Buster entered Lakewood Elementary School just as he did the previous day. He walked though the hallways of the building at a weary pace- he had an awful night once again. Just as he was ready to fall asleep, he found himself picturing the future that would await everyone in the future- mostly Arthur. Instead of Arthur being an unsympathetic ruffian, he was a miserable, homeless child, begging random people on the streets for spare money. Buster came out of his realistic vision and fell asleep to the best of his abilities; but he could not shake the dreadful thoughts out of his mind. The morning after was just the same as the other day: he plodded into the dining room and his mother asked him if he was alright to go to school, which he answered "yes".
Even when he did his best to sound like he was simply tired, Buster knew all too well that he wasn't his usual self. He was aware that he was suffering from the anger that his friends were constantly feeding. He knew that with the war occurring between him and the rest of the kids was driving him into an inescapable rage- he thought it was the same rage that was now consuming his former best friend. No matter what was said about Arthur Read being a traitor and a villain, Buster kept his beliefs in reach; he knew that all of the negative actions against the aardvark would not get him to admit he was wrong for punching his little sister, but lead him to commit more acts of violence.
Buster wanted everyone to accept his views and opinions, but who would listen to him? All of his friends- those he interacted with every day and those he would often chat with -regarded Arthur as an insane fiend and were already giving him enough exasperation because of his thoughts. Buster felt that he too was becoming an outcast because he wanted to help Arthur. He could not feel more disgusted with everyone than he ever had been when the news of the fight between Arthur and Binky spreaded all over the school, and Arthur began to change into a demented hermit.
Then, just as the aggravation was taking effect, Buster remembered the promise he had made. He was to help Arthur in any way he could, no matter who or what would stand against him. It was sickening to think that practically every child who attended Lakewood Elementary School despised the aardvark so much that shun him and allow him to slip into insanity. If situations like these could make anyone physically sick, Buster surely would have vomited for the third or fourth time. Everyone's actions towards Arthur and the fact that he was the only one left who cared about his best friend was unbelievable, repulsive, and altogether a tragedy.
At that moment a question popped up in the rabbit's head. Could he really do everything by himself? Talking to Arthur was perhaps the most easily part of the mission. He was aware that the most important parts- finding him at the right time, getting him to communicate again, and develop ways for him to fix everything wrong in the past -would be the hardest.
Buster made himself familiar with the intensity of how difficult the process would be. He wished that he would have someone assist him with his therapeutic mission; but the chances of anyone agreeing to accompany him were a million to one.
Buster sighed. "With none of the other kids to help me," he said to himself; "I'll have to go to great lengths to get the old Arthur back."
He wasn't sure how long he was walking aimlessly through the school but it seemed to have gone by so quickly because, at the exact moment he made his vow, the school bell rang for the first class of the day. Buster groaned as he wanted to search for Arthur but was lost in thought. Planning how to properly execute the mission was to be put on hold until everyone was dismissed at the end of the school day.
Buster entered Mr. Ratburn's class and sat in his chair with everyone else. While the teacher commenced the day's lesson, Buster glanced at all of his fellow classmates. Everyone was giving their full attention to Mr. Ratburn, all eyes were on the teacher and all mouths were closed. Francine, Muffy, Binky, and Arthur were among them.
Buster studied Arthur's facial expression; it was the same expression he had since the day after his fight with Binky: dull and blank. It was the most noticeable signs that he was transforming into a barbaric creature. As well as his moods, it was clear to anyone that Arthur was changing by his refusal to speak and physical actions. Buster wasn't sure if Arthur had fought with or threatened another kid with violence, but he knew that that was a great possible. He had to end his friend's descension into insanity, no matter what would happen to either of them.
Buster continued to observe Arthur throughout the school day as long as he could. He took note on how the aardvark repeated his actions from the past two days. In the other classes, he only spoke when he was called on by a teacher to answer a question or read something. In gym class, he was once again active in a way no one had ever seen before, and was first witnessed days ago. At recess, he went on exercising like he was preparing for some sort of fitness club. During lunch, he ate by himself and didn't look at anyone who passed by his table.
Why is Arthur so calm? Buster thought. He's going through some much but he's acting like nothing ever happened. What's going on that we don't know?
The rabbit thought of multiple possibilities but not one of them seemed to be the exact reason why Arthur had shut out the world around him. He knew that the only way to crack the mystery wide open was to confront Arthur. Even if Francine or Muffy would try to prevent him from interacting with Arthur, Buster would keep trying until he got his ex-best friend to talk to him again.
Eventually, the last school bell rang and everyone spilled out into the hallways; many of them were at their lockers while everyone else headed for the main exit.
Buster quickly packed up his backpack and joined the hundreds of kids who were trying to get out the building to go home. It was nearly impossible for him to move since there were huge crowds in certain areas of the school. Kids were chatting with their friends, completely oblivious to the other kids around them. It irritated a lot of the kids. It was especially aggravating for Buster who was searching for Arthur. He wanted to push through the thick crowd but he didn't want to act like a mindless animal when the rage would increase from the unbearable annoyance that surrounded him.
At last, Buster made his way out of school and onto the sidewalk. He began his journey to Arthur's house. He had waited all day for this. He didn't care about the obvious reception from his friends; Buster was determined to gain entry to Arthur's residence, convince his former best friend that there was still hope for him, and come up with various ways to rebuild his friendship with everyone he had lost because of his anger.
Buster finally made it to Arthur's street. His house, and the anticipation that the aardvark would listen to him, was only seconds away.
Suddenly, as if he had magically appeared from it, Binky stepped out from the front yard of a nearby house and onto the sidewalk. Buster made a brave attempt to pass Binky by going onto the street and around him, but, instead of blocking him, the bulldog grabbed the rabbit's arm and dragged him back to the sidewalk.
"What's gotten into you, Binky?!" Buster demanded.
"That depends," Binky responded. "What's gotten into you, Buster?!"
"That doesn't concern you just yet!" Buster growled. He struggled to free his arm from Binky's strong hand. "Let me go!" he demanded.
"Sure," Binky said flatly; "I'll let you go. But first you're going to promise me that you won't talk to or go near Arthur ever again!"
"I'm not giving in to you or anyone else!" Buster roared. "Arthur's life is in serious trouble and all you can do is ignore it?! How cold are you?!"
"Oh, stop being a baby!" Binky retorted.
"I'm being the baby?! Just because I'm trying to help my best friend makes you think I'm acting like a baby?! You're so ignorant- just like everybody else!"
"You'd better watch what you say, Buster; or else, I'm gonna-"
"You're gonna what?! You're gonna beat me up?! I doubt it! The last time you threatened me like that, you backed down and started crying! You're much of a coward as you are a jackass!"
Buster sensed a great pang of shock when he realized what word he had allowed to escape his thoughts. Binky was just as surprised as he was. Instantly, the bulldog grabbed the rabbit by the shoulders and shook him violently.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!" Binky shrieked in total rage.
Buster felt the urge to fight back, yet he couldn't bring himself to do so. He wasn't actually sure why. Anyone could think of the most logical and plausible reasons why. Buster didn't want to get punched by Binky; he was unable to speak due to the bulldog's violent assault; and he couldn't think straight because of the anger building inside of him. Buster didn't know what would exactly happen if he were to attack Binky. The only thing he could reckon then was that he would join Arthur as an outsider, regarded by all as a monster.
Just as things seemed to grow more and more homicidal, a neighbor who spotted Binky savagely shaking Buster called out, "HEY, YOU!"
In an instant, Binky felt his heart in his throat and released Buster. Now free from his attacker's grasp, Buster sprinted towards Arthur's house. When he made it there, the rabbit quickly hid behind the fence. He was clearly visible through the thin spaces that separated the painted boards but he wasn't afraid at all. Just by how the woman yelled about calling the police, it was entirely evident that Binky had run off in fear of being arrested a second time.
Buster cautiously glanced around to make sure that Binky had actually fled. He had indeed left, and now Buster felt more confident in completing his mission.
After he quickly and carefully thought it through his mind, Buster took a deep breath and strolled up to the front door. He knocked loudly but gently. It took a few seconds but he soon heard someone inside the house approaching the door. The door opened a bit. Instead of Arthur's mother or father standing on the other side, Buster saw D.W. looking up at him in a strange way, like he wasn't a person who was welcomed to her home.
"What do you want?" D.W. asked insolently.
Buster swept the little girl's rudeness aside and asked, "Can I talk to Arthur?"
"I thought Arthur lost all of his friends," D.W. snorted.
Buster felt himself losing patience. Nevertheless, he kept himself hopeful and told D.W., "Everyone may have turned against him, but I'm not going to let everyone's thoughts about him get to me. His life is in danger."
"Oh, please!" D.W. retorted. "You expect me to believe that-"
D.W. was unable to finish speaking as her mother pulled her away from the door. "Honestly, D.W., be nice to other people!" she scolded.
After shooing away her daughter, Jane saw Buster standing outside. "Sorry about that, Buster," she said. "D.W.'s been a little cranky lately. Is there something I can help you with?"
"Is Arthur home by any chance?" Buster inquired. "I really need to speak with him."
"I'm afraid he's not home right now," Jane told him. "He's busy helping out with his school principal. I don't really know when he'll come back but I'll tell him you stopped by."
"Okay, thanks," Buster replied as he turned away to leave.
He heard the door close as he walked away. Before he turned right to go home, Buster heard the door open again, and D.W. called out to him; "Keep away from Arthur! He's a monster!"
D.W. swiftly shut the door when she, and Buster, heard Jane yell at her once again. But Buster wasn't interested in that. He was disappointed that he wasn't able to talk to Arthur like he hoped he would. Upset as he was, at least there was a good reason why he couldn't fulfill the next step of his mission. Then again, he felt like there was something suspicious about what he was told. Buster deduced that it would be explained in his eventual talk with Arthur.
During the journey back to his apartment, Buster was halted by Francine. As he had expected, the orangutan was extremely furious. Buster knew right off the bat that Binky, after running away in fear, would alert his friends of the news that he was not listening to their demands about keeping Arthur secluded from everyone else. If there was anyone in all of Elwood City who would be the most infuriated, it would be Francine Frensky. Why she would get so angry at almost everything was unknown to the rabbit but, whether it was a trait she inherited from a member of her family or a characteristic she developed somewhere in her past, it was something he classified as an unusual trait for a girl to have.
Francine started at Buster menacingly as she growled, "You just can't help but be stubborn, can't you?"
"I am not stubborn!" Buster objected. "I am trying to do what's right!"
"How can you be sure?!" Francine interrogated. "Haven't you thought that Arthur's silence is just a cover for something he has planned for the future?! Have you even considered that?!"
"Arthur is not planning to do anything bad!" Buster roared. "He's suffering from being shunned by everyone!"
"Well he shouldn't have punched his little sister then!" Francine barked.
Buster sighed but, the way his mouth was closed and the outrage he felt growing within him, it sounded like he viciously growled.
Francine, with her back turned to Buster, went on with her negative rant about Arthur. "It's still hard to believe he would do such a terrible thing," she said. "I mean, he was one of us, Buster, and then he just completely switches over to something evil! I don't know what's the matter with him, but all I can say is, I'll never talk to him until he says sorry."
"So you're going to let him get worse?!" Buster shrieked.
"So what?!" Francine snarled. "Who cares what happens to him?! If he goes to jail for life, I say good riddance!"
Buster was on the verge of losing his sanity and pouncing onto Francine like a savage predator. But he managed to use words to fight back. "Why you...you stubborn bitch!" he growled; the words instantly grabbed Francine's attention and she turned to face him.
"You are just as stubborn as everyone else!" Buster continued, almost in a whisper. "All you care about is making sure Arthur suffer for one mistake he made- one that could've been avoided and could be resolved with the proper help. But is anyone stepping in to help him? No, no one cares about him but me! He's trying to make up for what he did, though. From what I've heard, he's helping Mr. Haney with some sort of project. Don't you think it's nice of him to try and do something to repair his reputation? Well, don't you?"
Francine stared at Buster for a while. At first she was shocked and enraged that he called her a "stubborn bitch", but now she looked rather confused and suspicious about what he said about Arthur helping their principal with a project. She finally spoke after what felt like five minutes. "Don't you think that's odd?"
"Seriously?" Buster asked, still sounding like he was whispering. "You call helping Mr. Haney odd? I think that it's-"
"Buster, Mr. Haney's not doing any type of project!" Francine told him angrily. "Where did you even here that from?"
"Arthur's mom told me," Buster replied.
Francine pondered for a moment before muttering, "Something's not right."
"Exactly," Buster said, convinced that Francine was about to take his side. "There's something going on in Arthur's life that nobody knows about. He's doing something he wants to keep a secret from everyone. Please, I'm begging you! Help me bring Arthur back to his normal self!"
Silence surrounded Buster and Francine for a long time. While the orangutan deliberated to herself, the rabbit prayed that she would join him. If she did, then perhaps others would join in, and maybe the whole school would pitch in to help their fallen friend. At least then, there wouldn't be so much negative backlash against the aardvark everyone knew well and equally respected.
Finally, Francine turned to Buster and said, "I have my doubts, but, all the same, I'm starting to think that you're on to something. I'll think about it and tell you my answer at school tomorrow."
With that, Francine strolled away to her home, leaving Buster by himself. Buster eventually started walking again and continued his journey to his home. He felt so happy that someone was now considering the possible danger Arthur's life was in and was willing to step in and give him a helping hand. Hopefully Francine was being truthful when she said she would think about it when she got home; otherwise, it would be Buster by his lonesome just as he had began when the events first started.
And then, Buster was hit by a brand new thought. It concerned about someone who was absent since the whole ordeal started. "I must find him," Buster said to himself. "Hopefully he hasn't fallen prey to the corruption. He's the only one who can truly help me with my task."