INTERLUDE ACT ONE
(We cut from Skinner in peril to the Simpsons, walking through the desecrated town square. They are followed by a small group of Springfielders, including Sideshow Mel-sporting a black eye-, Ned Flanders, Gil Gunderson, The Princes, and Apu Nahasapeemapetilon.)
HOMER (surveying the destruction): Whew! They sure did a number on this place. I'd hate to live here. (He looks around.) Wait…D'oh! Oh my God! They killed the town, Marge! You were right!
(He looks over at his wife to see her tearing up at the sight of it all.)
Marge? What's wrong?
(Marge turns to look at him, smiling a small, sad smile.)
MARGE: Look, Homie. It's the tree where we carved our initials on our first date.
(She points weakly at a completely decimated tree, burnt nearly to cinders, it's top half broken off by a badly-wrecked car lying on it's side a few yards away. Sure enough, amid the ashes and splinters, a chunk of wood has the initials "HS & MB Forever" carved on it. Marge starts to sob uncontrollably. Homer moves in to comfort her.)
HOMER: It's alright, honey. Everything will be okay. (He turns to the group, a look of rage on his face.) Alright, this is it! I'm sick of this town never working together on anything! We never agree, which is the reason why Burns is doing this in the first place! We've ruined this town! Look around you. Just look! See what we've done to the town we love, the town most of us grew up in! We've destroyed everything our founding fathers stood for! What do you think Jebediah would think of us right now? He would be ashamed to be this town's founder, that's what! We need to stop all this craziness before we lose what we've built forever! Who's with me? (The group cheers as one.) Then let's do it! Let's save Springfield!
MARGE: But how, Homer? How are we going to save a town that can't even agree on what to name an ice cream flavor?
HOMER: Dear, as much as the Chocolatey-Fudgy-Fudge debacle still sends a cold shiver up my spine- as I'm sure it does everyone of you-( the crowd collectively shudders)- I know in my heart that this town can unite! We've done it before, in the most desperate of times. Remember the comet? Remember how we all came how to support a friend? A man who was willing to sacrifice it all for his town? We can do that again! I know it!
(Flanders looks surprised.)
FLANDERS: Homer… did you just call me a friend…?
HOMER: Shut up, Flanders! I'm thinking. Hmmmm…. I've got it! I have an idea how we can get those "all-for-violence" naysayers to realize that our way is better! Follow me, everyone!
(Homer runs toward the city hall, followed by the group.)
Author's Note: Short tide over-scene, so sorry. I wrote it quickly to explain who was in Homer's group as well as to show why what happens in the next scene happens. It's sort of a "The Riot" preview, as it were, and also I feel bad for not getting something up sooner. A full chapter will be up Sunday night.