Chapter Forty: The Liberation of Pleasantville!

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Belle was seething. An innocent young man was now going to go to gaol for crimes committed by Ruby, thanks to Mr. Jones. Plus due to her having a little outburst in the court room, she was now suspended for a month.

“I heard what happened.” Peter walked with her out of the courthouse. “Don't worry about it too much, I've had more suspensions than I can count. It just means you get stuck filing for a month, no big deal.”

“But how can I protect people if I'm suspended?!” Belle kicked a nearby rock, sending it flying to a pond and scaring the ducks.

“You'll have to leave it to Giggles to do.” Peter hugged his daughter.

“It's not fair. I wish -,” Belle started, when she saw the look her father was giving her.

“If wishes were leaves, the trees would fall down.” Peter reminded her gently. “Anyway, it's the Leos versus the Far Coast Canaries tonight, won't that be fun?”

“We're more than likely going to get flogged Dad.” Belle deadpanned as they got into the car.

“Spoilsport.” Peter laughed as they drove home.

Alas, she was right. The Leos lost 10.14. 74 to 12.3.75. Bad kicking is bad football!

–

“Hey Belle – are you serious?!” Charlie poked his head into Belles window to find her studying again. “What could you POSSIBLY have to study for NOW?!

“I'm RESEARCHING doofus. Did you know the last public demonstration in Pleasantville was ninety-three years ago?” Belle informed her best friend as he leaned on the window sill.

“And?” Charlie prompted her.

“There were only fifty people who demonstrated their frustration with the Council at that time. They were wiped out by the March Hill Crusaders.” Belle sipped her tea.

“Who?”

“The March Hill Crusaders used to be the ruling power in Pleasantville before the Mobsters of Misneach overthrew them fifty years ago. It's a very interesting read actually, it seems that Marion and Revolver aren't the first time the DVG and the Mob have worked together.” Belle continued to read. “The Mob had huge opposition from the Silent Lake Gang, who spent thirteen years struggling for survival against the DVG before eventually the DVG won out. So really the two-player system has only been around for forty-seven years.” She looked at Charlie, who was drooling slightly. “Did ANY of that register?!”

“I know that you were talking, does that count?” Charlie asked.

Overall I think the Leos got off pretty lightly comparatively.

–

“If I have to hear ONE more lecture on the political history of Pleasantville then I am going to flip.” Charlie sat down in the kitchen at Bills restaurant.

“Hear hear.” Sam groaned, dipping his chips into the aioli.

“I think she's trying to get a protest going.” Sunny told them, trying to feed Melody while keeping herself clean (and failing at both).

“I don't know why, the last protest in Pleasantville didn't end so well for the protesters according to her.” Daniel tried to steal some of Sams aioli for his calamari and was swiftly rebuffed.

“I think that she thinks we can get better numbers this time. Plus there's the fact that the town vigilantes are on her side.” Tammy successfully stole some of the aioli for her chips.

“If she does then the Knights of the Last Order are 100% behind her. By the way, where IS she?” TJ also helped himself to Sams aioli. Sam scowled and gave up.

“I think she nicked off to Brisvegas for the day.” Charlie checked his watch. “She should be back...”

Suddenly there was a loud tapping on the kitchen window. Outside, Giggles was floating above the ground, waving at them.

“...Now?” Charlie looked surprised. The group headed outside where they were each presented with a large pile of flyers.

“You went to Brisvegas dressed as Giggles?” Petunia looked incredulously at Giggles, who nodded.

“I couldn't get these printed here, you don't know who's on the side of the DVM. Plus if Belle came back with these, my family would be in trouble. It was best that I just took the back of the bus there and back and got the printing done away from Pleasantville. By the way I wouldn't be seen with those without a uniform on.” Giggles pointed out, making everyone recoil.

“Pleasantville for the Innocent?” Sunny picked up one of the flyers from her pile. “People Power Protects our Pleasantville?”

“Work Hard for a Pleasant Pleasantville?” TJ raised an eyebrow at Giggles, who shrugged.

“Hey, I had to come up with these all by myself, YOU guys weren't helping!” She defended herself.

“I love this picture of Sir Hyper. Makes me look tough!” Sam grinned at another one of the posters.

“You made me look like a wuss!” Daniel cried as a picture of Sir Lionheart holding a puppy appeared on a poster.

“I'm TRYING to make us look good and drum up support. Now, disguises on and let's get handing these out!” Giggles flew off with her pile of flyers, eager to start work against the corruption of Pleasantville.

“Was my niece just out here?” Bill walked out with a tea-towel over his shoulder.

“Look at what she's been up to!” Sunny waved a flyer in Bills face.

He sighed.

“I admire her tenacity, but one rally isn't going to save Pleasantville.” He warned.

“We have to do something.” Petunia piped up.

“I agree! Let's go guys!” Daniel raced to grab his pack which held his Sir Lionheart armour.

The revolution had begun!

–

“I don't want any more junk mail!”

“You're breaking the law yourselves! Turn yourselves in and I'll think about it!”

“Go away, I have things to do!”

“Well, this is working out fine.” Lady Courage frowned, most of her fliers still in her hands. “No one wants a bar of us!”

“We have to keep trying, it IS for our city after all.” Sir Dark pointed out.

“Plus if we don't Giggles will eat us alive.” Sir Hyper pointed to the sky as Giggles flew overhead, showering them with flyers.

“Stand up for a better Pleasantville!!” She yelled loudly.

“She's starting to get annoying.” Sir Dark admitted as the others groaned.

A tall blonde figure wearing a fur cape and a royal blue dress with a sword hanging from her waist walked over. “Please tell me you guys have nothing to do with this!” Mobster Marion shoved a flyer in their faces.

“Giggles rail-roaded us into it.” Sir Hyper admitted.

Mobster Marion snorted. “Should have told her to quit before she embarrassed herself, there's no way she's going to change anything – especially not with this trash.”

“By the way is that a new dress?” Lady Luck asked.

“Yes it is.” Mobster Marion did a quick twirl. “What do you think?”

“It'd probably look better on the person you stole it off.” Sir Dark snorted.

Mobster Marion scowled at him and stormed off. Giggles floated overhead, watching Mobster Marion like a hawk.

“What was that all about?” She asked the Knights.

“Marion thinks your campaign is a great idea, and she really hopes you can make a difference.” Sir Dark deadpanned. Giggles glared at him.

“You have to admit Giggles, we're fighting a losing battle.” Lady Courage pointed out.

“We can't just give up!” Giggles cried. “I've already tried that and it didn't exactly work!”

“Well, what can we do if no one wants to listen to us?!” Sir Hyper protested. “Face it Giggles, if no one wants to change, then no one can make them!”

“We just have to make them see reason is all.” Giggles tried to calm her friends down.

Just then, Lady Silent, Sir Hedgehog, Sir Lionheart and Chuckles ran over.

“You guys not having any luck either?” Sir Lionheart sighed.

“Nope. I'm ready to go home!” Sir Hyper began to pout.

“But we can't give up now!” Sir Hedgehog cried.

“Not you too.” Sir Dark rolled his eyes.

“All we need is to demonstrate to the people how bad the situation really is. That would really help our cause.” Chuckles mused.

“Yeah, like Marion is REALLY going to commit a crime right in front of us just so we can use it for our political gain.” Giggles groaned.

Wouldn't you know it, at just that moment a young boy with a awesome-looking model helicopter ran past Mobster Marion, who looked greedily at the helicopter. In one swift movement, she grabbed the toy and shoved the poor boy into the path of an oncoming road train!

“Oh NO!” Cried Lady Luck as Giggles flew as fast as she could towards the now crying child. With barely a second to spare she whisked the young boy out of harms way and deposited him on the footpath, unharmed.

Chuckles scowled at Mobster Marion and snatched the helicopter back. “Not yours.” He snapped at her. He then walked over to Giggles and the child and handed the toy back.

“You'll be okay. You head straight home you hear me?” Chuckles warned the child.

“Yessir. Thank you!” The boy looked up gratefully at his rescuers before running away home.

A small crowd of people had seen the event, and were now looking curiously at Giggles.

“This is what is happening to the innocent people of our city. This is NOT what Simon Masters and Louis Begly had in mind when they built the Pleasant Dam!” Giggles flew up into the air, yelling loudly. “They didn't envisage their fellow man beaten to the ground, they didn't see innocent people killed in the name of profit! And we, the people, have allowed this to happen! No more I say!”

A small murmur of agreement went through the crowd like a wave. More people were coming to listen to Giggles!

“ARE WE GOING TO STAND FOR THIS?!” Giggles roared. “ARE WE GOING TO LET THEM DO THIS TO US? NO, I SAY, NO! WE'RE NOT GOING TO SUFFER THIS DRECK ANY MORE!”

People were starting to cheer, and the crowd was getting bigger and bigger.

“PEOPLE OF PLEASANTVILLE ARISE! YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT YOUR INNOCENCE!” Giggles began to lead the masses to the Council building.

“I'm certain she's ripped that from somewhere.” Sir Hedgehog raised an eyebrow.

“Whatever, it's gotten the people behind us! Let's go!” Sir Lionheart cheered, and they all followed the crowd to the Council building.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Return of Chuckles and Giggles!

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The scene was set. Well, almost.

Ruby and Giggles were locked in a stare-down, Giggles pointing the Lucky Seven Gun at the other shoulder of Ruby, who was now having difficulty staying upright. You see, the shoulder boxes on the Ruby Suit are a special conductor fuse in which the information gathered from the band on the users temples was translated into Ruby Power and then formed into Ruby Weapons. Because the box was knocked out, not only was Ruby unable to form Ruby Weapons with his right hand, but the booster under his right foot was out too, meaning the only thing keeping him afloat was his left leg.

It would have been the most amazing setting for the beginning of an epic battle, had Giggles Backpack not stayed true to form. It cut out again, leaving Giggles on her backside.

“Class.” Chuckles raised his eyebrow as Giggles got up and dusted herself off.

“I try.” Giggles replied before straightening up and pointing the Lucky Seven Gun at Ruby again. “Give up Ruby. You can't beat me.”

“Like heck I will!” Ruby growled, forming a Ruby Shard in his left hand and throwing it at Giggles.

The Ruby Shard merely shattered ineffectively against Giggles chest. Ruby was stunned. So was Giggles.

“What in the -?” Giggles felt her chest. Nothing. Not even a scratch.

“Well...that certainly helps us.” Sir Lionheart smirked at Ruby. “Get him Giggles!”

“No problem.” Giggles aimed the Lucky Seven at Ruby again, who flew off as fast as he could. Giggles reached around and gave her Backpack a quick shake before taking off after him.

She had missed flying. Soaring towards the clouds, the memory of her grand-father lifting her up and pulling her up towards the sky overcame her.

“I'll get him Pa. I won't ever give up again.” She vowed, firing a warning shot at Ruby, who growled and rolled out of the way.

Giggles shot up past him, and quickly brought her ascent to a halt. She dived after him as he flew haphazardly between buildings, the loss of flight power from his right leg hindering him. Giggles fired another shot, but this time Ruby used a Ruby Shield to block the attack.

“Darn!” Giggles groaned.

The pair were ducking and diving through the streets, scaring a fair few citizens along the way, until Giggles Backpack gave a jolt.

“Uh...oh...” She tried to steady herself, but the Backpack had other ideas. She quickly grabbed the nearest ledge and hauled herself up onto a balcony.

“Stupid thing!” Giggles groaned as she slowly made her way back down to the ground.

“GIGGLES!” She heard footsteps behind her. Chuckles was running towards her, that annoying look in his eyes that told her that she wasn't going to like what she heard. “I bet he's headed for the Council Building! If we head there now we can cut him off!”

“Chuckles, he's probably going to get there well before we do seeing as we're on foot, not to mention the CHUCKLES GET BACK HERE!” Giggles cried as Chuckles grabbed the back of a bus that was flying past. Using the last of the Backpacks power, she shot after the bus and jumped on beside him.

“You DOLT.” She scowled, holding on to the bus with one hand while flicking the Backpack into charge mode with the other.

The bus rolled on for a good twenty minutes. Finally, Chuckles let out a yell.

“There he is! C'mon Giggles!” He grabbed his best friend and jumped off the bus.

“YIKES!” Giggles screamed as she was yanked off the speeding vehicle. “And just what do you suppose we do to stop him? He's still got Ruby Shields that make the Lucky Seven useless.”

“Get me up there and let me try!” Chuckles grinned. Giggles facepalmed, but she grabbed him and lifted him up so they were right in front of Ruby.

“How in the-?” Ruby stopped. Chuckles leapt from Giggles to Ruby, sending Giggles spiralling in the process.

“Get off me!” Ruby growled, trying to force Chuckles off. Chuckles tried to hit the remaining shoulder box with one of the Arm Scythes, but was repelled by another Ruby Shield.

The pair struggled in mid-air, sometimes plummeting dangerously but never managing to hit anything thankfully.

Giggles righted herself, annoyed. “Of all the stupid...CHUCKLES!”

She flew towards the struggling pair, Chuckles still trying to knock out the shoulder box while Ruby was trying to throw Chuckles to his doom.

Without thinking, Giggles brought her hand down on the shoulder box protected by the Ruby Shield. It shattered, leaving it free for a hit from the Lions Claw Blade which Chuckles was now waving around.

The box gave one last shot of light before it gave out, destroyed.

And, as anyone with any common sense would have predicted, both men began to fall.

“Probably should have thought of that.” Giggles shrugged, before grabbing both men and tossing Ruby onto the roof of a nearby building.

“Well, that was harder than it needed to be.” Giggles sighed as they flew back to the tip, heading over the abandoned school to make sure the Knights were okay.

“Hee hee, I've got the Improbability Clause back on my side!” Chuckles couldn't help but cheer with glee.

“Oh drop it will you? Uh...ARGH!!” Giggles cried as the Backpack cut out again and the pair landed on a pile of dead grass clippings.

–

“He's gone! Yay for Chuckles and Giggles!” Sam and Tammy danced for joy as the group sat around the Masters living room.

“That's one less worry on our minds! Good work guys!” Daniel thumped Belle and Charlie on their backs, making them wince.

“Wish we'd thought about going for the shoulders, it never occurred to us to ask your Dad.” TJ grinned sheepishly, his arms around Petunia.

“So some good came of you getting zapped with the Ruby Suit after all!” Peter rubbed a towel over his daughters dripping hair. “I'd say being flooded with Ruby Power has made you immune to it!”

“How cool is that?!” Petunia laughed.

“I have to ask though, when did you get the Lucky Seven back?” Sunny held Melody as Patrick rubbed her shoulders.

“I've been trying to tell everyone how I did it for the past week!” Belle looked annoyed. “I kept getting interrupted!”

“Well, no one is going to interrupt you now Beauty. Spill!” Peter grinned.

“Well, it was after I had that lovely chat with Sunnys Dad...”

–

Belle drove back towards the suburbs, fuming. How could he believe those things?! How could he believe it was RIGHT?! It angered her to the point where she was half tempted to whip out the helmet that was sitting on the back seat and kick his backside from here to Chitney!

She stopped at a set of lights and sighed. No use letting him get to her. No use getting riled up. Belle would win this war eventually, let him win a battle or two first.

Her eyes floated down to the fuel gauge, which was nearing empty. She sighed again and turned off to head towards the petrol station.

She quickly glanced in the rear view mirror again and tensed up. That helmet was still there where she'd stuck it because having it in her wardrobe was becoming unnerving. It was like having Giggles in the back seat saying “We could finish him, let's go already!”

No. Those days were over. The fight was now to be fought higher up. That was where she was needed. At the next set of red lights she grabbed a blanket from under the passenger-side seat and threw it over the helmet. No more.

She pulled into the service station and noticed Master Revolver and a few of his men fuelling up their truck. She sighed. What a rubbish day!

Master Revolver didn't seem to notice her however. He was too preoccupied with getting his bladder emptied while the cronies filled up the truck.

Belle parked the Elantra as far away she could from the Death Valley Mobsters, putting the truck between her and them. She was a little scared, the petrol station was in one of the quieter areas of town, plus a large bush hid it from the road and if the Mobsters decided they liked the sight of her, she was finished.

She swiped her debit card on the bowser and began to fill up, not wanting to have to go past the truck and into the station. She kept her eye on the truck as she filled up the Elantra.

One of the idiots had left the door open and a gun sitting on the front seat. Hadn't they heard of gun safety?! Belle shook the nozzle from the bowser off before putting it back, her car filled. Seriously, the knobs were all hanging out on the other side of the truck, leaving the cab completely exposed!

She looked again as she put the nozzle back in the bowser. The gun looked like it was a rather large Colt. 45. Huh.

Belle was about to get back into the car when she slapped herself. A large Colt .45?! THAT WAS NONE OTHER THAN HER LUCKY SEVEN GUN! She had to get it back!

She quickly glanced around. The only sounds were the disgusting ones coming from Master Revolver in the toilets.

She quickly grabbed the helmet in the back of the car. She then drove the Elantra out of the station and parked it a little way away behind another building. She headed back to the petrol station, where Master Revolver was finishing up in the toilet.

Sucking in her breath and putting her helmet on, she quickly scooted across the to the truck, grabbed her gun, shot a few rounds at Master Revolver as he emerged from the toilets, bolted back to the car, pulled off the helmet and drove off as quickly as she could, laughing.

–

“You're kidding, right?” Charlies jaw dropped.

“Nope.” Belle grinned.

“Was firing at Revolver REALLY necessary?” Lara frowned.

“Yup.” Belle grinned.

“So YOU'RE the one who fired the shots that helped Charlie get the Lions Claw back!” Thomas said.

“Yup again.” Belle smirked.

Charlie could feel his eye beginning to twitch.