While that pendulum swings back and forth and lowers and lowers down on the hurt, petrified Penelope, Angel and the Ant Hill Mob struggle to get free themselves.
Back in the tower, Angel was trying to unlock the cage she was trapped in with her paw and the Ant Hill Mob was trying to get loose from the post they were tied to.
"We just have to get out of here!" Said Clyde with determination as he and the rest of the Mob struggled to get out of their bonds by moving, to no avail. "But those blundering Bully Brothers tied us tight!"
"Just face the facts, Clyde." Softy sobbed. "We're tied too tightly. We'll never get out of here. Never!"
Snoozy: "Yeah, never (snore)."
Zippy: "But we can't give up. Penelope's in peril! She's counting on us!"
Angel kept trying to get free from the cage until she was able to successfully unlock the cage and from there she ran out of the cage to untie the Ant Hill Mob.
Good girl, Angel! Now that you're free you need to get the Ant Hill Mob loose so that they can get Penelope loose, as well.
Angel tried to untie the knots of the rope tying the Ant Hill Mob with her teeth, but the rope was just too well-tied.
Sorry, Angel, but there's no time for you to untie the Ant Hill Mob yourself.
"Sorry, girl, But I don't think there's time to untie us yourself." Clyde told Angel.
"Penelope might not have much time left to live." Dum-Dum worried.
He then turned his head to Pockets.
"Pockets, can you still get to your pockets? We need to break free and save Penelope."
"I'll try." Pockets replied as he attempted moved his hands to get to his pockets. "A-ha! Don't worry guys. I'll get out a pair of scissors to break these ropes."
He took out a pair of scissors with long, strong blades and cut the ropes around the Mob.
"Isn't it wonderful?" Softy wept. "We're free!"
"Now all we need to do is find where the Hooded Claw, or, should we say that horrible Sylvester Sneekly, took Penelope." Clyde told the others. "Remember when we watched them leave the tower? Penelope went straight out the door and took a right turn. The question is, where from the right turn did that villain take her to?"
Angel walked out the tower door ahead of the Ant Hill Mob, sniffed Penelope's scent, and barked.
"Which way did she go, Angel?" Zippy asked. "Which way?"
Angel barked, walked to the right turn, and pointed downwards.
"So the Hooded Claw took Penelope downstairs from here." Clyde told the others. "Down that long stairway."
The Ant Hill Mob looked down at the very long stairway and gave worried looks and gulps.
"You mean…we have to go…all the way…down…there?" Dum-Dum asked nervously.
Dum-Dum then fainted with a loud crash.
Yak-Yak: "(Giggle) Dum-Dum's down for the count! (Giggle)"
"Oh no! Man down!" Zippy shouted as Softy and Pockets waved their hands in front of Dum-Dum's face like fans and Angel licked his face to wake him up.
"Get a hold of yourself you dum-dum." Clyde said sternly and quietly as he lightly slapped Dum-Dum's face to help with the wake-up. "Yes it's a long way down, but Penelope's down there and she needs help. Just be careful, but be quick."
Yes, be careful but be very quick, there's only a short amount of time before that pendulum goes down.
The Ant Hill Mob and Angel quickly but carefully climbed the long stairway down, however, by the time they were halfway across the stairs and still had a long way to go, Angel was getting nervous for Penelope's life and safety, so she ran down, accidentally causing Zippy and Dum-Dum to fall on the rest of the Mob, turning them into a large human-and-dog ball that came crashing down the stairs.
The Ant Hill Mob groaned in pain before getting up with Angel.
Their plan got tripped-up, but at least they got down those stairs much quicker.
"My head." Clyde groaned as he stood back up. "Is everyone alright?"
"We're alright, Clyde." Zippy replied as Angel helped him and the rest of the Ant Hill Mob back to their feet. "We're alright."
Clyde: "But Penelope won't be if we don't get to her. Where do we go now, Angel?"
Angel barked and pointed straight across.
"Keep following Angel, you guys, Penelope's gotta be somewhere down here." Clyde told everyone else. "And be sure to stay quiet. The Hooded Claw could be around here looking for us."
The Ant Hill Mob continued to follow Angel on Penelope's trail, however, just after they took off, Angel heard footsteps, so she turned around and growled.
"What is it, Angel?" Clyde wondered what Angel was growling at.
Yak-Yak: "(Giggle) Take a look behind you."
The Ant Hill Mob turned and froze in their tracks with shocked looks when they saw the Bully Brothers.
"So, you thought you could get away just to save your pretty little friend." The Bully Brothers threatened the Ant Hill Mob as they snatched them up. "Wait until the boss hears about this."
"Put us down!" Dum-Dum yelled.
"Save us, Angel!" Softy wailed.
"Sic them, girl!" Clyde shouted to Angel.
With a snarl, Angel ran after the Bully Brothers, knocked them down and started to attack them, causing them to let go of the Ant Hill Mob.
"Keep fighting those creeps, Angel." Clyde yelled as he and the rest of the Mob ran while Angel kept fighting the Bully Brothers, biting them and ruffling them up until they ran away.
Nice guard dog skills, Angel. That takes care of the Bully Brothers.
"That takes care of those creeps." Clyde smiled as he took a breath of relief. "But now which way do we go?"
Angel sniffed Penelope's scent, barked and led the Ant Hill Mob back on the trail for Penelope.
"After that dog!" Clyde shouted to the others as they followed Angel.
Back in the dungeon, Penelope was still tied up and strapped to the platform, the pendulum still lowering down and coming close to her. She was still crying quietly in hurt and fear from her guardian's betrayal.
Listen to me, Penelope. I know things are grim and difficult for you right now, but you need to be brave. The Ant Hill Mob and Angel are hot on your trail.
Penelope raised her head when she heard Angel barking and whimpering and scratching the dungeon door.
Well what do you know? They found you, Penelope!
"Angel?" Penelope whispered.
Angel whimpered as she kept scratching the door.
"I'll bet Penelope's in the dungeon." Said Pockets as the Ant Hill Mob went to Angel by the door.
"I think you're right." Clyde replied. "But to be on the safe side, we need to make sure. Penelope, is that you in there? It's us!"
"Yes! It is me, boys! I'm in here!" Penelope called out from behind the door. "The Hooded Claw's locked me in! I'm tied up and strapped down! I can't get out!"
"Quick, Pockets!" Clyde told Pockets. "Do you have the key?"
Pockets checked his pockets for a key to the dungeon, but he was not able to find one.
Pockets: "Sorry, guys, but I don't have a key to the dungeon."
Clyde: "Well we need to get Penelope out of here somehow."
"Oh please hurry boys." Penelope begged through tears. "The pendulum's getting lower and lower! There's not much time left!"
"Wait a minute, I got something." Pockets told everyone else as he pulled out an axe.
"Bingo! Quick, hand me that axe!" Said Clyde as Pockets gave him the axe. "Okay you guys, help me up so we can do this. Penelope, stay right where you are! We'll be in right away!"
The Ant Hill Mob formed a human chain with Clyde on top so that he could swing the axe to get the door open.
Penelope tensed up and looked with terror as the pendulum got lower as Clyde kept swinging the axe hard with determination to get in and save her.
With one last swing of the axe, Clyde successfully got the door open and the Ant Hill Mob fell through as Angel ran, but they quickly got up.
Thank goodness they got in to save Penelope, but time is running out!
"Listen boys, do you see that switch next to you?" Penelope called out. "You need to pull it right away!"
"You got it, Penelope!" Zippy answered as he sped to the switch. "You got it!"
Zippy pulled the switch, stopping the pendulum just before it could hit Penelope as the timer went off.
Nice work stopping the pendulum, Zippy, but one move and Penelope could really get hurt.
"Nice going, Zippy." Clyde told Zippy.
"Oh, it was nothing Clyde." Zippy replied with a smile.
"Of course, and Penelope will turn into nothing with even the slightest move." Clyde frowned. "The pendulum's too close."
"Oh dear." Zippy realized. "Sorry about that, Penelope. I'll get that pendulum away from you."
Zippy, with help from the rest of the Mob, pulled the switch, causing the pendulum to rise above and away from Penelope, who took a breath of relief.
"Now hold very still, Penelope." Pockets told Penelope as he took out a strong pair of scissors and as Angel started untying the rope around her ankles. "Angel and I will get you free."
Angel untied the rope around Penelope's ankles with her teeth and Pockets used his scissors to cut the straps holding Penelope down as well as the rest of her bonds.
"Oh, Angel!" Penelope cried in joy as Angel ran and leapt into her arms and licked her face before Penelope ran to the Ant Hill Mob. "Fellas! I thought I'd never see you again!"
"We thought the same thing." Clyde replied as he hugged Penelope.
Penelope let out a whimper, welled up again and buried her face in Angel's fur. Angel gave Penelope a gentle kiss.
The Ant Hill Mob didn't have to ask what was wrong. She was still so shook up from the Hooded Claw revealing himself as Sylvester Sneekly.
"Come with us, Penelope." Clyde said quietly. "We'll get you out of this dungeon and where it's warm."
The Ant Hill Mob took Penelope to another room in the hideout. Clyde started the fireplace that Penelope was kneeling by and Pockets took out a warm blanket and wrapped it around Penelope's shoulders.
Penelope was so overcome with great fright, grief and sadness, that she, unable to even speak, quivered terribly and broke down crying again.
"It's okay, Penelope." Clyde gently whispered as Penelope buried her face onto his shoulder and sobbed. "It's gonna be okay."
Poor Penelope. What an awful time for her. All she has left now is the Ant Hill Mob.
The rest of the mob bowed their heads and showed looks of sorrow for their friend as they went to comfort her, even Yak-Yak showed sadness. Angel sadly nuzzled Penelope.
"There, there, Penelope." Softy wept. "You're gonna make me cry, too."
"You're safe now, and we're right here Penelope." Zippy reassured her.
"You poor thing." Said Dum-Dum. "It's okay now. We won't let him hurt you again. We promise."
"Shh. It's okay." Clyde whispered as he held the crying, trembling Penelope. "We're right here. Right here to protect you. And we will protect you. We promise you. It's okay."
Just being held and whispered to helped Penelope during her time of distress. After a few minutes, Penelope's crying had calmed down, but she was run down and shook up by what Sneekly had done to her. Her tired, tearstained head rested in Clyde's lap. Pockets gave her a small handkerchief.
"Penelope, I don't believe any of us have ever seen you like this before." Clyde told her quietly. "It's just that you're a strong, brave young lady."
"Yes, and there's never been much reason for me to feel this way, until now." Penelope wept. "I have never felt so frightened as I have until now."
"It's a frightening situation to be in, Penelope." Clyde replied.
"It just doesn't seem real. I can't believe that my own guardian was the Hooded Claw." Penelope sniffed as she wiped her eyes. "The man who was so good to me in the past, the man who was like a second father to me, the man I looked up to, the man who was always trusted and devoted. I never dreamed Mr. Sneekly would do this. I only saw the good in him because he cared about me, or so I thought."
She then cried into Clyde's lap. The Ant Hill Mob went to hug her, one Mob member at a time.
"We didn't know Sylvester Sneekly was the Hooded Claw, either, Penelope." Zippy told her as he hugged her.
"I wish was never heiress to the Pitstop fortune." Penelope cried. "None of this would've happened. Mr. Sneekly wouldn't have turned against me with his horrible greed."
"Things happen, Penelope. People will change. Sometimes for the good, and sometimes for the bad." Clyde reassured her. "It's not you who's to blame, it's him. What Sneekly did to you is not your fault."
Yak-Yak: "It never has been your fault."
Pockets: "And it never will be your fault."
"You are a very kind, beautiful girl, inside and out." Clyde told her. "Mostly, inside. Of all the people we know, you have a huge heart of gold, and so much class up your pretty little finger. You're full of confidence, optimism, grace, and love towards others. You bring light with you every place you go, even when it's raining, dark or snowing."
"Listen Penelope, just because your guardian turned his back, and his heart, against you doesn't mean you're not loved." Said Zippy.
"And you are loved, Penelope!" Softy sobbed.
"You are indeed loved by a number of other people." Said Clyde with a smile. "The people down in your hometown love you, Chuggaboom loves you, your dog Angel over here loves you, your family from out of home, the man back at home named Peter loves you, your mother and father loved you, and we love you."
And I love you, Penelope.
"I saw my mother and father…" Penelope whispered.
"You did?" The Mob was confused at first.
"Their spirits came to me, to give me love and comfort when I was captured and frightened..." She told her protectors. "To tell me everything's okay and to be strong. Don't you boys believe me?"
"Of course we believe you, Penelope." Dum-Dum replied. "We know how much you miss them."
"I do miss them…" Penelope sobbed. "Every day. Especially my mama. I was only six years old when she passed away. I wish they were here with me, especially right now."
"We know…" Clyde whispered as he held Penelope. "We understand."
Penelope: "I wish they'd come back to help heal their sweet little lamb. They always called me that."
"I can see why." Clyde replied. "Your heart and soul are loving, gentle and innocent, just like the lamb. Your mother and father are probably looking down from heaven, smiling at you over the brave, strong, optimistic, kind, beautiful young woman you've grown to be. I'm sure their proud of you, kiddo."
"What am I gonna do, fellas?" Penelope sighed through tears. "Mr. Sneekly's caused me such great horror by his little ole actions, that I'm just too scared to face him."
Clyde:"You're gonna have to face him again, one of these days, but you can't let him hurt you."
The Ant Hill Mob smiled at Penelope, showing their faith in her.
Zippy: "Sure he might be bigger than you, sure he might be older than you, and sure he might have hurt you, but you're much better than him."
Pockets: "But you need to show that. Don't give up."
"But if you need backup, we'll be right here for you." Clyde said as he patted Penelope's shoulder.
"We always have been there for you." Softy cried.
"And we always will be." Dum-Dum told her.
"That's right." Clyde promised Penelope. "Whenever you need us for help and protection, for some company, for some shoulders to cry on, or to just simply talk. Call for us. We'll be there any time."
"And we'll be right here for you during this time of fear and hurt." Zippy smiled.
Clyde: "That's right. We're on your side, Penelope."
Yak-Yak: "We've always been on your side."
Softy: "We always will be (Sob)!"
Snoozy: "Yeah, always will be (Snore)."
Pockets: "Like we said, if you need anything, call on us."
Clyde: "You can always count on us, Penelope."
Though tears still stung her eyes, Penelope smiled and hugged the Ant Hill Mob.
"Indeed you fellas have always been there for me through every little ole thing. I know who my real guardians are." She complimented them. "I love you."
"We love you, Penelope." Clyde said quietly. "Are you okay?"
Penelope stood back up, smiling and wiping a tear.
"I am now." Penelope replied as she smiled. Though tears were in her eyes, she kept her head held high.
"Sylvester Sneekly has turned his back against me and has tried to do me in just so he can have the Pitstop fortune to himself, but I will never let him hurt me again. I'll prove to him that I will win because of my kindness and love, which makes me a better person than he is. I'm no longer afraid of him, nor will I ever be. With you guys on my side, I will get past this. I will heal, even if it takes a little ole while. The pain will get better, because I believe in myself and that things get better. Next time I see the Hooded Claw, I'll be ready for him."
That a girl, Penelope! It's great to see you have your courage and hope back, and it's great to see that you've come off stronger and are ready to show that villain that you're unstoppable!