The Aristopups

Chapter 5

[morning, Chase walks singing and his song wakes up Duchess]

Chase: I like a chee-chee-chee-chee-rony Like they make at home Or a healthy fish with a big backbone I'm Abraham de Lacy Giuseppe Casey Chase O'Malley O'Malley the alley cat! I've got that wanderlust Gotta walk the scene Gotta kick up highway dust Feel the grass that's green Gotta strut them city streets Showin' off my eclat, yeah![He sees Skye looking at him] Tellin' my friends of the social elite Or some cute cat I happen to meet That I'm Abraham de Lacy Guiseppe Casey Chase O'Malley, O'Malley the alley cat!

Skye laughs: Why, monsieur, your name seems to cover all of Europe

Chase: Well of course. I'm the only cat of my kind. I'm king of the highway Prince of the boulevard Duke of the avant-garde They world is my backyard So if you're goin' my way[pups wake up and peek from the basket] That's the road you wanna seek Calcutta to Rome or home sweet home In Paris Magnifique, you all

Blitz: Oh boy! An alley cat!

Lani (hushing him with a paw): Shh! Listen!

Chase continues: I only got myself And this big old world But I sip that cup of life With my fingers curled I don't worry what road to take I don't have to think of that Whatever I take is the road I make It's the road of life, make no mistake For me, yeah, Abraham de Lacy, Giuseppe Casey Chase O'Malley O'Malley the alley cat! That's right, and I'm very proud of that. Yeah!

Skye laughs and claps: Bravo! Very good. You are a great talent.

Chase: Oh thank you. And what might your name be?

Skye: My name is Skye.

Chase: Skye. Beautiful. Love it. And those eyes.. ooh. Why your eyes are like amethyst , sparkling so bright, they make the morning radiant.. and light.

Lani: How romantic..

Ace: Sissy stuff!

Skye: Oh, c'est tres jolie, monsieur. Very poetic. But it is not quite Shakespeare.

Chase: Of course not. That's pure O'Malley, baby. Right off the cuff, yeah. I got a million of 'em.

Skye: Oh, no more, please. I am really in a great deal of trouble.

Chase: Trouble? Helping beautiful dame-- uh, damsels in distress is my specialty. Now, what's the hang-up, your ladyship?

Skye: Well, it is most important that I get back to Paris. So if you would be just so kind and show me the way.

Chase: Show you the way? Perish the thought! We shall fly to Paris on a magic carpet, side by side, [Lani runs out of the basket] with the stars as our guide, just we two.

Lani: Ooh, that would be wonderful!

Chase: Three?[The other kittens run up] Four. Five!

Skye: Oh yes, monsieur Chase. These are my children.

Chase: Oh, how sweet.

Ace: Do you really have a magic carpet?

Lani: And are we really gonna ride on it?

Skye: Now, now, Lani.

Lani: Mama, do I have sparkling amethyst eyes that dazzle too?

Chase: Hoo-ooh, did I say that?

Skye: Yes. Right off your cuff.

Ace: And you said we're gonna ride on your magic carpet.

Chase: Well, now, uh-- what I meant, you see, I--

Skye: No poetry to cover this situation, monsieur Chase?

Chase: What I had in mind was a kind of a sports model, baby. You know, one of those--

Skye: Perhaps a magic carpet built for two?

Lani: I wouldn't take up much room.

Skye sighes: I understand perfectly, monsieur Chase. Well, come along, darlings.

[Lani sighes.]

Blitz hisses: I'm a tough alley cat too.

Chase: Hey there! You're comin' on. I'll bet you're a real tiger in your neighborhood!

Blitz: Yeah, that's 'cause I practice all the time.

Skye: Now, now, Blitz, come along, dear.

Blitz: Yes mama. 

Chase: See ya around, tiger!

[Blitz leaves, hissing every few steps]

Chase to himself: Now that's quite a family. And come to think of it, Chase, you're not a cat, you're a rat. Right? Right.

[He runs after Skye and pups]