Love Beyond Time
Ch 1: The Time Machine
'I wonder what else I can do with this time machine. Ooooh, I know. I'll visit the future,' Bugs decided, climbing into the machine.
Daffy's familiar scream echoed from the backyard and the hare shook his head. At the very least, a trip in the time machine might help him forget about his annoying roommate.
'I wonder how far into the future I should go...'
'We're here. The Acme-Acres Country Club,' Cadet announced, opening the ship's main door.
'Well it's about time. How long does it take to land a ship,' Duck Dodgers grouched, heading down the metal walkway. Cadet raced after him, throwing his own bag of golf clubs over his shoulder.
Bugs felt the time machine jolt as he landed, tossing the hare straight out of the seat and landing him smackdab in the middle of a sand pit.
'I've had better landings,' the hare admitted, standing up and dusting himself off. Glancing around, he was surprised to find himself standing in the middle of what looked to be a golf course.
'Hm... Either the time machine didn't work or they still have golf four thousand years in the future,' Bugs wondered aloud, scratching his head.
'Four and a half!'
The hare dove to the ground as a white ball sailed past where his head had been only seconds before.
'Captain, it's fore, not four and a half.'
'Cadet, Cadet, Cadet... When are you going to learn that your Captain is always right?'
Bugs peeked out of the stand pit and did a double take. Daffy and Porky were walking toward him, wearing the oddest jumpsuits the rabbit had ever seen. Were those golf clubs? Maybe he'd landed at a strangely themed golf course by mistake.
Stepping out of the sand pit, Bugs folded his arms over his chest and threw his roommate an unimpressed look.
'Um, Captain... There's a naked man in front of us,' Cadet pointed at the rabbit ahead of them.
'Geesh, don't you know it's indecent to walk around naked? Rabbits,' Dodgers threw his hands in the air with an exaggerated sigh.
'Oh, sorry Daffy. I didn't know this Country Club had a dress code,' the rabbit frowned, giving them an annoyed look.
'What did you just call me?' Duck gave the rabbit a hard glare, eyeing him up and down. There was something very familiar about the rabbit. Grey and white fur, a pert tail, delicate ears, a familiar disappointed frown on his face...
'Eh, What's up, Doc?' the rabbit finally commented.
{It can't be. Bugs Bunny is dead. He's been dead for over four thousand years}
'Here, I have an extra shirt. Better put it on before you get arrested for public in-in-indecency,' Cadet insisted, shoving the white collared shirt into the rabbit's hands.
'Uh, okay. If you insist, Porky,' the hare pulled the shirt on and buttoned up the front.
'His name isn't Porky, it's Cadet. And I'm not... that is, I'm Captain Duck Dodgers. And who might you be?' Duck gave the rabbit a pointed look.
'Right... Duck Dodgers and the Cadet. I don't know what kind of game you're playing, Daffy, but I'm not falling for it,' Bugs glared at his roommate.
'His name really is Duck Dodgers,' the pig answered, looking confused.
A whooshing sound drew the rabbit's attention to the sky where a red spacecraft was flying over their heads.
'Is that a spaceship?' Bugs wondered aloud.
'Of course. This country club is quite popular with people from other planets. They visit Earth all the time just to be able to come here,' Dodgers rolled his eyes at the rabbit's stupidity. Really, had he been living under a rock all these years?
'Then my time machine did work?' the hare commented, a giant smile crossing over his face.
'Time machine?' Duck glanced behind the hare at the strange craft sitting on the golf course.
'Yeah, I built a time machine and decided to visit the future. Mostly to get away from my annoying roommate. Sorry doc, you two look a lot alike,' the rabbit explained.
'Wow, a time machine. That's so ex-ex-exciting,' Cadet moved closer to study the machine.
'So, what year is it?' the hare asked.
'It's the twenty fourth and a half century,' Dodgers stated, resting his golf club on his shoulder as he watched his porky cadet examine the rabbit's machine.
'Is it suppose to be smoking like this?' Cadet asked, pointing at the machine.
Bugs raced over and groaned. That golf ball that barely missed him hadn't missed his time machine. It had landed smack dab in the most important part of the machine, shattering the main circuit board. How would he get back to the past now?
'Captain, that looks like your golf ball,' the Cadet pointed out.
'Well, that machine was illegally parked. It wasn't like this course was suppose to have a time machine obstacle,' Dodgers complained.
'It's broken. That means I'm stuck here in the future,' the hare groaned, burying his head in his hands.
The Cadet threw his Captain a look.
'Fine. I suppose I could get I.Q. to look at it for you. Not that it was my fault or anything,' Dodgers grumbled.
'You sure you're not related to a Daffy Duck?' the hare glanced over his shoulder at the duck.
'Quite. Although I didn't get your name, lovely creature from the past,' Dodgers turned on the charm and gave the rabbit his suavest smile.
'Uh, it's Bugs. Bugs Bunny,' the rabbit offered, holding out a hand.
'It's nice to meet you, Mr. Bunny,' Cadet eagerly shook the rabbit's hand.
Neither noticed the wide-eyed, panicked look on the Captain's face. Dodgers quickly recovered from his shock and stood up straight, clasping his hands behind him. 'Yes, yes. Nice to meet you, Mr. Bunny.'
'Just Bugs is fine. I must say that this trip had gotten quite interesting,' the hare stated, throwing the duck a smile.
'Bugs Bunny... Now why does that name seem so familiar. Wait! Captain Dodgers, is he the guy you were telling me about?' Cadet asked suddenly, a huge smile on his face.
Bugs watched the teal-suited duck slap a hand over the pig's mouth and smile awkwardly back at him.
'Yes, that's him. Bugs Bunny from the old movies that my parents used to watch. They were big fans,' Dodgers lied.
'Oh, that's nice to hear. I guess I must seem pretty old fashioned to people in this time period,' the rabbit shrugged.
'Why don't you stay with us on the ship until you get your time machine repaired, Mr. Bugs?' Cadet suggested, ignoring the glare his captain was sending his way.
'Well, if your Captain doesn't mind...' Bugs commented, watching the strange little exchange between Captain and Cadet.
'No, not at all,' Dodgers commented.
'Well, this is cozy. I've never been in a real spaceship before,' Bugs commented aloud, staring around at the roomy command room.
'You can have my room if you want. I can bunk on the couch,' Cadet offered, showing the rabbit to his quarters.
Dodgers watched them go and sighed as the rabbit's grey tail disappeared from sight.
'You can do this, Dodgers. He won't be here long enough to find out who you really are. You just have to get him to I.Q. and get his time machine fixed, then he'll be out of your life for good,' the duck whispered to himself, taking a seat in his Captain's chair.
Gazing out the front window, he couldn't help but feel the ache in his heart getting stronger. Bugs Bunny, his old friend and once secret-crush, should not be waltzing back into his life again. Bugs Bunny should be dead and Daffy Duck should be buried so deep he'd never feel pain again.
'I'm Captain Duck Dodgers of the 24th and a half century. I can handle having a time traveling rabbit guest on my ship for a few days. I am Captain Duck Dodgers of the 24th and a half century...' the duck repeated the mantra over and over as he waited for the Cadet to return and start the ship.
With the time machine safely locked into the ship's hold, Bugs nuzzled down into the blankets and tried to sleep. This was such an amazing experience. Here he was, sleeping in a real spaceship! The Cadet was such a nice fellow, offering him his own room and helping him get comfortable. He even had Bugs trying on some of his clothes to see what would look best on him.
Now, the rabbit didn't really get the modesty idea of having to wear clothes all the time, but when in Rome...
Bugs felt his thoughts drift to the Captain. He sure reminded him of Daffy, just less insane. There was just something strange about Duck Dodgers that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Maybe he was just over-thinking things. The Captain had promised that he'd introduce him to a scientist who'd be able to help him fix the time machine.
{Maybe a glass of water will help me sleep} Bugs slipped out of the bed and touched the keypad to open the sliding door. This ship was really quite fascinating. Slipping silently down the hallway, he found the small cooler outside the main command room and pushed the button for water. A glass shot out and filled with the translucent liquid as he waited.
'I think you should tell him,' the Cadet's voice drifted from the main room.
Bugs noticed that the door was shut, but there was still a light shining through the cracks. It seemed that the Captain and Cadet were still awake after all.
'Not a chance,' the Captain grouched, sounding annoyed.
'I don't see why you still think it's a big deal. It's the 24th and a half century, Duck,' the pig continued.
'Yes, I know. Gay marriage was legalized and now you can see couples of all genders and species,' the Captain sighed.
'Yes. People have come to realize that love is love, no matter what species, race or gender you are,' the Cadet answered cheerfully.
'I know, but he's Bugs Bunny and I'm... I'm Duck Dodgers,' the Captain sounded depressed.
Bugs immediately felt awkward about eavesdropping on a clearly private conversation. Even if the conversation revolved around him. He made his way back down the hall and into the Cadet's sleep chamber.
'Duck Dodgers has a crush on me? That's strange. He barely knows me,' the rabbit snuggled into the bed and let himself drift off to sleep.
Cadet waited until the Captain was fast asleep in his command chair before tucking a blanket over him.
'Oh Captain. I wish you'd just tell him. If you wait too long, you're going to miss your chance. He'll go back to the past without ever knowing the real you,' the pig whispered, slipping out of the room and leaving the duck his much-needed rest.
...tbc...
Note: I happened upon the new Looney Tunes Show and there are some very interesting, slashy moments. Especially between Bugs and Daffy :)