Author's note: Well this, is the last part, I promise! ? Well, on to the boring part….all of the Tiny Toon characters are used without permission and are trademark of Warner Brothers Inc(except for Lisa, Elsa, Billy, Bob, Cassidy and Harley). On with the show! ?
"So
how was Bugs?" Babs queried.
"Fine. The neck brace'll come off in about a month or so and
his broken hip is doing fine. His cast just came off yesterday, but he
still has to use his crutches to get around."
"That bad, huh?"
"Yep."
"So why did you ask me over for?"
"Well, so I could give you this." I pulled out her ring and opened
the box, carefully. "Like it?"
"Oh, Buster, I love it!" She hugged me, tightly. Very tightly.
"Glad…you…liked…it." She loosed her grip. "And to tell you something.
We've got a problem." She pulled away.
"Problem?"
"Billy and Emily are…"
"Don't tell me! Oh no! Not this!"
"Yep. 'Fraid so."
"What'll we do?"
"I was hoping you'd know!"
"Well, maybe they won't. We're getting too far ahead of ourselves.
Let's just wait and see. Maybe they'll just stay friends."
"Let's hope so, Babsie. Let's hope so."
* * * * *
"Oh, Babs, I had such a great time! Billy was so nice and it
seemed like he really liked me! I mean liked me liked me!"
"Don't you think he's a little old for you, Emily?" Babs replied.
"We're only two years apart, Babs!" Emily protested. "Not even!"
"But, Emily…"
"And guess what, sis? I'm seeing him again tomorrow!" she squealed
with delight. She skipped into her room.
"Emily…"
"For the first time in my life, I understand how you feel about
Buster."
"Listen…" Emily slammed the door. Babs slumped onto the ground.
"Buster may not have been to far off. Ohhh,…we're doomed," she sighed.
* * * * *
I tossed myself onto my couch, my new bed. A few weeks had gone
by and conditions still weren't improving. Emily was getting fonder and
fonder of Billy and Billy had it bad for Emily. Neither of us knew what
to do! We went to Plucky, Shirley, Hampton, and Fifi. Nobody knew what
to do! Even Bugs didn't know! He just said to follow my 'rabbit instinct'.
Who knows what that means. I walked into the kitchen for a midnight snack.
Dad was putting on his jacket.
"Where ya goin'?" I queried.
"Out, Buster. Out. I'm going' with Lisa, k? I'll be back in the
morning."
"O-ok," I answered, suspiciously.
"Where, Dad?" Elsa growled as she approached us.
"Just out, Elsa! Now get to bed!" Dad snapped as he trudged to
the door with my sleepy little sister. Elsa started after him, but I held
her back.
"What's wrong with you?" I demanded.
"He's taking Lisa! I won't let him!"
"Calm down! Dad's only going out with Lisa! It's not like he's
gonna kidnap her or something!"
"With Dad, you never know."
"She'll be back."
"Well, I hope so, Buster!" She stormed into her room and slammed
the door. Actually my room. Since Billy had gone out with Emily, Elsa welcomed
herself into my room. So I was stuck on the couch again. What a loving
family I have.
I lay down on my couch. Was Elsa on to something? Was Lisa gone
forever? Nah. Dad may be a robber, but he's no kidnapper. Or was he? Elsa
had lived with him for eighteen years. I couldn't stand the thought of
losing my baby sister. I fell into a restless sleep that night, worrying
– hoping – that Lisa would be all right. That my trust wasn't misplaced.
* * * * *
"Buster! Buster!" Elsa cried. I woke up to the sound of Elsa
shrieking frantically in my ear. "Lisa's gone! Dad never came back! He
took her!"
"What?!" I gasped. Babs rushed into my hole and grabbed my shoulders
and shook me roughly.
"Emily's vanished! She never came back last night!" Babs shrieked.
"Babs, stop before you give me whiplash!" She slowly stopped
shaking me.
"Oops. Sorry."
"We have to find them, Buster! We have to before…" Elsa began.
"Come on, Buster! Let's go!" Babs suggested.
"Have you two forgotten who we're up against? Two seven-foot-tall
monsters!" I protested.
"Buster, this is your sister we're talking about."
"Babsie, I don't need you to remind me! I don't need any more
obligations in my life! You guys are enough!" I yelled. Babs glanced at
me, her eyes full of hurt. "Babsie, I didn't…I'm…"
"Oh, so that's what we are. Your obligations."
"I didn't mean it like that!"
"Well, if that's what you think of us, them I'm glad we didn't
get married." I stared at her in shock.
"You don't mean that…do you?" Babs glared at me coldly. "Babsie?"
She threw her ring back at me.
"Goodbye, Buster Bunny." She stared at me for a moment, searching
my face for a reason to stay. My heart was screaming out for her to stay,
but my pride wouldn't let me admit my fault. I felt as though my feet had
been planted into a solid brick of cement. When Babs saw that I wasn't
going to move, a single tear rolled down her cheek. Although I stood completely
still, I was battling with myself on the inside.
I can't let her go! But then I'd have to stand up to my humongous father!
I'd get massacred! But if it was for Babs, did it matter? I was filed with
uncertainty. Should I…?
"I'm going with Babs. Sorry we intruded on your life, Buster,"
Elsa snapped, and rushed after Babs, leaving me all alone.
"Tough crowd," Plucky observed, sipping his cup of French vanilla in the
doorway.
"Plucky, what are you doing here?"
"I'm on
my coffee break and I needed someone to bother. And from the looks of things
I came just in time. So they left you, huh?"
"Yeah.
Women. Go figure."
"Tell
me about it," Plucky groaned. Plucky reached up and pulled down a new background
of a talk show, Plucky being the host. "I mean really, what is their problem?"
"I dunno!
You can give em' the world and they still won't be satisfied! I don't get
it! Why do I even bother anymore?"
"Beats me. It's
a curse I tell ya. Now Shirley, on the other hand, is nuts about me. I
don't have to do anything except stand there and she's putty in my hands."
Plucky grinned.
"Sure, Plucky."
"Soer-hem>…what
are you gonna do about Babs and that twin of yours? You aren't just
gonna let them go, are ya?"
"I wish I knew," I
sighed.
* * * * *
I slumped onto the couch and fingered Babsie's ring. Babsie's
engagement ring. The one I had given to her. I gave her my heart and she
threw it right back at me broken. That's right. Broken. How could I stand
up to Billy and Dad? Monty, sure. No problem. But my family? My giant family
members? I was letting Elsa down, but…what else could I do?
I was sure that if Emily was with Billy, she would be just fine.
Billy loved her so there was no need to worry…right? And where would we
look? We had no clues whatsoever! They could be anywhere! Babsie and the
others would never find them. It was a lost cause. Unless…
I raced to the telephone. Babsie had given me so much. I owed
her at least this much. Even if it didn't win her back.
* * * * *
Plucky, Hampton, Shirley, Fifi, Furrball, Sweety, and Gogo Dodo
sat on my living room couch and awaited instruction. I paced at the front
of the room in a uniform.
"Troops," I began, "We're on a mission. A mission to find these
two missing persons. Lisa and Emily Bunny (no relation). The kidnappers
are these two criminal-like characters." I lowered down a screen and pointed
to the photos on it. Only it wasn't them. It was a very, very slim, very,
very, very attractive woman in a swimsuit. Plucky, Furrball, and Hampton
whistled madly. Shirley and Fifi slapped their boyfriends angrily. I blushed
and went to the next photo. "Now how did that get there?"
I coughed. After making sure the right photos were on the screen,
I continued. "They go by the names of Billy and Bob Bunny. We have to retrieve
the girls and bring them back to Headquarters."
"Where is that, Buster?" Hampton asked.
"Here! Where else?"
"Oh, sorry."
"Don't worry 'bout it, Seargent…Pork. Now it may be dangerous.
Some of you may not come back and the rest of you definitely won't. You
may return with a bullet lodged in your skull or a knife protruding out
of you leg or blood oozing…" the toons screamed and zoomed away. "Hey!
I didn't say you were dismissed! Get back here, cowards!"
Plucky and Hampton began to tip-toe away. I grabbed them.
"Oh no. you guys ain't ditching me."
"We'll, like, help Buster," Shirley replied.
"Oui! Oui! Ve vil rescue zem!" Fifi shouted bravely.
"Great! It's nice to know I still have some friends." Plucky
and Hampton shrugged sheepishly. "Shirley, can you locate them?"
"Not exactly, but I'll try," Shirley answered. She meditated
quietly. Plucky glanced at his watch impatiently. Plucky tapped his foot
and rolled his eyes. Shirley's eyes opened and narrowed at her target –
Plucky! Plucky was burned to a crisp.
"What was that for?" Plucky demanded.
"For being you. Buster," she turned to me.
"Where are they? Are they ok?" I questioned nervously.
"They're, like, fine. They're somewhere downtown in Acme Acres."
"That doesn't tell us much! Downtown is the biggest area of Acme
Acres!"
"And the toughest. Gulp>!" Hampton added in fright. I sighed.
I wish Babs was here. I needed her strong character to push me onward.
She left an empty place that only she could fill. And I knew that without
her I would fall apart. Isn't that in a Backside Boys song?
Was she safe? What about Elsa? Where were they? Would I ever
see them again? Is optonline really faster than AOL? So many questions
raced through my head and I felt as though I would collapse from the stress.
If only they knew (or cared) what I was going through. I pulled down the
screen once again. I pointed to the map.
"Hampton and Plucky, you guys take the bus station. Gogo and
Fifi, you two check out the train station. Me and Shirl'll look at the
airport. Let's go!"
"Go where?" Gogo Podo asked, confused.
"Where do you think, Gogo?"
"To see my girlfriend, Chelsie!"
"Chelsie?"
"Yeah. Isn't she beautiful?" Gogo gushed as he held out her photo
to me. She was… an electric can opener?!
"Ravishing. Fifi, why don't you and Gogo get started, hmm? Meet
us at the fountain in an hour."
"Ve vill find zem, Bustaire!" Fifi yelled.
"Yeah! We'll look everywhere! Leave no stone unturned!" Gogo
added. He pulled out a magnifying glass and searched the entire room. "Look!
A clue!"
"To what?" I queried.
"To how bad of a house cleaner you are!" Gogo laughed. Fifi grabbed
Gogo's neck and dragged him away.
"Let's go, Shirl."
"'Kay. Oh, whataloonIam. Oh, whataloonIam. Oh, whataloonIam."
We vanished.
We reappeared in the busy airport.
"Do you sense them, Shirley?" I asked.
"Not really or some junk." We raced around searching frantically.
I hoped I wasn't too late! I had to make it! I just had to!
"Emily! Lisa! Answer me!" I called.
"Buster, I can, like, sense Lisa's aura! Like, she's close!"
Shirley reported.
"Where?" I demanded.
"There!" Shirley pointed forward.
"Buster!" Lisa cried as Dad pulled her through the crowd.
"Lisa!" I gasped. I pushed my way through the sea of people,
not caring if Shirley was behind me or not. She'd catch up. I just couldn't
let my family disappear from my life without a trace. Not now. Not ever.
Dad dragged Lisa outside and stole a car. He drove away with
Billy and Emily in the back. I raced out of the airport and glanced around.
What could I do?
"Buster!" Shirley called from inside a junky looking car.
"What are you doing?"
"Like, just get in." I climbed in beside her.
"We don't have the keys, Shirley." She closed her eyes. "We can't
go without the keys. It's not gonna work." The car started, suddenly. "Cool!
You have to teach me how to do that!" We drove down the street after my
dad. "Can't you go any faster?"
"No! This car, like, only goes up to 70 miles per hour!"
"Great. Out of all the cars in the lot, we had to pick the junkiest."
Dad's car zoomed at about 90 m/h. "Faster! Faster! We're losin' em!" I
pushed Shirley out of the way and took the wheel.
Our car lurched forward… and almost plowed into Plucky, Hampton,
Fifi, and Gogo. They leaped onto the hood of the car.
'You're late!" Plucky scolded.
"Get in, fellas!" I shouted. They climbed inside the car. Just
what I needed. More backseat drivers.
"Come on, Buster! Can't this pile of garbage go faster?" Plucky
demanded.
"I'm trying! I'm trying!" Dad's car pulled into the McDonald's
drive-through. "Anybody hungry?"
"Yeah!" they answered. I pulled up behind Dad and ordered Big
Macs for us all. Then, once we received our food, we resumed the chase.
"Hey! I asked for pickles!" Plucky complained.
"Do you want mine?" Gogo asked.
"Sure. I…" Gogo stuck out his tongue. Clumps of food sat there.
It was not a pretty picture. I felt myself getting nauseous. I rolled down
my window and vomited. "No thanks, Gogo."
"Le ick!" Fifi shouted, disgusted. We drove down a side street
and trapped Dad down the alley. Dad stepped out threateningly.
"Get out of here, Buster! Lisa is my kid," Dad growled. I took
a deep breath and stepped out of the car boldly. I hope I don't come out
of this looking like my mentor.
"Yeah. And I'm her big brother and it's my gulp> responsibility
to take care of her. I have to protect her." Lisa climbed out of the car
and ran to me, sobbing. Emily and Billy walked out and glanced at each
other.
"Well, Billy… this is it," Emily started.
"Yeah," he responded. They hugged sadly. "Wait! Why are we saying
goodbye? I can stay with Buster." He eyed me. I shrunk back. May as well
kiss my room goodbye.
"You haven't won, Buster! I'm not losing all of my kids!" Dad
screamed as
he took hold of Lisa and stomped threateningly toward me.
"Has anyone ver told you that you're a very tall man?" I asked, trying
to keep my fear from being too apparent. Lisa shook in fear in Dad's grip
as he pulled his fist back, ready to strike. I cringed.
Suddenly, he vanished. I peered at Shirley. She winked. I grinned back.
Now to talk to Babsie. Maybe – just maybe – she'd take me back.
* * *
Babs collapsed onto her bed, depressed. She had searched the whole
day and found nothing. Neither had Elsa. Elsa was staying with her now
since she refused to come back to me. A faint knock came on Babs' door.
Babs opened it slowly. Emily ran into Babs' arms.
"Babs!" Emily cried.
"Emily?" Babs asked in shock. Elsa snored on the couch. Lisa
leapt onto Elsa's stomach. Elsa groaned and opened her eyes.
"Lisa? Oh, my gosh, Lisa! You're all right!" Elsa hugged her
tightly. I stepped inside. Everyone suddenly turned to me curiously.
"Buster, what are…?" Babs began.
"Well, see you around… Babs," I sighed regretfully. I smiled
weakly and headed to the door.
"Why the change of mind, Buster?"
"It was more a change of heart."
"There must be a shortage of good writers if we're using the same lines
from 'Anastasia'.
"Probably."
"Buster… don't go," Elsa replied. "Please." I stared at her pleading
eyes. If only I could. If only.
"Sorry, sis. Gotta go. I'll see ya. Bye," I replied. Babs held
me back.
"No, Buster. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for doubting you."
"I don't suppose you would still want this… would you?" I held
out her engagement ring questioningly. She smiled as she placed it on her
finger.
"Yes, Buster. Now I know you're ready for this responsibility."
* * *
I stood at the front of the room in my best suit. Plucky winked
at me encouragingly. I took a deep breath. This was it. The moment of truth.
Billy squeezed Emily's hand and grinned at me. I didn't have
to worry about them. They promised me and Babsie they wouldn't get serious
because… well, because they loved us. Ah, it feels so good to be loved.
Elsa sat in the front row, grinning from ear to ear. Dad was nowhere to
be seen, and, knowing Shirley, wouldn't be seen for a long time. Shirley
smiled at me knowingly. I did wish Mom were here, though.
The doors opened suddenly, disrupting my thoughts. A blushing
bride entered the room. Wow, was she gorgeous. The best part was that she
was my bride. Yep. Babsie's gonna be my wife. She beamed and strolled over.
After her father gave her to me, I escorted her to the front of the room.
The preacher went on with a bunch of junk, but I didn't hear one word.
Neither did Babs. She was too busy making fun of him. I stifled a giggle.
That's my Babsie. She'll never change.
"Buster Bunny!" the preacher called.
"Huh?" I asked. Babs' grin widened.
"The wedding ring." Oh, Almost forgot about that. I searched
my pockets frantically. Where was it? Lisa tapped my shoulder and handed
me the ring.
"Thanks, li'l sis." I put it on Babs' finger. A perfect fit.
"Do you, Barbara Anne," the preacher began. Babs nudged the preacher
gently.
"Psst! It's Babs," Babs said.
"…Babs, take Buster Bunny to be your husband?"
"You bet." Didn't even break a sweat. I'm impressed.
"And do you, Buster Bunny, take Bar… Babs Bunny to be your wife?"
I hesitated momentarily. Was I ready? Or did I need to wait? Could I take
the gulp> responsibility?
"I do," I answered confidently. May be a big step, but I needed
change in my life. Growing up and accepting responsibilities is hard, but
if ya got somebody standing by you, it's not all bad.
So was this story that bad? E-mail me with comments, complaints,…anything!
Just pleeeeease e-mail me! ?
