A young boy, with ruffled hair, is talking to his staff, which is sneering its disgusting tongue licking its round, white face with hunger. The boy takes a step forward then stops suddenly, looking at the staff, his eyes begging not to do what he's being asked to do

"Give me more!" it screeched, laughing at the boy's hesitation

Down by his feet, a carcass was smashed up, innards pouring out of a hole ripped out of its stomach. The boy approached the body holding out the staff, which greedily began to feast. As the sounds of its wild, sloppy bites began to fill the boy's ears, he began to hear the bushes rustling about behind him. He turned, afraid for what might be lurking towards him

"Don't worry, dear brother"

Much to the boy's surprise, it wasn't a nightmare, but instead a girl, one with short brown-gray hair in a bob, with a hood hiding her face. She held a glowing, purple blade on her left, and on her right a purple lantern, a small floating sphere could be seen burning within.

The boy took a closer look, staring at her sea-green eyes, and noticing the dark-colored skin underneath them, either from lack of sleep or bruised in a skirmish. He followed her figure as she came closer to him, realizing that her brown knee-high boots were spotted with dark black stains, as well as on the clothes tightly hugging her body. He knew those stains all too well; they were identical to the bloodstains covering the boots on his own feet

"Who… um… What's your name?" the boy asked, blushing. His only company had been his staff, but even still, he could not deny the beauty the young girl possessed. Despite once being a puppet, Pinnochio felt his heartstrings being pulled tighter every second he took in the sight of the figure before him.

The girl was walking in the direction of the nightmare but suddenly stopped, turning to face Pinnochio. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened wide as she gasped for air. She dropped her sword, then approached Pinnochio slowly, reaching out to touch his cheek with her hand

Pinnochio was just barely shorter than the girl but still had to look up to face her. The girl smiled, her eyes sparkling under the sun. Pinnochio dropped his staff, which complained with a sudden yell, but grew silent when he saw the girl.

"Is it really you, Hansel?" the girl said, smiling sweetly as she rubbed Pinnochio's hair, "It's me, Gretel! Remember? Your sister?"

Pinnochio tilted his head, about to open his mouth to refute Gretel's claims, but was interrupted by a shrill voice on the ground

"Don't you dare tell the truth!" the staff growled out between grit teeth, "You'll get us both killed"

"Huh?" Pinnochio asked, looking back up at Gretel. He stared back at her eyes, and it hit him. Her eyes were clouded. She didn't see him, but instead her brother, this "Hansel".

"Sweet brother, the witch is gone. Don't worry, I'll protect you on my own"

"Would you rather be with her?" the staff spit out upon seeing the smile on Pinnochio's face

How long had it been since he last embraced someone? When was the last time he saw Gepetto? Was it in Monstro's mouth? When did he become capable of feeling? Was it since he became human, or was it while still a puppet? He had never felt the way he did at that very moment, while Gretel embraced him, calling him Hansel. Though the love was not for him, he still received it happily, content with the idea someone would let him depend on them

"Yes, please do…"

"There, there," Gretel cooed, messing up the young boy's hair, "I thought I had forgotten everything about you, your eyes, your face, your warmth…"

Gretel went on, and Pinnochio closed his eyes, accepting the tender care he was given. The soft hands on his head, Gretel's sweet voice in his ear. He took it all in, ready to look back to that memory whenever he needed to. He didn't need the staff, he had power of his own. He could stay with Gretel, play the part of the brother, though he knew nothing of Hansel. Indeed, he could learn and-

"... yes, your taste. Most of all, I had missed your taste, my dear brother"

"Taste?"

"Pick me up, you pitiful boy!"

"Ah, the candy wonderful, the witch was horrid, but you, dear brother, were sweeter than nectar… I wished you could have a taste," Gretel said gently, moving a finger into poor Pinnochio's mouth, "Maybe I taste the same, we are siblings after all. Why not have a taste? It's only fair, is it not?"

"Ahh..."

"Use me for once, you sorry sight, take me in your hands, you've done it before!"

Pinnochio bent down and picked up the shrieking staff faster than he ever had before. He lifted the staff high in the air, ready to swing it down

"I can do it, I can do it, I can do it-"

"Hey idiot"

"I can do it, I can do it, I can do it, I can-"

"My nose is growing you imbecile!"

"I… I… I can't..." Pinnochio said, his eyes closed shut as he let the staff take over, drowning out the verbal abuse directed at him. His eyes still shut, he felt his arms move side to side, a strong force fighting back against the staff

"You're not my brother! You're not Hansel! Who are you! Are you the witch!"

Gretel's screams reverberated in Pinocchio's head, drawing out the staff's screeching from within. Pinnochio shook his head, then suddenly felt his legs begin to move. The staff was making him run, it was allowing him to flee

"What..."

"Kekeke, I don't want to die!" the staff laughed out loud, "She wants you dead, but we are one. I'm the desire of a worthless boy, if I let you die I'd become a corpse!"

"Get back here witch!"

"No… I don't want you… I never asked for you…"

"Then why did you pick me up!?" The staff said mockingly, "she could have told you how to lead your life. You wannabe human, you want me, or else you would have played house as poor, long dead Hansel"

"You're wrong! I-"

"My nose is growing!"

As Pinnochio ran, pulled by his staff, Gretel's screams got quieter, and further away. Her delusion had not been broken, but grown stronger, hugging her lantern, her brothers head, tightly against her chest, promising to revive their authors, even if she had to climb a mountain of corpses to do so

The former puppet looked back once more, wondering of a life where he could have had a sister, where he could have lived, showered with love, told how to live, and commanded to do as Gretel pleased. Would he be happy?

Alas, the shackles of dependence kept the boy united with his staff, while the chains of delusion held the girl back from seeing reality, coming to terms with her sins. The two were filled with lies, both ignorant of the truth

Delusion and Dependence parted ways, in search of a way to bring back their authors, on a journey to realize their dreams