Disclaimer: I do not own Roger Rabbit, or any other characters written in this story.
Note: This story is based off my nostalgic love of the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Even though the story itself centered around one main character, it was a true masterpiece to see all the cartoons from different companies and different eras come together in the film.
Like the movie, I intend to keep the goofy, the serious, sadness, and happiness. The story is not by any means a re-write, it is just my version of a continuation. Please enjoy.
Toon Town Troubles
Hollywood, Ca. 1947
After Roger was cleared for the murder of Marvin Acme, he celebrated by doing what he does best, making people laugh. Months later, Roger performed serious work in the office of Toon Detective, Eddie Valiant. Not just because he liked Eddie, but just because he wanted to labor some of the payment for solving the murder.
-1977-
Roger always kept Eddie's office clean and organized. He even achieved the impossible, to dust and shine the desk of Eddie's younger brother, Theodore Valiant. As years grew pass, Roger spent more and more time in Eddie's office.
Eddie walked into his office and sat on his chair, like usual he poured himself a glass of Jack Daniels and laid back on his chair. He looked over to Roger, who sat with a book in his hand. "Whatcha got there Rog?" He asked.
Roger looked away from his book. "I'm studying Spanish." He replied. "I got several fan letters in different languages, so instead of having the Studio Translator read and write back, I want to do it myself."
"Wow Rog," said Eddie as he formed an impressive smile. "That's great." He looked to the wall clock for the time. "You're going to be late for work if you don't get goin'."
Roger sighed with great sadness. "There is no work Eddie," then gave his friend a yellow slip of paper to read. "The studio gave me an option, 'Retire or Walk', so…I retired."
"Why did they do that?" Eddie questioned.
"Because 'Goofy cartoons' are no longer in demand." Roger replied. "Or so they say."
Eddie scratched his head at this, he didn't watch cartoons in the movie theatre like he did when his younger brother was alive, but he watch a clip on TV from time to time, and has seen goofy cartoons still on the air. "That quack doesn't know anything, I seen Woody Wood Pecker on the TV this morning, and Woody don't get much goofier than that."
Roger remembers, he saw a brief portion of that same cartoon right before he went to the market. "That was a 'Re-Run' Eddie." He informed.
"A What?" Eddie spoke as he formed a look of great confusion.
Roger knew the cartoon business, and he knew it well, inside and out. "A 'Re-Run' is when a cartoon episode that has already made is shown over and over and over again." He informed.
Eddie waved the whole idea off. "That stinks. Whatever happened to the Silver Screen, when toons where on there?"
"That spotlight is for the new cartoons, not the old…not unless you're popular." Roger replied.
Eddie removed himself from his desk, tumbled on the floor while tightly gasping at his chest. He struggled for breath on his knees, sweating heavily. This happened to Eddie before, only months ago, and Roger, who first took witness to it, was scared, but now, he knew what to do. Roger called the ambulance and gave Eddie a paper bag to breathe in, but was too late. "Eddie…" Roger called as he looked to his friend. "Eddie, say something." Eddie couldn't speak, his body violently shook on the floor. Roger hadn't seen anything like it, and he had been watching medical shows since the last time. "Where is that ambulance!" he spat. The ambulance finally arrived, and Roger stayed by Eddie's side all through the drive to the hospital, until he was held back to wait in the Surgical Waiting Room.
Roger sat and waited patiently for awhile, then he paced the room back and forth, then he drank several glasses of water, then he peeked around the corner, for the now tenth time to see the closed cold steel doors of The Surgical Room. He once again reclaimed his seat and the voice spoke to him. "Just do your thing, Rog."
"Eddie?..." Roger looked around the room but saw no one. The voice sounded so clear, but that was impossible, Eddie was still inside The Surgical Room.
"Just do your thing, Rog."
The Surgical Doctor walked into the waiting room and looked upon the crying cartoon rabbit. "Mr. Rabbit…Mr. Roger Rabbit."
Roger looked the Doctor, eyes full of tears. "Yes."
"I'm sorry to report that Mr. Eddie Valiant is-"
"-I know. I already know."
-1997-
Goofy cartoons had there place, but it was longer in the studios or on the Big screen of the movies. For the remaining passing years, after Eddie's death, Roger has worked inside the cubical of the Cartoon Unemployment Center.
"Hmm…." Roger read the file of his next client.
"Please tell me they have something for me."
Roger looked to his newest client. She sat there in front of him, young pretty colorful and full of life. He couldn't understand why such a toon would have a problem finding work. The ink still looked just as fresh, and the 80's era, was still a new commodity. He just didn't understand it. "Miss. Bright," he began. "I hate to say this but, you might find work in the 'Anime' sector."
Rainbow Bright formed a disapproved look. "No way." She spat.
"Just study some Japanese and you'll be-"
What Roger didn't know, nor was it recorded on the file, that Rainbow Bright had been in the Anime Sector. "-I don't want be some sailor blouse wearing meat puppet." She spat. "I would like to at least do something clean."
Roger has only read about the Anime Sector, he has yet to see it. The only thing he has seen of anime is what is shown on TV. "Well Miss. Bright, I seen this Sailor Moon cartoon and it looks pretty clean. There's no blood, no sword or gun use –"
"-I would rather use a gun than to transform naked in front of everyone." Rainbow Bright sadned as she gripped her blue colored collar.
Roger certainly didn't know that. "Transform Naked!" he retorted. He searched the deepest bowls of the file cabinet, even rigged the computer files for a job more suitable for Rainbow Bright. "Ok, Miss. Bright, I have somethin'…you can be in the last season of 'The Winks Club', but that's all I have for now."
Rainbow Bright didn't like such a short job term, but it was better than nothing and she could at least pay the bills. She stood from Roger's desk as she took 'The Assignment Slip' from his hand. "Thank you Mr. Rabbit." She smiled.
Roger chuckled a bit. "There's enough 'Mr. Rabbits' who work around here, just call me, Rog."
"Good bye, Rog." She smiled and left.
Then yet another client sat at his desk, now this was going to be difficult, in fact, it had been difficult to find anything in the past 60 years for this client, and too bad, this toon is Roger's favorite client. "Hello Betty."
"Hiya Rog." The black and white sexy cartoon from the twenties winked. "How are things hun ?"
"Terrible." He replied as he slouched in his seat. "I just found the 'Anime Sector' has been usin' naked transformations on the toon girls."
Betty waved it off. "That's nothin', they've been doing dat for years. "
Roger knew how desperate Betty was for work, real work, she was never one to just sit around and collect a percentage check from the sales of 'Betty Boop Brand' mugs, handbags, and office supplies, she wanted to active in her work. "Please don't go for the gimmicks, you be a good girl, Betty."
Betty sighed then looked to Roger. "You got any work for me to be 'good' in ?"
Roger wasn't going to give up on this woman, he searched and searched until he found something. The job wasn't clean in his opinion, but was suitable for Betty. "If you were to color yourself, I could link you to this cartoon 'Hooters' commercial."
Betty shrugged. "I colored myself once in the 50's, and I can do it again. Thank you Rog, hun." She left from her seat.
"Betty,…" Roger called, gaining her attention right before she left from the door. "You still got it," He smiled. "but don't tell my wife I said that." He winked.
Betty blushed, winked and left.
Roger never really complained about his new line of work, but what he really wanted to do was make people laugh. He gazed at the time clock and saw that it was time to go home. He shut the computer down and placed everything in his desk. Then suddenly a newspaper slammed oh his desk from out of nowhere, 'The Toon Town Tollies', on the front page read, 'Erase, the brand new way to exist.'
"It's Bullshit." shouted a well familiar voice. Just then, a cartoon baby with a lock of blonde. He climbed on top of Roger's desk. "Miss me handsome." He spoke just as the smoke from his cigar dragged from his mouth.
"Baby Herman…" Roger awed with such shock. "I haven't seen you in years."
"Five decades to be exact." Baby Herman informed. "Word from the grapevine said that you were workin' dis joint, so I though I'd stop by and catch up on old times."
Roger grew sad. "It's the new times I'm worried about Hurm. I have problem finding toons work. They're dying out there. I'm dying in here."
Baby Herman took a drag from his cigar. "Looks like I found you just in time, you need a friend pal."
Roger read the paper Baby Herman threw on his desk. "This is murder."
"Not murder Rog,...suicide." said Baby Herman. "This company has old toons ease themselves so their ink can be recycled to color new toons." He walked closer to Roger. "Remember Judge Doom?"… "Remember 'The Dip'?"…"Well it's back."
The newspaper just slid from Roger's hand as he stood there in complete shock and terror. "That…that can't be, It just can't be."
"Oh, it is," said Baby Herman. "And one day the paper won't have colorful ads for toons to voluntarily erase to themselves, it'll be 'Mandatory'.
Writer's note: Ok, that's it. This is my first Fanfiction submit, be ruthless if you must, but please be kind.
