It was just an ordinary day so far in the town of Greendale as Cherry was at home and organizing a certain large book she had that she had kept over the years that kept getting bigger and bigger every day. She wondered if there was anything else useful she could do, but she figured this would be important to get done and over with while she had the chance. Her cat, Cleo, hopped up onto a nearby chair and pawed at the book a bit.
"Cleo..." Cherry chuckled and pet the cat.
"Whatcha doin'?" Cleo asked innocently.
"Just organizing my adventure scrapbook," Cherry said as she put some pictures in place. "I sure have been through a lot."
"I'll say," commented Cleo.
Then, at that moment... another Cleo walked in. "...okay, I don't remember having a twin." she commented.
"Looks like I've been found out, then." The first cat said as she shapeshifted back into Lionel.
"Lionel..." Cherry rolled her eyes.
"Guilty as charged~" Lionel grinned innocently.
"You're something else alright." Cherry crossed her arms before smirking at him a little.
"Yeppinski!" Lionel smirked. "So, whatcha looking at in the Great Big Book of Everything?"
"Just some adventure pages I need to sort out," Cherry replied as she looked around. "I don't suppose you'd like to take a look at some, would you?" she then asked him.
"You suppose correctly." nodded Lionel.
"Well, all right, come over here," Cherry said as she held out the scrapbook for him to see the various pages. "My very first adventure with Atticus was when we met Cinderella." she then began to point out, showing her oldest photograph which was of her with Atticus when they met young Cinderella before her wicked step-family moved in, but they had plenty of mouse friends like Jaq and Gus.
"Oh, right!" Lionel commented. "I remember you told me about this!"
"Mm-hmm..." Cherry nodded as she continued to flip around the pages. "Of course, Hercules."
"When Atticus got his god-like strength and you were given this scrapbook for all of your adventures." Lionel memorized.
"That's right!" Cherry nodded again and continued to flip through the pages, going from Danny and Sawyer becoming famous in Hollywood while Darla was adopted and raised by the Fudo family, the various adventures with Scooby-Doo, and she even went to a page that had classic cartoon icon: Roger Rabbit.
"Oh, cool!" Lionel remarked. "I know that guy via word-of-mouth: Roger Rabbit!"
"Yeah, that's an adventure I just know you would've enjoyed." Cherry nodded at him.
"I bet I probably would have!" Lionel gave a thumbs-up.
"Yeah... I wish there was some way you could've been involved in that adventure too without a major rewrite." Cherry replied.
"I'd be interested at a later time, but I digress," shrugged Lionel. "I mean...why don't we go pay them a visit? It'd make a nice birthday present."
"Sure thing!" Cherry replied. "Question."
"Yeah?" Lionel asked.
"Whose birthday would it be?" Cherry asked. "You know my birthday's in October."
"Well... it's my birthday," Lionel responded. "...or at least, the day I picked for my birthday."
"Do you even have a birthday?" Cherry asked as she glanced at him.
"Like I said, I picked my birthday." Lionel replied with a shrug.
"Huh... I guess I never thought about that before," Cherry commented. "We always celebrate our birthdays, but we never really celebrated yours, I guess 'cuz we never knew when to do it. I mean, no offense." she then added.
"None taken!" Lionel nodded. "I have decided my birthday shall be June 23rd!"
"Well, I guess that's a pretty good choice," Cherry nodded. "From now on, your birthday shall be June 23rd."
Lionel beamed at that.
"Now, what can we do for your birthday this year?" Cherry then pondered as she kept looking through her adventure scrapbook, showing him some stories he missed out on.
"Well, I would like to get to meet Roger Rabbit," Lionel replied. "I mean, if that'd be okay."
"Well, okay, I'm sure we can make that happen... somehow," Cherry said as she put her hands on her hips. "If you're that willing to go back to the 1940s."
"Sure as shootin'!" Lionel responded with a salute.
"Well, all right, let's just find a way over there." Cherry replied.
Suddenly, there was a ping sound, making both Cherry and Lionel look around until Cleo pointed to Cherry's pocket.
"Oh. Thanks, girl," Cherry said before she took out her phone to check for the message that was just sent to her. "Well, that must've been Drell's doing." she then said.
"What's that?" Lionel asked her.
"I just got a text that says to go through my closet and think about where I wanna go and I'll end up there." Cherry explained.
"Guess that's where we're going," Lionel shrugged as he followed her over there.
"Might as well," Cherry shrugged before looking over. "Cleo, you wanna come too?"
Cleo soon hopped on the couch before yawning and stretching. "You guys go on ahead," she then said with a small smirk. "I think I'm gonna take a quick little nap."
Cherry and Lionel playfully rolled their eyes at that and soon went to go to the closet so that they could go on their brand new adventure together.
"All right, Lionel, get ready for an adventure with Roger Rabbit." Cherry said on the way over.
"Ten-four, good buddy!" Lionel gave a salute.
Cherry opened the closet door and stepped in through. Lionel came after her and shut the door behind them, summoning thunder and lightning.
"All right, I guess we're going to Hollywood." Cherry said in the dark as they walked around for a little while.
"Sure looks like it!" Lionel responded as he tried to feel his way through the darkness.
"Just stay close to me, Lionel," Cherry advised. "It can be easy to get lost in a closet when you go on an adventure."
"I doubt that'll even be a problem." responded Lionel as he took hold of Cherry's hand.
"Just wait for a light at the end of the darkness." Cherry told Lionel.
"I hope that sounds better than it is." Lionel remarked since that almost sounded like a metaphor for death.
"Oh, it will be." Cherry reassured him as they continued to walk around in the darkness.
Eventually, a light could be shown as they walked closer there as a red curtain was shown before it opened up to show a rather cartoony world with sentient objects, even with the sun in front of them while other characters bounced and smiled carelessly without a worry in the world.
"Smile, darn ya, smile, You know this old world is a great world after all, Smile, darn ya, smile, And right away watch Lady Luck pay you a call~" The cartoon characters began to sing as Cherry and Lionel wandered into ToonTown. "Things are never black as they are painted, Time for you and joy to get acquainted, Make life worthwhile~"
"Yep, this is ToonTown alright." Cherry noted.
"Come on and smile, darn ya, smile, Smile, darn ya, smile, For there is nothing that you cannot overcome~" The characters continued to sing. "Smile, darn ya, smile, And where the clouds appear you soon will find the sun, Life is really only what you make it, Stand right up and show them you can take it, Make life worthwhile, Come on and smile, darn ya, smile~"
"I'll keep that in mind!" Lionel commented as he looked around at the delightfully bizarre surroundings.
"Home sweet ToonTown," Cherry smirked at Lionel. "Somehow I thought you might like it here."
"You were riiiight~" Lionel gushed as they continued walking.
Cherry and Lionel began to explore ToonTown together before coming across a droopy looking dog.
"Excuse me, you haven't seen Jessica and Roger Rabbit, have you?" Cherry asked him.
"Why, of course I have, you happy people." Droopy replied in his usual monotone.
Cherry and Lionel stood there while Droopy blinked in silence.
"Recently?" Cherry then added.
"Why didn't you just say so?" Droopy replied before pointing to the local movie theater. "They're about to go on one of their movie dates."
"Thank you!" Lionel responded.
J"I'm so happy to have helped." Droopy said in his usual tone of voice.
Cherry and Lionel then continued along before finding the human woman and rabbit male.
"Two tickets to Frankenstein!" Roger said to the ticket vendor, holding up three fingers until Jessica lowered a finger for him.
"Hey, there they are!" whispered Lionel as he pointed over to the theater. "Let's go on in with 'em."
J"Well, all right," Cherry smirked. "You got the money?"
"Sure, I have a couple of 5s." Lionel nodded as he took out two $5 bills.
"All right then." Cherry nodded.
Jessica and Roger were soon given their tickets and went inside the theater before Cherry and Lionel came next over to the ticket vendor.
"Two for 'Frankenstein', if you please!" Lionel said as he paid upfront.
The ticket vendor then gave them the tickets and Lionel paid for them.
"Well, this should be interesting," Cherry commented. "Kind of a double date with Roger and Jessica Rabbit."
"Wow... it's like some kind of magnificent dream, y'know?" asked Lionel as they went inside. "Like...wowza, what a birthday!"
Jun 25, 2023Roger and Jessica came to take their seats as other Toons were on their own dates: Mickey and Minnie Mouse were together, Olive Oyl and Popeye were together, and there was even Goofy with a redheaded woman who had a Dogface who no one had really seen before.
"Whoa... what a spread..." Lionel whispered.
"Try not to stare too much," Cherry smirked at Lionel. "I don't think Toons or celebrities like to be stalked."
"Right, of course," nodded Lionel as he tried not to stare too much, keeping his focus on the screen.
Roger and Jessica smiled as they sat comfortably. Cherry and Lionel then moved closer toward them without being too obvious as the lights began to dim.
"Oh, Jessica! It's starting!" Roger beamed as he pointed out to his human wife.
The others got settled in as the movie began playing.
"This should be interesting," Cherry said to Lionel. "I feel like my only real knowledge from Frankenstein comes from that time with Alvin and the Chipmunks."
"I mostly know about it from adaptations and explanation videos." responded Lionel.
Cherry nodded as they soon got settled and began to watch the movie along with everyone else who was in company.
The movie went on for a while, such as the creation of the monster, the monster terrorizing the village, the villagers reacting, and soon, it was time for the end which was a bit sad for most people.
"I shall no longer see the sun or stars or feel the winds play on my cheeks. Polluted by crimes and torn apart by the bitterest remorse... where can I rest, but in death?" The narration lamented to the audience. "Farewell, Frankenstein! The bitter sting of remorse will not cease to rankle in my wounds... until death shall close them forever! But soon, I shall die, and these burning memories will be extinct! I shall ascend my funeral pyre triumphantly... and exult in agony of the torturing flames, My ashes will be swept in the sea by the winds! Farewell!" he then finished as the movie soon came to a dramatic close.
Cherry felt emotional enough to wipe her eyes a little which would be a rarity in her friend group since she didn't emote unless she felt deeply and emotionally invested in whatever was going on around her, whether in movie or reality during an adventure.
Lionel sniffled a little. "Never expected to get so emotional like this..." he commented.
Roger, meanwhile, was bawling his eyes out. "The poor monster! Where's he gonna find firewood in the arctic?!" he sobbed.
"There, there, Roger~" Jessica cooed as she cradled her husband. "The monster movie is all over~"
Roger soon settled down, looking back at her lovingly.
"I also think I see an old friend of ours." Jessica then said as she glanced across the theater slightly, seeing Cherry and Lionel.
Cherry gave a small wave in response.
"Let's watch what we really came to see." said Jessica.
All at once, Roger's sadness evaporated and his ears shot up. "Oh, boy!" he exclaimed happily.
After the screen faded to black, the reel changed to showcase a banner that read "TOONS ON THE MARCH".
"I guess this is some kinda documentary special?" Cherry guessed.
"Seems more like a newsreel," said Lionel. "Apparently they used to do them a lot back in the day, especially during the wars."
"Ah, right, that makes sense..." Cherry nodded.
"I usually hate the news, but this I gotta see." Roger remarked as the newsreel began.
"In ToonTown, last week the cartoon community celebrated the demise of one its most hated members: Judge Doom," A narrator began to say while the newsreel played, showing a dangerous man with sunglasses and a fedora, looking rather dark, mysterious, and overall sinister. "Confessed murderer of private investigator Theodore Valiant, brother of Eddie Valiant. Doom's plot to turn into a freeway was foiled when he dissolved into a pool of deadly DIP. A victim of his own evil creation!" he then added as Judge Doom's true face was revealed, causing Cherry to grimace as she remembered that face all too well. "In reality, Judge Doom was a Toon called Baron von Rotten."
"Oh, this guy has a backstory?" Cherry asked, sounding surprised as they began to see footage of older cartoons.
"This is actually pretty interesting." commented Lionel as he made himself comfortable, taking notes.
"Von Rotten began his film career in 1921 at a small cartoon studio in Kansas City," The narrator continued as the screen showed footage of a mustachioed character watching wickedly over his kidnapped victim, tied to the railroad tracks. "Von Rotten was commissioned to portray villains in early black-and-white cartoons, but when he moved to Hollywood in 1923, his career took off."
Cherry adjusted her glasses as she absorbed the information they were given so far.
"It was there that he joined the newly created Toon Actors' Guild," The narrator continued, showing Baron von Rotten with allies among the likes of Felix the Cat and even Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. "And soon gained the reputation as 'The Toon of a Thousand Faces'. Some of his most famous portrayals included the evil sawmill operator in 'Bump on a Log', The Minotaur in 'Mary, Mack, & The Minotaur', The Abominable Snowman in 'Malice in Winterland', Quasimoto in 'The Hunchback of Osaka Castle'. During the war, he acted in Propaganda cartoons portraying the enemy. During his filming of 'Mother Goose Step', Von Rotten had an accident."
Cherry snickered a little at the Mother Goose Step joke before she continued to hear more.
"An exploding grenade left him unconscious for two weeks," The narrator informed as they began to tell more sad stories about the forgotten Toon. "When he finally awoke, his friends sensed a change in his personality. After the accident, Von Rotten was rarely seen out of make-up. He continued to portray his characters long after films were completed."
Roger gasped and clutched Jessica's hand as this grew gravely serious.
"Consequently, few people know what Von Rotten really looked like," said the narrator as the screen showed footage of Von Rotten at a hospital. "This rare footage shows him at the hospital, recovering from the accident. As a result of it, Von Rotten's most unusual features were his eyes, a piercing red and a shocking contradiction to his monochromatic wardrobe."
"Oh..." Cherry whispered as this began to explain a few more things about Judge Doom that not even she knew.
"Doctors were at loss to explain his blazing red eyes which Von Rotten went to great lengths to hide behind dark glasses," The narrator then continued as Cherry and Lionel began to witness the true birth of Judge Doom. "Members of the press took a tour of Von Rotten's mansion recently. Memorabilia from hundreds of cartoons, including props, costumes, exposure sheets, scripts, and storyboards covered the walls of his estate. In Von Rotten's private chambers on the top floor of the mansion, reporters glimpsed his top secret make-up and plastic surgery laboratory complete with ink, paint, and brushes and elaborate photo retouching equipment."
"Goodness..." Cherry whispered again, wincing only slightly as this was a lot more than she expected.
"In the center of it all stood an old multiplane camera, allegedly stolen in 1940," The narrator continued as the equipment was shown. "All that remains of Baron von Rotten is a jar of Dip, in which he was dissolved after a struggle with Eddie Valiant, a private investigator for Maroon Cartoons in Los Angeles."
"Hey, there's Eddie." Cherry said with a nostalgic smile.
"You helped him save ToonTown, right?" Lionel asked.
"More or less, yeah." Cherry nodded.
"Mr. Valiant holds an old studio 'model sheet' of Baron von Rotten, the evil Toon better known as Judge Doom!" The narrator continued, showing what Baron von Rotten had turned into as the newsreel was about over. "Toons... on the March!"
"Hey! What kinda newsreel do ya call that?! It didn't even mention me!" Roger complained.
"Bummer," remarked Lionel. "He got totally shafted."
"Well, I technically did too." Cherry shrugged.
Someone soon chuckled as they left the theater.
Cherry then shook a chill down her spine. "I have a weird feeling." she then commented.
"What kinda weird feeling?" asked Lionel.
"I dunno, I just feel like besides this newsreel, I feel like somehow our past is about to haunt us." Cherry replied.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," responded Lionel.
"Yeah, probably a good idea." Cherry replied.
The person who left the theater was shown to be a snickering weasel. "What an idea!" The weasel cackled as he got away in his car to meet up with a certain group. "Okay, boys! Listen up! I know how we can bring back Doom!"
"How?" Another weasel wondered.
"Recreate him from an old model sheet!" The cackling weasel explained with a sneaky grin. "First we haveta find some old model sheets!"
"Where?" asked another weasel.