You wanted more, you asked for more, now here's more!

Reviewer Thanks

starspring: Oh, they'll get what's coming to them

kataracullen: Hmm, we'll see who she runs to (tee hee)

I ran through the forest, my backpack bouncing with every step. My lungs burned and my legs ached, but I kept going, I wanted to get as far away from my aunts, uncles, and cousins as humanely (and fairy-tale creaturely) as possible! I was through with the hurt and the abuse, I was through with putting up with the same shit day after day…

Worst of all, I was through with the memories. Living there only reminded me that I had no other home, that I was going to stay there until I was 18, and unlike Goldi my parents wouldn't be coming to pick me up! They weren't at work or on a business trip. They were dead.

I finally stopped for a breath, leaning against a tree for support. I sat down, trying to figure out what I should do. I definitely wasn't going back, so I thought up other options. I could go stay with the Dwarves. Nah. They'd probably just make me work to earn my stay (again). Maybe I could stay with Snow White… or better yet, Robin! No, no. Robin's too busy and Snow lives in a castle (I hate castles), and having a kid like me around would just be a burden. Besides, they'd just turn me back in, then there'd be more trouble.

I decided to keep walking, thinking of what to do. I pulled my hood over my head as the temperature dropped. "Well, well, well, I've never seen one in a blue one, before," a sinister voice behind me chuckled.

I turned around, facing what I thought was Wolf, but he was bigger, had longer fangs sticking out of his muzzle, and wasn't wearing any punk clothes… actually, he wasn't wearing any clothes at all, just gray fur. It was his brother, Biggy. "What are you doing here, Biggy?" I scoffed, sneering. I wasn't afraid of him. "I thought the Pork Patrol threw your ass in jail."

"They did, but I broke out." he smiled a fanged smile. "I missed running through the woods, chasing girls…"

"…Let alone chasing cheap hookers on the street corners."

His smile faded, turning into a scowl. "Listen, Little Blue Riding Hood, I'd cut the shit if I were you if you want to live to get home."

"I ain't going home dumb ass, I'm running away. Didn't you see the backpack."

His grin returned. "Hmm, I didn't notice… What you got in that backpack, little girl?" he circled around me, peeking into my bag. So I elbowed him and turned around, facing him. "Oof! You're going to pay for that!"

"Put it on my tab," I stood my ground, tossing my backpack to the side. I knew a fight was coming, and it was going to get brutal. And I was right.

Biggy snarled and lunged, and I stepped off to the side the last minute, having him soar past me, landing on all fours. Perfect. While his back was to me, I pounced on him, wrapping my arm around his throat and clinging on, beating his head with the other. He reached back and grabbed me by the hood, yanking me off and throwing me to the ground.

My meeting with the dirt and grass hurt like a bitch, but I shook off the pain, turning and sitting up quickly, just in time to see Biggy leap toward me, claws extended, fangs glistening, snarling like a wild beast---

I kicked him in the face once he was an inch away from my foot. I heard a soft *crack*, so I'm guessing I broke his nose. "You li'l bish!" he snarled, holding his nose. "You broge by node!" he lowered his paws, balling them into fists, and I saw that I had given him a bloody nose. Good.

"That's what you get for calling me 'Little Blue Riding Hood'," I snapped. "So, unless you want me to knock your teeth out next, I'd suggest you never call me that again."

He snarled, ready to pounce again, but blue and red lights began flashing on his face. "Uh, oh," he turned, seeing that cop cars were coming down a dirt roads, and there was barking of hound dogs and orders being yelled by police. He turned to me. "We'll seddle dis lader." And he ran off.

"Until we meet again," I grabbed my backpack and ran off, ducking into the bushes as a couple of police and a hound dog ran by on the trail to Biggy. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around, seeing another wolf-ish face. "Yikes!" I punched it in the snout.

"Ow!" it cried out, and I tackled it. "Hey! Hey! Blu, calm down, it's just me!"

I recognized the voice and climbed off of Wolf. "Wolf?! What are you doing here?"

"I live out here, remember?"

Duh, I thought.

"I couldn't help but notice your little (ahem) run-in with my brother."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "You saw that, huh?" I shrugged. "Eh, whatever. You're probably not the only one, considering we're in the woods, surrounded by other creatures."

"And police. I called them when I saw that my brother was out. …It's a good thing I did, too, otherwise you'd be dead."

I scoffed. "Wolf, I doubt---"

"I'm serious, Blu! Biggy's not the kind of wolf you'd want to pick a fight with. I mean, just because we're brothers doesn't mean we're exactly alike."

"So I've noticed."

He sighed, agitated. "What are you doing out here, anyway? Normally, you'd be in town, roaming the streets."

I turned away from him, a glare in my eyes. "None of your business." I got up and started walking through the forest, avoiding police officers and hounds, sneaking around their cars and into town. Wolf, like a lost puppy, followed me with concern.

"What's the matter?"

I remained silent, looking ahead as I walked down an alley. I leaned against a brick wall and sank down. My ribs hurt from when Biggy threw me, but I didn't let Wolf see my pain. I pulled my knees up to me chest, resting my chin on top of them. Wolf sat down next to me.

Wolf's POV

"What's the matter?" I asked. Blu didn't answer, walking through the forest, giving the cops the slip, which I didn't like. Why was she avoiding them? She could have helped them track down my brother, and got him sent to Fairytale Alcatraz.

I followed her, of course. There was no way, after watching her take on Biggy, that I was going to let her walk around alone. I felt bad that I had just sat there in the bushes rather than trying to help her out, but I was overcome with fear. I mean, could you blame me?! That brother of mine is the size of a semi truck! He had the total advantage of strength and size over me! He always has. …I envied Blu, she didn't let his size scare her, and she fought--- well, like a wolf (no pun intended).

She stopped in an alley and slouched down against the wall, pulling her knees up to her chest. I could sense something was bothering her (animal intuition, you gotta love it) so I sat down next to her. I didn't say anything (she wouldn't reply, anyway), and we sat there in silence, waiting to see which one of us spoke again.

~Three hours later~

I was beginning to grow impatient. I was used to Blu ignoring me, but I couldn't stand the fact that something was going on and she wasn't telling me! I know, it wasn't my business like she said, but if there was something the matter in her life… I wanted to help. That's what friends are supposed to do, after all.

Finally, I decided to break the silence. "So, you wanna go get something to eat?" I asked, nudging her with my elbow, and she let out a soft hiss and cringed. That's when I realized something was wrong. "What is it? Are you hurt?? …It's from the fight, isn't it?!"

"Maybe," she replied, nonchalantly. She stood up. "I'm fine, though." She started to walk, but clutched her chest, kneeling to the ground. "Damn…"

"C'mon, you're hurt." I put my arm around her shoulders and her arm next to me over mine, helping her stand up. She gritted her teeth and glared at me, but didn't protest.

"Just don't take me back to my aunt and uncle's," was all she said.

I nodded. Judging from her backpack, I had a hunch that she was having issues with her family. The way she complained about Red and Goldilocks, I wasn't surprised. "Okay. I have a better place you can go, anyway."

She looked at me, arching an eyebrow. "Where?"

Pin's POV

It was almost nine at night as I swept up the shop. My dad was in bed, and I couldn't sleep, so I decided to spiff up the place. The blinds were down over the shop windows, giving off a horizontal strip formation as the street lights shone through, though where I stood, they looked vertical. Like prison bars.

I began to think about Blu, how our stories matched up perfectly. It seemed weird, almost as if… as if they were supposed to. Was it just coincidence, or was fate trying to tell us something? I sighed and put up my broom in the closet, then walked through the door in the back that led into our house.

Just in time to hear a knock at the door. "Now, who could that be at this hour?" I asked myself, walking toward the back door (I considered it a back door, since it was by the alley). I looked through the peep hole, seeing Wolf--- with his arm around Blu!

"You're not going to let them in, are you?" A voice asked on my shoulder.

"As a matter of fact, I am." I told Jiminy sternly, grabbing the door handle.

"But your father will get mad if you have friends over this la---" Before he could continue his preaching, I flicked him off my shoulder. "EEEEEeeeeeeee….." I heard him squeal as he flew behind me. I opened the door.

"Hey, Pin," Wolf said, smiling. "Sorry for dropping by so late…"

"Ah, no problem," I replied, smiling back. "Come right in." I stepped aside, letting Wolf and Blu into my house. I led them to the living room, where Wolf guided Blu to the couch and she sat down, placing her backpack on the floor, while he grabbed a pillow and put it behind her back. "So, what's going on?"

Blu shrugged. "Just had a run in with Wolf's older brother." she replied.

My eyes widened and I looked over at Wolf. "Is this true??"

He sighed. "One-hundred percent." he replied. "She's hurt, too---"

"It's nothing, though," Blu replied, interrupting Wolf.

"Did you tell your family?" I asked.

She sneered, looking away. "No. And I don't plan to."

I frowned deep. "Problems?"

"Oh, big time."

"What happened?" Wolf asked.

"Let's just say, I'm running away, I don't plan to go back, and I'm pretty sure they'll be happy about it." She turned her body sideways, resting her head on her arm on the back of the couch.

"I doubt that," I scoffed. "They'd miss you to death once they've found out you took off. I know I would."

"Me too," Wolf agreed.

"Yeah, well, you guys don't think I'm a troublesome, abusive, traumatized bitch like they take me for." Blu responded, clenching her fists. I noticed that tears were beginning to form in her eyes, and she shut them tight to keep them from falling. "They wanted to send me away."

"What?!" Wolf and I asked at the same time, equally shocked.

"Well, Goldi's parents did, anyway. They didn't want their 'precious angel' to be 'smacked around' by me-- I never smacked her, though I wanted to on many occasions. Red's parents, though, just wanted to send me to therapy, believing that my 'abusive' behavior toward my cousins was because of…" she paused, and I could tell she didn't want to continue.

"But… you've never hurt Red, as far as I know," Wolf said. "You guys have argued, but you've never hit each other."

She looked at him, arching an eyebrow. "How do you know we've argued?"

Wolf blushed, rubbing the back of his neck in shame. "I've… sort of seen you guys… through the window…"

I laughed. "You're a stalker with a punk-hairstyle." I said, shaking my head.

"Yeah, Wolf, that's just creepy," Blu said, also letting out a laugh.

"Hey, I don't wait outside the window!" Wolf scoffed, crossing his arms in denial. "I just happen to be passing by coincidently when she's in the room, that's all."

"Riiiiiiight." Blu and I said at the same time, and she rolled her eyes.

"Pinocchio, who's down there?" My dad called from the top of the stairs, and I gasped. "I hear voices."

"I'm just… watching TV!" I called back up to him. I was so glad my nose couldn't grow anymore (thank you, Blue Fairy!)

"Well, turn it down! I can't sleep."

"Sure thing, dad!" I waited until I heard his bedroom door shut, then turned to Blu and Wolf. "We'd better keep it down,"

"Gee, you think?" Blu said sarcastically, keeping her voice low.

"Anyway," Wolf whispered, getting back to our previous conversation. "What I'm saying is, I've never seen you hit your cousins, and I don't see why your aunts and uncles think---"

"Goldilocks."

Wolf sighed, resting his face in his palm. "Of course. The little spoiled brat of the family."

"So, you've seen her through the window, too?" I resisted cracking a smile at the joke.

"No, but I could hear her screaming demands from the deepest part of the forest. Godmother, it's a surprise she hasn't gotten laryngitis, yet!"

"So, what, she just lied about hitting you?" I guessed.

Blu nodded, sighing with irritation. "Yep. She said I smacked her and stole this from her," she said, pulling the blue Teddy Bear I gave her out of her backpack. "She does this every time she wants something of mine… if she can't steal it, that is."

My eyes widened and I scoffed with surprise. "Wolfie's right, she is a brat!"

"Yeah, and I have to deal with her every day while her parents are at work." she hugged the teddy bear tightly. "Now, I had to deal with her parents calling me a maniac,"

"You? A maniac?!" Wolf scoffed. "That's ridiculous! Blu, you may be---" she shot him a warning look, and he held his tongue, recalling when he tried to cheer her up in the prison cell. He cleared his throat. "They don't know you, if they think you're crazy."

"I don't know…" I said. "Taking on your brother is pretty crazy," Blu glared at me, and I knew I'd be in deep shit if I didn't think up something quick. "B-But, you were just defending yourself, right? That's not too crazy. But beating up your own cousins because of emotional distress would be high on the crazy factor… the factor you're not in." She still glared at me, and sighed, looking away. Way to go, Pin, I mentally kicked myself.

"I'd have to agree with Pin. Fighting my brother was pretty extreme, but it's not really crazy. Heh, heh, actually, I think he was crazy trying to take on a tough girl like you," Blu smiled at him, then turned back to me. Wolf shot me a wink. I owe you one, Wolfie, I thought. He got up and examined his wrist as if he were looking at his watch. "Well, I'd better get back to the forest, see if the cops caught Biggy. You wanna come, Blu?"

Blu sighed. "Nah, I'm going to stick around town," she replied, setting her Teddy Bear aside.

"Okay, suit yourself." Wolf shrugged and walked out the door, closing it silently behind him.

Blu got up to leave too, grabbing her backpack. "Wait!" I said hastily, grabbing her hand. She looked at me, surprised. I cleared my throat, letting go of her hand. "You, um, don't have to go. You can, uh, stay here for a while… That is, until you get your family issues resolved."

She shrugged. "Eh, beggars can't be choosers." she said. "I guess I can crash here for the night, 'til I find a better place to stay."

I clapped my hands together, rubbing them. "Alrighty then. Come with me, you can stay in my room. It's big, but kind of messy…"

"Pinocchio, don't you dare--- Augh!" I heard Jiminy yell up at me, but he didn't finish, because he had to leap away from being stepped on. "Just wait until your father finds out!"

"Conscience problem?" Blu asked, obviously hearing Jiminy. "I know a good exterminator."

I chuckled. "Nah, he's not so bad once you get used to him. Besides, he's easy to ignore."

"Hey!" Jiminy yelled.

Blu laughed. "I do the same thing to my conscience all the time."

"Who doesn't?" I asked.

I led her to my room, quietly checking down the hall to make sure my dad didn't hear us. He didn't. She threw her backpack on the floor (which was covered with dirty clothes, pop cans, books I've never intended to read, etc…), and when she looked up, she gasped. "You have a skylight?!" she gazed at the enormous window that took up nearly my entire ceiling space.

"Yeah, I like to look at the stars. …Hey, there's my favorite one!" I pointed to the brightest shining star in the sky. "That's the same star my father made a wish on."

Blu's smile faded. "My dad wished on that same star, too."

"Really? What did he wish for?"

"He wished to meet a gorgeous woman, with a pure heart, and a caring nature. Then he met my mom and they hit it off."

"That's cool, I---" It took me one quick glance to notice that I had pushed it, seeing a look of sadness on her face. "I bet it was the best wish the Blue Fairy ever granted."

"Yep." She sighed, flopping down on my bed on her back, staring up at the wishing star, sadness in her eyes.

I cleared my throat, awkwardly. "Well… I'll be asleep on the couch, if you need me."

"Okay,"

And I walked out of the room, back downstairs, lying down on the couch. I noticed Blu had left her Teddy Bear on it, so I grabbed it and snuck back upstairs. My door was open a crack, and I was about to walk in, but paused, seeing that Blu was kneeling by my bed. "…And let them get what they deserve," I heard her pray. "Amen."

No doubt she's praying about her cousins. I thought. I began to push the door open, until she looked up at the wishing star, a tear running down her cheek.

" 'Night, Mom. …You really did make Dad's wish come true, and I hope you both are still happy." she whispered, then climbed into my bed, her back to me, softly sobbing.

I walked back downstairs, holding on to the teddy bear. I lied back down on the couch, staring at the ceiling, hugging the bear. She made my dad's wish come true, too. I thought. Maybe I should try to help Blu, and return a favor.

Biggy's POV

I ran through the forest, holding my paw against my nose to keep it from bleeding. I had been running in zigzags all night, touching every tree, running through every bush… heck, I even pissed on a rock or two. Anything that would confuse those cops and their damn hound dogs.

Why did they even bother using hound dogs? Wolves have better instincts and prowess. I'd volunteer to work for them… if I didn't hate the police so much.

Especially that Robin Hood. Mr. High and Mighty thinks he and those pigs can track me down, well they're in for major disappointment. Problem was, I had to ditch them for good, and sending their pooches into a moment of absolute confusion wouldn't work for long, so I needed something to sidetrack them.

Something like… A murder. I grinned, thinking up a perfect victim. (Now, where could I find someone to do the job?)

A/N: I am sooooo sorry if this chapter was a little pathetic. I'll try to put some more action in. Besides, it's still only the beginning ;)