Lexi walked into the common room with bags of groceries strung on her arms, clasped in her hands, and tossed over her shoulder. The blatant irritation on her face the only thing that kept Slam at bay as he watched her make her way to the kitchen. Danger Duck of course would not notice such a warning.

"It's about time!" he said turning from the card game with his gargantuan teammate, "I was starting to think you got lost!"

The bunny narrowed her eyes at him, confusion and annoyance in their stare.

The duck scoffed, "PSSH! I can't have you gone in a ditch somewhere with only MY energy bars to get you through it. Ha! Not happenin Missy."

Lexi's expression dropped back to irritation. Ignoring the fact that his energy bars were not the only thing she went shopping for and how conceited he was to think so, especially after seeing her carrying several bags into the kitchen, she said nothing and set everything on the kitchen counter.

She began to put things away, quietly despising that it was again her turn to go grocery shopping and lamenting about how she never liked doing it in the first place. With a sour expression, she put away the freezer items, sorted things for the pantry, stacked the cans, found places for the extras, and put all of the special requests to the side to be collected by her teammates when she was finish-

"Oh-Lexi-you're-back! I-picked-you-up-on-my-GPS-say-did'ja-get-that-thing-I-asked-for-ya'know-what-I'm-talkin-bout-that-thing-that-I-can't-say-out-loud-cuz-it-could-get-to-the-ears-of-someone-who-might-want-to-take-th-"

Lexi thrust a pack of cookies in front of Rev's face, her eyes closed, mouth contorted and nose twitching. Rev felt the tension emanating from her and took his cookies with a nervous smile.

"Th..Thanks." He chuckled softly while moving cautiously away before zipping hastily out of the room.

Sensing his departure Lexi returned to her sorting, stacking, and wondering why it was so hard for men to understand that women didn't want them in the kitchen at the same time as them whether or not they were cooking. She thought bitterly about how it was bad enough that they sent her out to get the food but on occasion would also ask her to "whip something up". Thinking to herself, she knew that today, Wednesday, was her day to grocery shop and Ace's day to cook dinner, though it maddened her that whenever the other bunny would start to make something he was so unconfident in his culinary skills that often Wednesday meant take out day. Or rather another take out day, as she found that most of the males suggested ordering out instead of cooking or, on one occasion with Duck, presented food that was from a restaurant as his own. In turn, she being the only one who cooked actual meals besides Slam (to his credit), made her what they began to think as a reliable default for home cooked meals.

How stereotypical. She wasn't even good at them.

Finished with putting everything away, Lexi headed towards the couch, slyly casting an evil eye upon her ungrateful teammates. Heading down the ramp to the lounge she was just about to take a seat when Tech came bursting into the room from his lab.

"Lexi! Great you're back! Did you get that extra vegetable oil I asked you for? I need it to power this eco-gun that I've designed to run on natural fuel. It actually shoots a biodegradable substance I've created that paralyzes our enemies temporarily without permanent damage to their nervous systems and I need to have it tested by this afternoon."

Tech had not looked up from his handheld as he walked into the common room and was unfortunately unaware of the piercing glare that Lexi was giving him. He continued talking, supposing that the subject of his environmentally friendly 21st century influenced new invention should be of interest to her for its historical associations. But he would have done well to stop.

Normally topics of historical background were quite fascinating to the bunny who had been a History major at Acmetropolis University the year before the meteor hit. Some of her favorite focuses in time were anything pre-technological age-during and before the 21st century, including Ancient Greek and Roman history and the early millennium environmental crises- the subsequent Alien invasions and solar systematic wars between Earth and Mars for over 200 years; including within them: the introduction, mass population, enslavement, and relative freedom of anthromorphic species, and the age of Neo-technologism, followed by the initiation of the Galactic Federation in the 24th (and a half) century and then by other various the more recent intergalactic battles ranging throughout the 27th and early in the 28th centuries.

Tech had a vague understanding of her interests in history, and some part of Lexi appreciated his attempt to acquaint her with his new project, but at that moment she was beginning to think that if he didn't stop talking she would brain blast him into dust.

She continued to glare at her teammate who she was beginning to believe spent too much time with his lab assistant as he had not yet stopped rambling about his new invention. Tech, still never looking up from his handheld, still completely unaware of her frustration, and now very far from the original question he had posed to her, was so far gone that he became very confused when she let out a labored grunt and pointed toward the gathering of particular groceries on the countertop.

"Hm? …..Uhhhhhhhmmmmm…" the coyote looked from his teammate towards the direction she was pointing a few times before he realized his error. "Ah. I see it's….over…there..." he cleared his throat and noticed, feeling terrible, that the female's expression demanded his leave. "Right. Thanks Lexi." He said shuffling quickly out of her range of fire.

A twinge of guilt plagued the bunny as she plopped into a seat and her friend hurried away in alarm. After all, he was just trying to get her involved. The sentiment brought up familiar memories of time spent with her father in antique shops and museums high upon his shoulders.

'Look Lexi,' Lou would say pointing to an oil tank on display, 'Back then they used up all the fuel of the earth, that's how a lot of the wars back then got started.' 'Like the ones you were in dad?' she once said when she was 9. –Her father had fought in some of the last wars from 2745-2748 before her oldest siblings were born. He worked all the way up to becoming a Sergeant Major, but with children, he eventually left the battle field to work in Recruiting.—'No, no', he would say with a sigh, 'The ones I were in were about honor and integrity and protection of our planet…ya'know…outside of our planet.'

It was her father's affiliation with history that sparked her curiosity about the past in the first place. At the end of their tours Lou would always put her down, cough and stretch his worn out bones, then walk her and her siblings out hand in hand. Even after his death Lexi kept in mind his contributions to society and to the history he played a part in. And perhaps this is what drove her to become a Loonatic…

Though at the moment, the stress of her living condition was driving her insane.

"HA! HA!" Danger Duck bellowed triumphantly, "I've got you now Slam ol' boy! YOU sir must GO FISH!"

Duck continued to laugh victoriously as Slam grumbled loudly voicing his protect and accusing his friend of "cheating". "What are ya talkin' about? You can't cheat at Go Fish!"

"YuhUHHH!" "Cannot!" "YuhUHHHH!" "No WAY!"

The commotion between the two continued to heighten. Duck yelled atop the living room couch to look down on loudly grumbling Slam. Meanwhile, Tech muttered on in the background as he made adjustments to his new gun with a power drill.

Lexi's ears were pounding. Her hands clenched against the sides of the purple bean bag chair.

"What's goin on over dere!?" Ace was drawn from the back rooms by the shouting.

"Aceeee" Duck whined, "Slam's accusing me of cheating in a game where it can't be done!"

"EHUGHHH!"

"Huh, well FRANKLY, I don't appreciate your tone Mr. Tasmanian."

Ace made his disapproval visual with a roll of his eyes and a dismissing wave of his hand. "All dis ova a card game. C'mon guys, how old are ya?"

"EXCUSE ME! I'm a fully grown mallard I'll have you know."

Slam made a brief noise of sarcastic disbelief.

"What was that? You got something to SAY o Slamacus?"

And their verbal battle picked up again.

As they continued to bicker, adding a rowdy white noise to the room, Ace ignored their antics and turned to Tech who was busy with a drill at the counter. "What's up Tech, wat ya got dere?"

Lexi tensed in the longue resenting that Ace got Tech started. But before she could be plagued with having to listen to another round of Tech's scientific jibber jabber, ramblings of a different kind found their way to the bunny's sensitive ears.

"Hey-Lexi-really-really-really-really-REALLY-REALLY-sorry-to-bother-you-cuz-I-know-it-seems-like-you-might-not-want-to-be-bothered-right-now-and-I-hope-I'm not-disturbing-you-though-I-know-if-you-don't-want-to-be-bothered-and-I'm-right-here-bothering-you-then-that-means-that-I-would-be-bothering-you-that-is-but-all-that-aside-I-just-wanted-to-ask-if-these-were-the-only-cookies-you brought-from-the-store-because-it-seems-that-and-I'm-sorry-if-I'm-mistaken-but-if-I-do-recall-I-asked-if-you-could-pick-up-some-oatmeal-sesame-seed-cookies-because-you-see-those-are-my-favorite-but-when-I-gave-a-good-look-at-the-one's-that-you-gave-me-it-turns-out-they-were-sugar-cookies-and-while-I-would-totally-agree-that-all-cookies-are-totally-sweet-sweet-sweet-it-would-seem-that-these-kind-are-actually-TOO-sweet-sweet-for-me-ya'know-what-with-the-high-energy-I-already-have-and-all-Tech-suggests-that-I-don't-eat-anything-that-will-cause-me-to-act-any-more-hyperactively-which-I-didn't-agree-with-at-first-but-as-you-can-tell-I've-already-eaten-just-one-and-now-I'm-feeling-a-little-jitterly-and-I-can't-seem-to-stop-talking-at-all-and-my-hands-are-actually-shaking-a-little-and-I-feel-GREAT-but-not-a-good-kind-of-great-more-like-a-highly-caffinated-or-sugar-induced-high-kinda-gr—!"

Lexi's face twitched and her fists were squeezing the seat below enough for her to feel each individual bead pulsating with the feeling of her pumping blood.

"HEY! REV! Why don't you SHADDUP over there! Can't you see me and Slam are having a rousing debate!"

"I'm-sorry-Duck-but-it-seems-to-me-that-you-both-were-just-having-an-argument-not-a-debate-which-would-involve-more-facts-and-studying-and-research-and-podiums-and-teams-and-travel-and—"

"Whoa whoa whoa! What is UP with you? Is this your mouth on hyper drive!?"

"Ehhhh… what's wrong Rev, ya look all shookin up an' zippier den usual", said Ace as he stared worriedly at his teammate.

"Oh no," Tech groaned, "Did you get into my coffee again? I told you Rev, ingesting caffeine or high amounts of sugar is detrimental to your stability—"

"I-didn't-mean-to-it's-just-those-darn-COOKIES-they-made-me-feel-all-jumpy-and-energetic-and-AWESOME-but-also-really-weird-and-I-don't-know-how-to-make-it-stop—!"

"COOKIES?!" Duck exclaimed jumping down from the couch, "When did you get more cook—iesssuumm I meannn….oh woooow…y..you have cookies?"

"Yeah-and-I-kept-them-secret-from-YOU-Duck-you-COOKIE-THEIF! Yeah-that's-right-I-still-remember-your-little-confession-and-I've-made-pleanty-sure-never-to-let-you-get-to-them-EVER-again!-Ya-hear-that?-EVER-AGAIN!"

Lexi flinched and grabbed at her ears, pulling them down and scrunching herself up in the beanbag. She went unnoticed in the commotion.

"Mmmm KUKIEEE!" Slam drooled as Duck continued to defend against Rev's truthful accusations. "Ugh! Whaba suggpahhagaga da Food?"

"I don't know Slam buddy. Let's see, yesterday was your day, day bafore dat was Rev's…hmm," Ace contemplated and Lexi nearly screamed right then and there. He knew good and well that it was his turn to cook dinner! The fact that he was prolonging it was all a part of his plan to cop out of the duty. She twisted and fixed herself lower in the chair, still clutching her ears to no avail, mouth contorted in an angry frown.

"I think it's actually your turn to cook Chief," said a preoccupied Tech, to Lexi's ever loving relief.

"Oh. You're right. Hm, well havin' forgot I don't really have anything planned."

The she-bunny mumbled bitterly about unprepared leaders as Ace took a peek into once of the counter's bags, "Well, let's see what de ol' grocery fairy dropped off." Lexi could feel her rabbit nose twitching beyond her control, her lips tingling as she tried to bite back a well-deserved rant.

"Hm. Not sure what I can woik with in here. Tell youse guys what. How bout," ('Don't say it Don't say it Don't say it!' She pleaded), "we order in? Ah? It'll be nice! We can watch a movie, kick our feet up an' get real comfortable. I could call up da pizza place where we got free eats fa life."

Lexi. Was. LIVID.

"Ehhh, I'm not too sure about that. I'm not in the mood for greasy junk food." Tech stated looking the Eco-gun over and tweaking small adjustments.

"I'm with Metal Brain. Didn't we have that stuff like 3 days ago? As a daring crime fighter I do NOT want to ruin my delicate physique with the same brubish every week."

"That's rubbish Duck." Tech corrected.

"Whatever."

"Alrite. I got nuttin, but maybe Slam?" Ace shrugged, suggesting.

"NuhUh Hidon Feelilhi kt." Slam dismissed crossing his arms defensively.

Ace would not give up hope. "Rev?"

"under-normal-circumstances-I-would-but-seeing-as-I-can't-seem-to-keep-my-hands-from-SPAZZING-OUT-right-now-I-think-it-would-be-best-for-me-to-stay-out-of-the-kitchen-away-from-dangerous-stuff-like-forks-knives-spoons-pans-wide-open-flames…"

Rev's list went on while Ace turned his attention away and stroked his chin as he stared toward a sunken beanbag in the longue.

Lexi was practically praying to be invisible at that moment. She could feel a pair of eyes on her; no doubt Ace turning to his 'last resort'. Just thinking about it set her insides on fire, her defensive rage bubbling and threatening to go over as she realized just how much her friends manipulated her and made her do things that she didn't really feel like doing. Like cleaning up the rec area when no one else would, or filing all the paperwork for missions, damage claims, and the like, or for preparing a doggone home cooked meal swiftly and practically from scratch! Just when it all seemed to push an immense weight on her and she sat withering in her seat, ears pulled, teeth bared, and nose twitching furiously, Ace finally sent her off the deep end.

"Well then I guess….Lexi? Could ya whip somthin up ya think? We're all starvin." He laughed good-humoredly.

There was an intimidating pause. Lexi released her ears and they popped into view after being hidden in her attempt to avoid that very question. She stood up. A bit too hastily and rigid, more like a robot than a woman. Her expression was rather blank, which wasn't scary so much as disturbing, and her eyes did not meet with anyone's. The room had become strangely quiet compared to the past few minutes, save for the loud rumbling of Slam's stomach. She passed Danger and Slam, both excited for the meal they felt to come. She passed Rev, whose shaky stance feigned terror as she walked by. And when she reached the counter where Ace and Tech were standing, the coyote looked up apprehensively with just his eyes, faced down toward the finished Eco-Gun while his lagomorph chum smiled naively, delighted to have thought up what he thought was a positive solution.

Everyone was silent for a moment more when she'd stopped in front of Ace with a less than amused expression that suggested the fury and frustration lurking just beneath her features.

"Great!" Ace said out stretching his arms with satisfaction and grinning in her face, "So watcha think you'll make? Probably shouldn't go with dat casserole ding ya made the last time, we all know how dat went over aye Lex." He put a friendly hand on her shoulder.

In an instant Lexi's face contorted into the angriest scowl Ace had ever seen on her. And the thought of her offence blipped tardily and unhelpfully too late in the back of his mind.

Quicker than Rev himself, Lexi grabbed the Eco-Gun out of Tech's fingers, and fired five shots. One straight forward, to the side, swiveled and caught the last three from behind. In 4 seconds she had managed to paralyze her whole team as they stood frozen in their positions, drenched in the biodegradable fluid that Tech had gone on about.

Still fully conscious, yet unable to move their lips the boys all watched Lexi in astonishment as she let loose a loud exhale and stood where she was; her eyes closed and Ace's outstretched hand a few inches to her right. After a moment of reflection she produced a slight smile and proceeded to walk away swinging the gun on her finger, suppressing an evil little giggle.

Frozen in mid-escape, Rev, Duck, and Slam were able to see her pull out her cell phone and dial a number.

"mMMmmMMMmm" Duck tried, making a protesting noise from his closed beak. Lexi ignored him of course, having finally found peace in the evening, the feeling reflected in her voice as she spoke to the person on the other line.

"Hello this is Lexi Bunny….yes we'd like the usual if you please….sure we'll take a few spring rolls…..that sounds great….thanks!...no problem…alright, have a nice night."

She turned back, headed out of the kitchen with a glowing smile and serene expression. "We're having Chinese from Downtown." She said with an equally calm and pleased tone of voice.

Hopping down into the lounge from over the couch she set herself up to lay down with her feet kicked back and a good magazine at her side. For the first time that night she sighed contentedly.

"That gun works fine Tech." She smirked, "We'll see how long it lasts."

The guys stared at her, motionless from their paralyzed places; each vowing to never cross her again.