With The Boxtrolls

Chapter Twenty: The Naked Truth

Snatcher’s vehicle comes shooting into the square! It is  covered in boxtrolls. "I like Jelly!"

Fish is stacked on Shoe in the driver’s seat. Fish steers,  Shoe works the pedals. Herbert sits in Snatcher’s seat,  laughing in delight, his hair and beard whipping in the wind. He giggles into the megaphone while the boxtrolls holler and cheer.

"JELLY! Ha ha ha ha!"

The sisters look at each other in confusion. (Name) speaks up. "What in hell?"

"They're alive!" Winnie smiles hugging her sister in joy.

"FISH!"

The truck SKIDS to a stop, spilling naked boxtrolls everywhere.

"BOXTROLLS!"

"And they’re NAKED!"

"AAAAAH!"

"NAKED TROLLS!"

"EWW! No wonder they wear boxes!"

Gristle is overrun by naked, angry boxtrolls! "EWW -- NAKED!"

"What is going on here?!" Lord Portley-Rind questions looking at the naked trolls.

"I... I am befuddled as your lordship! I... I crushed them  myself!" Portley-Rind places the white hat back on his own head.

"Evidently not! That was the closest you will ever come to a White Hat." The he twirls his mustache. "I hope you enjoyed it."

Fish grabs the mechanical arm remote control from Gristle’s hands. He uses it to lift Eggs away from the furnace’s mouth. The naked gaggle of boxtrolls carries Gristle away and throws him into a barrel labeled 'LEECHES'.

Fish releases Eggs from the mechanical arm, sending him  flying into a cheese tent. He tumbles out on to the market square, covered in Gouda and Swiss. Ecstatic boxtrolls and the sisters swarm him. Off come the gloves and mask and a relieved Eggs pops up. The girls happily hugs him as the dog come out of the house to greet the boxtrolls

"Eggs!"

"You’re alive! You’re all alive! But  how?! I saw you crushed!"

Fish happily gurgles his answer. Eggs’ face lights up with joy, reacting to each gurgle like it’s a revelation.

Winnie interrupts him because neither her or her sister can understand what Fish is saying. "AHEM?"

"Oh... sorry. He says they were hiding and then they heard me yelling at them..." He explains and after that he and Fish hug tightly.

"You got out of your boxes! You did it!" The townspeople peek out of their hiding places, confused.

"The boy is friends with a boxtroll?!"

"But boxtrolls are monsters."

(Name) and Winnie turn to the townspeople. "Boxtrolls aren’t monsters. They never ate the Trubshaw Baby, he’s  right there with Fish."

(Name) gasps trying to identify who the hairy lunatic standing next to Eggs is. Eggs smiles up at Herbert.

"My father."

"Your father?" The sisters ask in unison.

Herbert smile at Eggs. "Look what you did."

"You were right. Thank you."

Herbert bows. "Jelly."

The townspeople stare at Herbert.

"Herbert Trubshaw?"

"The inventor?"

"Alive?"

The crowd murmurs angrily.

"Oh get out of here."

"Snatcher said he was killed."

"How can that be?"

"How is this possible?"

"He lied to us?"

"Snatcher lied!"

"He lied to us and to poor Madame Frou Frou!" Everyone turns toward Portley-Rind as he looks around for  Snatcher. "Snatcher!"

But Snatcher is gone. Suddenly the shrill accent of Madame Frou Frou rises above the crowd. They look up as the mechanical arm of the mecha box drops Snatcher into the cockpit. He taunts in Frou Frou’s voice. "We could've been somezing special, but you've broken our agreement."

"Why is he talking like Madame Frou?

(Name) facepalms at her father's idiocity and explains. "Father you idiot! He is MADAME FROU FROU!!"

"Oh my God!"

"I regret so much." Snatcher pulls levers and grinds gears again. The crowd gasps and shrinks away from him. He turns the mecha box toward Portley-Rind and uses the mechanical arm to reach for the white hat. Snatcher’s voice turns back to normal. "I’ll take my white hat now."

Portley-Rind ducks and weaves to avoid the huge, snapping claw. "AHHHH!" Snatcher gets frustrated and smashes the stairs!

Portley-Rind sprints off the stairs and out into the square.