Post by alphawolfbraver on Jun 5, 2021 13:09:06 GMT -5
101 Dalmatians (alphawolfbraver version)
Chapter 5: The Twilight Bark
The chapter opens with an internet news report six weeks later.
CRUELLA (reading the news on her phone): Dognapping… can you imagine such a thing? 15 puppies stolen. They are darling little things~ (she breathes her green smoke at it): Anita and her… and her bashful Beethoven! Rupert, you are a fool! (laughs wickedly before her phone suddenly starts ringing; she answers): Hello? (on the other end is Jasper): Jasper… Jasper, you idiot! How dare you call here?
JASPER (Via the video call): Now, look here! We don’t want no more of this! We want our boodle! We’ll settle for half!
CRUELLA: You won’t get so much as a penny until the job is done!
HORACE (Holding his phone, showing the article): Jasper! Jasper!
JASPER: It’s on the bloomin’ internet! Pictures and all!
CRUELLA: Hang the internet! It’ll be forgotten tomorrow!
SAUL: Uh, actually, things posted on the internet tend to have quite an enduring memory.
CRUELLA: Shut it, Saul! I mean, who’s going to care about more than one stupid puppy?
HORACE: I don’t like it, Jasper. I just don’t--
JASPER: Ah, shut up, you idiot!
CRUELLA (Hearing Jasper’s voice): WHAT?!
JASPER: Oh no, I meant Horace here!
CRUELLA: Why, you imbecile! (she hangs up while also slamming her phone on her nightstand, somehow not cracking her screen): The incompetent men I have to work with.
SAUL: Cruella, I’m beginning to have misgivings about this myself.
CRUELLA: Come now, Saul, darling. If we play our cards right, we’ll be on Easy Street.
SAUL: That’s what you said about the dead Siberian tiger we poached from the zoo. We only got our names cleared by the skin of our teeth.
CRUELLA: Yes, but, the only difference is these are puppies. Insignificant ones at that. They’re only valuable because of their spots.
SAUL: All the same, Scotland Yard will soon catch on and have us locked up.
CRUELLA: IF they catch us, that is.
SAUL: We can’t evade them indefinitely.
CRUELLA: Not to worry. I know just what to do.
SAUL (As she dials a number): That’s what I’m afraid of.
At the Dearly house, Cobalt is still looking rather sad. Caramel sees her distressed son and comforts him.
CARAMEL: The humans are doing all they can, Cobalt. We must be patient.
Suddenly, Anita’s phone vibrates. She answers in a panic.
ANITA: Hello?
CRUELLA: Anita, darling! I just heard about what happened and I wanted to offer my condolences. I know I had said I was through with you, but, I couldn’t stay mad when I heard you’re in distress.
ANITA: Roger suspects you had something to do with that.
CRUELLA: Wha~t? Oh, when I said I was going to get even, I was only bluffing. I wasn’t thinking straight and I tend to say things I don’t mean when I’m flustered.
ANITA: The fact that you tried to pay for them when they were less than a day old despite us saying they weren’t for sale tells another story.
Nearby, Pongo was giving Perdita some comforting licks as they listened in on what Anita was saying.
ROGER: Who is it?
ANTIA (Taking the phone away from her ear and covering the speaker): Take a guess.
ROGER: Cruella.
ANITA: Got it in one.
ROGER: Is she calling to confess?
ANITA: She’s trying to cover her tracks, I’m certain of it.
Pongo and Perdita looked over at the phone and wished they could growl into it, but, knew it would be best for their humans to sort it out.
ROGER: I wouldn’t put it past her. She may not have a lot of common sense, but, she’s a sly one. I wouldn’t be surprised if she hired someone to swipe the puppies for her just to divert suspicion from herself.
COBALT (Whispers to his mother): Roger’s got a point. It wasn’t Cruella that stole the puppies, it was two random men. I got a good look at them and even bit one of them on the hand.
CARAMEL: Normally, that wouldn’t be acceptable, but, in the case of protecting your brothers and sisters… I’m very proud of you.
COBALT: I just wish it had been good enough.
PERDITA: We shall figure out a way to get our puppies back, dear. (sigh): I just wish I knew how…
PONGO: I may have an idea.
CARAMEL: What is your idea, Pongo?
PONGO: The Twilight Bark.
PERDITA: The Twilight Bark? But, dear, that’s just a gossip chain.
PONGO: It’s the fastest way to spread the news across London. If our puppies are anywhere in the city, the London dogs will know.
COBALT: If they even ARE in London. Scotland Yard couldn’t locate the signals of the tracking chips in their collars.
PERDITA: That may be so, young Cobalt. But, we dogs do have stronger senses of hearing and smell than our pets do. So, the other dogs may find out information Scotland Yard may have overlooked.
COBALT (Considering this): Hmm. That’s true. Mother, if it’s all the same to you, I would like to help spread the word.
PONGO: You are a bit young to go on the, ahem, w-a-l-k, Cobalt. But, what you could do is go out to the garden and alert the dogs in the local area.
COBALT: I’ll do everything within my ability to get your puppies back. I never got to know my brothers or sisters, but, your puppies gave me an idea of what a sibling bond can be. Not only that, but, they accepted me for who I am. For that, I’ll always fight for them!
CARAMEL: That’s my boy. While we’re out tonight, we’ll be listening out for your message, too.
Later, the Dearlys, Nanny Florence, and the adult dogs are out on a hill.
PONGO (Whispers): Ready, you two?
CARAMEL: As I’ll ever be.
PERDITA: Me, too.
The three dogs stood on different sides of the hill and gave short, clear barks which echoed all over the neighborhood. They all listen for a response when Pongo’s ears perk.
PONGO: Perdy, Caramel, we’re in luck. It’s the Great Dane at Hampstead.
Pongo barks back in response.
ROGOR: Pongo, what are you up to?
ANITA: Dear, let him. I think he’s trying to get information on his missing children and so are Perdy and Caramel.
ROGER: But, what can they do that Scotland Yard hasn’t been able to?
NANNY FLORENCE: Dogs are very intelligent creatures. You’d be surprised what they can do. Why, I’ve seen little Cobalt open a book and look at what’s written in them while making subtle expressions that show that they make sense to him.
ROGER: Well, if you both feel that way, let’s let the dogs go about this.
At Hampstead, a large Great Dane is seen listening intently to distant barking. He gave a nod to himself, when a much smaller terrier dog rushed over to him.
TERRIER: Danny, what is it? Who’s on the telebark?
DANNY: It’s Pongo, Regent’s Park. It’s an all-dog alert, Scottie.
Scottie’s ears prick up at the frantic barking of Pongo.
SCOTTIE: Fifteen puppies, stolen?! Have they called the police or Scotland Yard?
DANNY: Seeing as they’re resorting to the Twilight Bark, it stands to reason that the humans have tried everything they could. It’s up to us now.
SCOTTIE: I’ll sound the alert.
Scottie uses the same bark that Pongo, Perdita, and Caramel used in the park and Danny quickly follows suit. The message drifted over to other dogs in the neighborhood, from a Scottish terrier that relays it through a drainage pipe to the Afghan Hound seen earlier.
AFGHAN HOUND (Gasps): Dalmatian puppies stolen?
She rushes to a nearby window and starts to give the alert.
OWNER: Prissy, what is going on? Don’t you know it’s late?
The message carried out to a local pet store, where a bulldog, several other puppies, and a pekingese get hold of it and pass it onto the poodle, also seen earlier on.
POODLE: Oh gracious!
She leaps onto the top of the limousine to spread the word.
OWNER: Coco, get down from there!
Coco ignores her owner and continues to spread the word. Within minutes, all of London is polluted by the sound of dogs barking and most of the humans grow annoyed by this, protesting in vain for the dogs to stop. Soon enough, word reaches the countryside. An old bloodhound was relaxing on a hillside with a goose nearby when the former’s ears prick up at the sound of barking.
GOOSE: Towser, what’s going on, what’s all the gossip?
TOWSER: T’ain’t no gossip, Lucy. It be all the way from London.
LUCY (Gasps): You don’t say.
TOWSER: 15 puppies stolen.
LUCY: But, there’s no puppies around here, not since Nellie’s last litter and they’ve all grown up.
TOWSER: According to the barks, they be Dalmatian puppies.
LUCY: Goodness me. The poor parents must be worried sick.
TOWSER: It’ll be up to me to reach the Colonel. He be the only one in barking range.
LUCY: You’ll never reach him at this hour. Even if you do, his hearing isn’t what it used to be.
TOWSER: I’ve got to try. I’ll bark all night if I have to.
Taking a deep breath, Towser barked out the alert, which carried across the night air. Down at a farm in the distance, a horse was fast asleep when he heard the barking.
HORSE (Yawns): What in the name of- huh? An alert. It’s Towser. (he turned his head to a pair of sleeping cats on his back, one tom and one molly): Sergeant Tibbs, Lieutenant Willow. Wake up, please.
LIEUTENANT WILLOW (Yawns): Five more minutes, Captain…
The horse, now identified as Captain, neighs loudly, waking the cats.
SERGEANT TIBBS (Jumping to his feet as Willow did the same): We’re up, Captain, we’re up.
CAPTAIN: Good. Now, there’s a barking signal. Report to the Colonel at once.
LIEUTENANT WILLOW: Right away, sir!
Both cats rushed off to find the fourth member of their team.
LIEUTENANT WILLOW: He’s probably in the hay again, Tibbs. Watch your step.
SERGEANT TIBBS: Right, Willow. Don’t want a repeat of last week…
Suddenly, a sheepdog poked his head out from the hay, confirming the cats’ suspicions.
COLONEL: Who goes there?
LIEUTENANT WILLOW: Lieutenant Willow and Sergeant Tibbs reporting, sir.
COLONEL: Willow? Tibbs? Oh, yes, Lieutenant Willow and Sergeant Tibbs.
SERGEANT TIBBS: Yes, sir. We’re reporting here at this hour because there’s a barking signal.
COLONEL: An alert? Well, we’d best look into it. On the double, you two. On the double.
SERGEANT TIBBS/LIEUTENANT WILLOW: Yes, sir.
The dog and cats go to rejoin Captain at his stable door.
CAPTAIN: It’s old Towser down at Withermarsh, sir.
COLONEL: By jove, yes! So it is. Well, I’ll have to see what the message is. (he barks a reply to Towser and listens closely): Sounds like a number. Hmm, three fives. That’s 13.
LIEUTENANT WILLOW: That’s 15, sir.
COLONEL: Er, yes. (hearing the message): Dot… spot… spotted puddings. Poodles… no, no, puddles!
CAPTAIN (Confused): Puddles, sir?
LIEUTENANT WILLOW: Perhaps you should double-check, sir. All due respect, your hearing isn’t what it used to be.
COLONEL (Sigh): I suppose you’re right, lieutenant. (he barks again to double check. Towser’s bark then echoes back). Let’s see… two woofs, one yip, and a woof. Actually, that’s… puppies.
SERGEANT TIBBS: 15 stolen spotted puppies?! Oh, those poor parents…
LIEUTENANT WILLOW: How dare someone steal those innocent little ones. And I thought that molly who sometimes visits us had it rough with her constantly losing her newborn kittens…
COLONEL: Indeed, it is a sad state of affairs and we must take action.
SERGEANT TIBBS: Pardon me, sir, but, I just remembered something. Two days past, I heard puppy barking over at Hell Hall.
LIEUTENANT WILLOW: I can confirm this, Colonel.
COLONEL: Well, we’d better investigate. I’ll send a barking signal to Towser to stand by.
He barks a message that manages to reach Towser.
TOWSER: Stand… by…
LUCY: What do you suppose it means?
TOWSER: Perhaps the old boy’s found something.
Meanwhile, Colonel, Willow, and Tibbs are walking along the fence marking Hell Hall’s boundaries.
COLONEL: Some say that this place is haunted or bewitched or some such other fiddle-faddle.
At that very moment, a bone sails over the high wall. Colonel looks at it with interest. The bone is old and dry with rather peculiar scratches that make the letters, “SOS.”
SERGEANT TIBBS: “SOS?”
Lieutenant Willow gulps nervously, but, the Colonel turns his attention to the two cats.
COLONEL: Willow, Tibbs, you two climb that tree and find out what this is about. You two can climb it better than I could.
SERGEANT TIBBS: Yes, sir. I know it’s scary, Willow, but, we must search inside.
LIEUTENANT WILLOW: Yes.
The two tabby cats climb the tree.
SERGEANT TIBBS: I can’t understand why the puppies would be hidden here. Hell Hall’s been abandoned for over sixty years now.
LIEUTENANT WILLOW: That makes it an ideal hideout for criminals. An abandoned building is the last place anyone would think to look.
The two cats climb to a window, narrowly avoiding falling off of a crumbling stone windowsill. They look inside through the dust-coated window to see the grand staircase and a door with a small hole in the wall by the floor. They carefully open the window and fall on the floor, landing on their feet.
SERGEANT TIBBS: Beg pardon, sister, but, suppose your intuition is correct and the puppies ARE here. Would that make us criminals for being able to think like one?
LIEUTENANT WILLOW: We can’t worry about that now, Tibbs.
They sneak into the wall through the hole, one at a time, and they take a careful look around. They first find a pair of liver-spotted Dalmatian pups, one male, the other female. Neither are wearing collars.
SERGEANT TIBBS (Whispering): Psst. Rover… Spotty.
MALE DALMATIAN PUP (Posh English accent): The name is actually Prince. Next to me is my sister, Missis.
MISSIS (Yorkshire accent): Can we help you?
LIEUTENANT WILLOW (Whispering): Have you heard of the whereabouts of 15 stolen Dalmatian puppies?
PRINCE: Most of us aren’t stolen, but, bought and paid for. There’s 11 groups of us. Each group has a different number of puppies, but, the grand total is currently 99.
Lieutenant Willow and Sergeant Tibbs, after hearing Prince’s statement, rubbed both of their eyes and looked around the room in shock.
SERGEANT TIBBS AND LIEUTENANT WILLOW (In quiet awe): Ninety-nine?
True to Prince’s word, there are several different puppies. One is bigger than Patch, but, still quite small, another has only three legs, another has spots on his face that resemble eyeglasses, there’s at least three fat ones, and even some with very unique spot patterns.
MISSIS: Maybe try the group closest to the tv. They all had collars coming in and none of the other groups saw them in any pet shops.
LIEUTENANT WILLOW (Quietly): Fifteen of them?
PRINCE: I can’t say for certain. I haven’t counted them.
Fluffy, overhearing from above, climbs down.
FLUFFY: I can lead you to them. Follow me and watch out for the Baduns.
SERGEANT TIBBS (Quietly): Baduns?
FLUFFY (Pointing to Jasper and Horace): Those two blokes, Jasper and Horace. They’re bunglers, but, they’re still dangerous.
The two visiting cats understood. They stayed in the shadows behind the chaise lounge where they wouldn't be detected. They looked over to see the Dalmatians watching a black and white cartoon on TV. Meanwhile, Jasper and Horace are drinking alcohol and eating a sandwich, respectively. Jasper also has a few darts.
JASPER: Hey, Horace! Watch me pot His Lordship smack on the conk! (he throws a dart and it lands on a picture of His Lordship right on his nose): Ha ha ha! How’s that for calling it, eh?!
He laughs obnoxiously as Tibbs and Willow quietly start counting the puppies by the tv.
SERGEANT TIBBS (Quietly): One, two, three, four, five, six--
HORACE: Hey, Jasper! (in a panic, Tibbs and Willow duck out of the way before Horace speaks with his mouth full): Come on now. Give us a swig, just a short one!
Horace unwittingly lowers his sandwich to Rolly, who sniffs it with hungry interest.
JASPER: No, Horace. This here hogwash ain’t fit for a bloke such as yourself. Besides, you’ll get crumbs in it, ya cabbage head!
He sets down his drink on a nearby end table, which Tibbs and Willow narrowly avoid. Horace deeply resents the insinuation as Rolly grabs the meat from his sandwich with his mouth.’
HORACE: Alright! Guzzle the ol’ works and I hope it gives you collywobbles. That’s what! (he takes a bite of his sandwich, but, finds that his meat, cheese, and lettuce are gone): Hey, Jasper. Did you…
JASPER: I didn’t take none of your sandwich. I told you not to eat ‘em near them puppies.
When the commotion was settled, the two cats went back to counting the puppies in front of the TV.
LIEUTENANT WILLOW: Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve--
HORACE: Oy! (the two cats duck down again): Get down, you little runt, and stay there! (he pushes Cadpig off of Patch’s head, provoking some indignant barks from the muscular puppy): Go on! Get out of here or I’ll black your other peeper!
With another break in the commotion, Sergeant Tibbs finishes counting the puppies.
SERGEANT TIBBS (Quietly): Where were we? Twelve, thirteen, fourteen… fifteen! They’re the ones!
Jasper unwittingly grabs both tabby cats by the necks, thinking that they’re his bottle. He brings them to his lips as if to take a swig. The cats, understandably, react with a yeow! Taken off-guard, Jasper releases his grip and sputters. The dogs start to bark at the commotion as the two cats make their escape.
JASPER (As Horace is preparing to eat another sandwich near a grandmaster piano that has a cake on the keys): Hey, Horace, look what we got here! (after the two cats knock over the stick holding up the piano’s cover, bringing it down as Horace notices them and tries to catch them, only to get a faceful of cake): Two tabby cats! (the dogs bark louder as Jasper readies some darts and laughs menacingly): Ha ha ha! How’d you like a tabby cat stew?! (he throws a few darts that the cats dodge before grabbing his bottle): Or a cat casserole? (the tabby cats quickly run to the hole they used to enter as he throws the bottle): A la mode?!
The tabby cats escape just as the bottle shatters against the wall. They then hurry out to the Colonel.
LIEUTENANT WILLOW (Panting): The fifteen... stolen puppies... ARE inside… along with… several more…
COLONEL: Excellent work, you two.
SERGEANT TIBBS: We better take the bone back to the barn as evidence, sir, and report our findings to Towser.
So the three venture back at once with Colonel carrying the bone in his mouth. Meanwhile, in London, Cobalt is in the Dearly garden, listening for a response. Suddenly, a particular dog howling catches his attention. He listens intently.
COBALT: Puppies… found… in Suffolk. Suffolk?! That’s miles outside of London! I best await instructions for how to get there, suggestions for the trip, and offers of hospitality along the way.
Pongo, Perdita, and Caramel were listening to the latest news as well.
PONGO: Suffolk?! No wonder their tags couldn’t be tracked anywhere in London! They’re not even IN London!
PERDITA: We’ve got to go to them, but, how will we get out?
PONGO: We’ll exit through the back door. It’s always open a wee bit.
CARAMEL: I’ll stay behind in the event the puppies come back. I’m going to let Cobalt know and he can join you.
PERDITA: But, he’s so young…
CARAMEL: He’s made up his mind. Once he has, there’s no talking him out of his decision.
PONGO: Well, alright. We promise we’ll look after him as if he was one of our own.