Rupert and the Wooden Airplanes
CHAPTER 3
The next day after school, Rupert met with Bill in town for an cocoa to celebrate the beginning of a weekend, and also because snow fell on the ground. But for Rupert, what mattered more was seeing Bill in a better mood than he had been the past couple of days.
"I have to admit Rupert, having the extra day to study actually helped me concentrate better," said Bill, "How did you do on the test?"
"I did fine, but it was tough to study last night with you know who in my house," said Rupert, "But don't worry, I worked some things out with them so they won't bother me too much."
"Well look at it this way, it must be hard enough for them as it is for you," said Bill, "And you have always been one to outsmart others."
"You don't need to remind me," as Rupert spoke a few pieces of paper fell from his left overcoat pocket which Bill noticed.
"Hold on Rupert, you dropped something." Bill picked up the pieces of paper and saw that they were tickets for a Saturday evening performance of Hamlet in Nutchester.
"Hamlet? I've always wanted to see that, I hear there's some interesting sword fights in that play," Bill asked a begging question, "I believe one of these tickets would happen be mine?"
Rupert took back the tickets, "Sorry Bill, you aren't invited."
"Oh, it's for you and your parents, I understand," said Bill.
"Well actually Bill, I was taking Freddy and Ferdy to see it," said Rupert, "Sort of a way for me to break some ice with them."
Bill was confused. "Rupert, you're not really considering becoming their best friend are you? You know perfectly well how they behave."
"It may not be entirely their fault," said Rupert, "Last night after I gave them your presents, they started crying because they were sad for their mother."
"What does that have to do with it?" asked Bill, "If it was my mother, I would cry too."
"Well I think that Freddy and Ferdy do have a good side to them and perhaps while they stay with me I can show them a thing or two about what it means to treat people right," said Rupert, "It might make them better citizens."
"You may feel strongly about that Rupert, but some of us are just never going to change," explained Bill, "Today they may be your house guests, but after they return to their own home it will just go back to normal. So admit it Rupert, it's not worth your time."
"I have to at least try to show them a better side to life, much like I have with you and other friends," said Rupert, "Whether or not it works, it's still a good way for me to understand them better. I have never said it before Bill, but you do have some similarities to Freddy and Ferdy."
"Whatever they are, they certainly aren't what define me," Bill replied. At that moment, the Fox brothers rode up in their bicycles, blowing snow into Rupert and Bill's faces.
"Hi Rupert, we have something planned for you," said Ferdy.
"How would you like to have a snowball war with us?" asked Freddy.
"Isn't the road a little too icy to ride bicycles on?" asked Rupert.
"At least you aren't picking up a ball in front of us, that's why we aren't sliding," answered Ferdy.
"Come on Rupert, Ferdy and I even built you a snow fort," said Freddy, "You can throw snowballs at us as we emerge from the trees."
"But you can't get hit more than ten times or you lose!" added Ferdy.
"You know, that actually sounds like, a lot of fun!" replied Rupert. "But you might want to be careful, I'm certain that Bill here would love to join in and he NEVER wants to lose. What do you say, Bill?"
Bill tried to speak, "Well-
"I say Bill isn't invited. We don't play with our enemies Rupert," said Freddy.
"But Freddy, Bill is my friend!" exclaimed Rupert, "And you said last night that you would not get in the way of my other friendships."
"But when you are friends with us Foxes, your enemies are the same as ours," said Ferdy, "So if you want to play the snowball game that badger had better not be there or we'll take those wooden airplanes you gave us and burn them down like our kitchen. Come on Freddy."
"Wait a minute those were my gifts! I'm the one who lost a fraction of an allowance to buy them!" explained Bill. But the two Foxes rode off without hearing a word.
Bill was in disbelief and turned to Rupert, "Did you not tell them that those planes were from me?"
"Well, I guess I forgot to do that," replied an unusually anxious Rupert.
"You forget that, but yet you manage find the time to buy them a night out in Nutchester, is that right?" asked Bill, who was getting angry at Rupert.
Rupert explained, "Look Bill, everything happened so fast last night after you came over and I tried to tell them right as I gave them your present but they wouldn't let me speak."
"Or did you not want to speak?" asked Bill.
Rupert tensed up, "I didn't want to- well the thing is Bill, I didn't want be impolite when they asked me to be their friend."
"Which you obviously answered yes to, and then you knew you couldn't say who brought them without the Fox brothers changing their mind on who they trust," suggested Bill, who was now very angry. "Let me ask you this Rupert, was it NOT more important to you that I was trying to make things up like you said I should? WAS IT?!"
"I didn't want to take credit for your presents Bill! I would never do such a thing!" answered a defensive Rupert.
"But you did!" shouted Bill, "and with Freddy and Ferdy as your friends, and with me still as their biggest enemy, the evidence is clearly against you Rupert!"
"Bill, I never knew that the Fox brothers were going to stay at my house," explained Rupert, "It was just forced on me on moment's notice. Suppose they were staying at Algy's house, then he would be the one handing them the presents because you're the one who didn't want to come in and give it to them."
"How do you know that Algy would be the one to answer the door?" asked Bill, "You better not say things like that about the only best friend I have now."
"Oh no Bill, please don't say it," pleaded Rupert.
"Rupert Bear, our friendship is over. You can plead with me all you want, but I'll never forgive the day you betrayed me. GOODBYE!" With that final sentence Bill ran off with angry tears running down his face.
"Wait Bill, come back!" yelled Rupert, "I'm sorry, I'm going to tell them the truth, I promise you!" Bill only ran faster, showing no remorse for Rupert's pleas. "BILL!"
Rupert couldn't believe it, as Bill vanished from sight he shed a tear at the realization that he had lost his best friend. But he didn't want to cry, for he remembered that the Fox brothers were waiting for him in the forest.
Freddy and Ferdy Fox were making a pile of snowballs as Rupert greeted them. "Hi Freddy, Hi Ferdy, sorry if I kept you waiting."
"Not a problem, more time to build up all the ammunition we need to take down your fort," said Freddy.
"You're going way down Rupert," said Ferdy.
"Don't get too presumptuous. I can handle two vs. one real easily," Rupert said back, "You know, there was something I've been meaning to tell you that I didn't last night."
"Not now Rupert, we're going to have a snowball war. Come look at this great snow fort we made you." Freddy pointed toward clearing in the wood where there was indeed a snow fort, it was round and the top was styled like the top of an old watchtower.
"Nice work," said Rupert, "Tell you what, you won't mind if I borrow some of your snowballs since I did get here late."
"Ah-ah-ah Rupert, those are ours. You have to make your own," said Ferdy.
"And you better hurry up, we're going to start any second," said Freddy.
Rupert quickly dashed over to the fort, as the Foxes seemed like the type that would love to start the game before he was ready. Quickly, he made a few snowballs while looking up to see if Freddy and Ferdy were ready to aim. Of course, it doesn't always help when one's ears stick up well enough to be seen, as the first snowball smacked Rupert's forehead.
"Yes, first hit!" yelled Ferdy. The war had begun. Rupert started keeping close eye on both Foxes movements. He saw Freddy's tail and threw a snowball at it. "Hey! No Fair." he shouted.
"If my ears are fair game, so is your tail!" Rupert shouted back.
He saw Ferdy emerge from behind a tree and threw a quick one that he dodged, "You missed Rupert!" yelled Ferdy.
Rupert made a few more snowballs and looked up. The sight of a tail emerging from a tree caught Rupert's attention. He prepared fire, but was hit by another snowball. "Gotcha," said Freddy.
Ferdy, unaware that his tail was visible emerged, prepared to throw but Rupert readily threw one onto his face. "Sweet revenge!" shouted Rupert.
"Oh yeah?" said Ferdy, he hurled another snowball at Rupert, but Rupert dodged it and with another snowball quickly grabbed he landed another hit on Ferdy's left shoulder. Mindful of Freddy, he readied another ball and right as other Fox emerged from another tree Rupert tossed the ball and it landed on Freddy's right hip before the Fox could even throw.
"You'll never take this throne!" shouted Rupert and right then he dodged another throw from Freddy. Rupert was undoubtedly enjoying himself so much to the point that it didn't even come to his mind that he was playing with former enemies. But in the fun he was having, the need for him to tell them the truth about the wooden airplanes had left his mind at that moment.
For the next hour, the boys just kept at their snowball game. They became so unaware of their surroundings that they didn't notice Edward Trunk watching them from not too far of a distance.
"Is that what I think I'm seeing? Is that really Rupert playing with Freddy and Ferdy?" Edward gave himself three strong taps on his head hoping that he was dreaming, but looked up and saw no different of a sight. "This is definitely a hallucination; I need a doctor."
Just then Algy walked over and saw the way Edward was holding his head, "Are you alright Edward? You look like you're ready to pass out."
"Algy, tell me if I'm seeing things, is that really Rupert playing with the Fox brothers?" the elephant asked.
Algy looked over to where Edward was pointing, it was definitely as described. "Wow, this is a sight for sore eyes!" he said, "But why?"
"I have no clue Algy," replied Edward, "It makes no sense whatsoever."
"I'd better warn Bill about this, there must be a side to Rupert we never known about before," said Algy.
"I agree, only those as bad as Freddy and Ferdy would ever play with those brats," said Edward, "While you tell Bill, I'll go tell others."
Edward and Algy left in separate directions. And so it would seem that if it wasn't enough that Rupert lost his friendship to Bill, he had no idea what was coming to him the next day.