Chapter 14.
I've Got No Strings
Nighttime, an entire crowd of people arrived before Stromboli's caravans to watch the show. Stromboli began to announce while also mumbling in Italian.
"Ladies and gentlemen, to conclude the performance of this great show, Stromboli the Master Showman- That's a-me- and by special permission of the management- that's a-me too- is presenting to you something you will absolutely refuse to believe," said Stromboli.
Meanwhile, the Baku – Disney Gang and the Fraggles were walking towards a lamp post and Jiminy, Skyros, Falconeer, Spatterix, Elfin, Ingram, Lumagrowl, Dryoid, Sabator, Fangoid, Sirenoid, Horridian, Warius, Harpus and Linehalt climb it to get a better view while Summer, Robert, Muhammad, Mokey, Red and Gobo climbed onto Yarnell's back to get a better view too and Boober climbed onto Abby's head and Wembley climbed onto Donald's head.
Jiminy chased a few moths away while he searched for a perfect spot to see the show. The audience began to mumble among themselves.
Jiminy and Gobo both looked around.
"I've never known there were so many Silly Creatures here."
"Well, looks like a sell-out."
Then Stromboli spoke further getting the attention of the Jiminy, the Baku – Disney Gang and the Fraggles.
"Introducing the only marionette who can sing and dance absolutely without the aids of strings."
Stromboli did a little funny dance first while speaking seriously.
"I hope so," mumbled Stromboli to himself before speaking to the audience again, "The one and only Pinocchio!"
The audience began to clap.
"I can't believe Pinocchio is going be on that stage," said Boober.
"Hmph! What a build-up," said Jiminy while disatisfied with what happened.
Stromboli grabbed a baton and the musicians started to play. The curtains of the theatre began to open and four puppets played trumpets. The decor began to disappear and so were the puppets. And there he was, Pinocchio on top of a pair of stairs. The audience began to clap.
"There they are!" said Rebecca.
Jiminy, the Baku – Disney Gang and the Fraggles paid close attention while looking at Pinocchio. Pinocchio could not help but smile. He seemed to be attached to strings, but when he walked down the stairs and sang, the strings de-attached from him.
"I got no strings to hold me dow-"
But suddenly, Pinocchio stumbled and began to fall down the stairs. Pinocchio's nose got stuck in a wooden plank of the floorboard. The audience began to laugh.
Boober wasn't pleased with the performance just like Jiminy.
"Go ahead, make a fool of yourself. Then maybe you'll listen to conscience."
Stromboli waved his hands in anger and made some funny noises. He slapped the wooden plank back on its place and began to talk Italian. He grabbed Pinocchio. But then Stromboli listened and looked at the laughing audience and placed Pinocchio back on stage.
He began to chuckle.
"Cute kid."
Then he spoke something Italian in a way to say that he should try again.
The Baku – Disney Gang and the Fraggles saw what had happened.
"That wasn't very nice to grab Pinocchio like that," said Kevin and Talonflame nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, did you see the way he reacted?" asked Spatterix.
"There's something about that Stromboli that I don't like," said Yarnell.
The spotlight began to hit Pinocchio, and then he began to sing and dance from the start.
I got no strings to hold me down
To make me fret or make me frown
I had strings but now I'm free
There are no strings on me
"Guys, I know what I'll do. I'm going to sneak backstage and grabbed Pinocchio," said Alexander.
"Okay, but be careful, Alexander," warned Yarnell.
"I will be, Yarn," said Alexander and he crept away. Alexander manged to get behind the caravans but before he could sneak into one of them, he turned and saw Stromboli standing behind him and he was giving Alexander a cold glare.
"You dare try to capture my creation?!" yelled Stromboli as he grabbed Alexander by his tail.
"No! I was just trying save him. He does not belong to you. He's too young. It'll destroy his life!" shouted Alexander.
"That puppet doesn't have a life," said Stromboli in an angry tone and then he began to swing Alexander round and round in the air very fast and Stromboli suddenly let go of Alexander's tail and Alexander was sent flying over the crowd and he landed back to where his friends were.
"Oh my gosh! Alexander are you Okay?" asked Ingram.
"Yes I'm fine," said Alexander as he rubbed his head with his paw.
"What happened?" asked Robert.
"Stromboli swung me by my tail and sent me flying," said Alexander and then he focused back on the show.
They got strings but you can see
There are no strings on me
With that, Pinocchio jumped in the air and span both his legs. The audience cheered and clapped at him.
"He's...not that bad to be honest," said Summer.
"He's pretty good," said Falconeer.
Pinocchio was imitating the audience by clapping his hands. But then, Pinocchio jumped a little in fright because the decor changed behind him. The decor had a meadow with a windmill and a cow. Suddenly, a marionette with actual strings came down in front of the children. The puppet represented a Dutch farmer girl with clogs. She began to sing.
DUTCH MARIONETTE:
You have no strings
Your arms is free
To love me by the Zuider Zee
Ja, ja, ja
If you would woo
I'd bust my strings for you
Then the puppet disappeared, and instead four puppets with the same clothes appeared. They danced while the music kept playing. One of the puppets bumped into Pinocchio, making him bump into other puppets. Suddenly, the puppets disappeared and the decor changed once more. Another girl puppet appeared with a lovely red dress. It came close to Pinocchio. Pinocchio was a little confused. The puppet sang with a French accent.
FRENCH MARIONETTE:
You got no strings
Comme ci, comme ca
Your savoire faire is ooo-la-la
I've got strings but entre nous
I'd cut my strings for you
The puppet disappeared and four puppets with the same design appeared once again. They danced while sometimes raising one of their legs. Pinocchio couldn't help but watch.
The Baku – Disney Gang and the Fraggles saw this too. Abigail and the Female Pyroar covered Alexander and the Male Pyroar's eyes for a moment, Abby did the same thing with Donald and Tabatha did the same thing with Kevin too.
Jiminy took a peek at the show and suddenly, he put some glasses on his face while smiling.
The puppets danced for a few seconds and then they disappeared. Once again, the decor changed and a puppet with a white papakha hat and a purple dress appeared singing with a Russian accent.
RUSSIAN MARRIONETTE:
Down where the Volga flows
There's a Russian rendezvous
Where me and Ivan go
But I'd rather go with you
Hey!
The puppet disappeared and suddenly four male puppets with papakha hats appeared. They danced in the style of their country while yelling 'hey'. One of those puppets hit his head with his legs. Pinocchio tried to imitate their dance. At a sudden moment, Pinocchio's foot hit his hindquarters. It made a funny knocking sound. So he tried to dance again while he kept hitting his hindquarters, it looks like he's having fun. Pinocchio then saw the puppets spinning around wildly. Then Pinocchio spun his body around while his head remained in place. Pinocchio went towards the puppets. he couldn't stop himself.
"Hey!" said Pinocchio.
Pinocchio bumped against the puppets and suddenly he got trapped, but not without finishing the song.
There are no strings on me
The audience laughed and suddenly the puppets disappeared, freeing Pinocchio while he fell on the floorboard. A papakha hat fell on Pinocchio while his nose was once again stuck in the same wooden plank. While he stood up, the wooden plank broke making it look like Pinocchio had a beard. All of a sudden, the audience cheered and threw lots of golden coins on the stage. Pinocchio just stood there.
The Baku – Disney Gang, the Fraggles and Jiminy, however, were upset because they saw how much Pinocchio was of a success.
"Wow," said James, Harpus and Luxray.
"They like him," said Jiminy .
"He's a success," said Boober.
"Gosh, maybe we were wrong," said the Male Pyroar.
Stromboli appeared on the stage and gave a few bows and of his own while holding two puppets in his arm. He even gave Pinocchio a pat on the head. Stromboli even blew a few kisses at the audience while they kept cheering. The Baku – Disney Gang, the Fraggles and Jiminy weren't sure what to think right now.
"Come on Guys. Let's go," said Yarnell.
"But...what about Pinocchio?" asked Mokey.
"Pinocchio probably doesn't need us anymore, Mokey. What does an actor want with a conscience anyway?" said Jiminy as he, the Baku – Disney Gang and the Fraggles walked away from the cheering crowd and the two carvans.