All in One

By Drizzle117

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sometimes Buttercream feels like no one understands her.

"Hello, Vinnie-bo-binnie and Sunily-wheelie! Will you help-de-whelp me out with a problem I've been have-de-having?"

They look at her as if she is crazy. She is not. She is speaking. Why do they not understand her? Why does no one seem to get what she is saying? Buttercream cocks her head to one side and smiles at them, waiting. Waiting for them to make the connection.

Finally, finally, Sunil looks up, amber eyes hopeful. "You…you wish us to help you with a problem?"

Buttercream nods, green eyes glinting. "You bet! I had a doodle in my noodle that something weirdy-leirdy was happening, and I don't know how to explain-not-expain it! So can you help-de-whelp me out?"

The mongoose and gecko look at each other again. Vinnie mouths something to Sunil, who shrugs.

Buttercream is not stupid. He clearly has mouthed, What is she saying?

The rabbit sighs and looks down at the ground. "Never mind-de-lind," she mutters, hopping off with the same spring in her step despite her down attitude. This had been exactly what had happened when she had asked all the other pets. None of them even knew what she was saying, nevertheless could help.

…she has asked them all. Right?

Zoe and Pepper she asked a few hours ago. They had no clue.

Minka, Russell, and Penny had been unable to figure it out either; even the acclaimed skills of Russell had been unable to decode Buttercream's wild, haphazard speech.

Yes, she has tried every pet. And it wasn't like Blythe was available, because she was off at "F.U.N." which, if it meant it stole Buttercream's only available human friend (Christy was always working and never had time for her poor bunny) didn't seem very fun at all.

Lowering her sunshine yellow head, Buttercream sighs and hops back over into the sweet shop. Maybe Youngmee is done playing with Jasper and Sue, and she can help entertain her aunt's pet. Oh, how Buttercream wishes other humans besides Blythe could understand her! If she could just talk with Youngmee, she would understand, she is sure of it.

As she feels her paws touch the cold linoleum floor of Sweet Delights, Buttercream pricks her ears as she hears a voice she hasn't heard speak for quite a while, literally a foot away from her.

"So that's how you get to the pet shop…that's pretty cool! A tunnel…makes me think of adventures. Adventures are fun, but I don't usually go on them. I'm more of a 'stay home' type, y'know what I mean?"

The rabbit leaps a few feet in the air, green eyes wide. "Wowzie dowzie!" she pants, one paw clutching her chest in excitement. "I wasn't expecting that-a-lat!"

The voice laughs – a calm, easy laugh that somehow makes Buttercream feel safe, as if it was cradling her. "Sorry…I didn't mean to startle you. I never startle anyone."

Buttercream is about to apologize when she turns and sees who she is talking to.

Her breath catches in her throat.

Sugar Sprinkles grins at her, blue eyes glinting in the momentary light shining through the window and lighting up her gorgeous tan, pink, and white fur. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asks again.

The banana yellow bunny grins, the smile coming easy now. "Well of course-not-a-little-horse! But wowzy-dowzy, that was a floosy doozy!"

Sugar laughs, and that laugh sounds like a low, protective bell, enveloping Buttercream in its wave. "Aw, glad you're okay." The cat smiles and begins to walk back towards the sweet truck, leaving the rabbit standing, staring after her. Those graceful movements…

"Wait!"

Sugar Sprinkles turns, a questioning look in her blue eyes.

Buttercream stutters slightly on her words. "C-Can I asky wasky you about something?"

Sugar smiles, nods, and walks back over on the graceful white-and-tan paws that a cat seemed to be born with. She settles down slightly, plucks a lime-green sprinkle off the top of her head, and offers it to the rabbit. "Sprinkle?"

Licking her lips, Buttercream accepts the sweet gift and begins to gnaw on it. As she does so, she remarks, "Well, I've been shmeeling a weirdy-fleirdy sensation-wation, and I don't know what it could be-de-wee."

The cat looks straight into her green eyes. "Is that so?"

Buttercream nods, feeling oddly self-conscious. "I feel as if…" Now that she has finally discovered someone that will actually listen to her, remarkably, she finds herself at a loss for words. Taking the bow off of her head and fussing with it, she mumbles again, "I feel as if…"

Sugar placed one paw over Buttercream's own. "What's wrong?" she whispers.

Feeling tingles run throughout her whole body, the rabbit opens her mouth again, and closes it. Open, close. The floor of the sweet shop is suddenly freezing cold. "I-I feel likey-wikey…"

The words burst out of her before she knows what she is saying, and for once they weren't haphazard and insane.

"I feel like no one ever understands me!"

Blinking, Sugar studies the bunny, who is now scuffling at the floor with one paw, tears in the corners of her forest green eyes. Slowly she replies, "If no one understands you, then what about this whole conversation we just had?"

Buttercream stares at her, saying nothing, letting the thought sink in. "I think you're righty-bo-bighty," she gasps in shock. "You can understandy-landy me!" Eyes alight with pleasure, the bunny begins to hop around the cat, cheering. "I'm not alone-la-lone anymore!" she squeals, hopping atop Sugar Sprinkles' head and grinning.

"Yes, I'm so happy…yay. Except…you're really heavy, so I hope you don't mind what I'm about to do…?" replies Sugar in a slightly strained voice. Buttercream nods, confusion in her gaze, and then yelps as the cat whips her head and flings the bunny into the wall. "Again…really sorry," she echoes as Buttercream picks herself up.

Laughing, Buttercream leaps back over in two large bounds. "I don't carey-warey! You're razzle-dazzled me by sharing that you can understand what I'm say-de-waying without think-de-linking about it!"

"No problem," Sugar Sprinkles smiles slowly, and slowly pulls the bunny into a tight hug. "What're friends for?"

Buttercream, heart rapidly melting, has no control over what happens next. Whispering softly, "Friends-bo-bends?" she leans in, nuzzles the cat's muzzle with her soft pink nose, and then gives her a quick peck on the cheek.

Buttercream finds herself delighted to discover the taste is like sprinkles – sweet and satisfying all in one.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

AN: Yup, you heard me right. I ship this, no regrets. Another of my many updates as I return from my self-ban! Reviews appreciated, please. :)

~Driz