Buster promised Arthur that he'd meet him in front of the drugstore to return the Cyber Toy. He quickly wrote a note attempting to explain the whole situation about him stealing the Cyber Toy. He put the note and Cyber Toy in his backpack before rushing to the sidewalk right in front of the drugstore early in the morning.
He ran on and on until he eventually found Arthur, standing there.
"Buster, where have you been?" shouted Arthur in frustration.
"I'm sorry I'm late," said Buster, "I was writing a note."
"What does it say?"
"Dear Drugstore, we didn't mean to take this Cyber Toy. Somehow it just ended up in Arthur's book bag. Signed, Unanimous."
"Buster, it's anonymous, not unanimous! And don't mention my name, I'll then get in trouble!"
Arthur quickly took out his pocket a pencil and made a few amendments to the note.
"See," said Buster, "I knew returning was the right thing to do."
Eventually they entered the drugstore.
"Buster, look at the candy, whilst I return the toy." said Arthur.
"Okay." said Buster.
Arthur headed for the Cyber Toy section, but to his horror it was empty.
"Oh no!" said Arthur.
"What's the matter?" asked Buster, heading over.
"It's empty!"
"Great, what do we do?"
Arthur put down the toy in frustration as the two started to think.
They were eventually interrupted by the drugstore owner.
"Ah, were you boys looking for a Cyber Toy? Every kid wants one, I just received a packaging of new Cyber Toys, so you can have them if you want to."
Buster forced a feeble smile on his face. "Oh, um, thank you!"
The three were interrupted when they heard the sound of mechanical movements.
Arthur and Buster turned around.
It was the Cyber Toy, set walking whilst holding the note.
"What's this?" asked the drugstore. "How did this thing get here?"
He picked up the toy and read the note.
"Dear Drugstore...so...what do you boys have to explain about this?"
Arthur and Buster began talking rapidly at the same time, trying to get this over with as soon as possible, now that they were caught red-handed.
"One at a time, one at a time. Can you explain this?" he asked, in the direction of Buster.
Buster stared back up at the owner, wide-eyed in horror.
"I'm waiting." he demanded.
Buster's attention was then caught towards a surveillance camera at the ceiling. Sweating pouring down his face, he hollered in guilt,
"Alright I admit it! It was me! I was the thief! I put it in Arthur's book bag! Check your camera!"
The owner turned back up to the camera at the ceiling.
"That camera? Oh, that thing isn't working. I've been asking service men to come and fix it, but apparently they won't be back until the next week or so due to personal reasons. However, my phone is. Can you please tell me your phone numbers? I need to make some important calls."
"341-2351." said Arthur.
"And you?"
"562-1235." said Buster.
As the owner began to dial, whilst waiting for Arthur's parents to pick up the phone, he spoke again.
"I understand that you two were trying to do the right thing by returning the toy, but stealing it in the first place was where you went wrong. Very wrong."
They hung down their heads.
Before they knew it, Buster's mother and Arthur's parents arrived in the store, looking disappointed.
Arthur was the first to leave, Mr and Mrs Read taking him out.
"Arthur, why didn't you tell us what had happened after you find out what Buster did?"
"I'm sorry," said Arthur, nearly crying, "I was really scared. I was afraid that you were going to get mad at me, but I really did want to defend Buster, and..."
"Can't you see how covering it up made it worse, even if you didn't steal the toy?" said Mr Read.
"David, please!" snapped Mrs Read, "Can't you see that Arthur is already shocked?"
Mrs Read looked down, and then Mr Read to Arthur, who was crying, fearing the punishment.
Mr Read sighed.
"There, there, don't cry. At least the story has come to an end."
"But should anything like that happen," continued Mrs Read, "Please speak to us and tell us what's happened."
"That's right," said Mr Read, "We're your parents and we're here to help you and protect you. But I advise you not to talk to Buster until he properly apologises to you for his wrongdoing. He was responsible for it. Not you."
"Okay," agreed Arthur. He was still angry that his own best friend put the Cyber Toy in his bag, but was frustrated at the same time since he would not be able to talk to him or play with him until he apologises.
The Read family however turned back to the drugstore to apologise to the owner once again.
"We're sorry it all had to come to this," said Mr Read as he bowed to the owner.
Buster was then the next to leave, with Mrs Baxter taking him outside.
"You are going to have a long time to think about what you did to this store and to yourself!" she said.
"I will." said Buster.
"I didn't know you were a thief!" said Mrs Baxter. "I'm ashamed of you, Buster. Very ashamed. This behaviour is not at all acceptable. I never imagined that someone like you would be so into a Cyber Toy that you would actually have steal one then. And for that, you are grounded for four weekends. You are not to go out and play, you are to stay in your room instead and do productive things. Also, dinner, but no dessert."
"I understand. I'm sorry mom."
"Good. Now when you get home, you are to go to your room and stay there until lunch and think about what you did."
Buster ended up staying in his home all Saturday and Sunday.
Finally on Sunday, after watching the Brain fly his model airplane near his apartment, his mother called.
"You can wash up for dinner," she said sternly. "And remember, dinner, but no dessert."
After dinner, Buster was just getting ready for bed when his mother continued to sit on the living room couch for a very long time and sighed.
Maybe I was a little too harsh on him, she thought. I should go talk to him. After all, he's only 8.
Mrs Baxter walked up to his room and opened the door.
"Buster," she said, "I want to talk to you."
"What is it?" asked Buster.
"I just want to say that I am sorry I was very harsh on you, but I just want to let you know that stealing in the first place was a very wrong thing to do. After thinking hard, I thought that maybe you have learned your lesson, have you Buster?"
"Yes, mom."
"Since you told me you have, I was thinking about ending the grounding...today."
"Really?" asked Buster in relief.
"And perhaps someday I could get you a Cyber Toy, since I can tell that you want it so much."
"Really mom?"
"BUT under one condition."
"What is it mom?"
"Promise me that when you meet Arthur in person, you will apologise to him properly for what you did, and you will promise me that you will never, ever do something like this again. Stealing only makes you feel worse. Can you promise me it?"
"Yes mom. Are you sure I'm not going to jail?"
"No, of course not!" laughed his mother, "Kids can't go to jail. But are you sure you are going to promise me to not do this again."
"Okay, I will."
"And don't forget to apologise to Arthur tomorrow. After all, he's your friend, and you may make up after this."
"Okay mom."
"Good. Good night Buster." she said sweetly as he kissed him on the cheek.
"Good night mom."
The next day at school, Buster was rushing up to Arthur, but Arthur would not wait for him.
"Hi Buster," said Arthur solemnly.
"What did your mom say?"
"She grounded me for the weekend and asked me to apologise to you."
"Well, I don't know what to say, but my mom told me not to talk to you unless you say you're sorry properly about what happened."
"Really? That's what I was here for. Look, Arthur, I am very very sorry I did this and got both of us into trouble, but I just want to say that it was a dumb thing for me to do. You can stop being friends with me if you want, but I just wanted to tell you that I was very sorry."
Buster sighed as he walked past Arthur.
Arthur stared at him. He was indeed angry about what Buster did, but he felt that he got into enough trouble.
"Wait, Buster. I understand now. I understand."
"So does that mean we're friends again?"
"Of course."
"And we'll go to the Sugar Bowl and go to the park?"
"Yup."
"And play ball in the field with the others?"
"Yeah."
"Alright!" Buster high-fived Arthur. "Arthur, feel free to be jealous of me but my mom said that she would buy me a Cyber Toy soon, if I learned my lesson."
"My mom said the same thing too."
The days passed by until Friday came.
Buster was walking home from school, whilst his mother greeted him with a smile.
"Buster, I have a surprise for you!"
"Really? Where is it?"
"On the living room table."
Buster went to the living room where he saw a wrapped up package.
"What is this?"
"Well, open it up and see for yourself."
Buster tore off the wrapping paper and opened the box.
It was a Cyber Toy. Buster stared in amazement.
"Wow, my very own Cyber Toy?"
"Yes it is, and as a reward of proving me that you will not steal again."
"Oh, mom, thank you!" said Buster in happiness as he hugged his mother.
Arthur was walking home too on Friday afternoon, when his parents were greeting him with a smile.
"Arthur, we have a surprise for you!"
"Really?"
DW presented him with a package.
"Oh, thank you DW!"
Arthur took the package from DW's hands and opened it.
It was a Cyber Toy.
"Is this really a Cyber Toy?" exclaimed Arthur.
"Yes it is!" said Mr Read.
"Oh mom, dad, thank you!"
"We knew you wanted one really badly. We originally thought of buying it for your birthday but since it's a long way away, we changed our minds and decided to buy one now. Do you like it!"
Arthur hugged Mr and Mrs Read. "I love it! Mom, Dad, thank you!"
Arthur and the gang met in the Sugar Bowl on Saturday, clutching their Cyber Toys.
"Whoa," exclaimed Francine, "You and Buster have such cool Cyber Toys! I was thinking about making a collection of Cyber Toys but my parents said no because they were too expensive!"
"Yeah!" said the Brain, "You guys are really lucky!"
"So, what do you say about a game of Cyber Toys...in the park?" suggested Arthur.
"That's a great idea!" said Binky.
After they finished their ice creams they all raced to the park and played their very own game of Cyber Toy Adventures.