A Bug's Life Page #2

would I be coming down here,

to your level,

looking for it?

- Uh, I--

- Why am I even talking to you?

You're not the queen.

You don't smell like the queen.

Sh-She's learning

to take over for me, Hopper.

Oh, I see. Under new management.

So it's your fault.

No, it wasn't me, it was--

Uh-uh-uh. First rule of leadership:

Everything is your fault.

- But-But I--

- It's a bug-eat-bug world

out there, Princess,

one of those circle-of-life

kind of things.

Now, let me tell you

how things are supposed to work.

The sun grows the food,

the ants pick the food,

the grasshoppers eat the food--

And the birds eat the grasshoppers.

Hey, like the one that nearly ate you,

you 'member? Oh, you shoulda seen it.

This blue jay has

him halfway down his throat,

and Hopper's kickin' and screamin'.

And I'm scared.

I'm not goin' anywhere near, okay?

Aw, come on.

It's a great story. Ow, ow, ow.

I swear, if I hadn't promised

Mother on her deathbed...

that I wouldn't kill you,

I would kill you.

- And believe me, no one

appreciates that more than I do.

- Shut up!

I don't want to hear another word

out of you while we're on this island.

- Do you understand me?

- [ Whimpers ]

- I said, do you understand me?

- How can I answer? You said

I couldn't say another word.

- Remember Ma!

- [ Growls ]

Hey, I'm a compassionate insect.

There's still a few months

till the rains come,

so you can all just try again.

But, Hopper, since it's

almost the rainy season,

we need this time

to gather food for ourselves.

Listen, if you don't

keep your end of the bargain,

then I can't guarantee your safety.

And there are insects out there

that will take advantage of you.

Someone could get hurt.

[ Snaps Fingers ]

[ Screeching ]

[ Snarling, Screeching ]

[ Gasps, Squeals ]

What's the matter?

You scared of grasshoppers?

[ Whimpering ]

- Dot!

- You don't like Thumper?

- [ Snarls ]

- Leave her alone!

You want her?

Go ahead-- take her.

No?

Then get back in line.

It seems to me that you ants

are forgetting your place.

So let's double

the order of food.

- [ Gasps ]

- No! But-But--

We'll be back

at the end of the season,

when the last leaf falls.

You ants have a nice summer.

Let's ride!

- Yee-ha!

- [ Grasshoppers Shouting ]

[ Laughing ]

Ooh!

[ Chuckles Nervously ]

Flik, what do you have

to say for yourself?

Sorry. I-- I'm sorry

for the way I am.

I didn't mean for things

to go so wrong.

I especially didn't want

to make you look bad, Princess.

- Well, Flik, ya did.

- I was just trying to help.

- Then help us-- don't help us.

- Help, help. Help?

Flik, you are sentenced to

one month digging in the tunnels.

Excuse me, Your Highness.

Need I remind you of Flik's

tunnel-within-a-tunnel project?

Helpers to help us.

That's it! We could--

It took two days to dig him out.

Send him to Health and Ant Services.

Heavens, no!

We could leave the island,

the river bed's dry.

We could walk across and get helpers.

We could! We could go

find helpers to help us.

- It's perfect!

- Perfect? What's so perfect?

Your Highness, don't you see?

We could send someone to get help!

- [ All Gasp ]

- Leave the island?

Why didn't I think of that?

Oh! Because it's suicide!

-She's right! We never leave the island.

-Never leave!

There's snakes and birds

and bigger bugs out there!

Exactly! Bigger bugs!

We could find bigger bugs

to come here and fight...

and forever rid us

of Hopper and his gang!

- Ludicrous!

- Who would do a crazy thing like that?

- I'll volunteer.

I'd be happy to volunteer.

- [ Laughing ]

You got a lot of spunk, kid,

but no one's gonna help a bunch of ants.

At least we could try. I could travel

to the city! I could search there!

If you went, you'd be

on that silly search for weeks.

Royal huddle.

- Great idea, Princess. It's perfect!

- Exactly.

- Wait a minute.

What did we just decide here?

- To let Flik leave.

While we keep harvesting

to meet Hopper's demands.

- You see, with Flik gone, he can't--

- He can't mess anything up!

Flik, after much deliberation, we have

decided to grant you your request.

- Really?

- Really?

- Uh, really.

Oh, thank you, Princess.

Thank you so much for this chance.

- I won't let you down,

I promise, I promise, I promise.

- That's fine. No, forget it.

- I should help repair

the damage before I go.

- [ All ] No! No, no!

[ Elderly Ant ]

Just leave!

[ Breathes Deeply ]

Hey.

Don't worry!

The colony is in good hands!

Bye, now.

[ Ants Cheering ]

All right.

Hey, fellas.

Beautiful mornin', huh?

My dad gives you one hour

before you come back crying.

Does he, now?

- My dad doesn't think that.

- He doesn't, huh?

- Naw, he's bettin' you're gonna die.

- Oh.

He says if the heat doesn't get ya,

the birds will.

I think he's gonna make it.

-Nobody asked you, Your Royal Shortness.

-Yeah, Dot. What do you know?

Hey, hey, hey.

Ease up. Come on.

She's entitled

to her opinion too.

[ Gasps ]

[ Birds Cawing ]

Ohh.

- So go, already.

- [ Exhales ]

- Hey!

- The city's that way.

- I know.

- You're supposed to look for bugs,

not dandelions.

You leave him alone.

He knows what he's doing.

That's right.

Here I go. For the colony,

and for oppressed ants everywhere!

Whoa-oh.

- Wow!

- Hey!

- Hey-hey!

- Bye, Flik!

Wow!

[ Chuckling ]

Wow. Ohh!

Whoa!

[ Dot ]

Good luck, Flik!

Bye! Whoa-oh!

Flik!

[ Muffled ]

I'm... okay!

- Your dad's right. He's gonna die.

- You just watch.

He's gonna get the bestest,

roughest bugs you've ever seen!

[ Growls, Roars ]

Get back! Get back!

Get back, you horrible beast!

- [ Roaring ]

- I have no fear! Aye-eee!

- Ooh!

- Oh, my goodness.

- [ Sobbing ]

- Oh, no!

[ Crowd Boos, Hisses ]

- Oh, I'm so sorry, Dim. An owie?

- Owie! Owie, owie.

Please show Rosie the owie.

All right, Dim. It's okay.

I have been in outhouses

that didn't stink that bad.

This is ridiculous.

What a disappointment!

- Oh, no!

- You! Come here! I want my money back!

Uh, no refunds

after the first two minutes.

Popcorn! Stale popcorn!

We're losin' the audience!

You clowns get out there now!

- I hate performing on an empty stomach!

- Do your act, Heimlich.

- Then you can eat. Not now, Slim.

- P.T., what's the point?

What's the point of going out there?

They'll only laugh at me.

- That's because you're a clown!

- No, it's because I'm a prop!

You always cast me as the broom,

the pole, the stick, a splinter.

You're a walking stick.

It's funny!

- Now go!

- You parasite.

Tra-la-la-la-la.

Rate this script:2.3 / 6 votes