It's a hot day in Acme Acres, and everyone in town is having to put up with the blistering heat.
Today in Acme Looniversity, the toons are all having class in the auditorium with Pepe Le Pew. They are all rehearsing for a play, with Pepe as the director.
"Good afternoon, everyone", greeted Pepe.
"Good afternoon, Professor Le Pew", the class greeted back.
"Eet's good to have vous all back, so let's conteenue where we left off."
Furrball, Fifi, Calamity, and Hamton all dressed into their outfits & got together on the stage. The play they're doing is "Casablanca".
Furrball has the main role of Rick Blaine, Fifi playing Ilsa Lund, Hamton as Victor Laszlo, and Calamity as Captain Louis Renault.
They are at the final scene of the play, which takes place at the airport. The four toons all appeared on stage, waiting for Pepe's cue.
"All right, are we all set?"
"Oui, we're ready", Fifi replied.
"Okay, and...action."
Furrball turned to Calamity & spoke his line.
"Louis, have your man go with Mr. Laszlo and take care of his luggage."
"Certainly, Rick", said Calamity, "anything you say."
Calamity then approached Fowlmouth, who's playing as the orderly.
"Find Mr. Laszlo's luggage & put it on the plane."
"Yes, sir", Fowlmouth said, "right this way."
Fowlmouth then escorted Hamton offstage, while Furrball took some letters out of his pocket.
"Louis, if you don't mind, you fill in the names. That'll make it even more official."
Calamity chuckled before he said, "You think of everything, don't you?"
"The names are Mr. & Mrs. Victor Laszlo."
That line was the cue for Fifi to speak up.
"Wait a meenute, why me, Richard?"
"Because you're getting on that plane."
"But...I don't understand. What about vous?"
"I'm staying here with Louis until the plane gets away safely."
"Non, Richard! What happened to vous? Last night we said-"
"Last night we said many great things. You said I was to do the thinking for both of us. Well, I've done a lot of it since then & it all adds up to one thing: you're getting on that plane with Victor where you belong."
"But Richard, non. I- I-"
"Ilsa, you've gotta listen to me. Do you have any idea what you'd have to look forward to if you stayed here? There'll be a 9 out of 10 chance we'd both end up in a concentration camp. Right, Louis?"
"I'm afraid Major Strasser would insist", Calamity replied.
Fifi then said, "You're saying zhis only to make me go."
"I'm saying it because it's true", Furrball responded. "Inside both of us we know you belong with Victor. You're part of his work, the thing that keeps him going. If that plane leaves & you're not with him, you'll regret it."
"Non."
"Well, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of your life."
Fifi paused for a moment before asking, "But what about us?"
"We'll always have Paris", Furrball continued. "We didn't have it, we'd lost it, until you came here to Casablanca. We got it back last night."
"And last night I said I'd never leave vous."
"And you never will. But I've got a job to do too. Where I'm going, you can't follow. What I've got to do, you can't be any part of."
At that moment, Fifi's lips started trembling, while the rest of the toons watched from the front row of the auditorium, amazed by Furrball & Fifi's performance. Furrball then continued.
"Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday, you'll understand."
Fifi then lowered her head as her eyes welled up with tears. Furrball gently placed a paw under Fifi's chin.
"Now, now...", Furrball whispered as he lifted Fifi's head softly. As Fifi's eyes met his, Furrball smiled & spoke his next line.
"Here's looking at you, kid."
The toons smiled as Furrball said that one line.
"Man, he's good", Buster whispered to Babs. Hamton then returned to the stage as Furrball is given the letters by Calamity.
"Is everything in order?", Hamton asked.
"All except one thing", Furrball replied. "There's something you should know before you leave."
"Monsieur Blaine, you don't need to explain anything."
"I'm going to anyway, because it may make a difference to you later on. You said you knew about Ilsa & me, right?"
"Yes."
"But you didn't know she was at my place last night. She came for the letters of transit. Right, Ilsa?"
"Oui", Fifi said, facing Hamton.
"She tried everything to get them", Furrball continued, "and nothing worked. She did her best to convince me that she was still in love with me, but that was all over long ago. For your sake, she pretended it wasn't, and I let her pretend."
"I understand", Hamton said.
"Here you go." Furrball then gave Hamton the letters.
"Thanks. I appreciate it. And welcome back to the fight. This time I know our side will win."
As the cat & pig shook hands, the sound of an airplane engine starting up is heard.
"Are you ready, Ilsa?", Hamton asked Fifi.
"Oui, I'm ready", the purple skunk replied before she turned to Furrball. "Au revoir, Rick. God bless you."
"You better hurry or you'll miss the plane", Furrball told Fifi. At that moment, Hamton & Fifi walked offstage. A moment later, Calamity spoke up.
"Well, I was right. You are a sentimentalist."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"What you just did for Laszlo, and that fairy tale that you invented to send Ilsa away with him. I know a little about women, my friend. She went, but she knew you were lying."
"Yep. Anyway, thanks for helping me out."
"I suppose you know this isn't gonna be pleasant for either of us, especially for you. I'll have to arrest you."
"As soon as the plane goes, Louis."
After a moment, Monty, who's playing as Major Heinrich Strasser, stepped in.
"Hey! What is the meaning of that phone call?"
"Victor Laszlo is on that plane", Calamity replied.
"Why are you standing here? Stop him!"
"Ask Monsieur Rick."
Monty then stepped up to a 1940s style telephone at the side of the stage.
"Hey!", Furrball exclaimed as he pulls out a gun (a prop gun, not a real gun) from his coat. "Get away from that phone."
Monty made a face of horror as he said, "I would advise that you don't interfere."
"I was willing to shoot Captain Renault, and I'm willing to shoot you."
Monty stood still for a moment, before he quickly grabbed the reciever.
"Hello?"
"Put that phone down!"
"Get me the radio tower!"
"Put it down, now!"
Monty used his other hand to pull out his gun & aimed it at Furrball. He pulled the trigger, which produced a loud BANG, and all that shot out was a small cloud of smoke.
Furrball ducked to "avoid" Monty's shot & fired his gun. Monty then placed a hand on his chest & collapsed to the ground.
Once Furrball put his gun away, Gogo Dodo, who duplicated himself to make a group of gendarmes, all hurried on stage.
"Mon Capitaine!", one Gogo exclaimed.
"Major Strasser's been shot", Calamity explained before he turned to Furrball. The blue cat stared back at Calamity with expressionless eyes.
"Round up the usual suspects", Calamity ordered to Gogo & his clones.
"Oui, Mon Capitaine."
The group of Gogos all approached Monty & carried him offstage. Calamity went stageside & picked up a bottle of vichy water.
"Well, Rick", said the grey coyote, "I must say, you're not only a sentimentalist, but you've become a patriot."
"Maybe", Furrball replied, "but it seemed like a good time to start."
"I think you're right."
After Calamity poured the water into a couple of glasses, he tosses the bottle toward stageside, which shattered upon landing. The grey coyote then continued.
"It might be a good idea for you to disappear from Casablanca for a while. There's a Free French garrison over at Brazzaville. I could be induced to arrange a passage."
"My letter of transit?", Furrball asked. "I could use a trip. But it doesn't make any difference about our bet. You still owe me 10,000 francs."
"And that 10,000 francs should pay our expenses."
"Our expenses?"
"Uh-huh."
As the two walked off together, Furrball placed an arm around Calamity & spoke the final line of the play.
"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
"And cut!", Pepe shouted. "Zhat's a wrap!"
The toons sitting in the stands cheered as Furrball, Calamity, Fifi, and Hamton all appeared onstage again & bowed.
"Great job, Furrball", Calamity said.
"Vous were tres amazeeng, mon amore", Fifi complimented.
"Thanks, guys", Furrball replied. "I gotta say, I totally nailed that."
"Bravo!", Pepe said. "You were all marvelous! C'est magnifique!"

Backstage, as Furrball & Fifi were changing out of their outfits, Fifi spoke up.
"Vous deed an excellent job, Furrball."
"Thanks, Fifi. I never thought I'd do so well."
"Next time, we should do 'Gone With The Wind'. I can be Scarlett, and vous can be Rhett."
"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a darn."
"See? You're already, how you say, getteeng into character."
"Yeah, I know", Furrball said in an uninterested tone. Fifi turned to Furrball with questionable eyes, noticing the change of tone in Furrball's voice.
"Are you alright?", she asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Eez zhere somezhing wrong, my love?"
"No, no, everything's fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Zhen why do you sound...bored?"
"I don't know. It's just that I...", Furrball paused, trying to think of what to say next.
"I'm not really interested in doing school plays."
"Why not?"
"It's just...not my thing."
"But Furrball, vous were amazeeng out zhere. How come you're not interested in doeeng plays?"
"I don't feel comfortable in doing any acting in front of people."
"Well, eez zhere anytheeng zhat you do feel like doeeng?"
"I like to do something more...music related."
"Oh, you mean musicals, like 'The Sound of Music' or 'West Side Story?'"
"No, I mean, rock music. Like in the Battle of the Tribute Bands. Being able to play my guitar in front of thousands of people."
"And wearing zhat cute outfit."
"Yeah. That was so much fun. I wish I could do it all again."
"Well, vous can ask Buster or Plucky, and maybe you can start playeeng again."
"That'd be nice."