Trials of the Heart
Story by: Phoenix710
Summary: With only a single day remaining until Speedy and Polly's second wedding, the entire city kicks into high gear with the preparations. Princess Vi is pulling out all the stops and sparing no expense, and as for Speedy, he is planning an itinerary for their honeymoon that will go straight to Polly's heart. All seems to be going perfectly, until Cheese and Jerry once again escape from Prisoners' Island. Jerry makes a call for a Pizza Delivery, and Polly heads out to deliver it, unaware that it's a trap. When she gets to the address, a mob of Ninja Crows swarm her. She takes out most of them, until another one shoots her with a knockout dart. Another Crow flies to the Parlor to deliver the message, and Speedy blasts him across town in pure rage, before suiting up and heading out with the others to rescue the love of his life.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Samurai Pizza Cats, nor do I own any of the characters. Samurai Pizza Cats, and all associated characters, are registered trademarks of Saban. All original characters are products of my imagination. Polly's brother Nyo was given his name by my friend Merigirl.
Speedy's song to Polly: 'Change The World'-V6
Polly's song to Speedy: 'Fields Of Hope'-Rie Tanaka
Chapter Two: The Abduction Of Polly
Polly and Sayaka woke up from their peaceful slumber, ready to greet the new day. Sayaka said, "Good morning, sis. How are you today?"
Pulling her younger sister into a warm, loving hug, Polly replied, "I'm just fine, Sayaka. How about you?"
Sayaka replied, "Wonderful…and I'm sure you'll feel the same way after tomorrow night, since you and Speedy will be having your second wedding ceremony, and then it's off to the Bahamas for two weeks of fun, sun, and spending time renewing the fires of love for the very lucky cat that loves you more than anything."
Polly smiled, and she said, "Oh sis…I do love him, with all my heart. He's such a wonderful cat…even after all the times I used to yell at him, call him names, hit him, or throw things at him when I got angry at him for goofing around, he still not only forgave me…he gave me his heart. I love him so much, and I'll never let him go."
Sayaka said, "I know, Polly…I grew up around you two, and even back in the days when I was just a kitten, I could tell that you and Speedy were meant for each other. Let's go get ourselves washed and dressed, and then we'll head down to join the others for breakfast."
Polly hugged her sister again, before walking into the shower. Sayaka waited while her sister washed and rinsed, and then Polly came out, fully dressed and running a towel through her hair. She said, "It's all yours, sis."
Sayaka smiled, and then she walked in and fired up the shower. When she was finished cleaning herself, she toweled herself dry, and then she donned her clothes. Finally, she joined her older sister, and the two of them made their way downstairs to join their friends for breakfast.
Kitchen of the Pizza Cats' Restaurant…
Speedy was busy making omelets and frying up bacon, while Francine read the morning paper. Guido and Lucille were watching the news, while their twins played Operation! with Aiko and Kazuma. Good Bird was getting the tables set and ready for the day's business, while Carla cleaned the windows. Guido excused himself from where he was sitting, and he walked over to join Speedy. He said, "You okay, buddy? You're kinda down today."
Speedy replied, "I'm fine, Guido…it's just that…I'm not used to not havin' Polly laying next to me at night. The bed just feels so…empty without her."
Guido replied, "Don't sweat it, pal. She still loves ya, and tonight's the last night you'll ever have to sleep alone, 'cuz tomorrow night, she'll be back in your arms, and you'll be off to the Bahamas after your second wedding. Speedy, you're a great friend, and a cat that's as kind and honest as you are…you truly do deserve a wonderful girl like Polly. She's a real treasure, Speedy, and I wish ya both all the best. You two are my closest friends, and if anything happened to either of ya…I don't know what I'd do."
Speedy hugged Guido, and he said, "Thanks, Guido. Can ya carry the breakfast trays out to the kitchen for me? I wanna talk to Polly and Sayaka when they come down."
Guido replied, "Sure, buddy. Here…wow, those omelets smell great!!" Guido headed out to the kitchen, and Speedy waited patiently for his wife and sister-in-law to come down and join them.
A few minutes passed, and then Speedy saw his lovely kitten come down the stairs, right beside her sister. He said, "Morning, Kitten. How'd you sleep last night?"
Polly replied, "I slept fine, Speedy…even though it was strange not having you in my arms. I was thinking about you all night though."
Speedy smiled, and he said, "I was thinking of you too, Polly…you're always on my mind and in my heart, and you always will be, because I love you with all my heart. I'd like to sing this song for you, called 'Change The World', by V6...a song that goes perfectly with my feelings for you, Polly."
The lovely red-haired cat smiled, and she kissed Speedy's lips gently. Once they pulled apart, Speedy began to sing, sending his unending love for his wife out through the song.
'I want to change the world,
Keep on holding on your desire,
You will get a shining love,
That you can reach alone
If you go on to get your goal,
It's wonderland.
I felt so worried when I spent all the time
thinking of the future of us
'Cause I know, there's nothing
That I really want to know.
And then I met you, so I could feel,
What you should know:
I've finally found your love,
And now I'm really feeling all right,
'Cause the nightmare has gone,
This is the way to love you.
I want to change the world,
Walk again never miss the way,
Don't be afraid I'm with you,
And we can fly away,
If you can stay with me forever,
Change my mind,
Won't get lost if your passion's true,
I'm gonna fly with you again,
So you can spread your wings,
And you will fly with me away,
It's wonderland.
We gotta swim against the tide and the flow
Till the day when we'll get your goal
You will see that your desire
Will be granted again
This is the feeling you'll understand
The troubled life...
It won't be too bad to face
And any problem you will see
Will not to be too hard
If I can walk beside you
I want to change the world
Walk again, fight against the wind
Don't be afraid to be true
'Cause now you have to bring
The power of your smile on your face
Change my mind
Keep on holding on your desire
You will get a shining love
That you can reach alone
If you go on to get your goal
It's wonderland.
I want to change the world,
Walk again never miss the way,
Don't be afraid I'm with you,
And we can fly away,
If you can stay with me forever,
Change my mind,
Won't get lost if your passion's true,
I'm gonna fly with you again,
So you can spread your wings,
And you will fly with me away,
It's wonderland.'
Polly hugged Speedy with every ounce of passion that she had, and she said, "Speedy, whenever I hear you sing for me, it reminds me all over again of why I love you like I do…you're honest, sweet, loyal…and you're able to see the real me under my hot temper. I'll never leave you, Pussycat…and to prove it, here's one of my favorite songs, 'Fields Of Hope', by Rie Tanaka."
As she pulled away from Speedy, Polly saw the loving gleam in his eyes, and she smiled at him, before starting up her song.
'Beneath a veil so cold and deep,
I watched you as you deeply sleep
The melody of prayer; on the lonely fields,
a little light shined
I watched as you dreamed
You laughed like a child
So dear, and yet so far -
That is the promise of our future
That one day, on a green morning,
One day, we will make it there
Because in this wintered sky
We still believe
Fields of Hope
On the day we were born, we were embraced
And now we search for those gentle hands again
The melody of prayer; one vanishes,
And all begins again; a powerful, painful continuation
One day, to that green morning,
We'll cross through all these nights
Because that is the place each one of us searches for
Now, within my own heart,
I want to keep you warm
So dear, and yet so far -
In the name of peace
Fields of Hope
So dear, and yet so far -
The fields of promise
Fields of Hope
Fields of Hope…'
Speedy pulled Polly into a deep and loving kiss, and everyone else clapped. Aiko said, "Mommy, you've got such a pretty voice, and I'm glad to have you and daddy as my parents…I've got the best family ever, and I hope you never break apart."
Speedy and Polly both smiled, and then Polly gently scooped her daughter into her arms. She said, "Don't you worry, my sweet Aiko…I love your daddy with all my heart, and there's nothing in this world that can ever make me stop loving him. Your daddy and I will always be together."
Speedy gently wrapped an arm around Polly's waist and kissed her on the cheek, and then he gently ruffled Aiko's soft hair. He looked down at the adorable little kitten in his wife's arms…the result of his never-ending love for the gorgeous red-haired female Samurai that was holding her. He said, "Aiko, I love your mom just like I do you…and I'll never stop loving her. We've been friends ever since we were kittens, and nothing will ever separate the two of us."
Aiko kissed both of her parents on their cheeks, and then the three of them joined the others for breakfast.
Good Bird swallowed a bite of his omelet, and then he said, "What are ya planning to do on your lunch break today, Speedy…anything special?"
After washing down a mouthful of bacon, Speedy replied, "Well, I'm gonna make sure that my suit still fits…the one Polly got for me when her and I went to deliver those documents to Al Dente. It was a special gift from her, so that's what I'm gonna wear when we renew our vows. After that, I'm gonna call up my Aunt and Uncle, so I can tell them what time to come for the ceremony."
Polly was touched beyond words…Speedy still loved that suit she'd gotten for him, so much so…that he wanted to renew their vows in it. At the time, she'd never considered that she would one day be married to him, but now, she never wanted to be without him in her life…he had become the very core of her heart and soul, and losing him would kill her inside.
Guido said, "Before we open up, I'm gonna call my brother and see if he can't wrangle up some of his culinary delights. Lucille, how 'bout you call up Wally and arrange for some sushi platters?"
The pretty young ram replied, "Of course, Guido…I was planning on doing that anyway. Guido…I just know that Speedy and Polly are going to have a wonderful second wedding, and I'm so happy to have the privilege of being her Matron-Of-Honor."
Guido replied, "It's only natural that she'd pick you for that role, my love. She's known you ever since she and Speedy met, and you've always been her best friend. She's chosen Carla, Sayaka, and Francine as her bridesmaids…and I've got the honor of being Speedy's Best Man."
Lucille looked down at the floor, and she said, "Guido…I haven't exactly always been the best friend that I could have been…I used to flirt with Speedy so much, and I'd ignore the signs of how much it used to hurt Polly and make her angry…" she sniffled a bit, and Guido put his arms around her shoulders. He said, "Now now, Lucille…she's forgiven you for all that. Polly's mature and kind, and she's smart enough to know that both you and Speedy were still young and unsure of your true feelings. Heck…I'm the one that should be surprised here. I used to put Speedy through hell…I'd play rotten pranks on him, I tripped him a few times, called him some rather…unflattering names, I even took a few things of his here and there. I never really knew how bad I made him feel, until the one day I went too far, and Polly almost put me through the wall for it. Francine nearly ripped my ear off as she dragged me outside, and my ears were ringing for most of the night afterwards, both from her yelling at me, and from me crying over how badly I treated the cat that…if it weren't for him, you and I wouldn't be here, Lucille. I don't know how he was able to forgive me, let alone Polly. I owe them both the world and then some."
Lucille said, "Guido, the point here is…you've matured just as I have, and both Speedy and Polly were able to give you a second chance. Friends like them are truly friends to be treasured, Guido…just like I treasure being together with you. I love you, Guido Anchovy."
Guido leaned down and kissed his pretty brown-eyed wife, and he replied, "I love you too, Lucille…with all my heart."
When the two of them broke their kiss, Guido pulled out his cell phone and dialed his brother's number. He said, "Hey bro…how's everything?"
On the other end, Cosmo replied, 'Myoshi and I are doin' just great, little bro. How's it going for you and Lucille…are ya still with her?'
Guido laughed, and he replied, "Of course I am…who else would I be with? Lucille's the only girl I'll ever love from now on, but enough about my life. The reason I called…I'd like to ask a favor of ya. Could ya possibly whip up some sandwich platters and a cake…just a simple three-tiered cake. Yellow cake, with white-chocolate frosting. Speedy and Polly are renewing their vows tomorrow for their anniversary, and the ceremony's gonna be held in the morning. 11:30am at the Palace. The reception's gonna be at the home of Polly's parents at 1:00pm and then at 3:00pm sharp, the two of them are headed off to The Bahamas for a two-week vacation of renewing their love. So, can ya help me out, Cosmo?"
Smiling, Cosmo replied, 'Of course I can, bro. We'll have the stuff ready for the big day, and ya can let Princess Vi know that we'll be there.'
Guido said, "Thanks, bro…I owe ya one." He hung up, and then Lucille called her brother. She said, "Good morning, Wally. I just wanted to let you know the most wonderful news…Speedy and Polly are renewing their vows for their anniversary tomorrow, and the ceremony's at the palace, at 11:30am. The reception's at the Esther household at one, and then they'll be leaving for a two-week second honeymoon cruise in the Bahamas. Could you make some of your sushi for the big day, and I'll be making tea."
Wally replied, 'Of course I can, my dear sister. I've gotta run so I can pick up the ingredients, but I'll talk to you later. Tell Guido I said hello!!'
Lucille hung up, and then she and Guido went out to the main floor of the Pizza Parlor to punch in for the day, along with the others. For the next few hours, they cooked, cleaned, delivered food, and bused tables, until at long last, noontime rolled around, bringing the blessed one-hour lunch-break.
Speedy sat down next to Polly, and he said, "Good gods…I hope this hour goes by slowly…my feet are KILLING me!!"
Polly leaned over and hugged her husband, and she said, "I'm gonna go out in a few minutes, after I'm done eating. I got an idea last night after talking with Sayaka, for a way to make our anniversary even more…passionate."
Speedy smiled when he saw the gleam in his wife's blue eyes, and he said, "Polly Esther Cerviche, you are such a frisky kitten. I love you, my blue-eyed angel. You light up my life, and without you, I'd never be the same. Polly, don't ever leave me."
Polly kissed Speedy, and she replied, "I could never leave you, Pussycat…because I love you with all my heart and soul. I'd die if we ever lost our love, but I know that won't ever happen. We were destined to be together, Speedy…and nothing will ever change that. I'm gonna head out now, but I'll see you when I get back."
Speedy walked Polly to the door, holding her hand the entire time. He said, "I'll be here waiting for you, Kitten."
Polly kissed his nose gently, before heading out on her little trip. Speedy smiled, as he thought of how wonderful it would be to sleep with her in his arms again. Francine gently tapped him on the shoulder, bringing him out of his daydream. She smiled, and said, "You really are in love, Speedy…she's only been gone a minute, and already you're staring off into space…don't worry, I know how you feel though. I can't wait for the nights to roll around either, knowing that Ryuho will be here to walk me home every night at 8:00, when his shift is done."
Speedy smiled at his blonde-haired friend, and then he went to join Guido and the others so he could finish his lunch.
Palace of Little Tokyo…
Princess Vi and Empress Frieda were in the middle of a discussion with Al Dente, in regards to the preparations for the second wedding ceremony of Speedy and Polly. Al was taking it all down on paper, while Captain Kiryu stood guard at the door.
Princess Vi said, "Let's see…we've got the decorations covered, security detail is confirmed…Minister Kaito is readying the Chapel…what are we missing, Al?"
Taking his cue, Al replied, "The guest list, Princess. Francine faxed it to me last night. I'll read it…Polly's mother and father, her grandmother and cousins, Speedy's aunt and uncle, Lucille's brother Wally, General Catton, BatCat, Meowzma and his wife Minako, Spritz, Sylvia and her family, and the cats from Yokohama…Kazuki, Kiyone, Setsuna, Miyaka, Michiru, and Yazuma. That's it, Princess."
Smiling, Vi replied, "Good. Now that everything's in order, I want you to confer with their families and see if there's anything we need to do in order to make them more comfortable while they're sharing our home with us, to witness the renewal of the vows of Speedy and Polly Esther Cerviche. I also want you to keep an eye out for ANY activity from Prisoners' Island…if so much as a TEMPER TANTRUM goes undocumented, whoever misses it…THEY'RE GOING TO PRISONERS' ISLAND!! Am I clear?"
Al replied, "Yes, Your Highness. I'll get right on it."
Princess Vi replied, "Good. That's all for now, Al. You're dismissed."
Al and Ryuho walked outside, and Al said, "Ryuho, I want round-the-clock surveillance on Cheese…if he leaves that island, the first chance you get, blast him back there with whatever you need to. Fighters, anti-aircraft guns, the navy, I don't care. He is NOT to set ONE foot in this city."
Ryuho replied, "Yes, sir…you can count on me." Al nodded, and Ryuho took off. Both of them went back to their duties, unaware that Cheese would soon be back for more trouble.
Prisoners' Island…
As he sat under a tree, The Big Cheese was absolutely fuming. Once again, the Pizza Cats had ruined his plans for conquest of Little Tokyo, and to make matters worse, Princess Vi had placed a death threat on his AND Jerry's heads if they should ever return. However, he wasn't going to let those annoying felines, or a certain bratty bunny stop him. He screamed, "JERRY!! GET OVER HERE!!"
Jerry Atrick appeared in a cloud of smoke, scaring the living daylights out of Cheese. He said, "You wanted to talk to me, Seymour?"
Cheese replied, "Yes, Jerry…you better have a plan to get out of here, and a VERY good idea for revenge on those blasted Pizza Cats, because I'M GETTING VERY TIRED OF LOSING ALL THE TIME!!"
Jerry muttered, "If you're so sick of losing, then maybe you should find a line of work suitable for dimwits with less IQ than Bill Clinton, you moron…oops…"
Cheese screamed, "JERRY…YOU'RE ABOUT FIVE SECONDS FROM BEING A VERY DEAD BIRD…AAARRRGGGHHH!!"
Jerry got as far as turning around, when Cheese exploded, blasting him clear into a tree. He said, "One of these days…I'm going to figure out how to stop running my big mouth…if he doesn't kill me first…ugh…"
A few minutes later, a few Ninja Crows came running up. The first one said, "Hey Mr. Atrick, the parts you ordered for the new robot are here…the one you were gonna surprise Seymour with."
Jerry picked himself up and dusted off the soot, and he replied, "Good…that's the first reason I've had to smile all day. What do you other two want?"
The second crow replied, "The food shipment's here, along with the newspaper. Look at the headline!!"
Jerry took the newspaper, and he said, "Well…I see that the shrimp that leads the Pizza Cats is renewing his vows with that walking red-haired Mt. Vesuvius…and that gives me an idea!! You three go and help with the robot…I'm going to have a chat with the boss."
The crows flew off, and Jerry walked over to Cheese. He said, "Cheesy, I just got a great bit of news…the parts for the new robot I ordered are here, thanks to our friends in the hidden black market. I've also got a plan for revenge on those furballs. Speedy and Polly are renewing their vows tomorrow…so why don't we fly back home, and then I'll send out a phony Pizza order, and I'll ask for Polly. When she comes, I'll have Ninja Crows ready to take her down, using this knockout drug that I also ordered from our black-market suppliers. When we get her into our clutches, we wait until she wakes up, and then we use this video camera to film the Ninja Crows as they dress up as her and her friends…to do a live-action re-enactment of all the hell she put her husband through. By the time we're done with her, she'll never be able to look at Speedy again, and she'll be begging him to divorce her because she'll feel like she doesn't deserve his love…it's the perfect plan!!"
Cheese replied, "Oh I love it, Jerry…finally, revenge is ours at last…HAHAHA!! What's our new robot like, Jerry?"
Leading Cheese over to a clearing, Jerry said, "Here it is, Seymour…our most powerful robot yet."
The huge robot was covered in sections of red, white, and blue armor. Ninja Crows swarmed all over it, checking every system from top to bottom, polishing, and adding final touches of paint.
Cheese said, "It's perfect, Jerry…PERFECT!!"
Jerry replied, "Of course it is…it's designed to be the ULTIMATE super robot. Here's the blueprints, so you can read the stats."
Cheese opened the document, and he eagerly read over the hulking machine's capabilities.
Accommodation: pilot and co-pilot only, in panoramic monitor/linear seat cockpit in torso
Height: 69.14 feet
Weight: 87.2 tons
Armor materials: diamond-fiber alloy
Powerplant: Ultracompact fusion reactor, output rated at 7860 kW
Propulsion: rocket thrusters: 4 x 31200 kg; vernier thrusters/apogee motors: 36Performance: maximum thruster acceleration 1.43 G
Equipment and design features: sensors, range 16200 meters; bio-sensor system, I-Field energy shield generator.
Fixed armaments: double beam rifle, power rated at 21.2 MW total (2 x 10.6 MW), mounted on right forearm; 2 x hyper beam saber, power rated at 1.1 MW, stored in recharge racks in backpack, hand-carried in use, both hyper beam sabers double as double beam cannon, fire-linked, power rated at 40 MW (2 x 20 MW) total, mounted in backpack; high mega cannon, power rated at 50 MW, mounted in head crest, 2 x 60mm double Vulcan gun, fire-linked, 400 rounds of ammunition per gun, mounted in head; 2 x 18-tube missile launcher, 2 round magazine per tube, mounted on backpack
Additional external armor fixed armaments: 2 x 6-tube spray missile launcher, mounted on shoulders; hyper mega cannon, mounted on torso; 3-tube missile pod, mounted on left forearm; 2 x 8-tube missile pod, mounted on torso; 2 x 2-tube large missile pod, mounted on torso.
Cheese said, "It's perfect, Jerry…I love it!! So tell me…when do we launch?"
Jerry replied, "Right now, Cheesy. The robot's all ready to go whenever you are."
With an evil smile, Cheese said, "In that case, get us outta here, Jerry. I'm going to enjoy watching little Polly squirm as we break her down and make a hollow shell out of her…HAHAHA!!"
Cheese and Jerry boarded the huge robot and sealed up the cockpit, and the Ninja Crows all climbed on board. With a huge roar of it's massive engines, the giant robot soared into the air. A trio of guards fired anti-aircraft rockets at the robot, only to watch helplessly as the missiles harmlessly detonated against the robot's armor. Cheese said, "Jerry, let's try out the guns…MAKE 'EM DANCE!!"
Jerry replied, "You got it, Cheesy!!" Jerry pressed a couple buttons, and then he centered the targeting sights on the ground at the guards' feet. Seconds later, he fired, and the guards ran for their lives to dodge the lethal 60mm bullets. Satisfied, Cheese said, "Enough fun and games for now, Jerry…we've got a pretty kitty to torture, and an anniversary to ruin. Let's go."
Jerry replied, "You got it, Seymour!! Little Tokyo…HERE WE COME!!"
The villains flew off in their robot, determined to make this the last day that Polly would ever be able to look Speedy in the eye with love.
Back in Little Tokyo…
Polly eagerly searched the racks of sexy lingerie at Heavenly Clouds, the romance store in the mall. She had gone there on her lunch break, looking for just the right romantic negligee to buy for her second honeymoon. She was determined to find just the right one, one she knew Speedy would love seeing her in. She wanted their second honeymoon to be perfect, and was determined to give Speedy nothing but the best! She pulled out a bright red teddy and held it up to her. It was low-cut, transparent in a lot of places, and left little to the imagination-Polly could see that right off! She hung it back up. No, that was definitely NOT her!
After browsing through a few more racks, she pulled out another one, this one being a bright white lacy number. It was woven out of silk and felt good to the touch.
"That one's really cute," a salesgirl said, coming up behind Polly. "Wanna try it on?"
"Well…uh…", Polly said, blushing a bit that she was caught.
"I have the same kind," the salesgirl added. "I wore it to surprise my husband on his birthday...and well..." she giggled. "Let's just say we had a very good time!"
"Where are the dressing rooms?", Polly asked quickly. The sales lady replied, "Out back and to the left."
Polly strode into the back of the store and entered one of the booths. Quickly sliding her clothes off, she put the cute little negligee on and stared happily at her reflection. It was perfect! It cut close to her body with lace on the edges and top. Bight white ribbons trailed from one side, across her stomach, and tied at the other side. It was made of silk and felt great. What she loved most however, was how the white brought out her bright blue eyes and the brightness of her hair...and her smile shone with love and anticipation.
"Oh, Speedy," she whispered to her reflection. "I love you." He was going to just love this! She put on her clothes and emerged from the dressing room. "I'll take it!", she said to the salesgirl. On the way to the cashier, she stopped and put her favorite strawberry scented bubble bath and the perfume she knew Speedy loved into her cart.
This second honeymoon was gonna be the best ever! As soon as she reached the Pizza Parlor, she snuck upstairs and packed her new purchases in her suitcase. After she was done, she headed back downstairs and hugged Speedy.
Speedy said, "Hey there, my sweet kitten. Where'd ya go?"
Polly replied, "I just bought myself a little something to add a little more… 'passion'…to our second honeymoon. Trust me, Pussycat…you'll love it."
Speedy replied, "How could I not, Kitten. I've been with you for seven wonderful years, and every day that we're together reminds me of how lucky I am to have you at my side. I never want anyone but you, Polly…and I'll always love you."
Polly pressed her lips to Speedy's, and she replied, "I love you too, Pussycat. We'll always be together, now and until the end of eternity."
Speedy looked down into Polly's shimmering blue eyes, and she looked into his emerald green ones, before they both kissed again. Polly felt Speedy cup her cheek in one hand, while running the other one up and down her spine. She wrapped one arm around his shoulders, and the other one around his waist. Neither one of them wanted to let go of the other, until the phone rang. Francine picked up, and she said, "Pizza Cats…what's that? Twenty-four large Pepperoni and Meatball Pizzas, with zesty four-cheese blend? Sure, we'll deliver to that address. What, you want Polly to bring it over…that's a bit odd, but we don't turn down a paying customer. She'll be over in about twenty minutes, sir."
Polly was about to kiss Speedy again, when Francine said, "Sorry to break it up, but we've got a big order. Here's the delivery slip with the address, Polly. Head out once Guido and Good Bird have the pizza's ready."
Speedy looked rather forlorn, until Polly said, "Don't worry, Pussycat. I'll just head over there, deliver the food, and then I'll be right back in time for dinner."
Speedy hugged his wife, and then Good Bird came out with the travel pack in his hands. Polly strapped it to her back, and then she climbed into her oven. Francine launched her off, unaware that she'd just sent her friend into harm's way.
Cheese's hideout…
Jerry said, "I've set the bait, Cheesy…and she's on her way. The Ninja Crows are already waiting for her, and soon, we can begin our little show!!"
Cheese replied, "Well done, Jerry…I can't wait to watch her squirm, and by the time her lover-boy gets to her, she'll be so broken, she won't even want to look at him anymore…HAHAHA!!"
Jerry muttered, "As ugly as you are, I don't know how your own reflection doesn't get a heart attack as often as you look in the mirror…oops!!"
Cheese replied, "I'm in such a good mood, I'm going to forget what you just said. Now then, Jerry…make sure our…guest's accommodations are ready for her!!"
Jerry replied, "You got it, Seymour!!" The evil crow headed into the back of the hideout to supervise his Ninja Crows as they worked on Polly's holding cell, while some other crows worked on writing the script for the play.
Fifteen minutes later…
Polly arrived at the address on the order slip that was attached to the top of her insulated delivery pack, and she knocked on the door. Her customer opened up, and Polly said, "I've got your twenty-four pepperoni and meatball pizzas that you ordered, sir. That'll be eighty-two yen, please."
The customer replied, "Sure...just leave the food there, while I go get my wallet." Polly set the food pack down, and the door closed again. While she waited, she thought about how wonderful it would be to have her second honeymoon with Speedy...all the fun they'd be able to have with their two weeks down in the Bahamas. There was also the lovely thought of her second wedding ceremony, and Princess Vi had agreed to allow her and Speedy to have the wedding THEIR way, on account of their being the heroes of the city. She said to herself 'I can't help loving my sweet Pussycat...he may be a little goofy at times, but I don't care about that...nor do I care that he's not the tallest, richest, or strongest cat in the world. He's perfect in my eyes...my family loves him like a second son...and I'll never love anyone other than him. Just wait, my love...one more day, and I'll show you just how much I love you all over again.'
Polly was startled out of her thoughts by some clattering on the roof above her, and when she looked up, she spotted a pack of twenty-three Ninja Crows. She said, "What the...WHAT ARE YOU IDIOTS DOING HERE?! SO HELP ME, IF YOU EVEN DARE TRY AND RUIN MY PLANS WITH SPEEDY, I'LL TURN YOU ALL INTO FEATHERDUSTERS!!"
The lead crow replied, "Haha...very funny. There's twenty-three of us, and ONE of you...so I think the odds are in OUR favor, little Polly. Now then...so we don't end up hurting you, why don't ya just make it nice and simple, and come with us. Otherwise...we'll have to get rough with ya."
Polly unsheathed her claws and assumed a fighting stance, and then she replied, "Come down and get me, you dumb feathered stooges. I'll send the lot of ya back to Prisoners' Island via air mail!!"
The crows jumped down and rushed Polly en-masse, and she launched herself into the air. One crow looked up, trying to find her, and he felt a slight breeze, followed by a sledgehammer-like impact on the back of his skull, as Polly drilled him full on. Six more rushed at her with their swords drawn, and she booted the first one right into the side of the building...and through the wall. The next two got their swords shredded by her claws, and their faces soon followed. She smashed the next two crows' heads together, and the next one got her foot in between his legs, as she executed a praying-mantis kick. Polly was about to ring her bell for backup, when another crow jumped onto her back and tried to choke her. She got her arm under his, and drove her other elbow into the crow's gut. As her attacker let go, she whirled on him with astonishing speed, and she then proceeded to hurl him right into a dumpster. He tried to crawl out, but she slammed the lid onto his head. Another crow tried to kick her, but she ducked and caught his ankle, and began swinging him around, going faster and faster by the minute. She said, "Round and round we go...AND RIGHT INTO PRINCESS VI'S LAP YOU GO!!" Polly let go, and the crow went sailing clear across the city. She took down a group of eight with her heart-shaped shuriken, since she carried them with her everywhere, and the final crow got a manhole cover right on his head.
As Polly turned to leave, she growled out, "Lousy rotten no-good feathered dimwitted stooges...I better get back and let Speedy and the others know that Cheese is back. Fran's gonna have to launch us out to hunt him down again. Whatever he's up to, he's gonna pay for tryin' to ruin our second wedding...NOBODY comes between me and my Pussycat."
She heard one last crow flutter down, and when Polly turned around, she saw that the crow was holding an Arisaka Type 99 rifle. The crow said, "I'll tell ya what the boss is up to, Kitty. Ya see...you really haven't been all that nice and sweet to your husband in the past...and yet you think you're off the hook. We're gonna give ya the punishment that's been a LONG time coming, and when we're done, you'll be too ashamed to even LOOK at that shrimp, Polly Esther."
Polly shouted, "THAT'S POLLY ESTHER CERVICHE, YOU BASTARD!! I'M DAMNED PROUD OF IT, AND DON'T YOU CALL MY HUSBAND A SHRIMP!! HE'S NOT THE TALLEST CAT IN THE WORLD, BUT HE'S BIGGER THAN YOU'LL EVER BE...HE'S ABLE TO FORGIVE AND FORGET OUR PAST QUARRELS, AND HE'S GIVEN ME A LOVE THAT I'LL NEVER BE ASHAMED OF!! YOU'RE DEAD!!"
Polly charged, and the crow fired. His shot drilled into her elbow, and the syringe-tipped bullet unloaded the knockout drug into Polly. Still, she came straight at him, and the crow said to himself...'Jerry said this stuff would drop her like a rock...' Polly's hand closed around his throat, and the claws on her other hand came out. She said, "When I'm done with you, you're gonna be one...sorry...feather...duster…" Polly slumped forward, unconscious, and it still took the crow a minute to pull himself free of her grip. Ten of his friends came out of the nearby alley, and one of them said, "Man...another second, and she woulda booted you clear across Tokyo Bay. I thought Jerry's knockout drug was supposed to put her to bed instantly."
The crow with the rifle said, "Well...he apparently messed up AGAIN!! Let's get her back to the hideout before we have to put up with another one of the boss's temper tantrums." He pointed to three of the other crows. "You three, start cleaning up the mess there. You, and you...help me carry her. The rest of ya, draw straws to see who gets to play messenger to her friends."
The four remaining crows chattered among themselves for a few second, after their friends flew off with Polly in tow. They drew straws, and the one that ended up with the short straw said, "Oh man...why do I feel like I'm about to die?"
Another crow said, "Ah quit whining and get goin'. Ya lost the draw, so that means ya get to play mailman. Take this note that Jerry wrote, read it, and get the heck outta there. Look on the bright side...ya might end up gettin' that ditzy gal Lucille, or that redhead wife of the traitor...what's her name?"
The third crow said, "It's Carla, ya bozo. How many times did that Benedict Arnold tell ya about her when he was still one of us?"
The last one said, "Oh yeah...that was the one." Turning to face their unlucky friend, the three crows pointed in the direction of the Pizza Parlor. The lead crow said, "Get goin', before I toss ya over there, ya lousy coward. When you're done, fly yourself back home, and we'll get ready to give Miss Halibut Breath a show that she'll never forget."
The messenger crow took the envelope with the note in it, and he flew off.
Pizza Cats' Restaurant…
Speedy was drumming his fingers on the countertop, unable to shake the feeling that something had happened. Polly had been gone for far too long, and he was really getting worried. He said, "That does it…I'm goin' out to look for her. Guido, call up our friends in Yokohama. Francine, get on the line with the Rescue Team. I'm…" Speedy trailed off, as he heard a knock on the door.
Guido said, "Hey Speedy, maybe that's Polly now."
Speedy replied, "I don't know, Guido…she's never been this late before, not even when she's run pizza's clear across the city. Francine, can ya see who it is?"
Francine replied, "Sure, Speedy." The blonde-haired cat placed the money she'd been counting in the register, and then she headed for the back door, with Speedy and Guido close behind her. When Francine opened up, she spotted a Ninja Crow, and she said, "What are you doing here, you idiotic walking feather-duster…and more importantly…WHERE'S POLLY?!"
The crow replied, "Great…just what I need…Twenty Questions with Ms. Scrooge."
Francine belted the crow upside the head with a rolling pin, and she shouted, "THAT'S KIRYU, YOU IDIOT!! FRANCINE MANX KIRYU!! NOW GET IN THERE AND START TALKING, BEFORE I SLAM THE HEAVIEST PAN I CAN FIND INTO YOUR FACE!!"
The Crow picked himself up off of the floor, and when everyone else had gathered to hear what he had to say, the Crow said, "If ya wanna know where your hotheaded friend is, then let me talk, and I'll tell ya. Otherwise…ya won't be seeing her EVER again…at least not the way you KNOW her."
Speedy turned to Lucille, and he said, "Lucille, I want you and Carla to take the kids upstairs…things are gonna get loud and messy down here, so stay with them, and don't let them see OR hear what's gonna happen."
Lucille nodded, and she scooped up Aiko, while Francine helped her bring her twins upstairs. Carla took Kazuma up with her, and when they were out of earshot, Speedy said, "Okay, birdbrain…time to talk. Where's my kitten at, and what's your dimwitted Limburger-breathed boss up to this time, other than his eyeballs in trouble?"
The dumb crow replied, "Your wife's at our secret hideout, short-stuff. If ya ever wanna see her with her sanity intact, ya better hurry up and get your tails over to the location on the map in this envelope, that I marked with an 'X'. Otherwise, she'll never even wanna see your face again, 'cuz we're gonna put on a show for her that's gonna make her remember ALL the hell she ever put you through. When we're done, she'll be begging you to divorce her…HAHAHA!!"
Speedy took hold of the nearest table, and Guido said, "Uh-oh…this is gonna get ugly…that crow's just signed his own death wish."
Speedy shouted, "YOU LOUSY BASTARD!! NOBODY MESSES WITH MY KITTEN, DO YOU HEAR ME?!" Charging forward, he tackled the crow and plowed him outside, onto the sidewalk.
The crow said, "I don't know why you're so upset, ya little twerp. I mean…isn't she the same cat that used to throw stuff at ya, yell at ya for tryin' to have a little fun now and then, and she beat ya to a pulp on more than one occasion…not to mention she called ya names. I thought you'd be happy to be rid of her, or at least to see her get what she deserves. Instead, ya go and marry her. If ya ask me, she's not worth the time of day, let alone LOVE!! In fact, if I was her family, I'd disown her. She's as guilty as sin, and she deserves EVERY bit of what we've got planned for her."
With rage blazing in his green eyes, Speedy shouted, "YOU STUPID IDIOTIC CROW!! DON'T YOU EVER THINK FOR ONE SECOND, THAT I WOULD WANNA DIVORCE POLLY!! I LOVE HER, BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN MY BEST FRIEND EVER SINCE WE WERE KITTENS!! SHE'S HONEST, LOYAL, CHARMING, STRONG, BRAVE, AND SHE GIVES ME A REASON TO LIVE!! NOBODY IS GONNA GET AWAY WITH MESSING WITH MY KITTEN…NOW GET OUTTA HERE, AND TELL THAT IDIOT RODENT THAT HE'S ABOUT TO FACE THE WRATH OF HELL!!"
Guido ran outside, after Francine passed along Speedy's swords, and he said, "Here, Speedy…use these to send that moron back home."
Speedy accepted his weapons, and Guido ran back inside. He went up to join his wife and the kids, and he covered her eyes to keep her from seeing what was about to unfold.
Grabbing the crow by the throat, Speedy tossed him into the air, and then he drop-kicked him, smashing the stupid bird into the ground. He ripped a branch off of a tree, and proceeded to pummel the hapless crow. When he tired of that, he started punching and kicking the idiot bird, all the while thinking of what kinds of revenge he would exact on Cheese when he found him.
Speedy shouted, "I'M GONNA BLAST THROUGH ALL OF YOU LOSERS, POUND THAT BRAINDEAD RAT TO A PULP, PLUCK JERRY ATRICK BALD, AND THEN MY KITTEN AND I ARE GONNA RENEW OUR VOWS…AS FOR YOU…GET OUTTA MY FACE!! TRIPLE CAT SLASH POWER…YA!!"
Just seconds before impact, the Crow said, "I think I might've gone…a little bit…too far…", and then the bright yellow blast slammed into him, sending him flying clear across the city. He smashed right through the top of the cave that Cheese and his goons were hiding in, and he said, "They…got the…message…Seymour…and Speedy…he got…me…ugh…"
The crow fell over unconscious, and Cheese said, "Jerry, you heard him. Those fleabags are on the way, so get ready. I want to start our play within two hours."
Jerry replied, "You got it, Cheesy. Alright, Ninja Crows…you heard the boss. Get to it!! We've got a play to get ready for, and I'm going to enjoy this…she's had it coming for a LONG time!!"
The crows headed off to take care of their duties, unaware of how much they would eventually end up wishing they'd never returned.
Back at Pizza Cats' HQ…
Speedy walked back in, with a look of pure rage on his face. Guido said, "I'm not gonna even TRY to go near him right now…he's probably mad enough to rip someone apart!!"
Sayaka said, "Are you sure, Guido? I thought beating up that crow would have…"
Outside, they all heard Speedy yell, "SEYMOUR, YOU ROTTEN RODENT!! WHEN I FIND YOU, SO HELP ME GOD…I'M GONNA RIP YOUR WHISKERS OUT, SHOVE YOUR KIMONO DOWN YOUR THROAT, AND THEN I'LL PERSONALLY DROP-KICK YOU ALL THE WAY TO PRISONERS' ISLAND!! YOU DO NOT MESS WITH MY KITTEN AND LIVE TO SEE THE NEXT SUNRISE!!"
Looking out the windows, Guido and the others saw Speedy pound a rock into dust with his bare fists, and then he smashed another one with his right foot. Finally, Speedy came back inside, and Good Bird said, "Speedy, we're all here to help ya out. No matter what that rodent's planning, we'll get her back, I promise."
Guido took his friend's shoulders, and he said, "Ya can count on my help, buddy. I'll be right there with ya every step of the way."
Sayaka added, "Count me in too…this is my sister we're talking about, and if Cheese messes with her, then he's messing with ME!!"
Overwhelmed by his friends' show of support, Speedy hugged them, and he said, "Thanks, guys…it makes me feel better knowin' that I've got you to help me through this. Come on…let's go hunt down that miserable rodent and get my Kitten back."
Aiko came out, and she said, "Daddy, you'll bring mommy back, right? I really want to see her again."
Speedy knelt down and hugged his daughter, and he replied, "I'll bring mommy back home before midnight, Aiko…I promise. Francine, Lucille…keep an eye on her. Oh, and Fran…?"
Francine replied, "Yes, Speedy?"
Speedy said, "Call the Rescue Team if I send ya the signal. Also…call up our friends in Yokohama. We could use the backup."
Francine replied, "You got it, Speedy. Good luck."
Speedy, Guido, and Sayaka jumped into their ovens, while Good Bird accepted his sword and armor from Carla. The two crows hugged, and Carla said, "Be careful out there, Birdie. I'll be waiting for you."
Good Bird hugged his wife again, and he replied, "I'll be back, my love…I promise. Help Francine and Lucille, and take care of Kazuma…I'll see ya when we get home."
Carla kissed him one last time, and then Good Bird headed up onto the roof. Francine raised the gun, and she said, "Citizens of Little Tokyo, Big Cheese is back. He's got a new plan, but with the Pizza Cats on the case, that rat's going back in the can!!"
Francine aimed the gun at the location on the map that the Ninja Crow had brought, and she fired off Speedy first, followed by Sayaka, and then Guido. Good Bird soared up to join them, and the four heroes headed out to hunt down Cheese and bring Polly back into the arms of the one she loved.
Next Chapter: Speedy and the others land outside Cheese's hideout and begin trashing the Ninja Crows on guard duty. In the meantime, Cheese sends more of his lackeys out to steal supplies for their theater production, as they get ready to start breaking Polly's heart and soul one bit at a time. Be here next time for Chapter Three: Target-Polly's Heart