Sorry it took so long but I promise you guys I'll finish the whole story! So here's chapter 9! I'm half-way there! Enjoy!
Flushed Away is owned by (c)Dreamworks & (c)Aardman
Chapter 9: Parked
The crew of the Jammy Dodger II managed to escape the clutches of the Toad's henchrats. As they continued their journey, they almost reached the strong and fast rapids of Hyde Park. But before they reached there, they parked the boat and dropped the anchor. Rita went down the engine room to check how much fuel the boat lost after the escape. On the upper deck, Roddy, Sid and Duchess were waiting for her to announced the status of the Dodger. Not for long, Rita went out the engine room.
"Good news, the Dodger still has enough gas to keep her running" said Rita as she tightens the rubber band on her ponytail, but then her smile disappeared "bad news, the battery on the engine needs to be recharge before we keep moving and those clowns might come looking for us" she closed the hatch and continues to speak "but this would be a good time for us to rest for a while"
"Great! Now if you'll excuse me" Sid tossed himself on a dry sponge at the back of the deck and began to snore, Rita and Roddy chuckled.
"Poor guy, I didn't know he was that tired" said Roddy, he then turned to Duchess, resting her head at the edge of the boat "How are you doing there Duchess?" asked Roddy
"I'll be fine, I just need some rest" said Duchess in a drowsy voice. She sat down on another sponge and closed her eyes to rest, she started to feel better now that the boat was parked.
"What was that all about anyway? I mean, it's weird that they were after your necklace" Roddy asked Rita
"Good question, and whatever they're planning to do with it, it's not going to be pretty" replied Rita, holding the locket. "I'll stay in the engine room to watch the battery, call me if you spot them again" Rita was about to go down in the engine room, but she stopped when Roddy called her.
"Hey Rita, do you think I should, well you know...um...steer the Dodger?"
"Oh, not this again. No!"
"Why not? Incase you didn't know I help build the boat"
"Yes. But as your captain, I say that you're not ready to steer the Dodger"
"A wise thought coming from someone who almost crashed a fishing boat" said Roddy, it made Rita snapped. She's the kind of rat who would never give up without a fight. There was a moment of silence. Then the argument starts.
"Don't you say that in front of my face!"
"And why shouldn't I?"
"Because I say so. So shut up!"
"I might if you tell me why I can't steer. Aside the fact because you're the captain and you say so"
"What is it with you and steering?"
"Well I don't know. It's because I can't take it off my mind"
"Is that all? Well, I have something that will take your mind off it!" Rita grabbed a mop and a bucket of water and tossed them to Roddy "Swab the deck! I want it spotless by the time I get back!"
"Fine! Try not to bump into anything while you're down there!"
"Fine!" Rita slammed the hatch closed
"Fine!" Roddy shouted back. He muttered as he clean the deck with a wet mop "Who does she thinks she is? That, that tyrant. If she wants it spotless, then I'll make it spotless." he swabbed back and forth with great force by his anger. From afar, Duchess just witness their argument and with that, she thought of a nasty plot.
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"That Roddy, he's so annoying" muttered Rita, marching towards the engine and checked the battery "Great, it's not ready yet" said Rita in frustration, she sat down on a crate and thought about the argument she had with Roddy. The fact is that she didn't let Roddy steer the Dodger ever since it was newly built. She was just afraid that he might scratch the paint or break the side mirrors of the boat. But what she feared the most was losing it. It's easy to blame him because of his carelessness. But then she remembered that both of them worked together on building the boat, and it is unfair for Roddy not to steer it, eventhough he isn't a professional driver like Rita. "Maybe I was too hard on him" she said "I better apologize"
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"Is she always this bossy?" Duchess starts a conversation with Roddy
"Yeah, but I've gotten used to it" said Roddy while swabing the deck
"Roderick St. James you are such a pushover" hearing those words, Roddy stopped his work
"No I'm not" he said, but he has to admit being bossed by Rita, and holding a mop makes him look like a slave "well maybe a little"
"You know you could be free from all this work if you change your mind and come back home with me" she said
"I won't change my mind Duchess, besides, I can handle a little hardwork. Especially the ones coming from Rita"
"That's what I'm worried about. She's pushing you too hard"
"Anyone can swab the deck, it's not that hard"
"Oh first she tells you to swab the deck. Then the next thing you'll know, she tells you to clean this whole boat from top to bottom. Scrapping every barnacle" said Duchess
"Look Duchess" said Roddy, behind him Rita's head popped out from the hatch and overheard Roddy's conversation with Duchess "I know that Rita is bossy, short-tempered, unladylike, arrogant, ill-mannered at times, and not to mention very stubborn--" before Roddy could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by Rita behind him.
"And to think I came up here to apologize" barked Rita "instead I find you making up words behind my back!" she snarled and went back below deck.
"Rita I didn't mean that!" but she ignore him and slammed the hatch.
"Ooh, bad timing there darling" said Duchess. Roddy stood still and stared at the hatch. He felt bad making her angrier than before.Duchess placed her hand on his shoulder to comfort him "Tell you what, I'll help you" she said
"How?" wondered Roddy
"She just needs a little girl-to-girl talk" Duchess walked towards the hatch and went down below deck. She finds Rita kicking some crates and throwing stuff against the wall to let her anger out.
"He's an idiot! Idiot, idiot, idiot!" shouted Rita
"You're a grouchy rat, aren't you?" said Duchess
"What do you want?" said Rita in annoyance "If you want to barf, do it outside"
"Humph, I just came down here to cheer you up. Honestly, Roddy could blurt out the first thing on his mind" said Duchess
"Surprising for me to hear that" said Rita "but I know he isn't a backstabber" she then glares at Duchess
"Oh really? I can recall him saying bossy, short-tempered, unladylike. Hey! You know what, it sounds just like you" taunted Duchess. Rita clenched her fist and started to tremble as if she wanted to punch her. But then she decided to stop and calmed down. She turned her back on her not to show her anger.
"The battery is almost full, tell the boys that we're leaving soon" said Rita
"I will" Duchess grabbed a small tube of strong glue from the shelf while Rita wasn't looking and went towards the ladder "and you better not forget our deal, rat. Come to think of it, aren't you glad we made that deal? Nice necklace by the way, we could have avoid all this if you gave it up. It's a shame you didn't"
"Sorry, this necklace is too special for me" said Rita
"Whatever" she then climbed up the ladder and went up deck.
Roddy plunged the mop into the bucket of water and swabbed the deck. Duchess got out from the engine room and went towards Roddy.
"How's Rita?" asked Roddy
"She'll be fine" said Duchess "she told me that we're leaving soon so you better raise the anchor"
"Don't sweat it mate, I'll do it" said Sid who just woken up from his sleep an raised the anchor. Duchess slowly went backwards towards the wheel and spread the strong glue around it behind her back. She went back towards to Roddy.
"Oh darling! She also said that you have to get something for her" said Duchess
"What is it?" asked Roddy
"No idea, but it's somewhere near the wheel I think" said Duchess. Roddy went towards to the front of the boat and searched for the item he's looking for, but he doesn't know what to look. When he glanced at the steering wheel beside him, his attention was caught. The more he looks at it, he more he's tempted to steer it. He knows that Rita told him not to steer the boat, but he couldn't resist. He placed his hands on the wheel and pretended to steer it just for fun. He only played with it for a short while, when he was about to let it go, his hands were attatched to the wheel. He pulled his hands to break free, but the glue was too strong.
"No, no, no, I'm stuck" Roddy panicked as he continues to struggle, but he accidentally kicked the lever beside him and the boat started to move. "Uh-oh"
"Hey Roddy" said Sid "I thought Rita was suppose to steer the boat" but Roddy didn't answer him. He was too busy pulling out his hands that were stuck to the wheel.
Soon the boat started to move faster, then he soon realizes it was carried by the currents. Just as soon as the boat started to pick up speed, Rita burst out from the hatch.
"What's going on here?" shouted Rita. She turned to the steering wheel and gasped when she saw Roddy holding it. "Roddy! What do you think you're doing?" she scolded. Rita rushed towards Roddy and pulled him out, but she couldn't "Nobody told you to steer, and not to mention starting it. Now let go!"
"I can't!" cried Roddy
"Yes you can!"
"No! I really can't!"
"I was going to forgive you for insulting me, but now I don't know if I'll forgive you for this!" Rita pulled him harder than before, but he was still stuck.
"Please Rita, let me explain!" said Roddy
"Alright, let's hear it!" demanded Rita
"Well you see, it's--"
"The rapids!" cried Sid intercepting Roddy's sentence
"No! That's not it Sid" said Roddy
"No! Look!" Sid pointed the rapids in front of the boat. They all gasped in fear now that the boat was caught by the strong currents. There were two ways, one was the way to Kensington, and the other, which the strong currents came from, was a dead end.
"This is no time for games Roddy. Let go!" Rita kept pulling him, but it was no use.
"Here, let me help" Sid rushed towards them and helped. Both of them pulled together, Roddy finally broke free and the trio tumbled back. Rita rushed back to the wheel and steered it. The boat was almost at the gate of the tunnel, so she has to act quickly. She opened a case above her and inside was an emergency button to give the Dodger full speed.
"Hang on tight!" she shouted. All of them held on to the boat. Rita pushed the button, skis came out of both sides of the boat, and big fans popped out from behind. Then the boat goes on hyper speed. Luckily, the Dodger's speed was fast enough to escape the strong currents, everyone still held on the boat as it continues to move fast and went the other pathway. When they were far from the current, not for long, the boat started to slow down, and everyone jumped for joy.
"Yeah! We made it!" shouted Sid as he gave Roddy and Duchess a bear hug.
"I'm starting to feel nauseous" said Duchess sarcastically
"Come on Rita, there's room for one more" said Roddy. But Rita didn't say a word, she was still steering the wheel. "Rita?" he called her again, but she didn't respond. Starting to get serious, Sid lets them go and backed away. "Rita it wasn't my fault" said Roddy "it was the wheel and my hands were suddenly stuck to it and--" Roddy suddenly stopped, realized that eventhough he has an excuse, he still didn't follow Rita's order not to steer the boat. Ignoring every word he gave to her, she gave him the cold shoulder. "Rita, I'm so sorry. I know you'll find it hard to forgive me. I was a fool" said Roddy, but Rita still didn't respond. Defeated, Roddy went behind the deck and sat down quietly on the sponge. He buried his face on his hands to hide his regretful face and sighed.
"I must have missed a lot, what happened to them anyway?" Sid asked Duchess
"Nothing important" said Duchess and smirked
The boat continued to move with the waters, but no one said a single word during the whole trip.
I'm sensing errors in my story... If you find one please let me know by leaving me a review. Yes, please do that, it brightens up my day! Thankies!