minutes, the air had been less tense, Spring had even come back and started to ask Eugéne for cuddles, she could only laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Eventually, Antonia calmed down as well, and Polendina took her to the garden to get some fresh air.After an hour Venigni started to feel bad for poor Pinocchio he was still crying, he wanted to go upstairs to try and convince Geppetto to let him off this hook and that he had learned his lesson, but Pulcinella stopped him, telling him it was best to leave Geppetto to do the parenting, and because secretly he didn’t want Pinocchio to come back down yet, ever since that boy rescued him (which he was very thankful for but still) he could tell that he was a menace, he would step forward into hordes of enemies without a plan, that boy was clearly too reckless.Reckless but at least his tenacity was at least admirable.Sophia got over the scare quickly, looks like her “clever one” wasn’t so clever after all, she was getting bored, since no one could see her she had no one to talk to, and with Pinocchio being grounded it was worse, she used her powers to teleport upstairs, she gently waved her hand at Pinocchio.“Sophia please tell my father I’m a good boy!” He was begging her, Pinocchio had never been in trouble before and it was killing him.“Pinocchio you aren’t allowed to talk to your imaginary friend either”“But Sophia is real, Gemini can see her, right Gemini?” Pinocchio knows that he can see her too, he talks to her. Why does everyone think she is just something he imagined?!Sophia gave a small wink to Gemini and the cricket knew why she had come upstairs “Sorry buddy I’m not allowed to talk with you either”And with that Sophia lifted her hands making a peace sign and vanished once more into thin air.“Son be a good boy and take your punishment without excuses” Geppetto took a deep breath, but he felt a little bad for his son, he clearly wanted to have more friends otherwise he wouldn’t have made up someone to be his friend, still, he wonders why he named them Sophia, just like… well it was probably just a coincidence.Half an hour passed and Geppetto finally gave in, his son still hadn’t stopped crying in fact he was crying so much that he ended up throwing up, and he felt at this point he had learned his lesson, he gave him a small lecture about how guns are dangerous and gave him a list of dangerous things to not pick up. He gave his son a hug, that ended up lasting for a while Pinocchio wouldn’t let go and keep apologizing, Geppetto had no choice but to repeat over and over that he was a good boy but to never make a mistake like that again.He headed downstairs and apologized to Antonia as well, she played with his hair and told him to simply be more careful, and because Pinocchio wasn’t done asking for affection he went by Venigni’s side and just waved his arms to ask for a hug, and his uncle Venigni did so because he loves that boy, even if he can make some very questionable decisions sometimes.Pinocchio left again to resume his tasks, and everything was peaceful and quiet, that is until he came back holding something again in his arms.“Look, I found a new friend for Spring!” Pinocchio was so excited to show off the funny-looking cat he found.“PINOCCHIO THAT’S A POSSUM!”

Notes:
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Hey, his father told him to not pick up certain things, he never mentioned anything about picking stray animals.I love writing small one-shots like thisThanks for reading!! <3

Stinky Boy

The first time Pinocchio took a bath was after returning from Venigni Works, he had come back to the hotel and went upstairs to meet with his father, who was mortified to see that he was fully about to overheat, it looked like his battle against Fuoco had made his body completely fired up, and he could be in serious danger if he didn’t cool down immediately, not to mention his, wardrobe malfunction, as let’s just say that Pinocchio’s clothes or lack there off made things even worse.Geppetto grabbed one of the rooms from the Hotel to give him a bath and cool him down, Hotel Krat is a very prestigious hotel so it obviously has bathtubs, so he filled one up with water and helped his son take off what remained of his clothes so that he could get in a cool off, Pinocchio instantly felt relief, he didn’t feel as if his body was on fire anymore; truth was that he was trying to put in a tough act as if it didn’t bother him, he didn’t want others to worry about him, specially his father.At first, Geppetto was just going to let him soak in the water so he could feel better but then he realized that his son had gotten dirty while outside, it made sense obviously, and Venigni Works isn’t exactly the cleanest place, Pinocchio had coal over some parts of his body; so he decided to give him a proper bath, as obviously his son wouldn’t know how to clean himself.To say that Pinocchio was delighted would be an understatement, he felt spoiled, aside from asking him to do tasks and upgrading his P organ, his father doesn’t spend much time with him, and they only have very few in between conversations in the time he spends at the Hotel. It felt nice to have his father take care of him, after he was all done his father handed him some clothes and told him to be more careful next time and to be a good boy of course.Pinocchio continues to do his tasks as usual, and because he tends to get reckless and charge into danger without much thinking, he ends up getting dirty again, when his father notices he gives him another bath; this time, when his father is bathing him, Pinocchio notices small and cute transparent things in the water, he is fascinated by them and tries to touch them, but as soon as he does they pop, and he doesn’t understand why so he feels as he has done something wrong.“Son those are just bubbles, they are formed when the water and the soap mix together”Pinocchio shakes his hand in the water and sees that more bubbles start to form, he has stars in his eyes and he keeps doing it, and his father actually laughs, his father almost never smiles and Pinocchio is happy that he made him happy.After that, every once in a while his father keeps bathing him, and Pinocchio loves it, he specially loves how his father washes his hair, it feels relaxing. His father even now helps him make even more bubbles before he even hops in, and when he is all done Pinocchio ends up smelling like roses, it makes him feel pretty.One day, he is battling a horde of carcasses and in his desperation to get the battle over as soon as possible, he slashes them from left to right, when he is done he moves forward and ends up finding another stargazer before he goes back Gemini speaks to him.“Woah buddy, you got really dirty this time, you have to be more careful”Pinocchio looked at his clothes, they were completely filled with that strange fluid that came out of the carcasses, not only that but even his hair had become tangled with it. But Pinocchio smiled, if he was dirty that meant his father would give him a bath.“Mmm, I wouldn’t be so happy if I were you,” Gemini said to him in a condescending voice, that voice he made when he scolded Pinocchio.Pinocchio ignored him and activated the stargazer, returning to the hotel, he didn’t even say hi to anyone else, he quickly hopped upstairs to see his father.“Son how was-” But as soon as his father saw him his expression changed, “PINOCCHIO WHY ARE YOU SO FILTHY?!”He didn’t expect that reaction out of him, it was then that he realized that he doesn’t have a sense of smell (at least not yet) and he started to put two and two together.He probably really stinks right now.His father grabbed one of his hands and basically dragged him to get him cleaned, It was all so fast at first and Pinocchio had a hard time processing it, his father took him to get cleaned, but this time he didn’t go to the bathtub, no he went straight for the shower.As the water came running down it felt cold, and Pinocchio didn’t like cold water, not only that but instead of being gentle like before his father scrubbed him with force; Pinocchio didn’t like this, bath time was supposed to be fun and relaxing, it’s not supposed to be like, like this!“What were you thinking?! I keep telling you to be more careful and you don’t listen to me, do you have any idea how hard cleaning you up is going to be?” Geppetto is disappointed in his son, he smells like a rotting corpse, and worse is that the fluids that come out of those carcasses are sticky, very sticky.Pinocchio gets mad, he wants to have a bubble bath, but no matter how much he pouts his father doesn’t listen to him, his father washes him over and over again until finally, his body is clean from that disgusting liquid, Pinocchio breaths a sigh of relief.“Oh son, I’m not done yet”Pinocchio then realized that his father still hadn’t touched his hair, his extremely messy, tangled, and filthy hair.“Now be a good boy and hold still”This is horrible, this is a nightmare, Pinocchio feels absolutely betrayed; his father cleans his hair with force and begins the grueling task of untangling his hair, the brush feeling like the claws of a beast stabbing his head; Pinocchio starts crying because he doesn’t like it, and his father scolds him more, saying that if he took better care of himself that this wouldn’t have happen, that hair is a delicate thing and he needs to take proper care of it.It takes an entire hour for his hair to finally be saved, and just for good measure now that he is completely clean, Geppetto washes him one last time, this time he doesn’t smell like roses, he just smells normal and that’s a good thing all things considered, Pinocchio now looks like a wet cat, a very angry wet cat.Even after Pinocchio puts on his clothes he is still upset, he is still crying and eventually, it turns into a full-on tantrum because he didn’t get what he wanted, to the amusement of everyone else at the hotel, they either found it cute or funny.Once he finally calms himself his father tells him to be a good boy and to not get that dirty ever again.When Pinocchio is back outside, Gemini finally talks to him again.“Don’t be a brat and listen to your father you stinky boy”Pinocchio gets mad at Gemini, he grabs his cage and starts shaking it, but to Gemini, it was all worth it, besides, the lesson works because Pinocchio starts being more careful to not get filthy out there.More time passes and everything goes back to normal, well as normal as this situation can get, Pinocchio returns once again to the hotel, gathering some supplies and making small talk with everyone downstairs, when he goes back upstairs to see his father; he call tell that he was waiting for him.“Son, how about I give you a bath, a normal one that is”Pinocchio once again has stars in his eyes, and he excitedly follows his father to get himself a much-deserved bubble bath.

Notes:
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With how dirty Pino gets in-game while battling it is safe to assume he is in fact a stinky boy.Thank you all for reading!

Reckless

Some time has passed since the stalkers kidnaped Geppetto, and Pinocchio hasn’t been in a good mood at all, it makes sense, and no one can blame him for it, but unfortunately, he starts to get reckless, even more so than usual.His weapons break more often, he stops completely listening to Gemini’s advice and barely talks with others.Venigni tries to cheer him up a bit, but it’s clear that Pinocchio is way too angry, Venigni is understanding of course, as the boy doesn’t properly understand his emotions, but still, Pinocchio’s bad mood is starting to be a problem for others.Pinocchio is with Eugéne, she is helping him fix another of his broken weapons and when it’s all done, he is about to rush back to the stargazer but Venigni calls for him, trying to make small conversation, and he hears something he would have never expected Pinocchio to say.“Shut up!”“Excuse me? Pinocchio don’t talk to me that way” Venigni has had enough, he deeply cares for the boy but his behavior is starting to become unacceptable, “That’s not nice at all, you have to be a good boy”“You are not my father” Pinocchio is mad, Gemini starts chirping at him to stop being rude but it’s clear Pinocchio can’t calm down.It’s true, Venigni is not his father, he has always been more of a fun uncle, but he has to do something, he just hopes he is doing it right, he has never reprimanded Pinocchio before.“I’m not but you have to behave yourself, you are going to apologize to me and the others for how you have been acting” To Venigni that is something along the lines of what Geppetto would say in this situation.Pinocchio stomps his feet into the ground and crosses his arms, he starts pouting, clearly not wanting to listen to him.“Please don’t throw a tantrum,” Venigni says and Pinocchio gets even more angry, Venigni feels stupid for saying that, he should have chosen his words more carefully.“I’m leaving!” Pinocchio once again makes his way to the stargazer, but Venigni grabs his hand to stop him.“Pinocchio stop it, you have to calm down, please” he is begging him, he truly just wants what is best for him.Pinocchio swats his hand away but he doesn’t leave, he stays quiet; then he buries his face with his hands and falls onto the floor, he starts rocking back and forward in the fetal position and begins to cry.“I just want to see my father again”Venigni feels terrible, he feels like this is his fault, even if realistically Pinocchio is just finally letting out all of his repressed emotions.“I just want to know if he is safe, I just want to hear him again, I just want to see him again” Pinocchio keeps repeating over and over again, everyone is now looking at him, the air feels tense, sure Pinocchio gets upset sometimes but they have never seen him like this.Venigni has to do something, he can’t just leave him to cry on the floor like that, so he kneels down to his level and gives him a hug, and Pinocchio hugs him back tightly, his crying now turned into sobbing; Venigni stays by his side and comforts him, until Pinocchio eventually tires himself out, he looks completely exhausted, Venigni tells him to stay here and rest and Pinocchio just nods.Polendina grabs a room key and leads them to a room so that Pinocchio can rest, Antonia joins them.Pinocchio lays down in the bed, pulling the covers, he knows that when people get tired they lie in bed, he doesn’t know how to sleep, or if he can even sleep but right now he is too tired to think about that.Antonia tells Venigni that there are blankets inside the room closet so that he can give Pinocchio more comfort, as she can’t walk to get them of course. Venigni uses two blankets to cover Pinocchio tugging him into bed, and the boy starts feeling safe, he feels like a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders.Most importantly he feels loved.Antonia is sitting next to him and starts playing with his hair, she starts humming a tune to him and Venigni decides to leave so that they can have a moment together.As he goes back downstairs he lets off a deep sigh, parenting is way harder than it looks.“You did good,” Pulcinella says to him, and Venigni feels reassured, he smiles at his friend and Pulcinella gives him a nod.After some time, Pinocchio eventually makes his way back down.“I’m sorry,” He says, and they can all tell that he truly means it.“It’s alright friend, just be careful out there” Venigni wants him to know that there is no reason to push himself beyond his limit.Pinocchio heads towards the stargazer, but before he activates it he turns back and rushes towards Venigni giving him a big hug.Venigni has a smile on his face, and he returns the hug.“Pinocchio, I love you, you can always count on me”And with that said, Pinocchio turns around and activates the stargazer, knowing that he has his family waiting for him when he comes back.

Notes:
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Really short story but is about time I wrote more Venigni and Pino being together, I really need to do it more often.Thank you all for reading!

A moment with kittens

Pinocchio was at Hotel Krat, looking everywhere for Spring, he had slowly earned her trust and their bond was closer, now not only did she let him pet her, but also let him carry her. After some time, Pinocchio found her, she was in the room where Antonia always was, Spring was lying under a table, she had taken some of the chair cushions that were around and carefully put them around her, making a small nest, Pinocchio got closer and he could sense something was different about her, as she was petting her, Spring got mad at him for touching her belly.That’s when he noticed Spring had gained weight, a lot of weight.“Ah, Spring there you are!” Eugéne was also looking for her, it was her cat after all.Pinocchio pointed at Spring, “Fat kitty”Eugéne and Antonia let out a laugh; Eugéne started to pet her but Spring did the same when her belly was touched.“That’s odd, for a cat she actually loves belly rubs” Eugéne was puzzled, that wasn’t normal for her.“Mmm, dear can you wheel me closer the two of you?” Antonia requested, and Eugéne did so, Antonia gently and carefully put her hand on the cat's belly, and after a solid minute she stopped.“Oh, it seems that our dear Spring isn’t just a little chubby, she is actually pregnant”“What?!” Eugéne was stunned, it looked like there must be a tomcat hanging around near the Hotel, and sure, Eugéne loves cats, but Spring being pregnant is not the best situation during a disaster like this. Eugéne looked at Spring, and for a second she could swear that the cat had a smug grin on her face.Pinocchio gave them a confused look, “Pregnant?”“That means she is going to have babies” Antonia explained, “She is going to be a mom and have her little kittens”Pinocchio was excited, the idea of even smaller cats seemed fascinating to him, and he had never seen an actual baby before, neither human nor animal, as he had only encountered that puppet that looked like a baby, that he lied to that poor woman that it was her baby so that she could be at peace; as his thoughts consumed him, he decided to ask a question.“Where do babies come from?”“Son,” Geppetto said, appearing suddenly from behind them, startling Eugéne and Antonia, he rarely comes downstairs and they didn’t even hear his footsteps. Geppetto put his hand on Pinocchio’s shoulder, “That’s something, I’m going to teach you later when you are older, you understand? Be a good boy and don’t ask that again”Antonia and Eugéne looked at each other, it looked like Geppetto’s parental sense came to him just in time, Pinocchio nodded as he was a good boy who listened to his father.“She looks like she is about to pop at any minute” Eugéne was sure she was going to have them soon. Then she looked at Pinocchio who had a panicked look on his face, “No Pinocchio, not literally, it’s just a saying, she is going to be fine”Pinocchio looked relieved, he couldn’t wait to see the new babies, but for now, he had to leave and continue his mission.———When Pinocchio returned to the Hotel he found it odd that no one was near, not Polendina who stays at the front desk, hell not even Sophia who waits for him there.“Hello?” Pinocchio shouted, it was so strange.“Pinocchio quick! Come over here!” He heard Eugéne call from him, he rushed over to see that everyone had gathered around Spring, her babies glued to her belly drinking her milk and meowing with their squeaky voices.“They are so small!” Pinocchio couldn’t believe their size, the kittens were as tall as his index finger. There were four in total and all of them were of different colors, he thought that they would all look just like Spring but smaller.Everyone was admiring them, even Belle and Alidoro looked from afar, clearly pretending that they weren’t interested in seeing them, but at least both were self-aware enough to realize what the other was doing.“Sophia look! That one has a mark that looks like a butterfly” Pinocchio said as he pointed to one of the kittens who’s fur made the shape of one.“Who is Sophia?” Alidoro whispered to Belle, he was confused about who the boy was talking to.“I think she is his imaginary friend” Belle whispered back. They both gave each other a look, Pinocchio was a very strange boy.Sophia, although not seen by anyone else, gave Pinocchio a smile, “How adorable, you are so smart for noticing Pinocchio, you truly are a clever one”“How are we naming these little ones?” Antonia was excited, she had a fondness for cats, having owned a few in her youth.“Why don’t we let Pinocchio name them? Right friend?” Venigni thought that it would be a great idea, everyone agreed and Pinocchio looked like he could jump from happiness.Pinocchio looked at the kittens intensely, thinking of their perfect names, he pointed at each of them and said them out loud.“That one is pumpkin pie, and that one is turkey, and that one is mashed potato and the last one is… doorknob!”Everyone was silent for a few seconds before busting down in laughter.“Those are great names, my friend!” Venigni patted Pinocchio’s head, oh how he loves that boy and his silly quirks.Unfortunately, they all couldn’t just look at the kittens forever, and eventually, everyone went to do what they are usually up to, although Eugéne did keep a keen eye on them, in case anything was wrong, the days passed and the kittens began to open their eyes and even walk, when they became old enough to hold, everyone held them at least once, except poor Sophia of course, but she was content with admiring them.Pinocchio was hesitant about holding them, sometimes he is afraid to touch others because he worries that he can accidentally hurt them due to his massive strength, but Eugéne reassured him and taught him how to hold them properly, and Pinocchio cried because they were just so beautiful, so precious.As they grew even older the kittens began to wander on their own, each time Polendina tended to Antonia, Pumpkin Pie would be there with them, they would rest in Antonia’s lap and she would pet the small creature, and when Polendina was about to make his way back to the front desk, Pumpkin Pie would meow and meow until he came back, so each time he tended to Antonia, Polendina began to stay a little longer and longer, and while Antonia pets Pumpkin Pie with the strength she has left, Polendina holds her hand, enjoying the precious moments they have together, not knowing if she will make it, but knowing that at this moment, they have each other, and that’s enough.Turkey stays glued to Pulcinella, the little thing having a fondness for him, much to his confusion, not understanding why the kitten would like him, Venigni telling him that the small cat most likely feels safe around him. Venigni and Pulcinella have always had a deep bond with each other, so Pulcinella could see that Venigni was dealing with a lot of emotions, Venigni loved to talk about his inventions, his ideas, yet now unless Pinocchio came to talk with him he would stay quiet.Yet now that Turkey followed Pulcinella like a magnet Venigni started to talk again, the conversations will always begin with talking about the cat, yet soon enough Venigni would talk and talk about his inventions and his plans to make Krat a better place once all of this was over. Pulcinella would listen just as he did in the past, like a parent listening to their child talk about their passions, after all, Pulcinella had raised him, and he could never replace the love of his real parents but he could still love him as if he was one.And to Venigni, those moments where Turkey purs loudly to get Pulcinella’s attention make him feel as if this situation isn’t happening, as he talks with his beloved friend, no, his beloved family, Venigni stops focusing on the bleak past they share and for a moment he sees the bright future ahead of them.Mashed Potato is everywhere, hoping from one place to the other, at one moment being next to Eugéne, playfully biting her hands or playing with her mechanical woodpecker; the next they are rubbing themselves in Belle’s legs as she makes playful noises to keep the kitten entertained, the next they are near Alidoro asking to be petted and Alidoro looks around and makes sure no one is watching when he does as the cat asks.Everyone is confused at how Mashed Potato stands near the Stargazer and won’t stop meowing, all but Sophia, who is surprised that the kitty can see her, yet she appreciates every second of it, using the butterflies around the Stargazer to play with them.And those moments where Mashed Potato hops from place to place, all of them can smile, smile even at their lowest, because, for a moment, the cruelty of the world outside has all but disappeared.Geppetto is puzzled as to why Doorknob keeps trying to destroy his belongings, the chair he usually sits in is now completely filled with claw marks, as the chair where his son sits to have his P organ upgraded; he has to constantly grab the small cat to prevent it from hurting himself while trying to play with his tools. The kitten uses his sharp claws to climb up to Geppetto, all the way to his shoulder, Geppetto’s clothes now have small holes in them from all the times Doorknob has climbed on top of him.No matter how many times he scolds the kitten he simply won’t stop, having a high spirit and too much energy to listen to him, yet when the kitten is calm, he sits on his lap and they can both have some peace together.Those moments remind him of Carlo, and how full of spirit he was, their relationship was rocky, Geppetto knows that he wasn’t the best father, yet Doorknob reminds him of those moments when he would finally shove aside his work to spend time with Carlo, it was hard to keep up with him, always so full of energy, and even if it wasn’t well seen by others, Geppetto found his son’s mischievous deeds quite funny, how he would playfully scold Carlo and tell him to stop being a brat, before giving him a big hug and making his son feel embarrassed.For a moment, as Geppetto carefully pets Doorknob, he feels his mind is clear, he realizes how his plan has only hurt others and how it’s not the real solution, for a moment Geppetto sees Pinocchio is there and that he has no need to bring Carlo back because he already has what he wanted, he already has a true son in front of him.
Because even if he will never stop loving Carlo, for a moment he realizes he has to move on and be there for his other son.——-Pinocchio returns to the Hotel, and all the kittens rush to meet him, asking him for cuddles, they even play with Gemini’s cage, who instead of being bothered by it, fully embraces it.Pinocchio treasures the moments he has with them, the moments he has a break, a break from all his grueling tasks, moments when he doesn’t have to think about his mission, the great burden put on his shoulders, the one who can only save them, as well as the one who has to get hurt both physically and emotionally just to complete his quest, complete what he is told.For a moment, Pinocchio truly feels safe, that a puppet or a monster won’t suddenly come from behind to attack him, for a moment he truly feels at peace.Now they are all gathered together, just talking, making conversation, and having fun, finally enjoying themselves despite the situation they all find themselves in.As they all watch and play with the four kittens, for a moment they can all feel happy, truly happy.

Notes:
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I even included a drawing because I just had to draw what they looked like!This was supposed to be just a simple fun story about Spring having kittens, but it evolved into something more emotional, and I'm happy about that, sometimes, kittens do bring people together, even in the worst situations.Thank you all for reading!!

Melancholy

Pinocchio has always been quiet ever since he woke up.He is a good listener, when others talk to him, he listens and if someone ever asks a question, he nods or makes other gestures to indicate what he is feeling. He can count with his hands the number of times he has spoken because he is good a listening.Listening to what he is told to do.He does it without question, of course, others mean well, specially his father, and Pinocchio is the only one that can help all of them.Pinocchio stays quiet when he listens, and he has a faint smile on his face but it’s not a real smile, he just doesn’t want to worry anyone else.He doesn’t want to bother them.So he does what he is told and returns to share that he succeeded, they tell him that he is a good boy and they thank him.And then they send him back outside to do other errands.Outside where he gets hurt, he gets burned, and electrocuted, where the petrifaction monster throws acid at him, he gets poisoned.But he returns with a faint smile on his face and shows everyone that he did what he was told.They thank him again, they always look at his faint smile, but they never look at his eyes.Eyes filled with sorrow.One day while outside, Pinocchio feels tired and sits down, but he feels like he can’t get back up, he buries his face in his knees and grabs his legs for comfort. Gemini asks what’s wrong but he stays quiet, Pinocchio always stays quiet.Tears start running down his face, he doesn’t feel well, but he can’t explain why, no one is hurting him, and he can’t understand why he doesn’t feel well.It starts to rain but he doesn’t get back up to look for refuge, he stays there and cries because at least the rain covers his tears——Sometimes after others are done talking to him, Pinocchio just stands there and stares for a few seconds, he can tell that they wonder why he does that but they just dismiss it as a fun quirk.He stands there and wants to say something but he can’t.He wants to say that he isn’t feeling well, that something is wrong but the words can’t come out of his mouth.He wants to ask for help but he can’t.So he just stares, until he realizes he is making others uncomfortable with his staring so he leaves again.——As Pinocchio keeps wandering around the barren swamp, he finds himself on top of one of the small towers so that he can destroy some of the enemies that hurt him and prevent him from advancing.When he is done, Pinocchio stares for a few minutes at the horizon, he is close to the edge and he looks down for a moment and for a moment, he feels something strange.He feels the urge to jump.He looks away and walks in the opposite direction, Pinocchio doesn’t feel well but he has to continueHe has to do what he was told.——Pinocchio is next to his father, who thanks him for doing what he asked of him and calls him a good boy.Once again, Pinocchio stares at his father for a few moments, the father he loves so much, so dearly.His father repairs him when he is hurt, Pinocchio wants to speak up and tell his father that he isn’t feeling well, that something hurtsHis chest hurts.But he can’t say it, and Pinocchio can’t do it.He can’t do this anymore.“I love you father”That’s what he says instead, he has always loved his father but this is the first time he has been able to say it. He can tell that his father didn’t expect him to say that but he calls him a good boy and tells him that he is precious to him.And he tells him to be careful while outside.Pinocchio walks away, he finds a small table, and puts Gemini in; Gemini is asking him what he is doing but Pinocchio doesn’t respond, he just gently touches Gemini’s cage before leaving him there. Pinocchio walks away from his best friend and goes upstairs, leaving for somewhere else.Everything is quiet inside Hotel Krat, extremely quiet, everyone too consumed in their own thoughts, trying to distract themselves from the situation they are facing.Everyone is startled when they hear a loud piercing crash, it comes from outside the hotel walls, at the exit to Elysion Boulevard. They go to investigate, it’s odd, clearly something is wrong.Geppetto walks downstairs and makes his way to where the loud crash was heard and his heart sinks, he becomes pale, he starts to shake.His son is lying on the ground.His son jumped.——Geppetto repairs his son with the help of Venigni, technically he could have done it himself, but he couldn’t, he couldn’t stop crying and shaking, Venigni had to be there for him, to help him pull himself together.He is a horrible father, he is the worst father in the world.He lost Carlo and he almost lost Pinocchio.Pinocchio is unconscious, lying in one of the beds of the Hotel, his father staying next to his side. The others come to check on Pinnochio from time to time, and they try to reassure Geppetto that this isn’t his fault.But it is his fault, he should have been a better father.Although the truth is that Geppetto isn’t the only one blaming himself, everyone else is blaming themselves as well, because they all finally realized that Pinocchio was crying for help and they didn’t pay enough attention.They didn’t see how much pain he was in.But for Geppetto is different, this is his son, the son who keeps neglecting, the son he uses as a tool, the son who loves him unconditionally.The son he made to replace Carlo.He was trying to force his son to be Carlo, no, he was forcing his son to be Carlo. Geppetto was forcing his son to be someone he wasn’t.He sees now that Pinocchio also knew that, he just pretended he didn’t notice.Pinocchio had to leave and face the dangers outside and Geppetto as his father never even bothered to ask how that made him feel.—-When Pinocchio opened his eyes, he could feel his entire body aching, he was in pain, and everything hurt so much.But the pain in his chest was worse, the pain that he has felt for a long time and it simply doesn’t go away.His father sees him wake up and he starts to cry, he apologizes over and over to him.Pinocchio feels worse, he made his father cry, what kind of son makes his father cry?He isn’t a good boy, he is a bad boy.Pinocchio is quiet and he is scared, everything is too much for him, he grabs the blankets off the bed and covers himself with them, hiding himself. He is shaking, he doesn’t want to be here.He wants to disappear, he wants to stop being a bother to others. But he can’t, so he just hides because he can’t face them.He can still hear his father apologizing and crying.Why is his father apologizing? He doesn’t understand.He doesn’t understand anything, the world around him just confuses him, and he doesn’t understand his emotions.But why would he understand? He is just a stupid puppet, he just had to do what he was told and he couldn’t even do that.——“I’m sorry” Pinocchio finally manages to speak up.Pinocchio is sitting on the bed, crying, and Geppetto knows that his son is apologizing because he thinks he is making everything worse for others.Geppetto sits down on the bed next to his son and hugs him, Pinocchio hugs him back tightly, not wanting to let go of his father.“No, Pinocchio, I’m sorry”Geppetto is crying, he almost lost his precious boy but he has to stop feeling sorry for himself, he has to be a better father.“The only thing I’ve ever done is hurt you”Pinocchio stays quiet, he is crying while listening to his father.“I’ve used you and I wanted you to be Carlo”Geppetto knows that he was selfish and that he was an idiot, he wanted his family back, he wanted his son back and he was too blind to see that he already had a family, that he already had a son.He just makes the same mistakes, he neglected Carlo and he neglected Pinocchio.“But aren't Carlo and you never will be”That puppet, the one that holds Carlo’s Ergo. Geppetto knows that he was to destroy the heart and that he should give his son the peace he deserves.“Pinocchio you are my son and I love you no matter what, I love you and want us to be a family a real family”Not the pretend family he had in his head.——His son is slowly recovering, everyone at the hotel comes to give him comfort and for a moment, Geppetto excuses himself, saying he’ll be back soon.He opened the box.He hesitates to grab the heart.He can’t do it.But the puppet touches his hand.Carlo touches his hand.Carlo takes his father’s hand to his heart.Because he wants to be at peace.Both of them use their hands to crush the heart, the Ergo floating in the air for a few seconds before finally disappearing.——Geppetto is hugging his son, both are next to the stargazer.The puppets have stopped attacking, the others don’t understand why but they are all happy about it.It’s going to be hard to explain that the frenzy was all his fault but he is prepared to face the consequences for that.But for now, the petrification disease monsters are still at large and Simon must be stopped.Meaning that his son has to go back outside now that he feels better, but Geppetto doesn’t want to let him go.“Son please be careful, if you start feeling bad, if you start feeling sad please come back so I can be there for you,” Geppetto says as he kisses his son's forehead.Pinocchio smiles at his father, this time, it’s a genuine smile.Because for the first time, he is happy. Actually happy and not a front put as to not worry others.Not to say that his last feelings have vanished, but he finally feels safe, he finally feels truly loved and wanted.Pinocchio looks at the stargazer, Sophia is staring at him, she tells him to be safe and that she will always be there for him. That she will protect him from anything, even if it is his own dark thoughts.Before he leaves everyone else gives him reassuring words as well.Pinocchio kneels down and Antonia gives him a big hug, telling him that he is a good boy and that he will never be a bother to any of them. She might not be his mother but she sees him as a son.As soon as he stands up Venigni also gives him a big hug, saying that he loves him and wants what’s best for him. That his uncle Venigni is always there to lend him a hand.Eugéne almost doesn’t want to stop hugging him, but she eventually stops and tells him that she sees him as a brother and that he can always count on her.Polendina and Pulcinella tell him that if something happens, he can always confide in them.Belle is there too, she tells him that he is strong and that no matter what he faces, he can overcome it, but that doesn’t mean he has to overcome it alone. That it’s not weak to ask for help.Alidoro isn’t one to be sentimental but he knows that the boy is in a lot of pain, so he tells Pinocchio not to forget that he isn’t alone in this.Pinocchio activates the stargazer and is now outside, before he can even take another step Gemini speaks up.“Buddy, I’m your best friend, don’t be scared to talk to me, I will always be by your side, literally, so just touch my lamp if you feel a little sad, or whatever you are feeling, I’m here for you the bad and the good times”Pinocchio can feel a few tears running down his face but they aren’t tears of sadness.They are tears of happiness

Notes:
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I actually cried while writing this. My poor baby, Pino I'm sorry for making you sad.Pinocchio such a brave good boy that had the weight of the world in his shoulders, but he shouldn't have to face the burden alone.Thank you all for reading.

Catboy

Everyone that stays inside Hotel Krat knows Spring, she is a very friendly cat, although she wasn’t always friendly to Pinocchio but overtime their bond has grown, and grown extremely well, now Spring as soon as she hears the sound of the Stargazer, she rushes to meet him.Pinocchio is a very quiet boy, he hasn’t spoken a word since he first awakened, but that’s okay for everyone, they love him for who he is.Geppetto had just finished making adjustments to his son’s P organ and he was good as new, ready to go back outside.“Son, remember to be a good boy while you are out there,” Geppetto said with a smile on his face.“Meow” Pinocchio said, the first word he ever said.Geppetto didn’t know what to say so he just stared in silence.“Meow” This time, Pinocchio also moved his hand just like a cat would by flexing its paws. Geppetto recognizes that Spring tends to do that every time she is happy.“Oh, are you saying you are happy?”Pinocchio nods and he makes his way out to leave.Geppetto is confused about what just happened but maybe if his son is confident enough to say that, he will be confident enough to say other words and start talking.—-Pinocchio keeps meowing at everyone much to their confusion.They don’t really know how to react, they are happy that Pinocchio is being more open in a way but they don’t know what to make out of his strange behavior.“Ah friend, did you come here to decipher another message?” Venigni was always happy to help Pinocchio.“Meow meow” Pinocchio was smiling.He helped the boy and when he was finished, Pinocchio grabbed Venigni’s arm hugging him… and rubbing his body and head in him just as cats do.Venigni laughed, partly because it was funny, partly because it was awkward.“If you need help with anything else, you can always come to me”—“Meow meow meow meow” Pinocchio didn’t stop meowing.Sophia was quietly staring and listening to him. She had her usual composed face, but inside she was thinking about a lot of things.Like what he was trying to tell her in the first place, it looks like he is making small talk with her but she doesn’t understand what this is about.She nodded along as he meowed, and when he was done Pinocchio had a big smile on his face, happy that Sophia had listened to him, she could at least understand that.“Oh there is no problem, I’m always here to talk if you need anything, take care clever one”—-Eugéne is helping Pinocchio upgrade one of his weapons, once she is done, she admires her work, she is happy about how far she has come.Pinocchio had a huge smile on his face. He was so happy about the weapon and happy that Eugéne was happy.And he began to purr.Eugéne looked at Spring who was next to her and the cat moved her tail to indicate frustration and she turned around.It looks like Spring doesn’t like it when Pinocchio meows at her, it makes sense, Spring is Eugéne’s pet but it feels so bizarre that her cat was briefly jealous of Pinocchio.“Hope that helps! I can’t wait to see what other weapons I can help make for you”—-Antonia was in her wheelchair staring at her painting when a loud meow interrupted her thoughts, a long continuous meow, used to indicate that a cat wants something.Pinocchio was standing next to her, he was pointing at the piano with his finger.Antonia taught him how to play it before, and slowly he had been getting better, the melody began to unravel, and it was lovely. She enjoys the moments she spends with him, those moments when she can forget her current situation.When Pinocchio is done, she claps a bit, and the boy looks ecstatic, he gets closer to her and for a second Antonia thinks that he is going to show his affection by giving her a kiss on the cheek.But he licks her cheek instead.Antonia let out a chuckle, that boy amuses her, still, maybe she should talk with his father about this. This certainly isn’t normal behavior for anyone to have, as cute as it might be.“Don’t hesitate to come to me for another lesson, your skills have improved so much my dear boy”—-“PINOCCHIO DID YOU JUST HISS AT ME?!”Everyone heard Geppetto shouting, Pinocchio ran out of the room and quickly ran downstairs, angry and frustrated, he activated the stargazer, ignoring his father who was following him to try and catch him.Everyone saw the event unfold, Geppetto was angry but trying to compose himself.“Geppetto may I have a word with you?” Antonia signaled to him to come to her side, both talking in private.“What happened?”“He wanted me to make him cat ears, I said no and he hissed at me” Geppetto rolled his eyes, “He is just throwing a tantrum”“Geppetto I love Pinocchio a lot and I’m happy that he is expressing himself but maybe things are getting a little out of hand, I saw him using his legion arm to scratch one of the hotel couches” That boy was more cat than puppet or human at this point.“It’s just a phase, I’m sure he will get over it and will finally start talking normally”“Be honest with me, do you think this is a phase because Carlo had a phase like this when he was a child?” Antonia remembers when Carlo was small and started doing similar things.“… Yes”Antonia let out a sigh of frustration.“Look Antonia I know that he isn’t Carlo”She raised her eyebrow at that.“But I’m serious that we shouldn’t be too concerned, look at him, he is happier and like I said, in no time he will start talking normally” Geppetto was so sure of himself.—-Pinocchio had come back again, he was very quiet. While outside, he encountered The Red Fox and Black Cat.When he meowed, The Black Cat got extremely angry, he thought that he was mocking him and he shouted so many things at him, he also wanted to fight him right then and there.But his sister stopped him.“Brother calm down! He is just a weird puppet he doesn’t mean any harm!”Pinocchio doesn’t like it when others call him just a puppet, it makes him upset. But at least they apologized, well, The Red Fox apologized and forced her brother to apologize as well.In the end, everything was good, specially after giving them gold fruit coins.Pinocchio went to greet his father, he waved his hand at him and gave him a hug.“I’m happy to see you again son, were you a good boy?”Pinocchio nodded his head and had a smile on his face, he started to make some gestures at his father to indicate something.“Did you learn a new word?” Geppetto was so happy, he was right after all, “Come on say it, what new word did you learn?”“Fuck”

Notes:
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Geppetto you better be thankful, after all the things The Black Cat was shouting at him, it's good that he only learned that one.Thank you all for reading!!

Anything

“Bring him back”Carlo found the Ergo in his brother’s belongings, it was hidden, a good thing since their father got rid of almost everything his brother owned, well, except the clothes he is wearing right now and the school uniform and they weren’t exactly his to begin with.“Carlo I can’t-” Geppetto tries to speak up but he is interrupted.“Did you lie to me?”His father said he would give him anything in the world, he apologized over and over again for letting him die, for abandoning him for his work, for not being a good father, and he said he would do better.“No, of course not son I-”“Then bring him back” Carlo is hugging his father, digging his fingernails into his back, that’s how she shows how much he loves him.Geppetto has no choice, he made a promise to his son to never fail him again.—Romeo still hasn’t woken up, in the meantime Carlo is spending time with his father, happy that he did what he asked of him, he is almost the best father in the world.Almost. He still needs to change a little more.“Father please stop working,” Carlo said while hugging his father again, he loves to hug him, but he hates letting go.Geppetto hesitates for a second, thinking about what excuse to give him, considering he works way less than he used to, but his work life should have never come first in the first place. If he had been at that graduation, maybe he could have saved Carlo or maybe he could have died alongside him.“I’ll quit tomorrow morning” Geppetto plays with Carlo’s hair, he also gives Carlo a lot of affection, trying to make it up to him for all the times he should have given it to him before.Nothing else matters, no one else matters. Carlo is back, he got what he wanted.—“What did you do to him?” Romeo asked Geppetto.That isn’t Carlo, his best friend would never act like this.His best friend would have never killed his loved ones.“Nothing” Geppetto’s voice is low, it’s the middle of the night and he doesn’t want to wake up Carlo, “Just go to bed, Romeo”“Like hell I will” Romeo won’t allow Geppetto to treat him as a child like he does with Carlo, in fact, he won’t let him get away with this at all, he steps closer to Geppetto with the intent of hurting him, but he suddenly falls into his knees, completely paralyzed, he looks up to see Geppetto, who removed the glove of one of his hands, showing the mechanism he can use to control all puppets.“You are still bound to the grand covenant”“You… bastard…” Romeo struggles to get the words out, “Carlo won’t like this, I will-“Romeo can’t speak anymore, he tries again but is unable to, unable to say anything bad about Geppetto.“No, you won’t” Geppetto stops controlling Romeo, “So go to sleep before I force you to”—-Carlo feels so happy now that Romeo is back, his best friend is acting strange, he cries a lot and when he asks him what’s wrong he won’t answer him but Carlo asks his father and he says that it’s going time for him to adjust like it took time for him to adjust.He would also cry a lot, he wasn’t in pain but he didn’t feel well, he would have a lot of nightmares about his father hurting him, doing awful things to his body, his skin being fused with metal, his father saying something to him, but Carlo couldn’t understand what. It doesn’t matter, his father said that it was just a nightmare, that it wasn’t real.“Father I want Romeo to stop being sad” Carlo begs him because he hates seeing his friend like this.“Carlo I can’t do that” Geppetto looks behind Carlo, Romeo is there staring at him with intense hatred.“Please, please, please!” Carlo starts crying, it’s not fair.“Carlo I can’t-““You hate me don’t you?!”This is the first time Geppetto has ever said no to Carlo and he doesn’t like it.“Son, I don’t hate you is just that… I can’t control Romeo’s feelings” It’s technically not a lie, he can control him, just not how he feels.A part of Carlo understands that, still, he starts to throw a tantrum, crying and yelling because he isn’t getting what he wants. Geppetto tries to make him calm down; for an entire hour, he has to deal with Carlo acting hysterical until he tells him that if he behaves himself he will give him a reward, and that finally makes him calm down.Geppetto spoils Carlo the rest of the day, his son is delighted, Romeo stays next to them since Carlo also doesn’t want him to leave his side. Romeo keeps staring at him, but unfortunately for Romeo, looks can’t kill.Carlo tells him that he is the best father in the world, that he is the best father he could have ever wanted and Geppetto wants to ignore the feeling on the back of his mind that tells him that Carlo isn’t the perfect son he wanted.—Carlo feels tired, so he is lying in bed next to Romeo.“Romeo, do you like my father?”“Yes” The words that come out of Romeo’s mouth are not truly his, but by now he knows it’s pointless to try and fight back.“Are you lying?”“No”Carlo is so happy about that, his best friend and his father are getting along, this is perfect, he gets the life he always wanted, neither of them leaving his side. After a while, Carlo gets up and grabs Romeo’s hand, he wants to play with him and at first, everything is going well until Romeo starts crying again.“Carlo please,” Romeo says in between sobs, grabbing Carlo’s shoulders and clinging to him, “Carlo please snap out of it”Carlo looks at Romeo confused, snap out of what? Romeo doesn’t say and once again Carlo asks his father for Romeo to stop being sad.“I can try” Geppetto grabs Romeo’s hand, the young man starts shaking, afraid of him.Romeo tries to protest but Geppetto doesn’t let him. Carlo is smiling as his father tells him to go play while he makes Romeo feel better.—Geppetto is doing something in his workshop while Carlo plays with Romeo, he can hear them having fun together and he has time for himself, free time from his son he hasn’t had since Carlo was brought back. He is working on something, but he can’t let Carlo know, because just the word “work” can make him have another tantrum about how he doesn’t love him.Geppetto is about to finish when he realizes what he was thinking, what is wrong with him? Carlo deserves better, he shouldn’t be thinking about him like that, so he goes to see his son, who is eager to spend time with his father, and the two of them bond as any other family should. Geppetto feels Carlo’s fingernails against his back again, he can tell that he is bleeding this time but he ignores it.“Father, can I sleep in your bed tonight?” Carlo is feeling sleepy but he still doesn’t want to leave his father’s side.“Of course you can Carlo” Anything for his son.Seeing Carlo smile is what keeps him going, the next morning he wakes up early, Romeo is also awake and Geppetto goes to his side, sitting next to him in the living room where Romeo hugs him while crying.“Sshh, it’s okay Romeo, everything is going to be fine” Geppetto starts comforting him.Romeo keeps on crying, although he cries less often than before and almost never cries in front of Carlo, only in front of him. The boy tries to speak to him but is unable to, this time it isn’t his doing, Romeo is simply too upset to make proper sense, still clinging to Geppetto because he is scared and confused.“Don’t worry Romeo” Geppetto understands that he simply isn’t feeling well, “I can fix you”—Carlo is so happy because his father gives him everything.He gives him more toys to play with Romeo, he gives him lots of affection; he lets him do whatever he wants, he doesn’t have any rules so Carlo is always having fun.Although lately, he has been feeling a little differently, very tired, not like… himself. Now it’s Romeo who asks him what is wrong but Carlo can’t answer him because he doesn’t know what is making him feel this way. Romeo is not acting like himself either, he is not sad anymore, yet Carlo feels as if something is off.“Your wish is my command, sir Carlo”Carlo was playing with his special toys, they always say that they always do whatever he wants, even if he plays too roughly and ends up breaking them, it doesn’t matter because his father fixes them all the time.But this time the feeling that something is wrong doesn’t go away no matter how much he tries to ignore it, Romeo is there by his side and he tells him that the two of them should stop playing, that he also feels tired and that maybe thanking a nap would help.Carlo doesn’t like having naps, it reminds him of the past, it reminds him how he would wait and wait for his father to come back and he never came back. Not after 10, 15 or 20 sleeps.Carlo hates to remember the past, it makes him sad and angry and now he is yelling at his father for how horrible he was, yelling about how much he hates him.He hates his father, he hates the stupid old man for abandoning him, he-He is not-He stops shouting and apologizes, yelling is mean and only bad boys are mean, he is not a bad boy, right?“You are not a bad boy Carlo, you are just upset, go and get some rest”Carlo lies down next to his best friend, who tells him that everything is going to be okay and that his father is right.That’s how Carlo can see that something is wrong with Romeo because he would never say that.—-Carlo’s hands are covered in blood, he did something he shouldn’t have, and how his father is scolding him, but he was bored and didn’t want to be stuck at home anymore.“Carlo you can’t go outside and kill people” Geppetto’s voice is stern, “Others could see you”Geppetto does not care about the people his son killed, but no one knows his son is alive and someone spotting him would be a disaster, not to mention all the danger that’s outside, he can’t lose his son again.As usual, Carlo isn’t used to getting told no, so he throws another a tantrum, this is more intense than the last one, as Carlo grabs his father and pins him into a wall by the neck. He stops once he realizes that’s not something a good boy would do, a good boy doesn’t hurt their father.“I’m sorry Carlo” His father is trying to reassure him, “But this is for your own good, you can’t go outside”—“I’m sorry Carlo, but this is for your own good”Carlo is screaming in pain, his father keeps trying to reassure him that everything will be okay, that he is sorry, and that he should have never left him all alone.That he can bring him back, that he can save him.His father keeps “fixing” his body, but it doesn’t matter how much he tries, all his efforts are useless. Carlo’s heartbeat is so slow, his father tried to fix his heart but it didn’t work, now he has a new heart and it hurts.His heart is not in sync with his body, he is in pain, in agony, he has to try and match his heartbeat because if he doesn’t the pain will be even worse.“I love you son”His father opens a black box and sets him inside, Carlo can hear it being shut tight and he can hear his father working on something else.He wakes up in a panic, he had another nightmare so he wakes up his father crying, who tells him it wasn’t real, that it was all in his head.“Father, I want to die”He can’t do that for him, he can’t let him die again.“I want to die” Carlo repeats again, his father said he would do anything for him.His father is a liar.—-Geppetto takes a deep breath, Carlo has been misbehaving a lot recently, it’s not enough that he has his him, or his toys, or Romeo. His son keeps acting out, he keeps breaking things, he keeps trying to sneak away from home, and he keeps yelling at him.He is again on the floor having another tantrum and Geppetto rolls his eyes at him, that was a mistake since Carlo saw it and started sobbing again about how he doesn’t love him.Geppetto can’t stand to see him like that, he loves Carlo, he loves his son no matter what, even if he yells at him, even if his son hurts him sometimes while roughy showing him affection. Carlo ends up falling asleep despite how it’s only noon because he tired himself too much with his tantrum, so for now he is spending time with Romeo.Romeo always behaves himself, it’s more… relaxing to be around him.“You’ve been a very good boy Romeo” Geppetto grabs his face, making Romeo face him, “You deserve a reward”Geppetto’s hand and fingernails become a shade of blue, undoing for a moment the control he has over him, “What does my good boy want?”Romeo doesn’t respond, like Carlo, he wants to die too and he knows Geppetto won’t fulfill that request. He can’t lie about it either since he is bound to the grand covenant, so he simply shakes his head.“Nothing?” Geppetto doesn’t let go of him, “Are you sure?”Romeo nods, he can speak but he is always terrified to speak when he is alone with Geppetto.Geppetto lets go and plays with his hair, “Well, even if don’t want anything, you should get a reward”To his surprise, Romeo gets spoiled by Geppetto until Carlo wakes up, feeling loved and cared for, a part of him becomes jealous once he switches that affection to Carlo. But he is a good boy, he isn’t going to throw a tantrum and maybe if he keeps acting this way he can get another reward.—-

Carlo isn’t feeling well again, usually, he wants his father to comfort him but he said that he is making a surprise for him.“Something the two of us can enjoy”His father tells him he won’t get his surprise if he doesn’t behave himself so he is just spending time with Romeo, they don’t feel like playing so they are just talking with each other.“Carlo… I…”Romeo keeps struggling to speak more and more each day, father gives him an excuse as to why, an excuse that Carlo didn’t listen to, since he knows that whatever he told him is not the truth. His father did something to Romeo’s voice, more than that since he has overheard his father “helping” Romeo, who now also struggles to eat too, his father having to help Romeo to do so.Romeo grabs his throat in pain before composing himself, going back to his former self.That is not his true former self, both Carlo and Romeo know it, but neither wants to admit it.—-More time passes, days, weeks, months? Carlo has no idea, he doesn’t even know how old he is supposed to be, he died when he was 18 years old and he is sure he isn’t that age anymore, how long has it been since he died? How long has it been since he was brought back?He gets some answers one day, someone is at the door and his father tells him and Romeo to go upstairs and not make any noise, it’s an order for both of them, and they will be in big trouble if they don’t listen to him, specially Romeo. Still, the walls are thin so they overhear the conversation.It’s been a year since the frenzy happened, the people who came are asking his father questions, he doesn’t have all the answers, as it would be too obvious to others if Geppetto did so. But they ask him questions he has answered dozens of times before, always sticking to the same story, always lying, always being able to convince others.Now they are apologizing to his father, for constantly doubting him in the past, saying how from now on, after this last in deep investigation, his name is finally clear from the accusations.Geppetto gives the two boys a reward for behaving themselves, the two of them have been so nice lately, it’s nothing special just spoiling them with affection.That night, Romeo says he isn’t feeling well and he asks Geppetto if he could sleep in his room because he is scared and feels safe around Geppetto. Romeo is upset because they kept talking about him, about the king of puppets. He didn’t start the frenzy, and he didn’t do all those horrible things, it’s not his fault but everyone says it’s all his fault.Except Geppetto who reassures him he did nothing wrong, that he is a good boy, and that he can protect him from those bad people that say those things about him. If people find out he is alive they might try to hurt him because of what they think about him, because he is the king of puppets and they are afraid of another frenzy.Romeo quietly sobs, trying not to cry as much because otherwise, the pain in his throat hurts more; his head buried in Geppetto’s chest as he falls asleep.—-“I didn’t ask for that!”Carlo entered his father’s workshop, finding out what he had been working on recently, the surprise he was talking about.“I don’t want a little brother” Carlo pouts.“Carlo, he can hear you so be nice”Carlo thought that Pinocchio must have been asleep, or still dead since his eyes are closed and Geppetto is working on his exposed body. Carlo looks at Pinocchio’s chest, he has a golden heart he instantly recognizes, the heart that belonged to him, Carlo starts to feel panic, telling his father that he doesn’t want his little brother to be in pain.The heart beats slowly, and from time to time, Pinocchio’s body flinches in pain just as he would.“Don’t worry Carlo” His father smiles at him, “I’m not going to let anything bad happen to him or you”“But-”“No buts Carlo, now go and play with Romeo or you are grounded”His father doesn’t let him do anything he wants anymore, that’s the least of his problems now, again he begs him because his brother can’t be in the same pain as he was.“Son, you keep interrupting me, I can make a mistake and that will only make things worse”Carlo leaves in tears, crying to Romeo that he is horrible, that he is a bad boy, that the only thing he does is hurt others and now his brother is hurting because of him.—Geppetto feels happy, everything has been perfect the past few days, Carlo has stopped misbehaving, Romeo has completely stopped trying to fight back and Pinocchio has been adjusting well.He was worried at first that Carlo would accidentally hurt Pinocchio since his son’s body is too fragile but Carlo treats him gently, and so does Romeo when they interact together.Pinocchio can’t do much, he can’t speak (although that’s not an issue, is not like he would talk much before), he can’t stand up for too long or do anything that could physically strain him. Anything that could put his heart and body out of sync could cause him significant harm so Geppetto does everything for his son.Bathes him, changes him, brushes his long black hair, and does anything necessary for the day.Since he is so delicate, Carlo has changed his behavior for the better, it’s cute seeing them play together. Carlo has to help his brother move to play properly or has to help him hold objects. Carlo is delighted all the time, his son doesn’t try to sneak out anymore, he probably only needed more playmates and this was the perfect solution.Geppetto is putting Pinocchio to sleep at night, his son has a faint smile on his face despite the tears coming out of his eyes.“Do you feel sick again?”Pinocchio doesn’t answer, he can’t answer. Instead, with much struggle, he points at himself and then touches his father’s heart.“I love you too son” Geppetto smiles, “I’ll make the pain go away”Geppetto touches Pinocchio’s chest, and for a moment, he becomes entranced, he built him, he made the perfect puppet, he made the perfect son.“What a cute little doll you are”Pinocchio breathes heavily, his father gave him that cute nickname, he likes it, it’s a special bond they have with each other. He can only whimper as his father does something to his heart, it only hurts for a second, but now he is asleep and the pain is all gone.-Carlo is trying really hard not to be jealous of Pinocchio, he knows his brother is in a lot of pain, he knows that his little brother needs more care since he is fragile.Father doesn't play with him but he plays with Pinocchio. He never leaves his brother's side and Carlo wants that too.He expected his father to scold him for asking but he didn't and Carlo was enjoying it.Until he wasn't. Until he realized his father is treating him like a damn toddler.“Well you are the one that asked me to treat you this way, didn't you? Geppetto said.“I-”“It's alright Carlo, I'll stop”“No, please don't!” Carlo is getting upset again, “I… I don't know what I want”Carlo is sitting in his father's lap as he hugs him, digging his fingernails into his father's back as usual; he does want to know something, “I'm your favorite one right?”Geppetto doesn't hesitate, despite knowing that Pinocchio is overhearing their conversation, “Of course you are Carlo”Pinocchio is a good boy so he doesn't cry, he knows that Carlo is the favorite one and always will be, he has known all the way back since he was in Hotel Krat, when his father would make him wear his brother's uniform, when his father would make talk with him but not look at him, because he was always staring at the painting of Carlo. He loves his father no matter what, and that's why he gave him his heart, Pinocchio always knew, that heart was never meant for him.Romeo carefully hugs Pinocchio, they understand each other, they are both his puppets, and they are both loyal to him despite how he has treated them. He hurts them but he is only trying to help them, all of it is out of love, he is so kind and caring and he doesn't mean it when he is mean, yes they are in pain because of him but that is only a "side effect" as he calls it, he makes it up to them by making them feel better, the pain never goes away but he makes it more tolerable. All of it for the sake of being a good family, the perfect family they were always meant to be.And they both love Carlo no matter what, fortunately for them, Carlo does not mistreat them as Geppetto does.-There is blood in Carlo’s hands, this time it’s his father’s blood.He grabbed a knife and stabbed his shoulder, blood pouring out of the wound, he is still on top of his father ready to kill him, ready to finally end this.No no no he can’t kill his father, his father takes good care of him, and his father loves him.Who would love someone like him? Someone who yells, screams insults, and hurts others, someone who is a troublemaker like him. Everyone has always been right about him, he is nothing but a stupid troublemaker who makes everything harder for his father.His father is so understanding, saying that it’s okay, that he forgives him.“Father, can you fix me?”Carlo doesn’t know how to stop being bad, why he can’t be like his brother who is an angel, or like Romeo who is always so dutiful, they never act out unlike him. He wants to be a good boy, he wants to make his father proud, that’s all he ever wanted, he wants to be a proper family.His father gently touches his face, a blue hue starts emanating from his palm and fingernails, his father is smiling but there is something wrong with that smile, Carlo ignores it, his father is good, his father is only trying to help him. Even if his father hurts him, it's for his own good, he can make everything better, he can fix him.“Of course, I can son”After all, Geppetto would do anything for his son.

Notes:
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Father of the year, great job Geppetto, now you have 3 kids who love you unconditionally no matter what, it's not as if they have a choice anyway.Will I ever add more to this story? Maybe, I also have other stories I am writing but I work on them slowly while I work on my main fic and while I work on my thesis, hopefully, everything goes well in my writings for those two.Thank you all for reading!!♡♡♡

Dress Fitting

Although Giangio is technically not a hotel Krat resident, since no one even knows he is next to the gold fruit coin besides Pinocchio, he shouldn’t have a room like everyone else. But he would absolutely not be sleeping in some rundown bed inside the Mallum District, filled with carcasses and pure chaos when he has a luxurious hotel at his disposal. It was a little challenging to get keys to a room considering how that butler puppet never leaves the front desk, despite that, the perfect opportunity came when Lady Antonia called the puppet so she could be moved upstairs for a proper goodnight sleep.Giangio had grabbed a random key as for once in a very long time, time was not on his side. The room was untouched, almost as if the disaster outside had never happened, then again, Hotel Krat has been protected since day one, truthfully the only safe haven in the hell that the city has become; and neatly folded next to the bed was a maid uniform, one that must have been used by the female staffers on their daily routines. He did not know why a uniform would be here and not in the laundry room of the hotel, but he tried to pay no mind to it.Keyword: Tried, as for some reason he kept being drawn to it.He had not moved it since he arrived and assembled all of his belongings, they weren’t many but he was always an organized person, and as little as he carried at the time, he liked everything being in place.An hour had passed of him trying to distract himself with his research notes when he gave up, at first deciding to go to bed and rest for the night, yet as he was taking off his clothes, he caught a glance of the maid uniform again, he is short and skinny enough that he fits into most women’s clothing…“What the hell am I thinking?” Giangio mumbled to himself, this is ridiculous.Yet he still grabbed the clothes, mentally he was telling himself that this was out of pure boredom, standing all day next to the gold fruit coin isn’t exactly the most entertaining activity and the stupid dress would not leave his mind until it was satisfied with what it wanted, possessing him into trying it out for himself.Surprisingly it fits almost perfectly, a little tight on the back but nothing too bothersome, this must be one of the summer uniforms as the skirt length doesn’t go to the floor but rather to the knees, usually, the exposed legs are covered by stockings but they were nowhere in sight and he has already gone too far by putting on the damn dress, he wasn’t going to go further in this. His boots do somewhat match with the aesthetic, so he decides to put them on, besides, being barefoot with the dress feels strange.The room had a full body mirror, one that Giangio found himself in front of, analyzing his looks, the dress definitely highlighted his hips, despite being a common maid dress it looked lovely, he must give praise to Lady Antonia for it, as it is well known she designed the uniforms for her staff; Giangio starts to carefully inspect his body, his hands gently going along from the top to the bottom of the dress. He fixes his messy hair with a brush that was inside a drawer, finding a few hair clips along the way with artificial flowers to simulate a relaxing summer vacation, he puts them on and looks at himself again, it feels as if something isn't quite right, realizing that he forgot to tie it up properly, as what he thought was a piece of the bed for decoration turned out to be sash, it took him a few minutes to do it properly as he is quite the perfectionist, but after a few tries, a neat bow was tied on the back of the dress, making it look even lovelier.So far so good, he should look around if there is any makeup inside, a few touch-ups to his skin could-Giangio freezes for a moment at the sound of the door being opened, then he quickly turns around to see who has invaded his privacy.“Stalker what are you doing here?!” Giangio is mortified, does this puppet not know how to knock on doors?!Pinocchio tilts his head in confusion since he lives here, even if he doesn’t sleep he has his own room, and his friends and family stay here so he sees it as his home. The look on his face is all Giangio needs to know to understand what he is trying to convey.“Oh yeah um-” Giangio is panicking, completely losing his composure, “I guess I’m the unintended guest here right?”“I was too anxious to ask for a room myself” Giangio tried to use the shy persona he was using as his defense, “I did not mean to intrude, my apologies”Pinocchio gives him an understanding look, and Giangio keeps waiting for him to leave but he doesn’t, Giangio starts to feel more tense by the minute.“You are probably wondering about the dress, correct?” Giangio said, “I was… I was only…”He keeps on stumbling in his words, finally, he looks away and manages to make up an excuse.“My clothes got a little dirty and I had to… improvise, sadly I do not carry any spare, and looking for some outside wouldn’t be a good idea, wouldn’t you agree stalker?”Pinocchio nods, buying his explanation.…Why doesn’t he leave?! What does he have to do to shoo him out?!“Hey pal, maybe it’s best we leave him be, it’s late and he probably wants to rest for the night” The tiny puppet cricket chirped from his cage, Gemini being able to tell how uncomfortable Giangio was feeling.Giangio breathes in a sigh of relief, seeing Pinocchio turn around to leave, the puppet touches the door handle but turns around one last time, grabbing Gemini from his cage and showing signs of wanting to express something, asking his best friend to do so on his behalf as usual.“Oh I see” Gemini’s cage was facing directly at Giangio, the puppet cricket making eye contact with him from the inside, “He says that you look nice”Pinocchio did not get to see Giangio covering his face in embarrassment, the immortal man glad he was finally left alone, his pale face now completely pink, specially his cheeks taking a deep rosy look, it didn’t help that his scream of frustration came out in a high pitched voice. The man was so flustered that he simply lay in bed and buried himself in the sheet covers and pillows, wanting to hide from the world itself, desperately trying to fall asleep to forget this nightmare ever happened.—The next day, he was in the room next to the tree, usually waiting impatiently for Geppetto’s puppet to show up and exchange the coins with him and now, his presence was something he was dreading. He mentally told himself that the puppet was born yesterday (quite literally), so he probably doesn't even understand social cues, or why a man wearing a dress is something not seen as appropriate, besides, they are pretty quiet, so the secret would never be revealed, at least that is what Giangio wants to believe, going over the same points in his head as his waits for him to arrive, it took him a few hours to finally show up but eventually, he heard the familiar footsteps of Geppetto’s puppet.Pinocchio greeted him with a smile and a friendly wave, and in his free hand, Pinocchio was holding a box, it was one that he must have grabbed from Venigni Works as it had the logo of the factory, but on top of it was an attempt at making a ribbon, that had taken him longer than expected to make.A gift for him, Giangio deeply appreciated the gesture and made his feelings known by thanking him profusely, it was a little to turn up his shy persona act, yet a part of him could not deny how he felt a little excited, when was the last time someone gifted him something?“If you need something else just ask him,” Gemini gleefully commented, happy to be the voice of his best friend, “He brings things to others from outside all the time, and my pal would love to help you out”Giangio grabbed a hidden knife he kept on his clothing, using it to open the box. Pulling the neatly folded clothes found inside, revealing a beautiful green summer dress, it was simple yet elegant and clearly meant for young women or adolescent girls as the dress was on the cutesy side, with embroidered flowers at the bottom and a few white bunnies; it also included a pair of shoes with a matching color to accompany it, shoes that had a frog-like appearance, Pinocchio felt so lucky to have found it intact in a clothing store inside Lorenzini Arcade, a pamphlet was nearby, mentioning how it was from a prestige brand, and limited edition for the start of summer, however since the frenzy started, it sadly never made a proper debut in stores, being kept in the back in a rundown closet.The immortal man took a deep breath, buried his face in the lovely dress, and screamed in frustration, a scream that Pinocchio interpreted as one of excitement, proud of the fact he liked it so much.“Thank you…stalker” Giangio looked away, once again trying to hide his embarrassment, trying to ignore his accidental pouty face that combined with his red cheeks made him look stupidly adorable for a man his age. God how he hates that he is forever stuck with this appearance, sure, looking youthful has its perks, but it is also accompanied by others not taking him seriously because of it.Pinocchio did not have any hold fruit coins this time but it was nice to spend a little time together, even if it was a mostly one-sided conversation, Pinocchio is more of a listener than a talker, at least the brief conversation somewhat distracted Giangio from his embarrassment.Once he left, Giangio was left alone with his thoughts, whether Simon would end up succeeding in his plans, if the puppet would be able to take him down, how today has hot weather despite the season, and if it would be so bad to actually wear that dress…

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Last time I posted a one shot was... check notes all the way back in April?!Well, at least my brain finally decided to come up with one, and new ideas are popping up so I will definitively try to post more soon ♡Thank you all for reading!! ♡♡♡

It’s over isn’t it

“Where do you think you are going, Paracelsus?”Paracelsus turned around, greeted by Simon, expressing his displeasure. Although to be frank, Paracelsus doesn’t remember a single time seeing him smiling, or being genuinely happy, perhaps a sadistic grin here and there from his twisted experiments, yet in Paracelsus eyes, those don’t exactly count.“Can’t say,” Paracelsus teased, “Just that, I’m not coming back”He is leaving the organization, Simon doesn’t need to hear why, he knows why.Simon steps closer and closer, until he is directly face to face, towering over the shorter man.“And who gave you permission to leave?”Paracelsus opened his mouth, only to be cut short by Simon grabbing his throat by force, pinning him to the wall next to him as he struggled to breathe.“Creative… differences…” Paracelsus gasped, having a smirk on his face, “My apologies… for quitting on the spot”Simon threw him onto the floor, Paracelsus giving a chuckle as he tried to catch his breath.“Why aren’t you fighting back?” Simon asked, meek as he looked, Paracelsus knew how to defend himself.“Oh, I love it when you choke me like that,” Paracelsus stood from the floor, “What a shame this will be the last”Simon stepped closer again until Paracelsus revealed his hidden weapon, the one he crafted himself.“I enjoyed your company very much Simon,” Paracelsus smiled, “Unfortunately, it has to end”Simon said nothing, only sighing in frustration, and like the gentleman he is, he walked Paracelsus right toward the exit, mad puppets swarming the streets across the Grand Exhibition plaza, it would only be a matter of time before they noticed him out there, still, Simon knows that won’t be the end of him.“You’ll be back” Simon stated, to him, it was a fact, only a matter of time.Paracelsus kept going down the stairs towards the courtyard, stopping once he was at the bottom. Unfortunately for Simon, he isn’t like that pathetic lapdog he keeps around for his own amusement, a part of him feels bad for Adriana, but not too much, not by how she was full of jealousy each time they interacted, she doesn’t like sharing Simon, and frankly, Paracelsus didn’t like sharing him either.Alas, they were both playing by Simon’s rules, and they had to go along, until now, that is.“Good luck Simon,” Paracelsus blew him a kiss, “You are going to need it”He shouted something else, probably an insult, probably believing he would go crawling back to him. But Paracelsus didn’t look back, and despite the surrounding danger, Paracelsus felt… at peace.

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I really want to write a longer toxic yaoi story with Para and Simon. There is stuff on my mind, but still looking for a way to put it all together and looking polished.This is one of the things I wrote, but was not sure to post it because it's so short, but why not? Hope it's good enough.Thank you all for reading! ♡

A kiss of true love

Usually, Sophia stays either immersed in her own thoughts, or vigilant of Pinocchio’s safety while he explores the dangers of the city. Thankfully, there are times when she gets moments of peace, mainly when her clever one is inside Hotel Krat, watching as he interacts with others or trains using his weapons, with the occasional moments of getting closer to Spring, who has slowly warmed up to Pinocchio, now being calm in his presence.At this moment, he finds himself standing in front of the vast bookshelf next to the piano.Sophia watched from afar as he picked up the book and slowly read through it, sometimes her clever one reads parts of them, although usually not for long before he heads back outside, having a duty to fulfill, carrying the weight of protecting this city, no, protecting the world, having to stop Simon’s plans from becoming a god.Despite this heavy duty, he carries it so gracefully, never complains, never says a task is too much for him, he is so brave and quiet, that sometimes, she forgets he is suffering.If only he knew how many times he has failed, how many times Sophia has had to bring him back. Sometimes, she wonders if on a subconscious level he is slightly aware, as he sees him pause while in front of a stargazer from time to time, almost as if he is realizing something is wrong.Sophia watches as he gets more and more entranced in his reading, wondering what type of book had caught his attention, she takes a deep breath, concentrating her power to appear herself next to him, she expected him to be startled, yet he simply turned to look at her with a smile, asking if she needed help with something.“Not at all, thank you,” Sophia smiled back, he is always so kind, “What are you reading?”His face turned a very slightly shade of pink, looking embarrassed, putting the book back in his place and saying it was nothing. Sophia couldn’t understand why, and reassured him she was simply curious.“It’s a book about fairy tale compilations,” Gemini chipped from his cage, watching as Pinocchio got annoyed with him for revealing that detail, but that’s what he gets for not appreciating the speech he gave on their way to the Cathedral.“I just like those types of stories…” Pinocchio mumbled under his breath, it's embarrassing for him, he might not know much about life and how the world works considering his short life span, but he can tell these stories are supposed to be for children, and that he is most likely not supposed to enjoy them.“I like fairy tales too,” Sophia said, “No matter how old I get, I’ve always enjoyed reading them”She sounds as if she is an older lady, if Lady Antonia could hear her, she would chastise her for calling herself old at such a young age. However, it’s not as if Sophia will get the chance to get any older, she knows this is the end for her, and she is awaiting it, she wants to be set free of this pain. That’s why she woke him up, and she feels selfish, feeling as if she is using him only for her own gain.“Which one is your favorite?” Sophia asked, “I’m really fond of Cinderella, hard work is always rewarded in the end”Pinocchio grabbed the book again, and flipped through the pages until he found the story he was looking for: Sleeping Beauty.“Sleeping is… interesting to me,” Pinocchio explained, currently everyone else is asleep as it’s the middle of the night, with only the exclusion of Polendina and Pulcinella who are puppets like him as well and are unable to do so.Dreams seem like a completely foreign concept to him, the story said that the princess dreamt of a prince. He doesn’t understand how it works, the book doesn’t describe how dreaming feels like, or why it happens, and it’s something he wished he knew deeply, something inside of him compels him to understand sleep and dreams.“It’s a beautiful story,” Sophia extended her hand wanting to touch his face, stopping herself as she remembered her hand would pass through his body, “When I was a little girl, I’ve thought of myself in that situation, saved by a prince”Many people believe Sophia’s life was an easier one than most, why wouldn’t they? She is a Monad, she used to live in luxury, people wouldn’t have understood the struggles she went through, how her mother instilled fear in her powers and how she had to hide them, feeling as if something was wrong with hers. How she had to be polite, respectful and perfect all the time, she couldn’t afford to make any mistakes, not when she had to think of her family’s reputation; although now, those problems in the past mean nothing compared to the suffering she is being inflicted, still, just because her pain is worse now, doesn’t mean the struggles she faced weren’t worth worrying over.When she was little and felt like her responsibilities were way too much, or when she felt cursed for having her powers, she would wish for a prince to come and save her.“I have to go,” Pinocchio reluctantly said, “I can’t disappoint my father, I have to do as he says”He turned around, and Sophia wished to call for him, to tell him the truth about Geppetto, but she couldn't, what good would that do right now? How would he process it? Why should he believe her?So she stayed quiet, watching as he took the stargazer and left, sure, he is never fully alone, she is always by his side aiding him, but the thought of him getting hurt out there is something Sophia hates experiencing.“It’s all going to end soon,” Sophia tells herself.He is going to find her, he is going to set her free, and she can finally be at peace.—-Sophia gently touched Pinocchio’s face, seeing him peacefully slumber.At first, she was happy, not only was she set free from her pain, but he had also given her a new chance to experience life again. Time passed, the sun set, and the moon came, the process reappearing itself. It had been three days since he gave her back her Ergo, if it wasn’t for his slight breathing, she might have thought he had passed. Sophia was getting worried, what if he doesn’t wake up again? What if giving her back her Ergo caused irreparable damage to his unique heart?She played gently with his hair, then she closed her eyes, leaning forward, her metallic lips touching his, kissing her sleeping beauty. Moments later, Pinocchio opened his eyes, his gaze meeting hers.“I dreamt of you,” He said with a smile, leaning forward to kiss her back.Sophia felt something coming out of her eyes, her springs reacting as tears came down her face, a feeling of joy and warmth so extraordinary flowing through her body.“… Guys, I’m still here, you know?” Gemini chirped from his cage, speaking for the first time in days, “Just saying, don’t want to feel like a third wheel”Both of them laughed, standing up when the realization hit Pinocchio that Sophia is completely naked, giving her his tailcoat right away so she can cover herself.“Such a gentleman you are, clever one,” Sophia grabbed his hand, ready to leave this dreadful tower that held her captive for so long behind.So much has changed, and while Krat is still a mess, deep down, it is still the city of joy she knows and cares for, and now that she has found her true love, Sophia cannot wait to experience her new life by his side.

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This is for the P and Sophia shippers, I personally don't ship them, but I had this cute idea for them, and I didn't want to lose it by not writing it down and forgetting about it. Hope I got that essence of their relationship right in here.Thank you all for reading! ♡

Thud

Geppetto’s puppet had picked up the weapon of his choosing, ready to leave the train where he awoke when he heard a sudden noise.thudIt was faint, too faint, yet in the walls of the empty place, it was barely enough for him to hear, and despite the words of the mysterious voice that had woken him up, he turned around, standing once more in front of the place he was once resting.thudHis eyes fixed on a peculiar black box that was on the floor, locked, and with no key in sight.thudThe noise was coming from inside, he was sure of it. Taking a look around the room was futile, there was no way to open said box.He took a step back, everything going back to complete silence, deathly silent. Geppetto’s puppet felt his hands shaking, and he had a feeling, a terrible feeling he had to run away, and he did, looking back one last time, his heart beat out of sync the moment he stepped outside.—-Geppetto’s puppet heard his father's voice, yet at the same time, his attention was somewhere else, his attention was on that box.thud“I will turn you into a real boy”thudIt banged louder and louder, and his hands kept shaking, his heartbeat so loud it matched the force of the one who wished to be free from its prison.“Son, give me your heart”It wasn’t a request, it wasn’t a suggestion, it was a demand, an order he had to follow.He took a step back, he didn’t feel right, he had seen fear, but never had experienced it for himself. It felt worse than he could have ever imagined, completely frozen in place, why is he afraid? His father knows best, his father wouldn’t harm him.His father loves him.The noise stopped, the abyss surrounded by silence. After gathering enough courage, he faced his father, looking him directly in the eyes.His father took a step forward, extending his arms as he got closer, embracing him with a hug. The boy stopped shaking, his body feeling less tense, letting out a cry as he hugged his father back, a single tear falling from his eye.“I love you, son”Geppetto’s puppet felt himself falling onto the floor, the last thing his eyes saw was his father’s smile as he held his heart, hearing one last thud as his body hit the floor.

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Thank you all for reading! ♡

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should

Everyone was downstairs inside Hotel Krat, waiting for the stargazer to be activated, it had been quite a while since all of them saw Pinocchio and they were starting to get worried, the boy was supposed to be at the Grand Exhibition and it was odd that he hadn’t come back in so many hours, Pinocchio tends to take breaks, at least just to talk to others from time to time.They were all relieved when they heard the sound of the stargazer but it didn’t last long, as they were all mortified by the state poor Pinocchio was in.His legion arm was detached from his body, he was carrying it with his other arm, although that arm looked like it was about to fall apart any second, they could hear his springs and gears loudly moving, it looked like some pieces were broken inside as the sound they were making wasn’t right, they could also hear the loud and rapid beating of his P organ.“Son what happened?!“ Geppetto was scared he had never seen Pinocchio like this.“Why?” Pinocchio said in a soft voice.“Why what?” Geppetto was confused he didn’t understand what his son meant.Pinocchio dropped his legion arm on the floor and with his now free hand pointed at his father and Venigni.“Why did the two of you build that?” Pinocchio’s voice was still soft, but also cold, his eyes were blankly staring at them, most likely going into shock.“I’m sorry friend build what exactly?” Venigni was also confused now.——“Where is that fucking stargazer?!” Pinocchio was shouting at Gemini.In any other situation, Gemini would have scolded the boy for swearing but now it was not the time.“Just keep running!” Gemini knows that they aren’t anywhere near the stargazer yet.Behind Pinocchio a swarm of enemies was following him, he could hear the saw blades that were attached to the puppet dogs; the knight and gunner puppets were following closely behind the heavy footsteps of the puppet with the dual shield.Pinocchio ran and ran, and with each step, he was getting closer to the stargazer, but when he finally arrived, he was greeted not by a bright blue light but a red one, he had no other choice but to fight.It was a grueling task, each of the puppets was relentless in their attacks, but Pinocchio managed to defeat them all, he took a deep breath and turned towards the stargazer, and to his horror, the device still had the red glow. Pinocchio didn’t even have time to process it, that machine, that monster came rushing at him, the drills viciously tried to penetrate his body, the thing was fast, using its wheels to move around with ease and when Pinocchio tried to attack from behind it simply shifted its entire body to face him.The sound of Pinocchio being tossed and turned around like a ragdoll was all that could be heard inside the Grand Exhibition. The loud thuds and bangs from his body being thrown away were heard for plenty of minutes, yet despite all odds the boy managed to survive and finally activate the stargazer.——“Why?” Pinocchio repeated the question, there is absolutely no reason in his eyes for that thing to exist.“Well friend, that sort of puppet would have been a marvel to help with dozens of things related to hard labor” Venigni tried explaining to make him feel more at ease.“Yes son, I understand how you feel but puppets were never meant to harm others” Geppetto was trying to reassure him that nothing was built with ill intent.“Who built it?” Pinocchio’s eyes were still blank, his voice still sounding so dull, his body in a fight or flight response, and the fight was that he wanted answers.Pinocchio was not himself, everyone could tell the big toll it had taken him to go outside and fight to save others, barely saving himself, it was quiet for a few seconds until…"Son it was Venigni's idea""No it wasn't!” Venigni couldn’t believe Geppetto was throwing him under the bus, “Your father is a liar!”“Oh please that robot was made to help with the factory and you were the one in charge of that” Geppetto gave out a sigh, “That puppet with the shields, he also built that”Oh hell no, Venigni isn’t going to stand for this.“Really? If I recall correctly it was your idea to give those puppet dogs the saw blades because they could help with cutting metal” Venigni dramatically pointed his finger at Geppetto, “And I told you it was a bad idea”Geppetto tried to speak up but Venigni didn’t let him, “I also told you it was a bad idea to give puppets those guns but did you listen? Of course you didn’t!”Geppetto was mad now, how dare Venigni talk to him like this in front of his son?“You are the one who kept adding ridiculously flashy things to puppets just because we could” Geppetto made a mocking voice “Because Venigni the prince of high society needed to have an extravagant reputation”“Oh, I’m the one who adds ridiculous stuff?” Venigni was baffled at the accusation, “Because those puppets at the Opera totally needed to have spider legs, oh and also for the dramatic effect be able to disrupt other puppets for the show; you are the one who built the puppets for the Opera House”“I did not”“Yes, you did!”“Well, at least I didn’t build the police puppets, and what great puppets they turned out to be right? That giant mascot one didn’t even last 3 days” Geppetto remembers that puppet, it was a disaster, even more so with all the marketing.Antonia took a deep breath. “I think maybe the two if you need to just calm-““I didn’t build those, you build them”“You are the one lying Venigni, not me”“Hey, will the two of you-“ Antonia was interrupted again.“At least I’m not the one who build those damn Centurion puppets, seriously? A giant puppet with an electric weapon? What was even the point of that?” Venigni was getting even more angry.“Okay fine, I admit it, those were my inventions” Geppetto finally confessed.Venigni had a grin on his face that was quickly wiped away.“You wouldn’t have been able to come up with that”“You take that back!”This was no longer a petty argument, both men’s pride had been hurt and they were furious at each other, and it didn’t help that the constant sound of chirping was annoying them.“I build the puppets at the factory that’s ten times harder than building those stupid ones”“Oh, so you do admit now that you build the ones at the factory?” Geppetto had caught Venigni in his lie.“You are only good at building puppets meant for common tasks and entertainment”“I’ll have you know that those spider puppets have a complex mechanism that allows them to use the disruption flawlessly”“Then you admit you were the one that built the Opera House puppets?” Now it was Venigni's turn to expose Geppetto.“Stop it!” Antonia was shouting but it fell on deaf ears, just like Gemini’s cries for help have been ignored as well until now.Eugénie was just standing speechless, she didn’t know what to say, and even if she did it was best she said nothing, she had worked for both men and she didn’t want to suddenly get fired after this disaster was over.“Well I had to be the one to build them since the great Lorenzini Venigni apparently has no taste in the arts and would rather spend time with his ridiculous fan club”“You know Geppetto the Leader of the Workshop Union you sure as hell were lacking on the development of the puppets we build at the factory”Geppetto’s blood was boiling, he got closer to Venigni with the intention of starting a fight but Polendina stopped him at Lady Antonia’s request.“Do I need to remind you who taught you all you know?!”Venigni takes too much pride in himself, hating to admit that he didn’t come up with everything on his own he gets closer to Geppetto but Pulcinella stops him.“You only taught me the basics I made everything better!”“WILL THE THE TWO OF YOU SHUT UP FOR FIVE SECONDS? HE NEEDS HELP!” Gemini was at his limit but he might as well have been a real cricket with no one being able to listen to him."Well I build my son, I bet you aren't able to do that," Geppetto said with a smug grin on his face.Meanwhile, Pinocchio had lost consciousness, as he was still hurt and no one was helping him, everyone too entranced by the heated argument.Sophia kept screaming internally, she had to keep using her powers to try and make him survive.“I would be able to build him and even better! Right, Pinocchio?”“Son don’t listen to him!”“Sirs, I believe that the young master is unconscious," Pulcinella said, he and Polendina had noticed but he was the one to speak up first.Both men turned around to see Pinocchio on the floor, his body twitching unnaturally from time to time.“Son are you okay?!” Geppetto was horrified.“Pinocchio my friend are you alright?!” Venigni was mortified.“Of course he is not okay you morons!” Antonia was glad that she wasn’t able to move properly, otherwise, she would have killed them already, so instead, she settled for hitting them with a cane multiple times.“Antonia stop it!” They both shouted at the same time.“Fix him and I’ll stop” She was so done with them.Geppetto carried Pinocchio upstairs with the help of Eugénie so that he could fix him properly. Venigni on the other hand focused on repairing his Legion Arm.——After a few hours of rest, Pinocchio was feeling better, lots of apologizing from both sides and Geppetto having to call him a good boy and give him a couple of hugs, as Pinocchio physically was feeling better but mentally he didn’t seem all there yet, but thankfully getting praise and affection from his father made him feel better.Pinocchio was on a corner petting Spring, something he wanted to do before leaving again.“Sorry for swearing” He apologized sweetly to Gemini.“It’s alright pal, I understand” Gemini is just happy that he is okay, and honestly he can’t blame him for losing his composure, it’s not even a big deal but Pinocchio is a good boy and he is very polite when it comes to how he talks with others.“Gemini am I the only one who can hear you? Just like with Sophia?”“No”“Then why was no one listening to you?”“Buddy let’s not think about that for now”Pinocchio decided to listen to him, he left Spring and went to look for Sophia, who gave him reassuring words and told him that she would always be by his side.“Take care cleaver one” Sophia feels bad that Pinocchio has to deal with all that danger but she will be there to protect him no matter what.Everyone was at the stargazer again, ready to say goodbye to Pinocchio. Who gave a big hug to his father and also to Venigni before leaving. All was forgiven.The Stargazer activated and Pinocchio was no longer inside the Hotel walls, it was all quiet until…“Just so everyone knows,” Eugénie said while fixing up her glasses, “At building weapons, I am the best one” Eugénie had a devious smile on her face, even giving out an evil laugh.Her plan worked, and Geppetto and Venigni started arguing again, it didn't matter that they didn't even build weapons, just two prideful men who thought they were the best at everything.Antonia took a deep breath as she made a signal to Polendina who gave the cane back to her.

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Replaying the game and I was at that part, I was questioning why they would build such things, a lot of puppets in Krat are way too over the top.Poor Pinocchio having to deal with suffering on the floor just because of the hurt pride of Venigni and his father.Thank you all for reading!!

Your Springs are reacting

The Red Fox and The Black Cat were standing in Venigni works, they knew that they had to leave eventually, specially after leaving moneybags all by himself but they needed to take a break, and it didn’t help that a few tough puppets were around, the one with the shovel was out for blood and they needed to lay low before making their exit.They heard footsteps and turned around to look who it was, they could see a boy approaching them, he looked so happy and a little too innocent to be a stalker but they saw the weapon he had and if he was in a place like this, his fighting capabilities must be something else.“Pleased to see you my stalker friend,” The Red Fox said in a graceful voice.“You made it all the way here unbothered by ruffians. You got talent! I’ve never seen you before but…” The Black Cat stopped talking, “What is that sound?”The siblings looked around but they couldn’t see the source of the noise, the loud movement of springs, but there was no puppet nearby, it's odd, maybe they should keep their guard up just in case.The boy in front of them didn’t seem to mind the noise, they assumed he was simply too brave or stupid to realize the true danger, but they made small talk for a little while, or rather they talked while he listened. When The Black Cat offered him the “special” Venigni landmark guide, the boy simply nodded and took it with him, he gave them a big smile and waved them goodbye before leaving.“That was rude brother”“Oh come on, we are short on cash and you know that, plus it’s his fault for being so naive”They stood in silence again, they could hear the fighting in the background, that boy was something else fighting all those puppets with such ease.When they saw him again, he gave them a small wave, they could hear the loud movement of springs again and it disappeared as soon as they stopped seeing him.“You don’t think that’s him do you?” The Red Fox was intrigued, it seemed like it was the only logical conclusion.“Come on look at him that can’t be” The Black Cat seemed doubtful, “No way he is a puppet and besides wouldn’t he have attacked us?”It was a fair point, in their eyes all puppets were dangerous, they had never met one who didn’t mercilessly attack humans.They were about to leave when they saw him one last time, but he looked different, a little down as he approached them, he was holding a lamp in his hands.“Excuse me”They heard someone talking from the lamp, upon closer inspection they saw that a little puppet cricket was inside.“The two of you scammed my friend Pinocchio, give him back what he gave you”“Seriously you can’t stand up for yourself?” The Black Cat rolled his eyes inside his mask, “What you can’t talk?”Pinocchio shook his head from side to side.“Oh shit” Black Cat whispered under his breath now he was feeling bad about what he said.“Brother!” The Red Fox hit his shoulder, this idiot, “We are so sorry, that was incredibly rude” She hit her brother again, an indication that he should apologize.“Yeah, I’m sorry and stuff”The Red Fox glared at her brother, he gave out a sigh and returned the Ergo.“You have my sincerest apologies and I’ll make sure my brother won’t pull a stunt like that again,” The Red Fox said, “Hopefully we can still be friends”Pinocchio smiled, yes he wanted to be friends!”“Mmhm, totally friends and-“ The Black Cat stopped it was that noise again and louder.They turned to look at Pinocchio, there was no doubt anymore, that he was the one making the noise.“So friend um” Red Fox didn’t know how to bring it up but she started to put two and two together, “Are you happy?”Pinocchio nodded enthusiastically.Gemini gave out a sigh, Pinocchio’s springs get too loud when he gets happy and he gets happy when he meets new people, unfortunately, sometimes that’s something bad, as that stalker they met with the mouse mask could hear him loud and clear. He attacked Pinocchio and he had no choice but to defend himself, Pinocchio looked sad, so he got out of that room quickly and Gemini could tell that even now Pinocchio felt a little on edge trying to ignore the blood on his clothes.The two siblings looked at each other, he clearly wasn’t hostile, he would have attacked them already if that wasn’t the case, and he looked too pure to even be fighting out here.“Oh well, we must leave but hopefully we see you again” Red Fox knew that regardless of the situation with that boy they needed to leave the factory already.As they were walking away, they couldn’t get Pinocchio out of their minds.“Maybe he was pranking us? There is no way he is a puppet”“What makes you say that brother?”“I mean look at him! He is too pretty to be a puppet!”They walked for a few minutes in silence.“What? What did I do now?”“Nothing… but brother is there something you want to tell me?”Black Cat was processing what his sister said.“I didn’t mean it that way!”“Sure whatever you say”——-Giangio was standing near the cathedral, waiting, he knew that Geppetto’s puppet would come here sooner rather than later, he needed to see what he was capable of firsthand.And speak of the devil, he saw him going towards his direction, he mentally prepared himself to put up an act, he started giving his speech, but he almost made a mistake by mentioning he was an alchemist, it was that damn noise that distracted him, is that puppet broken? Did it get hurt? Why are they being so loud?Giangio can see the big grin on Pinocchio's face even after they stop talking, it’s getting a little uncomfortable.“Um, can I help you with anything else?”Pinocchio takes Gemini out of his belt and signals something to him.“He wants to know if the two of you can be friends” Gemini speaks on Pinocchio’s behalf.“Oh, well…” he didn’t expect that question but he had to play along, “Sure we can be friends”The sound of the springs got even louder and since they were in a high place it resonated in the area, the echo even making a few birds fly.Pinocchio waved him goodbye and Giangio was left alone, finally in silence. That was odd but maybe while he waits to see the results he should start wondering about how to catch Dorothy.She might be annoying but she certainly isn’t as loud as Pinocchio.—-Pinocchio had just returned that painting that the Black Rabbit Brotherhood had stolen from his father. At first, Pinocchio was having a lot of mixed emotions, he knew that the boy in the portrait was supposed to be his brother and that’s why he looked just like him.His father looked a little sad at first, he even apologized for getting sentimental. Pinocchio was about to leave to do another task before his father called for him, his father who hugged him.“Thank you, son”The room was quiet for a few seconds when they both let go, and that’s when the noise started, Geppetto obviously knows that when his son gets excited he gets loud but this was… too intense, the springs were moving too fast, he could hear that even more pressure was being applied, his son had a big smile on his face.Until they all heard something breaking on the inside.Pinocchio had gotten too excited, accidentally causing some of his springs to break, and those springs breaking caused a few gears to stop moving, and that caused a chain effect of things not working properly one by one.Pinocchio fell to the floor and the last thing he saw was his father before he fully lost consciousness.—-When Pinocchio woke up his father was still working on him.Instead of being in the usual chair, he was lying down in a bed, he could tell that there was a room used for guests in the Hotel, and he saw Gemini on a table waiting for him. Pinocchio was shirtless and his chest was fully opened, as he accidentally caused more damage than he should have.“Don’t move, this one is going to hurt a little”It did, Pinocchio let out a whimper, but Geppetto had to reinforce the springs even more than before, if he didn’t they could break again by Pinocchio getting hit by something.Pinocchio was trying not to think too much about it, his father fixes him all the time but this was different and it made him a little scared since he hadn’t seen so much of his body before like this.When Geppetto was done he gave his son his shirt back.“Well time to see if it worked”Geppetto hugged his son again, this time the sound was loud but all the springs were in place, no reason for them to break again.If Pinocchio had a tail he would be wagging it right now, he was so happy.“Now son” Geppetto played with his son’s hair, “Remember to be careful and to be a good boy while you are out there”Pinocchio nodded enthusiastically, he made his way toward the stargazer, he had to do what his father had asked of him.—-Geppetto was waiting outside the Opera House for his son, he could tell that he had defeated the King of Puppets but it was odd that his son hadn’t come back, he was starting to get a little nervous.Pinocchio came out and handed down a piece of paper to his father, as he wanted to say something but couldn’t, then he turned around and went back to the Opera House.It was odd but Geppetto read the note to see what this was all about.“I think he is broken can you fix him like you fix me?”When Geppetto stopped reading the note he looked up to see Pinocchio carrying Romeo in his arms, the young man had a loud noise coming from inside of him, exhausted from the recent battle, he turned to look at Geppetto, Romeo’s glowing red eye staring directly at him with murderous intent.On the other hand, Pinocchio was giving him puppy eyes.Geppetto took a deep breath.—-“Hopefully this counts as an apology”Romeo was staring at Geppetto, he at least looked normal again, well as normal as he can look while still being a puppet but he didn’t look happy at all.“Oh come on what else do you want me to do? Besides I’m trying to fix things”Geppetto is having a little hard time, a few things are different than how he planned but he can find a way to fix this. At least things can’t get worse than this.Then, Pinocchio came into the room, carrying a box.The black box.A loud noise was coming from it, Carlo sharing Ergo with Pinocchio being able to sense what had happened, sending a message to Pinocchio to get him, Carlo’s springs could be heard loudly despite being inside there.“Go on” Romeo spoke up on Pinocchio’s behalf instead of Gemini this time, “Fix him”Pinocchio was smiling, he was so happy because he was meeting new people, so his springs were reacting.Romeo was furious so his springs were reacting.Carlo was an emotional mess so his spring were reacting.And Geppetto was so nervous, his heart was pounding.

Notes:
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Maybe I am a little too obsessed with the messages you get when you lie because I just love to use them when I can.Also pretty sure half of Krat knows Pinocchio is a puppet at this point and he is so clueless about it.Thank you all for reading!!

Curiosity

Eugénie opened her eyes, she could feel the gentle sun rays entering the window.Everyone who stays at Hotel Krat grabs a room for themselves to sleep also to have a little privacy.She rubbed her eyes and moved her hand to try and feel the nightstand, first, she felt Spring and petted her a little, then she felt it and grabbed her glasses, putting them on to finally see properly.Only to be startled at the sight of Pinocchio staring at her.“Ah!” Instinctively, she tried to back away but ended up hitting her head on the wall.“Pinocchio you scared her! Be more careful next time” Gemini chirped from his cage.“Pinocchio um” Eugénie was finally waking up properly, this was so odd, “Why are you here in my room? Do you need anything?”Pinocchio shook his head and both stared at each other in silence for a few seconds.“So then, why are you here?” Eugénie didn’t mean to sound rude but she wasn’t expecting him to be at her room, much less for no apparent reason.Pinocchio didn’t say anything, as usual, he barely spoke but he could tell that he had overstayed his welcome and gave her a little wave before leaving the room, not without petting Spring before leaving.That was strange but maybe Pinocchio was just looking for the cat and that’s why he was in her room.Eugénie got ready for the day, changing and brushing her hair. Truthfully there isn’t much to do at Hotel Krat besides when she or anyone is helping Pinocchio, but all of them make small talk from time to time and they all try and have breakfast together, even if Polendina and Pulcinella don’t eat it, just so all can try to relax and feel more at ease about the situation and they are like a big family at this point.When she went downstairs everyone else was there already, minus Pinocchio as he left to do some sort of errand outside. Breakfast was usually made by either Polendina or Pulcinella, on a few times by both but Eugénie couldn’t eat well, she hit her head a little too hard and now she was having a headache.“Something wrong dear?” Antonia could tell right away, she knows everyone at the hotel too well to know when something is up.“Oh it’s nothing” She tried brushing it off but Antonia was insisting, “Well, I accidentally hit myself on the head this morning, Pinocchio gave me a scare as soon as I woke up”She explained what had happened and let out a laugh, it was a little amusing now that she said it out loud.“Oh,” Geppetto was thinking out loud when he said that and everyone could tell something was off by his tone of voice.“Geppetto is something the matter?” Antonia asked, she could tell Geppetto wanted to brush it off but he explained.“Well, each night he watches me sleep I was wondering why I didn’t see him last night”“He does what?” Eugénie thought she might have heard him wrong.“Since he is a puppet and can’t sleep he watches me sleep at night, I’ve asked him why, according to Gemini he is just curious”Gemini is the one who has to speak on Pinocchio’s behalf most of the time and that’s the explanation the cricket gave to Geppetto.“Sometimes he lies next to me in bed… it’s sort of cute actually” Geppetto smiled, it does feel nice to wake up and see his son next to him. He can tell that Pinocchio tries to sleep by closing his eyes and staying still in bed.“So that’s why neither of us see him at night” Polendina was wondering where Pinocchio would disappear to.Polendina and Pulcinella make small talk at night, every once in a while they check on Antonia or Venigni but they have never seen Pinocchio walking by.“I was starting to get concerned that he was fighting nonstop, glad I was proven wrong” Pulcinella was relieved to hear that Pinocchio wasn’t just constantly in danger.“I guess he got curious about my sleep this time” Eugénie was starting to feel better so she began to try and eat again.What the others didn’t know was that Pinocchio’s curiosity was about to expand.—-It was the middle of the night when Venigni woke up in a cold sweat, he had a nightmare about his past, his parents' death, lately they had been on his mind, what Arlecchino did, it was supposed to never happen again, no puppet should have-“Yes Pinocchio he is okay, he just had a nightmare” Venigni quickly turned on the nightstand lamp, finding Pinocchio standing in front of him.“Friend I’m already scared enough as it is, don’t startle me like that” Venigni let out an awkward laugh, “Or maybe this is a nightmare within a nightmare”Pinocchio tilted his head, not understanding.“Well pal, you know how your father taught you about dreams?” Gemini began to explain, “Nightmares are bad dreams”Pinocchio was now looking concerned, going to Venigni’s side, thinking he was in some sort of danger.“It’s alright friend, I’m completely okay” Well, mentally not that okay but he doesn’t want to worry the boy, “And speaking of your father, wouldn’t you rather watch him sleep than me?”It’s not as if he doesn’t like Pinocchio but this is so weird even for an eccentric man like him, Venigni doesn’t want anyone to watch him sleep besides maybe Pucinella who is family, speaking of, with perfect timing Pulcinella entered the room to see what was going on.“I hope you understand Pinocchio, that Master. Venigni needs a good night's sleep”Venigni was relieved, Pulcinella always has his back and as the genius he is, he deserves his beauty sleep.Pinocchio looked a little sad that he couldn’t watch him sleep, Venigni tried again suggesting he go and see his father.“Why I believe Geppetto is still awake,” Pulcinella said in his usual neutral tone.“Excuse me?” Venigni turned to look at the clock in the room it was almost 2 am.As it turns out, the reason Pinocchio has been sneaking to see others sleep is because his father is staying all night working on his projects. Although no one is really sure what he is working on or why he would do that in a situation like this.Venigni took a deep breath, he felt like he was being so rude but he stood his ground and didn’t make Pinocchio stay. He was already feeling on edge because of that nightmare and he would like just a little more peace.He should maybe talk with Geppetto about this, mainly about how it isn’t healthy for a man his age to stay up so late.——“What the fuck?!”Alidoro tried getting out of his bed but he ended up falling onto the floor, he had recently been staying here and it was all going pretty well until now. He managed to get up and turn on the lights of the room, seeing that Pinocchio was making a few gestures to Gemini.“It’s a bad word Pinocchio” Gemini let out a sigh, “So don’t say it, good boys don’t say words like that”Great so he gets woken up in the middle of the night and it’s greeted by this lecture, “Do you need something?”Pinocchio shook his head from side to side.“Then why are you here?! Get the hell out!” Alidoro was pissed, maybe this boy hates him, he lied about not knowing a safe place two times, is he trying to intimidate him in some way?“Look no need to be rude” Gemini knows Pinocchio is somewhat strange but no need to speak to him that way, “Let’s just leave already pal”After Pinocchio left the room, Alidoro locked it so no one else could come in, this was ridiculous. First, he has to deal with that annoying girl during the day, and now with him at night?Although he has no choice but to stay here, ugh, he just wants to sleep and forget about all of this, those alchemists better truly deliver on their promise.—-In hindsight, it should have been obvious why spying on Belle at night would be a bad idea as she is a trained soldier. As soon as she detected someone else was in the room with her the instinct kicked in, restraining Pinocchio to the ground so fast that neither he nor the cricket saw it coming.“Oh my God it’s you, don’t scare me like that” Belle let him go and sat in bed, she didn’t need to turn on the lights, having plenty of experience seeing at night, “Is something the matter?”Gemini had to explain the situation, Belle found it amusing, it was odd sure but she met all sorts of people while in her training, this was nothing compared to that; two fellow soldiers had a tendency to do the same thing, with similar results at what just occurred. At least this will teach him a lesson like it taught them.Pinocchio left the room and Belle went back to bed, as she was dozing off, she could have sworn that Pinocchio felt too stiff and too heavy for someone his size, or any human although she was probably tired and needed proper rest.—-Giangio could feel Pinocchio intensely staring at him.He obviously doesn’t stay in that room beside the tree all day, at night he makes sure no one is looking as slides into one of the beds Hotel Krat has to offer, he keeps a few notes in there as well of what he has observed, about the gold fruit coin as well as about Pinocchio. He could have used the elevator and found a place in the Mallum District except that’s a terrible idea, even with the Black Rabbit Brotherhood gone that place is pure chaos. Giangio would rather risk being here than most likely getting mugged in one of those streets.He wants to turn around and confront him yet that would be an unwise decision, no one knows he is here, what if too much noise ends up being made and someone else sees him here; in fact, why is Pinocchio here in the first place? Does he suspect something? Is he onto him somehow? Giangio knows that the puppet is communicating with Sophia in some sort of way, is she up to this?Worst is that he feels completely embarrassed because he sleeps at night with a teddy bear ever since he was a child, a beloved old toy. He remembers that time someone almost caught him with it back at Arche Abbey, it’s already bad enough that the other alchemists tease him because of his height, putting objects in places he can't reach having no choice but to grab a chair or ask for help, he wouldn’t be able to handle more humiliation.So he keeps his closed eyes and waits for Pinocchio to leave, but that stupid brat doesn’t leave. Giangio can hear loud and clear his springs moving, dammit why did he take choir classes as a child? Now he was cursing his good hearing.In the end, Giangio stays awake all night, Pinocchio finally leaves at 7 am. Giangio puts a pillow in his face and screams inside of it for at least a couple of seconds. Before composing himself and getting ready for the day. Hopefully, Mr. Teddy can sleep on his behalf while he is gone.——Antonia woke up in the middle of the night, feeling thirsty, she could make the silhouette of someone in the room and she had a feeling it wasn’t Polendina.“Pinocchio is that you?”Pinocchio turned on Gemini’s lamp, revealing that he was there. He looked uneasy.Antonia signaled to him to come closer to her “What’s wrong?”“Well…” Gemini didn’t know how to say this, “He is watching you sleep but he is worried because of your um, breathing”Antonia is an old woman, an old woman who is dying, and lately, her breathing isn’t what it used to be, it feels like something hard is stuck in her chest.Pinocchio handed her a glass of water that was on the nightstand, almost as if knew why she had woken up.“You are very kind dear” Antonia smiled at him, “I’m sorry that this old lady is worrying you, knowing how many other worries you already carry”Antonia knows that Pinocchio is having to deal with a great burden each time he goes outside, the weight of the world on his shoulders, yet he is kind enough to think about her.Pinocchio could feel himself sinking into his shoulders, he didn’t want her to die, this wasn’t fair, he gave her the cure, why was she dying? Should he have talked with Giangio sooner about it? Should have asked for help as soon as he found the gold coin fruit tree?“Come here” Antonia signaled to the boy to come and sit next to her in bed and he did.“Although I have known you for a short amount of time, I can understand you, even without words” Antonia gave him a warm smile, “I know that you feel this is unfair”Pinocchio leaned closer to her, feeling depressed and overwhelmed.“But unfortunately, my time has come, it would have come regardless, it comes for all of us, just that it came for me a little sooner than what we all would have liked” Antonia wiped away a few tears, these days she looked back at her past, rethinking her life.And what a good life it was, filled with joy and adventure, she loved the world and the world loved her back. The good days were splendid and now looking back even the bad days were good because she saw how despite how much she struggled, despite the times she thought she hit rock bottom she kept going, determined to never give up.She wasn’t giving up now either, she refused to let this sickness take away her happiness.“But I want you to know” Antonia gently touched Pinocchio’s chest, “That no matter what happens, even after I’m gone, I will always be here”In his heart.Pinocchio hugged her, he didn’t want to let her go, it was too much for him.“Why don’t you lie down next to me? Just today”That made Pinocchio faintly smile, the boy wanted to be by her side knowing she didn’t have much time left, he wished he could spend every second next to her.Being next to Antonia is comforting for him, sometimes Pinocchio has these strange good feelings when she is with her, how she cares for him, the love she gives him, how she mentors him.“I regretfully never had a son” Antonia decided to hug the boy, “For a long time, it felt like it was already too late, however meeting you… I was wrong”Pinocchio hugged her back, he could feel his eyes getting wet, not understanding why“Please don’t cry my dear” Antonia wiped his tears away, “No mother wants to see her son cry”They spend the night together, Polendina entered the room at one point and was touched by the scene. His beloved Lady Antonia should be happy, she deserves the world in these hard times.Pinocchio had his eyes closed next to her and for a moment, just a moment he could almost feel himself going into sleep as well. Unfortunately, that wasn’t meant to be.At least not for now.—-

It was 3 am when Geppetto was greeted by everyone in Hotel Krat standing at his office door, even Giangio was watching from afar to see how this would unfold. Taking advantage that Pinocchio was watching Spring sleep rather than any human.“Geppetto” Antonia was the first to start, “We all love the boy dearly”Alidoro rolled his eyes, he didn’t like him at all but this was an intervention.“However this is going too far, please do something about this” Antonia doesn’t mind his company, although she can’t say the same for the others, understanding why people don’t like being watched in the middle of the night and as the owner of this hotel she has to make this place welcoming.“Oh come on, I’m sure it’s not that bad”“Obviously it doesn’t bother you because you don’t sleep!” Alidoro was at his limit, that damn brat broke the lock of his room and hid under a curtain to watch him sleep so he wouldn't get caught. Except Pinocchio got caught and each day he finds new places to hide.“I am afraid I might hurt him one of these days if he keeps waking me up” Belle also wonders if she could hurt herself by hitting someone as sturdy as Pinocchio.Both Alidoro and Belle eventually came to learn the truth, mainly because they overheard the others talking about it so now it made sense.“Um, Mr. Geppetto” Eugénie was trying to be polite this man was her teacher at one point and also her boss, “It’s very late at night, we are also concerned about your lack of sleep”“Yes my good old friend” Venigni looked exhausted, “This has gone on for too long, surely you feel tired, no work must be worth all this trouble”“What are you even working on?” Alidoro is baffled, he tries taking a peak at Geppetto’s notes but the man quickly closes the notebook in which he is writing.“I appreciate the concern, however, I’m perfectly fine” Geppetto has a lot of books filling this office, each time more appear and there are plenty of notebooks around the room. Notebooks that he fills with work plans.“Geppetto I believe it’s finally about time that you realize you have a problem” Antonia was trying to sound sweet, this should be an intervention, not a confrontation.“A problem with what? With working?”“YES!” Everyone shouted at him, even Antonia because seriously?!“I don’t have a problem with work” Geppetto huffed this was ridiculous, “I have a perfectly healthy relationship with my work”Geppetto was just met with deadpan stares, no one saying a word.“Okay maybe sometimes I overwork myself”…“I understand that it’s not ideal to work so much but, how many people out there wish they could work but can’t? Money doesn’t grow on trees, well there is the gold- whatever that doesn’t count, what I am saying is that many wish to have as much work”“Work, in a situation like this?” Venigni understands the excitement of creative endeavors, as well as how boring it is to be stuck in here, “No amount of work is worth it in a time like this, why would you stress yourself more?”“I’m not stressed at all and I feel fine” Geppetto has become so used to not sleeping due to work that sleeping early is what feels weird to him, “Listen I will tell him to stop, I’m sorry he caused you all trouble”They all breathed in a sigh of relief and went back to bed, except Geppetto who kept on working. Once Pinocchio was done watching Spring, he went to see his father, who unfortunately had to tell him to quit watching others.“You can stay here if you like” Geppetto doesn’t mind, Pinocchio is very quiet after all, he won’t distract him. Yet Pinocchio just keeps staring at him, not in his often curious self, rather he looks sad.“What’s wrong?”It’s hard for Pinocchio to let the words out, “It’s sleeping… bad?” It’s hard for him to speak in general but he feels comfort since he is with his father.“No, son why do you ask?” Geppetto was confused by the question.“Because dying is going… to sleep forever right?”That’s how he had explained it to him, lately Pinocchio has been extremely worried about Antonia so he started asking questions about death and Geppetto wasn’t sure how to explain it to him properly, Pinocchio has a hard time understanding certain things when it comes to humanity, it’s already hard enough for people to understand these concepts properly so it must be harder on him. So he explained it to him as he would a child, although now that he thinks about it maybe Pinocchio really is just a child, the child he forces to go outside into danger constantly and he can’t even properly rest after all of it.“Is that why you don’t sleep are you…worried about dying?” Pinocchio was now next to his father, crying not just a few tears like before but fully crying.“What? No-“Pinocchio hugs his father tightly not wanting to let go, Geppetto can barely understand what his son is trying to say in between sobs but when he does understand he feels heartbroken.“Is that why I can’t sleep? Because you don’t want me to die like my brother?”Geppetto hugs back his son, calming him down, although he ends up shedding a few tears as well.“Everyone else is right, it’s not good for me to stay awake so long” Geppetto was staring directly into Pinocchio’s eyes, “I should go to bed, you are welcome to come with me”Pinocchio followed his father, leaving Gemini on the nightstand; it had been a while since he saw his father sleeping or lied down next to him.“It took me a long time, to come to terms with your brother’s death” Way too long, Geppetto made Pinocchio originally to bring Carlo back, but Carlo should be at peace, it was hard to accept his death but Geppetto knew he had to move on, “No matter what happens or what others say, you are my son, not someone made to replace him”Geppetto slowly fell asleep, leaving Pinocchio alone with his thoughts. Sleeping feels so special everyone looks better when they sleep, they look… calm. Even Mr. Venigni who has a few nightmares then goes back to sleeping normally. Giangio eventually got used to him staring and does manage to sleep fine, how kind of him to never say anything, even when Pinocchio knows that the man is aware he is watching him. Everyone seems so well after they sleep, why can’t he sleep? And why does it bother him? Polendina and Pulcinella can’t sleep either, they don’t mind that.Pinocchio doesn’t understand his emotions at all, everyone says he is different, that he is more than just a puppet but is that true? His hair grows, he recently learned to cry yet aside from that, how is he like them? Because he looks like them? Because he can lie?He wished he knew the answer, at the very least, he wished he could sleep. Pinocchio closed his eyes, trying not to think about it, he could feel himself getting more tired and tired, Pinocchio tried to open his eyes but couldn't anymore.“Mmm?” Gemini could see a blue butterfly flying across the room landing directly on Pinocchio’s hair, “Sophia?”Sophia said nothing, a blue glow began to resonate from her, engulfing Pinocchio for a few seconds before she disappeared once more.——When Geppetto woke up, it was already 8:30 am, that’s odd he never oversleeps, this just goes to prove that he needs a better sleep schedule.“Oh son you can get up now” Geppetto got closer to his son who still had his eyes closed, “Pinocchio?”It was only then that he realized Pinocchio was asleep, it made Geppetto smile, he grabbed the bedsheets and decided to cover him up, this moment was unique, for this time, he would be the one to watch Pinocchio sleep, not wanting to miss his son being able to rest for the first time.After that day, everything went back to normal, as normal as things can get when they are dealing with this crisis, those carcasses seeming to be endless.It was all going pretty swell, Venigni was getting ready for bed, first taking a bath as he was not one to shower in the mornings like everyone else. Thank God that the water system in Hotel Krat works perfectly unlike other places, the biggest blessing is that the heater doesn’t have any issues. The cold was bothersome, the weather being more intense these past few days, and he ended up sneezing in the shower.“Bless you”Venigni quickly peeked outside the shower curtain to find Pinocchio in the bathroom with him. Pinocchio has been having less trouble talking so what better way to show it than to be polite?“Pinocchio you scared him! Be careful next time” Gemini chirped from his cage.Venigni took a deep breath, summoning all the patience he could manifest.“My friend please leave”Pinocchio tilted his head confused as to why he should leave.“Just do as he says pal, this isn’t really appropriate you know?”“Mmm, why not?”Venigni was praying, why doesn’t God give this boy the understanding of common sense? Better yet why doesn’t his father teach him the meaning of common sense?!Unfortunately for everyone else at Hotel Krat, they will all have to once again experience Pinocchio’s curiosity.

Notes:
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It's almost 12 am so please enjoy this while I prepare to sleep.I have been working on this one shot for a while, but I got a little stuck while writing, my other stories taking priority but I'm happy with how it turned out that's what matters and I hope everyone enjoys it as well.Thank you all for reading!!

Workplace Bullying

At the alchemist's headquarters things are calm, like the sea that surrounds the island, so Paracelsus decides to take the opportunity to take more notes in peace, there are many libraries in the place, specializing in different topics and one has been on his mind for some time: The Gold Fruin Coin Tree.Today the place seems to be almost full, everyone else having the same idea as him to take the opportunity to research, Paracelsus quickly finds the book he was looking for on top of one of the shelves, he tries to grab it but is unable to, he tries to tiptoe in hopes of reaching it yet he still can’t.“Oh Paracelsus let me help you with that” Valentinus had seen him struggling reaching for the book with ease, “Hope that helped”Valentinus gave him a smile and walked away, the man obvious at what he had done, as he is obvious of how others scheme against him. As everyone saw Paracelsus had a hard time reaching the book. Alchemists tend to rarely completely agree on one thing, yet at that moment everyone else in that library had the same thought on their mind.——Paracelsus is a smart man so he quickly realizes what’s going on, how odd that he keeps having to use chairs to get to books or tools that have suspiciously moved to higher places. A confrontation would be pointless, he is sure more than one is behind this, having no other choice he resorts to grabbing anything useful he can find to get it, but there are times when simply that isn’t possible. Currently, he is at a meeting and someone specifically asked him to get something from them on one of the shelves, sure enough, despite his best tries he isn’t able to reach it.“Do you need help, Paracelsus?”He can sense the sweet but mocking tone right away, he tries two more times before giving up, getting a chair won’t work as they are all full, leaving him no choice but to ask for help. Having to deal with the stupid grins of everyone else for the rest of the meeting.——“Hey Paracelsus, do you mind helping me with something?” It was one of his female coworkers.“Mmm?” He was caught off guard, too entranced in his notes, “Sure what do you need my help with?”“Soooo I accidentally like, dropped something and I was wondering if you could like, help me get it back” The young woman sounded nice but Paracelsus could tell something was off.“…Why me?”The young woman pointed at a floor vent, mentioning how “clumsily” she had dropped a notebook and it “somehow” got stuck in there.“Cause I’m pretty sure you can fit in there better than me” She was giving him a stupid smile.He wants to refuse but other people are watching and he can’t be rude, obviously, he fits in the tiny vent to the amusement of those present.“Thank you so much!” She even chuckled after saying it, looking too innocent despite her true intentions.“Yeah you’re welcome” Paracelsus rolled his eyes and left the room as soon as possible.——10 times.10 damn times he has overheard the same “size doesn’t matter” joke each time he passes next to one of his male colleagues.“I’m just worried that this girl won’t like me because of my looks, long-distance relationships are hard,” said one of the most conventionally attractive men Paracelsus has seen.“Come on dude” Another man, this one even prettier, started talking. “What’s the worst thing she can say?”“Well, I sent her a portrait of me, what if she thinks I look smaller than in the painting?”Paracelsus just left and spent the rest of the day in his room. Not even leaving to eat, making the excuse that he was too focused on his research.—-Paracelsus finally found what he was looking for, he leaned forward to grab the bottle containing liquid gold only for his hand to be met by someone else’s.“I need this more than you Paracelsus” Simon grabbed the bottle with more force but Paracelsus didn’t let go.“You don’t even know what I’m using it for” Paracelsus had a firm grasp on the bottle and tried to pull it away from Simon.“Probably having to do with your childish dream of finding the nonexistent Gold Fruit Coin Tree” Simon pulled the bottle to his side.“It IS a real tree” Paracelsus pulled the bottle to his side again.Simon gave him a devious smile, before pulling the bottle upwards with all his force, Paracelsus dangling in the air for a few seconds before he let go.“Now, why don’t you do something productive rather than chase ridiculous fairytales?” Simon left Paracelsus alone who was red with embarrassment and frustration.—-Oh, this is ridiculous.Although the place is big and everyone has their own room, similarly to a boarding school they have to share bathrooms, designated places for men and women.And someone had decided to move the water heater to a place he couldn’t reach, all that work must have taken hours to do, all simply to prank him?!Paracelsus has no other choice but to shower in the cold water for the next few weeks, until the heater is finally set in place after Valetinus comments on finding it odd that is not where it’s supposed to be.—-“Oversized rat”, “Elf”, and “Dwarf” are some of the many names he has heard others say behind his back.Not only that but they are starting to treat him as a child, even gifting him a few things meant for kids because “Oh I thought they were your size”Recently a faire came to Krat and it came with attractions one could ride on, a few alchemists went, but he didn’t because that’s not something he enjoys still, that didn’t stop everyone from saying that it’s because he is too small to ride any of them.Currently, he is working on a special weapon and other alchemists are in the room with him, working on weapons as well.“Why is it round? That doesn’t seem very practical”“He probably can’t use a normal sword because it would tower over him”Paracelsus takes a deep breath and tries to focus his attention on the weapon.“Also if he does find that stupid tree, you think he will need a ladder to grab the fruit?”“Ladder? He will probably need an elevator to reach it”“Calm down Paracelsus, calm down” He is trying to reassure himself, it has already been two months, surely soon they will get tired of it and finally leave him alone.——“Needless to say this has gone too far” Valentinus was angry, something no one else had seen in the many years working with him, “Anyone has anything to say in their defense?”All alchemists were called for this mandatory meeting, not being here would result in higher punishments.“We are just teasing!” Someone shouted from the crowd.“Teasing? The poor man has been crying for 3 hours!”Apparently, someone thought it would be a good idea to break into Paracelsus’s room, taking advantage that the man had gone out for research purposes and would come back late. The goal was to take a few clothes and put them in places he couldn’t reach but instead, Paracelsus's diary was fun in this process, alongside a teddy bear lying in his bed, that discovery had to be shared by everyone, and by the end of the day almost everyone had seen what has written on his diary and the bear was tossed around from person to person.“Valentinus is right, this is the behavior of petty school kids” Simon was standing next to Valentinus as he was the second in command, a few people rolled their eyes at him. Although it’s not as if he truly cares about Paracelsus's feelings, the issue is that the man had written in his diary about the secret plans, and that could compromise the entire mission it took him decades to achieve.When Simon first saw the diary being passed around, he thought it must have belonged to Sophia as she comes here often to spend time with her father. What kind of grown man uses phrases like “Super Duper” or makes stupid drawings?When Paracelsus inevitably arrived first there was the crying; then the hysterical laughter; then the anger, Paracelsus grabbed the weapon he had just finished making the Uroborus Eye, and was about to kill the one responsible right then and there, fortunately for the culprit Laxasia was there and stopped him, the man put up a fight, too consumed by rage he wasn’t going to let Laxasia get in his way but in the end, the woman was stronger than him and ended up restraining him. So now he is back to sobbing, locking himself in his room clinging to that teddy bear as if his life depended on it.The culprit has already been officially fired from the alchemist, since they were a new recruit it’s not as if anything was truly lost by letting them go.“This is completely inexcusable, since all of you want to act like children now everyone has to write him a formal apology” There was fire in Valenitus’s eyes, the man had never been so angry.Everyone was groaning at that, they already learned not to mess with him after seeing him fight Laxasia, no one wants to meet their untimely demise, they are looking for the opposite, immortal life.“No excuses, this is what we have agreed on” Simon knows that Paracelsus could sue for workplace harassment and win, the media would love a scandal like that, their budget could be cut, and it would be a complete disaster.“Let this be a lesson, this behavior won’t be tolerated any longer, if this happens again to him or anyone else, there will be even bigger consequences” Valentinus even slammed his fist on a desk, the message loud and clear, they tested his patience and he was about to show his true authority, the reason he is the leader of the alchemists.—The next day Paracelsus got his many many apology letters, there are too many alchemists and that’s just the one staying here at Arche Abby, he set aside a place in his room to place them all; he did read them all, having free time as he is now on paid vacation planning to leave in a few days to fully enjoy it. Valenitus apologized profusely for letting this go on for so long, he even offered to pay for free counseling if he felt he needed it but Paracelsus declined. Now he is starting to feel bad for planning things behind this man’s back although not bad enough to reveal the truth, not to mention that this wouldn’t have gone for long if Valentinus wasn’t so damn oblivious to everything that happens around him. Paracelsus is surprised that Valentinus didn’t find out what he had written in his diary about the plans, although it was extremely embarrassing that his boss did see some of his writings.“You should at least be proud of your beautiful handwriting, my daughter has similar handwriting and it’s always pleasant to see”That’s not the compliment that man thinks it is. Paracelsus buries his hands on his face in shame and Valentinus is trying to confront him.“If it’s any consolation, I’m sure that the um, that the tree could be real” It’s clear that Valentinus also thinks that it’s not real, “I admire your efforts in… finding the truth”Paracelsus wants to start crying again because to quote his diary:“I’m super duper close to finding the truth of the gold tree 🌳 :3With its properties I will be able to find the cure of almost every disease but I’m worried I won’t be able to touch it due to the tree being able to reject who can pick on in >.>But I will prove everyone wrong and once that happens everyone will respect me again (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ and finally stop being mean to me (っ- ‸ - ς)It’s getting late٩(ˊ〇ˋ)و so I’m going to bed now, can’t wait to leave tomorrow and see what I can find. ʕuᴥUʔ”“If you need any help, I’m your friend and you can always count on me” Valentinus gave him a warm smile before leaving.Paracelsus wonders if the man thinks he has issues although he can’t blame him if he sees him that way, not the first time he has had a mental breakdown, as he didn't have a pretty childhood but at least compared to others this one wasn’t that bad.The letters were what you would expect, although he did get more sincere apologies than he expected making him feel relieved, one of the letters stood out, completely different from the rest, telling him to meet at a designated place at a designated time. After all the torment Paracelsus has endured he has lost all his trust in people however this letter was from Laxasia, the only other person aside from Valentinus who never made fun of him.An abandoned warehouse was not what he expected, Laxasia was waiting for him inside sitting on top of a locked vault.“I understand what you went through”Laxasia had to deal with the opposite, as Adriana was a very tall young girl, not to mention muscular, pair that up with a preference for short hair and her school days were filled with relentless bullying. She even had a similar incident occur, her past self giving a boy a love letter who proceeded to show it around to everyone making a mockery of her, she thought she would never love again until she was proven wrong by meeting Simon her savior.“So I get the need for revenge”Laxasia opened the vault to reveal a man tied up, the one who had violated his privacy. Sure, Paracelsus won’t be able to get revenge on everyone who wronged him but torturing the one that caused him the most distress is something he welcomes.“Thank you” Paracelsus is delighted, appreciating the kind gesture.Laxasasia smiled at him, “You are also quite the worthy adversary” She was impressed by his fighting skills.That night Paracelsus had a lot of fun, even getting to test a few of his recent theories. When it was all said and done he gracefully got rid of the evidence and went back to the abbey, only to collect his belongings as his well-deserved vacation awaited him.When he returned everything was back to normal, the alchemists moved on with their lives and found other ways to entertain themselves mainly by experimenting. Yet no matter where one works, office drama remains and one day, he overheard someone talking badly about Laxasia. Paracelsus wasted no time capturing them and delivering the person as a present. Laxasia has also started to do the same when she hears others mocking Paracelsus.Their friendship began to evolve, the two of them spending more time together, opening up more about each other, mainly about the hard things they had to endure, knowing they could trust one another. Even starting to train together, both were glad to have a friendly spar from time to time. Others have learned their lesson, knowing it’s best to not mess with either of them.“The two of you seem to be getting along” Simon had entered the study room to find Paracelsus doing Laxasia’s nails.“That’s great!” Valentinus was just right behind him, “We should encourage others to have more meaningful relationships”Paracelsus and Laxasia smiled at each other, neither of them believed they could form any meaningful relationships while in here, not even Laxasia as despite her deep love for Simon she knows it’s not meant to be, that it’s the only thing that makes her flawed. Alchemists don’t tend to care for one another, it’s everyone from themselves, what truly matters is the pursuit of knowledge. This is a welcoming change, only the start of their beautiful friendship.

Notes:
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Knowing all the atrocities the alchemists committed it's safe to assume that at least most of them aren't good people, so not hard to believe they would be bullies, at least the day was saved by the power of...trauma bonding?Ignore that they probably do know that the gold tree exists since Sophia mentions that she doesn't want the alchemist to turn her into one since she is a listener, this is all for the sake of the fic being funnier. Although there is also the possibility that they know it could exist but it has been so long since they all have seen one that they are starting to doubt the tales.I've had headcanons with friends that Par most likely has gotten bullied due to his height by the alchemists and since I wrote a little of that in a recent one shot I was like why not write a short story about it? Please remember to respect all the short kings in your life ♡Thank you for reading!!

Delusion

Geppetto was in a rush to get to the Monad Charity House, it was late, hoping he didn’t miss his son’s graduation, why does he always tend to prioritize his stupid job? This is so unfair to Carlo, he promised him yesterday he would be there on time, he even gave him that necklace as a promise.He broke his promise.He needs to find a way to make it up to him, he is always letting Carlo down, he needs to show him how he loves him no matter what, but first he needs to apologize.When he gets there, something is wrong, terribly wrong, the police are there, there are doctors, he is desperately trying to get inside but they won’t let him. Geppetto starts shaking, people are coming out of the place in protected suits, and people are being carried away from the place, some barely alive, most dead, he starts praying, he has to see Carlo, he needs to see him again.And he does, someone has his son in his arms and Geppetto feels despair, the body of his dead son is the last thing he sees before passing out.——-“Geppetto”Someone is trying to talk with him, a coworker.“I understand these past few months have been hard”It’s hard to process to Geppetto what he is hearing, has it really been months? How many? One? Two?“But it’s almost been half a year since Carlo died”His heart sinks, Carlo is dead, his son is…. No, Carlo isn’t dead, his son isn’t gone, Carlo is-“You have to pull yourself together, you are the director of the workshop union”Geppetto’s mind can only understand bits and pieces from the conversation, something about the workplace, something about how he is supposed to be a leader, something about how others don’t think he can….——Antonia is staring at him strangely and he doesn’t understand why.“Why is-“His mind blocks the rest of the sentence, it’s something about Carlo’s funeral, the closed casket.“Maybe it’s in my mind” Antonia whispered, “I could have sworn the casket sounded hollow”Geppetto has a pounding headache, the body, there is no body becauseBecauseBecause——-He has the bottles in his hands, the liquids that were so hard for him to obtain, he had to make calls, he had to ask for favors. Geppetto hears a woman’s voice.“Just in case you forget, I wrote down the specific use of each” She looks intrigued, “This project of yours must be secret but I just have to ask, why do you need the embalming fluid?”Did he make an excuse? Or did he even respond to the question?—-Geppetto is crying and desperately apologizing over and over again to Carlo, he is promising he will help, that he will save him, that they can be a happy family, that he would be a good father, that he would do anything for him.Carlo is holding his hand, Geppetto sees his son’s face, Carlo can’t speak but his brown eyes show a deep sadness, he is trying to tell him something, and Carlo is pleading with him. Pleading for what?Geppetto doesn’t understand, what he does understand is that he made a promise to his son, and this time, he won’t break it.—-Venigni is trying to reassure him, both were spending time together, both of them were supposed to be relaxing.“Please friend ignore those sorts of comments”Did someone say something to him? Geppetto takes a sip of his drink, trying to remember what was said yet no matter how hard he tried he simply couldn’t.“Just because you are a man that doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to show emotions” Venigni asked to spend time with him; everything, everyone had become so overwhelming.“I want you to know that-“Venigni is trying again to reassure him, although Geppetto can’t listen to him, the only thing, the only one he has his mind is Carlo.—-Geppetto is lying on the couch of his home when he gets the first call.Then another and another.It’s his coworkers, it’s the police, the alchemists…Everyone is frantic, they want answers, they don’t know how this happened, it makes no sense, the grand covenant was supposed to bind them, this should have never happened. They ask questions, questions that he can’t answer.After all, he can’t remember why he started the frenzy.—-“I’m doing this for Carlo, I’m doing this for Carlo”Geppetto hears the words frantically being spoken, but they aren’t coming out of his mouth this time. There are tears in Romeo’s eyes, he is gasping for air because of the pain. Geppetto is on autopilot, working on the body, the plan, the deal that was made.Hours pass, the process is hard and complicated. Geppetto managed to do it, he managed to turn the young man into a puppet.So he apologizes to Romeo.Romeo feels agonizing pain, Geppetto keeps apologizing, Romeo grabs his hand and applies pressure, he is hurting him, he can feel one of his fingers being fractured, but Geppetto doesn’t complain, he deserves this, for being a horrible father, for being a horrible person.Finally, Romeo lets go, looking at his body, looking at what he has become, then Geppetto pulls something out of his pocket, the pendant now in Romeo’s chest as he sets the necklace in place.It’s the one he gave to his son, the one Carlo gave to Romeo. Geppetto knows that he deserves to have it more than him.—-He is knocking at Antonia’s doorstep in the middle of the night, obviously, she is confused at first, but then her expression changes to one of fear and worry.“Geppetto what happened?!”He told her it was an accident, that he was working with something at home and accidentally hurt himself. How he didn’t want to see a doctor or go to the hospital, they were all too busy with those with the petrification disease anyway.She is helping her by disinfecting the cuts that are all over his left arm, and grabbing alcohol to wipe around the injuries.“What exactly where you working on?”Geppetto dances around the question, he makes excuses, and he tries for Antonia not to know the truth. Antonia already doesn't look very convinced.The cuts look too clean, too methodical to be an accident, Antonia asked once more what occurred.He lied to her like he has been lying to everyone all this time, how he lies to himself that he is fine.——Oh my God…. Carlo… what did I do to you?His sweet son, his sweet boy is almost unrecognizable, tubes are coming out of his back, his skin is completely gray, and his face is.His face is.Carlo applies more force, his son has him pinned to the ground, he has something sharp in his hand. Carlo puts the blade in his neck, but Geppetto doesn’t try to fight back and doesn’t try to calm Carlo down.The only thing he can do is apologize.Carlo stops what he is doing, a tear falling from his deformed face, now Carlo is the one apologizing, but he is asking something out of his father.“Father….”Carlo’s voice is completely different, it’s raspy, it almost sounds like a scream, and it doesn’t sound like his son’s voice at all.“Please… let me-“No no no, he loves Carlo but he can’t do that, he can’t let him go, he can’t let him die again, he has to save him, he will save him.—-This is it, he is going to die, he locks himself in that carriage but with the weapon is only a matter of time before the stalker uses it to break the door and get to him.That’s went suddenly he hears the sound of a battle outside, the stalker falling dead on the floor saying his last words. Geppetto comes out and looks at his son.It’s Carlo, somehow he woke up in his new body, without the need for his help. The body he made for him so that he wouldn’t be in pain anymore, he only had to take part of his Ergo and put it inside the new heart.Geppetto finally meets his son again, his precious son.Whoever Geppetto can’t shake this strange feeling something is wrong, Carlo is smiling at him with his blue eyes, did Carlo have blue eyes? Why did I give him blue eyes?Eyes like mine.And freckles, Carlo didn’t have freckles, did he forget what his own son looks like?Geppetto ignores those feelings in the back of his mind, he is just grateful that Carlo is safe and sound again, it’s hard but he has to ask a favor of him, but Carlo gives him a sweet smile and nods, like a good boy his son is eager to do what he tells him.—-Geppetto is preparing to leave for work while doing so, he can hear a few coworkers talking behind his back.“Is he leaving work early again?”“Apparently something reminded him of Carlo”Geppetto is trying his hardest to pull himself together, trying to ignore them.“Look I get that losing family is hard but come on, this is the third time this month he breaks down crying”“I agree, he is a grown man, life is unfair he needs to get over it”Lately, he has been hearing the same things, people starting to lose their respect for him, people who don’t want him to be the leader of the workshop union anymore.The union he started, the union where he did everything to make it become the place it is, the factory that creates the puppets he invented, the ones that led Krat to an era of prosperity.The union he hates, the work he despises. The worthless job that took his son away from him.No, it’s all his fault, he is the one who prioritized it over Carlo, over his only son. The many goals he missed in his life, how he abandoned him at that boarding school, all because he is an idiot. What kind of worthless father puts his work over his family?Not anymore, not ever again.——Geppetto feels the scythe up to his neck there is fire all around the stage, Carlo is hurt yet even then, he is desperately grabbing Romeo, begging him to stop.“You are pathetic”Romeo’s voice is back to normal, his glowing red eye fixed on him, he lowers the weapon, Pinocchio looks relieved and goes to his father's side.Romeo’s words become incomprehensible again, this time because Geppetto’s mind is blocking them. The next thing he knows is that they are all back in Hotel Krat, everyone but his son is mad at him. It doesn’t matter, Geppetto fixes Romeo until his puppet body is back to normal, as normal as it can be in that condition.Carlo is grabbing his long black hair, his son feeling tense, not used to everyone yelling, not understanding why everyone was so mad at his father.Geppetto looks at Pinocchio, he tells him that he did something bad, something horrible. Pinocchio doesn’t care he hugs his father because he loves him.Even if Geppetto knows doesn’t deserve that love.—-It’s not enough, it’s not enough Ergo.He stole a good amount from the ones used at the factory. It’s not working, why isn’t it working?Geppetto does the calculations again, he reads books and investigates the nature of Ergo. He needs more but how much more?A ridiculous amount, an amount of Ergo he simply can’t get in his hands, dozens of people would have to die to get that much.He looks at the black box, Carlo is resting in there, the box is special, he doesn’t remember how he did it but Carlo is no longer enraged, it’s almost as if his son is resting. Although Carlo can’t truly rest, the pain is too unbearable for his poor son.The pain, what kind of father allows his son to be in pain? He can’t let Carlo suffer, he has failed his son so many times.Geppetto has an idea, a horrible idea, he is ready, ready to set the entire world on fire if it’s necessary, the only one that truly matters is Carlo.He asks his son for forgiveness again, then he asks God to forgive him as he activates Law 0.——Carlo returned with the painting in his hands. Geppetto had no idea the Black Rabbit Brotherhood had stolen it, he stared at the painting, he almost wanted to cry, he needed to stop crying he is a grown man, he can’t cry, specially not in front of his son, so he apologizes for getting sentimental.He asks Pinocchio if there is something wrong, he doesn’t mean to make him feel uncomfortable. Geppetto knows that he has to be more careful, unlike Carlo, Pinocchio is a little sensitive, the only thing he does is end up worrying him too much.Geppetto tells Carlo to be a good boy and to be careful out there, he can’t lose him, he can’t lose him again.As Pinocchio is leaving, Geppetto looks at the painting, again this feeling that something is wrong comes back. He just spoke with his son, why does it feel odd? Why does it feel like…——Antonia looked furious at him, she wanted to have a word in private.“I want to know what the hell you were thinking”She isn’t shouting, her calm anger is somehow worse.“I almost had a heart attack seeing him, why did you-“Geppetto makes up an excuse, someone had to save everyone from this mess, someone had to save them from this mess. The mess he created.Antonia looks away for a moment, she looks tired, and stressed, can anyone really blame her? She is dying.“Geppetto are you okay?”Her voice sounds sweet and caring, she wants to know the truth because she wants to help him.Geppetto says he is fine, how many times has he lied to her by now?—-

There is blood in Geppetto’s hands.His blood.How did this happen? Why did it happen?He looks at his left arm, there are more cuts than before, this time Antonia would get too suspicious so he cleans himself, he cleans the mess he made. When he is done Geppetto goes to bed, in the morning he starts to get ready for work, he looks at his arm, there is something that wasn’t there before, words that were slashed in his skin.Camille I’m…He can’t make up the rest of the words, there are more cuts, and his arm now truly looks as if he suffered an accident, filled with wounds, his wrist red, black, and blue.——Geppetto is hugging his son tightly, he is shaking and crying, begging him for forgiveness.Pinocchio looks at his father confused, not understanding what’s going on, not understanding what his father did wrong. He is saying that he is an awful father, that he is only making the same mistakes over and over again, how he loves him, how he wants him to be someone he isn’t.Then Geppetto grabs his chest, a piercing pain he cannot handle, he falls onto the floor, his son is now the one who is crying shaking him because he doesn’t know what to do, that’s odd… he remembers Carlo once told him that they taught him how to do CPR at school, something they teach all stalkers in training.Geppetto is gasping for air, the last thing he hears is his son screaming for help.——“Mr. Geppetto you had a heart attack”He is in a hospital, he was brought here from his workplace.“Thankfully you didn’t go into cardiac arrest, however, this is very serious”The doctor asks him questions about his family’s medical history, and about how he has been feeling in the past few days.“Well you are an older man and it seems likely that could be the cause, although it might be that external factors are making it worse, is there anything stressful in your life currently happening?”Geppetto is a liar, a good liar, how can he not be after the many web of lies he has pulled? The doctor believes his lies and he is discharged from the hospital before they perform a full examination. Geppetto feels relieved, when he is home he touches his chest, then he looks at his left arm, the one they didn’t examine.There is another message slit in his wrist, before he can read it he starts feeling exhausted, so he decides to go to bed and rest, he goes to his room, the box is in his bed, it’s a little hard sleeping next to it since it takes so much space, but not having Carlo by his side was killing him.And now, his heart is killing him.——“Can you make them stop?”Venigni was asking Geppetto to make the puppets stop the frenzy, so he did, it was very simple, only having to activate Law 0 and undue his command.Romeo is watching from afar but looks away, he mainly stays away from everyone, he can’t look at anyone, specially not at Pinocchio.“At least… at least the only thing to worry about now is the carcasses”Venigni can’t look at Geppetto either, not after what his friend had done, Geppetto makes his way to leave, to be alone in that room as he had always been while staying inside Hotel Krat.He barely talks to anyone, besides it’s not as if he deserves their compassion.A few minutes pass before Venigni goes to see him. He is trying to talk with him, but this time Venigni is the one apologizing to him, saying that he should have seen how much pain he was in, saying that he should have helped him when he was at his lowest.Geppetto doesn’t respond, he can’t respond, his mind is somewhere else, his sanity completely fractured, Venigni gets closer to him, asking if he is okay, then he tells him not to answer that because it’s a stupid question since he is clearly not okay.Like the liar he is Geppetto does respond and tells Venigni that he is okay, it’s a stupid lie, an obvious lie, and Venigni and everyone else can see it.Venigni looks away again, Geppetto can tell that Venigni feels helpless, that he doesn’t know what to do to help him.His friend can’t help him, it’s too late for that.——Geppetto is trapped in that cell, Simon had come to see him, to try and gloat about his victory, to mock him.“Are you even listening to me?”Simon looks annoyed at first, but he stares at Geppetto who is in a terrible state, Geppetto is on autopilot, living because he has to, talking because he has to, and nothing he does feels natural anymore.“How unfortunate, Geppetto the genius inventor losing his mind”Simon is now smiling, he opens the cell, and with confidence he makes his way to Geppetto and grabs his shoulders with force, making direct eye contact.“Your son is dead Geppetto, and it’s all your fault”Geppetto breaks down crying, Simon looks happy, he mocks him again, he doesn’t stop. He reminds Geppetto of every time he could have spent with his son, every achievement he missed.The graduation he missed.“You could at the very least have died with him, what kind of father doesn’t go to his son’s graduation?”Simon lets go of him, and Geppetto covers his face with his hands sobbing, completely breaking down. Completely defeated, Simon is right, the man who killed his son by spreading that disease is right.—-Geppetto is lying in one of the couches of Hotel Krat. He is too exhausted to open his eyes, still, he hears what everyone else is saying, Carlo is thanking Romeo, apparently, he was the one to save his life.“Hey it’s okay, please don’t cry”Pinocchio is sobbing, Romeo is reassuring him, trying to make him feel better. That’s why they are best friends, Geppetto knows how Romeo always stood by Carlo’s side. Pinocchio then asks why Romeo hates his father, and why he is always so cold towards him. Geppetto can hear Romeo give out a sigh.“I can’t even hate your father anymore, I just… I just pity him”Pinocchio doesn’t understand why, everything is overwhelming him, everything is too much, he barely understands the world around him, barely understands what’s happening most of the time and he always has to go outside to fight, to save everyone because no one else can.“Even if your father is sick, he loves you, like he loved-“Geppetto’s mind can’t hear that last sentence. He opens his eyes, is exhausted, and looks at both of them, his son going to his side, his son kneeling next to him, Carlo making direct eye contact as Geppetto gently touches his son’s face.“Pinocchio I’m…”He wants to say he is sorry however Geppetto then gasps for air, the pain in his chest starting to come back. Everyone is rushing to his side, everyone wants to help him, help a monster like him who caused so much pain to others.——Geppetto can hear the elevator descending, his son making his way towards him.Carlo has his pinned to the ground again, he opened the box, he shouldn’t have, opening it only made Carlo be in pain. Carlo is asking why he is stuck in the past, why he can’t move on, and why he always says the same things. How everything his father says doesn’t make sense anymore.Everything sounds like a broken record, everyone lives until they go away and the truth is he doesn’t know anything.Not anymore.It’s him who says the same thing over and over again, why does he beg for forgiveness if he doesn’t deserve it?Geppetto can see the arm of god on the floor, he stares at Carlo more closely, did he use it on himself? His son no longer looks disfigured, he looks like a normal corpse, the same way as the day he died, no, he doesn't look the same, his limbs are still mechanical, at least… at least looks somewhat normal again.Still, that doesn’t satisfy Geppetto, he needs to have his son back, his real boy.“I want to die”This time, his brain doesn’t block out his son’s words. Carlo asks why, why he did all of this, why he can’t simply let him be at peace. What the hell in the world does he want from him?“I don’t want the world” Geppetto’s voice doesn’t feel like his voice anymore, it sounds hollow, devoid of life, “I just want you back”——Geppetto hears purring, he looks up to see Spring sitting at his desk, the cat staring at him curiously.He isn’t a cat person, still he pets the small animal who rubs her head in his hand. The cat’s head is now stained with his blood.His arm is dripping blood, when did he hurt himself again? This is bad, he grabs something to clean up the cat, and it somehow works, looking like a strange stain, hopefully, everyone would think she got dirty wandering around.As for his arm, he washes it and changes his bloody shirt. He takes a look at his arm, he can no longer recognize it, he remembers years ago at the factory, someone had an accident and their arm looked sort of like how he does now. Completely filled with cuts, slashes, and bruises, most parts of it are black, the necrosis taking a tool on his body.Geppetto stares at the arm, and the first message he ever wrote to himself is now completely unrecognizable, as for the second one, he tries really hard and makes the words out, or rather, makes the word out.Help.—-He is at a work meeting, and all the high-ranking members of the union are there, all of them speaking to him, he has known them for many years but at this moment he can't recognize their voices, he can't tell who is who anymore.“Geppetto we are very concerned about your health, considering the previous event”Geppetto assures them that he is fine, that he can work perfectly fine.“I know you think you can, let’s be realistic, you can’t”The words cut like a dagger, and Geppetto stays quiet.“We think it’s best if you were to retire early”Geppetto wants to speak up this time, but he cannot because he is interrupted.“Please don’t try to argue against this decision, Geppetto you have to be honest here”No, he is capable of doing this, he can-“Also we wouldn’t want to you know… affect more your state of mind”He isn't crazy, he hasn’t lost his mind, he is okay, he can work perfectly fine, he can bring Carlo back. So he tries to argue against this.“Oh for the love of God, Geppetto you have to resign, we can’t have the leader of our union breaking down over every small detail that might even remind him of his son, Carlo is dead, move on already!”There is shouting directed at the man who said those words, “You didn’t have to say it like that”; “You didn’t didn’t have to be so blunt”; “You didn’t have to be so harsh, think of his heart”Geppetto says how he understands, they looked relieved, almost as if they all had wanted to say the same thing. There is an agreement, that he will resign willingly by the end of the month.He is getting ready to leave, when he is by the front door one of his coworkers stops him.“Geppetto wait before you go, we just realized a shipment of Ergo is missing can you-“He leaves, he doesn’t care anymore, it’s not like they will find out it was him, plus they are already firing him, this job isn’t worth it anymore and Carlo needs more Ergo to survive.——The door of the cell is being opened, his son is here to rescue him. Frantically asking him if he is okay, hugging him tightly and Geppetto hugs his son back.Geppetto asks if he is a good father, and the boy says yes, he says that no matter what he will always love him. Then he starts shaking him, he starts asking him what’s wrong if his heart hurts again.“Who are you?” Geppetto doesn’t know who he is speaking with anymore, this is his son but what is his son’s name?“Father it’s me!” His son says frantically, “It’s me P-“Carlo looks strange, why is his hair white?Geppetto knows he is getting old, although he should be able to recognize his son by this age, it should take at least a few more years before he truly starts to lose his memory. Carlo tells him he should rest, that there is a stargazer nearby, and that he should go back to Hotel Krat.He can’t go back to Hotel Krat, Geppetto knows that Pinocchio is worried but there is one last thing he must do, he has to grab the black box, he has to free Carlo from this nightmare.—-Antonia told him to come downstairs, and that she needed to speak with him. This time she is tired, she demands an answer, a real answer, and doesn’t tolerate Geppetto’s lies, she wants to know the truth. Yes, she blames herself for not reaching out more, however, Geppetto didn’t make anything better by constantly lying about his feelings. Now he is lying again when everyone knows that he is an emotional mess. Antonia starts getting desperate, and angry and asks him if he is truly happy with himself with this delusional web of lies.“I haven’t been happy one fucking minute of my life since Carlo died”Antonia is speechless, she had never heard Geppetto curse, much less at her. Now she feels guilty, guilty because knowing the truth was only making things worse for Geppetto. She tried speaking to him again but he ignored her, he went back upstairs. Refusing to talk with anyone, he has to push them away.Despite his love for Carlo the only thing he did was hurt him, they don’t understand, and he has to push them away, he doesn’t want their care, he doesn’t want them near him. He doesn’t want anyone he loves to suffer again because of him.They don’t need me here.—-“Son, I know you are there”Pinocchio was outside the Opera House, he was going towards the stargazer when he saw his father staring at the statue outside the place, Pinocchio decided to hide to see what his father was doing, unfortunately, it didn’t work.The clouds in the sky began to look gray, drops of water going around with the humid air.Pinocchio got closer to his father, he couldn't tell if there were tears on his face or if it was the drops of rain.“Do you miss her?”His father asked, Pinocchio looked uncomfortable, he had read the inscription in the statue before.“No, you don’t miss her, you’ve never met her”Pinocchio faintly smiled, his father remembering he wasn’t his brother, the boy grabbed his father’s hand; his father looked confused, Pinocchio touched the stargazer to bring him back to Hotel Krat, it was not safe there for him.—-Geppetto stole the artifact, the arm of god.The alchemists underestimated him, he now had everything in place, the P organ to collect Ergo, the hand to bring him back as he was before, and the puppet.Geppetto knows that puppets tend to awake to their previous self with the Ergo used, he wanted to make Carlo comfortable so he made the puppet body exactly like his.The only thing missing was what he needed to make modifications to the heart, the automaton police offer was the key, he just needed to get there and use Law 0 to break him apart and get what he needed.He turns to look at him, resting in peace in that chair, he gently touches his son’s face and promises he will be back.As Geppetto is walking away, he can’t help but wonder what would happen if he used the arm on Carlo’s real body now, could that ease the pain? Could that make him look somewhat normal?No, he has to be methodical, all of this has to be perfect, according to plan.——“Father please don’t die, please don’t die!”Carlo has his hands on his chest, giving him chest compressions, Geppetto can see Pinocchio right behind him, kneeling next to him, his son is… praying, he didn’t know Pinocchio knew how to pray.Geppetto fully gains consciousness, despite that, he feels an impending sense of doom, his time has finally come to an end. Carlo is apologizing for getting mad, saying that he didn’t mean to, saying that he does love him, Pinocchio is saying that he loves him as well, that he doesn’t want to lose him either, too many have died, and he can’t die as well.“Pinocchio… Carlo…” Geppetto struggles to get the words out, “I… love you both… please…”One last time, one last apology, “I’m… sorry”Geppetto gives out his final breath, the last thing he ever sees, the last true memory of his fractured mind is his Ergo being split in half as it floats towards each of his sons, their P organs absorbing it, as each of his sons hold him in their arms together.
His other senses begin to die as well, his body becoming cold and weak, the numbness, his heart taking his final beats.In the end, only his hearing remains and he hears those last words, words that he doesn’t deserve from them.Their forgiveness.

Notes:
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I've always wondered what Geppetto's state of mind was at the time of Carlo's death and what happened afterward, what led him to the point of trying to bring him back from death. Also, I wanted to portray how he probably didn't get much help after Carlo died, maybe Antonia and Venigni did help but words of encouragement aren't enough in situations like this, there is a stigma even now about men showing their emotions, so in the times of Krat it must be even worse, not to mention the fear of being labeled as insane, considering the asylums of the time, so going to therapy is out of the question for him.How he probably had to go to work as if he was fine, how he lost his wife and now his son, being truly alone. Him being so desperate to have his family back, the many mistakes he made and how he wanted to fix it all in his mind. The guilt he feels and how he probably hates himself for letting Carlo down.As for his heart problems well the game already puts a big emphasis on hearts so this is my take on it, Geppetto is an old man, so he is slowly dying because of it, while Pinocchio's heart becomes stronger by collecting Ergo fits.A little canon divergence, Geppetto doesn't get a happy ending, and doesn't get to see his sons try and overcome this situation but at least Pinocchio, Carlo, and even Romeo get a new chance.Thank you all for reading!!

Gemini’s Big Adventure

In hindsight, it should have been obvious it was a trap.Pinocchio had gone back to Elysion Boulevard for an errand, finding the apparent by the location shown in the cryptic vessel, a few slight things had happened since he was last here, looks like some stalkers must have come since there were many puppets destroyed around the streets, Pinocchio checked upon his lady friend at the window, she cannot see any more but she did tell him that she overheard stalkers walking by, she also gushed about how beautiful her baby is, Pinocchio lied again saying that it was indeed a beautiful baby.He walked around to see what else had changed, maybe if people were nearby he could make friends, like his friends the Red Fox and the Black Cat.“Are you sure they are your friends pal?” Gemini chirped from his cage, “They were pretty rude last time we saw them”Pinocchio the innocent boy he is wants to see the best in everyone, so he believes that they were only stressed because of the Black Rabbit Brotherhood. They were pretty intimidating.And mean, they stole that painting that belonged to his father, he almost cried when he got it back yet… it made Pinocchio feel uneasy, seeing that boy, no one ever says his name, yet he knows that’s supposed to be his brother.To distract himself from such thoughts, he looked around the rooftops, there was something odd, a plank that wasn’t the before connecting to another rooftop, on the other side was a figure, he got a little closer and started hearing frantic meowing as he approached the silhouette of a cat, worried that the animal was in danger or hurt.He rushed to save it, but as soon as he was in the middle the plank broke, Pinocchio fell but not to the floor, he fell into a cage that locked itself as soon as he landed inside, the cage was the same as the one the parade puppet master had, the cage being lifted by a tight rope, with a mechanism to hold the weight.Pinocchio was now in that cage dangling in the air, his weapon had fallen to the floor so there was no way to break the lock, his bag had also fallen so Sophia’s pocket watch was lost, as well as any item that could help him.Pinocchio could barely fit inside that cramped cage, trying to break it with his arms yet he was unable to. He was low enough that the cage could be grabbed by someone easily, yet high enough that he couldn’t try to use his force to reach the floor.He looked at the floor again to see that the “Cat” was a toy that would constantly meow. Worse is that he saw something else on the floor, a wanted poster sign, the alchemists had a reward for whoever caught him.“It’s okay buddy, I’m sure we will think of something” Gemini tried reassuring him, “No need to panic”Yet as minutes passed it was obvious that there was no true way out, Pinocchio desperately shook the cage frantically. He couldn't even shout for help, what if the stalkers came back?Did the Black Rabbit Brotherhood? Or other stalkers? Whoever did it, it was only a matter of time before they showed up, and no doubt they would hurt him to the point he couldn’t fight back or kill him before opening the cage.“No pal don’t say things like that!” Gemini said, “You are not a dumbass as they called you and they aren’t your real friends”Pinocchio could feel his heart pounding loudly. What can he do?He gets an idea and starts calling for Sophia, she always seems to know where he is.“Unfortunately, I cannot help” Sophia can only help to bring him back, she is powerless in this situation.They were all at a loss when Gemini had a plan.“I’ll save you!” Gemini opened his cage, the tiny puppet cricket ready to save his best friend, “I know where the nearest stargazer is”Getting to the roofs to go to the one in the abandoned house would be impossible,
but Pinocchio had opened that shortcut, he can get to the one in Krat City Hall as Pinocchio is trapped near the bridge.Pinocchio smiled, Gemini was his only hope but he could do it, his friend is smart and guides him just as Sophia does.Speaking of Sophia she is going to focus her efforts on trying to keep Gemini safe, the clock is ticking to save Pinocchio.First Gemini jumped out of the cage, he does work like a real cricket, being able to jump to high places. Although obviously not high enough that he can get back to the roof.“Gemini, perhaps you should see if Pinocchio’s bag has something helpful” Sophia suggested as he shouldn’t go all alone.Gemini got inside the bag, then Pinocchio shouted something at him from above.“That’s true!“ Gemini was so glad Pinocchio picked that up as a souvenir, he looked around to find the miniature sword.Now he was all set and ready to go, he could totally do this no problem, he was going to save Pinocchio.——This is the 34th time Sophia has had to bring Gemini back to life.It’s impressive how anything can kill poor Gemini, although he mainly dies by being stepped on by puppets.He might jump high but he can’t run fast, that’s his biggest issue.This time it seemed like it was the lucky one, Gemini had avoided all enemies and was already at the Alchemist Bridge entrance, singing about his victory and his ingenuity, since he wasn’t aware how many times Sophia had to save him, hyping himself up at how brave he is.Then Gemini can hear something approaching him, he sees from the distance what it looks to be a… soldier toy?As it turns out, that cat toy was grabbed from a looted store, the storefront being left open, a lot of toys are puppets, however small they are, they are still frenzied and they had made their way out to attack.“Oh dear” Gemini braced himself.—-This is the 56th time Gemini has been revived.Gemini is facing the soldier who charges at him, Gemini dodges and stabs it several times before taking a few steps back the the soldier toy charges again at him. Gemini blocks the attack and then hits it one last time before it falls defeated.The cricket is jumping up and down celebrating his win, he takes a few more steps, his eyes growing wide and his antennas clashing together in shock.Making his way towards him are a dozen miniature toy puppets, a flier almost hits Gemini, landing next to him. Gemini begins to read it out loud.“Get for your precious child the finest, newest most special miniature toy kit in all of Krat!It contains soldier puppets, a collection of dolls of different ages and professions; puppet pets such as dogs, cats, and even horses, and most importantly-”Gemini looked up to see a girl doll punching him with all her force, then again and again and again until…——Attempt 115th! Give it up for attempt 115th!Gemini was smarter now, he realized what he was doing wrong subconsciously (kinda how Pinocchio does after so many tries, his mind associating his previous mistakes that he isn't fully aware of)First, he switched weapons, grabbing a different sword from one of the soldiers, then he needed to have more stamina so he took the micro-ship of one of the toy horses to have himself run faster.He also grabbed a nice suit from one of the male dolls, it looked nice on him.Lastly, he needed a way to cure himself, sure enough, a doctor doll had tiny pulse cells as a health kit, three of them to be exact, Gemini had them in his mini purse he grabbed, inside of it he also held gears from his broken foes to throw at more enemies.Gemini could see the stargazer, he passed the gate, and he was almost there when a giant toy appeared, the main event, the reason that damn kit was even more ridiculously expensive.A toy recreating the one-winged angel that graced Krat all those years ago.Gemini dropped his sword in shock, as the angelic puppet, grabbed him and threw him across the air, the sound of the poor cricket breaking in half before he could even react.——“Come on Gemini come on” Sophia mumbled to herself.She still believes in him, despite her losing count after 200 and something, after she briefly checked how Pinocchio was doing.He was doing badly, Sophia could tell he was trying his hardest to not lose it. Pinocchio is filled with anxiety, any movement makes him think those who laid the trap had come for him.Because, unlike Pinocchio, Sophia can only bring Gemini back, she can’t exactly rewind time when it comes to him. Her powers have limits and she needs to save that for Pinocchio, not to mention the agonizing pain that is lying in that chair being forced to absorb Ergo, she has to save her strength. By now it’s the middle of the night, the stars shining brightly in the dark sky.Gemini has started to suspect that Sophia is doing something since it makes no sense that he started doing this when the moon was barely rising. He stopped questioning it because he needed to focus on beating this damn angel.Gemini grabbed his sword, he made even more adjustments by using the handle of a sword and the blade of a spear.He proceeded to use a chip he grabbed from another toy, overheating it so he could set his weapon on fire. Discharging a pulse cell to heal himself before attacking.One slash to the left, then the right, then the left again, before Gemini jumped in the air and stabbed that sword directly into the angel’s chest, his special fable attack.The Puppet Angel fell, Gemini taking the advantage, using a fatal attack, killing the thing once and for all.Gemini had no time to celebrate, he could hear people speaking; those stalkers were back.“Should we check ok the cage now?”“Nah, let's wait a little longer, we should restock on supplies first”Gemini rushed towards the stargazer, touching it to teleport himself to Hotel Krat.There was no one in the lobby.Makes sense, it’s the middle of the night, even if Polendina doesn’t sleep he stays next to Antonia, the same goes for Pulcinella with Venigni.Gemini was panicking, not knowing what to do, he didn’t know what rooms they sleep in, how would he get their attention if he found them? How-“Mmm, son are you there?” Geppetto could hear loud chirping and went to investigate, he was still awake working, and he had started to wonder where his son was.Gemini could barely catch his breath as he rushed towards Geppetto’s side.“What? Where is my son Gemini?” Geppetto knew something was wrong.“Elysion… Boulevard…” Gemini was exhausted from the battles, the running, the jumping, “…Trapped”“Where?! Where is he trapped?” Geppetto picked up Gemini and grabbed a tool he had in his pocket, he made a slight adjustment to Gemini that had him back in full strength.Gemini wasted no time in explaining, he had assumed Geppetto would call the others for help but he put him inside the front pocket of his shirt and rushed towards the stargazer to go to Elysion Boulevard.—-Pinocchio heard rapid footsteps approaching, he had resigned himself when he was greeted by the best thing a boy could see, his father, his father had come all the way here to rescue him.Geppetto grabbed Pinocchio’s weapon that was on the floor and broke the lock, Pinocchio was finally free from that damn cage. His father grabbed his shoulders asking him if he was okay.He nodded, everything was okay now, although that was a little strange, there were some puppets nearby, how come they didn’t attack his-Pinocchio suddenly is hugged tightly by Geppetto, he then starts to hear small sobs, his father is crying.“I can’t lose you” Geppetto cried.Pinocchio hugged his father back.“I can’t lose you too”, Geppetto didn’t want to let go of his son.He didn’t want to let go of Pinocchio. Why is he only realizing that his son isn’t Carlo?What the hell was he thinking? Why is he sending him to all this pointless danger? The danger he caused. He was so blind, he is so selfish.Pinocchio started crying too, this was the first time his father had ever hugged him.Geppetto can’t believe how awful he was acting, did it really have to take him for his son to almost die to truly appreciate what he had? Like how Carlo died and he realized how he never appreciated his poor son like he should have?Reluctantly Geppetto let go of his son, “We should go before those stalkers come back”Pinocchio nodded, he was ready to defend his father from danger when the streets became suddenly empty, with no puppets, no humans, no one but them nearby.As they walked together, Pinocchio grabbed his father’s hand, his heart started pounding again, not out of fear this time, he was spending time with his father, short as it was they were walking together back to the stargazer.“Thank you, Gemini” Geppetto broke the silence, “For saving him”This was all thanks to him, the small cricket was so brave, maybe he should give him special adjustments in case this sort of issue happened again.Gemini was beaming with joy, everything turning out perfectly in the end.Once back at Hotel Krat, Pinocchio convinced his father to go to bed, pouting that his father works too much and needs to rest, it’s the middle of the night what else can he even do?Geppetto goes to bed, Pinocchio accompanying him, lying down next to him even if he can’t sleep.“You are so precious to me” Geppetto faintly smiled, “I’m sorry for not giving you the love you truly deserved”That stops now, he will be a better father to his son.Shortly after that, Geppetto fell asleep, Pinocchio can’t sleep. Even then, just being by his father’s side makes him feel warmth.——“I’m surprised you asked for a legion arm but I suppose you are taking this more seriously than I thought” Geppetto had Gemini sitting in a small chair as he made adjustments, he carefully removed his left arm and implanted a new one.“Pinocchio is a little naive, who knows when this will happen again” Gemini teased his friend.Pinocchio had looked away for a moment, Geppetto laughed, Pinocchio looks rather cute when he gets angry.“Come on, I’m just joking pal, no need to get all angry with me”Gemini’s legion arm was all set, a miniature version of puppet springs suited him perfectly, now he can jump up and down and do even greater air maneuvers.Gemini got inside his cage, Pinocchio attached him to his belt, they were ready to leave.Geppetto hugged Pinocchio again before leaving, telling both of them to be very careful.Pinocchio decided to make a stop at Cerasani Alley since by deciphering another cryptic vessel he knew he had to go to the view that showed Hotel Krat’s location to find what he was looking for.Pinocchio noticed something off when he arrived, where is the merchant that’s always here?It only took him a few steps to fall into another trap, this one more deathly, as whoever laid it electrocuted Pinocchio so hard it ended up killing him. They must be offering a good amount if stalkers are coming up with these sorts of traps to get him.“Oh well” Sophia used her power to bring him back, rewind time, and then gave him a vague warning about danger so that he wouldn’t fall for it again, “Here we go again”

Notes:
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A simple one-shot, I love Gemini so an excuse to write and draw him is always good to me. Simon you better watch out, Gemini has come fully prepared for battle, ready to help his best pal.I really can't help myself by giving Pino sweet moments with his father even in simple stories like this, but that's because he deserves all the love.Thank you all for reading!! ♡

Pouty Face

“What? Don’t look at me like that, everyone hates puppets, I know which side you are on” Eugénie fixed her glasses, expecting him to give the training grounds a try or to leave right away.However he kept staring at her, visibly getting upset, maybe she should apologize.
Eugénie was about to do so when she noticed his cheeks turning slightly pink, his lips moving forward and frowning.She tried to stop herself from laughing, unfortunately, she couldn’t and she had to cover her mouth before composing herself.“Look, I’m sorry okay?” Eugénie had a huge grin on herself trying to not laugh again.That seemed to have done the trick for now, Eugénie couldn’t stop smiling as Pinocchio turned around, activating the stargazer, leaving to find his father.—“What? What did I do? You look annoyed” Gemini chirped from his cage.Pinocchio looked away, giving Gemini the silent treatment.“Oh don’t give me that attitude you brat” Gemini rolled his tiny eyes inside that cage.That only made Pinocchio more angry, shouting that he wasn’t a brat, then, as usual, unintentionally pouting again.“You know, this isn’t good boy behavior”Pinocchio grabbed Gemini’s cage, shaking it over and over again. Until he finally stopped and attached him back to his belt.Gemini felt dizzy, the cricket twirling trying not to lose his balance before he fell inside his cage.“You brat…” Gemini could barely let the words out, “This is cricket abuse”—-“What? No of course I didn’t read the contents, who has time to read anymore? But… I could help you read it if you want to” Venigni was dying of boredom inside Hotel Krat.It looks like Pinocchio didn’t buy his lie because he started pouting to his amusement.“Come on friend” Venigni laughed, “It’s not as if I can go outside to steal it from you”Pinocchio’s face became more red, that wasn’t the problem, the problem was that he invaded his privacy.First, Pinocchio is also invading someone’s privacy by reading the contents, second…No, he can’t point out the second detail, Venigni burst out laughing at seeing Pinocchio angry like that, that just made Pinocchio more pouty, in turn making Venigni laugh more.“Okay, okay, my apologies” Venigni was catching his breath, snapping his fingers he spoke up again “I’ll repay it to you, let me make you a special Legion arm, just hand me down that flame amplifier”That apology gift made Pinocchio calm down, he thanked Venigni before leaving again on his quest.“Come on Pulcinella don’t look at me like that”Pulcinella was staring at Venigni, to most he was only watching him, however, Venigni knew that he was giving him a disappointing look.“He is too cute for his own good” Venigni needs to ask Geppetto one of these days how he made Pinocchio’s face structure.——Pinocchio threw himself onto the floor of the stage of the Opera House, throwing a full-on tantrum, frustrated that he couldn’t defeat Romeo.Romeo just stared at him awkwardly, he was glad he wasn’t fighting him, but he was at a loss on how to react.He tried to speak again, Pinocchio wasn’t having it, it’s not as if he could understand Romeo in the first place. It didn’t take long for Romeo to put two and two together that this wasn’t Carlo, as Carlo wouldn’t be caught dead throwing a tantrum like this because he couldn’t win a fight.Pinocchio was pouting, flustered he had small tears in his eyes and began to shout again and again how it wasn’t fair, that he was supposed to beat Romeo and make his father proud.Romeo started to feel bad for him, he got closer but Pinocchio grabbed his weapon again with force, firmly grasping it, Romeo drew in his weapon again, waiting for Pinocchio’s attack. But the boy threw his weapon at one of the walls in frustration and began to start pouting again, knowing well that he was too exhausted to actually defeat him, he had run out of pulse cells and was having a hard time keeping up his stamina.Romeo tried, he tried really hard not to laugh and he failed, now he was on the floor too, desperately trying to catch his breath from all the laughing. That made Pinocchio think he was taunting him, he screamed, not words, simply screamed in anger.Pinocchio was shocked when Romeo stopped laughing and helped him get up from the floor. Then he simply… left. He had left to find a piece of paper and a pen to tell him the truth, feeling stupid that he hadn’t thought about that, however, Pinocchio took it as him leaving because he conceded, so Pinocchio celebrated his victory and went outside, meeting with his father who was oblivious at what happened inside, praising Pinocchio for being able to defeat the King of Puppets.Pinocchio was beaming with joy, hugging his father who hugged him back. Meanwhile, inside the Opera House Romeo was confused about where Pinocchio ran off to.Well, he should start planning on how to communicate with him without Geppetto present, for now, he needs to find a way to fix up his eye.——“Huh? What do you mean you aren’t going back there?” Geppetto looked confused, maybe he heard his son wrong?Pinocchio meant it, he had been at the Grand Exhibition for some time, but he hadn’t cleared the place, choosing to retreat instead with Sophia’s pocket watch. His father had spent an entire hour fixing him up from all the ruthless attacks those puppets put him through, he hadn’t even gone past enough to see the alchemists that were inside. Neither reassuring words nor showing affection seemed to change his mind.“Son, I understand you are frustrated but you are the only one who can help” The alchemist can't run around getting away with what they are doing.Pinocchio stood his ground, literally, as he threw himself onto the floor again pouting. This wasn’t as bad as with Romeo but he learned from the last time that throwing a tantrum works so surely it will work with his father.Geppetto laughed, however, Pinocchio stayed on the floor for several minutes and that's when Geppetto realized he was serious.“Oh no, you aren’t going to throw me a tantrum, so I’m going to count to three or else” Geppetto’s voice was stern.“One”“Pal maybe you should really stand up” Gemini was trying to save his friend.“Two”Pinocchio didn’t move an inch.“Two and a half…”Pinocchio smiled, confident that his father was only bluffing.When everyone downstairs heard Pinocchio screaming, they were obviously filled with worry. Then they were filled with shock, their jaws dropping as they saw Geppetto carrying Pinocchio downstairs who was kicking and screaming to drop him.Geppetto pushed through carrying Pinocchio, activating the stargazer and dropping him off inside the Grand Exhibition.Geppetto desperately gasped for air, completely exhausted, his back was probably going to have irreversible damage due to this. All just to prove a point.Looks like both father and son can be equally as stubborn.Although Geppetto is starting to realize that this lesson was a little extreme, so as he leaves the place, he uses Law 0 to make the puppets tame, giving his son a small break. The boy does not question why the puppets suddenly seem useless at combat, happy that everything is going well again.——“Tell me, what do you think we have created here?” Simon was looking down at Pinocchio, waiting for his answer.He obviously expected him to say that he was making monsters, he did not expect him to look like an angry toddler while saying that.Simon took a deep breath, trying to hide the grin on his face.“Geppetto’s creations are truly marvelous” Simon mocked him, “Go back to your daddy and ask him to teach you how to proper etiquette”Simon turned around; suddenly Laxasia threw herself in front of him, Pinocchio had launched his weapon directly at him, had Laxasia not been there as his human shield, he would have been stabbed right in the back, killing him instantly.What surprised him the most was that he threw him quite the sharp umbrella, the weapon was also electrified, Laxasia’s armor shocking her, although this was nothing to her, she was Simon’s weapon, and this pain was insignificant.He turned around and threw the keys to the locked doors of the Saintess of Mercy statue. Looks like he underestimated the little brat, he should get that as a reward.—-Antonia was on the top floor, Geppetto had been kidnapped, and by now everyone had left downstairs, although Pinocchio had stayed behind to make sure she was okay. He truly is a good boy.Who even when he is so done with everything around him can’t help but look adorable, having that pouty face.Antonia, unlike everyone else, knows how to keep a composed face, being a Lady of high society comes with many unspoken rules, codes, and ways to properly address others, even in the most unpleasant of circumstances.Antonia told him to come closer and kneel next to her, she gave the boy a big hug, and it made him feel better. He told her he would be back to check up on her, he already did that constantly, he only wanted to show her more support, Antonia smiled, he is so kind to worry about her.Pinocchio left the room, it wasn’t until she heard the sound of the stargazer activating that she let out a chuckle.That was a mistake, Pinocchio touched the stargazer on purpose to pretend to activate it, before running back downstairs to confront her.“Dear you have to be honest with yourself” Antonia sighed, “We all love you and respect you, that doesn’t take away the fact that you look cute when you are angry”Pinocchio huffed, looking away, Gemini scolding him, saying to not be rude to Lady Antonia.—-Carlo is staring at Pinocchio on the floor, his brother throwing a tantrum because he can’t beat him. He is yelling a lot of things, about how this isn’t fair, shouting at Carlo for being the “favorite child”.Then he started to shout at his father, finally taking out all of his frustrations, how he wanted to be a family, how he didn’t have to do this.Carlo turned around to stare at his father who said nothing, although he could tell that his father was starting to feel guilty, Geppetto opened his mouth before closing it, he couldn't look at either of them so he looked at the floor.Carlo puts one of his weapons on the floor, then he grabs Pinocchio with one hand with ease, lifting his body and making him stand up.Patting Pinocchio’s head, Carlo picks up from the floor his second weapon, giving it to his brother. Both of them now staring at Geppetto.Pinocchio is confused until the gears in his head start working and he realizes what his brother is telling him.For the first time ever, someone took Pinocchio’s pouting face seriously, as Geppetto saw his two sons slowly approaching him step by step.

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Isn't Pinocchio so cute? Some might say too cute, honestly his anger emote is just funny and one of the reasons I wrote this.No, the boys didn't kill their father, someone had to fix Romeo and Carlo, they just snapped some sense into him. Although now everyone knows not to shrug off Pinocchio's pouty face. As with all my wholesome one shots just assume everyone had a happy ending after this, and assume that Geppetto will probably need to walk on a cane from now on.Thank you all for reading ♡♡♡

Wasn’t him

Venigni had given Pinocchio the message, the boy was listening in front of him, then Pinocchio gasped, looking uncomfortable.“Tell me what, or rather who caused the frenzy?!” This is it, Venigni knows that all his hard work has found its answer.“I… couldn’t hear” Pinocchio lied.Maybe if Pinocchio had reacted differently, Venigni would have believed that lie.“I heard you gasping!” Venigni desperately wanted answers, “Surely you must have heard something, anything, right?!”“No” Pinocchio lied again, taking a few steps back as Venigni had never shouted at him.Venigni apologized, and then he immersed himself in his thoughts. This doesn’t make any sense! Then end, he couldn’t hear the end, but the message was loud and clear, someone is in fact controlling them. But who? Why would Pinocchio lie about not knowing? He has no reason to do so, it’s not as if is protecting anyone who-“Pinocchio…” Venigni had a serious tone, “Did Geppetto cause the frenzy?”“Uhhh no” Pinocchio lied again, each time sounding less convincing.“Tell me the truth!” Venigni pleaded with him, “I promise, I am not mad (he is) I just want to know if your father truly did such thing”And the better question would be why he did it.“Nuh-uh”There was a pause, Pinocchio breathing in a sigh of relief, he turned around to leave when Venigni shouted at him again.“WHAT DO YOU MEAN NUH-UH?!” Venigni was baffled, why isn’t he taking this seriously?!Pinocchio turned around, knowing that leaving was not an option until Venigni calmed down.“I will ask again” Venigni was at his limit, “Did Geppetto do this?”“It wasn’t him,” Pinocchio said casually.Venigni took a deep breath, “Then who did it?”“I don’t know” Pinocchio shrugged off the question.“But then why did you gasp when you heard the recording?” He kept on interrogating him, Venigni would not back down.“Did I do that?” Pinocchio had an idea, “I mean, I’m new to this breathing thing, sometimes I make weird sounds”For a moment Venigni started to doubt himself, did Pinocchio truly not hear anything? No, his face also seemed in shock.“Pinocchio please, please don’t lie to me” Venigni was about to fall to his knees, begging him for a real answer, he felt responsible for this disaster in the first place.“I’m not” Pinocchio stayed calm, but inside he was smiling, he was doing it right! He remembers that conversation he had with his father a while back…——Pinocchio had told his father about the encounter with the stalker on his way to the cathedral, who would only let him pass if he was a stalker.Pinocchio had gotten nervous because his springs started to sound loudly, but in the end, she said that she must be imagining things and she let him pass after he showed the stalker's promise.He was feeling extremely guilty about it, he tries not to lie, because his father told him that it was better to tell the truth.“I know I told you to be a good boy and always tell the truth” Geppetto sighed, “However, sometimes things like this happen, you were only trying to avoid future danger”Pinocchio felt reassured that his father wasn’t mad, however, he was worried about his loud springs, this was the second time someone heard them and wanted to fight him. The first was that one stalker inside the factory, who he unfortunately had to kill. It’s not as if he can control how loud they are, so he is at a loss on what to do.“I see” Geppetto started to think about it, he is very precious to him, and to lose him over something like this would be horrible “Lie only if you have no choice, remember to always be a good boy to me”“But…” Pinocchio looked at the floor, “What if they hear my springs again and don’t believe me?”“Well, lie to them again”Huh, why didn't he never think about lying more than once?“Look son,” Geppetto told Pinocchio to sit down, “Let me explain it to you”“You have to look at them in the eyes, and be convincing”“How convincing?” Pinocchio tilted his head curiously.“It doesn’t matter how many times they say they hear your springs, you tell that’s not the case”“Just like that?” Pinocchio had more questions, “But-"Geppetto interrupted him, “You stay calm, then you start to act concerned because they keep insisting the same thing, then if they bring out something you did previously, lie about that too, that never happened”“Does that really work?” Pinocchio looked amazed at the concept.“Of course, it works son” Geppetto gives him a smile.Wow, his father must have been in a lot of danger if he knows how to lie like that.“Don’t be aggressive or act defensively, rather act confused, or act as if whatever they are talking about isn’t a big deal” Geppetto gave him a few examples so he could get a better idea, “You never admit to anything, you deny everything”He explains how it’s better to change the subject, you can also make them think they are overreacting if the situation calls for it.“Remember, only do this if absolutely necessary” Geppetto’s voice was stern, “You have to be my good boy, you can’t lie unless someone is in danger”Pinocchio stood up to leave, he was glad to have had this talk with his father; his father stood up as well. Unfortunately, Pinocchio suddenly had a thought that he accidentally said out loud.“What? Of course not!” Geppetto realized he was shouting, so he took a deep breath to calm himself, “You are my son, I would never lie to you”For a moment, Pinocchio seemed doubtful, until his father hugged him, giving him a warm smile.That did the trick, Pinocchio was delighted at his father showing him affection. A lot of affection, his father even played with his hair and kissed his forehead before leaving. Erasing all doubts in Pinocchio’s mind about his kind father being capable of lying to him.—-“Um,” Pinocchio was staring into Venigni’s eyes, “I don’t know what to say, I truly didn’t hear anything…”Venigni feels as if he is going insane, Pinocchio KNOWS the truth; he saw his expression, and he saw his terrible lying at first.“Look, Pinocchio so much is at stake here, I can’t-”Pinocchio interrupted Venigni, “Yeah, outside is um, awful stuff is happening there so I should go back and keep on fighting the alchemists”“The alchemists aren’t the issue here, we are talking about the frenzy”“What about the frenzy?” Yes! Yes! He sounded so sure of himself, father will be proud once he finds him.Although Mr. Venigni is right, why did his father cause the frenzy? He… must have had a good reason, Pinocchio trusts his father.“We were talking about who did it, remember, I gave you the message” Vegni showed Pinocchio the device that held the recording.“What message?” Pinocchio titled his head curiously, this time he did it on purpose, unlike the rest where it sort of happens naturally for him.Venigni fell silent, did he not give him the message? Did he start making assumptions because he got too excited about showing his findings? Wouldn’t be the first time he did something like that.He handed it to Pinocchio again to listen, so he listened and didn’t react at all when it finished.“I couldn’t hear anything” Pinocchio looked disappointed that he couldn’t help.Venigni stayed quiet again, Pinocchio celebrating his victory, until Venigni started walking away from him, so he asked where he was going.“Upstairs” Venigni was done, “To see that painting”No no no! Pinocchio grabbed Venigni to stop him in a panic.“If you aren’t lying why are you trying to stop me?!” Venigni snapped, losing all of his composure, he was trying to make Pinocchio get off him.“I-um, I…” Pinocchio was nervous so his springs were sounding all across the halls of Hotel Krat, the others now looking at the scene unfolding.“Why are you being so mean to me?!” Pinocchio shouted.“What?” Venigni stopped, “What do you mean?“I was trying to help and then you yelled and me and, and-“ Pinocchio focused all his strength, silently dislocating his legion arm as to shed a few tears, “I miss my father, I just want to leave and see him again!”Venigni began to feel extremely guilty, he can’t believe he was being so hard on Pinocchio; his quest to find the truth was starting to affect him. He had no reason to act that way, Pinocchio has always helped him and the others, and he has no reason to lie. So he apologized over and over again for his behavior.Pinocchio said that it was okay, and gave him a big warm hug. All was forgiven, for now, he needed to return outside.When Pinocchio was out of there, he re-adjusted his legion arm, then he grabbed Gemini’s cage, looking directly at the little cricket inside.“I did it Gemini! I did it!” Pinocchio was smiling, beaming with joy, “I did it how my father taught me!”Gemini felt shivers going through his tiny spine, “Yeah pal, you did it just like he taught you, congrats”As they kept going, Gemini had a lot of thoughts in his mind, mainly Pinocchio. Those thoughts intensified when they were facing once more against the Black Rabbit Brotherhood, then confronting the fake Alidoro.“I know what you are” The stalker was taunting Pinocchio, “You are Geppetto’s puppet aren’t you?”He sure is, Gemini has heard everyone make so many claims about Pinocchio during this misadventure they are sharing, Pinocchio is his best friend. Everyone questions what Geppetto created but Gemini knows the answer.“I’m not” Pinocchio had a twisted smile as he pulled out his weapon and mercilessly killed the fake Alidoro.He created a monster.

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Since Geppetto is such a Gaslight Girlboss it's only natural he would pass down a few tricks to his precious son. I wonder how Pino would have turned out without the influence of people like Sophia and the others, only relying on his father, dream dutiful son for Geppetto but probably not something pleasant for the rest.This is shorter than my usual stories, and very dumb because I was hearing the wasn't me song and I'm writing this at almost 1 am. But I have a dumb smile on my face so that's a good thing before going to bed.Thank you all for reading!!♡♡♡

His Favorite

“Giuseppe Geppetto, it’s an honor for me to interview the father of all puppets”Geppetto would have rather not done this interview, yet here he is, representing the Workshop Union, as it is his duty as the director, “Please, that’s quite the title, you can call me Geppetto if you like”“Well Mr. Geppetto, there is no denying the success you and your puppets have, I suppose you are excited about the showcase of the Grand Exhibition”“Yes… it has been on my mind”It seems now that enough time has passed where people no longer give their condolences once they see him, why should they? He should have moved on by now.“Wonderful, I’ve been informed that not just newer models will be involved but a showcase of previous ones, a brief history of their creation so to speak”That was his idea, Venigni suggested they should focus on their new technology, he is not fond of the puppets that were created before the Grand Covenant, however, he worked hard to make all of those models, old and new, “That is correct, all puppets ever created will have their spotlight”“I am quite curious, and I believe I speak for a lot of people when I ask this… which is your favorite puppet? What is your greatest creation?”—-Geppetto looked at the boy, standing still in front of him, quietly, he never spoke unless spoken to, how long had he been standing there waiting for him to say something?“Oh please forgive me, I was just consumed in some old memories”The boy nods, saying how he just came back from the Grand Exhibition, telling him about what the alchemists were scheming. Geppetto knew he should have never trusted them, it’s all their fault this happened, spreading that damned disease, it’s their fault he…Geppetto takes a deep breath, composing himself, “This must be devastating for Antonia, you should keep her company in these hard times”Again, the boy nods, so dutiful, so obedient towards him. He is almost out of the door when Geppetto calls for him again, how foolish of him, he almost forgot. Opening one of the drawers in his desk and standing up, the two of them now in front of each other.“I have a gift for you”Geppetto smiles, revealing a necklace that has a small quartz as its decoration, not a real one of course, those are too valuable to waste on a necklace, rather one he made himself out of the limited tools he has instead. Gently putting it around his neck, the boy smiling widely at him.“Do you like it?”He nods enthusiastically, he loves it and makes his feelings well known to his father.“A precious gift to someone who is very precious to me,” Geppetto played with his hair, everything was well, everything should have been perfect.Yet something in the back of his mind bothered him.“… You wouldn’t give this to anyone else would you?”The boy shakes his head, it’s a special gift from his father, and he would never give it away to anyone else.“That’s good,” Geppetto breathed a sigh of relief, “Thank you, for always being such a good boy to me”Geppetto extended his arms, at first the boy was a little confused until he realized his father was going to hug him, so ecstatic that he forgot to manage his force, being a little too forceful with his father as they hugged each other, apologizing immediately, making Geppetto laugh.“It’s okay, I’m happy you think so fondly of me,” Geppetto looked at him, no, he looked behind him, at that painting, “Soon, the two of us will be the family we were always meant to be”—-Geppetto took a deep breath, stepping inside Hotel Krat, blood splattered across the entrance, he sighed, something for him to clean up later. Slowly walking into the front lobby, his age makes it so he has a harder time these days, feeling how the puppets had their gaze on him, staring directly and intensely, he paid them no mind. It was a rushed job, he can polish them up later once he has the proper tools, for now, he has other priorities.Upstairs, he enters the room, having no time to say anything before Carlo almost tackles him with a hug, ecstatic to his father again.“Carlo, I’m so happy to see you too,” Geppetto smiled, looking at his son, wiping some blood out of his face, “What happened this time?”“Some people came,” Carlo smiled back at him, “I didn’t like them, they didn’t want to play with me”Not the first time this happens, it looks like he is going to have to make some adjustments to the security system of the Hotel. He should have done that when he deactivated the stargazer, but it doesn’t matter now, he won’t let anyone else enter, they could hurt his precious son. This is for Carlo’s sake too, so far he hasn’t tried to sneak out, yet Geppetto worries he might do so one of these days, he is a good boy just… a little mischievous from time to time, and he cannot allow that.“Son, you have your toys to play downstairs with, you don’t need more playmates,” Geppetto played with his hair, “But if you are feeling lonely, I can build you more”Carlo pointed at the chair on the opposite side of the room, “I want that one!”Geppetto turned to look at it, on the floor was the box, opened, and on that chair…“It’s going to be difficult Carlo,” Geppetto’s voice was gentle trying not to upset him, “He needs a heart, one like yours”“Can’t I give him half of mine?” Carlo pouted.“No, sweetheart that’s not how it works,” Geppetto touched Carlo’s chest, his gray and decayed skin made it almost feel numb. His fingers began to glow, the mechanism working as intended. It’s all looking good, his heart is stable, there are no issues, there shouldn’t be any issues, yet does this constantly, as a father, he needs to be sure.Taking his palm away, Carlo cries out in pain, Geppetto comforting him, saying how everything is going to be alright, that soon, they can be the family they were always meant to be.“Father-”“Carlo, it’s getting late, I don’t want you staying up for too long,” Geppetto’s voice was now firm, “You know it’s time for you to go to bed”Carlo pouted again, he didn’t want to go to bed, but now his chest hurts really badly. It always hurts when father does that, it’s for his own good, that’s what his father says. Because his heart is special, no one else has a heart like his, Carlo knows his father is right because each time someone comes here, he takes theirs away, and none of them have his kind of heart.“I’ll be there in a moment, there is something I need to do first”Carlo nodded, quickly leaving the room. Once again, Geppetto took a deep breath, making his way towards the chair, he really needs to find a way for Carlo to stop snooping around his belongings. He carries the boy in his arms and carefully sets him inside the box, his eyes closed looking as if he was sleeping, the boy had asked him before what sleeping felt like.Geppetto touched his face gently, he is still wearing that necklace, making him smile, he never took it off, he never let anything bad happen to it, he wore it when he gave him the heart and he is still wearing it now.Geppetto put his hands on the box ready to close it, his thoughts consuming him and making him stop. Thoughts about the alchemists, about the frenzy, how Carlo died, thoughts about the past…“… which is your favorite puppet? What is your greatest creation?”“Thank you, for always being such a good boy to me,” Geppetto couldn’t stop smiling now that he knew his answer, whispering the boy’s name one last time before sealing the box shut, not to be opened ever again.

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Thank you all for reading!!! ♡♡♡

Brand New Day

Lumacchio Pantalone, Leader of the Bastards, had made his way to work on this beautiful day.As usual, he is the first one to arrive at the building. Lumacchio has never been a morning person; a good beauty sleep is what keeps his appearance young and beautiful. It's such a shame he doesn’t get to show his face often; rules are rules, and at least he is prideful of his stalker mask.He has never enjoyed the paperwork that comes with the position; having to regulate what all his subordinates do is annoying at best and dreadful at worst; he questions this new generation of stalkers and their capabilities—forget the fighting; any strong enough fool can do that. No, it’s the other aspects of the job that his subordinates have fallen flat on recently.“Seriously, they didn’t even sign their mission report?” Lumacchio mumbled to himself, That's without even mentioning all the dreadful grammar errors. He will have to talk with this stalker personally; you do not sully the good name of the Bastards with those subpar literary skills.Next is the list of approved missions he can give. Stalkers are either assigned clients or they are hired by a client themselves. Stalkers new the organization tend to do get the assigned duties, although not always, if a request is of high priority and in need of a highly skilled stalker, then he chooses one fitting for that job. Lumacchio himself barely takes on clients these days, mainly does his own investigations, Véronique is in a similar spot; the position of Leader doesn’t come with as many flashy clients as people seem to believe. No, they see the legendary stalker solving this and that and bringing down this and the other, so the people forget he cannot do as he pleases like her; there are rules, guides, and regulations he has to follow. With Lea Florance being lucky that the Monads’ allow her to get away with whatever the hell she wants.Lumacchio grabs a paper from the pile, another request to find a missing pet. He is going to have to put a big sign in front of the building that they are not animal control. What else? Help needed with stolen goods; he can assign one of the new recruits to that—it's only items of sentimental value. There is someone requesting information on potential data leaks of the Workshop Union; that will have to be assigned to someone with more experience, maybe Claudia, no, she hasn’t finished her duties with the client that hired her this week; he will have to think of someone else.Lumacchio revises a few more requests, reviewing over what was and wasn’t worthy of consideration. When he hears a knock on the door, the man lets out a sigh of relief. Having been saved from the boring and tedious task of the administrative side of the organization.“Shark, you deal with this; I have better matters to attend to”If Lumacchio were to have a right-hand man, it would be him, although he is too stubborn to fully consider Shark to be on his level, sure, almost on his level, but no one is equal to him in his eyes. Shark, as always, deals with the administration side of the organization; having the privilege of such a high-ranking position is something others are jealous of.“You are talking about that meeting you have with Véronique, correct?” Shark asked, taking over his place, “It’s until 3pm; there is no rush to-”“Yes, yes, that and more I must do,” Lumacchio rudely dismissed his words, “I’m very busy today, please tell others to not look for me unless someone is dying”Lumacchio turned around to leave, taking with him a list of his real tasks of the day.—First and foremost, breakfast at his favorite restaurant located in the most beautiful street of Elysion Boulevard.“Mr. Pantalone, do you want the usual?”All the staff are well acquainted with him, and they go the extra mile to let him enjoy himself in peace. He has his own little section for himself, with no other people being allowed to get a table near him, as he deserves his privacy. In return, he tells others about this place; a while back it used to be a humble establishment, ever since he became a regular business has been thriving and it is all thanks to him, which the owner is very grateful for.Lumacchio takes out a notebook, writing here and there as he eats by himself, most of it is related to his investigation, copies of letters of journals he has seen with his eyes, which cannot be taken without causing suspicion, having to write the content himself to avoid detection. He is going to have to act by night to confirm his theory, in a place not too far off from here, Lumacchio makes it a top priority to not forget, highlighting it and making the time and place.Despite not looking like the artistic type, Lumacchio does tend to doodle a bit, there are a few snails and floral patterns scattered here and there, for the most part, he keeps it nice and simple, nothing that could distract from the words being written.“It’s such a lovely day, isn’t it?” The waitress smiled as she made small talk; “Thank you for always coming here despite your busy schedule”“Why, you are welcome,” Lumacchino said, asking for the bill, “My work is hard, yes, but nothing I cannot balance perfectly”As he walks away, the sun starts shining brightly, the streets are filled with all sorts of people, and who could forget the puppets? Lumacchio doesn’t exactly think they are a marvel of technology like most of Krat seem to think; he does, however, appreciate how life has become more convenient for him and everyone else around the city.Due to his elegant appearance, most people recognize him right away; people flock over him as admirers or those who are grateful for the job he does as a stalker. A few annoyances here and there, people who ask too many questions as if he could answer them—have they never heard of stalker confidentiality? No, I cannot tell you about anything I’m working with, it’s only going to compromise my work.A part of him cannot blame them; there are a lot of rumors spreading around the city, some are pure nonsense, others…“Is it true? That a stalker panicked in the middle of that mission and froze in fear?”“I could hardly believe it myself, specially from a Bastard, his partner had to go and save him; you’d think they would show class and honor. What a joke this new generation is”Lumacchio frowned, getting ready to go toward his next destination.—Usually, Lumacchino would have this conversation at the Bastards offices. With both of the parties involved present. He had to make some last adjustments. Leo had decided to take time off after the incident, and so did his partner; the only reason Lumacchio allowed it was to save both of them the embarrassment now that they are considered weak and pitiful stalkers.“Mr. Lumacchio, I can explain,” Leo tried to appear calm and composed. “Me and my-”“Why yes, your little friend with the mouse mask. Why isn’t he here?”“Because-”“Whatever, listen, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Unfortunately, he simply doesn’t have it in him to be a Stalker,” Lumacchio went straight to the point, better than to sugarcoat the issue, “He won’t survive out there in a real mission; frankly, he looks like the type to save himself and leave you for dead if something were to go-”“Don’t say that!” Leo shouted, hitting his fist on a table before immediately apologizing, so much for trying to remain calm.“I am starting to regret giving you that promotion,” Lumacchio sighed; Leo has always been too sentimental, he has a strong sense of justice, which is required in this field, but Leo’s passion is borderline childish.“Again, I apologize-”“Save your excuses; tell your friend to get his act together or he is fired and you will be demoted,” Lumacchio said, “What happened on that mission was inexcusable; I will be generous and give your pathetic friend one last chance, but do not disrespect me like this ever again”Leo simply nodded, knowing that the conversation was done. This is a bad look, yet he trusts his best friend to pull through, they are a team and his pal just needs more confidence in himself.Leo isn’t the only stalker he has to reprimand today. The other one is a confrontation he has been trying to avoid for some time.“Patricia, may we speak in private?” Lumacchio found her at Rosa Isabelle Street as usual; she flocks around this place and barely leaves it.“Lumacchio, for the last time, I’m not interested-”“It’s not that,” Ugh, he might have asked her for a date once or twice, and she treats him like an obsessive stalker… the bad type of stalker; never mind that, “You have been slacking off in your job responsibilities”“What do you mean?” Patricia crossed her arms, “I’ve been working hard to keep Rosa Isabelle Street safe”“Are you keeping Rosa Isabelle Street safe? Or are you keeping your sister safe?” Lumacchio questioned her, “You haven’t taken clients in over a month, and stalkers are more than glorified security guards”“I understand the concern behind Adelina’s safety,” Lumacchio continued; he can’t blame her for being worried that the same fate that befell her would happen to her sister as well, “But you have to move on”Patricia became a stalker after losing her voice, for a while, she was working as any other, with people praising her for being so strong and choosing a noble path after the incident that ruined her career. Yet as time passed, Patricia has become obsessed with the idea that someone might try to harm Adelina too.“You sound like my sister”“Then listen to your sister,” Lumacchio scoffed; seriously, you would think the woman would at least listen to her family.“They never caught the one who poisoned me; they could still be out there, I’ve been investigating,” Patricia excused her actions, “I haven’t taken any clients recently, that’s true, but-”“No, no more excuses; people are starting to believe I am giving you preferential treatment due to being a Corday,” Lumacchio has gotten multiple anonymous complaints about her.Why is she allowed to do what she wants without reprimand? Why doesn’t she get demoted? Why doesn’t she report back any of her supposed findings? There are more complaints; usually those are the ones he gets.“If you want to investigate in your free time, I am giving you permission, that said, if you don’t take a client and complete a mission by the end of the month, I will have no choice but to fire you”Patricia clenched her fist; she couldn’t argue with him, not when he was giving her so much leniency; anyone else would have been fired by now.“I understand,” Patricia sighed, “Anything else?”Lumacchio got a little closer to her, “If you are free by any chance this weekend…”Patricia thought about slapping him for a moment, “No”It was now Lumacchio’s turn to sigh, finally deciding to admit defeat in pursuing her further, “Very well then; my orders were clear, do not waste this second chance”—Out of all the places that Véronique could have picked for their meeting, Lumacchio is baffled at her pick of choice: The Red Lobster Inn. Not exactly the pinnacle of privacy, much less the type of establishment he would like to be seen in; he hates the Mallum District it is filled with criminals, unhygienic street vendors, and worse of all The Black Rabbit BrotherHood, who decided to play a crude joke on him as he entered the place, by trying to ruin his expensive clothing with throwing god knows what from above him; their attempt failed, as Lumacchino has perfect reflexes, using his umbrella to avoid getting sullied, having to clean it with a nearby pond which wasn’t very clean to begin with, but better than to have his weapon filthy.“Aren’t you going to reprimand your subordinates?” Lumacchio sat down once he spotted her in an isolated corner of the place.“They are going to play dumb, and you know it,” Véronique isn’t that fond of their shenanigans either, “Are you going to reprimand your stalkers for the behavior they showed at Cesarani Street last week?”Last week, a group of bastard stalkers decided to humiliate a Sweeper by purposely ruining their clothes; unlike in the scenario that transpired moments ago, they distracted him and they made a few of the clothes strings loose, pulling them when they least expected, with the poor stalker’s clothes falling apart in public. The group played dumb of course, they said how it wasn’t their fault those were cheap clothes and that they had no way of knowing they would break.“Then, how about we get to the point?” Lumacchio wasn’t in the mood to deal with such nonsense, “And are you sure our privacy won’t be disturbed?”Véronique shrugged off his concern, “We are talking about the recruitment processes, not exactly top confidential information here”Recently, there has been an insane influx of new stalker recruits on both sides. Everyone wants to be either a stalker, a technician or an alchemist these days, but the requirements to become a stalker are a little less demanding than the previous two, because for the majority of Krat’s history, stalkers weren’t that many to begin with, it seems as if the city has grown alongside with the puppets, it is a fact that people are having more kids now days, not to mention all the people that have moved to Krat ever since its technological revolution.Both leaders have to set a better requirement regime. Despite what most might believe, the process to join the Bastards and the Sweepers is almost identical; their differences tend to come more with the background of each stalker. There is also the issue that since a lot of the Krat’s police and soldier force has been replaced by puppets, lots of people who wanted to go into those fields are now looking to join a faction.“Véronique, Lumacchio, what a surprise,” A woman had approached their table, her clothing clearly representing one of the press. She either followed them or was given information the two of them would meet here, “Is it safe to assume the two of you have come here with romantic intentions in mind?”“Ew,” Said the two of them at the same time.They stared at each other for a second, not knowing if they should be mad or if they should be relieved they stand on equal ground on that matter. They silently decide on the latter.“Are we not allowed to be friends?” Lumacchio finds this ridiculous, “Which newspaper is your employer? Do they know you are after pointless gossip rather than addressing real issues?”“We are divided by sections, and I happen to produce the tabloid articles,” She said without shame, “I see you acting unpleasantly defensive; I might be right in my assumptions”That makes no sense to Lumacchio, everyone would be defensive around such comments. No one likes unwanted relationship dramas made up by the public.Before Lumacchino could open his mouth to shoo her off, Véronique stood up and grabbed the woman by her collar. She didn’t say anything; she didn’t apply force. Yet that was enough for her to go running out of the place without looking back.“That is one way to deal with the problem,” Lumacchio smiled, “Say, about that lead you have on you know who…”The alchemists.“I’ll investigate myself on that matter,” Véronique shut down that conversation.“Do you not trust me?”“I do,” Véronique would rather not put anyone else in danger, the alchemists are planning something big, “Besides, I’m sure you are aware of the facility by now; I’ve seen you interacting with them, if you ask me, being close to their ranks is a bold approach”Lumacchio is in direct contact with the alchemists, and he is well aware that they are hiding information from the public.“… I know what I am doing, Véronique,” Lumacchio hates it when she questions his methods.Because when Véronique smells trouble, she usually finds it and one day, it won’t end well for her.“Are you alright?” Véronique was concerned by his sudden change in demeanor, “Kind to of think of it, you have been acting off recently”“I haven’t been feeling well, that’s all,” It’s nothing serious.“Perhaps you should get checked for the petrification disease,” Véronique pushed, “Look, one can never be too sure”“I do not have that peasant’s disease.” That’s ridiculous.

“Call it that all you want, but sickness and death don’t discriminate,” Véronique replied, taking a sip of her drink, “Lumacchio, this is no longer a passing illness; this is an epidemic, surely you have a few known people in your circles that have been diagnosed or passed from it”He has, and Lumacchio looks away.The Petrification disease isn’t… it’s not an illness at this point. It's a death sentence; people that got the plague or the Spanish flu could survive it, albeit with low chances. No one who has had the cursed illness has survived it, and if they claim they have; they were never sick in the first place, nothing but a lie for attention.“I’m not trying to scare you, Lumacchio,” Véronique sympathized with his concern, who would want to be told such horrible news? For some people, it is better not to know the truth, delaying the news of the inevitable, “Or it could be anything else; have you gone to a doctor at all?”Lumacchio continues to look away, this time out of embarrassment; he has never been fond of going to doctors.“Oh, don’t tell me the great Lumacchio Pantalone is afraid of a few needles,” Véronique teased, letting out a chuckle.“I am not!” Lumacchio lied, “But you might be right, my body feel stiff, with no other signs of PD, I could be overworking myself”Lumacchio reluctantly agrees to see a doctor. Quickly changing the subject to something else, the rest of their meeting went smoothly. With more than enough time to spare for the two of them to chat about their daily lives, Véronique has always been good company, and a great friend as well.—Being a man of high society comes with many responsibilities; interactions with his peers are essential. Today, he is attending a social event held by Lady Antonia herself, announcing her new business endeavor for a hotel; talking to her one-on-one would be almost impossible considering she must tend to all her guests. Not that he wanted to, he is only content with being open to her good graces; he does not pretend to be close with her, and doesn’t need to; keeping a proper etiquette and mentality when in these events is what matters. They are always great at helping him make new connections , or intel that he might need due to his profession.“I’ve heard that the alchemists made a breakthrough when it comes to curing the petrifaction disease,” A man said in a hushed tone.Fortunately for Lumacchio, he has always had good hearing.He slides his way into the conversation, no need for introductions, blending into it as if he had always been there. Making the people lower their guard, and thankfully for him too, people tend to be more chatty when alcohol is involved, and La Blewis is always a staple in all of Lady Antonia’s celebrations. Lumacchio makes a mental note of what was mentioned, he will have to ask carefully about the subject the next time he meets with the alchemists.His investigation skills are interrupted by a group of ladies who have decided to approach him, all of whom are dedicated fans; perhaps he ought to make a fan club for himself like the one Venigni has for his fans. Then again, he doesn’t wish to look as pretentious as him, so he is content with the deserved attention he gets anywhere he goes. Once the girls had said their piece, an older gentleman decided to approach him, asking if he could do him a favor by accepting his son into the Bastards; now, Lumacchio doesn’t hand such invitations all willy-nilly, for this case, he can make an exception, as the man has ties within Krat’s government, and it’s never a bad thing to have some political allies on your side in case of a situation going south.“Sadly, I must leave earlier than expected,” Lumacchio lied; he didn’t plan to stick around for long, “I have my own work duties to attend to, so if you’d excuse me”Lumacchio had a grin of satisfaction on his face, one that soured for a moment as he felt something inside his throat. Hiding in a corner and taking out his mask, he spits in a handkerchief, blood staining the fabric. He cleans his mouth as he grits his teeth, telling himself he doesn’t have what he thinks he has.—He arrived back at headquarters in time. Entering his office to find Shark next to dozens of stacks of papers.“Looks like you had a busy day”Shark gave him a deadpan stare, “You could say that”“Your efforts won’t go unappreciated,” Lumacchio is many things; ungrateful isn’t one of them, “How about a day off this Friday? You can spend the weekend however you want; a good break will do you a lot of favors”Shark was pleased to hear those news, “I suppose I can finally take Eleanor to the zoo like she wanted”Lumacchio frowned, “Seriously, I give you time off and you spend it taking care of that brat?”Not that Lumacchio hates children. Rather he isn’t fond of them, they are loud, annoying and needy; Eleanor is that and ten times worse.Shark laughed, “You’ll understand if you have children one day”“You say that as if she was your daughter,” Although he might have a point; Shark has raised her more than her actual parents, “Maybe you should spend time with your lover instead”That last sentence is said in a lower tone. Shark confided long ago about his preferences, ones that are not accepted in Krat’s society. He has kept the secret and has no plans on revealing it; he is actually touched Shark trusts him that much.“Their work schedule has increased these past few weeks,” Shark explained. His boyfriend has been working hard at the union nonstop. “We are planning something special for our anniversary”“I wish the two of you the best,” Lumacchio said, giving him permission to leave a little early, “I’ll finish up the rest”Shark took his leave, taking his weapon with him. It’s not a problem for stalkers of his caliber, but newbies tend to forget their weapons inside headquarters, mistakes that could have serious consequences. Lumacchino is always the last to leave the building, he has to per the rules, having to write down which weapon belongs to who and leaving an infraction on their record.Lumacchio finishes off the last of the paperwork of the day. He is surprised to see a few complaints about Claudia Volfe; apparently she has been spotted communicating with a Sweeper. Now, a Volfe like her is too smart to start revealing things he shouldn’t; he is going to have to make yet another reminder that the two factions are not mortal enemies and that you can have friends with whoever you want.—After a day of such hard work, Lumacchio simply had to treat himself to a fancy dinner. To be frank, cooking has never been his forte, and he doesn’t have time to cook either, so his 3 meals of the day are always prepared by others. Lumacchio is smart enough to watch his physique, thinking carefully of what to eat and exercising constantly, training his weapon mastery; people underestimate how strong he is behind these fabulous clothes.The place he chooses is a steakhouse that has a line of people waiting outside, all of whom needed a reservation in advance. Not him, he enjoys watching the jealous filled eyes of the crowd, when they are as important to Krat as he is, they will understand that certain privileges will be granted.Like his two previous meals, he is more than satisfied by the food. Lumacchio signaled the waiter for the bill, only to be informed it was already paid by someone else. He was also handed a rose, being informed that the one who gave him this gift thinks fondly of him. He scans around the room, barely able to catch a glimpse of an alchemist leaving the restaurant, who turns around just in time to give him a smile and a wink.As much as he wished to know his secret admirer's identity, a part of him enjoyed the mystery. It certainly gave him an ego boost to be treated with quite the pleasant present. Hopefully he crosses paths with them again someday.When he exits, he looks at his notebook; he is right here at the exact time and pace he needed to be. Walking into a nearby alleyway that for the average citizen is obvious that getting near would be a bad idea. It doesn’t take long for him to be attacked by a group of common street thugs, Lumacchio blocks the supposed surprise attack with ease, leaving his opponents baffled at how an umbrella could be so powerful. Disarming them is a breeze, with the commotion loud enough to attract the security puppets nearby.He leaves it to the authorities to deal with the rest of the work, getting to take the journal of their leader for further information. Which he will undoubtedly look over tomorrow.—Getting home is usually the best part of the day for Lumacchio, cliché as it sounds. He is of the belief that one’s homes are their own sanctuaries and reflect who they are as a person. Despite his wealth, Lumacchio lives in an apartment , a very fancy and luxurious one, but an apartment nevertheless; he has no use for a big home considering his lifestyle.He takes off his mask, burying his hands on his face briefly as he takes a deep breath and letting out a deep sigh. After composing himself, he bathes and changes to something more comfortable for the night, reading a book to sweep away any stress the day might have given him.His reading is suddenly interrupted by the sound of fireworks outside, looking by his window, he is met by the beautiful sight of the night’s sky being illuminated with all sorts of colors and shapes. Right, it’s the start of spring, how could he have forgotten the celebration today?He continues to watch from his window in silence, a faint smile on his face as he watches not only the sky but also the people of Krat enjoying the lovely night. They say Krat is the city of joy; for a long time, Lumacchio has always found that title to be stupidly cheesy. Tonight, he has a change of heart. He had quite the lovely day, yes, a bit stressful and with a few inconveniences, but aren’t all his days like this? Is there a city in the world where one can feel this much at peace? Despite being very aware of the tension that looms in the shadows, Lumacchio cannot deny that Krat is a place like no other.“I’m getting too sentimental,” Lumacchio coughed, feeling a slight painful tightness around his chest.The man tells himself to rest; he needs to go to a doctor, and he will no longer make excuses. Lumacchio closes his eyes, allowing sleep to finally take him in.—“Oh, Mr. Pantalone, do you want the usual?”Lumacchio snapped out of his trance, telling the waitress that she was correct. It’s a rainy day; he did as he promised and got himself that much-needed checkup. He hasn’t been able to concentrate since, the doctor’s word penetrating through his mind, being able to think nor care about everything and everyone else.He drinks and eats in silence; as he takes his leave, he grabs his weapon, using it for its intended use as an umbrella to cover himself from the rain. He walks along the streets, which are mostly empty aside from the puppets doing their daily services, unaffected by the water drops from above; and a few children playing in the rain.Lumacchino stops in his tracks, looking down and realizing he is about to step on an innocent little snail. The man has a soft spot for these creatures that most would find disgusting or a pest; there is a reason he chose them for his mask, after all. Carefully, Lumacchio picks up the small snail, maybe it is hard to decipher how these creatures are feeling, but they come out in the rain for a reason, it must be having quite the nice day.“Rainy days are always so bothersome,” Lumacchio spoke to the snail, feeling rather childish for doing so.“I’m sorry, Mr. Pantalone, but there is no mistake in the diagnosis; it’s in the early stages, meaning we must start treatment as soon as possible.”Lumacchio felt a few tears falling down his eyes, his mask and the rain covering the despair he felt, and in that despair, he managed to faintly smile at the snail.“At least one of us is having a good day”

Notes:
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Scummy as he is, I just love Lumacchino's character. I am also very interested in general about the day-to-day life of stalkers in Krat, so I enjoyed writing this a lot. I also think that before he started working directly with the alchemists, he wasn't a bad person, maybe arrogant and self-centered, but he decided later to throw his morals away, at least that is the impression he gave me.I think he interacted very often with Véronique, and I also had him interacting with Leo and Patricia since he has to be on the lookout for his subordinates. Added one OC of mine too, but that is because I do not see Lumacchino doing or liking the actual administrative side of his job, and doing the minium in that regard, leaving it for others to deal with.Thank you all for reading! ♡

Anatomy Lesson

Antonia gave the boy those clothes, maybe it wasn’t the best idea, as he looked so much like him, but she didn’t want to hold on to them any longer and they would be better suited for him, at least the boarding school uniform would be in good use with him.Antonia is consumed in her thoughts, her life, the good times, her regrets, she is slowly dying and she can only look at the past, but her thoughts are suddenly interrupted.“Pal what are you doing?!” Gemini shouted from his cage.Pinocchio had taken off his shirt and was almost about to take his off belt and pants.“Oh no no no dear” Antonia grabbed his hand to stop him, as he was still standing next to her, “We don’t do that, changing in front of others isn’t appropriate”Pinocchio looked at her confused, but it made sense that he didn’t understand the concept.“And it’s specially not appropriate in front of a Lady” She let out an uncomfortable laugh, “You can’t be naked in front of others”“Why?” Pinocchio asked innocently.“Because you know…” Antonia was trying to compose herself to explain, but how could she explain? She doesn’t know if the boy has… male body parts and she isn’t going to ask him that.“Buddy don’t change in front of Lady Antonia” Gemini chirped, it was almost like an order.“Don’t change in front of Lady Antonia” He repeated the words and seemed to get it.Antonia smiled, “Well hopefully you have learned a good lesson, now maybe it’s best you go and look for your father”Geppetto was still out there in danger and his son was the only one who could help him.——Geppetto was back at Hotel Krat, his son had rescued him from that stalker and after doing some tasks in Elysion Boulevard his son was back. He explained how the current situation was, and explained to him how his P organ worked.He looked at his son’s clothes, why did Antonia give them to him? It was just a painful reminder, worse is that the clothes are now covered in blood and Geppetto can’t stand to look at them.“Ah son maybe you should change,” Geppetto said, “It’s not right to wear filthy clothes like that” It would be best if he was wearing his previous clothes, the ones he had chosen for his son.Geppetto didn’t want to look at Pinocchio, the blood on his clothes, reminded him of when he was called to the morgue, when he had to see-“STOP IT! Didn’t you learn your lesson last time?!” Gemini was scolding him.Pinocchio again had taken off his shirt and this time he was faster and took off his belt, leaving it and Gemini on the table.“I thought I wasn’t supposed to change in front of Lady Antonia” Pinocchio was confused.“You aren’t supposed to change in front of anybody!” Gemini was mortified why didn’t he understand the first time?!Geppetto went to his son’s side, “Son Gemini is right, you aren’t supposed to change in front of others”“Why not?” Pinocchio asked again innocently, he wanted to understand.“Because…” Geppetto paused for a moment.Dammit, he didn’t think he would need to explain this, he just thought that his son would naturally know, the boy already knows how to talk, knows how to read, he even knows how to fight and you aren’t born knowing all of that. But his son is so clueless about how the real world works and this is his fault for not thinking ahead, he is his father and has to explain.Pinocchio keeps looking at his father expectantly, worse is that the lack of a belt made him drop his pants, now only wearing his underwear.Geppetto took a deep breath.——“And that’s all”Geppetto was glad that he had an anatomy book nearby, he hoped that he had done a good job.“Father” Pinocchio was staring at him.“Yes, son?” Oh no he has questions.“Why do I have that?” Referring to the obvious.“Well son, you are a boy and like I said boys have-““But… I’m not a real boy” Pinocchio said with sadness in his tone.Geppetto was quiet, he was starting to feel guilty about how he had been treating Pinocchio so far. He needs to be a better father, he wasn’t a good father to-“So um” Even though Pinocchio was sad about not being a real boy, he was curious and wanted to ask, “Where did I get mine?”Geppetto was mortified, should he explain why? Building him was already a hard task, to have all the anatomically correct parts, to have the same height, face, and hair as Carlo. Studying anatomy was hard but he wanted to make every part of his body look just like that of a human. The eyes were particularly hard to make, probably the hardest thing to do, and for some reason, his eye color isn't the same, he gave him brown eyes and now he has blue eyes.“Son you see…” Geppetto stared back at Pinocchio, he wanted to completely change the subject but his son had the right to know.But as soon as Geppetto opened again his mouth, from near the door entrance faint sounds of people holding back laughter could be heard, followed by shushing.“Antonia, Eugéne are the two of you there?!” He shouted and they had no choice but to reveal themselves.Eugéne had personally helped Antonia get upstairs, it was hard but it was all worth it to hear the conversation. Both had huge grins on their faces.There was another person present grinning as well, but unfortunately, or rather fortunately for Geppetto, they weren’t able to see Sophia.“Don’t mind us Geppetto, please keep explaining” Antonia said in her graceful voice.But then she alongside Eugéne burst out laughing.“What the hell is wrong with the two of you?!” Geppetto couldn’t believe that they were enjoying this, this was so embarrassing.“Father I want to know!” Pinocchio pouted, why was everyone acting so weird about this? Everyone always teaches him stuff properly why is this different?“The boy wants to know Geppetto come on” Eugéne's grin became even wider and she and Antonia had a high five.These women are enjoying his torment this is ridiculous!“This is a private conversation” Geppetto was trying to kick them out he wasn’t going to explain in front of them.“Fine, fine, we will leave” Eugéne grabbed Antonia’s wheelchair and took the woman with her, but Geppetto knew that they were just a few steps outside.Sophia on the other hand was still in the room, she wasn’t going to miss this and for once she was actually glad no one could see her. Well, Pinocchio and Gemini can but that’s not the point.Geppetto resigned himself, taking a deep breath before finally saying it out loud.“Son I built you, I built everything about you, so I built it”The sound of hysterical laughter was heard, and Geppetto’s face was red with embarrassmentGemini was looking at Sophia while crossing his tiny arms inside that cage. She isn’t the one to have to deal with Pinocchio’s antics after all, he is the one stuck with that duty.“Son, I explained why, now be a good boy and put back your clothes” Geppetto looked as Pinocchio grabbed the clothes he had just taken off.“Your clean clothes Pinocchio” He gave out a sigh of frustration; if it isn’t the consequences of my own actions, you made him Geppetto, you have to teach him about this and teach him common sense. But he is starting to think common sense isn’t a concept his son understands.Pinocchio stopped and stared at his father, he was quiet.“Pinocchio is there something wrong?” Geppetto asked, Pinocchio was acting a little off.Pinocchio hugged his father, he had a firm grasp on him.“You said my name,” Pinocchio said with a few tears in his eyes.All this time his father had only called him his son, and yes he is his son, but he only felt as if he was replacing Carlo.Geppetto hugged him back, his son was crying with happiness just because he said his name. He really is a horrible father, but that stops now, he has to change, no, he will change.Sophia was smiling, no longer because she found the situation funny, although it was a little amusing seeing Pinocchio hug his father while only wearing his underwear. But because she was happy to see Pinocchio be happy.Gemini was also happy for Pinocchio, maybe they hadn’t been together for a long time but he could tell that the boy adored his father, and seeing their bond grow stronger was something to joyful about.——“Geppetto is good to see you”Venigni greeted his long-time friend, he had returned from the factory safe and sound, specially since for some reason puppets started to stop attacking others, but he wasn’t going to question that, although Fuoco was giving them trouble, he hurt his beloved Pulcinella but there is nothing he as an inventor can’t do, and Pulcinella was good as new.“I’m happy to see you too Venigni” Geppetto was glad that Venigni was okay.Pinocchio was also there, his son had a smile on his face, and he was wearing a new outfit, thankfully one he didn’t try to put on in front of others, finally learning his lesson. His outfit resembled Venigni’s clothes and it suited him, he even had the same glasses.Geppetto was glad that he came to his senses when it came to caring for his son.“Son please be careful at the cathedral, there are rumors of monsters surrounding the place” Geppetto played with his son’s hair before Pinocchio left the room towards the stargazer.Once the two of them were finally alone, Venigni spoke up again.“So Geppetto my friend, I was talking with everyone downstairs” He got closer to Geppetto and tried to act more friendly, “From one inventor to another how-““Venigni if you say another word I will kill you”That was not a threat, it was a promise, Geppetto already had murder in his eyes.Venigni silently left the room, and as soon as he was outside he burst into laughter.Geppetto buried his face in his hands, this was the most embarrassing day of his life.Yet.Outside, Pinocchio was walking, he had found a few strange carcasses and gotten rid of them.“Gemini what are those things?” Pinocchio had never seen something like that.“Some weird monsters, they look like zombies,” Gemini said.
“What's a zombie?” Pinocchio asked.Another round of questions followed, Pinocchio is curious about the world and Gemini doesn't mind explaining, although the boy can be a little bit of a brat, that speech he gave while they took the railway was brilliant, even more so because he improvised it all but Pinocchio was annoyed at him.“Bad tour guide” Pinocchio had said to him while shaking his cage.They took a small break inside one of those rundown shacks now that there were no enemies nearby and after all, climbing so much was tiring.“Are those creatures still in your mind pal?” Gemini asked, Pinocchio seemed to be thinking about something.“I’m thinking about the woman we helped, I didn’t want to lie but I just felt bad you know?” That poor woman, she was dying and Pinocchio at least wanted her last moments to be happy ones.“I know, it sucks but you did what you thought was best” Gemini was trying to reassure him.It was a hard situation but not everything is black and white and Pinocchio has lied a few times but he is a good boy and only wants others to be happy.“Losing a child, it must be really hard, I can see that… it was hard on my father” Pinocchio was feeling sad, because he knew that his father was sad about losing his brother.“You are a good boy Pinocchio, worrying about your father like that” Gemini is glad to be by his side, even if giving him guidance can be a little hard sometimes.Everything was quiet, only the sound of the wind blowing was heard.“Gemini where do-““Ask your father”

Notes:
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Well Geppetto you are a father, and this is your job like it or not.Thank you all for reading!!

Who am I?

Geppetto heard footsteps approaching the room he was in, he looked up to see his son who was standing in the entrance, well half of him, he was peaking inside the room from the door, almost as if he didn’t want to come in.The first thing Geppetto saw was that his son was crying.Geppetto was taken aback he had never seen his son cry before, not only that but he looked really upset, his eyes were red from all the crying.“Son, what’s wrong?Pinocchio was letting out small sobs, maybe it was wrong to ask him because he doesn’t talk so he had to change tactics.“Gemini what happened?”The cricket took a deep breath, “Well…”—-Pinocchio was in the Mallum district and when he had his confrontation with The Black Rabbit Brotherhood things took an unexpected turn.“What?!” The sister shouted, “No way isn’t that Geppetto’s son Carlo?! Isn’t he supposed to be dead?”Pinocchio felt himself sink into his shoulders.“Holy shit is he a ghost?!” She was freaking out about it.“Calm down sis, I don’t think he is one,” The eldest brother said. “Don’t think Geppetto can bring back the dead”Pinocchio held his weapon with more force, not because he was angry, but because he was trying to calm himself.“What a pretty puppet you are, you look just like the real one” The eccentric brother had a mocking tone, “Didn’t know Geppetto liked playing dolls”“Maybe he likes playing happy family because he never had one” The Battle Manic brother laughed.Pinocchio was overwhelmed but trying his best not to show it.“Awww how cute, trying to act all though” The sister drew in her weapon and pointed it at the coffin “But I guess Geppetto is going to have to bury another son”“Oh please sis, that’s no big deal for him, he is just going to need to build a new one, a better one” The Eldest of the Black Rabbit Hood was ready to fight.In the end, Pinocchio defended them of course they retreated, and Pinocchio found something that had been stolen from his father.—-When Gemini finished explaining, Pinocchio fully entered the room, and in his hands, he held the painting of Carlo.Geppetto was quiet, his emotions were going haywire, he took the painting from his hand and stared at it. At that moment, Geppetto wanted to only reminisce about Carlo, to think about all the good times he had with him, how he wanted to ask for his forgiveness, and how would have liked things to be different.Then he started at Pinocchio, who was still crying, Geppetto noticed the blood on his hands and clothes, clearly he had tried to wipe the blood away but it didn’t work.He looked again at the painting, the painting of his beloved son Carlo.… But Carlo is gone, and he can’t make the same mistakes. Geppetto put the painting aside, it was now leaning on the wall.“Son come here” Geppetto raised his arms and Pinocchio rushed to his side and hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go.“Let’s get you cleaned up okay?”—-Geppetto hung up the portrait in the room, he was helping fix up Pinocchio after cleaning him up, the Black Rabbit Brotherhood had attacked him fiercely, and 4 vs 1 isn’t really a fair fight to begin with, specially with the state of mind Pinocchio was in.He was alright, nothing too major but just because Pinocchio was very resilient that didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt.When he was done, Pinocchio stood up and looked at the painting, now he was the one staring at it. Ever since he woke up, everything had been too confusing, everyone always looked at him as someone he wasn’t and it made him feel uncertain of who he was even supposed to be.Pinocchio pointed at the painting and then back at himself, Geppetto understood what his son was asking him.“No son… You aren’t Carlo” This is the first time Geppetto says that out loud.And to himself.Pinocchio started to cry again, he was still upset, if he wasn’t supposed to be Carlo, then who was he supposed to be?“Son, I’m sorry” This is all his fault, he should have never tried to force his son to be someone he isn’t.“You aren’t Carlo and I should have never tried to make you be him”They were hugging each other again. Pinocchio was shaking, his emotions were too intense, and they were so hard for him to understand. But Pinocchio had to leave again, he is the only one who can help in this situation.—-Fire surrounded the stage of the Opera house.Pinocchio looked at the puppet, who had a scythe in its hand, ready to fight. He didn’t understand what was happening, this puppet was trying to tell him something, trying to talk with him, but Pinocchio couldn’t understand him. He stayed in place, and an overwhelmed sense of dread filled his body, it was too much to handle, Gemini was talking to him, trying to calm him down but he couldn’t calm down.The puppet got closer, it was about to swing its blade but when it noticed that he wasn’t fighting back the puppet stopped. It said something again but Pinocchio still couldn’t understand, he was trying, trying really hard to be able to, he was so close.“Carlo… don’t you… remember me?”Carlo. He isn’t Carlo, his father said he isn’t, but why does everyone keep saying he is? Pinocchio began to hyperventilate, he was crying again, is he really not Carlo?The puppet was now standing in front of him, “It’s me, Romeo”He doesn’t know who he is, but he doesn’t want to fight him either.“Son!”Pinocchio turned to look at the voice, his father was standing on the stage.Romeo drew in his weapon and made his way towards his father, Pinocchio swiftly stepped forward and drew his weapon, he wasn’t going to let anyone hurt his father. Yet his conflicted feelings betrayed him, he was shaking despite holding his sword with all his force and tears still ran down his face.“Carlo listen to me” Romeo lowered his weapon.Pinocchio shook his head.“Carlo please” He just wanted his friend to come to his senses, to remember him.He shook his head again, he wished he could speak, but ever since he woke up he hadn’t been able to form words, he can speak technically, but it has always been too overwhelming, he can’t express words, he can’t express how he feels. The only words that have come out of him are lies, lying about not being a puppet to enter Hotel Krat, lying to that poor woman looking for her baby, lying about being a stalker, he is only good at lying. But those weren't real words, he had to force himself to say them, it was painful for him to do so, it didn't feel natural.Romeo stared at him, he could feel his intense gaze and that glowing red eye didn’t make things any better.“… You aren’t Carlo” Romeo finally understood the situation, and he let out a tear from his undamaged eye.Geppetto was now standing with them, both turned to look at him.“Please” Geppetto took a deep breath, “Let me explain”—-The three of them were back at Hotel Krat.After a lot of screaming and yelling things eventually calmed down and Geppetto fixed Romeo, he was back to his former self.Well, not really his former self since he is still partly a puppet but, he was alright now and he looked just as he did before.Pinocchio was still an emotional mess, he didn’t want to leave his father’s side, ignoring everyone else who tried talking to him, specially Romeo. He didn’t like how everyone was mad at his father, even if it was for a good reason because his father was the only one that made him feel safe. Geppetto eventually managed to convince him to go downstairs with everyone else, that they care about him and want what’s best for him.Now Geppetto and Romeo were alone in the room together.“What did you do to him?” Romeo wanted, no, he needed answers.Geppetto stays silent for a moment.“Carlo is gone, Romeo”“Don’t give me that bullshit I know that he isn’t really gone, you build that boy for a reason” Romeo is furious but calm at the same time, he is done with all of this.Geppetto looked away for a moment but Romeo deserved to know the truth, he grabbed the box that had been hidden all this time and Geppetto opened it, revealing its content.It was a heart, like the one that Pinocchio has but different, it looked like a prototype. A mechanism inside the box was what kept the heart going.“The heart, it holds his Ergo”“What happened to…” To his body, but Romeo can’t bring himself to ask.“Buried” Geppetto can barely remember the funeral, it was too much for him, the pain was absolutely unbearable, he lost his son, his precious son, he wouldn’t wish that upon anyone, it’s the worst torture one can imagine.When Geppetto was called to the funeral home to identify the body, that was the worst moment of his life, he needed to do something, he had to do something. When he was left alone, Geppetto had his chance, Ergo remains inside one’s body even after death. To manufacture puppets small amounts of Ergo are used and have to be moved individually. Most people used special gloves for the work, but those didn’t exist when Geppetto first started building puppets, so he modified his own hand to be able to control it.He never lets anyone see his arm, the power has side effects, his arms and hand are a tone of gray, because his hand has partly decayed. But it makes him do things with Ergo that others can’t, things that those gloves aren’t able to do. So he took in Carlo’s Ergo, and held it in his hand with his fist clenched tightly. Back at home, he had no time to grieve, he had to start working, it took him hours and hours but he made the heart, transferring the Ergo, but it couldn’t sustain itself. Geppetto tried and tried for days to make that happen, already building Pinocchio in the process, giving him a small part of Carlo’s Ergo.But the only answer was that Carlo needed more Ergo not just his own.“I think you know the rest”Of course, Romeo knows the rest, during that time he was still recovering. Geppetto had turned him into a puppet to stop the process of the petrification disease, but he hadn’t heard from Geppetto in days, he never even heard that Carlo had died, because as it turned out Geppetto didn't let anyone attend the burial or funeral, the only people that knew that Carlo had passed away were Antonia and Venigni and it was because they forced the truth out of him.Romeo was on his way to meet him when the frenzy started. Romeo felt used and tricked, he had to do something, so he took control of the puppets, using them for good instead, stopping the alchemists and their petrification disease monsters.“Pinocchio was supposed to collect all that Ergo, after that, I was going to take the rest of Carlo’s Ergo and transfer it inside him, my theory is that it would bring him back”“Your theory?” Romeo was clenching his fists, “So you didn’t even know if this was going to work?!”Geppetto stayed quiet. He knew it could work if he had that artifact but it was under the possession of Simon. Yet even with that, he wasn't sure, but he was desperate, desperate to have his son again.“Look Romeo I understand, and you have all the right to be mad at me, to hate me but please just… just think about Pinocchio”—-Pinocchio could tell that Romeo would constantly stare at him, it made him uncomfortable. But lots of things make him upset and uncomfortable he just needs to get over it.He had just finished upgrading one of his weapons with the help of Eugéne, he went outside to test it and try some techniques when Romeo went outside and made his way towards him.“I just want to talk,” Romeo said.“He can’t talk” Gemini chirped from his cage.Yeah, right. This was going to be hard, but Romeo had to try and Gemini could help with expressing what Pinocchio was feeling only the cricket and his father understood the things Pinocchio wanted to say and Romeo sure as hell wasn’t going to ask Geppetto for help.“Do you um-““If you are going to ask him if he remembers his memories don’t bother, he doesn’t” Gemini is too overprotective of Pinocchio, he is tired of everyone wanting his best friend to be someone he isn’t, on purpose or accidentally it doesn’t matter. Just even implying anything about Carlo makes Pinocchio upset.“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have tried to ask”Everything was so uncomfortable now. Although truthfully it has been from the beginning, he just looks so much like him. Although over time Pinocchio has begun to change physically, his hair is longer now and his face is slightly different, a bit rounder.It’s just hard to look at him, even if he knows Pinocchio isn’t Carlo. The boy doesn’t act like Carlo at all, he is too polite, gets scared easily, is constantly trying to appease to others, and is too innocent. Carlo wasn’t rude but he wasn’t exactly the most polite person, he was brave, he didn’t care what others thought about him and he was mischievous.The only thing they have in common is their love for their father because even after everything, Carlo still loved Geppetto.“I want to hate him… I want to hate him but I can't” Carlo had said to him shortly before dying.Geppetto wasn't the best father, not to Carlo and not to Pinocchio when he first woke up, but it was clear that he did love his sons and he had tried to fix the relationship, he desperately was trying to fix the relationship with Carlo before he died.“That stupid old man, and now I'm worrying him, getting sick like this” Carlo was venting all of his conflicted feelings towards him.“Well, I have to go” Carlo took a few steps before Romeo called for him.“Go where?”“To see Sophia, she was acting weird, something about her uncle, you know how much of a creep that man is”Romeo has only met Simon once and it was plain to see how awful he was, despite everyone around them not noticing for some reason.“Be careful Carlo” Romeo couldn't help but have a bad feeling about this.“Don't worry I'll be back, I promise” Carlo smiled at him.But he never came back.Pinocchio fell to his knees, he started crying again.Romeo made his way towards him and began to comfort him, giving him reassuring words, he is good at cheering up people when they are down, he remembers those times when Carlo… no, Dammit stop comparing him with Carlo!He kneeled to his level, “I know that this is a lot to handle, everyone pressuring you so much and having to go outside to deal with all that mess on your own” Romeo was rubbing Pinocchio’s back.… Wait, why is he allowing Pinocchio to go by himself alone? For the love of God, he is a skilled fighter and now he has this even more durable body. Why is he just standing inside Hotel Krat doing nothing but feeling bad about himself?“I’m coming with you, you aren’t doing this alone anymore”—-Pinocchio was hugging his father, he always gave his father a big hug before leaving. Romeo was waiting for him by the stargazer, with the scythe in his hands, now upgraded by Eugéne making it even better.“Romeo, are you sure about this?” Geppetto asked.“Of course I am, I’m not letting him deal with all that shit outside alone”“Shit” Pinocchio repeated the word.Romeo was mortified, Geppetto was intensely staring at him, if looks could kill.“No son, that’s a bad word, we don’t say bad words like that” Geppetto sighed, “Romeo is a bad boy for saying that”The first time that boy speaks and he repeats that out of all things?! Everyone is looking at them, everyone but Geppetto is smiling, even Spring has a smug grin on her face, Romeo is so embarrassed, he feels like he is a child getting scolded.“Please don’t say words like that in front of him”“I’m sorry” Romeo mumbled under his breath, his face a slight shade of pink, “Let’s just go outside and continue okay?” He wanted to leave right away and forget all of this happened.After using the stargazer, Romeo turned to look at Pinocchio.“You did that on purpose right?”Pinocchio shook his head but the smile on his face told Romeo that he was lying.—After that Pinocchio still stays quiet, although he does learn how to say father and Geppetto doesn’t shut up about that and completely ignores that it wasn’t his real actual first word.Over time Romeo learns how to understand Pinocchio as well and Gemini warms up to him, they both want what’s best for him.

Romeo has become overprotective of him, specially because since Pinocchio doesn’t understand much about the real world, he is convinced that Pinocchio doesn’t know how to open doors, he just completely breaks them with his legion arm.They are outside again when they meet with two familiar faces.“Mmm Romeo, long time no see,” Said The Red Fox with grace in her words, “Glad to see you are alive and well, hopefully, you are taking good care of Geppetto’s son” Well his other son, they know Carlo is dead after all, but it did gave them a little scare when they first saw him, although it was easy to put two and two together.The Black Cat opened his mouth to speak but his sister covered his mouth before this idiot immediately asked them for gold fruit coins, doesn’t he know that it’s common sense to start a conversation first?“Pardon my rudeness but me and my brother never asked your name, my apologies, what is your name?”Romeo turns to look at Pinocchio who has a smile on his face.“Pinocchio”

Notes:
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Thankfully Pino no longer has his identity crisis and Romeo is there along with him to support him in this quest.I am having to physically stop myself from making this another series, I am holding back but I make no promises.Thank you all for reading!!

Twas the night before Christmas

Everyone at Hotel Krat had forgotten it was almost Christmas already, that is until Pinocchio showed up wearing those reindeer ears and that red nose. He had a big smile on his face just like a kid would, Pinocchio had in his hands something he found, it was a magazine that talked about Christmas it had a few drawings of Santa and at the end toys that would be available this year in Krat for all the good boys and girls.He couldn’t stop showing everyone what he found, he looked so excited and everyone downstairs was hyping him up for Christmas after all they loved seeing him smile.“Mr. Venigni is Santa real?” Pinocchio asked with an innocent smile.Venigni panicked, he wants to say yes but he is so bad at lying; Pinocchio is staring at him now waiting for him to say something.“Well-““Son good to see that you are back” Geppetto had come downstairs and Venigni gave out a sigh of relief.“Oh Geppetto just in time” Venigni grabbed Pinocchio and gently pushed him towards his father’s side, “Your son was just asking us a few things about Christmas”“Father is Santa real?” Pinocchio now asked his father and that sweet boy had an even bigger smile.“Of course, he is real son” Geppetto played with his son’s hair, “And because you have been a good boy you are going to get a gift from Santa”“Really? Am going to get a gift tomorrow?!”Everyone knew Christmas was soon but they didn’t think it would be THAT soon, they were looking at Pinocchio who was beaming with joy.“Yeah son um, what do you want for Christmas so that I can tell Santa?” Geppetto just needed to improvise something maybe he could make him a gift himself.Pinocchio flipped through the pages until he got to the last one, it was a rare limited edition reindeer toy that was made of wood but it also was fluffy as to simulate fur,
it was small but not too small, and it had a keychain and Pinocchio could easily attach it to it’s belt and carry it around. The reindeer’s red nose could glow and if you pressed a button the reindeer would move its little legs and walk or rather it was to pretend that it was floating in the air.Looks like Pinocchio really loves reindeers, he had also used the paper in the magazine to draw them multiple times, they were cute drawings, Geppetto was happy his son knew how to draw and was enjoying it.“Don’t worry son, I’ll tell Santa what you want and he is going to get that just for you”Pinocchio was almost jumping up and down from the excitement, Gemini had to tell him to calm down, eventually he did and activated the stargazer to resume his quest.
A few minutes had passed after his son left when Geppetto took a deep breath and made his way towards the stargazer.“Geppetto” Venigni spoke up, already knowing what he was going to do, “There is a toy store in Lorenzini Arcade you could try checking in there”Geppetto put his hand in the stargazer.“Please be careful” He heard Venigni say before activating it.—-The good news is that while his son was here he had cleaned up most of the place, still Geppetto knew he had to be careful, the place was filled with some strange greenish ooze most likely some petrification disease monsters were still around here.He was looking around the place when he saw in a display two beautiful red matching necklaces it reminded him of Antonia and Polendina as the two of them wear matching jewelry, and it was something small he could take and give the two of them a small gift, grabbing a bag to put the gifts in he continued.As he wandered around more he found a store that sold antiques one of them was a cute figurine of a cat and Eugéne loves cats it would be nice to give it to her.Another thing in a store caught his eye, it was a thick leather planner with a calendar for the upcoming year, Venigni always talks about how important keeping up his schedule so Geppetto grabbed it and he also grabbed a similar one for Pulcinella as those two go hand in hand, and Venigni wouldn’t be as good as planning as he is if it wasn’t for Pulcinella’s help.He could tell that he was getting closer to the shop he was looking for when suddenly Geppetto heard a terrifying screech and the sound of heavy footsteps, a monster was nearby so he hid inside one of the stores. Geppetto could hear it getting closer and closer the thing was breathing heavenly and it would make disgusting noises from time to time, almost as if it was choking, what the hell were those alchemists even doing with that disease?!Whatever they were doing Geppetto could tell that the thing had picked up his scent, it was just in front of the store now, Geppetto was hiding behind the counter and he put his hands to his nose and mouth to not make any noise, that beast was about to break into the store when he heard it get hurt and screech again.He peeked to see what happened and he saw a puppet that had been corrupted with the disease, most the the puppets in this area had been corrupted with it by now, the thing had made its way outside the basement area and started attacking the creature both were fighting each other.Geppetto took the opportunity to escape and to grab those beautiful shining butterfly shoes, Sophia loved butterflies and it would be a crime not to gift her that.Finally, he made it to the store he looked around for the toy and couldn’t find it, he looked frantically worried that it was sold out, while looking around he found some miniature doll clothes, he grabbed a small tuxedo for Gemini, for the cricket to wear while inside his cage. It took him almost 20 minutes but Geppetto did find the toy, it was in the back and it was the last one, he was so relieved and not only did he find the toy for his son but he managed to find gifts for everyone else along the way, Geppetto was so proud of himself.Now he just needed to make his way back, he opened the door to the store and immediately closed it again, as the hall outside was now not only filled with those carcasses but also filled with corrupted puppets, the floor was filled with electricity as in all that chaos the electrical system had been broken and cables from the ceiling were now dangling around the air.Geppetto took a deep breath.“Fuck”——-Everyone turned to look at the stargazer when it was activated, Geppetto had thankfully managed to come back in one piece, although he did end up cutting his arm badly he had to tear up parts of his shirt to bandage it up and stop the bleeding. Everyone rushed to his side to help him.“Where is Pinocchio?” Geppetto sounded so exhausted.“He is upstairs sleeping, I managed to convince him to go to bed and wait for Santa” Antonia said, the boy had come back a while back and he kept asking where his father was, but no one wanted to tell him the truth, so Antonia managed to made up the excuse that Geppetto went to deliver a letter to Santa for his gift. Pinocchio wanted to go and see him but Antonia told him to be a good boy and go to bed to wait for Santa as he only comes when you are sleeping.While he was gone everyone had set up a Christmas tree, Hotel Krat kept an artificial one so that they could display it each year it took them a while to set it up and it didn’t help that Spring kept breaking the spheres, the cat even almost broke the star; Eugéne had to send her to “jail” that was just a big cardboard box with bars that Eugéne made for when her cat got too mischievous.“You are going coal this year for being a bad girl Spring” Eugéne teased and laughed; Spring just turned around and moved her tail in frustration.Geppetto took each gift out of the bag one by one and delivered them, they were all extremely thankful for his generosity.“Looks like Santa came a little early for us tonight,” Sophia said with a smile on her face, she put on those shoes right away, they were so lovely, even if no one could see them because of her long dress, she felt so pretty.The atmosphere was great, things were no longer tense, and everyone enjoying the moment and admiring the gifts. They decided it would be a great idea to wrap up Pinocchio’s gift, Pulcinella was the one to do it and Polendina made the small bow for the finishing touch.Geppetto gave out a smile before he fainted.—-“Father wake up! Wake up!”He opened his eyes, he was on a couch in the lobby, his arm still hurt and he felt tired although at least less than before.“Look!” Pinocchio had the toy in his hand “Santa really did come! And he also brought a gift for Gemini!” his son looked so happy, Gemini was wearing the suit inside his cage.“You are a good boy son, obviously you were going to get your gift” Geppetto was happy to see his son like that, all that trouble was worth it just to see his son smiling.As Geppetto stood up, his son gave him a big hug.“Thank you so much for delivering the letter!”Pinocchio attached the reindeer to his belt and made his way to leave again.“Son it’s Christmas, why don’t you take a break? You don’t have to go outside if you don’t want to” It wouldn't be fair for him to be in danger while everyone else he was celebrating.Pinocchio turned around and hugged his father again, then he began to cry loudly. Because he did want that toy for Christmas but more than anything he wanted a break, he wanted a day that he wasn’t outside in danger, getting attacked left and right and having to pull a strong front for others for their sake as he was the only one capable of helping them. Santa was real, he was real and gave him what he wanted.Geppetto couldn’t help but shed a few tears as well, he just wants his precious son to be happy that’s all he ever truly wants.All of them had Christmas together, maybe it wasn’t the most ideal situation to celebrate but after everything all of them had gone through they all deserved it. They deserve a day to not think about what is happening outside and enjoy themselves.Antonia looked so beautiful with that necklace and with Polendina standing by her side, holding hands with the matching pair, the two of them looked so lovely.Sophia changed into a different dress that would show her shoes, everyone was constantly asking her if she felt cold but she brushed it off, she wanted to feel pretty and it was not as if this was her real body anyway even if this was just a projection she still wants to feel special.Eugéne added the cat figurine to her collection, she spent some explaining to everyone how she had gotten each of her figures but when Spring started meowing non stop Eugéne carried her and began to explain how she first found her, in a trashcan of course, it was a great memory.Venigni somehow had already filled 1/4 of the planner that was gifted to him, although he got too excited talking about it and it was Pulcinella who ended up writing most of it,
he had so many ideas to rebuild the city once all of this was over, so many great things to help others, it was nice to see him back to his former self, who had too many ideas that could barely fit in his brain.The day turned to night and Pinocchio went upstairs as he had forgotten something while he slept yesterday, he led his father to the room he took and he showed his father something, a drawing Pinocchio had made depicting the two of them.Geppetto hugged his son, this was the best Christmas gift he could ever ask for. He set the drawing aside on the table for a moment, he sat down on the bed as he still felt tired, then he decided to lay down, just for a few minutes…Pinocchio saw how his father had fallen asleep in bed, so he took off his belt and set Gemini aside on the bed table wishing his friend goodnight, then the boy went to bed next to his father and soon he fell asleep next to him.Gemini turned off his little lamp from the inside and he smiled at both of them.“Merry Christmas”

Notes:
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Merry Christmas everyone!! May all of you have a great day just as our friends inside Hotel Krat.Thank you all for reading!! ♡

How You Bring Joy to Life

Chapter 6

“Are you looking at those papers again?”Carlo set the papers aside, his faced filled with frustration, how many times has he read them? How many times has he looked for any signs? Send them to professionals to find any forgeries. All results point to none, Carlo knows better than to believe so.“You really think my mother would just willingly give that woman her Ergo after she passed?” How many times has Carlo had this exact same conversation with Romeo? That’s without mentioning Rosaura, why would his mother leave Rosaura with that heartless woman and not her own family? “My father gave up on this, but I won’t.”“I’m not telling you to give up; I’m here to tell you that you might want to look at it from a different angle,” Romeo has always been supportive of Carlo. He never had a family of his own, he wouldn’t personally understand the grief of losing a loved one so suddenly, and the rift her death caused in the family; plus dealing with the unwanted involvement of a certain someone.“You were always the better one at investigating,” Carlo has a few skills yes, but Romeo always had a gift for deductions, “What do you suggest?”“Really? I always thought you were the one with the better detective skills.” Romeo feels at times that Carlo undermines his own capabilities at times.“I suggest we let her slip up, then we act,” He continued. They have followed every rule in the book, that paperwork isn’t magically going to change overnight and tell them what they have been missing,“You might want to ask your brother help, I know everything with you two is… rocky right now, but at the union he has more chances to look at her from a distance.”Markiona is almost always at the Workshop Union; before Camille’s death, she would prefer to work from the comfort of her home. Why the sudden switch? People say it’s grief, after all didn’t Geppetto also bury himself in work after her death? Camille and Markiona where so close, people often say how Camille thought highly of her apprentice.At least that’s the story most people believe. Carlo might have been young but he remembers well the day Markiona went to visit home unannounced; his mother told him to stay in his room, the walls might have blocked what the argument was about but it certainly did not block the loud voices. Followed by the woman storming off and his mother reminding him later that day to never tell anyone about his powers. Yeah right if Carlo is going to believe the story that Markiona cared so deeply about his mother.“Your father did give you that letter,” Romeo spoke up, having it in his hands, giving the envelope to Carlo, “Any clues on that?”“I mean you read it, and it’s so vague,” Carlo has tried to look into who the letter was for; no one his father knew, nor Lady Antonia, “I’ve tried investigating but it’s only has the first name; I looked into every person named Sophia in Krat… there is no way that letter was for any of them.”Carlo took the envelope from Romeo’s hands, reading it once again.“To my dearest Sophia,We both know I don’t have much time left. There is so much I wish I could have done, could have said. Yet despite my powers, I dare not turn back time to try and mend them, I fear I would only make things worse; and you always did tell me that it’s best to let life run its course, so much younger than me, and yet so wise.I have only one request before my death, the one we already spoke of. Selfish of me I know, but please.Take care of my son, guide him, protect him.From: Yours truly, Camille Snow.”

Signed with her maiden name; while it’s likely to assume maybe her and his father weren’t having the best marriage, that is far from the truth. Carlo might not like the old man, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t believe his mother truly not did love him. His father also showed him the letter his mother left behind for him it was… so personal that at times he felt he shouldn’t have invaded that privacy. His father showed him the letter only because he knew Carlo wanted answers. If there is something his father’s, his and this letter all have in common is one similarly worded phrase “remember what we spoke of.”For Carlo it meant his powers. There was much more of course, how much she loved him, how she wished she could have been there to see all his achievements, more that he dares not think of to not start to break down at the thought.For his father, he won’t ask, whatever the old man and his mother had secretly agreed upon, maybe it was best left that way. And for this Sophia it was to supposedly take care of him; when he has never seen this Sophia. Was there else they spoke of? In his own letter he knew that it implied many conversations they had in private, could it be the same case for this one?“Father did always say my mother hid secrets from everyone.”If Carlo has learned anything all these years, is that his mother was like a locked door; a locked door that also had 7 kinds of latches, a chain and barricaded with wooden bars. His mother wanted privacy, and Carlo knows that had to be because of her powers.Not that Carlo can blame her, he’s never told his own brother he is a listener. Only his father, Romeo and Lea know of it; and close as he is those last two he struggled immensely to tell them.The young man put back safely all the papers back to their place, a hidden safe beneath the walls of the apartment. Right next to it he keeps files that have to do with stalker work; next legal documents of his and Romeo; lastly the letter his mother left him behind; all folders and paperwork, except for that one single snow globe that decorates the hidden compartment. It was a gift given to him by his mother on her will; the snow globe looks dull, unfinished, with nothing inside aside from the material used to simulate the fake snow; there is no house or figurine in the middle. For anyone else, it would be a dull and boring snow globe, for Carlo, it’s the last gift he ever received of his mother, a treasure of immensurable value.“I’ll quit this thing for now, otherwise it’s going to drive me crazy,” Carlo could feel himself getting a headache, “Any ideas on where to have our date night?”Romeo sat right next to Carlo, one of his hands touching Carlo’s thigh, “I think that spending time together by ourselves is enough.”Carlo smiled, “Considering how crowded the streets are today, I agree.”Romeo smiled back, “I’m sure we’ll have a wonderful date night, once you are done with your special secret mission of sneaking into your father’s home, that is.”Carlo rolled his eyes, pouting, “I did hear something; and I’m going to figure out what that was."“Never say you didn’t, honestly, it’s cute; how much you care about him,” Romeo said, his hand moving to hold Carlo’s own hand.“Whatever it was that talked to Gemini, it’s has to be connected to my brother,” Carlo isn’t taking any risks.“Your brother could be friends with a listener,” Romeo isn’t saying he shouldn’t investigate, at the same time, this situation isn’t giving him the vibes it could be someone nefarious.“I’m sure he would have mentioned it; you know how badly he wants to make a friend.”“What if they didn’t tell him they were a listener; you don’t randomly tell people that.” Or what if Pinocchio knows and was asked not to tell others?Carlo shook his head, he doesn’t want to feel paranoid about what he heard. “Ugh, I know, I know. His room- his room was weird when I visited, there is more Ergo in that room than with all the combined Ergo that’s at the Workshop Union.”Romeo gently kissed Carlo’s lips; playfully hitting his shoulder, “Go make sure your brother isn’t being hunted by a demon.”Carlo kissed him back, promising him that he would be back in time for their date night.

The secret mission of sneaking into his father’s home involved simply using the spare keys he was given to enter. As planned, his father’s at work and his brother studying. Carlo would be lying to himself if he didn’t feel nervous, having a firm grasp to be able to swiftly grab if sword if anything went wrong. Slowly, he made his way toward his brother’s room, carefully turning the knob, feeling the Ergo around the air as he stepped inside and closing the door behind him,“Alright, you can’t fool me, I know you are in here,” Carlo spoke out loud; able to sense a presence, “Come out, right now.”Right in front of his eyes, an ethereal blue butterfly manifested itself, one that looked strangely familiar; speaking in a soft voice.“Lay down, and close your eyes.”“I’m not doing that,” Carlo isn’t here to play games or to accept demands, “If you are messing with my brother-"“Humor me, please,” The butterfly interrupted, not aggressively, instead, having a calming and soothing tone, “I promise, I mean no harm.”Carlo hesitated, thinking of his options. Fine, he can lay down on bed and close his eyes for a moment, just a moment. If he feels in danger, he’s been practicing turning back time, he can only do it for a few seconds, seconds he feels would be enough in this situation.He does as he is told, annoyingly opening his eyes moments later as told by the voice. Carlo jumped back when he found the room engulfed in darkness; a glowing being standing right next in the corner. Those wings, those eyes…“What the f-,” Carlo tried composing himself, failing in the process, “What the hell are you?! Who the hell are you?!”“I am a fairy,” She responded, not faced by his reaction, “My name is Sophia.”“Sophia,” Carlo repeated; could she be the one? “Sophia what?”“Just, Sophia,” She replied, giving him a smile, “I am a friend of your brother, and of Gemini as well.”Carlo took at deep breath, unexpected as the situation had turned, he was here for a reason, “Really? And he never mentioned you because…?”“Because I asked him not to,” Sophia responded, ergo floating around her body, “Geppetto is not aware of me either.”“Mmm, a friend that has to hide themselves from others, doesn’t that sound right does it?” Carlo was skeptical or her motives, “Why so secretive?”“Per your mother’s wishes Carlo.”Sophia began to recite the letter left for her word for word. Carlo’s eyes went wide, being left completely speechless.The two of them stayed in silence, the quiet feeling eternally, too much for Carlo to handle. She has to be lying, she is a strange creature trying to lower his guard… no that cannot be, she is fully aware of the letter. Does he attack? Does he give her the benefit of the doubt?“Hold on, you- you are Sophia; the one my mother left that letter to,” Carlo said, watching her nod, “What you are here to finally grant her that wish after so many years? Why did you-"Carlo cut himself off. Why was she talking to Pinocchio instead of him. Unless the letter wasn’t referring taking care of him, unless it meant-“That makes no sense! My brother wasn’t around when my mother died!” He was built a few years afterwards, “Are you telling me that my mother knew my father was going to build my brother?"Does that mean that… his brother was never meant to replace him?

“I believe that they wanted to create him, together,” Sophia’s voice echoed with sadness, “Sadly she passed before that could happen.”“If they really wanted another kid why didn’t they just do it the old fashioned way, you know, the same way I came to be.”“I do not know. Camille did not speak to me about her intimate life.”That’s so gross, now Carlo has a terrible mental image; unfortunately having to coincide she is right not to know their reasons.Carlo gave out a deep sigh, needing to sit, to have a minute to handle all this information.“Why him?” Why take care of his brother and not him? Did his mother not love him? Not care for him? Did she have regrets about having him?“I cared for you as well Carlo,” Sophia has always been there, always observing from a distance “Pinocchio needed more guidance.”Carlo took a deep breath: The blue butterfly, the one he would constantly see near him. He assumed it was one of the many dimensional butterflies he encounters constantly; they tend to flock around him in certain places. He watched said butterflies appear to his mother from time to time; having always seen them in his life, he believed the blue butterfly to be as simple as the rest, he couldn't have foreseen it was the same butterfly each time either.“When you spoke to Gemini in the park you did it on purpose.”“Correct.”“You wanted to met me. Why couldn’t- no wait. I would have been very apprehensive if you showed out of nowhere. Clever aren’t you?”“I’d like to think I am clever, though I’m not on the same level as your mother was,” Said Sophia, the time had come for the two of them to finally met. Besides, she wished to follow Camille's instructions in the ways she wanted to protect her sons, follow her detailed plans; “Please don’t think that Camille had any preferential treatment for either you or Pinocchio. She loved you both dearly, and she left something else behind special just for you.”Carlo thought of what that could be. Perhaps in another time, had he heard all this, he would have assumed what Sophia said; that his mother truly favored his brother, just as he believes his father favors him. While he isn’t changing his mind about his father any time soon; Carlo believes that his mother wouldn’t do such a thing. Is that why Sophia reached out personally so late? Was she waiting for that moment? Where enough time would have passed, a decent enough healing that his emotions wouldn’t have overwhelmed him?Sophia fluttered closer and closer towards Carlo, grabbing his hands, and moving them towards his chest. The blue ergo particles changing from their light blue to a white glow.“I think, you already know the answer.”Carlo couldn’t help but to softly smile, now he understands.“That’s enough sentimentalism, I’m glad you glance over me and stuff; and I’m thankful that you look after my brother,” Carlo let go of Sophia’s hands, trying to appear cool and collected, “Still if you ever hurt my brother, you and I are going to have a problem.”

Sophia understood, not holding anything against him, “May we met again one day, for now, I’ll prefer if you pretend I don’t exist.”“I can see why my mother was your friend,” Guess it comes naturally when you have special powers to be secretive, “Though surely you don’t except me not to tell my brother or Romeo?”“I shall make an exception for them and only them,” Sophia made her terms clear, “Not another soul, not your mentor if you were to speak with her again.”Carlo took quick notice on that strange emphasis, “You two know each other?”Before Lea left, she said there were many "debts" she needed to settle, not ones of monetary value; Lea would not specify what she meant, only that there was much of her past she needed to confront, more importantly, she mentioned she was looking for a member of her family, her sister to be precise. A revelation which shocked Carlo and Romeo considering they weren’t aware she had one; Valentinus Monad only had one daughter which he adopted. Lea told them to kept this private, specially not mention a word to her parents if they asked her apprentices questions; Lea never gave them the name of her sister, is that how they are connected? Or is it purely a coincidence?“You could say we did, once upon a time,” The ergo around the room went back to its usual tone, “Although she is not the same Lea I used to know, and I’m not the same Sophia she knew.”“I get it, siblings fall out,” That’s what Carlo concluded, “She seemed pretty eager to find you and you were here all along; do be nice to her if you reunite, won’t you?”“And I hope that you are kind to Pinocchio, once you see each other again."Those last words echoed through the room, engulfing it with light; Carlo finding himself once again in his brother’s room.

Carlo came back, with a few minutes to spare. Before Romeo could ask any questions , he rushed straight into the hidden compartment, grabbing the snow globe, using his hands to break it with all his might.It wasn’t a decoration, it wasn’t a ball of glass filled with liquid to simulate snow. It was white crystallized Ergo, one his body absorbed in an instant. Carlo felt strange, felt something changing inside of him; grabbing the letter his mother wrote for him; on the last page, on that strange blank space that always seemed out of place was a message he couldn't see before, one written with Ergo."If the time has come where you are able to read this, I first want to say that I’m deeply proud of you.My sweet Carlo. It pains me to leave you behind; always know that I knew you would find this message. Like I knew you would become a stalker, you will he the greatest stalker in the world like you always dreamed of.This is my special gift, for my special little stalker. I’m sure you’ll find it most useful, for your profession, and maybe just maybe, for other wonderful uses as well.”-The part of me that still lives. The part of me, that’s now within you.”A very confused Romeo stepped into the room, watching tears forming in Carlo’s eyes, one of his hands touching his chest. Romeo asking what had happened, what was wrong?Carlo took a deep breath, “I need to tell you a very weird, and long story.”

“Everything okay?”“What?”Alexis told Pinocchio that he suddenly touched his chest, staying quiet, too quiet; asking if he was overheating again.“It’s nothing, I felt something strange in my Ergo for a minute, that’s all,” Not the first time it happens, likely won’t be the last; Pinocchio has been through so many changes in such a small amount of time.“Damn, puppets can feel their Ergo? That’s cool,” Alexis put his equipment aside, “Oh, by the way, my stepmother is leaving for a few days to visit family abroad; I’ve been dying to do anything that isn’t house chores or assignments, are you in with me to celebrate the occasion?”Pinocchio nodded, brainstorming ideas for what the two of them could do. Watching Ella and Gemini chime in; seeing a small blue butterfly land on his shoulder. Feeling good, feeling happy, surrounded by his friends.

Notes:
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I know that snow globes have not been invented in this time period yet, but if we can have pretty twink puppets, I am sure we can have snow globes. Jokes about Pinocchio aside, like I am also pretty sure they could have been a thing and its not too out of place? I mean Krat is very technologically advanced.Next chapter will be about Pino and Eugenie, exited to share it eventually.Thank you all for reading!! ♡

• Next Chapter

How You Bring Joy to Life

Chapter 7

Pinocchio had been in a great mood these past few days; his studies weren’t too harsh, there had been plenty of time for his hobbies and not to mention spending time with his new found friends; the moments spend with Alexis and Ella were wonderful, sadly, today he is not going to be able to met with the duo thank to the strictness of Alexis stepmother. The good news is that he and Eugénie are meting today to catch up! Finally able to spend time together in person since the day his father introduced them to one another.No news of Carlo recently. Pinocchio is starting to believe his brother might have given up fully in mending the relationship. Trying to come to terms that their relationship will never heal.Pinocchio found him himself strolling in the streets of Elysion Boulevard, snapping out of his thoughts; with time to spare to arrive at his destination, he decided to take things slowly, admire his surroundings. Ever since the incident with his overheating, he’s been having little exercises to calm himself down. It’s in this exercise that he caught a glimpse in his eyes that made him approach a lady with blonde hair; one that had accidentally dropped the bag she was carrying, trying to be the gentleman as Lady Antonia taught him he rushed to her side to help, only to realize moments later he recognized that woman.It was Markiona, when looking at her up front it’s impossible to not recognize her. Not many people have blue skin after all; a side effect of extreme Ergo over exposure. Rare as it can be, most people in Krat already know the reason why if they encounter someone with said condition, no need to ask, specially because of how rude it would sound.“Thank you, Pinocchio,” Markiona talked casually, like she was meeting an old friend, “Not many men these days help out ladies like me.”Pinocchio handed Markiona her bag back, dusting it off with his hands a little before doing so, “Oh, um, it’s nothing Miss-"“Please, call me Markiona, there is no need for formalities; not when your mother and I were so close,” Markiona gave him a faint smile, “She has been on my mind recently, I suppose that’s what got me all distracted.”Pinocchio felt a tight feeling of his chest, his gut instinct telling him to end this conversation and move on. His father obviously doesn’t trust her and neither does Carlo, what reason does he have no to trust their judgment?“What was she like?” Pinocchio ignored his gut and his brain; thinking instead with his heart, “If you don’t mind me asking.”Markiona waved her finger, signaling for Pinocchio to follow her somewhere more private, an empty and deserted back alley.“Camille was the greatest technician of all,” Markiona sighed, one of her hands now in her cheek, “I was her apprentice, yet I felt there I could never keep up with her skills.”She talked about how Camille taught her all she knew; how she was a master at figuring out any mechanical device she came into contact with, about her willingness to always help others.“Camille was kind; too kind really, I wish I could have gained her selflessness;” Said Markiona, moving her hand towards Pinocchio, almost if to touch him, only to stop herself at the last second, “She kept many secrets too, I knew a few… personal ones. I wish I could tell you of them, but I rather not invade my mentor’s privacy.”Pinocchio nodded, understanding that reasoning, softening a little towards her.“I know your father and brother don’t like me that much; her death it… changed us all,” Markiona looked away for a moment, her expression a bit shaken, “It divided all of us, I don’t think that’s what she would have wanted; in the end, I guess life never goes as planned.”Pinocchio wasn’t sure how to respond. There is no denying that his mother’s death was the catalyst for the rift in his family, there are plenty of other factors, however none would exist if she was still alive. Maybe Markiona is right, maybe it’s not that anyone is exactly wrong in this situation, people change, people drift apart.“Not to end of a sour note, so I’ll say this: Camille would have been thrilled to see you become a technician,” Markiona apologized for taking his time, for being too sentimental, “I see her passion within you, I’m sure if anyone would be able to surpass her, that would be yourself.”This time Markiona could not stop herself, gently touching Pinocchio's face, giving him a warm smile. In front of him was not the woman others said he should distrust, or the intense ruthless technician, nor the a woman of high society who breaks all the rules of said high standards; instead, was a kind and comprehensive person, one who could have inherited that trait from his mother, one who maybe isn't the bad person everyone believes her to be.After Markiona had left, Pinocchio moved on, seeing Eugénie from a distance, waving at him to get his attention. Pinocchio could tell there was something off about her today, she looked tired, too exhausted."Work has been killing me these past few days," Eugénie lied, noticing his concern, "I'm happy to see you again! What have you been up to?"

Pinocchio made a bit of small talk, avoiding mentioning his overheating incident as to not give her any worries; saying that Mason had started to become slightly less strict, attributing the fact to good luck."Hey, I'm glad he has a heart after all," Eugénie hopes her previous comments to Geppetto about Mason were the reason he is softening a little, "Um, sorry if this is all out of the blue, but, do you mind of we change the time for a bit later today? Something came up with my brother and well, I want to be there for him.""Of course! There is no problem at all," Pinocchio had all the day to himself, "What hour did you have in mind?""Do you mind switching it to around… 5pm?" Very late, she knows and apologizes, "Again, sorry for-""No, no, no, it's no bother at all," Pinocchio reassured her, "Me and Gemini can hang out in the meantime."Eugénie breathed in a sigh of relief, thanking him for understanding, promising she would be there at the exact meeting time. Waving him goodbye as she rushed out in a hurry."It really looks like whatever happened was very last minute," Chirped Gemini, glad that at least she found the time to spend time with his pal."I'm sure she wants to support her brother in whatever he needs," After all, Pinocchio would do the same for Carlo.…Would Carlo do the same for him?

"Hellooo? Pinocchio are you listening?"Pinocchio became startled, seeing Carlo right in front of him; Pinocchio starting to believe he summons his brother by thinking about him at this point."Carlo, I didn't see you," Pinocchio gets too immersed on his thoughts, "How have you been?""Uhhh…" Carlo is not ready to tell Pinocchio what happened yet, "Busy."Busy, of course, without wanting to talk about what busy is for him, "I hope you get time for yourself, maybe time for us to spend together?""Sure, sure, one of these days," Carlo has other priorities at the moment, "I mean do need to talk to you, but not right here, not right now."Pinocchio asks if its private, Carlo deflects the question. Making Pinocchio frustrated."Its not personal, I have a life you know?" Carlo scoffed, "And when I talk to you, its going to be really really important, later we can do all that sibling bonding stuff or whatever it is you want to do.""There is no need to be rude about it," Gemini spoke up.Pinocchio agreed, though he did not wish to antagonize his brother, "Carlo, is something wrong? You sound upset.""There is nothing wrong, you just- caught me in a bad time."Pinocchio agreed, though he did not wish to antagonize his brother, "Carlo, is something wrong? You sound upset.""There is nothing wrong, you just- caught me in a bad time.""You were the one who came to me, not the other way around."Carlo's face had now become red with frustration, still refusing to tell Pinocchio what was wrong, in the end, he took a deep breath, handing Pinocchio a letter."Read this, we'll met up later," Carlo made sure to tell him no one knew, not even their father; "Have a good time with Gemini, I have to go."Carlo left as fast as he had appeared, Pinocchio couldn't help but wonder if Carlo was having a bad time and he simply didn't want to tell him, or maybe its more than that, maybe Carlo truly doesn't want to reconcile anymore like he previously believed, but still wants to try and somewhat make him happy; not completely crush his spirts at any reconciliation of the relationship.Pinocchio stepped aside to a less crowded place, opening the letter right there instead if waiting to read it back home."Pinocchio,We'll met at father's home for a talk, there is something important I need to tell you; once you are done reading this, give me a time in which we can be completely alone, if father is there when I arrive, I'm leaving.Don't tell anyone about this meeting, specially not anyone at the Workshop Union.PS: Specially NOT Markiona! What were you doing talking to her?! She is trying to manipulate you!-With love, Carlo."That with love stands out compared to the rest of the tone of the letter; Pinocchio does hold the slight hope that whatever this is about, Carlo truly does care for him. Also, was he spying on him? How did he know he talked to Markiona? Considering that last part of the letter looked like it was written in a rush, not out of the question."Well, what do we do now pal?" Gemini asked, "We can do whatever you'd like.""Actually, we are always doing what I want, you should choose this time around," It's not fair to Gemini that he gets dragged along everywhere, "How does that sound?"It sounded lovely to Gemini, who is just as artsy of a puppet as Pinocchio, suggesting they watch a few shows around Rosa Isabelle Street.

Pinocchio was steps away from the coffee shop where he and Eugénie where set to met, arriving in time. Eugénie wasn’t there yet, which was no problem, it would be a matter of minutes before she did so; father has spoken about how she is punctual to every meeting after all, plus, she promised she would be here herself.Five minutes passed, then ten, then twenty. His first instinct was to assume that there must have been another malfunction in the tram system, they have been happening so regularly lately; his second one felt there was more to it, not that she suddenly decided to ditch him, Eugénie is not that type of person. So was there an emergency? Was there more to what she said to him in the morning?If it hadn’t been because the store clerk kept giving him weird looks (probably wondering if we was finally going to order or not), Pinocchio chose to leave. Staying close by in case she appeared; to calm his nerves, he looked around his surroundings again, this time being much more difficult, the streets looking more crowded than ever, too much noise, to many people talking; somehow in that chaos, he managed to pick up the faint sound of small sobs.Following that sound was easier said than done, leading him towards a dead end, in that empty street corner was none other than Eugénie, her eyes puffy and red from the crying, trying to wipe away the tears from her eyes.“Eugénie are you-"Suddenly, Eugénie kicked him in the chest, hard, not hard enough to damage him thanks to his durability, that would have hurt if he was human. Eugénie realized what she did, realizing who she hit as well, apologizing profusely, getting more emotional.“I get it, alone in an alley, a guy follows you, understandable you might freak out,” Pinocchio was more concerned about why she was crying, “What happened?”“I’m so so sorry,” Eugénie apologized for her lateness, she never meant to leave him thinking she had ditched at the last second, “I was on my way when I… broke down.”These past few days had been a roller coaster for Eugénie; at first it was exiting to be Geppetto’s apprentice, she enjoyed all the tasked and projects that she was now part of. When all of a sudden, old colleges of her started becoming hostile towards her, at first Eugénie assumed it was a case of people being jealous of others finding success, however, people she was very friendly with and didn’t have the same ambitions as her in the union were purposely giving her the cold shoulder and ignoring her. She refused to believe this was pure jealousy, she tried asking what was wrong, if she did anything to upset anyone; the only answer she got from one of them was “you know what you did.”Considering the rumors going behind her back, could it be that one of them made it towards her previous colleagues and they believed them? Yes Eugénie wasn’t exactly the most popular girl, truthfully she didn’t exactly have the closest of friendships with them; she at least believed they would have given her the benefit of the doubt. To believe those rumors so easily would have meant they never truly thought nice or decently enough of her to believe they couldn’t be true.

There were two people Eugénie used to be very close with, two young women who she studied with, both having dropped out at one point or another. One to become a stalker, the other to become an alchemist; she stayed in touch, letters, girls nights, being there at each other’s graduations, you name it. For the last year, outings in the friend group had been happening less frequently. When Eugénie came to see each, when she needed her friend to vent to, they gave her similar responses.They were sorry it happened, wished they could help. But they are so busy these days, maybe one day they can hang out, talk things through. Not now, they didn’t have the energy for her right now.“I didn’t want to ditch you, and I didn’t want to vent to my brother; I feel like I do it all the tome these days and it’s not fair-he has his own life and I’m whining too much-“ Eugénie spoke too rapidly, dropping sobs in between, “People grow apart all the time, people change- it’s not their- fault it’s-"“Not your fault either,” Pinocchio touched her hand, telling her to take deep breaths, “I can’t say if these people always were your true friends either; I honestly have no exact words that can help you feel better, all I can say its I don’t think you are whinny, much less too much.”Eugénie took those deep breaths, the last one lifting a deep weight of her shoulders.“Thank you,” Eugénie let out one last sob, “I needed to let that out.”“Do you need me to accompany you home?” Asked Pinocchio.“Actually, I could use that cup of coffee,” A good coffee always leaves her feeling better, “Anything to take my mind off that mess.”Their stay at the coffee shop was mostly silent, both drinking their coffee, with the occasional question here and there. Pinocchio expected one of those questions to be how he could drink coffee in the first place, either she didn’t think too much of it, or assumed it must be a private matter.Pinocchio did accompany Eugénie home in the end, saying that whatever happens, he was there to lend and ear, or be present in time of need.When Eugénie entered her home, she was surprised to see her brother, sitting in the couch, after their meeting in the morning, he had told her that he was doing a special mission, and that he might come home late."It turned out to be easier than expected," A bit too easy if Alidoro were to say, "I found out who made up those rumors about you.""What?! That was your special mission?!" On one hand Eugénie feels grateful for his help, on the other, "You think I couldn't handle it on my own?!""I believe I found it strange when your reputation was being ruined selectively," Why else would it be only her old friends and colleges and not the people around her new found position, "Someone is trying to hurt you, trying to make you quit being Geppetto's apprentice.""What for? Jealousy?" The nerve of some people, Eugénie will never understand."Considering who it was, I doubt.""Then can you stop being so cryptic and say who it was?" Do all stalkers do the "I'm so mysterious act" or is it just her brother?"Markiona," Which is odd, what does she gain from bullying her sister? Or is that woman as petty and as vindictive as everyone claims? "Unfortunately, I only have spoken statements, ones that assured me they would turn their backs on me if I tried to made the information public.""What?" Eugénie was confused, why Markiona of all people? She had interacted with her before in the past, sure she is intense and weird, very weird actually- nevermind, the point is she did nothing to deserve such treatment; hell she is sure there is nothing she could have done to deserve it, "Does she not want me to be Geppetto's apprentice?""I believe it runs deeper than that," Alidoro will have to investigate more, "For now, keep your distance from her.""I mean, it's not like we were girls pals or anything now that the two of us work relatively closer together," Eugénie sat right next to her brother, "Somehow I get along better with the men twice or triple my age than her."She doesn't have the decency to be fake nice to her or anyone either for that matter, "Can we change the subject? I rather not think about this right now. How was your work? Your actual work, not you spying on me."

"IT is my job to take care of you," Alidoro takes his side missions to care for his sister very seriously, "Still, all well, ignoring me getting annoyed to no end to participate in that fighting event."Since everyone wants to see the great Alidoro the Hound show off his fighting skills, right, the last thing he wants is to fight for show."People asking you to attend the event annoy you; people asking you to train them annoys you; having any mission that is not related to treasure hunting annoys you; I swear you should have become an alchemist instead like you first wanted," Eugénie teased him, "You'd look great in that uniform, probably batter than those ragged clothes.""They are not ragged!" Alidoro defended his outfit choices."You've had them for what now? 10 years? Those clothes needed a seamstress yesterday.""You've always fixed it with no issues," Alidoro countered, "Which I thank you very much for.""I'm not sure that I'm going to manage to salvage it the next time part of the fabric tears," Eugénie was no longer joking, "Seriously it might help to give it a few professional touch ups; or is this a Sweeper's thing where you guys don't want to look fancy like the Bastards?""You don't think my outfit looks fancy enough?""Compared to the luxury brand outfits of the Bastards? Well…""Okay, fine, I'll admit it; I'll find a seamstress soon enough." He could relent that his outfit needs proper repairs, "Parrot is going to complain to no end about the money."Parrot has bee acting strange lately, too much money on his mind. He is going to need to have a serious talk with him, if he doesn't change his behavior, he will drop him as his stalker partner."Wonderful! Now, let me prepare us dinner," Eugénie was hungry and she is sure her brother is starving, "Thank you, for looking out for me."While there were plenty of questions on Eugénie's mind, combined with a different mix of emotions; what mattered now to Eugénie was spending time with her one and only family. Grateful that no matter what happened, she'll always have her brother by her side.

“Good to see you again, Pinocchio.” It was a pleasant surprise for Eugénie to bump into him the very next day.Pinocchio was glad to see Eugénie’s face, signaling to take a seat with him.“You come to Rosa Isabelle Street often?” Eugénie accepted the request, giving Gemini a friendly wave.“This park is like our little spot, you are welcomed to join at any time,” Gemini chirped, “We love to add more company.”Speak of the devil. Company appeared, Alexis and Ella coming out of their home moments later, introducing themselves to Eugénie.“Awww that’s the cutest puppet I’ve ever seen!” Eugénie was in awe seeing Ella, who made tiny squeaks of gratitude.“Heyyy what about me?” Gemini’s colors changed to a blue hue, his antennas going down, “Aren’t I the cutest?”“Aren’t you always saying how you want to be taken seriously and not as a cute little thing?” Pinocchio grabbed Gemini, gently giving him head pats, “For me, I can’t deny that you are the cutest puppet in the world.”“Hey don’t tease me like that!” Gemini was now glowing red, “It’s not the same coming from you.”“I don’t know Pinocchio, maybe you are the cutest puppet of all,” Alexis teased, laughing at seeing Pinocchio’s face turn red, “I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”“How about we all agree the three of them are cute and leave it at that?” Eugénie said with a smile, “I have a bit of time to spare, I would love to get to know you all better.”Ella squeaked in excitement, taking out her tiny broom, dusting off Eugénie’s glasses as they all talked about their lives at the union. Eugénie officially gaining a spot in Pinocchio’s small friend group.

Notes:
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Eugénie might have lost friendships but she managed to gain new authentic ones, and that also increses Pinocchio's friend count. Next chapter is going to be with Carlo and Pinocchio and a more emotional one.Thank you all for reading!Second Note: I was re-reading this again, one day later after posting, and I realized I accidentally put the same paragraph twice in a row, sorry that I didn't notice it before! It's been fixed.

Title

Chapter 1

Text

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Notes:
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Text

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7

• Next Chapter

How Giuseppe Geppetto got away with murder

Chapter 1: I write sins not tragedies

Summary:
They say that the killer is usually someone the victim knows.

The maid had entered her room to tell her that breakfast was ready and the scream was heard all across the mansion. María’s father rushed downstairs to see the commotion, to find the dead body of his beloved daughter, the blood filling her bedsheets, her blue eyes were still open staring at her chest, where a dagger used to murder her was still stuck to her body.Gabriel Jacob was devastated, he held his daughter's body until the police came and he had to be removed from her body.His daughter was only 23 years old.Her body was so cold and stiff due to the rigor mortis.The police analyzed the scene and they found the notes, or rather what remained of them, most of the writings had been burned but not all managed to be consumed by the flames. The notes that talked about the petrification disease, that mentioned the experiments, that mentioned the plans.María Jacob was a young alchemist, she rose to the ranks so easily and swiftly that everyone saw her true potential, and how she could change the field of alchemy. But if you were to ask her loved ones, her true passion was writing, she would write letters to those she held closer to her heart.Her now cold dead heart.——“Who was the moron that murdered her?!”Simon was furious, one job, that person had one damn job and they didn’t do it right.
“If I find out any of you send someone else to kill her ruining this plan, I swear I will make you wish for death”Everyone in that room had never seen Simon like that, he was calm and collected, manipulative and sly. He had already found the information from the one who was supposed to carry her death, the man poisoned her, they had planted the fake suicide letter, and after hours of torturing the man who poisoned her, in the end, it was true. That all was according to plan.Yet the suicide letter was never found.Not only that but her Ergo had been extracted from her body.So that means someone else went and killed her and the only ones that had a grudge against her were other alchemists.This meeting had all high-ranking members of the alchemists present, as well as Laxasia next to Simon’s side.“Please Simon we aren’t stupid,” Paracelsus said while rolling his eyes, but he could understand his frustration, there wasn’t enough evidence to convict any of them for their crimes but the police were now on their trail, if it was found out that they are responsible for the petrification disease…“Don’t play games with me Paracelsus” Simon hates how that man never takes anything seriously.“I’m not playing games… this time”Simon was frustrated, he had worked so long for this, his life goal, his destiny to become a god and it could all be ruined because of this.They needed to find out which alchemist was responsible for this, and they needed to do it fast.——

“Father I’m home,” Carlo said, he was living with his father now that he graduated and was training to become a stalker, he wanted to find a place to live with Romeo but his father insisted on him coming back home.Carlo could tell that his father wanted to fix their relationship, and Carlo wanted to try to fix things too, he does love his father but sometimes it’s hard, because of everything that happened.Geppetto came out of his workshop.Of course, even at home, his father is always working.“How was training?”“It was fine”“Were you a good boy?”“Father I’m not 10 years old anymore” Carlo was embarrassed but his father gave him a smile.“Well, not everything was fine…” Carlo gave out a deep sigh, “I found out one of my friends died”Maybe he and María weren’t that close but it still hurt to hear about her passing, worst of all was finding out how she died.“Oh, I’m sorry son… which of your friends was it?” His father asked with concern in his voice.“It was María” His father knew her, he had seen her on a few occasions. María was the daughter of an important Judge in Krat, last year was when both of them met her at an event that his father forced him to go to, and since then, they have seen each other a few times.His father was quiet, really quiet. Carlo saw a few tears coming out of his eyes.Carlo had shed a few tears as well, but he didn’t though his father was fond of her, their conversations were always so short, just simple greetings.Geppetto took a deep breath and got closer to his son and gave him a hug, Carlo hugged him back for a few minutes before letting go.“Sorry for changing the subject like this but, there is a faire coming next week, I was wondering if you wanted to go,” Geppetto thought that this would be a good idea for a father and son bonding time.It’s an annual faire, his father had only taken him once when he was a child, other times he had sneaked out of school to go with Romeo; he was planning to go with Romeo this year as well but, Carlo could see that his father was making an effort and he could go one day with his father and another with Romeo.“Sure, we can go”“That’s great” Geppetto played with his son’s hair, and Carlo was embarrassed again.When was this energy when he was a child?“I’m going to be in my workshop if you need anything, I’ll come out to have dinner”Seriously? Not even trying to have casual conversations anymore?“Ugh, whatever the old man is trying,” Carlo thought to himself.Geppetto was exhausted from all that work, but this was something important, something that he had to do.He closed the box, he would have to continue later, for now, he would safeguard this project.It was almost time for dinner, he should go and make something for himself and Carlo.Before leaving, Geppetto picked up a piece of paper, a letter, and many more letters were stacked next to it, he had been reading those letters.♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡Geppetto my beloved, I understand your concerns, but I love you, I truly do.I don’t care about the fact that you are older than me, I have fallen for you and I know that you have fallen for me as well.Please don’t feel guilty about the love you hold for me, I was the one who confessed first, I was the one who looked for you.I want to keep writing to you, I know our relationship must be a hidden one, but, isn’t that a little exciting?Maybe we can’t be together, maybe this isn’t meant to be, but for now, let’s ignore that. For now, let me show you all my feelings with these writings.I await to see you again with all my heart.-With love, María ♡♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡Geppetto buried his face in his hands.He loved her, he killed her.But he had to do it, there was no other choice.

Notes:
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Damn, Geppetto why were you dating someone so young?Not the usual stuff that I write but I was feeling like writing a murder mystery. Although we have all read the title, the true question here is how Geppetto is going to get away with it, How did kill her? Why did he have no choice?Did he really have no choice but to kill her? Or is he deluding himself?From now on, let's just wait to see what happens.Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

How Giuseppe Geppetto got away with murder

Chapter 2: Blossoming Love

Summary:
Love comes in many forms, but some of those forms must be kept secret.

He had met her at that event, they had talked for a short amount of time and he liked that conversation, the next even he saw her, he made more small talk.Then she wrote him a letter.He didn’t know how she got his address.The letter was simple, it was a poem, a poem about the work he does and Geppetto smiled but he thought nothing of it. Because María was known for her writings, she wrote to everyone she was fond of.He didn’t respond but the letters continued, the letters came almost daily, and she would write about things she saw that reminded her of him, he saw her from time to time yet the fact that she wrote to him was never addressed.Those letters made him smile, few things made his smile these days, The truth is that his work wasn’t as satisfying as it was once, yet he couldn’t stop, it was an addiction, he is addicted to his work yet even if he knows it he doesn’t stop.Not even after how much his obsession with work has hurt his son. He is trying to stop, he wants to spend more time with Carlo and he has to force himself from working so much.Carlo made him smile the most, thinking about him, and how much he had grown. He wasn’t exactly thrilled that his son wanted to be a stalker, he worried for his safety but it made Carlo happy. What he wants more than anything in this world is for his son to be happy. He treasures the moments he spends with his son.Spending time with Venigni and Antonia makes him smile, they are his friends, his only true friends, he isn’t that close with his coworkers and acquaintances.
Those moments he spends with them, he treasures them, because he can feel like he is himself and not put a facade for others.María’s letters made him smile because she made even the smallest of things sound so lovely.But then, one letter came a love letter.♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡I cannot keep this a secret any longer, Geppetto I love you.I understand you might find it strange, but I only think about you. When I’m outside and see the puppets that are all over this precious city of Krat, I think of you.When I hear my father talk about the legal affairs of the workshop union, I think of you.At my work, the other alchemists can tell I get distracted, and I get distracted because I think of you.I get scolded for it, but I cannot stop myself. I cannot concentrate on these whirling feelings in my heart.Your lovely smile, your eyes, your hair. Maybe you find it strange, for someone so young to be attracted to you, but is it the truth, you are quite handsome, the most handsome older man in Krat.It’s killing me, it’s killing me keeping my love secret, I just wished to let you know, let you know my true feelings.-From: María Jacobs ♡♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡

Geppetto read that letter and freaked out, How was this possible? How did a young lady fall for him?Yet his feelings were also a whirlpool, he couldn’t deny that he had grown fond of her and after his wife passed, he never thought he would find love again. But when Geppetto read those letters, he felt her love and he felt like he loved her back.But this was wrong.The next time he saw her at an event, he ignored her but for one moment, he went outside to get fresh air and she confronted him.“My letter… did you read it?” Her voice was so sweet, so innocent.“Yes” Geppetto took a deep breath, “María, I am very flattered but I cannot reciprocate your feelings”“Why not?” She got closer to him, “I see it, in your eyes, I know you love me back” María might not be too experienced when it comes to romantic affairs, but she knows when others are in love.She did not learn the nickname of Cupid for nothing, she loves to play Cupid and it works, countless friends that she has helped find love. True love, how many weddings has she been the bridesmaid that gets thanked for introducing the couple? All thanks to her writing, coaching her friends to write letters for the one they love.Always the bridesmaid but never the bride.“María I am old enough to be your father” He is, Gabriel is 61, just a year older than him.“Love knows no bounds” she got even closer. “We are adults, we are old enough to make our choices”It was true but it still felt wrong.“I can’t”“Yes you can”María was face to face with him.“Can I… kiss you?” She asked in a sugary tone.He wants to say no, he wants to reject her. But he sees the hearts in her eyes, he sees that she loves him, he doesn’t understand why someone like her would love him.And he never thought he could ever find love again.He is an older man, an older man who has for a long time felt starved of love.He loves his late wife, he loves her with all his heart but sometimes he feels, he feels lonely.Geppetto sees the passion in her eyes, he sees true love and he sees that someone finally loves him like that again, her eyes, even if a different color, remind him of his wife’s eyes because they hold the same passion.“Yes”The kiss was small, it lasted only two seconds.But Geppetto’s face is red, red with embarrassment, and red with frustration. Why did he do that? Why did he give in?María has a huge small im her face, she lets out a sweet chuckle.“If you ever want to write me back, use an alias,” María said teasingly.She left him, she left him alone with his thoughts.——

Despite his better judgment, he wrote her letters.Letters that he burned when committing the act, he couldn't let others know the feelings he held for her; she saved all the letters he wrote for her in a special box with a lock.He was never good at writing but that didn’t matter to her, even if he wrote just a few sentences that seemed to delight her. They saw each other on a few more occasions, but never alone, never was their love mentioned. Like an open secret between them.Geppetto mentioned in one of his letters that his favorite color was blue because it reminded him of her eyes.The next time he saw her, she was wearing a blue dress, and her nails were painted blue. She gave him a playful wave with her hand.He had to look away, he excused himself for a moment, and no one could see that he was blushing.“Father, are we going or not?”Carlo’s voice snapped him out of his trace, today was the day they were going to the faire.“Of course, Carlo I’m sorry, your old man was just thinking about something”Carlo gave him a look.
——

“Romeo my father is acting weird”Carlo was hanging out with Romeo after their training.“You don’t think he found out about us right?” Romeo wondered if Geppetto had found out about their relationship.“No, I don’t think it’s that” Although Carlo is sure that his father knows but he keeps quiet about it, at least he can appreciate that.“He is just, I don’t know, too distracted?” Carlo had never seen his father space out so much.“Maybe he is in love” Romeo teased and Carlo punched him in the shoulder.“Maybe I’m imagining things” Carlo has never spent so much time with his father, maybe he always spaces out like this and he had never seen it before because of his absence.“How was it? Did you have a good time with him?” Romeo got closer and gave Carlo a kiss im the cheek, “Hopefully not as much fun as we are having tomorrow”Carlo blushed and punched him again on the shoulder.“Carlo don’t abuse me like that~”“Shut up”Ugh, he loves that idiot so much.“I did have some fun” Carlo was starting to believe that maybe they could fix the relationship.He still has some doubts, even though his father apologized for everything because that doesn’t take the pain away.There is also the fact that he might be working less but he is spending hours at that workshop his father has at home.Sometimes he gets a little curious about what his father is working on but he locks the door for some reason.Romeo was now sitting next to Carlo, leaning on his shoulder.“You know sometimes, I wish we could be open about this”The people of Krat don’t hold the best views of relationships like theirs.“Although it’s a little fun to keep it secret right?” Romeo laughed.“Is it because you feel like you are a character like in one of those dumb operas you like?” Carlo teased him back.“They aren’t dumb!”“Why is a theater kid like you trying to become a stalker?”“I have to, what will you do with me? Can’t let anyone hurt your pretty face”They were both smiling, spending time together makes both of them smile.“Can I kiss you?” Carlo knows he doesn’t have to ask, but he just has this feeling that he should.“What a polite good boy you are,” Romeo said with a smile on his face. “Of course, you can”They kissed each other, a long kiss, these moments spent, these are the moments they both treasure the most.They talked for some time before Carlo remembered something.“Tomorrow is María’s funeral” It has taken more time than usual, he heard that it was because of the autopsy report.“Are you coming? My father is taking me there, we could give you a ride”“Yeah I would like to go” Romeo wasn’t that close with María either but he did like her as a friend. “Thanks”“Did you hear all those rumors? That she was killed because she knew something?” Carlo wasn’t one to pay attention to gossip like that, but if it was true, it’s scary to think that poor María was silenced like that.“I don’t even want to think about that, but I hope none of them are true” Romeo doesn’t like gossip either, but María’s death was something everyone was talking about.So many suspects, so many motives. Most people suspect the alchemists, her father is convinced they have something to do with it, that they did it as revenge against him. As a judge he had convinced some alchemists while working; alchemists that had committed crimes and had gone unnoticed for years.The crime was brutal, the killer didn’t even bother to cover the body or clean up the blood.“Well, whoever it was, what kind of sicko does that?” Carlo couldn’t understand how anyone could be so cruel.

Notes:
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Yeah, Carlo, who would do such a thing? Specially to someone so sweet as her.Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

How Giuseppe Geppetto got away with murder

Chapter 3: Desperate

Summary:
Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

“Simon, can we talk?”Simon looked at his sister, Isabelle, who had taken the last name of her husband. Now part of the Monad family.“Isabelle I had nothing to do with this” He knows his sister suspects him because she knows his true nature.The nature she ignores to live her happy life, Simon knows that he told Sophia to keep her powers hidden because his sister wants to ignore the past.If only Simon had Sophia in his grasp, that girl is a goddess, she was born with powers no one could ever imagine. Isabelle has her trapped in a cage, wanting to ignore the power Sophia holds, just that she can play happy family.Isabelle stares at him, anger filling her eyes.Sophia was friends with María, her daughter wept when hearing the news of her death.“For once in my life, I am telling you the truth”Well, it’s only a half-truth, he did plan to have her killed, not just in this disastrous way.Isabelle seems convinced by that statement but her anger doesn’t leave her.“You are not seeing her ever again”This time she isn’t afraid of her brother. Before she was desperate, desperate to please him, to not provoke his wrath, she isn’t desperate or scared anymore.“As long as I live, I will not let you get close to my daughter”With that said, Isabelle left.His plans might be halted for now, but that threat won’t stop him.He has already planned for her death.
——

“Simon Manus, we are here to ask a few questions”The police, with that lousy detective, managed to finally get a way to speak with him.“I have nothing to hide Harlan Silas, so I have nothing to fear”Harlan Silas the “Great Detective” is known for his strange mannerism, which others ignore due to his “Genius Intellect”Simon wants to laugh on his face but he contains himself.“Laxasia, give us some privacy”Laxasia leaves, she tends to be by his side, even if Simon holds way more power than others imagine, to the public she is supposed to be his bodyguard.Simon doesn’t like others thinking he needs protection but at least he gets to parade his achievements, Laxasia becoming complete was all his doing after all.Laxasia stays outside the room, feeling desperate, she is supposed to be complete, she is supposed to be perfect in this form. Yet her feelings for Simon did not leave, they should have left when she stopped being Adriana.She desperately wishes to leave those feelings aside, maybe not being by his side might fix that.“Now, Mr. Manus” Harlan began to speak, “I’m not saying that you did it, but I am saying that it’s strange that a young vibrant girl like María was murdered in cold blood when we have proof that she knew something that she probably shouldn’t have”This man is really supposed to be a detective?“Mr. Silas, I’m offended that you would think I would have anything to do with such a crude act” Crude indeed, the killer made a complete mess. “And María was known for her great writings, isn’t it possible that she was just furthering her creative endeavors?”“Huh, I guess that could be true boss,” One of the other detectives said, “We found some strange writing prompts in her room that weren’t burned by the culprit”Harlan looked at one of his partners, a stare to tell him to shut up. It had been a grueling task to finally be able to interview Simon and the rest of the high-ranking alchemists.“The girl had a wild imagination,” Simon said with a smile, he spied on her, as he spies on all the other alchemists, some of her writings were...interesting. Never had he seen someone describe the act of cannibalism in such a loving matter.“If that is the case, then why were we able to confirm some of the things that were written?”Simon raised an eyebrow at that, “And what are these things that you were able to confirm?”“We know that the petrification disease is not a disease found in nature, it’s something that was manufactured by mankind”Simon was enraged but he kept his composure, that stupid girl. He should have never let her climb more and more the ranks, he got too greedy, her power over Ergo was something incredible, not comparable with the one Sophia holds obviously but that girl had incredible potential.She did things with her power that would have taken any other alchemist years and years to accomplish and yet her power flowed so naturally, she also was the one to make the paralytic effect of the petrifaction disease, although at the time she wasn’t aware of its true use.The same paralytic that was supposed to kill her.She had drank the poison, she thought one of her blurters had just offered her a nice drink, she had a smile on her face, or so Simon was told.While distracted, the fake suicide note had been left inside a drawer.“Please I must ask for some privacy, do not disturb me, I’m writing something important” That was the last thing the man sent to kill her heard her say.Simon killed that man himself, after hours of torture.María found out the truth by accident, she had forgotten one of her notebooks in a room, and she got curious and read notes that weren’t hers. Just like a cat, her curiosity had her killed.

“That paralytic effect the disease has, one that makes you feel petrified, just like a stone, we know she is that one that made it,” Harlan said with a smug grin.“Even if such a statement was true, what makes you believe it was us who began to spread it? As alchemists we must help others, what do we gain out of making the people sick?” There is no reason for anyone to believe they would want to harm others, there is nothing to gain.Well, Simon has a lot to gain but that’s not the point. The average person shouldn’t doubt their motives.“They say that the path to hell is paved with good intentions Mr. Manus” Harlan walked as he spoke, “Maybe your group had good intentions and things got, a little out of hand”Simon let out a small laugh, that was ridiculous. He never had good intentions, this detective had no clue what he was talking about.“Sure, believe what you want, but unless you can prove we had something to do with this I think we are done here” Simon stood up from his chair.“Don’t worry about that Simon, we already have a search warrant”“Excuse me?” That had to be a lie.“We do, in fact, while we were having this conversation, my team was already gathering evidence” Harlan had played his cards correctly as usual.Simon is a careful man, some might even say paranoid, but he never keeps any of his research in here. But he cannot say the same about other alchemists.“Tell me Mr. Silas, do you truly believe that I have something to do with her death?” Simon wasn’t being sly anymore, he had to be direct.“As I said, I’m saying it was you who did it, but it’s certainly a possibility that one of your men did it” Harlan lied.Because he knows that this isn’t the work of an alchemist, this isn’t a crime of silencing.This is a crime of passion.María did not fight back, there was no sign of forced entry, she was stabbed in the front and not in the back, this was someone she knew, someone she trusted.But Harlan couldn’t reveal that, because this was his chance, his chance to finally convict the alchemists, he had known for years that they were up to something, but it was not until now, until this excuse that they could investigate and Harlan is desperate, desperate to find the information he needs.
——

“This is bad” that’s all Paracelsus could say.“This is a disaster” All of Simon’s clever and meticulous plans were being ruined.“At this point, it’s only a matter of time before the truth is found” Paracelsus knows that it is all about to be over soon.“We need a scapegoat, anything! Anyone that we can blame this on!” Simon was shouting.“Love, please calm down”Simon threw a knife at Paracelsus, the knife landing the the wall just inches away from his head“Don’t call me that” Simon hates the games Paracelsus tries to play with him.“You know I don’t love you, I never have, I never will”Simon is in denial again.And that makes Paracelsus feel desperate.Those nights spent together, those moments when the great Simon Manus is vulnerable with him, those moments when Paracelsus can be himself when he can drop the facade he always has.Those nights were filled with intimacy.Why can’t he accept his love? Why can’t Simon accept that they were meant for each other?Deep down Paracelsus knows why.Because Simon refuses to accept he is capable of love.“Stop lying” This is the first time Paracelsus doesn’t brush off those comments.Simon has a firm grasp on Paracelsus’s neck.Because Simon is desperate, because all of his hard work is falling apart in front of him, and the man obsessed with control is powerless to do anything. His already paranoid mind becoming even more paranoid.Paracelsus barely lets out a laugh.“What’s so funny?” Simon’s words cut like daggers.“I know something you don’t,” Paracelsus says in a playful tone.Simon lets him go.“I was looking at María’s correspondence, she got a letter from someone”“And?” Simon rolled his eyes “She wrote letters to everyone and people wrote her back, she even wrote a letter for you”“Oh yes her letter was quite lovely” She wrote about how she wanted to tie him up and slowly drain all the blood from his body, her letter having a smiley face at the end.Simon raised his hand, but before he could begin to choke Paracelsus again, the man showed a piece of paper in his hand, a letter.“This letter was even more lovely to read”Simon stopped himself again, now intrigued.“What did you find?”“I found out that Geppetto likes mentality unstable young girls”
——

Geppetto is looking at her dead body, he is dressed in black, he is at the wake with Carlo.He desperately wants to hold her, he desperately wants to apologize to her, for what he did. He wants to hold her one last time.But he can’t, he can’t anyone know how he feels, he is supposed to be here because he knows Gabriel and because his son was friends with her.She looks so peaceful, so beautiful even death she is beautiful.Geppetto loves her, he hates her for what she made him do.She forced his hand.María wasn’t the innocent girl his father thought her to be, her father’s eyes were red and sore from all the crying, that detective assigned to the case was next to him, looking at everyone in the room.♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡Want.I want you Geppetto.I want to hold you just for myself, I want you to be mine. I am desperate, desperate to see you again, we are in love, yet we have only kissed once, we are in love, yet I am not allowed to touch you if it’s not for a greeting handshake.Why can’t you be mine? Why should we hide our love?At night, I weep because you aren’t next to me because you love the true me, not the one I pretend to be.You like my letters, despite how much they have changed, despite how much my letters would disturb anyone else.But you like them, you love the horrible things I write about you.The things I would do to you.I love you because you don’t judge my love language, you don’t judge my twisted letters, each time I send a letter like that to others, I have to make an excuse, that I just wanted their opinion on a story.No excuses are needed with you, you understand me, you understand my metaphors.My disgusting metaphors.Alas, our love must be hidden, a shadow in the moonlight. I am happy with that, happy because you to love me despite the fact we cannot share any intimacy. Anyone else would have given up by now, anyone else would demand physical affection, not you, you love me for who I am.You love my writings, therefore you love me.-Only Yours truly, María ♡♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡Her letters were like reading a horror story.A horrible story that you cannot stop yourself from reading.She wrote about murdering him and eating him, she wrote about holding him captive, she wrote about killing for him, she wrote about wearing his skin as a suit. How she would love to set him on fire or feed him to savage wolves.And he loved those letters.Not to say that her more whimsical letters were simple or stopped being sent, but she stopped hiding her true self.Just like Geppetto stopped hiding his true self.His letters were still short, but he stopped feeling ashamed of loving her, he wrote simple things about how he missed her, how he was fond of her letters, how her writings were beautiful.Beautifully deranged.He would anxiously and desperately wait each day for her letters, she wrote him daily, despite all her hard work as an alchemist and the public events she had to attend due to her father, María wrote a letter each day.She was obsessed with him.Like he is obsessed with his work.His obsession with work has to stop, he has to be there for Carlo. He is doing his best, he knows that he can beat this obsession.At the end of the day, Carlo is the most important person in his life.He loves his son more than anyone or anything.

——

“I’m going outside do you boys need anything?” Geppetto was leaving for groceries, Carlo was home and Romeo had been invited to come along.They didn’t need anything, Geppetto left the house and it only took a few minutes for Romeo to say it.“You want to take a peek inside his workshop?”For a moment, Carlo wanted to say no, but his curiosity was killing him, he needed to know why his father was always there each time he came back from training. Sometimes Carlo could even hear some faint noises at night, yet he knew that his father was asleep, and that only made his intrigue grow.Romeo used his lockpicking skills to open the door, they just needed to lock it again and shut the door when leaving, no one would suspect a thing.A lot of tools were scattered around, Carlo knew that his father wasn’t this messy when it came to his work, this was odd.They looked around, mostly blueprints and notes about his work at the union.“Mmm, what’s this?” Romeo picked up a few papers that were staked on top of a large box with a lock.Romeo began to read them, and he became quiet.“What?” Carlo took away the paper from his hand.The letter from his hand.When Carlo finished reading them he grabbed more of them and read them, read all of the love letters meant for his father.Carlo and Romeo couldn’t describe what they were feeling, this had to be some sort of sick twisted joke.

Notes:
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This detective is smarter than he looks and María wasn't as innocent as she claimed.Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

How Giuseppe Geppetto got away with murder

Chapter 4: Liar

Summary:
Everyone lies from time to time, but the more you lie, the more lies to cover up those lies.

Geppetto picked up the phone, it's late at night, who could be calling him at this hour?“It’s me” It was María’s voice, she had never called him before, he had never given him the phone number of his home.“María-““I need you to walk me home” A small hiccup was heard from the other line.“What-““I’m at Elysion Boulevard, the bar is next to that buffet restaurant”She hung up the phone.Geppetto didn’t want to stay up too late, tomorrow was when Carlo was moving back home with him, he had also offered Romeo to stay with them but he said it was too much.Still, Geppetto said how he was always welcomed inside their home.He knew how Romeo loved Carlo, and how his son loved him back. As a parent you know those things, and it’s a bit obvious when it comes to those two but he keeps it secret, Carlo will tell him when he is ready. If he is even ready, and even if his son never tells him, that’s fine with him.Geppetto took a deep breath, Carlo is important to him, the most important person in his life, more than María but she was drunk in the streets late at night and that’s a recipe for disaster.——

She was next to a public phone, she waved to him while moving her fingers playfully.The streets were completely deserted, even as they walked together, no one else was to be found.“María I don’t think your father is going to be happy seeing you like this” Geppetto was worried, Gabriel properly wondering where his daughter was.“I’ll make up an excuse”“Like?” María smelled strongly of gin, that’s not something easy to cover up.“That I went out with friends, I got peer pressed to drink and I went outside for fresh air, you just happened to walk by and offered to walk me home” María had a smile on her face.“That’s not very convincing, he is going to ask questions”“Geppetto he thinks I’m Snow White and that I can do no wrong, he will believe me”Before Geppetto could speak up again, María said something first.“Like how Carlo lies to you and you believe him”“What? What does that even mean?!” Geppetto is mad but he has to calm down, she is just drunk.“Nothing, it’s not like I know a deep dark secret he holds just that, all kids hide things from their parents, Carlo is no different” María didn’t mean make to her love mad, but she had a hard day.Geppetto stays quiet, it’s true, Carlo lies to him and he can tell.But Carlo is a good boy, he knows that he isn’t a bad person, at the end of the day his lies are just harmless excuses for his mischievous behavior.His son wants to be a stalker, he wants to help others; María is right all kids lie to their parents and that’s not inherently a bad thing.“I lie about a lot of things to my father”He stays silent.“How I don’t drink, how I don’t smoke”Nothing is heard but the sound of crickets.“How I am not in love with anyone”Geppetto lets out a sigh, “I’m sorry”“Do you know why I came here? I drink but I don’t get drunk, I wanted to get drunk” María sounds annoyed and frustrated, she doesn’t have the sweet sugary voice anymore.“Why did you come here?” Geppetto wants to know what’s making her upset, what he can do to help her.“Because he introduced me to a suitor”Oh.“María I…” Geppetto was interrupted yet again by María.“I know my father wants the best for me, I KNOW but, ugh, that suitor, that man isn’t you” María only loves Geppetto, she will only love him.Geppetto doesn’t even know what to say anymore, and if he says something he is probably going to get interrupted again.It’s best to try and make this conversation flow naturally.“He thinks I have never kissed anyone before”Was he her first kiss? Geppetto doubts it by the look on her face.“But… I don’t lie to him when I say I’m a virgin”“Okay María listen-“

“I want you to-““You are drunk María, I won’t”She laughed. “‘Not now you big old idiot but eventually”Geppetto is blushing, that girl is so, so, ugh!“You are a good man Geppetto, others would have taken the opportunity”“I’m not, it’s having common decency” It’s the bare minimum.Everything it’s quiet again.“Do you love me more than Carlo?”“Absolutely NOT!” Geppetto did not hesitate.María let out a small laugh and booped Geppetto’s nose.“Now I know that you really are a good man, that was just a test” She got closer to Geppetto and grabbed his shoulder, playfully hugging him.They keep walking, her home isn’t too far away now.“Geppetto I will never make you choose between Carlo and me, I know that your son comes first” María paused, “Besides I’m not like one of those weird jealous women”“Well I know you aren’t jealous, but I can’t say that you aren’t weird” It was now Geppetto’s turn to playful.María stepped in front of him, “Can I kiss you?”“Of course”They kissed in the veil of midnight, only the moon and the stars as their witness, this time, it wasn’t a quick kiss, it was a passionate one.“Oh Geppetto, I love you so much”“I love you too”“I love you so much that I want to tear you apart limb by limb, each of your organs, and slowly replace them with puppet parts so you can become my perfect puppet to love”She is insane.Geppetto loves her insanity.They kiss again and then keep walking, María’s huge home only a few minutes away, the biggest house in Elysion Boulevard.“Thank you so much for caring for me Daddy”“Okay that’s too weird” Geppetto has his limits, “Go back to wanting to murder me”They both laughed, finally arriving.“I’m so sorry father I shouldn’t have listened to those girls” María’s voice was angelic, with no trace of deception in her lies.“Geppetto thank you so much for helping her, I don’t want to even imagine what would have happened if you weren’t there” Gabriel was so grateful, he couldn’t stop thanking Geppetto.“You are someone I can trust, you are a good man”
——

The next day he was tired but he did his best for Carlo not to notice, he wanted to spend time with him, he spent all day with him, forgetting about checking his mail, he only did it until the next day, the unopened letter waiting for him.♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡You are the best man I could ever ask for.You are also a family man, I don’t expect you to keep up with writing me, but that’s alright, make time for your son. Carlo is so lucky to have you as his father.He is also really understanding, I love you Geppetto, yet my love doesn’t blind me, I know that you haven’t been the best father.But you are trying to fix that, that’s admirable and it speaks a lot about Carlo that he is also willing to give you a chance, I unfortunately don’t think I could do such thing if the relationship with my father was strained.I will keep writing to you, even if you never respond, do what you think it’s best Geppetto.-With murderous intent, María ♡♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡“I’m home”Carlo was in the living room, it looked like Romeo had already left.He left the groceries in the kitchen, then Geppetto made his way to his workshop, he unlocked the door but paused after opening it.“Carlo, did you enter my workshop?”Carlo didn’t look right, he was shaking when he asked the question“No Father”“It’s nothing, maybe the lock is just getting old”“Father I swear I didn’t enter”Geppetto turns around towards his son and plays with his hair.“It’s okay Carlo, I believe you” He believes his son’s lies.“It’s almost winter, I can see that you are feeling cold, go change to something else, I don’t want my little boy to get sick”“Father!” Carlo was embarrassed, but Geppetto’s plan worked, his son wasn’t tense anymore.“Carlo I’m your father it’s my job to embarrass you” Geppetto is smiling and he hugs his son.Carlo hugs him back, but he doesn’t let go and Geppetto hears a few sobs coming from his son.“Father I…” Carlo loves him, he wants to believe in him, he knows that his father loves him too, that he realized his mistakes. He has been so affectionate, and so caring, Carlo finally feels like he has his father back.That’s why he doesn’t want to believe he would do something so horrible.Maybe he did love her, but that doesn’t mean he murdered her right?“Carlo it’s okay, you don’t have to tell me anything that would make you feel uncomfortable” Geppetto gave out a sigh, “To be frank I already knew about you and Romeo-““WHAT?!” Carlo was shocked, this wasn’t what he thought would happen.“Son it’s okay, I don’t mind, I love you no matter what”Carlo was crying, the conversation had completely shifted but he still felt emotional.“I thought you would be mad at me,” Carlo said in between sobs.“Of course not! Carlo, I love you no matter what!” Geppetto shouted, his son is his life, he would do anything for him.He would kill for him.Geppetto gave his son another hug, they stayed quiet for some time. They sat down in the living room and after some time Carlo opened up, about Romeo, about their relationship. He never believed his father would be so understanding, he thought he would hate him.It looks like he is wrong about a lot of things about his father.Still, he had to ask.“Father, do you miss her?” Carlo is referring to his mother.“Of course I miss her Carlo” Geppetto doesn’t hesitate to respond, “I still love her to this day”“Have you ever loved someone else?” Carlo thankfully made it sound very casual, it looked like his father didn’t suspect anything. His voice was too sweet, not a trace of deceit in it.“No, I haven’t” Geppetto lied.

Notes:
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Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

How Giuseppe Geppetto got away with murder

Chapter 5: A rose filled with thorns

Summary:
A rose filled with thorns by any other name would be just a deathly.

♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡To be or not to be.Lately, Shakespeare has been a lot in my mind, my love, I admire Hamlet and his quest for revenge. To be truthful, I am also a vengeful person.If I knew that someone I love would be harmed in any way, I wouldn’t hesitate to act, I would do what it takes, and I would take my own life if necessary.My work as an alchemist has gained me many admirers and many enemies.But I don’t want to think about my work, don’t get me wrong, I love my job but I feel like it’s consuming my life lately. Although I believe you already know that feeling.I put in my rose-tinted glasses each day, thinking about a rosey world with you keeps me going.There is something I would like to share with you, let me open my garden and give you my prettiest flower.-Hugs and kisses, María ♡♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡María winked at him from afar, signaling to Geppetto that they should see each other in private, they were both in another fancy event, and he had dragged Carlo along as well, he told his son to take Romeo with him.Because he doesn’t like the person holding this event and wants his son to have fun with that.“Do your worst” Geppetto smiled at his son, Carlo had a smug face.He is happy when he gets to team up with his father like this, he hasn’t done this since he was a child, funnily enough, it was a party the same person held.“You too Romeo”Romeo didn’t know Geppetto had a fun side but he gladly accepted it.Geppetto excused himself to the garden outside, María already waiting for him. Both gently kissing each other.“Geppetto I have news” María had started in her eyes. “In 2 months, my father will leave for a trip, he will return the next day but in the morning”Geppetto already knows where this is going.“María I don’t know if we should”“After all this time, you still have doubts?” María looked upset.“I am way too old for you, and I have… experience, you don’t” It feels wrong for him to do this, despite how much he loves her.“I want this, you want this, please” María is begging him.“I love you, I really do, but it’s not the best idea, even if we did, what about your maids? Your butlers? People will find out” Geppetto is worried, but not about himself or his reputation he is worried about María.“If we are found out, people will say things about you” People always do that, maybe Geppetto will be known as a weird old man who had a fling with a young girl, but she will forever be labeled as…“We won’t be found out, I will shoo them away, I’ll tell them to leave early, a gift for them to stay with their families or something like that!” María was holding his hands.“María lower your voice please”“Sorry,” She let him go and became quiet.“Geppetto I need to see you, that day, no excuses, even if we don’t do it, I just want to see you, I just to spend a night with you, even if not intimately” She needs to see him that day, she needs to.She needs this to work out.Geppetto looks at her, at her angelic sweet face and he can’t say no to her.“Alright, I’ll be there but I can’t promise you anything” Geppetto knows that they probably won’t do it, but he wants to spend time with her, spend time without having to constantly look over his shoulder, alert of anyone watching.María is ecstatic, she gets close to him, Geppetto thinks she will kiss him but she bites his finger, drawing a little bit of blood and licking it.“Meow”After that, she leaves him alone.What’s wrong with that girl?No, What’s wrong with me?His thoughts are interrupted by a loud crash and screaming.Geppetto smiled, it looked like they did in fact, do their worst.
——

“So um…” Romeo didn’t know what to say.“He doesn’t know” Carlo took a deep breath, “He does know about us through”“For real?” Romeo was stunned.“He is okay with it don’t worry”They both stayed silent before Romeo spoke up again.“Listen, Carlo, maybe we are overthinking it” Sometimes Romeo and María talked, it was about plays and acting, they both shared that passion.“María showed me some of her weird writings and they were good don’t get me wrong but that still made them weird” Romeo paused, that came out wrong. “What I’m trying to say is that maybe just because she wrote those things that doesn't necessarily mean that she loved him and that your father loved her back”“Romeo, come on”“No yeah he loved her too”“Carlo I know it’s weird, it’s weird as fuck that your father was dating someone around our age but that doesn’t mean he hurt her, you know your father” Romeo knows that Geppetto is a flawed man, but he isn’t a bad person, he isn’t a killer.“I know, I don’t think he hurt her either, I’m just still shocked because… Dammit! It is weird as fuck!”Why couldn’t his father be normal and date an older woman?He certainly looks older each day, his hair is white instead of gray now.“I don’t know Carlo, to me the weird one here was María” Romeo doesn’t like judging others but reading those letters was otherworldly.“She was the one that wrote about wanting to eat him alive”“Please don’t remind me” Carlo buried his face in his hands.“I guess at the end of the day it takes two to tango so your dad is as weird as her”Carlo punches Romeo’s shoulder, “Stop it you idiot, I don’t want to think about it anymore!”Romeo laughed, “You are so toxic Carlo_”Carlo blushes but he laughs, Romeo is such an idiot, a beautiful idiot.“I want to give you something” Romeo grabbed his bag, he opened it to reveal a bouquet of red roses.They were bent in different ways because Romeo didn’t think about how he hastily shoved them inside his bag.Romeo is such an idiot. Carlo leans in for a kiss and Romeo obliges.“Thank you” Carlo feels lucky to have Romeo by his side, “I can help you with getting the thorns out of your bag”“Shit I forgot about that”Carlo laughed, as they began to slowly take away each thorn that was stuck inside Romeo’s bag.“You are like a rose Carlo, very beautiful and very deathly” They had a good time at practice today, Carlo keeps improving his skills every day; parrying, blocking, and dodging, he does all of it with such grace.“Ouch,” Carlo said, he accidentally pinched his finger with one of the thorns.Romeo grabbed his finger and licked some of his blood.“Ew Romeo stop being weird!”“Stop being so cute”Romeo leaned it closer and began to cuddle with him.“I love you, you weirdo” Carlo was smiling, he loved Romeo with all his heart.

——

“We have the proof that he was in a relationship, but we can’t still find the proof that he killed her” A man was reporting the information to Simon.“Leave, now” The man left at once.“You too Laxasia, I need to speak with Paracelsus alone.She did as she was told, anything for the man she loved.“What now?” This was a dead end, there was no proof he was the killer.“You wanted a scapegoat, he is the scapegoat, most likely he didn’t kill her, the old man doesn’t have the guts” Paracelsus knows that Geppetto is a coward, “Even if there is no motive, you think people are going to care? They will see that he was dating a girl 30 years younger than him and suspicion will arise”Simon thought about it, yes it’s true and this case has been a scandal from the start, if others found out about the secret relationship, it would take the pressure off their backs, and the people of Krat love gossip, what’s better for gossip than a secret relationship?“That letter, we are going to leave in Gabriel’s office” It was the perfect idea, Simon knew that all logic would be thrown out the window once he found out that Geppetto was dating his precious little angel.That girl was deranged.Simon still remembers that time he accidentally took a pen from her, forgetting to return it, and how the next day he found a bible filled with rose-filled thorns on his desk, the roses were white but had been painted red with pigs blood, with the opened passage highlighted “thou shalt not steal”Simon knew it was her, but no evidence to prove it, that little lunatic was good at covering her tracks, but in the end, no one found out who did the “prank”.Paracelsus also remembers when she pulled a similar stunt with him, he was talking with her about their research, when he mentioned that he didn’t like how her notes were always covered with silly doodles.She rewarded him with a realistic portrait of him being eaten by crows, again, no one knew who had pulled the “prank” but it was obvious to him that María did it, but she always had that sweet smile on her face, a face that said she could do no wrong.The other alchemists loved her, she was young, they called her a “cinnamon roll”If all the other low-ranking members knew about her lunacy.María was almost at their level, but she was a good person despite her unstableness, she would have never done the things she did had she known it was hurting others.It was got her killed in the end, she wanted others to learn the truth and they weren’t going to let that happen.“I’ll do it myself” Paracelsus didn’t want any more mess-ups, so he would personally leave that letter on Gabriel’s desk.Simon finally relaxed, and he sat down, finally, this would be over and he could go back to his plans.Paracelsus got behind him and began to rub his shoulders.“Stop it” Simon hates him.He loves him.Paracelsus stops and now he is regretting telling him to stop.Simon clenches his fist, he lets out a groan of frustration.“Calm down love, you don’t want to start going crazy like María”“There is no human no earth that will ever be as psychotic as her” Simon is sure of that after everything he saw.“You aren’t exactly human are you?” Paracelsus had a grin on his face “I thought you were a god”Simon smiled, it felt good when others acknowledged his superior status.Paracelsus grabs Simon’s shoulders and leans in with force grabbing his neck and giving him a kiss that quickly turns into a bite, Paracelsus drinking the blood.Simon lets out a moan.“You sick freak” Simon shoves Paracelsus aside, “Save it for later, deliver that damn letter, Now” Simon needs to plan away to get rid of his pet once and for all.“Yes sir~,” Paracelsus said in a playful voice, before leaving to do what he was told.

Notes:
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Geppetto you better be careful, looks like your plan might not be as well thought out as you believed.Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

How Giuseppe Geppetto got away with murder

Chapter 6: The truth

Summary:
I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth.I heard many things in hell.

“Detective Harlan, you wanted to see me?” Geppetto said while opening the door.Has he been caught? No, he did everything perfectly, there was no reason for him to be a suspect.“Ah, Mr. Geppetto come here, I just have a few questions regarding this case”Geppetto sat down, he needed to stay calm, he had gone this far, he needed to keep up his facade.“What can I help you with?” He did not get defensive or accusatory, he didn’t ask more questions about why he was summoned here.The less you talk, the less you incriminate yourself.“Mr. Geppetto while we were investigating, we found out something odd, something that only you could know the answer for” Harlan walked around the room as he spoke, like a tiger in a cage.“Me?” He tried to sound as genuinely confused as possible.“Well, around the time of Miss. María’s death we found out that the puppets around the area had a strange malfunction” A very strange malfunction, almost coordinated.“What sort of malfunction? Why wasn’t I made aware of this before?“ Geppetto tried to look as if he was in deep thought, “I don’t recall the Workshop union getting any complaints or requests to fix an issue”“That’s what was odd about it, the puppets only stopped working for an hour, and after that, they were all as good as knew”And hour, it takes an hour from María’s house to his home.“The police securitrons all suddenly stopped working, that’s very strange, we didn’t notice until now while giving maintenance, that’s when the error was found, alongside the others” Harlan stopped walking and stared at Geppetto, but he wasn’t intimidated, he needs to play the part of a clueless older man.“That’s very concerning, specially considering they were puppets part of the police force, this is a dire situation should it happen again” Geppetto stood up when he said that, for a more dramatic effect.“Sit down Mr. Geppetto I don’t wish to worry you” Harlan paused, taking a seat as well, “I just wanted to ask if you knew a way for someone to control puppets, either from a close distance or remotely”Law 0, Geppetto has control over every single puppet ever built in Krat. It was easy to disable them, easy to run away, specially with all the adrenaline in his body.It takes him an hour to go home, but he arrived in 25 minutes, he was gasping for air but he had to cover his mouth, he didn’t want to wake up Carlo, so he silently went to his workshop, where he locked himself for hours. He came out by 5 am, showered, washed away the blood in his hands, and went outside to burn the clothes he used to commit the act.“That’s… not possible”“Mmm, Mr. Geppetto you have worked with the alchemists before right?” Harlan knows that puppets are powered by Ergo, therefore Geppetto must have some knowledge of it, “Don’t you think it’s possible for one of them to use some sort of power to corrupt Ergo? Or damage it? Or anything that would have incapacitated them?“No, that’s not possible” This time, Geppetto is telling the truth, only he can control the puppets in that way.“I see” Harlan lets out a sigh, “You have to forgive me, I’m good at deducting, not much all of this fancy techo magic mumbo jumbo”That’s what he calls his work? His craft that he has worked and improved for decades?No Geppetto calm down, he is a stupid detective, it’s been 3 weeks and the alchemists' activities haven’t been shut down, they should have shut down already.“Unfortunately I don’t think I can help you with anything else”“Not so fast Mr. Geppetto, I need to ask you something else” Harlan already knew that Geppetto wouldn’t be able to give him a straight answer, he just wanted an excuse to talk with him.“Go on” Geppetto was trying not to scream, he had come so far, he couldn’t be found out now.“You are a good friend of Mr. Gabriel, he told us how you had helped his daughter when she was in danger” Harlan was crossing his legs, making direct eye contact with Geppetto.“While you were alone with her that day, did she mention something unusual? Anything works, think about it for a moment”He remembers he will never forget all those moments she spent with her. Her life was cut short so fast, they had only been dating for a year, and the day of her death was the day of their anniversary.He murdered her on their anniversary.But he had to do it, he had no other choice. He regrets it, he regrets what he did so much, but it’s too late for apologies, he needs to finish what he started.He needs to not get caught and go back to his home and finish this. He is almost done with his work, just a few more adjustments and-“Mr. Geppetto?” Harlan asked, he had been quiet for too long.“My apologies, I keep trying to recall but nothing comes to mind”“There is no problem, we simply believe that María was aware that she would die soon” Harlan is trying to provoke him again.

María had in her room legal documents that belonged to her father, laws about murder, manslaughter, conspiracy to commit murder, about the act of desecrating a corpse, that one Harlan always found strange, how in Krat that's not a punishable offense, and rather a fine you have to pay. Most likely that's why they can collect all that Ergo without raising suspicion.Krat has a lot of strange laws, that’s why the alchemists have been able to avoid so much these years.“That’s awful, hopefully, whoever killed her gets caught, I would hate to think about someone like that running free on the streets” The more Geppetto lies, the better he gets at it.“Oh don’t worry, I’m sure that the telltale heart of the killer will give in and they will eventually confess their crimes” Harlan opened the door, signaling to Geppetto that he was free to leave.“After all, sometimes our conscience gets the better of us”As Geppetto left, Harlan sat down again, and he re-read over and over again the autopsy report on María.The report that showed the truth.♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡Kill.I have murder in my eyes Geppetto.I have a deep passion to see you bleed.
To torture you and bury you alive.
I see you and I feel greed.
What do I wish to achieve?
Making you plead.
Making you scream.Next week you will come to my home.
I wait for you with a smile.
Just you and I alone.
Wishing I could be your bride.I have something very special planned.
A sleeve under my hand.-From the woman of your dreamland, María ♡♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡Why did he do it?He should have never done it and here he is in this mess.He shouldn’t have listened to her, she should have ignored her, he shouldn’t have stabbed her.At that moment his mind was set, there was no hesitation after learning the truth, but that doesn’t take the pain away, that doesn’t take away the fact that he killed the love of his life.Geppetto has now lost two of the women he loved.Are those who fall in love with him destined to die young?This is killing him, María even in death you are killing me.Geppetto takes a glance at the box, what he has been working on since killing María, since taking away her Ergo. He had to rush home as soon as possible he had to put her Ergo in a safe place.He clenched his fist, that girl, that crazy woman, she was an evil genius. Maybe he is also an evil genius just like her, his work life has consumed him from the very beginning. For years he has been doing this, for years he has taken notes, studied Ergo, and made the blueprints, at first he was just curious how far he could go with his creations.Then he realized he was playing God but he didn’t stop, because he was, no, he is obsessed with his work. It was too late to go back, he needed to finish what he started if only Carlo knew the truth of what he had been doing. His son would hate him, Geppetto deserves that hatred, how could he even explain to Carlo what he did?But the guilt is killing him, his heartbeat grows faster and faster, and he can hear the last breath María took. His mind is playing out parts of the last conversation they had.
——

“Geppetto tell me, what’s your biggest secret?” She had a devilish smile when she said that.He was quiet, should he tell her? He doesn’t want to tell her but he has kept this secret for so long, this is something that never leaves his mind because he has worked on this for many years. How far someone can go in the creation of a puppet. He knows that anyone would think he is crazy, but María is crazy, maybe if he confesses to someone as crazy as her…“You are an alchemist, you know how Ergo works”María is intrigued, she leans in closer to him. She has some special properties in her Ergo, it’s the potential everyone keeps talking about, her Ergo isn’t the same as the one the average person has.“As you are aware, sometimes puppets can awaken an Ego” Geppetto is thinking about Polendina and Pulcinella.“This is going to sound crazy but…”He explained and María laughed, a sick twisted laugh, “That is pretty crazy, but you know what? Good for you”María gave Geppetto a big hug, “The more the merrier, I understand that Carlo will freak out when he finds out but I’m sure he’ll get over it, you are trying to fix things, you have good intentions and it’s not as if you can just stop now, that would be wrong” María knows how one can dedicate too much to their work, why you want to test the limits of what is possible and impossible.She was so understanding.“Okay, now it’s my turn to reveal my biggest secret”

——

Geppetto punches the wall in front of him and lets out a groan of frustration.But he calms himself when he hears a noise. Geppetto buries his face in his hands and starts crying, sobbing, he had to do it, there was no other choice. She tricked him, she forced him to do this.He hears another noise, he composes himself. Takes a deep breath and goes to the bookshelf of his workshop, after rearranging some books in a certain way a passageway opens.“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you or upset you”…“I’m fine don’t worry this is nothing, please don’t worry about me, it’s the other way around, I should be worrying about you”…“I’m almost done, once all of this is done we can finally be together, we can be a proper family”After saying that and leaving with a hug, Geppetto closes the passageway and hides who is inside once more.Geppetto hears the door of the house open, it’s Carlo, his son is back. The son he keeps lying to, but Geppetto can no longer lie, everything he has held inside for so long has finally got to him, and his heart cannot take it any longer.He leaves his workshop and gives his son a big hug.“Carlo I need to tell you something”“Yes, what is it?”“The truth”

Notes:
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Carlo is finally going to find out the truth.Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

How Giuseppe Geppetto got away with murder

Chapter 7: Deciphering her love

Summary:
There is always a hidden meaning when it comes to writing.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!”Carlo doesn’t understand his father at all, he keeps changing his mind about it, he is a horrible person, he is a good person, and then he goes back to being a horrible person.Geppetto stays quiet but he knows that a lot of things are wrong with him.“So many things, so many things you could have done and you chose to do that?!” Carlo was shouting, he couldn’t believe the things his father did.“Carlo she was an alchemist and-““I know, I already heard your explanation a dozen times, I can’t even believe what you told me”This is too much for Carlo to handle.“Son I had to do it”“You keep saying that, there was so much more you could have done before doing that”“Your life was in danger!”Just as Geppetto told María, he loved her, and he still loves her but he will always love Carlo more.“Those alchemists they-““I GET IT, I GET IT!” Carlo was furious, even more, because deep down he understood the principle of why his father did that. But he couldn’t understand everything else he told him.Specially the part about his work, his father is insane, a lunatic, he and María truly deserved each other.“You took part of my Ergo for your weird twisted experiment” Carlo was trying hard to be calm, “How did you even take it?”“Well, years ago when you were a child…”Carlo raised his hand, “You know what? Never mind, I don’t want to know”Not only did his father do that twisted thing with María but he had also been doing more than questionable stuff in the shadows for years.Carlo sat down, everything was so hard to process, yet in the end, could he really hate his father for everything he did? All this time, he has had good intentions.“Son, I’m so sorry for lying, for keeping secrets like this” Geppetto was done hiding things from his son, “You can ask me for anything, I want to be honest”Anything for his son, anything he asked he would do; and thankfully he had finished what he had been working on for so long, things will be easier now, better.Carlo took a deep breath, something couldn’t leave his mind, the workshop, what he missed when he entered before.“Can I see them?”
——

There was a knock at the door, Geppetto got out of his workshop, leaving Carlo there although not by himself.“Who is it?”“Geppetto this is Detective Harlan”No no noHe opened the door, “Anything I can help you with?”“Could you accompany me to city hall? María’s father is looking for you”Geppetto had dreaded this moment from the start.“I’m sorry but I don’t understand why he needs me”“It’s an urgent matter, he said that he would explain once you got there”Geppetto felt his heart racing, there was no going back. But he is a good liar, he will get away with this.He is so good at lying because he lies to himself all the time.“Let me just tell me son about this before I leave”Harlan nodded, Geppetto closed the door and made his way to the workshop. Carlo had just closed the passageway.“Carlo I need to leave for city hall”His son’s eyes grow wide. Geppetto hugs him.“Son, no matter what happens, I love you no matter what” He kisses him on the forehead before finally leaving, Detective Harlan was waiting and he didn’t want to look more suspicious.His father left, so many emotions flowed in Carlo’s mind.He looked at the box, it was closed but the organ held inside was no longer there. On top of the box were the letters that María wrote to his father, the last letter she ever wrote to him, he picked up one and began to read it.♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡Me, Myself and I.Geppetto I am a selfish woman.Yet I fell in love with you, you have taken away part of my selfishness, but it’s still there, it will never leave me. I am selfish but loving, my devotion to you will never leave.Have I ever told you that my favorite number is 1? It speaks so much about me, about who I truly am.The first word of each of my letters is always the most important one. Because it shows my true self.I want you to be mine, only mine.I will ask for you the most selfish act someone can make for their lover.Cannot wait to see you tomorrow my beloved, you belong to me.-Your pretty little liar, María ♡♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡Carlo stopped reading, he had spent enough time with Romeo who loves those plays to understand the hidden meaning in between words.His father might have loved María and her letters, he was smart, but not literature smart, so obviously he wouldn’t have understood her message. Carlo quickly grabbed some of the letters, the letters that his father had read, but was blind to their true meaning.Carlo re-arranged them, he read out loud the first word of each letter, revealing María’s secret message, the one hidden in plain sight.He let out a small laugh, María truly was something else.

Notes:
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What message did Carlo find? Well, you can check it out yourself, go back to the beginning, and read each first word of each letter until now for a fun surprise.Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

How Giuseppe Geppetto got away with murder

Chapter 8: The method of her madness.

Summary:
From the very beginning, she knew and she only needed to play her cards correctly.

María drank the drink her butler had given her, after that, she made him leave, and she made all of the housekeepers leave.They will be back by morning, just as her father will.Each second was agonizing as she waited for Geppetto, 10 minutes later, he arrived, every moment with him was vital.She leads him to her room. It’s their anniversary, he gets that honor.They sat down in the bed, they kissed each other and when they stopped, María put her hand to her chest, she wanted to unbutton her blouse but Geppetto stopped her.“María I’m not sleeping with you”“Why-““You know why”“But-““María, this is wrong, it has been wrong from the start, you might have been the one that started this, but I went along with it”It was quiet for a few seconds.“I love you Geppetto,” María says as she lays down in her bed exhausted.Geppetto lays down next to her, “I love you too but we are bad for each other”María is self-destructive, she lies, she manipulates others, she puts on a mask each day despite not being a stalker. She is vengeful, she is selfish.But she is a loving person.Geppetto is self-destructive, his work life consumes him, he lies, he plays games with others to hide his motives, and he puts on a mask each just as a stalker would. He is a bad father, he is selfish.But he is a loving person.They are bad and for each other but they are meant for each other. They bring out the best and the worst each of them can offer.“Geppetto what’s your biggest secret?”
——

María loves Geppetto so much and he trusts her enough to tell her all of that, so it’s now her turn.“The alchemists are planning to destroy Krat”María explains Simon’s plans, the truth of the petrifaction disease, to take away all that Ergo and become a god. To kill Isabelle and Valentinus Monad and kidnap Sophia to use her powers to achieve his goal.She tells him how they have targeted him as well, that Carlo was meant to die from the petrification disease, just because Simon hates him, Carlo’s death achieves nothing but Simon’s personal satisfaction.“We can’t your son die Geppetto, we can’t let them get away with any of this”Geppetto is quiet but eventually, he asks, “How long have you known this for?”“Oh a long time, but those morons think that it was until now that I found out”“Wait María what do you mean?!” Do they know that she knows? This is bad, really bad.
“They are going to murder you for this”“They already have,” María says as she raises the empty cup that she had previously drank from, “They poisoned me an hour ago”“María don’t play games” Geppetto can’t handle this now.“I’m not playing Geppetto, I knew they were going to kill me, I’m doing this for you, for your son” María has a smile on her face.“Really, I am doing it as an act of forgiveness, for everything I have done”Geppetto is panicking.“We need to get you to a doctor”“Geppetto I made this concoction myself, by now most of my organs are as stiff as stone” María knows that once you drink it, your fate is sealed, you only get an hour and a half before the inevitable happens. Your body slowly rotting from the inside.“María are you insane?!”“You already knew that my love”Oh God, Oh my God she really is going to die.“Geppetto, listen to me,” María says as she holds the fake suicide letter in her hands.“If I die like this, no one will find out the truth, those bastards will get away with it, but if I’m murdered-“No, he can’t do this he can’t.“If they think I was murdered”“If they think?” Geppetto doesn’t understand her, he loves her but he doesn’t understand her.“You are going to wait for me to die from the poison, and then you are going to stab me, you are going to make it look like someone came into my room and murdered me in cold blood” Technically she is already being murdered in cold blood, but Geppetto has to make things messy.“I can’t, I can’t do that to you!”“Well you are gonna have to”“María this is the same as killing you myself!”He is going to slowly watch her die, slowly wither away and he won’t help her, he can’t help her. He is going to murder her by doing nothing about it. What kind of monster just stands and stares as the love of his life dies in front of them? Doing nothing to stop them from dying.“No, you aren’t, you aren’t the one that gave me the poison” María lets out a sigh.“Listen to me, you are going to stab my dead body with this” María hands him a dagger, Geppetto is shaking as he holds it.She is forcing his hand, she is forcing him to do this.María kisses him and he returns the kiss, it’s a passionate one, he loves her so much, he loves the woman who is going to kill, who has planned for him to kill her from the very start.She tells him to burn her suicide note and the letters he sent her, it was painful but he had to. Her notes about alchemy were sloppily burned but that was the point, enough to leave a small amount of evidence, breadcrumbs for the police to follow.They wait, the only thing for them to do is wait while the poison does what it was meant to do. They talk with each other, talk about how their life together would have been, a life that was never meant to be.“Please take my Ergo when I’m gone, absorb it, you know how” María looks at him expecting him to refuse.But Geppetto knows why María is asking her to take her Ergo, all to fulfill his goal, the secret he told her.He thanks her and gives her one final kiss.

It’s almost time, she is about to die. She is lying in bed, he is on top of her, the dagger in his hands, and he is shaking.“I love you…” María’s voice sounds weak, her sweet voice almost devoid of life.“I love you too” Geppetto is crying, “I can’t do this María I love you so much”María looks at him with yearning eyes, she knows that she only needs to give him a little push for him to do this.“Do it… for your son” María has a smile on her face, “Or do you love me more than you… love him?” She says as her final words, her eyes still open, giving away her last breath.Geppetto doesn’t hesitate he stabs her heart with all his force.There is so much blood, blood in her clothes, the bed sheets, his clothes are stained with blood.He takes her Ergo, and as he absorbs it his hair turns white.He cries but he can’t stay by her side, he needs to escape, but the street is filled with security puppets, this being a high-class area it has the best security. So Geppetto has no choice but to use Law 0 to disable them.He ran, he ran like he had never ran before in his life, he arrived home and covered his mouth, he wanted to scream and cry more, but he couldn’t let Carlo hear him and he couldn’t let his son hear his gasps for air.He slowly made his way to his workshop and opened the box.The box that held the P organ.He transferred María’s high amounts of Ergo to it, with that much Ergo inside, it could finally work properly. María was special, so special, so many would have had to die for him to collect that high amount of Ergo but her power gave her an undaunted spirit.He worked for hours on the organ until it could finally sustain itself without assistance, it just needed more adjustments before it was finally ready. But that could wait for now, it was 5 am, he took a shower and burned his clothes.He went to bed and finally, he rested, dreaming of her.
——

At the same as Geppetto arrived at city hall, Simon did so as well. The place was full, so many people surrounded them, Geppetto had never seen city hall filled with so many people.“Geppetto what a coincidence seeing you here” Simon had a smug grin on his face.“Yes, it is” Geppetto hates that man so much, it’s all his fault his beloved María is now dead, not only that but he wants to take away his son from him.“I’m here to see Gabriel, he summoned me here for some reason”“How odd, he summon me as well, what a strange coincidence it is” Geppetto looks at Detective Harlan who had been standing next to him, not saying a word.Suddenly, a loud bang is heard, there are screams but unknown to everyone the exits have been blocked.“You bastards!” It’s Gabriel’s voice was heard all across the walls, his fury making everyone terrified.He had a gun in his hands, a special gun that had been banned from owning.A gun that if shot can destroy one’s Ergo.He pointed at Geppetto and Simon with it.“One of you murdered my daughter and no one leaves this room until I found out who did it” Gabriel was always a patient man, but his fury had been invoked, a father losing a child, their child being murdered, only natural that they would want answers.Only natural that they would burn the world for their child.Both Geppetto and Simon have their hands up.This is bad, this is really bad, Simon didn’t think Gabriel would have such a weapon. He knows too well about it, it’s extremely deathly, for the average person it’s a death sentence, it isn’t for him but it will be enough to incapacitate him.“You” Gabriel is talking to Simon, “I know you gave the orders to kill her, no hiding it, I know the truth, you were betrayed”Simon is shocked, and in between the crowd, he can see Paracelsus smiling at him.Simon wants to murder him right there and then, wants Paracelsus to beg for his mercy but he needs to stay calm.Paracelsus loves Simon, but Simon doesn’t truly love him back, he knows that Simon saw him as a pet, as an annoying puppy that gives you affection.That’s why he betrayed him, because Paracelsus is a very selfish person, a vengeful person, and if he can’t Simon, no one else will.“And you” Gabriel was now speaking to Geppetto, “You were dating my sweet angel behind my back all this time”A few gasps could be heard.“Mr. Jacob please calm down” Harlan was trying to do damage control.“I won’t calm down until I find out who killed my daughter and why, I need to know, I need to know the truth” Gabriel let out a scream “And I don’t care who I have to kill to learn it!”He was keeping everyone hostage, the only way out of this is for the killer to be found.“One of you did, she was poisoned and she was stabbed, I need to know what killed her first” He knew, he knew about the poison, Gabriel just needed to know her cause of death so that he could avenge her.“Gabriel listen,” Geppetto said.“Oh I am listening, I want to know why you were in a relationship with my daughter when she is about the same as your son” Gabriel had the finger on the trigger.“Please tell me it’s not true, that it is a joke, that the letter was fake” Gabriel is begging him.Geppetto wants to lie, he wants to deny everything and put all the blame on Simon. But this was his mistake, he delivered that letter to the post office and obviously when the police began to investigate her correspondence would have been left on pause, the letter free for anyone to read.But he is tired of being a liar and tired of denying his feelings for him.“It’s true” Geppetto sees that Gabriel did not expect him to say that.Everyone is staring at them, not just because they are being held hostage. Geppetto can see that others are judging him, but he doesn't care, screw all of them, he loved her and he doesn't care if others believe that love was fake.“But I didn’t kill her, I loved her!”“No, you aren’t, you aren’t the one that gave me the poison” María’s words resonate in his mind, all this time, he has been lying to himself. It’s true, technically he didn’t kill her, but to him, that might as well have been the case.“You… you motherfucker how dare you?!”“I loved her, I still love her, Gabriel please believe me, I didn’t kill her”“Are you going to believe him?” Simon spoke up, “He has been lying to you all this time”Harlan took a deep breath, “Mr. Jacob, there is no proof that Mr. Geppetto was even near the crime scene” He is trying to bail out Geppetto, he can deal with that man later, the alchemists are his goal.“No, I was indeed at the house that day”Harlan mentally curses Geppetto, Why now? Why is he deciding to be honest now?Simon is now confused, Why was Geppetto saying all of this now? Does the old man have a death wish? He knows Geppetto doesn't have the guts to kill anyone.“And I stabbed her”“WHAT?!” Harlan and Simon said in unison.“But I swear, I didn’t kill her, she was already dead when I did it” No more lies, Geppetto knows he needs to stop lying if he wants to make things right.If he wants María’s plan to work.“Why should I believe you?” Gabriel got closer, the gun fully aiming at Geppetto now.“You shouldn't believe him” Simon couldn't be happier, Geppetto is a moron, he is digging his own grave.“Um, boss, don’t you have the autopsy report in your pocket?” One of Harlan’s men said.“Read it, READ IT RIGHT NOW!” Gabriel aimed at Simon, and back at Geppetto, then the gun was in between them.“The cause of death was…”bang

——

“Geppetto have I ever told you how good I am at lying?” María said.Another fancy event, another secret meeting.“Mmm really?” Geppetto knows her strange quirks, he doesn’t mind them, he loves them.“Yep, do you want to know the best lie I’ve ever told you?“What was the best lie you ever told me?”María has a sweet smile on her face.“That my father doesn’t know about us”

Notes:
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Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

How Giuseppe Geppetto got away with murder

Chapter 9: How to Get Away with Murder

Summary:
It's something very hard to do, but not impossible.

Gabriel wasn’t blind to his daughter’s deeds.He knew that his little girl had secrets, many secrets and she lied to him, and as a father, he believed her lies.He believed her when she said she didn’t do any vices.He believed her when she said that her work as an alchemist was harmless.At those events, when Geppetto and his daughter both mysteriously disappeared and after they reappeared; Geppetto would have the smell of his daughter’s perfume. He believed her when she said that she wasn’t in love with anyone.To test his theory, he introduced her to a suitor, her reaction was all the proof he needed.When she died, the first person he suspected was Geppetto, but he couldn’t confront him, he had to calm down, he knew what to do.He read his daughter’s letters, because her daughter sends letters to everyone obviously she sent him letters as well.Gabriel began to look at her secret message, he was the one who taught her the art of cyphering so the letters she gave him had more complex hidden codes, but they had that secret way of communicating, it was easy for him to find the truth.Her plans for her death.His daughter, his beloved daughter.Who wrote about wanting to murder others, who wrote about slowly torturing people. Her love language was as bizarre as her mind.Gabriel knew that his daughter was insane; insane enough to end her life for the sake of others.She wasn’t a selfish person, she sacrificed herself, how many lives are safe because of her?Still, hearing Geppetto say all those things out loud had made him furious, how dare this older man date his young daughter? As a father Geppetto should have known how stupid that was, even though he was a pawn in his daughter's web, there was no denying that he loved her and that his little angel loved that man.But he still hated him.Because Geppetto is a self-destructive moron and his daughter was a self-destructive fool.In the end, they destroyed each other.
——
Simon had been shot, he was bleeding on the ground, but he was alive and in relatively good condition. The best comparison is that he can’t move just as when a stun gun is used when arresting others.He was put in handcuffs, as the officers read his list of crimes, murder by proxy the crime committed against María, and then the list of crimes was piling up, conspiracy, kidnapping, more types of murder, bribery, biological terrorism (apparently that one is for the petrifaction disease), torture, embezzlement, the list kept going and going.Paracelsus took that opportunity to sneak away.Gabriel was arrested for attempted murder and terrorism as he had been holding hostages.Detective Harlan was writing something in a small notebook, he tore it and gave the paper to Geppetto.“What’s this?” Geppetto was confused.“A fine of $5,000 you stabbed her dead body and that’s not a crime, only a penalty” Harlan took a deep breath, “It’s also not a crime for someone to not seek medical help if you see someone in danger, Krat doesn’t have good samaritan laws”María knew the law just as well as her father.“You are free to go Mr. Geppetto”
——

Life went on, the remaining alchemist scattered and life in Krat seemed peaceful again.Gabriel got out easily, no one could blame in, and in the end, he stopped Simon.As soon as he got out he went to find Geppetto and he broke his nose, but Geppetto knew he deserved it.Geppetto sometimes gets a few weird glances from others but he doesn’t mind that. He also knows people gossip behind his back, and that it’s a thing now that if he appears in an event you should “hide your daughters”It was hard to talk with Antonia and Venigni about this, specially because they found out because of the scene that happened in city hall.They were incredibly understanding, although Antonia did slap him twice, one for her and another on Venigni’s behalf. But at the end of the day, they didn’t judge him for what he did.He was even more surprised when they were somewhat okay with his secret, he thought they would be angry at him. But they just said that as an inventor, he got too curious but at least he did the right thing.“I’m home,” Geppetto says as he opens the door seeing that his son is sitting on the couch who waves at him.“Pinocchio, how was your day?”His son smiled at him, a sweet smile. Pinocchio doesn’t talk but that’s perfectly okay with Geppetto.Years ago, Geppetto was building a puppet, a special puppet, ever since Carlo told him he would become a stalker he was paranoid his son would die, being a stalker is something very dangerous.So maybe, he just… built a puppet that looked exactly like his son in case he died.When Carlo was a child, Geppetto took a small amount of his Ergo, don’t ask why, Carlo still doesn’t want to know what his father was thinking. So Geppetto took that Ergo and put it inside that puppet’s body.Pinocchio’s body.Carlo was 18 when he finally finished, the Ergo was kept in a P organ, but it wasn’t a strong one, it was just to hold it in place.But then Pinocchio awoke his Ego.Geppetto freaked out, of course, he knew that could happen but he didn’t think it would. Yet Geppetto loved his son, he loved Pinocchio, but his body was weak, and the small amount of Ergo couldn’t sustain him.For two years Geppetto had his son hidden from the world, that room was special, he had the resources there to keep him alive. Geppetto desperately worked on a new P organ, a way to help his son, but the only way for it to truly sustain itself was with an insane amount of Ergo.Geppetto knew that he couldn’t go around collecting Ergo, he was aware that they come out of those who died. So he tried to look for another way, that is until María gave up her Ergo. Her special Ergo was what made it possible for his son to finally be able to sustain himself, the P organ transfer was a success.Some small adjustments were needed but now Pinocchio was as good as new walking around as if it was nothing, he is strong, so strong just like his brother.“I’m home,” Carlo says, arriving just a few minutes later.They were all sitting together in the living room, making small talk.“How are we going to explain this?” Carlo finally said, “I don’t think that the “long lost twin” excuse is going to work out”Although it was really funny when he almost convinced Romeo that was the case.Carlo and Pinocchio do look like twins, but Pinocchio’s hair is longer, up to his shoulders and his eyes are blue instead of brown.“We should just tell everyone the truth, they already think I’m crazy” Geppetto let out a small laugh.“You are crazy, you need to be locked away” Carlo was teasing his father, even if he really did think that his old man was completely out of his mind.Carlo couldn’t deny that he liked having a brother.There was a knock at the door, it was Romeo and Geppetto left his sons to interact with him; Carlo was teaching Romeo how to understand Pinocchio since he is very quiet and mostly communicates by pointing things or by hand gestures.Geppetto went to prepare dinner, he looked at Pinocchio from time to time, his eyes were just like María’s eyes.In some sort of way, she is his mother, she is the one that gave him a true life.María that evil genius, Geppetto still can’t believe that wonderful woman helped him get away with murder.Well, she is gone now, just like his late wife. Geppetto needs to stop falling in love.Both of them are gone, but both of them gave him the greatest gift a man could ask for.A son.Geppetto starts to hear Pinocchio give out a few small sobs.“Carlo don’t bully your brother”“It wasn’t me, it was Romeo!”“No, I wasn’t!”Pinocchio poked both of them, indicating that they both made him upset.“Look it wasn’t an insult when we called you a Frankenstein Monster” Carlo rolled his eyes, “You don’t even know what Frankenstein is”“Let me teach him what that is, I have the book, the special edition” Romeo sounded so excited.“I’m not letting you do that, it’s a pipeline, he is going to start reading books like that, then you will show him your weird plays, and then he will become an annoying theater kid” Carlo had a smug grin on his face.“You take that back those plays aren’t stupid!”Carlo playfully punched Romeo on his shoulder.They laughed, Pinocchio was staring and he did the same, he punched Carlo and then he punched Romeo and he didn’t stop, he kept doing it.“Carlo you are the one corrupting him!” Romeo shouted trying to make Pinocchio stop.“This is all your fault your fault, you beautiful idiot!” Carlo was trying to stop Pinocchio as well.“Okay Pinocchio stop it,” Geppetto said, “You have to be a good boy”Pinocchio stopped and smiled at his father.“Carlo be a good boy too, don’t be a bad influence”“I am a good boy,” Carlo said while smiling.“My good boy~” Romeo gave him a kiss.“Romeo don’t say that in front of my father!” Carlo’s face was red with embarrassment.“It’s okay son, it’s not weird, considering all the things María wrote about me-““EW STOP!”The fun atmosphere was relaxing, Geppetto needed to relax, he still doesn't sleep well, he has nightmares about that night, about stabbing her cold dead body, about how the love of his life died in his arms.Maybe he needs a vacation.“Boys, would you all like to go on a vacation?”“If me and Carlo can have a room to ourselves then-““Why is everyone tormenting me so much today?!” Carlo was mortified.They planned their vacation, Pinocchio was excited, he couldn’t stop moving from place to place, he is a good boy but he needs to be more grounded in reality and Carlo and Romeo are good boys but still not the best influences.Geppetto has the perfect idea to make his son understand things better, he is going to build him a good friend, a small one he can carry everywhere.A few weeks later, they were in Krat central station, waiting for their time to leave.“Pinocchio you have to calm down” Gemini chirped from his cage, that boy was like a puppy filled with energy.Geppetto left his family for a moment, it looked like the train had been delayed and he went to ask for some information.“Mr. Geppetto good to see you again” Detective Harlan was behind him and he turned around.“Detective… I’m going to be honest the feeling is not mutual”Harlan smiled, “I was just doing my job but I understand”“You knew right? From the start”“Well not from the start, I figured it out at the wake, I know work life can be stressful Mr. Geppetto, but hair doesn’t turn from gray to white from one morning to the other”It was odd that no one had noticed Geppetto’s change in appearance but him, Harlan knew as a detective it’s his job to notice those things but it looked like Geppetto had the advantage of being an old man, had it been someone younger, it would have been obvious that the Ergo absorption happened.“How clever of you” Geppetto rolled his eyes.“Be thankful that young Lady was the one that planned this, otherwise you would be sitting in a jail cell”“Just like Simon?” Geppetto was smiling, knowing that Simon was behind bars, in a special prison to contain his power made his happy, that’s what that bastard gets for messing with his loved ones.There is a rumor going around that Simon gets love letters from at least two people, Geppetto wonders if that is true but he knows better than to trust such gossip.The sound of a particular train engine had arrived, that was the train Geppetto and his family would leave in.“Well I must go, hopefully, I don’t have to see you ever again Harlan” Geppetto made his way to leave but Harlan called for him.“Mr. Geppetto, don’t commit any more murders while outside of Krat”Geppetto didn’t look around to address him, he just shouted his response.“No promises!”

Notes:
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Happy ending, I just couldn't help myself.Not my usual genre of writing but I love how it turned out, this was a very fun short story. Maybe one day I will do another murder mystery but for now I'll stick to my usual fluff or angst.Thank you all for reading!!

Title

Chapter 1

Text

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Notes:
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• Next Chapter

Chapter Index

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7

Maniac

Chapter 2

Giangio saw Pinocchio approaching him, he took a deep breath as he needed to keep up with his little act.“Stalker-“But before he could say another word Pinocchio knocked him out, the last thing he saw was the boy dragging him somewhere else.Giangio woke up tied to a chair, as he adjusted his vision he could tell that he was in the same room but all the furniture had been moved, Instead in front of him was a big table that had all sorts of things, pliers, scissors, knives, a police baton, needles, and other things sharp or blunt objects. When he fully woke up he saw Pinocchio standing in front of him with a twisted grin on his face.“Stalker why…?” Giangio was confused he didn’t understand anything.“Oh stop playing I know your secret” Pinocchio grabbed one of the scissors from the table.Giangio laughed awkwardly, “I don’t know what you are talking about, maybe you are just confused?”“You are a really bad actor you know that?” Pinocchio rolled his eyes, Giangio even almost mentioned in front of him accidentally how he was an alchemist the first time they met.“Oh” Giangio had been told this before but he didn’t take the warning seriously, and it didn’t help that he thought Pinocchio was a naive idiot who wouldn’t question his motives.Pinocchio got a little closer, he was sharpening the scissors with his legion arm.“You want a cure right?!” Giangio figured out why he was being held captive, “I can give you a better cure, the real cure!”“I don’t believe you” Pinocchio stabbed Giangio with force in his hand, the thing now stuck in it; Giangio’s hand began to bleed and he screamed in pain.“Believe me, believe me, please” Giangio is sure that Pinocchio penetrated one of his bones, “I promise, that cure I-“Pinocchio pulled out the scissors with even more force, Giangio was bleeding profusely, screaming in pain once more.“I want more than that” Pinocchio picked up a few needles.“Anything! I’ll give you anything!” Giangio doesn’t want to test what this little psychopath is capable of doing.One by one Pinocchio stuck the needles in Giangio’s arm, the man was begging for mercy but Pinocchio wasn’t showing any.Suddenly the door of the room opened.“Son, keep down the noise will you?” Geppetto didn’t process it at first, it took him a few seconds to realize that his son was torturing someone.“Geppetto tell him to stop!” He was his only hope, and Pinocchio always blathers about how much of a good boy has to be to please his father, Geppetto wouldn't accept this, surely he isn't this cruel?Geppetto just stared at him for a few seconds before slowly closing the door and walking away.“You motherfu-"Pinocchio broke part of a curtain and used that as a gag to stop Giangio from making any more noise.He doesn’t trust Giangio so he needs to make sure that the man knows that he is serious about this.And he has never hurt someone like this before, it’s so thrilling!

“You and Polendina have schemed something again is that right?”Well technically he did all the work, he just let Polendina administer the real cure as Pinocchio knows how much he loves her. Pinocchio had never seen Polendina so happy, his voice even changed for a second when he told him about the real cure. His usual composed tone sounded so happy and full of life before going back to normal.“Maybe”Antonia was back to her former self, although walking was still a hard chore, it was best that she shouldn’t force herself to walk, she was fully cured of the disease, not a part of her body outside or inside was damaged but she still needed lots of rest.“Come here” Antonia extended her arms, “You are a wonderful boy you know that?”Pinocchio hugged Antonia gently, he had to fight the urge to stick his fingernails in her body, that’s how he shows his love but he is scared to accidentally hurt her.When they stopped, Pinocchio patted Antonia’s head and she noticed that his hands had a small amount of dry blood and his fingernails had green hair stuck in them.“My dear… what did you do?” She was concerned, even more so when Pinocchio gave her a twisted grin.“I saved you!” Pinocchio clapped his hands in excitement.“And I’m very thankful” Antonia took a deep breath, “How did you get this cure?”Pinocchio didn’t respond to her question, instead, he grabbed Spring who was nearby, and put the cat on her lap, petting it for a few seconds before turning to leave.Antonia turned to look at Spring, she enjoyed the cat’s company, making her smile in these hard times.Well, beggars can’t be choosers, she had accepted that she was going to die, she was ready for it and now she was given a new chance thanks to him.“Antonia, how are you feeling?” Geppetto had come to see her.Antonia gently petted Spring before the cat left her side, “Excellent, all thanks to your son it seems”Geppetto smiled “I’m glad to hear that”Both made small talk for a few minutes, but Antonia knew Geppetto too well.“What did your son do this time?”“Nothing”Antonia raised an eyebrow.“He left this with me” Geppetto showed what he had been hiding, it was a human heart, “Do you think I should be concerned?”Antonia was baffled at the question, “What do you mean?! Of course, you should be!”“Well you know how he is, this just the way he shows affection and I didn’t want to be mean by throwing it away”Antonia put her hands on her face in frustration.“What? I’m just trying to be a good father”She knows that Geppetto does care a lot about Pinocchio and how much he loved Carlo (Or still loves rather, but she still doesn’t know the truth). Geppetto is a good friend, she cares deeply for him.But dear Lord this man doesn’t have a clue of what it means to be a normal parent.“Oh and while I’m here, just to tell you no one should enter the room next to the gold coin fruit tree”“And why is that Geppetto?”“My son might be holding someone captive in there”“He might?!”“He saved your life Antonia don’t question his methods!”Geppetto left the room, leaving Antonia with the chore of warning the others, she is too old for this but thankfully Polendina helps her with the task, not without also questioning what Pinocchio is capable of.

Alidoro was standing in the Baren Swamp, tapping his feet in frustration, where was this stupid boy? He was supposed to get rid of that monster and he hasn’t done it. Being in this filthy swamp is disgusting but at least he isn’t being subjected to having to see what the manic does on a daily basis.The last time Pinocchio came he gave him that dumb glove from that girl, and he gave him one of his creepy states when he said he didn’t like it. But how is he supposed to like a glove that doesn’t even work properly?From the distance he saw him again approaching him slowly, he just needed to keep up the act and everything would be fine. But when that creep was next to him he just stood still and stared at him saying nothing.A few minutes passed before he got fed up with him.“Do you need something?” Alidoro was extremely annoyed.“Are you the real Alidoro?” Pinocchio sounded as if his voice had lost his enthusiasm, making it sound dreary.Shit, he is onto me.“Of course I am! What makes you say that?”“Why do you have 5 fingers?”Dammit, he knows, he isn’t supposed to know, he didn’t even know who the real Alidoro was when they first met at the Cathedral.“I’ve always had 5 fingers, not sure what rumor or daring story you heard about me, but it might be an exaggerated tale” He hoped that would convenience him, after all, he had come far, no one realizing the truth and his cover couldn't be blown over this.Again, there was a pause with Pinocchio just staring at him for minutes.“Are going to buy something or not?” Alidoro crossed his arms, he didn’t have the patience for this.Pinocchio grabbed his weapon, the scythe he had taken from Romeo.“Oh please you can’t hurt me, I know your little secret, you are Geppetto’s puppet aren’t you?” Alidoro tried sounding as if he had figured it out himself when it truth but he overheard it when others were talking at the hotel about Geppetto building him.Pinocchio took another step closer to him.“You can’t intimidate me like this” Alidoro tried to sound brave but he was a coward just as he wasn’t the real Alidoro.Pinocchio had a firm grasp on the blade, taking another step, making the fake Alidoro step back.“You gotta be joking step back!”

“Um, Eugénie can we talk?”“Yes, of course,” Eugénie could tell that Pinocchio looked sad, “What’s wrong?”“I… well… just take this” Pinocchio handed her the deciphered cryptic vessel.Eugénie read it and removed her glasses to wipe away her tears, but she kept crying and crying, it was too much for her.“It hurts but I know the truth now, thank you”Pinocchio patted Eugenie’s head, “Don’t be sad, look, I’ll be back” With that said Pinocchio rushed upstairs, probably to his room.Eugénie had a lot of emotions flowing inside her, the real Alidoro, the one that saved her was her family, she was never abandoned. But now her brother was gone, killed and his identity taken over by a cruel impostor. She knew something was wrong when Pinocchio told her about the glove but to think it was something like this?Pinocchio came back with a grin on his face and holding something behind his back and since Venigni was on the opposite side of the room, Eugénie could see his horrified expression.“I have a surprise~” Pinocchio was humming those words.Eugénie saw how whatever Pinocchio was holding behind him was dripping blood, “What kind of surprise?” She was afraid to ask but she did.Pinocchio revealed his gift, the decapitated head of the fake Alidoro. Eugénie covered her mouth, all of this was too much. Sure she hates the guy, they are better off dead but this isn’t something she expected or wanted to see, much less when she is in this vulnerable state.“Thank you, can you, can you-“ Eugénie was stumbling over her words, “Can you keep it with your things? I don’t have much space in here”That was a dumb lie, everyone could see how she had plenty of space so before Pinocchio could try and help her find a place to set it she opened her mouth again.“And you know, Spring comes here pretty often, I would not want her to scratch it and ruin it”Pinocchio seemed convinced after that and went back to his room with the head in his hand, once he was gone Venigni rushed to Eugénie’s side, it was a good thing since she ended up fainting.Venigni gently set her to rest on a couch and went to talk with Geppetto, he was ready to have a deep conversation with him, but when he found Geppetto the man was applying pressure to his neck as he was bleeding from it.“What happened?!”“Pinocchio came and hugged me, but then he bit my neck,” Geppetto said so casually.“Why did he do that?!” Venigni was mortified.“He said that it was because he loved me or something along those lines”Venigni was baffled, “Something along those lines?”Geppetto grabbed a disinfectant and began to clean the wound, “He tells me how much he loves me all the time but this was weird”This. This was the weird one?“Pinocchio was talking incoherently, as in, I couldn’t actually understand what he was saying, he was talking too fast” Geppetto had tried to understand what his son was saying but he had been too focused on stopping the bleeding.Venigni was asking God to give him strength but he decided it was better to ask him for patience, he didn’t want to end up killing Geppetto.“Geppetto be honest with me, do you think the love your son has for you is normal?”“It’s a little strange but-““Just answer the question”“No”Geppetto had thankfully stopped bleeding by now and Venigni sat next to him.“My good old friend, I am begging you to do something about this”“What the hell do any of you want me to do?!” Geppetto was tired of people telling him that, “Do you think it’s going to stop him? I tell him not to do something but he finds a different way to do the same thing but somehow even worse”Okay, fair point.“He is your son, tell him he is being a bad boy”“I can’t do that, he isn’t a bad boy”Venigni loves Pinocchio but he is questioning if Pinocchio truly is a good boy.“I don’t know, can’t you ground him or something?” It was the only thing he could think of, he doesn't have kids but that's something you do when they are acting out. Although, is Pinocchio a child? The boy certainly acts like one most of the time but is it because of his lack of understanding of the world? He is getting unfocused, that isn't the point, “Or take away things he enjoys?”“I did” Geppetto stood up and explained how he took away Pinocchio’s chemical weapons, then he opened one of the drawers and pulled out a music box, “This was his apology gift, he made it himself”Geppetto proceeded to open the box, the inside was filled with human teeth some still had blood in them, in the middle, there was a wooden mouse with a dress and fairy wings spinning as the music played.“Alright, I understand, he is out of control and we are all at his mercy” Venigni gave out a sigh, he no longer had any idea of what to do.“Although I did praise him a lot for this, he did such a good job, look at how the mouse is moving, it’s so fluid despite the limited materials he used while building it”Venigni watched in disbelief as Geppetto went on and on about how well his son had made that music box, he felt as if he was in an engineering class again, listening to how the mechanics worked and how proud Geppetto was that his son was able to make it in this unique way.“He really does take after me doesn’t he?” Geppetto looked so happy, he was talking as if Pinocchio was about to tell him at any moment that he wanted to be an engineer like him.“He does” Venigni can see that now perfectly, the two of them need to be locked away to protect society.

Simon was at Krat Central Station, as he now knew where to find the stolen artifact, Laxasia wasn’t with him this time, so he sent her on another errand, as they needed to prepare, to have everything ready so that he could ascend to be a god as he rightfully deserves, the world made in his image, a world with no more lies.He thought that the secret workshop would be empty, yet when he arrived he found Geppetto’s puppet inside. Pinocchio was connecting all sorts of cables to a chair.“What are you doing?” Simon didn’t have time for his usual monologues, he needed the relic back and the puppet was standing in his way.“An electric chair,” Pinocchio said casually.“What?”“An electric-“I heard what you said” Simon knew the brat was violent but he didn’t think he was that violent, “Why?”Pinocchio smiled “To use it on you”“Yeah sure, I’ll like to see you try”That was Simon’s first mistake.Sure Pinocchio died a few times as Simon is tougher than he looks even even without his full power, but as always Sophia is on his side, and she is actively cheering on him for this. She isn’t one to endorse Pinocchio’s behavior but after all the suffering she is actively going through, Simon can rot in hell for all she cares, not to mention how she isn’t the only victim of his actions. Eventually, Pinocchio managed to shove Simon into that chair and tied him up so he wouldn’t be able to move.“You goddamn brat! Get me out of here right now or else”“Or else what?” Pinocchio started connecting more cables to the chair, after experimenting with a few carcasses he knew the perfect voltage.Simon started to desperately try to fight off the restraints, “Look I can see memories, I can see that you want a happy family, I can do that for you, I can bring Carlo and Romeo back, better than what your father ever could”“No thanks” Pinocchio was giving the finishing touches and he could see that Simon was getting more desperate.Simon breathed in a sigh of relief when he saw Laxasia enter the place, she was there to save him.That was his second mistake, lowering his guard like that.“Free him now before I crush you” Laxasia wasted no time in grabbing her sword, ready to attack.Pinocchio gave her a twisted smile “I can give him to you and even better than ever”“Even better?” Laxasia lowered her sword, he realized something interesting in Pinocchio’s tone of voice.“Laxasia what are you doing?!”“I know you love him” Pinocchio found out about when interrogating Giangio, “Don’t you want him to love you too?”Pinocchio used his force to break Simon’s legs, “He can’t run away from you now”Simon was in pain but he needed to stay calm “Adriana” Simon tried using her name, “Adriana please I’ll give you anything you want”“I can turn down the voltage and the two of you can match with fun electricity” Pinocchio also knows about her affinity for electricity, he showed her how the chair worked as he is also a fan of electrocuting others.“Adriana stop this right now! I am ordering you this as your god”Laxasia does worship Simon, but the idea of having him all to herself is too tempting and she knows that many already want her Simon to fail, she would just have to say that Geppetto’s puppet got to him first. She took off her head armor and smiled at Pinocchio, that’s all the boy needed to know and he set the chair in motion, the voltage ended up causing the entire station to lose power but Pinocchio always had Gemini by his side, he turned on the lamp as the deed was done.As promised Simon was still alive just unconscious, Pinocchio grabbed one of the boxes and sealed him inside, giving it to Laxasia.“What a kind boy you are Geppetto’s puppet”Pinocchio waved her goodbye, he still needed to find a way to get to that tower and free Sophia but he had done a lot today, he should get a well-deserved rest and praise from his father for everything he had done.

Notes:
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Pino sure did a lot of work today on advancing his plans, and in showing his love in a more intense way.Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

Chapter Index

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4

A soul made of stars, a heart filled with secrets

Geppetto saw his son enter the room upstairs, “Ah, son did you do what I asked for you to do?” Pinocchio gave him a small nod, it’s been some time since he was awoken, and he still doesn’t speak much, or at all, even Polendina and Pulcinella are way more talkative than him, he mainly communicates but small gestures like that or by pointing at things, rarely does he ever utter words, and he has never seen him say a full sentence.Pinocchio got closer to him, at first Geppetto thought that he might need to upgrade his P organ, but Pinocchio extended his hand to give him something, it was a small rock with the shape of a heart.“Oh, thank you” He doesn’t really know how to respond, Pinocchio has never done something like this before. Geppetto sees his son give him a look, an expectant look.“Yes, I do like it” It was… a nice gesture. Geppetto saw his son’s eyes lit up, he got closer to him and grabbed his hand.“Do you want me to come with you somewhere?” Maybe it’s just because he is old but he has trouble understanding Pinocchio most of the time.Pinocchio nodded enthusiastically, he almost lifted his father up from the chair he was resting in, Geppetto followed him and Pinocchio led them to the 3rd floor of the hotel, they entered one of the rooms, it was meant for guests, Pinocchio made this space for himself, his own personal room, it had a bed and some other furniture, but what Pinocchio wanted to show him was a huge dresser with a big mirror in the middle.Pinocchio opened the drawers, he was looking for something, Geppetto took a closer look at the dresser, the mirror had a few drawings stuck to it with tape, they resembled drawings made by a child, but it made sense that Pinocchio wasn’t the best at drawing, Geppetto is actually surprised that his son picked up this as a hobby.He could see one drawing of a woman in a wheelchair and a butler next to her, they must be Antonia and Polendina, another one he could tell was Venigni and Pulcinella, it looked like Pinocchio had trouble drawing Venigni’s outfit, a small drawing of a blue butterfly, a drawing of a girl with glasses and a weapon the way he drew Eugéne was rather cute, and then there was the biggest drawing, a drawing of him and Pinocchio together, Pinocchio had drew them both with big smiles on their faces.Geppetto was feeling a lot of things, he didn’t know his son loved him that much.He didn’t think his son loved him at all, he was supposed to be just a puppet, a vessel to bring Carlo back.Geppetto’s thoughts were interrupted Pinocchio finally found what he was looking for, he tugged at his father’s shirt to get his attention, in his hand he was holding a necklace made of small heart-shaped rocks, it looked that with a wrong movement, the necklace would fall apart, yet he was impressed that he managed to make one at all, with rocks out of all things; Pinocchio handed him the necklace, he had a big smile on his face.“That’s… very thoughtful of you son, thank you”Geppetto examined the room more, he didn’t just collect rocks, there were a few wooden toys lying around, a few books, metallic boxes, and music records.Pinocchio wanted to show him more of his collection, but he suddenly stopped, as if remembering he had forgotten to do something, he signaled something to his father, and Geppetto had managed to interpret that he would be back soon.Geppetto wondered where all this stuff came from, obviously from when his son went outside yet he didn’t think he would be able to collect so many things, one of those items grabbed his attention, and he left the necklace on a table to pick it up; it was a small notebook, Geppetto opened it from the first page, the first ever drawing was of his son and Gemini, he believed that this would be a notebook that would contain drawings of his mission, and he was right but the second drawing was something unexpected, it portrayed a man in a donkey mask lying in the floor with blood around him, Pinocchio was in the drawing holding a knife (a sword?) in his hands, he drew himself with a sad face.He remembers it of course, when his son fought that stalker who was trying to hurt him, and how Pinocchio killed the stalker to save him. Geppetto flipped through the pages, with drawings similar to the one he had just seen but with the difference being the mask of each stalker, a mouse mask, a dog mask, a bird mask, a black rabbit mask.

The next page showed a drawing of Pinocchio frowning and there were tears in his face, two words written on top of him.“Murder, Liar”Geppetto’s heart sank, how could he have been so stupid to think that his son would be okay with taking lives on his journey, he flipped the page again there was a drawing of him and Romeo like the others, but with flames around it rather than blood, on top, there was something written that made Geppetto feel even worse.“I’m not Carlo”How did I even believe he didn’t have emotions? Why have I been treating him like this?No, Carlo is my priority, he has to come back, he has to, I have to fix this, I have to fix all of my mistakes.He looked at the next page, it was one of Simon the word mean written on top of him, a strange piece of armor was next to Simon, the next page was strange, it had two drawings of him, but one showed his shorter hair and the other longer, like how it is now, in both of their chest was a blue heart, the word brother written at the bottom of the page; Geppetto flipped the page again, he was stunned, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing, because Pinocchio had drawn a puppet.He had drawn the nameless puppet that held the rest of Carlo’s ergo. This is impossible, how does he know about this? There is no way, he keeps the box next to him at all times, and he never lets it out of his sight, there is no way that he knows about this.gaspGeppetto turned around, Pinocchio was standing behind him he rushed to his father and tried to take away the notebook from his hands, but Geppetto lifted his arm so that he wouldn’t reach it, and he pointed at the drawing.“Son, how do you know about this?” He needed answers.Silence“Who told you about this, how do you know about this?!” He was shouting at him now.Then in Pinocchio’s eyes, tears had begun to form, he was crying and began to hyperventilate.Your son is crying in front of you, you are scaring him, you are a pathetic excuse of a father.

“Look son, I’m sorry, I’m not mad I just… I just need to know how you know about this”Pinocchio kept quiet, he was still crying, Geppetto got closer to him and wiped away his tears, but he still couldn’t calm down.Say his name.Say his real name, he is your son, but you never call him by his name, if he is so precious to you, why do you treat him like a tool?“Pinocchio, please I’m sorry” Geppetto wanted to hug Pinocchio but he didn’t let him, he took the notebook from his hand, and flipped it to the next page, the one he had missed.It was a drawing of Pinocchio crying, up top with the words “Bad boy”“You think you are a bad boy? Is that what you are trying to tell me?” Geppetto keeps realizing he hasn’t changed; he neglected Carlo and now neglects Pinocchio. His son has done everything he has asked, Pinocchio never complains, and he rewards him by never giving him a rest, he never considers his feelings and Pinocchio saw it all.
Pinocchio could tell his father saw him differently, and he was making an effort to gain his love.Pinocchio was crying and pointing at the page, a few words managed to come out of his mouth, “Bad boy… I am a…bad… son”“No, Pinocchio you aren’t bad, you are a good boy, you are the best boy I could ever ask for” Geppetto had begun to cry as well, he extended his arms for a hug, and this time Pinocchio accepted it.As they were embracing each other. Geppetto could hear the loud beating of Pinocchio’s mechanical heart, it was so loud to him, that he didn’t hear the noise of the box being opened from the inside, he didn’t hear the mechanical footsteps going upstairs, he didn’t hear him slowly approaching.“I…can…talk to…him” Pinocchio had to use all his will to say the words, talking was something he couldn’t do, something that most of the time he had to force himself to do.The drawing; he knows who Carlo is because he can speak to him, the ergo they share, it all made sense to him now.“Father,” said a raspy voice, the mechanical vocal words made it made an echo, it sounded high-pitched yet deep at the same time.Geppetto turned to look at the door, standing in front of it was, it was the puppet, no, it was… Carlo.“Please stop this” There was a deep pain in his voice, he was begging him to do as he asked.Geppetto fell onto the floor, letting go of Pinocchio, who rushed to Carlo’s side, using him almost as a shield, hiding behind him, Geppetto was kneeling unable to stand up, his two sons looked down at him, the down sons he neglected, his sons who he had hurt deeply. He loved them deeply, yet he never appreciated them, he might love them, but he never showed his love, with Carlo he was never there for him, and now for Pinocchio, he wants him to be someone he is not.Carlo got closer to him, each step resonated in the walls of the hotel, it was by pure luck that none one else at the hotel had come up to investigate by now.Carlo kneeled down to his father’s level, “I want us to reconcile” Pinocchio nodded at his brother’s words.Even after everything he did, they still love him, and he feels like he doesn’t deserve it, but this isn’t a pity party, he has to do better, and he can’t let his mistakes happen again.“Carlo, Pinocchio, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry for everything” Geppetto truly means it, “I won’t let this happen again I promise, I promise to always be there for the two of you!” He was shouting and his crying had gotten more intense, this promise he would never break, his sons would always come first.Carlo walked up to him and slapped his father in the face.“I deserve that”He slapped him again, and that was on Pinocchio’s behalf, Carlo knows Pinocchio would never have the guts to do it himself.“I also deserve that”Carlo kneeled down next to his father, Pinocchio joined him and both hugged their father; he returned their hug and the three of them were crying.They were a family, after all, a very imperfect family, but finally all of them together. Geppetto has a lot of work to do, he can’t just say that he will be better, words like that are meaningless if not backed up by actions. He is extremely grateful that they accepted his forgiveness, Geppetto had been so blind, so distraught by his grief that he couldn't see the family he had in front of him.Carlo and Pinocchio really do love their father, even after all his stupid mistakes, they are happy he came back to his senses, happy that they can be a real family.They didn’t stop embracing each other, it lasted for a long time, and it made them feel warmth.

Notes:
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Geppetto has finally left his grief behind, the grief that was stopping him from becoming a better father.Also the "Please stop this" and “I want us to reconcile” are things that were meant to be said during the nameless puppet boss fight by P, and they are actually what inspired me to write this fic, although in this case is backwards and it´s Carlo who is saying those things.Thank you so much for reading!!

• Next Part

Birdhouse in Your Soul

Chapter 1: Test of Strength

Pinocchio and Carlo were outside, their father might have come to see reason but someone still had to stop Simon, and Carlo wasn’t going to let Pinocchio go out there by himself again, well he has Gemini but the little guy can’t help with the fighting.Things at Hotel Krat were a bit tense for a bit, when Carlo finally went downstairs to say that everyone was shocked would be a complete understatement, the state he was in didn’t make the situation any better, as it turns out his father used his dead body to convert him partially into a puppet, there was a lot of yelling directed against his father, and with good reason but it did make him feel awkward, the yelling stopped when Pinocchio had begun to cry, he was getting upset at everyone raising their voices.Carlo changed clothes, Pinocchio showed him some of the clothes he had collected, and he chose his old boarding school uniform, it made him feel comfort, something he could cling to as a good memory. His father also made some adjustments to his heart, it was almost exposed after all, and it needed to be covered for protection.Carlo stabbed a bear afflicted with the petrification disease, the barren swamp was filled with strange creatures, the monster fell to its dead and Carlo collected the ergo that was left behind.He lifted his sword to his back, looking around to see if other monsters were still around, thankfully none at the moment but he saw that Pinocchio didn’t want to look at him, Carlo could tell he was pouting.“What? What did I do?” He came off as a bit aggressive even if he didn’t mean it, due to his current condition he can sound intimidating, but he didn’t understand why Pinocchio was mad at him.“Uhh, I think he is angry that you are killing all the monsters” Gemini chirped from his cage.Carlo realized that all this time he had been doing most of the work, Pinocchio clearly wanted to help but he constantly told him to stay back and that he would handle it.“I thought you didn’t like fighting”Pinocchio looked frustrated, he pointed at the bear and waved his finger in a yes motion, he then pointed at Carlo and waved his finger again this time with a no motion.“You like fighting monsters, not people” It made sense, one thing was killing creatures like this and another was killing people.Pinocchio gave a nod, he was happy his brother could understand him so well, he usually had trouble with others understanding what he was trying to say.“Carlo, Pinocchio is really strong as well, maybe you should give him more credit” Gemini spoke up again, the cricket was Pinocchio’s best friend, and he had seen him fight opponents three times his size, he knew Pinocchio’s true abilities, “Besides you are just going to tire yourself out if you continue like this”It looks like Carlo was unconsciously being overprotective, “I understand, we should fight together, I shouldn’t have shoved you aside” he was apologetic but he also gave out a small chuckle, “Although obviously I’m the stronger of the two of us, so leave the hard stuff to me will you?”Pinocchio’s face turned a slight shade of pink, he was embarrassed, he suddenly pulled out his weapon, he pointed at himself and at Carlo multiple times, it looked like he was asking for a duel.“Woah calm down buddy, I know you want to prove yourself but getting into a fight like this isn’t a good idea” Gemini was trying to make Pinocchio calm down.Carlo laughed again, he wanted to tease his brother, “Listen pipsqueak, I trained to be a stalker, out of the two of us, there is no comparison”“You know what Pinocchio, I changed my mind, teach him a lesson” Gemini was fired up, he now wanted to see them duel.

Pinocchio did a bunch of hand gestures really fast, Carlo said them out loud one by one to make sense of it.“Didn’t you get rejected to become one…?”
Oh, Carlo was mad now, Pinocchio didn’t need to bring that up, that was a dirty move.“Fine, let’s have a duel, and don’t worry it won’t last long at all”Both brothers looked at each other, each had their weapon drawn, each holding a confident stance, Gemini was the one to count to three; for a friendly fight, it was rather intense, they clashed multiple times, each unleashing intense attacks, Carlo was good at blocking and Pinocchio good at parrying. It was evenly matched, Pinocchio countered one of Carlo’s attacks and it made him stumble a bit, before he could plan his next move, the earth began to rumble, and suddenly both brothers were falling from the hill they were on top of, the trash and rubble couldn’t sustain the fight, Carlo feel with grace and landed on his feet, Pinocchio on the other hand, face planted into the ground, his clothes now completely dirty.Carlo helped him get back up, “It was a good fight” he liked to spar with him, it… reminded him of when he would spar with Romeo; he might have forgiven his father for many things, but he would never forgive him for what he did to Romeo. Carlo felt conflicted, he could tell his father regretted what he did, but that didn’t take the pain away.“You know Pinocchio would have won, you just got lucky,” Gemini said, interrupting Carlo’s train of thought.“Sure, believe what you want” Carlo knew that he was right but his pride wouldn’t let him admit it. Carlo played with his brother’s hair a bit, “You are pretty strong, could have fooled me with how cute you look”“Isn’t Pinocchio supposed to look like you before, you know, died and stuff?” Gemini always knew what to say on Pinocchio’s behalf.“Hey watch it” That little cricket was too sassy for his own good.They all laughed, ironically the fight had made the air feel less dense.Pinocchio looked around the things that had been disposed of as trash, something caught his attention, a small magazine that somehow was still almost intact, with just a small tear in the front page and a little bit of dust. Pinocchio flipped through the pages to examine it.“You want to add that to your collection?” Carlo would encourage his brother to keep his collection growing, it also gave him small hope, that many things have been destroyed, yet some can still be saved and appreciated.Pinocchio kept staring at one page and Carlo could tell something was wrong, he got closer, it was one of those magazines for children, with cute styled drawings, Carlo remembers they were meant for kids to show different aspects of life. In the pages Pinocchio was holding one side showed a father playing with his children, the other showing the father carrying a little girl, most likely his daughter.Carlo knew what Pinocchio was thinking, it was only until recently that their father had become more affectionate towards his brother, but Pinocchio wanted more, Carlo knew that his brother still felt that he had to earn the love of others, and that’s why he always did what he was told, not just what his father asked of him, but from the others at the hotel, and those he found along the way while helping save Krat.“We have made it pretty far, let’s go and take a break” Carlo saw that a stargazer was nearby, and they used it to go back to the Hotel.
Their father greeted them at the lobby, asking them how everything went, he immediately sent Pinocchio to shower and get a change of clothes, this wasn’t the first time his son had done this, and it probably wouldn’t be the last.Pinocchio handed Carlo the magazine and Gemini so that he could clean himself upstairs. Carlo didn’t want to see his brother get in trouble so he admitted that it was his fault that he got all dirty like that.“We were fighting and it sorta got a little intense, we ended up falling from that hill”“What do you mean you were fighting your brother?!” Geppetto was mortified.“Ugh, relax old man, it was just a friendly duel” Carlo swears his father is overdramatic about everything, he should have become an actor instead of an engineer.

“Pinocchio would have totally kicked your ass if the two of you didn’t fall” Gemini wasn’t going to let Carlo forget that.“Gemini language” Geppetto didn’t like swearing, what if Pinocchio heard it?“Oh please Father, do you think he is going to repeat them?” Although it would be hilarious if he did, Carlo accepted his brother for who he was, and Pinocchio didn’t need to force himself to speak to appeal to others.Carlo talked for some time with the others, he could tell that Antonia and Venigni saw him with pity in their eyes, they had known him for many years, they all considered each other family, and he could tell they couldn’t bear to see him as he is now.“It’s still me”“I’m sorry my friend, what do you mean?” Venigni was confused.“I know I look different, that I look like…” A monster, a disfigured puppet, a creature from the deeps of hell, and his voice didn't help at all, his voice was terrifying with an echo that lasted a few seconds that would make anyone feel uncomfortable, “But it’s still me, please don’t forget that”Venigni hugged Carlo and began to apologize, but Carlo understood why he felt that way, he didn’t hold it against him.
Carlo also kneeled to Antonia’s level, and she apologized to him as well, again, Carlo didn’t hold anything against her either, he just wanted to remind them both to not lose sight of who he was.Belle watched from a distance, she felt out of place in the hotel, but it was the only place where she could truly be safe. She saw Carlo and someone very strong, stronger than any other soldier she had met, the only exception being her partner, but Carlo was certainly stronger than her. It wasn’t his skills as a fighter that defined his strength, it was his determination, it was his ability to come up top even on the hardest of circumstances. She looked away, it was none of her business, yet she couldn’t help to smile at the situation.Pinocchio finally made it downstairs, his hair was still a bit wet and needed some brushing but he wanted Antonia to help him do that for him, he loved it when she brushed his hair, but before that, he made his way back to Carlo who returned the magazine to his hands, and Pinocchio attached Gemini back to his belt again.
Pinocchio flipped through the pages and found the one he had been staring at before, pointing at one of the drawings; his father gave him a confused look.“Geppetto I think he wants you to carry him” Venigni laughed, it was amusing to see Pinocchio ask for such a request, he was extending his arms, asking to be carried.“Oh yes dear, your father couldn't possibly carry you, but please don’t feel bad about it” Antonia could understand why he wanted to be carried, unfortunately in her eyes, it was something that wouldn’t happen.Everyone else laughed but Geppetto stayed silent, in a swift movement he picked up Pinocchio and was now carrying him in his arms, everyone’s jaw hit the floor, they couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
Pinocchio was so happy, he had a big smile on his face, and after a few seconds, his father gently put him back down.“I'm sorry friend but, since when are you so strong?!” Venigni was speechless, no way was Geppetto stronger than him, sure, it’s not as if he was a man dedicated to fitness but he worked out every once in a while and he might not be the youngest but Geppetto is more than a decade older than him.“Is technique more than strength” Geppetto knew it perfectly well, after all in his wedding he carried his late wife plenty of times, even on their honeymoon he would carry her every time she asked.“It looks like you have even more secrets than the ones you have told us Geppetto” Antonia was impressed as well, and she is a woman who constantly keeps her composure, it’s hard to get a reaction out of her.“When are you going to carry me?” Carlo tried teasing his father, he was only joking of course but Geppetto made his way towards him, “No no no no wait”It was too late his father was now carrying him in his arms.“Father! Father put me down!” Carlo found the situation very embarrassing.Geppetto put Carlo back down, it was embarrassing, yet he liked it, he missed his father, he missed his affection, he hadn’t done that since he was a small child, and over time their bond had begun to break, but, it felt good to see their bond slowly repairing.Carlo and Pinocchio were making their way to the stargazer when they heard Antonia’s voice from behind, “There is no rush, the two of you should be able to rest, why not stay here for longer?”They both sighed in relief, they stayed inside for longer, making conversation, playing the music with the records Pinocchio had collected; the atmosphere felt different, even with all the danger, things felt calm, things felt differently, it felt safe, not safe like before just because the hotel a fortified area, but because it was somewhere were they all could count with each other.

Notes:
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New series! it's good to write Carlo and Pinocchio being good siblings.Carlo might not look the same, but he is still the same person he was before, well, puppet person but still.Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

Chapter Index

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7

Birdhouse in Your Soul

Chapter 2: Unexpected Reunion

Carlo and Pinocchio were back in the barren swamp, it was a huge place, and it had taken them more than expected to find the large monster they were looking for; well, at least Pinocchio made a friend, that broken puppet next to all that trash, the state was quite sad, Carlo was thinking of taking him back to the Hotel with them, see if their father could fix him, but unfortunately there were still many dangers around and that had to be their priority.Carlo watched as Pinocchio showed him the emotions he had learned, his brother also gave the broken puppet a drawing he made of them together, Pinocchio taped it to his friend's chest, obviously with his state he couldn’t even carry the small piece of paper. They said their goodbyes for now and continued along the way.As they walked, they both could see two distinct figures on the horizon, those clothes, and those masks, it was clear as day who they were, Pinocchio excitedly ran towards them, and Carlo followed behind.“Ah puppet boy we meet again,” Said The Red fox elegantly, “And… you brought a friend with you” She was taken aback by Carlo’s appearance.“Yeah a huge scary friend, where did you even meet this guy?” The Black Cat askedOf course, they wouldn’t recognize him, although he wondered what they thought of Pinocchio the first time they saw him; maybe that his father went crazy and that’s a very accurate assumption.Pinocchio pointed at himself and then at Carlo, and then he pointed at The Red Fox and The Black Cat.“What are you saying? You know that it is hard to play charades with you right?” The Black cat was not good at all at interpreting what Pinocchio wanted to say, his blurry vision only made things worse.“Um, are you saying that the two of you are family?” The Red Fox was confused.Carlo gave out a sigh, “Hey guys… it’s me”Everything became quiet, too quiet, Carlo’s voice echoed through the entirety of the swamp, even with their masks on, Carlo could tell that they were trying hard to put two and two together.“Carlo?! Carlo is that really you?!” That has to be impossible, The Red Fox knows that Carlo is dead, it would make sense if Pinocchio had to told her that he was Carlo because he looked like him, but that wasn’t the case, and she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.“Yes, it’s really me” When Carlo said Pinocchio went behind him to use him as a shield.“What the hell happened to you?!” Shouted The Black Cat, “I mean no offense but aren’t you supposed to be dead?”“Well, it’s a long story but…” Carlo didn’t know where to start and while he was thinking what to say The Black Cat spoke up again.“Holy shit, are you a zombie?!”“No, you moron! What makes you even think that?” That was a stupid question, maybe the Black Cat’s vision was bad but at least he should be able to see the mechanical parts of his body.The Red Fox told her brother to shut up and let Carlo explain himself, he gave them the short version, and when he finished Pinocchio tugged at his shirt, Carlo already knew what he was feeling.“And please let’s not shout, yelling scares him”“The only scary thing here is your voice man, are you seriously not a zombie?” For some reason, the Black Cat was fixated on that idea.“Brother stop acting like that” The Red fox shushed him, she got closer to Carlo, taking a good look at him, “Are you… in pain?” She was worried, Carlo didn’t look well.“No” Carlo was blunt, he didn’t want to be pitied, and it was true, even if he didn’t look fine, he felt well. Maybe he already got used to being in this state.“Oh fuck man, I’m glad you are alive, somehow I guess but this is just too much for me to process” The Black Cat was definitely not taking it well.“Please ignore him, he can’t see you well, that’s why he probably thinks you look even more scary” The Red Fox knew that her brother wasn’t trying to be mean, Carlo already looked intimidating, and not being able to see him properly was making this worse.

“I’m not scared!” The Black Cat said it made his sister laugh.Suddenly Pinocchio grabbed something from his pocket, it was a letter, he handed it down to the siblings, inside the letter were some gold fruit coins, as well as a drawing, it showed Pinocchio and two stalkers together, it looked like he was saving the letter just in case he saw them again.“How very kind of you” The Red Fox felt extremely grateful, and selfish because she was about to ask if they had any more gold fruit coins to spare, she felt as if she was just using Pinocchio.“Is that supposed to be me? I don’t look like that at all” The Black Cat was holding the drawing close to his face.“You couldn’t appreciate art when you could see well, much less now” The Red Fox took the drawing, put it back inside the letter, and carefully folded it in her pockets as to protect it from getting ruined. She gave her brother a small slap to his back, indicating to him to behave himself.Pinocchio flapped his hands, he was smiling and almost jumping with joy, he hugged Carlo and pointed at his two stalker friends.“He is happy to learn that the two of you are my friends because that means we are all sibling friends” Carlo spoke up on his brother’s behalf.The Red Fox was impressed at how easy it was for him to understand Pinocchio, but they were siblings after all, she was ways to communicate with her brother that others wouldn’t get at all.“I hate to break up this reunion but we have to keep going” Gemini chirped from his cage, truthfully he didn’t like the two of them, they were rude to Pinocchio in the past.“Right we should also keep going” The Black cat turned to his sister and gave her a nod, “Oh, and kid, I’m sorry for calling you a dumbass” he was apologetic towards Pinocchio, but he didn’t have the finesse to his words like his sister did.The Red Fox took a sigh, her brother never knew how to read the room, “I’m very sorry as well, I shouldn’t have treated you badly either”They turned to make their exit but before they could leave, The Red Fox spoke up again, she had to warn them, she knew that they would hate her and her brother if they found out about the plan, but she needed her brother to be safe, and she was promised that freedom if she did as she was told.“Please keep an eye on your father, there are people out there who have made him their enemy”Carlo gave her a look, unfortunately, he didn’t fully get her cryptic message, he took it more as a way to tell him to protect his loved ones in general.They kept going, and although Carlo could tell that Pinocchio was nervous, he took a deep breath.“No Pinocchio, zombies are not real” He knew that Pinocchio didn’t think he was a zombie, it was more that he was worried that creatures like that could exist in the first place.“Hey Carlo but if you think about it, aren’t technically a lot of these petrification disease monsters zombies?” Gemini spoke without thinking because Pinocchio grabbed Carlo’s arm and held him tightly.“Wow great job, aren’t you supposed to be his best friend?” Carlo started to argue with Gemini, “What a way to scare him”“Oh Carlo don’t start, you scared him last time when we went to the Opera House to find something by telling him that The Phantom from the play was real and haunting the place,” Gemini said, two could play this game.“A ghost is more realistic and believable than a zombie you dumb cricket”“No, it’s not! They are literally the same thing but with different powers”Pinocchio shook Gemini’s cage and he started to poke Carlo, he wanted to two of them to stop arguing.“Okay, okay we can just agree to disagree” Gemini didn’t want to upset his best friend more. “And none of them are real, to begin with”“Yeah what he said, just don’t sweat it Pino”Carlo sometimes gets too fired up as well and forgets that Pinocchio can get scared easily.They walked further Pinocchio gave Gemini to Carlo for some reason, and without them noticing, he began to walk more slowly so that he would be directly behind the two of them, with a smirk on his face, he grabbed this weapon and began to sharpen it with his Legion Arm, due to his weapon being a scythe, it made a loud screeching sound that sounded like someone was screaming from the grave.Carlo and Gemini were completely startled, Gemini gave out a scream and Carlo turned around so fast that he tripped and fell. Pinocchio was giggling.“You little devil” Carlo was mad but also very proud of his brother.“You are such a bad influence on him you know that?” Gemini wasn’t as fond of the prank, unfortunately, and he knows that Carlo’s mischievous side is rubbing on Pinocchio way too much.Carlo got back up and handed Gemini back to Pinocchio, he gave his brother a shoulder hug “I need to teach more pranks like that”

Notes:
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Spending so much time with Carlo is making Pinocchio a naughty boy instead of a good boy.Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

Chapter Index

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7

Birdhouse in Your Soul

Chapter 3: Ugly Doll

Pinocchio had found a small rag doll while they were exploring, it had blonde hair and a torn-up pink dress, her face slightly stained with cinder, she was missing one of her button eyes and one of her arms, and there was a small mouse next to her before he had picked her up, and ever since he took her, he didn’t let go of her, when going outside Pinocchio would tie her up to his belt so that she wouldn’t fall.Carlo watched from afar as Pinocchio played with the doll in his room, well, he didn’t exactly play with her, he would hold her in his hands, or line her up with the other things he had collected, as well as hugging the doll. Carlo turned around, he wanted to give his brother more privacy, so he went to see his father who was holding a drawing Pinocchio had recently given him.It was the three of them together, holding hands, Carlo could tell that his father was starting to get sentimental.“I’m sorry” Geppetto would constantly apologize to the two of them.“You sound like a broken record at this point” replied Carlo.“Son, please you don’t have to pretend that-““I’m not pretending anything”“… that this doesn’t bother you”Carlo looked away from him, but it was a bad idea because in the wall his portrait of when he was a child was still hanging in there, Carlo stared at it, specifically at his face, it was the part of his body that had changed the most.He doesn’t want to be angry at his father anymore, he brought him back from being dead that’s something that’s not easy to do, but it hurt, hurt when he woke up, and he felt so angry, that he got violent and attacked him, and his father had to stop him.While sealed in the box, it felt like he was in a deep slumber, until he started to feel something, or rather someone, Carlo began to communicate with Pinocchio, he felt calm, and the fog in his mind began to clear; due to their connection, when Pinocchio collected ergo he mostly gave it to him, his brother was so kind, because lacking Ergo ended up hurting him a lot while fighting.
Carlo has a P organ now, his father made another one so that he could collect Ergo of his own, the more Ergo he collects, the better he feels, not only physically but mentally.Still, Carlo is lying to himself, because it does bother him, he just hates being pitied, he needs to prove himself, and he needs to show what he is capable of.“I’ll get over it”“Carlo please look at me” Geppetto knew that his son was hurting, that he was pretending that he could overcome this by himself.Carlo turned to face his father, it was better than looking at the painting.“You don’t have to go through this alone, you… always tend to do that, wanting to do things by yourself that were too much for you”“And who’s fault is that?” Carlo had to learn to become self-reliable, “I’ve been taking care of myself since I was a kid, not thanks to you”“I’m sorry, Carlo, I know I should have-“ But Geppetto was cut short.“Stop apologizing” Carlo had already forgiven his father, and it bothered him that he kept asking for forgiveness, it just reminded him of the bad times and he didn’t want to think about that.“Look son, I just want to help, I understand all of my mistakes, and that I’m not good at comforting you or your brother, but I need to stop making excuses, I’m your father and I need to be there for you” Geppetto stood up from his chair and made his way towards Carlo, gently touching his face, “From now on, I promise you, you can count on me”A few tears fell from Carlo’s eyes, “Is it too much to want a normal life?” Carlo asked, but he knows he will never have a normal life, once this disaster is over what will others think of him? Will others see him as a monster and try to harm him? Or will they just pity him more?

What would they think of his father after the truth is revealed?He knows that the best thing to do is lie to the world, Antonia and Venigni certainly won’t say anything, it’s better that everyone keeps quiet about the truth of the frenzy.But if the truth is found out, what will they do to him?And if something happens to either him or his father who will take care of Pinocchio?“No, it’s not too much to ask” Geppetto hugs his son, “I know I can’t give you that, but at least, let me give you a good life, even if it’s not a normal one”Carlo hugs his father back, it’s quiet for a few minutes until they both feel something, or rather someone, Pinocchio had ran up to them and joined in the hug.Eventually, they all let go, and Pinocchio waved his doll around, wanting Carlo to hold her; Carlo knew that it was because his brother felt better when doing that but he didn’t want to hold that doll, it felt a bit too childish for him.“Pino I know you mean well but a doll won’t make me feel better” Ugh, that came out wrong, he ended up sounding mean. Pinocchio shoved the doll in Carlo’s hands and he held her.“Wow this does feel better, no wonder he carries her around everywhere,” Carlo thought to himself. He handed the doll back to Pinocchio and his brother now handed it to their father, Geppetto also felt that it was a bit comforting.“Maybe Antonia could fix her up for you, she does know a little about sowing” Geppetto suggested to Pinocchio, but Pinocchio moved his head from side to side, indicating that he didn’t want that.“Why not?” Carlo couldn’t understand why, if Pinocchio wasn’t careful the rag doll could break even further.Pinocchio smiled, “She is… perfect the… way… she… is” Pinocchio spoke without having to force himself to, he still had trouble letting the words out but he spoke with his heart this time.Geppetto and Carlo were very proud of Pinocchio, and to their surprise that wasn’t all, Pinocchio showed Carlo a drawing.Carlo looked at the drawing, Pinocchio had drawn him and the doll together, and there was something written in the drawing:I love you, I want you to be happyCarlo couldn’t contain himself, so he grabbed Pinocchio and pulled him into a hug, his brother was too good, and he felt so lucky to have him by his side.Geppetto smiled, he also felt lucky; before they left once more, he accompanied them to the stargazer, he played with Pinocchio’s hair, “Pinocchio always remember to be a good boy”He then turned to look at Carlo, gently touching his face again, “Carlo please be a good boy as well, take good care of your brother”They said their goodbyes and made their way out, unfortunately, they didn’t know that the next time they entered the Hotel, their father wouldn’t be there.

Notes:
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This family might not be normal but at the very least they can be a happy family.The title and some parts of the story are a reference to a song, La muñeca Fea a song by Cri-Cri.It just fits so well and I love adding stuff that references things from my culture, who knows maybe someday I'll have Pino try Mexican candies.Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

Chapter Index

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7

Birdhouse in Your Soul

Chapter 4: Too much

Carlo and Pinocchio rushed to get back to the Hotel, Carlo almost broke the front door by opening it with a great amount of force, Hotel Krat had been attacked and the place was vandalized, they needed to make sure everyone was safe; no one but Sophia was at the lobby and it made sense, no one else but Carlo, Pinocchio, and Gemini could see her, they knew that her power allowed her to project herself somewhere else; Sophia didn’t say where she was, but Carlo already had an idea, he knew that her uncle must have her captive somewhere.“The others are hiding on the second floor,” Sophia said in her calm voice, she didn’t wasn’t a very expressive person, ever since Carlo had known her she was like that, maybe she was really good at keeping her composure, or maybe she had to force herself to act that way, Carlo knew Simon, he knew how much of a bastard he was even if he always acted nice around him.Before they could check on them Sophia spoke up again, “Carlo, Pinocchio… they took him”Both could feel their hearts stop for a second, and then they were angry, furious but they had to go upstairs to check on the others, thankfully no one was injured, but the atmosphere was extremely tense, Pinocchio was next to Antonia’s side, he clearly was worried that she might be hurt due to her condition, even if she keep reassuring him that she was fine he couldn’t accept it, Pinocchio waved and make gestures over and over again, he wanted to ask if anyone was truly not hurt, Carlo and Gemini had to talk in his behalf.“Pinocchio how about you go upstairs to your room? Just, try to calm down, we can do this, we can rescue Father” Carlo said, Pinocchio began to walk upstairs, everything was overwhelming him.“I’m sorry my friend, I should have been able to do something, I talk big game, but in reality, I’m just a coward” Venigni felt ashamed of himself, he wished he could have done more.“It’s not your fault Ven, if it’s someone’s fault it’s mine, it was foolish of me to believe they wouldn’t come here” Antonia was now the one blaming herself.Carlo spoke up “Alright, no one is to blame here, please let’s just focus on-“Everyone heard loud footsteps running towards the room, Pinocchio was sobbing loudly, he was hyperventilating, his entire body shaking, engulfed in panic.“The stalkers, they, um” It was hard for Gemini to say it, the audacity of those people, “trashed his room”Carlo was even more furious, how dare they? Worse of all he felt betrayed, how could the Red Fox and Black Cat assist in this?Pinocchio had his drawings in his hands, he showed how they had drawn on top of them, covering their faces with a black pen, calling him a liar, one drawing that he had made of Carlo was completely crossed, with the words “should have stayed dead”Pinocchio’s face was red, and his crying got even more intense, he grabbed his doll to calm himself but he couldn’t. Pinocchio fell onto the floor he put his hands up to his face and was rocking back and forward.Everything was overwhelming him, the stalkers took away his father, they hurt his friends and they broke his things, he didn’t understand why, he understand why others would do that; Pinocchio wanted all of this to stop, he wanted it all to be fake, a bad dream, this wasn’t happening.Carlo was debating what to do, he wasn’t sure if trying to hold him to comfort him would work, maybe he would get even more overwhelmed, but he couldn’t just leave him to cry on the floor. Asking Pinocchio what would make him feel better was out of the question he was in no position to communicate.“Oh my sweet boy please come over here” Antonia had come to the rescue, lifting her arms to motion Pinocchio to go by her side, Pinocchio ran up to her, he was kneeling as she was sitting in her wheelchair, his head was on her lap; as he cried Antonia would gently play with his hair and give him comforting words.And so Pinocchio cried in Antonia’s arms, Antonia who he saw as his mother.

Everyone else went back downstairs, it was best to give them some space, Carlo was also trying to calm himself, this was unacceptable, Venigni was by his side, he was angry as well, sure he felt helpless at being unable to help but at the end of the day, it was those stalkers fault, and they had no reason to be so cruel to Pinocchio.“I need to find them, they can’t get away with this, Simon is going to pay for this” When Carlo said that, he felt an intense pain in his head, a sudden migraine, something came to mind, but he could barely remember his memory felt foggy, but he doesn’t like what he is seeing.He is tied up, he can’t move; why can’t he move? He can feel his body being stiff, if he was already sick and unable to move then why was he tied up?Carlo remembers the sharp needles, he was being poked and probed. He was treated as a lab rat, as a science experiment“You know, your father has been looking everywhere for you, he is a moron, he doesn’t even suspect it was me who took you, but don’t worry Carlo, Uncle Simon is here for you”’He can hear Sophia crying, and Carlo can hear Simon saying… horrible things to her, things an uncle should never tell his niece.Then he felt a sharp pain in his neck, blood, so much blood, and then… and then he was alive again, Carlo remembers that his father was crying, that he was begging him for forgiveness, for not being there for him, but he was too confused, too angry to hear his father’s words at the time, he attacked him, and his father had to stop him, but before his consciousness faded he heard this father one last time.“I’ll kill him, I’ll kill him for doing this to you!”“Carlo? Carlo can you listen to me?!” Carlo realized he had fallen onto his knees, he was hyperventilating and crying, and he realized Venigni was holding him, he managed to snap back to reality but now he had questions.“How…how did I die?” Carlo sees Venigni look away, and Carlo can see that he knows the truth.“Please tell me… what happened to me?!” Carlo is sounding desperate, he holds Venigni more tightly.“You were murdered, he murdered you” Venigni had tears in his eyes, his uncle Venigni, who, unlike Simon, Carlo knew that he actually loved him, wasn’t a fake love for appearances, Venigni truly loved him and wanted to help him.“Carlo maybe I really am a coward, I talk a big game but in the end, I get paralyzed and can’t do anything, but I want you to know that I will always be there for you”Carlo just cried in his uncle’s arms.

After both had gained their composure it was finally time to go, Pinocchio played the secret key in the piano and both brothers headed towards the secret passageway.Pinocchio was holding Carlo’s hand, he had his doll in the other, it was clear his distress hadn’t fully gone away, he had become too quiet, completely unable to communicate,
and the truth is that Carlo was in the situation, his feeling of being overwhelmed hadn’t fully gone away either.“Pinocchio, we can do this, we are strong enough to do this” Carlo gave Pinocchio a determined look, his brother looked back at him, now with the same fire of determination in their eyes.Both of them drew their weapon and stepped forward, ready to take any threats that came their way, whatever they faced, they could take it together.

Notes:
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Too many emotions.Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

Chapter Index

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7

Birdhouse in Your Soul

Chapter 5: Entering the Fortresses

There was a loud crash, the earth rumbled as the submarine rose from the waters.“Maniacs! The two of you are maniacs! Never ever do that again!” Gemini was shouting at Carlo and Pinocchio.“Of shut up you are being overdramatic” Carlo was sure that they had done a good job driving the submarine. “Besides when are we ever going to ride a submarine again? It had to be fun while it lasted”Pinocchio let out a small giggle, he liked helping drive the submarine.“Ugh, let’s just move forward…is that? Is that Sophia?” Gemini could look at her, she wasn’t that far away, “What is she doing here?”They made their way toward her, Sophia had the faint smile she always had, “Glad to see you both here, I suppose the two of you were already aware that the real me was never at the hotel”“Is this where he is holding you captive? I promise you that we will find you” Carlo said, Sophia’s expression didn’t seem to change, but in her eyes, Carlo could sense a deep sadness.“If you find me, I want you to kill me” Sophia looked at them both, they weren’t sure which of the two of them she was referring to, or maybe it was both. But unfortunately, both brothers already had a feeling that she would ask for that.“I just want to be set free” Sophia’s voice now held the same sadness in her eyes.Carlo and Pinocchio just looked at her as she disappeared, moving forward the ergo started to manifest memories, memories of Carlo, and it made them feel uncomfortable.
Carlo felt conflicted looking at his past, specially when he said he wouldn’t have cared if his father died, he felt guilty, but also sad and impotent looking at his past, the hardest was seeing those old memories of him and Romeo.Pinocchio on the other had felt like he didn’t belong, he was meant to be a vessel to bring Carlo back, for some time his father wanted him to be Carlo, and now he felt as if he was forced to relieve the pain of others wanting him to be someone he is not.They moved along the unforgiving fortress, climbing the huge structure, enemies charging at them from left and right, eventually, they made their way to an empty spacious room, where The Black Cat was waiting for them. Before Carlo could say anything, he spoke up first.“I’m sorry” there was sadness in his voice, “And to be clear, my sister and I tried to stop them from breaking Pinocchio’s belongings, but the Black Rabbit Brotherhood are a bunch of assholes”Well, that was something they could all agree with.“But I can’t let you continue either” The Black Cat was regretful but it had to be done.Before Carlo could say anything Pinocchio stepped forward, he looked directly at The Black Cat and pointed at him.“Bad boy”“Excuse me?” The Black Cat was irritated, “I’m not a child, if your father wants to give you good boy points be my guest but that doesn’t apply to me”

That didn’t stop Pinocchio because he waved at Carlo, clearly wanting his help.“What you did was really mean, it does look to me like you are a bad boy” Carlo teased him, The Black Cat might be wearing a mask but Carlo could tell that he was getting embarrassed.“What the hell man?! What you have no leg to stand on, you were a brat, you are still a huge brat!”“Well Father says I’m a good boy so you are wrong” Carlo couldn’t contain himself anymore, so he started laughing and Pinocchio joined him, The Black Cat was getting more flustered.“Shouldn’t the two of you hate me or something? What’s the deal with this anyway?” He couldn’t understand why they were acting this way.“Look,” Carlo started to speak up, “I know that you didn’t want to do this, please just let us through, I don’t want to fight you, I don’t want to fight a friend”The Black Cat was silent, a friend. Even after what happened they still considered him their friend.“I don’t want to do this either but I have no choice! They promised us safety and I’m just dragging my sister down, this is our only chance to escape”He didn’t want to slow her down, he didn’t want to burden her with his sickness anymore; he knew perfectly well that he wouldn't stand a chance against the two of them; hell he wouldn’t stand a chance against either Carlo or Pinocchio individually. This was just an excuse and an excuse to set his sister free from him.Carlo looked at The Black Cat, and he understood his motives, he was thinking what to do but Pinocchio took the inceptive once more, he took from his pocket a small bottle that held an elixir.The cure for the petrification disease, Pinocchio had managed to find a cure with the help of Giangio, Antonia was the first to receive it, and while it was slow, her recovery was going well, even better than expected.Pinocchio handed the bottle, but Carlo could tell that The Black Cat was confused.
“It’s a cure for the disease”The Black Cat was stunned, he felt that he didn’t deserve their kindness, but it would be stupid of him to reject this opportunity, so he turned around to not face them, he removed his mask and drank the liquid, he let out some tears and a few sobs, he felt lucky, so lucky, he put his mask back on and turned around to face them; much to his shook he could see them properly, his other symptoms hadn’t gone away, but his sight was much better, it all seemed to good to be true.“Dammit… the two of you are angels,” The Black Cat said but then he pointed at Pinocchio “He is an Angel and you” he now pointed at Carlo “You are a devil with a very tiny halo”Carlo gave out a faint smile, he let them pass and then moved along, the climb to the tower was far from over.

Notes:
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Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

Chapter Index

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7

Birdhouse in Your Soul

Chapter 6: The King of Riddles is a bitch ass motherfucker

They were at the hotel again, it was good to take a break, going through the fortress all that once would simply be impossible, even with their strengths combined.Polendina asked Pinocchio to step outside to the garden for a moment, apparently, he wanted to talk about a private matter. Carlo had seen many times that Polendina confided in Pinocchio often, he could tell it had something to do with Antonia but it was best not to pry, they deserve to have their privacy.Meanwhile, Carlo was talking with Venigni, they were trying to distract themselves by talking about something else, by talking about something else it was mostly Carlo listening to what Venigni had to say, but ever since he was a kid he liked listening to all his talks about his strange inventions; in a way Carlo is also more of a listener than a talker, just not in the same level as his brother.While they were having their talk, Spring showed up and they seemed to have something in their mouth, Spring was doing the things cats do to get attention by rubbing herself in between Carlo’s legs, he kneeled to her level and found that she had a key on her mouth.A trinity key, the last one they needed to find The King of Riddles, Pinocchio must have dropped it without noticing.“Thank you,” Carlo said while petting Spring, she was a very reserved cat, so this was unexpected behavior but very much appreciated.Venigni complimented Spring and continued speaking, yet Carlo could tell that Pulcinella was looking at him, he found it odd but decided to ignore it for the time being. When Pinocchio returned he also returned with a gift, he had drawn his uncle Venigni and Pulcinella together with him and Carlo. Venigni was ecstatic and couldn’t stop praising Pinocchio, which made both of them get distracted and Pulcinella took the opportunity to take Carlo aside for a moment.“Carlo, may we speak in private?”It was odd, he wondered what that could be about, they found themselves a space where no one else would be around to overhear them.“That key, where did the two of you find it?” Pulcinella’s voice seemed calm as usual but there was something different about it.“Well, Pinocchio was the one to find it, this weird puppet kept doing this stupid game where he would ask him stuff and if answered correctly we would get a reward” It was a stupid game, specially when he asked his brother if he was a killer and Pinocchio said yes, Carlo had to comfort him, he clearly still felt guilty about the things he had done.“I see, so I take it that Arlecchino has been tormenting the two of you as well?” Pulcinella asked.As well? What did he mean by that? And how does he know him? “I suppose so, Pulcinella, have you met Arlecchino before?”“Unfortunately I have, truth be told, it was him who took the lives of Master Venigni’s parents” Pulcinella now had a sad tone in his voice.Carlo was shocked, he always believed the story that it was a robber who had taken their lives, yet as time passed some things of the story didn’t add up, yet it’s not as if back then he could really question others about it, everything was hush-hush when it came to the matter.“Who else knows about this?” Carlo was now very intrigued.“Me, Master Venigni, and your father” Pulcinella began to explain what happened all those years ago, and why that event led to the creation of the grand covenant.Certainly hearing that a puppet was a murder would have caused panic yet Carlo didn’t understand why the deaths were covered considering this was Venigni whom they were talking about, his family was very influential and he had kept up with their legacy.

“Unfortunately Master Venigni keep quiet because…” There was a pause, Carlo could tell that it was painful for him to speak of this, “He was afraid that I would be taken away from him”Carlo’s heart sank, everything had made sense now, and he reassured Pulcinella that he would deal with The King of Riddles once he found him.“Actually I have a request” Pulcinella was revealing the reason for their talk, “I know this is too much for me to ask but please, take me with you when you find him”Carlo was taken aback by the request and gave Pulcinella a look.“I just want to talk to him”Carlo wasn’t sure it was the best idea but he could tell this was something important, and the truth was they were close to his location; they managed to formulate a plan for Pulcinella to be able to leave with them without arousing suspicion from others about his whereabouts, but they had to be quick, too much time away and everyone would eventually notice. Once Pinocchio had been informed of the plan they set it in motion.Back at Arche Abbey, they made their way towards the final trinity room, Carlo made sure to be at the frontline and Pinocchio was keeping Pulcinella safe from any upcoming danger, until they finally found their way to the last door, using the key to enter inside they found Arlecchino, or rather, what reminded of him.“Well, well, well, I did not expect this” Arlecchino’s voice was cocky, even in his state believing he had the upper hand. “Why have Geppetto’s disappointments brought you here Pulcinella?”Pulcinella stepped forward getting closer to him, Carlo and Pinocchio wanted to protest but in the end, Arlecchino was in no condition to do anyone physical harm.“Don’t tell me you are still bitter about what happened all those years ago, why you should thank me, I actually gave “Master Venigni” something good, I bet he reveled in his inheritance” Even in his state The King of Riddles couldn’t help but to mock others.Pulcinella was now almost touching him, he just stared at him for a few minutes, and the atmosphere was tense.“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” Arlecchino gave out a laugh, it would be his last, and to the shock of everyone else in the room, Pulcinella started to beat him up, badly.So much for just wanting to talk.Carlo and Pinocchio watched as Pulcinella threw his beatdown, they had no idea how strong he was, or maybe all the rage from the years had finally pilled up on him; to say the beating was brutal was a big understatement but it felt nice to see Pulcinella wipe up that stupid grin out of Arlecchino face real fast, and Pulcinella just keep going, Carlo and Pinocchio made their way just outside the room to give Pulcinella more privacy, they could hear Pulcinella throwing insults now.Who knew that he was such a savage under that calm face?In the meantime Carlo sat down with Pinocchio, his brother had started to draw again, this time it was a drawing of Polendina and Antonia, there were hearts around the two of them.“So, I take it he likes her then?” In hindsight it was obvious.Pinocchio enthusiastically nodded, but then his face went pale it was supposed to be a secret he tried to deny it but Carlo just laughed.“It’s okay I won’t tell anybody” Carlo knew Antonia well, she was family to him, and he could also tell that the feelings were mutual, it was just that so much had happened; not to mention the fact that she got sick, thankfully she was cured and doing better than expected, Giangio had said that he wouldn’t have expected her to survive even after the cure and there she was, still thriving, she is a strong woman after all.

The beating kept going, and eventually when they stopped hearing the punching and kicking they made their way back. The King of Riddles was still alive somehow, but he was like a cockroach by this point, they had no idea how he had even survived his current state to begin with.Pulcinella had a toy in his hands, reclaiming something that was stolen a long time ago, they left Arlecchino there, they didn’t even give him the time of day to explain himself, taking his ergo wasn’t even worth it, and they could tell he hated that, as he tried shouting at them to come back.“You sure you don’t want to help us out while fighting?” Carlo asked, half-jokingly since couldn’t deny Pulcinella threw some good moves.“I’ll leave the fighting to the two of you” Pulcinella’s voice was happy again, he had enjoyed himself.They made it in time at the Hotel, Venigni had started to ask if anyone had seen Pulcinella, and he was shocked to see him with the toy in hand.“But… how?”Pulcinella got closer to him and hugged him, Venigni hugged him back and held him tightly, the weight of the trauma of that night, the guilt he felt over the years, everything had accumulated. They shared a moment together, a moment where they could finally feel at peace, that their past no longer haunted them.Carlo and Pinocchio left them, they needed that time alone, and they had to keep going, but before leaving Pinocchio fastened his doll up to his belt even more tightly.“Afraid that you might lose her?” Carlo could read him too well, “Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to her or you”Pinocchio gave out a faint smile because they had to keep going.They had to find Sophia and they had to rescue their father.

Notes:
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The title was just a template but I liked it too much.Thank you all for reading!!

• Next Chapter

Chapter Index

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7

Birdhouse in Your Soul

Chapter 7: Dance with the Devil

Summary:
Simon has to be stopped and both brothers are ready for it.

Geppetto could hear loud footsteps approaching, they made the earth shake a tremble.“You, leave us alone”The Red Fox did as she was told without question, although before she did, Geppetto heard her mumble a small “sorry”.In front of his cell, Simon stood tall, he had become a horrible monster in his quest for immortality, from both the inside and the outside. Geppetto was never a fan of alchemists, he could always tell they had a hidden agenda, so he always saw his relationship with them as purely professional, as he had to work together with them. The only exception was Simon, he saw him as a friend, and they developed a bond over the years, sure, Geppetto found a few of his mannerisms odd but he would have never suspected what kind of person he truly was, Geppetto trusted Simon.That was the biggest mistake of his life.“How did you do it?” Simon asks, no, he demands him to answer, Geppetto knows that he is referring to how he brought back Carlo.“Fuck you” Geppetto wished he would have said a witty comeback, but he was too angry to think straight.“Hey, language, you would want that brat you made to replace Carlo to hear you” Simon gave out a small laugh, “Although now that Carlo is back I guess it’s time to get rid of it”“Pinocchio is not an it” Geppetto was furious.“Funny you say that, I can see your memories and they tell me that you saw him as an object, I can see how you used him”Geppetto bit his lip, he couldn’t deny it, it was true, “I was wrong; I love him, and I won’t let you harm him” Geppetto got closer to Simon, he wasn’t afraid to stand up to him.“How cute, you know I could crush you to death if I wanted to right?” Simon didn’t take him seriously.But Geppetto didn’t back down, even if he was trapped he wasn’t going to be a coward, he wasn’t going to let anyone talk about his family that way.“If you can see my memories shouldn’t you already know how I did it?”“Mmm, the thing is…” Simon looks at him with a devious smile, “I can’t, do you know why?”Geppetto stays quiet, he knows why, It’s because he doesn’t know, when he was trying to save Carlo emotionally he was a mess, he can barely remember those moments, he can just see flashes of what transpired, he barely remembers building Pinocchio, the things he can only concretely remember is when build the P organ. His mind has repressed his memories, and considering the circumstances it was probably a good thing.“How unfortunate, Geppetto the genius inventor losing his mind, what a shame that your clever mind doesn’t work properly anymore”Geppetto can’t even argue against him, he had truly lost his mind, and sometimes he thinks he never fully regained his sanity.“You won’t get away with this” Geppetto believes in his sons, he knows they can take him down.Simon knows better to say “I already have”, so he says something that he knows would hurt Geppetto, “Be my guest, I’ll be waiting for them, I already killed Carlo once, I can do it again”Geppetto slams his fist into the door of the cage, he gets electrocuted but he doesn’t care, he hates Simon, he hates him and wants to see him dead, and he wants him to pay for what he did to his son.“I’ll also kill that useless puppet that you call your son, a father that will lose both of their children, how tragic” With that Simon lets out a laugh and leaves.Geppetto can see The Red Fox returning, she stays quiet and despite the mask, Geppetto can tell that she looks uncomfortable, clearly having heard the conversation.“They are good boys, I’m also rooting for them,” She says to him, and for a small moment, Geppetto can at least feel somewhat at peace.

Carlo and Pinocchio are sitting on the floor just outside Simon’s study, where he had held Sophia captive, she is now gone, both took her Ergo, Pinocchio’s hair was now white from taking the essence and Carlo’s P organ changed, it now looked more of one of a human yet still partly mechanical, it’s safe to assume that his brother’s organ is the same. Carlo also lost his grey skin, if he can take a guess it is that his body is no longer in a decaying state, but his skin is extremely pale, and his ribs are still visible underneath his skin, his limbs are still fused with the mechanical parts, at the very least his face looks like one of a human again. All of this must have to do with Sophia's Ergo and maybe all that Ergo she was forced to take by Simon.Carlo put back the protector that covered his organ and kept silent alongside his brother, there was so much going on in their minds.“I’m…a…” Pinocchio starts talking and Carlo already knows what he is forcing himself to say.“No, Pinocchio you are not a murderer” Carlo got closer to his brother and gave him a hug; he couldn’t blame him for feeling like one, they were just defending themselves but in the end, they did murder others, the Black Rabbit Brotherhood and now Laxasia, who unfortunately Pinocchio ended up being the one to give the finishing blow.Not to mention that they just killed Sophia, sure, it was mercy, it was what she wanted, but that didn’t take the pain away.Pinocchio has tears in his eyes and starts to let out a few sobs, Carlo lets out a few tears as well, everything was too painful, and it was best to just take this break before going forward, in the end, they always have to go forward, despite how hard this is, they are the only ones that can help, they are the only ones that can end this.They kept up climbing, sometimes it felt like the tower was endless, and Simon’s army was merciless, they could almost see the top; and while advancing they saw a familiar face, it was The Red Fox.“I assure you that your father is safe” at least physically safe, she can’t guarantee that mentality she is doing fine. “The two of you are too kind, I know what you did for my brother, even after everything, we don’t deserve your kindness but we appreciate it”“What will you do now?” Carlo asks her.“Me and my brother are leaving this place, and waiting for the eventual outcome” She made her way to exit, her brother waiting for her, “Good luck, I have faith in the both of you”With that, she made her exit, and the two brothers made their way toward their father, breaking the lock that kept him captive; Geppetto wasted no time in embracing both of them with a big hug.“I love you, I love the two of you so much” Geppetto was crying, “Never forget that, I know I haven’t been the best father, but I will always love my sons no matter what”The three of them climbed up top, as they suspected there was a stargazer just outside, they could see Simon looking at the sky, they activated the stargazer and made their way back to the hotel so that Geppetto could be somewhere safe. Everyone was relieved to see all of them safe and sound, Venigni grabbed Geppetto by the shoulders and started shaking him excitedly; Antonia held his hand with force, she might be cured but she was still recovering, it was the most she could do.Carlo and Pinocchio got ready for their last fight, Eugéne doing everything she could to make their weapons as durable and sharp as possible, she even showed them a few tricks she had up her sleeve, coating their weapons with a strong poison, anything that could help them in their current position was an advantage.Everyone gathered around them by the stargazer, giving them words of encouragement even Spring was there meowing to show her support.They won’t back down, this is it, they are ready to finally take down Simon once and for all, they returned to the top of the tower, Simon still looking at the sky.“Let’s show him who is boss” Gemini chirped from his cage, he was there for them, even if he was just a small cricket, they would always have his support.Simon stopped looking at the sky and looked at them, “How unfortunate, you are both so young, it’s a shame that you’ll die so young” Simon then turned to address Carlo, “Again”They both drew their weapons, it was time to end this and as they battled together, as they dealt with those fierce attacks, the two of them started to remember the past.

“Carlo, are you alright?” Romeo was asking him.They were both kids back then, they were training to become stalkers even at that age, but Carlo had tripped and fallen; he was trying not to cry but his knees were scrapped pretty badly.“Don't cry Carlo, pretty people shouldn't cry” Romeo was trying to lighten up the mood as he helped him get back up.“Shut up” Carlo was still trying to act tough.“You are going to make me cry if you start crying”“I thought you said pretty people should cry”They both laughed it and they decided to take a break, after patching up Carlo they sat in the grass and talked for hours together.

Pinocchio had just returned the painting the Black Rabbit Brotherhood had stolen, his father was looking at the painting of his brother, staying completely silent.It was too quiet and Pinocchio felt as if he should leave, he turned around and took only two steps before he felt his father grabbing him and pulling him into a hug, he didn't let go for a long time, Pinocchio was hugging him back and he could tell that his father was crying.“I can't lose you too, please be careful out there”I can't lose you too.It was the first time his father didn't pretend he was Carlo, it was the first time he saw him for who he truly was, and Pinocchio didn't want to let go of him, neither of them wanted to let go.

“Carlo, where are you going?” Romeo was asking him.“To see a friend of my fathers,” Carlo said, Simon was a friend, he was like family, and he was an alchemist, “I got a letter from him, he said he could help me”“Are you sure about this?” For some reason, Romeo didn't seem convinced.“Romeo I have to go, I have to try we can't die from this” They can't die, they were going to become stalkers, they were going to finally have their dream, they can't die just because they got sick; they just got diagnosed maybe there is still a way out of this.“Does your father know about this?”“No, I don't… I don't want to worry him”“You should tell him where you are going”But unfortunately, Carlo didn't tell his father where he was going.

A stalker, the White Lady had attacked him, he didn't want to fight her but Pinocchio had no choice.He walked until he found a stargazer, but he didn't return to Hotel Krat, he just stood still, he looked at his clothes that were covered in blood.“Are you okay pal?” Gemini was concerned.Pinocchio shook his head.“It's okay buddy, everything is going to be okay”As Pinocchio looked at the entrance of the Opera House, he couldn't explain it, but he had a feeling that things were not going to be okay.

Carlo can barely breathe, he can barely think straight, how long has he been in here? How long have they been torturing him? He doesn't know but he wants all of this to stop.But the only thing he can do is cry and try to stay strong.

Pinocchio doesn't understand what The King of Puppets is trying to tell him, it's something important but he can't understand him and he can't understand why he doesnt want to fight him. The King of Puppets… he doesnt seem evil, he doesnt seem like he would cause all of thisBut the only thing Pinocchio can do now is fight, he fights as he lets out tears from his eyes.

Carlo can't move he feels completely paralyzed.Simon grabbed one of his hands and tied up a small ribbon around it, “Your father is going to love this gift I'm giving him, he is finally going to see his precious son again”A blade is put to his neck, and Carlo tries to say something but he can't.“You know… he wasn't the only one looking for you” Simon has a twisted grin on his face.Romeo was also looking for him, Romeo, his best friend, his…Simon didn't just slit his throat, he stabbed him, there was blood, so much blood, he was choking on his own blood.Carlo let out a few tears from his eyes, the last tears his human body ever shed.

Carlo can't move he feels completely paralyzed.Simon grabbed one of his hands and tied up a small ribbon around it, “Your father is going to love this gift I'm giving him, he is finally going to see his precious son again”A blade is put to his neck, and Carlo tries to say something but he can't.“You know… he wasn't the only one looking for you” Simon has a twisted grin on his face.Romeo was also looking for him, Romeo, his best friend, his…Simon didn't just slit his throat, he stabbed him, there was blood, so much blood, he was choking on his own blood.Carlo let out a few tears from his eyes, the last tears his human body ever shed.

Pinocchio can't move he feels completely paralyzed.He had just defeated Champion Victor and he was being watched from above by someone, Pinocchio didn't know why but their presence made them afraid.“Do you know anything about Carlo?” Simon has a mocking tone, “Do you know anything about who you are replacing?”Pinocchio stood completely still, he grabbed his weapon with more force to calm himself.“Obviously you don't, but let me tell you something fun” Simon has a twisted grin on his face, “You killed one of the people he loved the most”Pinocchio lets out a few tears, he cries because he now knows what Romeo was trying to tell him.

It was over.“Tell me…” Simon gasped barely clinging to life, he had to know, “Sophia… what have you done to her?”“We freed her from this place,” Carlo said and Pinocchio nodded.“I know how to read memories, your clumsy lies are pointless; I wonder what Geppetto thinks, about his two brats being liars, not something good boys would do” Simon mocked them in his final breath, as he perished he left the arm of God behind, Carlo took it, and Pinocchio looked at him, as before they could leave, there was something else he had to do.

Carlo watched as Sophia, now reborn as a puppet held Pinocchio in her arms, his brother falling for the first time into slumber, he looked at peace, a well-deserved rest after everything they had gone through.It was quiet, so many emotions, so much that they could say, yet for now, the silence was the thing that would bring true comfort.Carlo and Sophia looked at each other and they smiled, they both had endured so much pain at the hands of Simon and it felt good, it felt liberating.To finally be free from his strings.

They went back to Hotel Krat, and everyone awaited them, all the tension in the air disappeared as soon as they appeared from the stargazer, Carlo left the arm of God in the ground, it was heavy but the artifact could be of use.Carlo and Pinocchio wasted no time in hugging their father, they embraced each other, not saying anything, just happy, happy that it was all over. Sophia was just quiet but she sat down for a moment and began to cry, everyone comforted her, she was just so happy to finally see them all again, not just watch as a projection, for them to actually see her again, she thought she would never see them again.Geppetto looked at the arm of God.“I could use it to…” Geppetto might not remember how he did it, but he is sure that he must have hidden the notes of the process to…To make Carlo fully human again, however, Carlo had accepted his situation, he learned to live with himself and there was no need for his father to use the artifact on him; after all, Carlo had a better idea for its use.

“Hey, when are you going to wake up you sleepy head?”Romeo opened his eyes, he examined his surroundings, he felt strange, he looked at his body, and it was back to normal… mostly he could tell that his body was still partly mechanical; his death, had he dreamt it all? Was it all a nightmare? No, it was real, he saw two figures looking at him, he recognized one of them.“Carlo?” He asked Pinocchio, who just pointed his finger at his brother.Romeo was finally fully awake now, he started at Carlo, he couldn’t believe it was really him.“Hey, asshole I get I’m ugly now but it’s rude to stare” Carlo teased him.“Hey, Language!” They could hear Geppetto shouting from the other room.Romeo laughed, it was all too absurd to be true, but he was back, and Carlo was there with him, it was all that mattered to him in the end, although they did fully explain to him what happened, no need to keep him in the dark, and they had to tell him the truth. Pinocchio handed Romeo a small drawing of both together, it had something written on it.“Sorry for killing you”“It’s okay, don’t sweat it” There were no hard feelings against him, he didn’t hold anything against Geppetto either, at least he made up to him by bringing him back.“Hey… Carlo, can we have a moment, alone?”Pinocchio nodded and left them alone, Romeo stood up and got closer to Carlo, gently touching his face.“I know, I know, my looks aren’t the best” Carlo joked to try and lighten up the mood.“You are beautiful” Romeo has a loving gaze, “No matter what, you’ll always be beautiful to me”Carlo starts to shed a few tears, “I’m so glad to see you again”“I love you, I always have” How funny, it took them both to die for Romeo to finally confess his love.“I love you too” Carlo wants to say more he wants to let out all the intense feelings he has for Romeo, and he can tell Romeo feels the same but as always actions speak more than a thousand words.Carlo gently touches Romeo’s face as well, he leans his head forward, their lips getting closer to one another, until they finally touch, and the small kiss becomes a passionate one. In the end, in life or death, they were meant to be together.Carlo and Romeo held hands and made their way to join everyone else, a new beginning for them, a new start, and a new feeling.They both felt warmth.

Notes:
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The End ♡But don't quote me on that, there are so many fun possibilities for wholesome fluff with the ending of this AU, maybe one day I will continue this, or maybe not. But for now, our characters are back to their normal lives, well probably not that normal but at least happy.Thank you all for reading!!

Chapter Index

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7

Joy to life

Chapter Index

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12
• Chapter 13
• Chapter 14

Perfect Family

Chapter Index

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5

Obsession

Chapter Index

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12
• Chapter 13
• Chapter 14
• Chapter 15
• Chapter 16
• Chapter 17
• Chapter 18
• Chapter 19
• Chapter 20
• Chapter 21
• Chapter 22
• Chapter 23

Trapped

Carlo looks at his body in the mirror.It’s perfect, his hands, his face, his hair, his eyes.He is back from death, and he is happy, his father is happy. They finally spent time with each other, his father never leaves his side. Carlo has his friends (his toys) to play with, they are hidden in the basement of the house, no one else can see them, but no one else can see Carlo, he isn’t allowed outside his home either. “Son, people wouldn’t understand how you came back” That’s what his father says and it´s reassuring, and father never leaves his side, he works from home now, and he says that he would never leave him again, that he would never neglect him again.He doesn’t need anything else, he has all he could want now.——Carlo feels bored, his toys don’t entrain him as much anymore.“Father, can I have Romeo back?”He is lonely, he wants a friend, his real friend back, and one day, when he wakes up Romeo is there, not a fake like the others, but his friend is there, and he is happy, he is excited, Romeo looks confused at first, but then he is happy to see Carlo again, that is, until Carlo explains what happened, and the expression in Romeo’s face changes.He is scared, he is scared of him now.But unlike the others, the others who didn’t understand, who had to be killed, Romeo doesn’t protest, he stays by his side, they have each other now, it doesn’t matter to Carlo that Romeo looks sad every time they talk, it doesn’t matter that sometimes Romeo pleads with him to snap out of it, to run away from his father, it doesn’t matter.Because Romeo doesn’t leave him, he still plays with him, and that’s enough for Carlo.——

Carlo steps out of the shower and looks in the mirror, but there is something wrong, he takes a closer look, and there are details of his body he hadn’t noticed before, he is taller now, his face is a bit rounder, and his nose is slightly bigger, but he didn’t change, he had never noticed until now.He looks at his face in the mirror and for a second, he doesn’t see his faceHe sees his brother’s face.The brother his father killed to bring him back.——
Carlo loves his father, he really does, he has never loved him so much before.He always gives him anything he wants, he doesn’t even question why, he is more affectionate now, and he talks with him.“I’m sorry Carlo, I’m so sorry”He apologizes, he does this all the time, his father regrets all of his past mistakes, he can see that and he understands.
——
Carlo is awake at night, he can’t sleep, he puts his hands all over his body, carefully studying every detail about it.It’s his, it should be his, it looks like his body, but it’s harder, sturdier, his flesh doesn’t feel real, he wants to rip his skin out, he grabs at his hair, and he pulls it with force, he hurts himself because this body doesn’t feel right.“This is me, this is me, this is really me” He repeats himself all night until he falls asleep.
——
Carlo hates his father.He hates him so much, he can’t stand his father, and one day it’s too much for him, he pushes his father onto the floor, he is much stronger than his father, he is on top of him, choking him, his father desperately gasps for air, but he doesn’t try to stop him.Why isn’t he trying to stop him?“I love you Carlo” he barely manages to let the words out, and Carlo stops, he stands up and looks away from his father, who is gasping on the floor for air, Carlo’s body shakes, he feels disgusting, but he doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t say anything for a week, the words don’t come out of him, and sometimes he just stares at the wall, or stays completely still.He doesn’t understand, this feels like a nightmare, he wishes this was a nightmare.
——

Carlo plays with his toys and Romeo, he thinks that will cheer him up, specially since Romeo has stopped bothering him about leaving his father’s side, Carlo loves his father and would never leave him.Romeo isn’t scared anymore, he isn’t sad anymore, but Carlo can see something else in his eyes.He pities him.And he doesn’t like that, but Carlo doesn’t say anything, Romeo is his friend, his only friend, and friends should always be together, right? No matter how hard times get friends are always there for each other, to confide in each other.“Romeo… do you ever feel like, you are not yourself?”Romeo says something to him, but Carlo can’t hear it, his mind blocks out the words, his head hurts, and he wants to stop playing now, he doesn’t feel fine.
——
Carlo looks at his body in the mirror.His disgusting body, the body he stole and he can’t stand it, he punches the mirror with force, his hand is covered in blood, he has shards of glass stuck in his hands.“This isn’t me, this isn’t me, this isn’t me, this isn’t me, this isn’t me this isn’t me”Carlo constantly repeats, as he grabs one of the shards on the floor, and puts it to his neck.
——
His father stops him of course, he would never let Carlo die, he would never let him die again, he takes care of him, and he makes sure he doesn’t hurt himself again. He tells him that he loves him, and he begs him to never do that again, but he doesn’t ask why, why he did it, deep down his father knows why he did it.But Carlo doesn’t stop, he tries to hurt himself more, well, he isn’t trying to hurt himself, rather he is trying to hurt the body, the fake body, this repulsive body he is in.His father always stops him, Carlo can see that his father is in distress, that he feels despair, he doesn’t know what to do, and he feels desperate, it hurts Carlo to see him that way but he doesn’t stop.That is, until one day when he is in the basement playing, Romeo starts to cry, and now he too begs him to stop, so he stops, he can’t make his friend sad, even if Carlo wants to gouge his eyes out so he can never see himself again, even if he wants to rip his heart out, he stops, because his friend asked him too, and Carlo is not a bad friend, he would do anything for Romeo.
——
Carlo wakes up every day, and he feels like he is trapped in a prison of flesh, like a ghost possessing a body, a body that he can never leave.He sees himself in the broken mirror, and he sees Pinocchio sometimes, but Pinocchio isn’t mad at him, he smiles at him, because that idiot loves him, that stupid idiot loves him and he doesn’t care that his brother took his body, Carlo feels like a thief, he robbed Pinocchio of his life.And he screams, and just keeps screaming and he can’t stop.
——

Carlo loves his father, and he can see how much his father loves him because he screams at his father, curses him, he tells him how much he hates him but his father doesn’t say anything, he just takes it, and later when Carlo is done yelling, he apologizes and tells him he loves him.At night, Carlo goes into his father’s room, he has been doing this for some time now, he stands there, next to his father’s bed, with a knife in his hands, he wants to kill him, but he never kills him, his father loves him and he shouldn’t hurt his father, his father always knows he is there, and he never says anything, he knows Carlo hates him, but a father loves his son no matter what.This night is different, Carlo gets closer to his father and closer, but he puts the knife down on the bed table, pulls the covers, and lays down with his father, who hugs him tightly.Carlo feels small, very small, he feels like he is a child again, who had a nightmare and snuck into his parent's room to be with them.But Mommy isn’t here now, she is dead, and unlike him, she didn’t come back.“Daddy, am I a good boy?” Carlos’s voice is different, it’s softer, he sounds just like when he was a child, he is terrified, and he is shaking.“Yes Carlo, you are a good boy, you are the best boy I could ever ask for”Carlo is crying, he is sobbing, but this is just a nightmare, a bad dream, and Daddy can make him feel better.“Make it stop, make it stop, please, just make it stop”Carlo can’t stop crying, he is hugging his father back, his daddy is an engineer, maybe he can fix this, maybe he can fix him, he can fix his body.
——
Carlo wakes up in the morning, but the nightmare isn’t over, it never ends, and he cries and screams but it doesn’t end.But he has Romeo and he has his father.And they are trapped in this nightmare with him, and that’s enough for him.

Notes:
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Well instead of writing fluff, my brain decided to be evil >:)This one shot was so fun to write, might do others like this, they are not part of my main series of course, not letting that happy ending stop lol, but sometimes, it feels good to be a little evil to the characters you love.

• Next Part

Dollhouse

Chapter 1: House of Cards

It’s night-time, and Romeo is in Carlos’s room, he no longer stays in the basement, he sleeps on a matters on the floor, Carlo isn’t okay, although he hasn’t been okay for a long time, but today was a bad day, Romeo did this best to be his friend’s side, Carlo is the only one he has left. Romeo is still confused, he doesn’t how he is back from being dead, he remembers the petrification disease, he remembers Geppetto partially turning him into a puppet, he remembers fighting Pinocchio, and everything is just darkness after that, until he wakes up again, here at the house, he wonders how Carlo is alive too, he knows that Carlo’s body used to be Pinocchio’s, but Romeo never really understood how ergo truly worked, at night, Romeo sometimes has these thoughts, but he pushes them to the back of his mind, whatever the answer is, it doesn’t matter, this is his new life now, for better or for worse, definitely for the worst.Carlo has been really agitated all day. he kept shaking and screaming, Romeo could see how tired he was, his voice sounded sore, and he was sure it hurt because of all the screaming.“Romeo, can you sit here with me?” Carlo is sitting in his bed, Romeo goes to his side, and for some time Carlo stays quiet, Romeo doesn’t know if it’s because it hurts him to speak, or because he isn’t mentally ready to speak yet, finally, words come out of his mouth again.“Why did you stay? Why didn’t you try to run away?”Unlike before, Romeo wasn’t bound to anything, he was fully alive just like Carlo, there is nothing stopping him from running away, sneaking out in the middle of the night, or run when Carlo is yelling at his father. But where will he go? He is an orphan, and he has no one else, Carlo had always been his one and only friend, the two of them were seen as brats, and the other kids at Monad didn’t like them, their only other friend was Sophia, and she is dead, hopefully she stays dead, Romeo wouldn’t wish what they are going through to anyone, not even to his worse enemy.And then there’s also Carlo’s… toys, as he calls them, he knows it was Carlo who killed the real ones, and that Geppetto made puppet versions of them so he could be… happy. This situation doesn’t feel real, it feels like a sick twisted joke, but Romeo knows that Carlo would have never tried to kill him, and besides, Romeo loves Carlo way too much to leave him, they have each other, trapped in this hell but, with each other.Romeo had very mixed feelings about Geppetto, he remembers years ago when Geppetto didn’t attend Carlos’s graduation, and Romeo defended him, asking Carlo to be more understanding. Geppetto was not a bad man, he was an absent father but everyone could tell how much he loved Carlo when both he and Carlo got sick, Geppetto desperately tried anything to try and help not only his son but also tried to help Romeo as well, in a way, he succeeded, they are both alive and well, maybe not mentally well but physically, they are in somewhat good health. But Geppetto had lost his mind too, way before Carlo did, it’s unsettling, because unlike Carlo who screams, and cries or stays still and doesn’t move, or stops talking altogether, Geppetto is so calm about it, Carlo is back, nothing else matters to him, and Romeo can see that he has accepted the situation they are in too, Carlo did try to kill his father, and Geppetto didn’t fight back, he didn’t protest, because he could be killed by his son’s hands and still be happy that his child is back.

Romeo and Geppetto barely talk, and their conversations always revolve around Carlo,
but really, what would they even talk about? None of them leave this house, they have nothing to talk about, Geppetto works from home, and Romeo believes he sends whatever he works with through the mail, and he has no idea how there are always groceries in the house, he has never seen Geppetto leave the house. Geppetto has a hawk eye on him and Carlo, especially Carlo, frankly, he is afraid of what Geppetto could be capable of, knowing what he did to bring Carlo back, and after all, he did lock him in the basement for… Romeo doesn’t know how much time he was in the basement, or how much time has passed in general, but the past seems so distant to him, he doesn't even know what his age is, he died when he was 19, he is sure of that, he isn't sure of anything else.However in a weird way, he thinks Geppetto does like him, and doesn’t just see him as a playmate for his son, when Carlo has very particular bad days, Geppetto stands by Romeo´s side, he doesn't talk much, but he offers him some words of encouragement, he says that this must be hard on him as well, he cooks for Romeo, not just for himself and Carlo, and he had given him some books to pass the time, Carlo doesn't play with him all the time, and he obviously doesn't ask to play with Romeo when he feels too unwell, reading is the only thing he has when Carlo gets like that because it can take a long time for Carlo to feel better again.Romeo knows that he lost his mind too, being trapped and isolated in this house is agonizing, he feels like a bird in a cage, and he knows it’s not normal to accept the situation he is in, who would accept this? Who wouldn't try to run away? To fight back? Yet he hasn't done any of that.“Because we are best friends, Carlo, we need to stick with each other”Carlo gives him a smile, “Maybe you just have Sherlock Homes Syndrome”“It’s called Stockholm Syndrome you idiot”Carlo laughs, and for the first time, it's a genuinely happy laugh. “You were always such a smart ass”“One of us had to be the smart one,” Romeo says to tease him, in reality, the two of them did a lot of dumb things growing up, but that makes sense, they were children after all, although the short time they had as young adults before dying they did a lot of reckless things too.“At least I wasn’t the theater kid” Carlo was teasing him back now. They were for once, having a normal conversation.“I was a great actor you know? I could have performed at the Opera house if we hadn’t chosen to try and become stalkers” Romeo had a playful tone but was also sincere, he really was passionate about theater.

“Yeah… we wanted to be stalkers…” Carlo’s voice sounded down again, Romeo started to feel bad, he didn’t mean to bring the mood down, he spoke without thinking, The truth is that Carlo really missed those days when Carlo asked to play with him in the basement, he loves it when they play to pretend to be stalkers.“Hey remember back at Monad when we played a prank on the superintendent?” Romeo quickly changed the subject, hoping to keep their normal conversation going.Carlo laughed again, it was a fun memory, the superintendent was always a stick in the mud about the rules, so what better way to prank him than by tricking him into falling into a pile of mud? For an entire week, they had to do cleanup duties but it was all worth it. “Remember when he was being a pain about the boy's dress code so we both wore skirts for a day?”Romeo laughed too, that was one of their best stunts, “We should have kept wearing them, we both pulled them off really well”“Yeah, I-“ but couldn’t finish what he was going to say, he choked a bit and coughed, his throat was still sore from all the screaming.“Maybe, we should just go to bed” Romeo wanted to keep going, but Carlo was tired, it was getting late, and the truth is, it was good for Carlo to go to bed while in a good mood, he often wakes up at night in distress and it’s up to Romeo or Geppetto to console him, everyone in the house is sleep deprived, it’s tiring, and maybe one of the main reasons they can barely pull it together.Their sleep was peaceful, so peaceful that they overslept, they woke up by noon, Carlo was in a better mood, although they ate lunch silently as usual, no one really says anything while eating, Geppetto just gives them a smile, Romeo thinks he looks so creepy when he smiles.It was a good day today, they mostly talked about things they did growing up, it was pleasant to finally have a nice talk with Carlo, although the conversation eventually stopped because Carlo wanted to go to the basement and “play with his toys”, Romeo obliged, Carlo loves to play pretend, pretend that they have a normal life again, it’s not all that bad, Carlo has a good imagination, his made-up pretend stories are actually quite entertaining.

…Romeo’s train of thought comes to a stop, he can’t believe that he thinks that, he can’t believe that he likes playing this stupid childish game with Carlo, the back of his mind is yelling at him to snap out of it too, that this isn’t worth it, to run away and start a new life, a good life, to leave Carlo, that this isn´t worth it anymore.“Romeo, what’s wrong?” Carlo looks worried now, Romeo doesn’t want his friend to worry, so he lies, he says that he was just remembering something they both did in the past, and Carlo believes in it, he believes his lie, Carlo gives him a smile, and Romeo feels like his heart is raising because he has been stuck here for a long time and he has never seen Carlo so happy before, genuinely happy, he wants, he needs to keep his friend happy, they promised each other to always be together, he needs to stay here, with him.Or maybe Carlo is right, maybe he just has Stockholm Syndrome.At the end of the day, it’s much the same as yesterday, Carlo manages to sleep peacefully, but Romeo can’t, he feels unease, he keeps tossing and turning in the mattress, he gently stands up and leaves the room, he went to the living room, he wanted to just be alone with his thoughts, but he found Geppetto in the living room as well, it looks like he couldn’t sleep either.“Romeo”“Geppetto”It was silent, too silent, and Geppetto was the one to break it first. “So how is Carlo doing”“He is doing okay” Is he really okay? Well, he is fast asleep, that’s okay in his eyes.After another pause, Romeo felt frustrated, just talk to him, finally confront him, grow a spine.“Why?” It’s all he manages to say, but Geppetto knows what he means.“I couldn’t lose him, I had lost my wife, and I couldn’t lose him too, anything but him, anyone but him, I regret it, I regret not being a better father when I had the chance” Geppetto’s voice sounds defeated, but Romeo keeps pressing.“And why me?” Geppetto could have built Carlo a puppet that was like him, but he didn’t, he brought him back.“I would do anything for Carlo, he wanted to see you, the real you, so I made it happen” Of course he would say something like that, “Besides I do care about you Romeo, even if it might not look like it”Geppetto has a really weird way of showing his love to others, “Would it kill you to let us go outside, just for a day?”

Geppetto sighed “Romeo how am I going to explain to others that my son and his best friend came back from death?” That makes sense, it’s logical, but Romeo also knows that if he wanted, they at the very least could be allowed just outside the house, their skin is growing pale after so much time indoors, but he knows that Geppetto would never allow either of them to even step a foot out of the house.“I’m that’s great for us, we surely don’t lack any vitamin D” Romeo was done, just done with everything.“I’ll buy you guys vitamins if you are really worried”“How the hell aren’t we sick? We have been stuck here for years”“A year”… What?Romeo was speechless, he knew why now, why he felt so uneasy, he saw the newspaper Geppetto was holding for a few seconds before entering the basement with Carlo, and he read the word “anniversary”. This isn’t true, it’s a joke, Romeo starts to feel sick, his head is pounding.“Romeo, are you alright?”“NO! I’m obviously not alright, what kind of a fucking question is that?!” Romeo shouted at him, it was the first time he ever lashed out at Geppetto, he should have done that sooner, he wanted to scream at him more, but he didn't, he stayed quiet because he was now worried that Carlo heard him and he doesn't want to accidentally wake him up, Romeo takes a small peak into Carlo´s room, he is still fast asleep and he takes a sigh of relief.“I’m sorry,” Geppetto tells him, and Romeo can tell he is being genuine, but sometimes being sorry isn’t enough.“Just… just…” Romeo is trying to speak but he can’t, he doesn’t even know what to say, he is too irritated to talk.“I want you to know something”Geppetto tells Romeo to go with him, they go to Geppetto’s workshop room, hidden in a corner, behind a bookshelf, there is a safe, Geppetto gives him the combination of the safe, it’s the day and year Carlo was born, because of course it is. Romeo knows that parents love their children no matter what and that a father would do anything to care for his son, but ever since Geppetto brought Carlo back he is just obsessed with Carlo, his world revolves around Carlo when he talks to his son it´s always about how much he loves him, how much he missed him, how glad he is to have him back, how sorry he is about everything, he does what Carlo wants without question, one time Carlo asked Geppetto for a specific chocolate box that he had as a kid, but the brand was only found in London, yet he got it for him, the very next day, and Romeo feels, no, he knows that Geppetto would set the entire world on fire if Carlo asked him to do it.Carlo isn´t the only one who likes to play pretend because Geppetto sure loves to pretend that this is all so goddamn normal and that they all are a happy family.“Why are you telling me this?” Romeo is genuinely confused.“If Carlo ever kills me, this safe has my savings, it should be enough for the two of you to live, for the rest of your lives”

Romeo feels shivers down his spine, the way he said it, as if it was the normal thing to talk about, “Thank you…I guess?” Romeo’s feelings are getting more confused, he doesn’t know if he hates Geppetto or pities him at this point.Geppetto gives Romeo a pat on his head “You are a good kid Romeo” Unfortunately for Romeo, Geppetto is the only closest thing he has ever had as a father figure, he might not have seen Geppetto too much a child but when Romeo would visit the house and stay with Carlo, Geppetto was always so kind to him, and now, aside from Carlo, Geppetto is the only other person that truly wishes the best for him, he knows no one is looking for him, he knows no one truly cared if he survived, just another stupid orphan gone, it doesn't matter to the world what Romeo went through, and hearing those words makes him feel… relieved, reassured and…And…Snap out of it, this isn’t normal, this isn’t normal.Geppetto is now hugging Romeo, “You care too much about Carlo, thank you, for being there for him, you are so kind”No no no no no no no no“You are like a son to me, I want what’s best for you too”Romeo is hugging back Geppetto, there are tears in his eyes, it feels good, to hug him, he feels comfort, it feels nice to have another person notice him, telling him how much he cares about him. The rational part of Romeo’s thoughts slowly fades away to the back of his mind, being replaced with a warm fuzzy feeling.“Go back to bed Romeo, it’s late, you are tired, you deserve to rest” Geppetto’s voice is sweet, disgustingly sweet, it’s protective, overprotective, it makes Romeo feel safe, it makes him feel special, he feels small again like he is a child again, but this time he doesn’t feel like a stupid abandoned orphan, he feels like he has finally a real family.Romeo does what he is told, and he goes back to bed, in the morning, everything feels differently, it feels better, he no longer feels like he has to be constantly on his guard when having breakfast, it no longer feels like a chore, like something he is forcing himself to do to survive, they even talk with each other, instead enduring the painful silence, this is his life, this is his family.Geppetto looks at Carlo and Romeo, they are talking and having a good time, he cherishes this moment, a part of him wishes that it would stay like this, but he knows that sooner or later Carlo will feel unwell again, he doesn´t mind, Carlo is his son, he is sick and as his father, Geppetto takes care of him, and Geppetto knows it's his fault, it´s all his fault that Carlo feels that way, but it´s too late to change the past, this is now, and he would do anything to protect his family, he won´t let anyone take away this from him, he won´t let anyone take Carlo or Romeo away, he can´t let them die again.They are his family and they will stay with him.They don´t have a choice.

• Next Chapter

Dollhouse

Chapter 2: Happy

Geppetto and Carlo were lying together in bed, Carlo was already asleep, he cried himself to sleep, he tried to hurt himself again and Geppetto was keeping an eye on him, to stop him, occasionally, Romeo would be the one to keep an eye on him, but Geppetto doesn’t like that because Romeo shouldn’t have to deprive himself of sleep to take care of Carlo, Geppetto is his father and he is the one with the responsibility, but there are times when Carlo just can’t look at him, can’t stand him, has tried to kill him, and Romeo has to be the one to take care of him, and Geppetto wishes it didn’t have to be like that.He wishes a lot of things would have been different, but he has Carlo back, and Romeo is here too and he has to protect both of them.It’s been a year since everything happened, things in Krat have been on edge since Pinocchio died…Since I killed him.Pinocchio had managed to find a cure for the petrification disease; Antonia still passed away, despite being cured, due to her age her body couldn’t handle it anymore. With the cure, some things have been at ease, but the rebuilding of Krat has been hard, not just because it’s hard to make new buildings and repair damaged ones, but also because there has been a lot of tension in the socio-political status.“Maybe if Venigni was still here…” Geppetto thought to himself, Venigni was a genius, he knew that if someone would be able to take the initiative and make a plan, with many backup plans along the way, it would be him, he knew that his friend could have accomplished so much with helping rebuild the city.But he isn’t here, he had to die, when Carlo was brought back, Venigni was disgusted.“How could you?! Geppetto how dare you murder Pinocchio for this? You are playing God, this is wrong!” He shouted at him, he was furious, appalled, he had never spoken to Geppetto that way, he could tell that Venigni was hurting, because he knew Carlo before he had died and was brought back, and he loved him, he was like an uncle to him, but Pinocchio was gone now to bring Carlo back, and he didn’t like that, Geppetto had never seen Venigni so furious, his emotions had gotten the better of him, and he tried to attack Geppetto, but Carlo wasn’t going to let anyone harm his father, not even if it was his beloved uncle Venigni, he was the first to go, Carlo had stabbed him with his weapon, Venigni fell into the floor, he died almost instantly, he murmured his final words, but his voice was like a whisper, maybe it was the shock of being killed so suddenly, maybe he just didn't have the full energy to get the words out but either way, Geppetto couldn’t hear what he said, the rest was a domino effect, Pulcinella wasn’t going to let Venigni die like that, so he tried to fight back, Pulcinella didn’t stand a chance against Carlo but he tried; then Polendina was next too shocked to even to fully process what was happening; then Eugéne, she briefly tried to fight back, she might have known how to make weapons but she wasn’t good at fighting; and finally Hugo the explorer, he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

They all died, and Carlo was sad about it, he couldn’t let his son be sad, so he made him new friends, friends that would never question him, that would never tell him no to anything, friends that he could control, anything to make his son happy.“This isn’t my body, it’s not my body, it’s not my body, it’s not my body, it’s not, it’s not, it’s not my body” Carlo constantly repeats that, or phases along those lines, Geppetto doesn’t understand why he feels that way, he made the body perfectly, an exact replica of his body, and Romeo doesn’t feel that way about the body he gave him.Carlo is just sick, that’s why he must feel that way, Geppetto tries to look back at his son's childhood, wondering if there were other signs that could have told him that something like this would happen, that Carlo showed some symptoms that something wasn’t right, but he can’t think of anything.You can’t think of anything because you were never there for him.So Geppetto believes that the trauma of the event is what made him lose his mind,I haven't lost mine, I´m perfectly fine.His poor son had gone through so much, and he had to protect him, but he knows that something like this isn’t just something you can make go away, that it doesn’t matter how much he loves his son, that love isn’t enough when someone is sick like that, sometimes he just wants to make a phone call, ask for a favor so a doctor could help his son.They would ask questions, everyone knows Carlo is supposed to be dead, and they won’t keep the secret, they will tell everyone, and they will take him away, I can’t let anyone take him away from me.Geppetto is hugging Carlo and gently stroking his hair, Carlo is a good boy, he might be older now but he will always be his little boy, and he has to keep him safe from the rest of the world, Carlo and Romeo always wanted to become stalkers, he never liked that, he was vocally against it, it was dangerous, he has never understood why anyone would like that type of life. The world is so cruel, and Geppetto can’t let Carlo or Romeo deal with the cruelty of this world, both are best friends, they have each other and they are happy together.

Do you keep them here so that they are happy or so you can be happy?Geppetto eventually falls asleep, and the next morning he wakes up early, he wakes up very early each day so that he can do his work, and leave it outside the door of the house to be picked up, Geppetto’s skills are unmatched because he can work from home perfectly fine and still do a good job, he has mastered his craft, other engineers need to be present, see the schematics, work as a team, constantly make adjustments, but his many years of working have made it capable of doing all of that at his own home now. The groceries are delivered to the house, so he doesn’t have to leave for that either.Geppetto goes to the door to open it, he has the keys in his hand, his seven keys, there are several locks bolted in the door, he unlocks them all one by one, and he unlocks the door, leaving in an envelope the work he did, and goes through the process of locking the house again.He had recently added the locks, he gets too anxious thinking about someone breaking in and trying to harm his family.It’s 7 a.m., and Romeo and Carlo are still asleep, they have never woken up early, and he won’t wake them up early, he lets them sleep as much as they need. Today both boys ended up waking up at 10 pm, Geppetto makes them breakfast and lets them do what they want, he keeps a close eye on them, Geppetto usually reads a book, or goes over some of his work while watching over them, the truth is that his boys don’t really get much privacy, even in the basement, they don’t know that Geppetto wired taped the basement, just be absolutely sure everything was fine with them when they played together down there.You are spying on them, that’s what you are doing, you can’t sugarcoat this.He is listening to them now.“Romeo, why did you think my father added all those locks?” Carlo´s voice sounded worried.He had hoped they would notice that he was a fool to think otherwise.“I don’t know Carlo, let’s not think about that.” Romeo was trying to defect the conversation, he never wants to talk about anything that could upset Carlo.“But, what if someone is trying to find us and hurt us?”

“Why would-”“Don’t you remember what happened at Monad?!” Carlo shouted, his voice sounding panicked.What? He hadn’t heard about this before, what could have happened at the Monad Charity home? He never saw anything on the news talk about it, surely something big would have…Simon.Whatever happened Simon had covered it up.Geppetto’s mind is racing, it starts to click in his head, the petrification disease was first seen at the Monad Charity House, that’s why Carlo and Romeo got sick, but it was strange, how could a disease like that be found in a place like that and not in a hospital?He curses Simon in his head and wishes he was rooting in his grave, that he is suffering the worst torture in hell.“Hey… that… probably had nothing to do with us, right? I mean…” Romeo’s voice sounded scared now.“Those people that died, and how they lied to all of us, made us keep quiet, and then Sophia disappeared, and when we went to look for her they lied to us, they said she left on her own and that wasn’t true!” Carlo was recalling everything that happened, all the memories were too intense for him.“I remember that we were trying to look for clues, we were so close to finding the truth, and then…It was all quiet, so quiet, the suspense was killing Geppetto, he could hear that Romeo had started to hyperventilate, and he was desperately trying to compose himself.…and then we were one of the first ones to get sick.”Geppetto’s heart sank, did Simon really do it? He was more than capable of, that monster, how dare, but at least he couldn’t harm others anymore, at least he was dead, Pinocchio killed him.And then you killed Pinocchio, you murdered your son.“That can’t be a coincidence! Someone was after us, maybe they are still after us!” Carlo had begun to cry now.Simon might be gone, but could be Carlo was right, he still had loyal followers, people who aided his cause, and even if their leader was dead they could be capable of avenging him.Romeo was now crying too, and now the crying had turned into sobbing, Geppetto could tell that both of them were scared, terrified even, they had all the right to feel that way. Geppetto got up from his study and went downstairs to the basement.

“Boys, what’s wrong?” He asked, pretending as if he didn’t know already.But neither could give him an answer they were in tears, Geppetto was quiet, he wanted to let them speak and not force them by asking questions, eventually, Romeo was the one who finally managed to speak up.“We are scared” his voice was very soft, he could barely let the words out.Geppetto pulled both of them into a hug, they held him tightly, whatever they saw, whatever happened back at Monad, it had impacted them greatly, and they were silenced so they could never speak about it.“Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone hurt the two of you, I won’t let anything bad happen to both of you ever again” It was a promise.He doesn’t care what he has to do, he doesn’t care who he has to kill, and he won’t let anyone harm his family.That night, after he put them to bed, Geppetto made a few phone calls, he may or may have not known a few alchemists who were still hiding in Krat, and the citizens of Krat had a vendetta against alchemists. These people used to be his friends, but he couldn’t trust them, he couldn’t trust any alchemist, he saw now that they were all disgusting people who only had a lust for power, that they all pretended to be good people to fulfill their own goals, so he may have let slip their true identities to local authorities, anonymously of course, it can’t know that it was him to blow the whistle.The next morning, he was reading the newspaper, they all had died, the police were planning an arrest, but as soon as the people of Krat knew that there were alchemists amongst them, it was all over for them, there was a witch hunt against them.Geppetto smiled, he was making sure his family was safe.

Notes:
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Geppetto would do anything for his two boys.

• Next Chapter

Dollhouse

Chapter 3: Tears

The knife is inches away from Geppetto’s neck, if he were to move even a little it would end up slitting his throat, Carlo is holding the knife, he is on top of his father, his other hand having a firm hand on his chest, as for him not to move, even if he knows his father won’t fight back, Carlo puts the knife even closer to his father’s neck, the blade touching his skin.But Carlo stops, he is frozen in place because he can’t do it.He releases his father and moves away, he hates him, he hates him and he wants to kill him; Carlo doesn’t feel well, he starts to become nauseous and he has a piercing headache that soon turns into a migraine, he begins to vomit, he is gasping for air and he has tears in his eyes. His father is next to him now, rubbing his back and holding his hair, Carlo turns to face him and hugs his father because he loves him, and he ends up fainting in his father’s arms.——Carlo wakes up in his bed, Romeo is sleeping next to him, his head still hurts, it hurts even more, and now he cannot move, he is paralyzed, and his body feels stiff like a stone, like when he was dying from the petrification disease.His mind takes him back to the Monad Charity House, everyone knew it, all the students knew about those deaths, but no one could say anything, why would they? They would end up dead like the others, Carlo had graduated, but he was still living there he had promised Sophia that he wouldn’t leave her alone, she told him that she was scared, scared of her uncle.
Carlo knew why, everyone who had seen the two of them in the same room knew why, they could tell by the way Simon looked at her.Lusted over her.Sophia suddenly disappeared and Carlo knew that Simon was hiding something, he and Romeo wanted to help Sophia, and they went to look for answers.How mysterious that they got sick from the petrification disease soon after. Carlo is still trying to move, but his body is of a statue, he can’t even speak, he is terrified, terrified that he is sick again, how he slowly lost all function over his body, how he lost his sight, how he died.He closes his eyes, he wants to escape, but he sees Sophia, he sees her withering away in that damn chair, her body slowly rotting, the smell was unbearable, her decrepit body used as a tool to make her uncle stronger, he remembers how he killed her.Except he didn’t kill her, it wasn’t he who took her ergo, it was his brother; it’s torture, to see his memories, to see the things he went through, he feels like is watching a show, something he didn’t live, yet can recall every bit of it perfectly.Is this how he felt about me?So Carlo opens his eyes, he can’t close them again, he forces himself to keep them open, his eyes are red and irritated, and there are tears falling from them, it’s too much, and he closes his eyes for just a second.