Blabber and Company 4

Chapter 4

Bright and early the next morning, Cyril gets everyone into what looks like the Mystery Machine (only colored in an orientation of everyone's fur color), and drives downtown. On the way, as he drives, he explains things to the animals.

Cyril: Okay, fellas. Listen up and listen good. We've got two days to do or die. TC, you keep an eye on Blabber. Show him the basics of everything you guys do! I don't want to put any pressure on ya!

TC: You got it, Mr. Sneer!

Cyril: But while you go off to do what you always do, I want you to keep one thing in mind...dead men do NOT buy junk! So, big smiles, and get out there...and fetch!

At the end of this, everyone except Cyril jumps out of the van and run off. Then he drives off in the van to go on his own mission.

TC: All right. If ol' Bones doesn't see some cold, hard cash soon, we are in the doghouse. Come on. We'll start on Columbus Avenue.

Blabber: What kind of job do y'all have?

Speedy: Investment banking. Don't you ever read about us in the Herald?

Blabber: No, I don't read newspapers. Is it any good? Your job, I mean.

Bagheera: You might say we're captains of industry.

Blabber: Wow! Do you think I could fit right in?

TC: Why, sure! In fact... (to Speedy, Bagheera, and Runt) Uh, why don't you guys split? Rita and I are gonna take our little man through Street Class 101.

Speedy: Sure thing.

Speedy, Bagheera, and Runt run off, leaving Top Cat, Rita, and Blabber alone.

Blabber: (to TC) What's Street Class 101?

Top Cat: Rita and I will show you how to get around. See, kid, when you got your pals, you got all ya need.

Blabber: Really?

Top Cat: Really really.

Rita: (to Blabber) We gotta clean you up and give you some on the job training.

CUE SONG: "Streets of Gold"

RITA: (singing)
Oh, yeah!

Rita struts her way up to the edge of the curb and Blabber follows. Rita shields him from a truck passing by.

RITA: (singing)
Now listen up you got a lot to learn
And if you don't learn, you don't eat

She and Top Cat strut their way across the street as the traffic halts. Blabber follows them, but runs into a pole.

RITA: (singing)
But if you're tough and always use your head
You'll be right at home on the street

Blabber catches up with them and moves along with them.

RITA: (singing)
When you've got talent, everything is free
Watch how we do things, ooh, I guarantee

Rita and Top Cat dance across the street, halting more traffic.

RITA & TOP CAT: (singing)
You're gonna see how the best survive!
We make an art outta stayin' alive!
If you play it brave and bold
These are streets of gold!

Blabber looks on with amazement and begins to dance along with them in the same fashion, but the traffic starts moving and Blabber barely manages to avoid the moving vehicles.

Top Cat picks up Blabber and moves him to safety. Blabber breathes a sigh of relief and continues to dance along with Rita and Top Cat.

RITA & TOP CAT: (singing)
Every boulevard is a miracle mile!
You'll take the town and you'll take it with style!
If you play it brave and bold
These are streets of gold!

Top Cat: (to Rita) Yeah, you go, girl!

Rita winks at Top Cat and continues singing.

RITA: (singing)
To live from to week, you need technique
So you'll practice everyday
The only rule is you cannot get caught
Get what you can and then get away

The traffic halts at another crossing, allowing the two cats and one mouse a chance to dance in front of it.

RITA: (singing)
Remember all the places you can hide
Remember we are always on your side!

Top Cat moonwalks down the street. As Rita and Top Cat continue singing, Rita strikes a pose and begins to moonwalk on all fours! Blabber is now more amazed than ever!

RITA & TOP CAT: (singing)
You're gonna see how the best survive!
We make an art outta stayin' alive!
If you do just as you're told
These are streets of gold!

Blabber tries to moonwalk with them, but trips and falls. He manages to get up and make it across just before the traffic starts moving again.

RITA & TOP CAT: (singing)
Every boulevard is a miracle mile!
You'll take the town and you'll take it with style!

Blabber runs into a vicious cat and runs toward Top Cat and Rita for safety. Top Cat and Rita manage to rough the vicious cat up while they continue singing. The vicious cat runs away.

RITA & TOP CAT: (singing)
If you play it brave and bold
These are streets of gold!

Blabber: (to the vicious cat) Yeah, teacha to mess with us!

Top Cat and Rita laugh at Blabber's comment. Blabber smiles with satisfaction. Top Cat, Rita, and Blabber continue dancing through the city, using the same agenda with the traffic. Top Cat and Rita even repeat moonwalking.

RITA: (singing)
When you've got talent, everything is free
Watch how we do things, ooh, I guarantee

RITA & TOP CAT: (singing)
You're gonna see how the best survive!
We make an art outta stayin' alive!
If you do just as you're told
These are streets of gold!
Every boulevard is a miracle mile!
You'll take the town and you'll take it with style!
If you play it brave and bold
These are streets of gold!
You're gonna see how the best survive!
We make an art outta stayin' alive!
If you do just as you're told
These are streets of gold!
Every boulevard is a miracle mile!
You'll take the town and you'll take it with style!
If you play it brave and bold
These are streets of gold!

They repeat the chorus until Top Cat, Rita, and Blabber meet back up with Speedy, Bagheera, and Runt.

Speedy: So how'd it go?

Top Cat: Pretty cool. (to Blabber) Well, kid?

Blabber: I think I'm almost getting the hang of how you guys get around town.

Rita: (rubbing Blabber's head) Well, you're gettin' there, kid.

Blabber giggles as Rita rubs his head.

Suddenly, Top Cat spots a white limo coming up the road.

Top Cat: Hello, hello, hello. What have we here?

Speedy: El limusina! Alright!

Top Cat: Alright, guys, listen up. Runt, get a fender bender at two lights. Speedy, you take care of electronics. (hugging Rita) Rita and I will work the crowd.

Rita giggles.

Top Cat: Bagheera?

Bagheera: I know, I know.

Top Cat: (jokingly) Do we even have to say it?

Blabber: What about me? What can I do?

Top Cat: (to Blabber) You help Speedy.

Speedy: (giving Blabber an affectionate hug) Yeah, just you and me, dos ratones en el trabajo! Ol' Speedy'll show ya how it's done!

Top Cat: Ready? Go!

The group splits. Top Cat and Rita head off together toward the crowd.

Rita: What's your plan?

Top Cat: It's distraction. I'll fake an injury to attract other people, and you'll do the rest.

Rita: (nods) That's a good idea.

Top Cat: (smiling proudly) I know. Now let's do it.

Rita: Right.

Top Cat and Rita start crawling on all fours across the sidewalk until they come across a brick in a nearby alley. Top Cat picks it up and throws it at a passing vehicle, causing it to halt. Thinking fast, Top Cat quickly leaps into the street and assumes an injured position. Top Cat winks at Rita, signaling her to come to him.

Rita: Oh no, TC!

Rita rushes over to him and pretends to comfort him.

Rita: TC, you're hurt!

This draws the attention of the crowd. They come crowding around the two felines.

Rita: TC, speak to me!

Top Cat: (pretending to be hurt) Uh... what happened?

Rita: You got hit by that coming taxi. You oughta be more careful. (to the crowd) Hey, you guys, stand back so this poor guy can get some air!

The crowd starts to back up a bit as Rita carries the "injured" Top Cat over to a nearby alley, away from the crowd.

Top Cat: Man, that was real good, Rita.

Rita: Thanks, TC, and you sure know how to fake it, too.

Top Cat: Thanks.

Rita: You know, this reminds me of that day when we first met. When you found me and Runt sitting alone in a rainstorm...

Top Cat: Well, I didn't want you to suffer like that, so I had to convince Cyril to take the two of you under his wing.

Rita: Good thing you did, or we'd be stuck with just being drifters.

Top Cat: Yeah. Well, we'd better check back with the others.

Rita: I'm with ya.

They run off together, without the crowd noticing.

Meanwhile, inside the car, a 15-year-old female cat is sitting in the backseat. She has light-brown fur and long blond hair, and she is wearing a pink dress with a light-blue jacket and a white belt (with a golden buckle in the front) around her waist. A small flower with light-blue petals is nested neatly behind her ear. Her name is Angel Snooper, the oldest daughter of Super Snooper and Jenny. Sitting beside her, listening to pop music with her headphones, is a five-year-old kitten. She has grey fur, light-brown hair (with a light-blue headband on it), black eyes, and wears a small pair of light-blue jumpers over a light-green shirt. She is Lucky Snooper, Snooper and Jenny's second daughter and Angel's little sister.

A dog servant named Duckworth (Scrooge McDuck's butler/chauffeur), is driving the limo while listening to Angel reading a letter.

Angel: Oh, Duckworth, listen to this. "After a little sight-seeing, we left Paris by car for the conference in Rome on Wednesday. Angel, I'm afraid your dad and I won't be able...to make it..." (Stops reading and sighs sadly as she puts that letter down)

Duckworth: Is there anything wrong, Miss Snooper? Are your parents alright?

Angel: (sadly) Oh, nothing. They're just staying longer.

Duckworth: Oh, don't worry; I'm sure they will be home in time for your Sweet Sixteenth birthday this week.

Angel: No.

Lucky, noticing the sad look on her big sister's face, takes off her headphones and speaks to her.

Lucky: So Mommy and Daddy aren't coming back?

Angel: I'm afraid not, Lucky. They must be taking a lot of time with their second honeymoon rather than with us.

Lucky: But Daddy did promise he'd come attend my ballet recital at school on Friday.

Angel: He would...if only they'd hurry up and come back home...or there will be a not-so-Sweet Sixteenth for me.

Duckworth sighs and calmly continues to drive along until Runt rams his head into the side of the car. To Duckworth, Angel, and Lucky, it just felt as if they'd hit something.

Duckworth: Oh!

Angel: What was that?

Duckworth: I...I-I don't know! Now, d-don't be alarmed... (Accidentally honks the horn) I'll be right back.

Runt, rattled from the fender-bender, stumbles away from the car, so that Bagheera could do his part. The panther pulls off an amazingly dramatic stunt of making it look like he'd been hit by the car by laying on his back with his left paw on his chest, and his eyes looked like they were rolled back.

Lucky: What did he hit? Was it a dog?

Duckworth: Why me? Today of all days... (Gets out of the car, not noticing that Blabber and Speedy had snuck into the car)

In the driver's seat, Speedy takes the steering wheel, pretending that he is steering the car.

Speedy: Hey, check it out! "Beep Beep!" Hey, forget the others; let's take this baby to Hollywood! (Blabber chuckles)

Duckworth: What have I done? Oh, the poor thing!

Minnie Mouse: You ought to be ashamed of yourself!

Bugs Bunny: Harming that poor...

Duckworth: I-I'm sure that the panther is all right. Probably just a little stunned. (To the "dead" Bagheera) Uh...run along now, little fellow. Go on now, shoo!

Blabber: Hey, Speedy, what am I supposed to do?

Speedy: Um...uh...lookout? Oh! Be a lookout!

Blabber: Okay. (Gets into a lookout stance) I'm on it.

Speedy: And make sure it's still daylight, okay?

Blabber nods, then climbs up and looks around. He then sees the divider-window between the front and back seats begin to roll down.

Blabber: Uh, Speedy? Speedy? SPEEDY! There's something back there that you should see! Someone might see us!

Speedy: Shut up, amigo! I've only got one more wire, okay?

Blabber: Forget the stupid wire and take a look at... (Backs up, but accidentally turns the ignition on, which shocks Speedy)

Speedy: Aaaah!

Duckworth: (surprised) What's going on here?

Bagheera suddenly gets up, licks Duckworth's cheek, and leaps out of his arms and runs away.

Top Cat: Let's get out of here!

Speedy gets all shocked and goes flying out the window. He then ricochets off a street light and two garbage cans, sending a shock up the light post, which fries the bulb that hits Runt on the head, rendering him conscious again! Back in the car, Blabber has his leg tangled up in a wire.

Blabber: (struggling to free himself) Uh...a little help here? Guys? Help! (Sees Lucky looking at him and yelps) YIKES!

Lucky: (gasps) Look, Angel! There's a mouse in the car!

Angel: (looks around) Where? Where? (Sees Blabber) Oh...

Blabber: (still panicking) Cats! Don't eat me! (Cowers in fear) DON'T EAT ME!

Angel: Oh, you poor, cute little guy. (Starts to untie the wire around Blabber's leg) Here, let me help you.

Blabber: Y-you're not gonna eat me?

Angel: Of course not. Now, hold still...there you go. You're free.

Duckworth runs to the door, opens it up, and looks at Angel and Lucky, panting heavily.

Duckworth: Are you girls all right?

Angel: Yes, we're all right, Duckworth. (Looks at Blabber) But he isn't.

Meanwhile, back with the gang, they came out of their hiding places. They then notice someone missing.

Runt: Hey! Where's Blabber?

Speedy: (charred and blackened) He's still in car! (Coughs)

Rita: (gasps, watching the limo drive away) Oh, no!

Top Cat looks at the car, then at Speedy with angry eyes. The cat then grabs the mouse and shakes him like crazy.

Top Cat: (angrily) YOU LITTLE IDIOT!!! You were supposed to watch him!

Speedy: Yeah, well...it's hard to watch anything when you're getting barbecued! (Coughs again)

Rita: What are we gonna do, TC?

Top Cat: I've got an idea! Speedy, you and I will go after the mouse. The rest of you guys get back to Cyril.

The others nod, and they run off, while Top Cat and Speedy go after the car in hot pursuit.