Tough Girls Part 5
It was late afternoon the next day and the so called storm that had been slowly drifting in had finally made its way into Animal Town. While the thunder and lightning had already departed, the rain continued to fall rather steadily, making the grounds where the turf war would take place wet and very muddy. Yet nobody was really that concerned about getting wet or dirty. The early summer heat had just made weather extra muggy and sticky. They were all thankful for Roll's house having proper A/C unit. Overall, the conditions for fighting a turf war were clearly not in their favor. Yet Roll wasn't that worried about that weather and more concerned about her team being battle ready by the end of the day. Earlier that morning, she had received message that had been crudely hammered into her door, damaging it in the process. The note warned her that Sylvia and her Uchi gang were initiating the turf war if she didn't leave town by the end of the day. Roll had to admit that neither she or her team were 100% ready but she knew that they had all worked hard. Cherry had certainly been a big help as well in helping them learn the strengths and weaknesses of her former family. Roll noticed that Cherry had much bitterness in her heart whenever she spoke about them, except for Katt. When Cherry went to grab a drink of water, Roll, wearing her gym attire with her hair in a ponytail, went to speak to her.
"Cherry," said Roll gently.
"Huh, oh hey there, what-what," said Cherry as she lowered her glass and set it on the table.
"Cherry can I talk to you about...hey...what's that?" Roll pointed towards a rather crinkled up picture Cherry had in her hand. Cherry noticed the picture in her hand and sighed to herself.
"You don't have to tell me," said Roll, "I just wanted to speak to you about...I guess if I can put this gently..."
"I'm angry at them, what-what," said Cherry, "I don't hate them! I'm hurt alright?" Roll just nodded.
"It's okay, Cherry," said Roll, "Remember what I told you about my mother yesterday?" Roll had hoped Cherry would open up more if she told the red dog about her mother. The blonde girl learned that Cherry had a mother with problems of her own. While Cherry's mother's didn't despise her, she did hurt her physically and was jailed because of it when she was rather young. Cherry's decision to join the gang had caused her to drift apart from her older siblings and she hadn't spoken to them in years. Roll knew there was more, but she wasn't going to push it unless Cherry wanted to talk.
"His name is Bacon," Cherry explained, "I had a huge crush on him. We tried to get together but my affiliation with the gang was what kept us from truly becoming a couple. Plus Sylvia didn't approve of him and...to save my sorry tail...I broke up with him." Roll just looked at her sympathetically. Sometimes Cherry often wondered if Roll just pitied her, but the fact she even had a place to stay and talk to reminded her that Roll did genuinely care about her.
"I'm sorry about that," said Roll.
"It's my biggest regret, what-what," Cherry continued sadly, "I didn't want to break up with him and when I was forced to choose between my family and him. I made my choice and broke his heart. I can still remember the tears in his eyes. He knew that I didn't want to break up. He knew how awful Sylvia was, but...I wouldn't listen...I didn't want to...and the damage was done. Roll, I loved him...I still do...but it's been several years and he's probably moved on by now. Guess I didn't deserve to be happy...or to find true love..." Cherry sniffled a bit as she felt a tears stream down her face.
"Geez, I feel so weak," Cherry grunted angrily, "but...but...I just can't control my tears anymore...I just can't..." This hadn't been the first time Cherry had cried since being taken in. She had shed alot of tears, especially at night since she had trouble sleeping. Roll just pulled her into a hug until she had calmed down.
"Please don't cry," said Roll, "I'm your friend now and I'll take care about you. I promise once this is over, we'll help you start fresh and maybe you'll find love again." Cherry pulled away gently to wipe her eyes. Roll's words had touched her heart and made it harder for her to stop crying.
"You have no idea how much I appreciate your kindness Roll," said Cherry as she wiped her eyes, "I don't deserve it. Why? Why show me such kindness?" Roll just smiled.
"Guess I'm just a caring person," said Roll, "You did prove my speculation about your old family."
"What is that, what-what?" Cherry asked curiously.
"You might not be the only one who wishes they could have the opportunity to break away from Sylvia and just live their own life," said Roll, "If we can open the eyes of the other's, Sylvia's power just might disappear."
"It's a good plan," Cherry sniffled, "I mean...if you gave them the same kindness as you showed me."
"I would," said Roll, "but if they respond with a punch to my face, then I'm gonna give them the spanking of a lifetime."
"Fair enough," said Cherry and they chuckled to each other. It was just then Rosie arrived back inside of the house, donning a umbrella and just tossed it by the door instead of wring the water out of it. She looked rather panicky as she rushed into the kitchen to find Roll.
"Roll! Roll!" Rosie called out.
"Rosie...what's the matter?" Roll asked as she and Cherry looked at the rather distressed blue cat with concern.
"I just caught site of Sylvia and her newly upgraded Uchi gang," said Rosie, "If you thought just one kangaroo was going to be trouble, she's got four more!"
"What?!" said Cherry fearfully, "She normally only brings one or two at most! She's never brought that many kangaroos before, what-what. Can you describe them to me Rosie?"
"One had this red arrow shirt on," Rosie began.
"Mathilda," said Cherry, "she's pretty tough but much slower than Sylvia. Who else?"
"Another one is white with lots of stars," Rosie continued.
"Astrid," said Cherry, "what she lacks in power she makes up for with her speed and agility. Anyone else?"
"The other two were boys apparently, silly," finished Rosie.
"Rooney and Walt!?" said Cherry, "oh man..."
"Cherry what do you know about them?" Roll demanded.
"Rooney is Sylvia's big brother," said Sylvia, "He's the one who had encouraged her to become the fearsome person she is today. Walt...shockingly and I still don't get it...is her boyfriend." Roll and Rosie felt their jaws hit the floor at that bit of news.
"I feel sorry for that guy, silly," said Rosie, "Can I assume Walt was intimidated into dating her?"
"No one knows for sure, what-what," said Cherry, "but they are very, very protective of her. They will stop at nothing to beat whoever has the nerve to attack or injure her. Roll this turf war just got way more complicated."
"Yeah and?" Roll asked. Cherry just looked stunned.
"You're...you're still gonna fight?" said Cherry, "Roll this is crazy! I know your team had been training hard and such but you're way over your head here, what-what! You're not gonna survive this!"
"WELL DO YOU HAVE ANY BETTER OPTIONS?" Roll yelled angrily, making Cherry step back as Roll panted and then huffed.
"I'm sorry," said Roll, "I just want Sylvia to stop hurting people okay."
"A-alright," said Cherry nervously. Roll could see that both her and Cherry looked rather uneasy and made another huff before turning to Rosie.
"Gather everyone into the living room for a meeting," Roll commanded. Rosie nodded worriedly before leaving the kitchen and doing what Roll had requested. Cherry looked puzzled as Roll gestured for her to follow her into the living room. It was less than five minutes before everyone had arrived upstairs, curiously wondering what Roll might have to say. Sable was able there, wanting to learn some self-defense to help boost her confidence and to help support her daughter.
"What's going on?" Isabelle asked curiously.
"From what I have learned," said Roll, "The total of Sylvia's gang numbers about eight so we'll only need about eight fighters." The other's just smiled, knowing not all of them would have to go to battle.
"However," said Roll, "These fighters are far more skilled and loyal to Sylvia than we had expected." Their smiles flipped over and they all groaned.
"My point is this," said Roll, "I love this town and I love all of you. I know that this fight is gonna get ugly and those who go out there to fight will most likely get hurt. I know many of you are still new in terms of being able to fight and that many of you are scared." She turned to Cherry. "Unlike other leaders, I would never force anyone to fight against their will. That is why I called this meeting. If you don't wish to fight, speak up now. Otherwise, will those who still want to help me step forward. Don't be ashamed if you back out. I'm scared too, but...I'm willing to fight alone if it comes down to it...to show how much I love my family and will do whatever it takes to protect them." There was a long silence as Roll just stood quietly.
"I'm in," said Bunnie, stepping forward, "like I said before, tee hee..."
"We're your best friends, silly," Rosie finished for her, "We've got your back. I'm in too!"
"Same here, sulky," said Marshal, "A gentleman's gotta protect the girl he loves."
"Oh quit being so chivalrous," said Bunnie annoyed.
"What?" said Marshal, "How can you not love your best friend?" Marshal gave her a wink, making Bunnie's cheeks turn a little pink before she looked away rolling her eyes at him. In the end, Alfonso, Benjamin, Isabelle, and Katt followed. Roll smiled for their moral support.
"Count me in too," said Cherry, "At the least I can do." Roll continued to smile as they gathered around for a bit of strategy. Roll was gonna play smart and told Fang, Whitney, Purrl, and Rudy to stand by as reinforcements in case Sylvia's gang did prove to be too much.
"But isn't that unfair?" Sable asked her curiously.
"No, it's called using our numbers to our advantage," said Roll, "Even if we can't take them down, we can at least wear them down enough so our reinforcements can strike. You and Mabel said you guys were more than ready to stand by if necessary. You said you would offer to serve as medical support if needed too. Those guys might be tough, but everyone has a limit. Fortunately for us, we've got the advantage regarding that."
"How, mush?" said Rudy, "Aside from yours truly, no one here is that conditioned."
"Maybe not physically," said Roll, "but we've got one thing they haven't."
"What's that, what-what?" asked Cherry.
"Love," said Roll. The other smiled and nodded in agreement...except for Cherry. Such a quality seemed a bit foreign to her, but she wasn't going to question it. Yet she had to admit, the idea of feeling loved did make her feel a little stronger.
A few hours later the team was ready to go. The turf war was going to take place in the open field just in front of retail just as the sun was going to set. It was the only area where there was little to no development surrounding it with Katt's and Rosie's houses acting at the outer edges of what was going to become a temporary battlefield. Since the Uchi gang had left, Roll had taken measures to have any surviving flowers removed so they wouldn't be damaged during the ruckus. Due to limited pocket and storage space, Leif was willing to store the flowers somewhere safe until the turf war was over. The rain was still falling steadily as Roll and her eight villagers arrived on the east side of the battle field as they waited for the Uchi gang to arrive. Roll had changed into the outfit she had worn when she had confronted her mother, but without the shoes despite the rain and her hair was in a ponytail with no accessory. The rest of the group had been given dry denim vests to wear to make them look tougher and to boost team morale. Katt and Cherry stood next to Roll as they felt a cool chill make its way across the field.
"They're here," said Cherry quietly. It wasn't much longer before the gang appeared with Sylvia leading them. The four kangaroos were there as well, ready and waiting for action as their slow steps made a THUMP-THUMP-THUMP across the wet terrain. Sylvia took two steps forward before smirking at them. That was when they noticed that Sylvia had added a fifth as he walked along at her side, which was a white tiger.
"Shoot, I forgot about Rolf!" said Cherry.
"And he is...?" Roll asked.
"Her bodyguard," said Cherry, "and well trained in martial arts."
"Wonderful," said Roll with as much sarcasm as possible. Alfonso and Benjamin then walked up to Sylvia and Rolf.
"Na-na-na-na-na-NA!" they taunted as they shook their rears them. Rolf growled before clawing at both of them, giving them a nice scratch to their rear ends.
"ACK!" they screamed before dashing behind Bunnie and whimpered as they rubbed their scratched bottoms.
"Now I won't be able to sit for a week, alrighty!" said Benjamin.
"You can say that again, it'sa me!" said Alfonso.
"Now I won't be able to sit..."
"But DON'T!" said Bunnie, annoyed with the both of them. Sylvia just laughed.
"So this is your strike team," said Sylvia, "I must admit that I am not that impressed."
"Yours look like all brawn and no brains to me," said Roll indignantly, but glared mostly at Rolf and the other Kangaroos, who just snarled at her offensively.
"Why are you even wasting your time, joey?" Sylvia remarked, "You know we are alot stronger than your team. How about you save yourself the trouble and just surrender now? At least it will keep your friends from being hurt..." Roll just glared. She knew Sylvia was lying about her friends being considered "safe" if she stood down.
"This is your last chance, Sylvia," said Roll, "Get out!"
"I'm not going anywhere, joey," said Sylvia, "if you wanna fight...very well...you're the one whose gonna end up the hospital or worse."
"We'll see," said Roll, getting into a fighting stance.
"Yes we will," said Sylvia with a sinister grin, "ATTACK!" With that battle call, both sides charged and the battle had truly begun.
Turns out that Roll was right in being concerned for her team. While she was managing several attackers coming at her and fending them off without too much difficulty, her other friends were having a tough time trying to stand their ground against the rest of the Uchi gang. Despite everything Cherry and Katt had taught them, they were having alot of trouble trying to exploit the weaknesses of the other team. Anyone who tried to attack Sylvia was either knocked back to attacked with twice the force from either Rolf, Rooney, or Walt. Roll's team was definitely losing this turf war badly as they were all taking more damage than they could deal. Even Cherry and Katt, who were handling their fights a little better, were having conflicted feelings over fighting their old gang members. It seemed as if their fear of Sylvia was giving their opponents more strength than Roll had anticipated. It wasn't long before both Cherry and Katt were quickly overwhelmed by their former sisters. Less than an hour had passed before Roll's team, including their reinforcements, had been huddled up together, clearly battered and worn out as Sylvia's gang surrounded them. Roll was the only one still in decent shape to fight while everyone else had been drained of any energy. Sylvia just chuckled in triumph as she surveyed Roll's worn down team.
"Well I must admit," said Sylvia, "You're team put on a quite a show, but sadly they were just as pathetic as I had thought. They couldn't beat me or my gang! You're the only one that's even standing. Impressive, but not that impressive at all. You were just lucky." Roll just snorted as she brushed a loose strand of hair from her face.
"Well then answer me this question," said Roll angrily, "why are you such a coward?" Sylvia stopped smirking and gave her a bitter look.
"What did you call me?" Sylvia asked darkly.
"I said you are a coward," Roll repeated sternly, "Time and time again I've said I would fight you, but you keep sending me your goons to do your job, claiming that I am beneath you and not worthy of fighting you. You know what I think? I think you just too afraid that if I take you on, you are gonna get what you deserve. A good smack in your fat tail!" Sylvia gritted her teeth and glared at her fiercely. With a loud snap of her fingers, Roll suddenly sensed someone charging at her at high speed. Roll quickly dodged the first attack, the second, and the third, but the fourth was way too fast for her and she found herself flying as Rooney kicked her hard with his foot. Roll slammed hard into the ground a few yards away. Before she could fully recover, Walt moved quickly around her and then kicked her another few yards so she landed hard again, this time more dazed and hurt then the first time. Astrid then repeated the attack but didn't even wait for Roll to even have any time to react. Roll could feel her body screaming from the pain and bruises she had gotten from being kicked around that all she could do was hold up her hands in defense so she could block while trying to find a way back to her feet, but Sylvia didn't wait for Roll to recover and used her feet to kick Roll several times. Each time made everyone watching cringe before Sylvia kicked Roll across the grass so she landed hard on her stomach. Poor Roll had gotten the beating of a lifetime, her right eye was black, her pony tail had come apart, the sleeve of her left arm was torn at the shoulder, and bruises could be seen on her arms, lower legs, and even her bare feet. Despite her pain, Roll didn't cry and just panted heavily as she lay on the ground before the purple kangaroo. Little did anyone know that a mysterious figure in a brown cloak had been watching everything that had taken place from behind a nearby cherry tree. She had ventured closer towards the crowd when Sylvia was approaching Roll. She had also cringed in disgust at how ruthless they had been with attacking Roll.
"Where do you get the gall to call me a coward?" Sylvia asked sternly.
"You...you never fight fair," Roll strained, "you always have someone else do you dirty work while you keep all the spoils. You never bother to fight me one on one! You only had to guts to strike me when I was down. You have no dignity and you have no honor!"
"I hate it when people just don't learn to shut their stupid mouths!" Sylvia picked up Roll viciously and threw her back towards the other villagers. Those like Bunnie, Rosie, and Marshal were crying in tears since the other members of Sylvia's gang had blocked them from reaching Roll and were helpless in offering the blonde girl any help.
"You piece of dirt," Sylvia sneered, "no...I'm wrong. You're lower than dirt. You're a dumb blonde." Roll groaned feebly since her body ached too much to move.
"Let this be a lesson to all you fools!" Sylvia announced, "Speaking up is a very dangerous thing. People who open their big traps end up like your friend here, which is battered and beaten like a chicken cutlet! If you are smart and actually have brains in your heads, you can learn to button those mouths of yours and I'll promise you that you'll live long, peaceful, and healthy lives!"
"You're...wrong...Sylvia..." said a hoarse voice. Sylvia stiffed as her temper began to hit her boiling point as she watched Roll slowly and painfully rise to her feet. Despite her pain, Roll looked at her fiercely and angrily.
"No village is happy when people can't speak their own minds," Roll continued with a hoarse tone. Sylvia glared and slowly approached her.
"This town is the best not because of the leader who runs it, but because of the minds and ideas of everyone who lives here," said Roll, her voice strained at first but grew stronger as the spoke, "People need to be able to speak their minds because it not only helps to have different perspectives about things, but it also helps to prevent people doing awful and terrible things that you are doing now! Being able to share ideas with each other is what helps a leader become as strong as he or she can possibly be. Those who follow a leader who cares and listens to them will learn to love and care for you as well as each other. They'll support you through anything that you face or deal with it will be through love, and not by fear. So...so who is the weaker leader here?! You think you're so tough Sylvia. You think leading by fear makes you stronger...well you are dead wrong!" Roll shouted the last part of her speech. Her words had touched not just the hearts of her own friends and family, but also their other Uchi gang members as well, even Sylvia's friends.
"You don't know the definition of what it means to have a family," Roll continued boldly, "A family is not some sort of pyramid where you get to be on top. You can't force people to stay loyal to you and you can't force them to do things that they don't want to do. You think that inspires loyalty? I can assure you that it doesn't. You only think you're strong because you've intimidated them into following and staying with you through fear. Fear isn't friendship and it certainly isn't what it means to be a big sister, or Uchi as you call it! You act like you're a one woman show, but if they were to walk out of you, you're strength and power would disappear!" Sylvia slowly came to a stop before Roll so her nose was just inches from her face. She then could hear murmuring from both her original Uchis and her Kangaroos allies. Roll could see that Sylvia was getting nervous.
"Your Uchis are alot stronger than you give them credit for," said Roll, "They can't spend the rest of their lives serving you. They have their own dreams and futures...and you know it...don't you?" Sylvia just glared before she growled and slapped Roll hard across the face, sending her to the ground. Roll tried to get up but Sylvia pushed her head down with her foot. She went to lift her foot, determined to put so much power into her stomping that it would probably end Roll's life...
But Sylvia was stopped. Tammy, Phoebe, and Renee stood before her in front of Roll, along with Cherry and Katt. All five of them were glaring at her.
"Get out of my way!" she barked viciously.
"No, hi there," said Tammy, "Roll is right. You don't care about us at all!"
"All you ever do is make us do whatever you want to do and if we want to do something we want, we get beat up, snarky!" Phoebe added.
"All you care about yourself and what you want, yo-yo-yo!" said Renee, "what about our wants and our dreams, Sylvia?"
"We've followed you for years and what have we got to show for it, what-what!" Cherry added, "Nothing! Nothing but the cops after us and people who think we're monsters!"
"Well isn't that what you all wanted, joey?" Sylvia yelled, "to be respected? To have people listen to you and learn not to mess with you? I gave you all of that and this is how you thank me for it!" They all just glared.
"We do appreciate what you did to help us become stronger, purrty," said Katt, "but you've crossed lines we never wanted to cross and they are lines we never want to cross ever again!"
"We don't even know why we're here, hi there!" said Tammy, "or why we even travel and terrorize towns? what have they ever done to you?"
"SHUT UP!" Sylvia barked furiously. She was getting sick of being told off.
"No, yo-yo-yo," said Renee, "We've gone along with this far enough. The only reason you've even picked on Roll is just because she stood up to you! She had done nothing to wrong you or offend you. Yet here you are! Ready to end her life!"
"Because I get what I want!" Sylvia yelled, "and nobody is going to stop me. If you five don't get out of my way, you'll all suffer the same fate her!" Sylvia was then stunned by the sound of someone grunting and giving her disgusted sounds. She turned to see that Rolf, Rooney, Mathilda, Walt, and Astrid were leaving.
"Just where do you think you're going?" Sylvia asked angrily, "GET BACK HERE!" Rolf spat on the ground near her and left without another word. Rooney glared angrily at her.
"Forget it, sis," said Rooney, "You lied to me, punches. You said Roll was causing you problems when the truth is you're still bullying and degrading people just for the fun of it! I warned you that if you kept doing it that my support was going to stop and you've lied to me for the last time. You're on your own!" Sylvia just panted heavily as she saw them leave.
"WALT!" she screamed. He did stop, but just so he could glare into her eyes bitterly.
"You're not the woman I thought you were, pockets," said Walt, "If you do this to them, just what do you plan for our future. I don't want to marry you just so you can rule over me! I love you Sylvia. Did you ever love me?" Sylvia said nothing but just glared. Walt just glared fiercely before ripping off the "bracelet" she had on her wrist.
"HEY!" she barked. Walt took the "bracelet and removed the charm that he had added to it as a sign of their so called "love" that had never existed. He then walked over Isabelle, who was quite battered, even her top knot was missing. She looked at him nervously and was stunned when he gave her the bell ribbon. Sylvia had told him that she had gotten it after Isabelle had tried to fight her. Now he knew the truth and kindly handed it back to her.
"I believe this is yours, pockets," he replied. Isabelle just smiled softly.
"Thank you," said Isabelle meekly. Walt gave her a smile before giving Sylvia a glare as the other three kangaroos walked away. Sylvia just watched them leave before she turned to the other Uchi gang villagers.
"You brainwashed fools! You..you idiots!" she screamed at them.
"Knock it off, sparky," said Phoebe sternly, "We have brains after all!"
"And thanks to Roll we now see you for who you really are, yo-yo-yo!" said Renee, "A monster!" Sylvia just panted heavily in rage and screamed. She then grabbed Cherry by the front of her shirt and threw her away from herself.
"I'm gonna end that blonde garbage..." She then slugged Phoebe to the face to send her flying backwards.
"...If it's the last..." Belting Renee to the face and knocking her out.
"...Thing..." She then kicked both Katt and Cherry out of her way next.
"...I do!" She finished with picking up Tammy and throwing her several yards away and into the other villagers. They were so surprised by Tammy coming at them that they had forgotten to block Sylvia as she was about finish off Roll!
"NO!" Bunnie and Rosie shouted. Sylvia lifted her foot and was about to set it down on Roll's head when there was a flash and Sylvia was went flying backwards several yards. Sylvia was stunned from the sudden strike for a moment or two before she hopped to her feet.
"WHO DARES TO INTERFERE WITH ME?!" She bellowed in rage. She then noticed a figure in a defensive stance. Her purple kimono sandals showing out of her cloak as she faced her with the hood covering her face.
"WHO ARE YOU?" Sylvia demanded angrily. The figure then removed her hood and cloak as she glared at her. Sylvia gasped in shock as did the rest of the villagers. It was a black haired pixie haircut lady wearing a pom-pom headband with blue eyes, dressed in her purple fighter's outfit.
"Yumi!" said Katt feebly as she was trying to get to her feet from Sylvia's attack. Yumi just kept glaring as she gently helped Roll back to her feet. Roll wobbled a bit but soon found her footing.
"I'm so proud of you, Roll-chan," said Yumi with a warm smile. Roll just smiled back and then stood with her master. She may have been down, but she was certainly not out. Yumi smiled at her before redirecting her attention to the purple kangaroo approaching her with a vicious smirk on her face.
"So...you've finally decided to come out of hiding, joey?" said Sylvia.
"I've never hidden from you," said Yumi angrily, "You knew where I lived. Why didn't you show up and take me on if you are so brave?" Sylvia felt at a loss for words before she growled at her.
"Yeah...well...you still turned your back on us!" Sylvia barked, "You're a traitor to us all!"
"No, Sylva," said Yumi, "You became a traitor when you stopped protecting everyone that you loved and everyone who loves you."
"I don't care!" said Sylvia, "I don't need love! I don't need anybody!" Yumi just shook her head at her in pity.
"Sylvia your time of bullying others is over!" said Yumi, "and thanks to Roll your so called "gang" now knows who you really are! You're gonna have to get this into that head of yours. They love each other...more than they will ever fear you!"
"NO THEY ARE ALL IDIOTS!" Sylvia screamed in rage, "THEY SHOULD'VE FEARED ME MORE! NOW PUT EM UP!"
"Forget it Sylvia!" Roll added, "It's you against everyone else here! It's time you put the past behind you and stand down!" Sylvia's body trembled. Her temper had reached her breaking point as she gave out another blood curling scream.
"NEVER!" Sylvia barked, "I'LL NEVER SURRENDER!" She then glared viciously at Yumi.
"I'm gonna do to you what I should have done all those years ago, joey!" Sylvia snarled and charged. Yumi was ready, but to her surprise Roll jumped in the way and lunged at her, using her momentum to send her tumbling backwards. They rolled about several times wrestling with each other. That was when Yumi gasped when she noticed them heading towards the south-western boundary of the field. Fortunately they stopped and soon Sylvia and Roll was fighting each other. Despite all the battering, Roll was just as quick and precise as ever. Apparently, her determination had given her the extra adrenaline she needed to fight. Sylvia could not pin her down. As she grew angrier and angrier, she seemed to get more and more sloppy with her movements and attacks, making is easier for Roll to avoid her attacks. Then Sylvia got a lucky hit and sent Roll sliding towards the cliff edge where there was nothing but water a good 80 feet beneath her. Sylvia went to pounce her, but Roll lifted her bare feet and pushed her off, sending her flying and right over the cliff edge. Everyone gasped as they rushed over to watch the two battle, ready to step in if necessary. Two seconds passed before a purple hand appeared over the cliff, trying to get back up but failing miserably. The rain had done its toll on the rocky wall separating the town from the ocean below, making the rock not only slippery but also crumbly. Sylvia was struggling desperately to climb back up but was having trouble. Roll crawled over.
"Sylvia, give me your hand! Hurry!" Roll reached out with her hand, but only to get it violently slapped away. That was a big mistake as Sylvia dangerously began to slip and was now just struggling to hold on.
"Sylvia, come on," said Roll desperately, "Please...let me help you." Sylvia just looked at her, her anger had disappeared and was now replaced with confusion and fear. Just as Roll had thought she had seen a tear appear from Sylvia's left eye.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHH!" Sylvia scream as her grip was lost and she tumbled into the ocean with a massive splash. Yumi had arrived just in time to see her fall along with the others.
"Sylvia!" the other Uchis cried out. Roll searched the water desperately and when she saw that Sylvia wasn't surfacing. She threw herself over the cliff.
"ROLL NO!" Sable screamed as Roll dove in the water after her. The next seven seconds, nobody could breathe as the water grew calm and nobody had surfaced. Suddenly, someone did and they all released their breath at once. Roll had appeared from the water, with Sylvia in tow and was trying with all her remaining strength to drag her back to the closest shoreline.
"She's needs help!" Yumi called out.
"The ramp is over here, silly!" Rosie called out.
"Just follow us, tee hee," Bunnie added as they both led Yumi towards the shoreline. Yumi wasted no time, throwing off her sandals just before they reached the sand and rushing into the water to help Roll as she was dragging Sylvia to shore all by herself. Roll crawled onto the wet sand, soaking wet, and panting heavily as she knelt over to catch her breath. Next to her was Sylvia, who hadn't stirred since Roll found her sinking in the water and had not woken up or moved when Roll grabbed her and carried her to safety. Yumi knelt beside the purple kangaroo to examine her while Bunnie and Rosie helped Roll sit up a bit.
"How...is...she...?" Roll asked, clearly exhausted.
"She's still alive, but she unconscious," said Yumi. She tried to wake her up, but nothing seemed to revive her. Surprisingly Sylvia wasn't waterlogged despite being submerged for over twelve seconds. Yumi grew worried as she just knelt beside her. Despite what Sylvia had done, Yumi could have never wished for this. She didn't bother to tell the other's that Sylvia's pulse was very weak. She was afraid that Sylvia wasn't going to have the will to live. Roll had managed to limp over to Yumi and set a hand behind her back.
"Let's take her back to my house," said Roll, "We can figure out what to do with her and the rest of the gang there." Yumi just nodded as a small tear left her eyes and wiped it away. Rosie and Bunnie each had to pick up Sylvia together to take her back to Roll's house when Rosie realized something.
"Wait a minute, silly," said Rosie, "How do you know the rest of her gang even wants to change? I mean sure they were willing to stand up for you but..."
"Uchi gang had been secured!" said a voice. Yumi and Roll both looked up and saw Mr. Resetti saluting them from above with Phoebe, Tammy, and Renee now handcuffed. Their looks on their faces showing that they had surrendered. Roll just sighed and shook her head.
"Does that...a...ans...wer..." After everything Roll had been put through, her strength has finally run out, causing her to collapse. Sable caught her before Roll could crash into the wet sand and just held her close in her arms as she cried.
"Oh my baby, did you have to be so brave..." she sobbed, hoping that Roll would be okay as she carried her back to the house.
Roll woke up late the next morning and no one blamed her for sleeping in either. After all, she had taken quite a beating and every part of her body ached. Luckily thanks to both Sable and Yumi, both had provided some creams, ointments, and medicines for Roll use to help heal her bruises and other injuries. Yumi had chosen to stay with Roll for a few days to help her with repairing the town and helping her deal with the remaining Uchi gang members. Yet everyone was still surprised that Roll had only suffered minor injuries. After such a beating, they were amazed that nothing was sprained or broken. Since Roll was very sore, Sable helped her shower, and then combed and brushed her hair. Since the brown hedgehog did her hair, Roll had no choice but to wear it down, much at her own expense. Yet Sable did add a white headband to go with her hair as Roll changed into a pink bud tank with a white folded skirt. Roll found herself liking how pretty she looked.
As for the other Uchis, Roll had them placed under "house arrest" until she could figure out what to do with them. She said house arrest just to please Mr. Resetti, but the blonde girl had no plans in holding them hostage inside her house, at least not for the long term. But she did want to talk to them. While none of them didn't break down like Cherry did, Sable said that they did cry for a while as they kept them under close guard until Roll had woken up. Roll had no worries about any of them trying to attack her, except for Sylvia. Yumi had placed the purple Kangaroo in the guest wing of the house and there she stayed for the rest of the night with Yumi keeping an eye on her. Renee, Phoebe, and Tammy all pleaded mercy and agreed to servitude under the blonde girl, but Sable put a stop to it immediately and said sternly that Roll will decide what to do with them. Roll had planned on talking to the other three Uchis after she had eaten some breakfast, but seeing that they looked so nervous, she decided to address them beforehand. Cherry was also there as well to offer moral support and because she wanted to see what Roll had to say. After all, she, like the others, had no place to go. As the uchi's sat on the main sofa, Roll took a seat in one of the side chairs, patting her skirt into her lap before speaking.
"I guess I don't need to lecture you on all the damage you've caused to this town," said Roll, "but I am also willing to give you the benefit of the doubt that neither of you meant to do all the terrible things you've done." All four Uchis just shook their heads together.
"We were just afraid for our lives, yo-yo-yo," said Renee sadly, "Sylvia was very ruthless to us all."
"But I don't understand why you guys didn't just stand up to her?" said Roll, "You outnumbered her five to one."
"Roll-chan, you saw how easily she threw off all five of them without breaking a sweat," Yumi explained, "These Uchis weren't just in fear. They were abused. Abused to the point that they didn't want to be hurt anymore." The other Uchis felt very shamed and depressed and nodded in agreement. Roll just looked at them with sympathy.
"Everything is going to be okay, you guys," said Roll as she slowly stood up from her chair and stood before them, "I'm gonna make sure Sylvia never hurts you guys ever again."
"How, sparky?" said Phoebe.
"I'll see to it myself," said Roll, "Sylvia isn't strong without you guys. I'm not gonna let her hurt you anymore."
"Speaking of which..." Yumi replied as she headed into the guest room where Sylvia had been put to sleep. She had stepped out to see how Roll was gonna handle the other Uchis but knew if she stayed away too long Sylvia might try something. And the kangaroo had done just that.
"SHE'S GONE!" Yumi shouted and everyone rushed into the bed room. They noticed that they bed Sylvia had been resting in was empty and the window to her room was open, not smashed, just opened.
"She must have gone out the window, what-what," said Cherry. They also took note that nothing inside was damaged. Sylvia had managed to sneak out without nobody noticing. There was a loud whimper. Sable, Yumi, and Roll noticed that the four Uchis were trembling in fear.
"Don't worry you guys," said Roll gently, "She's not gonna come after you. I promise."
"She's right," said Yumi, "I can feel it. She's in no condition to harm anyone right now. Unfortunately, going after her won't do any good. Her heart is filled with much conflict."
"How do you know, sensei?" Roll asked.
"I could feel her chi when I examined her," said Yumi, "Your act of kindness caused a conflict deep within her. Now she's in conflict with herself and until she figures out who she is and what she truly wants in life, she'll never be strong. It's a path of self-discovery she needs to do on her own and no one can chose it for her. She won't be bothering anyone for a long time. Who knows, maybe she'll learn her lesson and find a better path for her life than just being a bully." Roll just hummed and then turned to the other Uchis. They were relived Sylvia was gone, but they felt empty.
"So...what happens to us now, yo-yo-yo?" said Renee.
"First you're gonna help us clean up the damage you've done to the town," said Roll, "and once you've finished, you can tell us what you really want to do with your lives. I'm sure all of you have had some sort of dream despite Sylvia's tyranny. If you willing to tell me about it, we can work together to make that dream come true." The four Uchis were left stunned and suddenly they burst into tears. Roll's kindness was just too much and they couldn't help but break down.
"But...but...after everything..." Tammy croaked, "we don't deserve it."
"Yes you do," said Roll, "If being a fool means protecting someone whose in need than turning their back on them, then that's what I am."
"You're not a fool, sparky," said Phoebe sadly as she cried, "You're a caring person. And you're kind enough to show compassion to the likes of us, despite everything."
"You're strong in both your character and in the way you fight, hi there," Tammy sobbed, "You fight with love instead of strength and fear. You are what we've wanted when we first joined the Uchi gang. You're the true definition of what it means to be a tough girl." Roll just listened attentively and just smiled as she called for them to group hug. They did willingly, still crying as they did so. Sable and Yumi just smiled to each other, each proud of Roll for similar as well as different reasons.
Thanks to the Uchis cleaning up the town, repairs were complete within a few days and the town looked better than new. Katt also offered her house for the Uchis to stay so Roll could finally have her house to herself. Well...at least just have her house with only one guest. Yumi stayed to help with the clean up as well as her butler. They were a big help as well and the rest of the village welcomed her and her butler with open arms. After she left two days later, she was willing to admit that Roll was more than just a student, but a lifelong friend. Roll made her promise to come back again someday and Yumi assured her that when the time was right she would. Roll gave her a parting gift, which was a western style party dress in purple with a lavender waist belt that had a belt buckle with Yumi's other favorite food. Toast. She loved the dress and promised to wear it in the future.
Within a week or so the other Uchis, with Roll's help, had relocated to other towns to start their own lives and pursue their own dreams. Tammy was going to start doing research on how to become a hostess so she could throw lots of different types of parties, her favorite being Halloween costume parties. Phoebe always had an interest in volcanoes so she decided to go back to college and try to earn a degree in earth science and geology. Renee wanted to help prevent children from joining gangs and went back to her home town to set up a community center for children to play that was safe and where they could help the community rather than cause mischief. Katt was letting Cherry stay at her house since Cherry's dream coincided with Margie's. While Margie wanted to create clothes and designs, Cherry wanted to have her own fashion runway where people could showcase their designs. They had decided to work together so once Margie was ready to promote her clothes, Cherry could help her showcase them to the public.
The Saturday before the big bug off, Sable was hard at work in her shop trying to do her cross-stitching with the digital QR machine when she heard someone enter the shop. She turned and was surprised to see Cherry walk in with Mabel just smiling suspiciously. While Cherry had earned everyone's forgiveness, Sable was still quiet towards her. Cherry knew Sable was still mad at her even when the brown hedgehog smiled back at her. Cherry could always tell that Sable's smiles were forced and hoped her little surprise would settle this issue once and for all.
"Hey Sable," said Cherry cheerfully.
"Hi," she replied bluntly and got back to work.
"I have a surprise for you," said Cherry. That got Sable to stop working as she turned towards the red and black dog. Cherry giggled before the eagerly rushed out of the shop and rolled in what appeared to be a sewing machine. Yet it wasn't just any sewing machine. It was her sewing machine. She didn't want to believe it, especially since the machine looked brand new. Sable was speechless.
"H-h-how?" said Sable, noticing that "Able" engraving was also there. She had first thought it was duplicate until she noticed that the engraving was the original, but it had been repainted and restored.
"Mabel told me that you had actually saved the broken parts, including the outer covering with the family engraving on it," Cherry explained, "I was able to find a blueprint for the exact machine model and I used the parts and some spare parts I salvaged at a local garbage dump to rebuild it piece by piece. I did have some help from an old friend to restore the outer covering, but...I know that this machine meant alot to you. Since Tammy was able to restore the picture she drew over, I figured...I could try to restore the sewing machine since I had the technical knowhow to do so. If there was one thing I learned during my time with the gang, it was how to tinker with machines, especially older machines. It wasn't easy but I had it tested and it seems to work. Care to try it out?"
Sable just stared at the machine before she slowly approached. She just fingered the outer covering for a moment before grabbing a pattern that needed a good cross-stitching and slowly started up the machine. Sable was immediately satisfied. It was like the machine had never been damaged and it worked just like it had before, but better. In fact, because the parts were now brand new, the stitching process was much smoother and she wouldn't have to worry about oiling and adjusting the gears and threads as much due to wear and tear. Sable then stopped the machine and just looked at Cherry was teary eyes before embracing her warmly.
"Thank you," she said with a sniffle.
"You're welcome, what-what," said Cherry, "I hope I can earn you're forgiveness now." Sable pulled away as she dried her eyes.
"You already have," said Sable, "I was just being immature. After all, it's just a machine. I don't need it to remember my mom, but...I'm still glad to have my mom's sewing machine restored nevertheless." Cherry smiled as a young man entered the shop wearing a horizontal stripped tee, jeans, flip-flops, messy brown hair, round glasses and a beret.
"My Cherry amour?" he said softly. Cherry froze when she heard the voice and slowly turned around and gasped with her hands over her mouth. She knew who the young man was.
"B-Bacon?" she called out. The young man just smiled and raised his arms. Cherry wasted no time rushing into them as he lifted her into the air and spun her around and held her close as Cherry broke down in tears. They pulled away, still holding each other. Cherry smiled as her tears continued to fall and Bacon slowly used his thumb to wiped them away, making her giggle.
"I'm so sorry..." Cherry tried to apologize but he put a finger over her lips.
"It's okay," he answered sweetly, "Mayor Roll explained everything. I've been waiting for this day when we could be together again."
"You...you have, what-what?" Cherry croaked.
"Yes, you lost your way," said Bacon, "but you've found it again."
"I did lose my way," said Cherry, "I wouldn't say I found it again, but I do know this...I love you and I want to be with you, what-what."
"That's good to know," said Bacon, "cause I want to be with you too...forever." Cherry gasped once more and both Mabel and Labelle squealed with glee. Bacon was now on one knee, holding a precious diamond ring inside of a black box.
"Cherry I love you with all my heart," said Bacon, "and together we are gonna make your dreams come true. Will you do me the honor...of becoming my wife?" Cherry was almost too choked up to speak but said timidly.
"Yes..." before she began to sob, but she did so happily as Bacon slipped the ring onto her finger and they exchanged a kiss with each other.
Outside, Roll had been watching the event discreetly from outside the shop's window. She smiled happily before leaving to do her own regular dailies around town. As for the rest of the village, Roll was being declared a hero. She had saved the town and she had helped four girls turn their lives around so they could pursue their own dreams.
Now she was the true definition of what it meant to be...a tough girl.
Hope you caught the Toy Story, Lion King, Avatar the Last Airbender, and A Bug's Life references here. I just had to include at least one Star Wars and Sonic X reference too.
I had the dress described is a QR code in my twitter account but it was so long ago that I might need to repost it.
The Uchi villager's dreams are based loosely off their projects designs in ACHHD.
I didn't expect this to be five parts, but a good story needs its content. Here's the preview for the next story arc:
The Bug Off: Roll's first bug off is coming up, but she doesn't want to participate due her fear and disgust of bugs. But when another Mayor named Sakura comes to participate, can she help Roll overcome her fear and insecurities? Especially with...eww...cockroaches?
Find out...next time.