Strange Dream, Strange Research/'Til It Happens to You, You Won't Know How It Feels; It Won't *Be REAL*...
There had been a barbeque at the reservation 'party', so when Bella told 'Zio' Charlie that she didn't want anything to eat, she meant that she was full- had already eaten, same with 'Nocchi. Neither joined him in watching the basketball game that he was excited about, too wrapped up in their own turmoil of thoughts that they did their best to drown out/muffle for the moment with music- Bella a band that her stepfather Phil liked, and 'Nocchi the soundtrack of Tim Burton's 'Edward Scissorhands' (which, yes, WAS one of his middle-namesakes). They both fell asleep listening over again; the shattering beats making it impossible for Bella to think, and the sweet nostalgic and fairy-tale-esque tempo/rhythm of Danny Elfman's score-writing soothing 'Nocchi's 'aching spots'.
They both had a strange dream- in Pinocchio's own, his wizard wand (a combination of apple and white-pinewood, and a dual core of a phoenix tail-feather and unicorn tailhair- those of Fawkes and the Last Unicorn Lady Amalthea) was in his hand and Fae atributes on full display, standing before a large red-brown wolf with Jacob Black's eyes, a sharp-toothed and deathly-pale Peter who faintly glowed as he floated in midair, and Harry wearing a combination of Gandalf's and Merlin's robes while holding high his own wand. Neither was about to duel the other- they were simply standing there, studying each other intently as the youngest male's heart raced from trepidation while his conscience Jiminy was perched on his shoulder and Harry's faithful Hedwig flew just above her wizard; Dobby the House-Elf was on Harry's left, Fae looking at Fae...
Pinocchio gasped and jerked upright in his bed just as Dobby muttered protectively while his tennis ball-sized prasolite-green eyes peered intently into Pinocchio's Dumbledore-blue orbs, ready to snap his long thin sticks of fingers the moment that the younger (half)wizard made *ONE wrong move*, ~"*You shall not harm Harry Potter*...!"~ His lamp was off, but his nightlight was on; he'd fallen asleep fully dressed under a soft blanket on top of his bedcovers save for his shoes. He glanced blearily and disorientedly at his bedside clock- it was five-thirty in the morning.
He groaned and yawned as he rubbed his eyes, alternately shaking out his long black hair and running/scrubbing his fingers through it. Earlier than he usually got up -about seven-ish or eight-, but there was no help for it now. And he *HIGHLY doubted* that he would get back to sleep, after what his subconscious had just presented to him as a result of meeting a 'fellow puppet' whose life his grandfather had tried to *RUIN* 'for the Greater Good' and hearing about the Quilete Wolves and 'Cold Ones' yesterday!
Yesterday had been Saturday, and so today was Sunday- the second half of the weekend. When he happened to look out his bedroom window, 'Zio' Charlie's police cruiser was gone. More than likely, he was on another fishing trip; he did so like/love them! After he heard Bella finish things in the bathroom (thankfully, there were two), Pinocchio took his own shower next. He dressed in comfy blue sweats and a soft grey T-shirt, adding a cozy indigo hoodie, very light grey fingerless gloves, and lighter purple soft socks; his hair, he simply left be after brushing it out.
Once he'd finished making his bed, he heard Bella turning on her old computer, so he pulled out his own laptop, plugged it in, waited for it to boot up, and instantly clicked on Firefox the moment he'd signed himself in. He didn't usually eat in his room- not big/main meals, anyway, unless he was sick or hurt; but today he made an exception, slowly chewing a bowl of milk-doused Special K cereal and a small pack of pre-sliced apples and sipping a glass of mango-pineapple juice inbetween bites of dairy-soaked grain and ripe fruit while looking up the term 'Vampire'. -Or, more specifically, 'What is a vampire?'
Due to this, it didn't take quite so infuriatingly long for him to sift through results ranging from movies, to TV shows, to plays, to books, to role-playing games, and even to things like underground metal and Gothic cosmetic companies, and he found the promising (he hoped) site 'Vampires- A to Z' fairly quickly. Two quotes greeted him on the Home Page, and the rest of the site was an alphabitized listing of all the different types of myths of vampires held throughout the world. He read carefully through the many descriptions, looking for *ANYTHING* that sounded familiar, plausible, or both.
Some were similar to books he had read or movies/shows that he had seen, some weren't. Finally, his hard thinking was narrowed down to three specific entries: the Romanian 'Varacolaci', a powerful undead being that could appear as a *BEAUTIFUL* pale-skinned human- the Slovak 'Nelapsi', a creature *SO strong* and FAST that he-or-she could *massacre an entire village* in the single hour after midnight- and the Italian 'Stregoni Benefici', a vampire said to be on the side of 'goodness', and therefore a *MORTAL enemy* to all EVIL 'nosferatu'. (And if he got a bit of a thrill at that last, due to said 'good vampire' being from his home country ...well, that was *HIS business* alone, 'millegrazie'!)
Once he'd read these last three, and browsed through a couple of videos that the site had added (heck- maybe later today, he'd watch either 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' starring Gary Oldman before he donned the striped gray prisoner robes of the Wizarding jail Azkaban while portraying a certain black dog-Animagus or 'Interview With the Vampire', out of nostalgia plus curiosity; who knew??), Pinocchio made a little catalogue in his mind of what facts he had plus Jacob Black's and Harry Evans' criteria: Super-speed, abnormal strength, *WONDROUS* beauty, *VERY pale* skin (was there such a thing as *DARK-skinned* vampires, he wondered???), eyes that either shifted color, maintained a golden, amber/orange, or reddish tinge, or both, blood-drinkers, said to be *ENEMIES* of the Werewolf, cold/cool-skinned, immortal ...and a type of Dark Faerie.
Had he not read the original 'Dracula' novel, there would have been one nitpick as there was for Bella- supposedly, vampires could not come out into daylight *at ALL*, or the sun would BURN them like ...well, like a- a little wooden puppet chopped or torn up into firewood once he grew too old, worn, and woodworm/termite-infested to be of any further use! They slept in coffins during the day, and *ONLY* came out at night; well, THAT had already been proven *bunk*, since the Cullen family was out and about in the daytime, and even through the clouds, the sun's rays did not bother or hurt them in the least. *What kind of BEDS* that they slept in, he didn't know, and wouldn't ask about- it wasn't his business.
Still ...would garlic harm them at all?? Any kind of religious relic like a cross/crucifix or holy water?? Silver, blessed or no? A sharp piece of wood?? Water, likely not- the light fall of snow some days before had not distressed or agitated them, and snow was a frozen cold form of liquid. Did they have fangs, and simply hid them?? Could they turn into mist, or any kind of animal like many witches, wizards, and faeries could transform into mammals, birds, insects, and sea creatures...?
'Nocchi suddenly heard Bella irritatedly shut off her own computer, likely feeling *STUPID* and *overwhelmingly EMBARRASSED* about sitting in her room and researching *vampires*- pull on her coat and boots, and stomp her way to the front door. He didn't follow after her; neither of them would enjoy each other's company, and she *did NOT* at all like him for reasons he did not know. 'Little Woodenhead' always did his very best to be polite and courteous as possible, yet stay out of her way as she wished- it *STUNG*, but if she would rather pretend that Pinocchio did not exist in (hah)) *REAL life*, then let her...! It saved on arguments, fights, and further fresh wounds of grief; though 'Zio' Charlie didn't like how she behaved towards the younger male one little bit.
Instead, he took a few more sips from his juice-glass -a nice big one-, swallowed down the last chewed bites of his breakfast, and leaned back on his bed pillows while closing his eyes and letting himself become lost in deep thought. Eating ...*they* *DID eat* 'human' food, but likely had to imbibe blood once or twice a month at least alongside drinking hot, cold, and tepid edible liquids and partaking in the four main food food-groups plus the topmost part of the triangle. There was a disturbing unearthly grace in which they moved- even tall large Emmett, who seemed like he would be as clumsy as the ox he resembled, but was not!
And the way that they all sometimes spoke, with (semi)unfamiliar cadences and phrases that better fit the style of an Austen, Eyre, Chaucer, or EVEN *Collodi* novel at the turn of a century, rather than that of a *twenty-first century classroom and school*... Edwin had skipped class the day that they did blood-typing- Peter had not, but had seemed to need to control himself even as his nostrils flared and *MOUTH* WATERED. Jasper flinched or smiled a lot, Alice sometimes had a far-off hazy look, and Edwin seemed to know what *EVERYONE* around him was thinking (except for Bella, which was *STRANGE* *as STRANGE*) even though he was no Leglilemens or Occlumens, let alone wizard...
~'What if I'm NOT *the HERO*? What if I'm ...the *BAD Guy*?? The *Villain*?'~
Technically, Pinocchio was a Light Faerie, even if only part, and not by birth; Peter Pan-Cullen was apparently a *DARK Faerie*- a Vampire. A 'Sansiguine' (Blood-Drinker); 'nosferatu'- Unseelie... But this did not cause him as much turmoil as you would think. After all, even if SHE *WASN'T a vampire*, Maleficent was the mate, wife, and beloved of the Blue Fairy- they had been best friends since the day that they took and passed the Faerie Exams! So, the grandson of Wulfric Dumbledore and the eponymous Hero of J. M. Barrie's famous play and novel were not 'star-crossed lovers'- their relationship would not be forbidden, or (mostly) even oddly looked at had Pinocchio just been a human boy as Bella Swan was a mortal female...
The rest of the day was a quiet, productive one. 'Nocchi and Bella worked on and finished their English papers on 'Macbeth' that were due Wednesday (after which, yes, 'Nocchi *DID indulge himself* and watch 'Interview With the Vampire', as it was a favorite anyhow), Charlie came home with a *LARGE catch* that both his daughter and adopted nephew eyed and made plans for with many different recipes for seafood- Bella slept dreamlessly. If 'Nocchi dreamt at all while dormant/latent, then he didn't remember anything when he woke up the next morning, which was sunny with hardly a cloud in the sky -save for fleecy little white puffs like raw cotton- that mirrored the color of his eyes- relatively dry air, nearly warm, and hardly windy at all. Mild for Phoenix, Arizona or Tuscany, Italy...
No Cullens in school today. Did they have permission to duck out whenever it was sunny, for whatever 'medical' reason?? It didn't harm them, so it must be something else that humans were not allowed by Vampire/Fae Law to witness unless they were a family member by either birth or adoption, a *BEST friend*, or their Mate...
Marinated fried fish for dinner, with a salad and some Italian bread left over from the night before. Homework done- e-mail checked and replied back to (at least 'conscience' and 'ward' could communicate still through letters, phone conversations, or video chat)- Bella trying to lose herself for an hour within the works of Jane Austen before realizing that the hero of 'Sense and Sensibility' happened to be named 'Edward', and 'Mansfield Park's' 'Edmund' was too close for her liking, but 'Nocchi gladly partaking in a cup of tea and chasing blue sky with the Dashwood family as 'S & S' was his very favorite of 'Signora' Jane's published books while curled up on his window seat.
Father and daughter watched some TV after dinner -a mindless sitcom with a laugh-track after every quip or joke-; nephew/cousin let them be, listening to another Tim Burton soundtrack via his CD player and headphones (this one 'Corpse Bride', which was a musical) while Bella informed Charlie of her plans for tomorrow after classes let out even though it would be a school night. It was a *GIRLS' thing*, anyway; and even had he not minded that (which he didn't), Pinocchio well-knew that he would not be welcome to join...
But, that was (kind of) alright. He'd just do his own thing, whatever that may turn out to be! Maybe he'd listen to one of his audiobooks on Audible while reading along either on his Kindle or an actual tome...
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It was sunny again the next morning, which cheered and excited Bella- but to Pinocchio, it might as well have still been a near-constant cover of clouds and rain as a child's and father's voice rang out in his mind.
~"*Father*! What's that BIG, *SHINY thing*??!"
"Ah- that is the 'sun', my son! It goes around the Earth once every day. It's basic, simple science; you'll learn *ALL about it*, in school...!/Now, turn around and let me look you over- let me get a look at you!"
"I'll come *straight home*- right after school!"
"I will be *right HERE*, when you get back. And we will eat dinner precisely at the stroke of five..."
"*Got it*, Father! The *stroke of FIVE*!"
"He-he... yes, that's right! There you go- run along, now...! *Oh, oh*- oh-ho!! Wait, WAIT- *come back here*, Figaro! School is not *for YOU*! Ahh, there he goes: *my boy*..."
"*Goodbye, Father*!"
"Goodbye, son! *Hurry back*...!"~
'Honest' John's slick sly words luring him down temptation's dark path by way of messing with his head and heart- ~"Why *on EARTH would you want to be 'real', when you can be ...*FAMOUS*??"/"Do you want to make your father PROUD, *or NOT*?"~ *FINALLY reaching school*, but almost instantly being *kicked out of* it; being *LAUGHED AT* by the other kids and ridiculed by the schoolmaster- led- led t-to... *HIM*... Being *very* HURT by Him not merely *ONCE*, *but TWICE*!!
"It's a bright, sunny day! WHY *are YOU* sulking??"
"'Nocchi ...you alright, kiddo?? You're hardly noisy, but you're quiet *AS quiet* today! -What's eatin' you, Blue Eyes?"
Nocchi's vocal chords would not unstick themselves- his tongue seemed either frozen or stuck via glue or sap to the roof of his mouth, and there was a rough lump in his throat that matched/corresponded with his eyes stinging. At least, 'Zio' Charlie had not called him 'son'; his face would have CONTORTED had that affectionate phrase been uttered! It was all he could do to break his fast and keep it down, as it was...
Pinocchio's classmates and teachers looked after/on him in utmost concern and worry. Oh, he participated and answered well-enough as usual-! But there was a BLEAK *SHAMED* look in those big sweet blue orbs for eyes belonging to Chief Swan's kind-hearted and warm-souled adopted nephew who was so unbelievably likeable that you *fell in love* with that little guy the moment that he started talking, and they did not like it. Had Emmett Cullen been in school today, Pinocchio would have flinched, whimpered, and shied away from him as far as possible due to his dark curls, large broad muscled frame, and fulsome charisma- not seeing his deep brown eyes, pale skin-tone, or feeling that his larger-than-life personality was not only *GENUINE*, but *TRULY engaging*; and not just in a way to gather a *BIG* audience, either...
(Wendy gasped, whimpered, and sobbed under her breath yet aloud at the *FLASH* from Pinocchio's near-Collodi-dark past that she received halfway into the family's hike. She LOOKED over at Peter, who swallowed hard and went the color of *chalk* rather than that of alabaster, ivory, snow, or the petals of a non-colored lily. His amber/golden/topaz-tinged chocolate eyes glistened wetly as he nodded a bit shakily at his twin sister- they *HAD to* share their story, let 'Nocchi know that he was *not alone*! Give him some space first, though; maybe aim for after dinner...? Wendy could make tea...?
Yes ...some after-dinner tea would do just the trick! Perhaps Chief Charlie Swan could do with a mugful, as well...)