Well, at last, the final speech chapter is here! I'll tell you, watching Scamp's Adventure again just before working on this really helped and I would recommend always refreshing yourself on any canon material when fanfic writing. Same disclaimers apply with previous chapters, and again, a special thanks to XLR8 the Fox for all the help provided! Hope you enjoy this as much as I did reading this. Please feel free to leave a comment if you wish, I always appreciate them!
Chapter 44 – The School of Hard Knocks
Angel looked at the crowd, who all stared at her intensely. She took a moment to appreciate just how well Cadpig, Scamp and Patch had moved the crowd of puppies. What was once a glaring, hostile wall of trained minions was now a group of apprehensive individuals, their eyes filled with confusion and worry as they gazed at her anxiously. As she saw their expressions, her heart melted. Adversity and challenge was the story of her life until she became a part of her family, as it now was for the pups in front of her. And with every fiber of her being, she knew that she had to drive away their fears and set them on their journey to start anew.
"You know, the wild dogs are wrong on a lot of things, but they aren't on one big one. It's true we're not all dealt the same chow dish. Some lucky few of us are born with all the kibble coming catered. But for a lot of us, it's not that easy. You weren't that lucky, and nor was I," and upon saying that, Angel instinctively felt herself putting on a kind of bravado she hadn't since the first time she met Scamp. In that smooth, almost cocky tone, Angel smirked, "I was one of the town's feared crew of junkyard dogs. No beds, no collars, and you had to get your own food to survive." Slipping back into normal as the audience looked at her transformation in shock, Angel said, "I'm sure you guys needed that attitude. That's how you survive in a gang. But it's not who I really was, and I'm sure it's not who you really are either. I'm gonna fill you in on my story and show you how I became the dog I really wanted to be."
Seeing curiosity flicker in the crowd's eyes, Angel instinctively knew to keep the momentum right on rolling. "As I said, I wasn't a lucky pup. I didn't have a nice house with a happy family and fresh food for granted. I was born in the pound. When I was born, my dad was assumed dead and my mom was in deep heartache, and we were cramped in a tiny cell with only a little moldy kibble to get by. Even as I saw this as a very young and helpless puppy, I knew that I couldn't let Mama and I live like this forever. Somehow, we had to break free of our problems, and I knew that only if we dreamed big enough and never gave up could we stand a fighting chance against them!"
Her eyes getting teary-eyed, but her voice remaining strong, Angel continued, "So from then on, Mama and I fought! We weren't gonna sit around and let the dogcatcher decide our fate. We were gonna dig our way out of there! So every day, we dug and dug. We hardly got any rest, as one of us was always up to guard our hole from the dogcatcher. I was always aching and panting, but we were getting there … Until I was adopted and had to say goodbye to Mama. She said I would be happy with a family. And I thought I was … For a while."
Sniffling, Angel admitted, "That's when I learned something the hard way that I want you to know, you might not find the right family on the first try. Not only did my first family not work out … But neither did my second, third, fourth or fifth," she sighed sadly.
The crowd gasped in horror and frantically began murmuring to each other. Angel sighed. This brutal reality was hard to convey, but she knew she had to impart this information if she was going to help these dogs find forever homes. Speaking gently, Angel continued. "There are bad families out there, I won't deny it. Between my families, I was left behind, mistreated, not taken care of, ignored, and kicked out! If you feel like your family doesn't love you, get help! I never knew of a way to find help when I was a puppy. But now, we've got the Twilight Bark, so if you need help, send a message and a neighbor should be there to help you. And if no one else is … You can always contact me! I don't want to see any of you having to go through what I did! Let me know if you need help, and I'll do the best I can to get you out of trouble! But remember, people are just like dogs. There are a few bad ones out there, and I was really unlucky, but most of them are good and kind. Don't give up because you've met one bad person, because I'm sure someone out there is waiting for you to jump in their arms and give them the loving lick they always wanted!"
Looking more hopeful, Angel admitted, "I would've never said that after I was ditched that last time. All I had were feelings of worthlessness and abandonment. So naturally, I became jaded … Convinced I'd never find a family who would love me. After looking for Mama and not finding her, I realized I needed some kind of support … That's why I joined the junkyard dogs, because they at least provided some shelter. But as much as I pretended, I knew that that life never really made me happy. Only I had given up on real happiness at that point."
Sighing, she said. "I really thought that's what life was like. To always remain tough, fight it out every day, and have no hope of a better future. It took Scamp to show me how wrong I was," Angel said admiringly, causing Scamp to cutely smile and blush. "He reminded me that it was still possible to care for others, have big dreams, and really live life the way you want to live it! I couldn't help but be awed by him. He was truly his own dog, and once I dropped my act, we became best friends and then lovers! It was then that … I felt a greater purpose in life. I wasn't there to just survive another day on the streets. I knew that somehow I had to help Scamp in any way I can."
She took a moment to rest as she felt her eyes blazing with passion, before launching into her heartfelt thoughts. "Especially when I saw his family … I'll never forget how shocked I was. There was a family of humans and dogs alike that missed him so much that all they could do was to sit around the fire and weep over his absence. I saw the tears in everyone's eyes, the soft cries in everyone's voices … And I felt my eyes widen in amazement. This was what a real family was … People and dogs who really cared for each other, who were always by each other's side to give them a warm hug and to open their hearts up to, and had unconditional love to give and receive … That's when I knew I had to break free from the junkyard dog life, for that was not the kind of warmth and love my soul truly craved. And that no matter what, I had to get Scamp back home as well, for while I thought I had no chance at that kind of life, I knew he did, and that's all that mattered to me."
The crowd looked at Angel in awe and amazement as she finally caught her breath. Expecting her to be a vain, spoiled and snobbish housedog just earlier that day, Angel's warmth, sincerity and passion shattered that image, instead revealing someone who was not only supportive, but also with a sense of empathy that deeply touched their hearts. "The next day, I quit the junkyard dogs and helped Scamp reunite with his family. Seeing their reunion was bittersweet, for I was so proud of and happy for him, but also sad because I knew I wouldn't see him again. As I turned away, Scamp barked to get my and his pets' attention … And then our eyes met, and Jim Dear asked me to come over. Even seeing how loving they were, I wasn't sure at first. I've been thrown out by so many families that I wasn't even sure they could love me. But when I heard Jim Dear and Darling's gentle voices, saw Junior's happy face and warm touch, and felt the smiles from Scamp and his parents, sisters and uncles around me, and heard Jim Dear saying, "Welcome to the family, Angel."" Angel sniffled in happiness, "I knew that I had finally found the family who would really love me."
Her eyes still teary as she smiled warmly, she continued, "I've been part of their family ever since … And it's been better than I could've ever dreamed of. With my new family, I was finally able to give and receive the love I always wanted in life. And that love is truly unconditional. Even after Scamp and I ran away after a big fight, his parents did not rest to make sure we came back home, no matter how many hurtful things we said. As they pleaded for me to come home, I realized that … They didn't love me just because I was Scamp's girlfriend. They truly loved me for being me, and that I also was like another daughter to them. They and Jim Dear and Darling loved me so much that they went out of their way to do what was best for me, not only welcoming me back after I ran off, but welcoming my parents, who I had just been reunited with, into our family. And now, I couldn't be happier. For I know my family, both canine and human, will always love me just as much as I will love them, and that no matter what obstacles we face, my family is one I will always be part of."
Looking at the puppies with her bright blue eyes gleaming, Angel said, "By following my heart and carrying on, I was able to brave the dark days and become part of a family that I always dreamed of. I just want you guys to find the same happiness I did. For some of you, that might mean staying on the streets as adventurers just to enjoy life, either as your own dog or in packs where you'd love each other just like a family would. But if you want a family like I did, don't give up and keep an open heart, for you'll find your family somewhere, and once you do, you'll never regret it!"
Angel watched the crowd, who looked increasingly hopeful, but many of them still looked concerned. Bullet then raised a paw, and as Angel smiled and nodded at him, he said, "But why would any family want us? We've always been wild dogs … And after all we've done to them."
"Just because you're strays doesn't mean you won't get adopted," Angel explained. "My family has five ex-strays who've all found their true home here. So did my whole gang of junkyard dogs, except our boss who didn't one. They all found loving families, even though were older strays who've never been housedogs and were known troublemakers."
"Yeah, but we were worse," piped up Boots. "None of you were part of a really evil gang," causing the others to murmur and nod.
"You can't change your past," Angel said gently, "But you can start anew with your actions right now. You know what would make a family really thankful? If you join us in rescuing them! They won't think of you as the bad guys, they'll think of you as heroes who helped save them! It will prove to everyone that you really have changed, that you now stand for the special relationship that dogs and humans alike have forged together called family, and that you would each make loving housedogs in a special place called home!" she declared, gaining a round of appreciative barks.
"Where you will never feel lost and will allow you to really find yourself!" Patch added, causing even more barks to chime in.
"Where you'll always have others to care about you and have the real freedom you've always wanted!" Scamp cheered, fueling the crowd's fervor even more.
"Where principles of love and devotion that will provide a guiding light to a society that works for everyone come from!" Cadpig exclaimed, causing some whooping howls to break through the excitement.
"Are we ready?" they called out together, to be met with a frenzy of yips, howls and cheers, echoing through the room and in each other's hearts. As everyone looked at each other excitedly, they saw that everyone else had the same excitement in their eyes and together, everyone once again felt a sense of oneness with each other in their hearts. Only this time, they were not united by seething angrily and responding to hate cries. Instead, their hearts were all beating excitedly as happiness radiated from them as it had never done for any of them before. As they looked around excitedly, they couldn't help but to smile at the four puppies on stage, bathed in the warm light above. Without them, none of them would have seen the light of their words, and for that, they couldn't possibly be more grateful.
As Scamp, Angel, Patch and Cadpig smiled, they suddenly realized they were surrounded by a raucous mob of puppies, and were cornered once again. However, this time, they were all smiling and showering out an endless barrage of words.
"I can't believe we tried to attack you guys!"
"You guys changed my life. I'll never forget you!"
"What can I do to help?"
"I can't wait to get adopted!"
"Me too!"
"Take me to some homes!"
Trying to respond as best as they could, the four puppies didn't even notice that through all the hullabaloo, General Fang had woken up. Rubbing his eyes as he saw his subordinates going crazy on him, his eyes then fell upon Scamp, Angel, Patch and Cadpig, and his eyes instantly narrowed before he shouted, "Hey you lousy lackeys! What are you doing? Kill them, I said, kill them! They're the enemy!"
"Sorry Fang," came a slick voice as Carrie walked up to him, smirking. Confused, Fang turned as from each side, Boots, Trooper and Tank closed in on him. "But you won't control us ever again," she smirked as each of them grabbed ahold of one Fang's paws to wild cheers.
"WHAT! YOU DESERTERS! LET ME GO, TRAITORS! I SWEAR, YOU HOUSEDOG WANNABES ARE GONNA PAY FOR … AAAAAH!" he screamed as Carrie's crew threw him in a high security cage, which they promptly locked him in. Fang continued to rant and rage, but no one paid him attention, for all the cries of excitement and happy barks completely drowned him out. For these puppies, the wild dog pack was a part of their lives no longer. Instead, they looked at Scamp, Angel, Patch and Cadpig admiringly, as together, they walked out of the speech hall for the last time.
As they led the pups behind them, Scamp, Angel, Patch and Cadpig looked at each other. They may have saved an entire pack of puppies from a life of anger, rage and hatred, but they knew their work here was far from over. Even if they were able to save all their pets from the wild dogs' clutches, they knew they wouldn't be able to rest until each of these puppies who wanted a home finally got one. But together, they knew that they, along with their family and friends, would be unstoppable in anything that they set their hearts on.
