Okay, I'm sure we all know what went down last chapter. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed thus far. They really keep me going.So now, let's carry on.
Chapter 5: Blast to the Past
Tyr'ahnee woke up to see only nature around her. The trees around her were tall, blocking the sky immensely other than the few rays of sunshine that managed to slip through. She racked her brain for her distant memories over what had just happened moments ago.
The treaty
Dodgers
The monsters
The monster got Dodgers
THE MONSTERS HAD DODGERS
Tyr'ahnee sprang up and looked around her in worry. She noticed Johnson, IQ and X-2 were sprawled across the ground, still unconscious. But there was no sign of Dodgers or Cadet.
" X-2. X-2, wake up", Tyr'ahnee hissed as X-2 began to stir," Dodgers is missing".
" Ugh, my head. Where are we?", X-2 said warily.
" I suspect we're somewhere on Earth", Tyr'ahnee noted.
" But where on Earth, exactly?", X-2 asked.
IQ groaned as he got up, rubbing his throbbing head to ease the pain. Star Johnson stood up immediately, despite feeling dizzy and nauseous. He looked at the area around him with no sense of familiarity.
" It looks like we're quite far from civilization", Johnson said.
" So no one could've seen us land here then?", Tyr'ahnee asked.
" Unfortunately so", Johnson said with a sigh," Where's Dodgers? He's the one who got us into this mess".
" No clue. We just woke up a few seconds ago", X-2 said as he stumbled.
A scream shook them out of their thoughts, a scream they recognised far too well.
" Dodgers!"
Tyr'ahnee ran ahead of everyone else to where the scream came from and they entered a clearing. Cadet was trying to calm his captain down, the latter writhing in pain.
" What happened?", Tyr'ahnee exclaimed.
" He just turned onto his back and he started screaming. I think it's his injury of those monsters", Cadet said quickly.
" Can you help him?", Tyr'ahnee asked.
" H-He won't let me", Cadet stuttered.
" Dodgers. Dodgers, let me see your back", IQ said authoritatively.
" Bugger off! You're not even sthupposthed to be here", Dodgers exclaimed.
This was wrong. Everything about this was wrong. The five of them being here was just ruining everything. His past is mixing with the future and it's giving him very bad indigestion.
" Just let me see your back, Dodgers. Everything will be fine", IQ said reassuringly.
" Sthure. But you don't have the equipment to help me out, right?", Dodgers said as he supported himself against Cadet.
" We can call in the Protectorate to rescue us", IQ said.
" Not gonna work. The Protectorate doesn't existh here", Dodgers said.
" What are you talking about?", Johnson asked.
" We're in the 21sth century, bub", Dodgers revealed.
" What?!", everyone except Cadet exclaimed, the latter's mouth just opened in shock.
" You heard me. 21sth Century. It's probably 2018 or 19 by now", Dodgers said with a hum," So unlessth you got sthomething on you, I don't want help".
" But-", IQ was cut off by Dodgers putting his hand up.
" Look. There'sth sthome sthuff at my home that can help me. I just gotta get there", Dodgers said as he leaned against Tyr'ahnee to stand up.
" Dodgers, we're too far from civilization-", Johnson reasoned.
" No, we're not. I know this place. All too well. We're very close to my home. Just a few yardsth away", Dodgers said weakly.
" And what about the Blot?", Johnson asked.
" He'sth not a threat anymore", Dodgers said softly as he thought of his fathers.
" How? He nearly destroyed us all. And he brought us here. How can he no longer be a threat?", Johnson questioned.
" Because I'm home now and to him, that'sth really all that mattered. But now you guysth are here and we're in deep trouble", Dodgers said.
" Trouble? How can we be in trouble if we just got here?", X-2 asked.
" Exactly. You're here. Look, to the people in this place, sthrangersth aren't good thingsth. Heck, even I'm not dumb enough to not know what happensth to unknown newbiesth in these partsth. Which is why the sthafest place to be in would be my house", Dodgers explained.
" Or we can just get out of here", Johnson said folding his arms.
" That would require you to go into town. Don't do that! Not only will you be stheen, you will be stheen", Dodgers emphasized.
" It can't be that bad", IQ said rolling his eyes.
" It's worsthe. You leave now, a rabbit, a coyote and a Tasthmanian devil will whoop your butt", Dodgers hissed.
" I believe I can handle this well on my own. It's just the 21st century. What could go wrong?", Johnson said.
Dodgers groaned inwardly. That idiot had immediately jinxed them by saying those words. It's a toon rule and it was just disobeyed. Daffy prayed his fathers and the other creators would be kind to him.
" So many things. Fine, you do you and I'll do me. I'll take two and you take two. While I'm taking care of myself at my place, you go find some gullible idiot to help you", Dodgers said angrily.
" Fine then. Cadet, IQ, come with me. We'll find someone sensible to help us", Johnson said.
" B-But", Cadet was cut off by Johnson forcefully dragging him away with IQ.
" Hey! That'sth my cadet!", Dodgers exclaimed before growling," Let'sth get outta here before the huntersth get here".
" Hunters?", X-2 questioned.
" Don't talk about it", Dodgers mumbled as he stumbled on.
Tyr'ahnee took in the sights of the forest. They appeared to be quite deep inside, far away from civilization, although Dodgers claimed people, including himself, lived here.
Various wooden signs were nailed against trees. 'Rabbit Season', 'Duck Season' and even the very unique 'Elmer Season'. She wondered what Earth species that was.
" What season is it?", X-2 wondered aloud.
" Don't know, don't care. I just wanna get home", Dodgers rasped.
He missed being here. The fresh forest air, the nearly unnoticeable music in the background, the aura of this place in general. It made him feel at peace with himself. Then, a thought had to him. He had screamed quite loudly, loud enough for many folks in the forest to hear. He hoped that wasn't the case.
But prayers were never answered in ToonTown.
XXX
Elmer Fudd sat back on his chair, sipping his coffee as he looked at the cards that was dealt to him. The hunting cabin was awfully quiet as it was just him and Yosemite Sam present, playing their 82nd round of Go fish.
Things had been rather bland these past few years. After Daffy disappeared, Bugs stopped playing their hunting game with him and either occupied himself with work or the upkeep of his burrow (not even a speck of dust could be seen the last time Elmer visited). He admitted it, life had been hell without the presence of the duck.
Yosemite slapped his cards back on the table in frustration. Under usual circumstances, either Daffy or Bugs would appear now to play their usual game of hunt. But things hadn't been usual ever since Daffy had disappeared, not even a letter or a phone call of him leaving. It had devastated everyone, especially Bugs and Porky, the latter he hasn't spoken to since he knew Daffy's birthday was approaching.
The one time of the year where Looney Tunes know to stay clear of each other, is Daffy's birthday. Bugs, who had been the most upset about Daffy's unknown whereabouts, would usually be in his burrow. Porky would leave ToonTown for an odd amount of days, usually returning in May. And the others... well... they were left to their own thoughts.
" Got any thwees?", Elmer asked bored.
" Go fish", Yosemite muttered.
A scream erupted from far outside the cabin, surprising Yosemite and Elmer who dropped their cards in shock.
" That scweam...", Elmer said breathless.
He knew that scream. Every toon had a distinctive scream. That scream could've only belonged to one duck.
" It can't be...", Yosemite murmured.
The two toons looked at each other before they grabbed their respective weapon and headed straight through the door into the Looney forest, with the intent of finding out if Duck Season shall really return once and for all in their nook of the woods.
XXX
" This is your house", Tyr'ahnee said in shock.
She was greeted with a lavish lake house overlooking the beautifully clean lake. A rowboat stood to one side proudly, waiting for its owner to take it sailing again.
" Yep. Sthpent a fortune on it", Dodgers said, almost proudly if it were not for his back hurting like crazy.
" How did you afford this?", X-2 asked as they walked up the porch. He always had the idea that Dodgers used to live in someone's house, mooching off of them and trying to find quick ways to get rich.
" I told ya. I did acting. Got a lotta casth to wasthe and sthavings to protect", Dodgers said," Now where'sth the sthpare keysth...".
He always hid a spare set of keys. Usually he always hid it in a different place so that thieves... or the occasional fangirl would have a hard time breaking in. He racked his brain for where he last placed his keys until his eyes landed on the lake, glistening and taunting him to take a dip. He was sure he hid his keys amongst the reeds.
" I think they're in the lake", Dodgers mumbled.
" Why would you put keys in water?!", X-2 exclaimed.
" It stheemed like a good idea at the time", Dodgers argued before he walked over to the edge of the patio.
" Dodgers, what are you doing?!", Tyr'ahnee demanded.
Dodgers smiled," I'm goin' for a sthwim. If I'm not back in 30 stheconds, tell my sthory", he said before he dived into the lake.
" Oh, we'll write fanfictions about it", X-2 drawled, although he knew Dodgers didn't hear him.
X-2 sighed before sitting on one of the swinging benches outside the house, looking at the view.
It was lovely, quiet... almost quaint in its own bizarre way. To think the Earth would change so much in three centuries. He could imagine Dodgers sitting here, sipping on a soda as he talked on about some of his 'adventures' with someone he valued as important... maybe even a child... children always seemd to love Dodger's stories, even if they didn't make sense much of the time. X-2 noted children always seemed comfortable with the duck, and the latter seemed to have a talent for them as well (when he was in a good mood, obviously). There was never a crying child Dodgers couldn't cheer up with a joke of some kind. That may have been one of the rare admirable traits Dodgers had, his sense of humor. His wanting of everyone to be happy so he could be happy. Usually his greed and craziness overshadowed those good traits.
" Found them!", Dodgers announced as he resurfaced.
They were shockingly not rusty at all or covered in algae. It still looked brand new (albeit a bit wet).
Daffy felt the burning of his back soothe thanks to the water washing some of the thinner away. Although, now he had to find a way to clean the lake before the thinner killed the fish or made it unswimmable (and he knew Road Runner spent a lot of time at the lake during the summer). He opened the door before sweeping inside.
" Home Sthweet Home", Daffy said.
Tyr'ahnee and X-2 cautiously stepped in and they were immediately in awe. The inside was even better than outside. Everything was clean and well-organised, unlike the house's owner. Photographs, paintings and portraits decorated the walls and ornaments were strewn about. It was also quite spacious, but not to the point where you could fit an entire space ship inside.
" Well... make yasthelvesth at home. I'd give ya food but I think my family cleaned thisth place up", Dodgers said shrugging before he retreated up the stairs.
Entering the bathroom, Daffy sighed, touching his throbbing back and wincing when his fingers burned under its touch. He hoped the water was still on or otherwise he was a goner. He turned the tap of the shower, sighing in relief as clean water rushed out. He stripped himself down, throwing the uniform to one side and stepped under the cool water, sighing in relief as the water washed away the thinner.
He heard the sound of sizzling as the thinner was essentially burning his bathtub away beneath him. He rubbed his back, panting as the deathly pain started to fade as he washed all the toxins away.
He stepped out of the shower before heading over to the basin, where a medical cabinet stood above a mirror. He opened the cabinet where stacks of pill bottles and paint cans stood. He grabbed a bottle and can of black paint as well as a brush before setting it on the basin. He took the pair of surgeon gloves and stretched it over his fingers. He opened the can of paint and placed the brush inside, stirring it in the paint to get the proper amount of black he needed. He then turned, his back to the mirror as he turned look. This would've been easier if someone had done it for him but the circumstances weren't in his favour at the moment. Now he had to find a way to make Tyr'ahnee and X-2 look normal... by toon standards. He dragged the brush down his back, making sure his strokes were aligned with his old paint strokes.
" Okay. One down, a thousthand more to go"
XXX
" I don't understand. Was he a teacher or an actor? Why are some of these photos in black and white?", X-2 questioned loudly.
Tyr'ahnee sighed as her commander kept asking himself questions that were brewing in her own head. She wondered how old Dodgers really is, he looked quite young but all the pictures seemed to have long year spans.
She stood up and began walking around, glancing at the pictures that decorated the walls before she looked curiously up the stairs. She quietly walked up to the second floor, noticing four doors and one of the doors were open. Out of curiosity, she walked towards the room with the open door.
A blue-walled bedroom overlooked the lake with its large windows. Papers were scattered across a desk as if someone was in a crazy rush. A full body mirror stood next a dresser that lead into another room, probably a closet or a bathroom.
Tyr'ahnee looked at the papers with curiosity, shifting some of them aside. Majority of them were letters addressed to Daffy or Mr. Duck, the latter having a blue and gold shield logo. But there was one thing that caught Tyr'ahnee's eyes.
" Divorce papers...?", Tyr'ahnee murmured.
Her heart leapt. He was married. Duck Dodgers married someone. He was capable of loving someone enough to marry them. But what if that changed?
" Y'know, when I sthaid 'make yasthelvesth at home', I didn't mean literally"
Tyr'ahnee jumped as she heard Dodgers' voice and spun around to see him wet and clad in nothing but a towel, causing her to hold back her blush.
" Like what you sthee?", Dodgers asked with a smirk.
Tyr'ahnee coughed," Absolutely not", she said trying to remain firm but failing miserably.
Dodgers chuckled," Anyway. What ya lookin' at that got you all excited?", he asked.
He walked over to where she stood and looked down at his desk. His smirk dissipated as soon as he saw what she saw.
" You were married?", Tyr'ahnee murmured.
" Long time ago, yesth. But it didn't work out", Dodgers said quietly.
" What happened?", Tyr'ahnee asked curiously.
" I'd rather not talk about it", Dodgers mumbled before walking over to his closet.
Tyr'ahnee nodded, looking at his back while he searched for clothes.
" How's your injury?", she asked suddenly.
" Much better now that I sthowered", Dodgers said with a pep in his voice.
" Don't you require any bandages?", Tyr'ahnee asked.
" Nope. I am a healed duck", Dodgers said confidently before he paused," ...Something's wrong".
" What? Is it your back?", Tyr'ahnee asked.
" No... I just get the strange feeling like something bad is gonna happen", Dodgers said cringing.
Suddenly, a loud angry roar was heard below them.
" YOU'RE NOT, I SAY, YOU'RE NOT MARVIN!!"
" There it is", Dodgers said sighing.
XXX
" A-Are you sure we're g-g-going the r-right way?", Cadet asked.
It was clear that the young Cadet wanted nothing more than to follow his captain to his home. But he had been dragged away by Johnson who seemed confident about where he was going.
" Yes. In fact, I think I see the opening of the forest just up ahead", Johnson said confidently.
" Finally", IQ said relieved.
Pushing past the bushes, faces filled determination and hope as they pushed back the final bushes to see...
The desert.
" YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!", Cadet yelled.
" Why is there a desert right next to a forest?", IQ questioned.
" It doesn't matter. What matters now is that there's a road, which may lead to a town or hopefully a city", Johnson said.
" S-So we just f-follow the road", Cadet said.
" Until we can find someone willing to give us a lift to the nearest town", Johnson said as he began walking.
" BEEP BEEP"
Johnson fell down in surprise as something rushed past him that was much faster than most vehicles. He blinked in surprise as he saw a bird and coyote in a sort of chase.
" Primitive animals?", IQ said in surprise.
" I don't think they're p-p-pr- wild, Dr. IQ", Cadet said.
Suddenly the bird rushed past them again.
" Hey, wait! Wait! Excuse me!", Johnson yelled.
Miraculously, the bird stopped in its tracks and turned to the space captain curiously. It smiled at them.
" Do you understand English?", Johnson asked.
The bird nodded, although he seemed rather disturbed and, as IQ and Cadet noticed, nervous.
The coyote stopped in its tracks as he realised he wasn't chasing anybody anymore. He frowned as he looked around for the bird but it was nowhere in sight.
" Wile"
Wile E. Coyote turned around and smiled in relief as he spotted someone familiar. Witch Hazel smiled back at him before a frown appeared on her face.
" Where's Roadie?", she asked.
It was rare to see Wile and Roadie separated. They were always together, like two peas in an unopened pod. So to see Wile without Road Runner was nearly Earth-shattering, especially since Wile is very protective of Roadie and rarely lets him out of his sight. But who could blame him, Roadie was his other half of the model sheet, a toon equivalent to human twins.
" He was here a second ago", Wile answered, his voice hoarse from lack of use and rise in panic
" Maybe he went to rest somewhere", Hazel suggested.
" He would've told me if he needed a break", Wile said worriedly.
" Maybe he got distracted. Y'know, he has a very low attention span, after all", Hazel said calmly, knowing how Wile gets when he's been separated from Roadie too long.
" Maybe", he mumbled.
" Can you hear him at least? That way you AT LEAST know where the little sugar pie is", Hazel asked.
Wile nodded before he listened closely, with his eyes closed. Then his eyes snapped open again.
" Forest border", Wile said.
" Maybe Bugs decided to come out for a little walk", Hazel said reassuringly," Y'know how much Roadie adores him".
" Perhaps. But let's check first. I'm not taking any chances with anything concerning my brother", Wile growled.
Hazel nodded in understanding before summoning her broom as Wile sped off to the forest border.
" -So what we really need now is directions to the nearest town", Johnson said.
" Beep Beep", was all Road Runner said as he looked at Cadet expectantly.
" Uh... I think he's trying to communicate with you, Cadet", IQ said.
" B-But I don't understand h-h-him", Cadet said as he looked bewildered at Roadie, who was beginning to look frustrated.
He began to beep more frantically, almost in desperation to get Cadet to understand him. It was almost similar to a young child throwing a tantrum over his parents not understanding a word he is saying to them.
And his beeping attracted attention.
Wile and Hazel were just around the bend as the former heard Roadie's frantic cries. He knew those cries. It was the cry of frustration when nobody understood what he was saying. And all Looney Tunes as well as close relatives and friends understood most of what the bird was saying, so for him to be crying like that meant one thing:
Someone didn't belong here.
Before Hazel could stop him, Wile was already racing halfway towards the strangers in front of the frantic bird. He growled as he leapt forward in front of Roadie on all fours, growling at the surprise protectorate agents. He turned towards the bird and nuzzled against him gently. Roadie's baby blue eyes met Wile's golden ones and it was like thoughts became aloud between the two of them.
Are you okay? Did they hurt you?
I'm fine Wile. But I don't think that's Porky.
Wile turned and looked at Cadet suspiciously.
I think the skin-tight costume was a giveaway, Roadie.
I thought he was playing dress up.
Porky? Play dress-up? We're still in Looneyville, Roadie. A phenomenon like that would bring Daffy back
I miss him
I miss him too
Do you think he thinks about us?
When he's not staring in a mirror, maybe.
IQ watched the interaction between the two with interest. What his first thought to be was the coyote coming to claim his meal turned into something more of the coyote comforting the obviously unstable bird, like a parent or an older sibling... It was near fascinating.
The coyote eventually stood up, nearly reaching Johnson's height, and growled, baring his sharp white teeth.
" Now now, we don't want any trouble", Johnson said calmly.
" Too late", the coyote signed as his claws popped out.
Johnson was about to reach his blaster when it felt it get pulled right out of holster. He spun around to grab it, only to find Hazel sitting above him on her broom with her wand levitating the blaster away from him.
" Bad move there, honey. Trying to shoot a Looney Tune? Do ya want a death wish or somethin'", Hazel said before she tightened her grip on her wand, her magic destroying the blaster right before them.
The agents gulped as they realised the witch meant business.
" Ooh, Bugs is gonna love you", Hazel cackled before her eyes turned dark," Now... it's either you come with us peacefully... or in pieces...".
End of Chapter 5
People, the Looney Tunes have arrived! I was going to have Marvin appear instead of Hazel but I decided to leave him for later. Yosemite was also going to appear in the desert scene to help Wile scare the future gang off, but I placed him with Elmer because... why not.
The divorce papers are an interesting bit, but they won't be reapproached for quite a couple of chapters.
In story, the Looney Tunes all get along very well as you can tell. They're a protective and territorial bunch, just as Daffy had said: they don't like strangers on their home turf.
Wile and Roadie are similar, if not actual toon twins since they appeared on the same cartoon episode and were made specifically to bounce off the other (They're kinda like the Dipper and Mabel of the Looney Tunes). Wile is protective of Roadie because they share a production cel. So if something bad happens to Roadie, it'll negatively affect Wile as well. Also, Wile never uses his voice in front of Roadie for reasons that you'll find out later in the story.
Remember to review and I hope you have a good day/night.