*We open back in the garden. Zelda is once again teasing Chuck...*

Sally: Stop! (The entire group rushes in, furniture first. One chair scoots under Zelda while a hat rack pushes her into it.)

Zelda: *Yelps* Hey!

Sach: (Holds his claws over Zelda) What are you doin' to my friend Chuck, you baaaad fairy?

Zelda: Trying to get him to marry me, like Mother promised!

Sach: Maybe he don't wanna marry you!

Sally: You can't force him to love you!

Zelda: I don't care if he loves me! I just want him to marry me!

Rachel: *Goes up to Chuck, who's blushing profusely; she gently holds out the leash* What in the world is THIS!?

Zelda: *Shrugs* A leash and collar.

Butch: What were you going to do to him, drag him around until he liked you?

Zelda: No! He's my pet.

Butch: (Growls) No, he's not! He's a human...and my friend!

Sach: Yeah, mine too!

Rachel: Not any more! *gently removes the collar and leash*

Sally: What have you done to these young men? I know they're not animals.

*Zelda just folds her arms.*

Louie: Are you one of the evil fairies? (Grins) That's evil? Looks like she should be ordering madelines and baguette sandwiches at my shop.

Sally: Father, I've seen what she can do. She's not to be trifled with. (Growls) You invaded my dream, didn't you? You and your mother. You did something to Terrence!

*Zelda doesn't answer.*

Louie: Terrence?

Sally: The prince here!

(Sach's eyes widen. Butch frowns.)

*Zelda just disappears.*

Rachel: *Frees Chuck fully* Are you okay?

Chuck: I'm better now. Thank you. *smiles at her*

Rachel: You're welcome.

Butch: (Grins) Looks like Chuck's got a girl, too!

*Chuck turns a few shades of red.*

Sach: No fair! Where's my girl? (He looks around, checking under rocks.)

Sally: (Smiles) I didn't know I was such a good matchmaker.

Sach: Chuck, do you know where Slip is? And while you're at it, can you find me a girl? Preferably one who ain't a fairy and looks as good as all these put together. (Indicates Sally and her sisters.)

Chuck: I'll need some time on that second question. As for where Slip is, I'm not positive but I'd be willing to bet she's still got him in his rooms.

Louie: Go up in the ape-man's rooms?

Sally: We have to get up there! Chuck, is he ok? Do you know?

Butch: He wasn't the last time we saw him!

Chuck: *Frowns* He was out like a light.

Whitey: *Nods* She clobbered him but good.

Sally: (At the top of her lungs) SHE CLOBBERED HIM?!

Sach: (Rubs inside his ear) Oop! If you lost your voice, it's in my ear.

Louie: A little fairy hurt a big ape-man?

Chuck: We need to find him, and quick.

Sally: We're marching out again! And this time, make it double fast!

(The entire group marches as fast as they can out of the garden...except for Chuck and Rachel, who stroll out hand-in-hand.)

(Cut back to Slip's rooms. Sheila lays very close to Slip, holding his chin close to her face.)

Sheila: You're mine, little prince. Forever.

Slip: You can't have forever.

Sheila: I can have whatever I want, little prince. And what I want is you and the magic you posses.

Slip: And I want you to free the others first, then I might capitulate.

Sheila: Only if they wed my daughters.

Slip: No.

Sheila: (Narrows her eyes) You shouldn't be so stubborn. (She slaps him angrily across the cheek)

Slip: *Winces* You get me, the castle, and the magic. That's what ya really want. Take it.

Sheila: And explain to my little girls that they can't have the husbands I promised them?

Slip: I'm sure it ain't the first time they've been dumped.

Sheila: Don't talk about Zelda that way! (She smacks him hard in the shin.)

Slip: Ow! *Winces* I'll talk about... *realizes* Zelda that way if I wanna!

Sheila: You'll do no such thing about my daughter! I don't talk about that little shadow of a brother like that! (She whacks him over the shoulders with one of the record covers)

Slip: He ain't a shadow. *tries to move away*

Sheila: He practically has no personality of his own! You bully him and abuse him! (She whacks him in the knee with her heels)

Slip: *Yelps* Yow! Yeah, he has! What brothers don't abuse each other?

Sheila: Then why haven't you allowed him to marry yet?

Slip: He ain't found the right girl yet! I ain't allowin' or disallowin'! You need to shudup about him! *shoves her away*

Sheila: (Digs her fingers into his arms) Oh, you love him, all right...but you can't stand sharing the spotlight and glory with anyone. Even your dear youngest brother, the only family you have since your parents died.

Slip: *Growls; hisses slightly* I don't treat him that way.

Sheila: Yes, you do. You treat all of them that way. You hit anyone and everything who crosses you. You growl at anyone who doesn't do what you want.

Slip: I didn't used to. *aims a punch for her face*

Sheila: (Grabs his hand and yanks his arm behind his back) Don't play with me, little prince. (She grabs her wand and waves it over him.) I can make you much more docile. You need to be tamed badly.

Slip: Nooo!

Sheila: (Runs her fingers over his face) You'll be my tame pet. You're not a prince anymore. Just an ape. My ape. I'm mistress of this castle and all of its secrets.

Slip: No...not ape...

Sheila: (Yanks his arm further) Yes, ape. You're an animal, and like a good animal, you'll do what your mistress tells you to do.

Slip: *Cries out* Noooo! Not ape...man!

Sheila: (Yanks his neck closer to her; into his ear) You're an ape, dear. My pet.

Slip: *Whimpers* Nooooo...

Sheila: (Squeezes his neck, then holds up the wand) And you're going to be my pet forever.

Slip: *Yells* NOOO! *He struggles as hard as he can.*

Zelda: *Appears in the room* Mother!

Sheila: (Squeezes Slip harder) I'm a little busy here, dear.

Zelda: We've got trouble! That meddling Sally girl is back, and she brought help!

Sheila: What's she doing here? How did she get in? We locked the doors!

Zelda: I don't know, but they've freed all of the others!

Sheila: Blast it! We have to do something! Where are my other daughters?

Zelda: I don't know. I haven't seen them!

Sheila: Can't get decent help these days. (Frowns) Where's your future husband?

Zelda: They rescued him, too.

Sheila: Damn it! (She runs her light over Slip again) But we still have this one. The one who leads the rest of them.

Slip: Noooo...

Zelda: He isn't seeming too cooperative, either. Then again, he never is.

Sheila: He'll cooperate now. He knows he's just my pet.

*Slip whimpers.*

Zelda: Can we use him ON the others?

Sheila: Not a bad idea, at that.

Zelda: *Grins* Payback.

Sheila: (Strokes his cheeks) Yes, payback a thousand times over for what that brat did to me in the gardens. (She pulls his chin close to her again) As long as I have you, your friends and that little wench are powerless.

*Slip nods slightly.*

(That's when we hear a knock on the door...followed by snickering, a few howls, and giggling. Sheila rolls her eyes.)

Sheila: Zelda, tell whomever that is that we don't want any.

Zelda: *Opens the door* We...

(Suddenly, she's knocked over by an army of tables, chairs, desks, pots, pans, utensils, and even a cabinet! When she tries to get up again, Sach runs into her. He pulls her up and makes a face.)

Sach: Tsk tsk. Runnin' away from us like that. You should learn to be brave and stick things out, like me!

*Zelda just gives him a woozy glare.*

(A footstool runs under her and knocks her over. This time, when Sach pulls her up again, she's unconscious.)

Sach: Uh-oh. I'd better do somethin' with her. (He places her in a chair, crossing her ankles and arms and making her look like she's reclining.) There. Now isn't that cozy?

Sheila: (Holds her wand over Slip) Oh no, you don't. Try anything funny, and I'll make him into a real gorilla...with no man left.

Chuck: *He and Rachel stop by Sally at the front of the group* No!

Sally: (Shrieks) DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HIM! I LOVE HIM! (She makes a leap for Sheila. The wand goes flying as the two tussle on the floor.)

Butch: Somebody get those wands!

Louie: (He finds Zelda's wand on the floor near the doorway) I wonder if I could make a pile of gold appear with this?

Whitey: Let’s find out later, okay?

*Slip growls, seeing what happened to Sheila.*

Chuck: Slip? (Puts his arm on his shoulder) Are you ok? What did she do to you this time?

Marsha: This time? How much do these chicks do this stuff?

*Slip shoves Chuck off, still growling.*

Chuck: Slip! It's me! It's your brother Chuck, remember?

*Slip advances on Chuck, growling the whole time. He swats at the younger man-rabbit, aiming for his head.*

Chuck: Whoa! (He ducks Slip's hand and moves around him) What's with you? What did I do?

Sach: (Tugs at Whitey's sleeve) I don't know what's going on, but the Chief's gone crazy! He's attackin' his own brother!

Louie: He IS a monster!

Whitey: *Tugs at Sach, too* Oh, he HAS gone ape!

*Slip makes a grab for Chuck.*

Chuck: (He ducks away from Slip again) Good thing rabbits are fast!

*Slip swings downward this time.*

Chuck: (This time, he does get hit. It knocks him on the floor. He rubs his jaw) Slip, have you gone insane? I'm your little brother! I'm the one you've protected for years! (He raises his own paw, claws extended.) I can't hit you. I'm not as strong as you are, even when I'm human. I can make use of these damn claws.

*Slip growls and swings again.*

(Chuck ducks under him and swings his claws at his arm. Not enough to do damage...just enough to hurt a little bit.)

*This just makes Slip growl louder and swing again, but his swing is wilder this time.*

Chuck: (Ducks away from Slip) You've been my brother all my life. Always ordering me and the other guys around. Well, this time, you're the one in the wrong. You're not an ape, Slip. You're a man, just like I'm a man. You shouldn't believe her. (He lets his claws rip into his other arm, harder this time.) Maybe that'll prove that even a rabbit can be tough when it has to be.

*Slip cries out from the rip.*

Chuck: I've been your shadow all of my life, Slip. I love you, but I think it's time I made my own life. (He nods at Rachel) I've chosen my bride, just like you've chosen yours.

Sheila: (As Sally and Marsha drag her to her feet) NOOOOO! Slip, don't listen to him!

*Slip holds his arm, looking at Chuck, regarding him.*

Sally: Marsha, take this (shakes Sheila's arm) witch.

Marsha: I'll keep an eye on her. (Takes both of Sheila's arms) Now, no funny business, lady!

Sally: (She goes to Slip) Slip, it's me. It's your Sally. (She frowns at his arm) You're bleeding! (She takes her apron and wraps it around his arm) Let me make it better.

*Slip also regards her...and smiles a little.*

Sally: (She runs her finger over his cheek) Slip...I love you. I don't care what you look like, or how bad your temper is. My temper can be pretty bad, too. I want to marry you.

Sheila: (Screams) NOOO! He's an animal, I tell you!

*Slip smiles a little wider.*

Sally: (Glares at Sheila) The only animal around here is you! (Takes Slip in her arms) I want to be with you forever. (She kisses him.)

Marsha: (Pushes Sheila onto the bed and runs over to Whitey) Oooh, good idea! (She grabs him and kisses him, too.)

*Rachel pulls Chuck into a kiss as Jane does the same with Butch.*

Sach: Hey, what about me? (Just as he says that, Mama hurries upstairs with two kitchen maid cats, followed by three rolling pins.)

Mama: We saw the furniture on the march outside and were wonderin' what in Sam Hill is goin' on around here!

Louie: My woman! (He grabs Mama and kisses her, too.)

(The two maids give Sach a kiss on either cheek. He grins.)

(That's when a blast of multi-colored light seems to flow around the room. Fur, claws, quills, and feathers melt away. Sheila screams, but no one pays any attention to her.)

*Chuck is revealed first. He wears a brown robe and a small but tasteful crown on his head.*

Rachel: Oh my!

(Sach is next. He wears blue velvet trimmed with gold braid, a short cape, and a feather-trimmed hat. The two maids still wear their maid uniforms...but without the fur and tails. In fact, they're both very cute.)

Sach: (Takes their arms; they giggle) So, what are you ladies doin' tomorrow night?

*Whitey is next. He wears a red cape over a simple brown tunic and wears a matching brown hat with a red feather.*

Whitey: I'm not sharp any more!

Marsha: (Laughs, but wraps her arms around him) And I can really hug you!

Whitey: And I can hug you!

Butch: (He wears a somewhat simpler green outfit with green hat with ribbon trim) No more fur here, either. (Hugs Jane)

*Jane returns the hug.*

Louie: (Grins as Mama in her maid's costume is revealed) You're good lookin' with or without the fur!

Mama: (Grins) Thanks. You ain't bad yourself, shorty.

Louie: (Takes her hand) Call me Louie. Or better yet, call me yours.

*Lastly, Slip is revealed. He also wears a similar crown to Chuck's, only it's slightly bigger. He wears a gold-trimmed, long, maroon robe over a maroon and gold tunic.*

Sally: (Gasps) TERRENCE! (She hugs him) Oh, it is you! It is you! It was you all along!

Slip: *Hugs Sally in return* I wanted to tell ya, Sally, but those horrible fairies would've kept us animals for forever!

Sach: (He and the other boys drop to their knees before Slip...but he looks up with a small grin) Welcome back, Your Highness.

Slip: *Half grin* Get a load-a these guys, huh?

Sally: You're the Prince?

Sach: Yeah. He's really our Chief...in more ways than one.

Slip: I am. Goes that make a difference?

Sally: (Shakes her head and kisses him again; replies) Does that answer your question?

Slip: *Blinks* What was the question?

Maid #1: (Yanks Sheila by the arm) Hey, what are we going to do with these guys?

Slip: *Turns* Sach, would you like the chance to answer that? I'm afraid I might do som'en to them I'd regret.

Sach: Hmm. Well, let's see. They're awfully pretty...but they like to hurt people n' get in their way. (Grins) I know! (He raises his hand. There's a burst of blue around the two fairies. When it subsides, there's now purple and dark red rose bushes sitting in pots in the middle of the room.) How's that?

Slip: *Nods* Nice, Sach. We'll put them out in the garden where they can't hurt nobody.

Sally: (She runs her fingers over his neck, which is still badly bruised) You're still black and blue. (Narrows her eyes) It was her, wasn't it? She was the one who gave you those bruises.

Slip: *Jumps involuntarily* Yeah, kept beatin' me up wit' stuff. Most of this stuff didn't get broken by me, at least not at first.

Sally: They were the ones who destroyed your room?

Slip: *Nods* Cuz I wouldn't play nice.

Chuck: They kept threatening harm on me if Slip didn't do as told. He'd agree, then once I was out of harm's way, he'd turn around on them and not do what they'd ask.

Sach: They tried to hurt all of us at one time or another. They came here one day, not long after the King and Queen died. Said they wanted our princes to marry them, and us to marry those (shudders) demon ladies.

Butch: They came here when the King and Queen were still alive, but they turned them down flat.

Sally: (Frowns) Slip...Terrence...is it true that you were...that you kept Chuck under your thumb?

Slip: *Looks at Chuck* Not on purpose. *turns back to Sally* Chuck's easy-goin'. I'm the pusher. Sometimes I push too much.

Chuck: *Nods* I tend to go with the flow. It does come off that way, but I know it ain't true. If it weren't for Slip, who knows what those fairies would've done to me?

Slip: Bad enough they used him to get at me.

Chuck: Slip took most all the punishment to keep me out of harm's way.

Sally: How did you keep appearing in my dream? That's what the bruises are about, isn't it?

Slip: The magic in the castle allowed us to appear in the dreams of those in the castle. The fairies knew that, and warned if any of us did that, we'd get disciplined. I told the others to let me do it, that I could take it. I took it...often.

Chuck: Too often.

*Slip just rolls his eyes, smirking slightly.*

Sally: That's why every time I had a dream, you'd suddenly have "insomnia" in the morning and wouldn't be able to come down to breakfast. (Shakes her head) Why didn't you tell me?

Slip: We couldn't. The beatin's I got from showin' up in yer dreams were bad enough. If I said anything, I'd still be an ugly baby gorilla right now. Insomania usually meant I COULDN'T get outta bed.

Sach: They told us we couldn't tell ya our real names or nuthin', or we'd stay fulla fur n' feathers. (He bows before Sally and the girls) My name is Lord Horace DuBussy Jones, right-hand man to Prince Terrence.

Butch: (His bow is shorter) Lord Bartholomew Williams, court musician.

Whitey: *Bows* Lord Whitmore Johnson, court general manager.

Chuck: *Bows as Sach did* Prince Charles Mahoney, brother of what's his face over there. *jerks a thumb at Slip*

Mama: (Grins at Louie) Gertrude Warkowski, head of the kitchen. (Attempts a curtsey and kisses Louie's cheek; he blushes furiously.)

Slip: *Grins at Chuck* Yer real funny, kid. *bows fully* Prince Terrence Aloysius Mahoney. *as he straightens, he puts a hand to his lower back, wincing* Oooh, I forgot about that one.

Sally: (Helps him back up) Maybe we ought to send Mama to the kitchen for some ice for that...

Slip: You'd hafta pack me in a tub full-a ice.

Sally: Then let's do that. (Puts a finger on his lips) And don't give me the macho stuff. I want you feeling better (smiles) for our weddin' night.

*Slip's eyes widen as he grins, but doesn't say a word.*

Chuck: Wow...

Sach: Boy, is he in love! He's so lucky! (The two maids giggle and bat their eyes at him.) Well, maybe not THAT lucky.

Sally: I love you, Prince Terrence...no matter what you are. (She kisses him deeply.)

(Mama grabs Louie, dips him, and kisses HIM deeply.)

*Rachel grabs Chuck and gives him a big kiss.*

(Marsha and Jane do likewise with Whitey and Butch.)

Sach: (He cries on one of the maids' shoulders) Oh, isn't that beautiful? I just love happy endings. (The screen gets wavy on his sniffling.)

(When it subsides, we're back in Louie's. Sally's still reading the book.)

Sally: ...And they all lived happily ever after. The end. (She smiles; Sach has passed out on the table.) Poor boy. He didn't even make it to the end! (She turns to Slip) Slip? (Goes to where he's sitting) Terrence?

Slip: *Doesn't turn from the window; quietly* What?

Sally: I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier. You do your best.

Slip: *Turns slightly, enough to see he's still frowning* Sally, I really do try my best. I'm tryin' to help Louie. I can't help it if things blow up in my face.

Sally: I know you are. (Smiles) I guess we both just want what's best for Uncle and the store.

(They don't see it...but the camera catches Sach peeking an eye open and smiling a little. He quickly shuts it again.)

Slip: So, are we... *motions between the two of them* us, again?

Sally: (Shrugs) Until we start fighting again.

Slip: Ever been kissed by a baby gorilla?

Sally: No. (Takes his arm) But there's a first time for everything. Shall we catch up with the rest of them?

Slip: *Accepts her arm and smiles* Would love to.

Sally: (She grabs her coat from the back of the counter) Let's go. (The moment they stroll out, Sach jumps up from the table, grinning.)

Sach: Ooh, it worked! They're not fightin' anymore. (He picks up his book and hugs it.) I really do love happy endings. (We fade out as he heads out with his book, making sure to turn off the light and shut the door on his way.)