Growing Up

The Barbics, Glens and any other Disney characters are copyrighted to Disney and we claim no ownership. However, any new characters are copyrighted to Ulisa, Silver Fox and Cheetah the Furry. This plot is a collaboration of Ulisa, Silver Fox, and Cheetah the Furry.

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Taking a breath, Sunni said, as fiercely as she could, "I…_we_ don't have time for that! We need help! And Gum only knows how long they'll hold out."

Buddi smirked. "I know better than to argue with you." Sunni looked at him, with a cocked eyebrow. He added, "You are like Ursa in that way; stubborn to the bone."

Sunni narrowed her eyes. Turning back to Marie, she said, "we'll need all the help we can get Marie. You _have_ to talk to your father."

The Princess sighed deeply, "Oh mon Dieu. I'll try. But I don't know how Papa will react to Gummies."

But the black haired princess headed out. The two teenaged gummies followed her. Sunni gave Buddi a poisonous look. He was stunned.

"What's that for?"

"You comparing me to Ursa."

"But…I meant it as a compliment…"

"Was _she_ worth complimenting when she reprimanded in front of all of Gummadoon?"

Buddi sighed, "So that's it?"

"No. That _isn't_ it, Buddi Barbic! No matter what I do, your _mother_ hates me!"

"She doesn't hate you."

A low snort. "Coulda fooled me."

Buddi sighed deeply, "Sunni, I'm sorry I ran out like that. I shouldn't have put you in that situation…"

"Then why did you?"

The Barbic cub sighed again. "I dunno. I guess…"

"You guess what?"

"I don't know Sunni. I'm…I mean," he sighed again, deeper. "I feel so confused right now. I mean, I feel…_different_ about you."

The girl's cheeks burned deep red. "You…you too?"

He nodded, "it…it was wrong of me to just abandon you like that though. Even if I am confused, I…I had no right."

Sunni stated, calmly, as they darted after Marie. "Buddi…you're different from the other Barbics and that's why I like you. But, sometimes, you are very Barbic."

A nod, "I know. It's in my blood. I couldn't change that if I wanted to."

"If you could…would you?"

Buddi sighed again. Turning to face her, "Would you give up your Glen heritage?"

Sunni sighed. "I dunno Buddi. It would depend. If I had something else…something that I _really_ wanted more…I might. Because I've never really been 'into' all our traditions."

Buddi smiled sadly, "I used to be that way. Whenever Coming of the Seasons came around, I always begged Ursa to skip the 'gibberish' and go straight to the candy!"

Sunni smiled back, her anger gone. "The Coming of the Seasons?"

Buddi nodded, "Do you Glens have a kinda 'start-over' day?"

Sunni nodded, "Yeah. We call it Festival of the New Beginning. Usually we have it when the humans have their new years. Why? Is that what Coming of the Seasons is?"

Buddi nodded, "in a way. See, we Barbics believe Nature is a living thing. According to our beliefs, Gum created four sisters to keep the lives and years in balance. Eruta means Death in Barbic. She was oldest and she held the coldness of winter. When she believed your time on earth was done, she breathed ice on your tree of life and if you were not strong enough to withstand it then you died. If you were strong, you survived and lived on. That's why a lot of us die by old age. Our siscos are weaker then…tired."

"Sisco?"

"The thing that determines who you are, how you act, stuff like that."

"Soul?"

"Yeah. So we believe that Eruta brings winter. Her sister Joyu controls Autumn and determines how much joy you feel in your life. The other sister Tria controls summer and determines how much pain. But the Coming of the Seasons is giving thanks to Natur."

"Natur?"

"Yeah, the last one. She controls spring and means 'life.' She determines if you have cubs or not. Supposedly, she's merciful and there's a legend that she knows the past, present, and future."

Sunni drank all this in. "So, you praise her that day?"

"Yep. Then the adults hide all this candy and I hafta track it down. If I find it, I get to eat it."

Sunni smiled; that actually did sound like fun. She had never imagined that Barbics would do stuff like that. But then, she supposed that she jumped to conclusions quite a bit. But still-

"Mes amis, we're here." Marie turned around. "Wait here."

She entered a room and the two gummies heard nothing but French arguments for quite some time. Then, Marie emerged, a defeated look upon her face. Before she could say a word, Buddi said,

"Marie, why don't we try?"

"He didn't listen to me!"

"Yeah…but Sunni's a diplomatic speaker."

Sunni turned to Buddi, "Me?!"

Buddi nodded, "Yer right. My Barbic blood makes me too impatient. I'll come with you if you want."

Sunni looked at Marie and then Buddi. She shook her head, "No. I can do it."

"Ma amie," Marie insisted. "Papa didn't listen to _me._"

"We have to try _everything_ Marie," Sunni insisted. "Buddi's right. We need all the help we can get." She smiled. "Buddi and I can finally put our stubborn streaks to good use."

That said, Sunni swallowed in doubt she had and with her head held high, marched into the throne room.

Near Future

Blastus met Cubbi at the entrance with a grand hug and a smack on the back. He turned to the past Glens,

"Mon ami told us you'd arrive."

"Yeah," Gruffi said, trying to act in control, "But-"

The sound of hooves interrupted him. As they all turned, Cubbi chuckled,

"Always gotta make an entrance."

From the gates came what Gruffi and the others recognized as Barbic ramas. The first they knew had to be Buddi. He had grown a little taller but was still pretty short, about Gusto's height, rare for a Barbic. His build was bulked up a bit; he'd obviously been through and completed training. His arms were well toned as were his legs. He had kept that familiar hat but traded in his old tunic for a pair of black slacks and a dark navy blue tunic. He had on a belt around his waist where he kept a sword, so similar to the other Barbics'. He looked like he'd lost weight. Baby fat they decided. He gave them a smile and nod in greeting before going to the second rama.

A young female Gummi leapt off it. She was fairly thin but just starting to show the signs of pregnancy. She had long yellow hair which was held back in a braid. Her color of choice was green, in a tunic style dress like Ursa wore, minus the one sleeve. She was barefoot and about two inches shorter than Buddi. Around her shoulder she had a bow and quiver of arrows on her back.

Cubbi and Buddi winced as one as they knew what was coming.

Blastus walked up to the female Gummi and kissed her hand politely,

"I'm glad you could make it, Sunni Barbic."

Present

Cubbi awoke again when he heard sounds of commotion. Getting out of bed, he donned his knight uniform, save the armor and went outside his room to see what the fuss was about. He saw Plucki preparing to lead the knights out. Zorlock saw an opportunity as Blastus was racing in, to find more weapons. In an instant, Cubbi darted into a secret passage and emerged inside the weapons' room…waiting.

The wait was short. Blastus soon darted in. Zorlock knew Cubbi's belief in Blastus was intense. After all, Blastus was on _his_ side after Cubbi had freed Cavin. This was the perfect way to kill what remained of the cub's soul. Cubbi did not put much belief in medics, but Blastus, one who knew Plucki…

"Mon ami! You're awake!" Blastus wrapped the cub in a tight embrace. When the child did not make a response, he asked, "Why are you up, mon ami?"

The cub stared at him with empty emotionless eyes and Zorlock forced the question from Cubbi's lips with anger and betrayal embodied,

"Who in Gum is Aldi?"

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