Pinocchio started to quickly run across the home, trying to see if everyone was just asleep somewhere else or if anyone was home.
Meanwhile, Lampwick and Jiminy stayed in the main workshop area. Lampwick spoke quietly, "Jiminy... I'm pretty sure he's gone... the clocks he kept on the wall I saw a few times... they're all missing.".
Jiminy sighed heavily, "At breakfast, Geppetto said that his clocks were his most beloved works of his career, and he couldn't feel to let them go to good homes as they were reminders of a much simpler time.".
Lampwick widened her eyes, "You mean, he sold them because he needed money to find Pinocchio...", exhaling in shock. Damn, that's so selfless of Geppetto...
"And who knows how long ago he left...", Jiminy worried as Pinocchio returned. "I... I can't find them...", she said.
Lampwick sighed deeply, "Don't worry, we'll find him and your pets, Slats, but we're so exhausted...Come on, we can head back to Madame Lafleur's cottage, and sleep, and we will think better in the morning, to figure out what to do, okay?".
"What if something awful happened to them?", Pinocchio choked out, sniffling, and Jiminy replied, "Don't think like that, Pinoke. I'm sure he and the others are fine...They could be at an inn somewhere, but Lampwick's right...Your body isn't a puppet anymore...You need to rest.".
Pinocchio gave a small nod as she sniffled, trying to keep herself from crying again. "Hey, are the beds still here?", Jiminy asked. "Maybe we don't have to walk back to Madame Lafleur's...".
"Father's bed is still here, along with Figaro's bed...", Pinocchio sniffed, and Lampwick replied, "I'm sure he wouldn't mind...I mean, you're his kid, right?", as Jiminy realized that Geppetto was in a hurry, only having sold his wall clocks as a bed was more trouble to sell...
Pinocchio gave a sad smile, "Yeah, I slept with him the night when I was brought to life...And I doubt the other bed upstairs wouldn't fit me anymore...", having found a child's bed in a loft room upstairs, realizing that her father must have worked on it all day while expecting her to come home after school...
"So... let's just sleep for the rest of the night here... then we'll figure out what to do and go out looking for him.", Lampwick suggested.
Pinocchio nodded softly, and led the way for Lampwick, and once they saw the bed, they were so exhausted as they barely managed to get their shoes off, along with their hats.
Jiminy settled nearby, finding his matches box bed, and murmured to the girls, "We'll find him, Pinoke. But for now, sleep.", before yawning and getting his shoes, jacket and hat off before snuggling in and falling asleep.
"Okay...", Pinocchio whispered as Lampwick got closer to her. "Need me for warmth again?", she asked. Pinocchio shook her head, "The blanket is warm and nice, and the clothes are helping.".
Lampwick nodded, "Okay. Good night, Slats.", and Pinocchio replied back, "Good night, Lampy.", before falling asleep immediately as she was that exhausted.
Lampwick took a deep breath before exhaustion finally hit her as well; just the sheer madness and terror they had gone through just to reach here... and now perhaps salvation might still be out of reach.
They somehow slept so long, way past the morning bell time, waking up when the sun in the mid-air hit the bed through the side window, waking up the girls, and Pinocchio groaned softly from the sunshine on her face, and blinking, she stretched, sighing deeply as she woke up slowly, smacking her lips, looking around before her mind fully woke up, seeing Lampwick in the bed next to her, seeing Jiminy in the matches box bed.
She remembered everything yesterday as it came quickly, and not smelling breakfast by her father, formerly his father as she was a puppet boy...
Gods, she's a woman, a human woman, real and breathing, and she quickly got out of bed, praying that her father was home, stroking the stove for breakfast or working on a project, calling out, "Father? Figaro? Cleo?", looking in every corner of the house before she realized that she wasn't dreaming or anything, and she gave a small sob, starting to cry before suddenly being hugged by Lampwick who was woken up by the excitement and the calls.
"They're not back, I take it?", Lampwick asked as she continued to hold onto her. "No... they're not...", Pinocchio sniffled.
"Look, please, Pinoky... don't cry, we'll find them, I don't know how or where, but we will... I promise you.", Lampwick replied firmly.
Pinocchio nodded shakily, sniffing and Lampwick suggested gently, "Come on, let's get our shoes on, and wake up the cricket. I bet if we help Madame Lafleur this morning, we can eat something...minds think better after eating some food, and we can then think what to do to find your father.".
"Okay, Lampy... I guess... it is the only thing we can do right now.", Pinocchio said as Lampwick nodded, "Right... and who knows, maybe she might have heard something; surely she was walking around town since we've been gone. Couldn't really hurt.".
Pinocchio nodded and the girls went back to the bed to put on their shoes and hats back on, with Pinocchio gently waking up Jiminy who soon agreed with the little plan so far, getting dressed, and hopping into Pinocchio's hat.
Pinocchio was reluctant to leave home, but the others reassured her that the place will be untouched until they return home with Geppetto and the others, and she locked the door, and then headed on together to the coast, to the cottage of Madame Lafleur.
"It feels... strange...", Pinocchio admitted as they walked through the town on the way to the coast. "How so?", Lampwick asked.
"No one... no one's really looking at me...", Pinocchio told her. "Ah, because you're not a living puppet anymore, do you think that's the reason?", Lampwick smiled gently.
Pinocchio looked at her in surprise, "Oh...I never thought of that before...it's kinda nice to be normal...I like it...".
"Yeah... same for me too, not seeing a runaway child on the streets... maybe less shock and surprise and more of just disgust.", Lampwick told her as Pinocchio gave her a look. "Folks usually don't take too kindly to the plight of those that walk the streets, don't have anywhere to go home to.".
Pinocchio was a bit surprised by the tone in her best friend's voice, but she realized that she's learning more than she knew. She spoke quietly, "It wasn't all fun, was it?".
"Not really, it was rough trying to survive, just keep things going and staying ahead of those that tried to stop me from causing trouble or stealing things...", Lampwick admitted.
"Well, you know you don't have to do that anymore now.", Jiminy told her. "You're clearly capable of turning things around if you wish. I saw that as plenty of proof when you saved Pinoke from drowning there.".
Lampwick gave a little smile, "Mama taught me to have a good heart.", and Pinocchio smiled, "And that's brave. And I'm glad I have a friend like you.".
"Aww, Slats, you're getting to be a softie.", Lampwick laughed warmly as she squeezed her shoulder gently, "And before you ask, it's a good thing. Just don't do it too much, or everyone would take advantage, like thievery and all on you, like Honest John.", not eager to share the bad stuff even worse than stealing and surviving.
She wants Pinocchio to be innocent a bit longer than she can afford to. Lampwick herself was still conflicted with things. If a chance to go back to being a boy was held before her... well, she felt sure she'd take it easy, but a part of her wondered if it might be better to stay as a girl, albeit one with a few differences.
Perhaps Pinocchio was more willing to get used to being more of a typical girl, but Lampwick couldn't see herself without some boy-ish traits.
Pinocchio nodded to Lampwick's advice and saw that she was thinking. She has a feeling that it's about Lampwick being conflicted about being a girl.
Pinocchio kept quiet, not wanting to rush her best friend, and so, with hope in Pinocchio's heart, and confusion in Lampwick's heart, they made it to Madame Lafleur's cottage, with Pinocchio knocking.
"Yes, who is it?", Madame Lafleur called out curiously, and Pinocchio answered, "It's Perla and Juliet and Mr. Cricket, Madame Lafleur. We didn't find my father and we slept at my home...but we don't know how to cook food...".
"Girls, come in, you're in time, darlings! Oh, my, you must be worried, but you must be hungry too. I have lunch ready. This old blind dame isn't helpless all the time.", Madame Lafleur chuckled as she eagerly opened the door, warmth in her blind eyes.
"Could've fooled others...", Lampwick chuckled as Madame Lafleur nodded, "True... but I've been able to get used to being without my eyes. Gotten so good in fact some might not think me blind for a few minutes.".
Jiminy gave a little laugh, "Indeed. So, lunch?", with a warm smile. "Oh, yes, may one of you be a dear and bring the plates to the table? I have been on a walk earlier and my feet is needing rest.", Madame Lafleur tapped her cane on the floor as she led the others to the eating nook of the cottage.
Lampwick smiled, "My pleasure, Madame.", going to the stove, seeing an open cabinet door of plates and glasses, and filled the bowled plates, smelling the delicious stew and warm bread.
"Miss Perla, may I know your father's name? After all, this memory of mind is still sharp and intact.", Madame Lafleur asked as she and Pinocchio and Jiminy settled at the table.
"Well, I don't know if it might be much help considering he might not have even come by here or you heard about him lately, but it's Geppetto.", Pinocchio explained.
"Ah, Geppetto...Oh, he's such a gentleman. My daughter loved the toy bear he gave her long ago...It was a tragedy when I heard of his wife...Infancy and blood loss...It's no fate I could've wish on anyone...I was glad when I heard rumors of him buying wood for a child's bed, as apparently, he took in a darling boy...Then there was yesterday...oh, lord, he was literally asking all over town...for any sign of a walking, living puppet boy if you can believe it...he sounded so desperate when I was at the market...then I heard the news this morning...I can't believe it...the village's still a big gossip on things.", Madame Lafleur explained, sighing deeply.
Pinocchio's eyes were wide open. "Did you hear where he was going!?", she asked, practically on the verge of running back outside, thinking she might be able to chase him down. "Please, anything, even rumors might go a long way for us.", Lampwick added.
Madame Lafleur rubbed Pinocchio's hand, "Peace, Miss Perla...this could take a miracle and you need to eat if you want to make that miracle happen.".
"Madame, please tell me.", Pinocchio pleaded quietly, and Madame Lafleur sighed, "I can hear it in your voice. Very well, your father...he was making his way across the sea, heading south, from what the fishermen said...then he caught him...Monstro...Swallowed Geppetto's boat and everything...".
"Monstro?!", Jiminy shouted with surprise. "What is Monstro?", Lampwick asked. "Monstro... I've heard of him. He's a whale of a whale!", Jiminy told them. "If he's got Mr. Geppetto...".
Lampwick widened her eyes, "Blimey...Wait, you said he swallowed his boat whole and all?", and Madame Lafleur nodded, "Indeed. Monstro is infamous for swallowing boats and ships, in whole pieces, and they rot in the great belly of Monstro...", with a sigh.
Pinocchio gasped, "Father is in the belly of Monstro?", and Madame Lafleur replied, "Most likely, indeed, but I am afraid to say that Monstro is the very opposite of the whale that swallowed Jonah, and I doubt Monstro would ever let Geppetto go, that is, without much force and such.".
Lampwick, having heard the story of Jonah and the whale, gulped loudly, and Pinocchio frowned, "We have to get him!", and Jiminy protested, "We don't know where he is exactly, Perla! And please eat something, you must be starving! Your father wouldn't want you to go hungry and fainting around in starvation and such.".
Pinocchio frowned, "But...Jiminy...", and Jiminy gave her a raised eyebrow, with a stern look, and Pinocchio sighed, nodding, going to eat the stew and warm bread with halfhearted motions of her silverware and such.
"Please, Perla... let's eat something first before we decide how we're going to get to Monstro.", Lampwick said as Jiminy turned his attention to her, "Wait, what?!".
"Are you seriously considering not doing anything? That we give up and just go back home?", Lampwick looked affronted, raising an eyebrow, gesturing subtly at Pinocchio.
Jiminy was about to open his mouth before looking over at Pinocchio, and then sighed, looking back at Lampwick, "I swear you two are stubborn like before...", before going to eat his portion of stew and bread, deciding to give the leftovers to Pinocchio as he's a small cricket, and barely half of the bowled plate would fill him fast.
Time passed as the group ate, and Madame Lafleur was the first one to speak after the meal, "I may not be much help, but I have something that might just help. I'll be right back.", before leaving the table gingerly, heading to her bedroom.
She walked around, muttering lowly under her breath, drawing magic through her disguised hands with her wand which was disguised as her cane, and then she smiled brightly as a special kind of compass appeared, landing in her hand, and she then nodded, taking a deep breath, and focused on being Madame Lafleur as she returned to the table, tapping her cane, "I knew I had it somewhere...This is the only thing of my dear husband I could ever keep to my heart.".
Lampwick blinked, "A old compass?", and Madame Lafleur chuckled, "Ah, not just any compass. My husband claimed that he was given this when he became lost in a terrible storm while I was within child, saying that the Evening Star was in the middle of the storm, in the eye. He prayed for a way home safely, to reunite with me and his unknown child, and so, this appeared on the wheel of his boat. Go on, and turn the back and read it out loud, darlings.".
Lampwick picked it up, turning it into the back, reading it out loud, "Speak of your intended direction, and you will not be astray.".
Both Jiminy and Lampwick turned their attention to Pinocchio before Lampwick handed it to her. "Probably best you be the one to hold it... might work better with you.", she said.
Pinocchio bit her lip, and took a deep breath, "Lead me to Geppetto, my father.", and the old compass' arrow glowed bright blue, spinning fast as it hummed before it stopped, on the nick of SW, straight through the window, to the sea, as it kept glowing.
"So... it works...", Jiminy said. "But... getting there's one thing...". Obviously, the trio knew they'll grab their boat nearby; more than likely it was still there where they left it during the night. "Dealing with Monstro and saving Geppetto...". Lampwick bit her lip, "Yeah... will need to think on that one...".
Madame Lafleur replied, "Knowing Monstro, as he's a monster whale, he's bound to be in the deep portions of the sea, and we don't know how long until he can come up for air or food, so waiting is best. You three cannot survive underwater as you don't have gills and such like the fish. I wish I could come with you, but I hope my compass will be of great help to you three.".
Pinocchio replied, "We'll come back to give you your compass back, I promise, Madame Lafleur.", with a warm smile, hoping that their hostess heard the gratefulness in her voice.
Madame Lafleur smiled back. "No, please... I think you will be more than worthy to keep it... you'll certainly need it more than me.", she said as Lampwick chuckled.
"You are almost way too kind for your own good, Madame.", Lampwick said. "You're certainly not the first one to say that.", Madame Lafleur gave another warm smile to her.
Jiminy replied, "Thank you for hosting us and giving us lunch, Madame Lafleur, but we must not waste any time if we are to do a miracle today.", and Madame Lafleur smiled, "Of course. Please be careful...It's really comforting to have friends.".
Pinocchio gently hugged Madame Lafleur, feeling a tiny bit of a familiar feeling, not knowing that she recognized the magic deep within the disguise, and thanked her, and Lampwick then hugged next, thanking her as well, and Jiminy smiled, "Let us be off, girls. We bid you a good day, Madame.".
The trio left the cottage, with Madame Lafleur calling out, "May the winds guide you!", grateful that her special gift will be an aid for the trio. She will have to watch with anticipation and believes that the trio will succeed. Monstro was an experiment of a madman who didn't believe in magic, though he was afraid of magic, which was a controversy in itself.
And so, Monstro became intelligent, far intelligent than other whales which gave horror stories to the entire Italian territories as he traveled from waters to waters in the past 30 years, and now he's mostly settled in the sea near this very village.