The next day, Annabelle and Jiminy ventured back to the circus after learning that Honest John and Gideon were working for Olivia's father. They were sure the cons were up to no good again. Though Honest claimed he and his partner had changed their ways for good, Jiminy didn't believe him. They searched around till they found the hobo fox and cat bringing crates into the big tent.
"There they are, Jiminy!" Annabelle pointed to them. She quietly followed them, ducked behind the entrance and peeked inside. Honest and Gideon were helping to set up props for the show. "Doesn't seem like their doing anything wrong."
"Not yet, Annabelle," Jiminy stated. "If I know those two, their definitely up to something." Just then Annabelle heard someone approaching and turned around to see Olivia.
"Annabelle! What are you doing here?" Olivia asked surprised to see her standing by the entrance to the tent.
"Olivia! I...uh...I wasn't doing anything!" She blurted out. Upon saying this, her nose sparkled and grew a few inches.
"Annabelle! Did your nose get bigger?" Olivia was bewildered when she saw the puppet girl's nose grow.
"Uh...no?" She answered nervously causing her nose to grow again with a small leaf popping up.
"Annabelle! Your lying again! Relax, and tell her the truth." Jiminy told her. Annabelle quickly calmed herself and looked at Olivia.
"I'm sorry, Olivia. I wasn't telling the truth. When I get nervous, I lie and nose gets bigger." Having told the truth her nose became its normal size again. Annabelle sighed with relief.
"That's alright, Annabelle, I didn't mean to make you nervous. I just wanted to know what you are doing here." Olivia inquired.
"Jiminy and I were keeping an eye on Mister Honest John and Gideon to make sure they're not doing anything bad," Annabelle explained.
"I see. Well, after you told me they were criminals, I've been keeping an eye on them myself. I noticed they were carrying a few boxes away from the Circus and though they might be up to something."
"Annabelle! They're coming! Hide!" Jiminy shouted. Annabelle and Olivia both hide as Honest, and Gideon walked came out of the tent and started walking away. The girls followed the Fox and Cat to a familiar-looking caravan that parked away from the Circus grounds.
"Isn't that Mister Stromboli's wagon, Jiminy?" Annabelle asked.
"It sure is, Annabelle," Jiminy nodded. "But I thought it confiscated by the police after Stromboli was arrested."
"That's the caravan they show up in a week ago, and my dad hired them," Olivia explained.
"I'll bet they stole it to get away from the police, those slippery crooks!" Jiminy and the girls slowly approached the back entrance to the caravan and noticed the door was left open. They climbed inside but Honest and Gideon were no were to be seen.
"They're not in here, Jiminy! Where could they be?" Annabelle wondered looking around the room. Olivia noticed a few crates in the corner. She opened them and inside were a bunch of clothes, hats, and shoes, and another box was filled with food.
"Annabelle! These are our costumes and food for the animals! They've been stealing from us the whole time!" Olivia exclaimed angrily.
"But what are they planning to do with all this stuff?" Suddenly, everyone was startled when they heard the door slam shut. Before Annabelle and Olivia knew what was happening, Honest and Gideon appeared and grabbed them. The cons then threw the girls into a large animal cage.
"Ha-ha! You little snoops fell right into our trap!" Laughed Honest John, locking the cage.
"Honest! What do you think you are doing?" Annabelle shouted angrily.
"Let us out of this cage you thieves!" Olivia demanded.
"I'm afraid you ladies aren't going anywhere!" Honest grinned wickedly. "We can't have you telling anyone about our plans."
"Jiminy was right! You two haven't changed at all!" Annabelle shouted at them.
"What are you crooks planning? Why have you been taking our supplies?" Olivia asked.
"If you must know, Miss Olivia. Gideon and I =took those supplies to lure you here and make you our hostage. We're going to use you as leverage for our plans to take over your father's circus!" Honest shared his evil scheme.
"My papa will never give our circus to you! He'll call the police, and you'll both go to jail!" Olivia told them.
"I don't think so! Not unless he wants you back unharmed!" Honest said sinisterly.
"But What do you need me for?" Annabelle asked.
"You're going to be our star performer, Annabelle. Folks will flock to see a live puppet perform in a circus!"
"No, I won't you mean greedy fox! My daddy and my friends will come looking for me, and you'll be sorry!"
"Hahaha! No one is going to find you in here, my dear. By the time Pinocchio or anyone comes looking for you, we will be long gone! You belong to us now, so get used to being in there!" Annabelle grew worried at the thought of being forces to work for the cons.
"How can you be so mean and selfish?" Olivia asked.
"Well, that shows you how low Honest John will stoop! Right, Giddy?" Gideon nodded his head in agreement. "Now if you'll excuse us, Gideon and I have work to do." Honest and Gideon walked outside leaving their prisoners locked in the cage. Annabelle was frightened as the room fell dark and silent but was trying to be brave for her friend. Jiminy soon emerged from Annabelle's pocket.
"So that was their plan along! I knew those crooks were up to no good!" Jiminy said angrily.
"This is not good," Olivia said nervously. "Those criminals are going to force papa to sell them our circus. We'll be out of showbiz and be homeless!"
"Its all my fault," Annabelle frowned sadly. "I'm sorry, Olivia. If we hadn't been spying on Honest and Gideon, we wouldn't have been caught and lock up."
"No, Annabelle! It's not your fault," Olivia told her. "If you hadn't suggested we follow them here, we would never learn what they were planning. We have to find a way out of here!"
"But how, Olivia We've locked it! We're tried in here!" Olivia looked at Jiminy and got an idea.
"Hey, Jiminy! You're small enough to get out. Can you pick the lock?" She asked.
"I'm afraid not, Olivia," Jiminy shook his head. "I tried that once when I attempted to free my pal Pinocchio from a cage that Stromboli locked him in and I failed to unlock it."
"Then we're stuck in here," Annabelle looked like she was about to cry. "I'll never see my daddy or friends again."
"Don't think that, Annabelle!" Said Olivia putting her hand on Annabelle's shoulder. "We'll find a way out of here somehow. I promise."
"I already have a plan," Jiminy stated. "I'm going to slip out through the door and go get help. You girls sit tight till then, Alright?"
"Ok. Please hurry, Jiminy." Annabelle begged him. The cricket hopped down to the floor and squeezed under the door. Once outside He then started running back to town to get help. Being as small as he was, it took Jiminy nearly an hour to get back to town. At first, he thought about getting Pinocchio, but then he spotted Alex and Toby walking together and hopped over to them.
"ALEX! TOBY!" He cried out loud.
"Hey! It's Jiminy!" Alex stated. As he approached, Alex kneeled down, held out her hand and Jiminy jumped into her palm.
"What's the matter, Jiminy?" Toby asked.
"Annabelle is in trouble again!" Jiminy told them. "Honest John and Gideon captured her and Olivia and are holding them as hostages to persuade the ringmaster to turn over his circus to them!"
"Oh no! Poor Annie, and Olivia," Alex said worryingly.
"Those rotten crooks! We have to save Annabelle!" Toby said determinedly.
"What should we do, Jiminy?" Alex asked.
"One of you needs to go tell Pinocchio about Annabelle so he can tell the police. The other will have come with me to help free the girls!" Jiminy instructed them.
"I'll go with you, Jiminy," Toby insisted. "Alex, you go get Annabelle's dad and police!"
"Ok, Toby. You two be careful!" Alex started running get Pinocchio while Jiminy led Toby back to where the girls were being locked up. Back in the caravan, Annabelle and Olivia were sitting in the cage waiting for Jiminy to return with help. An hour had passed, and Annabelle was getting worried.
"I hope Jiminy's return soon," she said feeling frightened. "I don't like being in this cage!"
"There's gotta be a way to escape this cage," Olivia looked around the room and noticed something. "Annabelle! Look! A key!" Annabelle looked and saw a key hanging on a nail by the door. "If we can get it, maybe we can get out of this!"
"But how can we reach it? It's too far away." Olivia then remembered something about Annabelle that might help them escape.
"I think we can reach it. You said that your nose grows when you lie, Right? Well, if you can make it grow long enough, we can reach that key and free ourselves!" Annabelle looked at her nose and didn't like Olivia's plan.
"I can't lie, Olivia! I promised daddy and Jiminy I wouldn't tell lies!" Annabelle explained.
"Please, Annabelle! If we don't get out of here, my family will lose our circus to those crooks!" Olivia pleaded. Annabelle didn't want to make her nose grow, but knowing that Olivia's circus was in trouble, she would have done something she didn't want to do to free herself and her friend. She stood up, started thinking of things to say.
"Alright, here goes. I don't like animals!" She said loudly. When she did, her nose sparkled and grew a few inches. "I love to play hookey from school!" She continued to lie, causing her nose to grow again. "The color of my dress is green!" Annabelle told lie after lie until her nose stretched across the room and was long enough to reach the key. The puppet girl used her hands to move her nose like a broom handle to lift up the key. "I got it, Olivia!"
"Great job, Annabelle! Now bring your nose back down again." Olivia instructed.
"I love animals! I don't like playing hooky from school, and my dress is blue!" She said truthfully, and her nose is growing shorter. Once her nose had returned to normal, Olivia grabbed the key and used it to unlock the cage.
"We're free!" The girls cheered happily hopping down and running for the door. But their relief was cut short when they realized the door wouldn't open.
"Oh no! Honest must have locked the door shut from the outside!" Said Olivia.
"Now how are we going to get out of here?" Annabelle said worryingly. Just then, they heard a familiar voice from outside.
"Annabelle! Annabelle! Are you in there?" Said a voice outside that Annabelle recognized.
"Toby? Toby! Is that you out there?" Annabelle grew excited hearing had come to rescue her.
"Yes, Annabelle. It's me! Are you girls alright?" Toby asked.
"The door is bolted from the outside! We can't get out!" Olivia told him. Toby lifted the board off the door and opened the door. Annabelle was thrilled to see her friend and threw her arms around him.
"Thank you, Toby! Thank you for rescuing us!" She thanked him. A warm fuzzy feeling entered Toby's heart as the puppet girl hugged him.
"I'm just glad you're alright, Annabelle," Toby said with a smile and hugged her back. Olivia could tell this boy had feelings for Annabelle by the way he was smiling and holding her.
"Wait, where's Jiminy?" No soon had Annabelle asked, she noticed the cricket standing on the boy's shoulder.
"I'm right here, Annabelle. How did you girls escape that cage?" Jiminy asked.
"I had to tell a few lies to grow my nose so we could reach the key to free Olivia and myself from the cage, Jiminy. I'm sorry." Annabelle said feeling ashamed of herself for having to tell so many lies.
"That's alright, Annabelle," said Jiminy hopping onto the puppet girl's nose. "You did what you had to do to save Olivia. I'm sure Pinocchio will understand. But right now we have to get back to the circus and stop those swindlers!"
"Did you call the police?" Olivia asked.
"Alex went to get Pinocchio and the police," Toby explained. "They should be on their way."
"Come on, everyone! We have to save Olivia's circus from those bad men!" Annabelle started running, and Toby and Olivia followed her. It was dark by the time the group arrived at the circus. They made their way to the big tent and peeked inside. Honest John and Gideon were talking with the ringmaster and his wife.
"They are probably trying to persuade them to give up the circus in exchange for me!" Olivia added.
"We have to stop them!" Said Annabelle wanting to charge inside.
"Hold on there, Annabelle!" Jiminy stopped her. "If we charge in, then Honest John and Gideon will make a quick escape!"
"But Jiminy, We-"
"He's right, Annabelle," Toby agreed. "We have to think of a plan to hold them until the police get here." The group pondered on what to do when Annabelle got an idea.
"I know! We can get the animals to help!" Annabelle suggested.
"The animals? How can they help us?" Olivia asked not understanding the puppet girl's plan.
"I can talk to the animals and ask them to help us catch Honest and Gideon," Annabelle explained her to the others.
"What do you think, Jiminy?" Toby asked.
"If Annabelle can use her communication powers to convince the animals to listen to her, its worth a try I suppose." Jiminy agreed. Olivia led them to the tent where the animals were kept in their pens and cages. Annabelle explained the situation to Chester and other animals and to Olivia's surprise the lions, tigers, bears, monkeys, and elephants agreed to help them. The kids started freeing the animals, and they all lined up together.
"Alright, everyone! Let's save the circus!" Annabelle led the way, and the animals followed behind her.
"Wow! She's good at getting animals to listen to her!" Olivia stated.
"That kid is full of surprises. She's brave and confident. Just like her father." Jiminy smiled proudly. Inside the big tent, Honest and Gideon were negotiating with the girl master and his wife.
"What have you done with our daughter, Foul Fellow?" The ringmaster demanded angrily.
"She's safe and sound in our caravan, Mister Roberto," Honest assured him. "If you want her back, then all you have to do is sign this contract and turn your circus over to us."
"We'll never sell our circus to a couple of con artists like you two!" Said Lady Claire.
"Then you'll never see your precious daughter again, right Giddy?" Gideon took out a little rag doll that looked like Olivia, placed it on the ground and smashed it with his hammer.
"Alright! Olivia is worth more to us than our circus!" Honest smiled victoriously. He knew the ringmaster and his wife would do anything to get their daughter back and now he had them where he wanted them.
"Good choice. Now then, if you'll just sign here on the dotted line." The fox handed the contract to mister Roberto, but right when he was about to sign, a voice called out.
"Hold it right there, Honest John!" Everyone turned to see Annabelle standing by the entrance along with Olivia and Toby.
"Don't sign that contract, Papa!" Olivia yelled to her father.
"Olivia! You're safe!" Lady Claire said with relief seeing her daughter unharmed.
"WHAT!?" Honest shouted in surprise. "How did you brats escape from our caravan?"
"My friend Toby here came and set us free," Annabelle replied.
"The police are on their way, Fowl Fellow!" Olivia told them. "Give yourselves up!" Realizing their plans had been foiled, Honest and Gideon made a run for the exit.
"Stop those crooks!" Mister Roberto shouted. When Honest and Gideon exited outside they found their escape route blocked by the Lions, Tigers, Bears, elephants, and monkeys.
"Where did all these animals come from?" said Honest. The fox and cat cowered at the sight of the angry beasts.
"Alright, gang, let's get those bad animal men!" said Chester the monkey, and the other animals all charged. Honest and Gideon panicked ran for their lives. The animals chased them around the Cirus grounds. The turned a corner and ran straight into an open animal cage. Toby and Olivia appeared and the closed the door trapping the fox and cat inside.
"Ha! You crooks ran right into our trap!" Toby laughed in triumph. Annabelle and the other came out and gathered around the cage.
"I can't believe this!" Honest grumbled, "No one has ever caught us before!"
"Now you two know how it feels to be locked up!" Annabelle stated.
"Curses!" Honest groaned. "Foiled by a wooden puppet and a bunch of circus animals!"
"I never thought I'd see the day these two clowns finally got caught," Jiminy stated.
"Thanks for helping us capture these two crooks, everyone," Annabelle thanked the animals.
"We're glad to help you, Miss Annabelle," The animals gathered around the puppet girl and she gave them all a friendly hug. The circus workers then escorted the animals back to their pens. Soon Pinocchio and Alex arrived with the police led by Mister Gendarme.
"Annabelle!" Pinocchio shouted and Annabelle flew into his arms. "I was so worried! Are you and Jiminy alright?"
"I'm alright, Daddy," Annabelle replied.
"Me too, Pinoke," Jiminy added.
"When Alex told me Honest John and Gideon had captured you both, I was afraid I'd lose you both."
"I was afraid too, Daddy. But Toby rescued me and Olivia and we caught mister Honest and Gideon." Pinocchio looked at Toby and smiled.
"I can't thank you enough for rescuing my little girl, Tobias." Pinocchio smiled at the boy.
"Just looking out for Annabelle like I promised, Mister Pinocchio sir," Toby replied.
"I'm glad your safe too, Annie," Said Alex giving her friend a hug. They all turned around to see Honest and Gideon being escorted into a wagon by the police. Mister Gendarme walked up to Annabelle and smiled proudly.
"Thank you, little puppet girl, for helping us capture these elusive criminals. We've been hunting them for fifteen years, and now they going to jail where they belong."
"You're welcome, Mister Policeman," Annabelle smiled back at him. She then watched as the police handcuffed the fox and Cat and led them back to town in a carriage.
"Glad to see those two finally getting what they deserve after all these years, eh, Pinoke?" Jiminy asked hopping onto Pinocchio's shoulder.
"Me too, Jiminy," Pinocchio agreed watching the police take the fox and cat away. After they left Olivia walked over accompanied by her parents.
"Miss Annabelle, we can't you enough for saving not only our daughter and our circus as well." said the Ringmaster. "We are truly grateful."
"Yes, Thank, you little puppet girl," Lady Claire said with a smile. "And your little friends too."
"Your welcome mister Roberto and miss Claire," Annabelle replied happily. "Olivia is my friend, and I do anything to help my friends." Olivia walked over and gave her a hug.
"Thank you, Annabelle," she said with a smile.
"I'm very proud of you Annabelle, for helping these people," Pinocchio stated.
"You have an amazing daughter, Mister Pinocchio sir," said the ringmaster. "If it weren't for her, we might have lost everything including our little Olivia."
"Your very welcome, Mister Roberto," Pinocchio replied. "But we'd better be getting these kids home now. Their parents are probably worried about them."
"We hope you'll all come to see our circus tomorrow, Annabelle," Olivia stated.
"We sure will, Olivia," Pinocchio started leading the children back to the village. Upon returning to the workshop, Annabelle and Jiminy explained to Pinocchio everything that happened at the circus.
"Thanks for looking out for Annabelle, Jiminy," said Pinocchio.
"It's my job, Pinoke," Jiminy stated.
"I'm sorry not telling you about mister Honest John and Gideon, Daddy," Annabelle said hugging her father. "When I was in that cage I was scared I wouldn't see you again."
"Don't worry, Princess, they're in jail now, and will never both us or anyone ever again," Pinocchio said picking her up.
"Can we still go to the circus with Alex, Toby, and miss Juliana tomorrow?"
"Of course we can," Pinocchio said with a smile.
The next evening, Pinocchio, Annabelle, and Jiminy met up with Juliana, Alex, Toby, Claudia, and Roman and all of them walked to circus along with everyone else in the village. When they arrived, they bought some cotton and popcorn and sat in the front row and waited for the show to start. After all the guests had arrived, Mister Roberto came out and stood in the center of the tent.
"Ladies, and Gentlemen, boys, and girls!" He said loudly. "Welcome to the greatest circus in the world! Tonight we'll be showing you the most amazing performances you won't see anywhere else in the world! And so without rather a due, let begin our show!" The show started with the clowns coming out and performing silly stunts that made everyone laugh. Mister Fred the strongman demonstrated his strength by lifting heavy barbells, and then the animal trainers had the lions, tigers, and bears jumping through rings of fire and leaping over obstacles. Next up were Lady Claire and the acrobats walking on tight ropes and swinging from handlebars. The audience cheered with amazement at the performances. For the last act, Olivia came out riding a unicycle with her monkey Chester on her shoulder. Annabelle and her friends watched with excitement as their friends rode her unicycle up a tight rope and onto a high wire above a pool of water. She rode back and forth playing her music box while Chester juggled five red balls while doing summersaults.
"How is she doing that?" Annabelle asked looking up at her friend.
"She must be very talented," Jiminy stated.
"I hope she doesn't fall," Alex said worryingly.
Suddenly Olivia stopped peddling and started to wobble and it looked like she was about to fall off. To everyone's astonishment, she jumped off and right as the unicycle fell down into the pool and she opened an umbrella and gently floated down to the ground.
"Wow! That was super cool!" Annabelle exclaimed. Pinocchio and the others applauded as the Olivia bowed to the audience. Her parents joined her and raised their hands.
"We hope you enjoyed our show!" Said the ringmaster.
"Thank you all for coming, and we look forward to performing here again next year!" Added lady Claire. After the show ended, everyone exited the tent and started walking back to the village.
"Did you kids have fun?" Pinocchio asked.
"We sure did, Daddy," Annabelle replied happily.
"That was a wonderful show, wasn't it mom?" Alex asked her mother.
"It certainly was, dear," Juliana smiled.
"We enjoyed it as well, didn't we boys?" Claudia asked her husband and son. Roman and Toby both nodded in agreement.
"We should all be getting home now, it's getting late and you kids have school tomorrow," Jiminy stated.
"Jiminy's right. Come on everyone." Pinocchio led everyone back to town and after everyone went their separate ways home, returned to the workshop. Annabelle was still a bit excited from the circus but eventually became tired and fell asleep. When Annabelle, Alex, and Toby came back the next day, the big tent was being taken down and everything was being loaded into the wagons. They looked around until they found Olivia and Chester.
"Olivia, are you leaving?" Annabelle asked.
"That's right, Annabelle," Olivia stated. "It's time to move on to the next town." Annabelle felt sad hearing that her friend would be leaving.
"Aw, I wish you could stay longer," she said frowned sadly. "I liked hanging out with you and we loved your act last night."
"I liked hanging out with you too," Olivia agreed. "You guys are the first friends I've had outside of the circus. But I have to go where my family goes."
"It was great meeting you, Olivia," said Alex.
"We really enjoyed your circus," Toby added. Annabelle walked up to Olivia and gave her a hug.
"I'll miss you, Olivia." Annabelle started to cry a little.
"I'll miss you too, Annabelle," Olivia replied. "I can't thank you enough for saving my circus. But don't feel sad, we'll be back again next year." Annabelle smiled upon hearing this.
"Ok. Maybe when you come back and visit, I'll be a real girl like you." Annabelle smiled.
"Here, I want you to have this to remember me by." Olivia removed a red, gold, and green beaded necklace she was wearing and handed it to Annabelle.
"Thanks, Olivia, I love it." Annabelle accepted the gift and put it on.
"Olivia! It's time to go!" Lady Claire called out to her.
"Alright, mama!" Olivia replied then returned to her friends. "Goodbye, Annabelle, Alex, and Toby. I'miss you all."
"Goodbye, Annabelle," said Chester waving his hand. "The other animals and I will miss you too."
"I'll miss you guys too, Chester," Annabelle replied happily. "Tell the animals I look forward to seeing them again."
"I sure will." The monkey nodded.
"Bye, everyone." Olivia bid farewell to everyone and walked away climbing into the big wagon with her parents. Annabelle and her friends went to the top of the hill and watched as the circus wagons drove off into the distance. Annabelle still felt a little sad seeing her new friends leave. But she looked forward to the day the circus returned.
End of Chapter 20
