#there’s some Pinocchio stuff happening here

[quinn-pop]

hey wouldn’t it be funny if Susie made a robot to hold onto her memories for her. cause. cause yeah. okay bye

[kame11a]

story ideas idk what I'm doing

soooo basically I've had some ideas for some oneshots with our favourite puppet in my mind for a few weeks now. Buuuuuut since I propably won't have the time nor the skill to write them, I will just leave the ideas here.

Feel free to use these ideas if you feel like writing a whole story to them (but tag me because I want to read them >:) )

(also excuse any spelling mistakes, English isn't my first language)

After some time had passed, a few more people seeked refuge within the safe (more or less) walls of Hotel Krat. Among them, some children. The reader, a rather young adult themselfes (maybe freshly graduated from school/college before the franzy happened) spend some time with the children, giving them small teaching sessions based on their basic knowledge which they had gathered from school and their notes they still had in their bag. Pinocchio noticed that and at some point listened to their "class", after all he also has got a lot to learn since he is not a human and fights all day long. (Now imagen a whole grown ass man (puppet) sitting with a bunch of children on the ground infront of the reader who uses a small chalkboard (which they found in the library), listening to them explaining the basics of idk fotosynthesis or something like that).

2. This one is simple, just P with a reader who like to bake. Simple. Whenever the puppet returns from a mission, the hotel is filled with a pleasant scent of chocolate, cinnamon or vanilla, while everyone is already munching on some cookies or small pastries (can you imagen how cute Sophia must look while nibbling on a cookie, trying not to get any crumbs onto the carpet? :')). The reader themselfs also smells like chocolate or whatever all the time since they just spend all day preparing food and other stuff for their friends in the hotel (it is their way of thanking everyone for letting them seek refuge there).

bonus: since P propably isn't able to eat, at least not while he is a puppet, the reader keeps a small notebook containing all the food/desserts Pinocchio would like to try once he is able to (kind of like Al from fmab if yk). Until then he eventually helps the reader in the kitchen, even if most of the time he only watches since he has no idea what to do

3. This one is kinda angst/comfort stuff idk. Also kind of a sensitiv topic so if anybody feels offended by this please tell me and I will delete it!!!

Basically the whole events happening in Krat took a great toll on the readers mental health. Sadly, they were the only one from their family/friendgroup who was able to survive the attack, living now in the hotel with other refugees. Nightmares and guilt haunted them day and night as they constantly had to think about these horrific events, giving themselfs the fault for not being able to safe their loved ones. This kind of behaviour caused them to completly loose themselfs, now only being numb to everything, not finding any reasons to do anything. If they could decide, they would just like to stop existing. Thats when your boy appears. Let's say he is in his mid/latestage of becoming a human (yk like with his hair grown out n stuff). Him and the reader knew eachother for quite some time, since the reader was one of the first people to appear in the hotel, somewhat helping him to achieve his goal in becoming more human (like explaining emotions and other human things to him). Pinocchio also draggs them along when he discovers something new. Wether he did it intentionally or not, he helped the reader to fall in love with being alive again with his behaviour of basically acting like a small child who sees the world for the first time. Dancing in the rain while feeling the small raindrops gently touching their skin, watching small insects in the garden together, listening to the soft tunes of the gramophone in the entrance hall, playing with Spring, you name it.

4. This one is for ma boys Romeo and Carlo, so basically before everything happened (or in an AU where they survived and just lived their normal lifes... idk). So my first idea for them was just some tales from their school life, back at the Monad Charity House. You know, basic teenager/young adult stuff; studying together, training together, doing stupid shit in class together, always eating together at the same table in the dining hall, sneaking out together to hang out in the city, and much more.

I guess this would be a perfect crack oneshot/drabble

5. the second idea is a bit more romantic. Idk how I came up with this (I am delusional), but I thought about the reader attending another boarding school in Krat, which holds a close relationshiop to the Monad Charity House, Carlo and Romeo live in. Therefore, there are several events the two school hold together like a sports festival or something like that. Another one of these events are the grand balls which both schools host. It is their intention to a) establish more contacts and relationships among the studends and b) for them to also learn how to dance, eat and behave in a more formal way at social gatherings. So at one of these balls, the reader meets Romeo and Carlo and gets to know them better. Since I think it would be easier to write for only one of them (correct me if I am wrong), one could add the best friend of the reader who then gets to go with the options the reader did not choose (does that make sense?). For example, the reader and Carlo get rather close, shyly asking each other if they would like to dance or go outside to talk more, while the readers best friend does the same with Romeo (very stereotypical, I know). Maybe the Romeo x best friend combination would tease the hell out of Carlo and the reader since I view Romeo as the kind of person, to drob teasing comments here and there while being the biggest flirt himself and Carlo is one of the people, who on the outside also try to be like Romeo, but in reality are a complete mess when it comes to romance and stuff (yet again, only how I imagen them). (Have I already mentioned that I am delusional?)

so yeah these are my ideas which I will just leave here. As I already said, feel free to take them and do your own thing with them ( but I wanna see the result :)))) ). Also feel free to add your own ideas/inspirations to them

also this is my first real post here so go easy on me haha idk what I am doing here but for now I will be your "Fanfiction/oneshot-idea-dealer"

:)

[rekino2114]

Random texts they send you with p.e.g ladies

I already did this with drdt, and I liked it so I wanted to do it with more fandoms

Cassidy amber

Pro gamer gf🕷🎮❤️:my chat doesn't believe you're real

Y/n:What?

Pro gamer gf🕷🎮❤️:I was telling them that I had a partner and no one believed me

Y/n:And what am I supposed to do about that?

Pro gamer gf 🕷🎮❤️:isn't it obvious? You need to come here and prove them wrong

Y/n:cass, it's almost midnight it's a miracle I even picked up. I'm not gonna go to your house

Pro gamer gf🕷🎮❤️: come on please It's gonna be a short stream and I have pizza,soda and the sleeping schedule of a streamer on my side

Y/n:Fine but you're gonna have to cuddle me to sleep

Pro gamer gf🕷🎮❤️:of course consider it done babe

Wenona

Y/n:Hey Wenona do you know why I just received a notification that you sent 500$ to my bank account

(Not) my Sugar mommy💸💛: oh that, a few investments went well and I wanted to send some cash to you

Y/n: But don't you need that money?

(Not) my Sugar mommy: baby please that's not even a fraction of what I make in a month.

Y/n:And then you wonder why people think you're my Sugar mommy

(Not) my Sugar mommy: Can't I just spoil you once in a while? Also, what did you have me saved as in your phone again?

Y/n:touchè

Diana venicia

Beautiful beautician🦎💄💜:Y/N,Y/N,Y/N you won't believe what happened.

Y/n: oh what is it babe?

Beautiful beautician🦎💄💜:a really famous actress just entered the salon after she had a make-over she told me she loved it and that she was gonna recommend me to all her friends.

Y/n:That's amazing. I'm so proud of you, Diana

Beautiful beautician🦎💄💜: Oh no, it's not my merit. I just did my job

Y/n: Don't sell yourself short. Your makeovers are amazing, and I speak from experience

Beautiful beautician🦎💄💜:thanks so much sometimes I need the reassurance

Y/n:I'll reassure you every time I need to cause I love you

Grace madison

Hot angry golfer🏌‍♀️🐰🩵:I swear the next time I see that gremlin I'm gonna kill her

Y/n:What did toshiko do this time?

Hot angry golfer🏌‍♀️🐰🩵:she was going on about how I never do romantic stuff for you she said you're gonna break up with me if I continue

Y/n:I would never I know you're not the romantic type but I still love you

Hot angry golfer 🏌️‍♀️🐰🩵:you better not if you dare break up with me I'll kick your ass now, come over here, and I need to calm down

Y/n:sure babe

Eloise taulner

Y/n: sweetie, when were you gonna tell me that you won a tournament

Cute swordgirl🤺🦢🤍:Oh, it wasn't that important. I thought you wouldn't care

Y/n:Eloise whatever you do is important to me if you told me i would have cheered you on

Cute swordgirl🤺🦢🤍:you really would have done that?

Y/n:of course I love you and I want to celebrate all of your accomplishments.

Cute swordgirl🤺🦢🤍:thank you so much I really love you too

Eva tsunaka

Pinocchio gf🤍🖤: I would like to go on a date with you because I was feeling bored. Are you busy?

Y/n:are you lying right now?

Pinocchio gf🤍🖤:no I'm not

Y/n:but technically couldn't that also be a lie cause of your ultimate?

Pinocchio gf🤍🖤:babe we've already been through this I will only be truthful with you and i will ever lie to you

Y/n:Thanks I was just joking I'm gonna come right now

Pinocchio gf🤍🖤:ok but can you stop with that joke it was getting annoying

Y/n:that means you love it and I should continue it!

Pinocchio gf🤍🖤: can you hear me sigh through the phone?

Sorry I can't think of anything for Ingrid and I know this sucks

[fictionfixations]

playful land (part 2)

contains spoiler for the movie pinocchio so and like book 7 spoilers (its literally just 2 words relating to lilia and its a card that exists)

😭 as a glasses wearer i can relate. when i didnt have my glasses id squint a lot but the people around me just thought i had my eyes closed so they thought i wasnt paying attention D:

its even crazier to think that lilia, a war veteran and everything was legitimately stressed over this 💀 but to be fair if grim was in danger of getting out of like the seats that lilia had to hold him back id be panicking too cause who knows what could happen

heres your reminder that vil was kinda baby (well child but thats still baby to me) when being in the industry and considered good at playing the villain even though children (and teenagers) are literally known for changing, are in the prime time of their life to change and experiment and try different things theyve never done before and so typecast him is literally to stunt his growth and potential !!! and remember there were those kids who thought vil was an actual villain and like tried to attack him or some shit so he did play villains when he was younger. and it probably really hit him hard because kids dont (and shouldnt) be hit with the reality that not everyone is nice and that people can be out to get you for no reason other than 'you exist' and will run with any reason they can to hate on you even if its entirely fake and they dont even know you but they just think youre a bad person despite the truth and theres nothing you can do to change that because they dont want to be wrong. if you cant tell i have a lot of things against it. like. like child prodigies n celebrities are great good for you for being good at something and being recognized for it, but ohh my god its like suddenly they're an adult and cant make mistakes without people condemning them even though literally everyone has made mistakes before and children dont know any better until they do it and mess up and thats okay and i just. i just want vil to be ok cause hes still really young.

the text being like pLAcehOldeR TExT PLaCeHoLDer TeXt is so fucking creepy for the puppets 😭 why cant it just be normal like when like AIs or like the systems of shit talk (like like the navi system that was normal?? and i thought the voices for the rollercoaster was normal too but i mightve just not noticed considering im playing it right as the update came out and i havent slept yet so yippee)

JIMINY CRICKET IS THAT YOU 💀

the way i missed all these references the first time but now im actually getting them cause i saw the movie

heres where i say i already forgot like a part of the middle of the movie and what happened and why. i was watching it with friends so i got distracted trying to talk to them and im really bad at multitasking when trying to watch something (like reallly pay attention) and talk to someone at the same time so i forget one or the other and i forgot the movie so i dont remember what the apple core was about but i doubt it was good intentioned

i know that leona's older than them but i still like that he calls them kids like d'aww

flashbacks to kalim mentioning he didnt know how to pay for things or how cash registers worked and stuff like that cause usually merchants came to him also him mentioning he got like lint rollers for the carpet but he just kept buying new ones when he ran out instead of buying a new roll, and when being informed that he could buy a new roll instead of an entirely new roller he just called whoever thought of that a genius 😭 his obliviousness is genuinely harmful to him no matter how good intentioned someone may be to try to spoil him and make him live the most comfortable life ever because theres so much life experiences hes lacking. and theres so much i could say about this but ive yapped enough about this in other posts and ive also already yapped about vil so um

HES LICKING THEM BECAUSE OF THE OVERBLOT STONES ISNT HE? ???? ????? GRim PLEASE

…hes got a tail because he went to pleasure island and was slowly turning into a donkey like i mean i guess i can understand because in twst the stories were twisted so both the hero and the villain got a happy ending technically? like remember i think jasmine married like 'a street rat' or something (I cant remember exactly? maybe he was like a thief but changed his ways?), while jafar caught someone who was pretending to be a prince to marry her (described as two different people btw)

THIS. THIS IS WHAT I MEAN. he is so unaware that hes going to make dumb and insensitive comments that could definitely offend someone but he doesnt understand what the problem with it is this boy is like the heir right?? someone please teach him politics and like diplomacy shit ???? like ok you want him to have the best life. his best life is not making mistakes in front of important people that can fuck things up without him realizing and ruining relationships because HE DOESNT KNOW BETTER. like theres only so long you can baby someone and i know hes baby and still young but stop coddling him. like i mean i want to coddle him i want to wrap him in bubble wrap but like come on. and i know hes smart, he knows people arent the best because people have tried to poison him and tried to kill him (even some of his family have tried) but come on. like what if he comes off as insincere? as a person who couldnt possibly understand? HE ALREADY DOES COME OFF AS THAT HAVE YOU SEEN JAMIL?? and you know what thats gonna breed? RESENTMENT. aAAAAAAa AND PEOPLE ARE GONNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIM BECAUSE HE WANTS TO SEE THE GOOD IN EVERYONE EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO DO BAD SHIT TO HIM AND ITS JUST. i dont want him to be hurt and hes gonna get hurt and he already has been hurt and hes still managing and i feel so bad for him and i just. ..you can tell i have a lot of feelings over thsi fhaidwsuiahfd

d'aww hes hugging him 🥺

yknow kalim probably has the funds to get like a water breathing potion and explore underwater like i mean tbh it kinda scares me. wasnt there that story during like one of the halloween events one of the leech twins mentioning how they saw like one of them?? except it wasnt them. and that like people went missing or some shit??? the coral sea (..that might not be the name i forgor) has its own dangers i hope he stays safe during so

wouldnt it be the coolest for a hometown event with the leech twins and azul and kalim is there actually i wonder what kinda outfits they'd wear. also in caters birthday bloom vignette floyd mentioned that he could take cater to the coral sea and show him places land people dont really get to see (then warns him to watch out for shark attacks) to which cater replies that he'll pass. …still i think itd be really cool for him to go too. maybe we could make it a pop music club trip! has lilia been to the coral sea? i cant remember 🤔 i dont think caters phone is waterproof though (hes also mentioned it in that vignette) and hes mentioned it in this event where he was scared his phone would get waterlogged during the whale rollercoaster cause they were getting drenched in water and he didnt get time to prepare

leona. you get me.

kalim just automatically being worried about poison makes me feel really bad for him cause he always has to be cautious like i know he doesnt say it but its implied and it makes me sad

FIGARO MY BELOVED I LOVE YOU SO MUCH YOU PRECIOUS BABY AHFDASUDIHAIUDHW i love cats so much the moment he showed up on screen i just couldnt pay attention to anything that was happening in the movie and i just love the way he was animated he looked so fluffy and cute and i just wanted to pet him so fucking much aGHHHH

leona: I REFUSE to ride the carousel no matter what right after leona: on the carousel

so confirmed kalim does have a magicam acc huh

[kadajsbitch]

Fresh Air (P.t Two)

Pinocchio x Fem! Reader

Warnings: Language, mentions of smoking and drinking, angst, slight gore but mostly having to do with the puppets

A/n: BRUH. So much shit has been happening in my life atm so I apologize for the hella late update but I decided I want to make this a story so yeah 😭 I might upload this on Ao3 and Wattpad, idk yet but here’s part two!

(P.s: if you read this earlier, I fixed the typos and changed up some words and stuff but that’s all!💀)

•*•*•*•*•*•*•

After he had shut the door behind them, she felt her shoulders begin to physically relax. A tension beginning to ease that she hadn't known her body had been holding…

The doors intricate locks began to whirl, clicking in place and causing a slight echo in the empty entry hall. She gave a sigh of relief, moving her gaze from the floor to meet him.

He kept his eyes on the door for a moment, starring at it almost owlishly as if expecting more… whether that be of the door to suddenly open and allow the mechanoids to infiltrate the hotel, or whatever thoughts he had towards it swirling through his mind, she didn’t know.

However, she watched rather awkwardly for a moment before adverting her gaze, as his wandered to look at his robotic arm as it made a slight noise before it went silent and still. She had noticed it twitching slightly while they had been talking to one another outside, but she hadn’t commented…

Instead, she cleared her throat lightly, the action garnering his attention as he turned his head to look in her direction. "Thank you... I think I'll be smoking from inside from now on." She smiled, joking lightly as he turned and began to walk towards her, a gentle smile on his lips as he nodded in the direction to the stairway that led to the lobby.

"Those are bad for you, you know. Why do you think the men who smoke them are constantly hacking up something before they can properly talk?" At this, she raised an eyebrow, turning her attention away from the door that would lead them to the stairwell.

“That’s not true! My mother smoked all the time back when I lived with my parents. The only problem she got from smoking being the breathe.” She chuckled, looking up towards him catching the way his nose subtly wrinkled before turning to grin at her.

"Well if it comforts you, I don’t plan to be a chain smoker. I just saw the box lying on the ground and chose to take it because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about…” a half truth… and a half lie. She found it yes, but it wasn’t on the ground. It was on a corpse... while it was true she grabbed it out of curiosity, as well as her own excitement at the prospect of doing something she knew her family would have a fit had they been able to see, she wasn’t going to tell him that.

She was surprised when he suddenly chuckled, a light yet almost practiced sound to her ears, and she turned to look at him as they began to ascend the stairs. “And did you indeed see what the fuss was about?” He asked.

She shrugged, shaking her head slightly with a look of disillusionment as she spoke. “Honestly? No. I thought it’d be like alcohol but without the unpleasant taste and feelings you get after drinking it. The first time I ever drank, I got the worse headache after only a small glass. Plus the taste is god awful.” She replied, wrinkling her nose.

He still wore his smile, but it seemed a bit practiced now as he stiffly nodded, his blue eyes turning to stare at hers. “Yes. Very unpleasant. I take it your a drinker then?” The question was harmless and she playfully rolled her eyes but mentally she found the question odd considering she had just described feeling negative towards drinking due to the effects it came with.

“No, I’ve only drunk once in my life, and it was only for the experience. If I’m being honest, I hope it’s the last time though… I would say it will be the last time but I’m indecisive. I take it you’ve never drank before though?” His face was relaxed, and in the stairwells lighting, the shadows danced over his eyes, which in turn held a sharp look as his gaze was directed to her... for a second, he looked uncomfortably uncanny but not threatening… She pushed the thought to the side however as she focused on the steps ahead of them.

“No, I haven’t.” He stated simply. “But if I could I probably would for the experience as well.” he replied back but this only caused her to frown, before a slight smirk found it’s way on her face. “Why? Too scared to sneak a sip from your parents cabinet?”

At this, he raised his eyebrow at her giving her a questioning look and for a moment, she was worried he was genuinely one of those people who were too much of a moral martyr and would look at her oddly for the joking suggestion. But to her surprise, he cracked a quick smile before laughing lightly, a genuine sound as he looked down at his shoes, crossing his arms.

“No, not at all. Other reasons though. I don’t think my father would care much if I did. Matter of fact, I feel he’d be quite intrigued if I ever showed interest to that sort of thing.” He admitted, and she crossed her arms, leaning on the opposite wall he stood against chuckling lightly.

Mentally, she was giving herself a clap on the back because it had taken her a week to muster enough courage to talk to Antonia and Eugenia as she was talking to him. She was so used to moving from place to place, and not seeing the same faces around her that it was almost a bit of a shock when she’d go to sleep, only to wake up hours later, and see she was still in the hotel. As well as the people she had seen the day previously, were still there. It’s because she had to move around so much, her people skills were a bit rusty to say the least but she couldn’t help but to feel relaxed whilst she talked to Pinocchio…

Pinocchio’s eyes scanned her face for a moment, studying her before clearing his throat and proceeding to walk ahead towards the doors that would lead them to the lobby, the amused smile still playing on his lips. “Come. It’s late out and its better to be in the lobby than to be here. There’s a draft.”

She couldn’t help but to feel a bit disappointed that their conversation seemed to be coming to an end, but considering how late it truly was, along with the fact he seemed mad enough to walk around Krat far from the hotel, she assumed he was rather exhausted.

She nodded, pushing herself from the wall before walking alongside him into the hotels lobby.

.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.•.

While it was true that most of society had given to buying puppets to replace human workers, there were a select few companies that all but banned puppets from entering their facility's even with their owners beside them.

Therefore it really was no surprise that many people in the anarchy ridden city, paired up and had buildings much to their own liking, where they'd enroll those who had survived seeking refuge in bigger groups, to support their cause to abolish puppets. It helped that present day events gave them a broader reason to expand on their reasoning...

A good example of their work would be some of the puppets they managed to dispatch and re-arrange their now unanimated bodies in positions that were eerily similar to what a human might look like after being violently slaughtered…

A good example of this she could think, of was the puppet who had been hanging by the neck over the bridge she had crossed days previously to get to the hotel.

Y/n wrapped her arms around herself, her right hand coming to rest on her left shoulder as she stared out of one of the hallways windows, thinking back to the puppet as she stared at the unmoving one that lie on the outside ground floor… it unnerved her how he looked almost human despite the clear robotic jaw and eyes as well as wires that stuck out from his chest cavity… the puppet equivalent of innards like a humans, and the black oil that it lie in reminded her too much of a humans blood despite the clear difference in color.

The sound of soft footsteps approaching her, brought her from her thoughts however, as she turned away from the window to see who was approaching her, worried that whoever it was would find it odd she was spending her morning staring out at the dead lifeless puppet but then again, there wasn’t like there was much of anything else to stare at scenery wise considering Krat was in ruin.

She relaxed as she came to see it was only Pinocchio and she felt herself becoming happy that he was approaching her considering they’re previous conversation the night before. Finally there was someone her age other than Sophia and Eugenia she could talk to, not that she talked much with Sophia due to her having to constantly focus her powers on patrolling the city of Krat for survivors and other key issues.

“Good morning. I hope you slept well.” He greeted her, coming to stand beside her with a slight smile on his face that she returned happily.

“Good morning to you as well, and I did. Slept well too, I presume?” He shrugged, turning to look outside the window she had previously been occupied with, his eyes scanning the outside area.“Adequate.” He replied simply, and seemingly honestly.

The corner of her mouth lifted into a subtle smirk as she now fully grasped his appearance. Unlike the clothes he wore the night prior, today he wore something a little more formal… He wore a simple chemise white shirt only this time, he adorned a cravat with a gold ruby pendant in the center. This was followed by a red buttoned vest, that seemed to have a pocket watch tucked within, perhaps in a hidden pocket on the other side she presumed.

As for the rest of his outfit, he wore a simple blue long coat with gray breeches and white socks and flat black shoes… He looked quite studious, like the few men from the academy’s she used to be forced to greet when her parents had been looking for a husband for her sister.

“Ah, you’re dressed properly today it seems.” She said, teasing him lightly. He broke his gaze from outside, turning to look at her with a smirk of his own on his face. “You are as well it seems. Better than your nightgown, robe and slippers…” At this, she scoffed in mock offense, before playfully elbowing him, chuckling lightly as she looked down at her shoes.

Antonia had kindly let her borrow some of her old clothes due to the fact the only ones she had were the rags on her back she had wore when she arrived to the hotel… they weren’t literal rags of course, just old and tattered clothes she managed to find once she outgrew her old tattered ones, with uneven patches on them from times she had to sew them when they developed holes… Today however, she wore a simple high collar black dress with slightly baggy sleeves that slimmed down towards her forearms making it easy to perform task without the sleeves being too much of a nuisance. It was a modest dress, stopping at her ankles with nothing else much being special about it. But it was enough. After all, it had been years since she’s been able to wear a dress so it was a welcome change.

There was a sudden small silence between them, a comfortable one albeit, as they stood in front of the window beside one another. Their small smiles still gracing their features as they looked at the ruined scenery before them.

However, her eyes had found the ruined puppet’s body once more and her smile began to fade as she stared at it… or more so him considering it was a male model as was most working puppets.

Pinocchio’s eyes glanced toward her, his own smile faltering as his eyes found what had made her suddenly appear pensive. “That puppets been there since I arrived. There’s no need to worry. Once they’ve been destroyed to the point that this puppet has been, there’s no chance of it being able to turn back on.” He spoke blandly, as his eyes glanced at her for a moment before looking back towards the puppet.

Her frown deepened and her eyebrows furrowed slightly at this. “But I thought it was possible to fix any puppet once they’ve been subjected to damage. It’s head doesn’t seem destroyed. And after all, the head is where their artificial intelligence and memory are stored, right?” While she didn’t understand the full anatomy to the puppets, she knew what little scraps she had read in papers and heard in idle gossip when she would pass through towns.

Pinocchio shook his head, his eyes darting back to the mangled robot. “Due to the virus, they no longer garner the memory of their purpose as well as control over themselves. Even if they were to magically stop their rampaging, the virus has destroyed much of their cognitive abilities to function so they’d be useless.”

“So there’s no way to fix the rogue bots.” She stated plainly, as her eyes found his in which, they were still glued onto the unmoving puppet. He was quiet, his robotic arm emitting a slight noise as he moved it to cross his arms over his chest.

“No. Once Geppetto pinpoints the cause of the virus, these puppets will most likely get sent to be destroyed fully and if there’s a slight possibility that more robots are to be manufactured after all of this, their scraps will be re-used to make more.” Y/n didn’t know why she suddenly felt the urge to shiver at his words but she repressed it. Keeping herself together. She didn’t even want to imagine the process of how they destroyed or dismantled them… while they may be objects in a sense, it seemed morbid to think of a pile of parts that resembled a humans, that were stacked ceiling high, and torn apart.

“Wow…” she said suddenly after a moment of the morbid thoughts flowing through her mind. “That’s kind of macabre to think about.” She admitted, as her right hand played with the collar of her dress.

He seemed to find this interesting as he tuned to face her fully now, his head coming to rest on the right side of the window frame as he gazed at her unblinking with a look of contempt. “Macabre? How so?”

“I mean… look at the situation? Do the puppets even know their being possessed by a virus right now? And if they do, are they aware of what they’re doing? How do they even feel about it? And then imagine, being brutally torn apart because of something you couldn’t control? That’s scary of you ask me.” She replied. She had to advert her gaze from his mid conversation due to his unblinking eyes… she wondered was he aware of his lack of awareness to his expressions.

“Does it upset you?” He asked, his face calm and stoic but his eyes held an unknown emotion she couldn’t properly grasp as they locked eyes with one another, once again. If anything, she assumed he was going to ask her why she thought the puppets held a conscious or their own moral input other than what was implemented in their systems.

She broke his gaze once again, feeling uncomfortable with his unmoving eyes as she looked to her side. She was focused on nothing in particular but her mind tried to process how to properly get her words out as she thought to how to respond.

“It does. I know… that the answer to my questions are probably no, they have no feeling, and they’re made to perform the specific duty they were created for, but you’ve got to admit it’s upsetting seeing something that resembles us humans, even with their clear signs of artificially being created such as their speakers, joints and clothing, being mutilated like that.” she paused for a moment after saying her piece, trying to decide if she should expand more on what she truly wanted to say. Pinocchio seemed to have guessed she had more on her mind because he simply nodded, a subtle gesture offering her to continue.

“…What upsets me the most is not knowing how things will proceed from here on out… The anti-puppet regime’s and groups are now at an all time high, and while I do understand their reasoning for wanting to annihilate them, I can’t help to be disgusted by their methods. We get it, you don’t like them, and now they have further reasons to prove why but to go as far as hanging them, ripping them open and placing their bodies in very humiliating conditions to prove your point? It’s funny… the way they’re going about slaughtering the puppets they can get their hands on, is the same way the rogue puppets are slaughtering us. Only difference is, the human side who are reporting their anti-puppet cause, are going further to treat them more inhumane than they are us.” She finished, still starring down at the ground, whilst her hand played with her collar.

She hadn’t meant to rant, but as much as she was angered by what the puppets were doing, at least they had a reasoning. One in which that by Geppetto’s words, they can’t control.

Prior to the outbreak, the anti’s were already trying to make an example of their dislike for puppets by destroying them and leaving their slogans painted around the scene in which they had committed the crime at... It also didn’t help that some people who neither supported nor disliked the puppets, thought to find benefit in them by buying, altering and using them for things less than what their pre-made purpose was for… almost every paper had an article about underground rings doing less than human things to these puppets or having them do illegal work for them.

Honestly, she wondered if Geppetto was partially lying about it being a bug that was possessing them, and the reality of it was they were fighting back for they’re treatment, but she didn’t voice this.

“Hm…” Pinocchio hummed, the sound causing her to bring her eyes from the carpeted hallway floor, to his attention as he gazed down at the puppet outside once more. “That’s an interesting perspective. No surprise that everyone here in the hotel feels the same. I assumed you’d lean towards the humans who support getting rid of them due to their slaughtering and violent destruction of Krat.”

She shook her had, grimacing slightly. “While the puppets more or less unnerve me, prior to them going rogue I honestly managed better with their company more than I did with other human beings.”

In all honesty, that wasn’t necessarily the truth. The reality of it was ever since she left home, she had to be extremely careful in puppet dominated spaces due to the fact if they recognized her from the many sketches of her on wanted posters, they’d immediately alert those around them as well at the police puppets to come arrest her.

While the sketches and photographs of her were old and she no longer resembled the wealthy, upperclass little girl in the photos, puppets such as police ones had built in facial recognition. All they’d have to do is look at her, scan her face and they’d know exactly who she was and she’s had more close calls than she could mentally count…

Prior to her leaving home however, when it came to the puppets, she was familiar with the puppet servants of her home. One puppet in particular, being her full time nanny from the time she was a babe, up until the day she ran…

She cringed subtly pushing the memories of home from her mind, the action not going unnoticed by Pinocchio who studied her intensely, as his eyes all but scanned over her features, his face a stoic mask of his own. “Um, do you mind us stepping away from the window? It seems there’s a bit of a draft coming from it.” She rubbed her arms slightly, not even waiting for his answer despite asking as she stepped away from the window.

He followed pursuit, walking beside her as they walked down the hall. She glanced at him as the lobby came into view, feeling uneasy by his sudden aloof demeanor as they walked silently beside one another. “What do you think?”

She suddenly blurted out, causing Pinocchio to halt in his tracks while his gaze still remained ahead of them. An action she found rather robotic in itself, but she thought nothing of it as his face turned to meet hers.

“I think… we should focus on the task at hand. If you’re returning my question, than I think the task at hand needs to be dealt with and that’s that these puppets must be stopped.” She frowned, slightly annoyed by his seemingly practiced yet bland response.

“Well of course they need to be taken care of, but what do your really think? About the puppets? Prior to them going rogue and all?” She asked, her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at his unreadable expression.

She was worried that maybe her views had offended him. She tended to stay neutral when it came to politics and things that usually had people torn apart, but when he had questioned her, there was no indicator in his tone or body language that he had been uncomfortable, not to mention, he had explicitly asked her how she felt about them.

She internally cursed herself, wishing she hadn’t over shared. After all, he had approached her on his own accord, and prior to their conversation the mood had been light until her focus fell to the mangled puppet outside…

“What I think about my kind doesn’t matter.” His answer was quick, and despite his same calm tone of speaking, she couldn’t help but to feel like there was an underlying sharpness to his tone as his eyes all but bore into her now, unblinking.

She stared at him, her eyes scanning his face for any hint of humor or lie yet she couldn’t find anything behind his stony stare.

He broke his gaze from her, before walking deeper into the lobby, heading towards Sophia who had been pacing in her usual spot, but she had stopped at Pinocchio’s arrival.

He was a puppet…

[corgifruityart]

i caved in, meet cordelia! 🐶🦋 more stuff about her under the cut! <3

cordelia. 12 years old corrie/ della a small child who lives on rosa isabelle street before the puppet frenzy/ disease. was left alone when the frenzy collided and has been surviving on the street ever since.

wears a corgi mask to protect herself and so other stalkers can recognise her and hopefully take her in. wields a broken puppet arm before she gets taken to the hotel.

gets attacked by a couple of puppets one evening in a try to seek shelter somewhere else on the street, and eventually bumps into pinocchio who, she thinks, is about to kill her too. but no, he's just here to take the frenzied puppets out. the young adult is nearly knocked out by the child but managed to stop her in a moment of struggle of raising her weapon.

pinocchio brings the child back to the hotel as she needs actual treatment for her wounds and new clothes, besides some human contact from being so alone. eventually starts treating her like a little sister, and cordelia treats pino as an older brother. of course does pino feel like he isnt worthy of this title due to his 'humanity' not being fully there, but he somehow has the sparks and kick-ins of taking care of the smaller one due to all interactions with the hotel cat, spring. its a bit awkward at first, but eventually he grows a stronger connection to the kid and is willing to protect her at all cost.

sophia, antonia and eugénie helps picking out clothes and washing up. belle helps out with cutting her hair to a fresh hairstyle instead of the long, shaggy one. corrie is also extremely fond and amazed over the fact that sophia has blue hair, and so she wants that too!

venigni becomes the top hat uncle, and whos to complain about that! the italian wears it with a huge pride and likes to tease others who doesnt have such a label to themselves.

pino gifting her her very first, actual weapon; a greatsword. geppetto panics at this but the child is very much excited about all of this, despite not being able to lift it. the boy however gives her a wintry rapier's blade in the end.

enjoys braiding pino's long hair as it brings her comfort, and while pinocchio has no idea whats happening, hes actually enjoying it.

my love for corgis is bigger than my heart so OF COURSE i needed her stalker fit to be one. they gained popularity in the early 1920s and its around that time the game takes place. I WILL SQUEEZE MY INTERESTS TOGETHER !!!!!!

[sarucane]

OFMD Meta Series Master Thread

My brain works in meta series for some reason, and a couple of my individual metas have been really popular! So in case you're looking for more of my stuff, or to read a meta related to one you already liked, here're my series. I'll update them as I go.

Metas about Stories and Storytelling in OFMD

Do we just keep telling the same story forever? Meta on OFMD S1E7 "This is Happening"

(Note: writing this while on a holiday, there'll be more metas in this series once I get home and go through drafts ;) )

The Fuckery's the Thing: Finding truth through lies in "The Art of Fuckery"

True Stories, False Stories: "The Best Revenge is Dressing Well"

Stories within Stories (within more stories!): OFMD Meta Analysis of Ep 1 E4

Stede Bonnet's Stories (S2)

Ed Teach's Stories

Stede Bonnet's Stories (S1)

Storytelling in Our Flag Means Death

Character Analysis Question Metas

Why was finding Stede's letter so important for Ed?

Why did Ed think becoming a fisherman made any sense at all?

Why did Ed throw away his leathers?

Why did Ed want to "take it slow"?

Why didn't Izzy shoot Ed (then)?

Why did Ed headbutt Stede?

Why didn't Ed always protect Stede?

How did Stede leave pirating so easily?

Did Ed really want to die?

How did Stede know that Ed wanted to "watch the world burn"?

Why did Ed shoot Izzy then?

Spiral Parallels: The second season of OFMD references the first a lot, generally in ways that add a lot to the emotional depth of an original scene. Here's a heap of metas about that because I think it's cool.

53: Ed's Suicidal Spiral (S1E10, S2E1-3)

52: Weddings (S1E4/10, S1E1/2/8)

51: Pinocchio (S1E1, S2E1/8)

50: Beards and Unconditional Love

49: Whims, Self-Knowledge, and Commitment

48: Lessons of Episodes 5 (S1E4/5 & S2E5)

47: What would Jeff do? (S1E5 & S2E3/6/8)

46: Izzy Being Wrong Part 4--Izzy's redemption (in which he learns to be right) (S1E10-S2)

45: Izzy Being Wrong 3 (S1E6-9)

44: Izzy Being Wrong 2 (S1E5)

43: Stede's Fantasies Creating Reality (S1E1/3/8, S2E1/3/4/8)

42: Sandy Beards and Self-Hatred (S1E8 & S2E3)

41: Izzy and the Queer Community of the Revenge (S1E5 & S2E6)

40: Izzy Being Wrong Part 1 (S1E2-4 & S02E8)

39: Wearing Fine Things Well (S01E05 & S02E05)

38: Mad Devil Blackbeard (S01E04/10, S02E01/02)

37: Ed and Izzy in Those Scenes 2 (S01E10 & S02E08)

36: Ed and Izzy in Those Scenes 1 (S01E10 & S02E08)

35: Lighthouses (S01E04/10 &S02E06/08)

34: Manipulative Pirate Buddies 5 (S01E08 & S02E04)

33: Manipulative Pirate Buddies 4 (S01E08 & S02E04)

32: Manipulative Pirate Buddies 3 (S01E08 & S02E04)

31: Manipulative Pirate Buddies 2 (S01E08 & S02E04)

30: Manipulative Pirate Buddies 1 (S01E08 & S02E04)

29: Silk Robes and Ed's Self-Identity (S01E10 & S02E07

28: Izzy and Stede Talk Blackbeard (S01E06 & S02E03)

27: Ed's Despair (S01E10 & S02E02)

26: A Fall into Dark Water (S01E10 & S02E03)

25: Mary and Stede, Stede and Ed (S01E10 & S02E08)

24: The Character Development of a Belly Flop (S01E01 & S02E03)

23: Stede's Duels (S01E06 & S02E07)

22: Ed Leaves Stede (S01E08 & S2E07)

21: Executions of Stede Bonnet and Ned Lowe (S01E09 & S02E06)

20: Lucius and Pete (S01E6 & S02E05)

19: Ed and Izzy Sing (S01E10 & S02E06)

18: Izzy's Interventions (S01E06 & S02E01)

17: Stages of Intimacy (S01E06 & S02E06)

16: Poison and Positivity (S01E06 & S02E06)

15: The Kraken (S01E06 & S02E08)

14: Party Time 4 (S01E05 & S02E07)

13: Party Time Part 3 (S01E05 & S02E07)

12: Party Time 2 (S01E05 & S02E07)

11: Party Time Part 1 (S01E05 & S02E07)

10: Attention Crew of the Revenge, may I present… (S01E04 & S02E05)

9: Breakroom Chats (S01E04 & S02E06)

8: Ed, Izzy, and the Death of Blackbeard (S01E04 & S02E02)

7: Blackbeard and his First Mate (S01E03 & S02E01)

6: Cowards (S01E04 & S02E07)

5: The Unicorn (S01E04, S01E08, S02E04, S02E08)

4: Stede's Letters (S01E04 & S02E08)

3: Rise and Shine, Pirate (S01E04 & S02E04)

2: Stede's Grand Entrance (S01E03 & S02E08)

On the Spiral Narrative of OFMD 1: Pirates and Mermen (S01E03 & S02E03)

[astro-b-o-y-d]

Yet another Boyd Drake Propaganda Post from yours truly, specifically for the @eggcrackerbracket​​ tournament this time:

First of all, he’s a robot Pinocchio allusion who decided he was a definitely real boy and then he WAS one. We all know robots and Pinocchio allusions are so trans of gender, and so being both makes him extra trans of gender!

Literally uses the phrase ‘I’m Boyd, a Definitely Real Boy!’ to introduce himself. 🥺🥺🥺

The entirety of Astro BOYD involves him fighting to be seen as a regular boy rather than a killing machine. He even fights against the programming of an evil scientist trying to use him as a weapon and MAKES THE CHOICE to be a real boy. His transgenderism is so strong, he can even fight against evil programming that is trying to control him and WIN.

Astro BOYD as a whole could very well be an allegory for what it’s like to be neurodivergent, in addition to being an allegory for being transgender. Him and Huey Duck are clearly autistic-coded, and the phrase ‘He’s a kid like me, just wired a little differently’ is used. 

They’re also best friends and spend a chunk of the episode taking a tour of furry Tokyo to do research for a shared special interest. (Also I like to imagine it doubles as a date for them, because cute 🥺).

Huey also spends the entire episode reaffirming Boyd’s desire to be seen as a real boy. He’s the best triplet for this reason alone.

Less happy fact about the episode, Boyd’s creator ends up misgendering him as ‘it’ for a spell and reject his claims of being a real boy because of some stuff that happens within the episode. 

But it’s fine because he’s going up to bat for him by the end and his reaffirmation of Boyd’s chosen identity is what ends up saving the day in the end. (Also Gyro is pretty trans-coded himself so we’ll let it slide but it still took me a while to come around on him as a character 😒).

Even before this episode aired, I already had such a soft spot for Boyd. I literally only started watching the show because I saw GIFsets of a previous episode with him, and he was just so PRECIOUS (and gave me Angus McDonald vibes) so I knew I had to watch the show just so I could get to his debut episode. And then Astro BOYD came along and cemented his place as my absolute favorite character in the show, and probably one of my favorite characters of all time.

Anyway I was lightly dipping my toes into a they/them enby identity before this episode dropped, but after months of having Boyd as a comfort character after the episode aired, a LOT of things began to click for me internally. And now here I am, a he/they transmasc with one of my chosen names being Boyd. (Listen I know technically I was already not-cis before that, but he still absolutely played a big part in delivering the final blow to my egg and helping me settle comfortably into a transmasc identity).

Also one final fact; Scrooge McDuck inspired Astro Boy, the first anime character. And then Ducktales made Boyd, an homage to Astro Boy as a whole. So Boyd is technically only a few steps away from the invention of anime. He deserves some respect for that fact alone from those of you who got their egg cracked by an anime character.

Okay I’m done now. Vote for the boy who cracked my egg because he is so polite and sweet and a definitely real boy and he deserves to at least get past round one 🥺🥺🥺

Also also if you want, watch Ducktales 2017 because it’s pretty fun. Or just watch Astro BOYD, because it’s the best episode. Sorry DWD fans, I know where my loyalties lie.

Also ALSO ALSO in case a DT fan who doesn’t know me might ask why I said Boyd DRAKE:

(Okay now I’m really, REALLY done for now, promise. Mainly bc this post is getting super long and I have a few others drafted before the contest has even started. #BOYDSWEEP)

[moonpersonalter]

Pinocchio in Wonderland Ch2

[Hallooooo~ this was supposed to be finished last month but some stuff came along and now here we are. Pinocchio's adventures continue and I tried to incorporate a bit of the vignette and story beats in the game but the deviations are beginning to appear here.

Thank you for reading and hope to get Ch3 out before another life moment happens again hahaha]

Fandom: SINoALICE, Twisted Wonderland Rating: T Warnings: N/A [for now]

Stripped of a father to lay down his path,

Pinocchio is in search of another

That will set his course straight.

Two strange dolls enter the scene

Telling him of a way to get what he wishes.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———

“All Pomefiore students, follow me.”

The Housewarden (the beautiful blonde named Vil Schoenheit) calls for the students behind him, leading the group like a mother hen guiding his fledglings into another room with even more mirrors. Seven large standing mirrors to be exact, all placed in its own alcoves, decorated with its own unique frame, bearing the sigil of their respective dormitories atop.

Pinocchio‘s peers (he’s allowed to call them his peers, right?) stare and gawk at the majesty of the mirror before them, one decorated with gems upon its steps and the image of a peacock cradling the mirror within its fanciful wings. Beside its head is the sigil of the dorm he’ll be staying in.

“Pome… fiore…,” The name comes out effortlessly in the otherwise tense lips of the puppet.

The earlier ordeal comes back to him like a wave, still fresh in his mind, shaking his head the guilt that comes with it.

-----

Grim was not happy.

Not happy at all.

After getting sorted into Pomefiore, Grim had begun to make his presence even louder and annoying for the rest to finally turn their attention towards the little critter. “Mrahh! Lemme go!” He shifts and turns in the Headmage's grip, reaching his paws out towards the Dark Mirror. “Lemme get sorted too!!”

Pinocchio's face contorts once again, lost and confused at Grim's desperate attempts to be accepted into school. The puppet lacked the understanding of its importance, or maybe he had no real way of knowing its value. School had been something Pinocchio was hesitant to approach, what with the many children that vie for attention and adults that are one too happy to whip their rulers on naughty children's hands. The thought makes him shiver.

The headmage, on the other hand, was getting annoyed at Grim's insistence. “Clearly, pets like you are not meant to become students in a prestigious school such as Night Raven College,” he begins his terribly long speech, about ready to approach Pinocchio. He didn‘t bother to notice the puppet’s eyes widen in horror as the Headmage stretched his arm towards him with a grumpy Grim in hand, palms sweating and frozen in place.

“Mroww!! I don’t need some wimpy babysitter looking after me!!” Grim makes another hissy fit, shaking all around just to get out of the Headmage's grip.

It hurt Pinocchio a bit. Grim didn‘t like him, not even a bit of remorse in his voice. He’s used to not getting along with company but to think even a talking cat had as much distaste for the puppet as the others he‘s encountered in the Library. Then again… Pinocchio wasn’t so sure he wanted to follow around Grim if it counted the most. Grim’s finicky and brash, ready to show off, ready to burn, ready to destroy. If not careful, Pinocchio would be at the crossfire, burnt to ash mercilessly and without care. It makes him panic, screaming internally, fighting his bare instincts to give in and take him back from the Headmage.

But he didn‘t want to take him back, he didn’t want to be responsible for another’s life. He wouldn‘t know what to do with himself already, adding another to his plate felt like too much work than he’s capable of. He needed someone strong to tell **him** what to do, not the other way around. He dislikes this.

He dislikes this. He dislikes this. He dislikes this. He hates it. He—

“I don't want to keep him—!” Pinocchio suddenly blurted out, hands thrown to cover his mouth. He suddenly felt sick, acting out of his own free will so carelessly. Words spoken without thought had its consequences, a responsibility he must carry and the guilt that comes with making a bad decision.

Unfortunately for the poor puppet, he could never pull back what had been said, watching as the Headmage drew his eyebrows close in anger, “Well, why didn't you say so!” He didn't wait for Pinocchio to stutter a response, already bringing Grim out the room and down the long corridor, Grim's rancorous pleas echoing into silence.

No one bothered to think any further, business as usual for the many, Grim all but forgotten the moment the Headmage has made the exit.

-----

Pinocchio still trembles at the memory. Who knows what the Headmage did to Grim. That weirdo bird man must've disposed of the cat but didn't want to make any more messes in that room again. There were already enough scorched marks, ashes and a gaping crater that his companion lovingly made him create sitting around the room. The groups all but ignored it, leaving the clean up to whomever was willing enough to fix everything. No one bothered to tell him to do it, Pinocchio wasn’t even sure if he liked the idea of cleaning up. The idea was left with the ashes once the crowd made their exit.

“Did you not hear me, freshman?” Came the voice of Vil Schoenheit, dragging Pinocchio‘s thoughts back to the present. “Your peers have already stepped through the mirror and yet here you are, head above the clouds, twiddling your fingers like you’re in trouble again.”

Vil‘s arms are crossed, face contorted into a frown unbefitting of someone of his stature. Then again, Pinocchio had seen all manner of beauty being contorted in a face just like his. It reminded him of people like Snow White and Cinderella, whose beauties are always twisted in anger and malice respectively. Pinocchio is no judge, he could never be able to judge for himself, he hated making decisions based on subjectives.

Once again lost in his own head, Vil’s frown deepens, as if proving his earlier point. Grabbing the puppet by the arm, he drags him through the Mirror. The surface ripple as they enter, disturbing the stillness like a droplet on the water’s surface. Underneath its silvery surface reveals to them the interior of the dorm, a fanciful room full of expensive furniture colored in gold, white and purple. Standing out amongst it is the pop of red silken curtains drawn to the side, revealing a beautifully decorated throne, the peacock sitting on top of the large imposing chair, its golden tail stretched out in a circle like the sun.

The students have already begun to converse with one another, exchanging names and congratulations. The sight makes Pinocchio gulp down a lump of nervousness. “Now, be good and wait here with the others while we prepare for the welcoming party.” Vil lets go of his arm, the command ringing strong within his mind that Pinocchio's response came out one second too late as the Housewarden makes his way outside. The students once again gawk and gasp in awe at the sight of their Housewarden, making way just for him as if it was only natural. Now out of sight, all pairs of eyes turn to the puppet.

“That was… Vil Schoenheit.” One student began to speak, eyes still trembling from beholding the sight of Vil.

“Did our humble Housewarden escort you here?” Another student said, closing the distance between him and Pinocchio who has remained where he is, looking as panicked as ever.

“Say, aren’t you the one who caused that awful crater in the Mirror Chamber?” Another one approached, suddenly standing beside him.

“W-wait—,” Pinocchio‘s pleas fall on deaf ears as excited students surround him, asking questions here and there and all around. This was wholly different from how he’s received in the Library. Every interaction with the others were always mixed, met with indifference, force , murderous intent or all three at once. There was no rest in the Library, and this school was no different.

Turning his attention down towards his ear, Pinocchio seeks the aid of his mean companion who has been uncharacteristically silent since after using him in the Mirror Chamber (he now knows that it‘s called the Mirror Chamber). Not a single peep nor degrading comment came out, not even a vulgar complaint from the noise, only silence… and loud snoring. ‘Sleeping at a time like this?!?’

Temptation to run away gnaws his mind but his conscience rejects the very thought, his body paralyzed for attempting to disobey. Even a miniscule, lingering thought was enough to put the puppet down like restraints, chained in place as if punished for committing a sin. Pinocchio was half-tempted to summon his hammer once more, disturb his awful companion’s slumber and make space for him while he patiently waits for Vil to come back. He slowly raises his hand…

… but another voice interjects. “Oh dear, our students seem to be preoccupied with our little late comer.” A new person comes into view, another tall man with blonde hair and brilliant green eyes. His smile widens as the students turn their attention towards him, mesmerizing the crowd, bright and open compared to that of the Housewarden whose presence immediately screams obey. “Ah, it warms my heart to see everyone get along so well on the first day! Trés bien!”

The boy beside him, however, gives him a strained expression, tempted to disagree but bit back the comment. His face looked too soft for someone so restrained from speaking his mind, instead letting the others carry on with their merry conversation.

“Ah, it’s the Vice Housewarden, Rook Hunt!” One exclaimed in excitement, hand now placed in his chest as he bows in respect. “It‘s an honor to be able to speak to you.”

Pinocchio and the soft-faced student beside Rook nearly dropped their jaws. “What?! He’s the Vice Housewarden?” His surprised gasp came out before Pinocchio could utter a single stutter.

Rook turns to the boy beside him, surprise written on his face but the abundantly approachable aura has not dimmed for a second. “Epel, were you not listening to my introduction at the ceremony?” His narrowed eyes betrayed a devious glint, lips drawn back into a knowing smile. “My, how naughty.”

Epel grumbles to himself, something low enough that Pinocchio couldn‘t quite catch but not enough to escape the ears of the Vice Housewarden… but Rook remains as jolly as usual, one confident hand on his hip, “Well, enough of that. Follow me, our beautiful Pomefiore flower buds, let us be seated and feast!”

In the blink of an eye, a beautiful long table stretches far across the room. Plates and dessert trays full of exquisite-looking food lay down on the white tablecloth. Students once again stood in awe (how many more times will they be surprised?) before taking their seats, Pinocchio following suit.

In front of him was a fancy-looking bowl with water inside it. Pinocchio looks left and right, waiting for someone to tell him what exactly to do. No one seemed to pay him any mind, so his hands were left resting on his lap.

Glug. Glug!

The echoing of liquid down one's throat, and a not-so-satisfied pahh!. Attention was once again drawn towards Epel, who's just finished drinking the now emptied bowl in hand. Was... that what you're supposed to do?

It didn't take another second until the others made their thoughts heard.

“Whaaaaaat?”

“Did he just drank from the finger bowl?!”

Clueless, Epel hadn't realized his mistake yet, sharing questioning glances at his peers. “What? Why's everyone staring at me for?!”

“Monsieur Pomette...” Rook begins, an ominous silence following after.

Epel nearly chokes from air. Carefully, he responds, “Yes...?”

The silence goes on for more than a couple of seconds, digging deeper into Epel ( and everyone else's) psyche, a build up of panic that worries everyone in the room. What felt like hours of waiting was met with joyous laughter, “Monsieur Pomette, you are quite the jokester!” Rook seemed to brighten up the more he laughed. “Drinking all that water meant for washing your hands.”

The others seemed to follow in the laughter, all tension having dispelled in an instant. Everyone began thanking Epel, able to enjoy the food on the table.

Meanwhile, Pinocchio's jaw must've gone slack from how quick the mood has shifted that it's giving him a sizable headache. He wonders how far he'll survive this place, how long it'll take for him to find a way back to the Library before he'd end up leaving here with new tableside manners picked up. They were the least bit useful in his original goal but he needed to learn while staying here.

With little to no choice (as if the puppet could make any), he'll just have to fit in as best he could.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———

After such a long and awful day, Pinocchio drops dead onto the bed, letting out the groan he could not dare voice in the presence of the Housewarden. With the welcoming dinner and room assignments out of the way, Pinocchio had decided for himself (if being told to retire for the night is considered his own decision) to make a hasty retreat into what was soon to be his temporary living space. Physical and mental exhaustion finally caught up to the puppet, but sleep didn't come to take him just yet.

Questions swirled in his mind, questions that continue to be left unanswered but none could ever give him what he sought for. How did he get here? How can he go back? Is there even a way? It goes on and on like a merry go round eternally stuck in a loop. The ride never ends and he wants to step off now. It all seemed like a confusing mess with no singular and clear path ahead.

He turns the other way, back facing the wall. His room, much like all the other rooms in Pomefiore, is well decorated. It's not as grand as the one in the lobby but it was enough to remind him how he should always carry the elegance and grace it represents. He supposes that blood and viscera isn't the most sparkling depiction of elegance. But what does he know?

All he knew for now was how his vision slowly darkened and sleep soon following behind. There was no more time to think, he had classes tomorrow.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———

The next day arrived and no sooner than expected, the poor puppet already ran himself into quite the predicament. Passing through the dorm mirror, he had no way of knowing where the classrooms were. Worse, he had no idea what his classes were about. ‘Did you live in some backwater country with no proper education?’ Vil would ask the poor puppet, anger radiating in his pretty purple eyes. Of course, Pinocchio’s home is anything but a backwater country, but it had its moments.

The poor puppet only knew the path between the dorm mirrors to the Mirror Chamber. Even as he saw students loitering about in both areas, the moment they noticed the time, they began picking themselves up and leaving for their own classes.

Pinocchio should, too. He's been wandering back and forth these two specific rooms without changing course, afraid he'll end up someplace different again. Farther and farther away from the library he'd go, with no way of knowing how to reverse his course.

He shakes away the thought, turning his focus back to the present. He ponders over following the students wearing the same colored vest as him, fellow Pomefiore students casually walking about to who knows where. Clueless to where the classrooms were, Pinocchio made the decision to (he reassured it wasn't a decision he made on his own) trail behind a group of students, hoping they’d end up in the classrooms.

Whispers exchanged between the boys, subtle glances back at the puppet as he awkwardly follows behind them. They took notice… or they willfully ignored the puppet‘s odd behavior. The boys continue on their merry way with a stowaway in tow, taking some turns here and there, through the large double doors and out into the school’s main street. Did the poor puppet end up closer or farther to his intended destination? He couldn‘t say for sure.

The outside was quieter than expected, stone brick road so wide it welcomed all that sets foot in this prestigious school. Along this stone brick road, Seven imposing statues that seemed to mock Pinocchio without even looking his way, stood proudly on both sides. Lost, alone and without a decent guide, Pinocchio lets out a whimpering groan, hanging his head low in defeat...

…

Yaaaaaaaawn!!

The sound suddenly came from his ear, gaining the questioning looks of his peers as he suddenly jumped in surprise. Could it be?

“Oh man, that was a good sleep.” His companion drawled out in its sleep-heavy state, smacking its lips as if chewing out the drowsiness that still plagues itself.

“Y-you're awake!” Pinocchio nearly screams, the already questioning looks becoming more judgmental, turning away from the overjoyed puppet cradled nothing but the ugly earring on his ear within shaking palms. “Thank goodness you're—”

“Quit yer yapping already!”

... and immediately, Pinocchio begins to regret lamenting over his companion the way he did. Despite having such a nice, long slumber, the first thing his companion decided to do was spew insults at the poor puppet, its words still as venomous as ever.

It pauses for a moment, eyeing their surroundings with narrowed eyes, frown deepening as it looks left and right. It almost looked comical to others, but to Pinocchio, it was like watching someone sharpen their knife. Slow but deliberate movements, the back and forth motion like waves on the beach.

After so long of waiting, students thinned out by the time it finished its pondering, finally locked eyes with the puppet. Then… another long and dreadful pause, the tension beginning to kill Pinocchio on the inside. “Please, just... say something—”

“I can't stand these ugly ass statues!” It began to cackle maniacally, “Let‘s break ‘em!”

“W-wait a minute—!!” Pinocchio immediately interjects, his pleading to his companion‘s brash decision-making only met with louder cackles. Although he was desperate to find someone to pull his invisible strings, the last thing he needed at the moment was to get himself into deeper trouble.

“Uh, dude… who are you talking to?”

Someone new enters the scene, a redheaded young boy with a red heart over his right eye.

Pinocchio felt like his joints popped off from every direction, turning around at the stranger in a panic. His wide red eyes stared at the puppet, arm raised defensively across himself. “W-woah there, buddy! I just asked who‘re talking to!” Pinocchio could hear his distinct ‘tsk’ before shaking his head in disappointment.

A string of apologies left the mouth of the puppet, all to the annoyance of the redhead before him. He cuts him off, scratching the back of his neck. “Alright, alright. Sheeeeeesh, if you like talking to yourself that much, then just say so!”

“Eh? N-no! It was th-the staff!” The redhead didn‘t look too convinced with his explanation but Pinocchio continues anyway, pointing at the statues along the road. “I-it told me to break those statues! I-I didn’t want to though!!” He continued to explain, growing more frantic, words melding so close together it becomes indistinguishable to the next.

Regret begins to set in the redhead‘s face, muttering underneath his breath, ‘This guy‘s a total nutcase…’. Whatever plans he had in mind has been thrown out the window that very moment, pinching the bridge of his nose contemplating whether to leave him alone or not. Looking back at the puppet, it seemed that Pinocchio was about ready to burst out crying if he dared take a single step back. He groans, “Alright, alright, apology accepted. Geez, what the hell did I get myself into?”

It was far too late for him to begin questioning his decisions as Pinocchio brightened up at his kind words. It appeased the puppet but it did little to make the other feel any better. Still, it stopped him from spewing out apologies.

“Th-thank you! Um… what‘s your name?” Pinocchio tilts his head to the side.

“It’s Ace… Ace Trappola…,” the young man grumbles his response. “And you‘re that guy that caused a bigger ruckus at the ceremony, yeah?” Ace suddenly had a big grin on his face, watching the shock cross Pinocchio‘s face. His mood shifts, arms on his waist as a smirk slowly crept up his lips.

“I-it wasn’t my idea! It was the staff—”

“Suuuure, that ugly looking staff that you snuck in that time.” Ace snorts, holding back from bursting out laughing. Pinocchio makes it too easy for him to tease, like a lost child he wants to mess around with before he goes back crying to his mother. Unlike that imaginary child, Pinocchio is a fellow freshman.

“Oh man, is that staff actually your imaginary friend or something? Are you in kindergarten or something?” Ace bursts out laughing at that point, tears in his eyes at the displeasure of Pinocchio. Much to the ignorance of Ace, that very staff is within earshot, his insults as expected were not so accepted by it.

“Oi,” Pinocchio‘s companion calls out, a sinking feeling beginning to creep in his mind. “Forget the statues, let’s cave his head in!”

“W-wait a minute—” Pinocchio looked down at his palms, its earring form still cradled in his palms, earning him another wave of laughter from Ace as if the puppet had proven his point. “We’ll get in trouble with Housewarden if we do that?!” He pleaded, his will to follow ebbing into his system, delaying what is inevitably the puppet following the pulling on his strings.

But his companion continues to be relentless. ‘Crush him’, ‘Beat him to a pulp’, ‘Make him regret’. Over and over it continues to spew as easily as breathing if it ever had lungs. Pinocchio’s hands clutch around its tiny form, unsure if he‘s trying to shut it up or call for its powers. Whatever his decision was, it was not a decision the puppet is aware of making, he could never make that himself. He could feel it elongate, like its nose whenever it lies. Ace‘s laughter dies down as he watched the staff form in his hands, taking several steps back as Pinocchio slowly turned towards his direction.

“H-hey now, I was just joking around!” Ace‘s words seem to fall on deaf ears, Pinocchio dragging his feet across the ground. He almost looked manic, a dark shadow casted over the puppet‘s eyes as if his light teasing was enough to push him over the edge. “Dude, I was only joking!”

Another step forward. The massive head of his companion, still spewing death threats behind him, drags across the brick road. Pinocchio looked pained, face contorted in conflict as he continued his mechanical march. “I-I’m sorry…,“ he apologizes, “It‘s not me, it’s the staff…”

“Dude, forget about your imaginary friend!” Ace was quick to scream. Between him and Pinocchio, Ace is taller than the puppet, way stronger most likely and definitely capable of overpowering him no problem. But that staff of his looked heavier, recalling how effortlessly he lifted the hulking mass before letting gravity do the work for him. That thing could definitely squash him into paste!

Before disaster befell upon the unfortunate student, something catches the puppet‘s eyes, something gray and shaped like a pitchfork sneaking behind one of the statues. Relief washes over Ace as Pinocchio halts his approach but curiosity caught his interest, following his gaze behind the statue in question. “What the…?”

It twitches, as if attached to something alive. Both boys walked close to the thing, flanking it on both sides, peeking behind the statue and hearing a loud “MRAHH!!” Another memory clicks in his head, the unforgettable memory of an annoying cat he refused to take care of.

“Grim?!”

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ———

Class Unlocked: Pinocchio / -School Uniform-

Job Story:

ㅤㅤㅤㅤBiographical Information

**Gender:** Male **Age:** Unknown Birthday: Unknown **Starsign:** Unknown **Height:** 5'00" **Eye Color:** Apple Green **Hair Color:** Pale Green **Homeland:** The Library **Family:** Gepetto (father) Carlo Collodi (author)

[jq37]

It was a good first episode. There's always some growing pains before they lock down the dynamic, but this was a solid introduction to what's coming down the pipeline. Murph and Emily successfully broke my heart the most. One's marriage is crumbling and the other's just a really traumatized child. Lou and Ally character's are pretty great and seem to have the most plot going on ATM. That voice Lou's doing is such a choice. Zac and Siobhan need more time before we can fully sink our teeth in. PIB is entertaining, but that's all we got so far. And while I'm desperately trying to block out Siobhan's intro, beyond the stressful horror, Rosamund didn't give us a lot character wise. Looking forward to getting stressed out by the rest of the season.

I was a big fan of this first episode! There was a lot of interesting stuff intro'd with all the new PCs (and I really got a sense of like...Once Upon a Time but competent lol). I already went through my thoughts a bit in the recap for the week but here are some more casual thoughts on everyone.

(1) Rosamund: Roz seems to have retained a lot of her princess niceties and demeanor which is honestly impressive considering her entire Situation. I'm wondering if this is going to be a Ruby style arc where she turns jaded eventually or if she's just going be Like This the whole time. A sunshine-y character in a crapsack world is always an interesting contrast. Also, we kind of started and ended with her since Pinocchio was warned that someone was coming for her. I'm curious if the fairy who cursed her is the same fairy that Pinocchio met.

(2) Ger: Brennan does this really cool thing where the end of the world is happening but you're like, "Oh no! This character cheated on this other character!" The human drama stuff feels just as weighty and often more weighty than the life or death stuff. That's how I feel about Ger's whole situation. He's really a dude in need of some serious self-reflection and I'm charmed by how pathetic he is. The issues he's having with his wife are so grounded in reality, even though they involve conversations that start, "Remember who we started dating when I was a frog?" Can't wait to see more of him--and hopefully Elodie at some point too. Where is she Brennan???

(3) Tim: Once again, everything with the Gander is totally messed up. I really hate the idea of accidentally stumbling into a kind of eldritch pact. You're right that there's a very clear plot hook with him and his mission with the book. From the way it was framed, it almost seems like the book has the "correct" or at least more wholesome versions of the tales in it somehow. Or is a gateway to where those versions exist? Because Brennan said it was their town but without the flooding and Jack looked like how he "was meant to be" or something like that. A lot to think about.

(Sidenote: Me and my friend were joking about whether the bad guy this season was going to be capitalism, or the church and my halfway joking answer is capitalism in the form of some version of the Disney Corporation lol.)

(4) Puss: I don't have a lot to say about Puss that I haven't already said in my recap but I love Zac putting his all into his cat mannerisms and I really love this grounded look at what would actually happen after the Puss in Boots story. Looking forward to getting more info.

(5) Red: Yikesssssssssssssssssssss. Emily just went for the jugular right away, huh? As usual, no notes Ms. Axford. I think it's super cool they mixed the Red story and the Big Bad Wolf story. I wonder if/when we're going to get details on how it went down with her grandma because we never got that. I feel like Emily might steal the emotional killshot crown from Siobhan for me this season.

(6) Pinocchio: OK first of all, no one can say Lou doesn't commit to the bit. Second of all, as I said in my recap and at the top in Roz's section, there's clearly something afoot here. Why does Pinocchio’s stepmom want Roz kept safe? And who even is she? My pet theory (based on very little info to be fair) is that she's Cinderella herself somehow but she could very easily be lots of other people (one of the stepsisters is a guess I didn't mention in my recap). Clearly, we're missing a ton of puzzle pieces here so I'm eager to get more. Also, I’m gonna be so mad when Lou is having a super emotional scene and he’s talking Like That. You monster.

One last thing: I'm curious about the timeline here. Since Roz has been asleep for 100 years it seems, how does that slot in with everything else? How long has this plan involving her been in motion. If Sleeping Beauty happened 100 years ago, when did—for instance--the Cinderella story happen (if it happened)?

OK, that’s what I got. Looking forward to the next ep on Wed!

[chungledown-bimothy]

I haven’t actually been watching D20, I don’t have the attention span for it. Can you recap this season up to the latest episode for me?

oof. um. this isn't gonna be a great recap, but here we go. (this is all from memory god help me i'm sure i'm forgetting things and having to leave out really funny and great bits for length)

sleeping beauty, the frog prince, mother goose, little red riding hood, pinocchio, and puss in boots all met on a caravan to shoeberg. (Destiny's Children is the group name)

shit's Bad and most of them are looking for people they care about and/or answers as to why things are So Bad And So Wrong. but puss in boots and pinocchio are best friends and conning rich people. simply vibing, we love it for them.

mother goose has a magic book (that he got from making wishes with The Gander who is a Force Of Evil trying to resurrect his dead son and he's got one more wish but it'd kill him to make it) that seems to be the key to this whole thing and it can suck people into it and record their stories, and he gets sick new spells when that happens

things go to shit on the caravan, they all end up together and needing to go find a shard of glass that's in cinderella's fairy godmother's chest.

first combat happens, total party kill. they all fucking die. but the frog prince gets the shard, so it's not all bad. they learn that it's a multiverse situation and they all get thrown into a new timeline where things are Worse but they remember each other and what needs to be done. they get red beads and brennan gives NO explanation

well, pinocchio doesn't restart like the others. his stepmom (the stepmom, she's all the stepmoms) is his fuckin warlock patron and instead of him dying and being in a second story he replaces that universe's pinocchio.

they all meet up again and compare notes, turns out a bunch of princesses (including cinderella, snow white, rapunzel, and the beast) are aware of the multiverse thing and how it sucks that they're stuck in stories where they have no agency. plus things are getting So Much Worse. it's unclear what their plan is, but they want to fix how bad everything is (they need seven princesses, including sleeping beauty), whereas the fairies (there are 8 of them) are more or less fine with how things are and want them to stay that way.

they learn that the stepmother is a horrific eldritch being who eats mothers. pinocchio cuts his strings, she's not his patron anymore. (uh-oh, she might hurt his dad about that)

mother goose gets a text on his book from scheherezade, turns out there are other people with books in different universes and they can communicate through it. scheherezade and her companions are stuck and somehow destiny's children fighting a huge fucking spider would help her out? idk i'm arachnophobic i had to skip all that

they go through the book (?) and end up in The Lines Between, which is sick as fuck and sort of... the central hub for the multiverse? it's super fucking cool. they meet scheherezade and aesop (who also has a book).

ally nails a nat 20 and learns that there's Special Ink used by The Authors (shhh don't say that out loud it'll bring Trouble) to write all of everyone's stories.

there are cutbacks and something Really Bad is going on with it all.

they leave scheherezade and aesop and go to explore more, oops the stepmother is here and pissed that they're trying to put things back to normal (she... eats stories? definitely eats mothers)

puss in boots nails a sick nat 20 and pinocchio's patron is now his own story and the concept of destiny itself.

the stepmother yeets them the fuck out of the lines between, they do some sick backstory stuff, learn that the baba yaga's HUGELY powerful and is why the stepmother is as powerful as she is.

they land in a heavily industrialized city. they go find the person in charge, the baron of bricks, and they lean he's got the big bad wolf, who is Death incarnate, chained up because military industrial complex, i guess?

they free the wolf, who says he can get them to the baba yaga, but they decide that first they want to go find snow white. snow white seems chill, says they need more princesses to save the multiverse. so she yeets them the fuck to toy island where they meet the little mermaid

but oops sleeping beauty accidentally triggered a spell that was looking for the little mermaid (princess detector) and fight what was initially him but ended up really being against the terrible dogfish from pinocchio's story. but they beat it, get the little mermaid's voice back, and make their way back to snow white.

they all get there, and the princesses, including the frog prince's estranged wife, reveal that they actually want to fully destroy the entire multiverse. blow it all up to shit using the ink and mother goose's book.

they tried to fuck up their apocalyptic plans by putting cinderella in the book, but it fails. so they have to fucking haul ass out of there, just a little bit of combat almost killed sleeping beauty and the frog prince.

they get out of there, leaving the little mermaid behind, but only then do they realize rapuzel and her freaky ass hair stole mother goose's book. so they're kinda fucked. but they keep running and end up in the land of giants but hey they're the giants

after a really cool combat, they find and free The Golden Goose, the gander's counterpart, and after they also get back mother goose's husband and some of puss in boots' old friends, the goose, because she and mother goose are one and the same in many versions of their stories, makes the third wish and dies in order to get mother goose his book back.

they learn that the princesses have gotten to scheherezade and have her with them and she's also technically a princess, so they now have enough princesses to end everything.

so destiny's children track down the baba yaga to try to get her help. miraculously, pinocchio nat 20s the persuasion check. they all have to give things up to get her help, and it's heart breaking and beautiful and watch The Trials of Baba Yaga.

baba yaga gets them to the lines between, murph rolls TERRIBLY and gives the princesses a head start for the apocalypse. taking us to the most recent episode.

combat with cinderella, snow white, rapunzel, elody (frog prince's estranged wife), the little mermaid, the beast, and scheherezade begins. snow white is doing magic with the ink and it's all about to go to shit.

they talk the little mermaid and elody into being on their side, dispel the magic that was making scheherezade cooperate, and kill the beast, rapunzel, and snow white. leaving just cinderella.

the baba yaga so far has helped destiny's children, but said she's the only one who's gonna survive all this, so. that's ominous.

the episode ends with the fairies showing up in the room. round two is going to begin in the finale next week.

and that's what you missed on glee!

[hrodvitnon]

Considering on playing Dragon's Dogma 2 but I haven't played the first one yet. Do I need to play DD1 first before this? Because as far as I've heard it's an alternate universe so I'm guessing that means I wouldn't miss any plot points. As for the gameplay/ mechanics though?

Yeah, you don't need to play DD1/Dark Arisen to play 2, it appears to be a totally different story beyond recurring elements like dragons and Arisen and Pawns. Real quick, I'll give you a spoiler-free rundown on Arisen and Pawns so you have some context:

The Arisen is what happens when you have proven yourself to be a Bad Enough Dude to the big dragon himself, Grigori. He plucks out your heart and eats it. Rather than kill you, this makes you functionally immortal as you remain the same age you were upon getting de-hearted and you gain a scar on your chest. In DD1/Dark Arisen, the dragon spoke to you through the scar and basically told you to pick a class and go kick ass. Being Arisen means not only are you a badass monster killer, you have command over the Pawn Legion.

Pawns look human (or beastren in 2) but they're kinda sorta more like homunculi because each one is created by an Arisen. They lack emotions and free will, so their personality depends on what the Arisen wants them to be (go with straightforward personality in 2, it's funny). In DD1/Dark Arisen they learned and improved by watching what you did in-game, so you had to be pretty careful when training your Pawn; it's not a factor in DD2 though. In lore, the closer in bond between Arisen and Pawn, the more the Pawn will grow to resemble the Arisen, at which point they become their own person. Sort of a Pinocchio type thing.

As for gameplay, I got a big long answer about that right at the ready here!

Also, some stuff that wasn't covered in there: Increase your carry weight by consuming these big golden beetles you'll find all over the map. If you have meat in your inventory when camping, cook it for buffs! Remember where you find your first Seeker's Token, it'll come in handy for the Sphinx quest line; also keep one golden beetle un-consumed for the same reason. NPCs won't have exclamation marks over their head for side quests, so you'll have to talk to anyone you can.

Hope this helps!

[naivesilver]

Since it persists on being too hot to focus on my more useful OUAT fics, have a disgustingly self-indulgent Pinocchio Swap AU turned "Please Let Piccolino Have A Loving Family" AU moment 🙃🥰

"Grandfather," Pinocchio asks, standing on his tiptoes to peer over the worktable, "why are there so many clocks here?"

He half expects Mr. Marco to scold him for asking such a silly question, but instead the man just chuckles fondly and pats Pinocchio over the head, earning himself a giddy grin. "Ah, that's just because I like fixing them, lad. They need a more delicate touch than doors and plumbing, you see."

"But only one of them is working. Why's that?"

"That is because I don't have the time to spare for them all." Mr. Marco gestures vaguely towards the single working clock, hanging from the wall on the back of the workshop. "That one, though- August helped me sort it out, when he'd just arrived here. Do you want to see it?"

"Yes!" Pinocchio immediately interrupts his curious poking around the table, all but bouncing with enthusiasm. He likes learning about things August is involved with. August's always doing some really cool stuff, it seems.

As such, he lets the old man pick him up and lift him high enough that Pinocchio can see the clock from up close, and doesn't protest when the boy leans even closer, marvelling at the nice carvings in the wood - Pinocchio doesn't wiggle out so much to risk falling, which would for sure earn him a scolding, but still, it's the principle of the thing. He wouldn't feel so certain that he's safe being held like this, with some other people.

He thinks he knows a little of how things work in Storybrooke, now. Not everything, of course, but at least what he needs to get by on a normal day - he knows he can close the window blinds at night if he's worried someone will enter as he sleeps, and that he doesn't need anyone's permission to do so; he knows he can go crawl on August's lap if he's lonely and the man is writing or talking to someone, so long as he doesn't get too much in the way; he knows that if he wants to go pet Dr. Hopper's dog there are multiple adults who'll hold onto Gina for him, because dogs are so much bigger than her and she gets frightened easily around them.

He still doesn't know whether Mr. Marco is okay with Pinocchio calling him Grandfather or not, but that kind of thing is so confusing here, he's not sure he's ever going to puzzle it out. Back home he was supposed to address all older people like that, but Storybrooke? Beats him. Maybe it's too formal for them, who knows.

The clock ticks by another minute. Pinocchio squints at it, following the moving hands with his finger for a moment - the numbers are written a little different from what he remembers, but it's not too long before he can safely declare: "It says it's six minutes past two. That's it, right?"

"Very good," Mr. Marco praises him, and it doesn't feel like a mockery, even if he does sound genuinely surprised. "You know how to tell the time already, then? What a clever boy."

"Yeah." Pinocchio's chest swells with pride, and he points eagerly at one of the other clocks, the still broken ones. "That one's saying it's half past six, but that's because it's stuck. And that one thinks it's midday. Or midnight, I don't know."

"Yes, that's right. Good job. Say, who taught you so well?"

"An old man in a town. He said that because I had a nice watch, I should know how to read the time."

He doesn't like thinking about that too much, honestly. The old man, yes - he'd met a lot of nice elderly people in his travels, more than he did nice younger ones, at least - but the memory of the watch itself makes his chest clench painfully, like the time he was underwater without air before the dogfish happened.

He wonders what they did with it, after he lost it when he turned into a donkey. He's not even sure it still worked at that point, because it fell pretty hard, and the Coachman didn't give him time to check on it before leading him away with his rope - Pinocchio hopes it didn't break too badly, even if he can't have it anymore. It was a good pocket watch, nice to look at. He'd never owned anything so nice before that, and even though he's received lots of gifts since he came to Storybrooke, it's not the same thing. People are richer there than they were in his old land. They always seem to have something to spare for him, especially August and Mr. Marco and the gruff lady at the diner.

He must have gone quiet for too long, however, because the man gives him a little shake, if not a very rough one. "You alright, lad?"

Pinocchio nods, even though the picture of the golden watch is still flashing in front of him, as if it were the sun and he'd stared at it for too long. "Grandfather?"

"Yes, Pinocchio?"

"Can I see how to fix them, too, when you have time? Like you and August did?"

He's not really thinking he could manage it, honestly. He's not good enough for that. But anything's better than being stuck remembering the same thing over and over again, with no way to stop it. Physically doing something usually works as a distraction, like when he couldn't solve his math problems and he'd just up and start running.

For a couple seconds he worries he won't be able to explain himself if Mr. Marco asks him about it, but the old man doesn't, and instead simply nods, his mouth curling in a warm smile.

"Of course," he says, sounding a little choked up. "You're a smart boy. I'm sure you'll learn very fast."

"Really?"

"Well, yes. Why don't you go look for August and ask him, too? I bet he'll say the same thing."

Pinocchio nods again, allowing Mr. Marco to carefully put him down and darting away towards August's room as soon as his feet have touched the floor. He's not completely certain he didn't say something wrong yet, especially when he was distracted, but it's fine. He's fine. He would have been told, if someone was mad at him. That's how it works in Storybrooke.

And even if he did make someone mad, he can learn how to fix that. Just like the clocks. Just like the golden watch, stuck in another world that it might be.

[crutchie-morris]

okay I think I’ve finally figured out the thing that’s been bothering me about the fighting in the neverafter tag, or not really fighting but just like people watching the show and hating it and other people loving it and I think it comes down to how you’re looking at the characters.

on the one hand, there’s the view that they’re just that. characters. they’re not real, both in the sense of our world as well as the world they’re operating in. there’s a fundamental difference between, let’s say ylfa and fig faeth. because while fig isn’t real in our world, she is a real person within the world of spire. and in this view, ylfa isn’t real at all, because the neverafter isn’t real. it’s stories. even inside the world of the neverafter, ylfa isn’t real. i think it’s the people with these views that agree with the princesses’ goal. because if you’re not real, if even within your own world you’re still not a real thing and exist only as a vehicle for someone else to make decisions, then there is no freedom or free will possible, because you aren’t a person. there is nothing you can do within the story, you aren’t real. and the princesses’ plan also isn’t murder, if you fundamentally believe within the fiction that no one is actually a person.

then there’s the other view, the scheherazade view, which is “I’m here and you’re here and I think that we’re just real enough.” this view puts a character like ylfa on the same level as fig. they don’t exist in our world, they’re not real people- but they are real within the world they live in. fig faeth is a real person within the world of spire, she has her own thoughts and opinions and choices. of course we know that she’s a character being played by emily, but within the world she’s real. this view puts the characters of the neverafter on the same level. in this model, ylfa isn’t a real person in our world, but she is real within the neverafter. if you subscribe to this idea, then the princesses’ plan is unconscionable, because you are ascribing this sense of “realness” within the narrative to everyone in the neverafter. with this mindset, the princesses are essentially advocating a sort of murder-suicide.

i think destiny is also a piece of this, where you can view destiny/fate/the authors’ control as Constant, literally every single move the characters make and every thought they have is controlled and they can do nothing with free will, or you can see destiny a little more like they’ve talked about with Pinocchio’s book, like there are certain story beats that are inevitable and must always happen, but in between those you make your own calls.

the problem, I think, is that brennan and the intrepid heroes have been operating under different levels of these two conflicting beliefs throughout the story. on the one hand they’ve seen the auroratory and the authors, and have been told they are characters within a story, which is definitely view one. but the cast is largely playing their characters within the second framework. and if you’re coming from framework one, I can see how you’d be getting really really frustrated with the way the story is moving, because all the players are working under framework two.

honestly, I think the world as it has been presented and laid out sort of does point to framework one, and I can see the frustration with that because the players have swung so hard in the opposite direction.

truthfully, I think this is the wrong cast and the wrong medium for a framework one type of story. and I think for this to truly work as a cosmic horror story, it’s got to be in framework one. i think this cast isn’t going to choose to tell a story where nothing is real and the only choice is to destroy it all, and I think that means that this was always going to be something with scary elements but it wasn’t going to be horror.

I think there was a setup for that horror stuff and that first framework, and I think some people really got excited for that and loved where that was going, and I understand why they don’t like how it’s going now. Unfortunately I think this just isn’t going to be the right fit for those people, and I think watching this show hoping it’s going to swing wildly in a direction that the players have rejected so far is probably only going to make them more unhappy.

[allycat75]

In case anyone needs this, but especially you Boston Dumb Fuck!

Do you wonder why you continue to hemorrhage fans no matter what machinations you and your team dream up? It's because you all have your heads so far up your own asses you can't see how ridiculous you look.

For instance, why would anyone trust your political site when you didn't even have the common sense to add an air tight morality clause into your relationship contract? I bet it was because both sides thought it would be you who would fuck up, right? You could have at least put in some milestone triggers, that if certain expectations weren't met within certain timelines, or there was physical, emotional or reputational harm being caused to any party, the contract could be terminated with no consequenses.

Of course, this could be true love and you really married her (oh man, hard to keep from laughing hysterically while typing that), but then you would have to explain away being okay with her antisemitism, racism, fatshaming and arrogance, not to mention multiple violations of immigration law. Plus, if you had been courting her for as long as you say you have, care to address your scorn and disrespect for travel restrictions during Covid, putting thousands at risk for excruciating sickness and even death?

Honestly, you are better off with the fake, poorly contracted relationship. You are still a liar and can't be trusted, but at least you aren't a Nazi lover and possible murderer.

But you were callous enough to think this "relationship" was no big deal because it all worked out for you before. Afterall, Ekhart Tolle told you bad stuff never happens. Well, it does and so does karma, and I hope the effects are real for you. Not that I like anyone to suffer, I just know you have shushed so much out before, I don't know how strong that force is with you. The only way to truly grow as a human (or in your case at the moment, to become a human being, Pinocchio) is to learn from your mistakes, and that can be a rough, dark road to tread. It requires you to deeply examine your life and the decisions you have made, and what you want to change to become the person you feel proud to be. I worry you will resist it because you seem stubborn as fuck and afterall, if past is prologue, white men tend to fail upward so there may be little motivation for the inner work when society will reward you anyway.

But we see ASP as the catastrophe it is, Red One has the potential to ruin Christmas with yet another disingenuous money grab and the romantic comedy you are tied to stars a female lead that doesn't seem to like you much, and you have had poor outcomes with costars that do. The director has a lot of street cred, but I don't know your track record taking orders from a woman. I have already established on this blog that you are no feminist and may even be a bit of a misogynist, whether you are aware of it or not (you know, because of all the previous repression of your thoughts and performative activism that convinced you that was enough).

And then there is the cult leader movie. First, not even sure the size of the role, although it seems to be big and juicy (just like that blunts you smoke to numb the pain of what a joke you have become). But you still have to put in the work, and you have done it before, but not when you are acting like a cult member in real life. I am not sure what your body will be able to portray when you are so dissociated from your reality. Plus, I read this film is part of a trilogy, the first part of which is opening in a couple of weeks. It looks good, but you better hope it paves to way so you have a shot at delivering.

So good luck, you self-absorbed little prick. Here's to changing some of that!

[serafiel-jacobs]

Blossoming Conflict (Fanfic)

New chapter from my main series 🩷

“Son, can we talk for a moment?” Geppetto entered his son’s room.

Pinocchio sat down on his bed, expecting to get scolded again, “Father I’m sorry” he still felt embarrassed about what happened yesterday.

“It’s okay, I understand that, but that’s not what I want to talk about with you” Geppetto sat down next to his son. “I know that you have been feeling upset because of the way others talk about you”

Pinocchio looks at Gemini who is sitting on the little couch of his little home, he could tell that his friend told his father about it, but he wasn’t mad, actually, it was better this way because he didn’t know how to bring it up.

Geppetto took a deep breath, there are two main reasons Pinocchio gets called things like that, first is the obvious one, they don’t see his son as an equal or even a being capable of emotions, and second is that they don’t like him so they say things like that to hurt his son. There are also times when it’s both reasons and that’s even worse.

“Don’t take it to heart what others say about you, those people don’t know you and you shouldn’t let those things to heart affect your daily life” He paused, “I’m not going to pretend it’s not hurtful to hear those things because it is but the important thing is not letting that affect you”

“How are you able to not let it affect you?” Pinocchio doesn’t understand how his father, his mother, or his uncle can get insulted and not take it to heart, he knows what others say about his family, those mean things that aren’t true.

“Well because we hear insults like that all the time, eventually you get used to it”

“Isn’t that a bad thing?”

Geppetto hugs his son, he is right, it is a bad thing. It’s cruel that the reason it doesn’t affect them is because they hear rumors, gossip, and passive-aggressive remarks all the time.

“You are right son, but unfortunately that’s just how things are”

Pinocchio wants to shout that it isn’t fair, but he keeps learning that a lot of things in life aren’t fair. It still hurts, he is still upset, so he starts crying. His father does his best to comfort him.

“I can…try” He can at least try to let it bother him.

“Pinocchio it’s not something that you magically get over from day to night, it’s a process and sometimes people take it too far with the things they say, don’t hesitate to talk with me or the others when things like this upset you”

Geppetto kisses his son’s forehead.

“Now get changed because we are going out”

Pinocchio has a smile on his face, “Am I ungrounded?”

“No, we are only going out to eat breakfast because you burned the kitchen”

Oh, right.

—-

It’s going to take some time to repair the kitchen, more than it’s supposed to because like any stubborn old man Geppetto wants to fix it himself instead of paying someone to do it. But for now, it’s nice to go out and eat somewhere and have a good time as a family.

“Geppetto, Pinocchio good to see you here!” That voice, it was Venigni. They sat down together before ordering.

“Where is Pulcinella?” Pinocchio asked, it was odd not seeing them together.

“Oh, he just um, doing so work stuff for me while I went for breakfast that’s all”

“Work stuff that you forgot to do right?” Geppetto recognized that tone.

“Geppetto please don’t expose me like this in front of Pinocchio” Venigni let out a small sigh before laughing.

Then he saw Gemini who was outside of his cage, he was standing on Pinocchio’s shoulder.

“Gemini you can walk now?! Geppetto why didn’t you tell me about this? Oh the many things I can build you my friend”

“It’s just been a day since he has been able to, but Venigni it’s too much to ask”

“No no no, I insist, there is no bother at all”

Gemini is so happy, his eyes glowed even more yellow than usual, he is finally going to get that cool tram he wanted.

They had a good time but it was already time for Geppetto to go to work. He can’t accompany his son since otherwise he is going to be late.

“Son make your way straight home, remember that you are still grounded”

Pinocchio pouted he wanted to see his father’s work, “Please take me with you, I want to see you work!”

“Son you have to stay home, and work isn’t exactly a fun place”

“Please please please”

“Alright, you can come”

—-

Why did he ask to come?! This is so boring!

His father has a smile on his face, he knew that he would be bored to death in here he should have listened when his father said this wasn’t a fun place. He can’t talk with anyone because he can’t distract others, he can’t touch anything and he can’t go and wander on his own. He was stuck in his father’s office for now, making small talk here and there with Gemini, who was standing on top of his head because he wants to feel tall.

The meetings he sometimes sees his uncle Venigni give are fun, everything his father does is so boring.

His father is just taking notes and drawing some blueprints, is this what he does all day?!

“Pinocchio the “fun stuff” of my work isn’t done every day, you have to plan things before you make them”

“Can I-“

“No son, remember, no talking while I’m working”

His father was the one to talk with him first, Pinocchio is so frustrated but he knows this is what he wanted so he can’t complain. At least his father gave him a small notebook and a pen so that he could doodle and not be completely bored.

Someone knocks and Geppetto lets them enter, it’s one of his coworkers, they are talking about work stuff but it’s complicated and Pinocchio doesn’t get it at all. He had no idea being an engineer was so confusing, now Pinocchio has no idea how his uncle Venigni works as an engineer and also regulates all those projects he has scattered in the city.

When that coworker stops talking he looks at Pinocchio and he feels uncomfortable.

“Mmm, Geppetto how did you build that thing?”

Pinocchio knows that he needs to not take-

“That cricket is so small, it must have been a nightmare to build, and I can tell by the glowing and its antennas that it can detect dimensional butterflies, that’s incredible”

Pinocchio took a sigh of relief… wait.

“Gemini is not a thing he is my friend”

“Aw thanks buddy” Gemini chirped, he loved how that boy stuck up for him. The two of them always have each other’s backs.

The coworker started to apologize, “I’m sorry I guess I just got too wrapped in my own head, it’s just, I’m impressed, to say the least”

“Thank you,” Geppetto said and his coworker left the room.

Geppetto knows his skills so he just thanks others when he is complimented, sometimes, like in this case, it feels a bit awkward due to the circumstances. When it came to building Gemini it was quite a hard task, he won’t reveal how he did it, like a magician he doesn’t reveal how he does his tricks.

He never answers any questions that have to do with the making of his son, no matter how much others insist on it. Although he can understand why they are intrigued, Pinocchio is special, even when he was fully a puppet he was like no puppet ever created, he is made out of incredibly resistant materials; he can sustain damage from fire, electricity, and other things that would make any puppet be destroyed so fast and, his movements too swift, too coordinated, unlike the mechanical motions of every other puppet that currently exists… Romeo also had movements like Pinocchio, Carlo wanted to be a stalker, so he made it so Romeo would be a skillful fighter, to fight alongside his son and looks wise, Romeo also looked just like a human.

But Geppetto straight-up ignores the questions by now, and many have learned not to ask him. Still, he knows how to make people shut up about it and fast, there was that time a coworker asked if his son has… anatomically correct parts.

“WHY THE HELL DO YOU WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU PERVERT?!” As soon as he shouted that, it was all apologies and backtracking, he was so satisfied to have come up with that on the spot.

Pinocchio keeps doodling things to pass the time.

“Gemini stop pulling my hair!”

“I like pretending that I can control you”

Geppetto shushed both of them and they became quiet. This was going to be a long day.

—-

It was finally break time, at least Pinocchio got to talk with Venigni and Pulcinella since he was now here with them. Pulcinella is many things, he is Venigni’s butler but in a way also like his secretary, he actually gets along pretty well with the other secretaries, the girls have adopted him as one of their own, they give him all the juicy gossip that happens around the office and he politely nods and follows along with the conversation. They even painted his nails once, well, the equivalent of his nails but still, it looked pretty.

“Why is work so boring?” Pinocchio was making conversation with Pulcinella.

“When you work on something you love, it’s not boring that that person” Most of the time that is, no matter how much you love your work some things about it are bound to be boring or annoying, but he is trying to give Pinocchio words of advice.

“Do you like your work Pulcinella?” Pinocchio asked him.

“Of course I do” The fact that it makes Master Venigni happy is a bonus, a great bonus mind you but Pulcinella does enjoy all the work he does.

Pinocchio smiled, he hoped that whatever he ended up working as he liked it, but for now he still had so much to learn.

When Conrad stepped inside the break room, Geppetto instinctively grabbed his son and pulled him towards him, Pinocchio could tell that his father was being overprotective of him and he stayed behind him.

At first, it looked like the man was finally going to mind his business but then he got closer to them.

Geppetto and Venigni were ready for a passive-aggressive confrontation when suddenly…

“Omg Geppetto is that your son?” One of the younger secretaries said, “He is so adorable” She made her way towards them and grabbed his cheeks.

“Look at him! He is so cute!”

Pinocchio took a few steps back, he liked being complimented but the way she did it made him feel embarrassed.

“Um thank you I-“

“No way are you married?!” She had noticed the ring now, “What a lucky lady, to have to wake up next to your pretty blue eyes”

Pinocchio was blushing now.

The secretary being there seemed to work, Conrad moved away somewhere else, probably to be an annoyance to others. When he left the secretary dropped the act.

“Don’t worry Pulci, I gotchu”

They were confused for a moment, but it looked like Pulcinella had signaled to her for help.

“Pulcinella my beloved buddy, my greatest friend, what a fast thinker you are” Venigni complimented him.

In the end, they all had a good laugh.

Which was good, a small treat for Pinocchio because the rest of the day was even more boring than before. He couldn’t wait to finally go back home.

—-

“I see so that is your plan,” Paracelsus said, he was speaking with someone in the other line.

It’s a flawed plan in his opinion, but Paracelsus doesn’t say that, like he never told Simon the flaws of his plan. He is just an observer, he hides in the shadows and he loves to play games.

“I cannot help you, I’m still laying low” That’s only a half-truth, he is laying low and he could help but he doesn’t want to, he would rather enjoy the show.

“But I will be watching from afar, hopefully, you’ll succeed” That one is a complete lie, he hopes to see him fail, he has never liked him in the first place.

Paracelsus hung up the phone, he did have to admit that a plan like that was in fact a nice distraction to cover up their activities, shifting the public’s attention somewhere else.

A thought crossed his mind, this plan certainly would affect Pinocchio, he hadn’t seen the boy in some time, so maybe he should pay him a visit one of these days…