Wikipedia once described internet fan fiction as the only kind of stories that people would read in a doomsday bunker with nothing better to do with their lives. Ironically, with all the stuff that's been going on in the world at the time of this chapter's March 29, 2020 posting, it seems like we're all in a watered-down doomsday bunker situation, so that Wikipedia description has come full-circle now. (Don't bother looking it up, I checked, and that particularly-worded entry no longer exists).

My point is: have you been feeling cooped up and bored lately? Well here's some intense and intriguing events that's guaranteed to keep you invested!

Chapter 5: Joy and Anger

After catching up with Mary, Bernard and De'Ausha keep running hard, intent on literally leaving all their pain in the dust. They run until they're completely out of breath, then stop to pant for several minutes. Sadly, the only thing their running accomplished was exhausting their bodies, because once their brains can think of more than just recuperating, the harsh revelation comes creeping back into their minds.

They will never have children, most likely will never marry because of their sterility, and their so-called honest and loving parents had kept that secret from the hybrids up until ten minutes ago. They are freaks, accidents, and have been doomed ever since they were conceived.

Mary: "What will we do?..."

Bernard: "What can we do?..."

De'Ausha: "Not much point in livin' if we'll never be able to start our own families with others."

Bernard: "M-maybe mommy and daddy were right. We should ask our crushes if they'll still want to be with us."

De'Ausha: "Pah-lease, child. They gon' dump us the instant they know we sterile."

Mary: "Before today, I liked being half-raccoon and half-possum...Now, I hate it."

De'Ausha: "No wonder our parents nev'a talked t'us about sterility before."

Mary: "It's all my fault..."

De'Ausha: "Gurl, wha'choo sayin'?"

Mary: "I asked for daddy to tell us what sterile means...If I only had kept my mouth shut..."

De'Ausha: "Then we'd have found out sometime in th' future, so this was bound t'happen."

Bernard: "But by then we could have been married and found out, that way we'd still have mates."

Mary: "Our mates would just divorce us once they found out us three can't have children..."

Bernard sighs. The hybrids are truly in a big pickle. Whether they had found out earlier than today or later, there is no hope for them.

Bernard thinking: "But there's less hope for us if we run away from home."

Gathering up his courage, Bernard decides to change the topic in hopes that something good will happen to them today.

Bernard: "I'm not sure about living on our own. We could still go home and have a place to sleep and eat. It's not like our parents hate us, we just hate them."

Mary: "Of course we can live on our own. We got our golf bags—Argh! I left mine at home!"

Bernard (face palms): "Me too!"

De'Ausha: "Y'all could always sneak back home and get 'em while everyone's asleep."

Mary: "Daddy will most likely be awake, waiting for us to return. And I meant it when I said I never wanna see or speak to him again."

Bernard: "We could always find other golf bags."

Mary raises her eyebrow and then asks rhetorically, "Did disowning our parents somehow make you more like a raccoon? Because that's brilliant."

De'Ausha: " 'Les head back to the 'burbs."

The trio gets up and starts doing just that. Several minutes later, their ears raise at the sound of Roger's voice close by and they start walking toward it.

Roger's voice: "See this? An empty top hat, with nothing inside of it. I'm putting it on this stump, which is too thick for any animal to cut or chew through, so there's nothing beneath the hat."

By now the hybrid trio comes to a clearing where Aaron, Sam, and Ike are watching Roger put on another magic trick show. Not only that, but Roger's crush, a 13-year-old girl raccoon named Aleshia, is also watching. The two opossacoons and one skunat silently decide to do the same, that is, from where they are currently standing since they don't want the current audience to miss a blink of whatever Roger is about to do.

The raccoon puts his palms together, and when he pulls his paws apart, a classic magic wand grows to its full length right before their eyes!

Aaron and Ike: "Coooooooool!"

Sam: "Eeeeeeeeee!"

Aleshia: "Never ceases to amaze me."

Mary, Bernard, and De'Ausha are speechless, but they and the other four give Roger their full attention.

Roger: "And now for my real trick, I shall say the magic words."

While holding the wand in his right paw, Roger taps it with his pointer finger which makes the tip light up like a firework sparkler stick.

Roger: "Eh-hem: presto." (Moves the want in a U-motion) "Magnífico." (Rears back the wand behind and over his head) "Avè Dicimo!" (Thrusts the wand forward)

The wand now hovers above the top hat, whereby confetti and small yet colorful fireworks erupt from it. The audience collectively goes "Oooooooo, aaahhhhhh!"

"Booooo!"

All heads turn and see Ty leaning against a tree with his arms crossed in attitude. Far from feeling insulted by his brother's appearance and cynicism, Roger seems happy.

Roger: "Ah, if it isn't my biggest critic and skeptic, or as I like to call the term, criteptic. Ladies and gentlemammals, my little brother: Tyler."

Ike: "Why you say, 'Boo' Ty?"

Aaron: "Yeah? It was pure magic!"

Tyler: "Spare me. There's a hollowed out section of the stump where Roger had a stash of fireworks and pop-out confetti that fit into a trapdoor flap on the hat, and were triggered by the button-activated sparkler of his wand's tip."

Sam: "Uhhhhh?"

Roger: "Very interesting theory, Ty...Care to show us your proof?"

Ty: "Gladly."

Ty walks over and surprises everyone when he digs his paw into the stump—that Roger had said was too thick to have any compartment—and pulls out fireworks and heat-sensitive pop-out confetti tubes.

Ty: "See? He's a phony! All magicians are!"

Aleshia, still having faith in her crush's skills, says, "You forgot to check the hat for a trapdoor flap."

Ty (nods at Aleshia): "Ah! Even Roger's gal-pal is taking my side. Yes, the hat."

Ty walks up to Roger, takes the hat without permission, puts his paw into it and—

Ty: "Huh?!"

—His paw doesn't come out the other end. Bewildered, Ty holds the hat in a way that allows him, and the viewers, to see that there is no trapdoor flap.

Roger: "Do you see? Magic is real!"

Ty: "Y-y-you swapped hats when everyone was looking at me after I booed you!"

Roger: "You were looking at me during that time, right? Did you see me swap hats?"

Ty: "I...was too busy enjoying the attention your audience was giving me."

Roger: "Feel free to look around for a spare hat, but do it quietly, because I'm about to do another trick."

Everyone but Ty: "Yaaaayy!"

Ty grumbles and decides to stay put, intent on gluing his eyes on his big—but ironically more childish (at least in his opinion)—brother...wanting to ensure he catches him simply misdirecting the audience instead of doing actual "magic."

Roger: "Hold all cheers," (eyes Tyler) "and comments," (looks at the audience) "until the end of my trick."

Roger puts down the wand, reaches down behind the stump, and gets out a magic quarter box that he holds in his left paw. The black, flash-drive-looking object is half the length of a human hand, and the sight of it causes Ty to muse in sinister glee, "Oh, I'm gonna get you now!"

Roger: "Because we are all animals, we are free from many trappings of the human world, the foremost being: money."

Roger flicks all of his right-paw fingers forward and produces a quarter out of thin air. Ty rolls his eyes, but everyone else widens their eyes and gasps in astonishment.

Roger: "The worst thing about money, besides causing classes like rich and poor to exist in the first place, is that it's so easy to lose. Observe!"

Roger pulls the quarter box out, places the quarter into the slot, and closes the box up. When he pulls the box back out, the quarter is nowhere to be seen!

Ike: "Wicked cool!"

Aaron: "Yeah!"

Sam: "Ahh-aaaaahhh!"

Sam's claps are soon joined by the others, except Ty.

Ty: "Don't be so naïve, folks. First, he had the quarter lodged between his fingers, that's how it appeared when he flicked his paw. And second, it's a trick quarter box. There's a secret compartment where the quarter is stored."

The audience looks at Roger as if he has let them all down.

Roger: "Humph. You're right—about the compartment. But tell me where the quarter is now, Mr. Unbeliever."

Roger immediately dismembers the quarter box, and nothing is inside it. The audience gasps in amazement again. Roger drops the parts on the ground, causing Ty to rush over to the pile and ask, "Hey, where'd you put it?!"

Roger (shakes his head from side to side): "Tyler...Tyler...Tyler..." (While causally walking around Ty) "You always had a knack for losing things. Luckily, you have me around to help you find them."

Roger reaches down, tugs on his brother's tail, and when he pulls his paw back out, the quarter is in his palm. Ty clenches his teeth, grips his paws into fist, and lets out a soft snarl of frustration while the audience gives Roger another round of applause. Roger rolls the quarter across his right paw's knuckles going from the right and back to the left. When it's on his thumb, he flips it into the air, catches it in his palm, closes his paw, and the quarter is nowhere to be seen when he opens his paw up. That is, until Ty grips Roger's wrist hard and squeezes it until he drops the quarter that was lodged behind his fingers just as Ty had said.

Ty: "Ah-ha! Caught you red-handed!"

Roger: "Except for when I pulled the quarter out of your tail."

Ty: "Uhhhh..."

Roger: "I admit, I'm still working on a few things. Magic tricks aren't perfected overnight, but out of all my tricks, you only proved one to be false."

Everyone else looks impressed. Although more mature than Roger in some regards, Ty proves that he is still the little brother, by doing the only thing he has left in his arsenal.

Ty: "W-well, um, you're foolish for wanting to pursue something as useless as magic!"

Roger: "Oh, Ty, please calm yourself in front of the audience. We are here to have fun, to become little kids again, back when the world was full of magic. When everything was wondrous to our eyes. And magic isn't useless. When done correctly, it can brighten anyone's day."

Roger pulls a pink flower out of nowhere and gives it to an impressed Mary. Her brother and De'Ausha are equally joyed by the whole performance they have seen. After finding out what it means to be sterile, they needed something to take their minds off their own despair, and Roger provided them exactly that. Of course, Tyler still doesn't share their feelings.

Ty: "Well what good are magic tricks gonna do on a heist?"

Roger: "There's more to magic than simple tricks meant for entertainment. There's also escape artistry, which I am nearing completion. Learning to master that and magic tricks requires hard work, immense concentration, and crafty ingenuity that makes raccoons the perfect animals to use magic."

Aleshia: "Just wait and see, everybody. At the rate Roger is going, in a few years, he'll put the Great Harry Houdini to shame."

Ty: "You're just saying that because he's your boyfriend. But you'll see, you'll all see, that his magic won't amount to anything in life. Only being grounded in reality will make someone successful."

Sam: "Booooo!"

Ike: "Yeah, BOO!"

Aaron: "Quit being a party pooper!"

De'Ausha: "Fo' real, Ty!"

Ty: "You too, De'Ausha?"

Mary: "Make that five!"

Bernard: "And six!"

Ty: "I didn't expect you three to fall for my brother's childish tricks too. If y'all wanna be as good as your parents at heisting, you'd better—"

Their feelings dashed anew by the mention of their recently most hated individuals, Mary leads the hybrids by screaming, "Just LEAVE Ty!"

Bernard: "NOW!"

De'Ausha: "Befo' I gas and beat yo hide!"

Their sudden outbursts makes everyone else jump. With a curious and sympathetic voice, Ty asks, "What's going on with y'all, today?"

Mary: "Let's say your brother's 'childish' tricks just got me in a better mood, and I'm NOT gonna have you get me back into a bad mood!"

Aaron: "We had a bad day too."

Sam (nods yes): "Ahhhh."

Aaron: "We got inna big fight with mommy and daddy, tried to run away, and almost got eaten by a wolf. If Kale didn't show up..."

Sensing tensions rising, Roger buts in and says, "Since we all need to feel better, how's about I do another magic trick?"

Ike: "Yes, please!"

De'Ausha glares at Ty and says, "You were leavin'."

Understanding that he has overstepped his bounds, Ty decides to comply and says, "And so I was. It's past dinner time anyway and I'm getting hungry."

While his brother walks away, Roger continues, "I'll need my lovely assistant, Aleshia for this one."

Aleshia steps forward and enjoys the cheers and claps she receives. She is a gray-furred raccoon with green eyes, a black mask, and a light-brown tail with five black rings. She and Roger had met five years ago when the hedgies had been training some of the forest population to overthrow the Bone-Chompers. One of those families was Aleshia's, and she took an instant liking to a raccoon who had the guts to stand up to a pack of wolves, especially the boy who had personally helped teach her how to use smoke bombs and fire crackers. Having only recently turned into a teenager, and being a year younger than Roger, she still enjoyed doing kid-like things, and was mesmerized by his magic skills. Roger enjoyed her for how quickly she had caught on to his lessons from five years prior, and for her being his number one fan who supports his magic endeavors.

When she is beside Roger, he reaches into his magic hat and pulls out a chain and lock.

Roger: "Please observe as my assistant, the lovely Aleshia, ties this chain around me and locks it."

While doing as instructed, Aleshia, knowing what Roger has in store for the audience, muses in excitement, "He's ready to take it to the next level already? Raccoons really are the animals best-suited for magic tricks!"

About a minute after her thoughts are finished, Roger is tied up and locked.

Roger: "As I was saying before, magic involves escape artistry too. See how I have been tied, with my paws behind my back and the lock on the front of my chest?"

Everyone in the audience: "Uh-huh."

Roger: "Only a true master of magic can get out of this predicament. Now Aleshia, bring out the curtain and drop it down."

Having helped Roger with this before, the girl raccoon retrieves a briefcase from behind the stump, opens it, and pulls out a black window curtain attached to an extendable curtain holder. Needing to be small enough to hide a young teenage raccoon behind it, the curtain has been cut down so that it measures two and a half feet long and wide, and the curtain holder is at its shortest possible length. Aleshia holds it up so that Roger is no longer visible, causing the audience to fidget in anticipation. They hear the chains rattle and lean forward from where they're sitting.

Everyone's thoughts think back to Aleshia's earlier comment about Roger putting the Great Harry Houdini to shame. Because Ike, Aaron, and Sam are still little kids who have never even heard of Houdini, their young minds can only center on the excitement of soon seeing Roger emerge free of the chains. Being older and knowing something about Harry Houdini, Aleshia, Mary, Bernard, and De'Ausha are wondering something along the lines of "If he can pull this off, he really will be better than Houdini."

Roger's voice: "Aaaaaaaannnnnnnd—"

Suddenly, Luby, as if she possessed teleportation powers—though in reality she just ran in and everyone else was too focused on Roger's trick to notice her—appears out of nowhere.

Luby pants from all the running, but her words come out clear. "There you kids are. All of you need to come home now! Emily has gone into labor! She's about to give birth to your new cousins!"

Everyone gasps on instinct after hearing that news, and the shock also causes Aleshia to drop the curtain that she was holding up. Having lost the oh-so-necessary concentration to correctly pull off the magic trick, Roger is still in chains, and now can't think of anything else besides getting home. Mary, Bernard, and De'Ausha are so surprised that they completely forget about their earlier vow to never go back, and now lead the way.

Mary: "What're we waiting for?!"

De'Ausha: "Move, y'all!"

Bernard: "Let's go!"

Aaron looks at his brother and says, "Hold on tight, Sam!"

Sam: "Yee-eeeee!"

Aleshia: "Can I come too, Mrs. Luby?"

Luby (talks in a rushed tone): "Sorry Aleshia, but this is a family-only matter, and you're too young to see someone give birth."

Aleshia: "But I—"

Still wanting to get back to the log ASAP, Luby quickly continues, "Glad you understand. You can come by tomorrow to see the babies if your parents will let you."

Roger: "Uh, mom...? A little help here!"

Luby runs over to Roger, picks him up, and runs back the way she came, carrying Roger like he's a piece of luggage.

Aleshia stomps her foot on the ground and says in a frustrated tone, "I'm 13, and grown-ups are still saying I'm too young to see or do anything!"

With nothing else to do, she heads on home...And has no idea that a certain other hedgie will harbor the same feelings toward grown-ups, but with far greater intensity.

The log. A few hours before Emily went into labor...

It was fortunate for Scarlet that RJ was at the log when she had brought Hammy back, because out of all the hedgies, the raccoon was the best at administering first aid. Hammy had lost a lot of blood by the time Scarlet arrived, which left RJ no choice but to give his best friend a drink high in caffeine. Just two gulps were enough to make Hammy go from nearly dead to up and at 'em, not to mention keep him from passing out and possibly dying. But then the pain of getting stitches made the squirrel wish he hadn't been awake for that. As RJ put the stitches in, Lou and Rick had to hold Hammy down while Verne and Scarlet made sure that Hammy didn't pass out by talking to him and giving him food and sugary water.

While the operation went on, Spike, Emma, Quillo, and Rebecca conducted a search for the two boys who had run away. Spike also brought Ike along, hoping that his son would be able to better convince Aaron and Sam to come back in case the adults' words failed. To everyone's relief, they tracked the two young squirrels' scents and found them watching Roger perform magic tricks. Neither boy wanted to go home yet, but also vowed they would return once Roger had finished. Knowing that Emily's due date could be at any moment, Rebecca volunteered to stay behind and keep watch over Roger's performance area from atop a tree in case any predators came. Once she had heard Luby approach, she went on back to the log.

Fortunately, the operation on Hammy was a complete success and he felt like his old self again, but only physically. Emotionally, he was still torn up with guilt from punching his own son—with autism, no less—in the eye. RJ has been helping Hammy out by telling him how he also had a falling apart with his kids today.

Hammy: "Out of all the things to do, why did I have to use violence?"

RJ: "You didn't have time to think things through. Any parent would've done the same thing. I can't tell you how close I came to grabbing and smacking Mary and Bernard for all the things they said to me and Heather today."

Hammy: "But you still didn't do it! So I'm a terrible parent..."

RJ: "I'm a raccoon, I'm more intelligent. But that doesn't mean you're inferior to me. Don't forget, Hammy, that you have a 'particular case' like Sam. The fact that you tried to settle the issue with love and words first is proof of your skill as a true parent. And you still have your 'condition' to work with in addition to being a parent. So you're better than me because I have it easier."

RJ knows he's on the right track when Hammy looks at him deeply and seriously in the eyes and no longer sounds regretful, but genuinely attentive.

Hammy: "Really? You mean that?"

RJ puts his paws on Hammy's shoulders, looks into his eyes, and says, "Every word of it, Hamsquad."

After a sigh of contentment, Hammy smiles and hugs RJ, whereby RJ returns his best friend's hug. One of the only positive things RJ had learned to do well from his days as a drifter was how to give pep talks. He originally did that to manipulate others, but as his feelings for those he had been wronging grew stronger, so did his sincerity. By the time he had met the hedgies all those years ago, RJ's pep talks makes others feel like winners and champions, not just himself.

With the issue settled, the family went about their day and started to have dinner when Emily went into labor. While RJ and the others stayed in the main living area to get things set up to deliver the porcupine's babies, they had sent Luby to the area where Roger was doing his magic show. It was a 10 minute run to that spot, and Aaron and Sam had come back in just three minutes.

Having super speed, Aaron gets Sam and himself back to the log sooner than anyone else. But this time he ran faster than ever before, and for two reasons. One, and naturally, he didn't want to miss the birth of Bucky's and Emily's kids. Two, and more important, he wanted to apologize for everything he had said and done today to his parents. It was no surprise, then, that the first thing he did when he came home was completely ignore the groans Emily was making behind the portable hospital curtains and go straight to Hammy and Scarlet. The sight of his father's stitched up arm made Sam and Aaron break down into tears and apologies. With Aaron's fast mouth, he quickly explains everything that happened to him and Sam since running away; how they had been attacked by a female wolf, how Aaron's attempts to flee only made matters worse, and how they had been saved by Kale in the nick of time.

Aaron: "It was horrible!"

Sam: "Eh-eeehhh!"

Aaron: "We have never been so scared in our lives!"

Sam: "Eeeeee!"

Aaron: "If you were with us, you could've kept us safe!"

Sam: "Aaaaaffff!"

Aaron: "We're SO SORRY for hurting you and not helping you out!"

Sam: "Er-rheeee!"

Aaron: "We'll never run away again! We promise!"

Sam: "Issss!"

Aaron: "Not even when you hit us!"

Sam: "Uhhhh-huuuuh."

Aaron: "You should punish us."

Sam: "Yeeeee..."

Aaron: "And we won't argue with it."

Sam: "Uh-uh."

Scarlet: "I think nearly losing your father and your own lives is more than enough punishment."

Thinking they misheard their mother, Aaron and Sam look up to ask their parents a question, but their words stop in their throats when they see their parents' smiling faces. Once Hammy and Scarlet open their arms, the boys rush in and are embraced.

Hammy: "We're just so glad that you're alive and home."

Aaron: "We love you, mommy and daddy!"

Sam: "Uv-ewww!"

Scarlet and Hammy in unison: "We love you too, kids."

Scarlet: "Always have."

Hammy: "And always will!"

Scarlet: "But let's go join the others in welcoming your new cousins into this world!"

The brothers wipe their tears of joy from their eyes and let their parents take them over to the portable hospital curtain. Once there, Scarlet lets Sam's paw go and Hammy lets go of Aaron's and the two parents turn around to speak.

Scarlet: "Stay behind us until it's all over, sons."

More willing than ever to listen to their parents, Aaron nods while saying, "Okay."

Sam (nods yes): "Ehhh."

The squirrel parents smile and nod in appreciation of how they have saved their family, then turn around and go through the curtains to see how big their extended family will get.

Seven minutes later, the whole family minus Kale and Plushie are gathered around Emily who has yet to deliver any kids yet. Bucky is at Emily's side, holding her paw in his own as she continues to moan and scream. He can no longer feel his paw because she's squeezing it so hard, but physical feeling is the last thing on Bucky's mind right now. He's feeling excited and frightened at the same time. He wants to be a father, but doesn't like the sight and sound of his beloved Emily in so much pain. And there was only so much that saying "I'm right here with you, Emily, don't worry," can do. Bucky and Emily are both afraid that something might happen to their babies or that Emily might die during the process of childbirth, but thankfully, their family is there to keep the two soon-to-be-parents' heads clear.

Penny: "It's normal to take this long, dear."

Annette: "Just keep doing what you're doing."

Emma is so nervous that she's rubs her necklace hard enough to feel the heat from the friction. Spike doesn't mind because his eyes are glued onto the couple in front of him. Quillo has also noticed how much pain Emily has been in and leans over to Rachel to whisper, "You sure you still wanna have kids, Rach?"

Rachel: "Of course I do, Quillo. We need to keep on trying so that our new nieces and nephews will have children their age to play and grow up with, which is more than me and my sisters had while growing up."

Quillo nods in agreement as he mentally recalls when Rachel had told him about her family's nomadic lifestyle as they had moved from one place to another to avoid predators due to their overprotective mother after she had lost her mate. This kept the sisters safe, but came at the cost of never getting to know anyone personally, and never having a place to call home. Thankfully, all that changed after the four had met Luby, Rick, and Velma who finally convinced the porcupines to learn how to live life fully even with the fear of predators, especially since the two raccoons and one reptile promised to keep the four porcupines safe and taught them how to fight off attackers as well.

Another scream from Emily causes Quillo to pay attention to his older brother and mate. Verne and Velma have volunteered to deliver the children after a strong recommendation from RJ as a means to get their minds off wondering why Plushie hasn't shown up. The choice is wise because, being the original leader of the family, Verne has the most experience with delivering children. That's why Bucky's next question is directed towards the box turtle.

Bucky: "Still nothing yet, Verne?!"

Verne: "Take it easy, Bucky. It's exactly like the time you and your brothers were born. Your children must be really comfortable in the womb and don't wanna leave."

Bucky: "I am in no mood for jokes!"

Another cry from Emily and Verne gets refocused on his job. Both Bucky and Emily see the turtle's eyes widen and simultaneously ask, "What're wrong?!"

Verne: "The good news is that I can see your first baby. The bad news is that the kid's head is facing the opposite direction that it should: legs first instead of head first."

Emily: "Meaning?"

Verne: "It's gonna be a lot more painful for you."

Emily's next groan is more out of frustration than pain. Verne quickly continues, "But you're strong. You'll be just fine, and so will your kids."

Emily: "I don't really have much of a choice but to believe you."

Bucky actually got a chuckle out of that. He also has a newfound respect for all females. Being the oldest of his brothers he always prided himself in being the strongest, but now that his very own mate is giving birth, he realizes that no one is stronger than females because they can take the pain of childbirth. He can't wait to be a father now, because the first thing he wants to tell his kids is that they have the strongest mother in the world.

Verne: "Here it comes, Emily! Push hard!"

Another long scream and paw-squeeze from Emily, and their first child is in Verne's hands. Verne happily says, "It's a girl."

Bucky smiles and says, "That's great! But I thought we'd have more than one—"

Emily: "AAHHHH!"

Verne hands Velma the crying newborn and gets ready to deliver the next child.

Emily (to Bucky): "You just had to say that didn't you, Bucky!?"

At a loss for words, all Bucky can mutter out is, "Ummmm...Sorry, babe?"

The family's laugh eases some of the tension, which might have even had an impact on the baby still inside of Emily because it comes out head-first as it should.

Holding the second born, Verne smiles and says, "It's a boy."

Bucky: "A son too? Perfect!"

Emily: "You know what's even better?"

Bucky: "What?"

Emily: "I think I'm done."

Only after a few more uneventful minutes have passed can everyone relax, especially Emily. After Velma hands Emily her daughter and Verne hands Bucky his son, all those who were too young to see the childbirth happen are allowed to come forward and see the two newest family members. Like all porcupettes in the womb, the twins' quills are as soft and harmless as hair, but an hour after birth, air exposure will cause the quills to harden and the twins will be armed. Unlike what anyone would typically expect, the daughter resembles Bucky more than Emily, and the son resembles Emily more than Bucky. Hence, the daughter has brown fur, gray quills, and regular-brown ventral fur; whereas the son has white and grayish fur, and black and white quills. Only the newborns' eye color matches the gender of their parents, meaning the son has blue eyes like Bucky and the daughter has brown eyes like Emily.

Lou and Penny walk up to their oldest son whereby Lou puts a paw on his shoulder and Penny wraps an arm around Bucky to give him a one-armed hug. Annette walks over to Emily and kisses her daughter on the cheek and rub her head affectionately.

Lou: "Super-duper job there, Emily and Bucky! I'm so proud of you!"

Penny: "Welcome to parenthood, lovebirds."

Spike: "Good luck. You're gonna need it."

Bucky: "Nah, I've helped babysit so many other kids that were born in this family that it'll be a piece of cake."

Emma: "That's what Spike and I said, and we just have one kid."

Unable to contain his excitement anymore, Ike leaps up and down and cheers, "I have literal cousins now! And even better, I'm the oldest!"

His shouting causes the babies to cry, leading Spike and Emma to walk Ike away from the group.

Before leaving behind the hopsital curtains, Emma eyes Bucky and Emily and says, "See what I mean?"

Ever since stepping outside the curtains, Spike tells Ike, "Not so loud, son. See what happened?"

Ike: "Oops...Uh, sorry."

Emma now joins her mate's side and says, "But you have every right to be excited, Ike. And being the oldest means you have to be the most responsible whenever playing with your new cousins."

Ike: "Can we go back and see them? I won't yell again, I promise."

Emma: "Of course."

By the time the family of three rejoins the others, the porcupettes have quieted down. Annette then brings up the most important topic of newborn children when she says, "You need to name them, Emily and Bucky."

Emily: "We've already talked about names. Our daughter's name is Annie—a sort of nickname for Annette."

The whole family lets out an, "Awwwww!" while many of the ladies clasp their hands together by the touching explanation.

Bucky: "And our son's name is Drake."

Family: "Aw—Huh?"

Everyone looks at Bucky in confusion, causing him to explain, "What? It's an original name, like RJ naming his son 'Bernard' instead of after himself or anyone else we know."

Quillo: "But out of all the names, you chose your Indiana Jones alter ego? Don't'cha think that's kind of odd?"

Bucky: "My son, my name for him."

Not wanting the new babies' first moments on Earth to be a family quarrel, Claire, being the peacemaker always looking to avoid conflict, says, "Can't argue with that."

Emily: "And I approved of it when we discussed names. Tell 'em why, baby."

One of the newborns makes a chuckle-like sound.

Emily: "Not you, my mate."

Bucky: "I'll raise my son to be a greater adventurer than even me some day, so I might as well name him after the ultimate adventurer created by my mind, After all, my son is also my creation."

No one offers any resistance after that. Although Quillo was right about the name Drake being an odd one, it's equally true that Bucky didn't choose that name lightly. Despite being the oldest brother, Bucky had always been the most imaginative whenever he and the family had played. And ever since RJ came into the family and introduced Bucky, Quillo, and Spike to videogames and movies, the oldest brother's already great imagination grew even greater. It went beyond mere pretending and extended into aspirations. Even though Bucky was happy that he was an animal, he also wanted to be better than he already was; better in a way that only humans were capable of achieving. So he created an illusion for himself based off the games and movies he had seen in his life. He imprinted Indiana Jones' memories and abilities into his own, along with his own ideal image of himself as the ultimate adventurer, thus creating a new set of memories and a new persona, which gave birth to "Drake." And now, a literal Drake has been born, so it seems that everything has come full-circle.

Note: I'd like to give another thanks to TheIceAgeMan77342 for letting me use and expand elements from his Adventure Awaits series into my own story here.

Some rumbling stomach noises turns everyone's eyes away from the new family of four. Recalling how not everyone was at the log before Emily went into labor, RJ clears his throat and says, "For those of you who haven't eaten dinner yet, feel free to grab a bite to eat."

Sam, Aaron, Roger, Ty, Ike, and Rebecca exit from the crowd and go over to the pile of food in the log. Although Mary, Bernard, and De'Ausha were among the ones whose stomachs had rumbled, they don't move until a minute later, and when they do they walk like they're 500-years-old. RJ, Heather, Tiger, and Stella have a good idea as to why, but can never truly understand what was going through their children's minds, simply because they can't.

At the time when Luby told them to come to the log to when they got back home, the only thing the three hybrids could think of was making sure they didn't miss the birth of Emily's and Bucky's children. Normally such an event would make Mary, Bernard, and De'Ausha excited, but after hearing what sterile means, they had looked on in depression as Emily's birth only solidified how such a happy occurrence is something they'll never experience themselves. Once the first baby was delivered, the three wished they had stayed where Roger had given his magic show. Those feelings of hopelessness and despair were why they didn't join in with the others during the "Aww's" and "Huh" after Emily and Bucky told the family the names of their daughter and son, either.

What worries the three's parents the most is that their kids haven't shed a single tear or made any comments. Because that can only mean they are still angry, RJ, Stella, and Tiger don't try to approach or talk to their kids until the latter have finished eating. And even so, they ate only one Nutri-Grain bar.

Stella is the first to walk up to her daughter and say, "We're glad you're safe, De'Ausha. After we heard what happened to Sam and Aaron, we was worried sick."

De'Ausha doesn't respond and simply throws away the empty Nutri-Bar wrapper.

Stella: "That's not much'uv a dinner. You gotta be hungrier than that."

In a voice devoid of all emotion, De'Ausha says, "I'm not that hungry. Now leave me alone."

Tiger then steps forward, puts a paw on his mate, and looks her in the eyes which causes Stella to nod. Tiger then faces De'Ausha and says, "When you are ready to talk, we will be waiting, Princess."

De'Ausha: "Y'all gon' wait forev'a then."

Seeing that they've pushed their daughter far enough, the skunk and cat walk toward the log to get ready for bed.

Having seen and heard the whole exchange, RJ is hesitant at first to try to talk to Mary and Bernard. But then he recalls how well Aaron and Sam made up with Hammy and Scarlet for running away today, which he had seen (unbeknownst to the four squirrels) after finishing his share of setting things up for Emily to give birth. After quickly whispering his plan to Heather and receiving a nod from her, he takes a deep breath and goes forward to his kids.

RJ: "I knew you two would be alright after leaving home, even on your own. You are my son and daughter after all, so I'm proud of you no matter what."

Mary and Bernard turn away from him in a huff.

RJ: "I heard Roger put on a very good show today. If you kids wanna get into magic tricks too, I know the location of houses that have the best magic kits."

As expected, neither Mary nor Bernard say anything and continue to walk away, so RJ executes the next phase by saying, "If you're looking for your golf bags, I've hidden them."

Mary and Bernard stop, but instead of looking at their father as RJ had predicted, they look at each other.

Bernard: "Why?"

Mary: "To keep us from running away. It won't work, though, because we can always find new golf bags."

Bernard: "I kinda liked my current one..."

In a raised voice, Mary insists, "We. Will find. New ones. *Yawn* But after we get some sleep. We've had a long day."

The conversation isn't going the route RJ was hoping for, but thanks to Mary's recent words he now he has the perfect way to redirect it in his favor.

RJ: "I'll save you your usual spot next to me, Mary. And Bernard, you can sleep beside Heather."

Mary and Bernard glare at RJ and coldly say, "No!"

Mary: "I'm sleeping beside Aunt Luby tonight."

Bernard: "And I'm sleeping next to Uncle Rick."

Mary: "If they were my parents, I wouldn't be a hybrid."

Bernard: "And I could be a true raccoon by birth, instead of a half-breed that you and mommy did to me and Mary."

They walk to the log without taking a look back. RJ feels frustrated and mournful of another plan that didn't turn out as he had intended. Even though he got his kids to listen and speak to him after they had vowed to never do that again, their cold-shoulder words and actions make him wish he didn't bother in the first place. It bothers him so much that a rare occurrence happens: RJ is at a loss for words and doesn't know what to do. He can't do this alone, so he decides to summon the only person who can help him.

He goes over to Verne and whispers, "We need to talk—in private."

Verne: "Something's really wrong, then?"

RJ: " 'What's right?' is the short answer."

With most of the family still focused on Bucky's and Emily's kids, the reptile and raccoon make their way unnoticed to behind a thick tree. After each takes a quick look to ensure no one else is around, Verne asks, "It's about your kids, isn't it?"

RJ: "Yeah..."

Verne: "Considering what you've told me about what happened with them today, I'm surprised you haven't needed my help sooner."

RJ: "They absolutely hate me now..."

Verne: "They're still in shock about their sterility. Once they come to terms with it, they'll come back to you again. You've just got to be ready to welcome them back with open arms."

RJ: "I know that. But what if they're right? What if their crushes really do reject them for someone else who can have children with them?"

Verne: "Then they'll find someone else who will love and accept them for who they are."

RJ doesn't seem to hear Verne's words, and mutters out, "Did I do the right thing?"

Verne: "Hm?"

Verne knows his best friend is truly worried when RJ uses both of his paws to grip one of Verne's hands, and gives a panicked, wide-eyed look and says in a voice mixed with desperation and despair, "Did I make the right choice of having kids with Heather?"

Verne's own eyes widen as he never expected RJ's confidence to vanish so quickly. But Verne doesn't waste any time to respond when he lightly scoffs and says, "Of course you did, RJ."

RJ: "But she and I knew that if we even had any, that they would be sterile. So doesn't that mean I should feel some guilt or regret?"

Verne: "Not even a little. Being a father was the best thing to happen to you since joining this family 15 years ago. You've become a safer, more responsible, and more compassionate guy ever since the day your kids were born."

RJ: "But was it the best thing for my kids?"

Verne: "Do you even hear yourself, RJ? Without you they wouldn't have become the wonderful boy and girl that they are now. Don't let today's events make you doubt your parenthood for a second. This dilemma that you and them are facing is only temporary, but once they remember all the great times they spent with you and Heather, how much you love them and they love you, things will get better. I promise."

RJ sighs and quite visibly relaxes his once tense posture. Verne smiles internally for another successful heart-to-heart talk with his mammalian family co-leader.

RJ wraps his arms around the turtle and says, "Thank you, Verne...I really needed to hear that from you."

Verne: "Families get into arguments and crises, but the love we show and feel toward one another will always prevail over the hardships. That's why everything will work out for the better...Always."

The sound of rustling leaves makes Verne want to leave RJ's embrace, but RJ's grip hasn't slackened, which means RJ still needs to hug Verne a little longer.

RJ: "If it weren't for you, I don't know what I would do."

Verne: "Same goes for me."

RJ lets go of Verne, who looks over and sees what had made the rustling sound. Verne's expression hardens into disappointment and anger.

RJ (looks where Verne is looking): "What's going?—" (Sees what Verne is looking at) "Oh..."

It's none other than Verne's nephew, Plushie. Before RJ can ask what's wrong, Verne marches over to Plushie and says, "Where. Have. You. Been?"

Plushie: "It's good to see you too, Uncle. I know I'm a little late, but—"

Verne: " 'A little late?' Oh, more like an hour late. I told you to be back by the family's normal dinner time at 6:15."

Plushie: "So I lost track of time for one evening. No big deal."

Verne: "It is a big deal. You know why? Because you missed Emily's children being born."

Plushie: "She gave birth? That's awesome! I'm going to see her right away."

Verne grabs Plushie's hand and says, "Oh no you don't, young man. I'm not finished with you yet. You knew she was going to give birth any day now. You should have been somewhere close to the log in case it happened. But you missed your new cousins' entrance into this world. What kind of family member does that? I taught you better than that!"

Plushie: "Relax, Verne, I was hanging out with my awesome friends and let time slip up on me. Anyone could have made that kind of mistake, so there's no need to get all worked up over it. Look, I'm sorry for missing out on Emily's due date, but I'll make up for my tardiness by doing some extra babysitting for Bucky and Emily. No problem."

Verne knows exactly what friends his nephew is talking about, doesn't take too kindly to the snarky way Plushie had called him Verne without the word "Uncle" coming before it, or how his nephew is talking like Verne is in the wrong here, and how Plushie didn't sound sorry at all as he tried to sweep his fault away casually like sweeping dust with a broom. All of this makes the older reptile even more riled up.

Verne: "Oh. You mean those reckless, foul-mouthed, ill-mannered, low-life, daredevil hoodlums. How many times have I told you that those guys are the wrong crowd, and have a bad influence on you...such as making you think spending time with them is more important than attending your cousins' birth."

Now Plushie is starting to get angry at Verne, and raises his voice when he says, "They're not ill-mannered, low-life's! They're good friends who understand the real me, unlike you and Velma who don't!"

A pause follows as Verne is temporarily stumped on what to say next. During this time, several other family members come out from the log or hospital curtains, having been drawn to the commotion they have been hearing. But no one intervenes because they have heard enough to understand that this argument is between Verne and Plushie alone. The pause actually works in Verne's favor because he realizes that he'll get nowhere by continuing to berate Plushie, and a different approach is needed.

Verne's voice is calmer when he says, "What about you do I not understand?"

Plushie: "That I'm not as paranoid as you are. That I like being adventurous and to try out new things."

Verne: "You can still be that way and not act like a punk about it. So what's with all the attitude?"

Plushie: "Because I'm sick of your dumb rules that you're practically force-feeding me all the time."

Verne: "Rules are necessary, Plushie, especially in a family. Have you ever tried to do anything without rules, like say, play a game? It devolves into a clustered, free-for-all and nothing gets accomplished."

Plushie: "I'm not saying all rules are dumb, just yours."

Verne: "How so?"

Feeling like the timing is perfect, and not caring about the consequences, Plushie says something he's been wanting to tell his uncle for a long time.

Plushie: "Because you're trying to turn me and everyone else into the same overly paranoid, uninteresting, micromanaging schizo that you are!" (Holds his outstretched palm inches away from Verne's large nose) "Face!"

The onlookers gasp and Plushie believes his uncle will be too meek and shocked to do anything but scold him some more.

He is gravely mistaken.

Verne pushes Plushie's hand out of the way and slaps his nephew upside the head. The hard blow, as well as the unexpectedness of it, causes Plushie to fall to the ground in a seated position. This was the first time his uncle had ever hit him, and everyone watching is speechless. The only thing that's clear to Plushie now is that the tables have turned, as he is the one who says in shock, "Y-you just hit me..."

Verne: "For a good reason! You think you can act disrespectful to me and get away with it?! I tried to be reasonable with you, but you just wouldn't stop with the sass." (Gives a hard point at Plushie) "Shame on you! The Plushie I know would never say or do the things that you've said and done tonight! That's proof that someone or something has been having a bad influence on you. And it doesn't matter if you learned that kind of back-talk from your 'friends,' or watching TV, or playing videogames, you're grounded from all three until your attitude is adjusted!"

Plushie: "Aw come on! I'm sorry, alright."

Verne: "Too late for that. Now get something to eat and go into the log for bed!"

His shock replaced now with anger, Plushie says, "You're my uncle, not my father, so stop acting like you are!"

Having reached the limits of his patience, Verne grabs Plushie by the shell with one hand and pinches him hard on the nose with the other while using both to hoist him up and forcefully bring him over to the food pile.

Plushie: "OW! Hey! Quit it!"

Verne: "I am you're uncle, the only biological family you have left, the closest animal to a father you have ever had—and you will listen to me and do what I say, whether you like it or not!"

Wanting to ensure no more drama happens, RJ comes to help Verne by saying, "He's right, Plushie."

Knowing that more than one other person is needed to cool Plushie's heels, Stella also joins by saying, "With the way you've been acting, you need to be punished."

Ozzie: "Discipline is necessary to become a responsible young adult."

Velma: "And your mother would be ashamed to see the person you have become."

That last phrase was a mistake. If the family thought Plushie was mad before, Velma's words send him over the edge. Plushie shakes his head and body violently to make Verne lose grip on him, then runs over to Velma.

Plushie (screaming in rage): "DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME WHAT MY MOM WOULD THINK ABOUT ME! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HER! SHE KNEW ME BETTER THAN YOU, VERNE, OR ANYONE HERE COMBINED!"

Verne: "ENOUGH!"

Verne grabs Plushie from behind and shoves him prone to the ground. Velma hold her out-of-control nephew's hands while Verne works on yanking Plushie's shell off. Knowing what his aunt and uncle plan on doing, Plushie tries to wiggle away, but that's when Stella gets in front of his head and lifts up her tail in warning. Plushie stops moving and his shell is soon removed, whereby Verne takes a wooden spoon and proceeds to smack Plushie's rear end. After the tenth hit, Verne puts Plushie's shell near him.

Verne (stern and authoritative): "Now put it back on, go get something to eat, and go to bed."

Because any further resistance will only add to his already unbearable humiliation, Plushie says in submission, "Okay, Uncle Verne..."

The rest of the family silently turns away and goes back to what they were doing before the turtle family's quarrel began. The events of tonight are certainly etched into their brains, both the good and the bad. And despite Plushie's outburst toward Velma, it has provided some of the smartest family members with an idea of where Plushie's adolescent rebellion might be coming from. Something to do with his mom, but that's all anyone wants to ponder.

All they want to do now is rest, and hope that tomorrow will be a better day.

That is some wishful thinking.

This might not be the chapter y'all were expecting during these tense times our planet is facing at this chapter's original March 29, 2020 posting, but conflicts like these are real, and I hope the wait was worth it. Also please keep reviews about the story instead of the world's particular crisis.

You're probably wondering something obvious, and here's my answer. Don't worry, I am doing well and so is my family, but am praying for those who aren't as fortunate. Do the same, and lend a helping hand if possible without risking your own safety.

Next time: Mary, Bernard, and De'Ausha see their crushes (or vice versa), Clara strikes again, Plushie's relationship with his guardians deteriorates further, and other surprises that I'll come up with by the next chapter! LOL! See you then!