Later that day, Mr. Ratburn is presenting a Halloween puppet show to the assembled Lakewood students. As the curtain opens, he narrates from above the puppet stage. "21st Century Rat presents...Bionic Bunny versus Count Darkula!" The children applaud and cheer excitedly.
"First, a brief disclaimer," says the teacher/puppeteer. "I don't own Bionic Bunny, but I do own Count Darkula. Now, on with the show!"
In the dim light of the auditorium we see Binky and Prunella sitting next to each other near the front row. Binky seems uncomfortable with the fact that Prunella is sitting next to him. "If only The Rat's lessons were as entertaining as his puppet shows," Prunella remarks.
"Uh-huh," grunts Binky.
On the puppet stage, a rabbit woman puppet is walking along as Mr. Ratburn manipulates her strings. "I know I shouldn't be out alone at night," she says as Ratburn provides her falsetto voice, "but with Bionic Bunny patrolling the skies, how can anything evil happen?"
Suddenly the puppet Count Darkula, a fanged, robed rat vampire, jumps out of the shadows and confronts the rabbit woman. The children scream in terror. "Muwahahaha!" cackles the count, also voiced by Ratburn. "Soon you will become one of my undead minions! Nothing can save you!"
"It's Count Darkula, the vampire!" laments the rabbit woman. "I am doomed! What shall I do?"
As Count Darkula grabs her, a Bionic Bunny puppet descends from the top of the stage and lands behind him as the children in the audience cheer. "Unhand that woman, you unholy fiend!" the blue-clad superhero demands.
Count Darkula releases the woman and turns to face Bionic Bunny. "What did you just call me?"
"An unholy fiend."
"Oh...for a minute I thought you had insulted me."
"Your bloodsucking days are over, Darkula!" the Bionic Bunny puppet declares.
"Think again, Moronic Bunny," retorts the count. "You may have subdued the criminal element in this city, but your powers are useless against the undead!"
"Hmm," muses Bionic Bunny. "I knew I should have brought a crucifix or something."
"Look into my eyes," Count Darkula intones hypnotically. "You are in my power."
The Bionic Bunny puppet is transfixed by the count's stare. "Vision...getting...foggy... Resistance...weakening... Pauses...between....words.........getting..............longer..."
"Fight it, Bionic Bunny!" shouted George from the audience.
"Hey, no help from the audience!" Count Darkula protested.
As Prunella is enjoying the show, someone hands Binky a note with Prunella's name written on it, and he hands it to her. She opens it and sees the crudely written words THE VAMPIRE DIES TOMORROW. Pulling a pen from her bag, she crosses over the words, writes something underneath them, folds the paper, crosses out her name, and writes Muffy's name underneath it. She then hands the note to Binky.
"You can't hurt me!" boasts Count Darkula. "You need a wooden stake, or one made of metal!"
Bionic Bunny holds up his arm and straightens it. "My arm's made of metal."
"Curses!" grumbles the count. "You haven't seen the last of me!" Then the vampire puppet creeps into the shadows.
"Thank you, Bionic Bunny!" gushes the rabbit woman. "Because of you, the city is safe from the evil of Count Darkula!"
"Perhaps for now," says the superhero, "but he'll be back!"
The Bionic Bunny puppet rises into the air and disappears at the top of the stage. "Oh, he's so cute!" the rabbit woman enthuses.
The curtain closes, and the kids cheer loudly. A note lands in Muffy's lap, having her name on it. She unfolds it and sees the words YOU SLAY ME, MUFFY. She glances over at Prunella.
On the stage a new Ratburn show has begun, with two puppets. One is a small boy, and the other is a crow wearing a doctor's uniform. "I'm ready to tell you my secret," whispers the boy.
"Your...secret?" says the crow doctor expectantly.
The small boy looks out at the audience. "I see weird people!"
The children laugh, and then the doctor puppet looks out at them. "I don't see anybody."
"But they're everywhere!" the boy insisted. "They're staaaaring at me! There, and
there, and there..." He points at various audience members.
"Wait...now I see them!" says the doctor.
"Can you make them go away?" the boy pleads.
"Of course," says the doctor. "Curtain!"
The curtain closes. "Thank you, doctor!" the boy's voice is heard.
The lights come up, and the children applaud and start to leave the auditorium.
A few minutes later, Muffy finds Prunella sitting on a swing, and joins her on the other swing. "How'd you know it was me, Prunella?" she asks.
"Not just you," Prunella answers. "Arthur, Buster, Francine... It's like you all wanted me to figure it out."
"Oh," says Muffy disappointedly. "Well, do me a favor, then, and act surprised when we show up at your house tomorrow."
"I'll do my best."
"It was all Francine's idea, actually," Muffy admits.
"Muffy, I want to ask you something," says Prunella hesitantly.
"I'm listening."
"What would you do if you liked a boy for a long time, but he never paid attention to you?"
Muffy thinks for a few seconds.
"Muffy?"
"Tell him that he's big and strong, and everyone's afraid to fight him," Muffy speaks up. "He's so dumb, he'll believe you."
"Who is?"
"Binky Barnes, duh."
Prunella swallows. "What makes you think I'm talking about Binky?"
"If it's not Binky, then who is it?"
Prunella sighs and looks at her feet. "It's Binky," she confesses.
"What do you see in him?"
"I know, it's funny, but for some reason it's the bad boys who turn me on."
"How long have you...liked him?"
"Ever since third grade," says Prunella wistfully. "It broke my heart when he was held back. What can I do, Muffy? I know I'm too young to be in love, but I can't help how I feel when I'm with him."
"I think he's afraid of you," Muffy suggests.
"Afraid of me? Why?"
"It's the magical stuff you do. I think he's afraid you'll put a curse on him."
"A curse?" The rat girl shakes her head. "I don't know how to curse anybody. Neither does Rubella. Neither does my mom. What would give him that idea?"
"He's dumb, Prunella. D-U-M-B. Even for a boy. He's so dumb, if you told him that green potato chips are poisonous, he'd probably believe you."
"So what do I do?" Prunella wonders.
"Just sit down with him and explain to him that you only use your powers for good."
Prunella smiles. "I'll do it."
"That's the spirit."
"You won't tell anybody what I said, will you?"
"Of course not. I may be a rich snob, but I'm not a rich gossipy snob."
"Thanks, Muffy." Prunella gets out of the swing and starts to leave.
"Hold it!" Muffy stops her.
"What?"
"I expect a little something from you in exchange for my secrecy."
"What's that?"
"A little help with another Halloween prank I'm planning."
TBC
