CHAPTER XXVIII: WILLPOWER OF AN ANT
As the wreaked bird lay there beside the anthill, the flame at the back slowly burning the leaves to cinders, the colony and the circus bugs, along with I, all ran forward. This was pretty bad.
As Atta just reached the broken wing on the outside, the Blueberries leapt out of the beak of the bird. Coughing and spluttering, they made their way over to Atta.
'Where's Dot?' asked Atta, as the Blueberries gathered around Atta. 'Had anyone seen Dot?'
Dot just got down from the bird's beak, and had just turned around – when a brown claw swiftly plucked her up from the ground.
Holding Dot as she whimpered silently, Hopper stepped forward, while the remaining grasshoppers watched from the anthill, with some ants behind them. We were in the main crowd, where the rest of the colony watched.
'Whose idea was this?' yelled Hopper at the crowd. 'Huh?'
None of us moved or made a sound. The only sound was the fire, but we could all feel the burning hate radiating from Hopper's exoskeleton.
'Was it yours, Princess?' spat Hopper at Atta, advancing on her.
'Just get behind me girls,' mumbled Atta, standing in front of the Blueberries, as Hopper came closer, 'it'll be okay.' As Hopper came closer, Atta looked nothing short of petrified. Hopper was right in front of Atta, when...
'Leave her alone, Hopper!' said a voice from inside the bird. Hopper whipped around at these words, his face full of vengeance.
Flik leapt out of the bird beak and, without waiting to glance at anyone else, he glared at Hopper.
'The bird was my idea,' he shouted at Hopper. 'I'm the one you want!'
Hopper instantly released the whimpering Dot, who scuttled over to Atta, and he snapped two of his claws.
Flik was still glaring at Hopper, when the mutant grasshopper landed behind Flik, and kicked him forward a few feet. Flik landed beside the bird's broken wing, when the brutal grasshopper darted around Flik, making him look around in a panic. He kicked Flik again, making him land an inch forward, in front of the crowd.
The grasshopper leered over Flik, as he tried to dodge. The crowd was watching, when –
POW! Atta and the Blueberry scouts gasped as Flik was hit again.
WHACK! The other circus bugs and I shrunk back as Flik received another blow.
TWANG! The pudgy grasshopper, unlike his fellows, who were enjoying this, groaned as Flik received an even worse blow.
Flik was finally flung forward onto the ground, his body full of bruises. The brutal grasshopper braced his wings, leering over Flik again. Hopper then re-snapped his claws, and the brutal grasshopper stopped, breathing heavily with a mutant gnarl.
'Where do you get the gall to do this to me?' spat Hopper with a touch of defiance, as he further approached Flik. Flik sure was in trouble now.
'You were,' stammered Flik, using his hands to press himself up, barley able to speak, 'you were going to squish the Queen.
The colony gasped at these words, many looking at the Queen, who was at the front in the middle of the council ants.
'It's true,' said Dot to Atta, who looked especially shocked. Hopper rolled his eyes and folded his lower arms.
'I hate it when someone gives away the ending,' he said, walking towards Flik. He then raised a spare claw. The brutal grasshopper kicked Flik again, who fell forward in the dirt. Hopper drew closer.
'You piece of dirt,' spat Hopper at Flik. 'No, I'm wrong. You're lower then dirt. You're an ant!' He leaned in for those last three words.
Flik didn't move, other than slightly fluttering an eyelid. Hopper then stood up, and spoke to the crowd again.
'Let this be a lesson to ALL you ants,' he said, pacing in front of the crowd. 'Ideas are very dangerous things.
'You are mindless, soil-shoving losers,' he almost roared, as he passed a collection of ants that were shivering where they stood.
'Put on this earth to serve us,' he finished, now facing several ants. But then...
'You're wrong, Hopper,' groaned a voice. Hopper turned around, looking a little puzzled.
Flik slowly stood up from the ground, briefly leaning on his knee for support. Moaning slightly, he turned to face Hopper, taking a brief breath.
'Ants are not meant to serve grasshoppers,' said Flik.
Hopper glared again. He slowly began to take footsteps towards Flik, which everyone could hear.
'I've seen these ants do great things,' said Flik to Hopper,' and year after year, they somehow manage to pick food for themselves and you.'
Many of the ants were looking shocked at these words, partly because Flik was standing up to Hopper, but mostly because of what he was saying. I could also see. What the ants needed all along was to believe in themselves.
Atta made her way to the front of the crowd, looking shocked and admiring of Flik.
'So-So who's the weaker species?' said Flik to Hopper, as he came within a centimetre. Flik breathed heavily, still gaining his strength back.
'Ants don't serve grasshoppers!' yelled Flik, as Hopper came even closer, looking angrier than ever.
'It's you who need us!' finished Flik, as Hopper came right up in front of him.
Hopper then looked around at the colony, who were muttering complete murmurs of assent. Hopper looked a little shocked at what they were doing.
'We're a lot stronger then you say we are, said Flik to Hopper, making the scarred grasshopper look around at Flik, blinking in puzzlement.
'And you know it,' said Flik to Hopper, pointing at him. 'Don't you?'
Hopper lashed out at Flik suddenly, knocking him to the ground. Hopper pressed one of his feet on Flik's back, making his collapse fully on the ground, his limbs lying beside him. Hopper then raised his foot to squish Flik – and Atta ran in front of Flik, glaring silently at Hopper, while Flik turned his head to watch.
Hopper chuckled, and lowered his foot down, leaning in to Atta.
'Well, Princess...' he said, making Atta lean backwards slightly.
'Uh, Hopper, um...' said the pudgy grasshopper nervously, while his fellows were getting more apprehensive by the second. 'I hate to interrupt, but uh...'
Hopper turned to look at what Molt was talking about – and his eyes then stretched wide at what he was seeing.
The entire colony, along with the other circus bugs and me, were all glaring at Hopper. Many were shaking with anger. Almost all had their fists clenched. And we were all ready.
'You ants stay back!' snarled Hopper, pointing a steady claw at the colony. Without waiting, the front line of ants locked their arms together, ready for a fight. Rosie, Gypsy, Manny, Slim, Heimlich and Francis did the same. The back rows slowly did the same. And, with this fight, the enemy was hopelessly outnumbered. I distinctly saw Tuck and Roll sneak off through the crowd, but I barely noticed.
The 15 or so grasshoppers started taking steps back; none of them looking even remotely brave now, especially the pudgy one, who held his limbs in like a little nymph.
'Oh, this was such a bad idea,' he mumbled, as they retreated further. Looking puzzled again, Hopper turned back to Atta.
'You see, Hopper,' said Atta to the villain, in an almost smug manner, 'nature had a certain order.' Atta then buzzed just above the ground, now level with Hopper and his half-puzzled, half-fearful expression.
'The ants pick the food, the ants KEEP the food,' said Atta right in his face, making sure he got the message, 'and the grasshoppers LEAVE.'
At this, the colony let out one continuous yell and charged straight at the grasshoppers. I buzzed in the air, as the other circus bugs helped in the charge.
The grasshoppers turned to run, except the pudgy one, who had his hands over his eyes. He looked up to see the incoming horde – and flinched so much, he left behind his skin flake. He ran to the side and through the grass stalks, while his skin flake model was bounced above the crowd as they charged.
'I'm so proud of you, Flik!' said Atta, helping the bruised hero up, and helping him limp forwards to see what good he had caused.
'Charge-A!' shouted Tuck and Roll, leading five other ants in a roll move down the side of the anthill at the enemy.
'Where are you going?' yelled Hopper at the grasshoppers as they ran past him. 'They're just ants –' and then Tuck and Roll bounced on Hopper, knocking him down, followed by the five rolling ants, and then the charging colony.
Looking down from where I was floating in the air, I saw the brutal grasshopper land in front of Dot, making her scream briefly. He leered in at her, but she stood up to him, smacking him on the cheek.
'No!' she commanded at him. 'Bad grasshopper, bad grasshopper, go home!' I knew then to intervene. The time of me retreating to the sidelines was now gone
The grasshopper flexed his body parts in an attack – and then I landed behind Dot, and let out a deafening roar that was reminiscent of something from 65 million years ago.
The grasshopper stretched his eyes wide in panic – and then, whimpering like a dog, took flight after the other grasshoppers, who were flying over the tree root. I then raised my front right foot, and I let Dot slap her hand against it.
'Yeah,' she said, while I chuckled. We then looked at the crowd of ants, as they closed in on Hopper, who was the only one left.
'Come back, you cowards!' he yelled after his fellows, as they grew fainter against the moonlight. 'Don't leave –' and the crowd of ants grabbed Hopper, and he was held on top, struggling.
'To the cannon!' yelled Flik, holding Hopper by his abdomen.
'To the cannon!' chorused the crowd, moving towards the offering stone.
'No!' screamed Hopper, but his attempts were fruitless. I hovered above the crowd as they walked towards the cannon, which several ants readied by the stone. Heimlich, Francis and Slim walked on the right of the crowd, with Manny and Gypsy on the left. Hopper yelped as the crowd squatted around the cannon, shoving him in. He squirmed as Flik and two others raised the cannon, and then stood back.
In the crowd, Manny, Gypsy and P.T. (who was on Ymri, while he struck up a finale drum roll) pointed behind Hopper. Hopper looked behind him, just in time to see me land on the stone. I waved a spare leg, and chuckled my characteristic chuckle.
Hopper looked forward at Flik and Atta, who were right in front of him. While Atta clapped along with the crowd, Flik raised an arm in a brief salute.
'Happy landings, Hopper!' said Flik. I raised myself on the edge of the offering stone, preparing to jump on the cannon and send Hopper away – when lightning suddenly struck in the distance.
'Huh?' I said, looking up. The cheers of the crowd died away instantly, as many looked around curiously, including the trapped Hopper. Flik looked past Hopper, under the offering stone.
A barely audible noise suddenly grew louder from behind me, as it approached. And I knew it was the only unstoppable thing – nature. Flik's eyes were immediately ridden with panic.
'Rain!' he yelled, turning around and grabbing Atta's hand. But the crowd had only just turned before –
THUNK!
The rain struck, sending ants everywhere, and knocking the cannon to the side. As the rain missed me while I looked around, the ants ran everywhere, as the rain closed in on them from all directions, being everywhere the eye could see.
It hit the ground at one point, sending ants tumbling everywhere. The crowd was heading for the anthill, getting in as quickly as they could. But the rain hit them there too, sending them rolling down the side. The rain still struck everywhere, as the bird's fire grew smaller against the moisture.
Down on the ground, Hopper used his four limbs to push himself up, and he looked ahead. In the middle of the clearing, Atta rushed to the side of Flik, who was on the ground. She rested a hand on his head as he looked at her. Hopper growled in hate. He was going to get Flik!
Before I could do anything, a rain drop struck the offering stone, sending me flying. I flew through the air and landed down on – the cannon!
Flipping myself up, I saw Hopper launching himself upon Atta and Flik. Clubbing the Princess aside, he flew off and upwards, as Flik screamed for his life. But we couldn't let him die!
'Quick! After them!' commanded Slim, as Francis picked him up, and followed Hopper. Without waiting, I scooped up Rosie, Tuck and Roll, and clasped Heimlich in my six legs.
'Yaaah!' the caterpillar yelled, as I overtook Francis and closed in on Hopper.
Flik yelled in panic, as Hopper flew right into the tree's dead twigs, swerving as he realised we were on his trail. He gnarled, while Flik screamed, as I kept flying after him, Francis behind me. Hopper wouldn't get away from us, not here. We had the advantage – a reason to keep believing. Hopper swerved left and right as I kept on his abdomen, while Flik was yelling out in panic the whole time.
Suddenly, I heard Francis stopping, but I didn't dwell on it. I was Flik's only hope now.
Hopper flew up and forwards, and I mimicked his actions.
'Ah-Ahhh!' yelled Flik, as we buzzed over a thick branch, already halfway through the tree's twigs. 'Help, Help, HELP!'
'Get him!' ordered Heimlich from in between my legs. On top of me, Rosie hoisted up Tuck and Roll, spun safety web from her abdomen around their waists, as shot them at Hopper
'Ga-Hee!' said Tuck and Roll, popping open on Hopper's thorax. They instantly grabbed his antennas and pulled.
'Aahhhhh!' screamed Hopper, veering left and right, while still holding onto Flik. Tuck and Roll were spitting gibberish, and Hopper's antennas were reaching breaking point.
'Y-Yes!' mouthed Hopper, putting on a burst of speed, and flying on, pulling us with him via the web roped Rosie had secured to Tuck and Roll. He was flying straight for a spot where three twigs criss-crossed. No!
Too late – he flew straight through it, but I stuck fast.
'Gae!' chocked Heimlich. And then –
'Whaow!' splattered Tuck and Roll, as the web ropes reached breaking point, and they were catapulted backwards. They swung below my face, as I struggled against the twigs, but they wouldn't budge.
'No!' yelled Flik in defeat, as Hopper flew out of the twig maze, and was consumed by the darkness.
Below me, Roll was chuckling with something he was holding.
'Ida-shida-viado!' grunted Tuck at him.
'Ve-musto...' said Roll back, bringing out an antenna – Hopper's antenna.
'Oh, ha, ha ha!' responded Tuck, as they both chuckled and laughed at it.
'Come on!' stammered Rosie. I strained against the twigs that I was stuck in, but they barely even shifted.
Suddenly, I heard buzzing behind me. It was Francis, with Slim. Behind him were Manny and Gypsy.
'Hold still, Dim!' whispered Gypsy. Manny, Slim and Gypsy grabbed my shell plates, and they pulled. I wobbled slightly, and then...
I jerked free. Rosie quickly pulled up Tuck and Roll again, and unsecured the web roped, tossing it aside. The two pill bugs re-squatted themselves between my head and thorax.
'Let's go!' ordered Rosie. I veered around the branches, and off into the dark, bleak night, with the rain still pounding everywhere, and the other three around me.
We all looked in, but they were nowhere in sight. I let my head droop. We'd failed. Flik – me, in a way – would be dead by the time we found him, and Hopper would just attack the colony again with more orthopterans. All our efforts were now wasted...
'Wait!' gasped Slim, pointing. Looking, I saw too. Across the riverbed, only just in our range of vision, I saw Hopper leering over Flik on solid ground just after the flooded riverbed. He appeared to be throttling the poor ant.
We had only just started to fly in their direction, when the bird, the real bird, suddenly appeared over the bird's nest. We all froze, watching.
Hopper didn't move – he appeared to think the bird was another fake. Still holding Flik, he waved at it as it came closer. It then let out a loud, piercing cry, blowing Hopper's remaining antenna in the wind.
He screamed, letting go of Flik. He turned to run, but the bird leapt over him, landing in front of him. Whimpering, he tried to duck around it, but it wouldn't let him. He turned around to flee, and tripped – and then the bird snatched him in its beak. As he screamed, it flew overhead, and hovered above its nest, where three yellow chicks hopped up and down, chirping.
Meanwhile, Atta emerged from behind a rock, and helped Flik up again. They both moved sideways, and crouched down, watching. We flew closer, keeping an eye on Hopper.
'Ah, no!' he yelped, as the chicks chirped. Flik and Atta winced, and looked away. We did the same.
We heard Hopper let out one long, piercing scream, the chicks chirping and... Then it all stopped. We opened our eyes, and saw the bird settling down in its nest, on top of its sleeping chicks. It was over.
We flew closer, landing silently on the edge of the land. Flik and Atta looked around, and noticed us.
'Come on,' I said to the pair of them. Smiling at each other, they made their way over. Slim took Tuck and Roll in his grasp, giving room on top of me. Flik helped Atta up, and then he climbed up himself.
Glancing one last time at the bird, we took off, flying back to Ant Island. The rain was starting to relent, and everything was now fine.
I smiled to myself as we approached the anthill. Flik had found something important... we all had.
Approximate Movie Running Time: 74:19-80:48