THE WOLF'S CHOICE.
The next week, I convinced Roddy to go to a very fancy new restaurant. "Chez Snob", where you can buy a four-members family a food supply that would last a week with the money you spend buying a bowl of soup... don't look at me, that's the place's slogan. Anyway, even if I really enjoyed having Wally around, I still cared about my relationship with Roderick, so he agreed to have dinner there that Friday. It would be our first real date since the ending of the last school's year.
Percy ended working on his young mistress' hairdo, and moved a step back to appreciate her better. Ruby was looking great; she was wearing a totally blue dress, with bright red gloves that covered most of his arm, green high-heeled shoes, and a pearls' necklace, plus allowing her hair to fall freely instead of using her usual pony-tail.
"You look beautiful, Miss Rhubella. I'm sure Master Roderick will agree with me the moment he spots you... if he finally decides to arrive, I mean." Percival said, looking at the wall's clock at the last part. Rhubella chuckled.
"Percy, you know the social rules of our school. Being on time, for a Perfecto, means arriving with a half-hour fancy delay. I'm not expecting Roderick to arrive for at least another 15 minutes." Rhubella explained.
"Well, if that's the case, Miss Rhubella, may I suggest you an indoor activity while you wait for your couple? Chess, perhaps?" Percival asked. Ruby scratched her chin.
"How about poker, Percy? You have your deck?" Rhubella asked. Percy chuckled slightly.
"As usual, Miss Rhubella." The butler said while taking a deck out from his jacket. Rhubella and him sat on the living room, and started playing.
Percy is always trying to convince me to play chess... actually, I can play a little, but he is a real master on that game, so it's very hard to play on his level. Luckily, he also likes to play poker, and he thought me when I started Elementary, so I'm as good playing that as him. We always have little bets, like, if he wins, I buy him a new tie, and, if I do, he makes me a special breakfast the next day.
"By the way, Miss Rhubella, I had been wondering about your canine companion. It's my imagination, or you are more attached to him than to your boyfriend?" Percy asked while checking his cards. Ruby gave him a nervous look.
"Wo... I mean, Wallace? No, Percy, of course not. He's just a nice guy who likes hanging around with me and Margot, that's all." Rhubella said while taking another card from the deck. Percy smiled weakly.
"Well, I certainly agree with you about saying he is nice guy, Miss Rhubella. The few occasions he had come to the house, he had always been extremely polite; he even helped me move a couch to vacuum the space under it, exactly two days ago, when he arrived and you were changing up your outfit." Percy commented. Rhubella nodded; she remembered that day. She and Margot decided to go to the mall, and the rat asked Wally to go to her house so he could go with them, and carry the stuff, as usual.
I kept playing and chatting with Percy for almost an hour... then, it was an hour and a half... before I noticed, Roderick was almost three hours late! I grabbed the phone, and dialed Roderick. He had his cell off, so I called his home, but only got the answering machine. I decided to call Drake, but had a good idea then to ask him about Roderick without Drake trying to cover him.
"Heelllooo... Acme Transit Department. Excuse me, but we're trying to find Roderick Rat because of some imprudent driving, and we got this number. Can you tell us if he's with you?" Rhubella asked Drake, holding her nose to make a nasal voice. To her surprise, Roderick was the guy who answered her.
"Eh... well, yes, I'm Roderick Rat, but don't worry. I'll pay for that damaged door, promise. Excuse me, but can't talk right now, I'm in a very important meeting." Roderick said. Rhubella heard some other guys talking on the background; obviously, Roddy had made his own meeting at Drake's house,forgetting about his date with Ruby. Roderick hung off, leaving a very pissed rat the other side of the line.
"Miss Rhubella? Are you okay?" Percival, concerned, asked Rhubella. The rat felt a little tear running down her cheek, but washed it in a moment.
"Yes... I'll be fine, Percy. Roddy had some "last-minute-business" to attend, so he's not coming." Rhubella said, sighing. Percival placed his gloved paw on Ruby's shoulder, trying to give her a nice look.
"Don't worry, Miss Rhubella. A girl of your category and style can surely find another person to go out for a date. Or maybe we can talk Miss Mallard to give you company, or even Mister Wolf." Percy suggested. Ruby shook her head.
"Margot is on a business dinner with her family, and Wallace is attending a... certain detail today." Ruby said. Actually, since she wasn't expecting to call Wally that day, and Margot had that dinner, both girls gave the wolf a free day, and Ruby didn't want to bother him. The rat then had an idea, and sighed; it wasn't her best, but it could work.
"It's not so late, Percy. I guess I can go to another restaurant, by my own, and enjoy the night anyway." Ruby told Percy. The butler gave her a large smile.
Ruby changed her clothing, returning to her usual casual look, consisting on a purple shirt with rolled-over sleeves, and black short pants, but kept her hair down. Plus, she gave a fast look to the bracelet Wally gave to her, and decided to use it as well. Once Ruby said her "Good Nights" to Percy, she drove away from the house.
Ruby wasn't sure about the place she would go. She wanted a big and snobby place, but that was funny only if Roddy was with her to entertain herself watching him annoying the waiters. A less formal place would suit her well, but, again, she only liked those if Margot was with her, so they could chat while eating. Ruby was about to turn back and return to her house to have a super-special six-cheeses sandwich from Percy, when she noticed another new place, "The Family's Home." It seemed to be just another of those familiar restaurants, but looked like a nice place, so the rat decided to eat there.
I don't know if it was a coincidence, fate, or just another idea from the author of this fic, but when I entered the restaurant, I immediately recognized Wally's voice. He was on a little stage, right at the center of the restaurant; it seemed this place also had some entertainment for the customers. Wally was wearing a little fake mustache, a white old long-sleeved shirt with a thin piece of black cloth hanging from his left shoulder, patched pants (that seemed to be kept on place only by a miracle, because they were half-way fallen), and a gray old looking hat. Everyone at the restaurant was laughing like crazy because of his acting, who consisted in a weird kind-of-dialogue with the public.
"And yes, so, I said to this individual, because, listen, there's the detail, youngsters. I think that, well, first we must think, and be clear about it, because, well, now, coming back to the beginning, when the whole mess started, because we must start from the beginning, and end at the ending, coz that's the way things most be done, because, otherwise, it feels like one movie from that Tarantula... I mean, Tarantino guy. And, talking about guys, I met one human guy once, and he was so ugly, that when he was born the doctor couldn't decide if he was performing a birth, or an exorcism, really. He was so ugly, when his brothers had a nightmare, his mom placed him at the window to scare the Boogeyman. And as the great poet Chick-a-spear said once, To be, or not to be, and if you are a bee, you sting me... because as I say one thing I say another, because it's like everything, and there are things that, who cares? I'm right or not?" Wally said in a funny wannabe-expert tone, with absolutely no sense at all, but making everyone to laugh loudly. Rhubella chuckled, and asked for a table, so she could sit down and enjoy the show.
"So, tell me, sir, you think I'm right, or not?" Wally asked to a random guy.
"I have no idea about what you just said, man!" The guy replied, trying to hold his laughter. Wally made a shocked expression, and crossed his arms before speaking back.
"Well, that amazes me, because I don't know a lot, but speaking, well, I do that since I was six years old, and hadn't stopped. And you look so smart! Please, sir, you have to read, and get more "sculpture", or what kind of future awaits the country? Because the country, and I'm talking about the nation you live, not the music the Dukes of Hazard are always listening, is like a mother, and mother, as I once said when she asked me to take two bottles of soda from the fridge, Mother, there's only one!... but father... I'm not saying a thing here, because I don't want to ruin anyone's reputation. And I'm doing it for your children, and those who have no children... aren't interested in working as nannies? Anyway, thanks a lot for coming, and don't forget to come here tomorrow, because then, we'll have all those things I already told you, and, if you forgot, ask the person next to you, because I'm not going to repeat myself, despite the fact I have a wonderful accent, so nice, many people think I'm European... I guess that's because of my Nordic-like complexion. Or maybe because of my Swiss pants... like the cheese, they came with holes included. And, as I was saying, once I'm done, I'll better go, because my boss is going to be pissed if I don't wake up early to bring the breakfast to her bedroom, take in the milkman, and pay the cat... wait, maybe that's not right, and might explain why the cat is gaining more money than me, and the milkman always have breakfast with us. Okay, so long, because I have to go to work. Orders, chief!" Wally ended doing a little military-like salute, and smiling to the audience.
The crowd clapped and laughed loudly at the wolf, and, a moment later, he spin-changed back to normal, and vowed to accept the cheers; unlike most of the time, Wally was dressed with a red T-shirt and wearing white toon gloves instead of the Perfecto´s uniform. Ruby was almost rolling on the floor laughing, and started whistling and clapping as well. Wally recognized her whistle, and lifted his head to look over the crowd, spotting her. The wolf blushed, but kept his happy mood, and, a few minutes later, when the applause cooled down a little, he joined the rat at her table.
"Miss Rat, what a surprise! I wasn't expecting anyone from the school to be here, especially you. I thought your date with Mister Rat would be on that fancy restaurant you mentioned yesterday." Wally said to the rat while taking the seat in front of her. Ruby rolled her eyes.
"Roddy had an appointment, so he kind of cancelled the date. Anyway, I'm glad I found this place. You come here on your free days?" Rhubella asked.
"I only had come here one time before, because the restaurant just opened last month. And this time I overheard the waiters saying that the comedian they usually have here wouldn't be able to work today, so I suggested them to do an open mike's night. They agreed, but asked me to do the opening, you know, to encourage the other clients. And, since I was the one with the idea, they said my food is on the house." Wally explained. Ruby chuckled.
"Well, that act was hilarious! What impersonation was that?" Rhubella asked, smiling.
"A late Mexican comedian named Mario Moreno, best known as "Cantinflas". He used to act that way, talking a lot without really saying a thing. My mother says he was one of the best comedians ever, and even Charles Chaplin recognized his talent. Now I remember he made two movies in Hollywood... one was "Pepe", and the other "Around the World in 80 days". Believe me, the guy was good." Wally informed her. Ruby started to scratch her chin, trying to remember something.
"I think I know who are you talking about... I hadn't seen that "Pepe" film, but the other... Cantinflas played Mister Fogg's butler, right?" Rhubella asked. Wally nodded.
"Want to hear something funny? Originally, "Cantinflas" was just a random word he inventedfor his act, but, he became so popular, it was recognized as a real noun, with an adjective and a verb related! Grab any updated Spanish's dictionary, and you'll find it." Wally said, chuckling. Rhubella chuckled as well.
"Anyway, since you are here, and the waiters said I could eat anything I want without paying, please allow me to invite dinner this time, Miss Rat." Wally offered. Ruby blushed a little, and nodded.
"Sure, why not? You probably know the menu and the cook's specialties; I'll have the same thing you order." Ruby said. Wally smiled and called the waiter. He asked for two bowls of cheese's soup, two cheese burgers, and Mozzarella's sticks as a snack for him and Ruby to share, plus two milkshakes.
I liked that dinner a lot. We chatted, he made me laugh, we enjoyed the other customers' performances... he even convinced me to sing! I had never been a good singer, but I got some clapping, especially from Wally. To this day, we still go to that restaurant once in a while... and sometimes we sing together.
After a couple of hours, Ruby and Wally left the place. As usual, she offered to give Wally a ride home. During their time in the car, the wolf got silent, as if he was thinking about something. Rhubella noticed this, and decided to ask.
"A cent for your thoughts." Ruby told him.
"That's the best offer anyone had ever done for them." Wally replied, making her to chuckle a little.
"Funny... but, seriously, what's on your head? And don't answer me "Fur", or something like that." Rhubella pointed, in a joking tone. Wally chuckled, but became serious a moment later.
"Well... I had been thinking about what you told me some time ago, about me being more happy attending Acme Looniversity... I also had a good chat with one of its students the day you played there, and, well... I'm very tempted to do it, you know, leave the Prep and study there." Wally said, looking down.
"Oh." Ruby replied, getting a slightly sad look. The rat sighed.
"I'll be honest with you, Miss Rat... the only reason I hadn't left is because of my promise to both my grandpa and to you and Miss Mallard. I think I can handle him, but if you two don't want me to go, I'll stay here." Wally informed Ruby. The rat got a stunned expression; this guy had the chance to leave the Prep, but was asking for her permission to do it!
Both toons stayed silent for a few minutes.
I realized at that moment about how much I really wanted him to stay... even if I still was in denial, because of my relationship with Roderick, I knew for sure that Wally was more than a servant to me. Besides Margot and Percy, he was my best confident, and someone I could always count for anything. But then, I also realized I wanted him to be happy.
"Leave me in the mount. Leave me in the crag. Allow me to live in my liberty." Ruby recited, breaking the silence.
"Go back to the convent, Brother Francisco. Follow your path and your sanctity." Wally ended the quote. He then looked at Ruby with fond eyes.
"The Wolf's Motives." Wally said to her.
"By Ruben Dario... I read it a year ago in Universal Literature." Rhubella said, smiling.
This poem talks about a wild wolf, tamed by a saint, Francisco of Asis. The wolf and the saint live peacefully and happy with each other, but that's only because the man is always with the wolf when they are on his town. When Francisco leaves to attend some business on a nearby town, the villagers attack the wolf, and he escapes back to the forest, returning to his predator ways, attacking the villagers and their farm animals, and, when Francisco returns, the animal asks for his freedom, because he can't stand living alongside those bad persons that disrespected him. The poem suited well Ruby and Wally's situation, even if, in this case, the wolf had the saint's personality. The rat stopped the car to talk to Wally.
"Look, Wolf, I'll be honest with this. I really want you to stay, but I'm not forcing you. I'll talk with Margot about your decision, and, if I know her, she'll agree with me and...we'll release you from your promise. Just... stay with us until the semester ends, okay? It's too late to enter the Loo right now anyway, so you might as well prepare yourself to do it next semester." Ruby said to him, looking down. Wally placed his paw under her chin, making her lift her head, and smiled at the girl.
"Thanks a lot, Miss Rat. I really appreciate that. And, I'll do another promise to you, right now; the moment I stop being a Perfecto, I'll not stop being at your service... well, not entirely. But, the moment you or Miss Mallard need help of any kind, just call me, and I'll change into Wolflash to dash here." Wally assured her. Ruby smiled widely.
"Thanks... you are a great guy, Wallace... and I'll miss having you around. So... during your last months as a pet, I'll try to make them as comfortable as possible. Actually... I want you to find out about the books you'll need to study, so I can buy them for you." Ruby told him. Wally made a double take.
"That's very generous, Miss Rat, but..." Wally was cut by Ruby poking his nose.
"No "buts", Wolf! Consider it as a payment for your loyal services during these months. I insist." Ruby said in a playful tone. Wally shook his head, chuckling.
"Okay, I don't want to be a disobedient dog. I'll accept your offer." Wally told her. Rhubella nodded, smiling, and then returned to her driving.
The next morning, I told Margot about my chat with Wally. At first, she wasn't so happy, since, even if she didn't admit to like Wally as a friend (actually, she still doesn't), Margot accepted that he was a nice guy, and a very good servant/pet. However, after an hour or so, I convinced her that he would be happier as an Acme's student, and we owed him that since he had always been very loyal and caring with us. The point that really convinced her was when I mentioned the fact that Wally, by using his spin-changes, could be the most feared guy in the school, but he still chose to serve instead of forcing us to keep silence about his toon abilities. If that doesn't show about how much he isn't Perfecto's material, nothing would.
I kept my promises to Wally. I gave him the money to buy the basic books of the Looniversity, plus giving him enough time to read them. He discovered that, even if he was very good with the practical part, he needed to study the theory, and that would take some time. He decided to use the next semester to help his parents and work at Yellowstone, while preparing to make the test and being accepted at the Loo next year.
And he kept his promise as well. Even if Margot and I didn't give him a lot of work during those months, he offered to make a lot of extra homework. Actually, he made copies and reports of half of the homework we would need to do next semester! He said that, besides helping us, this allowed him to practice with his Wolflash's abilities, so he wouldn't faint again after using the super-speed during a long period of time.
And so, the semester came to an end. One week before the Christmas' break, and Wally's date of departure, my parents threw a large party because of my birthday. Of course, since it was an important social event, most of the Prep was invited... which meant Wally would have a hard time if attending, so I had to ask him to not go.
Rhubella, wearing the same outfit she chose for her cancelled date with Roddy, was sitting on her living room's couch, chatting with Margot and a few other girls from the Prep. Roderick was a few feet away, talking with Drake and some of his classmates as well. Silverbill, Gunbo, Giselle and Jasmine kept their distance from Rhubella, and kept an alert look in case Wally decided to appear.
"Ruby, darling, your dad wants to introduce you to a nice guy he had been talking with." Roselyn Rat, Ruby's mother, told her. She looked like a more mature version of Rhubella, but her fur was slightly darker; she was wearing a nice long-sleeved red gala dress. Ruby nodded, and walked alongside her mother through the large salon.
Honestly, I wasn't eager to go. Dad is always introducing me with guys as old as C. M. Burns, or with their sons, and they were always as boring as a pet rock, or the world biggest jerks. This time, however, it was a surprise.
"Oh, Rhubella, dear, good you are here. I had been talking with this young gentletoon, and he claims to know you. I thought I knew all your friends." Rupert, Ruby's father, talked to her. He was a large silver-colored rat, with a little mustache, on a formal outfit. Wally was standing next to him, on a formal outfit (courtesy of a spin-change) as well. Ruby wide opened her eyes.
"Oh... yes, Father, he is my friend, Wallace Wolf... he had being here at times, but you had no chances to meet him before. And actually, I thought you weren't coming to the party, because of that problem we already discussed." Ruby said to her dad, and then directed to Wally, trying to keep a smile, and praying for Gunbo or any other classmate to not cause a problem when spotting the wolf.
"Certainly, as we discussed, I wasn't able to come TO THE PARTY... but, I could make time to come TO SEE YOU, and say Happy Birthday, at least, and also tell you that your outfit looks great." Wally said, in his most polite tone, blushing slightly at the last part. .
My forced smile became a real one. This wolf found a loophole in my order, and was a good one. I asked him not going to the party, but never said a thing about not coming to see me. Maybe he learned a little from me after all. Luckily, it wasn't too much.
"Oh, well, I must leave now. Please, Wallace, feel yourself at home, and I hope we'll see you around here more frequently." Rupert said to the young wolf.
"Actually, Mister Rat, I must say that wouldn't be possible, at least for a few months. I'll leave the city in a few days to attend certain personal issues, so sadly I'll not be able to visit your family for a while." Wally told the rat. Rhubella nodded to her dad, confirming the story.
"I see. Well, anyway, I hope we can see you again, Wallace. I like the educational level of Perfecto Prep, but, sadly, most of the students seem to had forgotten their manners. Just because we are rich, it doesn't means we have to act as fools. Precisely, since we are in a high position, we must set an example. Just to illustrate my point, I must tell you I'm have noble blood in my veins, but I don't treat my employees like a tyrant, or something like that... even if I always demand excellence from them. Well, I had talked enough. Have fun, Wallace, and hope you have a nice trip." Rupert told the wolf. Wally and him shook paws, and, after giving Ruby a little kiss on her cheek, he left the two youngsters alone.
"Your dad is a very nice toon, Miss Rat. I even told him I wasn't as rich as your other classmates, and yet he was very polite all the time. I also talked a little with your mother, and she was a lady in all the extension of the word." Wally told Rhubella.
"Yes... sometimes we have disagreements because of, you know, the whole generational stuff, but, yes, they are good parents. I guess that, since we can't see each other a lot, we just don't want to spoil our time together fighting." Ruby said, smiling at the wolf.
You guys thought my parents would be as snobbish as my classmates, right? Well, sometimes my mom is a snob, but no, they are really kind toons. The problem with me, of course, was that, unlike Wally, I just couldn't stand being ignored or mistreated by my classmates when I entered Perfecto, so, to live in that environment, I had to become a major snob like them, and, eventually, a villainous one to be the most respected.
"Miss Rat... I can't stay here a long time, so... Happy Birthday." Wally gave Ruby a little gift box. Ruby couldn't wait, and opened it right there; she smiled as widely as she did when Wally gave him the bracelet. It was a little framed painting of her; she was portrayed sitting in a bench, located on a park during the fall, and dressed with her basketball's uniform.
"I made it in Art. Hope you like it." Wally said, blushing a little. Rhubella gave him a fast kiss on his cheek; luckily, since they were a little apart from the other toons, they were unnoticed. Wally smiled widely.
"I'll take that as a "yes". Well... I think I'll better go. See you later... and please, tell Miss Mallard I send her my salutes as well." Wally said, holding Ruby's left paw. He leaned to kiss it, and then started walking away. Rhubella blushed, and, holding her gift against her chest, called him.
"Wait. Before you go... well, I also have a gift for you... since you'll not be around here by Christmas, I think this is a good time for receiving it." Ruby told him. Wally made a double take.
"Go to the kitchen, and wait me there, okay?" Rhubella whispered to the wolf. Wally nodded, and then hide behind a curtain. He made his regular Wolflash's change, and used his speed to go into the kitchen without being noticed. Once there, he changed back to normal, panting.
"Note to myself... I need to practice less exhausting spin-changes." Wally talked to himself. A couple of minutes later, Rhubella, holding a gift box, entered the kitchen, alongside Percival.
"I wasn't sure about what kind of present you would like, but I saw this on a catalog, and thought it would fit you." Ruby said, smiling, and handling the box to Wally. The wolf smiled, and opened the box. Once he saw inside, he started wagging his tail in happiness.
"Hey, is a baseball cap!" Wally took the hat out from the box, and gave him a good look. Ruby's smile widened; it was obvious the wolf liked the present.
"Yes. According to the catalog, it's a very durable one, and easy to clean. Since you do a lot of spin-changes, I figured any hat you would use should be very resistant. It has no logos of any team so you can add whatever you want. Come on, try it." Rhubella said, excited. Wally put the cap on, and then looked at himself in one recently washed silver dish; he liked his new look.
"Actually, I think the cap doesn't need any logo. I like it a lot this way." Wally said.
"It fits you like a glove." Ruby commented.
"Even better, fits me like a hat." Wally joked, making Ruby to laugh a little; even Percy couldn't avoid chuckling. The wolf walked next to Rhubella, and gave her a good hug.
"Thanks a lot, Miss Rat. Is a great gift." Wally told her. Ruby blushed, and Wally did it as well when he realized what he was doing... and that Rhubella was hugging him back.
"You're welcome... any day. I don't care if you become an Acme's student; you can come to play some b-ball or have dinner anytime you want." Ruby whispered to him. Wally nodded, and, after a few minutes, they broke the embrace.
"I must go back to the party. Thanks for coming." Ruby told him, and then started walking out of the kitchen, waving him bye. Wally waved his paw in reply, keeping his smile. Percy approached him.
"Before you go, young master, maybe you'll like to eat something. I'll be glad to serve you some of the delicatessen we had prepared for the party, if you don't mind eating in the kitchen." Percival told the wolf. Ruby hadn't told him yet about the whole servant/pet thing, and Wally always removed his collar before going to the mansion, but she had told him that the wolf had some problems with the other students, explaining why he had to leave secretly.
"Of course not, Mister Percival... as long as you eat with me, of course." Wally said to the butler. Percy smiled.
"My pleasure. Oh, and Master Wolf... thanks for your attentions towards my young mistress." Percy told the wolf, and then they both walked to the kitchen's table to eat.
I have that painting right next to my vanity mirror, so I can see it every time I prepare myself to go out, and try to look as pretty as Wally portrayed me.