The Hours Between Night and Day:

                             Bugsnapped!   III

                                    by

                               Matt  Bermann
                              (pw@wave.co.nz)
                                 (version 1.3)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, 19th February, 1997.

Hi, and welcome to the third and final chapter to my trilogy, "Bugsnapped!".
If you haven't read the first two parts to this story, please make sure that
you do before you read this part.. you can get both of the first two parts
at - HTTP://home.aol.com/hkuriah - along with some excellent works by
other writers.

I added this note here after completing most of the story and realizing
something .. It is almost essential that you read 'Bugsnapped!' and
'The Created' *right* before you read this story.  Otherwise, you'll
miss out on a lot of the important plot points.  Do _you_ remember
who Dr. Aubman and Dr. Johnson are, for example?  (I say this because
it's been nearly a year since I wrote 'The Created', and most of you
probably haven't read it since then.)

Thanks go out to:
Buster J Bunny, aka Steven J Sledziona, for helping me find and write20
this series.
HKUriah, for the support and assistance he has given me right from the
start with all of my stories.
The members of the TTA fanfiction list who offered to read this story whilst
in development.
Slappy Squirrel, for her timely suggestions and additions to the plot that
allowed me to actually figure out how to end the story, and her very helpful
editing additions.
The Captain, for his assistance as the story drew close to its end.
Thorne, for drawing artwork based upon my stories.

As always, you can contact me via email at:

pw@wave.co.nz

And please do!  I want to know what you think, OK?  Good.  Don't just post
your opinions to alt.tv.tiny-toon, as my news server doesn't pick up many
of the posts there, just email them here, or to the TTA-fanfic mailing list.

Anyway, on with the show...
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        CHAPTER ONE - "Future?"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        The orange liquid slowly filled the glass, and Buster lifted it to
his lips. He took a long drink and took a deep breath.  Dismissing the
maid, he put the glass down on the table next to his chair and looked at
the view before him. 
        From his third story balcony he could see for miles.  The green
grass of Acme Acres stretched out before him, and the sun shone down,
marking the start of another pleasant day.  A haze surrounded the
cityscape that occupied the horizon, with the bell tower of Acmelooniversity
standing alone amongst the other buildings.  The forest stretched off on
either side, and there was a pleasant smell of pine.  Letting out a sigh,
he turned from the balcony and went back inside.  He removed his robe,
picked up his keys and headed out to his car.
        A thin crack of light appeared and slowly expanded as Buster opened
the garage door.  He put away the remote and looked at his car:  a '59
Caddilac, painted red and gleaming in the sun.  The white sidewallsglistened,
and the black tires were waxed and shining.  He was proud of the restoration
job that had been done on the car, and he kept it in good shape.
        Pausing briefly to make sure his briefcase was in the back seat,
Buster gunned the engine and accelerated out of the garage.  He casually
glanced at his watch.  Half past seven.  Plenty of time. 
        The early morning sun shone down, warming the surrounding air.
The wind sailed through Buster's ears as he drove to Acme Loo.  He reached
into the glove compartment and pulled out a pair of sunglasses.  He
glanced in the mirror and noticed a tuft of fur sticking up from the top
of his head.  He sighed and straightened it with his hand.
        Upon arriving at Acme Loo, Buster parked his car in the staff
parking lot, grabbed his briefcase, and stepped out.  He headed down the
hallways, politely greeting everybody he came across.  He pulled his keys
out of his pocket, turned to his door, and unlocked it.  Stepping inside,
he closed the door, marked "Buster Bunny, Principal".
        He strolled across the room, placed his briefcase on the floor, and
sat behind his desk.  He leaned on the desk and began chewing on a carrot.
He looked across the room at his calender and sighed.  It was his birthday,
another lonely birthday.  Fifty-one today, and nobody gave a damn.
        He absent-mindedly flipped through the pile of mail on his desk, not
really paying any attention.  That is, until he saw a familiar looking
envelope.  A birthday card.  He smiled.  Babs.
        As he opened the envelope, Buster reflected on his relationship with
her.  Although they had parted amicably, he still felt a twinge in his heart
every time he thought about her.  He regretted losing her, especially to
Mark.  Mark, a transfer student from Canada, had arrived in their senioryear
and proved to be too much competition for Buster to handle.  Babs had asked
him to commit to their relationship, but he wasn't ready for it, he didn't
feel that it was the right time.  He and Babs drifted apart slowly, and Mark
swooped in like a vulture, taking its spoils before the victim was dead.
Mark swept her off her feet, and she moved back to Canada with him.  He
hated Mark for that, and held a grudge against him for many years.  In
fact, he was so busy hating Mark that he paid no attention to anyone else.
Until Bugs died. 
        He remembered the day that he heard the news.  He was in his burrow
as usual when Plucky came running to him with the news.  Bugs was dead, he
had said.  Killed in an accident, he had said.  An accident.  No one knew
exactly what happened, but Bugs' car plunged off a pier into the ocean, and
Bugs drowned.  An accident.
        He realised his thoughts were wandering, and returned his attention
to the envelope.  He opened the seal and retrieved the card from inside.  It
was one of those meaningless obligatory cards one sends to distant friends
on the few occasions you remember their birthday.  However, this year the
card was different.  Inside the card was a letter.
        He was interrupted by Sylvia, his secretary.  She glided through the
door, with that mechanical walk of hers.  "Sir, sorry to bother you, but I
have to remind you that you have an assembly in ten minutes.  The students
are already filling the hall."
        "OK, thanks, Sylvia.  I'll be there in a minute."
        "Alright, sir.  Oh, by the way, happy birthday!"
        "Thanks, Sylvia."
        Buster knew that Sylvia didn't even know how old he was, she didn't
care, she just said happy birthday because she had to.  But that didn't
bother Buster; he was used to it by now.  He stood, and donned his black
robe. 
        However, his curiosity got the better of him, and he sat behind his
desk again.  The students wouldn't mind if he was a couple of minutes late.
They would probably be glad.  He reached for the letter and unfolded it. 
        "To Buster, I have written on behalf of another, who wishes me to
pass on a message.  I know it has been a long time since we have seen each
other, or even talked, but I can't waste your time with greetings, this
message is too important.  You surely remember all those years ago, whenalez
Rat tried to invade Toonity?  Well, while you were in Bugs' body fighting
Alez, Bugs gave me this message, and told me not to relay it until youturned
51.  Don't ask me why, but that is what he wished for, so that is what Iwill
do.
        "He said that he had to tell you the truth behind it all.  I have
no idea what he was talking about, but I relay the message.  He also gave
me a key, and said that you would know where it fits. That is the message,
Buster.  I hope that you understood more of it than I did.
        "Perhaps we will meet again in the future, Buster.  I know the past
is filled with regrets for both of us, but there is nothing to do about that
now.  I hope we can remain friends, as we always have been, Buster.  That's
all I can ask of you now.  Yours faithfully, Barbara Anne Bunny."
        He was hit by a sudden wave of nausea.  Here before him was a letter
from the one true love in his life, and it was the coldest piece of writing
he had ever seen.  He sat for a moment and lamented over the past.
        He reached down to the bottom of the letter and picked up the key.
He held it up to the sunlight, and instantly knew what it was for.  Thedoor.
Over on the other side of the office was a door, marked "Bugs" from whenbugs
was principal.  He had first noticed the door when he was first sent tobugs'
office, and asked Bugs what was behind the door.  Bugs refused to tell
him, saying only that Buster had no reason to know what was behind it.
Buster was curious about what was behind the door, but respected his
mentor's wishes.
        Now Bugs had given him the key.  He rose to his feet and walked to
the door, his black robe dragging along behind him.  He took a deep
breath, inserted the key, and opened the door.  A cold blast of air hit him,
air that had remained untouched for years.  He reached over for the
lightswitch, and the room was illuminated by the yellow light.
        The room was empty.  Empty, that is, apart from a table.  Buster
approached the table, made from old, ornately carved oak.  He admired the
handiwork of the artisan who had created it for a few seconds before
noticing a carefully folded piece of paper lying in the center of the table.
He picked it up.
        "Buster, if you are reading this on your fifty-first birthday, I
have failed in my task.  I had hoped to be able to give you the key to
your legacy myself, but it is too late for that now.  I regret that I haveto
burden you with this part of my history, but I didn't realize until it was
too late how large a part of my history this is.  You must come to me,
now.  Bugs."
        He rushed out through the door and slammed it shut.  That sounded
like a very familiar part of Bugs' history.  It had to be Alez.  He
opened the door of his office and said to his secretary, "Sylvia, I won't
be holding the assembly today.  Dismiss the pupils."
        "Yes, sir.  Your protege is here, he says he has an appointment
with you."
        Buster remembered that he had agreed to help Bo, his protege, with a
problem he was having. "Alright, send him in."  He closed the door and
returned to his desk, rolling the key around in his fingers. A few moments
later, Bo entered, clutching a pile of books.
        "Hiya, teach."
        "Hey there, Bo.  What's up?"
        Bo sat down in front of Buster's desk, and put his books on thefloor.
"Well, I've been having some troubles with my studies, and - "
        Buster stood up, and walked over to the window behind him.
"Listen, Bo.  I'm pretty messed up in the head right now.  There isn't
much I can do for you at the moment, kid," he said.  He started chuckling
to himself.
        "What's so funny, teach?"
        "I'm laughing at the irony, kid.  The irony."
        "The irony?"
        "You wouldn't understand, kid.  Not yet, at least."
        "Oh yeah?  Try me."
        "OK, try to think of it this way.  What's the point of building
weapons to defend the bloodstains on our peaceful city walls, kid?"
        Bo tried to think that question through.  He knew that everything
Buster ever told him was a lesson, and that this one was simply more cryptic
than most.  That was Buster's way of doing things.  He knew that he would
figure it out eventually, but it would take longer than most of Buster's
lessons.  With that, Buster took off his robe and walked over to the door.
        "Where are you going?"
        "To collect my legacy, kid."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        As Buster sat down in the comfortable leather seat of his car, Bo
charged out through the front door of Acme Loo.  "Buster!  Wait!  I'm
coming with you!"
        Buster sighed.   "Alright, kid.  Hurry it up."
        Bo got into the car, and as he sat there, Buster realised how muchbo
reminded him of himself when he was younger.  He was 15 years of age, with
beige colored fur.  He had the obligatory huge rabbit feet, and very long
ears, nearly as long as Buster's.  He was very hot headed, and when hewanted
to do something, wild horses couldn't stop him.
        Bo slammed his door and Buster backed the car out of the parking
lot.  He shifted it into drive and pressed down on the gas.  The car shot
into motion, accelerating rapidly down the road.  "Listen, Bo," he said.
        Bo paid attention, as Buster very rarely called him Bo.  "It's
time for an impromptu lesson, Bo."
        "A lesson?  What kind?"
        "A history lesson, kiddo.  It's time for you to learn somethingabout
your heritage."
        "My heritage?"
        "Unfortunately, yes.  A long time ago, many years before you were
born, I too had a mentor.  His name was Bugs Bunny.  He taught me everything
that I know, and I loved him like a father.  Unfortunately, he didn't tellme
everything about himself.
        "When he was young, he had a partner, who went by the name of Alez
Rat.  I'll cut a long story short, and just say that whenever you hear the
name Alez, it means trouble."
        "What kind of trouble?"
        "Well, it cost me a lifetime of regret and sadness, and it cost Bugs
his life."
        "What?"
        "Look, kid.  I don't want to burden you with this.  You don't needto
know it.  Not yet, at least, and hopefully you never will."
        "Umm, alright, teach.  Whatever you say."
        "Now, you were talking about troubles in my office.  What's the
problem, kid?"
        "Well, I haven't been able to concentrate in class.  I've beenhaving
a few problems with Tish, and -"
        Buster slammed on the brakes, and the car skidded to a stop.  Bo
looked at him with an expression of shock.  "What'd you stop the car for?"
        Buster turned off the engine and turned to face Bo.  "Listen, kid,
and listen good.  If you only ever follow one piece of my advice, followthis
one.  I've seen you and Tish together, kid.  I know that you two are meant
for each other.  Whatever happens, always stand by her.  Never let go of her
soul.  Don't screw up like I did, or it'll make you crazy, like it did to
me."
        "But you're not crazy!"
        "Sure I am, kid.  I lost my mind years ago, lost it to a demon
called regret.  What you and Tish have is a once in a lifetime thing, andyou
should treat it like the most valuable thing in the universe, because
that's what it is.  Everything else is unimportant, true love is the only
thing that REALLY matters.  Don't ever forget that, kid.  I know that it's
hard sometimes, but you must hold on to her.  Hold on for all you're
worth, because if you lose her, you'll never get her back.  I speak from
experience, and I wouldn't wish the anguish I went through on my worst
enemy."
        "Teach, I don't see what-"
        "I know it's hard to understand, but you have to remember
everything I teach you.  I know exactly what you are going through.  You
love this girl with all your heart, don't you?"
        "Well, I.."
        "Don't you?"
        "I.. Yes.  I do."
        "And whenever you see her, whenever you smell her scent as she comes
close, whenever you hear her footsteps, whenever you hear her voice, you get
a lump in your throat, and a feeling deep down here, in your stomach?"
        "Yes! That's it!"
        "You're struck dumb every time she is near you.  She's always in
your mind, a part of your every thought.  She is in every word that comesout
of your mouth.  She is the very essence of your being.  Your love for herhas
surpassed the norm, you can almost reach out and touch it.  It's almost
tangible, but never quite there before you.  There's always a mystery in
it.  Always a shadow, always something that you never know.  That, my boy,
is true love, and it is the most powerful force in the universe.  It can
set your soul free, it can send you flying around the galaxy.  It can
overpower all the hate in the universe, and bring you together through
anything.  But it's not only the most powerful force in the universe, it's
also the most fragile.  It is like a vase balanced on a pin, ready to
topple at the slightest whim of a gust of air.  You've got to build a wall
around it, Bo, because if you don't, there'll be no one there to pick up
the pieces if it breaks."
        "I.."
        "Let me put it another way.  True love is a lot like water, kid.
Some people live on an island, surrounded by salt water that they cannot
drink.  Others live in a desert, never to see even a single stream of water.
Some people think they have all the water in the world, but really do not
have a drop.  Always remember, the rainfall of love rarely comes, and
lightning never strikes the same place twice. You've found a bubbling spring
of water in Tish, Bo.  Don't leave it alone for a second, or it may not be
there when you get back.  And remember, don't drink it dry, because once it
is gone, it is gone.  Take care of the spring, Bo, and it will last forever.
But be wary, because it can dry up in the blink of an eye."
        "Buster, I -"
        "I know what you want, kid.  You want some words from me that are
full of feeling, and contain the secrets of all that I have discovered.  I
can't give you any words to make living life easier, kid.  When all is said
and done, it's always up to you."
        Buster reached over, and patted Bo on the shoulder.  He smiled, and
turned back to the wheel.  He settled back into his seat, and started thecar
again.  The rest of the trip was made in silence.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        The Caddy screeched to a halt outside Buster's home, and Buster
jumped out.  Bo followed, bewildered by the size of the estate.  "Is all
of this yours?"
        "Yes, Bo.  But you shouldn't think so materially.  I might have alot
of money, but there are many that are richer than me, in many different
ways."
        "Sorry, teach."
        "It's alright, Bo."
        The duo made their way around the side of Buster's house to the
extensive lawns behind it.  As the pair emerged, Bo was taken aback by the
sheer size of the property before him.  The grass extended endlessly to the
horizon, dotted by small ponds.  Trees were intermittantly scattered around,
from weeping willows to pines to palm trees.  A lake lay in the distance,and
behind it was a large hill that was bare of trees apart from a solitary one
at its peak.
        "This.. this is amazing!" said Bo.
        "Welcome to my photograph, Bo."
        "Photograph?"
        "I think of this place as a photograph of the beauty I have seen in
my life.  Whenever I come here it reminds me that such beauty exists.  Ihave
known many beautiful people, and this garden is a testiment to what theyhave
brought to my life."
        "Like Bugs?"
        "Yes.  Like Bugs.  And Babs."
        "Babs?"
        "I don't want to talk about Babs, Bo."
        "Why not?"
        "I just don't, Bo.  That's all there is to it."
        "OK, teach.  I'm sorry."
        "Don't be.  You'll find out one day.  Hopefully you won't find out
the same way I did.  Come on, I've got something to do."
        Buster began to walk, and Bo ran to catch up to him.  Bugs had told
Buster to come to him, and that could only mean one thing:  Bugs' tomb.
He had never found the courage to go in there before, but if Bugs
commanded him to, he would.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        A thin crack of light appeared on the floor and slowly expanded and
grew.  Dust that had not been disturbed for years suddenly flew up into the
air at the gust that blew in through the door.  Buster's foot connected
touched the cold ground, the first contact the tomb had with the outside
world in years.
        Buster entered the tomb, followed by Bo.  He took a deep breath, and
coughed as the dusty air filled his lungs.  He tried to look around, but
it was pitch black inside, and he could see nothing. 
        "Bo, go back and get one of those torches that were hanging by the
entrance."
        "OK, teach."
        Bo scampered off, and Buster continued to grope around in the dark
while he waited.  A few moments later, Bo arrived, carrying a torch. 
        "Here you go, teach."
        "Thanks, Bo." said Buster, taking the torch.  He reached into his
pocket and pulled out a box of matches.  He struck one and lit the torch.
The flame struggled at first, but slowly gained strength, filling thechamber
with a dull yellow glow.
        Buster looked at his surroundings.  The walls were made of old grey
bricks that were browned and mud covered.  Cobwebs lined the walls and
ceiling, and a thick layer of dust lay on the floor, save for the few rabbit
footprints he and Bo had made.  The most surprising fact was that the tomb
was empty.  Nothing.
        "This can't be right!" exclaimed Buster.
        "What's wrong, teach?"
        "There should be something here!  A.. a..." Buster trailed off into
silence.
        A faint green glow caught Buster's eye, and he turned to find its
source. It was coming from a wall, and was obscured partly by cobwebs.
Buster went over to it, and brushed away the cobwebs.
        Bo moved over behind Buster and glanced at the wall.  There, in the
wall, was a green handprint.  Not just a green stone, or even paint, but a
strange green substance that seemed to glow like a lightbulb and ebb like
water.  He instinctively glanced down at his hand, and noticed that Buster
was doing the same.
        Buster moved his hand up to the wall, and his suspicions were
confirmed.  Exactly the same size.  He breathed deeply, and a few smallbeads
of sweat formed on his forehead.  He closed his eyes, and pushed his hand
into the wall.
        The wall made a loud rumbling sound, and began to crumble.  Cracks
appeared in several bricks, small at first, but rapidly growing and
spreading. The wall started to shake, and before long it had crumbled
completely, leaving a sight that shocked Bo nearly as much as it did Buster.
        Before them lay Bugs' body, encapsulated in a transparent bubble.
His arms were folded neatly across his chest, and his ears were lying across
a red cushion positioned above his head.  His eyes were closed, and a
peaceful expression etched in to his face.
        Buster let out a gasp, and ran up to the bubble. 
        "Bugs!  Bugs!  It's Buster!  Can you hear me?"
        No reply.  No movement.  Nothing.
        Buster moved up to the top of the bubble and slammed his hands
against it.  It didn't crack, it didn't shatter, it didn't even vibrate.
Buster slammed his hands again and again.  Nothing.  Slam, slam.  Sweat
broke out on Buster's face.  Slam, slam.  Tears formed in his eyes, and
his face flushed red.  He contined slamming on the bubble.  Still, nothing.
        Bo stood in shock, watching his mentor go insane before his eyes. he
knew he had to do something, but he didn't know what.  He went with thefirst
thing that appeared in his mind.
        "BUSTER!"
        Buster stopped.  Bo had never raised his voice at him before, and
he was temporarily numbed by shock. 
        "Buster.. please stop."
        Buster turned his head and stared at Bo, a mixture of fury, anguish,
and fear in his eyes.  He blinked a few times.     
        "Come on, let's go outside for a while so you can cool down."
        "No.. no, I want to stay here."
        "Come on, you can't-"
        "DAMMIT, I SAID I WANT TO STAY HERE!" shouted Buster, suddenly
exploding in a fury Bo had never seen before.  His face then dropped, and
he closed his eyes.  "I.. I'm sorry, Bo.  I didn't mean to shout."
        "It's okay, teach.  I understand what - hey!  What's that?"
        Bo pointed to the bubble holding Bugs, where a small green glow had
appeared.  Buster turned around to look at it, and instantly recognized it.
        It was his hand again.  He approached the hand shape, and plungedhis
hand in to it without thinking.  Suddenly, the wall behind the bubble turned
green, and Buster and Bo were knocked back by the blast. 
        Buster stared at the wall and a memory flashed inside his mind.  He
had seen that green before.  Then, suddenly, it clicked.  The sectra portal!

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Motion.  There was motion.  He felt the motion, and it was a new
feeling for him.  He had forgotten the luxurious sensation of motion.  The
universe was moving around him, and he let himself be swept along by the
euphoric current.  He thanked whatever God existed within his universe for
letting him save at least enough of History to allow this escape to be
created.  He knew this was pointless, as within this universe, he was God.
He had ultimate power here, but the only thing he couldn't do was escape.
That was the boundary - and the price - of eternal life.  He just hoped that
the other living one hadn't noticed the creation of the escape.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster stared at the portal that had appeared before him with
interest and concern.  A flood of memories - both sweet and sour - were
running through his mind.
        A silohuette appeared at the centre of the portal, and Buster
immediately recognized its shape.  He smiled.
        Bugs stepped halfway through the portal, so part of his body was
still surrounded by the green water of the sectra portal.  He blinked, as
though the sight of the tomb before him was a blinding light.  Gradually his
eyes adjusted to the new universe before him.  He looked down at Buster, and
smiled.
        "Hiya, kid."
        Buster said nothing, save for a few incomprehensible gurgles of
shock.
        Bugs looked down at his body, which was still in the bubble, lyingon
the cold slab of rock. 
        "Well, I see dat dey kept my body presoived well.  Fer what dat's
worth."
        "Wh..what?"
        "Ah, I tink a bit of explainin' is in order, kiddo.  Stop gurgling
like an idiot, and pay some attention here.  Ya gotta know dis stuff -
you'll need every word I say."
        "I..umm..OK, teach." said Buster, his eyes still wide.
        "As ya might'a guessed, dis is all caused by dat rat, Alez.  After
you travelled back in time, kid, ya t'aught ya saw him fall inta the
lava, right?  Wrong, kid.  Big time.  I dunno how it happened, but Alez
survived.  Not in da real world, but in my mind.  He must'a put a part 'a
himself inta me when I was inside him with you.  But dat don't matter.
After we got back, I started having dreams.  At first just one or two, but
they got longer and closer togeder.  I didn't realize den, but it was
driving me crazy.  It got worse, till eventually, I just lost my mind.
        "I forced Wile E. ta make a time machine.  I went back in time to
save him, cause I knew that if I didn't, I'd just go crazy.  I
travelled back, but da equipment musta been faulty, because I landed in da
Creation dat was in da lava.  Something happened - I tink it was dis dat
caused it."  he said, and held up a small red crystal.
        "When dis combined wit' da Creation, it killed it, but it opened
anoder sectra portal.  I tried ta catch Alez so he wouldn't fall in, but he
was too heavy for me, an' we both fell in. I made it back ok - I dunno
why, it must'a been da crystal - but Alez didn't.  He got trapped in da
sectra barrier.
        "He became powaful in dere, as I have too, and managed ta
influence History so dat everyting went bad for me and you. He was hoping
ta drive us crazy for trapping him dere.  Well, I dunno about you, but he
succeeded with me.  I lost it, and tried ta kill myself by driving off dat
pier.  But Alez wasn't gonna let me off dat easy, oh no.  He reached
inside me and pulled my soul inta de sectra barrier with him.  And I've
been trapped here eva since, with everyone tinking I've been dead. 
        "Me and Alez are da only livin' things - if ya can call us dat -
that live in dis universe, and it does strange tings to ya.  Me and Alez
are like gods here - we can shape and mould it any way we want.
But he's stronga den me, much stronga.  I guess it's because he's been in
dis hell for longer den me.  He's been in here for nearly a century now,
and it shows.  He's completely lost it.  And da only ting worse den a
crazy guy is a crazy guy with power at his fingers.  He can change
History, he can shape fate to whateva he wants.  The only ting he can't do
is free himself.  But you can.
        "And dat's why I struggled ta alter History enough for ya to come
to dis tomb.  If I give ya dis crystal, ya might be able to use it ta
destroy him once and for all, and restore History ta what it should be.
But be careful, cause if ya muck it up, dat crystal could free him, and
all his powers, from de sectra barrier.  And if he got out inta the
Tooniverse, he'd be nearly invincible.  And den he would take over
Reality too, an' if he got all of da universes in his clutches, noting
could stop him.  It's a big risk we both gotta take.  He's growing
stronger by da minute, and in another hundred years he could probably
break outta da sectra barrier himself.  But dat's his weakness - he's
impatient and greedy.  Use dat ta destroy him, Buster.  I-"  He suddenly
stopped speaking and doubled over.  "I can't stay any longa, Buster.  Dis
is taking too much effort to maintain.  Here, take dis crystal."
        Buster reached to take the crystal.  He tried to take Bugs' hand
in his, but Bugs pulled back, keeping the crystal in his hand. 
        "No, Buster.  Don't touch me.  I can't remember dis point in History
too well.  Is Wile E. still alive?"
        "No.. he died a couple of years back."
        "Well, what about Calamity?"
        "I'm not sure.  Even if he is, I don't know where he is any more."
        "Hmm.. Well, it's a long shot, but what about Shirley?"
        "Nope, no good there either.  I don't know what happened toshirley."
        "Well, I didn't wanna have to do it, but I don't see any
altoinative."
        "Do what?"
        "Well, ya can't use dat crystal by itself, ya know.  It has ta be
triggered ta work.  And since Wile E, Calamity, and Shirley can't do it
for ya, we'll have ta get someone who can.  And I know just da guy for da
job.  But dere's one problem."
        "What?"
        "The guy who can help ya is Marvin Jones, and he isn't a toon.
Yer gonna have ta go ta Reality ta find him.  I'm gonna have ta take ya
dere."
        "I, uh.."
        "Don't argue.  Dere ain't time.  Yer gonna need help, though."  He
looked down at Bo.  "Hey dere, little guy.  You wanna help?"
        Buster took a step forward.  "No, no way.  Reality is way too
dangerous for someone his age."
        Bugs smiled.  "Dat's exactly what I t'aught when you went dere,
Buster.  Come back tomorrow, I'm too drained ta take ya ta Reality.  Reopen
dis gate, and I'll be here."
        "OK, Bugs." said Buster.
        "Try ta get some sleep dis afternoon, Buster.  Ya look tired.  Get
a few hours sleep today, and 8 hours tonight.  You'll need it, kid."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster lay in his bed thinking.  It had truly been a long day. 
The morning's events played themselves out over and over in his mind.  He
felt a headache approach, and tried to stop the thoughts, but to no avail.
The thoughts were running freely, and he couldn't stop them.
        He grew weary, and felt his eyelids drooping.  He reached over and

flicked off the lamp, then gazed up into the darkness for a moment, before
sleep engulfed him.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster was suddenly surrounded by light.  His eyes slowly adjusted
to it, and he realized it was sunlight.  He turned his head and gazedaround.
        To his shock, over to his left, was Babs.  She stood, holding a
shotgun, pointed at him.  He blinked a few times, before realizing that he
was facing the ground, and that Bugs was below him. 
        A horrible realization dawned on him.  He was back, back, far into
the murky depths of History.  Of course, it was a dream, but that didn't
make it any less vivid and traumatizing for him.  The strangest thing about
the dream was that he was the only thing in it capable of movement.  All
around him was frozen, as if in a photograph.
        "Ha," he thought to himself, "Alez is going to have to do betterthan
this to scare me off.  History doesn't scare me."
        As if in response, Alez appeared before him. 
        "Scare you?" he said, a look of puzzlement lining his face, "Why
would I want to scare you?  I'm merely offering you an opportunity to view
the events of your past in detail, Buster."
        "What do you mean?"
        "Stand up, and I'll show you what I mean."
        Buster complied, and noticed that as he stood up, he seemed to
seperate from the dark-furred Buster in the scene.  He glared at Alez.
        Alez smiled.  "This is merely a reproduction of the event, Buster.
Now, you can view this event from any angle, any distance, and any
perspective.  Observe it and learn from it, Buster.  That is all I ask."
With that, Alez disappeared.
        Buster hesitated for a moment, unsure as to whether to believe what
Alez had said.  But he realized that whilst in this dream, there was little
else he could do.
        He turned back to himself and Bugs, lying in the dirt.  He kneltdown
and looked at them, studying every detail.  His own fur was jet black, of
course, and his face bore a sorrowful expression, his eyes locked on Babs.
His arms were locked around Bugs, a hand suspended an inch above Bugs'
forehead.  Bugs' face was covered in sweat, his eyes closed, and his armslay
limp on the ground.  It was obvious that all his strength was spent, and he
could fight no further.  Alez had placed him in the instant in Historybefore
he was shot dead. 
        He got to his feet and apprehensively approached Babs.  She stood
poised with the gun, one ear drooped over her face, a tear in her eye.
Buster felt a stabbing pain in his heart and knew that he had to touch her,
he had to hug her, he had to hold her close.  He knew that he still lovedher
with all his heart, and perhaps he could influence History here...
        He reached his hand towards her face, but it passed straight through
her.  She was there, right before him, but was completely intangible.  As
Buster shuddered and withdrew his hand, Alez appeared behind him.
        "I don't have to do this, Buster," he said, "but I grant you a gift.
The gift of knowledge.  I empart this knowledge on you not for personalgain,
but as a gift to one I know has suffered much.  It is possible for you to
attain a solid form here - to experience all of your senses, instead of
merely sight.  You must simply concentrate on it, and it shall be done."  He
disappeared again.
        Buster heeded the words of Alez, and closed his eyes.  He focusedhis
scattered thoughts and feelings into a single, driving thought.  He pounded
at the universe around him with a thought, smashing down the barriers that
prevented him from embracing his love.
        He opened his eyes and was greeted with a cacophony of sensations.
Not only the light of the sun, but the smell of the grass, the flowers, the
air, the dirt, the sweat, and, of course, the sweetest smell of all; Babs.
Sounds invaded his ears,despite the fact that the scene around him was still
unmoving.  He tasted the dryness of his mouth, and felt his arms and legs
from within himself.
        He reached down with a hand and removed the glove from the other,and
slowly moved his blue-furred hand to her face.  His hand made contact with
her cheek, and an electric shock of euphoric pleasure surged through him. he
caressed her face, feeling the individual strands of fur bristle beneath his
hand, savoring the feeling of one and all.  He brushed the shotgun aside,and
embraced her unmoving body. He rested his head on her shoulder and pulledher
close to him, feeling the warmth spread from her body into his.  He rubbed
his head against her soft neck and breathed in her scent deeply.
        Wave after wave of unbridled pleasure surged through him.  He felt
the years of love he had never had the chance to express flowing through his
body into hers.  He felt renewed; all the years of lost hope and shattered
dreams seemed to be coming back to him right before his eyes.  He put a
hand on the back of Babs' head and held her close for several minutes, not
moving, not blinking, barely breathing.
        After what seemed like an eternity, but was nowhere near longenough,
Alez appeared again behind Buster.  "Although this experience has bought
you pleasure, I cannot help but feel that you have squandered an
opportunity here, Buster."
        Buster didn't move, didn't respond in any way.
        "You could have learned some interesting truths about this junction

point in History, but you choose to spend what is perhaps the most valuable
time of your existance indulging the needs of your soul.  Interesting.
Foolish, but interesting.  Your actions - or rather, your lack of action -
here will certainly  have an intersting effect upon the flow of History.
Alas, you have wasted your chance to learn something.  Knowledge is power,
Buster, and you just missed out on grasping some pure power, for the sake of
a 'good' experience.  Well, as History has many times repeated, all good
things must come to an end."
        "I don't care about power, Alez.  That's what makes us different."
        "Perhaps, but the fact you missed out on the power isn't the most
important thing here.  You have your precious Babs here, but in a fewmoments
this universe will be gone, never to exist again.  Again, I grant you agift,
if only to aid you.  This time, the gift is a warning.  Take heed, for itmay
save your soul.  You have Babs here, but what does that mean back in yourown
universe?  You're going to have to live without her again, so here is my
warning, in a couplet of words:  Prepare yourself."
        With that, Alez was gone again.  Buster felt something.  It was
white.  He had never felt white before, but he knew that this feeling was
white.  It slowly enveloped the universe around him, until only he and Babs
remained amongst a maelstrom of purest white light.  Slowly Babs becamewhite
also.  Buster clutched her body with all his strength, but it was not enough
to prevent her from becoming white light and leaving him, leaving him alone.
        Slowly the white light's brilliant intensity faded to a more
tolerable level, and Buster scanned his surroundings for Babs.  Alas, there
was nothing but white.  Slowly but surely, the white faded to grey, then
the grey faded to black.
        The black suddenly transformed to the more familiar black thatbuster
knew was the back of his eyelids.  He peeled them back to reveal an dimly
sunlit room  around him, and he knew it was evening.  The image blurred
suddenly, and he knew  that a tear had dripped into his eye.  He sat up in
bed and rested his head in his  hands.  The first tear was joined byanother,
and that was joined by another, and another, and another.  Alez was right,he
was going to have to adjust to not being with Babs all over again.  He
sobbed heavily as more tears streamed down his face.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Mark put his key into the lock and twisted it.  The door opened,with
its familiar squeak.  He reminded himself to get around to oiling thehinges. 
        He stepped inside and hung his trenchcoat on the rack.  He put his
briefcase on the floor and made his way in to the kitchen.  "Babs?  You
here, hon?"
        "I'm outside, Mark." she called back.
        Mark pulled a can of beer out of the fridge and made his wayoutside.
He approached Babs and pecked her on the cheek.
        "How come you're home from work so early?" he asked.
        "I finished shooting Jody's portfolio earlier than I thought, so I
gave myself the afternoon off."
        "That's good to hear.  How is Jody, anyway?"
        "Oh, she's really happy with the portfolio.  I think she's going to
make it big one day, Mark."
        "Another star comes from the camera of Babs Bunny." said Mark,
putting his arms around her from behind.  "You've made quite a few stars
now."
        She smiled.  "Yeah, she's over the moon about it.  A few modelling
agencies are already interested in her."
        Just then, their conversation was interrupted by the phone ringing. 
        "Wait here, Mark, I'll get it." said Babs.  She headed inside the
house and picked up the receiver.  "Hello?"
        "Babs?"
        "Yes, this is Babs Bunny.  Who's speaking?"
        "It's Buster, Babs."
        "Oh.  Hello, Buster," replied Babs, a twinge of surprise in her
voice.
        "Babs, I got the card you sent, and there's something you should
know."
        "Something I should know?"
        "That key.. I used it, and it lead me to Bugs.  He's not dead,babs."
        "I, uh.."
        "That's the good news.  The bad news is that Alez isn't dead either.
And Alez is coming back, Babs.  I know I haven't seen you for a long time
- hell, I haven't even talked to you for years, but I need your help on
this, Babs."
        "Buster.. it was a long time ago.  I'm not sure I can help you any
more."
        "I'm begging you here, Babs.  You don't have to do it for me.  Think
of what will happen if I can't beat Alez, Babs.  Do you want that on your
shoulders?"
        "I don't know, Buster.  I don't know any more.  Mark-"
        "Forget about Mark!  This is about you, me, Bugs, and Alez.  I need
you, Babs.  I need your help.  I don't think I can do this without you,
Babs."
        "I can't, Buster.. I.. I can't."
        Buster sighed.  "I know I can't force you to do it.  I also know
you've got the means of getting back to Acme Acres by tomorrow morning,
but I don't know if you've got the will to do it.  Deep down, though, I
believe that you do, so that is why I'll be waiting at the airport at 9
tomorrow morning.  I hope you'll be there, Babs."
        "Buster, I can't.."
        "Just think about it.  That's all I'm asking, Babs.  Please, atleast
think about it."
        "Alright, Buster.  I'll think about it."
        "Thank you, Babs.  I'll leave it up to you.  Goodbye, Babs."
        "Goodbye, Buster."
        She hung up the phone and sighed heavily.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Babs stood in a rocky clearing.  A cliff face behind her howled
eerily as the wind blew up its craggy surface.  A few small boulders lay
strewn around in front of her, with the occasional crop of crabgrass
disrupting the otherwise reddish color of the ground.  A few trees lined the
horizon, and a smell of woodsmoke drifted into her nose, irritating it and
making her sniff a few times.  She glanced upwards and saw two vultures
describing lazy arcs across the noon sky.
        She knew this place.  A strong sense of deja vu flooded her mind,
and she tried to place it.  For some reason however, she couldn't remember
for the life of her where this place was.  But a churning in her stomach
told her that she was soon to find out.
        A sudden wave of anxiety hit her as she realized that she couldn't
move anything but her head.  This feeling was compounded as Buster and Bugs
appeared before her, instantly jogging her memory.  She knew this place, it
was the most traumatic memory she had.  She had subconsciously blocked itout
many years ago, but now it was being thrust in to her face and she felt the
memory flooding back.  She looked down at her hands, knowing what was in
them, but a morbid sense of curiosity made her look anyway.  The anxiety she
felt became nausea as the inevitable truth was confirmed; in her hands was a
shotgun, pointed directly at Buster.
        Babs felt History gnawing at her mind and screamed out as loud asshe
could.  Buster and Bugs didn't seem to notice the scream, and Babs wondered
if she had merely thought it.  She felt a compulsion to complete the sense
of deja vu she was feeling, as though she had to.  She lost control of
herself and became a silent, motionless observer to History's workings.
        Babs pointed the shotgun at Buster.  Tears started rolling down her
cheeks.
        "Buster, please, I'm begging you.  Stop."
        He paid no attention to her.  Buster's hand moved closer to Bugs'
head.  Babs cocked the gun.
        "Buster, please don't make me do this."  Buster still ignored her.
        Thoughts were racing through her head at a million miles per hour.
She couldn't shoot Buster, could she?  But what about Bugs?  She kept trying
to tell herself that it wasn't Buster in front of her.  She was bombarded
with memories, of the first time she had met Buster, of all the things they
had done together, of their first kiss, of all the happy moments.
"Buster, please!  I love you!" she sobbed, with tears filling her eyes.
        For a brief moment, Buster stopped.  His body seemed to be trying
to take Bugs' soul, but his head was looking at her.  His eyes were
looking directly into hers.  "I.. I.. can't stop, Babs.  Do it, please.
Don't make me kill Bugs.  Please.. "  His voice was barely a whisper.  A
single black tear fell from his eyes, and splashed onto the ground below,
"Please."
        Babs stood for a moment, unable to move.  She looked directly into
Buster's eyes, and she knew what she had to do.  She looked at Bugs, andback
at Buster.
        "Buster, know that I will always love you.  Love will set you
free, Buster."  She pulled the trigger.
        She suddenly regained control of her body and screamed.  She turned
and flung the shotgun over the cliff.  She watched it fall for an instant
before running over to Buster.  She knelt down by his head. 
        "No.. don't die again, Buster."
        He wheezed and looked up at her. 
        "Oh, L'amour," said Buster.  His hand rose slowly, and caressed her
face.  "Don't worry about me, I'm not-"
        "NO!" shouted Babs, "Don't say that!  That isn't you, Buster!  Don't
make it happen again!"
        He coughed violently and his eyelids drooped.  "I.. I love you,
Babs." he said, and coughed again, "Now and forever."
        His eyes closed and his head hit the soft ground.  Babs tore his
shirt off and started pumping his chest frantically, murmuring
incomprehensibly to herself.  She stopped pumping, opened his mouth, andblew
fresh oxygen into his lifeless body. 
        Bugs watched Babs working, but somehow knew that it was futile.  He
stood behind her and lowered his hand onto her shoulder.       
        "Babs, it's no good.  He's dead."
        She stared up at him.  "You don't know that!  He... he..."
        "He's dead, Babs."
        She got to her feet and looked down at Buster's lifeless form.
        Buster's words ran through her head, "Think of what will happen if
I can't beat Alez, Babs.  Do you want that on your shoulders?"
        Babs jolted awake and sat up, panting heavily.  Sweat rolled off
her body and soaked the bedsheets.  She jumped out of the bed and rushed
over to the window.  She opened it and thrust her face out into the cool
night air. 
        She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, letting the air cool her
body from the inside out.  When she regained her composure, she turned
back to the bedroom, where Mark was now awake and staring at her, an
expression of concern on his face.
        "Babs?  Honey, are you alright?"
        She ignored him and rushed through to the bathroom.  She took off
her nightshirt and splashed cold water onto her face.  Her reflection
presented itself in the mirror, staring back at her.  A sigh slipped
out from between her lips and she knew what she had to do.
        Mark sat up as the bathroom door opened, and was surprised to see
Babs emerge fully dressed.
        "Just where do you think YOU'RE going?"
        "To the airport.  I've got a plane to catch."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Marvin Jones was a fairly normal man, or so he liked to think. 
Originally of Taiwanese descent, his grandfather, always the entrepreneur,
emmigrated to Canada in order to set up a computer parts distibutioncompany.
He was gifted with success, and his family reaped the financial rewards of
his shrewd business savvy.  Marvin, however, skewed off on his own tangent
from a very early age, interested not in the workings of computers, but in
the mysteries of space.  Of course, man had long conquered the localised
galaxy, but Marvin was interested in the far reaches of space and all the
forbidden excitement the prospect bought.  He had devoted large financial
resources to unlocking the secret of faster than light travel, and was
currently investigating the prospect of wormholes in space.  He and his
research team had made more progress in two years than anyone else had
in decades.  He was on the verge of a breakthrough, and he knew it.
        But he didn't know what to do next.  His team had reached an
impasse, and that was why he was sitting alone in his car, contemplating
the myriad complexities of astrophysics.  His pounding headache didn't
help.  He scratched his beard and narrowed his eyes.
        He nearly jumped out of his skin when the piercing sound of his
cellular phone shattered the serene silence of his thoughts.  He reached
down to the passenger seat and picked up the phone from where it lay.
        "Jones here."
        "Marv?  This is Tom.  I, uh, think you should get back to the lab
pronto."
        "What?  Why?"
        "It's the darndest thing, but the answer we've been searching for
just presented itself.  We've done it, Marv.  We've got a hole here."
        "You've DONE IT?  But what about the destabilization problem?"
        "I'm not sure, Marv.  You'd better come and see for yourself."
        "I'm on my way!  Whatever you do, keep that hole open!"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Tom Johnstone hung up the phone and took another drink from his
mug of coffee.  Sweat was rolling off his forehead, which he dabbed at
with a handkerchief.  He had rolled his sleeves up hours ago, but it
seemed to do little to lower the temperature.  Perhaps the heat was a side
effect. 
        He stepped away from the phone and walked over to the edge
of the balcony.  The wormhole, the goal he had sought for so very long,
was right here, and it was a truly amazing sight.  Seemingly composed
of water, it stood an impressive thirty feet tall.  Every now and then a
black dot would appear in the centre of the otherwise green water and
slowly expand outwards to the frayed edges.  A dull green glow eminated
from it.  Not enough to hurt the eyes by a long shot, but a glow
nontheless. 
        He leaned on the handrail, which looked black now instead of its
usual more familiar red.  Scanning the scene below, he felt a twinge in
his stomach and realized that he hadn't eaten anything in hours.  He
decided food could wait. 
        The other members of the reasearch team scurried about like
lab rats, their white coats glowing the same green as the hole.  Various
tests were being conducted; at the moment several gieger counters
were being used to test the hole for radioactivity.  He made his way down
the stairs into the circular cavity below and approached a mask-wearing
member of the team.
        "Have the tests been completed?"
        "Not yet, Tom.  The hole doesn't seem to be emitting any radiation
here, we're just getting a few clicks.  Probably background radiation.
Nothing to speak of."
        "Well, keep checking.  I don't want any surprises."
        "Will do, boss."
        Tom approached another member of the team, who was operating a
small robotic arm equipped with a box-like container and a Geiger counter.
        "Any radiation here?"
        "Nothing out of the ordinary.  It seems that there's as little
radiation up close as there is further back."
        "Hmm.  OK, I want you to try something.  Retract the Geiger
counter and try to get some of this stuff in that box."
        "OK, Tom, I'll give it a shot."
        The Geiger counter retracted into the arm, and the robotic hand
struggled with the box in its mechanical way.  After several attempts, it
managed to contain some of the green water in the box.
        "OK!" shouted Tom, "Everyone drop what they are doing and
get over here.  I want tests carried out on the contents of that
box.  I want to know what makes this thing tick."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "Well," said Sam Lowery, "this is surprising."
        "What is surprising?" asked Marvin, approaching the station where
Sam was working.
        "Well, molecular scans would seem to indicate this thing is organic.
One carbon atom, four hydrogen atoms in a single molecule of this
stuff."
        "Methane?  This thing is made of methane?"
        "It would appear to be, yes.  However, these are some pretty strange
isotopes of hydrogen and carbon.  This ain't your standard methane, Marv.
There's something weird going on here."
        "OK," said Marvin, turning to the other members of the group, "I
want a study done on this stuff.  Cross reference it with any data on
record.  I want to know whether it's safe to send anything into this
thing."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster stood at the terminal, waiting anxiously.  Bo lay in a chair
behind him, asleep.  He glanced up at the board.  Flight 131, now
disembarking. The three flights before this one had all been empty.  If
she was coming, she would have to be on this flight.
        He glanced at the clock several times, but only two minutes had
passed.  He felt a churning in his stomach as the first passengers started
to emerge.  Was that her?  No.  There?  No.  Was that - no.  Was that...
it was!
        Buster felt a giddy sensation as he saw Babs emerge from the
terminal.  He hadn't seen her for many years, but he would know Babs
anywhere.  She was different, more mature, but still as beautiful as ever.
He moved over to greet her, almost entranced.
        "H...Hi, Babs." he said, forcing the words out.
        "Hello, Buster."
        He pondered what to do next.  He moved his arms out to hug her, but
she held one hand forward in a handshake.  He moved his hand down to meet
hers, but she moved her arms up to greet his hug.  After severalunsuccessful
attempts, they agreed on a hug.
        He leaned back and gave her a wolfish grin.  "I see time hasn't
changed your looks."
        She smiled.  "Or yours."  She noticed Bo sleeping behind Buster
and gestured towards him.  "Your.. son, Buster?"
        "No, my protege, Babs."
        She glanced at Bo, then back at Buster.  "Surprising.. he looks a
lot like you."
        "He's a good kid.  He's gonna make it big one day."
        They talked for a few minutes, catching up on history, talking
about old times, laughing and joking, reminiscing. 
        Bo stirred and woke up to see Buster and Babs talking in front of
him.  He stood up and shuffled over to the pair.  "You must be Babs
Bunny." he said, with a smile, "It's nice to meet you."
        Babs moved towards him and shook his hand.  "It's nice to meet
you, Bo.  You even sound like Buster!"
        Buster put his arm over Bo's shoulder and smiled.
        "Trust me," he said, looking at Bo, "Between us, there's-"
        "No relation!" Bo chimed in, with a grin.
        Babs laughed.  "I see you've been teaching him well."
        "C'mon, we'd better get moving.  We've got a lot of work to do,
and we've got to stop over and pick up Tish on the way."
        "Tish?" asked Babs.
        "I'll have to intoduce you when we get there." said Bo, "I'm sure
you'll like her."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Tish stood outside her burrow waiting for Bo.  It was a hot day,
and that made her regret wearing a thick shirt.  She decided that it
wasn't worth changing now; she'd just put up with it.
        She didn't really know what was happening, Bo just told her to
be ready to be picked up, so she was surprised when a gleaming red
Cadillac pulled up with three Bunnies in it.  Bo hopped out of the back
seat and walked over to her.  "Hiya, Tish!" he said, pecking her on the
cheek.
        She returned the kiss and looked over Bo's shoulder at the car.
She recognized Buster, of course, but the other rabbit she did not.
"Who's that?" she whispered, not wanting to sound rude.
        "That's Babs." replied Bo, "An.. old friend of Buster's."  He took
her hand and lead her over to the car.  "Tish, this is Babs.  Babs, this
is Tish."
        Babs looked down at the small rabbit.  It was like looking in a
mirror!  Well, almost.  Tish had purple fur, and a small beauty mark above
her lips.  Other than that, Babs could have been looking through time at
herself.  It was uncanny.  She realized she was staring and smiled
sheepishly.
        "Hello, Tish.  Nice to meet you."
        "Nice to meet you too, Babs."
        The young rabbits jumped into the back of the car, and Buster
gunned the engine.  He took off down the road, leaving a cloud of dust
behind.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Babs coughed at the dust in the tomb.  She had never seen any of
this before, and it surprised her.  She didn't even know that Buster was
rich enough to own the huge estate that the tomb was nestled in.
        "This is where it happened." said Buster, interrupting her train
of thought, "Last night."
        The group made its way deeper into the tomb and came up against
the brick wall.  Where rubble lay yesterday, the wall had reformed itself,
and stood as formidable as before.  This time, however, there were no
cobwebs, and the glowing green handprint was exposed for all to see. 
        "Stand back." said Buster, pushing his hand into the glowing
shape.  The others complied, and Buster joined them after removing his
hand from the wall.  It shook violently and began to crumble as it had the
night before.
        Before long, the capsule holding the motionless body of Bugs was
exposed to the dull light of the group's torches, and Tish gasped.  "Is
that-"
        "Yes, Tish," said Buster.  "That is Bugs Bunny.  My mentor."
        He glanced over at Babs, who had the same expression of shock as
Tish.  He moved up to the side of the capsule and thrust his hand into the
glowing green handprint on the side.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Bugs felt the still-strange sensation of motion running through
his universe and knew that the time had come.  History was linear; he
had to cross this junction before he could move on.  Cold comfort, but
it was the only comfort he had. 
        He knew that he could very possibly die in the near future; he
WAS prescient, after all, and had seen his own death many times, in many
different times and places.  Vaporized in this universe; shot in Reality;
strangled by Alez in Toonity; there were countless alternatives of his own
death and countless alternatives of futures in which he didn't die.  He
knew that every action that he did would affect the running of History,
but that didn't scare him.
        What did scare him was the fact that Alez had the same abilities
as he; even more so.  Alez could affect virtually any aspect of History.
The only events that were forbidden for him to change were events pertaining
to his own fate.  No one could control their own fate, not even Alez.
        That was his only weakness, and that weakness had to be exploited
with no quarter given.  Any chance to destroy Alez had to be seized, and
the destruction had to be total.  Alez had already had two chances - two
chances too many.  Bugs was determined not to allow him a third.
        He stopped pondering and concentrated as he drew near to the
exit Buster had created for him.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Babs gasped as Bugs' head emerged from the green water of the
sectra portal, sending ripples running through it.  A gloved hand emerged,
followed by another, followed by half a foot, followed by another half
foot.
        She looked into his eyes and saw eternity.  She saw that his mind
contained the answers to every question ever imagined, but his soul
contained all the suffering that had ever been felt.  He was not a God, he
was a slave, and as soon as she realized this, a sorrowful look of pity
appeared on her face.
        Bugs looked down at her and smiled warmly.  "Ya know, Babs, I can
hear everyting ya tink.  I don't want ya pity.  I want ya help.  I've
opened a sectra portal in Reality - well, at least, I changed History so
dat da humans dere would open a sectra portal - and I need you four ta go
tru it and save History."
        "I'll do it, Bugs," said Buster.
        "Me too," added Babs.
        "And me," added Bo.
        "Sure, I'll go," finished Tish.
        "Be warned, I can protect yer souls, but not yer lives.  Go
carefully in Reality, kids.  Oh, Buster.. here's dat crystal."
        Buster took the crystal.  Sparks flew from Bugs' hand as it came
close to Buster's.  Buster jumped, but Bugs didn't react.
        "Now, just walk tru da portal when yew are ready."  Bugs stepped
back into the portal and was gone.
        Buster looked over at Babs, and back at the portal.  "Once more
unto the breach."  He pushed his hand into the glowing green water and felt
its warmth beckoning, calling him to his fate. 
        "Once more unto the breach," he repeated, and thrust his
face into the deep waters of eternity.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *


        CHAPTER TWO - "Legacy"


*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *


        "Marv!  Marv!"
        Marvin rushed to the handrail overlooking the wormhole.  "What?"
        "We've got a sudden surge of gamma radiation down here!  It's
peaking!"
        "Dammit, get out of there!  Seal the area off!"
        The investigation crew ran out of the cavity and up the stairs to
the safety of the observation floor.  As soon as the last man was out,
Marv activated the emergency seal, causing a large wall of leaded plasteel
to slide down and seal the circular cavity off.  He peered through the
transparent wall with interest.
        "Get those men to decontamination and run scans on the cavity."
        "Already done, Marv." said Tom, "And all traces of radiation on
both the crew and the cavity have gone.  Not a speck left.  No damage
done, it was just a momentary spark.  But something is happening to the
wormhole - maybe it's collapsing?"
        Marvin grimaced.  "Let's hope not."
        He looked down at the wormhole.  It was glowing brighter now, and
the black rings were moving inwards towards the centre instead of outwards
towards the edges.  The frequency of the rings was increasing, and they
started to form a shape in the centre of the hole.  A humanoid shape.
        The hole flashed.  The black shape became three dimensional and
dropped out of the hole onto the ground below.  The black coating peeled
back to reveal a human kneeling on the floor, panting.  The wormhole
shimmered again, and another human dropped out, and another, and another.
        Four.  Was this an alien invasion?  Perhaps.  Whatever it was, it
was certainly interesting to Marvin.  The prospect of entering the
wormhole had so occupied his mind he had never stopped to think about the
possibility of something, or someone, entering from the other side of it.
        Tom stepped up beside him and peered down at the four figures in
the cavity.  "What the hell is going on?"
        "I don't know, Tom, but I intend to find out.  I'm going in
there."
        "Marv, I'm not going to let you do that.  We don't know that these
things are friendly.  They might rip you to shreds."
        "Dammit, Tom, I'm going in there.  What else can we do?"
        "We can report it and-"
        "And what?  Wait for the system to tell us to shut our mouths and
lock this thing away?  No, Tom.  I refuse to let that happen.  I won't let
these things be locked up like lab rats.  This is potentially the most
important discovery in a hundred years, and I refuse to let the government
bury it."
        Tom frowned.  "If you get ripped to shreds, don't say I didn't
warn you."
        Marvin smiled.  "I don't plan on being ripped to shreds."
        "Anyone ever PLAN to be ripped to shreds?"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster gagged and coughed at the strange air around him.  It
smelled so... sterile.  He sucked it in, feeling it burn his nostrils as
it filled his lungs.  He shook his head back and forth until the feelings
of dizziness disappeared. 
        He looked over his shoulder and was relieved to see three humans
behind him.  His memory hadn't faded; he knew those people were his
companions in human form.  They were in the same state of disorientation
as he.
        He looked at the glowing waters of the portal.  Ripples still
ebbed through it from their entry, losing amplitude and speed with each
repitition.
        A loud hissing noise snapped him out of his semi-delusional state
and brought him back to reality.  He looked for the source of the noise,
examining his surroundings in the process.  The floor was cold and
metallic; he was inside a building.  Various scientific instruments
surrounded his small group and screens lined the circular walls displaying
all kinds of information.  A small gap in the wall was covered by a
transparent sheet of something, visible only because of the smudges left
on it by human contact.  This was the source of the noise; it was sliding
slowly upwards, opening the cavity he and the others were in.
        A strange mechanical being appeared in the doorway and turned to
face him.  It was sleek in design, constructed from a black metal that
shimmered slightly in the green light the sectra portal provided.  It
moved silently, save for the metallic clang of its feet upon the floor
surface.  It was humanoid in shape and carried no obvious weapons.  A
golden face panel glinted in the green light of the portal.
        Buster noticed that the covering slid back down over the door after
the being entered the cavity.  This was obviously a probe of some kind
to determine whether he and the others were a threat to the humans.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Marvin felt a few drops of perspiration on his face.  He knew he
had no reason to worry; this armored suit could take anything.  Originally
designed by his father as a mechsuit to assist in mapping other worlds to
ascertain their suitability for terraforming, it had been given to the
government for use in its army and police forces.  It was a perfect
soldier-in-a-box, designed for speed and maneuverability coupled with
nearly inpenetratable defence systems.  Nothing from this world could top
it.  What worried him was if anything from their world could.
        He advanced slowly towards the small excursion party, wary of their
every movement.  The odd twitch here, a head shaking there, eyes tracking
him constantly.  He engaged the infra-red heat detector, and was surprised
to see heat patterns that matched humans completely.  Surely life from
another planet would have different surface temperatures?
        He snapped out of his thoughts as one of them shifted its head up
and gazed at his face panel.  He was even more surprised when it spoke to
him, and triply surprised when it spoke his language.
        "Are you just gonna stand there, or are you gonna give us a hand?"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster struggled to make himself talk, but managed to get out the
single line necessary to break the ice.  He smiled to himself as the gold
panel of the probe slid upwards to reveal a human face.  He had impressed
them, that was sure.
        A human face revealed itself to Buster, a face obviously scarred by
age and stress.  Dark bags hung below the eyes, the skin stretched taut
over the bones of the face.  A wispy white beard lined the jaw, extending
to a moustache over the mouth.  Eyes yellowed from smoke stared at him,
nostrils flaring intermittantly from nervous breathing.  The jaw hardened
as the man gritted his teeth into a forced smile, exposing yellowed teeth
that obviously hadn't been cleaned in quite a long time.  The ears seemed
to move a great deal as the man began to talk.
        "Contact."
        Buster blinked, not really seeing the meaning of a single word, but
before he could reply, the man spoke again.
        "I didn't think I'd be saying this in my lifetime, but.. welcome
to Earth.  My name is Jones, Marvin Jones."  He held his hand down to the
group, "And you are?"
        "I'm Buster Bunny," Buster replied, rubbing an aching muscle in
his leg.
        "And I'm Babs Bunny." said Babs.
        "No relation," they both said, without thinking, almost a reflex.
They looked at each other and exchanged a warm smile.  Buster broke the
eye contact and swept his hand behind himself.
        "This is Tish, and Bo Bunny.  No relation there either," he said,
still smiling.  He extended his hand up to meet Marvin's, flinching with
pain as muscles were stretched.  "We're toons."
        Marvin shook his head in awe.  "Finally, life from another planet."
        "Not quite.  We're from Earth too, just not the same Earth you're
thinking of.  You need to increase your scope.  We're from a whole
different Universe."
        Marvin blinked.  "A.."
        "Yes, another universe.  I don't have time to explain - there's
much to be done.  We need your help."
        "Wait just a damn minute here.  You're not even leaving this
enclosure until I get some background here.  I want to know what you are,
where you come from, and why you're here, before we even THINK about
discussing giving help."
        "But our universe is in danger!  Yours is too!  You've got to-"
        "I don't care if my own butt is disappearing from beneath me!  I
can't commit any help until I know just who or what I'm helping!"
        Buster sighed.  "Alright.  At least get us a seat each?"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Marvin sat opposite the four visitors, chewing on the end of acigar.
He felt a slight stinging in his mouth and silently cursed the geniuses who
abolished tobacco and synthesised it.  He longed for the feeling a true
quality cigar would bring him.  He hadn't had one of them in years.  He
sighed.  Technology.
        Buster leaned forward on the chair and put the glass of water he was
drinking down.  He took a deep breath and began his story.
        "OK, this is an extremely condensed version of the last 100-odd
years' worth of events.  I doubt you humans still remember, but all of
this revolves around a close dear friend of mine called Bugs, Bugs Bunny.
And his partner, Alez Rat.  About 100 years ago, Bugs and Alez were
partners in the toon business.  Unfortunately, Alez was killed in an
accident.  Bugs went on without him for fifty years, until he found out
that Alez wasn't actually dead.  You see, you humans had created the
ultimate weapon, a biological weapon known as The Creation.  It was a
black amorphous blob that could take on any shape it desired, and was sent
from your universe to ours to test it.  For a while, it was trapped in the
barrier between the two universes.  However, it managed to get in to our
universe.  Alez managed to stop it from taking over, and trapped it in the
barrier.  Later, it escaped again and killed Alez, or so Bugs thought. 
        "Actually, it just sucked Alez back into the barrier with it, and
mutated with him, and multiplied into a massive army of Creations. Fifty
years later, Bugs was kidnapped by your CIA, to be used as a weapon to
destroy the Creations.  However, Babs and I here, with two others, managed
to rescue him before he was to be sacrificed.
        "Shortly after that, Alez and his army burst into both of our
universes simultaneously.  He turned us against ourselves, and I was killed.
Fortunately I was resurrected, and I travelled back in time to stop Alezfrom
joining with the original Creation, thus stopping the whole chain of
events at its source.  Apparently, I didn't succeed.  A part of Alez
survived, and managed to manipulate Bugs into travelling back in time and
saving his life. However, Bugs didn't succeed, and only managed to get
Alez trapped in the barrier again.
        "He's remained in there for the past hundred years, unable to
escape without the strength of the Creation to assist him.  However, the
sectra barrier has strange properties, and he has been growing stronger. the
worst thing is that Alez has gained the power to manipulate History itself.
We believe that Alez will soon escape from the barrier and attempt to
conquer, or destroy, both of our universes.  And he has History as a weapon,
the most awesome weapon imaginable."
        The others in the enclosement were held in silence, with Bo and Tish

wearing expressions of complete shock.  Bo reached over and took Tish's hand
in his.  Buster looked over at Babs, who returned his gaze with a weaksmile.
        Marvin shook his head.  "Multiple universes, time travel,
resurection, the manipulation of History itself, this is a pretty big pill
to swallow..  I'm not sure if I should believe you, at least not without
some evidence of some kind."
        "Alright," said Buster.  "Just give us a few minutes of privacy
first to talk it through."
        "You've got it.  I'll come back in a few minutes."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "Are you NUTS?"
        Marvin rolled his eyes.  He knew this would happen.  "Look, I'm
not sure if we should believe them, but I say we-"
        "I say we should get the cameras we have installed in there
rolling right this minute!" said Tom, interrupting.  "We need to know
what they're saying."
        "No, Tom.  I said they would have privacy, and I'll be damned if
I'm going to go back on my word."
        "These things have just appeared out of nowhere, they've told you
a story that is probably completely false, and you're willing to just drop
everything?"
        "I'm not dropping anything.  I'm just being fair, Tom."
        Tom stood up and wiped the sweat from his forehead.  He turned
away from Marvin and leaned against the wall for a moment. 
        "What if they're hostile, Marvin?  What if they are a forward
reconnisance team?  What are you going to do if they invade here?"
        "I'm willing to take that risk, Tom."
        "I don't think it's your choice to take that risk or not, Marvin.
You're taking it upon yourself to make a choice that could affect every
person on this planet - hell, every person in this solar system.  That's a
big responsibility you're putting on yourself."
        "Well, what do you suggest we do?  Kill them?  Seal off the
wormhole forever, and continue to live in blissful ignorance, ignoring
the possibilities?  Are you willing to deny the human race the potential
that the wormhole provides?  That's a big responsibility you're putting on
yourself."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "Are you sure you want to do that?" asked Bo.
        Buster hesitated.  "I don't think we have any other choice."
        "He's right," agreed Babs.  "I don't see that we can do much
without help from the humans.  We probably can't even get home without
them."
        "Let's just hope they choose to help us." said Tish.
        After a few moments, the door slid open, and the foursome turned
to face it.  Marvin entered the room, followed by Tom.
        "Well?" said Tom, a frown on his face.
        "We have some evidence for you.  The CIA files on the original
incident obviously don't exist anymore as it didn't happene since I
changed History's course.  However," said Buster, holding up the small red
crystal, "I believe this should serve as sufficient evidence that our
story is true."
        Marvin took the crystal and was surprised that it was warm.  He
held it up to the light and his eyes widened as he saw wisps of energy
floating inside it like smoke.
        "Tom," he said, turning, "I want scans done on this immediately."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Green, green, and more green.  He would have felt depressed if he
could remember what depression felt like.  He idly ran a small spark
of green energy between his fingers.  His mind's eye told him that
everything was progressing smoothly and that the pieces of the puzzle
were slotting in to place.  He allowed himself a moment of self
congratulation and praised his mastery of the element of History.
        His dynamic plan was still forming as time progressed; he couldn't
afford the luxury of a definite plan, there were far too many possible
contingencies that could complicate matters and cost him time. 
        He watched the interactions taking place in Reality and watched
the progression of the timeline, constangly skewing off on new tangents
as History played itself out.  He smirked to himself and returned his
attentions to the next phase of his plan.
        He moved back in time many years and traced a large circle before
himself with his finger.  The green faded slowly and was replaced with the
inky blackness of space, dotted intermittently with stars.
        He smiled as the object he was looking for appeared in his sight,
accelerating rapidly towards him.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "This.. this is incredible, Marv."
        Marvin made his way over to Tom and peered over his shoulder.
"What?"
        "This crystal is absolutely amazing.  It's not made of any substance
I've ever seen.  It's definately not from this solar system.  I've run
some scans, and I'm guessing it's about 3 million years old.  But the
strangest thing is that for that entire time it has been producing energy in
the form of heat, without any loss in mass.  This little crystal is
perpetually producing energy, something centuries of human science couldn't
achieve.  It seems to be close to silica, but with a differentconfiguration.
Marv, this thing could be alive."
        Marvin stood for a few moments, simply blinking at the smallcrystal.
It was almost entrancing, spiralling and twisting on the inside with pure
energy.  This crystal was obviously important.
        "I don't know about you, Tom, but I'm inclined to believe our
visitors."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "Request acknowledged.  Permission granted, proceed to compensate
with-"  Great.  The radio had cut out.  She gently applied reverse thrust,
but was surprised to find herself still accelerating upwards.  She
increased the power of the downward thrust, but she still moved upwards.
She panicked, and applied maximum downward thrust.  Nothing.  She
continued accelerating, and let out a scream.
        Andrea Buckman's most recent memories flashed before her eyes.  Only
two days ago she was working in a completely different department of the
Earth Defence Corps.  She had been transferred to the Reconnisance devision
because of her navigational expertise.  She was needed to explore the outer
reaches of the solar system, where it was believed that a gravitational
prison had been  constructed by terrorists.  Apparently she had found it,and
was being sucked into it.
        She panicked and pressed buttons on her suit in a frenzy, trying to
increase power to the reverse thrusters in order to escape, but deep down
she knew it was futile, the gravitational pull was increasing at a geometric
rate, and she only had seconds, maybe a minute at the most, to live.
        Suddenly a small green speck appeared in her line of vision.  She
narrowed her eyes and tried to focus on it.  It was a small green dot,
but it was increasing in size rapidly.  She used the thrusters to guide
herself towards it.  Whatever it was, it was surely better than being
crushed to the size of a pea.
        She covered her eyes as the green expanded until it encompassed her
view completely.  The bright glare of it hurt her eyes, but she struggled
to keep her eyes open, it was so dazzlingly beautiful.  It seemed to be a
puddle of brightest green water, ebbing and flowing before her, even
though she knew the laws of physics would render such an object
incomprehensible in her current surroudings.  Still, despite all of what she
knew, there it was before her.  She felt the pressure of the gravity
increasing and hoped that she would hit the water before she was crushed.
        She let out a sigh of relief as she realized that she was indeed
going to make it.  The seconds each took an eternity to pass and she stared
ahead at the water she was about to enter.  She spread her arms and embraced
it as she hit it, expecting a splash, or perhaps death.
        She felt an extreme suction and let herself flow with it, for there
was little else she could do.  She closed her eyes, the glare was too
much.  She felt her consciousness ebb and gave up the fight.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Andrea opened her eyes, only to be greeted by a bright green glare.
She squinted and made out a shadow above her, a moving shadow.  She heard
a voice and concentrated on it.
        "Your eyes will adjust in time, Mrs. Buckman."
        She blinked a few times and focused on the silohuette before her.
She allowed herself some time, and her view cleared.  She nearly screamed
when her vision was restored to her.  Before her stood a six foot rat.  A
talking rat.  She nearly passed out again.
        "I can assure you that your eyesight is perfect, Mrs. Buckman.  I
am indeed a rat.  I'm also the rat that saved your life."
        "You.. put that thing there?"
        "The sectra portal?  Yes."
        "Why?"
        "Because it is in my interests that you survive, Mrs. Buckman.  You
are an important element of my plan."
        "Plan?"
        "Yes, Mrs. Buckman.  You see," he said, growing to at least ten
times his height, "I am the closet a living creature can get to being a
God.  But my powers do not extend outside the universe you see around you.
I need a host to leave this universe."  He returned to his normal size and
smiled.  "And you are going to be that host."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "Alright, Buster, I believe your story, and I'm willing to help."
        Buster smiled.  "Good.  Now, let's destroy Alez once and for all."
        "Wait.  Let's go about this logically.  I need to know all the
facts here."
        "OK, what do you need to know?"
        "Let's start with the wormhole.  What is it?"
        "It's not a wormhole, it's a portal.  It's made from a substance
called Sectra.  It forms a barrier between our universes, but is a
seperate universe in its own right.  Alez exists in that universe at the
moment.  It is possible, by conducting the sectra particles present
everywhere into a compact sphere, to create a small localized portal to
allow for personal transport, but this can only be done during a 'window'
of low focus, when the barrier is thin enough to be traversed.  This
portal here is a special case, apparently.  It seems to stay open.  I
don't know why."
        "OK, we'll try our hardest to come up with a method of traversing
the barrier via the method you suggested.  What about the crystal?"
        "I don't know anything about the crystal."
        "OK.  What we need to do here is create a plan of attack.  We
need to find this Alez's weaknesses and strike when they are exposed."
        "Yeah," said Babs, "but not all of the possible points of attack
are in the present."
        "Hmm?"
        "The last time Buster defeated Alez he had to travel back in time
to destroy his point of origin.  Unfortunately, it didn't work.  But we
are going to need the capability to destroy him this time."
        Marvin arched an eyebrow.  "Temporal theory has always been another
interest of mine, and I have come close to cracking the secrets involved
several times.  But, alas, I've never been able to create a successful
temporal shifting device."
        "I think I can help you there," said Buster, "but you're going to
have to come with us to the Tooniverse to find Wile E.'s notes.  He's
created several time machines, and I'm sure he must have stored notes
somewhere before he died.  Are you willing to go to the Tooniverse to
complete a time machine?"
        Marvin shrugged.  "You only live once."
        "Unless your name is Alez."
        Babs stood up.  "I'll go with him, I remember where Wile E.'s secret
lab is."
        "Alright," said Buster, reluctant to let her go, "but I want Bo
to go with you too."
        "Sure," said Bo, "I'll go."
        Babs smiled.  "C'mon, kid.  It's time to get your hands dirty."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "What are you saying?"
        "Mrs Buckman, please try to understand," said Alez, beginning to
feel agitated, "I don't expect you to be able to comprehend it
completely."
        "But what are you saying?  That my life has already been lived by
me, but in a different timeline?"
        "Andrea, if I may call you that, your life has been lived
countless times already, and it will be lived again and again for all
infinity.  But, your life is different, special.  As is mine, and everyone
else who lives in this timeline.  Let me explain.  Originally I was not
trapped in this universe, and originally, you didn't work for the Earth
Defence Corps.  In the original History, as it was intended, you worked
for the CIA, and I was in Toonity, where I belong.  But I was trapped here
by my enemies, Buster, Bugs, and Babs, and they used you to trap me.  They
trapped me by altering the flow of History.  And they used you to do it.
They changed the entire history of your life, and believe me, they changed
it for the worse."
        "How do you mean?"
        "Well, in the original History of this timeline, there was no
interplanetary terrorism at your point in time.  Indeed, in the original
timeline, the other planets in your solar system were not conquered by
humans until well after the twenty-third century.  There were no
interplanetary wars, no massacres, and your husband was still alive.  All
that was changed by Buster, Bugs, and Babs Bunny."
        "WHAT?"
        "I offer you a chance to divert History back to its original
course and solve both our problems at once.  All I need is your body."
        "My body?"
        "I need to join with your body to be able to leave this place.
Don't worry yourself about it:  when History is restored, your body will
be restored as if nothing ever happened to it."
        "I... uh..."
        "Think about it, Andrea.  Think of all the lives you will be
saving, including your own and your husband's.  Think about it."
        "Uh... I... I guess it's the right thing to do."
        "Excellent." said Alez, a smile lining his face.  Human minds were
so easy to control.  He couldn't join with her body unless her mind didn't
object; not only had he gained her acceptance, he had also turned her
against his enemies, a fact which would surely prove useful.  He allowed
himself a brief second of self-congratulation, and then resumed his plan.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Kathryn Musti stepped up to the plate and scraped some of the dirtoff
with her foot.  She brushed her droopy fringe from her face and reached
behind her with her large tail.  It prodded for a moment, before finding
and latching onto a baseball bat.  She gripped it with her tail and
flipped it up over her head.  It came sailing through the air and landed
in her hands.
        She'd often pondered to herself why she'd chosen to take gym,
seeing as her interests lay in the vast realms of literature and drama
contained in the Loo's extensive library.  She looked around her at the
grass blowing in the wind, the sun shining down, gently bathing thesurrounds
in a warm light, the sounds of toons playing all around her, the small
crowd sitting on the nearby stands, watching the game.  The answer came
to her, and she smiled.  She loved being with her friends, together on
the field or in the library, learning from the Loo the most important things
in life; how to enjoy yourself and be what you want to be.
        Such wandering thoughts left her head as she swung the bat
around a few times and approached the plate, kicking a little dirt off
it as she looked over at the fielding players.  She glanced at their
uniforms and then back to her school, straightening her stance a little.
A feeling of pride came over her and empowered her to win the game for
her school, and she gripped the bat tightly.
        The pitcher stepped up onto the mound and threw the ball a little
into the air, and caught it.  He was confident.  Too confident.  He turned
a little and launched the ball at her, at a startling speed.
        Kath grinned at him and swung at the ball, knocking up into the
air with an explosive force that surprised even her.  She dropped the
bat to the ground and sprinted towards first base, then turned towards
second, and third.  She glanced at the outfield as she started her
sprint towards home; the ball was being ferried back her way, she
had to hurry.
        "Kath, the young skunkette from Acme Loo has again hit another
explosive home run, by the looks of things.." blared the announcer,
echoing distantly in her mind as she ran.
        She pulled out all the stops and zoomed back towards home base,
determined to beat the ball there.  She heard the ball whistling through
the air, and suddenly felt the ground in her face.  Pain exploded in
the back of her head, and she realized that the ball had struck her
squarely there.  She also realized that she didn't reach home, she
was out.
        She tried to get up, but couldn't move. 
        "Aaaaah, coach!" she shouted, the only thing she could do, "I
think I need some help here..."
        The coach came running over and knelt by her.  "Someone get a
stretcher out here!  This looks pretty bad!"
        Kath let herself be rolled on to the stretcher and put up no
resistance as she was carried back towards Acme Loo.  She found herself
in the sickbay, with a nurse looking down at her.
        "Are you alright?" he asked, holding a stethoscope.
        "Yeah, I'm fine, I think." she replied, rubbing her head.
        "I don't think it's a concussion," said the nurse, stroking his
face, "but I think you should rest up here for a while before you go
rushing off to class again, just to be sure."
        "OK.  If an anvil can't stop me, a baseball to the head sure
won't." she said, smiling.  She idly wondered if her team won the game
without her.
        The nurse smiled warmly and left the room.  He shut the door,
and she heard his footsteps growing quieter as he walked off.
        She lay back and stared up at the plain white ceiling, already
bored.  One.  Two.  Three.. four.  Five, six, seven.  Seven cracks in the
ceiling.  She figured that was the only slightly amusing thing she could
do in the sickbay.  She cleaned off the small remaining amount of dust
left on her fur, restoring its dark purple hue.
        She put her arms behind her head and leaned back on her hands. 
The ceiling occupied her attention for a few minutes before she noticed
something new, something she hadn't noticed before.  A sound.  A very
quiet sound, but it was definitely a detectable sound.  It couldn't be
leaking gas, not in the sickbay.  It was more like... a ringing.
        She wondered if it was from the ball hitting her head, but shrugged
that idea off as it grew louder.  It was definitely a ringing sound, and
it seemed to be coming from the ceiling.  She got up and sat on the edge
of the bed.
        A small glow appeared in the center of the ceiling.  She looked up
at it, narrowing her eyes.  It seemed to be pulsating, growing, expanding.
The glow took on a color, a bright green.  Kath got off the bed and stepped
backwards towards the door.
        Suddenly, the green blob expanded until it covered the entire
ceiling.  She stared at it, suddenly transfixed by its immaculate beauty
and perfection.  She had never seen anything as perfectly formed in her
life.  It seemed to ebb and ripple as water did, but looked to have a
denser form than water.
        Suddenly, a funnel of the green substance stretched down to the
ground, resembling a tornado.  It touched the floor and recoiled back to
the green mass, making a splash.  Ripples sped out towards the outer
limits of the green pool. 
        Kath managed to divert her attention away from the pool's radiant
beauty for a second and noticed that the brief incursion of the pool had
left a bunny on the floor in front of her.  She blinked a few times.
        "Bo?  Is that you?"
        The bunny looked up at her. 
        "Hiya, Kath.  Small world, ain't it?"  He got to his feet and
walked towards her.  "You'd better stand back, the others will be arriving
any second."
        She complied, if only because she was too shocked to see her
friend suddenly appear to put up an argument.  She was less shocked to see
that Bo was right; the pool bent down towards the ground again, this time
depositing an older, female bunny, and a human toon.  
        Kath suddenly felt a strange flush of heat, and undid a few of the
buttons on the front of her baseball uniform.  This acheived little as the
air around her was warmed from the green pool. 
        The two new toons stood slowly, shaking their heads in
disorientation.
        "No matter how many times I take that trip, I still hate it," said
the bunny.
        Bo looked over at Kath and smiled, a warm calming smile.  "Kath, I'd
like you to meet Babs Bunny," he said, gesturing towards Babs, "and Marvin
Jones."  He waved his hand toward Marvin, who was looking thoroughly
confused by the whole situation.
        Kath's eyes widened.  "Not THE Babs Bunny?"
        "Yes, THE Babs Bunny," replied Bo. 
        "But, you're famous at this school!  I didn't know that you still
lived here!  I've read and studied your work, Aunt Fifi used to tell me
about you.. You were sensational!  What happened?"
        Babs smiled.  "A lot of things happened."
        Kath moved her hand towards Babs and shook hers vigorously, wearing
an expression of bewilderment and awe on her face.  She eventually backed
away and turned her attentions to Marvin, who seemed pre-occupied with
himself.
        "Nice to meet you, too Marvin."
        "I.. uh... nice to meet you too." said Marvin, looking down at
himself.  He turned to Bo, "What exactly.. am.. I?"
        "You're a toon." said Bo, smiling, "You'll like it - it's better
than being human."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Tish looked down at the screen with a mixture of interest and
fatigue.  A strange mixture, she contemplated, but then again, these were
strange circumstances.  She wandered away from the terminal where Buster
and Tom were poring over the molecular analysis of the crystal; she knew
it was a lot more advanced than the toon physics she was currently
learning.
        She wandered into another room, away from the noise of the
computers and equipment investigating the portal and crystal.  She sat and
mused the events she had been through.  She looked down at her hands.  Her
fingers.  She had definately not adjusted to having four fingers and a
thumb.  Her entire body was new to her.  A strange feeling, if refreshing.
And limiting.
        She leaned back in the chair.  It was metallic and extremely
uncomfortable, but she didn't mind.  She was too tired to mind.  She
closed her eyes, her human eyes, and let her thoughts wander.  She knew
that there was a battle ahead, but that was all she knew.  No one had
bothered to take the time to explain to her what was going on.  She had
heard Buster's explanation, but that was only half the story, and she knew
it.  Bo should have talked to her by now.  He should.  Why didn't he?  Was
he too busy?  He was.  He would explain when he could. 
        She felt her thoughts becoming more vivid and realized that she
was drifting off to sleep.  She didn't fight it.  The warm euphoria of
sleep surrounded her and she relaxed and embraced it.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Fingers.  There was fur on her fingers.  Her three fingers, and
her thumb.  She blinked.  Had she returned to Toonity?  She didn't
remember..
        She glanced downwards and saw her feet, her purple bunny feet.
She was a toon again.  When did she..
        She noticed that Bo was standing off to her left, arms folded,
staring at her.  A scowl marked his face and she wondered what was wrong. 

        "Bo?  Are you alright?"
        He said nothing.  She stepped towards him and looked at him
carefully.  She moved her face close to his and stared directly in to his
eyes.  She felt the familiar warmth of her affection for him and smiled.
Suddenly a blast of coldness struck her in the face and she reeled.
        Shaking her head, stunned, she approached Bo again.  She lifted
her hand slowly upward and placed it on his cheek.  As soon as it made
contact, her hand started stinging.  She instinctively yanked it away from
the source of the pain, and the pain subsided.
        He suddenly thrust his hands forward and gripped her shoulders. 
She jerked as rivers of pain coursed through her body, tearing her apart
inside.
        "Bo!" she screamed, "Stop!  Nnnnnnng..  stop it!"  She shoved with
all her strength, sending him flying backwards away from her.  He skidded
to a stop, got to his feet, and advanced again towards her.
        Suddenly, he was struck down by a white bolt of energy that shot
over Tish's head and surged into his chest.  She gasped and whirled around
to discover the source of the energy.  A cocktail of surprise, fear, and
gratitude coursed through her mind as she saw the origin of the energy:
Alez.  She had never seen Alez before, but somehow, she knew that he stood
before her.
        He gazed down at her and completely ignored her expression of
bewilderment.  "I bring advice for you, young one."
        "A...advice?" she stammered.
        Alez ignored her interruption and continued, "I bring you the
truth, young one.  Look behind you."
        She did not move.
        "LOOK BEHIND YOU!" he shouted, in a sudden rage, his eyes wide.
        A flurry of terror ran through Tish and she complied with Alez's
command before she even knew she had moved.  Her gaze fell down to the
unmoving form of Bo.
        "He is an enemy, young one.  He and the others plot against you,
they plot to destroy you.  I offer you sanctuary from certain doom, young
one.  Join me and let your salvation begin."
        He waved his hand and a vivid memory sparked inside Tish's mind.
She lay on the cold floor of the research lab, in human form, with Buster,
Babs, and Bo leaning over her, vicious grins monopolizing their faces,
their eyes staring cruelly at her.  She recoiled in terror and found
herself face to face with Alez again, the memory flashing by in an
instant.
        Her pulse raced as she stared in to Alez's eyes.  She noticed a
softness she had not seen before, an element of kindness, of concern.
        "Come," he said, "come to me and you can be safe.  Come to me.
Otherwise, you will die.  Come to me."
        Tish jolted awake and sat up in the chair, her back aching.  She
had obviously been asleep for some time.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Kath scratched her chin.  "So.. you're here for what?"
        "Time." said Bo, frowning slightly, "Or rather, the technology to
control it."
        "You see," added Babs, "many years ago, a there was a brilliant
professor at Acme Looniversity.  His name was Wile E. Coyote, and he
singlehandedly solved most of the mysteries of the physical universe.  But
he didn't publish his works; he kept them to himself, in a secret lab.  In
the original History, I knew the location of his lab, but in the alternate
version that was created when Alez was destroyed, it exists somewhere
else.  And we've got to find it.  Quickly."
        "And you chose me to help you because...?" asked Kath.
        "Because you were there when we arrived," replied Bo, "and you
know the Loo better than anyone.  If Wile E.'s lab is anywhere, it will be
in Acme Loo somewhere."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "There's a weird anomaly here, Buster."
        "What, Tom?" asked Buster, approaching Tom's workstation.
        "This portal definately isn't acting like it should be.  If it is
indeed composed of methane, for starters, it should be gaseous at room
temperature, not a liquid as the portal appears to be.  I have a theory
here, but it's a long shot."
        "Lay it on me.  I'm ready to believe anything."
        "I believe that this stuff is from somewhere else completely,
and isn't methane at all.  The atoms could merely resemble carbon
and hydrogen to us, but they would seem to be very, very different.
And I don't know what the hell to do now."
        "Well, there isn't much you CAN do," said Buster,
"until Babs and Bo get back with something to help us."
        Tish wandered in to the lab, seemingly only half aware of her
surroundings.  She glanced back and forth rapidly.  Tom noticed her and
pointed her out to Buster, who turned and looked at her.
        "Tish?  You OK?"
        She turned and looked at him, her eyes out of focus, her pupils
dilated.  Through the haze of her consciousness, she saw Buster's face,
contorted into the same cruel, cold grin from her dream.  Her eyes, pupils
still dilated, widened and stared at him.  She screamed, turned on her
heels and ran.
        "Tish??" shouted Buster, after her, "Tish?  What's the matter?"
        She sprinted away from him across the lab, and out on to the
observation deck.  Her blurry vision noticed the portal below and she felt
herself inexorably drawn to it.  She sprinted around the circumference of
the viewing section of the lab and made her way to the stairs.
        Tom and Buster all ran after her, emerging on the observation deck
seconds after her.  "She's going for the portal!" shouted Buster,
panicking, "Tom! Get back to the lab and seal off the viewing section!"
        Tom hesitated.
        "NOW!  Go!" shouted Buster.
        Tom came to his senses and ran back in to the main section of the
lab.  Buster ran after Tish, shouting after her.
        "Tish!  Stop!  What are you doing?"
        Tish ran down the stairs.  She slipped on one of the top  stairs
and tumbled down.  Getting to her feet, she found herself inside the
circular viewing cavity of the lab, with the black floor stretching out
before her.  It was a short distance, about twenty feet, to the portal,
which seemed to glow in anticipation.
        Meanwhile, Tom had reached the lab, and ran up to the workstation
that controlled the plasteel seal of the viewing cavity.  He quickly
tapped a few commands on the workstation's keypad.
        "Seal sequence initiated," droned the monotone computer voice,
"Voice verification required."
        "Voice verification code, Johnstone, Thomas.  Alpha sigma delta
alpha alpha gamma," said Tom, trying to stop his voice from wavering in
panic.
        "Voice access verified, sealing cavity."
        The wall of leaded plasteel slid downwards rapidly.  Buster
reached the bottom of the stairs just as the plasteel completed the seal.
Buster pounded on the plasteel and screamed into it.
        "TISH!  Get out of there!  Tom!  Tom!  Unseal it!  Quickly! 
Quickly!"
        He watched as Tish approached the portal.  He pressed his hands
against the transparent wall preventing him from stopping her.  His eyes
widened as she neared he portal.  Then, he heard a click, and a hiss, as
Tom unsealed the plasteel.  He didn't hesitate, he sprinted into the
cavity after Tish.
        His feet pounded on the black metal floor as he ran for all he was
worth towards Tish.  He raised a hand toward her and shouted as he saw her
step in, "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"  He dove and grasped at her back
foot, missing it by an inch as it disappeared into the portal.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "OK, the service entrance to the basement is just behind this
filing cabinet," said Kath, matter-of-factly.  Her tone of voice indicated
that she had discovered this a long time ago and knew what she was talking
about.
        "Why hide it behind a filing cabinet?  Why have a filing cabinet
in a utility room, anyway?" asked Bo.
        "How would I know?" said Kath, "I didn't design it.  It was only
built a few years ago.  Architects, go fig."
        Marvin spoke up, adjusting to his new voice still, "IT WOULD," he
said, and noticed he was shouting.  He adjusted his volume.  "It would
make sense to conceal it behind an inconspicuous piece of furniture, such
as this filing cabinet, to prevent unauthorized entry.  Having a big door
marked 'NO ENTRY' would only serve to attract attention to it, anyway."
        "True," said Kath, pushing the filing cabinet, "Uhh, could you give
me a hand here, you guys?"
        Bo stepped forward and gripped the other side of the cabinet, and
Babs held it from the front.
        "OK.  On the count of three," said Kath, "One... Two.. THREE!"
        They all lifted, and the cabinet rose up off the floor.  "OK,"
grunted Kath, "let's just... shift it over here."
        They carried it away from the wall and set it down in the centre
of the room.  A cold flow of air entered the room, and they turned to face
it.
        A black hole stood before them, large and forboding.  Bo glanced
over at Kath, to Marvin, then to Babs.  He gulped and straightened his
jacket.  "Well, let's see what's down here."
        They entered the hole, and their eyes took a few moments to adjust
to the dark surroundings.  The sound of dripping water could be heard in
the distance, and a few small rats scurried away.  The air felt musty and
heavy, lending the place a dank, unwelcoming feel.
        Bo shivered.  "This place gives me the creeps big time - let's
just get what we want and get out."
        "Yeah," agreed Babs.
        They pushed their way into the basement, pushing aside cobwebs and
scattering small groups of rats.
        "Look," said Kath, pointing.  "What's that light?"
        Babs narrowed her eyes, which, due to her large intake of carrots,
were excellent at making out things in darkness.  "It looks like a fire."
        "C'mon," said Kath, "let's have a look."  She marched ahead
fearlessly and the others followed, somewhat more warily. 
        They rounded a corner and were surprised to see a small room,
complete with furniture and fireplace before them.  A beautifully
patterned rug lay on the floor, which was dry inside the room.  The walls,
rather than the dank bricks of the rest of the basement, were covered with
wood planks, lending the place a cozy feel.  A wooden rocking chair sat on
the rug, facing the fireplace.  A grand piano adjoined the fireplace, with
marble busts atop it, staring eternally into the centre of the room.  An
oak desk stood on the far wall, and a small brown mass sat behind it.
        "Hello?" enquired Babs.
        No spoken reply, merely a mumble.
        Babs looked down at Bo, then back at the brown thing.  She
hesitated for a moment, before stepping carefully over towards it.  She
reached down and put a hand on it.  It spun around to face her, and Babs
almost screamed with shock.
        Before her sat Wile E. Coyote.  His face was savaged by time,
wrinkles marking the joints.  A long white whispy beard extended down from
his face, all the way to the floor.
        "What do you want?" he half asked, half screamed, his voice
croaking with age.  "Who are you?"
        "Wile E.?" asked Babs, recovering from the shock, "Is that you?"
        Wile E. thought for a moment, then spoke quickly, with a stutter,
his speech obviously impeded by age, "W-w-w-why, y-y'know.. I-I'm
n-n-n-not e-e-exactly sure."
        "Calm down, Wile E., you're stuttering," said Babs, putting her
other hand on his other shoulder, "How long have you been down here?"
        "D-d-d-down here?" replied Wile. E., still stuttering slightly,
although his speaking had slowed somewhat.  "I d-d-d-don't know.  A-a-a
v-v-very long time.  Wh-who are you?"
        "It's me, Babs Bunny.  Remember me?"
        "B-b-babs Bunny?" said Wile E.  He thought for a few moments, then
his eyes widened and a smile cracked his features.  "Babs Bunny!  W-w-why,
I remember y-you from years ago!"  His face fell.  "Years... years.. my,
oh my.. I've been here for so long.. why, I remember when.."
        "Wile E.," interrupted Babs, "why are you down here?"
        "W-w-why?  L-let me think."  He thought for a few moments, then
he frowned thoughtfully.  "Ah, yes." he sighed, "I exiled myself down here
when I killed Bugs.  I-it was a side effect of my sectra device that drove
him insane and m-m-made him drive his c-car off that pier."
        Babs gasped, "You think that was YOUR fault?  Oh, Wile E..."  She
wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly to her, "That wasn't
your fault, it was Alez's doing."  She pulled back from him, "And you
exiled yourself down here, for all this time?"  She turned away from him
and closed her eyes, putting her hand over her mouth, "What a waste.."
        "A-Alez?" asked Wile E., a look of confusion on his face.
        Babs whirled around to face him.  "Of course!  You don't know
about Alez!  How could you?  History changed it!  I need you to answer
something - do you have the plans for a time machine?"
        "A t-time machine?" said Wile E., a smirk on his face.  "A time
machine?  I've got plans for a MILLION time machines.  I t-tried to travel
back in time to save Bugs, but t-t-there was no sign of him in the
p-p-p-past.. I w-w-wonder why he.."
        "Great!" said Bo, stepping forward, "That's what we need!  Where
are they?"
        "This is Bo," said Babs, putting her hand on his shoulder, "and
that is Kath, and that is Marvin."
        "Nice to meet you." said Bo.
        "Pleased to meet you, sir," said Kath, "I remember reading about
your work a few years ago. Excellent stuff."
        "Hi," said Marvin, "It's nice to finally meet a fellow physicist
in this place."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Tish tumbled and twisted her way downwards, or upwards, or some
direction.  She wasn't sure.  All around her was green, green, and more
green.  Regret started to enter her mind as she realized that entering the
portal at the time she did might have been a mistake.  She remembered
vaguely something about windows of focus, and wondered what was to become
of her.
        Suddenly, all motion stopped, and she recoiled, feeling as if she
had hit a brick wall.  She looked around as the green haze slowly formed a
more solid-looking background.
        She felt a warm flush of relief as she saw Alez standing nearby.
        "Alez!  So it was true.."
        "Yes, Tish.  Welcome to your destiny," he said with a smile. 
"Come to me."
        Tish felt herself compelled to move towards him, an almost
magnetic attraction to him.  She stepped towards him and embraced him,
clasping him tightly to her.
        Alez stroked the back of Tish's head, a grin slowly emerging on
his face, his eyes alight.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        CHAPTER THREE - "Crossroads"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Wile E. stepped forward, brushing the cobwebs aside.  The light
from his torch illuminated the tunnel before him with a soft glow.
        "My, oh my.  I've left this room unchecked for so long," he said,
shaking his head.  "I should have come here sooner."
        Babs patted him on the back.  "There is no way you could have
known about Alez.  I just wish I'd come sooner."
        Wile E. shook his head.  "There is little to be done about that
now.  For now, let us find the plans to this time machine."
        He waved his torch around and pointed across to a cabinet set
against the far wall.  "There."
        Babs stepped forward, followed by Bo and Kath.  She opened the
cabinet, and a pile of paper came tumbling out, swamping the bunnies and
the skunk.  Wile E. stifled a chuckle.
        "That happened to me the first few times, too.  When you've opened
that cabinet as many times as I have, you learn how to do it properly."
        Bo looked over at Babs.  "NOW he tells us."
        Babs chuckled, "I'd forgotten how painful crushing normally
follows a coyote around."
        "Now, now," said Marvin, stepping forward, "Let's not forget what
we are here for."
        "He's right," said Wile E, "we'd better find those plans."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster sat dejectedly staring at the portal.  A heavy sigh escaped
his lips.
        "You couldn't have stopped her," said Tom, placing a hand on his
shoulder.  "You didn't know she was going to do that."
        "I could have stopped her.. I should have stopped her."
        "Quit thinking like that; it won't help you."
        "I know," Buster sighed, "but I just seem to be letting everyone
down so much.  How am I supposed to defeat Alez if I can't even stop a
young bunny from making the biggest mistake of her life?"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Tish felt a sudden warmth spreading through her body and panicked.
She backed away and stared at Alez.
        "What-"
        "Don't panic, my dear," replied Alez, a smile on his face, "there
is nothing for you to fear."
        "What have you done?" asked Tish, trembling.  She felt inside that
something was deeply wrong.
        "Well, since it will soon be the most important part of what used
to be your life, I will indulge your request.  Ahh, where to begin.  Many
years ago I had an ally.  It had no name, other than the Creation.  Your
friend, Buster, thought that he had destroyed the Creation years ago, but
he had not.  The Creation was trapped in here with me, but without a body.
Until now.  I decided it best to use a toon's body, because of their ..
tolerance."
        Tish blinked, not comprehending.  "Wha.."
        "Oh, don't worry yourself, my dear.  You'll see in a few moments."
        Tish backed away from Alez, fear forming in her eyes.  She glanced
down at her hand and let out a gasp of shock as she saw that the color was
fading from her fur. Her mouth hung open in shock as her fur slowly turned
black.  She felt herself fading slowly, her senses becoming more distant,
until she was isolated within herself, merely a spectator to her body.
She pounded against her invisible cage, but to no avail.  She was trapped.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "Eureka!  HERE it is!"  shouted Wile E., excitedly.
        "You've found it?"  asked Babs, looking up from the papers she was
poring through.  Her ears perked up and her eyes opened from their drooped
state.
        "Ye-es!"
        "That's great!" said Bo, standing up.
        "Come," said Wile E., picking up his torch, "let's get this back
out into the main room.  The light is better there."
        He lead them out into the main room and rolled out the blueprints
on a table, the two marble busts on the fireplace looking on.  "Ahh, how
the memories come flooding back!  This is the time machine I used to go
back to try and save Bugs.. it, at least, didn't fail in its task," he
said, with a twinge in his voice.
        Marvin looked over the blueprints, and his eyes lit up.  "You used
a particle accelerator to overcome the shearing effect?"
        "Yes, that took a long time to puzzle out."
        "That's pure GENIUS!  We stumbled upon that problem and couldn't
solve it.  We tried for YEARS, and now I have the answer before me!"
        "C'mon," said Bo, "let's get these plans back to Reality.  I've
got a gut feeling that time's of the essence."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "Something's happening inside the portal."
        Buster looked up.  "Huh?"
        "Radiation flash.  Something's coming through!"
        "Seal the doors, Tom, we don't know what it is yet," replied
Buster, rising from his seat.  "I'm going to see what it is."
        "Already on it; the doors are sealing."
        Buster walked out of the lab towards the observation deck.  He
stared intently down at the portal below, as several shapeless blobs
started to emerge from it.  With a flash of light, several humans appeared
below.  He instantly recognized Babs, Bo and Marvin, but could not discern
the identity of the other.
        "Open the doors!" he shouted back to Tom, rushing down to the
stairs.  The hissing of the doors indicated that Tom had heard him.  He
dashed into the cavity below, and ran across the metal floor towards the
group.
        "You're back!  Did you find it?"
        Babs looked up at him and nodded.  "We've got the plans with us."
        Buster looked past her at the new human to arrive.  His
eyes widened with surprise.  "Wile E.?"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Kath emerged from the front of Acme Loo and glanced up at the sky.
A shiver ran through her body and the fur on the back of her neck stood
up. 
        "Hey, Kath!"
        Kath recognized the voice, and turned around to see her best
friend, Dorothy Warner, approaching.  Meeting Babs earlier made her
reflect on how similar Dorothy looked to her mother, Dot.
        "Heya, Dorothy!" she replied, trying to disguise her concern over
the current situation.
        Apparently this was in vain, as Dorothy looked at her concernedly.
"Kath, hon, what's the problem?"
        "Nothing, Dorothy.  It's just that.."
        "What?  It isn't that Eric again, is it?  He should leave you
alone.."
        "Yeah.."
        "Boys, go fig."
        "..but that's not it.  There's something big going on, Dorothy.
REAL big."
        "Huh?"
        Kath hadn't been told the full story by the others, but had a
strong suspiscion that she would be seeing Bo, Babs and Marvin again soon.
She didn't want to share it, though, so she feigned ignorance.  "I'm not
sure, but.. can't you feel it?  There's something in the air."
        Dorothy sniffed.  "Whoa.  The only thing that's wrong with the air
is that perfume you're wearing."
        "But I'm not wearing any-- hey.." Kath glared at her momentarily,
before smiling.  "C'mon, my game's over, so we might as well head to the
mall."
        "Sure!  Have you seen that guy who works in the library on the
way?  He's dreeeeeeeamy!"
        Kath giggled.  "Sure, we can stop at the library on the way, I've
got a couple of books to return anyway."
        Kath pushed the worries she had to the back of her mind and let
herself forget them for now.  "But I don't want to stay at the mall too
long, I need to get back to the Loo to study."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "Wile E., you're a genius.  A genius!" exclaimed Marvin, his eyes
wide, a grin on his face for the first time in years.  "How did you solve
the puzzle?"
        "Lots of free time."
        Buster looked at the table they were working on, and smiled as he
saw belts very similar to the ones in his memory.  "These seem a lot like
the ones we used when we-"
        "When you what?" interrupted Wile E.
        "Err.. don't worry, Wile E.  You wouldn't remember anyway."
        Buster picked up one of the belts and looked it over, smiling to
himself.  Its design was very similar to the belts he had used to rescue
Bugs from Reality, with a few small differences, the biggest being a
digital controlpad.
        "What's this?" he asked, fiddling with it.
        "That, my friend," said Marvin, standing up, "is the result of ten
years of human research-"
        "And a bit of toon creativity," interrupted Wile E.
        "Yes, and a bit of toon creativity," continued Marvin.  "This
control panel will allow you to not only traverse the sectra barrier
whenever you like, and also generate a localized sectra field to regain
your toon status, it also allows you to travel through time."
        Buster arched an eyebrow.  "Travel through time?"
        "Yes," said Marvin, grinning, "this belt will allow you to travel
to any point in time, by simply entering the date here and pressing this
button."
        Bo burst into the lab, a distressed look on his face.  "Where's
Tish?  I've looked everywhere for her!"
        Buster gulped, and let out a sigh.  "You'd better sit down, Bo."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Tish felt herself floating numbly inside herself, as if she was
watching a TV.
        Alez stood back and watched as slowly the transformation neared
completion.  The small bunny before him lay slumped on the ground, her
chest heaving as she gasped for air.  Her fur, now jet black, seemed to
glow in the green of the sectra around it.
        Her eyes opened, glowing red as fire.  Slowly she sat up and got
to her knees.  Alez smiled as slowly she rose to her feet, her head bowed.
        "Welcome back, my old friend.  I've been waiting a hundred years
to get you back."
        He clapped his hands together, and Andrea appeared, motionless.
He stepped towards her and placed his hand calmly on her forehead.  She
jolted momentarily, before slowly melting into a liquid and pouring into
Alez's hand and merging with his whole body.
        Alez let out a long, slow sigh of relief.  "Life at last!  Now, I
can finally leave this universe!"
        "Not if I have anytin' to do wid it, Rat."
        Bugs suddenly appeared at a distance.
        Alez laughed.  "You cannot stop me this time, dearest Bugs!  You
are still trapped inside this eternal pit of damnation!  You can do
nothing!"
        Bugs cracked his knuckles and stretched his legs.  "Oh, I dunno
'bout dat, Rat.  Y'see, I ain't as weak and useless as ya tink I am.
Bein' in dis place fer a hundred years taught me a few dings.  And I'm
gonna stop ya."
        "What are you going to do, stand there and make stupid one liners
all day?  Dress up as a woman?  What-"
        He was interrupted as Bugs suddenly broke into a sprint.  He
sprinted as fast as he could towards not Alez, but Tish.  Alez barely had
time to react before Bugs dived at Tish and knocked her to the ground.
        "I'll save ya, kid." he whispered into her ear, before thrusting
his hand against her forehead.  He glowed briefly, before disappearing in
a flash of light.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "WHAT?!"
        "Calm down, Bo!  We'll get her out of there."
        "She's.. she's in there with HIM?"
        Buster sighed.  "Yes, she is.  But we'll get her out."
        Bo jumped to his feet and started towards the portal, but Buster
grabbed him.  "You can't save her by yourself, Bo.  Just wait until we're
all ready, and we'll get-"
        "Wait!  There's some activity down there!" shouted Marvin, as
computer screens started to register radioactivity.  Buster and Bo rushed
over and pressed their faces up against the plasteel viewing window.
        The seals slid into place as a radiation flash lit the entire lab
briefly, and left something in the middle of the viewing cavity.  A toon.
A black rabbit.
        Buster looked down at the rabbit and gasped.  "Oh, God, no..
please, no.. not again.."
        Bo just blinked.  "Tish?  Is that Tish?  Why's she a toon instead
of a human?  What-"
        He stopped short as Buster pounded his fist on the plasteel
viewing window.  A few tears dripped down from his eyes.
        "I didn't want you to have to find out this way, Bo, but I
couldn't stop it from happening."  he looked down at Tish with sorrow.
"Prepare to flood the cavity with radiation, Marvin."
        "What?" asked Marvin, not understanding this strange request.
        "Get ready to do it, Marvin.  We've got to kill her."
        Buster spat out the words as if they disgusted him, the memories
of his own encounters with the Creations flooding back to him.  He knew
that Tish couldn't overwhelm a Creation by herself, the Creation would
have to be purged the hard way.
        Bo blinked again.  "You can't be serious!  I won't let you do it!"
        "We have to, Bo.  There's no other-  wait!" Buster stopped as the
black rabbit looked up at him, and stared directly into his eyes.  The
rabbit's eyes were black, not the fiery red of the Creations.  The edges
of his mouth curled up a little into a smile as a realization dawned on
him.
        "Belay that order, Marvin.  I'm going in to the cavity."
        "You're what?  Well, you'll need one of the suits to go in
there.."
        "I don't have time for that.  I'm going in there.  Unseal the
entrances."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster stepped into the cavity warily, his eyes never leaving the
form of the toon before him.  The rabbit was a toon while in Reality. 
That was one of the traits of the Creations, but the eyes were not the red
that he had seen in others controlled by a Creation.  Looking at the
rabbit, however, something seemed very, very familiar about her.
        He approached her tentatively.  "Tish?"
        She rolled over onto her back, and stared up at him.  "What's
up, Buster?"
        "Bugs?"
        The rabbit coughed.  "Yeah.  Help me up, kid.  It ain't easy to
keep dis Creation unda control."
        Buster knelt down and helped Bugs to his feet.  He supported him
as the pair hobbled out of the cavity and up the stairs to the lab.
        Bo came running up to them and grabbed Bugs.  "Tish?  Tish?"
        "No, kid, dis ain't Tish."
        Bo reeled as he heard Bugs' voice coming from Tish's body.
"Wh..where's Tish?"
        Bugs hobbled over to a chair and sat down, letting out a sigh of
relief as the weight was taken off his feet.  He narrowed his eyes.
        "Tish is inside here with me.  And so's da Creation."
        Buster's eyes dropped and he stared down at the floor.  A heavy
sigh escaped his lips.
        "Don't worry, Buster, dere's a way ta kill da Creation.  We jus'
gotta find it."  He closed his eyes and let out a little gasp.
        "Bugs?"
        "It's OK, kid," said Bugs, straightening, "jus' dat it takes a lot
ta keep dis Creation unda wraps."
        "We've got to get you back to Toonity and get your own body back."
        Bugs doubled over and clenched his eyes shut.  His voice fell to a
hoarse whisper.  "We can't do dat - dere's no time."
        "Why not?"
        Bugs whispered, barely audibly.  "Because Alez is back."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Kath emerged from the mall, Dorothy just behind her.  She stepped
out into the parking lot and looked up at the sky, the warm sun feeling
good on her fur compared to the stuffy artificial atmosphere of the mall's
interior.  She took in a deep breath, letting the warm air fill her lungs.
She opened her eyes and forgot to exhale when she saw a large circular
cloud floating above the mall.  It seemed to centre over Acme Loo, and was
slowly expanding outwards.  Kath slowly let her breath out.
        "Oop, I forgot something.  C'mon, we've gotta go back in," said
Dorothy.
        Kath didn't turn away from the cloud.  "No.. you go back in.  I've
got to get back to the Loo."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster turned away from Bugs and rest his hands on a nearby
console.  He stared down at the floor, knowing that Alez's escape was
inevitable, but not wanting to accept it.
        "How did he escape?" he said, his gaze not leaving the floor.
        "He used a human.  He molded with her, and since dat makes him
part 'a Reality and Toonity, he has da right ta leave da sectra universe
and come back."
        Buster pounded his fist on the console.  "And now he's stronger
than ever."
        "But he molded with a human.  Dat's an important point.  He's not
invulnerable.  He can be beaten dis time."
        "How many times do we have to beat this guy?" asked Buster, with a
resigned sigh.
        Bugs slowly got to his feet and hobbled over to the viewing dome
covering the cavity, his aged, limp walk making the young body he occupied
look old and weak as he.  He looked down at the sectra portal, and a sigh
escaped him as the green glow of the source of his life's end illuminated
his face with a false warmth that seemed to mock him.  His mind raced
through the myraid of sacrifices that the glowing green substance had
forced him to make.  He knew Buster was staring at him, awaiting a
comment, without needing to look behind him to check.  He closed his eyes
and reformed the shards of his resolve back into one.
        "Once more, Buster, once more."  he whispered, and moved away from
the viewing dome.  He hobbled past Buster and pressed a few buttons on one
of the consoles.  A huge screen on the other side of the lab flickered
into life.  "Look at dis." he said, hobbling over to it.
        Bugs moved up in front of the screen, which was many times his
size.  It was a thermographic image, glowing green and blue in all but two
places.  Bugs hobbled over to the left side of the screen and pointed at a
small yellowish patch.
        "Dis is a thermograph of da local atmosphere.  Da green and blue
is da normal ambient temperature for dis time'a day.  Dis yella spot is da
heat generated by dat portal down dere," he said, pointing.
        Marvin nodded.  "I see."
        Bo also nodded.  "What are you saying?"
        "Well, it ain't dat we should be concerned about," said Bugs,
hobbling to the centre of the screen.  He thrust his hand upwards and
pointed at the huge bright red shape that dwarfed him and took up much of
the top half of the screen.  "It's dis.  Dis is da heat surge dat's bein'
caused by Alez's entry into Reality and Toonity."
        "You mean..?" said Babs, trailing off.
        "Yup.  He's already on his way.  Da invasion has begun."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Adam Bennett lifted his coffee cup to his lips, and sighed as the
phone rang.  Again.  He placed his cup gently on his desk, detirmined to
not get annoyed at the phone's impeccable timing.  For the umpteenth time
today it had prevented him from drinking his now-cold coffee.  He pressed
the 'ANSWER' button, and the screen flickered into life.
        "Captain Bennett here."
        "You look tired, Adam," came the reply.
        He smiled a little.  "What are you doing?  The brass told me off
last time you called me here, Jody."
        Jody laughed.  "Aww, I'm sorry, honey.." she replied, her voice
dripping with artificial sarcasm.  She made a pout for a few brief moments
before breaking out in laughter.  "Sorry, Adam, I just wanted to say hi. 
They bogging you down with work, huh?"
        "Yeah.  I won't be home until really late tonight."
        "Oh, it's OK, I'm staying in the office until late anyway."
        "OK, dear.  Want me to pick up some Chinese food on the way-"
        Adam cut off as somebody shouted his name.  He sighed.  "Look,
I'm going to have to go.  I'll see you tonight, OK?"
        "OK."
        He hung up and stepped away from his desk, all hope of getting a
sip of his coffee while it was still slightly warm rapidly vanishing from
his mind.
        He stepped out of his office and into the chaos that was the main
building.  People dashed back and forth, phones rang incessantly, officers
barked orders and information to each other, arrested suspects sat in
silence, handcuffed to their chairs.  All in all, chaos reigned supreme.
        "Hey, Adam, can you help me with this guy?"
        Adam looked over and saw Jones struggling with a rowdy but
elderly suspect.  He made his way over and grabbed the suspect, and shovedhim
down in the chair.  He slapped some handcuffs over his wrists.  He lookedover
at Jones, who shrugged.  He looked down at the suspect.  "What'd you bring
him in for?"
        "Inciting a riot.  He was runnin' around the place all crazy
tellin' people that the world's gonna end."
        Adam arched an eyebrow.  "Another one?"
        "Another one," replied Jones, flipping through the man's wallet,
"A Mr. Jack Spader.  There's ID in here, that's it.  No cash, nothing."
        Adam bent down.  "OK, you, what's your problem?"
        The man, a short man with fiery ginger hair and a wide-eyed stare,
locked his eyes on Adam.  "The world i-i-is gonna end .. now it's all over
we're gonna die .. it's all over there's no time we're too late I tried to
warn you it's all over we can't do anything .. we should have stopped it I
tried to tell you all but you wouldn't listen and now it's all over.."
        Adam stepped away with Jones.  "How long has he been babbling like
that?"
        "Hours and hours.  He just don't shut up."
        Adam lead Jones away.  "I think you should get a psychologist or
something in here.  We can't lock him up, but we can't really let him back
out onto the streets, either."
        "Yeah.  Maybe I should call-"
        Jones fell silent as Adam held up a hand.  "Look."
        The suspect was jumping up and down in his chair and his arms were
flailing as much as the handcuffs would allow.  "LOOK!" he screamed, his
face flushed.  "It's here!"
        Jones turned back to Adam and shrugged.  "He's nuts."
        Adam shook his head.  "I don't think he is."  He pointed over to a
window, where a small group of people were gathering, staring out into the
street, not moving, not talking, just staring.  They both made their way
over to the window and glanced out.
        "I don't see anyth-"
        "Look!  Up there!" said Adam, pointing.
        "What the HECK is THAT?"
        Far above them, floating above the tops of the buildings, was a
large grey circular cloud.  It wasn't like any normal cloud; it seemed
denser, thicker.  It blocked out all light below it, casting a circular
shadow over several blocks.  People were standing in the streets staring
up at it, their faces illuminated green by the slight green tinge of the
cloud.
        A small green ball formed, about three feet above the middle of
the road.  Any traffic that wasn't already stopped soon did, and everyone
was soon staring at the slowly-expanding ball.  It expaned slowly into an
elipse, growing in size until it stood about ten feet tall and touched the
road surface.  A cold circular wind flowed outwards from it, slowly at
first, but picking up speed, sending pieces of paper that were littering
the street flying.  People clung onto their cars and watched with awe,
nobody daring to step up towards the green object.
        Suddenly, a bright white glow appeared at the centre, and slowly
grew in size until the onlookers were squinting and covering their eyes. 
A few dogs started barking madly.  The hazy white blob seemed to come into
focus, until, suddenly, a blindingly bright white flash exploded from the
portal.
        Adam recovered from the flash and opened his eyes.  To his shock,
he saw some strange, white, seven foot creature standing in the middle of
the street.  He let out a small gasp.
        Alez stretched his aching muscles, and looked around him at the
bewildered humans scattering from around him. 
        "Hello, Reality." he said, triumphantly, "I'm baaa-aaack."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        CHAPTER FOUR - "Maelstrom"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Adam looked back at the suspect, who was now sitting serenely,
staring at Alez through the window.  He blinked a few times, then snapped
back to reality.  "Jones!  Get a riot squad out there, NOW!  We don't want
a massive panicked crowd running around out there!"
        "I'm on my way!" shouted Jones, weaving his way through the
already extremely chaotic room that had since become a navigational
nightmare, panicked and frightened police and suspects alike running
together away from the window.
        Adam knew that he should be getting away, but something made him
stop and return to the window.  He pressed his hands against the glass and
looked out at the creature.  He seemed to be simply standing there, not
moving, just breathing and staring.
        Alez breathed in deeply and let it out slowly.  The sunlight felt
strange on his fur.  He held a hand up and looked down at it.  It was
shaking.  Creating the exit from the sectra universe and holding it open
had taken more energy than he had anticipated.  He needed to recoup that
energy.  No matter.  He had eternity to do it.  He concentrated on holding
the tunnels between Reality, Toonity, and the sectra universe open.
Slowly, he pushed that duty to the back of his mind.  He clenched his hand
into a fist and saw the muscles in his arm tense up.  It was going to take
a while to get used to existing physically again, but that didn't concern
him.
        He stretched his muscles, feeling every cell of his body
stretching and creaking back into life from their century-long slumber.
He arched his neck back and bellowed up at the sky, giving his lungs some
much-needed exercise.  He lowered his head again and noticed a gathering
of police cars in front and behind him.  A few patrolmen emerged from
their vehicles and stood nervously behind them.  He stretched his arms
forward and cracked his knuckles.
        "This oughta be fun."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Kath glanced up at the sky again and gulped nervously.  The
circular cloud was growing in size and becoming darker rapidly.  She
sprinted towards Acme Loo, and whatever awaited her at the centre of the
cloud.
        She rounded a corner and saw Acme Loo standing in the distance;
the cloud hovering over it, the bell tower shrouded in semi-shadow,
lending a sinister appearance to her second home.  "Here goes nothing,"
she gulped, and set off towards the Loo.
        As she entered the school grounds, she noticed the complete lack
of anyone else in sight.  It was eerily quiet, with only the howling wind
eminating from the cloud making any noise, the rustling of the leaves in
the trees to accompany it.
        She stepped slowly between the statues of Bugs and Daffy, and made
her way up the steps.  She stopped at the entrance and thrust her head
back.  She looked directly up the clock tower, and saw the very centre of
the cloud:  a pure black substance that was as black as the night sky.
        Suddenly, a small green ball appeared in front of the  clock face.
Slowly, slowly, it pulsated and expanded, growing until it was at least
seven feet in diameter.
        She gasped as suddenly a pair of hands grabbed her from behind,
and before she knew what had happened, the bell tower was gone, the green
ball was gone, Acme Loo was gone, Acme Acres was gone, everything was
gone. 
        Before her mind comprehended this, however, she felt herself land
on a cold, hard floor.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Kath opened her eyes slowly, fearing the worst.  Where was she?
        "Kath?  Are you alright?"
        The familiar voice stunned her.  She had expected to hear a
threatening voice from whoever had kidnapped her, but instead she heard
the voice of her friend, Bo.
        She blinked a few times, and let her eyes focus.  She looked up at
the source of the voice, and was surprised to see the source of Bo's voice
was a human.  She jumped, realizing it was a trap, and tried to run.
        Bo grabbed her shoulders and pinned her down.  "Relax, relax, Kath.
It's me, Bo."
        She said nothing.
        "I know you're wondering why I'm human, and I'll tell you in a few
moments.  For now, we have to get away from here."
        She felt herself being lifted by him, and looked back to see where
she had come from.  A large green portal, like the one she had seen in
front of the clock tower, like the one she had seen Bo and Babs enter the
sick bay through, lay glowing behind her.  She relaxed and let Bo carry
her away and up some stairs.
        They emerged at the top of the stairs, and Kath noticed a small
group of other humans at the top.  Other toons like Bo, she guessed.  Bo
put her down on a chair.
        "Hi, Kath," said one of the humans, standing forward, "I'm Buster.
Welcome to Reality."
        "Reality?"
        "What you just experienced was what all of us here, with a couple
of exceptions, have experienced many times before.  You were just pulled
through a sectra portal."
        "Huh?"
        "OK, here comes a really fast physics lesson.  Ready?"
        "Uh .. I guess."
        "OK.  The universe you normally live in is called Toonity.  A
universe exists parallel to Toonity, called Reality.  In between them,
acting like a barrier, is the sectra universe.  You were just pulled from
Toonity, through the sectra universe, into Reality, which is where you are
now.  I could explain your current human form too, but we don't have the
time."
        Kath blinked.  She looked down at herself and let out a gasp as she
realized that she was no longer a skunk; she was human.  "What the.."
        "We don't have time to explain, Kath.  We pulled you from Toonity
because it was no longer safe for you there."
        "Why not?"
        "Because yew've been close to da sectra," came a voice from
behind a console.  A small toon rabbit stepped forward.
        "Who are you?"
        "I'm Bugs Bunny."
        "No you're not!  I know what he looked like!"
        "It's a long story, kid, and I ain't got da time ta explain it.
You'd come inta close vicinity of sectra, an' dat puts ya in danger.
Sectra, dat green stuff ya saw in da portals, is like a bright can of
paint.  When ya get close to it, it sticks to ya and makes ya shine like a
beacon ta someone who can see sectra."
        "Like who?"
        "Like me.  And Alez."
        "Alez?"
        "He's da reason dat we're doin' all dis in da first place.  He an'
I have been trapped in da sectra universe fer da past century.  We both
got out a few minutes ago.  He's tryin' ta take over Reality and Toonity,
and I'm tryin' ta stop him.  And now, since you are marked with sectra,
yer in danger too.  Dat's why we pulled ya from da Toonity."
        "I... see..."
        "I know it's a hard pill ta swallow, but we ain't got da time to
prove it all to ya.  Fer now, take one 'a dese belts.  Ya just press dis
button here to open a portal to da other side wherever you are.  Dis
button here will give ya a little while as a toon in Reality, but it needs
time ta recharge.  Dis dial here ya shouldn't touch."
        "Why not?"
        "Cause that's da time travel control."
        "Time travel?"  She frowned pensively.  "If you can travel through
time, why don't you just travel back to when this Alez was just a kid and
stop him then?"  She wriggled about a bit to adjust to the belt around
her.
        "Because dat wouldn't... wait.  Dat might actually work."
        Buster stepped forward.  "That's brilliant!  If we travel back to
when Alez was just a small child, we can stop him then!  Brilliant!"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        The leaves of a large shrub rustled loudly in the wind and were
lit briefly by a bright green light as a sectra portal opened behind it.
As quickly as the light and wind had come, it was gone again.
        "Are you OK?" asked Buster, getting to his feet.
        "I'm fine." replied Babs, dusting herself off.  "It's good to be
back in my normal body."
        "Yeah," said Buster, with a frown, "I just wish that Bugs had come
with us.  I'd feel much more comfortable being in this point in history if
he were here."
        "You should know what might happen if the Bugs of this time period
was to meet the Bugs of the future, even if he IS in Tish's body.  It
could be catastrophic."
        "I know," replied Buster, leaning forward and peering through the
bushes, "but that doesn't make me feel any better."
        "Hi, Bugs!"
        Bugs looked up and smiled.  "Heya!"  He patted the seat next to
him.  Alez took it, and started eating a banana.
        "*MWAH*!  Goodnight, everybody!" Bugs shouted suddenly.
        "What'd you say THAT for?" asked Alez.
        "I'm workin' on dis new line," Bugs replied, chewing on a carrot.
"I need a new catchphrase.  *MWAH*!  Goodnight, everybody!"
        "Mmm, it's not really a catchphrase, is it?"
        "OK, well, how about, uh, 'Where's da beef?'?"
        "Nah."
        "'I've fallen and I can't get up!'"
        "Naah."
        "MY EYES ARE BURNING!"
        "Nope," said Alez, throwing the banana peel away.
        "'Only yew can prevent forest fires!'"
        "Don't think so."
        "'I am not a crook!'"
        "Oh, no."
        "'We've secretly switched da fine coffee normally brewed here
with Folger's Crystals.'"
        "Hmm ... nah."
        "'You want fries with that?'"
        "It's not you."
        "'Where do ya wanna go today?'"
        "Nuh-uh."
        "'Make it so.'"
        "Too formal."
        "'Boys...go fig.'"
        "Umm ... no."
        "'Rats!'"
        "It's been done."
        "'I'm on a mission from God.'"
        "Hmm .. nope."
        "'Gentlemen!  Start .. yer ... engines!'"
        "Maybe not."
        "Hmm.  Ya tink you can recommend sometin'?"
        Just then, a man laden with papers and a pair of briefcases walked
by.  Unfortunately for him, he walked straight over Alez's banana peel and
fell to the ground with a loud CRASH.  Bugs looked over at Alez, his
expression alone telling Alez that he shouldn't have thrown his banana
peel onto the path.  Alez sighed and made his way over.
        "What's up, prof?"
        The man glared up at him.  "Evidently not me.  And I'm a doctor,
not a professor."
        "Ehh.  Well, what's up, doc?"
        "Is this your banana peel, young man?"
        "Yes, it's mine..."
        Bugs stopped paying attention to the conversation and thought to
himself.  Suddenly, something clicked in his mind.  He sat back on the
bench and chewed at his carrot.
        "Ehh, what's up, doc? ... I like dat."
        Babs giggled to herself at overhearing the conversation.
        "How can you laugh at a time like this?" Buster asked, a frown
hovering around his face.
        "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't, but I guess it's true:  Bugs has
ALWAYS been funny."
        "Yeah, yeah," said Buster, stepping back.
        "What's the matter?"
        "It's not every day that you ruin your mentor's life," replied
Buster, stepping through the bushes.  "Come on."
        Babs pulled him back.  "Ruin Bugs' life?  How will convincing
Alez to not do what he's going to do ruin Bugs' life?"
        "That won't work, Babs, and you know it.  He has NO idea of what's
going to happen to him, let alone what he's going to do to Bugs in
revenge.  He'll think we're crazy and won't listen.  The only way is.."
said Buster, trailing off.
        "Is..?"
        "To kill him."
        "Kill him?" said Babs, recoiling in shock, "Wait a minute!  I
didn't know that we were going to-"
        "We don't have any choice!" interrupted Buster.  "I don't want to
do it either, but we have no choice!"
        "I don't think I can-"
        "Come on." interrupted Buster again, pulling her a little way
through the bush.  "Let's get this over and done with."  He let out a
heavy sigh and made his way reluctantly over towards Alez.
       
*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "Who are you?" said Alez, looking up.
        Buster grabbed him and pulled him backwards, out of Bugs' sight.
"Names aren't important.  Please understand that I don't want to do this
to you, Alez.  I'm sorry for what I have to do."  He pressed the button on
his belt, and a sectra portal formed behind him.
        "You go through first." he said, motioning to Babs.  She nodded,
and stepped through the portal, a tear in her eye.  She didn't look at
Alez.
        Buster stood up and pulled Alez to his feet.  He held Alez firmly,
and dragged him over towards the portal.  As Alez was halfway in, he cried
out, "Nooooooooooooo!!" and broke free of Buster.
        Buster lunged forward and grabbed his waist as it began to
emerge from the portal.  "Don't try to escape, the portal is closing!
You can't-"
        Suddenly, the portal started to shrink rapidly, and Alez panicked
even more than he already was.  He wriggled about in Buster's grip and
reached an arm out to grab at something in the Toonity, to anchor himself
there.
        Buster yanked him backwards as quickly as he could, and managed to
pull Alez back.  However, he wasn't quite fast enough, and as Alez's
outstretched hand was slowly pulled into the portal it closed on him, the
extremely hot border between sectra and Toonity sizzling his hand just as
it began to become human in form.  Alez cried out in pain and his hand
disappeared into the portal, his scream echoing throughout the sectra
universe long after he had passed through it into Reality.
        A sectra portal opened in Reality and dumped a human Buster, Babs,
and Alez in it.  Buster and Babs hit the ground and slowly got to their
feet.  Alez, however, hit the ground and rolled around in obvious pain.  A
thin wispy line of smoke rose up from him.
        Buster glanced somewhat nervously over at Babs, and approached the
crumpled form of Alez.  He rolled him over onto his back.
        "LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME!" cried out Alez, thrusting his hand
towards Buster's face.
        The human flesh of Alez's hand was burned and smoking, the singed
and smouldering flesh causing a strong stench of the burned flesh.  Alez
pulled his hand back to him and cradled it in his chest.  "Look what
you've done!  Look what you've done!  Who are you?!  Why?  WHY?"
        Buster reeled back in horror and raised his hand to his mouth.  He
stepped back, horrified, and Babs caught him as he nearly fell backwards.
        "L.. look what I've done to him.. a child .. I've harmed a child.."
        Babs said nothing, simply staring at Alez.
        "How .. how could I do that?  He's .. so shocked and in pain.. he
doesn't even realize that he's human!  How could I do that to him?" Tears
formed on Buster's face.  "What have I done?"
        Babs still said nothing, her mind and tongue numb with shock.
        Buster looked up at Babs and whimpered, "Please .. send him back
to Toonity.  I can't do .. that .. to him."
        Babs nodded dumbly and moved her hand down to her belt.
        Buster slowly turned his face away from her and looked back at
Alez, who was still rolling around in pain.
        "I'm sorry.."
        Babs pushed the button.
        "I'm sorry.."
        A sectra portal opened beneath Alez, and he dropped into it before
he knew what had happened.
        "Please believe that I'm sorry.."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Bugs awoke with a snort as the small green sectra portal opened
before him.  He rubbed his eyes and tried to shield them against the
bright green light of the portal.
        Babs and Buster dropped out, in human form, to the ground.
        "How'd it go?  Did ya do it?"
        Buster looked slowly up at Bugs, tears in his eyes.  He turned his
head away after a moment, unable to sustain eye contact with his mentor.
        Babs glanced at Buster, then looked up at Bugs.  "No."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        A few minutes later, when Buster had regained his composure enough
to speak, Bugs took him away from the others, over to the viewing cavity
that housed the large sectra portal.
        "What happened back dere, kid?"
        "It .. it didn't work out." replied Buster, failing to hold back
the tears.
        "What went wrong?"
        "I realized that I would have to ... kill him to stop him from
taking over here."
        Bugs' eyes widened.  "Carry on."
        "I knew that I couldn't kill him if he was a toon, so I opened a
sectra portal to take him to Reality and ... do it there."
        Bugs said nothing.
        "I tried to pull him through the portal, but he put up a fight,"
said Buster, his voice quickening.  "I couldn't pull him through in time
and the sectra portal .. it closed, just like that, before I knew what had
happened .. it was all over so fast.."
        "What happened?"
        "It closed .. it closed on Alez.  It trapped his hand and burned
it into nearly nothing just as he entered, just as he became human .. it
.. it was awful ... I destroyed his hand, I put him through so much pain,
and suffering, and agony.. I couldn't kill him, Bugs, I couldn't."
        Bugs hopped up on a chair to compensate for Tish's body, and
hugged Buster tightly.  "I'm sorry ya had ta do dat, kid.  I'm sorry ya
had ta see dat."
        "But now, even worse, I not only showed him the sectra universe, I
also let him see my face .. and Babs' face .. and I caused him so much
pain .. I .."
        Buster gaped as the realization hit him.  "I caused it all.  By
going back in time, I injured Alez, and gave him the reason to hate me and
Babs.  And because you were so attached to us, that would make him hate
you, and want to destroy you, too.  So, he uses the sectra universe, which
*I* showed him, which *I* banished him to with the original Creation, to
kill you, and now to take over the universe.  I caused it all.  It's one
great big circle, which I just completed by going back in time.  And now
it's too late to stop it.  I rewrote History!  Everything has happened the
same as it did the first time around, but now it has happened differently,
because of what I did!"
        Bugs frowned a little as he realized that, in a way, Buster was
right.  However, he couldn't let Buster know that.  "Da circle ain't
complete yet, kid.  Not until we destroy Alez fer good."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Alez cried out in triumph as the police fled from around him like
frightened little lambs, their cars and the surrounding buildings burning
from his destructive energy.  "Now that that distraction is taken care of,
I can turn my mind to more pressing matters."
        He turned and looked back at the giant sectra portal behind him.
He squinted his eyes a little and refocussed them to see through the
sectra.  Slowly, the images of the other two exits of the triangular
network of sectra portals he had created appeared before him.  The one
before him was connected to a giant sectra portal in Toonity, hanging in a
place chosen by Alez for its surpreme irony, the clock tower of Acme
Looniversity. What better place to launch his attack than the home of
those who banished him?
        The portals in Reality and Toonity were linked to a similar portal
in the sectra universe, allowing him to travel between all three at will.
His mind was straining with the effort to hold the fragile balance between
the sectra universe and the others, but he knew that he could do it.
        "I think I'll start by taking over Reality.  The pleasure of
finally conquering Toonity is best saved until last, methinks."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Alez drew the blinds closed and narrowed his eyes.  He peered
briefly out into the daylight outside before letting the blinds snap shut
as he pulled his fingers out.  He turned in the darkness and flicked the
lamp on.  It flickered into life and dimly lit the desk below with an
orange light.  He stepped over to the door and locked it.  He slid slowly
behind the desk and sat down, his eyes narrow.  He slipped his gloves off
and looked down at his hands.  His left hand looked as it always had,
white, and furred.  His right hand, however, was burned and blackened, the
broken skin devoid of fur and stretched tightly over the remains of the
burned flesh.
        When the rabbits had dropped him back into Toonity, Alez had lay
unconscious for a few moments before waking to find himself in the same
field he had been abducted from.  The pain he had remembered in his hand
was gone, but the damage to his hand had remained.  His hand glowed green,
as the radiation from the border between the portal and Toonity had
bombarded his flesh as it was transformed from toon to human.  He had
managed to conceal his scars from the others with his gloves.
        Now his hand lay limply and uselessly before him on the desk.  He
had vowed to get revenge on the two who had done this to him, and
ironically, the damage they had done to his hand was the largest clue to
finding them.  He had been studying his hand for weeks, and had identified
the strange green glow that eminated from it.  He had managed to construct
an apparatus to scan around the surrounding atmostphere for the substance
that permeated his hand, and was not entirely surprised to find it
everywhere, in much smaller amounts.
        He nearly gave up, but his determination and resolve were renewed
every time he looked at his hand.  Eventually, after many experiments and
sleepless nights, he had found the answer.
        He slid his hands into his gloves again and reached down to a
drawer.  He pulled out a small apparatus and stood.  He nudged the desk
aside and lay the device down on the floor.  Slowly, somewhat tentatively,
he flicked the switch that made the electrical contact that set the
destinies of entire universes into motion.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        A bright spark formed atop the circular apparatus on the floor,
and flashed upwards a few feet.  The spark split into two, and the two
rays began to spiral around faster and faster, until slowly, a circle
formed before Alez, illuminating the room with a green glow.
        Alez's eyes, once filled with terror, ignited with delight and
satisfaction.  "I've done it!  Eureka!"
        The green portal before him shimmered and liquified, flowing and
ebbing before him, beckoning him to avenge himself.
        He bent down and switched off the device, unsurprised to find that
the portal stayed in place after it was deactivated.  He had discovered
that by trapping a huge number of electrons in a small space, he could
attract the tiny, positively charged particles of the substance, which he
had dubbed 'sectra', into one place and form a temporary rift in it.
These particles were charged negatively by the electrons, and stayed
together until the energy was spent and the gathering of sectra dissipated
slowly into the atmosphere.
        Apparently, his theoretical work had proven to be correct.  The
portal twirled around in front of him, the edges distorting the light of
Toonity around it.  He gazed into the green sectra and lost himself in its
beauty, as it stretched back into infinity.  He gripped the device tightly
and thrust his face into the green water without looking back.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Andrew Johnson rest his head on his hand and sighed.  His thoughts
wandered to the time he'd wasted.  He had been working on the top-secret
project for the CIA for seven years now, and still he was no closer to
solving the problem.  The government demanded that he create a biological
weapon to use in warfare, and he had failed to deliver anything except
biological weapons that were swiftly rejected.  He had concluded long ago
that there was no way he could make a viable biological weapon.
        The door behind him burst open as General Whitfield burst in in
his typically military style.  "Doctor Johnson," he boomed, as always, "I
need to speak with you for a moment."
        Andrew sat for a moment and watched the clock tick over. 
Midnight, November 19th, 1941.  He realized another day had passed him by
and sighed a little as he stood and followed the General.
        "Doctor Johnson," boomed the General, trying in vain to be quiet,
"It has been several years since you took over this project.  Your
predecessor-"
        "Doctor Aubman." interrupted Andrew.
        "Your predecessor," continued the General, ignoring the
interruption, "made much progress on this project in the brief period he
worked on it.  In the seven years you have been working, under government
funds, supplied by taxpayers, you have made almost none.  What is your
explanation for this appalling lack of progress?"
        "Sir," replied Andrew, crossing his arms, "I have told you, and
your assosciates, several times, that it is impossible to create a
sentient biological weapon."
        "We've been providing you with ample funds-"
        "Dammit, funds won't do a thing! I can't perform miracles,
General!  I'm not God!"
        "You do not need to be God to create what we ask of you, Doctor
Johnson.  In fact, I believe we may have .. someone .. who will be able to
help you create what we need."
        "Who?"
        "A researcher we uncovered who has made significant progress in
this field."
        "What are his credentials?"
        "He has none."
        "None?"
        "None."
        "You expect me to trust someone who-"
        "Yes, Doctor.  This man has the knowledge and tools you need to
complete your work."
        "Oh, he does?  You expect me to drop everything and hand it all
over to some guy that I don't even know and much less trust-"
        "YES, Doctor.  And you will.  Mr. Trenton, please join us."
        Alex Trenton pushed open the door and entered, a box under one
arm.  He approached the General, a broad grin on his face.
        "I appreciate the chance to work for the government, General."
        "Yes, yes," replied the General, waving his hand dismissively.
"Doctor Andrew Johnson, this is Mister Alex Trenton."
        "_Pleased_ to meet you," said Andrew, emphasizing the first word
sarcastically.  He thrust his hand forward to Alex's free hand for the
cumpulsory handshake.
        Alex, however, did not move his hand.  Instead, he shuffled over
to a nearby table, dropped the box onto it, and used that hand to shake
Andrew's hand.
        "Sorry," he said, smiling, "I can't use my right hand."
        "Why not?" asked Andrew, his curiousity aroused.
        "Old injury.  Burned it.  Don't work anymore."
        "Ahh." replied Andrew, arching an eyebrow.
        "Well," said the General, sensing an air of discomfort, "I'll
leave you two to catch up on each other's work."
        "Doctor Johnson," said Alex, "I have read and studied your work on
this project, and-"
        "That work is classified!  How did you-"
        "I have my ways, Doctor.  And, I have found that you and Doctor
Aubman have made significant progress in the field that I was lacking in,
and vice versa for me.  It seems," Alex said, pushing his glasses up a
little, "that we both have a half of the puzzle, and now we just have to
put them together."
        Andrew arched an eyebrow.  "I don't have much of a half to speak
of, Mr. Trenton."  He turned and picked up a small test tube, filled with
a black powder.  "This is the result of my seven years work.  A biological
weapon that is not alive and is not sentient.  Care to add something?"
        "In fact, I do." Alez replied, and reached into the box.  He
withdrew a smaller box.  "Inside here is a substance from my univers..
university that will, I believe, provide the answer you are looking for."
        "Well?"
        Alex reached into the larger box again, and pulled out a small
circular device, which he placed on the table.  "First, I will show you
this, Doctor."
        "What's that?"
        "You'll see."
        Alex reached down and made a few adjustments, and then flicked a
small switch on the front of the device.  Sparks formed in the centre of
it, and suddenly shot up a few feet.  The small sparks formed one large
spark, which then split into two and begin spinning rapidly, until a
circular portal opened before the pair.
        "What.."
        "A portal, Doctor.  A portal into the universe I have dubbed the
'sectra' universe."
        Andrew leaned close to the portal, and peered into it.  "What does
it ... do?"
        "Well," said Alex, standing behind Andrew, "normally, it would
open a gateway to the Toonity.  But, since I only gave it half power.."
        Andrew felt Alex's hand grip the back of his coat, just below the
neck, and his other arm wrap around his waist.
        "..you will not survive to reach it."
        "What the..." began Andrew, before breaking into a scream.  He was
quickly silenced as Alex shoved him forward into the portal.  His scream
echoed out into the sectra universe, and slowly ebbed back towards Alex
and began to emerge from the portal.
        "Thank you, Doctor," said Alex, picking up the small test tube,
"for showing me where this was."  The scream of Doctor Johnson echoed
loudly from the portal now, and he could hear the rushed footsteps of the
General and several guards as they ran towards the room.  He knew he only
had a second or two before the portal closed, so he boosted the power to
the device and dived into the portal, his concern at leaving the
technology to traverse the sectra universe behind far outweighed by the
elation at obtaining the substance he required.  However, as he dived, a
small red crystal fell from the small box he was carrying and dropped to
the floor.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Alex Trenton flew through the sectra universe at a breakneck
speed, passing the scream of Doctor Johnson as it echoed slowly through
the universe.  Slowly, as he neared the Toonity again, he began to revert
to his original form:  that of Alez Rat.  He spread his arms wide and let
himself fall through the portal to his homeworld.
        He landed heavily on the floor and got slowly to his feet.  The
sealed test tube had survived the fall, fortunately.  Putting the test
tube on the desk before him, he reached into the small box and frowned.
"Two crystals?  There were three here before, when I-"
        His thoughts were cut off as the door swung open suddenly.  Bugs
walked into the lab, chewing a carrot.  "Ehh, what's up, doc?"
        "Bugs!" said Alez, quickly sliding his gloves back on.  The
crystals dropped from his hand and fell to the table.
        "Hey, what're dese?" said Bugs, picking one up.
        "MINE!" screamed Alez, grabbing it back.
        "Yeesh, sorry.  What's wid da temper, anyways?  You've been locked
up in dis lab fer weeks, and dere's been weird green lights comin' from
here for a month at least.  What'cha doin' in here?"
        "Nothing!  Now go away!" said Alez, shoving Bugs away.
        "Yeesh!  OK, seeya round, Alez." said Bugs, frowning.  He left,
slamming the lab door behind him.  As he stepped away from the door, Bugs
looked down at the crystal he had discreetly palmed and stolen.
        Alez turned back to his work.  He opened the seal on the test tube
and poured the black powder on the desk.  He carried the red crystal over
towards the rapidly closing portal.  Without the protection the lead box
it was previously carried in provided, the hard red crystal began to
crack.  Quickly, it snapped in two, and a blue, jellylike substance oozed
out of the red shell into his hand.
        Grasping the substance, Alez headed back over to his desk and
dropped it into the black powder.  The powder began to combine with the
jelly, and slowly the jelly turned black and began to expand.  Alez
stepped back just in time, as the jelly suddenly expanded out explosively,
until a large black blob covered the entire desk.  Alez stared at it in
wonder.  He cried out in elation and thrust his hands into the air.
        "I've done it!  My means of revenge!  My creation!  My ...
Creation!"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        General Whitfield approached the small green portal that hovered
in the air above the desk.  No sign of either Doctor Johnson or Mister
Trenton was to be seen.  The General's eyes were distracted from the
portal by a small red crystal, sitting on the floor by the portal and
glinting up at him.  He picked it up, but it cracked in two, and a blue
jelly oozed out onto his hand.
        "What the.. AARGH!" he cried, as the jelly started to burn into
his hand.  He turned and flung the jelly from his hand, sending it flying
across the room.  He cradled his hand to his chest, and the portal behind
him disappeared.
        He picked up the small device below the portal with his other
hand and thrust it to one of the guards.
        "Get this thing to research, now."
        "Yes, sir," the guard replied, gruffly.
        The General walked slowly towards the corner where he had thrown
the jelly.  He peered next to a filing cabinet, and gasped as he saw that
it had landed on the rack of test tubes containing the results of Doctor
Johnson's experiments.  He felt a wave of anxiety as he realized that one
of the test tubes was gone, and another as he realized that the jelly was
eating through the test tubes and starting to leak down into them.
        He stepped towards them, but was blown backwards by the explosive
expansion as the jelly combined with the powder.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Bugs doubled over in pain.    
        "Bugs!" shouted Buster, grabbing his shoulder, "Are you OK?"
        "Yeah," replied Bugs, "it's dat Creation insida me.  I neva woulda
guessed dat dey were so dangerous when Alez first showed 'em ta me."
        "Wait.." said Buster, "Alez didn't show you the Creation.  It
tried to kill you, remember?"
        "No, dat ain't what happened."
        "Huh?"
        "Alez made da Creation, and den he showed it ta me, cause I walked
inta his lab when he was messin' wid it."
        "No!  That isn't what happened!  The Creation was made in Reality!
By Dr. Johnson!"
        "Doc Johnson?  He didn't make da Creation, Alez did."
        "But .. but that isn't what happened.."
        Buster was grabbed away by Babs, who pulled him away from the
others in the lab.  "Buster, I think I know what's happening."
        "What?"
        "I think, when we travelled back and did what we did to Alez, it
changed history for everyone else.  We still remember the original because
we never lived this timeline, but for everyone else, this timeline is the
only one that ever existed."
        "So that means.."
        "That everything is the same in this timeline, but it all happened
under different circumstances."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Alez thrust his fist into another building, making it crumble like
a house of cards.  The dust cloud cleared, slowly, and Alez stopped to
think.  His mind was somewhat clouded, as the effort of holding the
triangular network of portals between the universes was taking its toll.
        Looking around, Alez saw that, despite laying waste to at least a
quarter of the city, that he had a very long way to go.  He realized that
he was not going to be able to complete the task by himself.
        "I need help," he thought.  "I need my Creations."
        He thrust his working hand up into the air and concentrated,
causing a small sectra portal to open before him.
        Many years ago, the accursed, nameless blue rabbit had banished
his original Creation, a combination of the first Creation that Alez had
made and the Creations that was accidentally made in Reality by General
Whitfield, to the sectra universe.  He remembered the blue rabbit, in the
body of his old friend Bugs, trying to stop him from falling into a
crevasse filled with lava.  But the rabbit had pushed the Creation into
the lava, and it was being destroyed.  The rabbit was intending to trick
him, gain his trust by saving him from the lava, and in doing so destroy
the Creation and weaken him by seperating him from it.  He had realized
this, and decided that the best way to escape the trap would be to let
himself fall into the Creation and open a portal to get them both out of
there.
        This plan worked, albeit with one major side effect: it left him
and the Creation stranded in the sectra universe, with no way to get out.
And, no sufficient incursion into the sectra universe was to occur again
for a very, very, very long time.  And when it did, it wasn't enough.
        Alez had used the time between his entrapment and the next
incursion to clone his Creation into an entire army of thousands.  When
the first incursion arrived, shortly after Alez was trapped, it was
insufficiently powered with energy to allow Alez to escape.  He was able,
however, to store this energy and use it to extract revenge on Bugs by
pulling him into the sectra universe.
        The next penetration of the sectra barrier was made by a human, a
human named Marvin Jones.  This was an incursion of a massive scale,
bigger than Alez had ever seen before. Alez bided his time, and waited
patiently before breaking out.
        Now, as he stood on the burning streets of Reality, he realized
that he was going to have to bring his Creations back to Reality with him.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Red lights started flashing and sirens blared loudly, shattering
the bleak silence that had blanketed the group.
        "What is THAT?" shouted Buster, over the noise of the sirens.
        "It's the scanner alarm," replied Marvin, shouting.  "It's set to
go off if the activity to the sectra universe exceeds the safe levels we
discovered."
        "What does that mean?" shouted Bo.
        "It means we're in trouble." replied Marvin.  He pressed a button
on the terminal in front of him, and the large thermographic image
flickered into life on the large screen.  Where once the screen had been
dominated by green with a small red hotspot in the center, now, the entire
area was bright red.
        "Good God," said Marvin.
        Babs stepped forward.  "What does this mean?"
        Marvin stopped pressing buttons and leaned up from his terminal.
He stopped moving, stopped blinking, stopped breathing.  The red light of
the screen flickered in his eyes, which were wide.
        "It means it's collapsing." he said hoarsely, his voice dry with
fear, "The universes are merging."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Adam Bennett groaned as he awoke.  He sat up as much as he could,
and looked around.  Water sprayed from a damaged fire hydrant and arced
through the air, falling down to the cracked concrete below.  Most of the
buildings around were little more than rubble, littered with bits of
office furniture and unconscious people.  Smoke poured up from the wrecks
of several crashed or crushed cars, and a few burglar alarms blared in the
distance, their wails ignored.
        Adam himself was lying atop a pile of debris from what used to be
the largest bank in the city.  His ribs were sore; he'd been sent flying
across the street by the explosion of a nearby car when it was crushed.
His face was slightly burned.  Barely aware of the surroundings, he
staggered to his feet.
        His ears rang and his vision was blurry, and he barely noticed as
the ground began to shake a little.  It had been 82 years since the last
earthquake, but such thoughts didn't enter his head.  Slowly, he became
dimly aware of a green glow above him.  Looking up, dazed, he noticed that
there was a large black cloud, seeming to spark with green energy.
        Suddenly, a tremendous clap of thunder exploded from the cloud in
a deafening roar, and the sky seemed to split in half, a giant green crack
spreading out across the horizon.  Small green specks appeared all across
the sky, and he noticed that a few of them were appearing closer to ground
level.
        A formation of shuttlecraft flew over, their flanks bristling with
weaponry apparently added since the invasion had begun.  He heard laser
blasts in the distance that told him the creature was still alive.  The
rumble of the ion engines that powered the shuttle craft grew louder, and
he moved his hands over his ears.  He glanced away from the shuttlecraft
as they flew into the distance, and noticed that the number of green
specks had increased dramatically.  They were everywhere, spreading like a
disease.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Alez felt a wave of anxiety pass over him as he realized what he
had done.  The massive increase in energy required to open the portal wide
enough to allow his Creation army to come through had proven to be too
much for both him and the sectra universe itself.  It was cracking like an
eggshell.  Alez knew he was in danger because now that he had set the
process in motion, there was nothing he could do to stop it.  Briefly
weighing the options over in his mind, he decided that the best course of
action was to go back to the sectra universe and let his Creations conquer
Toonity and Reality while he tried to prevent both universes from
collapsing into each other.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Wile E. stepped forward.  "We must not panic."
        "Dat's right." agreed Bugs, rising to his feet.  "We can stop
dis."
        A technician ran into the room.  "Marvin, we've got two
intruders."
        "Intruders?  Where are they?"
        "They're, uh.." replied the technician, struggling a little.
        "They're what?"
        "They're knocking on the front door, sir."
        "What??  How do they know the location of this facility?"
        "I don't know, sir."
        "Get a video feed in here!  I want to see those intruders."
        "Yes, sir."
        The technician ran off.  A few moments later, a picture flickered
into life on one of the monitors.  Outside the hidden entrance to the
underground lab, two humans stood, knocking on the door.
        Marvin looked at the screen for a moment with surprise.  "Bring
them to me, under armed guard.  Let's find out what they want."
        "Yes, sir," said a technician, and disappeared.  A few moments
later, footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway leading to the
lab, along with a female voice.
        "Like, let GO of me!  You're invading my personal space!"
        Babs looked up suddenly upon hearing it.  "Shirley?"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Shirley struggled against the guards who were holding her while
Plucky, on the other hand, walked silently and peacefully along with them.
They rounded the corner into the lab, and Shirley was knocked free of the
guards by Babs diving at her.
        "SHIRLEY!" shouted Babs, ecstatic, "WHERE HAVE YOU *BEEN*?"
        "Who're you?" asked Shirley.
        "It's me!  Babs!"
        "BABS?" asked Shirley, her eyes growing wide, "Is that really
you?"
        "Yes!"
        "Wow!" said Shirley, hugging Babs tightly, "Like, long time no
see!"
        "I assume from this that you two know each other." said Marvin,
walking forward.
        "We sure do!  What are you doing here, Shirley?"
        "It's a long story." said Plucky, before Shirley could answer.
        "Feel free." replied Buster, smirking, "Everyone else here's told
their long story by now."
        "Well, OK.  Let's see.. it was many a year ago, now.  Many years
ago, back in the good old Looniversity days, before we all went our
seperate ways.  We'd just had a discussion in the cafeteria about a play
to raise funds for the school.  You and Babs rushed off in your usual
enthusiasm, whilst Shirley and I decided to sit outside for a while."
        "Go on," said Buster, remarking to himself how much Plucky had
changed.
        "We retired upon a park bench, by a tall tree.  We began eating;
it was a nice day for it.  But suddenly, there was a flash of a very
bright light, and a much older Buster Bunny appeared before us.  He told
us a bold story, a story of universes dying and the fate of everything
depending on Shirley's talents.  He gave us a note,"
        "This note." interrupted Shirley, holding up a piece of paper.
        "Yes, that note.  It contained precise instructions for what we
were to do and where we were to go, and when we were to do it.  You see,
as Buster explained to us all those years ago, we have arrived here just
before Babs here is due to have the idea of sending Buster back in time to
recruit Shirley's assistance in returning Bugs to his own body to destroy
Alez."
        "But I never thought of that!"
        Plucky grinned.  "Like I said, just before."
        "Can I have the note?" asked Buster.
        "I don't, like, see why not," said Shirley, and handed it over.
        "How did ya know how ta get here?" asked Bugs.
        "As I said, Buster gave us very precise instructions.  And after
the manner in which he arrived, neither of us were ready to disbelieve him."
        Bo scratched his head.  "Time travel's a funny thing."
        Buster read over the note, and smiled.  "Couldn't have written it
better myself."
        "Ahh, that's where you're wrong, Buster.  You DID write it." replied
Plucky.
        Buster laughed, "Guess so."
        "Well, let's put this plan into action, then!" said Babs, getting to
her feet.
        "Yeah," agreed Bugs, "once I'm back in my own body I'll be in 
much better shape ta take on Alez."
        "OK.  Let's go, then!" said Buster, picking up the note andadjusting
his belt.  "1994, here I come!"  He pressed the button on his belt and
vanished into a small sectra portal on the floor.
        Babs walked over to Shirley and Plucky, and turned to Bo.  "You
coming with us, kiddo?"
        "Sure.  It'll be great to finally have Tish back."
        The group turned and started towards the viewing cavity and the
large sectra portal.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        A large portal opened in an open field near Acme Looniversity, and
Babs, Bugs, Bo, Shirley, and Plucky all dropped out of it.  Shirley looked
older, more mature.  She wore a pink shirt as she always had, but it was
accompanied by a blue skirt that came halfway down her legs.  Plucky,
however, wore just a white shirt, as he always had.
        "C'mon," said Babs, "let's get this done."
        "We need my old body." replied Bugs.
        Babs grinned, a glint of mischief in her eye.  "I can drive us
there."
        "I fear this is a bad omen," replied Plucky.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        A stolen jeep screeched to a halt next to Buster's car.  Several
toons emerged, green faced.
        "I see you've been practicing your driving all these years,
Babsie." said Plucky.
        Babs just grinned.
        "Wait.  Before we get me outta dis body we gotta get rid 'a da
Creation inside here wid me."
        "I can, like, do that."
        "Okay."
        The others stepped back, and Shirley stepped forward towards Bugs.
She knelt down on one knee, bringing her face level with Bugs'.
        "This won't hurt a bit."
        "I know," replied Bugs, "I been tru dis before."
        Shirley smiled and placed a hand on his forehead.  "Close your
eyes.  I need to make contact with your soul, or some junk."
        Bugs complied.
        Shirley ignited her hands with a warm, yellow glow that spread
around Bugs' head.  She probed deep into his mind and his soul, until she
came across the dark, cold void that was the Creation.  She reached into
his mind and clasped her hands around it, seperating it from Bugs on one
side, Tish on the other.  She yanked it out, and opened her eyes.  The
Creation appeared before her in a yellow glow.
        She gasped, and picked up Bugs' body.  She passed it to Babs.
"Get him to his own, like, body!  I'll distract this thing!"
        Plucky hesitated, wanting to stay with her.
        "GO!" she screamed.
        Plucky turned and ran with the others.  The Creation began to
chase after them, but Shirley grabbed its attention by firing a blast of
energy into it.  It turned and approached her.
        Briefly pondering the wisdom of what she just did, she turned tail
and ran for her life, the Creation in pursuit.  She sprinted for a while,
then paused as her anger overcame her.  She turned back and faced the
Creation.
        "You're not.." she said, pausing to thrust her hands up into the
air.  "..going to.."  Suddenly her whole body ignited in energy and she
grew to twenty times her normal size, taller than the Creation.
"..destroy *my* home, you monster."
        Her body expanded rapidly, tendrils of energy flowing around her
like snakes, her eyes alight with a fire unlike any she had felt before.
The Creation advanced, without stopping or even slowing.  Shirley rushed
at it, and grabbed it with both of her hands.  Sparks flew everywhere, and
the Creation was again surrounded with a yellow glow.  Shirley screamed in
pain as the energy was drained from her, and the Creation began to vibrate
as it was attacked by Shirley's aura.
        Plucky looked out from the tomb, where he and the others were
waiting.  "Shirley.. my Shirley, what are you doing?  Have you gone mad?"
        Shirley took a step forward as she realized that she was winning,
she was pushing the Creation back.  She contained her elation, though; to
turn it loose inside her would be disasterous to her concentration.
        Babs put an arm on Plucky's shoulder.  "You seem to be pretty
close to Shirley.. I guess you two got your problems sorted out, huh?"
        Plucky held up his hand, showing a wedding ring.  "We've been
married for ten years now."
        Shirley thrust her hand deep into the Creation and sent energy
spiralling out from it, penetrating into the centre of it.  She cried out
in pain as it retaliated by beginning to invade her soul.
        "You're married?" asked Babs, somewhat shocked.
        "Yes," said Plucky, gazing down at the ring, "I love her more
than anything in this world."
        Shirley sent a fiery bolt of energy sparking into the Creation.
        "That's wonderful," said Babs.
        The Creation reached a tendril into Shirley's mind and began
trying to take over, seeping in and filling her soul with pure evil.
        Plucky looked down at the ground.  "Thanks."
        Shirley screamed in pain and pulled her concentration together
enough to send a final, devastating charge of energy into the Creation.
The Creation exploded suddenly, blasting the giant Shirley back through
the air.  She landed heavily, crushing a few trees, and shrunk back to her
normal size.
        A tiny Creation fell to the ground from what used to be the centre
of the large one.  It slithered along the ground and disappeared into a
sectra portal.
        Plucky heard the crash of Shirley's landing, and rushed outside,
followed by Babs.
        "There!" he shouted, pointing, "There she is!"
        They ran over and picked her semi-conscious form up.
        "Shirley? Are you alright?" said Plucky, shaking her, "Please say
you're alright.."
        Shirley stirred and opened her eyes, "Yeah, I'm, like, OK, but
what a headache.."
        Plucky lifted her into his arms and carried her away from where
she had fallen, to the relatively safe environment of the tomb.  Babs
followed them, watching the couple admiringly, wishing deep inside that
she and Buster were as close as Plucky and Shirley.
        Plucky carried her into the tomb and placed her gently on the floor.
        "She OK?" asked Bugs.
        "I'll be, like, fine.  Now, we gotta get you back into your own
body, or some junk."
        "No way, Shirley," said Plucky, "you're obviously exhausted.  You
need time to rest."
        "We don't, like, HAVE any time, Plucky."
        "She's right," said Bo.  "Marvin said the universes are merging.
Time is the one thing we don't have."
        Plucky sighed.  "Alright, alright.  But this is under protest."
        Shirley got slowly to her feet, and hugged Plucky.  "I knew you'd
understand."
        Plucky hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek.  "Please becareful."
        "You, like, know I will, Plucky.  I'll see you soon.  I love you!"
        "I love you too, Shirley," replied Plucky, looking solemn.
        Bugs stepped towards the giant bubble holding his body.  "Now,
lemme see if I can remember how to.." he said, fidgeting around the bottom
of it.  ".. open it."  It opened with a hiss.
        "How'd you know how to do that?" asked Babs.
        "Simple.  I watched when they built it."
        "Oh."
        Shirley stood next to the pedestal on which Bugs' body rested, and
Bugs stood next to her.  She placed a hand on the body's forehead, and on
his.
        "I'll need silence for this."
        "You got it." replied Babs.
        "Good."
        Shirley closed her eyes and began chanting an incantation, slowly
drifting further and further away from Toonity.  She felt herself growing
weak and knew that she had to hurry.  She found Bugs' and Tish's bodies in
the astral plane she was navigating, and searched both of them.  Bugs' body
was, unsurprisingly, empty.  Tish's was, of course, filled with both Bugs
and Tish.  Unfortunately, there was a long distance between the two in the
astral plane, and that meant that Shirley was going to have to carry Bugs
back to his body.
        She kneeled down over Tish's unmoving body and thrust her hands into
it, pulling out a faint image of Bugs, its eyes closed, its limbs unmoving.
She sighed to herself and hoisted it up onto her back, and began the long
trek to Bugs' body.
        After what seemed like an eternity, she saw Bugs' body on the
horizon.  She sped up her walk, her flagging hope renewed by the sight.
Unfortunately, she had overestimated her strength, and dropped to her knees
as her body and aura began to run out of energy.
        Plucky gulped as he saw Shirley's body jolt between Bugs and Tish,
and grasped Babs' hand tightly.
        Babs held Plucky's hand warmly.  "She's gonna be all right,
Plucky."
        "I hope so.. "
        Shirley gasped for breath in the astral plane but it suddenly seemed
that the universe was devoid of air, and she could not suck in oxygen to
soothe her burning lungs.  She gasped and choked, and crawled slowly towards
Bugs' body, knowing that she could not drop him or he would be lost in the
astral plane forever.  She came to a halt a couple of feet away from Bugs'
body and stared at it, unable to move any further.
        Many years ago, while studying the astral plane, she had
discovered that all lifeforms have a mechanism contained within
themselves.  A basic survival mechanism, built deep into the subconscious
of all living beings, demanding that above all else the body retain enough
energy to sustain the most basic processes necessary to life.
        She realized that if she couldn't make it to Bugs' body, she
certainly would not have the strength to leave the astral plane.  She knew
what she had to do to survive.  She reached deep, deep inside herself and
deactivated her most basic survival instincts.
        Plucky jumped again as Shirley's body began to glow brightly, and
she seemed to stop breathing.
        "SHIRLEY!" he cried, the anguish in his voice almost tangible.
        Shirley felt herself grow stronger as the energy flowed from her
body into her aura, and got to her feet.  She took a few more steps and
found herself standing over Bugs' body.  She pulled Bugs' aura down from
her back and laid it down on top of the body.  Bending down, she began to
fuse the two together.
        Bo blinked a little as he saw Bugs' body start to glow.
"Something's happening!"
        Shirley felt herself gasping for air again and quickly finished
fusing Bugs' aura to his body.  She got to her feet again, and gasped for
breath once more.  She knew she was on the verge of running out of energy,
and looked frantically around for the gateway back to Toonity.  Suddenly,
she saw it; a few feet off in the distance, and rapidly closing.  Her eyes
widened and she began to run towards it, not caring whether she breathed
or not, just needing to get to the gateway before it closed.  She ran, her
heart pounding, as the gateway entered the final stages of closing.
Thrusting her arm out towards it, she realized that she could not make it
in time.  In desperation, she dove toward it and grasped desperately.  A
look of defeat glazed over her face as the gateway shrunk into nothing
before her eyes.  She flew through the air and landed heavily, skidding
for a short distance before stopping.  Panting and gasping for breath, she
got to her feet.  She whirled around and looked; Bugs and Tish's bodies
were gone.  They'd made it safely back.  She looked around for another
gateway, another way home.  Nothing.  She clutched her chest as her heart
started to burn, sending searing agony throughout her.  She dropped to her
knees, sucking desperately for cool air to ease the pain.
        She looked down at herself and noticed that she was flickering in
and out of existance.  A couple of globules of energy emerged from her feet
and spiralled around her like ribbons before flying off into the distant
parts of the plane.  She cried out as they took energy from her, energy
she desperately needed.  She was losing cohesion, and was falling apart.
Two more globules appeared on her legs, then another two, then another
two, all spiralling around her body and flying from her fingertips out to
eternity.  The number of them increased and she felt herself dying as her
aura scattered itself, lacking the energy to hold itself together.  Soon
her whole body was covered with them, spiralling from her and leaving her
rapidly fading aura.  She flickered again and clutched her chest.  She
screamed out in desperation, but to no avail.  Her scream was cut off as
the last of her energy disappeared from her and she faded away.
        Shirley's hands snapped free of Bugs' and Tish's foreheads and
her eyes snapped open, staring directly at Plucky.
        "SHIRLEY!!!" cried Plucky, "You're OK!"
        Plucky looked into her eyes and realized that something was
terribly wrong.  Her eyes were vacant as they stared at him, and slowly
defocused and glazed over.  Plucky realized that she wasn't looking at him
at all, merely staring blindly ahead.  He felt his heart stop as he
stared, slack-jawed, at her.  Her eyes slowly closed, her hands released
their grip on Bugs and Tish's foreheads, and she crumpled backwards to the
floor.
        "NO!" cried Plucky, diving towards her.  "NO!"
        He skidded to a stop by her motionless body and took it into his
arms.  "Shirley?  Please .. please, oh, God, please be alright.." he
sobbed.
        Babs stepped slowly towards them and knelt down on Shirley's other
side.  She reached down and raised one of Shirley's hands up, pressing her
finger against her wrist to feel for a pulse.  None.
        "Plucky.. she's.. she's dead."
        "NO!!" cried Plucky, sobbing uncontrollably, "She can't be!  I love
her!  I LOVE HER!  She can't be dead!  She CAN'T BE DEAD!"
        Plucky then dove at Shirley's body, franticaly trying to revive
it, trying to breathe life into her, but nothing happened.
        Bugs and Tish awoke slowly.  Bo stepped forward and took Tish
into his arms.  Tish started crying.  "She's dead, Bo.  I saw it all."
        "She's not dead yet, Tish honey.  She might survive."
        Tish shook her head, tears marking her fur.  "She won't.  I saw..
I saw her in my mind.  Her aura .. it didn't make it back.  It.. it was
terrible ... she died there ... she just fell apart."
        Babs bit her lower lip to try and hold back the tears, but she
couldn't.  She leaned forward and hugged Plucky, pulling him from
Shirley's lifeless body. "I'm sorry, Plucky, I'm sorry.."
        Plucky wrapped his arms around her and sobbed uncontrollably on
her shoulder, his tears dripping down her back and running down to the
floor.  Babs' tears ran down his back, also, as she gave up on holding them
back.
        Bugs got to his feet and stood away from them, surveying the scene
from a distance, saying nothing, thinking nothing.
        Outside, a loud clap of thunder shook the very ground, and a heavy
rainstorm appeared, thrashing the ground with rain.
        Plucky shuddered once more, then knelt again beside his wife.
Tears fell from his eyes, soaking her feathers.  Babs put a hand on his
shoulder.  He smacked it away with his hand and glared up at her, venom in
his eyes, closed to thin slits.  "Leave me with her."
        "But, Plucky, I-"
        "Leave!"
        Babs looked at him and realized it was for the best.  She got to
her feet and backed away from him slowly, tears in her eyes.  She reached
the group of bunnies and turned to face them, solemnly.  The group just
watched Plucky, who was crouched over Shirley's lifeless body.
        Bugs clenched his hand into a fist.  "Dat's da last life dat Alez
is gonna take.  He should neva have had da chance to kill her.  I shoulda
killed him years ago.  Now's da time to put dat right."
        He turned and stormed out of the tomb, saying nothing more.  The
others watched in silence, not knowing what to say.  Tish eventually
stepped towards Plucky.
        "Come on, we have to get out of here.. it's not safe here anymore."
        Plucky looked up at her, his expression as lifeless as Shirley's.
        "Leave me here.  I died with her."
        "We can't-"
        "LEAVE ME HERE!"
        "I, uh.." said Tish, looking behind her at the others.  Bo nodded
sadly.  "I'm sorry, Plucky.."
        "Go."
        Tish turned slowly and joined the others.  They walked slowly from
the tomb and out into the rain, leaving Plucky on his knees, cradling
Shirley's head in his hands.  He took his wedding ring from his finger and
placed it gently on her chest. 

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Bugs emerged from his tomb, clenching his fists in anger.  He
stepped out into the rain, barely noticing it.  As his fur was matted down
by the water, he reached into a body pocket and pulled out a small wallet.
He opened it and gazed inside at it.  It was empty of money.  The only
things inside it was a pair of photographs.  He reached in and pulled one
out, brushing away the first few drops of rain to fall on it.
        He lifted it to his face and stared at it.  Despite all of his
time in the sectra universe, the memories in his mind were still as fresh
as the instant they had been created.  The photo took him back to the
instant it was created.
        A sunny day at Acme Looniversity.  He had just concluded an
athletics afternoon for the students, and was talking with a few of them
after the event.  Somebody had shown up with a camera, and they had lined
up for a pose; Plucky and Hamton on one knee each at the front of the
group, Babs between them, Shirley and Fifi standing behind Plucky and
Hamton, and Buster standing behind Babs, his hands on her shoulders.  And
there, behind Buster, Bugs saw himself standing, his hands on Buster's
shoulders, the pride and joy in his mind showing through the smile on his
face and the happiness in his eyes.  That moment had ended with the flash
of the camera.
        Bugs crumpled up the photo.  No more.  He wiped a tear from
his eye and threw the photo to the ground.  He released his memories
as he released the photo.
        Taking a deep breath, and with some trepidation, he pulled the
second photo out, and gazed at it.
        A warm evening, the sun nothing more than a half-melted orange
shape sinking slowly into the horizon.  His red '59 Cadillac was parked
behind a nearby tree, warmth still radiating from the engine.  A gentle
breeze drifted through the tall grass behind him, causing the nearby
leaves to rustle gently.  He felt a cold breeze blow over him and turned a
little to hug her again, just as he had done in the photo.  She placed her
hand on his chest and he kissed her forehead softly.  She was soft, she
was loving, she was caring, she was furred in the most beautiful creamy
shade of white he had ever seen.  She was beautiful.  She was..
        Bugs swallowed hard when the memory completed itself.  She was
dead.  He reeled as the pain of losing her hit him over again, and this
pain was doubled by the fact that he hadn't seen her in so long that he'd
forgotten her love, he'd forgotten her beauty, he'd even forgotten her
name.  He gazed down at the photo of himself and her, laying back on a
blanket in the long grass.  Shortly after that photo had been taken, he
had proposed to her.
        Crumpling it up, he dropped it next to the other photo and stood
again.  "I'm sorry."
        He gazed longingly at the crumpled photos for a few moments before
turning away from them, tears in his eyes.  Anger welled up inside him,
filling him like boiling water.  He clenched his hands into fists and
walked away from his memories, towards a nearby sectra portal.  As he drew
near he slowly raised an arm towards it and extended his hand.  He drew
close to it and stopped as his hand was a fraction of an inch away.
Gulping a little, he began to step forward, but stopped as he heard a
voice.  A female voice.
        "Bugs."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Bugs stared at the portal, his eyes widening as he recognized the
voice coming from behind him.  He drew his hand slowly back to his chest
and swallowed hard as he turned, closing his eyes in case he was wrong.
        "Felicia?" he whispered, the memory of her name returning to him
suddenly.
        "Yes, my Bugs."
        He almost choked as he heard her voice again, and opened his eyes
again, with great difficulty.  He stopped breathing as he saw her standing
before him, his mouth wide with shock.
        Before him stood Felicia, the one true love of his life, the woman
he was to marry.  She was surrounded by a bright white glow, her body
seeming faint, and shimmering in the bright glow.  The rain fell all
around, soaking all but her.  Her body radiated warmth, her creamy fur
seeming to heat the air around her.
        Bugs gasped for breath.  "But.. but.." he choked, "but you're dead!"
        She placed her warm hand on his dripping wet cheek, stroking the
wet fur gently.  "Yes, my Bugs, I am dead.  I have been sent to help you
in your darkest hour, as I was before."
        "B..before?" stammered Bugs, still trying to catch his breath.
        "Yes," replied Felicia, "I was sent to help you the last time you
were near death.  You had no soul; the one you call Alez had stolen your
most valuable posession from you.  I'm not surprised you don't remember."
        Bugs stammered, unable to talk, trying to catch his breath.
        "I would have intervened earlier, but I was forbidden from
journeying here until it was absolutely necessary.  I must try to put
right what is happening, and that is why I am here.  I must guide you on
the right path, and set history back the way it is supposed to be."
        "I..I.."
        "Don't talk, my love." whispered Felicia, raising her hand to
Bugs' eyes, "Let me show you the past so you may see what damage has been
done."
        She pressed her hand to his eyes, and the warm glow encompassing
her spread to Bugs, enveloping him as they vanished.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "This is the final call for flight 519 to Acme Acres.  The flight
is departing now from Terminal B.  Please report to Terminal B now."
        The words rang in Bugs' ears as the bright light began to fade
from his vision.  As his sight was restored to him he looked around,
seeing Felicia standing next to him in a busy airport terminal.  Things
seemed to be happening in slow motion around them, but both he and Felicia
seemed to be at their normal speed.  He glanced down at himself and noted
with a little surprise that he was, like Felicia, semi-transparent, and
nobody around seemed to be paying them any attention.
        "Welcome to the past." intoned Felicia, confirming his 
suspiscions.  "This is the first part of History that Alez changed.  This
is 1977."
        "1977?  That's.."
        "Yes, my love.  The year I died."
        Bugs blinked, and stood silent for a moment, a tear forming in his
eye.
        "You must be strong to see this." whispered Felicia, patting his
shoulder.  "You need to learn."
        Bugs blinked away the tear and nodded solemnly.  "I understand."
        "Now, watch closely, here I come."
        Bugs turned a little and saw the Felicia of 1977 walking quickly
towards the terminal at which he was standing.  She was wheeling a trolley
laden with varying small baggage.  As she stopped in front of the
terminal, Bugs noticed a small bundle in the basket by the handle of the
trolley.
        "The flight hasn't left yet, has it?" asked Felicia, looking
concerned.
        "No, ma'am," replied the attendant, calmly, "the flight doesn't
leave for another ten minutes or so."
        "Ahh, wonderful.  Here's my ticket." stated Felicia, handing the
ticket over.
        "That's fine, ma'am, flight 519 to Acme Acres, seat C6.  Just head
down here to the plane, and a flight attendant will help you to your
seat."
        "Thank you very much." smiled Felicia, before walking away.
        "Doesn't seem to be anything wrong here.." remarked Bugs, scratching
his chin thoughtfully.
        "You think not?" replied Felicia, watching herself board the
plane.  "Wait and see, love.  Come on."
        She walked down towards the plane, and Bugs ran to catch up.
        "What did Alez do?"
        "He changed the flight number, Bugs." she sighed, "I was supposed
to be on flight 622 to Acme Acres, but he changed History and put me on
this flight."
        Bugs stopped walking, dumbfounded.  "Alez did WHAT?"
        "Come, Bugs.  Getting angry will do nothing."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Felicia walked slowly down the aisle, towards her seat.  People
shuffled past her in the aisle, and jostled about in their seats.  She
cradled the small bundle to her chest, and finally came to her seat.
Letting out a small sigh of relief, she collapsed into her seat.  The
small bundle in her hands began to move, and the sound of crying emerged
from it.
        She pulled back the towel covering the front part of the bundle,
to reveal a small, blue face below.  "Shh, Buster, stop crying, honey.
We'll be home soon, I promise."
        Buster looked up at his mother, crying his eyes out, not 
understanding all of her words but knowing from her tone of voice that
things were going to be OK.
        "There's nothing to worry about, honey, it's just a plane."
        Buster kept on crying, but started to quiet a little, and looked
out at the cabin around him with infantile eyes too big for his face.  A
flight attendant walked past, and noticed Buster crying.
        "Is everything alright?" he enquired.
        "Yes, everything's OK," replied Felicia, "but my son here doesn't
much like planes, that's all."
        "Would you like me to give him a quick tour of the cockpit?"
        "Are you allowed to do that?  I thought the plane was about to
take off."
        "Oh, it's just fine.  Lots of kids find themselves so interested
in the cockpit that they forget about disliking flying, you know?"
        "Yeah, I can understand that.  Well, if it's OK, then sure, that'd
be great.  Anything to cheer the poor dear up.  He's had a stressful fewdays
with his grandparents."
        "Ahh," smiled the attendant, "I can understand that.  Can the
little tyke walk yet?"
        "Yes, he certainly can!" smiled Felicia, looking proudly down at
her son, "He's very good at it, too."
        She reached into the towel, plucked Buster out, and set him down
on the ground, clad in a little red shirt and diapers.  He wobbled a
little at first, the motions of the plane not helping, but eventually
found his balance and looked up at his mother and the flight attendant,
proud of his achievement.
        The flight attendant smiled warmly down at the little rabbit.  "Hi
there, kiddo.  My name's Michael, but everybody calls me Mike.  Wanna look
around the plane, huh?"
        "Oo.. suwe Mike!" replied Buster, beaming.
        Mike smiled again and offered his hand down to Buster, who placed
his own small hand inside it.  Mike looked up and smiled to Felicia. 
"I'll have him back here in a minute or two."
        "Thank you, thanks a lot." replied Felicia appreciatively.
        Mike just nodded, and smiled.  "Let's go, kiddo."
        Buster giggled and walked along next to Mike, heading towards the
cockpit.  He watched with interest as Mike introduced him to the pilot and
copilot, and showed him all the complicated mechanisms and flashing lights
and buttons of the cockpit.  He listened, half-interested, as Mike pointed
through the window and detailed cloud formations.  He was nearly dozing
off as Mike showed him the book of emergency procedures.
        As Mike reached up for yet another thick book and began leafing
through it, commentating with a tedious monologue, Buster crawled away
unnoticed and pushed his way through the trash flap in the cockpit,
falling through to land in the trash can, atop a pile of papers and fast
food wrapping.  He curled up on the warm pile, and drifted off to sleep.
        "And this is a schematic of the interior fuselage," continued
Mike, completely engrossed and oblivious to Buster's departure, "which you
will see is a strongly reinforced structure capable of taking strains
of--"
        "What the heck?" exclaimed the copilot, cutting off Mike's droning.
        "Huh?" asked Mike, blinking.  He looked down at the copilot, who
was tapping away at the controls.
        "The fire light on engine two is lit here.. we can't have a fire.
It's probably malfunctioning."
        "Yeah, that damn light always flashes," grumbled the pilot.  "Just
ignore it."
        Mike smirked, and made a little squiggle on the plane schematic,
"Complete with malfunctioning lights."
        "Hey, John," said the copilot after a while, "I'm having a little
difficulty holding her steady here."
        "Why, what's the problem?" asked the pilot.
        "I dunno, it's just not responding properly."
        "Hm.  It's probably nothing to worry--"
        He was cut off as a loud BANG drowned out his voice momentarily.
        "Uh, John.. I don't think that light was malfunctioning."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "I'm standing a dozen or so feet from the field where flight 519
to Acme Acres crashed just over an hour ago.  Initial reports seem to
indicate that one of the engines exploded, causing the plane to tumble out
of control, into this field.  Behind me rescue workers are sifting through
the burning wreckage for signs of life, although the hopes look slim for
the passengers and crew.  We will be updating this story later tonight, at
10pm.  This is Sean Westcott reporting for Acme Acres news."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "Over here!" cried one of the searchers, waving his hands in the
air, "I think I've found one!"
        A few others ran over and pushed aside the surrounding rubble,
revealing a small metal box-like shape laying in the scorched grass.
Inside, was a small blue ball of fluff, a towel wrapped around it.  The
searcher reached in and plucked it out, revealing it to be a small, baby
blue bunny, unconscious, but breathing.
        At the same time, another group of workers pulled away a burned
chair to reveal Felicia, slumped back in her chair.  One of the workers
reached down to check her vital signs.
        "No," he said, shaking his head.  "No pulse, no breathing.  This
one's gone too."
        "Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!" cried Bugs, dropping to his knees
behind the rescue worker.  Resting his head in his hands, he sobbed
loudly, the rest of the universe completely oblivious to his presence and
his pain.
        The rescue worker folded her scorched arms across her stomach, and
then picked her up by the shoulders and knees.  He rose to his feet,
looking down at her, his eyes moist.  He shook his head sadly as he looked
around at the remains of the plane and stepped away, carrying Felicia from
the wreckage.  As he stumbled over a fragment of the hull, Felicia's arm
fell from her stomach and dangled down.  As it swung, her golden
engagement ring slipped from her finger and fell down slowly towards the
ground.  Bugs stared at the glistening ring as it fell from her hand to
the muddy earth below.  Tears from his eyes joined the ring upon the
ground as it landed near him.
        "Bugs," whispered Felicia, placing her hand on his shoulder, "now
you know what Alez can do.  You have a battle ahead of you, my love, and
you have to be strong.  Alez has laid down the gauntlet for you, by
changing History.  History is never set in stone, and everything you do
leaves your legacy engraved into it.  But this is the past, Bugs."  She
swept her arm, showing the plane wreckage.  "You have to fight to stop
Alez from making it the future.  This past is the night behind us.  We're
in the hours between night and day, Bugs, and you have got to destroy the
past to stop Alez from making the day even darker than the night passed."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster arrived back in the present safely, and walked back into
the lab where Marvin was waiting for him.
        "Ah, Buster, there you are," said Marvin, relieved, "I've made
some discoveries whilst you were gone."
        "Oh?"
        "The sectra portals all have a form of energy seeping from them
that we didn't notice before."  He pulled the red crystal from behind his
back.  "The strange thing is that the energy eminating from the portals is
exactly the same as the energy eminating from this."
        "What does that mean?" asked Buster, growing anxious.
        "I don't know.  The energy coming from the crystal is very weak
compared to that coming from the portals.  We ran every diagnostic test we
have on this crystal, and we've concluded that the crystal itself is only
a shell around the interior, which seems to contain a soft, jellylike
substance.  This substance is the source of the energy."
        Buster took the crystal and looked at it closely.
        "I think that crystal is the key to this thing." said Marvin.
        "I guessed as much from the start," remarked Buster, looking
at the crystal, "Bugs stole this thing from Alez years ago, and he had
good reason to, even if he didn't know the reason at the time."
        "Another more disturbing discovery we made is that not only are
Reality and Toonity merging together, they're both collapsing into the
sectra barrier.  We have constructed two beacons, one of which must be
placed in Reality, one in Toonity.  When activated, they will send a
charge through the sectra universe that will in essence cauterize the
rift."
        "OK, I'll take them," replied Buster, taking the two metal poles,
"but first I have to find Bugs and ask him what exactly this crystal is."
        "OK.  Take the beacons with you, and give one to somebody else to
place here in Reality.  They must both be placed simultaneously."
       
*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster fell to the ground and picked himself up, glad to once
again be a toon.  Glancing around, he saw that he was outside Bugs' tomb,
and that Babs and the others were a short way off, standing around a tree.
He approached them.
        "Guys?"
        "Hello, Buster," said Babs, solemnly.  The others merely nodded to
him.
        Buster looked around, wondering what was wrong.  "What's the
matter?"
        Babs lowered her gaze to the ground.  "Shirley is dead."
        "WHAT?"
        "She's dead, Buster.. she died getting Bugs back into his body."
        Buster was taken aback by the revelation, and took a couple of
shaky steps backwards.  "She's .. dead?  Where's Bugs?"
        "I don't know.  He's gone."
        Buster felt a rage welling up inside him like none he had ever
felt before.  "Babs, take this beacon, go to Reality, and put it into the
ground exactly ten minutes from now."
        Babs blinked, not understanding.
        "Do it.  Bo, you're coming with me.  Tish, you go with Babs." 
Buster turned and began to walk away.
        "What are you going to do?" asked Babs.
        Buster stopped and turned a little, to look back at Babs.  He
clutched the beacon in his hand and squeezed it tightly.  "I'm going to
kill Alez."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        CHAPTER FIVE - "Destiny"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "Here's the plan, Bo."
        Bo listened, glancing around occasionally at his surroundings to
make sure no other Creations were around.
        "OK," said Buster, pulling out the beacon, "we have to get this
thing here to the highest point around in eight minutes exactly.  Then, I
have to go to the sectra universe to finally destroy Alez."
        "OK.. what do you want me to do?"
        "Well," continued Buster, pulling out the red crystal, "this
crystal is heavily involved in--"
        Buster stopped as a realization came over him.  As he had pulled
the crystal out of his pocket, the entire sky had darkened with a black
cloud.  Glancing around, he could now see several Creations on the horizon,
moving towards him and Bo.  "Oh, no.  They're attracted to it."
        "What?" asked Bo, a somewhat confused look on his face.
        "Listen, quick.  I need to get this beacon to the highest point,
which is the clock tower.  This crystal seems to attract the Creations,
so what I need you to do is take this and take the longest route you can
think of to get to the clock tower, while I get there as quick as I can
to plant this beacon.  When you get to the clock tower, you give the
crystal to me.  Got it?"
        Bo took the crystal.  "Got it."
        "OK, let's go!"
        They split up and started running, Buster towards the clock tower,
Bo the other way.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Bo gasped for breath as he rounded the corner of another burning
building, dodging falling debris as he moved, the red crystal in his hand
glowing brightly.  He glanced around at the city around him.  The sky was
covered in a thick blanket of black smoke, rising upwards slowly from the
burning city below it.  Sectra portals littered the city, opening rapidly
everywhere as the barrier between Toonity and the sectra universe grew
thinner, straining under the pressure the universes were putting on it.
Creations ran amok in the city, destroying and burning all they touched.
The entire landscape was almost completely devoid of toons, with most of
them having either ran for their lives or been devoured by the Creations.
        Sweat poured from Bo's face and his muscles ached from the
running.  He charged down the street as fast as his exhausted body would
carry him, not paying attention to the road before him, using only the
clock tower of Acme Loo, in the distance, to guide him.
        He heard a rumble behind him, and turned to see a Creation looming
behind him.  "Uh oh."
        He groaned a little as he reached inside himself and found a
reserve of energy.  He burst into renewed speed as the Creation pursued
him.  His ears flapped back in the wind and he shut his mind off, letting
himself run on primal instinct only, freeing his mind to pray to God that
he had enough energy to get the crystal to Buster.
        He stumbled as he ran over the crest of a hill, but his flagging
hope was renewed by the sight of Acme Loo before him, and the small blue
shape clambering up the side of the clock tower that Bo instantly
recognized as Buster.  He looked briefly up at the sky and thanked whoever
had given him the strength to make it.
        He sprinted into the grounds and between the statues of Bugs and
Daffy.  "BUSTER!" he cried, the desperation in his voice ringing out over
the whole of Acme Acres.
        Buster looked down from the clock tower and let out a sigh of
relief as he saw that Bo had found him, and had the crystal.  "Bo!  Throw
me the crystal!"
        Bo reached his arm back and, with a scream that betrayed the pain
his body went through as the last of its energy was drained from it, threw
the crystal at a blistering speed to Buster, who caught it in his gloved
hand.
        Buster looked down at the crystal for a moment, before looking
down at Bo.  "LOOK OUT!" he cried, as he saw the Creation loom up behind
Bo.
        Bo turned and brought his hands up in front of his face in terror
as his vision was obscured completely by the blackness of the Creation as
it engulfed and crushed him.  He felt his bones cracking as the weight of
the Creation pressed upon him.  It was unlike anything he had felt before;
he had many anvils to the head before, but they didn't hurt.  The Creation
was hurting him, killing him, and he was experiencing pain.  It terrified
him.  He felt starbursts of pain in his feet and legs as he was cruelly
crushed by the hulking monster.  His mind cried out to him as his body was
mangled cruelly by the black mass of the Creation.  It rolled over his
head, cutting and crushing as it went, its attention held by the crystal
that Buster now had.
        As the Creation rolled off his body, Bo gasped at the air around
him.  His face was buried in the mud below him.  He twisted his head
around somehow to see the Creation ascending the stairs towards Acme Loo.
        He turned his body, broken and bleeding from contact with the
Creation, towards the stairs, and began to claw his way towards them, his
eyes wide with pain and terror.  Blood ran down his face, his fur torn, a
gash across his forehead oozing blood slowly down into his eyes, his legs
hanging uselessly behind him.  He dragged himself slowly to the stairs,
leaving a red trail behind him, his life slowly oozing away into the cold,
unfeeling ground below him.
        He noticed, though his blurry and fading vision, that the Creation
was opening a sectra portal directly below the clock tower.  The sectra
portal glowed red instead of green, and Bo's heart jumped as he realized
that the Creation intended to make Buster fall into it, trapping him in
the sectra universe.
        He thrust his hands forward, one by one, and pulled himself
forward, concentrating on blocking out the pain that permeated his body.
His fingers shook as they gripped the stairs before him, one by one,
pulling him inch by inch up the stairs.
        "You're ... not going ... to stop him.. " he croaked, his voice
barely audible.  His eyes burned with a fiery newfound energy, and his
resolve was steeled as he drew closer to the top of the stairs.
        His breath came in intermittant bursts as he arrived at the top of
the stairs, and his eyes fell directly on the Creation, not leaving it.
        Buster looked down from the clock tower as he climbed it, and saw
Bo lying behind the Creation, a trail of blood left behind him.  He gasped
a little as he realized the extent of Bo's injuries.  He stopped breathing
for a few moments as he ran through it in his head, before deciding it was
too late to go back down the tower now.  He had to reach the top.  That
was the only way to save Bo.
        Bo looked down at the portal below him, the bright red glow
stinging his already damaged eyes.  He looked at the Creation, and did the
first thing that came to his mind.  "You're not.. going to.. stop..
Buster, you .. monster."
        He thrust one hand into the portal, and the other into the black
depths of the Creation.  A red spark leapt up out of the portal, and sped
through Bo's body, into the Creation.  Both Bo and the Creation were
blown back by the explosive shock, the Creation crashing through the wall
it smashed into. 
        The portal reacted badly to the incident, and expanded explosively
outwards.  Bo flew backwards through the air, his mind completely
disconnected from his body.  A million thoughts ran through his mind,
memories and dreams combined into one flowing emotion as he flew
backwards.  A warm euphoria came over him as his eyes closed.
        "I love you, Tish." he thought, as his body slammed into the wall
behind him, breaking his neck and killing him instantly.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Marvin jumped a little as a sectra portal opened right behind him.
He whirled around in his chair and saw Babs and Tish emerge from it.  A
wave of relief flashed over him, relieved it wasn't a Creation.
        "I see Buster got the beacon to you," he said, noting it in Babs'
hand.
        "Yes, he did.. what do we do with it?"
        "You need to place it into the ground at exactly the same time he
does."
        "He told us ten minutes, that was.."  She glanced at her watch.
"Four and a half minutes ago."
        "OK," said Marvin, rising to his feet, "you'll need to place it in
the highest place, which is here."  He pointed to a platform directly over
the giant sectra portal in the viewing cavity.  "You two place it, I'll
control the charge from this computer."
        "Got it," said Babs, walking towards the platform, followed by
Tish.  She noted that the beacon was a difficult shape to balance, so she
suggested that she wait in the viewing cavity while Tish place it, to
catch it in case it fell.  Tish agreed.
        Marvin worked the computer, calculating the current required,
while Tish anchored the beacon to the floor of the platform.  As Tish
finished, all three of them looked at their watches, waiting.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster clambered up to the top of the tower and panted heavily
from the effort.  He glanced down, looking for Bo, but couldn't see him.
He placed the beacon atop the tower and anchored it in place.  He glanced
down at his watch, and a thought struck him.  If the interior of the
crystal was the important thing, he'd need to break open the shell, and a
massive current would be a perfect thing.  After considering this for a
moment, Buster carefully placed the crystal atop the beacon and pressed
the switch on it.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "Press the switch, Tish."
        Tish nodded and pressed it, and stepped back.  The beacon began to
glow a bright green, and Tish scurried away from it, over to Marvin.
        "Don't worry," he said, "it'll take about a minute to charge up.
Then it'll send the charge across the-"
        He was cut off as suddenly a Creation burst through the far wall,
landing heavily on some computer equipment, sending sparks flying.
        "What the..?" said Tish, turning.  As she saw the Creation, her
eyes went wide with terror and horror.  "Babs, RUN!"
        Babs blinked and looked away from the beacon for a moment, to see
sparks flying from the lab.  She gasped and ran over to the stairs, only
to run into Tish, who was running down them.  "Go through the portal!
There's a Creation here!  Go!"
        Babs stopped, turned, and ran.  "Come on, Tish, let's get out of
here!  Where's Marvin?"
        "He's locking out the computers.  Go!"
        Babs ran and dived into the large portal, disappearing into thegreen
liquid.  Tish was about to follow, when she heard Marvin yell. 
        "HELP!"
        Gulping a little, she turned away from the portal and ran back tothe
stairs.  Sprinting up them, she saw Marvin at the top, lying semi-conscious
on the floor.
        "Marvin!" she cried, kneeling by him.
        "Quickly.. it changed the polarity," Marvin choked.  "Change it
back... before it's.. too late."
        "Can't I just stop the beacon?"
        "No.. it's unstoppable once.. the process is.. begun."
        Tish rose to her feet, and stepped away from Marvin towards the lab.
The beacon began to glow brighter and emit a high-pitched noise, and Tish
knew she was running out of time.  She nervously approached one of the
computers and began tapping away at buttons, trying to find out how to
restore the original polarity.  She became aware of a low, rumbling noise
behind her and turned around to see the Creation flying straight towards
her.  With a muffled cry, she was crushed against the computers and knocked
unconscious.
        The beacon reached full charge and shot a large green bolt down into
the large portal.  The instant the charge touched the portal it expanded
explosivly outwards, sending out a shockwave that obliterated the entire
lab, and its contents.  Then, as quickly as it had expanded, it imploded
in, and began sucking at the surroundings like a black hole.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster watched the charge grow on the beacon, and prepared himself,
his breathing rapid, his heart pounding.  Suddenly, a massive bolt of
energy came arcing out of the large portal at the base of the clock tower,
and struck the beacon.  As it passed through the crystal it shattered,
sending red shards flying everywhere.  The interior of the crystal, a
bright blue, jelly substance, oozed down the beacon.  Buster scraped it
into his hands and looked at its glowing form in wonder.
        He glanced down at the portal below him, and noticed that something
was wrong.  The portal seemed a slightly different colour, and this
worried him.  His worry was justified when, suddenly, the portal expanded
massively and destroyed the base of the clock tower, and the majority of the
building.  The instant in which it all happened went by painfully slowly for
Buster, and he observed each moment in detail.
        The portal expanded outwards, vapourizing all it came into contact
with.  Buster's eyes widened as he realized that it had severed half of the
large storage tank for natural gas that was used for heating the school.
His instincts kicked in, and he thrust with his legs, propelling himself
off the tower into a dive as the gas ignited from the energy of the portal,
causing the tower to explode in a huge fireball.  Buster closed his eyes and
spread his arms as he hurtled downwards, towards the portal, towards his
portal, towards his destiny.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Bugs looked around, his clenched fists shaking with anger.  He
scanned the green universe around him for any sign of his nemisis, Alez.
        After a few minutes of fruitless searching, his desperation
overcame him, and he threw his head back in an ear-piercing scream that
penetrated the entire sectra barrier, echoing endlessly off in all
directions.
        "Welcome," came the word from behind him.
        Bugs whirled on his feet to see Alez standing calmly behind him.
Bugs, his usual cool manner forgotten, charged straight at him, crying out
in anger and hatred.  Alez lowered his eyelids and flicked his finger at
Bugs, sending a bolt of white energy arcing towards him.  It struck him in
the chest and sent him flying backwards, skidding to a stop a few feet
back.
        Bugs got to his feet, clutching his smouldering chest.
        "You should know by now that attacking me is futile," Alez said
cooly.
        "You killed my Felicia," rasped Bugs, "and you WILL die."
        "Who's going to kill me?" sneered Alez, "You?"
        Bugs stared at Alez, his face the sum of the hatred of three
universes, the total of the pain felt by the dead, the rage felt by
himself, Buster, Babs, and everyone else whose lives he had destroyed.
"You got it.."
        Bugs dived at Alez suddenly, knocking him back off his feet before
he knew what had happened.  Bugs stood over him and put his foot on his
throat.  "..and I didn't even have to give you three guesses."
        Alez struggled to breathe beneath Bugs' foot, wriggling about
before getting a grip on it.  He thrust his arms upwards under Bugs'
foot, throwing him up into the air and backwards.  Getting to his feet, he
charged over to Bugs and picked him up by the throat.
        Bugs choked for breath as Alez squeezed his throat tightly.
Felicia's words flashed through his mind.
        "The hours between night and day.. destroy the past.."
        Bugs felt his consciousness fading as he was starved of oxygen,
and his limbs flailed wildly for a time, before falling limply down.
        Alez laughed and squeezed harder.  "It's your midnight, Bugs."
        "Put him DOWN!"
        Alez looked towards the source of the voice and grinned as he saw
Buster running towards him.  "Ah.  I wondered when you were going to show
your face."
        Buster charged towards Alez, determination in his eyes.  Alez
simply sneered and threw Bugs' limp body at Buster, knocking him back to
the ground.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Plucky heard a distant rumbling and ran to the entrance of the
tomb.  His eyes widened; in the distance was a large black nothingness,
expanding rapidly as it sucked Toonity into it.  He watched it rip up the
ground, sucking the dirt into it, replacing it with nothingness.  It
sucked away buildings and hills with equal ease, and grew rapidly
outwards.
        He ran back into the tomb, and knelt by Shirley again.  Placing
one arm under her neck, and the other under her knees, he lifted her and
cradled her to his chest as he again walked to the entrance of the tomb.
The blackness expanded rapidly, and Plucky watched it draw ever closer to
him.
        He looked down at Shirley's lifeless face.  "I love you, Shirley."
He bent down and kissed her forehead tenderly before looking back up at
the nothingness as it approached.
        "Wherever you are, Shirley," he said, looking up at the sky, "I
promise I will find you."
        He closed his eyes and let the nothingness engulf him.  For a
brief instant, a fraction of a second before he died, Plucky smiled.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        "Buster!  Bugs!" cried Babs as she ran towards them.
        "Babs!" called Buster, beckoning to her with his free hand.
        She ran over and dropped to her knees, pulling Bugs' head
into her lap.  "What did Alez DO to him?"
        Buster got to his feet, without answering.
        "This has gone on long enough.  I should have killed you when I
had the chance," said Buster, his eyes aflame with rage.
        "Silence!" bellowed Alez, turning away from him, "My plan nears
completion!  I don't have time for your pathetic revenge, History awaits
me!"
        "You can't!" cried Buster.  "It's WRONG!"
        Alez stopped, and looked down at the ground.  Suddenly he ripped
his gloves off and turned to stare at Buster, holding up his burned and
useless right hand.  "Don't you DARE tell me what is right and what is
wrong."
        Buster choked a little on those words, and stammered a feeble
reply, "I..I.."
        With that he thrust his hands into the air.  A bolt of brightest
blue energy flashed between them and flew forwards, exploding into the
sectra.  A rift formed and a bright, shimmering blue liquid poured out of
it to the ground in an endless waterfall, not puddling, just disappearing
as it hit.
        "History.. I have found History at last!  It is mine to command!
The past is mine!" cried Alez in triumph.
        "It.. it's beautiful.." said Babs, staring into the wonderous blue
cascade of History.  It showered down before her, seeming somehow to flow
upwards at the same time, holding itself in a column of utter beauty.  She
and Buster stared at it, transfixed.
        Alez stepped away from them and approached History, his hands held
out before him, not quite touching it.
        "It is mine at last,"  he whispered, his eyes locked on it.  His
hands floated slowly towards it.
        "Alez.. no, you can't.." said Buster slowly, his eyes never
leaving the blue column of water.
        "I must.. it is mine."
        Bugs managed to talk.  "Alez," he whispered hoarsely, "you can't.
It don't belong to you.. look at it.  It's alive."
        Alez smirked, turning to the three bunnies.  "He who commands the
future, controls the past. He who controls the past, conquers the future!"
he yelled, plunging his hands into the surface.  "For the first time in a
hundred years, I am alive again!"  He plowed forward, throwing his entire
body into the column.
        Sparks flew from the column and it began to glow.  Slowly,
it shrunk down, until it was coating Alez and nothing more.  He stepped
towards them, shimmering in the bright blue light which drowned out even
the bright green glow of the universe it was in.
        "I am alive again!  I am HISTORY!" he screamed, thrusting
his hands into the air.
        Babs glanced at Buster, who was looking down at the glowing blue
jelly in his hand.  It glowed much brighter than before.
        Buster then looked up at the glowing Alez.  "I can't let you do
this, Alez. Even if I have to make the ultimate sacrifice."  He glanced
back at Babs.
        She nodded.  "Do it."
        Buster squeezed the jelly in his hand and looked back at Bugs, who
also nodded.  He looked back at Alez.  He knew now what the jelly was; it
was a piece of History itself.  If he threw this piece back in, History
would once again be complete, and it would not take kindly to Alez's
invasion.
        "You have killed so many, Alez.  Every ounce of life and love has
been drained from every single living thing in the universe.  You are the
most horrendous murderer to ever exist.  Now you try to murder Time and
History.  It's time to pay, Alez, and pay you will."  He drew his arm
back.  "You cannot defy History."  He thrust his arm forward, sending the
jelly flying towards Alez's chest.
        Alez spread his arms wide and let the jelly hit him in the chest.
"YE-ES!  History is complete!"  The blue glow of his body grew brighter,
and brighter, slowly becoming white.
        Buster turned and ran, pulling Babs with him.  They dashed over to
Bugs' body.
        "You grab one arm, I'll take the other.  We've got to get out of
here!"  he shouted.
        "No.." whispered Bugs, "It's pointless.  History won't let Alez
survive tryin' to take over.  It'd rather destroy itself and start again.
Runnin' is pointless, we're doomed."
        Buster looked over at Babs, and sighed as he realized that Bugs
was right.
        "You made the ultimate sacrifice, Buster," said Babs, putting her
hand on his shoulder, "and I'm proud of you.  You did what was right."
        Buster pointed over Babs' shoulder.  "Look!"
        Babs turned and gasped as she saw a massive green tidal wave in
the distance.  It rolled rapidly towards them, growing in size all the
time.
        Alez thrust his arms out and cried out in ecstacy as he felt
himself merging with History.  "I am one!  I am whole!  I am ALL!"
        The wave crashed inwards, and Buster looked all around.  The wave
was surrounding them completely.  He looked over at Babs.
        "Babs, I-"
        "Wait, Buster," she interrupted, "I need to say something.  I'm
sorry for abandoning you all those years ago, Buster.  I'm so, so sorry.."
        She wiped a tear away as it dripped from her eye.  "I never
stopped loving you, Buster.  I loved you then, and I love you now."
        Buster got to his feet and pulled Babs up by her hand.  "I love
you too, Babs, and I always have.  Now and forever."
        "Now and forever," she repeated, stroking his cheek lovingly.  He
leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.
        Bugs smiled as he looked up at them.  "That's all, folks."
        Buster wrapped his arms around Babs and kissed her tenderly.  They
broke the kiss some moments later and just held each other tightly,
resting their heads on each other's shoulder.
        Buster stroked the back of Babs' head.  "I love you."
        "I love you too, Buster.  Always."
        They both closed their eyes and let the wave crash over them,
scattering them into oblivion together.  Bugs closed his eyes and let the
wave take him, his tortured existence finally over.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Alez roared in triumph as he saw the wave obliterate his enemies.
He span around and around, the white glow glowing brighter and brigher.
        "I am ALL.."
        The waves grew closer.
        "I am EVERYTHING.."
        Still the waves drew closer.  He thrust his arms and legs wide and
threw his head back.
        "History is mine at last.."  He opened his eyes wide as he felt a
sudden surge of pain.  He let out a blood curdling scream as the three
universes began to enter and expand inside him.
        "..MINE!"
        He curled himself into a ball and screamed again as the waves came
crashing into him.  The sectra bombarded his body, entering and filling
him to capacity.  The mass of the other two universes flooded into his
body, causing him to grow in size and expand outwards, growing to huge
proportions.  All signs of life disappeared into him as he became all
three universes.  For an instant, he was everything. 
        His body, filled to billions of times its capacity, began to show
signs of the tension it was under.  Alez let out a blood-curdling bellow
as the sheer size of himself overwhelmed his body.  His arms and legs shot
out straight and he closed his eyes tightly as a vengeful History finally
overcame him, and he exploded.
        The shockwave tore him into atoms as the waves exploded out from
his body.  The three universes expanded as rapidly as they had collapsed,
the blue column of History again forming in the centre of the sectra
universe.  The compressed particles expanded rapidly, accelerating the
borders of the universes out into infinity, scattering Alez throughout all
three universes.  His scream echoed throughout the universes as they
expanded, sounding eerily like a howl of triumph.
        The column of History rippled violently at first, but slowly the
ripples faded as it recovered from Alez's invasion and restored itself.
It had modified the timeline to force Alez into itself, and had destroyed
the universes.  It created new universes, and dropped another timeline,
which Alez existed in, scattered throughout all the universes, but he
could never become whole in again.  The ripples faded slowly, leaving
History serene and silent, watching the timeline unfold as it was destined
to do.  The events of the past occured again in a blur, as History made
itself catch up to the present.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        EPILOGUE - "History"

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        Buster, Babs, Plucky, Hamton, Fifi and Shirley sat at their usual
table in the cafeteria, eating, and making small talk.
        "Did you see that new show last night?" asked Babs.
        "Yeah, it was, like, way cool, Babs," replied Shirley.
        "Oui, and zat John, what an 'unk!" added Fifi.
        "Are you gonna eat that last bit of pie, Plucky?" asked Hamton.
        "Well, I was, Hammy, but I'll sell it to you for a dollar,"
replied Plucky.
        "You can't be serious, Plucky!" Buster exclaimed, "He can buy a
whole pie for a dollar at the cafeteria shop!"
        "Yeah, but my pie has edible contents," said Plucky.
        "He's got a point, Buster," agreed Hamton.
        "Well, Diz doesn't seem to mind school pies," Buster said, pointing
at Dizzy, who was sitting at a table by himself, demolishing pies with his
usual gusto.
        "Dizzy would eat the whole cafeteria, if you gave him half achance,"
said Plucky.
        "He's got a point, Buster," agreed Hamton.
        "Oh yeah?  Let's put that theory to the test!" Buster said, starting
to get agitated.
        "You're on!" said Plucky.
        "He's got a point, Bu-" said Hamton, before being interrupted.
        "WOULD YOU SHUT UP, HAMTON?!" shouted Plucky and Buster in unison.
Buster and Plucky stood, with their faces pressed up against each other.
        Suddenly, the PA speaker crackled, and Bugs started talking. 
"Isn't that always the way?" asked Plucky.
        "Afternoon, all.  I have good news for all 'a ya.  Next week, dere
will be a party ta celebrate da end 'a da school term.  Fundraising
activities will begin tomorrow.  Buster and Babs Bunny, report ta de
Staffroom immediately.  Dat's all, folks!"
        Professor Taz entered the cafeteria, and stood staring at all
the food for a moment.  He managed to remember why he was here, and
walked over to Dizzy.  Plucky noticed, and wondered what Taz and Dizzy
were talking about.  The two devils stood, and left the cafeteria.  Plucky
scratched his chin, and thought no more about it.
     He returned his attention to the rising tension of his own table.
Buster looked over at Babs with a concerned look on his face, and she
returned it.  Before either of them could say anything though, Plucky
started humming the funeral march.  He patted Buster on the back, and
said, "Nice knowing you, kiddo.  See you in the next life, eh?"
        "Shut up, Plucky.  It's probably just some misunderstanding,"
said Buster.
        "Yeah, that's what it is, a misunderstanding," said Babs, getting
up.  She sounded unconvinced.
        "Why would Bugs be mad at us?" asked Buster.
        "Well, you did drop that REALLY big anvil on Professer Sam, and
sticking those matches in Professor Taz's feet wasn't nice, either," said
Hamton.
        Buster and Babs walked out of the cafeteria. 
        "Zere goes a couple of brave toons, no?" said Fifi.
        "Yeah.  I, like, wonder what Bugs wants with them, y'know?" asked
Shirley.
        On the way to the staffroom, Buster stopped at a water fountain to
drink.  Babs carried on without him.  Buster finished his drink and
rounded the corner, to see another bunny talking to Babs, leaning over
her, trapping her against the wall.  He rolled his sleeves up and marched
over.
        "...I already told you, go away, Mark!"
        "But, Babsie, we go together so well," he said.  "And that blue
bunny you like is such a loser!"
        "He is not!" replied Babs, angrily.  She shoved Mark backwards and
he reeled backwards with surprise.  He glanced over and saw that Buster
was approaching.
        "You heard her," said Buster, "get out of here."
        Mark turned and scurried off quickly.
        "Nicely handled," said Buster, with a smile.
        "That guy's a creep," said Babs, frowning.
        "Yeah.  He likes you, though."
        "Don't worry, Buster," replied Babs, smiling, "you're the only
bunny for me."

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        The order crackled over the intercom system, "All crew of
Sectruiser 3 report to launch bay one."
        Andrea Buckman stood, and clipped on her suit's helmet.  She
didn't know much about her mission, all she knew was that she was going to
Toonity, to test a prison facility.  She hadn't been with the project
long, but the project was still relatively young, having only been started
in 1994.  She made her way to launch bay one, feeling slightly nervous
about her mission.
        She was greeted at the launch bay by the other half of the
crew, Tim Mathious.  He quickly shook her hand before climbing into the
Sectruiser.  She looked the craft over, having never been on board one
before.  The public had no idea that the CIA had access to technology this
advanced.  As far as the public knew, the Space Shuttle was as far as
off-the-planet travel went.  She took a deep breath, and climbed aboard.
        The Sectruiser 3 was a small two seater, with a space ejection
system on the rear seat, her seat.  All she knew was that she would be
ejected into space, she would be given orders on how to test the prison,
she would return to the craft, and they would return home.  Easy. 
        The countdown began, with the monotone voice counting down the
seconds.  At five seconds, the pad beneath the craft began to glow.  Four.
The pad turned bright yellow.  Three.  The craft started to shake.  Two.
She felt the craft moving.. down?  One.  The craft fell into the pad, and
before she knew what was happening, they were in deep space.  Toon space.
        The radio crackled into life, "This is Station four.  Do you
copy?"
        "Roger, we copy you." said Tim.
        "Apply two thirds thrust for exactly two minutes, then disengage.
Do you copy?"
        "Acknowledged."
        She felt the craft jolt forward, and looked around her.  Nothing.
It was just space.  Where was the prison facility?  She scanned all around
her, but there was no sign of a facility.  The craft jerked to a stop.
        "Sectruiser 3, prepare to undock Ensign Buckman.  Do you copy?"
        "Yes, Sir," said Tim.
        Andrea felt a sudden jolt, and she was floating in space.  She
activated her personal radio unit.  "...you copy?  Ensign Buckman, do you
copy?"
        "I copy you, Station four."
        "Mission briefing follows.  Orient yourself with the craft as a
guide, and then apply direct upward thrust for fifteen seconds.  Then come
to a full stop.  Do you copy?"
        "Yes, Sir."  She activated her thrusters, and aligned herself with
the craft.  "Orientation complete.  Moving out."
        She moved a joystick attached to the suit, and began to move
upwards.  She counted fifteen seconds, then disengaged the thrusters.  But
she did not stop.  On the contrary, she began accelerating.  "Station
four, do you copy? Failure with inertial equipment, request permission to
compensate with thrusters."
        "Request acknowledged.  Permission granted, proceed to compensate
with-"  Great.  The radio had cut out.  She gently applied reverse thrust,
and let out a sigh of relief as the thrusters had the desired effect.  She
slowed to a stop, and started to acellerate backwards towards the
Sectruiser.  The radio cracked back into life.
        "...Do you copy?"
        "I copy, Station Four.  Failure in equipment, request abort
confirmation."
        "Confirmed.  Abort mission, and return to the station for an
equipment check."
        Andrea docked with the Sectruiser again, and felt her heart rate
slow as she realized how close she had come to death.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

        The orange liquid slowly filled the glass, and Buster lifted it
to his lips.  He took a long drink and took a deep breath.  Dismissing the
maid, he put the glass down on the table next to his chair and looked at
the view before him.
        From his third story balcony he could see for miles.  The green
grass of Acme Acres stretched out before him, and the sun shone down,
marking the start of another pleasant day.  A haze surrounded the
cityscape that occupied the horizon, with the bell tower of Acme
Looniversity standing alone amongst the other buildings.  The forest
stretched off on either side, and there was a pleasant smell of pine. 
        "Buster, are you out there?"
        The voice broke his train of thought, but he didn't mind.  He
turned his head to look behind him, and smiled as he saw her emerging out
onto the balcony.
        "Hiya, gorgeous," he said, with a smile, "top of the morning to
you."
        Babs smiled and sat on the chair next to him, and looked out over
the balcony.
        "Now I understand why you always get up so early.  This view is
fantastic."
        Buster smiled and looked over at her face.  "Not as fantastic as
this view."  He kissed her softly.
        Their kiss was interrupted by a squirt of water hitting them both
directly in the face.  "What the..?" asked Buster, turning to look at the
source of the water.
        Bo smiled at them both.  "You know you two shouldn't be doing that
at this time in the morning!"
        Buster grabbed him by the ears and playfully pinned him to the
ground.
        "Hey!" he shouted, chuckling, "quit it!  Dad!  Mom, stop him!"
        Babs laughed.  "Let him up, Buster ... after all, he's not the
first Bunny to go nuts with a water pistol."
        Buster looked up at her and smirked, before releasing his grip on
Bo.  "So how come you're up so early this morning, Bo?" he asked, taking
another sip of his carrot juice.
        "Tish, Kath and I are going out on a trip to the forest, and we've
got to leave early.  She should be-"  He stopped as he heard the doorbell
ring.  "Oh, that'll be her now."
        He rushed inside and downstairs to the front door, and let Tish
in.  "Hi, Tish! Mom and Dad are upstairs on the balcony - let's leave them
to it.  We're going to have to get started now if we're going to get to
the forest before lunch.  Where's Kath meeting us?"
        "Kath's going to be waiting for us at Weenie Burger," Tish replied.
She shouted up the stairs.  "Hi, Mr. Bunny!  Hi, Mrs. Bunny!"
        "Hi!" they both called down in unison.  "Have a good time, you
two!"
        "We will.  See you later!" called Bo, closing the door.
        Buster smiled over at Babs.  "So, what do you want to do on this
fine Saturday morning?"
        "How about we catch up with Bugs?  I haven't seen him in a long
time."
        "Good idea." replied Buster, "I think he'll probably be down at
the golf course giving Daffy a sound walloping.  I wonder if that duck
will ever learn that he just can't beat Bugs at golf."
        Babs laughed and stood up.  "I'll go and get changed, then wait in
the car.  A trip to the golf course might be good for me, anyway.  I've
still got a bit of a headache after last night's party.  Remind me to not
let Shirley mix the drinks again."
        She walked inside the house and towards their bedroom, stopping to
look at a picture hanging on the wall.  Bugs and Felicia stood in front of
the Statue of Liberty, smiling and waving, Bugs' arm over Felicia's
shoulder.  The photo was similar to a postcard, and at the bottom was
written "Some Things Will Stay In History Forever."  She moved her hand
to touch the picture, smiling as she drifted her fingers down the cold
glass protecting the memory the picture contained.  Her hands drifted down
to the ornately carved wooden frame.  She ran her fingers slowly left and
right over it, until she came across the two golden rings set into the
base of the frame, one bearing a stunning diamond, forever embedded into
the wood.  She looked down at her own ring and smiled as her gaze returned
to the frame.  She read the inscription, carved into the wood above the
rings.  "Our time together may be over, but we will always have our history,
and we shall one day have eternity.  I miss you and love you, my wife.  --
Bugs"
        Babs smiled at the picture of her mother-in-law.  "I miss you,
Mom."
        Buster smiled, and watched Babs lovingly as she left.  He got up
out of his chair, and leaned forward on the rail of the balcony.  He took
in a deep breath of the warm, fresh spring air filling his lungs.  The dew
still glistened on the grass below.  He looked up into the sky and saw the

sun shining down on him, and a strange echo filled his ears; it sounded
like someone laughing.  Someone strangely familiar.  He shrugged it off as
someone out in Acme Acres enjoying the day as much as he was.  He yawned
and stretched his arms, and smiled broadly up at the sky.
        "It looks like it's going to be another fantastic day."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phew!  Well, I hope you enjoyed the Trilogy as much as I enjoyed writing it.
As I said before, feel free to email me comments and suggestions on any part
of the Trilogy, at pw@wave.co.nz.  (NOT eddie@iprolink.co.nz, that was my
old email address that is now invalid.)  I put a lot of effort into this
Trilogy, and I would love to hear what you have to say about it.
(And who knows .. maybe a Bugsnapped! 4 is a possibility!)  :)

Thanks for reading.  And that's a wrap!
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