Here it is! The chapter you've all been waiting for. But don't get too excited, okay?

Flushed Away owned by (c)Dreamworks & (c)Aardman

Aardman, please make a sequel. PLEASE!!! I'm begging you!!!

Chapter 11: Friendly Fiend

"Just stop right--there" Rita called out to signal her first-mate to pull the brakes and the engine of the boat stopped.

"Did I do alright?" asked Roddy

"The gap is a little too far from the platform but I'd give it a thumbs up" said Rita as she gave him a pat on the back. The both gazed at the manhole above them for a while, Rita started to blurt out a question.

"Roddy" he tilted his head when she called his name "Is there a time that you miss your old home?"

"Now that you mention it, I do miss Tabitha, Sarge, and my red car--" he grinned when he thought about those things, which made Rita a little disappointed "Why do you ask?"

"It's nothing, I was just curious" Rita quickly turned her frown into a grin. Then Duchess went between them and wrapped her arms around them.

"Well isn't this nice" said Duchess "You two are finally talking again, I'm happy for the both of you" her hug grew tighter which made the both felt uneasy. "So, how are we going to get up there?"

"I'm glad you ask" Rita smirked "could stand over there for me?" Duchess followed what she said and stands on the center of the deck.

"Now what?" asked Duchess. Rita moved the lever beside her and activated the mechanical hand. The hand grabbed Duchess and it threw her above the air that made her scream in fear. When she was at her highest limit, she reached the highest handle of the ladder and grabbed it. She held on it tightly and panted due to the after shock. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" she yelled.

"Yeehaw!" shouted Sid as he sprang up in the air and grabbed the handle just below Duchess "Let's do that again!" he said eagerly.

"Aaah!" Roddy did the same thing and grabbed the handle beside Sid.

"Here I go!" Rita was also thrown above by the mechanical hand. She did a double somersault in the air before she grabbed the handle next to Duchess.

"Show off" muttered Duchess. Rita went up first. She went out through a hole of the manhole, and then the rest followed. When they set their feet on the Kensington streets, Roddy immediately recognized his old home right in front of them.

"I wonder if Tabitha and her parents are in there" said Roddy

"I think Nicole and the others went somewhere" said Duchess

"Yeah" said Sid "They all went out to their grandma's this morning and they'll be back tonight" then a crashing sound of a broken glass can be heard from inside.

"What was that?" asked Rita. Roddy went closer to the house and investigated from afar. He then saw a figure behind the curtains in the window.

"There's a robber in the house" said Roddy

"That devil! If he steals my food bowl he's a dead man!" said Duchess and all of them went towards the house.

"Wait, there's something I've got to tell you" yelled Sid who ran behind them, but they didn't hear him when they went in the cat door. They continued running but then Roddy realized something and made him stop.

"Wait a minute" said Roddy. Rita and Duchess stopped from behind.

"What is it darling?" asked Duchess

"Since when did the door have a cat door?" then a meow can be heard from the other room and the three were stunned by fear for they know that frightening sound. Then Sid arrived last in the house and went to the group.

"Hey guys, I have to tell you that there's a--"

"CAT!" the trio screamed as the feline entered the room and spotted the rats.

"That's right" said Sid "And I have to--"

"RUN!" they all ran and hide under the sofa, except for Sid who stood in place.

"Run Sid! RUN!" yelled Roddy. Sid ran away from the cat but it was too fast and it pounced on him. They all gasped when he was caught by the paw and couldn't move.

"10, 9, 8, 7--" the cat made a countdown and its head slowly got closer to the struggling rat.

"We've got to do something" said Roddy in a panicking tone

"But how?" asked Duchess

"With these" Rita found a pair of scissors beside her. They pointed the sharp end and aimed it at the cat.

"6, 5, 4--"

"Charge!" they all carried the scissor and charged towards it. The more they got closer to the cat, it's head got closer and slowly opened his mouth to Sid as if it was about to eat him.

"3, 2, 1" the cat's grin grew wider, then he raised his paw in the air triumphantly "I win!" yelled the cat.

"You may have won the battle, but the war isn't over" Sid yelled back. It surprised the trio and stopped where the scissor almost hit the cat. "Whoa there you little critters, it's dangerous to run with a scissor" he took the scissor from them and puts it aside "You might loose your little heads" he added

"This is insane!" Roddy blurted out when he knew Sid and the cat are friends

"It's too late for him" laughed Sid then the cat laughed with him

"And who are your little friends?" asked the cat "Don't be shy, I won't bite" he added. Duchess introduced herself first.

"Mary Duchess St. James" she said

"St. James, eh? Then we must be cousins" he said

"Distant cousins" stated Duchess

"Rita Malone"

"Charmed" the cat and Rita shook hands "And this gentleman?"
"Roderick St. James. And who might you be?" asked Roddy

"Bubbles of Buckinghamshire St. James. Call me Bob for short" he said then turned to Sid "I've been looking for you everywhere Sid, where were you?" he snapped

"That solves the robbery case" Sid whispered to Roddy then turned to Bob "I went with Duchess to the sewers to--"

"Find poor and lost Roddy darling" said Duchess intercepting Sid's sentence "So now that we found him, everything will be back to the way it was before. So now Sid and Clarisse--"

"It's Rita" stated Rita

"Whatever, you are now going back to where you belong. In the sewers" she said as she pushed them towards the front door.

"Hey wait" said Sid "I'm not going back down there. I like it here"

"I just had enough of you Duchess, besides I'm going back" Roddy snapped and grabbed Rita's arm. He went towards the door but Rita pulled him back.

"You're going back with me? I don't understand" she said

"I thought Duchess told you about it" he said. Then the both glared at Duchess, realizing that she lied to the both. "What's the meaning of this?" he asked

"Trust me, this is the best way" said Duchess to Roddy "I made a deal with Vicky--"

"Rita" stated Rita

"To bring the both of us back up here and never go back" she said

"Rita, is this true?" he asked Rita, who was deep in thought.

"You know what, this whole thing is stupid" said Rita "the deal's off princess" then the both started to argue.

"What ever happened to Malones never go back on our word?" said Duchess, but Rita didn't say anything about it. "I knew it. You sewer rats are all the same never keeping any promises"

"Well you pompous pet mice are all the same" said Rita "selfish, self-centered, whingy, untrustworthy, and more importantly, stupid rodents" she yelled and the whole room was quiet after.

"All pet mice you say?" asked Duchess with a smirk on her face. When Rita turned to Roddy, she realized not only she insulted Duchess, but him, too. Roddy became upset after the girls' argument.

"Roddy, I didn't mean that-- I mean, it was--" Rita tries to apologize to Roddy, but he turned away from her.

"I've heard enough" he said in a faint voice and walked out of the living room and went towards his owner's room. Duchess gave Rita another smirked and followed Roddy from behind.

"It's best if you give him time" suggested Bob feeling pity for her "Are you gonna be alright Rita?" Rita nodded and went out the cat door. Sid was still standing, not knowing if he should stay or go. "You should go to make sure she's alright" said Bob

"She's a tough girl, she'll be alright" said Sid

"Go or I'll have second thoughts about not eating you" he said with a warning tone

"I'm going, I'm going" Sid ran out the cat door and followed Rita back to the sewers.

FYI, Duchess is Roddy's cousin (very distant cousin with the same family name), so don't get any ideas that Duchess and Roddy are married, okay? Bring in the reviews!