Speedy Hood Chapter 8

Some time later, as rain poured in the nearly deserted village, a familiar voice was heard.

Guido's Voice: (sadly) Man, oh, man. The Big Cheese sure made good his threat, huh?

Thunder clapped as the remaining citizens were forced to move away.

Guido's Voice: Yes, and all of his subjects paid dearly for his humiliation, believe me. Taxes were everywhere. He even taxed the heart and soul out of the poor people in Toonningham. And if you couldn't pay your taxes, you went to jail.

At the prison in the Big Cheese's castle, Sratch and Grounder were on patrol duty while Bad Bird was sleeping on a chair near the jail door. At a jail window, Guido, who's in chains, sighed sadly.

Guido: Yep, I'm in here too. Toonningham was in deep trouble.

Guido leaned away from the prison window as he began to sing.

Guido: (singing) Every town
Has its ups and downs

Li Yuen then gave Li Moon an extra blanket while they were chained up like all the other prisoners.

Guido: (singing) Sometimes ups

With Vanilla, she was feeding one of the children what appeared to be some sort of soup.

Guido: (singing) Outnumber the downs

With Tails, he was asleep near Cream, Cheese, Pipsy, and Tiptup Jr.

Guido: (singing) But not in Toonningham

The drops of water from the huge helmet Tails got dripped a bit to Tiptup Jr. Then, he awoke, glancing back at his friend.

Guido: (singing) I'm inclined to believe
If we weren't so down

The mice, the Brisby family and the McBride family, watched hungrily as one of the prisoners, a beaver named Toothy, was eating a piece of bread.

Guido: (singing) We'd up and leave
We'd up and fly

Then, some of the crumbs spilled as Timmy ran to grab the food. Unfortunately, his chain wasn't long enough as he tried reaching for the food.

Guido: (singing) If we had wings for flyin'

He was then given a huge piece by the beaver, who smiled and went back, feeding pieces of the big piece to his friends and family.

Guido: (singing) Can't you see the tears we're cryin'

With Tiptup, he was feeding Big Al, who was covered in a huge coat, sipping some soup that was given by the turtle.

Guido: (singing) Can't there be some happiness

We then go back to Guido, who continued singing as he looked outside sadly.

Guido: (singing) For me

He then noticed some new arrivals as he sighed sadly.

Guido: (singing) Not in Tooningham

As Guido finished, the crow looked sternly outside as two raccoons named Lifty and Shifty, all chained together, came toward the prison door with their hammers, looking exhausted and sadly while Bad Bird watched them. At the church, the church bell rang with Guru Lou pulling the rope to the bell inside the church. Antoine, meanwhile, was playing the organs as he looked sadly at the old cat.

Antoine: Guru Lou, (sigh) I don't zhink anyone is coming.

The old cat sighed, walking to him while pulling his hood up.

Guru Lou: You're right, Antoine, but maybe the sound of this church bell will bring those poor people some comfort. We must do what we can to keep their hopes alive.

The coyote only nodded while near the room door, Bunnie was cleaning as she frowned.

Bunnie: Oh, how can there be any hope with that tyrant Seymour taxing the heart and soul out of the poor people?

Guru Lou: (walks to the poor box) Yes, those poor people.

He then looked inside the empty poor box, then sighed sadly.

Guru Lou: Look, our poor box is like our church...empty.

Bunnie then had an idea and went inside the room. She then went under the mattress and pulled out a coin, sighing. She then came to the old cat, who looked down.

Bunnie: Guru Lou, we've saved this. (hands him the coin) It's not much, but please take it for the poor.

Guru Lou: (surprised) Your last farthing? (smiles) Aw, Bunnie, no one can give more than that.

He then placed the coin inside the poor box.

Guru Lou: Bless you both.

Antoine: (grins) Oh, we were just saving it for a rainy day.

Guru Lou then looked at the weather outside.

Guru Lou:  Well, it's rainin' now. Things can't get worse.

Just then, the organs stopped as a familiar crow came walking down the aisle.

Bad Bird: Hiya, Guru. (grins) Well, it looks like I dropped by just in time.

Antoine: (frowns) What does zhat crow want?

Bunnie: Antoine Sugah, shh.

He then opened the poor box, then grinned as he took out the coin inside.

Bad Bird: Hmmm, well, what have we got here?

Guru Lou: (shocked) Now, just a minute, Bad Bird! Th-th-that's the poor box!

The crow flipped the coin before pocketing it in his coin pouch.

Bad Bird: It sure is, and I'll just take it for poor Seymour Cheese. Every little bit helps.

Bunnie frowned as she walked toward the crow.

Bunnie: Now look here Bad Bird, ya'll put that coin back in there this instant!

Bad Bird: And His Majesty also blesses you, Rabbot.

The old cat frowned, having enough from Bad Bird as he shouted.

Guru Lou: You thievin' scoundrel!

Bad Bird: (crosses his arms) Now, take it easy, old man. I'm just doing my duty.

Guru Lou: (frowns) Collectin' taxes for that arrogant, greedy, ruthless, no-good Seymour Cheese!?

Bad Bird: (glares) Listen you. (points to him) You're mighty preachy, and you're gonna preach yur neck right into a hangman's noose.

Guru Lou: (shouts) GET OUT OF MY CHURCH!

The old cat then used his belly, bouncing the crow and shoving him out of the church.

Guru Lou: Out! Out! Out! Out!

Antoine gasped as he ran outside with Bunnie following.

Bunnie: Oh, dear me.

Outside, Antoine and Bunnie watched as Guru Lou was using a stick to try to hit Bad Bird, blocking his attack with his sword.

Guru Lou: You want taxes? I'll give you taxes!

Antoine: (shouts) Come on, don't give up, Lou!

The old cat looked like he was winning while unknown to him, two familiar robots watched as they went down, then quickly pulled Guru Lou's hood, quickly blinding him enough for the crow to bring out the neck cuff.

Bad Bird: You're under arrest for high treason to the crown.

The cuff snapped to Lou's neck. Antoine and Bunnie looked shocked and saddened as she gasped.

Bunnie: Oh, no, SugaTwan, what are we gonna do?!

The rabbot then started crying as Antoine sighed.

Antoine: Oh, zhere, zhere, Bunnie my dear, everything's gonna be all right...(looks sadly) I hope.

Then, the crow and the robots behind the newest prisoner escorted the saddened and defeated Guru Lou to the prison while the familier blue armor wearing cat's voices was heard singing sadly.

Guido's Voice: (singing) Every town
Has its ups and downs
Sometimes ups
Outnumber the downs
But not in Toonningham

End of Chapter 8