It had been three days since Arthur had been brought to Los Angeles and meet The Friends of Forbidden Science, and after those three days they were still no closer to figuring out how to send Pinky and The Brain back to their own universe. Actually they were still trying to figure out exactly how their existence was even possible. After another two days of no answers, Phillip had become irritated at his team's lack of ability to help the situation. He had also began to lash out at Arthur in frustration.
"Some genius you turned out to be," he accused Arthur one afternoon as they sat and watched the two cartoon mice dine on large chunks of Swiss cheese that they had produced from thin air.
Arthur shrugged. "Sorry," he said weakly, feeling utterly useless and angry with himself. "I'm only human."
Phillip was about to make another accusation, then gave a sigh. "I'm sorry. I apologize for bringing you into this, Arthur. It looks like you're just as helpless as we are." He turned and looked over at the cage holding Pinky & The Brain. The two mice continued munching away. "At least they still have their toony abilities."
Arthur nodded in absent agreement. "My toon half is the only part of me those two cartoon mice over there have ever known. I'm a complete stranger to them--as they are to me. All they do is serve to remind me that the best part of myself is hopelessly beyond my reach."
"You make being human sound like it's a jail sentence," Phillip said dryly.
"When you know there is more to you than what you can see--some other, much grander part of yourself that you don't ever get to meet--isn't it?"
"I'm afraid I can't answer that," Phillip answered. "I've never been anything else, but your life is what you make it, Arthur. Instead of hiding in the shadow of this other half, maybe you should try to compete with it."
Arthur went silent and looked around blankly. "Compete," he repeated after a long pause. "Interesting idea."
"You could start by working here," Phillip said, suggestively. "We've also pulled your educational and psychological records. You definitely qualify."
"Yeah, sure," Arthur frowned. "And be surrounded by people with eight year engineering and bachelor degrees in science? No thanks. I'm just a simple network technician."
Phillip began to laugh. "You know more than you think. It doesn't take a person with an engineering degree to understand the theoretical sciences. It takes something with a heart and love for the subject. You have the raw drive and spark that this kind of work requires. We could use someone with your aptitude here, if for nothing else, than to help us publish our works. Just because you're human doesn't mean you have nothing to offer."
Arthur was completely stunned. He was about to accept the proposition gratefully when the impulses in his head began chattering again, as they had earlier when he first saw the two mice. He clasped his hands to his head as if in pain and slumped against a wall with a groan.
"Arthur?" Phillip asked, quickly taking Arthur and leading him over to a chair. "What is it?"
Again, words silently flashed inside Arthur's mind as his thoughts were filled with odd sensations of another place. "Receiving... initiating two-way exchange. Request shunted to primary entity. Coordinates locked."
Suddenly Arthur's mind cleared. He sat up with a start as a tiny piece of information suddenly appeared in his conscious thoughts. "Oh, mother of..." Arthur muttered aloud. "The mission committee... they made a decision on... how to get The Brain and Pinky back."
"The mission committee?" Phillip asked. "That the group of toons that sent you here to study humans?"
Arthur slumped back down in the chair and gritted his teeth. "You lousy bastards," he thought silently to himself. "You couldn't just release my thoughts and free me from my prison down here, could you? You miserable, rotten eggheads." Just then, another small meek thought spoke up in his head, and Arthur's rage began to dissolve as quickly as it had formed. He sighed and looked down. "There must be something really important going on back home that they won't release my memories," he sighed to himself.
Phillip shook Arthur's shoulder to bring him out of his thoughts. "Arthur? What is it?"
Arthur glanced up at Phillip, his face pale and his voice barely above a whisper. "He's coming."
"Who?"
Arthur didn't answer. He looked blankly ahead as a cold shiver run down his spine. "I hope you like surprises," he remarked.
A pair of pink ears protruded above a tall and unkempt stack of books in the Acme Looniversity library as pink paws flipped through the pages of a large, yellowed tome of forgotten knowledge. Babs hummed quietly to herself as she wondered why her mentor had been reluctant to answer her question earlier.
"Ah! The very page!" She said triumphantly, and began running her finger down a list of words. "En-cerco, En-frina, En-frina'tet... here it is, En-nest'alida." She read aloud. "proper noun, ancient root 'Nestla', obsolete. A close and trusted friend of a family or community of animals, similar to a godparent, who has been entrusted with the safety and protection of offspring. Note: this term refers to the ancient, root form of family structure of animal kinship of pre-modern toon culture, now practiced only by the true animal toons, and is no longer used."
Babs scowled slightly as she reread the definition several more times. She set the large book aside and was about to go for another when Buster stuck his head over the stack of books before her. "Hey, Babsy! It's three o'clock. Ready to go to Wackyland?"
"Oh! Yeah!" she said, perking up cheerily. She hopped off the stool and headed out the door, arm in arm with Buster, matters of ancient animal lore quickly forgotten.
The rest of the day had been a leisure one for Andy. After returning home from the Looniversity, and spending the day taking care of odds and ends around the house, he had taken Fluffy out for a ride. The rabbit's gentle gate lulled the fox into a peaceful state of reflection as he led Fluffy through the more relaxed parts of the suburbs. Fluffy remained relatively silent as well, taking his cues from the fox's gentle guiding, and feeling the vulpine's legs gently hugging his sides.
"Well, there it is," Andy said eventually, bringing Fluffy to a halt on a small grassy plateau at the top of a steep cliff.
"How grand!" Fluffy said in awe, taking in the view. The two had found their way to a little-known scenic overlook. Now both looked down over the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. Across the valley in the distance stood the famous hillside sign of Hollywood. At their height, the sounds from the city below barely reached their sensitive ears. A warm sideways breeze blew through the two toons' fur as they took in the view.
"It looks innocent," Andy smiled, "but it can be a real jungle."
"Oh, I don't know," Fluffy mused. "Seems harmless enough to me."
"Uh huh," Andy muttered absently, looking off into the distance.
Fluffy's tail twitched slightly. He had noticed that during their ride the fox had been unusually quiet and reserved. He took a step forward and champed at his bit briefly before deciding to confront the issue.
"Um... Andy?" he asked, turning to eye the fox. "Is there anything you wish to tell me?"
Andy fumbled with the reins slightly. "No. I don't believe so."
The rabbit twitched his long ears and scowled back. "I may be just a rabbit, but I do know when a friend is troubled."
Andy sighed and squeezed the rabbit gently with his legs, his spurs jingling a touch as he did so. "Fluffy," he began, "I... I need to go away for a short while."
The rabbit turned forward again so that Andy could not see the smile on his face. "I see," he commented innocently.
"There is some private business I need to take care of," Andy explained.
"Yes," Fluffy agreed, knowingly. "I understand."
Andy noticed a definite hint of satisfaction in Fluffy's voice. He eyed the back of the rabbit's head. "You know, I keep getting this odd feeling that that several toons around me know more than they let on."
Fluffy pawed the ground distractedly. "Really?" he asked, again sounding completely innocent.
Andy patted Fluffy's side. "You're a true wonder, Fluffy. Take care of Slappy and Skippy in my absence?"
"Of course, master."
The rabbit's words had worked a strange sort-of magic on the fox, and he began to feel slightly more at ease with his decision. Only one problem remained. He had yet to tell the most important toon to him, the squirrel he loved, of his decision.
"C'mon," Andy sighed, tugging gently on Fluffy's reins. "We'd better get back before we're late for supper and Slappy throws a fit."
Fluffy gave the scene a final second of appreciation before obediently turning and heading back down the way they came. As they once again approached level ground Fluffy smiled slyly and began to prance and buck playfully, kicking his powerful hind feet high into the air. Andy narrowed his eyes, his face also holding a sly smile. He jabbed Fluffy with his spurs and pulled gently on his reins. The large rabbit slowed to a stop and reared up slightly. Andy could feel the rabbit's body shaking from quiet laughter.
"Ha ha! Can't blame a fellow for havin' a bit of fun, wot?" Fluffy asked cheekily, half-turning to regard his friend.
"Humph," Andy muttered. He smiled and patted Fluffy's neck warmly, then nudged the large rabbit forward with his spurs.
Fluffy padded ahead. "It's a very special thing for me to he able to have someone who understands a rabbit like me." He squatted down and scratched his cheek with a hind foot claw before continuing forward again. As the two rode back along the road, a melodic beeping noise sounded from Andy's body. Fluffy's ears twitched, turning to hear the sound. "What was that?"
Andy's paw fumbled about in his fur, pulling out an electronic pager and pressing a button on it.
"Oh dear," he muttered, looking at the message displayed. He halted Fluffy and dismounted. The rabbit turned to look at the fox with concern.
"What is it?"
Andy stuffed his pager back into his fur. "Blasted work. Em... Fluffy, there's some business at work I need to take care of... right now. Sorry but I need to cut our ride short and send you home immediately. Okay?"
The rabbit sensed the concern and oddly worried look in the fox's face. He didn't ask further, but simple nodded. "Slappy won't be happy, you know."
"Tell me about it," Andy grumbled. "Work calls. Tell her I'll be back as soon as I can." He smiled and gave the rabbit a quick hug. "Em... about that other thing... thank you."
The rabbit's eyes looked back at the fox warmly. "I shall be here when you return."
The fox took one of Fluffy's front paws and held it in both of his. "I love you a great deal, Fluffy. Always remember that. No matter what may happen." A moment later Fluffy vanished in a flash of light, returning to the back yard of Andy's mansion. The fox disappeared a moment later in the same fashion, appearing outside of Tetra Dimensional, top theoretical toon science facility in the world. He casually walked inside and made his way down to the science staff meeting room. He was met by several toon scientists waiting inside, looks of grave concern evident on their faces. The fox went in and shut the door behind him.