AN~ Mysteriously disappearing Wendell and Mustardseed have mysteriously disappeared...
RRB: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it! The paintbrush is just something I thought deserved to exist. Yes, the accidental kiss was the plot request. I'm sorry you feel it's overdone. I promise you, they won't end up together in ten seconds now. She has her shading markers back now! I was excited! I love the manga. Everything is so much funnier when it's drawn instead of written.
Madison: Well, I updated. Was it soon enough?
Agd: Yeah, just bit... That's where the title came from. :) Does your name stand for anything, perchance?
PinkAndBlack: I know what the word 'latter' means, by the way. :) May I recommend the story 'Jealousy' by secret scraps.? That's a Sabrina/Peter then Sabrina/Puck story. There's also 'Another Everafter Gets Stuck in Fairyport Landing' by kit-kat003, 'Grimm Fanfic' by elovesbooks, 'Kidnapped' by Pink-And-Green-Jellybean, and 'In The Middle' by soccerchick1818. I suggest you go read those, because, and I mean this in the nicest way possible, I don't want to do a 'Peter Pan goes after Sabrina' story. There are plenty of good ones out there, you just have to look, and I want something different. Just use the site's search engine for something in the Sisters Grimm category with Peter Pan in it. Thanks for the idea, though.
Purpleflower23: You're welcome! Glad you liked it!
Emily Rowland: I know, I know, but I had to. There was just so much potential with that cocoon that MB didn't use, and I wanted to play around with developing powers. Know what's funny? You like the story, but don't like the WHOLE PREMISE of the story. I found that odd and amusing. I also never quite agreed with that line, because her powerful friends and family all have magic. I think what Granny Relda was saying is that Sabrina can USE magic, but she doesn't NEED it.
"Whoa whoa whoa!" Puck said, backing up. "I know you love me, Grimm, but, I'm sorry, I just don't feel the same."
Sabrina rolled her eyes and shoved herself off Puck's chest, untangling herself from Red in the process. "You wish, fairy boy." She said, though her red face lessened the effect of her words.
"Did you two just do what I think you just did?" Peter asked, pushing himself up.
"They did." Red affirmed.
"It was an accident!" Sabrina snapped. "Because you two were being thickheaded!"
"Don't you try to blame this on me!" Puck protested. "If you hadn't been holding the chain, it wouldn't have happened! It's as much your fault as mine!"
"Right. Like last time was my fault?" Sabrina asked skeptically.
"That was an entirely different matter!" Puck said. "And, yes, I would say that was your fault!"
"You jumped me!" Sabrina screeched. "I had nothing to do with it!"
"Your stupid puberty virus infected me, and then you said something that set it off!" Puck yelled. "I wasn't acting of my own free will!"
"Of course not." Sabrina rolled her eyes. "Which is why you had a hissy fit when I didn't respond the way you thought I would."
"I did not!" Puck snapped, standing and pulling Peter with him.
"Wait, what happened?" Peter asked.
"I don't know, but I bet Daphne will want to." Red smiled impishly.
"Nothing!" Sabrina snapped. "Nothing happened! At all! Just like nothing happened now!"
"So 'nothing' translates into the two of you kissing, right?" Peter asked. "You mean this has happened before."
"No, she absolutely doesn't!" Puck said. "Or if she does, it was only in her dreams!"
"My nightmares, maybe!" Sabrina rolled her eyes, not feeling the slightest bit guilty for lying out her behind.
"Weren't we going to go follow Daphne?" Red reminded Sabrina.
"You were, maybe." Puck said. "I wasn't."
"What if I want to see what happens?" Peter asked. "I bet it'll be funny."
"Well, you'll have to deal." Puck said. "Because the way Pinocchio talks creeps me out."
"Good idea." Sabrina said. "You two stay here and... argue some more or something, we'll go find Daphne and poor Bella. Bye!"
Sabrina ran off quickly, pulling Red with her, leaving Puck and Peter to wonder what had just happened. She was still running and beginning to realize she had no idea where Daphne had gone when Red spoke up.
"Maybe we should... fly or something." Red panted. "'Cause I'm getting tired, and we'd get a better view of everybody then."
Sabrina stopped, then smacked her forehead. "I'm supposed to be letting you make the decisions. I totally forgot. Crap!"
"It..." Red panted, "would have been nice if you'd... remembered... earlier."
"Sorry." Sabrina offered Red her hand, unfurling her wings. "I'll try to be better about it later. It's just... well, I was a bit..."
"Distracted?" Red suggested, grabbing Sabrina's hand as the taller girl took off. "Surprised? Shaken up?"
"That last one." Sabrina said, flying higher. "That was not what I wanted to happen. Be glad you still look like a little kid. You don't have to worry about stuff like that."
"Stuff like what?" Red asked.
"Accidents. And coincidences." Sabrina said. "Now people are going to think we're together even more, as if they didn't enough, and Bella's going to throw a fit, and so is Daphne, and Puck's either going to get awkward on me or tease me about it for ages..."
"What if you just... pretend it didn't hapen?" Red asked.
"It won't work." Sabrina said. "It never works right away. It takes time to mostly forget about it. Do you see Daphne or Pinnochio?"
"No." Red said. "I see the path of destruction, though. Daphne knocked a lot of people over."
"Which way?" Sabrina asked. "I'm not seeing it."
Red pointed, and Sabrina began flying in the same direction as the chaos, searching for Daphne.
"I'm not too young for that confusion stuff, you know." Red said. "Or maybe I aged into it without aging physically."
"Don't tell me that." Sabrina said. "You're Daphne's age. Maybe a little younger, now. You can't be the right age for romance."
"Not romance, specifically." Red blushed. "I'm not ready for that. But I kind of maybe do like someone like as more than a friend... I think..."
Sabrina stopped watching where she was flying to stare at Red. "Really?" She squeaked.
Red nodded mutely, blushing even more.
"Wow." Sabrina said, turning away from Red to save her some embarassment. "I didn't expect that. So, do you want to tell me who it is, or would you rather we dropped the subject, or what?"
"Dropped the subject." Red said quitely. "Please?"
"Of course." Sabrina said. "I get it. Completely."
"Thank you." Red said.
"No problem." Sabrina said. "That's the kind of conversation option I wish someone had given me, so..."
After that deep, insightful, and heartfelt conversation in which Sabrina and Red both felt that they'd gained a deeper understanding and connection to each other, they were silent, both embarassed by their forwardness.
"I see them!" Red said, pointing to a pair of awkwardly running figures, one dragging the other along behind it.
Sabrina swooped down, and, leveling out about ten feet above Daphne's head, paced the two girls. "Do you guys even know where you're headed?"
"No idea whatsoever." Bella called tiredly. "Make her stop!"
"I do so!" Daphne protested, but her heart wasn't in it. "I saw it! And I'm not stopping 'til I meet Pinnocchio!"
"Daph, you're exhausted." Sabrina pointed out. "How about you take a break?"
"I thought you only saw the future when you were looking at what you saw the future of..." Red said doubtfully.
"Well, I can see myself, right?" Daphne asked, but she slowed down.
Bella stopped greatfully, panting.
"Don't stop moving!" Sabrina protested, "You'll cramp up! Keep walking!"
"I'm going to die of exhaustion," Bella said, "and you want me to keep walking?"
"No you won't." Daphne said, squinting at her. "Not today, at least."
"You're in awful shape." Sabrina told Bella. "You should be able to run that far without an issue. We need to toughen you up."
"Do not." Bella said. "I'm in excellent shape. Just 'cause you're in such good shape that you can run halfway across the world without taking a break doesn't mean the rest of us have to be able to."
"But you should be able to run that far." Red said. "What if you're in a battle? You have to be in good shape."
"I'm surprised the Beast hasn't whipped you into shape yet." Daphne said. "I mean, we've been in school for over a year, and he's been training us like heck for most of that."
"She cheats." Red said. "Stops working whenever she has the chance."
"Red!" Bella complained. "You promised you wouldn't tell!"
"I didn't tell the Beast." Red said quietly.
"She was right." Sabrina said sternly. "You need to build up your strength. We're going to be exercising from now on!"
Bella made a face. "Do we have to?"
"Yes." Sabrina said.
"Anyway, back to me meeting Pinnocchio..." Daphne said pointedly.
"Do you know where he is?" Red asked.
"No." Daphne said shamefacedly.
Bella stared at Daphne incredulously. "You mean you dragged me halfway across town and you didn't even know where you were going?"
"Maybe..." Daphne said quietly.
"How about we-" Sabrina stepped in to save her sister a bit of embarrassment, then stopped. Red was supposed to be making the decisions. And even if she wasn't, it was not her job to interfere with Daphne and Bella, even if they were two of her favorite people in the world. They had their own assignment.
"How about what?" Daphne asked.
"Never mind." Sabrina said.
"What do you mean, never mind?" Bella asked. "That's out of character for you."
"Assignment." Sabrina said briefly.
"What about it?" Bella asked.
"I know what mine is, and it requires that I not say anything right about now." Sabrina elaborated. "And yours probably has something to do with working together. So I'm going to keep my mouth shut."
Daphne made a face. "I don't like this assignment."
"We don't have to." Sabrina said. "We just have to do it. Now you two work this out on your own."
So Daphne and Bella argued, and Sabrina and Red watched.
"Were you going to suggest going to Gheppetto's toy shop?" Red asked Sabrina.
"Yeah." Sabrina said, watching the two girls, and realizing that she'd spent a much larger portion of her day watching other people argue than usual, and much less time actually arguing.
"I was thinking about saying it." Red said. "But then they started arguing.
"So say something." Sabrina said, not turning away from the two girls. "It's getting kind of late, and everyone else is probably either wondering where we are or they left already."
"And are wondering where we are at home." Red added. "But... I don't want to say anything. What if they think it's a stupid idea? Or what if they won't listen to me?"
"It's not a stupid idea." Sabrina said. "At least, I don't think so. And if they won't listen, you just have to get louder."
"I don't do loud very well." Red said.
"We'll work on that this week." Sabrina promised.
"OK." Red agreed, but she didn't say anything to the other two girls.
"Is this what it's like for all of the rest of you?" Sabrina asked. "Watching me and Puck argue?"
"Pretty much." Red nodded. "Except you're usually louder and you use magic."
"I am sorry." Sabrina said. Then, after a while, she asked, "Are you going to suggest it? 'Cause I'm not."
"I will." Red promised. "I'm just... getting up my courage."
"OK." Sabrina said agreeably. "Just don't take too long."
Red waited another five minutes or so before taking a deep breath and saying in an almost-shout, "I have an idea."
Neither Daphne nor Bella noticed.
"Louder." Sabrina encouraged her. "You have to make more noise than they are."
"OK." Red took an even deeper breath, then said, in the loudest voice Sabrina had ever heard her use, including when she was insane, "Daphne! Bella! I have an idea!"
The two girls turned and stared at Red.
"What was that?" Bella asked.
"I..." Red said tentatively, quiet again, "I have an idea."
"What is it, Red?" Daphne asked.
"What if we go to Gheppetto's toy shop?" Red asked. "He almost lives there, and..."
"I think he does live there." Sabrina said quietly. "Above the store."
"And if Pinocchio's in town, he's probably with Gheppetto, right?" Red asked.
"Good idea." Bella said. "Better than some that other people have suggested."
Sabrina tried and failed to run her hand over her eyes. "Sorry, Red. Don't start that again, guys, please?"
"Fine." Daphne smiled. "I don't care, I get to meet Pinocchio!"
Bella rolled her eyes and marched off, saying, "Let's get this over with, OK?"
Sabrina and Red followed the other two, high-five-ing each other. Once they reached Gheppetto's toy shop, Daphne knocked on the door.
"Who is it?' Gheppetto called warily, opening the door a crack.
"It's Daphne and Sabrina Grimm, Bella Amphibian, and Red Riding Hood." Daphne said. "Can we come in?"
"Of course." Gheppetto said, closing the door.
The four girls heard the sound of a chain lock opening, then the door itself was swung wide.
"Quickly!" Gheppetto said. "Come in!"
"Why all the precautions?" Sabrina asked, stepping through the door just in time for Gheppetto to slam it behind her.
"Some Scarlet Hand members have been coming around asking for Pinocchio recently." Gheppetto explained. "I'm worried about him."
"Does he seem interested?" Bella asked.
"No, no, no," Gheppetto said, "But... well, once the Scarlet Hand wants you, they either get you or they make you wish you'd joined."
Sabrina hissed. "I'm sorry."
"We'll survive." Gheppetto said, smiling slightly. "After all, he found his way back to me, didn't he? Nothing can go wrong now."
Sabrina decided not to say anything. Let him have his happiness.
"Is he here?" Daphne asked, bouncing up and down with excitement. "Can I meet him? Please please please?"
"Of course." Gheppetto smiled. "He's upstairs, I'll go get him. Wait right here."
Gheppetto walked off towards the back of the store, leaving the girls downstairs to wait awkwardly.
"I can't believe I'm actually meeting Pinnocchio!" Daphne gushed. "This is so exciting! What do you think he'll be like?"
"Stuffy, stuck-up, and whiney." Bella said.
Daphne stuck her tongue out at Bella. "How do you know? I bet he's smart, fun, and friendly! That's what he's like in the book!"
"I know 'cause he's in my science class." Bella said. "And that's how he acts."
"Daph, you should know by now that people aren't exactly like they're portrayed in their fairy tales..." Sabrina pointed out.
"Well, I don't believe it." Daphne muttered. "Maybe he just doesn't like school."
The other three girls looked on skeptically.
"What?" Daphne asked. "He could! We all get whiny when we have to do assignments we don't like!"
"Sure." Sabrina said. "He could, I guess..."
"But?" Daphne asked.
Sabrina was saved from answering because Gheppetto came back from upstairs, tailed by a gawky boy, about seven years old, with a big nose and buckteeth. Sabrina vaguely recognized him from around school, but she'd never interacted with him- he could have been a regular human kid, for all she knew.
But Daphne squealed and ran forward to attack the boy with an anaconda-like hug, dragging Bella with her. "Oh, you're just what I knew you'd look like!" She squeaked, releasing the boy to bite down on her palm.
"That's Pinnocchio, then?" Sabrina asked Red.
Red shrugged. "I guess. He isn't in any of my classes..."
Sabrina blinked. "Wait a second. If he's in school, why isn't he handcuffed to anyone? Something's fishy here. I don't think I trust this kid."
Pinnocchio turned, affronted. "Don't trust me? And what is your reasoning behind this deduction, might I ask?"
Everyone but Bella stared.