An Untitled Story
By Kelly (BUGSWB12@AOL.com)

     A shadowy figure slithered into Acme Labs and he peered around the dark,
empty room searching for his target, carefully. He glanced at a cage containing
two tiny, out-of-work mice. One ran in his wheel contentedly while the other sat
in a corner of the cage, staring irratatedly at his friend.
     "Would you please stop that incessant racket, Pinky? It's giving me a
headache!" Brain yelled, annoyed.
     "Oh, Brain, don't be so intolerant! Besides, it's fun<narf>!" Pinky replied,
calmly.
     "Well, it's impossible for me to even hear myself think!  I have to plan for
tonight!"
     "Why? What are we gonna do tonight, Brain?" Pinky asked as he scratched
his head, absent-mindedly. Brain glared at Pinky.
     "Pinky, this nonsense is getting old. Let's just skip it."
     "Skip what?"
     "Forget it."
     "Forget what?"
     "Just stop!" Brain demanded. Pinky stopped running in his beloved wheel.
     "Just tell me this last time <zoit>! I promise I'll never ask again!" Pinky
begged.
     "Oh, all right," Brain sighed. "The same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try
to take over the world!" Pinky's heart leaped with joy.
     "Thanks, Brian <narf>! It feels like old times again!" Brian stared
nonchalantly at his accomplice. Pinky hugged Brain, tightly. "Group hug
<poit>!"
     "Pinky, I demand you to release me at once!" Brain shrieked. Pinky's grip just
tightened. "Pinky, you're cutting off my circulation!"
     Pinky released him and Brain stumbled to his feet, stunned and dazed.
     "Sorry, Brain," Pinky apologized.
     "Unfortunaly, Pinky, apologizing won't bring the feeling back in my arms,"
Brain mumbled.
     "How would you two like to help me with a little job?" the shadowy figure
questioned them.
     "What kind of 'job' do you have in mind, Mister...?" Brain inquired.
     "Max. Montana Max. I've got a problem with two pesky bunnies."
     "And what do you propose I do about it?" And what do I receive if I do decide
to help you?"
     "I'll explain the game plan to you later. If you do help me, though, I'll give you
complete control of Acme Acres." Monty crossed his fingers behind his back,
mischievously, as he snickered to himself. Those suckers. They were playing
into his hands. Once Buster and Babs were gone, he'd get rid of the two mice and
Acme Acres would be his! All his!
     "Hmmm...sounds plausible. Are you pondering what I'm pondering, Pinky?"
     "I think so, Brain, but how will we ever get the three-headed penguin to fly?"
Brain whacked Pinky with a nearby pencil. Pinky laughed as he stared at the
stars circling his head.
     "So is it a deal?" Monty questioned, impatiently.
     "Deal!" Brain agreed.
     "Sure, Brain, but where are the cards?" Pinky asked.
     "Zip it, Pinky!"
     "Zip<" Pinky replied as he zipped his mouth shut, giggling in the process.
         *         *         *         *         *         *         *         *         *         *
      " 'And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor,'
"Buster Bunny read, yawning. "Yada yada yada. Hey, Teach, why do you even
bother teaching this stuff? It's not like we actually remember this after we
graduate." Professor Elmer frowned.
     "Because it's important to learn this matewial," Professor Elmer responded.
"Continue please."
     Buster rolled his eyes to show his disgust then went on. " 'And my soul from
out that shadow that lies floating on the floor. Shall be lifted-nevermore!' "
Buster glanced at Babs Bunny, his best friend, smiling. She grinned back at him.
The echo of the last word rang in his head. Over and over again. Nevermore. A
scene flashed in his head. A tombstone. With a name...The shrill ring of the bell
disrupted his thoughts. He shrugged off his strange feeling and walked out the
door with Plucky Duck.
     "Wemember the dance tonight! And do your homework! Fewas?" Elmer
questioned as the toons ignored him.
     Babs Bunny, Shirley McLoon, and Fifi LaFume walked to their lockers,
chatting loudly to themselves. They tossed their heavy textbooks into their
lockers    (which were conveniently located next to each other).
     "Lunchtime! Half the day's over already!" Babs rejoiced. Professor Daffy
strolled by, smiling to himself.
     "And you have da other half to look forward to," Daffy replied.
     "You know how to take the joy out of everything!" Babs retorted.
     "Like, totally," Shirley agreed. They shut their lockers and walked into the
cafeteria side-by-side, dodging clumps of flying food in the process. They sat
down at a table. The boys (Buster Bunny, Plucky Duck, and Hamton J. Pig) took
their seats on the opposite side of the table, casually.
     "Hey, Babsie, Shirley, Feef," Buster greeted.
     "Hey, Buster," they said, together.
     "Hey, Shirl," Plucky replied, grinning.
     "Hello, Plucky," Shirley muttered, not even looking up at him. She chewed
her food, calmly.
     "So do you have plans for tonight, Shirley?"
     "Don't, like, even go there or some junk, Plucky." Plucky crossed his arms,
angrily. Then a new idea popped into his head.
     "What's wrong, Shirl? You look upset. Maybe this'll cheer you up." Plucky
leaned over and puckered. She groaned. She would rather drop dead than kiss
that beak. Shirley would've zapped him had she not been in such a good mood.
She pushed him away.
     "Like, get real, Plucky."
     "Oh, come on. You know you want to," he insisted. That was it! Plucky had
pushed him too far. She narrowed her eyes at him, angrily.
     "Is something wrong?" Plucky asked, nervously. Shirley strained to keep her
anger under control, but it was no use. Plucky stood up and backed away from
the table. "Mother."
     Shirley zapped the little green duck with the ego the size of Cleveland. He
dissolved into a pile of dust. His beak landed on top of the pile.
     "A simple 'no' would have sufficed," Plucky growled. "Gee, Shirl, I was only
having a little fun." Buster swept Plucky up with a broom.
     "Well, maybe if you'd keep your big beak shut for a change, you wouldn't
have to worry about things like this," Buster advised. Plucky pulled himself
together.
     "Butt out, rabbit! At least you have a normal girlfriend!" After realizing what
had just come out of his beak, he turned to Shirley. She was beet red and her
eyes burned with rage. "No offense, Shirl." It wasn't working! Shirley stepped
toward him, menacingly.
     "Oh no!" Babs cried." Sound the alarm! All hands on deck!" She ducked
beneath the table.
     "Duck and coveir!" Fifi shrieked. The toons crawled under the tables for
protection.
     "It was a joke, Shirl! You know, ha ha! Funny! Shirl?" Plucky backed away.
Shirley grabbed his neck.
     "For those of you with weak stomachs, I advise you not to watch this," Babs
warned.
     Buster was sitting on a nearby table watching Shirley prepare to annihilate
Plucky.
     "Buster, get down here! You know better than to stay above ground when
Shirley and Plucky get into a fight!" Babs scolded.
     "But it's just starting to get good!" Buster complained.
     "Buster, as entertaining as this may be, I don't think it's wise to stay up here."
She grabbed his collar and pulled him beneath the table. Then the cafeteria
exploded!
     When the dust settled, Buster,Babs, and the others swayed, dizzily, from the
explosion. Plucky stumbled across the remains of the room, dazed and barely
conscious.
     "I suppose I deserved that," Plucky mumbled before collapsing in the rubble.
Shirley was the only one who was still in one piece. She glanced around the
room and shrugged.
     "Oops. Mood swing," she replied, simply, gathered her things, and headed
toward her next class. Buster examined the leftovers, amazed.
     "Boy, when Shirl gets mad, there's no stopping her," Buster said.
     "Well, that's Shirley for ya. Too bad she didn't actually succeed in destroying
that cowardly mallard," Babs replied, jokingly.
     Maybe next time, Babsie." Buster glanced at his watch. "Come on, Barbara
Anne. Let's get going." Buster smiled at her and prepared himself for the worst.
The smile disappeared from her face.
     "What did you call me?" she growled through gritted teeth.
     "Barbara Anne," Buster teased. "Whasamadda? Ya deaf?"
     "Don't call me that, blue ears, or I'll...," Babs threatened. Buster pulled out a
squirt gun(don't ask me), pointed it at Babs , and sprayed her.
     "This brings back very unpleasant memories." (Buster and Babs had spent
their entire summer downriver because of a water fight).
     "Really? I enjoyed myself!" Babs chased after the giggling blue bunny,
menacingly.
        *         *         *         *         *         *         *         *         *
     Professor Bugs Bunny sat at his desk smiling confidently as each insult was
hurled in his direction. He answered them all with no hesitation. Bugs' Snappy
Comebacks Class was always chaotic, but that was the only way they'd learn the
material.
     All of his students admired Bugs for his talent, but no one more than Buster
Bunny. Snappy Comebacks was Buster's favorite class(and what was even better
was that it was the last period of the day!).
     "Wow! I wish I could do that!" Buster gushed. He glimpsed at Babs. She lay
on her desk, snoozing soundly. Buster smiled lovingly at her.
     "Babsie, hey! Babsie, wake up!" he hissed as nudged her, gently. She sat up
and glared at him.
     "Why'd ya wake me? I was having the best dream!"
     "Was it about me, by any chance?" Buster asked, innocently.
     "Even if it was, I wouldn't tell you. What makes you think you can take a peek
on my dreams?"
     "Can't blame a guy for trying." Buster shrugged. Babs smiled and laid back
down on her desktop.
     'Well, it's now or never, Buster. This may be the only chance I have to ask her
to the dance,' Buster thought to himself .
     "Uh, Babsie...I, um...," Buster began.
     "Hey, Buster! Babs! Welcome back to planet oith!" Bugs yelled. Buster and
Babs stared at Bugs blankly.
     "Well,...I,um...heh-heh." Buster mumbled, grinning sheepishly.
     "Is dat all you have to say? Ya gotta practice more if ya plan on passin' dis
course, kiddo." <Brrrring!> The bell rang. "Dat's all,folks! See youse guys at da
dance tonight!" Bugs gathered his belongings and left.
     Buster and Babs walked out together as tons of toons rushed past them.
     "So, Buster, is there something you want to ask me?" Babs asked, nudging
him, gently.
     "Well...uh...yeah. Sort of," Buster replied, blushing slightly.
     "Well, shoot."
     "Babsie,...did we have any homework?" Babs crossed her arms and turned
away, fuming.
     "No," she answered, coldly.
     "What? Was it something I said?"
     'No. It was something you didn't say,' she thought.
     "Babsie, come on. Can't ya take a joke?" Babs whirled around and spotted the
beautiful rose in his hand. He smiled, warmly. "Babsie, will ya go with me to the
dance?" Babs took the flower from him.
     "Oh, Buster...it's beautiful..."
     "Remember boys: always be prepared for moments like these," Buster
advised.
     "...all right...I'll go," Babs replied, dreamily. Plucky caught up to them.
     "Hey, Pluckster! Got a date?" Buster asked.
     "Not quite. Ah! Here she comes!" Plucky  rushed toward Shirley.
     "Figures." Buster rolled his eyes.
     "Hey, Shirl!" Plucky greeted.
     "Like, hi, Plucky," she mumbled, nonchalantly.
     "Shirley, I was wondering: Do you wanna go to the dance with me?"
     "The dance? You should've, like, asked me earlier or some junk."
     "Why?"
     "Because she's goin wit me!" Fowlmouth finished.
     "Sorry, Plucky. Maybe next time," Shirley said, regreting her decision.
     "Yeah! Better luck next time, mallard!" Fowlmouth shouted as he dragged
Shirley away. Plucky gritted his teeth. Nobody could steal his girl and get away
with it! Fowlmouth may have won the battle, but the war was just beginning.
*       *           *          *          *          *
       Roddy Rat waited impatiently in his limo on an abandoned side street. A
black stretch limo pulled up beside his. Roddy rolled down his window and
found himself face to face with Montana Max!
     "This better be good," Roddy growled.
     Monty was taken aback by Roddy's attitude, but he found the courage to
speak.
     "It's good, Roddy. Believe me."  
     "So what did you have in mind?"
     "Well, I have a problem with a certain blue-eared, pesky, smart-mouth
rabbit."
     "Yes...Buster Bunny," Roddy snarled.
     "And that's where you come in, Roddy. You see, I've got this plan that'll get
him and his annoying girlfriend out of our hair forever!"
     "What's in it for me?"
     "The satisfaction of having destroyed your worst enemy." Roddy frowned.
"And complete control of Acme Acres," Monty added, quickly. 'Well, once
Buster and Babs are gone, I'll ditch this perfecto prep loser and those two dorky
lab mice. Then Acme Acres will be mine!' Monty thought, grinning. Roddy
grinned.
      "You have a deal!"
    *       *         *     *         *     
      Buster and Babs Bunny (no relation!) walked slowly through the woods to
Babs' hole. Babs glanced around, nervously.
      "What's wrong, Babsie?" Buster asked as he peered at her, concerned.
      "I feel like I'm being watched. Like somebody's following me. Weird, huh?"
        "Very. You're too edgy, Babs. Relax. Ya gotta loosen up." Buster grinned as
he puffed out his chest. "Don't worry. I won't let the bogeyman get you." He
winked at her. "Unless, of course, he brings Bigfoot with him. Then we're both
sunk."
        "Very funny, Buster." She giggled in spite of herself. Buster smiled.
       "Well, I did my part." Unfortunately for Babs, Buster was wrong. They were
being followed. Buster and Babs reached her hole.
       "Well, I'll pick you up at 7, k?" Buster asked.
       "Sounds good to me."
       "Bye, Babsie!" Buster started back to his home.
       Babs smiled to herself as she carefully climbed into her hole. Suddenly, she
was grabbed by her ears and yanked out of her hole.
      "Hey! What gives?"
      "Don't worry, Babs. This won't hurt a bit," the stranger replied. He pulled out
a cloth.
      "Buster! Buster, help!" she shrieked, franticly. The stranger covered her
mouth with the cloth. Babs began to feel dizzy and weak and she passed out. The
masked man pulled off his disguise to reveal his face. It was...Roddy Rat! Roddy
grinned triumphantly and carried the lifeless, pink bunny away.
*         *     *      *         *
      Buster strolled over to Babs' hole in his best suit.
      "Babsie? Babsie?" Buster called. The police cars that surrounded her hole
caught his eye. So did the policemen that approached him. "Anything I can do
for you guys?" They grabbed him by the ears and dragged him toward their cars.
      "Come with us quietly," was the response.
      "Hey! Let go! I didn't do anything!" Buster protested.
      "Tell it to the judge, you murderer."
      "Murderer?!"
      "Don't play dumb. We know you're responsible for the murder of Barbara
Anne Bunny. Poor girl. She was so young." The police officers shook their
heads, sadly.
      "Babs,...no...," Buster mumbled, on the verge of tears. They rolled freely
down his cheeks.
      "...so now we're taking you in." Buster wiped his eyes and glared at them,
defiantly.
      "That's what you think! I'm not going to the big house for something I didn't
do!" Buster broke free of their grip and took off. The cops pursued him,
relentlessly.
     "Halt, in the name of the law(I always wanted to say that)!"
     "Not on your life!" 
     "Ben, maybe...<wheeze!>...we should...stop," the large cop pleaded his
partner.
     "Oh, all right, Joe. I'll send the fellas after him. Ya gotta exercise more often."
He pulled out his radio. "Calling all cars! Calling all cars! Be on the lookout for
a dangerous murderer. He is about three feet tall, has big feet, long ears,..."
     "Why don't you just say he's a rabbit?"
     "...shut up...he's blue(da ba dee da ba dye, I just can't help myself),and he goes
by the name Buster Bunny."
         *         *         *      *        *       *
     Buster collapsed in front of Acme Looniversity, exhausted from his ordeal.
     "Phew! I think I lost em'!" Buster breathed. "What a mess I got myself into. I
should've made sure she got in safely... I should've..." Buster paused for a
moment as he tried to keep his tears bottled up inside. "...no, it can't be. Babs
can't be dead. She probably just left early for the dance. She's probably waiting
for me inside! Well, I can't keep her waiting, can I?" Buster raced inside,
excitedly.
     "Babsie! I'm here!" he called. He glanced around the large gym that was filled
to capacity with energetic toons and their dates. Babs was nowhere to be found.
He felt his heart pounding loudly inside his chest. Maybe it really did happen.
Maybe it had been real. Music and laughter echoed across the room as the
horrible reality hit him. Babs was dead!
     Suddenly, the music shut off. The laughter died. And everyone's eyes were on
him. The room filled with a dreadful silence and all of the toons shot him hateful
stares. Montana Max (of course) spoke up first.
     "There he is! The murderer!" Monty growled.
     "Guys, I had nothing to do with it! I swear! Ya gotta believe me!" Buster
pleaded.
     "Yeah, right! That's what they all say! Monty was right about you all along!"
Plucky shouted as he wrapped his arm around Shirley's tiny waist. Fowlmouth sat
in a corner, his burnt, black feathers scattered on the ground beside him. Shirley
looked on, uncertainly.
     "Pluck, don't ya know me better than that? Would I ever try to murder my best
friend?" Buster begged, staring at him straight in the eye. He tugged at his sleeve
as he searched his face for any signs of sympathy. Plucky softened.
     "Well,...," Plucky began, thoughtfully.
     "Don't be fooled! He's trying to trick you into believing him!" Monty shouted.
"Get that criminal!" All of the toons approached him, threateningly. Shirley
closed her eyes, muttered some words, and she, Hamton, Fifi, and Buster were
transported out of the Looniversity.
     *         *     *         *     *
     They all appeared in Acme forest. Each of them glanced around at their new
surroundings. Then their gaze fell on Buster.
        "Where are we and why is he here?" Hamton demanded.
        "Well, I...," Buster replied, nervously.
        "Like, listen to me or some junk! I don't think Buster did anything!" Shirley
defended.
        "You do? Don't you remember what Monty said about him? He said that
Buster was nothing but a liar!" Hamton shouted, accusingly. Buster shrank back.
        "Oui! Oui! So ow' can vu say zat, loon?" Fifi asked, crossly. 
        "Because I, like, know him," Shirley answered. Fifi and Hamton stared at
the ground, realizing their error.
     "You...you really believe me, Shirl?" Buster questioned, skeptically.
     "Like, yeah. You're not just my best friend's boyfriend, Buster. You're my
friend, too. I know you loved her." Buster smiled.
     "Thanks, Shirley. I need a friend right about now." Buster embraced her,
tightly.
     "I'm sorry, Buster. I should've known Montana Max was lying," Hamton
apologized.
     "Moi, too," Fifi replied.
     "Aw, it's okay, guys. I know...wait a sec! Monty told you about Babs?" Buster
questioned, suspiciously.
     "Uh, yeah," answered Hamton.
     "Hmmm...I think I found the culprit, guys."
     "But how are we gonna, like, get him to confess or some junk?" Shirley
questioned.
     "Good question," Buster replied, his head in his hands, hopelessly. "Wait! I've
got it!"
     "You, like, have a plan?"  
     "Yep. And now it's time to party-Buster style!" They gathered around and
listened, intently, as he explained.
*        *         *     *       *
     "Monty, the bunny's onto us," Roddy hissed.
     "Hmmm...That is a problem," Monty grumbled.
     "And he's got some of those dorks helping him."
     "They believed him?! After what I said?"
     "Face it, Monty. They don't trust you. I, fortunately, have a backup plan. Call
the rats over!" Roddy ordered.
     "We're not rats. We're mice," Brain protested.
     "<Naaaaaaarf>! That's so deep, Brain," Pinky gushed. Brain picked up a
pencil and clunked Pinky over the head. Pinky laughed, madly. "<Zoit>! Thanks,
Brain. I needed that!"
     "You certainly did. Now what were you saying?"
     "Here's my idea...," Roddy began.
*         *     *         *      *
     Buster, Shirley, Hamton, and Fifi waited, silently, next to Max's mansion.
     "Okay, Shirl. Transport us to the mansion!" Buster ordered.
     "I'll, like, try or some junk." She floated in the air and meditated.
"Oh,whataloonIam. Oh,whataloonIam. Oh,whataloonIam," she chanted. The
toons vanished.

     When they reappeared, Hamton asked, "Where are we?"
     "Look, Roddy! A couple of rats got in!" Monty sneered.
     "Then we have no choice but to exterminate them," Roddy snarled, wickedly.
They motioned toward the toons, menacingly. 
     "We're doomed!" Hamton gasped.
     "Don't panic! We can figure a way out of this! Shirley, get us outta here!"
Buster shouted, franticly.
     "I, like, can't or some junk! My powers need time to, like, recharge!"
     "Start panicking," Buster mumbled in despair. Buster and his friends backed
up fearfully against the wall, eyes closed, prepared for the worst, but nothing
happened. Buster opened his eyes, timidly, and spotted Fifi standing defensively
in front of them.
     "Fifi, what are you doing? Get back here with the rest of us (though I don't see
what good it'll do)!" Buster questioned. 
     "Non! I weill not run! I weill take care of zese two!" Fifi protested. She raised
her tail, threateningly at her foes. "Duck and coveir!" She sprayed them with her
pungent fumes. They turned green and passed out. "Come!" She took off with
Buster, Shirley, and Hamton following (still wearing gas masks).
     They rushed into a broom closet and slammed the door shut. The broom
closet was the size of a regular room.
     "Wow! This is a pretty big broom closet!" Hamton gushed, staring in awe at
all of the brooms, mops, and vacuums.
     "To Hamton, this is heaven," Buster hissed to Shirley.  She giggled, quietly.
Buster grinned, confidently as he scanned the room. A limp corpse caught his
eye. "Oh migosh! It's Babs!"
     He rushed to a corner of the closet and found Babs lying there, lifeless. He,
gently, took her into his arms. The toons ran to his side. Buster bit his lip, trying,
desperately, to conceal his sorrow.
     "I never thought our relationship would come to this," Buster muttered as
tears rolled down his cheeks. Shirley placed a hand on his shoulder. He pulled
away, roughly. "I should've been there! I should've stopped them! I could've done
something!"  
     "Buster, no. There was, like, nothing you could do or some junk," Shirley
responded.
     "Shirley, you don't understand. I was there the night she was...I was there. I
was so careless. It's my fault she's gone. I guess I brought this on myself. Gosh, I
miss her so much." Shirley motioned toward Buster, comfortingly.
      "Open up! This is the police!" They burst into the closet and grabbed the
toons. Monty, Roddy, Brain, and Pinky looked on, grinning (except Pinky, who
was in his own little world, as usual).
       "Hey! Let go!" Buster barked.
       "You are under arrest for breaking and entering and the murder of Barbara
Anne Bunny," a cop muttered, dragging them away from Babs' body.
       "But you've got the wrong bunny! I'm innocent!" Buster pleaded.
       "That's what they all say, kiddo." The officer turned to Monty. "We'll make
sure they're put behind bars, sir." Then he eyed the 4 of them, suspiciously.
"What are the 4 of you doing together anyway?"
        "What? We're not allowed to have a little get together now and then? You
think we're planning a diabolical scheme to get rid of Buster Bunny? Of course
not!" Monty assured them, smiling sweetly. 
        "Ooooh! I love parties! Are we gonna play musical chairs and pin the tail on
the donkey?" Pinky asked, excitedly, as he clutched a rock to his chest, tightly.
Brain whacked him. "<Narf>!"
        "Pinky, what are you doing with that rock?" Brain questioned.
        "She is not a rock! She is a female rooster from Alaska and I love her very
much! <Zoit>!" Brain stared at his dimwitted friend, speechless.
       "Pinky, my mentally challenged friend, your vivid, creative imagination
never ceases to amaze me."
       "Thank you. <Narf>!" The policemen turned and took the toons out of the
mansion, not daring to ask.
       "That was really smooth, Max. I thought we were gonna get arrested for
sure. Luckily, the mice distracted them," Roddy growled.
       "Hey! At least we got rid of them!" Monty snapped.
       "Well, you better not slip up like that again! Next time we may not be that
lucky!"
       "I'm afraid I have some dreadful news, Brain reported, grimly. "I'm afraid
that the pink bunny is not dead. She is merely asleep."
       "What?!" Monty and Roddy gasped in unison.
       "There was a bit of a miscalculation."
       "No matter. The funeral is in less than an hour. By the time she wakes up,
the funeral will be over! She'll be buried alive!" Roddy snarled, grinning evilly.
*      *       *         *     *         *
        Fifi and Hamton sat in a dreary, bleak cell. Shirley sat in a secluded corner
if the cell in a smaller cage, which prevented her from using her psychic powers.
        "Poor Bustaire," Fifi sighed.
        "Yeah. Like, he's here for life for a crime he didn't commit!" Shirley replied.
        "I wish there was something we could do for him," Hamton said,
disappointed. The officer walked over to their cell.
        "Hey, cutie," he said to Fifi, dreamily. "After you get outta here, ya wanna
go out with me?"
        "Non! Non! Find yourself anotheir skonk!" She turned her back to him. The
cop sat down, dejectedly.
        "Well, if you change your mind..." A dark, shadowy figure wearing a
trenchcoat sneaked toward their cell. "Hey, you! What are you doing?"
        "I'm a visitor! What is it illegal to visit friends nowadays? Go eat a
doughnut like a good cop!" he snarled. The cop glared at him and munched on
his doughnut, lovingly.
        "Plucky, you, like, came to rescue us or some junk?" Shirley hissed.
        "How did you know it was me?" 
        "I'd, like, recognize your attitude anywhere."
        "Hey!" Plucky protested.
        "Can't, like, face the truth, Plucky?"
        "Never mind, you guys! We have got to escape!" Hamton whispered.  
        "But ow'?" Fifi queried.
        "That's Plucky's job."
        "Yep! And I've got the perfect plan!" Plucky announced.
        "Great! Then let's, like, get to it! Explain the game plan to us or some junk,"
Shirley replied.
         "It's coming..." Shirley rolled her eyes.
         "Vait! I ave' and idea!" Fifi exclaimed. "Oh, misteir police person, Moi as'
changed my mind. Moi will go with vu."
         "Really? When?" he asked, expectantly.
         "Hmm...ow' bout now?"
         "Um...okay." He dashed over and, uneasily, opened the cell door. Fifi
stepped out and embraced him.
         "Vu weill not regret zis." While the cop went all dreamy eyed and stupid,
she snatched the keys off of his belt and handed them to Plucky. He unlocked
Shirley's prison and all of the toons rushed out. Plucky then grabbed the cop and
shoved him into the cell and slammed the door.
         "Hey! What about our date?" he asked, dejectedly.
         "Vu were not ze right person for moi!" They raced down the hall, searching
for Buster, franticly. 
        "Like, he's in here!" Shirley exclaimed, pointing to a cell in a secluded area,
which had tons of signs, plastered over it. One said, "Really bad toon." Another
said, "I'm serious! This toon is bad news! You don't wanna mess with him!"
Another said, "Whatsamadda? Ya deaf? Get lost!" Hamton unlocked the cell
door. Buster sat in a secluded corner, staring at the ground, depressed.
        "Buster! Thank goodness we found you! We were worried! Well, they were
worried!" Plucky said, accusingly. 
       "So you found me. So what? Look, guys, I don't want your help," Buster
snapped.
       "Buster, come on! We have to move before the cops catch us!"
      "You go.  I'll stay."
     "Buster, we can't leave without you."  Plucky looked into Buster's stone hard
face. "I can't leave without you."
       "Plucky, what's the point? I'll just be hunted down for the rest of my life-by
Max, and the cops! Is that what you want for me, Plucky? Do you want me to
live my life as a fugitive? It's over, Plucky. It's...over. Monty won."
     "Buster,..." Plucky cleaned a shard of glass lying on the ground. "What do you
see?"
     "I see a worthless bunny with no future."
     "I see a brave bunny who always managed to keep our dreams and hopes alive
and...who is my very best friend." Buster turned to Plucky. "If there's one thing I
learned from you, it's that you never give up. That's what I admire about you,
Buster Bunny. Don't lose that quality, pal. Not when we're so close to winning."
     "Plucky, there's no hope for Acme Acres anymore! Monty's won! There's
nothing I can do!"
      "Maybe if you'd just try...!"
     "Plucky, I have tried, but without Babs, I'm...nothing."
     "That's what I've been trying to tell you! Babs isn't dead!"
     "Plucky, stop trying to cheer me up! This isn't some sort of corny Disney
movie where the characters magically come back to life! This is real, Plucky
(well, sort of)! This is life. Things like this happen every day and you can't
change them!" 
     "But, Buster, I'm serious! I've been watching this show for the past 30 minutes
and I heard Brain admit that Babs is alive and that she'll wake up in less than an
hour!"
     "Babsie's alive! I don't believe it! She's really alive!" Buster rejoiced.
     "But she ain't gonna be for long, pal!"
     "What do you mean, Plucky?"
     "What do you do with a dead person?" Plucky asked.
     "Uh...you bury them?"
     "And...," Plucky continued.
     "...you mean...?"
     "You got it, Einstein."
     "Then let's go, toonsters! We gotta rescue Babsie!" Buster bellowed as he
dashed out the door, heroically. "I gotta make it! I'm the hero of this cartoon (it's
a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it)!"
*       *        *         *     *       *
     Buster, Plucky, Shirley, Hamton, and Fifi rushed off to the burial site. Buster
glanced around, frantically.
     "Where's Babsie? I gotta find her before it's too late!" Buster cried.
     "You're too late, Buster!" Monty yelled.
      "Your girlfriend's 30 feet under, Buster," Roddy growled, sneering at Buster.
      "See for yourself." Monty pointed to a tombstone in triumph. Buster timidly
stepped toward it, biting his lip. Meanwhile, Roddy pulled out his cell phone and
called the cops.
     Buster tentatively grasped the edge of his sleeve and wiped the dirt from the
tombstone. 
     "No...it can't...please no...,"Buster breathed in horror as he read the words
written in solid stone. "Barbara...Babs..." Buster crumpled to his knees in defeat.
A phrase form earlier in the week popped into his head taunting him. From his
English class...from the raven...
     'And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor. Shall be
lifted-Nevermore!' 
     "Nevermore," Buster repeated as his tears dripped onto the ground. Rain fell
onto his damp cheeks and rolled onto his sweatshirt. "Nevermore. I should've
realized that was a sign...a warning. Cartoons always have those subtle yet
unmistakable forshadowings."
     "You didn't make it! She's probably dead by now!" Monty cackled. Buster's
head fell. 
     "Buster, don't give up hope yet. You can't let Monty win," Plucky comforted.
Plucky was right. He couldn't give up, but what could he do? There was no way
to save Babs...or was there?
     "The game's not over yet!" Buster exclaimed. He dug into the ground, sending
dirt in every direction.
     "Let's help him, guys!" Plucky suggested.
     Everyone grabbed a shovel and dug. Deeper...and deeper...and deeper...until
they found Babs' casket. They heard muffled sounds coming from inside as they
lifted the lid off. Babs sat up.
     "Boy, you can never get comfortable in a strange bed," Babs said, smiling.
     "Babs!" Buster gasped as he hugged her tightly. Tears of joy gushed from his
eyes. "Oh gosh...I thought I'd never see you again!'
     "Me too! I was so scared, Buster!" Buster stared into her eyes for a moment.
She still had a hint of fear on her face and she was slightly trembling in his arms.
She had received quite a shock, even though she bravely tried to hide it.
     "Babs, when you disappeared, I felt as  though a part of me went with ya. I
missed ya a lot. Acme Acres wasn't the same without you."
     "Yeah! It wasn't as lively as it used to be!" Plucky chimed in. Shirley and Fifi
hugged her tightly.
     "We both, like, missed you or some junk," Shirley replied.
     "Oui!" Fifi agreed.
     "It's great that you are back, Babs," Hamton said.
     "Thanks, guys," Babs replied, beaming. They hopped out of the hole...and
came face to face with police officers. One grabbed Buster's ears.
     "You're coming with us!" the cop shouted.
     "Leave him alone! He didn't do anything!" Babs demanded.
     "Hey, aren't you the victim of..."
     "Yeah! Those are the real culprits! They attempted to murder me!" Babs
pointed to Monty and his accomplices. 
     "Yeah! They're the real crooks!" Plucky shouted. They released Buster and
went for the culprits.
     "You're under arrest! We'll make sure they're put behind bars for a long time,"
the cop assured them.
     "Ooooh! Do they serve chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast there? <Poit>!"
Pinky asked, excitedly. Brain whacked him. "Oooh! Lookit all the pretty stars!
Aren't they lovely, Ruebella?" Pinky stared in awe at the stars circled his head.
     So Buster and Babs were reunited and Monty and his partners were taken
away and thrown in jail. They were sentenced for 50 years of cleaning the dirty,
smelly, moldy, disgusting bathrooms. They would have to...
     "Well, rub it in, why don't you?" Monty grumbled. "I'm rich! They can't do
this to me! Who do they think they are?"
     "Apparently more powerful than you, Monty," Roddy snapped.
     "You're just jealous."
     "Whatever."
     "So, Ruebella, are you enjoying yourself? I am! <Narf>! We get to clean these
spiffy things with a toothbrush! Doesn't that sound like fun? <Poit>!"
     "Pinky, stop talking to that insignificant rock!" Brain shouted as he grabbed it
from him.
     "But Ruebella and I have pledged our hearts to each other!"
     "Pinky, that is a rock. You are a mouse." 
     "I told you Ruebella is not a mouse! She is...Ruebella! <Narf>!"
     "This is for your own good, my friend." Brain dropped the rock into the toilet
bowl.
     "Ruebella!" Pinky gasped.
     'Hey! That wasn't very nice!'
     "So?" Brain inquired, unemotionally.  Ruebella appeared at Pinky's feet.
     "Ruebella! You came back to me!" Pinky rejoiced, hugging it. An anvil fell
on Brain.
     'It pays to be me.' :)
     "Ouch," came the reply. Well, that's my story! And that's a wrap!


     The End!