104 21: Meeting At The Catfish Village.
February 16'th, (2020)
The next day, around noon, Stacy drove her pale (1950's) convertable into the parkinglot of the Catfish Village and exited her car and walked towards the restaurant. The blond haired woman entered into the restaurant and walked up to the counter that a lady stood behind.
"Excuse me." Said Stacy.
"Welcome to Catfish Village, how may i help you?" The lady asked.
"Yeah, uh, i'm here to meet with someone named Cruella. Do you know where she is?" Stacy asked.
"Yeah, sure, follow me." Said the lady. She led Stacy to a room that was closed off. "She's in there."
"Thank you." Said Stacy.
The lady then walked off.
Stacy walked up to the double doors and opened them and looked in and saw Cruella, Diane, another black and white haired woman, and five black coat-hooded figured sitting at a table. Cruella wore her outfit that she had on back in (1996) when she was presented with the drawing of the Dalmatian fur coat, and she wore pink sunglasses with black linces.
"Come in. Come in, my child. We mustn't lurk in doorways. It's rude." Said Cruella.
Stacy entered into the room.
"One my question your upbringing." Added Diane.
Stacy walked up to the table and sat down in a chair with the Cruella and her group.
"Good afternoon, darling. I'm Cruella De ViL. And these are my cousins, Diane and Vivian De ViL."
"Stacy Michelle White." Said Stacy.
"Yes, i know who you are. You're Rex's fiance...the one who wouldn't help Gigi's dog unless she cut Rex out of her life." Said Cruella.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Said Stacy.
"You can save it, Gigi told me all about you." Said Cruella.
"Really? Well, the internet told me all about you...Cruella...De ViL." Said Stacy.
"It broke Rex's heart when Gigi told him that she didn't want him in her life anymore. Do you have any idea how much suffering you've caused? All because you wanted Gigi out of the picture?" Said Cruella.
"Excuse me? The suffering i've caused? Well, if that aint the pot calling the kettle black. I didn't hire some creep to steal a tiger from a zoo and make it into a skinned rug, and i sure didn't hire two thugs to steal 99 puppies to turn them into a spotted fur coat, and i didn't hire my butler and a some french fashion disaster to steal 102 Dalmatian puppies and smuggle them into another country, and i didn't set up some contest in another nation, and make someone the winner of it, just so i could steal their dog and add it to an entire city's puppy population that i smuggled into another country and stored away on an island on a river boat, and i didn't kill dogs for 10 years and use their fur in my fashionline. And i sure didn't blackmail my doctor into helping me get out of prison. You took whatever you wanted and you didn't care who you hurt. So who are you to judge me?" Said Stacy.
"I was mentally ill. What's your excuse? My ex-employee and her husband refused to sail me their 15 puppies in (1996), and i had a breakdown. And i had another one in (2000) when Big Been reversed my therapy. In (2017), i just did it to do it. And you're right...i caused more heartbreaking grief than anyone, but i paid the price. Not only did i lose my entire fortune to some dog shelter, i lost my career as a fashion mogul, as well as my fashion house, the House Of De ViL." Cruella said.
"And you're telling me this why?" Stacy asked.
"Gigi loves Rex." Said Cruella.
"Loved. It's past tense." Said Stacy.
"Well, she's gonna find her way back to him, and the truth is going to come out about you, and when it does, you're gonna end up just like i did...with nothing." Said Cruella.
"You know what, i really have to get back to Rex." Said Stacy.
"You shouldn't be allowed to be in society." Said Cruella.
"No, honey, that's you." Said Stacy.
"Poor child. Poor sweet child. She has a very serious problem." Said the first hooded figure.
"If only there was something we could do. But there is something." The second hooded figure added.
"Who are you?" Stacy asked.
"Don't be scared. We represent someone who can help you. Someone who can make all your dreams come true." Said the third figure.
"Just imagine...you and your prince." Added the fourth figure.
"Together...forever." Said four of the hooded figures.
"I don't understand." Said Stacy.
"Cruella can help you in your situation...if you help her, that is." Said Vivian.
"No way. I know what you're trying to do." Said Stacy.
"You do? Then...you don't trust me?" Said Cruella.
"No." Said Stacy.
"Then there's nothing i can do to help?" Cruella asked.
"You wanna help me?" Stacy asked.
"If you'll help me." Said Cruella.
"Why that's...i...i couldn't possibly. No! Get out of here! Leave me alone!" Stacy said.
"Suit yourself. It was only a suggestion." Said Cruella.
Stacy then slapped Cruella across the face.
"What do you think you're doing?" Cruella demanded.
"I know exactly what you're up to, you two-faced haired witch! And i will not let you or your cousins or your little hoody friends here, ruin my life with Rex! Now where are they?!" Said Stacy.
"Where are who?" Cruella asked.
"You know what i'm talking about, so don't sit there and pretend like you don't know! Now where is my Diary and that piece of paper?" Stacy asked.
"I would keep my voice down if i were you...Stacy...Maleficent HeLL. That is your real middle and last name, isn't it? Or did you have it changed?" Said Cruella.
"Oh, well you already knew that, because you sent your Hungryen cousin, here, over to my motel room to steal my Diary and secret paper." Said Stacy.
"You mean these?" Asked Diane before reaching into her purse and getting out a pink book and a folded up piece of paper.
"That's my diary and my paper." Said Stacy.
"What makes you think this is your diary?" Diane asked.
"Because it has my name on it." Said Stacy.
"So it does. Now how do you suppose your diary ended up in my cousin's purse?" Cruella asked.
"Cut the mess, Cruella, you already know this. That paper and diary was in my purse the last time i saw it. Then your cousin Diane shows up at the door and pays me a visit and then leaves. And all of a sudden, i don't have my diary or paper anymore. So then i put two and two together, and realized that you must have take them while i was looking at the hologram." Said Stacy.
"You're acusing me of stealing from you?" Diane asked.
"I'm not the criminal here. You stole my diary, a privet book about my life, and stealing is a crime." Said Stacy.
"Oh! You're right. You got me. Let's call the cops." Said Diane.
"Or maybe you'd rather call Rex and explane it to him. Does he even know that you've been keeping this secret from him?" Cruella said.
"You are going to keep your mouth shut." Said Stacy.
"Does Rex know about your dark secret? And don't bother lying, because i know he doesn't." Said Cruella.
"How do you know i haven't told him?" Stacy asked.
"Because you're still together." Said Cruella.
"So you wanna be the one to set the record strate? Break me and Rex up so he'll go running back to that serving wentch? That reminds me, who put you up to this, Gigi?" Said Stacy.
"Gigi does not know...yet." Said Cruella.
"You were gonna go to Rex about this, weren't you? You were gonna take my diary and that paper and show them to him, and you don't care if you broke his heart." Said Stacy.
"No, you're the one who did that, darling. When you forced Gigi to cut him out of her life in order to save her little boy's dog and four unborn puppies." Said Cruella.
"Is that what you're telling yourself? That you're just the messenger? Do you have any idea what this will do to Rex?" Said Stacy.
"Yes, that's why i came to you first. I couldn't hurt him." Said Cruella.
"Good." Said Stacy.
"But you, on the other hand? You deserve what happens next." Said Cruella.
"You breed a word of this to anyone and will go strate to the police and tell them everything that i know about you. You and your cousins will be deported and i will make sure of it." Said Stacy.
"You'd like that, wouldn't you? An excuse to take out all of your anger and frustration on me, but not without risking your baby. Rex's baby." Said Cruella.
"Do you think i'm gonna just stand by and let you ruin my life, Cruella?" Stacy asked.
"Pretty much." Said Cruella.
"Okay. Like i said before. You're on probation with me. And i don't think it will take much to convinse the U.S. authorities to deport you. You'll be runt out of America so fast, you won't even know you've been here. Oh, and one of Rex's friends is the police comissioner, so i'm sure he would love to hear how you and your cousins stole my diary and secret paper, and how you're trying to blackmail me. You would go to prison. So i'm not the only one here with something to lose. If i go down...you're going down with me." Said Stacy.
"You know, you are right about one thing,...you do have the power to depoert me back to London." Said Cruella.
"And send you back to prison. So stay out of my way." Said Stacy.
"We both know you can blow the whistle on me, Stacy, but you won't." Said Cruella.
Stacy: "What makes you think that i..."
"If you breath one word of my past to the police, i'll tell them everything i know about your's...including how you blackmailed Gigi into severing all ties with Rex and passed an 11 billion dollar check off as your own...that i wrote and gave to you." Said Cruella.
Now, is that a risk you're willing to take?" Diane asked.
"I'm not proud of what i did. But it's not a crime." Said Stacy.
"Oh, really? Well, i don't think the police will see it that way, now will they?" Said Cruella.
"Ugh, you are witch! You wicked british witch! You britch!" Said Stacy.
"I've been called worse. And i've done worse." Said Cruella.
"Like i said, you're an evil, cunning, manipulative witch." Said Stacy.
"It takes one to know one." Said Cruella.
"What does that mean?" Stacy asked.
"It means that while i am viewed by many as an awful person, you're not much better yourself. In fact, you could say that both of our goals are identicle." Said Cruella.
"Never. I could never be you. I am nothing like you." Said Stacy.
"You don't think so? Cause i think that both of our goals ty are exactly alike when it comes to Dalmatians. Your threatening to let Gigi's dog die, with it's four unborn puppies, is almost the same as what i did when i stole 99/102/103 Dalmatian puppies and tried to turn them into a spotted fur coat." Said Cruella.
"As i said before, i could never be you. You stole hundreds of Dalmatians three times so you could make them into a spotted fur coat. I just told Gigi that i wouldn't donate the money to the hospital to pay for her dog's surgery unless she stayed away from Rex." Said Stacy.
"And Rex is your Dalmatian coat. You'll do anything to keep him, just like i would do anything to get my Dalmatian puppy coat...Including using someone's dark secret to get them to go along with my plans." Said Cruella.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Stacy asked.
"I'm sure Gigi was probably thinking the same thing when you forced her to break Rex's heart. But i guess that's just how the old saying goes: What goes around, comes around. You blackmailed Gigi...and now you're being blackmailed. You don't think you deserve to be punished for what you've done?" Said Cruella.
"Not by you." Stacy said.
"No, it's not gonna be me. It's gonna be Rex and the police. You're right, i'm just the messenger. And the big question for me is...when? I mean, do i do it now, before you give Rex this baby, or do i wait until he's holding his baby? You know what, why don't i just wait till the wedding when both your's and Rex's families are together. Then again, if i'm gonna wait, i should make it worth while. Oh, we could go to first day of kindergaurden. Or first little league game. Yeah, that's a good one. Or better yet...i could make you wait. I could do like you did and wait until a whole decade has passed. 10...Years...and then i could tell Rex the truth about you, as well as your dark secret. Or i might not just do it at all. See, the whole good part is you...will never know. And you know what's funny? I might not even have to tell him. He's a smart young man, he might figure it out all on his own." Said Cruella.
"Or maybe i'll just tell him myself." Said Stacy.
"I think we all know that's not going to happen." Said Cruella.
"Okay, so this is about the fact that you were arrested in Mexico two years ago for stealing 103 Dalmatian puppies and trying to turn them into a spotted fur coat, right? This is what this is about. You're still upset about the fact that you were denied your Dalmatian fur coat a third time. You don't care. You don't care if you hurt Rex and destroy his life with me." Said Stacy.
"I didn't set this thing in motion, you did...when you started lying to him since day one of your relationship." Said Cruella.
"Okay, we're gonna clear something up here. Not that it's any of your business. But when i came across this dark secret, i realized that it would be a threat our relationship if he knew about it, and that's why i never said anything to him. So, uh...what if i do tell Rex the truth now? Tell him that you've been trying to torture me?" Said Stacy.
"You're not going to tell him, you don't have it in you." Said Cruella.
"We'll see about that." Said Stacy before getting up and heading for the doors.
"You know, this offer won't last forever." Said Cruella stopping the blond in her tracks. "If you think i'm gonna wait around for you to make up your mind, you got another thing coming. This is a one time deal. So you can either take it...or...leave it. The choise is your's, darling."
Stacy turned and walked back over to the table and sat back down in her seat. "What are you talking about?"
"Alright, let me make it clear then. Do you want the cops coming to the El Rancho Motel, dragging you out? Or forcing you to give up your baby after it's born?" Said Cruella.
"I'd be careful if i were you, lady, that sounds like a threat." Said Stacy.
"I'm not the one lying here. Okay, you're lying to Rex and you're lying to his friends and family." Said Cruella.
Stacy: "(Sighs)."
"Yeah. Okay, i thought you'd see it my way. So now the only question is...are you gonna keep lying...or are you finally going to tell the truth." Said Cruella.
"Do you know how crazy you sound?" Stacy asked.
"It take one to know one, blondy." Said Cruella.
"You know, you get deported back to London and sent back to prison." Said Stacy.
"Yeah, except i have proof that you are not who you say you are. Your diary and that piece of paper told me and my cousins everything there is to know about you." Cruella got out her (1990's) cellphone. "Now all i have to do is bring Gigi up to speed. Unless...you wanna do it. After all, this whole secret thing started with you. You should be the one to give her the good news."
"What? That a nosey, crazy dognapping lady, who she let stay with her and her son for over a month, is trying to blackmail me for some sick mind game?" Stacy said.
"You know, you're right. We should leave Gigi out of this. After all, she didn't do anything. Obviously, she's not the one who you've been lying to these past 10 years. But Rex is. Let's just call him instead." Said Cruella.
"No, wait. You can't call him, he can't handle it and neither will i or our baby." Said Stacy.
"Anyone pregnant woman who can threaten to let someone's dog die, along with four unborn puppies, is pretty tough." Said Cruella.
"Only the baby isn't, alright. Baby's are fragle when still in their mother's woumb. I could have a misscarrage. Do you know what that is?" Stacy said.
"Explain it to the police." Said Cruella.
"Look, the point is Rex doesn't know anything about this secret i've been keeping from him. He doesn't know i'm being blackmailed by you. He doesn't know anything about any of this." Said Stacy.
"Because you lied to him again." Said Cruella.
"The point is if he knew the truth about what i did, it would kill him. If i thought he could handle it, i would've told him ages ago." Said Stacy.
"We're talking about people's lives here." Said Cruella.
"Gigi had no business trying to steal Rex back because she knew that he was with me, but if Rex finds out what i did, he hate both me and Gigi and then he'll be all alone, and he will never recover from that. Let me ask you something. If you had a husband...wouldn't you do anything to protect him?" Said Stacy.
"We're not talking about me." Said Cruella.
"Please. Miss De ViL, please. I'm begging for your help right now. If there's just someway, maybe, you could forget about all of this, please. Whatever you say, i'll do." Said Stacy.
"You'll do whatever i say?" Cruella asked.
"Whatever you want, whatever you desire. You name it and i'll do it." Said Stacy.
"Okay. I can see that you're in a tight spot, and i can't say that i understand, but obviously you're a decent person." Said Cruella.
"How much?" Stacy asked.
"What?" Cruella asked.
"I'm asking you to compromise your principles...isn't that right, miss De ViL?" Said Stacy.
"You young people...born with money...thinking you can buy your way out of everything." Said Cruella.
"How much?" Stacy asked.
"104." Said Cruella.
"Done." Said Stacy. The American blond reached into her purse and got out a pin and a check book and placed the book on the table and started writting on it with the pin.
"What are you doing?" Cruella asked.
"I'm writting you a 104 dollar check." Said Stacy.
"Oh no, you misunderstood me, darling. I don't want your money. I have more than enough of that already." Said Cruella.
"But you just said that you wanted 104." Said Stacy.
"I know what i said, but i wasn't talking about money." Said Cruella.
"Okay, so what do you want?" Stacy asked.
"104 puppies...Dalmatian puppies." Said Cruella.
"104 Dalmatians?" Stacy asked.
"My collection of fur coats isn't finished. I need that Dalmatian fur coat to feel completed. You wanna save your relationship with Rex? Get me those puppies. Have we got a deal?" Said Cruella.
"If i help you steal 104 Dalmatian puppies so you can make them into a fur coat...i'll have to live with that for the rest of my life." Said Stacy.
"That's riiiiight. But...you'll have your man. Life's full of tuff choises, isn't it?" Said Cruella.
"But i don't know if i can get my hands on that many Dalmatians. Not without arousing suspicion. You know what i mean?" Said Stacy.
"Oh, i know what you mean, darling. You're only the first person i've recruited to help aid me in this operation. Don't worry, you won't be stealing the puppies all by yourself, i have..."
"Steal? Who said anything about stealing?" Stacy asked.
"Well, what did you think, dear, that we would buy them from pet stores?" Said Diane.
Stacy: "Buying is one thing. But...but stealing is..."
"Oh, quit your whinning. I have four other employees here, as well as my members of my company, DE VIL INDUSTRIES, to help you if you need any assistance." Said Cruella.
"Oh yeah, that reminds me, who are these hoody friends of your's, anyway?" Stacy asked.
"I'm glade you asked. Allow me to introduce to you the people who will be helping you in your aid. It's alright. You may all take off your hoods and reveal yourselves to our new friend, minus one of you." Said Cruella.
Four of the figures removed their hoods, revealing themselves to Stacy.
"Nice to meet you, ma'am. I'm Jasper. And this, hear, is my associate, Horace."
"Hello. Please to meet you." Added Horace.
"And my name is Jean Pierre Le Pelt. I am a notorious french fashion designer from Paris, France." Said the man in a french accent.
"And my name is Paul. Paul C. McLawrence De ViL. Cruella's furrier/husband." Said the man in an Australian accent.
"Yes, i know who you all are, minus you, Mr. Lawrence. You're the guys who stole the 99 Dalmatian puppies for Cruella in (1996) and you're the designer who helped her steal the 102 Dalmatians in (2000). But what are you all doing here? Why aren't you back in London, in prison?" Stacy asked.
"Oh, we've been done with prison for over 23 years. Well, at least Jasper and i have anyway. Tell her, Jasper." Said Horace.
"Delighted. You see, ma'am, the reason we are not in prison is because we were released 23 years ago. My associate and i only got three years and have been out of prison since January 1'st, (2000)." Said Jasper.
"You two only got three years in prison for stealing 99 Dalmatian puppies?" Stacy asked.
"Yes, indeed. It was the 90's at the time, so therefore, it was a 90's crime. The judge sentenced us to spend the rest of the 90's behind bars, which was only three years away from ending." Said Jasper.
"Lucky you. I was in prison for over nine years after i was arrested for the incident with the 102 Dalmatians, and got released in (2010)." Said Le Pelt.
"So you've all been out of jail for a number of years?" Stacy asked.
"Yes. Yes, we have." Said Jasper.
Stacy then noticed the last hooded figure. "Who's he?"
"Oh, this is an old friend from my past, as well. Would you like to meet him?" Cruella said.
"Sure, why not?" Said Stacy.
"Okay, darling. But before we make any introductions, i think it's only fair that you be warned." Said Cruella.
"Warned? Warned about what?" Stacy asked.
"Let me tell you about this guy before you meet him face to face. Now, supposedly, when he was quite young, this dog tore at his throat and ripped out his vocalcords, leaving him brutally scarred and mute, which means he cannot talk at all." Said Cruella.
"(Sighs)." Stacy foled her arms and rolled her blue eyes.
"Hey. Pay attention cause i'm only gonna say this once. This is very important. There are two things you must not do with this guy. 1: Do not look at the horrendous scar on his neck. 2: Don't talk to him. Understand, not a word." Said Cruella.
"Okay, fine." Said Stacy.
The figure took off his hood, revealing himself.
"Ugh! Look at the size of that scar! No wonder you can't talk, man!" Said Stacy.
"That was my reaction to when Jasper and i first met him back in (1996)." Horace added.
Man: "(Weezing)."
"Stacy, this is my friend, Mr. Skinner. He worked for me as a furrier back in the day and was going to be the one to turn the 99 Dalmatian puppies into a spotted fur coat. That is until they all escaped and he and i got tossed into the slammer along with these two clowns." Said Cruella.
"So when was he released?" Stacy asked.
"In (2000). The same year we were." Said Horace.
"So what do you say, Stacy? Will you help us?" Cruella asked.
Stacy stopped to think about the situation. She didn't want to be any part of this scheme of Cruella's in stealing 104 Dalmatian puppies, knowing that they were all going to be killed off and turned into a fur coat. But she also didn't want to lose Rex either. So she had to make the only dicision she had left. "I'll do whatever you want."
"Good. I'll notefy my employees at DE VIL INDUSTRIES and let them know that they can start rounding up the state of Texas' Dalmatian puppy population right now." Said Cruella.
"And remember, dear, if you see a Dalmatian puppy anywhere in town, be it a stray, one with a collar, or in the animal shelter or the pound, grab it. If they have black spots, grab them. If they have brown spots, limon spots and yellow spots, grab them." Said Vivian.
"But don't steal Gigi's puppies. I'm saving those for last, darling." Said Cruella.
"How am i suppose to help you steal 104 Dalmatian puppies without arousing suspicion from Rex? What do i tell him when i have to suddenly go off somewhere?" Stacy asked.
"I don't know, lie, make something up. You're a wiz when it comes to that. I have faith in you. Meanwhile...i have a job to resign from." Said Cruella.
"I'll get back to you." Said Stacy before getting up from her chair and headed towards the door.
"You have 24 hours to present me with some puppies. If you fail to deliver, i will go to Rex...and Gigi...and the police...and tell them everything that i know about you." Said Cruella, stopping Stacy in her tracks.
"I hope to heaven that no one ever threatens you." Said Stacy.
"Someone already did, remember? You. You see how that worked out?" Said Cruella.
Stacy turned to leave.
"And one more thing, darling." Said Cruella.
"What?" Asked Stacy as she turned to face Cruella.
"When you managed to catch some puppies, put them in the trunk of your car and meet us out in the desert outskirts of Paris, Texas. We'll put the puppies on a plane and deport them to my husband's underground fur factory in the outback of Australia." Said Cruella.
"You really are insane." Said Stacy before leaving.
"It takes one to know one." Said Cruella.
Stacy headed towards the exit of the restaurant. "(Sighs) Oh, Rex. What am i going to do? I need some assistence." As if on cue, Roxy, Rex's mother, entered into the restuarant and bumped into Stacy.
"Excuse me, parten me, comin' through." Roxy said as she passed by Stacy.
"Why, you..." Stacy trailed off when she looked down on the floor and saw a piece of folded up paper lying by the door, indicating that it must have fallen out of Roxy's purse. She bent down, picked it up, unfolded it and looked at it. "Oh, wow. Hello, assistence." The blond folded the paper back up, placed it in her purse, and left out of the restaurant.
"Do you think she'll help us? What if she goes back on her word? We'll be in big trouble with the law if she does." Diane asked.
"It's okay, i know that she wants to avoid the police as much as i do. She won't break her promise...not if she wants to keep her freedom, as well as her man. As long as we have leverage over her, we have her right where we want her." Said Cruella. The black and white haired woman dialed a number on her 90's cellphone and held it to her ear and waited for someone to pick up. "Hi, it's me. Begin operation 104 Dalmatians in the U.S., in the state of Texas, now."
104
DALMATIANS
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