Colonel Clyde was making his usual rounds through the manor. He was worried about Crazy; he hadn't come home since this night's episode. Clyde thought that Crazy might be on an outing with friends, but never this long, this late. It was against Crazy's nature, so Clyde was suspicious. But he had to assume that there was another logical explanation other than Crazy getting involved in a gang war.
When he stopped by the vault where he kept all of his lately produced inventions, Clyde decided to have a peek inside. He typed the code and entered. Everything seemed to be in order.
Except…
***
"Wow. I can't believe you kept that hidden for so many years!" Icy said. They were in Tuft's bedroom, a paradise they she would've enjoyed if not for Crazy's harsh secret-revealing words at the dinner table.
"Yeah I know." Tuft teared up. "I can't believe me either."
"No, I think it's impressive. …You know, I have secrets of my own, too."
"No."
"Yes. Have you ever seen the eyes behind these shades?"
"…Come to think about it, no. Why is this important?"
"Turn off the lights." Once they were off, Icy took off his shades and said, "Look closely at my eyes."
Icy's eyes glowed in the dark (for some reason) so it was easy to see them. Tuft saw green eyes with slits for pupils. She fought the urge to shriek and turned the lights back on.
"…Wow."
"Yeah, I know." Icy paused for a minute. "I have this genetic disorder where I am not as smart as other toons, but I can see in moonlight and have sensitive ears. I can also talk with other people who have the disorder in decibels too high for normal toons to hear."
Anxious to change the subject, Tuft said. "You know, Icy, ever since I got that telegram, I've been softening."
"Yeah I know. Remember how you beat up that toon that was picking on me? If we were in any other neighborhood besides Daisy's Gardens you would have been sent to juvie."
"Yeah." Tuft chuckled. Then she got a serious look on her face. "But now, I realize that I'm not the girl I've pretended to be. I'm soft, compassionate, and kind."
"…Somehow, I find that hard to believe." Then Tuft explained her childhood in the Brrrgh. "What did you say that one kid looked like?"
"Big frown, purple face, bear, why?"
"That sounds exactly like Crazy."
***
Clyde saw one of his cannons was missing. That shouldn't be a big deal, he thought, but why would anyone take one? They're only prototypes. Clyde remembered he had a party last week and the door to the vault was beat up, but it was still intact. He also noticed that two packages of his Laff Candy, also known as Battlefield Candy, were missing. That was probably Crazy's doing. Crazy used a pack every time he went to take over a cog building, so Clyde didn't worry about that.
Clyde walked over and typed a code to open a special compartment in the vault. He looked inside, and his heart almost stopped.
Someone had taken his copy of the blueprints to his Level Eight Drop Gag.
***
"You think it's Crazy? That was ten years ago! Crazy was Clyde's apprentice by then! And how could you blame him? He's your mentor!" Tuft was surprised at Icy's accusation.
"Hey, I only said it sounds like him!" Icy said. "But you're right. Crazy was Clyde's apprentice by then, and Clyde would never let him join a gang."
"Well, Crazy better not have, otherwise I'll wallop him good!" Tuft shook her fist in the air.
"Hey, what happened to the sweet and innocent Tuft?" Icy asked, smiling.
"Well maybe I have a split personality." Tuft sat down on the bed with Icy. "You know, thanks for comforting me before. It was really nice of you to do that." Tuft put her arm around Icy. "And it must have taken a lot of courage to show me your eyes."
"Same for you." Icy snuggled up close to Tuft. "You must've thought I would hate you when you told me you're secret."
Tuft turned face to face with Icy. "I did. But I'm glad you don't. Just don't ever, ever call me Rosie Parks."
"Done."
And then they shared true love's first kiss.
***
The Lone Toon stood at the bank. It was the dead of night. This was his last choice to turn back.
But there was just too much to gain.
The Big Cheeses flew onto the bank's roof. They were waiting for the signal to use their new lasers the toon had invented for them to saw through the roof, capture the shopkeepers and melt the jellybeans. Then, while the whole population was panicking, the toon and its cogs would execute the next stage of their plan.
In less than twenty-four hours, Toontown would fall.
***
"…I realize I'm not the girl I've pretended to be." –Tuft Puft
