Bunny Swap
Clover was sleeping on his cushion, mumbling in his sleep, when Rex joined him/
"Hi, Clover!" Rex yelled.
"Ahhh!" Clover yelped.
"Wanna play fetch?" Rex put a slobber-coated ball on the cushion.
"Rex!" Clover yelled. "Come on, man. I'm trying to nap here!" He kicked the ball away. "Ew!"
"So... no?" Rex asked.
"Yes." Clover nodded.
"Yes!" Rex smiled.
"No!" Clover frowned. "I meant 'no' to the 'yes'!"
"Oh, okay. I'll come back later." Rex picked up the ball and left.
"Perfectly good nap, ruined." Clover frowned. He then spotted some blueberries nearby. "Guess I'll have a snack."
Clover hopped over and ate one of the blueberries... only to gag in disgust.
"These are sour!" Clover spat it out. "Great. Maybe I should just go back to bed."
Clover jumped onto his cushion, which burst open, showering him with feathers.
"Clover?" Sofia asked, as she and Madeline came over.
"Are you okay?" Madeline inquired.
"No!" Clover growled. "My nap got interrupted by a slobbering dog, my blueberries are sour, and my napping pillow just... split down the middle!"
"Aw, is our little bunny having a bad day?" Sofia cooed.
"Yes. Yes I am." Clover nodded.
"Aww, how can we cheer you up?" Madeline asked. "Maybe a hug?"
"You know I'm not a hugger." Clover retorted.
"Game of hopscotch?" Sofia offered. "You always win!"
"That's because I'm a bunny." Clover pouted.
"I know." Madeline smiled. "Let's get you a new napping pillow!"
"Yay, now you're talking!" Clover cheered up. "Thanks, Maddie!"
"Yeah, good call, Maddie." Sofia smiled.
Shortly after, the royal coach was rolling towards the village, Sofia, Madeline and Clover inside. It stopped outside a pillow store.
"I think my tail fell asleep." Clover declared as they disembarked. "Why did we have to drive so far?"
"To get to the best pillow shop in Enchancia." Madeline declared.
"Oh, hop!" Clover looked at all the pillows through the window. "I could really do some great napping in there!"
Clover tried to rush inside.
"Wait, Clover!" Sofia stopped him. "No pets allowed."
"Sorry." Madeline pointed out the sign.
"No pets allowed." Clover huffed. "This is really not my day."
"Don't worry." Sofia smiled. "Just point to whatever pillow you want, and we'll get it."
Clover peered through the window.
"Okay, there we go... that one!" He pointed. "Gigantic, blue, with tassels for chewing'! Oh, come on!"
"You got it." Madeline smiled, as she and Sofia went inside.
"See you in a minute!" Clover waved, before the door closed on him. Getting a whiff of somewhere, he went around the corner, finding a barrel full of carrots. "Oh, first a new pillow, and now a snack? This day may finally be turning around!"
Clover hopped over to the barrel, only to catch another scent, a far less pleasant one.
"Ew, that stinks!" He gagged.
"Well, some of it's not rotten." A bunny who looked almost identical to Clover (save for a longer patch of dark fur on one ear) tumbled out of the barrel. "Didn't mean to scare you, buddy. Hey, you look familiar, man..."
"You look just like me!" Clover gasped.
"That's what it is." The bunny nodded.
"You are one handsome rabbit." Clover smiled... before covering his nose. "But oh, whoa, oh hop! You could really use a bath!"
"Yeah, yeah... what's a bath?" The bunny asked.
"It's when someone washes you with water... and maybe a little tear-free soap." Clover revealed.
"Someone washes you?" The bunny smiled.
"Yeah, duh." Clover nodded.
"What kind of place do you live in?" The bunny asked.
"A castle." Clover answered.
"Oh, my goose! Oh, my goose!" The bunny started dancing around excitedly. "You live in a castle! Oh, my goose!" He fell on his back.
"Are you okay... whatever your name is?" Clover asked.
"Barley." Barley sat up. "I'm... da-da-da-da-da! Barley!"
"Well Barley, I'm... da-da-da! Clover." Clover shook his paw. "Good to meet you".
"Hoo, your life must be fantastic!" Barley walked alongside Clover. "And so fancy!"
"Not today, it isn't." Clover frowned.
"Why not?" Barley asked.
"My nap got interrupted, they gave me sour blueberries..." Clover groaned.
"W-w-w-wait. You get fed?" Barley gasped.
"Excuse me a sec, Barley, will ya?" Clover climbed some crates. "I'm just going to see if my Princesses are picking the right pillow."
"Screech! You have a pillow?" Barley fainted again.
"I'll be right back." Clover chuckled, as he peered through the window. "Where are they? I can't see... whoa!"
The crate Clover was on tipped, and he fell, the crate covering him. as Barley sniffed at it, the coachman picked him up.
"Ah, there you are." The coachman smiled. "Time to go home, Clover. Princess Sofia and Princess Madeline are waiting for you."
"Wait!" Barley yelped.
"He's not Clover." Clover peeked though a gap in the crate. "I'm Clover! Wait, wait!"
With the crate still over him, Clover tried to follow the coach, but tripped over a bag left outside the pillow store.
"Hey!" He hopped after the coach. "Wait, wait! Here I come!" The coach pulled ahead. "Wait, come back! You've got the wrong bunny!"
Inside the coach, Barley was on Madeline's lap.
"So, what do you think, Clover?" Sofia unveiled the pillow.
"Uh..." Barley frowned.
"This is the one you asked for, right Clover?" Madeline asked.
"Pillow? Princesses? Blueberries?" Barley gaped. "Oh, my goose! I just landed in the fancy life!"
"Fancy life?" Sofia frowned.
"What do you mean?" Madeline asked.
"Wait, you can understand me?" Barley gaped.
"Of course we can understand you, silly." Sofia smiled.
"And why are you talking like that?" Madeline frowned.
As Barley struggled to find an answer, he stuck his head out of the window, seeing Clover.
"Come back!" Clover called. "Come back!"
Barley popped his head back in.
"The truth is, I was... ohh." He sighed. "I was munchin' on some scraps outside, and something' got caught in my throat. But, uh... oh, hop! I'm great!" He ate the entire bowl of blueberries.
"What's that smell?" Sofia sniffed.
"Uh, some of those scraps might have been garbage." Barley declared.
"Well, don't worry." Madeline petted him. "We'll get you a bath."
"Oh, baths." Barley mused. "I've heard about those..."
Outside, Clover was still chasing after the coach.
"Wait, wait, hold up..." He panted.
The coach turned a corner. Clover followed, but lost sight of it around the bend.
"They must have gone that way... or that way." He frowned. "Or that way. Which way did they go?"
The coach returned to the castle, and the passengers disembarked. Barley was amazed by the splendor.
"We'll go get some lunch." Sofia told him.
"Meet us in our room, okay?" Madeline added.
"Okay... Princesses." Barley chuckled. "Man, they are gonna get me lunch. They're gonna get me lunch, they're... wait, where's their room?"
As Barley hopped forward, he spotted Rex.
"Ah, dog!" Barley yelped, running away.
"Clover!" Rex smiled, giving chase.
"A dog, a dog!" Barley cried. "He's gonna sniff me, and he'll know I'm not Clover, and then it's bye-bye fancy life!
Rex tackled Barley, and sniffed him.
"Whoa. Hi, Clover." He smiled.
"Hi... you." Barley said nervously.
"You wanna play fetch?" Rex asked.
"Fetch! Sure!" Barley nodded.
"Really?" Rex grinned. "You never say 'yes'!"
"I mean, no. I mean... I've got a better idea!" Barley declared. "Yo, let's have a race. First one to Sofia and Madeline's room wins!"
"I love that!" Rex beamed. "Okay!"
Rex ran into the castle, Barley following.
Meanwhile, Clover had reached a forest path. He stopped by a bush.
"Ooh, berries!" He smiled. "That's a sight for sore eyes!"
Clover leapt into the bush, only to get trapped half-way through.
"Help, I'm stuck!" He yelled. "Yo, help me!"
"Is there a poor, suffering creature in need?" A possum asked, hanging from a tree.
"Yes!" Clover waved. "Poor, suffering creature in need over here!"
"Oh, how exciting!" The possum dropped down. "I mean, I'm a-comin'!"
The possum rushed over.
"Can you get me outta here?" Clover asked.
"Yes, can do." The possum nodded. She tore at the bush, freeing Clover.
"Thank you." Clover smiled. "I'm... da-da-da! Clover."
"Sassafras." The possum smiled. "Trailblazer, stargazer, and friend to those in need!"
"Really?" Clover gasped. "Because I'm trying to get back to my castle, and I think I might be lost-"
"That's great!" Sassafras beamed.
"It is?" Clover frowned.
"Yes!" Sassafras nodded. "You're lost, hungry, and far from home. It's like I hit the helping' jackpot! First better eat some bristleberries." She picked several berries. "We've got a long hike ahead of us and you're going to need all the energy you can get."
"Thank you." Clover said, just before Sassafras stuffed some berries into his mouth. He immediately spit them out. "Yuck! These taste like dirt!"
"I know, aren't they yums?" Sassafras smiled.
"Do you have any, um... blueberries or raspberries?" Clover asked.
"Nope, no siree." Sassafras shook her head. "Not out here. Now follow me. I know a shortcut right to the castle."
Sassafras started walking, and Clover followed.
Meanwhile, Rex reached Sofia and Madeline's room.
"I win!" He cheered, as Barley followed.
"Whoa, you sure did. You're way too fast for me." Barley declared. "Okay, well, see you later pal."
As Rex left, Barley ran into Sofia and Madeline's room.
"Hey." Madeline smiled. "So, how is this spot for you new napping pillow?"
"This is where I nap?" Barley asked. "This is- I mean, Yo! And do I love it, Princesses!"
"Glad to hear it, Clover." Sofia smiled. "So then, we'll leave it there. And here's your lunch." She put a bowl of fruits and vegetables down by Barley.
"That's for me?" Barley grinned. He danced around and hugged them both. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"You're welcome, Clover." Sofia beamed.
"Of course." Madeline agreed. "But... what happened to your ear?" She held up his left ear, which had a longer stripe of dark fur than the other.
"Um... nothing." Barley mumbled. "I just, uh..."
Back in the forest, Clover was still following Sassafras when he stepped on a rock.
"Ouch!" He yelped.
"What's the hold-up, bunny?" Sassafras asked. "Looks like there may be a storm a-blown' in, and your castle is still a ways off!"
"These rocks are like spikes!" He groaned. "They're jabbing into my paws!"
"Let me see those paws." Sassafras offered. "Oh-ho, hey! No wonder the rocks hurt! These are the softest paws I've ever seen. What do you do all day?"
"Sleep, eat, sleep some more, maybe I play a game with my Princesses, then sleep some more after..." Clover counted.
"Woo-hooey! You have your own Princess." Sassafras asked. "That sounds awful nice!" She pulled up some mushrooms. "I have a trick for ya. Put these mushroom tops around your soft paws." She put the tops on. his paws. "It's nature's padding!"
Back at the castle, Sofia and Madeline, wearing their fencing outfits, emerged to find Barley eating messily.
"This is delicious!" Barley declared. "Heavenly! And not one piece of it is rotten!"
"Clover, you really are acting strange." Sofia mused.
"Are you sure there's not something wrong?" Madeline asked.
"I was just... really hungry!" Barley shrugged. "But I'm great."
"Okay." Sofia nodded. "Well, we're going to fencing practice."
"We'll see you later." Madeline declared as they left.
"You sure will." Barley grinned. "Because I wanna stay here forever, and ever, and ever!"
Barley: Well I'm just a country bunny
I never thought my life could be so great
I got a Princess and a pillow
And a snack bowl seven times my weight
Whoo
I'm living it up in the Royal style
Living it up makes me wanna smile
Living it up think I'll stay a while
Living it up oh yeah
I'm living it up
Clover: I wish that I was back at home now
Could use a little nap and maybe a snack
I'd rather have a little brushing
Instead of all these branches scratching my back
Ow
I'm not living it up been hooping for miles
Not living it up really cramping my style
Not living it up getting harder to smile
Not living it up oh no
Not living it up
Barley: Everything is cozy here in the castle
Clover: I wanna see my brand new pillow with all the tassals
Barley: Just how many blueberries can I knock back?
Clover: Man I wish nature would cut me some slack
Barley: I'm living it up no longer have to worry
Clover: Not living it up I really gotta hurry
Barley: I'm living it up feeling soft and furry
Living it up
Clover: I'm about to give up
Barley: I'm living it up
Oh yeah
I'm living it up
Clover: I'm giving up
Clover crawled up a hill, exhausted.
"Are these hills ever gonna end?" He groaned.
"It could be worse." Sassafras declared, as thunder started rumbling.
It started raining.
"And now it is." Clover scowled.
"Ahhh..." Sassafras took a deep breath. "It's all part of the great outdoors."
"Yeah." Clover frowned. "Is there any indoor area in all these outdoors where we can hide out for a while?"
"My place isn't too far from here." Sassafras declared. "We can wait out the storm in there if you want. And you'll be happy to hear it is a nice soft path all the way."
"The path is soft because it's all mud, isn't it?" Clover asked.
"Yep." Sassafras smiled, as she walked into a large mud stream. "But it's only neck deep, so we'll be fine."
"That does not sound fine." Clover groaned, as he waded into the mud.
Back at the castle, Sofia and Madeline saw Barley playing fetch with Rex.
"That's strange." Madeline frowned. "Clover never plays with Rex."
"You're right." Sofia nodded. "What's up with him today?"
Rex returned the ball to Barley.
"You know what? You are way more fun today, Clover." He smiled.
"Well, uh..." Barley whispered in Rex's ear. "Don't tell anyone, but I'm not Clover."
"Oh, okay, 'Clover'!" Rex chuckled. "i won't tell anyone!"
"Hi, guys!" Madeline smiled, as she and Sofia walked over.
"Having a good time?" Sofia asked.
"Yo, yeah!" Barley grinned. "The best time of my life!"
"But Clover, I thought you didn't like playing fetch with Rex?" Madeline pointed out.
"I-I didn't." Barley laughed awkwardly. "I mean, I don't, no. It's just a one-time thing, y'know?"
Sofia and Madeline glanced at each other.
"So... do you want a snack?" Sofia held up an apple.
"Naw, that's alright." Barley declined. "I'm still full from lunch."
"Okay, that's it." Madeline stood up. "You never play fetch with Rex, your voice sounds funny, and you're never, ever full!"
"You are not Clover, are you?" Sofia asked.
"Okay, okay, you're right." Barley sighed. "I'm not Clover."
"Who are you, and where is Clover?" Madeline demanded.
"I'm... da-da-da! Barley." Barley admitted. "Your coachman picked me up in the village because I was Clover, and I didn't want to tell you two because castle life is so amazing, and I just really wanted to stay."
"So, Clover is still in the village?" Sofia asked.
"By himself?" Madeline gasped.
"Yeah." Barley nodded. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to cause any harm. I'll help you two find him, okay?"
"Okay." Sofia nodded.
"We need to go right away." Madeline declared.
They raced away.
"Hey, we're in the middle of our game!" Rex yelped. "Where are you going?"
"I'm sorry, dog." Barley called. "We gotta find the real Clover!"
"Oh." Rex nodded. "Okay, Clover."
Meanwhile, Clover and Sassafras were heading to Sassafras home, which turned out to be a eye entered through a gap at the bottom.
"Well, here we are." Sassafras smiled. "Home sweet tree."
"Where is the part where you actually... live?" Clover asked.
"Right here." Sassafras nodded. She leaned against a wedge of wood. "You can relax on this big chair. It's super-comfy as hunks of wood go." she walked over to a wooden sphere. "Or you can use the exercise ball. You can sit on it, like this, or you can stretch over it, or do arm dis... and if you feel like a nap, and you seem like the type who does, you can probably snooze over here." She laid down on a patch of dry grass, and rubbed it. "It's a backscratcher and bed, all in one!"
"So you like living here?" Clover asked.
"Of course." Sassafras nodded. "It's pretty swell, huh? Yep, I am one lucky marsupial."
"I live in a huge castle, nap on a big, soft pillow, snack on fresh blueberries." Clover remarked, sitting on the ball. "I even have two Princesses who scratch my ear, play with me, and cheer me up when I'm having a bed day. Even if it's not really that bad a day... Yo, I never realized how lucky I am!"
"Well sometimes, you're not truly thankful for what you've got until you lose it." Sassafras declared. "Let me demonstrate." Sassafras pulled away the ball, causing Clover to fall. "You see?"
"You're right." Clover realized. "And I am gonna be thankful for all the things I have in my life! ...As soon as I get back home."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Sassafras grinned. "Let's get back out there!"
"But it's still raining." Clover frowned.
"Oh, you're not gonna let a little rain keep ya from getting back to your castle, are ya?" Sassafras asked.
"No way, Sassafras!" Clover said firmly. "I am going home!"
"And I'm a-gonna getchya there, buddy!" Sassafras declared, following Clover out of the tree.
Meanwhile, Sofia, Madeline and Barley got into the coach, which departed. Inside, Madeline glared at Barley, while Sofia looked away.
As they reached the forest, a bolt of lightning knocked a tree branch down. As the horses moved to avoid it, the passengers were thrown around. A wheel snapped off the coach, leaving them stuck.
"Is everyone alright back there?" The coachman asked.
"We're okay." Sofia nodded.
"Good." The coachman smiled. "I'm afraid we lost a wheel, miss."
"Poor Clover." Madeline sighed. "I hope he's somewhere safe and warm..."
Meanwhile, Clover and sassafras were continuing through the forest, Clover navigating every obstacle.
"There it is, there it is!" Clover spotted the castle in the distance. "I'm almost home!"
The two reached the castle, Clover stopping by the gap in the wall he used to enter.
"This way, Sassafras!" He called.
They entered through the hole, climbing up to the spot in Sofia and Madeline's room where Clover emerged.
"Yes!" Clover cheered. "I'm back, baby! I am never going back into the wilderness again!"
So, this is your place, huh?" Sassafras asked.
"This is my Princess Sofia and Princess Madeline's room." Clover declared. "I hang out here a lot." He hopped around the room. "This is where the girls and I have lunch. This is where we play hopscotch. This is where they let me chew all the shoes I want! Oh-ho..." He started chewing on a shoe, before spotting his new pillow. "And that... that is the new napping pillow Sofia and Madeline got me!" He jumped onto the pillow. "...Wait. Sofia? Madeline? Where are they?" He looked around. "Sof? Maddie?"
"Clover!" Rex rushed in. "You're back already!"
"What do you mean, 'already'?" Clover frowned. "I feel like I've been gone for ages! Where are Sofia and Madeline?"
"Oh, they went out to look for you... with you." Rex declared.
"With me?" Clover asked. "Whattaya... wh-what, they went out here? In the storm?!" He rushed over to Sassafras. "Come on! We gotten find my Princesses! They could get hurt out there!"
"I don't understand." Sassafras shrugged. "You wanna go back outside? But you're finally in your castle, with its fancy walls and floors, and things to chew..."
"I know, I know." Clover sighed. "But none of these things seem so great without Sofia and Madeline. They gave me all of this. They gave me this great life... and they're the best part of it. So I'm goin' back out there, Sassafras."
"Mm-hmmm." Sassafras followed Clover out of the room. "Run rabbit, run!"
"Hey!" Rex peeped into the hole. "Why do all the Clovers keep leaving me behind? Wait up!"
Back in the forest, Clover spotted some horseshoe prints and wheel tracks.
"Look, look!" He pointed. "They must've gone that way!"
They followed the tracks to the coach.
"A coach!" Clover hopped on, finding it empty. "No! What happened to them? What if they're wandering through the woods, all alone? What if they get stuck in a bramble bush, or eaten by a wombeast?"
Sofia and Madeline suddenly appeared.
"Clover?" Sofia asked.
"Is that you?" Madeline smiled.
"It's me! It's me!" Clover leapt into Sofia's arms. "The real me!"
"We're so glad you're okay!" Sofia hugged him.
"I was afraid I'd never see you again!" Clover hugged her back.
"Hey, are you sure it's the real you?" Madeline asked. "I thought you weren't a hugger."
"Well, I am now." Clover hugged Madeline too.
Barley emerged from behind the coach.
"You!" Clover snarled, hopping down and confronting him.
"Oh, h-h-hey!" Barley said nervously. "Sorry I tried to live your life and all, but... It's just such a nice cozy, life compared to mine, y'know?"
Clover growled for a moment, then relaxed.
"I can't blame ya, Barley." He smiled. "I do have a great life." He smiled at the girls. "All thanks to you two."
Sassafras suddenly jumped in, splatterng Clover with mud.
"Does this mean you are now a poor, helpless creature in need of a home?" She asked Barley.
"Well, I guess I am." Barley bowed. "Enchante. And you are?"
"This is Sassafras." Clover introduced her. "I couldn't have found my way home without her."
"You know, Barley, I happen to have a nice, cozy, hollowed-out tree with plenty of extra space." Sassafras smiled.
"You do?" Barley asked.
"And enough bristleberries to whip up a whole pie." Sassafras added.
"Oh, I love bristleberries!" Barley cheered, as he and Sassafras put their arms around each other.
"They are definitely made for each other." Clover chuckled.
The coachman emerged.
"Well Princesses, the coach is all fixed up and ready to go." He announced.
"Okay." Sofia nodded.
"Great." Madeline smiled.
"Well, I guess it's so long... for now." Sassafras declared.
"Thanks for everything, Sass." Clover smiled.
"Anytime, friends." Sassafras grinned.
"Hey, Princesses?" Barley called. "I had a great day."
"We did too." Sofia smiled.
"Good luck, Barley." Madeline added.
"Bristleberries, here we come!" Barley cheered, as he and Sassafras raced down the path.
Clover and the girls climbed into the coach.
"So, you ready to go home, Clover?" Sofia asked.
"I kind of feel like I already am." Clover rested on Madeline's lap.
"So do we, Clover." Madeline grinned. "So do we..."