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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Past: Ursalia
 At that terrible cry, the cry that would touch any mother, the two female gummies were side by side as they tore up the steps. Ursa ignored Grammi's
 like charge. Only Buddi mattered! What could it be? A silent attack of some kind? Had he fallen and broke a leg? Or--

Rounding the hall and throwing open Buddi's door, Ursa saw him sitting upright in bed, his hands out before him, tears streaming down his face. His eyes... They were lost.

"Buddi? Buddi??" She sat, took him in her arms.

This snapped him out of it. With a great wail, he threw his arms around her and held on for dear life.

"U-Ur-sa! Fire! Fire everywhere! An'... an' you, an' Gritti... Oh, Ursa!!"

The other barbics crowded around the door. Gritti backed them all off.

"Ursa?" he said softly.

She just nodded, holding her cub.

Gritti finished clearing the door in silence.

Grammi wouldn't move. She just stared. She'd known, as one 'mother' to another, but seeing Ursa like this... She didn't dare smile, for fear they'd take notice and the beautiful moment would all disappear like a pleasant dream.

"Fhat's all the wuss.. er, uh.. what's all the fuss?" Zummi, followed by Gruffi, made their way in. Tried to.

"Gritti, if there's a problem we can help with..." Gruffi started.

"There isn't, Glen. You wouldn't understand."

Gruffi bristled. "Oh, no?"

"Gruffi..." Grammi stilled him, her eyes still on Ursa. She spared a look Zummi's way, and he saw it too. The change in Ursa. She didn't care there

were 'Glens' around. Just that her baby was scared out of his mind and needed her.

Tummi snuck a look in. "Aw, did he have a bad dream?"

Everyone turned and looked at him. The blue gummi's face turned red and he backed away.

"A bad dream? Is that all this is about?"

Grammi sighed. Yes, sometimes Gruffi was that dense.

"A bad dream?! Don't you dare call night terrors just a bad dream, Glen! You don't know what we went through, what _Buddi_ went through!" Ursa yelled, furious. "Get out! What are you all staring at! You think I don't love my cub? Think I don't raise him proper?? He's Barbic, but I am still here when he needs me. Barbics don't abandon each other, and we protect those who need it. Things you don't understand. Now get out!!"

Gritti all but chased them out of the room, but Grammi, Tummi, and Zummi were too shocked to put up resistance. Gruffi went slowly just to be obstinate.

As soon as Gritti trudged off down the hall, Grammi, her eyes wide, turned to Zummi. "I knew she cared but... but not like that!" A smile poked

through.

"Huh?" Gruffi was, for once, lost.

"Yeah. She'd do anything for Buddi. I thought you guys knew that." Tummi put in, as if there had never been any doubt. "Sure, Barbics are different, but they hold to their word, and like Ursa said, they don't abandon each other or those who really need 'em. The Barbic Code says stuff like that."

All three adult Glens turned to the round blue gummi. "Tummi! Where did you hear that??"

He blushed slightly. "I swapped some recipes with Grubbi just a little while ago, and I just happened to ask what the Barbic Code means, and he told me some stuff. Why do you think I've been looking all over for you guys?"

Obviously, they'd all underestimated Tummi on this journey!

"Er... Good work, kid." Gruffi commended. "So, if we're under Barbic protection, they gotta hold their word. Period. Wonder what happens when

they don't..." Gruffi looked between Grammi and Zummi. "We got enough info to get back?" He stopped saying home. There was no home anymore... The Glen..... Gruffi took a breath, wouldn't think about it, or his own dreams on the subject.

"Yes, Gruffi. I think. If we pin Ryo to the code, he can't do anything to us. He won't expect us to know about it, and we have the element of

surprise, being gone so long. No doubt they think we've all left." Zummi offered a half smile, not looking forward to the confrontation. They knew now that Barbics could be reached several ways on an emotional level, but not quite how to hit it yet. Except one. Pin them to their Code. Sticklers for their own brand of ways and tradition, they would not deviate from their Code.

"Okay, Zummi. Do your stuff."