Resource and Remorse
[The scene opens with a shot of the setting sun over the mountains as Rheneas is seen coming down the line with a passenger train, while Luke is seen going in the opposite direction with some slate trucks. The two engines exchange a greeting of "peep-peep" with each other as they pass by one another]
[Transition to Elm Station as Gordon is shown leaving with the Express while Arry and Bert can be seen shunting trucks in the nearby yard. Arthur is shown passing by in the opposite direction with a train of fish vans]
[Transition to Mahogany Station as Duck is seen pulling in with his passenger train. He stops at the platform and the passengers disembark from the coaches; Fix, Foxi, Zorori, Noddy, Ms. Frizzle, Kim, Shego, Ginger, Eliza, Ralph, Sam, Jenny, Incinceroar, and Pepper Ann are shown getting off from the first coach before the second coach has a whole slew of Dalmatians coming out of it]
[Patch, Lucky, Penny, Freckle, Pepper, Jewel, Two-Tone, Cadpig, Rolly, and the other Dalmatian pups stream out of the carriage and onto the platform while Pongo and Perdita follow along at the back]
Pongo: Steady now, children! Don't run off on us!
Perdita: One, two, three, four, five…OH, careful on those steps!
[Duck watches with surprise at the Dalmatian family as they make their way down the platform and towards the steps leading to the town]
Duck: Ya' know, even now, I can't imagine having to look after that many children. Hmmmm, the mercies of bein' an engine…
[The scene cuts to the children leading the adults down the path across the beach while Pongo and Perdita try to keep up with them]
Pongo: Well, we can't say this outcome wasn't surprising.
Perdita: Whenever Thunderbolt's involved, that's a given…
[The scene cuts to a film shoot taking place in the town, with the section being bordered off to prevent bystanders or onlookers from getting too close to the set. Boom mics and set dressing are scattered around a row of shops in preparation for the next scene]
[Several recolors are holding the cameras in place or positioning them for the scene, while Hoity Toity and Photo Finish are sitting in the director chairs overlooking the operation]
[At that moment, the Dalmatian family arrives on the scene just in time to witness one of these scenes in action, kept safe behind the barriers by two of the guards]
Photo Finish: [through the megaphone] Aaaaaand ACTION!
[Cut to Thunderbolt and Lil' Lightning bursting out from one of the shops as smoke billows out from it, the two canines holding onto several people to get them out from the "fire" going on inside. They collapse on the spot as the smoke continues to pour out from the building and a bright orange light shines from within, appearing as if they passed out from smoke inhalation. The pups watch with wide eyes, Patch and Lucky in particular gaze with admiration and wonder]
Hoity: [through the megaphone] Aaaaaaand cut!
[The smoke ceases as it fades into wisps while the actors on set pick themselves off the ground, focusing particularly on the canine duo]
Lightning: [coughs] Man, thought I was gonna choke after all that…
Thunderbolt: Well, you know this industry, ya' need to find the perfect take…
Photo Finish: RRRRRight, everyone! Dat 'vill be all for tonight! However, I expect full attendance first thing in de' morning!
Hoity: At last, I'm dying for a serving of caviar.
Photo Finish: Filming's ova', now, we go!
[Photo Finish and Hoity Toity stand up from their chairs to head towards the directors' trailer before the scene cuts back to Lightning and Thunderbolt cleaning themselves off before the German Shepherd spots something out of the corner of his eye]
Thunderbolt: Hmmhmmhmm, well, well, looks like we got a bit of an audience.
Lightning: Eh?
[Thunderbolt points to the excited pups as the Welsh Corgi slowly gets the message]
Patch: That was incredible!
Lucky: We saw everything!
Penny: Will you take my autograph?!
Two-Tone: You can sign my ears!
Rolly: Oh, oh, do you have a buffet?!
Thunderbolt: Hehehe, settle down, little marbles. There's plenty of Thunderbolt to go around, even the parents.
Pongo: Well, at least he's thinking of everyone.
Perdita: A bit of a rarity among celebrities.
Thunderbolt: Weeeeeell, you know me, I'm a regular crowd-pleaser.
Pongo: That you are…oh, and hello, Lightning.
Lightning: Ah, yeah…how it's goin' with ya'?
Pongo: Not too bad, I would say…seems you've adjusted back to the limelight.
Thunderbolt: He certainly has, the same chip off the ole block from times past! Ain't that right, little buddy?
[Thunderbolt gives Lightning an affectionate noogie, ruffling his top fur]
Lightning: AHEM, I guess you could say I learned ta' share the spotlight, even with someone who was my "competition", per se.
Perdita: Oh yes, Patch…might I ask how things have been on set recently?
Patch: Surprisingly decent, mum. I mean, you'd hardly believe Thunderbolt would have two co-stars given all that went down.
Cadpig: And yet it's a mystery how you two even made up…
Lightning: To be fair, it's a bit of an interesting story, I reckon we told you this a while back.
Patch: I believe it happened shortly after you came back to the set. I'll admit, it was…unexpected at the time…
[We transition to a flashback set after the events of "Starstruck" but before the events of the current episode. Lightning and Thunderbolt are shown in the latter's trailer having finished up another film shoot, the Corgi plopping onto the chair in exhaustion]
Lightning: Man, I am beat! I almost forgot how demanding film work could be.
Thunderbolt: You're tellin' me, been doing it for a long time now. Even then, one's gotta please the audience.
Lightning: Yeah…ya' know, it's almost kinda ironic they accepted me back.
Thunderbolt: I mean, don't get me wrong, Patch is a fine little ball of energy, but there's something about you that I missed.
Lightning: Well, good to know I'm actually being appreciated for a change.
Thunderbolt: Truth be told, I meant what I said. Some part of me always held out that you'd come back, just that I didn't expect it to be so…
Lightning: Dramatic?
Thunderbolt: I was thinking emotional.
Lightning: Yeah, well…even now, I'm still a little bit surprised you took me back in after all that happened…
Thunderbolt: Lightning, that was years ago. I know it sounds cliched to say, but I truly mean it. I wanna make the most of this second chance.
Lightning: Really, it should be me making more of that chance given I was the one in the wrong.
Thunderbolt: I mean…yes, but I can't deny that I played a role in that.
Lightning: I get that, but I still went out of my way to try and take over the entire show because I was so jealous.
Thunderbolt: But I pushed you to that limit, I was even smack-talking you to your face with the fans.
Lightning: But it's nothing compared to what I did…I almost hurt everyone…
[Lightning hangs his head down in shame]
Lightning: I didn't care about what happened to anyone at that point, just so long as I was the star, that all the attention was placed on me for once, even at the cost of those who didn't deserve what happened…
[Lightning thinks back to the terrified faces of the Dalmatian pups in the cages, how this wasn't the first time this had happened to them]
Lightning: Even with your forgiveness…how can I expect it from them, if I even deserve it…?
[Thunderbolt leans over from his chair and puts a paw on the Welsh Corgi's shoulder]
Thunderbolt: From what I've seen, you're not the same dog you were all that time ago. From what I can see, you really have changed…even if it doesn't go well, trust me when I say that I'll be there to stand by your side.
[Lightning looks up at Thunderbolt, and a small smile forms on his muzzle]
Lightning: …Thank you.
[The scene cuts to Patch entering the film lot as part of a pre-arranged meeting with Thunderbolt. He makes his way around the many curves and corners with the different props and set pieces. The Dalmatian turns towards the German Shepherd's trailer and runs up to it before knocking on the door]
Patch: Ooooooh, Thunderbolt, I'm here!
[Thunderbolt opens the door to greet Patch on his own]
Thunderbolt: Heeeeeey, there's the little shining star himself!
[Thunderbolt envelopes Patch into a big hug as the pup giggles]
Patch: Hehe, Thunderbolt! I'm getting dizzy!
Thunderbolt: Ah, right, there ya' go.
[The German Shepherd sets the Dalmatian back on the ground]
Thunderbolt: So, I take it you're ready for the next shoot?
Patch: Oh, you bet I am, I was born for this stuff!
Thunderbolt: A chip off the old block, aren't ya'?
Patch: I guess you could say that, though I don't know if my father's really into this "extreme acting".
Thunderbolt: Nah, him and Perdy don't even need to act, you seen the way they bare those teeth? Haha, I don't even think I could get that fierce.
Patch: So, can I come in?
Thunderbolt: Ooooooooh, right, I didn't mention this earlier…and I assume the directors didn't fill you in either.
Patch: Fill me in? On what?
Thunderbolt: Okay, so this is where it gets interesting. Brace yourself and plase don't overreact, but…we've got an additional co-star joining us…
Patch: …Was that it? Why would I need to worry about that?
Thunderbolt: That's the thing, though…
[Thunderbolt looks over to his right, appearing to gesture at something. Patch raises a brow as he can't see over the taller canine]
Patch: Thunderbolt, what's going on?
Thunderbolt: IIIIII can't really hide this from you, can I?
Patch: Whatever it is, I wanna see it. I won't get mad, promise.
Thunderbolt: [sighs] Okay then, you asked for it…
[Thunderbolt moves out of the way so that Patch can enter the trailer. The Dalmatian's expression remains confused until the camera cuts to the POV as Lightning is shown sitting in the corner, cut back to Patch as he blinks]
Lightning: …Heeeeeey, kid.
Patch: …Lightning?
Lightning: Long time no see?
Patch: At least not this close…
Thunderbolt: Yeeeeeeeeeah, came as a bit of a surprise to me, too, Hoity and Photo kinda kept me in the dark about this "special guest" and it turned out to be him…good times, right?
Patch: It's…surprising to say the least.
Lightning: I don't suppose you're gonna ring up the family to suffocate me till I can't breathe?
Patch: Okay, that option would probably make sense if we were talking years ago, but now…I just don't know.
Lightning: Just to make it clear, I'm not tryna' replace you or anything. I wasn't even supposed to be a permanent addition until the directors overheard me…spilling my emotions out.
[Patch turns to Thunderbolt]
Patch: Was he serious at all?
Thunderbolt: Nah, this was all raw, you'd have to be there to see it for yourself. Trust me when I say, this ain't the same Lightning you once knew, or the one I knew.
[Patch looks over at the Corgi with an uncertain expression]
Patch: You know, the most ironic thing is that…I don't think I ever hated you. Yeah, I might have been shocked, angry even at what happened, but at the same time…I understand where you were coming from. The whole overshadowed thing, felt the same way with my family…
Lightning: You were just a kid who misinterpreted something being said, you acted out of hurt, I acted out of jealousy…
[Patch looks back towards Thunderbolt, the German Shepherd nods at him. The Dalmatian slowly approaches the Corgi till he's right in front of him]
Patch: I know I might seem crazy for doing this, but…
[Lightning's eyes shoot wide open as Patch suddenly wraps his arms around the Corgi]
Lightning: Wha…what are you doing?
Patch: Giving you what you deserve…
[Lightning looks towards Thunderbolt for an explanation, the taller canine just gives a soft smile at him. The Corgi's eyes begin to well up]
Lightning: No…no…stop, I don't deserve this…I don't…
[Lightning's words are drowned out as they turn to sobs, embracing Patch back tenderly]
Lightning: I just…you're a good kid, Patch…
Patch: Thank you…
Lightning: I swear…I will do anything to make it up to you…
Patch: I'm sure of it…
[The scene transitions to the camera crew getting ready to film their next sequence as we cut to the POV of the camera, showing the three canines hidden by silhouettes as a tune of trumpets accompanies them running across a valley against the setting sun]
[We transition back to the present day as the story wraps up]
Patch: He did end up keeping that promise. When I requested for Thunderbolt and Lightning to come to dinner after we made up.
Pongo: Under different circumstances, I wouldn't have been so quick to forgive, especially when it came to the safety of my children. But, I suppose if a child can see the good in someone who wronged them, then perhaps there's more to the story than we first thought.
Perdita: Hmm-mmm, and from what it seems, maybe some people can make a turnaround if they put in the work. Of course, while we're still watching them.
Lightning: I've no doubt about that. I guess you could had a lot of time to think and dwell. Either way, I'm just grateful for the fact that I was able to get a second chance with you guys, from Thunder here, to Patch of all dogs.
Patch: It's like I said, I've been there before, not to the extent that you were, but still. Call me crazy…but to think I'd be talking to you like this, it's almost funny.
Lucky: Well, who's to say we're all not a bit crazy? I mean, I'm the one with my eyes glued to the telly most of the time.
Penny: And I like to be extra meticulous with my plans.
Rolly: And I like to…eat…a lot…a lot, a lot…
[Rolly blushes as several chuckles are heard amongst the group]
Rolly: [shrugs] Well, I'm not sorry about it.
[The group laughs once more as the scene transitions to later at night as Lightning and Thunderbolt have arrived back at the latter's home, laying opposite one another on the couch as they look over their recent film reel with bemusement]
Lightning: [sighs] It feels good to be wanted, and to be…
[Lightning trails off, but Thunderbolt grins as he pieces together what the Corgi wanted to say. He leans over and gives a lick to the blushing smaller canine's cheek]
Thunderbolt: Loved?
Lightning: Yeah…loved…
[Cut to black]
Character Guide:
Lil' Lightning, Patch, Thunderbolt, Pongo, Perdita, Lucky, Rolly, Penny, Jewel, Two-Tone, Cadpig, Fidget, Freckles, Pepper, Dipstick, Whizzer - 101 Dalmatians (1961) / Patch's London Adventure (2003)
Hoity Toity, Photo Finish - My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Duck, Gordon, Arry, Bert, Arthur, Rheneas, Luke - Thomas and Friends
Eliza Thornberry - The Wild Thornberrys
Fix and Foxi - Fix and Foxi
Ginger Foutley - As Told By Ginger
Incineroar - Pokemon
Jenny Wakeman - My Life as a Teenage Robot
Kim Possible, Shego - Kim Possible
Ms. Frizzle - The Magic School Bus
Noddy - Noddy
Pepper Ann - Pepper Ann
Ralph Wolf, Sam Sheepdog - Looney Tunes
Zorori - Kaiketsu Zorori