Later that evening as the sun began to set, a crowd of adults and their children came from the village to watch Stromboli's puppet show which hadn't been seen in many years. The stage was set up for the big performance, and Annabelle was set to be the star of the night. She thought she was doing it to help Stromboli because he was friends with her father, but it was all a trick that Stromboli planned to hopefully lure Pinocchio back to him so he could capture him again. Annabelle peeked out from behind the curtain, and when she saw all the people, she started to feel nervous.
"Gosh! I didn't realize that so many people would be here." Suddenly, Stromboli appeared behind her.
"You'll do fine out there, Annabelle, my dear," He said putting his hand on her shoulder. "Just do your performance as we rehearsed. Remember that you're doing this to help me."
"Okay, mister Stromboli. I'll do my very best," Annabelle said forgetting her fears and smiled with confidence.
"Good girl," Stromboli patted her head feeling victorious that he had got Annabelle right in his clutches and soon he would have her father too. "Now then it's time to get ready. Go stand over there, and when the curtain comes up, you do your song and dance okay?"
"Okay," Annabelle did as she was told and stood in the center of the stage waiting for the show to begin. Soon, Pinocchio and Jiminy arrived at the puppet show and entered the tent. Pinocchio removed his hat fearing that Stromboli might recognize him in the crowd. Just being there brought back memories of when he performed on the stage. After waiting for a few minutes, Stromboli came out to greet the audience. The minute Pinocchio saw him he clenched his teeth angrily.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" He said in a loud booming voice. "Stromboli the master showmen! That's me. Have finally returned to give you the greatest show you have ever seen!"
"He still sounds the same as he did all those years ago," said Pinocchio.
"Unfortunately yes," Jiminy agreed. "I bet he's got Annabelle behind that curtain."
"Tonight I have an extraordinary performance!" Stromboli announced. "I have a new star marionette who can sing and dance without strings! I now present to you, Annabelle! The daughter of Pinocchio!"
"I knew it! I'm going after her Jiminy!" said Pinocchio wanting to take action.
"Hold your horses there pal! If Stromboli sees you, then he can make a quick get-away!" Jiminy stopped him.
"But Jiminy! He's got my daughter! I can't let him make into a sideshow attraction!"
"Take it easy Pinoke. We'll have to bide our time. I don't wanna see this as much as you, but we must be patient." Pinocchio knew he was right, but it hurt him emotionally that all he could do for now was sit and watch.
"Oh Annabelle, If only I hadn't sent you off on your own." He said regretting actions that morning. At last, the show began. Stromboli conducted the orchestra, and the curtains came up. There standing in the center of the stage was Annabelle. When the music played, she started to sing.
"OH! There's no pup-" but as she started, she tripped over a loose floorboard on the stage and fell flat on her face. The audience burst out laughing when they saw her trip.
"Oh no!" Pinocchio covered his face with his hand and shook his head with embarrassment.
"There she goes! Already making a fool of herself as you did!" said Jiminy reminiscing on when Pinocchio performed on the stage and fell down a staircase. Annabelle was quite embarrassed by everyone laughing at her as she picked herself up. Stromboli was not pleased with her clumsiness but reframed from exploding and blowing his cover in front of the crowd.
"Sorry, Annabelle! I thought I fixed that floorboard," He apologized. "Let's start again." Pinocchio and Jiminy were surprised Stromboli hadn't gotten angry and exploded as he usually did. He resumed conducting the orchestra, and Annabelle started singing again.
"OH! There's no puppets like show puppets like no puppets I know! Everything about them is fantastic, every little silly thing they do! Nowhere could you get a happy feeling when you see them taking that finale bow! There's no puppets like show puppets they smile when are hanging low. Even though you're of made wood you never fold, you could be standing out in the cold, still wouldn't trade it for a bag of gold, let's go on with the show!"
The audience was enjoying the show as they watched her dancing along with all the other puppets that dropped onto the stage. Pinocchio wasn't enjoying the show at all, as it only reminded him of how silly and foolish he was performing on that stage all those years ago. Annabelle was too absorbed in her performance to notice her father in the crowd. She jumped in the air kicking and spinning her wooden legs and spun around in circles whilst sing merrily and having the time of her life. As the show came to an end, she finished with one last twirl and a hop.
"Ta-da!" She shouted striking a finishing pose. The crowd began clapping their hands and applauded her. Annabelle was so happy that everyone liked her performance. "Thank you, everyone! Thank you!" She replied curtseying. Stromboli came up on stage, stood beside her and bowed to the crowds.
"I hope you all enjoyed my show tonight and our special performer," he told them. "I look forward to seeing you all again next year." As the show ended, the townspeople took their children home. Pinocchio waited till everyone had left and sneaked back inside to retrieve his daughter.
"You better be careful Pinoke!" Jiminy warned him. "Stromboli might try and capture you again."
"I'm not scared of him anymore!" Pinocchio said boldly. "Now that I'm a grown man, I can handle that old Gypsy!" Jiminy still had an unsettling feeling and hid in Pinocchio's shirt pocket. Pinocchio made his way backstage and heard Stromboli's talking and singing. He peeked through the curtain and saw him sitting at a wooden table with Annabelle and counting all the money he had made from the show.
"Did I do good Mister Stromboli?" Annabelle asked.
"You were FANTASTIC, Annabelle!" Stromboli said in a big thundering voice. "I haven't made this much money in years!"
"Does that mean you're not going to give up your show?"
"Of course not! Thanks to you my show has become famous again! Even greater than when your father performed for me!"
"I'm glad I was able to help you. I can't wait to tell daddy how good I did!" Looking at a Stromboli's watch, she realized it was past her curfew time. "I should be going home now, Mister Stromboli. I have to go to school tomorrow, and daddy wants me in bed at this time."
"School!? My dear child why would you want to go to school?"
"Because I want to learn to be smart and know right from wrong so I can be a real girl."
"A real girl! Ahahaha! Oh, that's hilarious!" Stromboli started laughing out loud.
"What's so funny mister Stromboli?" Annabelle inquired.
"You wanting to be a real girl. That's what's funny." Stromboli continued laughing hysterically.
"Why is me wanting to be a real girl funny?" Annabelle didn't understand why Stromboli thought it was so funny that she wanted to be a real girl.
"Because you're a wooden puppet and you can't become a real person!" Annabelle felt sad when he said this. Pinocchio was furious at Stromboli for lying to her and trying to crush her dream.
"But daddy was a puppet, and he became a real person," Stromboli kept laughing like he didn't believe her. "Well, I'm going to go home now. Okay?" A mean sinister look came to Stromboli's face which made Annabelle shake a little.
"You're not going anywhere, my little wooden lady!" Stromboli finally began to show his true colors and suddenly flipped the table. Annabelle fell over, and before she could escape, Stromboli seized her and lifted her up. "You're going to be my new star puppet and make me filthy rich!"
"Hey! What are you doing?! Let me go! I don't want to be a performer!" She yelled trying to break free, but the puppet master had a tight grip on her.
"You don't have a choice! In fact, I've still got your father's old cage in my caravan. That will be your new home!" Stromboli said sinisterly and started carried to his caravan outside.
"No! No! Let me go! Help! Help! Daddy!" She cried kicking and screaming. Seeing his daughter in danger, Pinocchio stepped out from his hiding place and yelled furiously at the puppet master.
"Stromboli! You get your greedy hands off her!" He shouted angrily. Stromboli turned and at first, he didn't recognize Pinocchio.
"Who are you, young man?" He inquired.
"Daddy! Help!" Annabelle cried but Stromboli covered her mouth.
"Daddy? Wait a minute..."
"It's me Pinocchio! And I'm here to get my daughter back!" He exclaimed and pointed at Annabelle.
"Well, well. It's been a long time, my old friend. I see you've grown up and you're no longer a puppet." Stromboli was surprised to see that Pinocchio wasn't wooden anymore but that didn't matter because his plan had worked.
"You haven't changed after all these years, you greedy old man! Stealing living puppets to perform for your show just like you did to me!"
"You belonged to me, Pinocchio! I bought you from Fowl fellow, and you abandoned me! Because of you, my show was ruined! Now I'm going to take this little one as payment for you deserting me!"
"I never belonged to you or Honest John! And I won't let you use my little Annabelle for your dumb puppet shows! Now let her go, or I'll call the police!"
"You won't be calling anyone. I knew you would come for your child and you walked right into my trap. Seize him!" Honest John and Gideon appeared from behind Pinocchio and grabbed his arms and his legs. He tried to shake them off, but the Fox had a firm grip on him.
"If it isn't our old pal Pinocchio! Long-time no see," said Honest who began tying Pinocchio's arms behind his back. "I see you've changed since the last time we saw you."
"Honest John! You double-crossing swindler!" Pinocchio shouted angrily. "I see you two haven't changed either!" The Fox and his partner forced their captive down on his knees.
"I knew it was a trap!" Jiminy shouted.
"Why are you all doing this? I thought you were my daddy's friends?!" asked Annabelle when she saw the Honest and Gideon tying her father up.
"You thought wrong you silly wooden girl!" said Honest laughing at her. "You're just as foolish and gullible as your father used to be."
"Now Pinocchio you're going to tell me what I want to know," said Stromboli still holding Annabelle under his left arm. "I want to know how to bring these puppets to life." Pinocchio realized if he told Stromboli about the blue fairy than he would try and capture her and force her to bring his puppets to life.
"I'll never tell you how Annabelle and I were brought to life!" He replied angrily.
"If you won't tell me, then I'll turn your precious little girl into firewood!" Stromboli picked up an ax and held it to Annabelle's neck.
"Daddy! Help me!" Annabelle screamed as the puppet master moved the blade closer to her.
"No! Please don't hurt her Stromboli!" Pinocchio begged. "I'll do whatever you want! Just let Annabelle go!"
"Then tell me how you brought her to life!" Stromboli demanded.
"Alright. I'll tell you."
"No! Don't tell him, Pinoke!" Jiminy pleaded. Outside the tent, Figgy had been tracking down Pinocchio and Jiminy after she had lost their tracks. When she made her way inside, she started looking around for the others, but she didn't see anyone. Suddenly she heard Annabelle screaming.
"That was Annabelle! She must be in trouble!" She ran to the stage and jumped onto it, and crept into the back. She saw Pinocchio pinned to the ground and Stromboli holding Annabelle ready to chop off her head. "I've got to help them!" She noticed a poll Stromboli was standing behind which was holding up the ceiling. She crept over and climbed onto it then jumped down and sunk her teeth and claws into Stromboli's face.
"Ouch!" Stromboli screamed in pain.
"It's Figgy!" Annabelle cheered. The kitten hissed and screeched and dug her claws deeper which caused Stromboli to loosen his grip and release Annabelle. She fell to the ground free at last from his clutches.
"Get it off me! Get it off me!" Stromboli shouted waving his arms and stumbling backward. Seeing Annabelle was free, Figgy jumped off the puppet master's face. "Why you meddling furball!" Stromboli began to chase her, but she was too quick for him.
"I can't just hide like this anymore! I may be weak, but I gotta help Pinoke and Annabelle!" Said Jiminy as he bravely hopped out of Pinocchio's pocket, jumped onto Honest John's nose and poked him in the eye with his umbrella.
"Agh! I can't see!" cried the fox blinded by the pain. Gideon took out his hammer and chased the cricket around trying to smash him.
"You'll never catch me whiskers!" He taunted him. While Figgy and Jiminy distracted them, Annabelle ran to her father and quickly untied his arms. Once free Pinocchio through his arms around his daughter.
"Oh, my princess! Thank goodness your safe!" Pinocchio said with relief.
"I'm ok Daddy!" she replied hugging her father.
"Pinocchio! Help! Woo-hoo!" Jiminy yelled narrowly avoiding being smashed by Gideon. Pinocchio ran over, grabbed the hammer from Gideon and struck his head knocking him out.
"Pick on someone your own size you big bully!" Pinocchio shouted at him, and throw the hammer on the ground.
"Annabelle! Help me!" Figgy yelled narrowly avoiding being grabbed by Stromboli. She ran towards Annabelle and leaped into her arms.
"Fowl fellow! Grab them!" Stromboli called to Honest John. They both attempted to grab Annabelle but she ducked under Stromboli's legs, and the two collided with each other. Annabelle ran to Pinocchio, and he scooped her up.
"Let's get outta here!" said Jiminy hopping into Pinocchio's pocket. Pinocchio then started to run for the exit.
"Oh no, you don't! I'm not letting you escape me again Pinocchio!" Stromboli got to his feet and started to chase after them. Pinocchio turned around and kicked the supporting pole holding up the tent, and it started to collapse. "Noooo!" Stromboli yelled as the entire tent came down on top of him.
"Phew! That was close!" said Jiminy breathing a sigh of relief. "Good thinking Pinoke!"
"We better get out of here before they crawl out," said Pinocchio and started running away leaving the villains buried under the tent.
End of Chapter 7