The Cat Queen 17

Chapter 17

Butch runs up to the high point of the castle, trying to escape. Upon arrival, the evil cat stops and gasps as he sees a sheer drop from where he is at. He knew he was trapped. After catching his breath, he turns and sees Angel arriving. With a vengeful look on her face, she begins to approach him. Butch realizes that he is cornered and was at Angel's mercy. That is, if the true king had any to spare.

Angel: Murderer.

Butch: Angel. Please. Please have mercy. I beg you.

Angel: You don't deserve to live.

Butch: But, Dash, I am... ah... family! It's the bad guys who are the real enemies. It was their fault! It was their idea!

What Butch doesn't know is that the Greasers had followed him and Angel up the castle, and they had been listening in. They look shocked upon hearing what he said. Then, with a look of fury and betrayal on their faces, they storm off growling.

Angel: Why should I believe you? Everything you ever told me was a lie.

Butch: (grinning nervously) Well, what are you going to do? You wouldn't kill your own uncle...?

Angel glares at the murderer for a while, before shaking her head.

Angel: No, Butch. I'm not like you, and I'll never be like you.

Butch: Oh...Angel, thank you. You are truly noble. I'll make it up to you, I promise. Tell me, how can I, ah, prove myself to you? Tell me. I mean, anything.

Angel: Run. Run away. And never return.

Butch nods and walks off as if he is doing what he is told, looking downward as he did.

Butch: Yes. Of course. As you wish...your Majesty!

Without warning, he swipes a few coals at Angel's face. Angel yells out in surprise and pain, as she uses her arms to block most of the coals reaching her eyes. This gives Butch a chance to strike. Angel brushes the coals away from her arm, just in time to catch her uncle, leaping at her, and the two began the fight.

Butch first tries an attempt to strike her head, but Angel (due to the martial arts skills that Schaeffer had taught her back in Evergreen) quickly grabs his arm and throws him to the ground behind her. Butch gets back up, breaks a stone club off of the wall of the castle, and charges at Angel, ready to bring the club down on her head.

As Butch brings the club down, Angel reaches out both of her arms to grab it. She then screeches in his face, making the adult cat very nervous.

The two enemies fight for control of the club, leading the two up the roof of the castle. Their great strength then grows too strong, resulting in the club to break. This makes Butch slip and fall down to the edge of the roof. Angel then lunges at Butch, sending both of them to a lower part of the castle roof.

Butch then clamps his jaws onto Angel's shoulder, making her punch him away into a whole row of gargoyles. This gives him the chance to hide. Angel then walks though the row of gargoyles, looking for her enemy. She sees something thought to be Butch, and smashes it, but it is just another gargoyle. Butch, who is standing in the shadows, is waiting for an opportunity to strike again. He then jumps on Angel and pins her down against a gargoyle with his clawed paw. As he holds up his other paw, ready to slash his opponent, Angel grabs a flaming torch attached to a wall, and shoves it into Butch's face. Butch meows in pain. Angel then kicks the cat out of the row of gargoyles and the two continue their fight.

They are now both at the very edge of the castle roof. Both fighters strike blows at each other, with Angel making the most damage with her own claws. Then Butch knocks Angel to the ground; she looks up and sees a roaring Butch leaping towards her through the flames. Angel narrows her eyes as she gathers the courage she needed to use Butch's own momentum against him. The true queen grabs him by the thoat, and puts her feet under his stomach at the last minute and throws the cat over the edge. She looks over as Butch continues falling until he lands at the bottom.

Butch had survived but groans as he gets up. He is covered in cuts and bruises, his teeth are broken and crooked, and he has a huge gash in the left side of his face. As he gets up, he sees three familiar figures approaching. It's the Greasers, who had arrived and were glaring viciously at him. Butch smiles, not noticing the angry looks on their faces.

Butch: Ahh, my friends...

Shriek: Excuse me? Friends? Funny. Last time I heard, he called us the enemy!

Cliff: Yeah! That's what I heard. (They turn to Lube) Lube?

Lube: (laughing) Heh-heh, real funny.

Cliff: (pounds his fists together) Get ready for a serious pounding, traitor!

They begin walking threateningly towards their former leader.

Butch: (nervously) No. L-L-L-Le-Le-Le-Le-Let me explain. No. You don't understand. No! I didn't mean for...no, no! Look, I m sorry I called you...YAAAAAAH!

It is too late for Butch to save himself as the Greasers chase after him, out of the courtyard, out of the kingdom, and into the night. Angel, watching from the cliff, smirks victoriously. That was definitely the end of her evil uncle.

Soon, rain opens up, dousing the fire. The battle is over. After Butch and his former henchmen are gone, the Anti-Toons flee the castle, every last one of them. The true queen then comes down the castle steps to greet everyone who was waiting for her. Basil bows to the teen cat who once made a fool out of him when she was younger. She smiles as she greets Jenny and Colin II, hugging them each.

Colin II: (whispers) Thank goodness, you're all right.

Jenny: Your dad would be so proud of you.

After they are done, the three turn and look up. They see Mama Odie pointing her stick towards the observation platform of the castle. Angel knows exactly what this means--now that Butch has been overthrown, she must take his place as the ruler of the Cartoon Kingdom.

Angel nods as she heads towards the castle. Before she goes up the castle staircase, she sees Bert, Ralph, and Melissa standing nearby, bowing towards her, the kitten they had raised since they first found her.

Angel: (hugs Ralph and Melissa) Thanks, guys. I couldn't have done it without you. (To Bert) Especially you, Uncle Bert. (Hugs him tightly)

Bert: (squirming) No...problem...kiddo...

The raccoons nod happily, then motioned her to go on. Angel then climbs up to where Mama Odie was waiting. Before she goes up the observation platform, Angel hugs the elderly voodoo priestess, like her father did on the day she was born. Mama Odie smiles and puts a small gold crown on the sixteen-year-old's head.

Mama Odie: It is time.

Angel turns and, very majestically with powerful music playing in the air, she begins to march up the stairs to the observation tower through the pouring rain. Everyone watches as she goes to the platform. She looks up into the sky as a hole appears in the clouds showing the stars up above. As one bright star shines briefly, Angel could hear her father's voice in the sky.

Snooper's voice: Remember...remember who you are...

Angel nods as she gains the confidence and strength she needed to do this. She then began to meow loudly, as if declaring herself the new queen of the castle and the Cartoon Kingdom, while the toon citizens cheered in praise of their new ruler.

Basil: Presenting, Her Royal Highness, Queen Angel Snooper of the Cartoon Kingdom!

Angel smiles proudly as she waves to her subjects. She then looks down at Colin II, who gives her a warm smile. Next to reuniting with her family and avenging her father's death, becoming queen has come to be one of the best moments of her lifetime.

Time has passed since Angel became queen that day. Once everyone heard that she has returned, alive and well, as the new queen, the herds returned to their own homes which has since been restored to its beautiful and peaceful self; Colin I, who had also returned, has been tearfully reunited with his wife. Two years following the coronation, Angel and Colin II were duly married, with him being crowned as the new king. And a year after that, twins were born to the young couple--a boy and a girl.

A week after the twins' birth, a horde of cartoon characters gather around the castle for a special ceremony; Colin II and Angel had wanted everyone to come for the presentation of their newborn son and daughter. They, along with Jenny, Bert, Ralph, and Melissa, are up on the rock looking down at the cheering crowd. As Basil scurries along next to them, Bert holds his paws together and does a classic victory wave, while Ralph and Melissa smile happily. As everyone makes cheers just like when Angel was born, one last song is performed.

'Till we find our place
On the path unwinding

Colin II and Angel look at each other and smile lovingly. They hug each other and kiss, rubbing noses with each other.

In the Circle
The Circle of Life

The king and queen then move aside to allow Mama Odie through to show their newborn twins: a male brown-eyed light-brown kitten and a female purple-eyed grey kitten (with the grey one possessing a tuft of blonde hair). Mama Odie lifts up both kittens to show them to their future servants as the song and story comes to an end. The Circle of Life is complete.

Circle of... Liiife

THE END!