Splitting Hares pt2 By Diana Warren PrOzAcWoMn@AOL.com *Later that Wednesday* "So what happened then?" Plucky asked in anticipation, trying to pry out all the details of Buster and Bab's fight as he walked along side Buster after school had let out. Buster sighed. "Look, I dont really want to talk about this now, ok?" He looked down at his feet, deep in thought. Just then Shirley ran up to the both of them. "Oh, like, monda bad karma, Buster. You're aura is like, all discolored, or some junk." Plucky put his hand to the side of his mouth, talking towards Shirley like that hand would keep Buster from hearing a word he said. "Yeah, Buster told Babs off when she tried to make up with him. Don't you *hate* unsympathetic, uncaring men?" he said as he slipped his arm around her, batting his eyelashes. Shirley, more concerned with the Buster and Babs issue, decided to ignore Plucky this time. "Like, that is totally lame, Buster. She was just frustrated because she thought you liked Juliet and not her. "How was I supposed to know that?! And I don't. I'm just helping Juliet out because she doesn't have any friends. I would have asked Babs if she hadn't been acting all mental on me. I... *sigh* I said some really mean things today..." Buster looked down and shuffled his feet. The three of them had stopped walking now because they had approached Buster's rabbit hole. Shirley finally removed Plucky's arm from her shoulder, as she was trying to have a conversation, and Plucky was pestering her. "Like, Blueboy, you just should have talked to her and told her that. She would have liked hearing it alot more than whatever junk you told her, I'm sure." She ended the sentence with a major valley girl accent, "What's new?" "Yeah, I guess you're right. But what about Juliet? I mean, I asked her because she was talking about how she didn't want to miss her prom, and had no one to go with, and..." He looked up, trying to justify himself like he was being accused here. "Me and Babs were fighting... What was I supposed to do? I..." He put his hands on his head, trying to sort out the thoughts in his brain. "Well, I'll give her time to cool off and talk to her about it tomorrow. I didn't mean to lash out at her, but it's so hard not to when she acts that way. *sigh* I'll see you guys tomorrow." With that, he jumped down his rabbit hole. Shirley looked at Plucky and said, "Like, this is getting megatory strange." Plucky nodded, and they walked away together. *Thursday morning* The next day was somewhat different. Not only did Babs not talk to Buster, but neither did Fifi, Shirley, or the rest of the girls at Acme Loo. Babs had gracefully filled them in on what Buster said to her, and after hearing it, even Elmyra wouldn't look at him. Buster and Plucky were getting ready for class, standing next to their lockers, as usual. Buster looked around and noticed that all the girls walked by him with their noses in the air. Buster sighed. "Greeeeeat... First, Juliet called me a gazillion times yesterday, by the way, I think she was the one that stalked Letterman, and now, *Babs* has turned the school against me. What next? Rosanne is going to be our substitute in voice lessons?" Just then, Juliet walked up to them, smiling like usual, and being disgustingly innocent and cute. "Hee hee, hi, Buster. Want to walk me to class?" She batted her eyelashes. Buster sighed. "I'll meet up with you later, Juliet. I really need to talk to Plucky right--" Juliet cut him off, "Oh, I see" looking slightly agitated, yet throwing in a fake smile nonetheless, "I'll... I'll just go by myself, that's ok." Then, trying her hardest to look pityful, she walked away, looking at her feet. Buster and Plucky groaned. Plucky said, as they both turned to walk to class, "Something about that girl just seems... off, you know?" Buster nodded. "Tell me about it." Plucky added as they walked up to the class door and opened it, "By the way, don't get offended if I don't sit with you at lunch. Shirley won't talk to ME either as long as I'm around you." Buster walked into the room, sighed, and let out, "I hate my life" as he closed the door behind him. *Later that day....* As the end of the school day approached, Buster had had enough. Not only had he eaten lunch alone, (with the exception of Juliet), as Shilrey and Fifi gave him "how dare you" glares from across the room, but Juliet constantly pestered him throughout the entire day. Having escaped Juliet for a few minutes, Buster decided it was time to call 'uncle'. Babs had beaten him. He was ready to face defeat. He walked up to Babs ,who for once was not surrounded by her entourage of girls glaring at him. As he stood next to her, she didn't even acknowledge his presence. He cleared his throat, but she still did not look at him. "Ah... Babs, about yesterday... Uh..." She still continued to ignore his presence, but he decided to finish anyways. "Babs, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. Will you forgive me?" Babs closed her locker, and continued to stare at her closed locker, as not to make eye contact with him. She answered unemotionally, "Gee, forgive you for what? You were just being honest, you don't have to apologize." She turned her back on him and started walking out the front door of the Looniversity, but Buster was determined to end this horrible nightmare of a day... heck, more like nightmare of a few weeks. "No, it... it wasn't the truth. I, I'm sorry. I just was..." He looked down as he walked behind her. "I didn't mean it." Babs continued to walk forward, still not looking at him. "Well if it will *ease* your *conscience*, I forgive you. After all, all you did was say how you felt. I read somewhere that what people say about you when they're angry is usually how they really feel about you. I'm glad I didn't have to wait longer to find out." Buster sighed. Would this go on forever? Would Babs NEVER forgive him for the day before? He wished he could rewind to the day before and start all over again. He put his hand on her shoulder and said calmly, "Babsy..." She turned around, flinging his hand off of her shoulder. Finally she looked at him dead in the face. The only difference was that now she looked at him with total loathing. Buster looked down. He couldn't stand the hate he saw in her eyes. "Babs, I would have asked you, if we hadn't been fighting. I only asked her because..." "Save it!" Babs interupted him. "You were completely right, by the way." Buster looked at her, sorta confused. "Uh, right about what?" Still expressionless, she answered, "About needing to go on a real date, I think it's just what I needed for a change. Really, I'm happy you told me yesterday, if I had waited any longer, I probably wouldn't have found a date in time." Buster looked shocked, and laughed slightly, "Get crucial, Babs, you aren't... going with someone else..." As he continued talking he sounded more and more unsure, "Uh... Are you?" Babs smiled bitterly, "I guess you'll find out tomorrow, not that it would 'concern you' in ANY way. Have fun with your psycho girlfriend." With that, she walked away, and he just stood there, kinda stunned. Not in all his life had he imagined *Babs* going out with some other guy. Now he was starting to understand how she had felt. He looked in the camera and added as the screen faded out, "I *really* hate my life." *Friday morning* "Like, mondo extreme, Babs. You haven't eaten all week?" Shirley gave Babs an odd glance. "Yeah, well, it seemed I needed to cut out a little bit more than just carrot cake to fit into that dress. I just can't wait till after it's over. I *HATE* dieting, and at home, I have a feast waiting for me that's fit for a pig!" Just then, Hamton walked by. Babs looked over at him with a wide, sheepish grin. "Hee hee, no offense, Hamton." "So like, are we getting ready at my home, or at your place. I think we should like, totally start getting ready right after school, or some junk." Shirley looked down the hall to were Plucky was standing. "You know, I like, actually *hope* Plucky will try something. I've been working on, like, this new spell that turns ducks into toads, and I totally want to test it on a *worthy* subject." Shirley grinned slyly, then realized Babs wasn't listening to her. "Um, like, Babs... you there?" Babs looked out of her locker at Shirley, not really paying attention to what she had said. "Yeah, we should get ready at my place. My date doesn't know where you live." Shirley nodded. "So, are you like, sure this Josh guy is ok? I mean, you barely know him." "Ya, he seems ok. Anyways, I am NOT going to go to the prom alone, or stay at home eating twinkies and watching Entertoonment Tonight. No way would I give Buster that satisfaction. Besides, he's like twice as cute as Buster." Babs grinned slyly at Shirley. "Right... Well, like, tell Fifi the plan, ok? I'll see you after class." With that, Shirley went to class, leaving Babs alone at her locker. Once Shirley had gone, Babs imediately lost her smile. She looked around, and seeing no one was in the hall, sighed, and walked to class. Imediately after she had walked into her classroom, Buster walked through the front doors of the Looniversity. Juliet had attached herself to Buster's arm. Buster looked extremely annoyed. "Look, Juliet, I'm in a hurry, ok?" He removed her arm from his and rumaged through his locker. Juliet looked hurt. "Ah... ok. Um... I'll see you at lunch, ok?" "Whatever". And with that Buster walked to class, leaving Juliet in the hall by herself. Juliet looked coldly down the hall. "I *will* not be ignored, *Buster*." She grinned schemingly. *That night............* "She's driving me crazy." Buster said to Plucky in an annoyed tone. "No matter where I go or what I do, she wants to follow me. Remind me never to be nice to strangers again." He looked around, noticing that all the girls were there, including Fifi and Shirley, except Babs. "Do you think Babs will show?" "It's just a hunch, but I'd say she'll come" Plucky said looking over at Babs walk in with some rabbit they'd never seen before. "What makes ya say tha..." Buster looked up and saw her at the door. "Oh." Babs was wearing the dress she had bought last Friday. Her ears were up and twisted together in a sortof bun, with a diamond earring hanging off the end of one ear, and she was wearing red lipstick and purple eye shadow. Of course, she had gotten a pair of green contacts to match her dress. Shirley walked over to Plucky and Buster, and of course, Babs did too, pulling the stranger along behind her. Babs walked up to Shirley, Buster, and Plucky grinning. "Hey, Shirl, hey, Plucky." Then with much less enthusiasm, "Hi, Buster." Babs and Buster exchanged evil glances for about a minute, then Plucky broke the ice. "Uh, hi there, (speaking to Babs' date), what's your name?" Josh was a tall, grey rabbit with a lock of blonde hair (like Leonardo Dicaprio) falling in front of one of his eyes. He seemed rather... uh... what's the word... snobby. He sighed in a bored manner, stared at his finger naills, and answered Plucky in a snooty tone, "Josh." Just then, Juliet started walking up to them. Babs cut in, "Ah, let's dance," she pulled Josh away then swung back around to Buster with a maniacal grin on her face, "Have fun." With that, she was gone, and Juliet just then came up to Buster's side. Buster gave a 'please shoot me' look to Plucky. Juliet just then noticed that Babs was wearing "HER" dress from the store. She grrrrrr'd at Babs, who was on the other side of the auditorium by then. "Wanna dance, Shirl?" Plucky asked. "Ah, like, sure." Shirley followed Plucky out onto the dance floor. Buster glared at Plucky for leaving him alone with Juliet. "Hey, babe, get me a drink, k?" Josh said to Babs as he continued to examine his fingernails. Babs glared at him, then put on a fake smile, "K." As she walked over to the refreshment counter, she mumbled, "That's it, I'm becoming a nun". Just then, Juliet noticed Babs at the refreshment counter and grinned slyly. "Hey, Buster, want a drink?" Buster, who was looking suspiciously at Josh from across the room, ignored Juliet and asked, "Uh, do you think he's, you know, good looking?" He looked at Juliet hoping she would say no. Juliet, hoping to make Buster pay attention to her, said, "Well, if you like that glitzy glamour-hollywood type of guy, sure. But *I* think *you're* much cuter." She batted her eyelashes and stood closer to him. "Want me to get you a drink?" Buster, still distracted, answered, "Ah, sure." With that, she ran over to the refreshment counter to make sure she wouldn't miss Babs. Babs was still there. She had become distracted by the desert tray, and stared at a sliver of carrot cake with longing. " Hi, Babs! You look really nice tonight!" Juliet said chipperly, as she picked up a glass of punch. Babs snapped out of her foodenvy trance. "Ah, hi, Juliet." She continued in a belittling tone, "Oh this old rag? Naw, I've had this for years. I just didn't feel like getting dressed up tonight." Babs grinned. "Years huh? That's funny, I coulda sworn I saw that dress at the mall last weekend." Juliet continued to act civil in that 'I can't stand you' way. "What can I say, I'm a trend setter." Babs exchanged the same civil/Ihateyou glance at Juliet, and filled up a glass with punch for Josh. "That's really great. Well, I guess I'll see you later." Juliet walked forward, pretended to trip, and threw the red punch on Babs. Babs looked down in shock. Juliet grinned evilly. Sarcastically she added, "Oops, oh I'm *soooooo* sorry. Well, good thing you wore an old dress and didn't buy a new one. Bye!" She smiled triumphantly and walked away. Babs crushed the cup of punch she had gotten for Josh in her fist, and looked angrily at Juliet and Buster. "Now... it's personal." As Babs walked back up to Josh, she didn't even realize she had forgotten his drink and had a big red stain in the middle of her dress, but Josh sure did. He spoke sarcastically as he looked at the stain on her dress, "Um, maybe you didn't understand, I said, get *me* punch." Babs put a strained, wide grin and laughed slightly under her breath. "Oh, you wanted some punch did you?" Babs ran back to the refreshement counter and came back holding the punch bowl over her head. "Take it all." With that, she dumped the punch bowl over his head and walked away smirking. Suddenly, it was quite obvious to both Juliet and Buster that she was walking in their direction. Juliet grabbed Buster by the arm defensively. Babs walked up to Buster and looked him right in the face. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Babs looked annoyed at Juliet hanging on Buster's arm. Looking right at Juliet, she finished, "Alone..." Juliet smiled. "Buster, didn't you say you..." "Sure," Buster cut Juliet off in midsentence and walked with Babs to the front doors of the auditorium. "Ok, all hating each other aside, I've had it!" Babs said with her arms crossed as she spoke to Buster. Buster nodded, "Me too." "Your pyro-psychopathic girlfriend poured punch on me." Babs pointed to her stain. Buster smiled a little bit. "She's not my girlfriend." "Oh," Babs looked down, feeling slightly uncomfortable that they were talking again without yelling at each other. "So, well anyways, how do we ditch these losers?" Buster raised an eyebrow. "Los-erZ? So I take it you're not getting along with your... uh... with Josh?" Babs grinned, "Well, you could say that. Let's just say I dont like to be told what to do, or ordered around like some serving wench." Buster looked a little less down in the dumps. "So, what do you want to do about it?" Babs put her pointer finger over her mouth, deep in thought. "Hmmmmm......" Buster looked up at her with his big puppy dog eyes. "I'm really sorry, Babs. I was a jerk. Are... are you still mad at me?" Babs tried not to smile for about five seconds, then gave in. She shrugged and shuffled her feet. "Well... I guess not... I missed ya, Blue ears, even if you just want to be friends. I just want you to be happy." She looked up into his eyes and smiled. Buster's eyes sparkled with happiness. He held his arms out, "C'mere Babsaloo". She smiled and hugged him tightly. As their hug broke off, Babs still had her hands around Buster's neck, and he continued to hold his hands around her waist. "Babs..." As he spoke, she looked up from his shoulder to his eyes. He continued, "What if I *don't* what to be just friends?" He took one hand off of her waist and touched the side of her face. Babs looked at him slightly shocked and confused. "But, you said..." "Forget what I said. I was mad. I didn't mean it. The reason I always go with you is because you're the only one I ever *enjoy* going places with." "So... I'm not a fake date, huh?" She looked at him sincerely. "No, you aren't...." Buster smiled, then leaned in and kissed her. The ACME coocoo clock chimed 10 pm as they both broke off from the kiss. They looked up. Babs looked slightly dazed, like little hearts were flying around her head. "Wait... We still have two *problems* to get rid of." Buster said as he looked up at the clock. "Yeah, but how do we get rid of them?" Babs chimed in. Buster grinned at Babs slyly, "I have a plan." He whispered the plan in her ear and she grinned slyly. "I like it, I like it." "We'll get rid of them" Buster said slyly. They crossed their arms, and leaned against each others' shoulder. As they looked into the camera, smiling schemingly, they said in unison, "Buster and Babs sytle." As Buster and Babs walked back into the auditorium, arm in arm and obviously happy to be together again, the entire student body let out a collective sigh of relief. Plucky looked over at Buster and Babs, as he spoke to Shirley. "Well, now that that's over," he turned to Shilrey and slipped his arm around her with a sly look in his eyes, "What do you say we plan an after-prom party?" Shirley looked at him curiously, "Uh, what kind of party?" "Well", he continued, "hows about a private party, just the two of us? We can..." Plucky leaned closer to her and began to whisper the rest of his idea so only she could hear. "So whattya think?" he asked as he waggled his eyebrows and grinned broadly. Shirley rolled her eyes and prompty turned him into a toad. "Hey, it works," she said with a grin. "What I do?" croaked Plucky. Giving their waterfowl friends an odd glance, Buster and Babs made their way over to Juliet. "Buster?" she demanded when she saw them together, "what are you doing with her?" "This is where I belong," he tried to explain. "You see, Babs and I, well, we're a team. More than a team. I hope you understand." "Understand? Buster, you are *my* date tonight!" "Oh, that," said Buster. "Well, yeah, but I thought you understood. I only brought you as a friend. You know, to be nice while you get aquainted at Acme Loo." Suddenly, Buster made an expression to suggest that he'd just realized something. "You... You didn't think that there was something more to it? Did you? Gee, I'm sorry, Juliet, but well, *Babs* is my girl and..." "On no you don't!" shouted Juliet. "You're *mine* now!" "What?" asked Buster. "You heard me, you're mine!" Juliet was still yelling, and she didn't seem to notice that everyone was looking, and listening to her. "I didn't scheme and plan and cheat and go to all the trouble to steal you from her just to give you back! I worked hard to get you, and I'm not giving you back! Let me make it clear to you I want what I deserve for all that effort, and I'm not leaving here without it! Do you understand me?" "Oh, I understand, Juliet," said Buster calmly. "And so does everyone else," and he waved to indicate that everyone had heard her. Juliet realized that she had made a terrible mistake. "Uh... Oops!" she said trying to put on her innocent little smile. "I uh... That is to say... Uhm... What I meant was..." "Oh, we know what you meant," said Babs, cutting her off. "You want what you deserve. Well, sister, I will be happy to give it to you," and she stepped forward to do just that. A flock of birds that happened to be flying over Acme Loo at that very moment had to quickly dodge the screaming bunny that was suddenly sailing though their flight path after leaving a bunny shaped hole in the roof of the Looniversity Gym. A few seconds later, a second bunny hole was created as Josh sailed by on the same trajectory. Once the flying rabbits were gone, one of the birds said to another, "What is it about that place, anyway? Rabbits that fly? I mean really, what would Walt say?" "I don't know, I just don't know," and they continued on their flight. Back in the gym, Buster and Babs grinned at each other. "Brilliant idea, Buster, letting her do the damage herself." "Oh, I dunno, Babs," said Buster as he looked at the two rabbit shaped holes in the ceiling. "You did a pretty good job yourself. Oh, that?" she said sheepishly with a very happy grin, "well, maybe..." The entire student body erupted into thunderous applause at that statement, which Babs acknowledged with a bow. As it died down, Buster took a final quick glance up at the holes, and asked her, "Say, how far away did you kick them, anyway?" Babs looked at him with mischeveous twinkle in her eye. "Trust me, Blueboy," she said witha grin, "you *don't* wanna know." Far, far away from Acme Acres, Josh and Juliet painfully got up and tried to figure out where they were. "Oh, great," said Juliet, "where are we?" "How should I know?" asked Eric. "You gotta cel phone? Mine got busted in the fall. Call me a cab if you do." "Call you a cab? Why you no good..." Juliet was cut off by someone tapping her on the shoulder. "Can I help you two," said someone behind her. The two rabbits turned around to see Bonkers Bobcat standing before them. "That was some fall that brought you here," he said as smiled at them. "Welcome to Toontown." Eric and Juliet looked at each other in horror. They could only think of one thing to say. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The End