Pirate note: Hello, readers! Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket's relationship really touches my heart and I've wondered if the cricket did stick around with Pinocchio, after he turned into a real boy. And then I thought, "What if I created some more adventures with these two, before Pinoke has earned to becoming a real boy." I'll be creating more chapters, so I hope chapter one is enjoyable :) If there IS any correction or tips you readers can give me, then please do it nicely, but I would love it if you did.
I also am adding Jiminy Cricket's parents into the chapters. I saw a picture of them in a story book online, and I really want to use them for my ideas. They won't stop coming across my mind, and so, I hope you know that they're not my own characters. Disney created Jiminy's parents and his two other siblings. Check out the picture!
'Hunger' drabble is dedicated to my grandfather, Pappy. I love you, Pappy :) You're the only dad I ever had to have. God bless you and your rascal-y personality!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PINOCCHIO! THE CHARACTERS ALL BELONG TO BOOK AUTHOR CARLO COLLODI! STORY IDEAS FOR THESE DRABBLES ARE MINE!
WARNINGS: MENTIONS OF ADULT SITUATIONS, FAMILY HUMOR, COMFORT, AND FLUFF!
Key
"Pinocchio, son. PLEASE, quit forgetting your father's house key at school." Jiminy grunted as he set himself back unto the boy's palm, hoasting up his coat and rubbing away the pains in his spine. Pinocchio's smile faded as he watched his friend and guardian crack a bone or two from his back. "That keyhole is getting harder and harder to unlock, just like my back!"
Hills
Sometimes when Jiminy asked how Pinocchio slept, the young boy often spoke of old memories before he had been chopped down and sold from a woodsman. Jiminy's curiosity always got the best of himself and so did he ask his student about the dreams. They were... incredible. The vivid details from that boy's imagination practically made you taste the berries that once grew on a berry bush, near Pinocchio's old body. Animals chittering some gossip or fighting inside Pinocchio's long branches; the puppet stating it tickled more than anyone could imagine. Jiminy's attention never ceased when his friend was talking.
Jiminy felt like he was back in his father's lap as a lad; which he nicknamed "the hills". His father would pull Jiminy's tiny body atop his chest and they'd lean back until he could see the top curve of his father's knee. Laying back-faced, Jiminy always had been a little worried if the elderly cricket could support his weight. His father had once been strong enough to lift a whole apple, so lifting up his son was practically paper. His father would pull up his knees into the air and let the light shine over the fabric of his pants, describing all sorts of tales and adventures that were out there. Younger Jiminy could hear those noises, and feel the hurts and pains of what was ahead, if you weren't careful.
No matter how many grassy plains Jiminy traveled or spending the night upon a large mountain, and later morning watching the sun rise over the morning dew... Jiminy's thoughts have always been planted on how much more incredible his father's "hills" were. There was no grass. No dirt. Certainly, not any flowers that settled in Mother Nature's ground. His mind could tell him that all his father did was try to brag, but his heart said the same thing every time he sought out a new adventure:
"There is nothing more precious, Jim, than what your father wanted to show you. He was your first adventure and no matter what, his 'hills' can never be superseded."
Eventually
Pinocchio's slightly damp cheeks pressed ever-so delicately beside Jiminy's palm. The ghostly weight against Jiminy's palm was enough for his to rub his thumb in small circles . All Jiminy could imagine was him being twice his size, and cupping the whole boy's face into a larger hand. He was thankful he had a chance to talk to Pinocchio about supporting his full weight and not crushing the poor bug.
"It's-It's not true, i-i-is it, Jiminy? Cricket's only live for a-a week?"
Jiminy used his other free hand to pull out a handkerchief and wipe away his damp eyes. "Pinoke, they are many different crickets all around this world and some times their species doesn't allow them to live as long as humans do. Now, I've been alive for years." He made himself give a stern frown. "Did you hear that? Years. I'm not going anywhere for a long time." The conscious offered his friend his small handkerchief, which he gladly took.
Pinocchio blew his nose before asking, "It's not-not going to come to that is it, Jiminy? Will you... die?"
The bug's face went from a supportive smile to a grim look. He never imagined in his life that he'd have to think about death so lightly. On his own, he only took chances to living the adventure and letting his gut instincts be his guide. Not a single thought of death fluttered across his judgment. Jiminy's luck or prays from his parents might've helped him out to get out of any bad situation. His father taught him well to survive, but the whole experiences itself never ceased to teach him a lesson.
He gazed back into the young boy's wooden, but lively eyes. He had no time to think about risking his neck anymore. He was a conscious. His extreme, bachelor days are over and no more time thinking about how he's going to get out of anything that would risk his own death. Sure, they've gone through so much within the first few days they met; but they survived and made it out together.
Jiminy's hand gestured for the boy to lean down. Once he was sure that Pinocchio was face-to-face with him, he smiled very gently. "Pinocchio," he began. "I'm not going to promise that I'm not going to die one day. Everything in this life has a way of letting us know that our adventures are done, but I will say this: No matter what, I will always be your conscious and I love you, son." Jiminy pointed a finger at the boy, but never lost his smile. "Don't ever forget our times together. Because I sure won't when I'm gone."
Pierce
"Now, now," soothed the she-cricket. Her tired wrinkles were replaced by a big, comforting smile. She gestured a "there, there" to the very pale cricket and wooden boy. "There's no need to fuss over your father, Jiminy. Pa has dealt with many splinters before." Mrs. Cricket snickered and quickly covered her mouth. "Besides, I reacon' 'lect' your father won't be spanking anyone with his right hand for quite some time; so no need to worry, Pinocchio!"
Hope
Pinocchio would never in a million, million years tell his father and his conscious about a crush he has at school. First off, why not? The wooden child never knew about being polite to girls, since the only woman he has officially met was the Blue Fairy. Granted, he's glimpsed at woman before in town and his teacher is a female, so the part that convinced Pinocchio to not tell his father was how shy and baracated the old man is. Pinocchio usually is placed as his father's shield when a pretty woman smiles toward him, or swiftly walks into the shop and asks about his merchandise. Pinocchio is definitely not this thick-headed to know that any person who is going to run away from a woman, doesn't know much about them. Now, with Jiminy, Pinocchio couldn't have asked a greater person to always give him advice. But... Pinocchio felt as if the cricket wasn't ready to hear this. Jiminy Cricket also had a big addiction to nagging at anything that distracted the boy from achieving his goals; especially, personal problems.
Maybe it just wasn't time to spill the beans.
Besides, maybe the girl at Pinocchio's school would be polite enough to tell him talk to her cream-colored wooden desk, that she called "Joanne."
Safe
Pinocchio would never understand why he kept Jiminy hiding inside his clothes pocket everytime they went to school. For a while, Jiminy told Pinocchio he wasn't up to going to school and he would just go some other day. Pinocchio didn't quite catch on his guardian's words, until he stumbled on his teacher's new rule. In front of the wooden desk, it read: "NO BUGS, ANIMALS, OR TOOLS ALLOWED IN CLASS! YOU SHALL BE STAYING LONGER HOURS OF THE DAY! EXTRA HOMEWORK, EXTRA PROJECTS, AND STAYING UNTIL SATISFIED WORK IS ACCOMPLISHED! THAT. MEANS. YOU. PINOCCHIO!"
Agenda
Before Jiminy became a conscious, that part of his bachelor's life never had any type of schedule. The mother's in Gepetto's village always carried small pieces of paper or bought blank paper from a store. A quill would always be in there hands or they'd go right into a house and return with a full-written document. Jiminy, of course, couldn't ask what it is that they were doing. He had made Pinocchio ask a mother one day about her habit and Jiminy's mind never thought he'd hear that she was making a schedule and/or book about her child. Jiminy never bared any child (that he knew of) and after a week of spending time with Pinocchio, he pondered to put down his pride and give the scheduling a shot.
Boy... did he fall in love.
Jiminy could not stop writing down anything the boy had planned, needed, and anything new they both didn't know before. Jiminy's writing hand became so sore everyday and yet, he had to get this scheduling done for Pinocchio's sake. Papa Gepetto was always busy making toys, so he'd always give Jiminy a thanks to his hard work. The conscious would never say it out loud, but sometimes he really did feel like he was Pinocchio's father than Gepetto has ever been.
Thousand
"Now, Pinoke, you can't keep crying about this. I've told you a THOUSAND TIMES that you absolutely, entirely, 100% CANNOT sit on my lap! And we're sure enough not going to try again today!"
Hunger
"That is a mighty, interestin' thing. The boy can't eat nothin'!" said the elderly cricket that was Jiminy Cricket's father. Without another word said, the grandfather cricket scooped up Pinocchio's bigger piece of apple pie and slapped it unto his tiny plate. Jiminy stared flabbergasted at his father's behavior! He stared into the eye's of his mother as she only shrugged and stay quiet. Before Jiminy could object for Pinocchio's (possible) feelings, the young boy offered his 'grandfather' a glass of fresh milk. Jiminy couldn't help but slap himself in the forehead for Pinocchio's innonent gesture, and the fact his father accepted the beverage.
Blur
"Can you still read, Jiminy? Can you?" Pinocchio chirped happily above his conscious' criss-crossed form. They laid upon the soft covers of Pinocchio's brand new bed. Sadly, during the process of teaching the wooden boy how to properly make a bed, Jiminy had lost his reading glasses. Pinocchio accidently flipped Jiminy Cricket into the air, and so did the bug's pocket pants become empty in mid-air. Pinocchio did his best to help his friend look for anything small and familiar to the cricket's eye, but no sign of Jiminy's glasses. In the end, did the boy still begged for a story. Jiminy could only sigh and pull out a "extra special book" that happened to be his personal diary. He didn't need to read what already happened, and he trusted Pinoke. So... why not share?
Jiminy gently patted Pinocchio's palm that he now sat on. He cleared his throat and squinted at a page of his book. "Yes, I can, son. Now this story is about a giant that was looking for a mouse named Mickey..."
Nothing
Geppetto chuckled heartly inside his palm and stared tearfully at the scene. There, infront of Cleo's fish bowl, did Jiminy lay tied up in some string and dangled on the end of a small stick. The little goldfish swam suspiciously around the cricket's wringling body, as if she had just thought on giving the taste of bug a chance in her diet. While Jiminy "attempted" to "escape," a little wooden boy came around a corner, wearing one of Geppetto's fancier suits. The sleeves came over his hands and all the extra fabric on his feet had been rolled up; in order to walk and not fall on his face. He carried a small, wooden knife and gasped at the helpless scene. Pinocchio stalked closer and proudly declared, "Fear not, young sir, for I, Mr. Tree Man, shall release you from this daaaangerous 'shark!'"
After seeing Jiminy's embarrassed expression did Papa Geppetto decide to keep this between his son and his conscious. Nothing would ever be said for as long as the toymaker lived.
Fox
Hot acid inside the cricket's stomach couldn't have been more painful. The fever he had deluded his thoughts and his vision to where he barely could hear himself think without breaking a sweat. Papa Geppetto called it "Fox Fever." Every scientist and doctor around the whole world tried their all to figure out a cure for victims and patients that caught this sickness. The news was spread that this Fall would be a horrid time to catch Fox Fever, and if you shall, then stay away from river water. Strangely enough, Jiminy Cricket wasn't around to hear the news as he and Pinocchio went to go visit Mr. and Mrs. Cricket. There home lived to be a few miles into the forest and no news really travels into the deep wooden areas, unless anyone from outside bothered to come and announce about new changes.
So the cricket drank from a local river and got immediately sick. Pinocchio felt so horrible. Before they had started on their way home to Papa Geppetto's, the puppet promised with full determination to, and I quote, "I'll make sure Jiminy takes his medicine so he can get better. He needs to help me become a real boy, because nobody else is aloud to!"