The least he expected when he hopped in was hearing her cough, rather throaty and deeply as a matter of fact.

"Milady, I am getting the inkling that you are sick." was the Cricket's greeting.

"Oh, um… just a sore throat, Jiminy…"

"Despite how I like your modesty, Lou, but allow me to be the judge~" Jiminy accurately hopped his way down to her from the sill. Louise sighed as she rose her wrist for him to land on and she rose him to her forehead.

To poor Jiminy's glove, it felt like he had just touched the hot side walk. "Oh! You are as hot as a tea kettle, Louise! What offends me more is that you are up and about~"

"Okay, okay, but I was only looking for a - *cough*- good read to pass the time…"

"Hm, of course you were." Jiminy spoke, with some slight tease in his voice.

"I swear!" Louise rose her hands as if she was caught red handed as she sat on her bed. With grace, he sprung off and landed simply on her dresser beside the bed. After they shared a good laugh, his smile looked more apolegetic.

"I know, hon… Can an old cricket fuss just a little bit? I don't want ya overworking yourself again… like last time."

"Yeah, I am not, Jiminy. I promise." Louise said, with her book and got into her covers. "The new babies, they carry all kinds of germs… So, uh - *cough!* - h-how's Pinocchio been?"

"Oh, the boy's a brave one… I tell you." Jiminy held a proud fatherly sort of look. "He stood up for a little girl when some spiteful lad teased her because of her glasses. Got in that hoodlum's face when bossed to stand aside and he simply said 'No'. I was sure scared if that lad were to throw a punch at Pinoke~ But with me being as small as a thimble, I could only hope… But well I'll be, something stumped that boy and thank the stars, he just walked away."

"Now that's some spice, if you ask me." Louise smiled, with that same pride he wore radiating from it. "He's a tough kid, if he can take on psychopaths and wild whales, he can sure handle an every day bully. How proud you must be~ you're like family to him, you know…?"

The sparked something in the Annointed Cricket that brought out an almost tearful, thankful smile.

"Pinoke and I, we've been on a long road. The both of us certainly have learned so much~ He's grown up." Jiminy fathomed before he took a hidden hankerchief from his pocket in order to dab his eye. Louise's smile softened.

"He sure has, and he had the perfect family to help him along. If only today's world understood that."

"Oh well," Jiminy sighed. "I would not say that…" he said, as he hopped close and sat himself atop of an unused blue candle top. "A little hope can go a long way~"

Even he had his taste of unfairness on her side of the tracks and the Industry was brutal against Jiminy's side for decades… She made a rare friend when she was eight years old, back in the early 90's. A friend whose voice was given by a singer, long past, that would sing her to sleep on hard nights and how guilty he made her bullies feel after they giddily threw wet paper towels at her for fun…

"Well I'll Be! Back off! Knock it off, all of you!" Jiminy lashed, swatting his umbrella at them, even though he was as small as a leaf.

"Oh my god, what!? Its —

"Drop those towelettes, ladies… Right now!"

The shocked group dropped them in their shock, not knowing what to say, while being in the presence of a cartoon suddenly… Not just an adult, but a toon!

"Disgusting behavior… In all of my days, I've never seen such deplorable choices made… What had she ever done to you!? Hm? How'd you feel if you were called out for a surprise, and you get downed, all wet and cold, with wasted paper towels?"

"She's stupid! She deserved it!" the obese girl snapped, coming a little too close for his comfort. But he stood his ground.

"Call me whatever name you dare please, but this young lady is far from that awful word…"

"You're Jiminy Cricket!" one of the girls gawked in astonishment, however slightly regretful.

"That I am, milady~ and I not fond of the choice you've made either… Following along, like a pup on a leash. And you, thinking it's not so bad, she won't mind… If any of you were my daughters, I would be so heartbroken~"

Careful with himself, he bounded to the wet Louise who sat in the corner, shrunk and shivering. She felt his soft little glove on her finger and she watched him, fascinated. He looked fresh off a cel painting, colorful, bright and… alive! His expression was that of heartbreak, however when his eyes looked up to her, he smiled.

"Don't be afraid, sweetheart… Come along with me… I know where to take ya. Ignore them, dear, they're not going cause more trouble."

The obese one, Sophie, looked very miffed and threw one last towel at Louise, but she ducked. Louise felt a rage and looked about ready to explode.

"No no, don't be tempted … Come with me… Let's get you dry." Louise heard the character soften at her and she got up, refusing to look at her bullies as tears ran down. She was mad. He could tell… but she resisted.

The days following that hard day was almost that of a door that opened up for that poor girl named Louise. It was the rare miracle of an ordinary girl befriending an actual cartoon… a creation brought to life by the imagination, with the innerworkings done one sheets of paper, writings and recordings. It has been that way oddly ever since Walt Disney lived his life creating educational entertainment for years. She had a friend who stuck by, unlike anyone else, and she was a type to have very few friends. Yet this one she kept a secret ever since, as he had to come and go… and he'd visit when he could. With her being so young, despite being told what her rescuer really was… she never cared about that, only the fact that he was her friend. Her opinion never changed since that day… Toons were considered neighbors as she grew up in Glendale, near an animation tycoon at the time. Toons had lives just like people did… however, there began a rise of prejudice for odd reasons… To some people, Toons were not considered as actual people, simply because they were birthed by mere ink on paper. They were not physically like ordinary people, then they were not technically people in their own right and were restricted away from many things. They were lawed to remain in their own property, being ToonTown and hanging or being with a Toon was frowned upon… Any relationship with a Toon was considered unnatural and taboo in today's standards. Alas, her friendship with the Cricket was very quiet, hence why his visits were few and secretive. Lucky for them, he was small and sneaky when need be…

Jiminy knew how the world was and how it broke his heart, truly. Friendships should remain for everyone with a mind and heart, appearance or biology played no part in that… Then again, this world was very fickle. After Pinocchio who was now brave and incredibly passionate from his journeys, Jiminy had a deep soft spot for struggling children… As a Conscience for not only the Wooden head, but he was so for others as well. The little girl he witnessed being bullied… he did not realize at the time that they would remain close since then. Now she was in her early 30's, while he remained as he always was, since the day of his creation. Certainly, he had his own doppelgangers, but all could tell which one he was, thankfully, due to his own original physicality, aged pallete and unique Midwestern voice given by a vocal artist in his prime, now long past. There was no mistaking.

He was special to Louise, and so most of the time she worried if these visits were dangerous for him. However, these visits helped her not dread harsher days. On days like that it was as though he could sense it, and made sure to check up on her. It felt like the Fairy was making sure his journeys to her home were safe ones because people were prone to being cruel to Toons in general.

After resting a bit, the headache she had earned herself had gone away, Louise awoke and soon considered doing some laundry. Her little frequent neighbor was considerable a free ranger when it came to things on her side of the tracks, however he was willing to keep to the confinements of her apartment~ as there was a sign near her door stating~ 'It's Free Real Estate" ~ with the small drawing of a smiling cricket beneath the lettering. Her neighbors merely thought that was a joke going along with Louise's habit of rescuing crickets and setting them free, and so on. However, no one knew of the unlikely little visitor in the complex. No matter though, because the duo were fairly gifted at keeping such a secret. At this point, it was becoming sort of game. Despite all this secrecy, great care had to be taken.

With all joking aside though, the friendship that was formed since her old school days was one made entirely out of gold. Being a part of world so seperate and so different from her own… it was up to par with befriending a mythical being. Jiminy was literally 82 years old and had never aged a day since his creation from pencil, paper, ink, and voice. The real kicker was how this miracle remained…