TTA-The Final Episode ===================== Nathan East-aka-Bloodstone the Technomancer (ne15328@conrad.appstate.edu) WARNING--This story was conceived in the dead of the night by one of the most disturbed minds on the planet, mine. It's not cheerful, it's not happy, and it's not going to make you feel better about the world we live in. Obviously, this story is NOT meant to be canon. If it were, then we'd all need to find a new cartoon to watch! The main premise behind this story was established in the episode "Fields of Honey", which simply put is, when the fans stop caring, the toons fade away. Combine this with a little bit of the "Never Ending Story" and you've got it. Well, that and a little bit of Cheese! *YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!* Buster and Babs were huddled together on the front steps of the Looniversity, shivering and cold under the gray skies. They were here because, well, there was no where else left to go. Acme Acres, and everyone in it, was slowly slipping away, into the void where all cartoons go when the people stop laughing. Babs' head is resting against Buster's shoulder, she seems to have cried herself to sleep. Buster's grim face belies his thoughts: everything that he ever was is now gone, and now, soon, he also will be gone. A pensive expression ripples across his face, as he thinks back on all his friends, now gone. When the show was cancelled, everyone knew that their fates had been sealed. Their hopes had been lifted, as efforts were made to syndicate the show, but that soon failed. People no longer cared, why watch reruns when there were fresh, new cartoons to be seen? And so, one fateful day, the fadings began. The "fringe" characters began to fade away and disappear, all the extras who had formed the society of Acme Acres, characters like Barky Marky and the Roches. Then, as time went on, lesser folk began to fade away, people like Fowlmouth, and Banjo. The hierarchy was becoming apparent. The more popular and exposed a toon was, the better his or her chances for survival, because people tended to remember them more. In the meantime, the most distressing event so far was beginning to take place: Acme Acres itself was beginning to shrink and disappear! Elmyra was moping about her house, bemoaning the loss of most of her fuzzy-wuzzies, wondering where they had all gone. Poor fool, she had no idea what was happening until the very end. While she was whining and moaning, the color began to drain from her, ever so slowly. She felt herself begin to weaken, and then saw herself. "Wha...what's happening to me?!" she exclaimed. Soon, to her horror, she became two-tone, then she began to fade, lighter, lighter, and then she was gone. Although few missed her, they all knew that the times were upon them. Elmyra had been very active in the show, and if she had...gone...then nobody was long for this world. Not even Gogo Dodo was immune. The Weird One attempted to stave off the inevitable by becoming even wilder and wackier than ever before. However, Wackyland was at the very border of Acme Acres, and despite his valiant efforts, the Last of the Dodos died alone in the darkness that had been Wackyland. Shirley the Loon, devastated by the loss of her close friend Fifi, became obsessed with fighting the void, so that no more would be lost to the cold darkness. With all her psychic might, she erected a mental barrier over what was left of Acme Acres, the darkness and the light clashing in titanic battle. Though she fought extravagantly, shielding the entire land was spreading even her considerable resources thin, and after only two nights, her barrier failed and fell. Having used up all of her very essence, Shirley was the very next victim to be claimed by the void. Plucky Duck had always been a coward, but perhaps because of this, he had seen these days coming a long time ago. He had attempted to double his chances for survival with "The Plucky Duck Show", but that, of course, failed miserably. This failure cast Plucky into doubt, doubt which gnawed at him from within. In time, the doubt consumed even his gigantic ego, and without it, the once charismatic duck was reduced to a simple coward. One by one, Plucky watched as the people he had spent his life with faded away, until only he and the bunnies were left. Then, Plucky began to fade. By now, Plucky welcomed oblivion, and it took him into the darkness, where he would fear no more. And now it was down to just Buster and Babs, alone in the last refuge the once beautiful Acme Acres. Buster is brought out of his reverie by Babs stirring. Buster is grim and hopeless, but he is determined not to show it. "I've got to be strong...for Babs..." he thought. Babs looks bleak, all her tears had been cried. Her mother, her family, her friends, all of them were gone. She missed them dearly, but now she was just empty inside. A cold wind blows, and both of them stiffen. A gray mist seeps in, and the Looniversity begins to fade. "Buster--I'm scared," Babs whispered. "Don't be, Babs. Maybe there's a place on the other side of the void, where we can be together again." The Looniversity is gone. In it's place, only flat grayness. The bunnies begin to fade. Babs: "I'll always love you, Buster." Buster: "I know." Buster holds her tight. Buster and Babs slowly fade away into nothingness. They hold each- other close to the last. Only grayness remains. END