A/N: Hello, I'm back! Sorry for the delay, but I wanted to update my other fic as well (go check it out by the way). Also, good news: I'm on summer vacation, which means more time to write. Yay! Y'all know the disclaimer and all that so let's roll with it!
WARNING: mentions of sex
Chapter 6
With every passing moment, Elmer found it harder and harder to keep his breathing under control and not let any tears fall. He knew that he couldn't waste one more second and if he broke down then that would be the end of it. If only he could at least see them, receive a sign that it wasn't too late…
Just then, he spotted something that made his heart stop. About a few feet away from him, just where the beach ended, there was a man, probably in his late fifties or early sixties, opening his car door. Near him, there was a redhead girl, clearly a toon, whom he knew too well to confuse with someone else. She looked ready to step into the vehicle.
"ELMYRA, STOP!" He shouted as loud as he could.
Two pairs of eyes – one of chocolate brown, surprised and curious, the other one of unnatural blue, filled with disbelief, – turned to look at him.
In two seconds he was right near them and snatched his protégé away from the man.
"Awe you cwazy?!" He yelled at her, while also hugging her. He felt so relieved that for a moment he forgot that Robert was even there. "What has gotten into you, getting into the car with a stranger?!"
"He promised me a puppy." Elmyra said innocently, clearly unaware of the danger she had put herself in or of the near heart attack she had given her mentor. "And he's not a stranger. He had a job at our studio in the sixties. He said he was your friend."
Elmer stared dumbfounded. "What?"
"Robert said he had been very close to you while working for WB. You were, weren't you, Elmer? You were good friends, right?"
The hunter processed what he had just been told. Him and Robert Taylor?! Good friends?! What the hell! That thought was absolutely disgusting. He turned towards the man, who was looking at them with a very peculiar look: amused, yet in a malicious way.
At that sight, a wave of anger cruised through the older toon. Just from that expression he could tell the douchebag hadn't changed a bit: he was still the same manipulative, evil scumbag like thirty years ago. Except that now, Elmer wasn't his target. It was Elmyra. His counterpart, that was what the monster aimed for.
Robert had taken advantage of the fact that the Tiny Toons were young, naïve and alone. He had told them an invented story, so far away from the truth, yet so plausible. He had used his knowledge of the Looney Tunes in order to gain their trust, to make them believe he was their friend, when in reality, he was the farthest thing from that. He manipulated the children, just like he had done with everyone else. Then, he tried to take Elmyra away and do Avery knows what to her. He had tried to hurt the girl that was to him like a daughter, probably in order to hurt him.
The panic and fear he had felt a while ago had now suddenly transformed into pure fury. He hatedthe man, with every fiber in his body.
"You bastawd…"
Robert let out a cold laugh. "Is that how you greet an old friend, Fudd? I must say, I was expecting a warmer welcoming."
Elmer had to restrain himself from punching the guy, which proved to be quite difficult. However, he knew violence would only get him into trouble. And so, grabbing the girl's hand and shooting the human one last deadly glare, he turned around, ready to leave.
But Robert wasn't done. Oh, not even by far!
"Oh, come on, Fuddsey! I wanna chit-chat for a bit, ya know, catch up with ya. I truly missed you. Haven't you missed me? We've had a wonderful time together, after all."
The hunter stopped. He closed his eyes tightly, trying to not let Robert's words trigger any painful memories. He knew the man was doing that to taunt him. He could practically hear him smirking while saying all that.
"So, are you and Bugs still together?"
Elmer didn't say anything.
He suddenly heard the car door close shut and footsteps heading towards him. Then, without warning, he felt a heavy, sweaty palm landing on his shoulder. Letting out a terrified, strangled squeal, he moved away quickly, turning around in the process and facing the man.
"I see you haven't changed a bit. Still the same shy, socially-awkward Elmer, as always." Said Robert, grinning wickedly, obviously having the time of his life. "So, I asked if you and Bugs are still together. Are you?"
"What do you cawe?" Elmer snapped.
"Whoa, don't get defensive now. I'm just curious." Robert's tone was so sly and smooth, it sounded almost like a snake hissing. It made Elmer shiver with repulse.
"That is none of youw business. It's mine. Now, excuse me, but I gotta go. My fiancé is waiting fo-" His eyes widened, realizing what he had just said, and clasped a hand over his mouth. His intention had been to let Robert know that he wasn't completely alone and that someone was here with him (even if that was a lie). But, instead, he had given the man an information he certainly didn't want him to know. How could he be so stupid and inattentive with his words!
"Whoa! So you two are engaged now?! Ha!" Robert cackled. "And how are you two supposed two have a proper marriage when you still can't take a friendly pat on the shoulder? I mean, are you two even having sex?"
Hearing the word, Elmer shot a panicked look down at Elmyra, who was watching the whole dispute, very confused.
"Uh, Elmyra, why don't you go ovew thewe," the older toon pointed at a massive tree growing near the beach, "and wait for me untiw I'm done hewe?"
Glancing curiously one more time at both of them, the girl skipped towards where her mentor had showed. Once she was far enough to not hear their conversation, Elmer turned furiously towards Robert.
"Ok, let's get this ovew with. What awe you doing hewe?! And what do you want fwom my appwentice?!"
"Come on, Elmer. I was just trying to be friend-"
"No!" The hunter's shout made the human back away a bit. "I know what kind of person you awe, Wobert! You don't just show up out of nowhere, twy to win my pupil's fwiendship, then take her away fwom evewyone if you didn't have a pwan!"
A few seconds passed, during which Robert seemed, for the first time, taken by surprise. He clearly hadn't expected Elmer to react so fiercely, being used to the more mellow and shy version of him.
"So what do you want?!" The toon asked again, angrily. "Say it and then get wost!"
"What do I want?" At this, Robert quickly recomposed from his initial shocked and expression suddenly turned to one of anger. It made Elmer extremely uncomfortable, but he didn't show it in the slightest, and stood his ground.
"I'll tell you what I want, Fudd. I want revenge!"
"Wevenge?" Elmer asked confused. "Fow what? I didn't do anything to you!"
"Yes, you did!" The man shouted. "Because of you I lost my job, my dreams, my opportunities, my career, everything! I had to move away from the city to not damage my reputation! I've lived thirty miserable years with my uninteresting family, in the most boring town you can imagine, with no options and little money! Hell, I could barely afford this vacation! And all because of you and the other stupid toons!"
"Because of me?" Elmer asked, not believing what he was hearing. "You didn't wose all this because of me! You wost it because of you! Your actions led you to being fiwed! Nothing would have happened if you… if you wouldn't have…" The words caught in his throat and he found himself unable to finish the sentence.
Robert laughed cruelly again. "You can't even recall what happened to you. Oh, you're so pathetic."
Tears of shame formed in the hunter's eyes and he turned away from his harasser. Robert went on.
"I honestly don't know what Bugs sees in you. You'll make a terrible husband and you're already a terrible role model. What will Elmyra learn from you, apart from always being a nervous wreck? You could barely protect her now, when I wanted to use her to take my revenge on you."
The moment those words left his mouth, Elmer spun on his heels and faced the man again. Then, his brow furrowed and his fists tightened, sending Robert, what he hoped was, the most murderous look ever.
"You awe going to stay away fwom her." Elmer almost whispered through gritted teeth.
"Or you'll what?" Robert teased. "Shoot me with your toon gun? Ha! You can't hurt me. And you can't stop me either from hurting your precious protégé either. And who knows? Maybe after I'm done with your cute apprentice, I'll come back for the others as well."
That was it. That was the last straw for Elmer. Before the man even knew what was happening, an anvil fell out of nowhere, hitting him on his head. Being a human, he wasn't squashed or flattened, but instead, it knocked him over and gave him a horrible, head-splitting headache. Groaning, Robert tried to get up. However, he was stopped by a red-faced, absolutely furious Elmer yanking him by his shirt and pulling him upward.
"Wisten hewe, you human gawbage." The toon hissed dangerously. "I can only guess what sick, pervewted thoughts you had in mind for Elmyra, but, if you ever come near her, or any of my family fow that mattew, again, I'ww teaw you wimb fwom wimb. And don't think I'm not capable, because I am. I'ww do it just as easily as I dwopped this anvil on you. And if you even think of going to the powice to weport me, then go ahead! I can't wait to tell them what a cweep you awe and how you tried to kidnap and assault my pupil. So, if I were you, I'd wisten and stay away fwom me and everybody else. Got it?"
Robert could barely nod, his eyes wide and terrified, his head almost spinning.
Elmer let go of his shirt and called Elmyra, who came in literally three seconds. She had been watching the whole scene from afar, but she hadn't dared to get closer, and now she was eager to know what had happened. But Elmer, did not answer her questions. Instead, he took her hand and walked away.
Once they were far enough, Elmer glanced behind one more time. He saw Robert get up and trying to steady himself. He looked around, in an attempt to make out his surroundings, wobbling a bit in the process. Then, with a look of pure defeat spread across his face, he walked – or more like stumbled – to his car and sped off right away.
Watching the man drive away, Elmer couldn't help a smile of pure satisfaction and triumph. He felt 100 pounds lighter and so free, like he could run a mile.
"Why are you smiling like that, Elmer?" Elmyra asked curiously.
"I'ww tell you when you'we older. Now let's go. We have to get to the hotel and calm everyone down. Buster must've given them a panic attack by now."
And, hand in hand, the two headed off to where the rest of their family was.