After saying Goodnight to Jiminy, Pinocchio went upstairs to get ready for bed. Geppetto had built two bedrooms on the second floor for Pinocchio and himself before he passed away. Pinocchio inherited everything his father owned, including the house. He had been very lonely living on his own with old Figaro and the little kitten, but now that Jiminy Cricket was back Pinocchio felt happier. He moved into his father's room sometime after the funeral. Figgy liked sleeping with him like her dad used to sleep with Geppetto. After putting on his sleeping clothes, Pinocchio noticed the room felt a bit warm.
"Phew, it's a bit stuffy in here, Figgy. Maybe I should open the window," He walked over, opened the window and looked outside. The town was quiet, and the sky was clear. Just then Pinocchio saw something that caught his eye. "Oh, Look, Figgy! It's the wishing star!" The little cat jumped onto the ledge and looked to where he was pointing. "That's the star my father wished on. Maybe if I make a wish, the Blue Fairy will hear it and bring Annabelle to life." The kitten looked at him like she didn't believe such a thing could happen. But Pinocchio's mind was set. He knelt down, put his hands together and closed his eyes.
"Blue Fairy. If you can hear me, then thank you for granting my father's wish and making me a real boy. Now I'd like to make a request. I wish my little Annabelle was alive so that she can be a real girl. I want to prove to my father if he is watching me that I can be a great dad too. Just like he was for me." After making his wish, Pinocchio went to bed with Figgy curled up beside him. It wasn't long before both of them were fast asleep. Sometime after they had both drifted off, a bright blue light appeared in the sky and began to descend slowly. It flew in through the open window and took the form of a beautiful lady with blonde hair, wearing a long blue gown with large transparent wings. It was the Blue Fairy. She watched him sleeping which reminded her of when she visited Geppetto all those years ago.
"My dear sweet Pinocchio," she whispered so that she didn't disturb him. "For many years, I've watched you grow and mature into the man you are today. I see Geppetto has done a wonderful job of raising you. And as a reward for your good deeds, I shall grant your wish." Downstairs in the Workshop, Jiminy was still awake sitting in front of Annabelle admiring the incredible craftsmanship.
"Pinoke's done such an excellent job," he said to himself smiling. "Geppetto may no longer be with us, but his spirit lives on in that boy. Or man I should say. This puppet is proof of that. I wonder if the Blue Fairy will visit us," No sooner had he said this, the room became illuminated. He turned around and saw the Blue Fairy standing over him. He removed his hat and bowed gracefully showing his respect to the fairy. "Good to see you again, Milady. I was just thinking about you."
"I'm glad to see you've returned Sir Jiminy. and I'm very pleased with how you've been traveling and teaching others as you did with Pinocchio." She leaned down closer and smiled at him. The little cricket started to blush as she stared at him.
"You're the one who gave me this job, so I embraced it. Being a conscience has made me so much wiser than I was when we first met. I've helped a lot of people in my travels and Pinocchio has turned into a handsome young man. I can't thank you enough for all you've done for both of us."
"You're very welcome. And if you're up to the task, I have a request for you."
"You want me to be this girl's conscience, right?" Jiminy said looking back at Annabelle.
"Yes. Pinocchio wished for me to bring her to life and she'll need a conscience to help guide her on the straight and narrow. Can I count on you to be her guide?"
"You can count on me, milady! It will be just like old times." The fairy examined the puppet girl and was amazed by how much she resembled Pinocchio. She could tell he had put a lot of love and hard work into constructing her. She raised her wand and spoke her magic words.
"Little girl made of pine... the gift of life is thine." She tapped the puppet's head with her wand and a bright blue light filled the room. Jiminy shielded his eyes from the brightness. When the light faded, The puppet's strings disappeared, and she started to move. She blinked her eyes a few times, then raised her arms and rubbed them as her vision began to develop. As Jiminy watched Annabelle come to life, it reminded him of when the Fairy made Pinocchio alive when he was a puppet. When her vision was clear, Annabelle looked curiously around the room and saw the Blue Fairy watching her.
"Oh! Hello," she spoke in the sweetest sounding voice. "Who are you?"
"Hello, little Annabelle," the fairy replied happily with a smile. "I am the Blue Fairy, and I have given you life."
"Life? Why?"
"Because your father Pinocchio wished for you to be alive so that you can be a real girl."
"Real girl? Am I a real girl, Miss fairy?"
"No, Annabelle, not yet. You are still a wooden puppet. To become a real girl, you must learn right from wrong like your father once did when I brought him to life. You must also prove yourself brave, truthful, and unselfish as he did. Do you understand?" Having just come to life Annabelle was like a newborn child, so everything was new and confusing to her.
"So, I'm a wooden puppet and not a real girl. And to be a real girl I have to learn right from wrong and be brave, truthful and unselfish?" she asked starting to understand.
"Yes, my dear." the Fairy replied.
"But how do I that?"
"I'll take it from here," said Jiminy jumping onto the girl's left clog. "Hello there Annabelle! Cricket's the name. Jiminy Cricket. I'm an officially certified conscience."
"Conscience? What's a conscience?" she asked, staring curiously at the little cricket.
"A conscience is what tells you what's right and what's wrong. I taught your father how to be a real boy when he was a puppet like you. Now I'm going to instruct you the knowledge of right and wrong so you can be real too."
"Ok Mister Jiminy," Annabelle smiled with delight. Seeing that Annabelle was in good hands, the fairy decided it was time for her to leave.
"I'll leave her in your capable hands Sir Jiminy," said the fairy. "Now remember Annabelle to listen to your father and Jiminy. Be kind and truthful and someday you'll be a real girl. Goodbye, and good luck."
"Ok, Bye-bye Miss Fairy!" Annabelle smiled and waved her hand.
"Goodbye milady!" Jiminy waved as well. The fairy slowly faded away, and the room became dark again but was just light enough for the girl and the cricket to see each other. Once the Fairy was gone, Jiminy began instructing his new pupil. "Alright kiddo, let's get started. The first thing you need to know is that the world is full of many temptations."
"What are temptations, Mister Jiminy?" Annabelle asked.
"Temptations are the wrong things that may seem right, but they're not. They can lead you astray and have devastating consequences. So you need to be careful not to give in to temptations, or bad things will happen to you. I know this because your father gave in to temptations and got into all kinds of trouble. Do you understand?" Having just come to life he could tell she didn't know what he meant.
"I'm not sure I do Mister Jiminy," she shook her head. "But I'll try and do my best not to give in to these bad temptations and do right!"
"Good girl, Annabelle! I'll be here to help you stay on the right path," Jiminy knew it was going to be challenging to instruct Annabelle right from wrong as she was a puppet that had just been born. But with his guidance, he was confident she'd do fine. "Now, whenever you're in trouble and need help, all you have to do is call me and I'll be here to help you make the right decisions Ok?"
"Okay, Mister Jiminy!"
"Oh, and you don't have to call me Mister. Feel free just to call me Jiminy."
"Okay, Jiminy," She giggled.
"Great! Now then, what do you say we wake up your dad and tell him you're alive?"
"Dad? What's a dad?"
"A Dad is a father or parent that takes care of a child. Pinocchio built you, so that makes him your dad."
"Oh! Okay! I can't wait to meet him," Annabelle tried to stand up, but found it rather difficult having never walked or stood up yet without her strings. She started wobbling unable to find her balance and began stumbling towards the edge of the table. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! I can't stop! Help!" she screamed as she fell and landed in a box of empty paint cans causing a loud noise that echoed through the house. Pinocchio was awoken by the loud sound and came running downstairs followed by Figgy.
"Jiminy! Jiminy!" Pinocchio cried, running into the workshop. He turned on the light and saw the cricket standing on the table unharmed. "What was that crash? Are you alright?"
"I'm alright Pinoke. But you should be more worried about her!" Jiminy pointed. Pinocchio looked down and saw Annabelle on the floor.
"Annabelle! How did you get down..." He then noticed that she was moving by herself and her strings were missing. "She's alive?!" He rubbed his eyes thinking it might be his imagination. But when he looked again Annabelle noticed him.
"Hello," she said, looking up at her father.
"Hurray! She's alive! My wish came true!" Pinocchio cheered with joy hearing her speak. He knelt down and picked her up. "Hello, my little wooden princess!"
"Who are you, Mister?"
"My name is Pinocchio. I'm the one who made you, so that makes me your daddy," He explained to her.
"You're my daddy?" Annabelle wondered if this man was the person Jiminy had told her about.
"Yes, dear. I am your daddy, and you are my daughter." After a few seconds, Annabelle finally realized who he was and gave him a big smile. Pinocchio smiled back and hugged his new daughter tightly.
"Did the fairy do this Jiminy?"
"She sure did Pinoke. She also asked me to be her official conscience."
"Jiminy said he's going to teach me right from wrong so I can be a real girl daddy!" said Annabelle cheerfully.
"That's wonderful, Princess," Pinocchio replied. "Jiminy was my conscience when I was a little puppet like you. With his guidance, I'm sure you'll do just fine." Annabelle looked down at the floor and saw Figgy jumping up and down and meowing loudly.
"Oooh! What's that thing daddy?" she asked, pointing at the kitten.
"That's Figgy, Annabelle. She's a kitty cat. Would you like to play with her?"
"Yes, yes!" Annabelle clapped her hands with excitement. Pinocchio sat her down on the floor, and the kitten jumped into her lap. She was curious as to how Annabelle was now alive.
"Hello Figgy, I'm Annabelle. I'm pleased to meet you," she said gently patting Figgy's head.
"It's nice to meet you too Annabelle. I'm so happy that your alive." the little cat suddenly spoke to her.
"Oh! You can talk?" Annabelle said in surprise.
"She can't talk Annabelle. She's an animal," Pinocchio replied. "Animals can't talk like we can."
"Huh? But I just heard her talk to me!" Annabelle insisted.
"Wait! You mean you understood what I said?" Figgy asked, surprised that Annabelle heard her speak.
"Hmm... Are you sure you heard her speak, Annabelle?" Jiminy asked, staring at her face, excepting her nose to grow like Pinocchio's did when he was a puppet.
"Uh-huh," Annabelle nodded.
"Well, her nose isn't growing so she must be telling the truth. I guess the fairy made her able to understand animals, Pinoke."
"So you and daddy can't hear her talking Jiminy?" Annabelle asked staring at Figgy.
"It seems that way. You sure are lucky!"
"You're a very special girl, Annabelle!" said Pinocchio delightfully.
"I'm glad I can hear you talk to me Figgy," said Annabelle happily.
"Me too Annabelle!" Annabelle held the kitten in her arms and cuddled her. It was evident these two would be close friends. Just then Pinocchio looked at the clock and saw it was eleven-thirty.
"Alright everyone, it's very late. I think we should all get back to bed."
"I agree. It's been a long night for all of us." Jiminy yawned and stretched his arms, feeling exhausted from everything that had happened.
"What's bed, daddy?" Annabelle asked.
"That means you have to lay down, close your eyes and rest Annabelle," Pinocchio explained to his new daughter.
"But why?"
"Because, dear, when people get tired, they go to sleep at night. They need sleep so that they can wake up in the morning fully rested and ready to work and play."
"Aw! But I'm not..." Annabelle then felt drowsy and opened her mouth letting out a big sleepy yawn indicating she was tired.
"See? You're tired, and you need to rest for tomorrow," Pinocchio kneeled down and scooped her up again.
"But I want to play with Figgy!" Annabelle complained not wanting to go to bed.
"Now, Annabelle, I'm your father, and when I say it's time for bed you have to sleep! You can play with Figgy tomorrow." Pinocchio corrected her.
"I'd listen to your what your father says, Annabelle!" said Jiminy. "Remember what the Fairy said?"
"Okay, I'm sorry, daddy. I'll go to bed then." Annabelle gave in. Jiminy hopped onto Pinocchio's shoulder as he turned off the light and carried Annabelle upstairs. He brought her into his old bedroom that Geppetto had built for him. It was a small room with a book shelve, a dresser, a chest filled with toys and a big bed in the corner.
"This was my room when I was little, Annabelle," said Pinocchio. "Now that you're alive, I'll fix it up so it can be yours."
"Wow, Daddy, I love it!" Annabelle was amazed at all the many things around the room, especially the toys. Pinocchio sat her on the bed, removed her dress, hat, and clogs and dressed her in a pink sleeping gown. He then laid her down and tucked her under the covers making sure she was comfortable.
"Now then you close your eyes and go to sleep young lady. When you wake up tomorrow, we can celebrate, okay?"
"Okay, daddy." Pinocchio knelt down and kissed her Goodnight like Geppetto used to do. But as he walked away, she sat up.
"Wait, Daddy! Where are you going?"
"Jiminy and I are going to sleep in my room, Annabelle,"
"But I don't want to be alone in here!" she cried afraid of sleeping by herself. Hearing her cries, Figgy jumped onto the bed and curled up next to her.
"How about I sleep in here and keep you company, Annabelle? Then you won't be lonely." said the little kitten.
"Okay. Thanks, Figgy," Annabelle smiled and laid her head down on the pillow. She felt less afraid having the kitten beside her. Seeing that Annabelle was no longer scared, Pinocchio turned off the light.
"Goodnight Annabelle. Sweet dreams."
"Good night daddy! And to you, Jiminy!" she replied, closing her eyes and going to sleep. Once he was sure Annabelle and Figgy were asleep, Pinocchio walked out closing the door behind him. As he returned to his bedroom, he was delighted that now he was a proud father.
End of Chapter-2