A Dislikable Visit

A Dislikable Visit.

	Hello to everyone! I'm pretty glad to be here again. (Oh. And I'm not?) Yes, it's
good to see you as well, Babs.
	(Why, thank you! Now, before you tell me to do it, I'll read the disclaimer. Ehem.
DISCLAIMER. Ramiro, as you guys already know, doesn't own any Tiny Toon
Adventures, Looney Tunes, or Animaniacs character, all of them copyrighted by Warner
Brothers. We'll have some characters here copyrighted by Disney as well. Oh, and we
want to thank The J.A.M. for allowing us to use his OC here, as well as making reference
to his stories. The same goes for one from Nightw2, who allowed us to use one of his
characters as well. Also, on this fic we're making reference to some events of previous
Ramiro's stories, so if you have some doubts, you can either read them, or ask in a review,
as usual.)
	Wow, you impress me, Babs. You actually are taking your assistant job seriously.
(Hey, if that's the only way I can get in touch with my fans.) Okay, I get the idea. (Oh, you
don't. Really, you have any idea about how it feels to be wanted and adored by the
masses?) Well, one niece of mine adores me, and she is quite a mass. if you are reading
this, I'm just kidding, Laura! (She needs to lose weight, uh? I guess that runs in the
family. Cut the donuts, pal!) You know, I think you have some baby fat in here. (What?
Oh, no! I'll better go jogging, or my career is over! -Zooming away-)
	Now, before Babs returns to point at my not very athletic figure. on with the
show!

A Dislikable Visit.

A Tiny Toon Adventures story by Acosta Perez Jose Ramiro.
(tinynicktune [at] hotmail [dot] com)

-Meeting The Heroes.

WHACK!

	"Come on, Gos! I know you can do better than that!"
	"Oh, so you want me to fight seriously? No problem, Pinkie!" Gosalyn Mallard
replied while shaking her head to clear her sight after receiving a pretty hard punch from
Babs Bunny.
	The red haired duckette and the pink doe were at the middle of the Acme
Looniversity's gym, on a ring, having a sparring match; both of them were using white
tops and red gloves, as well as black head gears, but Babs' shorts were yellow while Gos'
were black. Flying over them, Sweetie was doing her role as the referee, while Rita Cat,
the boxing team coach, was outside the ring to keep an eye and give advice to both girls.
The rest of the team, consisting on Fifi Le Fume, Mary Melody, and Hillary Hyena, and
some other toons, namely The J.A.M., Ronald Smutt Junior (Ron or Ronnie for friends,
Rita and Runt's son), and Wally Wolf and his girlfriend, former Perfecto Rhubella Rat,
were looking as well.
	Gosalyn dodged one of Babs' attacks, and then, looking for an opening, threw a
hard punch against the rabbit's chest. Babs lost her breath for a moment, and Gosalyn
took her chance to hit a couple of times before the rabbit reacted and blocked a third one.
Then, using her characteristic agility, Babs placed aside from Gosalyn, and surprised her
with a well placed right jab on her ribs. The avian groaned in pain, but refused to give up,
and threw another punch, connecting on Babs' chin. The rabbit moved back a few steps
while Gosalyn tried to hit her again, but the mammal avoided her, and threw an uppercut
against the avian. Gosalyn handled to avoid almost all the impact, and then she and the
rabbit had a fast punching exchange, blocking almost as much as they received.
	"Okay, girls, that's enough." Rita said to the boxers while Wally rang the bell,
finishing the fight. Gosalyn and Babs stopped, and than gave each other a friendly hug.
	"You're getting better, Gos. Next time I might not be able to touch you." Babs
commented in a happy tone.
	"Are you kidding? I have to chase you a lot before hitting at least once! How can
rabbits move that fast?" Gosalyn replied in a half-joking tone.
	"Hey, there's a reason why we have these feet. Certainly, it isn't for wearing
shoes."
	Gosalyn chuckled, and she and Babs jumped down the ring. Gosalyn wasn't part
of the core team, but she was accepted as a replacement and a sparring partner. Her
former martial arts' training from her foster father, Darkwing Duck, certainly was handy
during these fights, but Gos knew that, in a bare-fisted match, the other girls had a good
advantage over her, so her membership on the team was actually a great extra training for
her future career as a crime fighter.
	"Pretty good job, both of you." Rita told the girls when they were down the ring.
"You still need to keep alert, Babs; the teasing is useful to make a rival to anger and make
mistakes, but it's useless if it makes you careless. And Gosalyn, you are improving a lot,
but at times you still keep down your defenses on purpose to make an open attack; that's
good when you have a chance to hit, but if overdoing it, you are pretty much exposing
yourself to a beating." Rita lectured them, as she normally did after every fight, either a
competitive or a sparring one. Of course, she was very proud of the team, since they just
recently won the state championship for the third year in a row, and they would fight for
the national title in a few months; she was also happy that Gosalyn was two years younger
than most of the fighters (except for Hillary, who was just one year older), since three-
fourths of the core team would graduate that year, and the cat needed some good
replacements once they left.
	"Now, let's see. Hillary, you hadn't fought today, right?" Rita asked the hyena,
who just shook her head. "Good. We need a sparring partner for you."
	Rita scratched her chin while looking at Wally and Ron, who normally were the
girls' sparring partners. However, Ronald already had fought a couple of rounds against
Mary, and Wally with Fifi. Rita herself was another option, but she already had a lot of
extra job that day, not just practicing shadow boxing with the girls before the fights, but
having one sparring round with Rhubella, who wasn't really part of the team, but wanted
to learn a few fighting moves, just for self defense, and the rodent had improved a lot
(even if still not as good as the members), plus the cat had something important to do
after the practice, so having a fight, even in a sparring way, against one of the Loo's
strongest students wasn't possible.
	"J.A.M., I know you have no reason or obligation here, but, can you please be
Hillary's partner, just this time? I had seen you in Cartoon Violence, and you're pretty
good with non-toony fighting techniques." Rita said to the jaguar.
	"I don't know, Rita. I kind of dislike fighting when it's not necessary. I only do it
on self defense, or when a class asks for it." The younger feline replied in his usual polite
way.
	"I know, but you'll be helping me a lot if accepting, pal." Hillary joined the
conversation. "You are one of the fastest guys I had ever seen, and besides Ron and your
truly, you're like, the strongest student of the school. I'll be very glad if you help me train,
and that way you're avoiding me receiving a beating if facing someone faster than me
without the proper preparation."
	"Well. but no harsh feelings if one of us gets hurt, right?" The jaguar said to the
hyena, still a little hesitant. He wasn't just worried about hurting Hillary (even if knowing
the girl was one of the few toons around stronger than himself), but also about getting
harsh feelings from her boyfriend, Ronald, who was a pretty good friend of the jaguar as
well.
	"Of course no, J.A.M! I mean, you had seen us training, right?" The hyena replied
with a casual tone. "We pretty much kick each other's butt on every session, but before,
after, and even during the fight, we are still friends. And well, you know how much
Ronnie here and me are in love with each other, and that doesn't change even if we
normally spar together and hit with all our strength."
	"And don't worry about me, J.A.M." Ronald said to the slightly shorter predator
while placing a paw on his shoulder. "I know this is just a friendly match, not a fight for
real. After all, you don't get angry with me or Wally when we jump into the ring to go
against Mary."
	"Yes, but that's because she pretty much gives you two a beating almost all the
time." The jaguar said in a joking way, making the girls to giggle and Wally and Ronald
to shrug and smile. Mary shook her head while getting a little grin; she actually had a
little advantage on those fights, since the boys always used the softest and heaviest gloves
to avoid hurting her. Of course, they still were stronger, faster, and more experienced than
Mary, so it was a great merit from the girl to actually get the upper hand on many of those
matches.
	The jaguar finally agreed, and, after giving his poach, watch and chains with
religious symbols to Mary, made a spin-change to get a boxing outfit (since he, unlike
Wally and Ronald, wasn't dressed for the occasion); when ending the spinning, he had a
green head gear, white gloves, and green shorts, while using a shorter, most comfortable
version of his trademark black shirt with the words "Hecho en Mexico" in the front.
Hillary, using an outfit similar to Gosalyn and Babs but with dark purple shorts and
without her characteristic spiked bracelets (something that, obviously, wasn't allowed in a
boxing match) jumped into the ring, with the jaguar right behind her. Rita made them to
walk to the center of the ring, and, after checking the protective gear, and giving them
some final instructions, made them to touch each other's gloves, and move to the corner
she assigned to them. Then, the cat jumped out of the ring, Sweetie flew to locate herself
right over the center, and Fifi rang the bell.
	Hillary and The J.A.M. approached to the center of the ring, making circles and
studying each other's moves. As predators, they were both skilled in detecting a prey's
weakness and openings, so they took their time to throw the first attacks, limiting
themselves to some soft punches that the other easily dodged or blocked, just to test the
rival's strength and speed.
	Hillary made the first serious move, trying to connect a direct hit to the feline's
chin, but the jaguar avoided it, and replied with a fast jab to the hyena's side. Hillary
reacted with a fast uppercut; again, The J.A.M. avoided the attack, and threw one of his
own, but Hillary blocked it at the last moment. Then, the hyena started one of her
trademark moves, a literal rain of punches directed to several parts of her opponent's
body, connecting a few times, but the jaguar still handled to block or avoid most of the
attack, thanks to his quick reflexes and natural speed. When Hillary stopped her attack,
the feline saw an opening and threw a left-right combination against the girl's head,
stunning her, and giving him the chance to connect a well-placed uppercut that almost
sent her to the canvas.
	The hyena shook her head to clear her sight, and re-started her attack. This time,
she decided to surprise The J.A.M. with The Hill Smash, one of her favorite tricks. Of
course, this trick needed the feline to be a little apart from her to work, but the girl had
that covered. She allowed the jaguar to give her a few hits, and then, in a dashing
movement, gave him a strong jab on his belly, making him to move a few steps back and
adopt a defensive position. Then, the hyena put her gloves together, and raised them over
her head, focusing all her strength on her fists. The girl then punched the canvas with all
her might, sending an expansive wave through the ring and causing The J.A.M. to lose
balance for a few seconds. Hillary took the chance to dash against him, and gave the
jaguar a powerful hit on his chest, and then a left hook that almost sent him down.
Sweetie noticed the feline was out of breath because of the first hit, so told Hillary to go
back to her corner for the moment.
	"Hey, J.A.M., are you okay? We can stop if you want." The canary asked the
jaguar, who took a deep breath and shook his head.
	"I'm fine, Sweetie." The jaguar replied with a smile, and then looked at Hillary.
"So, you want this to be a full-strength match, uh?"
	"If that's fine with you, yes, I mean, my rivals aren't going to be soft with me, so if
you're holding back, you're not really doing me a favor." Hillary grinned widely, and the
jaguar nodded. He then moved back to the ring's center, and made an inviting movement
with his right glove; the hyena playfully smirked, and approached him in a fighting
stance.
	The hyena threw a direct hit to the jaguar's head.
	WARP!
	And missed. The hyena got a confused expression, noticing the jaguar wasn't in
front of her, and, a split second later.
	UNWARP!
	PUNCH!
	The feline appeared from behind Hillary, and, when the hyena turned to look for
him, received a powerful hit on the head. The girl shook her head, and tried to fight back,
but the jaguar continued his attack giving a right-left-right combination to her belly and
head, and then a dashing uppercut that sent her to the canvas. Sweetie made him to go to
a corner, and started counting at the stunned hyena.
	"One, two, three, four."
	"That's going to leave a mark." Wally whispered to Ruby, who was watching the
fight right next to him.
	Hillary shook her head and rubbed her chin while, slowly, returning to her feet.
Sweetie gave her a fast check-up, asking her if she could continue. The hyena looked at
the jaguar, already back to his fighting stance, and grinned.
	"Of course I can continue, Sweetie." Hillary said to the bird right before getting
her own fighting stance back. "Come on, J.A.M., let's rock!"
	The jaguar and the hyena exchanged a fast series of punches, with none of them
getting a clear advantage. Certainly, The J.A.M. was connecting most of the attacks,
while avoiding or blocking most of Hillary's, but the hyena, being slightly stronger than
him, could resist them, while her attacks, despite missing many times, the few she
connected made some major damage. The J.A.M., starting feeling a little tired because of
the fight, and resenting some of Hillary's strongest blows, decided to use his warping trick
again; after all, she was asking him to use all his speed and strength, and, in toon boxing
matches, any natural movement was allowed, and warping was natural for the jaguar.
	WARP!
	The jaguar disappeared from the front of the hyena.
	UNWARP!
	The jaguar reappeared aside Hillary. who received him with a roundhouse punch.
	WHAM!
	The jaguar made a half-spin movement right before kissing the canvas. Hillary
moved back to a corner while Sweetie started counting. The dizzy feline shook his head,
and handled to stand up right before the bird counted five. At that moment, the bell rang.
	"Saved by the bell, uh?" Ruby asked her boyfriend, who was in charge of timing
the rounds.
	"Yep. but, honestly, I don't know who I saved here." Wally admitted. He was
actually glad the fight wasn't a real one, or those two would certainly tear each other
apart.
	"That's enough for today, kids. I'm making this match a tie, okay?" Rita told the
hyena and the jaguar, who nodded to her and then smiled to each other right before the
friendly hug the team members always had before the sparring fights.
	"That was pretty impressive, J.A.M. I knew you are strong, but never imagined
you would be that tough." The hyena admitted.
	"Thanks, Hill, and you certainly aren't kidding when claiming you're the strongest
toon around. And that trick you used to hit me after warping. that was clever." The J.A.M.
commented.
	"Hey, we all have some special skills, remember? You have your warping, the
voice and languages stuff, and your pressure points attacks, and me, well, I have my
strength, my spin-changes, and, of course, fighting back any stunt performed on me once.
When I get injured because of a special fighting move, or fall for a cheat or trick, that's
normally the only time that happens, because the next one I know the way to
counterattack." The hyena chuckled at the end, right before leaving the ring, allowing
Ronald to help her down. The jaguar followed her, and jumped down next to Mary and
Fifi.
	"How are you feeling, Furrycoat?" Mary asked her boyfriend in her usual kind
tone while touching his cheek after he removed the head gear.
	"I'm fine, Cielito." The J.A.M. replied with an affective smile. "But I think I'm
going to be a little sore in the morning."
	"Zon't worry, mon ami." Fifi entered the conversation. "Moi am giving Ron, Mary
and Sweetie a ride home, so you can come with us and have some rest before dropping
you closer to vour house."
	"Fifi is right and. I can nurse you if you want." The girl smiled shyly before giving
his jaguar a little kiss and scratching his chin, making him to purr in happiness. Fifi and
Babs chuckled at the scene, and Rita was about to do the same, when noticing Ron and
Hillary were having a similar moment right next to her.
	"You know, kids, I like how much you two love each other, but, please, don't
overdo it in my presence, okay? Every time you go all lovey-dovey, I think you're going
to make me a grandma before time." Rita said to her son and someday-might-be-
daughter-in-law, making them to blush like crazy.
	"That was pretty cool, guys!" Gosalyn said to both Hillary and The J.A.M. in her
usual excited way. "Oh, boy! If we start selling tickets for our training sessions, we might
get rich in no time!"
	"Girl, you are spending too much time around Plucky." Ruby rolled her eyes while
placing a paw on Gos' shoulder. The avian shrugged.
	"Nah. I already was like this before moving here."
	"No wonder you two are so close, uh, Ruby?" Babs joked, getting a fake glare
from the rodent and the little duck.
	"Now, girls, and boys, you better shower and go home. I'll put everything on place
before leaving; excellent job, all of you, and thanks a lot for helping Hillary, J.A.M." Rita
directed to the young toons, getting her usual sly smile.
	"You're welcome, Rita. but, and I mean no offense, I doubt I'll agree to do that
again." The jaguar replied politely, making everyone to chuckle.
	"I can help you pack up everything, Mom." Ronald offered. Rita smiled at him,
and then used her blowing finger's trick, that allowed her to get some extra height (more
suitable for some tasks) and a little more feminine look.
	"Thanks, Ronnie, but it's getting late, and you have to shower and go home to do
your homework. I can start packing everything, and your dad will arrive soon to help me
and then we'll go home as well. I already have dinner ready, so you can eat without
waiting for us." Rita said to her son while placing a paw on his shoulder.
	"Oh. you two want some private time, uh? No problem, Mommy." Ronald gave
Rita a knowing smile, making her to blush a little and the other toons to laugh.
	"Respect your mother, kid. Now, go shower, okay?" Rita kissed his cheek right
before giving him a friendly slap on the back. Ron nodded, and he and the other boys
went to the boys' dressing room to shower while the girls headed to their own.
	"That boy knows us very well, definitely, he does." Rita turned when hearing her
husband's voice coming from the gym's door and slowly approaching her, walking on his
back legs.
	"Yes. and he's growing up so fast. It seems it was just yesterday when he was just
a little pup-kitty biting your ears and playing with my tail." Rita sighed, getting a
nostalgic look.
	"I know what you mean. And he is becoming a great man. or hybrid, or adult, or
whatever." Runt scratched his head in confusion, making Rita to roll her eyes.
"Sometimes I think it's a miracle we were lucky enough to have him, definitely."
	"I know what you mean. Remember when we realized I was pregnant? Everyone
kept telling us that it was a major risk for me and the baby, and he might as well have
birth defects." Rita rubbed her neck at the memory. "Good thing everyone was wrong."
	"That's because he definitely has a wonderful mom." Runt smiled fondly at the cat
while getting her in an affective hug.
	"And a very nice and strong dad," Rita replied with a fond look as well, and then
she and Runt kissed passionately for a few minutes.
	"That was good. definitely, very good." Runt said in a whisper after breaking the
kiss.
	"Wait for the kids to go home, and I'll show you something REALLY good." Rita
seductively replied, making Runt to blush and then kiss her again.
	None of them noticed a little red bird located on the top of the gym, looking at
them with crystal-like eyes, or the moment it left through an open window.
	None, that is, except, maybe, a certain blond loon levitating on her bedroom while
doing her daily meditation.
	"Like, weird, or some junk." Shirley said to herself while opening her eyes,
getting a thoughtful yet somehow worried expression. "Either that tofu burger I had for
lunch wasn't well cooked, or I'm getting the darkest vibes I had felt since Plucky
convinced me to assist to that Ozzy Ozzborne's concert."
	
	XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

	- Gone With The Water.

	"You guys are spoiling us, you know that?" Hillary said in a half-joking, half-
casual tone to Ronald and Wally, who were carrying the hyena and Rhubella through the
Looniversity's corridors. Ronald, of course, was carrying Hillary on his back, piggy ride-
style, while Wally was transporting Ruby bridal-style.
	"I'm already spoiled, so. don't hear her, baby." Ruby said to her canine boyfriend
while leaning her head on his shoulder, making both of them to blush a little and smile.
Buster and Babs, who were walking the other direction, exchanged greetings with the
other couples.
	"How nice. Buster, why do you never carry me that way?" Babs asked the blue
rabbit in a fake angry tone.
	"Well, I might do it if I start working out, or you lose ten pounds." Buster joked,
making Babs to give a playful yet hard yanking to his right ear.
	"Buster, you should already know about never joking with a girl's weight. That's a
very delicate topic for us." Mary, alongside The J.A.M. and Gosalyn, joined the rabbits.
	"Yes. Just look at Oprah." Gosalyn joked.
	"That's not exactly the mental image I like having so early in the morning, Gos."
The J.A.M. commented while rolling his eyes. The rest of the group chuckled, and then
spotted Shirley, who was staring at a window.
	"Hey, Shirley, what's up?" Mary greeted her, but the blonde didn't answer, still
looking at the window without changing her emotionless expression.
	"Shirley?" Gosalyn poked the loon's arm, still getting no response.
	"Houston, we lost contact." Babs mimicked an astronaut-like voice, but got a
worried expression a moment later. Sure, Shirley's mind was always on another world of
her own, but even when deep meditating, she still reacted to everything around her, and
Babs knew that her current expression wasn't even close to be the one she had when
doing her meditation, or using her powers on any way.
	"This is weird. She isn't reacting at all." The J.A.M. said while gently shaking the
blond avian. He and the loon weren't close, since she was deep into New Age stuff, and
he was a very religious toon (something that somehow granted him with some strong
protection against magic in general), but, over the last year, they had become a lot tolerant
to each other, respecting their differences; actually, Shirley became glad for finding
someone immune to her powers, and even more when some of the closest jaguar's friends,
including Mary, got that same protection too after they joined the ranks of the Waiting
Ones, since that confirmed the existence of some pretty high powers beyond Shirley's
abilities' reach, and one of the reasons the avian got deep in metaphysic stuff on first
place was to discover the existence of said powers, though deep down, Shirley still feared
them.
	SPLASH!
	"Like, iceberg ahead, or some junk!" Shirley, soaked, finally reacted, getting a
surprised expression and shaking her wings. Everyone else turned to see Buster and his
infamous water gun.
	"That's your answer to every problem, Buster?" Babs folded her arms and glared
at him.
	"Only when I want to get a girl's attention, Babsy, and if it works with you, why
not with her?" Buster shrugged and put the gun back into his body pocket. Then he
walked next to Shirley and placed a paw on her shoulder, changing to a more serious
expression. "Sorry about that, Shirley, but you were freaking us out. Do you feel okay?"
	"Like. yes, Buster, and thanks for waking me up, or some junk." Shirley shook her
head and then used her powers to dry herself. "But I hate using my powers for this; my
sweater always gets static electricity, or some junk."
	"Anyway, what happened to you, Shirley? Are you sick, or something?" Mary
asked her in a friendly yet worried tone.
	"Like, no, Mary, it's just that. well, it's hard to explain, especially to muggles like
you guys." Shirley placed a hand/wing on her forehead, and sighed. "Look, had you ever
been in a situation when your senses get overwhelmed, or some junk?"
	"Actually, yes, Shirley, I had." Everybody turned to see The J.A.M., who was
rubbing his chin like if remembering something. "When I still lived in Mexico, and some
`friends' of mine convinced me to go to a disco for the first time, well. it was pretty hard
for me; the noise, the crowd, and the lights, all at once and in a sudden, it was just too
much for my senses. My nose got confused with all the new scents in a closed space,
especially cigarette smoke; my eyes couldn't adjust to the constantly changing lights, and
the sounds almost deafened me as well, and as a result I got a terrible migraine. I had to
sit down apart from everyone else for about half an hour until I got used to the place."
	"Well, something like that is happening to me." Shirley then explained, feeling
pretty glad that the jaguar could find a close enough experience so the others could
understand her problem more easily. "Even when I'm not using my powers in, like, an
active way, like levitating, summoning psychic electricity, or scanning an aura or mind, I
always have my psychic senses on, so I can detect evil vibes, or, at times, even some
strong feelings or thoughts. not that I'm reading a mind without permission," the avian
pointed quickly, remembering that the overusing of her powers in a negative way was the
main reason of her past problems with the jaguar, "it's just that some things are pretty
strong for me to ignore, even if making the effort to block them. It's like trying to sleep
during a heavy metal concert."
	"So, you're feeling some pretty strong vibes, or maybe a person with a very
powerful thought on his or her head." Buster guessed, getting now a better idea about the
way Shirley's abilities work.
	"Yes, but these vibes are so strong, and so evil, that they are like, flooding my
brain so hard I can't even find the source." Shirley sighed. "I had been feeling them since
yesterday, but maybe that evil source arrived at the city before that, and just now I started
sensing it. We all know my powers aren't flawless, so I can't precise anything about this
force, except that it's a very dangerous one, and that worries me."
	Everyone around Shirley got silent. All of them, even Mary and The J.A.M., who
didn't were magical believers, knew that Shirley's powers were real, and she could do
some pretty amazing stuff and sense things that were a mystery for everyone else. The
J.A.M. compared her abilities with his night vision; in the darkness, many things could be
around, but only someone like him could see them.
	"Shirley, are you entirely sure about this?" Mary asked, half-concerned, half-
angry. There was the chance that Shirley had confused an unknown power with an evil
one, as she had done once, creating some harsh feelings among the girls that took some
time to heal.
	"No, I'm sure about this one." Shirley shook her head, guessing Mary's suspicion.
"An unknown power is that, unknown, so I can't tell anything about its nature. A pure
good, or a pure evil, however, I can sense them like Fifi's fumes on a flower shop, or
some junk."
	"If you want, I can contact my friend Morgana and talk to her about this, Shirley."
Gosalyn proposed. "Two sorceresses are better than one, right?"
	"I'm not exactly a sorceress, Gos, but that's not a bad idea." Shirley smiled at the
younger avian. "But let's keep this among us, please; I don't want to spread panic until
knowing for sure what's going on."
	"Of course; we can scream like sissies and run like headless chickens then."
Buster joked, making everyone to get a much needed yet slight smile.
	"Thanks, guys." Shirley sighed in relief. "Better discuss this at lunch, okay? I don't
want us to get late to next class, even if it's for a good reason."
	"Yeah. Who would like missing next Elmer Fudd's lecture, even if a dooming
force is ready to strike from the shadows?" Babs said in a sarcastic way. A moment later,
all of them were heading to their respective classrooms, still a little shaken because of the
news of a mysterious and upcoming danger menacing them.
	The moment Gogo Dodo's announced it was time for next class, a couple of
crystal like-eyed red birds flew over the Looniversity, and then made circles over it. A
few moments later, the school's water pipes started creaking, and a few drops of water
leaked through them.
	"Hurry up, Plucky!" Hamton hurried his pal, who had stopped next to the closest
water fountain. "We are already late."
	"Relax, Hammy." Plucky replied in a trying-to-be-cool tone. "I'm just getting a
little drink. Besides, we have Elmer's class now. Just wait for a couple of minutes, and
we'll be able to get into the classroom right under his nose; he'll be too busy with his
lecture, and everyone else will be sleeping, so we'll have no problems." Plucky then
moved his beak next to the fountain to get a sip, but nothing came.
	"What's wrong with this thing?"
	SPLASH!
	A short yet powerful water blast hit Plucky and sent him across the corridor.
Hamton ran next to him and helped the duck stand up.
	"Just when you thought it was safe to return to the water." Plucky groaned, and,
instead of forgetting about the whole thing and go to the classroom, like any other less
stubborn toon would do, walked angrily towards the fountain.
	"Listen, you overrated sink, I want to take a sip, and you'll better cooperate, or
else!" Plucky yelled at the fountain, and then kicked it.
	"OW! OW! OW!"
	Plucky started jumping on one foot while grabbing the other one in pain. Hamton
sighed, and placed a hand on the duck's shoulder.
	"Calm down, Plucky. Unless that fountain was originally a prop from a Thirties'
cartoon, I don't think it will respond to your orders." The pig said in a calming tone,
making Plucky to cool down a little and then, without saying a word, they turned their
back to the fountain and started heading to the classroom. But, before they had advanced
more than ten steps.
	RUUUUMMMMMBBBLLLLEEEE...
	"Your stomach?" Plucky worriedly looked at Hamton, who gulped and shook his
head. Then, slowly, both toons turned back, and saw the fountain vibrating, so hard, that
it broke part of the floor, revealing some thick water pipes that were vibrating as well.
	"RUN!" Plucky yelled, and, before he or the pig could escape in a panic dash.
	SPLLAAAAAAAASSSSHHH!
	RRRUUUUMMMMMBBBBBLLLLEEE!
	Everybody at the school heard the powerful noise, and a few moments later, the
whole place was getting flooded! The water ran through the corridors, reaching all the
classrooms, and breaking down the doors because of the pressure.

	"Oh, great! Plucky flushed stuff in the toilets again!" Babs said to herself after
jumping over her seat, in a failed attempt to escape from the water.
	"Someone open a window!" Elmer Fudd yelled from the top of his desk. Furrball,
who had jumped over Calamity's shoulders to avoid getting wet (not a very smart move,
surely, since the coyote was just slightly taller than the cat), nodded, and then jumped to
the next window to try opening it. "Try" being the key word, since the window was stuck.
Buster tried to do the same on a different window, but the result was pretty much the
same; unknown to him, all the school's windows were on the same situation, and so the
exit doors, therefore the water's level was quickly getting higher.
	"Let's break them!" Max, who was a few feet behind Buster, sitting on the
shoulders of his bodyguard, Marcus, suggested, and, for once, everyone agreed with the
bratty millionaire. However, just when The J.A.M. was about to hit the glass with his
right paw, a powerful water current formed in front of the windows, pushing him and all
the other toons out from the classroom. The same thing happened all around the school,
so now everyone was at the corridors, trying to reach the lockers to climb on top and be
safe for the moment.
	"TAZ HATES WATER! TAZ HATES WATER!" The Tasmanian devil's
catchphrase was heard by Bugs and Daffy, who were now safe on top of a line of lockers,
and handled to grab him when he passed next to them, saving the marsupial.
	"Great. Nothing like the pthsmell of a wet Tapthsmanian devil in the morning."
Daffy rolled his eyes, ignoring Taz's glare at him.
	"Not now, Daff. We have a big problem here." Bugs replied while offering his
paw to a random student he could grab from his safe spot. "Can ya swim around, and try
savin' some of da kids?"
	"I'm a duck, not a pthsalmon." Daffy gave a good look to the water around them.
"The water pthshouldn't be able to move this fast. It's like, an indoor rapid or
pthsomething." Bugs realized Daffy was right; even if the pipes exploded, the water
shouldn't be moving that fast and nothing could explain why all the exits were blocked.
	"Sneezer!" Sweetie, flying over the flooded corridors, looked for the little gray
mouse. They were together when the flood started, and the current separated them. The
canary was more or less dry enough to fly, but, even if Sneezer could swim, he wasn't
good enough to do it in raging waters.
	"Swee. glub! Sweetie!" The canary, scared yet relieved by hearing her boyfriend's
voice, turned back and found him, trying to get his head over the water. The avian dived,
mimicking the fishing technique of her foster father (a bald eagle), and grabbed the
mouse's paw with her talons. Unfortunately, the current was still just too strong, and it
yanked down the bird girl, so now the two of them were in danger. Sweetie and Sneezer,
losing their breath, embraced tightly, fearing the end.
	GASP!
	GASP!
	The little toons got an extremely needed breath at that moment. They realized they
were now on top of a rodent girl's head, and moving at a good speed towards the next
lockers line.
	"Are you two okay?" Rhubella asked her passengers right after dropping them on
top of one locker. The little toons coughed and then looked at her, smiling.
	"Thanks a lot, Miss Ruby." Sneezer replied while holding Sweetie's wing on his
paws. "Didn't know you could swim this well!"
	"What can I say? I have some river rat's genes." Ruby explained, happy that they
were both fine, and then, after taking a deep breath, returned to her aquatic search of
toons in problems.
	"Help!" Rhubella accelerated when hearing a male voice a few feet ahead, and
gasped when realizing who needed to be rescued.
	"Help me! Glub! I can't swim!" Arnold yelled in fear while clumsily trying to keep
his head over the water's surface. Ruby swam next to him, and passed an arm through his
neck while trying to calm him down; Arnold was way heavier than her, and, even if she
could tranquilize him, he was still just too much for the rat to rescue by her own,
especially while fighting the current at the same time.
	"Hang on, Ruby! I'm coming!" Buster, thanks to a large surfing board he took out
from his body pocket, approached Ruby and Arnold, using the currents to his advantage.
A few moments later, the rat and the panting dog were safe on the board.
	"Thanks, Buster!" Rhubella sighed in relief while she and the rabbit checked
Arnold. "I just saved Sweetie and Sneezer. You know about the others?"
	"Almost all of them are safe on top of a locker. Concord is flying around to give a
hand, and the best swimmers, like The J.A.M., Shirley, Plucky, and Ronald, and I think
Minerva and Runt are helping too. Mary, Babs and Gogo are on a raft to help as well.
actually, Gogo is the raft." Buster explained, and then noticed something. "Hey, where's
Wally?"
	"Right behind you, wearing goggles and a snorkel," Rhubella pointed, and Buster
turned to see a thin human wearing a white hat, red goggles, black snorkel, and a stripped
red and white scuba diving suit, waving hello to him.
	"That recurrent gag is getting on my nerves." Buster slapped his forehead. "I mean
your boyfriend! It's kind of weird to see you without him covering your back."
	"We split some time ago, after helping Calamity and Furrball." Rhubella told him.
"He said he had an idea to get rid of the water. Hope he hurries up!" The rat said right
before a huge wave almost made them to fall from the board.
	Meanwhile, Ronald, with Fowlmouth riding his back, approached the lockers
where Hillary was taking care of some other toons. Even if the hyena could swim, she
wasn't nearly as good as the hybrid, so decided to stay and keep an eye on the rescued
students.
	"Thanks, pal! I always wanted a dadgum indoors pool, but this is dadgum
ridiculous!" The little chicken said while Hillary helped him to climb on top of the locker.
	"Are you fine, Muscle Boy?" Hillary asked her boyfriend. "I might be crazy, but I
swear the currents are getting stronger by the moment!"
	"Yes, you're crazy, but we already knew that!" Ronald replied, raising his voice to
be heard over the raging water noise; Hillary chuckled at the hybrid attempts of making
her laugh even in the worst moments. "But I think you are right! The currents are getting
stronger; I might not be able to swim against it for too long!"
	SPLAAAASSH!
	Suddenly, a powerful wave separated the couple, and the hybrid was pulled away
by the current. Ronald handled to get a good grip on the next lockers' line, but needed all
his strength to stay on place.
	"Hang on, Ronnie! I'm going to help you!" Hillary yelled, trying to hide her fear,
but somehow failing.
	"Stay there, Hill! I'm fine, and I'm not going anywhere!" Ronald yelled back, not
wanting the hyena to risk herself, especially since he was strong enough to stay on that
place for a while. Unfortunately, the water seemed to have its own plans.
	A gigantic wave appeared at the corridor at that moment, and, weirdly enough,
even if everyone got covered by it, the most of the impact seemed to be focused right
where Ronald was holding himself. Hillary tried her best to get a look at him, but, when
the wave disappeared.
	"Ronald? RONALD!" Hillary yelled, this time not even making an effort to hide
her fear. The hybrid was gone, as well as a couple of lockers' doors, and the remaining
lockers had claws' marks, obviously made by Ronald while trying to resist the push.
	Wally finally reached the place he was looking for. As assistant janitor, he knew
the Looniversity much better than most toons, and guessed where was the right point for
what he was about to do.
	"Here goes nothing." Wally took a deep breath, and made an aquatic spin-change.
The water covered him, and, after a couple of seconds, he emerged from the water
surface, and flied a few feet over it, thanks to the green jet boots he know was using,
alongside the green gloves, mask, short cape, and chest plate/vest with a yellow D on it.
	"Activating Dyno-Drill!" Wally, on his Dyno-Wolf's identity, pressed his nose,
and then his front paws and his muzzle turned into drills that immediately started
working. "Wolf Wonder. AWAY!"
	SPLAAASH!
	WHIIIRRRRR..
	Dyno-Wolf dived back into the water and drilled his way through the floor, the
underground levels, and then the solid rock under the Looniversity at high speed. After a
couple of minutes, he made an angled turn, and directed back to the surface, emerging a
few dozen miles away, right next to the city's dam, ready to drop all the flood's water.
Wally spin-changed back to normal, and sat next to the tunnel, that immediately turned
into a geyser because of the water jumping out of it. Wally decided to stay there, just in
case not everyone at the school was on a safe place and got sucked with the water as well.
	Back at the Loo, Wally's plan was actually working. The water, even if, strangely,
still tried to form huge unnatural waves, was quickly being sucked by Wally's tunnel.
After a few minutes, the water was low and quiet enough for everyone to jump down the
lockers.
	"Well, done, Lobillo!" Ruby happily exclaimed, using Wally's pet name, and then
turned to look at Buster. "Remind me to congratulate Wally the right way when he comes
back, please."
	"You mean something like that?" Buster pointed behind the rat, who turned to see
a pretty happy Arnold kissing the floor.
	"Dry land! Oh, how much I adore you!" Arnold said between kisses, not caring
about how many toons were now looking at him. Buster and Rhubella shook their heads,
and, whistling innocently, walked away to search for their friends. Almost everyone was
at the main door by now.
	"The doors are, I say, the doors are still locked, I mean, locked, boy!" Foghorn
Leghorn directed to the staff and students while he and Marc Anthony struggled to open
the door.
	"I'm on dat, doc." Bugs said while placing a paw on Taz' shoulder, and then
whispered something on his ear. "I'll give ya a hamboiger if ya take down da door, boy."
	"YEARGAZZAFRAZZLE!" Taz happily replied, and then, moving aside from
Bugs, turned into his trademark tornado form, breaking down the door.
	"That guy ipths great when you can't find the pthspare key." Sylvester whispered
to Penelope, who just shrugged, and then everyone left the building.
	"Everyone, stop!" All the toons turned to see a very worried Hillary behind them.
	"Ron got caught by a current, and I hadn't found him yet!"
	Everyone gasped, and Rita, Runt, and Minerva (who loved Ronald as a brother)
got shocked expressions. The cat was the first to react, running towards Hillary and
grabbing her by the shoulders.
	"You looked everywhere? Near the tunnel too?" Rita worriedly asked. Hillary
nodded, showing an equally concerned expression. Ronald's classmates and family, and
the rest of the staff moved next to the females.
	"Let's calm down, okay?" Ruby said while placing her paws on Rita's shoulders.
"Maybe he went through that improvised drain Wally made, and, in that case, he'll appear
wherever Wally finished the tunnel. And I'm sure Wally is smart enough to check the
tunnel on his way back to get sure nobody is caught in there."
	"Ya' might be right, kid, but I'm runnin' no risks." Bugs said while walking next to
the tunnel, and then made a spin change into a scuba diver. "I'm goin' in!" Bugs directed
to Rita and Runt, who just nodded and took each other's paw.
	"We're going too!" Minerva and Hillary said at the same time, and then spin-
changed like Bugs did. Despite the situation, some of the males around couldn't help but
whistle at the sight of the gorgeous mink on a tight outfit, and a few ones even whistled at
Hillary, who looked quite pretty as well in a fitness-championess kind of way; the girls
ignored them, and, a moment later, the three toons were at the tunnel. Everyone was near
the edge, hoping for them to appear with Ronald. Everybody was totally quiet for about a
minute, when.
	"I DON'T SEE THEM! I DON'T SEE THEM!"
	"LOUD!" Everybody glared at Loud Kiddington, who immediately covered his
mouth and got an ashamed look.
	"Sorry. Old habits die hard." The kid whispered back, and became silent, as
everyone else.
	After almost ten minutes, the rescue group emerged, with. Wally, wearing a scuba
diving suit as well.
	"Wally?" Runt got a puzzled expression, and after helping the wolf out from the
tunnel, placed his paws on the young canine's shoulders. "Wally, please, where is my
boy?"
	Wally got a sad expression at Runt's worried look, and sighed. Bugs had a
concerned expression as well, and Minerva and Hillary were at the verge of tears.
	"I waited until the water stopped pouring from the tunnel before coming back
through it, to check it there was anyone trapped in there, but. nobody was. I didn't see
Ronald."
	Runt froze at Wally's words and expression, and a moment later, he and Rita were
embracing and sobbing. Wally obviously was feeling guilty, but Ruby, with a sad yet
calmed expression, approached him and explained him Ronald was caught by the current
way before he made the tunnel, hoping that, at least, the wolf wouldn't blame himself for
whatever happened to the hybrid.
	Bugs took control of the situation. He asked Sylvia to call the police, and Pete and
Wile to start checking the place and find the cause of the whole mess, while the students
were asked to stay and wait for the ambulances to give them a good check up, and the rest
of the staff went to inspect the classrooms, searching for damage, lost items, and (Bugs
hoped it wasn't the case) missed students.
	"He has to be alright. Ronald isn't that weak. He must be fine!" Hillary said in a
cracked voice, trying to convince herself, and then kneeled and started punching the
ground in a rage.
	"Ronnie, please, you have to be fine! You have to! Your family needs you! And
Minerva! And our friends! I need you, you hear me, you big fool? I NEED YOU!"
Hillary's ranting was cut by Minerva and Mary, each one placing a hand/paw on the
hyena's shoulders, making her to stop and then, for the first time ever, the hyena allowed
herself to cry in public, using both Mary and Minerva's chests to hide her face. Minerva
herself was sobbing a lot, and Mary had to wash away some of her tears as well, even if
the human girl was getting teary eyes too.
	"I love you, Ronnie. please, come back to me." Hillary muffled voice, even if
quiet, was easily heard by everyone around her.
	A few feet away, Shirley, alongside the toons that broke her out of her trance that
morning (minus Mary, of course) watched the scene with sad eyes.
	"I just hope Ronald is okay." Babs sighed while looking down. "Not just for him,
but for his family, and for Minerva and Hillary. I never even imagined that tomboy hyena
could cry. and she is almost making me do it too." Buster nodded and placed a paw over
her shoulder; the blue rabbit hated the idea of losing any of his friends, and knew that, if
Babs was in Ronald's place, he would be as devastated as Hillary.
	"How this happened?" The J.A.M. said in a sad yet thoughtful tone. "The whole
flood was totally unnatural. I know Acme Acres makes the impossible possible, but this
mess is weird, even here!"
	"I sensed dark vibes from the water." Shirley said, making everyone to look at her.
	"It has no sense, and maybe it was because of the mess my powers are right now,
but I'm almost sure that the water had, like, an evil vibe, or some junk. but water can't be
evil! It just exists, like a rock or the air; it has no conscience. and yet, I felt one here! Call
me crazy, BUT I DID!" Shirley almost exploded at the last part, hating the idea of
doubting of her own abilities. Gosalyn narrowed her eyes, and placed a wing on Shirley's
shoulder, calming her down; then, the red haired avian adopted the most serious look
everyone had seen on her, and talked in a serene yet angry voice.
	"If your powers are right, Shirley, we are in trouble, and I'm not calling you crazy.
I'm calling Darkwing. "
	Gosalyn knew that things could get even worse.
	The concept of sentient, evil water wasn't strange to her.
	
	XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
	
	The Search.

	"Liquidator?"
	"Yes, Da.Darkwing; I'm almost sure. My friend Shirley said the water had an evil
aura, and we all agree that the liquid wasn't acting in a natural way." Gosalyn explained to
her father (obviously, covering his secret ID in front of her friends) thanks to the special
communication sphere Morgana gave to her.
	Normally, Gosalyn only used the sphere to contact her dad and Honker, her
boyfriend, for friendly chats and, in the case of Honker, tutoring for Math and some long
distance making out (the sphere allowed them to have some limited physical contact); this
was the first time she used it to contact her dad in public, since she wasn't never sure
about when he was using his Darkwing's disguise, but, of course, none of her classmates
had ever been kidnapped by one of Saint Canard's most dangerous criminals. Right now,
all her friends, including a more calmed down Hillary, and most of the staff (including
Rita, Runt, and Minerva) were around her to hear the conversation; Darkwing couldn't see
them, but could hear as well, so was pretty careful to not reveal his relationship with Gos
since most of them knew he was her mentor, preparing the girl to be a heroine but the
father-daughter thing was still a secret, even if some of Gos' friends already were
suspecting something.
	"Gosalyn is right, Mister Duck." The J.A.M. said to the mallard, a little hesitant
about using a magical way of communication, but recognizing the importance of giving
the hero all the information they had. "Professor Coyote and our friend Calamity already
checked all the windows and exit doors, and the reason we couldn't open them is because
all the locks were magnetized except one. If Gos is right, then this Liquidator guy used
that exit to escape with Ronald while Wally tried to get rid of the water."
	"Magnetized?" Darkwing rubbed his beak in deep thought. "Liquidator obviously
can't do that. unless someone is working with him."
	"Megavolt!" Both Gosalyn and Darkwing exclaimed while looking at each other.
	"This is more serious than I thought." Darkwing commented, and then went back
to his thoughtful expression. "But it has no sense. Kidnapping isn't their style. and, if it
was, there are pretty wealthy guys studying at the Looniversity, right?"
	"Yes. My friend Rhubella and that Montana Max boy," Gosalyn pointed, "and
even myself, if we consider I had been living with my rich cousins since I moved here.
And yes, I thought the same thing; if this was just kidnapping, Ronald isn't the most
prized target. In that case, Perfecto Prep would be a more adequate place for our fiends to
attack."
	"Good reasoning, Gos. but, if we consider Licky and Sparky normally don't work
together, unless they are with the rest of The Bozo Squad, then this is far more serious
than simple monetary benefits. Ronald has any enemies that might have paid them to
kidnap him?" Darkwing asked.
	"Well, The Perfectos once hired some hunters to catch him and some other
members of the football team." Wally informed the duck. "But Perfecto's team is already
out from the tournament, and, if they were behind this, then your enemies should have
attacked other key players too, like Hillary, Dizzy, Buster, who is the quarterback and the
guy The Perfectos hate the most; or me."
	"Good observation, Wally. And if this was just a kidnapping, it would be done as
secretly as possible, but it seems the attack was planned to make Ronald's disappearance
to look like a lost toon's case during a freaky accident, or a stupid prank gone wrong, to
avoid the cops get suspicious. obviously, Licky didn't consider Miss Loon sensing him."
Darkwing then cleared his throat, ready to give some indications.
	"Okay, here is what we are going to do. I'll try to get there as soon as I can, but
right now I'm in the middle of the Atlantic with Launchpad chasing some clowns from
F.O.W.L., so it's up to you to do something for the time being. First, Bugs, give the police
all the information, including the possibility of super-powered toons involved."
	"Count on dat, doc."
	"Good. Second, I'm transferring all the data about my enemies from my main
computer (good thing I can do it from the Thunderquack's one) to Wile E. Coyote's lab. It
might be helpful for the investigation, and prepare some adequate weaponry to fight back
their powers." Wile E. Coyote and Calamity got stern looks, nodding. "Then, some of you
must try gathering information from the local criminals; they are a very valuable source of
clues and hints."
	"Leave that to me." Rhubella pointed to herself. "I might no longer be a Perfecto,
but I still know some toons with underworld contacts. but I'll need someone to come with
me for protection."
	"You don't even have to ask." Wally placed a paw on her shoulder, and they
nodded to each other.
	"Great. The rest of you, try finding your friend by using your own abilities, but
don't, and this is very important, DON'T try to rescue him without help." Darkwing got a
very stern look. "Keep contact among yourselves all the time, and search in pairs or trios.
We don't need another hostage here."
	"Correct. Don't worry, Darkwing. We'll handle this, and thanks." Gosalyn gave
DW a military salute, and Darkwing nodded in reply.
	"Good. Please, be very careful, all of you. and Gosalyn? The whole not-fighting-
alone stuff applies especially for you. I had made the mistake of trying to do a lot by my
own without any help, and you know how it had ended." Darkwing said in a more gentle
tone; he couldn't help but showing a little of fatherly concern, knowing he wouldn't be
there to cover his little girl's back.
	"I know, and you can be sure I won't do anything stupid. We all care too much
about Ronnie to risk his life because of a silly mistake." Gosalyn seriously said, and then
she and Darkwing gave each other a little smile. "I'll call you later. Good luck with your
case, and you and Launchpad take care as well, please. See you."
	The Masked Mallard nodded to Gosalyn, and then his image disappeared from the
sphere, that immediately stopped glowing and returned to its regular smaller size. Gos put
it back into her body pocket, and then Bugs took control.
	"Ya all heard da duck. I'll contact da police, and Wile and Cal will do some lab
work. For da search t'ing, I want all da flyin' toons on da air," Bugs gave a fast look to
Tweetie, Sweetie, Daffy, Plucky, and Corcord, who nodded in reply, "and Buster and
Babs doin' an underground search." The blue and the pink bunny got stern looks, and
nodded as well. Bugs then walked next to Hillary.
	"Goil, I want ya and all da other toons with a good nose to try findin' Ronnie by
his scent." Hillary nodded, getting a decided look; now she knew that her beloved hybrid
wasn't lost in an accident, but kidnapped by someone, her sadness was replaced with a
directed anger, and the eagerness to find Ronald and give his captors a lesson that would
horrify even Stephen King.
	"Shirley, we'll need yer powers here." Bugs directed to the blond loon. "I've heard
about psychics who help cops find missin' people, so ya might be able to locate Ron."
	"Like. I can't promise anything, Bugs." Shirley admitted, avoiding eye contact
with the rabbit. "My psychic senses aren't very trustable at the moment, or some junk. I
doubt I might be able to find anyone even if he was under my beak." Shirley then sensed
the extremely sad vibes coming from Ronald's parents, and Minerva as well, alongside
Hillary's eagerness and concern, and sighed. "But I can promise to do my best."
	"We expect no more, goil. Rita, Runt, I want ya two to go Minerva's place, and
stay t'ere until we make some progress." Bugs said to the cat and dog in a calming tone
while placing a paw on each other's shoulder. "We'll find da kid, okay?" Rita and Runt
nodded, with a little hint of hope on their faces.
	"Alright! Okay, toonsters, chose your search partners, and let's save our pal!"
Buster exclaimed in his trademark leader voice, and right after everyone replied, he and
Babs dived in the ground, starting their own search.
	"Eet is time for some super fast searching, amigos!" Speedy Gonzales directed to
The Roadrunner and Little Beeper, who were right next to him. "Andale, andale!
Yeepah!" The three speedsters zoomed away, ready to search all around Acme Acres.
	"This is a job for." Plucky spin-changed, emerging a few seconds later in a blue
superhero outfit with white cape and gloves, while adopting a heroic posture. "The Toxic
Revenger!" A second later, he was up in the sky.
	"Hope he doesn't forget he is supposed to be searching for Ronald." Hamton
rolled his eyes before joining his other classmates and teachers to form the search teams.

	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	"I wonder what the common avians are doing right now." Harrison Nigel
Silverbill, one of Perfecto's top bad guys, commented to his partner, Drake Danforth.
	"Who cares about them when we are alone with these beauties?" Drake chuckled
while rubbing his beak with Giselle Swan's, who was sitting next to him. Nigel smiled
widely, receiving a nice neck massage from Giselle's sister, Jasmine. The rich toons were
currently sitting on a large coach, at a richly decorated private room (normally used as a
second office for some Perfectos) in their country club, enjoying the wealth's privileges.
The boys were using silk bath robes, while the girls used pretty expensive (and small)
bikinis.
	"So, how it's going to be, guys?" Giselle said while playfully rubbing Nigel silver-
colored beak with her hand left hand. "One girl for each of you, or you want switch
later?"
	"Let's start, and see what passion decides, Gis." Nigel replied in a smug tone right
before he and Drake got lusty expressions and started making out with the girls.
	"Oh, sorry I'm interrupting. Believe me I didn't want to see this."
	Drake and Nigel gasped, and Jasmine and Giselle fell to the floor in surprise. In
front of them, Rhubella Rat was leaning her back against the door frame, folding her arms
and showing a sly look.
	"What the. what are you doing here, Rat?" Drake snapped at Ruby. "And how you
got in on first place?"
	"Hey, I attend Acme, but my family still has membership in this club, remember?"
Rhubella pointed while walking in front of the avians. "Besides, it's not like I'm
interrupting something that would take so long."
	"How dare you."
	"I'm Margot's friend, Drake. She tells me everything." The rat cut the snobbish
duck, who grumbled something under his breath. "Anyway, I don't want to talk with you,
Drakey, but with Nigel. I need certain information about some business deals you do for
your uncle here in Acme Acres."
	"My businesses are private ones, rodent." Nigel growled, and then snapped his
fingers, making two large dog bodyguards on black suits to appear from nowhere. "Boys,
please show the exit to the lovely lady."
	The dogs extended their arms to grab Rhubella, who didn't move an inch and gave
them a bored look.
	SWISH!
	SWISH!
	THUK!
	THUK!
	Nigel, as well as Drake and the swans, wide opened their eyes in surprise. The
bodyguards were now hanging from the wall behind them, thanks to something that made
contact on their suits' collars.
	"Are those arrows?" Jasmine asked, finally getting back her voice.
	"Yes. and there's the archer." Rhubella pointed over her shoulder. At the door, and
still holding her bow in a shooting position, was a red-haired duckette using a large
purple shirt with a huge Q symbol on it, as well as purple mask, gloves and clothing
shoes, and green and purple cape and Robin Hood-like hat. She was also carrying on her
back a quiver, filled up with several trick and conventional arrows.
	"I'm the Arrow that Strikes in the Night. I'm the shot that never misses. I'm. The
Quiverwing Quack!"
	"Q. Q. Quiverwing?" Nigel gulped in fear. "You mean. Darkwing Duck's pupil?"
	"That's right, Mister Silverbill." Gosalyn talked on her practiced superheroic
voice, a little deeper and more menacing than normal, while advancing through the room,
making the swans and Drake to move aside, leaving Nigel alone in front of her and Ruby.
"I see certain familiar resemblance on you, especially with that beak. I suppose Miss Rat
was right when telling me to come here."
	"B. but. you can't be Quiverwing!" Nigel exclaimed in panic. "You are supposed
to live in Saint Canard, not here!"
	"And so Darkwing, and that hadn't stopped him from chasing your uncle all
around the world." Quiverwing commented.
	"This is a trick! You're one of Rhubella's friends in disguise!"

	"Maybe. and maybe the same applies for the masked guy at the window."
Quiverwing said in a smug tone, and then, in a perfect cue, a large shadow fell over
Nigel; the toon projecting it seemed to be using a cape and a large fedora. Nigel turned at
the window, but saw nothing.
	"Let's see if we understand each other." Ruby talked in her best business voice,
"You can assume she is the real Quiverwing giving you a chance to cooperate with the
investigation she and Darkwing are currently working on without him interrogating you,
and then you can finish this the same way you and Drake do with all your girls. fast and
painless," Rhubella then switched to a more aggressive tone, "or you can keep thinking
she is a fake, in which case we'll leave the room, and allow HIM to have a chat with both
of you. He wouldn't mind giving Danforth some warning so he doesn't even consider
about visiting my friend's Margot, who happens to be the cousin of his sidekick's best
friend."
	"Tell her what she wants, please!" Drake begged to the chicken, getting a terrified
look.
	"Fine, I'll talk! What do you girls want?" Nigel finally gave up. Quiverwing
grabbed him by his collar and talked in soft yet firm way.
	"We want to know if any outsider criminal has arrived to Acme Acres in the last 3
months. Also, if anyone had rented a hiding place, warehouse, or something like that, or
bought some especial items, like lab stuff, high caliber or sophisticated weaponry, electric
equipment, manure, or high tech."
	"Well. curiously, someone has being buying a lot of all those things through some
of my contacts. I don't know who is because everything was done pretty secretly; he paid
in cash, so my associates made no questions." Nigel confessed.
	"And where had those things being delivered?" Quiverwing narrowed her eyes at
Nigel, making him to sweat in fear.
	"A warehouse!" Nigel said while pointing to a desk behind them. "I must have the
address in my agenda."
	Quiverwing released him, and pointed at the desk with her eyes. Nigel dashed to
it, and checked his agenda, ripping a sheet of paper after a few seconds, and giving it to
the heroine in a hurry.
	"Thanks for your cooperation, gentletoon." Quiverwing said to the chicken after
checking the paper, and then placed it in her body pocket. "Guess I should leave now; you
don't need to escort me. I know my way out." The duckette blinked an eye to Rhubella,
and then walked to the window. The girl opened it, and, after getting a dramatic posture,
jumped out, disappearing from sight in a moment.
	"I'll better go as well. Good to see you guys again." Ruby said in a mockery tone,
and then directed to the door.
	"You stupid traitor." Drake groaned in a low tone, but, unfortunately for him,
Ruby could hear him. The rat stopped, and, without moving an inch from her place,
stretched her tail until it was as long as a whip. A moment later, the tail acted like a lasso,
grabbing the duck by his neck, and then Ruby made a hips' movement, sending Drake the
other side of the room and smashing him against a wall.
	"It's amazing what you can learn at Acme after just a few months, don't you
think?" Ruby said in a snobbish way, and then exited the room while her tail returned to
its normal size.
	"That's my girl." A very proud Wally, who saw the whole scene alongside
Gosalyn, hidden on some bushes outside the window, commented to the little avian.
	"Yeah, and we played a great classic scene; she, the bad cop; me, the worse one."
Quiverwing chuckled while pointing at herself. "And you do a very nice impersonation of
Darkwing, Wally. Now, let's go check this address before calling the others."
	Wally nodded to the girl, and then they dashed to the club's entrance to wait for
Rhubella.

	Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	Meanwhile, the search by scent continued all around the city; the search parties
were arranged to have a good nosed toon in company of at least two partners. Loud
Kiddington, Aka Pella and Porky were searching with Fetch, Loud's Labrador; Newt
(who had arrived at the Loo while the search teams were formed, and offered his help as
well) was searching with Slappy and Skippy; Barnyard Dog was with Foghorn Leghorn
and Pepe Le Pew (the skunk, of course, was walking REALLY far behind the dog, so his
stench wouldn't interfere with the canine's job); Taz was with Granny and Petunia;
Charlie Dog with Pete Puma and Fowlmouth; Dizzy with Sneezer and Bosko; Marc
Anthony with Sylvester and Penelope; Arnold with Lola and Honey Bunny; and Byron
Basset with Furrball, Vinnie and Hamton. All of them were looking on the streets, alleys,
and warehouses, focusing on finding the criminals' hide-out.
	Another search party, composed by Hillary, The J.A.M. and Mary was working on
the sewers, all of them wearing protective gloves and boots, and, in Mary's case, who
obviously wasn't using her nose for tracking, a gas mask (sewers don't smell exactly as
roses). Hillary had deduced that it was the best escape route for a villain like The
Liquidator, so she was focusing on finding the way he had used to transport Ronald rather
than his current location, like the other groups, guessing that eventually she would find it
this way. Even if The J.A.M. himself had a very good nose as well, it wasn't as accurate
as a hyena's, so he was allowing Hillary to do most of the search herself, guessing it
would help her as well to focus her anger on something useful.
	"You think she'll be alright?" Mary whispered to her boyfriend while looking at
Hillary, who was walking a few dozen feet in front of them to avoid distractions.
	"I hope so, Mary, I really do." The jaguar sighed. "I understand her being this
angry, I mean, if I were in her place, I would be looking at you like crazy and ready to tear
apart the guy who dared to kidnap you," The J.A.M. paused to give Mary a fond look that
she immediately replied with a little smile, "but there's a difference between anger and
hate. Anyone can get angry, and many times there's a valid reason for that, but hate
consumes you from the inside, and destroys your soul one bit at a time. I've seen it
happen, and it's not a pretty sight." His eyes saddened for a moment as memories of some
close relatives drifted through his head.
	"I can hear the both of you, you know that?"
	Mary and The J.A.M. gulped, realizing that their conversation wasn't exactly
private. Obviously, a hyena's ear is pretty sensitive, especially in a good echoed place like
the sewers.
	"You don't need to worry about me, guys. but thanks for your concern." Hillary
commented, turning back for a moment to give them a little smile, calming her friends
down. She then returned to the matter at hand, but kept talking. "If there's a way to give a
serious beating to a totally water-made guy, I'll find it, and I'm pretty much doing some
major damage to anyone involved in this kidnapping. But, after that, and once I have
Ronnie back at my side, and had sent the guys responsible to an emergency room, I'm not
going to let our relationship get contaminated by hate. Ronald's love is the most valuable
thing in my life, and I wouldn't do a thing that might affect it in any way. And, if Iget
blinded by hate, I'm counting on you two to keep me sane."
	"You know we have your back covered, Hillary." The J.A.M. commented in a
serious yet relieved tone. "And. it's quite impressive how well you are managing this."
	"Well, crying time is over for me, J.A.M." The hyena replied while taking a deep
breath and closing her eyes in concentration, "Now, it's time for action, and getting my
better half back with me and his family."
	Hillary stopped talking then, and got thoughtful expression. The hyena froze on
the spot, making her friends to stop talking and keep silence as well guessing she might
have found something. The hyena took a second, deeper breath and, after a couple of
seconds, opened her eyes and started moving, slowly accelerating her steps.
	"This smell... it's so strong, and yet so soft." The hyena said softly, sensing a
perfect combination of a feline and a canine's scent that brought back many sweet
memories, "I would recognize it anywhere!" Hillary exclaimed. "Only Ronald has a scent
like this. I found him!"
	Hillary sprinted, following her nose. The jaguar and the human girl nodded to
each other, and then she jumped on the feline's arms. The jaguar's feet made a spinning
action, and then dashed in the direction the hyena was heading, trusting her nose and
instincts to locate their friend; the jaguar even used some warping to follow the hyena but
kept his distance to not disturbing her tracking.

	Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	"Like, stop, Fifi. This is useless, or some junk."
	Fifi sighed, and parked her Cadillac, as Shirley requested. The loon had tried to
use her powers at home, but the evil vibes she had been feeling still blocked her psychic
senses, so she couldn't locate Ronald after an hour trying, despite having his football
uniform to help her focus. Fifi, who had been with her to give the avian company, and
was told by her about her recent problems with her powers, suggested a more active
search, driving around the city so the blonde could, probably, pick Ronald's vibes if they
happened to get closer. Unfortunately, it seemed the plan wasn't working, since Shirley
now was getting a pretty tired expression without making progress.
	"Shirley, you have to clear vour mind." The skunk said to the loon in a concerned
tone. "Zis way vou are just exhauszing vourself, and vou aren't useful for zhe search like
zhis. Besides, moi am gezzing worried about vou."
	"I KNOW!" Shirley snapped at the mammal, who moved back in surprise. Shirley
calmed herself, and continued in a gentler tone. "Like, sorry, Feef, but this is frustrating,
or some junk. I know my powers have limitations, but I should be able to do this. and I
don't know if I'll be able to look at Hillary, Rita, Runt and Minerva at the eye again if I
can't. They're counting with me, Fifi. and I'm failing miserably, to all of them, to Ronald,
and even myself." Shirley couldn't hold back a few tears, and looked down at the uniform
on her lap. She had always been proud of how her special skills had been useful in the
past to help her friends, and now that one of them was in a major problem, she was as
useless as a camel in Alaska.
	"Shirley, maybe moi can make a suggestion." Fifi adopted a thoughtful
expression, and then talked in a soft and calming tone. "Vou know zhat, when moi get
excited, I can't avoid releasing mon fumes, and zhe scent is pretty szrong, right?" Fifi
paused, and, after noticing Shirley's nodding, continued. "Well, Cal couldn't szand it at
first, but now he can do it very well, and even likes it. When moi asked him how he could
do zhat, he zold moi zhat, every zime zhe scent is getting hard to szand, he just needs to
concentrate on something zhat keeps his mind away from his nose; he claims zhat he
always focus on moi and our good zimes zogether, and zhat's more powerful than any
szench." Fifi blushed a little at the last part, making Shirley to get her first real smile
(even if just a little one) since Ronald disappeared.
	"Moi have no idea about how vour powers work, Shirley, but it seems vou are
having a similar problem; how vou can focus on something when a powerful external
force is getting on vour way? Simple; don't focus just on Ronald's vibes, but in everything
vou know about him. His voice, his relationship with Hillary, any nice memory vou might
have concerning him."
	Shirley wide opened her eyes, and gave Fifi an impressed look. The skunk wasn't
famous for being a highly intelligent toon, but the loon knew she wasn't exactly an
airhead either; her friend was an avid reader (mainly romantic novels, but reader at the
end), and had a pretty wide general culture.
	"Like, that's brilliant, Feef! It might work!"
	"Well, vou don't zhink a genius like Cal would fall for moi if I were just another
pretty face, right?" Fifi got a proud expression, and then rubbed her chin. "Of course, it
doesn't hurt that moi looks great in a bikini."
	Shirley chuckled at her friend's vanity, knowing it was pretty much Fifi's only
important flaw, especially since she started getting therapy to control the hormonal
impulse that made her chase any creature with a back white stripe. The loon nodded at her
companion, and then adopted her lotus position. Fifi moved a little apart from her,
keeping silence to allow the avian do her job.
	"OhwhataloonIam. OhwhataloonIam. OhwhataloonIam." Shirley recited her
mantra while emptying her mind from anything but whatever involving Ronald. The
conversations they had, his gentle nature, the fights he had in Cartoon Violence, the times
she and some other toons had discovered him making out with Hillary when then thought
nobody was around (including the time they declared their mutual love), him playing at
The Acme Bowl, his mighty roar, the conversations she had with Hillary involving him
on any way, his accident with a few banana cream pies a couple of weeks ago in Cartoon
Props, the fake fight he had with Mary to help her prepare a routine, him carrying Hillary
on his back around the school at times and their first dance, right after The Acme Bowl.
	Suddenly, Shirley got a vision. It was a blurry one, but a vision, no less. The evil
vibes that had been interfering with her powers were still present, but in a more tolerable
level, and now the loon had a general idea about where to go.
	"Fifi, I found him!" Shirley wide opened her eyes, and stood up on the car's seat,
pointing ahead. "Quick, it is right in this direction. it's pretty far, but I'm sure I sensed
Ronald!"
	"Moi knew vou could do it! Put on vour seat bealt, mon ami!" Fifi exclaimed, and
after she and Shirley put on their seatbelts, the skunk turned on the engine and accelerated
as fast as the car could.
	
	XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
	
	-The Mirror Match.

	"Well, this is the address. It certainly qualifies for the basic bad guy's hiding
place." Gosalyn, still on her Quiverwing's identity, jumped down Rhubella's car, giving a
good look to the warehouse in front of her. The warehouse was once among many others,
located on a district in the city's outsides, and a good sized one.
	"I think we got the right information." Wally commented while jumping down
from the car as well, and taking a good sniffing. "I can smell a little of Ronald's scent
around here."
	"Which means his captors might be close as well." Rhubella pointed, getting a
concerned expression, and looking around them, searching for any danger. At that
moment, the trio heard noises coming from the manhole behind them.
	"Talking about a perfect cue," Quiverwing took out one of her arrows, and aimed
at the manhole, while Rhubella placed behind Wally, on a fighting stance, and the wolf
stood on four, ready to pounce on any enemy.
	"What are you guys doing here?" Hillary said in amazement the moment her head
emerged, making the other toons to sigh in relief.
	"We found out that Ronald might be around here, Hillary." Wally explained while
helping her out. "I suppose your nose told you the same."
	"Guess we now have 2 strong points to confirm our friend's location." The J.A.M.
said while emerging right behind Mary, both getting Wally's help as well.
	"And you got something more." Rhubella said while waving her paw in front of
her nose. "Hadn't smelled something this disgusting since the last time I was at Perfecto's
dressing rooms and the maid was sick."
	"Allow me; I don't want our enemies to discover us by that scent." Quiverwing
said while taking a spray can out from her body pocket, and using it on the hyena, jaguar,
and human girl.
	"Nice job, Gos. I mean, Quiv." Mary said while removing her gas mask, and
smelling at herself. "What kind of spray is that?"
	"It's something Honker invented for me and Darkwing in case we ever have
accidents with the stench gas' bombs." Quiverwing explained. "Now, we'll better contact
our friends while two of us check this warehouse, just to be sure."
	"Wait. Someone is coming this way." The jaguar said while moving one of his
ears on the direction he heard a vehicle coming. Wally heard it as well, and got an alert
expression, but both predators relaxed in a moment.
	"Don't worry, girls. We are getting more help." Wally commented, and a few
moments later Fifi's Cadillac became visible. The skunkette parked her car next to
Ruby's, and she and Shirley jumped down.
	"I guess this means your psychic senses are working again, Shirley." Hillary
directed to the avian.
	"As well as your noses and Gosalyn's detective skills, I suppose." Shirley
shrugged. "Actually, I'm not at my top yet, but, since all of you are here as well, it seems I
was right."
	"Okay, enough talking. I'm going in." Hillary, getting a serious face, directed to
the warehouse, but was stopped by The J.A.M. grabbing her shirt.
	"Wait, Hillary, you can't just go inside like that. Remember, we are talking about
Ronald's life here." The jaguar said in a calm tone, making Hillary to relax a little but
conserved her stern look.
	"That's right, pal. Here's is what we are going to do." Quiverwing took control,
getting everyone's attention. "These warehouses surely might mess with our cell phones'
signal, and my communication sphere only works to contact Darkwing, Honker, Morgana
or my dad, so we need someone to go and bring help; since we also need the cars to
disappear, I suggest both Fifi and Ruby drive away from here and get the cavalry."
	The skunk and rat hesitated a moment, since they wanted to help as much as
possible with the rescue, but recognized Gosalyn had more experience in crime fighting,
so finally agreed.
	"Now, we need to sneak inside the warehouse as quietly as possible. The J.A.M.
and I are the best for this, since he is naturally good at stealth, and I'm trained for that."
The avian and the jaguar nodded to each other. "Then, after we give the place a good
look, the rest of you will enter as well." Hillary, Shirley, Mary, and Wally agreed,
realizing it was the best course of action.
	Ruby gave Wally a deep kiss right before she and Fifi ran back to their cars, and
both girls wished their friends good luck. Once they left, Gosalyn shot a grappling hook-
arrow to the top of the warehouse, while the jaguar (after getting a kiss from Mary as
well), warped the other side of the building. The duckette climbed on top in a moment,
while the feline used his claws the same way a mountain climber uses pikes, and, in a
Spiderman-like style, climbed his side of the warehouse, joining Gosalyn shortly later.
	Quiverwing and The J.A.M. found an air vent, and, by using a rope, they
descended into the warehouse. The feline, thanks to his night vision, could see in the dark
building without problems, confirming they were alone; actually, besides a few crates
here and there, the place was as much as empty. Gosalyn turned on a little lantern, and
found out the light switch and the main door, secured with a huge lock. The jaguar made
a quick job on it, thanks to a good paw hit, and then opened the door while Gosalyn
turned on the lights.
	"This is weird." Hillary commented while entering the building. "Ronald's scent is
quite strong in this place, and very fresh. He should be here." The hyena groaned in
frustration.
	"Many villains have trap or secret doors in their hideouts." Gosalyn commented
while rubbing her beak. "Start searching around the place." The J.A.M., Hillary, and
Wally started sniffing around, and Shirley tried to focus her powers to help as well, while
Mary and Gosalyn made a more old-fashioned search by touch and observation.
	"Like, I don't like this. The evil vibes suddenly became much stronger. it's
messing with my powers again, or some junk." Shirley said to no one in particular. The
good thing about this, of course, was that it meant the kidnappers were pretty close;
obviously, this was also a bad thing.
	"I smell something from under these crates." Wally commented, sniffing at some
crates almost at the center of the building. "I need some help here."
	Hillary dashed next to the wolf, and they both started moving apart the crates,
finding a large trap door under them. Right before they could call their friends to tell them
about it, the door started shaking, and making a buzzing sound.
	"Everybody, stay alert and be ready!" Quiverwing exclaimed as she and other
toons got fighting stances. Then, the door opened, and a platform covered with dirt
emerged from it; the most curious thing was that there were exactly six large watermelons
on the platform.
	"What's this? It's a welcome fruit salad or something?" Mary rubbed her head in
confusion. Gosalyn, however, became tenser, and narrowed her eyes.
	"Don't get distracted! Those plants can be a lethal weapon!"
	Before anyone could say a thing about the duckette's weird statement, the
watermelons started shaking, and, a moment later, they cracked, releasing a green slimy
substance. A couple of seconds later, there were six little slime columns, that quickly
solidified and took form. The toons gasped when realizing each column had become an
exact green duplicate of one of them, and gulped when they got an evil look and started
moving; to make things worse, in a perfect cue, a thick steel door fell over the already
open one, trapping the toons with the clones for good.
	"Evil clones?" Wally finally got his voice back, "Talking about cliched plots!"
	"It's not so cliched when it happens to you!" Quiverwing groaned, and then shot a
net arrow against the clones. Unfortunately, Shirley's clone stopped it on mid air just by
extending a wing on its direction, and then destroyed the arrow with a psychic lightning.
	"They have our skills. okay, that's bad." Hillary gasped right before her clone
dashed against her, almost punching the hyena's head.
	WARP!
	UNWARP!
	"ZACATEPONGOLAS!" The J.A.M. exclaimed while ducking to avoid a
dashing claw attack from his warping clone. Mary and Wally were attacked by their
clones in a physical way as well, while Shirley and Quiverwing were attacked at a
distance via psychic lightning and trick arrows, respectively. In a split second, each toon
and his/her clone got into a personal match, paying almost no attention to the others.
	Shirley made a quick mind scanning of the clones, realizing they had actually no
conscience, but apparently that didn't stop them from having each toon's skill and
strength. The loon levitated just in time to avoid another psychic lightning attack, and
replied with one of her own. The Shirley-Clone protected herself with a psychic shield,
and then levitated a crate next to her to throw it against Shirley. The blonde destroyed the
crate (which contained a lot of light bulbs, by the way) with a psychic blast, and then
picked up the broken bulbs with her telekinesis, sending them against the clone. The
duplicate replied by levitating as well to avoid them, and then threw a large blast against
Shirley, who attacked back the same way; the blasts met each other, and the loons got
stuck in a power-to-power struggle.
	Wally blocked a sharp kick from his clone, and replied with a fast punch. The
wolf-clone avoided the attack and then tried to bite Wally's neck, who stepped back just
in time to avoid his jaws. Wally threw another punch against his clone, but he caught the
fist and made a judo toss on Wally, sending him over his shoulder and against the floor;
Wally reacted by rolling the moment he touched the floor, and stood up just in time to
catch a kick and twist the clone's ankle, sending him over his back. The clone then stood
on four and tried to bite Wally again, who jumped back to avoid him and then pounced
over the clone to try submitting him with a wrestling grapple; unfortunately, Wally-Clone
knew that move, and released himself, hitting Wally's back in the process. The clone
stood up and spin-changed into one of Wally's favorite impersonations, El Kabong, and
attacked Wally with his guitar. Wally ducked to avoid the hit and spin-changed into El
Kabong as well, starting a guitar sword-like battle with his duplicate.
	Hillary and her clone were practically stuck on their match, since virtually every
punch or kick one tried on the other got blocked or dodged. Hillary tried to grab her
opponent on a head lock, but the hyena's clone avoided it and tried kicking Hillary's legs;
the hyena jumped to avoid that attack, and then made her classic hammer-like fists move,
in an attempt to knock out her enemy. Hillary-Clone blocked the attack crossing her arms
in front of her, stopping the fists with her bracelets; then, she threw a kick against Hillary,
but she blocked that attack too by raising her knee. The hyenas jumped back, and then
attacked each other with a savage punch, both of them connecting with her opponent's
low jaw. The fighters shook their heads, and then adopted wrestling positions; a moment
later, they were holding each other's paws, their muscles tensed to the max, getting stuck
in a strength test while one hyena tried to twist the other's wrists, bite her neck, or
push/pull her enemy apart to surprise her with a grappling move.
	WARP!
	The J.A.M. disappeared to avoid a direct kick to his chin.
	UNWARP!
	The jaguar reappeared behind his clone, and tried to apply his sleeper grip on him.
	WARP!
	The clone avoided the attack.
	UNWARP!
	The clone grabbed The J.A.M. in a full-Nelson. The J.A.M. growled, and tensed
his muscles.
	WARP!
	The J.A.M.-Clone warped just in time to avoid The Feline Defense Spin, the
jaguar trademark way to escape from a tight grappling.
	UNWARP!
	The clone reappeared behind a crate, and lifted it to drop it on The J.A.M.'s head.
	WARP!
	The J.A.M. avoided the crate.
	UNWARP!
	The jaguar reappeared a few feet over his clone, extending his claws to get him.
	WARP!
	The clone disappeared right before The J.A.M. could catch him.
	UNWARP!
	The clone tried to rip The J.A.M.'s throat with his right paw's claws, but the feline
could block the attack and reply with one of his own, that got blocked as well. The clone
jumped back, snarling, and extending all his claws.
	"I had no idea I looked that scary when furious!" The J.A.M. said to himself while
adopting a fighting position as well, right before he and his clone returned to warp and
un-warp all around the warehouse.
	Quiverwing and her clone got involved in an aiming battle. Each time the heroine
shot an arrow against her enemy, she stopped it with one of her own; Gos' explosive
arrow was intercepted by a glue one; the clone's arrow net got cut by a saw one; a bola
arrow was avoided by Quiverwing, who replied with a stunning one, that couldn't connect
because the clone protected herself jumping behind a crate; the clone shot two explosive
arrows against her enemy, who stopped one with a freezing arrow, and avoided the other
by mere inches. Quiverwing then put her bow on her back, and dashed against her clone,
and, once she avoided a regular pointy arrow, jumped on top of her with a double kick,
trying to knock her out. Quiverwing-Clone blocked the attack with her wrists, and rolled
over to gain some distance and attack Quiverwing when she touched the floor. The clone
used her bow in a fighting staff-like way, almost hitting Gosalyn's head, and then threw
several attacks to her body; the heroine took out her bow and used it the same way,
exchanging staff-blows and fast kicks with her enemy, blocking and avoiding a lot more
than they received.
	Mary received a good uppercut from her clone, but took the chance to grab her
wrist and, once she had her enemy secured, gave her a sharp punch on the cheek. The
clone growled and replied with a fast spinning move to break Mary's grip, and then threw
a jab against the girl. Mary blocked that attack, and threw a direct punch to her clone's
head, that was dodged, and Mary hardly could avoid another uppercut. The clone got an
evil smirk, and then spin-changed into Mary's regular skater outfit, complete with
protective gear, and tried to kick Mary with her skated feet. Mary blocked the kick and
pulled her enemy's leg, trying to make her to slip, but the clone was quite agile and kept
her balance while trying to kick Mary with her other foot. Mary realized that her clone
now had an important speed advantage, and made a fast spin-change of her own, getting
the skater outfit to fight the duplicate back. The two girls exchanged a fast series of
punches, and then started skating around the warehouse, trying to hit each other at high
speed.
	"This is a no-win situation!" Gosalyn thought while blocking another of her
clone's attacks. "Even if we defeat our duplicates, at this rate we'll be totally wasted when
finding Ronald, and Sparky and company aren't going to be a piece of cake. And if there
are more of these clones, then the cavalry will have a tough time as well!" The duckette
then gave a fast glance to her companions, and had an idea; she made a flip-back jump to
separate from her clone, and took out a freezing arrow. Quiverwing made her shot, that
missed her clone because she made a cartwheel to avoid it.
	CHILL!
	. but hit Mary's clone instead, freezing her legs right when she was moving at her
top speed. The girl couldn't stop, and hit the closest warehouse's wall, head first, getting
knocked out.
	"Mary, we can't waste time fighting our duplicates! We have to exchange them!"
Gosalyn yelled to the Afro-American while avoiding an electric arrow. Mary nodded in
reply, and made a dash against the loons, jumping a few feet in the air to grab Shirley's
clone, breaking the psychic struggle. The clone and the human rolled on the floor, getting
apart from each other, and then Shirley-Clone threw a psychic lightning against Mary,
giving her. not even a single scratch. Surprised, the clone summoned all her force to
attack again, but, before she could do it, Mary gave her a powerful punch at her beak,
sending the cloned-avian several feet in the air, and, when she descended, received her
with a kangaroo-style kick, impacting the loon against some nearby crates.
	Shirley realized Mary and Gosalyn's plan, and looked around to find a new target
while her clone pretty much became Mary's punching bag. The human girl, just like her
boyfriend, had a strong protection against magic, so Shirley-Clone's attacks were totally
useless, and, in a totally physical confrontation, Mary was strong and skilled enough to
beat ten Shirley's duplicates.
	UNWARP!
	The J.A.M.-Clone grabbed the original's wrists, and opened his jaws to break his
enemy's neck with a well placed bite, when he froze on the spot and released his prey.
The J.A.M. got a surprised expression until noticing Shirley extending her wings at the
clone's direction; since the magical protection came from a very strong faith, and that's
not linked to the skills or the strength, the clone lacked it, so was vulnerable to Shirley's
power.
	"Like, I'll handle him, J.A.M.! You go help Hillary, or some junk!" The loon said
to the jaguar, who thanked her in a hurry and warped next to the hyenas. The jaguar
placed himself behind the clone, and applied her Vulcan-like grip on her while using his
free paw to attack a pressure point of the duplicate's shoulder and make her left arm lose
its strength; Hillary-Clone tried to defend herself, but her paws were still being held by
Hillary's, so couldn't fight back and started losing conscience. On the meantime, Shirley
focused all her might on the jaguar-clone's body, and zapped him with enough force to
light on a regular house for a year, knocking him out.
	Once the jaguar pretty much dominated her clone by himself, Hillary separated
from them and charged against Wally's duplicate. The wolf-clone attacked her with his
guitar, but Hillary smashed it with a single punch; then, she grabbed the canine-clone by
his shoulders and threw him apart from Wally, who immediately turned his attention to
Quiverwing and her clone. While Hillary exchanged a series of furious blows with his
clone, Wally spin-changed back to normal, and, howling, dashed against the duckette's
duplicate. Quiverwing-Clone, who was aiming at the original with an exploding arrow,
heard the canine, and used her weapon against him instead; this was exactly what Wally
wanted. The wolf took a deep breath, and, a split second before the arrow could hit him,
he blew with his hurricane-like breath, sending the explosive back against the clone.
	BOOOOM!
	Quiverwing got a big grin when her dizzy clone fainted, totally blackened by the
explosion. At that moment, a mighty wind invaded the whole warehouse, making her and
her already victorious friends to lay chest first to avoid being carried away, and turn their
attention to Hillary's battle with Wally-Clone.
	The hyena was receiving the whole power of the hurricane-like wind produced by
the wolf-clone's mighty lungs. Fortunately, she and Wally had already faced once in
Cartoon Violence, so Hillary knew how to fight back this attack; she focused all her
might on her legs while crossing her arms in front of herself to break some of the wind's
force, and, making an effort to keep her balance, advanced slowly towards the clone. The
moment she was at the right distance, the hyena extended both her paws and grabbed the
clone's muzzle, cutting the wind, and then surprised him with a mighty knee impact on
the guts. The canine-clone lost his breath totally, and before he could recover, Hillary
lifted him over her head, and placed him on her shoulders, getting the clone on a
wrestling move with one of her arms on his chin and the other at one knee, pressing his
back against the hyena's shoulders and head, making him howl in pain and his back to
make cracking noises. Hillary finished the fight by lifting the clone again, and, throwing
him as high as she could; then, when he was still at a good height, the girl jumped and
grabbed him by the waist, and used her full strength and combined weight to impact him
head first, sending a shockwave through the whole warehouse because of the hit's force.
	"Remind me to never make that girl angry." Wally, very impressed and slightly
afraid, whispered to Quiverwing, who nodded in reply without losing sight of Hillary and
the knocked out clone at her feet.
	"I've heard that the worst enemy you can have is yourself, but never thought about
it literally." The J.A.M. sighed in relief while rubbing his forehead to get rid of some
sweat.
	"I know what you mean, J.A.M.; never imagined I was that tough." Mary said to
her boyfriend while skating next to him, carrying the unconscious loon-clone and looking
a little tired as well. Then, the human directed her attention to the clone on her arms, and
gasped.
	"Hey, she is breaking apart!" Mary gasped, making everyone to look at her and
Shirley-Clone. As she claimed, the loon's body was cracking while getting paler by the
second. Wally then pointed at the other clones, all of them on a similar situation, and, less
than twenty seconds later, they turned into dust.
	"Like, can someone explain what happened here, or some junk?" Shirley
exclaimed, confused. Everybody looked at Quiverwing with puzzled expressions.
	"Well, neither Liquidator nor Megavolt has the skills or knowledge to create
clones, but this confirms what I feared; they aren't working alone. And I know one villain
who can do the most amazing things with the simplest flower." Gosalyn rubbed her beak
in thought, and then directed to the platform where the clones emerged.
	"Anyway, now it's obvious that Ronald and his captors are right under our feet, or
paws, or whatever. And that platform is our entrance." Quiverwing pointed; the other
toons moved next to the platform, and then all of them took a mallet out from his/her
body pocket.
	CRAAAACK!
	The platform broke because of the six mallets' impact, revealing a large and dark
basement. Quiverwing shot a flare arrow to the bottom to get some illumination, and then
took out three of her hook arrows with ropes attached; after securing them to the edge of
the trap door, she and the other toons descended.
	The moment Shirley touched the basement floor, she got a blank expression, quite
similar to the one she had at the Loo right before Liquidator's attack, and, a second later,
grabbed her head's sides and cried in pain.
	"Oh, my. Shirley, are you okay?" Wally asked the loon in a very concerned tone.
The other toons got worried expressions as well. At that moment, they heard several
voices coming from the darkness around them.
	"Do you have a sudden headache? Problems to concentrate? Then come and visit
the Fearsome Hideout to get a permanent treatment."
	"Oh, yeah! We can arrange that by cutting her head off!"
	"That's not nice, Mister Banana Brain. but surely is funny!"
	"Not as funny as giving them a shock therapy."
	"Or we can use them as organic fertilizer. Power to the plants, that's what I say!"
	"Cool down, boys. We'll have enough time to decide their imminent and painfully
agonizing fates in a moment."
	Quiverwing gasped, recognizing the voices. At that moment, the basement's lights
turned on, and the six toons found themselves in the middle of a deep pit. Right over
them, they could see their enemies; a dog made entirely of water; a duck with a wacky
expression, large beak and huge teeth wearing a buffoon disguise and holding a banana-
faced puppet; a rodent-like guy with a yellow jumpsuit, a plug-like hat/helmet, blue thick
gloves and boots, a large battery strapped to his back, and a large socket on his chest; a
duck so green it would make Plucky envious, with large wine-like arms, leaves-shaped
hands, a purple petal-like hairdo, and brown root-like legs; and, finally, in the middle of
them and showing a sinister look, a duck who liked exactly like Darkwing but with a
different colored outfit, consisting on black and red cape, red fedora and turtleneck, and a
yellow Thirties-style jacket with black buttons.
	"Well, well, Quiverwing, aren't you going to introduce us to your friends?" The
sinister looking duck said in a mocking tone. "Doesn't Dipwing teach you manners, young
lady? What a shame."
	Quiverwing growled at the comment, but before she could reply, Shirley moved in
front of her, and got an extremely pale look (and that's a lot, considering her feathers are
white) while looking right at the mocking villain.
	"Like. you are the one I had been sensing!" Shirley exclaimed in anger and fear.
"YOU ARE PURE NEGATIVE ENERGY! LIKE, AN INCARNATION OF EVIL, OR
SOME JUNK!" The loon's companions gasped at her words; the last time she used that
tone, it was when her powers failed at trying to read the jaguar and his friends' minds, and
even then she didn't sound that scared or furious.
	"Oh, you know, flattering isn't going to save you, missy. but it's appreciated." The
duck chuckled evilly. Shirley's companions looked at him; even if, besides Gosalyn, of
course, this was the first time they saw any of these villains, the duck's cruel and ruthless
nature was evident to all of them.
	"Shut up, Negaduck!" Quiverwing finally snapped at him. "If you want me to talk
to accelerate this nonsense, then I'll do it," the duckette turned at her companions, and
pointed at the villains, "Pals, here are The Fearsome Five, or The Bozo Squad, as
Darkwing and I like calling them; you can call them Licky, Quaky, Sparky, Bushy, and
Negs."
	"Don't call me Sparky!" The rodent yelled in anger, making some sparkles appear
around his head. "My name is." the villain got a puzzled expression, and started rubbing
his nose, ". my name is. don't tell me, I know that one. Just give me a minute."
	"You're Megavolt, dummy!" The buffoon duck said to him through his puppet.
"And I'm Mister Banana Brain, and over here is my friend Quackerjack."
	"Thanks, Mister Banana Brain." Quackerjack replied to his puppet in his normal
(at least, for him) tone. "And over here are Bushroot."
	"You can call me Reggie as well, if you want."
	". and Liquidator."
	"Your school needs a major cleaning? Had you always dreamed with an indoor
river? Then, look no more, and, for a professional job, call the one and only Liquidator."
	Hillary growled softly and scowled at the water-made dog. If looks could kill,
Liquidator would be frozen, beaten, squished, blasted, diced, destroyed, turned into a
ghost, and then killed again by now.
	"And of course, you already know me. but you made a little mistake, Quiverwing
darling." Negaduck said in a fake gentle tone. "We are no longer The Fearsome Five. but
The Fearsome Six."
	"I like the new name better, Mister Negaduck." A voice was heard from behind
the five villains, and then a tall human toon, with a wacky black hairdo, glasses, and a lab
coat approached the group.
	Quiverwing, The J.A.M., Hillary and Wally got puzzled expressions, ignoring the
guy's identity, but Shirley and Mary recognized him from some chats with Buster, Babs,
Hamton, and, in the case of Shirley, Plucky as well. The girls looked at the man, and got
stern expressions.
	"Doctor Gene Splicer."
	
	XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
	
	-The Fearsome Plot.

	"Well, it seems I'm more famous than I thought." Splicer chuckled. Hillary
growled under her breath, and snapped at the villains.
	"No more chatting, you maniacs! I want my boyfriend back or else I'm tearing you
apart like wet toilet paper!"
	"Not a very valid threat in my case, dear." The Liquidator shrugged, making the
hyena to snarl at him. Gosalyn cooled her down a little, and then directed to Mary and
Shirley.
	"You girls know that guy?"
	"Not personally, but yes, we do." Mary explained without losing sight of Splicer,
while Shirley kept her angry staring at Negaduck. "He used to work at Acme Labs, and
got fired because of his dangerous and unethical animal experimentation. He then
continued it by his own, but Buster, Babs, Hamton and Plucky stopped him; if I
remember right, you got a chicken's body."
	"I got better," Splicer replied in a casual tone, "and in more than one way. Mister
Negaduck here made me a pretty generous job offer; in exchange of my abilities and
work, he is providing me with pretty interesting raw material for my experiments."
	"The clones that attacked us are your doing, right?" The J.A.M., stunned at the
man's freaky and dangerous use of science, directed to him as well.
	"Not completely, but yes." Splicer explained. "Normally, clones so perfectly done
would take me a long time to get ready, but, with Doctor Bushroot's tissue samples, and
some help from him as well, we could create a watermelon that can produce a perfect
duplicate of any toon in a few hours. Of course, when you arrived at the warehouse, we
needed them done before time, which is the reason they turned into dust after a few
minutes, but since my duck-plant colleague can control plants and make them move or
grow immediately, we can make instant clones in case of emergency."
	"That explains the clones' bodies, but how they got the clothing or Quiverwing's
arrows?" Wally asked.
	"The story's rating and a plot hole," The villains chorused.
	"But you needed DNA samples from all of us to do that!" Mary pointed, slightly
scared about the possible answer.
	"Ah, but we got them." Negaduck said in his raspy yet calm tone. "You see, the
reason we came to Acme Acres on first place was, of course, to get Splicer's help to
create a clone army and use it to establish my own criminal empire, one that would make
F.O.W.L. envious and S.H.U.S.H. to shake in fear. However, when good old doc here
told us about the special skills you guys develop at your college and some pretty useful of
your own, I decided that, instead of cloning some mercenaries and other criminals I was
planning to use, you would be a better choice."
	"Someone here watched Episode II too many times." The J.A.M. said to nobody in
particular.
	"My clown companion," Negaduck pointed casually to Quackerjack, "designed
mechanical birds with camera eyes that allowed me to analyze you and your classmates at
a distance, and I got pretty impressed by your talents. Once I made a selection,
Quackerjack used the same birds to pick up several tissue samples, namely fur, hair, and
feathers, from your gym's dressing rooms, classrooms' seats, and even from some
bedrooms; right now, besides the six of you, we also have samples from the Tasmanian
devils, the pink rabbit, the pitbull, the roadrunners, that fast feet's mouse, the old squirrel,
the coyotes, the skunkette, and even from the rabbit in charge, and a few more I don't
remember right now."
	The six toons at the pit got shocked expressions. Their clones were really hard to
beat, and, if The Fearsome Six had so many duplicating choices, and the ways to do it
pretty fast, Negaduck would lead an almost unstoppable force.
	"Ah, you just realized the magnitude of my little project, uh?" Negaduck said,
guessing what his victims were thinking. "If not, let me draw you a nice picture; rabbits
tunneling inside every jewelry store in the country and outsmarting detectives; mice and
birds that can outrun any patrol car; an elite group of assassin jaguars and human girls to
eliminate my competitors; super strong hyenas and pitbulls creating havoc in police
stations; a large pack of spin-changing wolves committing terrorism acts in my name and
assaulting armored cars; furry tornadoes breaking through Fort Knox's walls while an
squad of skunkettes and archer duckettes eliminate the guards at a distance, and
telekinetic loons levitate the gold out; super-smart coyotes designing my weaponry;
buildings and bridges demolished by my explosives' expert squirrels; possibilities are
endless!"
	"You monster." Shirley clenched her fists while summoning enough force to
attack the duck, but, unfortunately, being so close to him messed with her powers even
more, so her attacking techniques were pretty much useless at the moment.
	"And, of course, I'll keep experimenting with my samples to improve our army's
abilities." Splicer commented. "It will be very easy now that Mister Negaduck gave me
what I wanted the most; Acme Acres most perfect hybrid to experiment with!"
	Splicer snapped his fingers, and, a few seconds later, Ronald appeared at his side.
	"Ronald!" Hillary yelled at her boyfriend, showing both fear and happiness.
"Ronnie, are you okay?"
	"Sorry, but he's not home." Quackerjack said to the hyena while walking next to
Ronald, poking his chest. "You see, Doc here told us that some of his experiments turned
against him in the past, so Megavolt and I modified one of our old inventions so our pal
here stays in a perfectly obedient state."
	Hillary then noticed Ronald had a dull expression, and was pretty emotionless,
hardly reacting to anything around him. Splicer took a weird gun out from his lab coat,
and, surprising Ronald's friends, shot at him, giving the hybrid a slight shock.
	"Problems with disobedient hostages? Tired of being attacked by the victims of
your experiments? You can stop worrying when getting the last revolutionary gadget from
the weird imagination of Megavolt and Quackerjack. Mister Relaxatron!" Liquidator
talked in his salesman-like voice while pointing at the little gun.
	"A shot from this beauty, and even Darkwing would allow us to rob a bank in
front of his beak." Megavolt proudly explained. "A minor changes, and, by shocking
Furry Boy here a few times a day, he is reduced to a perfect zombie so Doctor Splicer can
experiment and take samples from him without any problem."
	"Ronald." Hillary was almost at the verge of tears, but, as usual, her sadness was
replaced by an equally powerful anger, this time, directed against the mad scientist.
"YOU JERKS KIDNAPPED THE TOON I CARE THE MOST TO PLAY WITH HIS
BRAIN, AND TURN HIM INTO YOUR GUINEA PIG? AAARGH! FIVE MINUTES!"
Hillary practically roared, and Wally and The J.A.M. had to grab her by her arms to try
controlling the now rabid hyena. "JUST GIVE ME FIVE MINUTES ALONE WITH
THAT DOCTOR! IT'S ALL I ASK! I'M TEARING HIM IN PIECES! I'LL BREAK
EVERY SINGLE BONE OF HIS BODY! YOU HEAR ME, SPLICER? YOU'RE
DOOMED!"
	"What a lovely rage!" Negaduck laughed, and then got a sly grin. "But you don't
need to anger that much, hyena. If you want a hybrid, I'm sure good old doctor here will
give you one of his."
	"Oh, yes, certainly, I can." Splicer got a sinister look while taking a remote control
out from his lab coat. "I found some pretty interesting things about this hybrid; for
starters, he had never used his full strength in any fight. The combination of cat and dog's
genes gave him a might much bigger than the sum of his parts, but he always holds back
part of this power because of his morals. Of course, my green version doesn't have any."
	At that moment, a large hidden door opened inside the pit. The toons inside turned
to see steel bars, and, behind it, a green Ronald-Clone, giving them a murderous glare.
Hillary's rage got replaced by shock; she had never seen that anger on the real Ronald.
Her boyfriend, even at his most furious moments, still conserved an almost touchable
goodness glowing from him, evidence of his kind heart. This duplicate lacked that
quality, and, instead of goodness, irradiated pure primal fury that could be sensed even by
non-psychic toons. Wally and The J.A.M., by mere instinct, flattened their ears and got
fighting stances while wagging their tails nervously.
	"This is going to be really fun; a perfect way to test the abilities of the first one of
my personal bodyguards. This one had more time to be ready than the clones you already
faced, so he'll not turn into dust so easily." Negaduck and his companions chuckled, and
then Splicer pressed a button from the remote. The gate opened, and, slowly, the clone
walked out from it; the moment the duplicate was totally into the pit, Splicer pressed the
button again to close back the gate.
	"Shirley, try to zap him before he attacks." Gosalyn whispered to the loon, but
then noticed the blonde was almost at her knees because of the major migraine she was
getting. The duckette sighed. "Okay, we'll do this the hard way."
	The clone's first move was so fast it caught everyone by surprise. Ronald-Clone
dashed at top speed against his enemies, tackling Hillary and sending her against Wally
and The J.A.M.; then, he grabbed Mary and Shirley by their collars, and threw them
several feet away. Quiverwing reacted, and rolled while taking out a net arrow; she
actually caught the duplicate, but he ripped apart the net in a second with his mighty
claws and jaws. The duckette tried shooting another arrow, but the clone kicked her belly
and chest, stunning her, and then gave the girl a powerful punch at her back, taking
Quiverwing out of the fight for the moment.
	Wally and The J.A.M. recovered from the initial attack, and dashed against the
clone, the wolf snarling and the jaguar extending his claws. Wally threw a punch against
his enemy while The J.A.M. tried to claw his face, but the clone blocked both attacks, and
then hit their chests. The clone jumped back, and took a deep breath while the predators
were stunned.
	ROOOOAAAARRRR!
	The clone's roaring was as powerful as the original's, making the canine and the
feline to cringle and cover their ears in pain. The clone smirked, and dashed against his
enemies, hitting their throats with his forearms and slamming them against the floor.
Then, in a professional wrestling-like move, the clone jumped over his back to elbow
both toons on their chests, leaving them breathless. The clone rolled aside them, and
raised a claw to finish his prey.
	Mary jumped on Ronald-Clone's back and got him in a head lock, stopping his
attack. The duplicate moved a few steps back, and then jumped over his back, hitting the
girl against the floor. The clone rolled aside, free from Mary's grip, and tried to claw the
stunned girl, but Hillary blocked that attack by placing her bracelet-protected wrist
between the claw and the girl's throat. Hillary then punched the duplicate with all her
might, stunning him slightly, but, when she was about to do it again, the clone caught her
fist, and twisted the girl's wrist. Ronald-Clone then lifted the girl over his head, and
slammed her down; he then jumped over her, trying to stomp the hyena, but she rolled
away just in time to avoid the attack.
	Hillary stood up and she and the clone exchanged a series of punches and kicks,
while trying to get the other one in a grapple, pretty much like the hyena's fight against
her own duplicate. Hillary, as Ronald's regular sparring partner, knew all his movements
as well as he knew hers, so she was perfectly matched against the clone, but Splicer
wasn't bluffing when saying Ronald-Clone could fight more fiercely and stronger than the
original. Hillary found herself panting while trying to find an opening on the clone's guard
and keep her own guard up.
	CRACK!
	Hillary got a break thanks to a well placed whip attack on the clone's nose,
courtesy of Mary, spin-changed into a lion tamer's outfit. The clone got distracted, and
Hillary took advantage of this to knee him, making her enemy to lean in pain. The hyena
linked her paws together, ready to execute her hammer-like fists attack.
	SPLASH!
	The hyena got surprised by a powerful water-made fist. The clone reacted, and,
while she was distracted, gave Hillary a mighty uppercut, making her to fly a few feet
away.
	"Sorry; I thought you needed a shower." Liquidator said to the dizzy hyena in a
mocking tone.
	The clone turned to face Mary. The girl threw her whip against him, but Ronald-
Clone caught it, and yanked the girl next to him, receiving her with a fierce claw hit.
Mary was sent across the pit, and the hybrid charged against her, ready to finish the girl.
	WARP!
	UNWARP!
	WHAM!
	The hybrid's clone got surprised by a mighty kick from The J.A.M., who appeared
right in front of him. The jaguar then jumped on the clone's back, and applied his sleeper
grip on him; the duplicate tried to grab the feline with his claws, but Wally caught him in
a bear hug, using all his strength so the clone couldn't release himself and the jaguar could
put him to sleep.
	Unfortunately, the thick fur that Ronald inherited from his father was present on
his clone as well, and gave him a good protection against the pressure points' attacks. The
clone tensed his muscles, and then opened aside his arms, releasing from Wally's grip.
The duplicate gave the wolf a good hit on his muzzle, and then grabbed the jaguar by his
collar, throwing him down from his back. The J.A.M. made a gracious spin to land on his
feet, and, after flattening his ears and showing his fangs to the enemy, prepared to execute
a clawing attack.
	ZAAAP!
	The jaguar got a powerful electric shock; since it wasn't a supernatural lightning's
attack, but regular electricity, he got affected as any other toon. Ronald-Clone tackled
him, and, after pinning the jaguar down, started punching him.
	"Do I smell a burning rug?" Megavolt mockingly asked while rubbing his gloved
hands.
	Wally shook his head to recover from Ronald-Clone's attack, and saw him hitting
the jaguar. The wolf spin-changed into his Dyno-Wolf's identity, and extended his
mechanical-like arms, grabbing the duplicate by his shoulders and lifting him several feet
in the air. Unfortunately, at that moment, several small and multi-colored spherical
objects fell at his feet, making him to slip and release his prey that landed safely on his
feet. Dyno-Wolf regained his balance, and tried to attack again, when the spheres started
doing a ticking sound.
	PUM! PUM! PUM! PUM! PUM! PUM!...
	The series of little yet powerful explosions forced Wally back to normal, and,
before he could avoid it, received a mega-kick from Ronald-Clone, sending him against
one the pit's walls.
	"I suppose people are right; I finally lost all my marbles!" Quackerjack laughed
crazily.
	Gosalyn, who had finally recovered her conscience, looked at the fight and at the
toons out of the pit. She knew that, thanks to the occasional assistance from his masters,
the clone was sure to beat all her friends to a pulp, especially with Shirley powerless. The
heroine then had an idea, looking at the moaning loon aside her. Quiverwing crawled next
to her, trying to keep herself undetected by The Fearsome Six.
	"Shirley, hey, girl, can you hear me? Don't talk, just nod a little." Quiverwing
whispered to the blonde, who nodded slightly in reply. "Good. look, I have a plan. I want
you to cover me; if that Relaxatron thing still works the way I remember, I know a way to
take Ronald out of his trance, but I'll have only one chance. Try to separate Ron from the
villains, and I'll do the rest."
	Shirley looked at Gosalyn, and, after getting a stern expression, nodded in reply.
The loon summoned all her remaining psychic power, and stood up, extending her wings
at the villains' direction. It took her a lot of concentration, but gave the villains a good
psychic shove, moving them a few feet away from Ronald. Quiverwing rolled to stand up,
and placed an arrow on her bow, aiming at the hybrid.
	"Clone, stop her!" Negaduck ordered Ronald-Clone, who stopped his attack on
Wally, and dashed against the duckette. He was about to hit her when Hillary tackled him,
and they both rolled away from the avian.
	"Quiverwing, whatever you're going to do, do it now!" Hillary, struggling with the
duplicate, yelled to her friend. Quiverwing narrowed her eyes, and shot her electric arrow
against Ronald.
	SHRAKKLEEE!
	Ronald shook his head, and wide opened his eyes, while Bushroot and Dr Splicer,
who were the closest to him, were sent back by the electric shock.
	"Uh. what happened?" Ronald finally reacted, and immediately got an alert state
at the sight of Quackerjack trying to hit him with a spiked yo-yo. The hybrid avoided the
deadly toy, and gave the jester a powerful punch that sent him against Megavolt, who was
sent against Liquidator and Negaduck as well, producing the infamous water and
electricity's combination.
	YEEEAAAAARRRRRGGGHH!
	The four villains got stunned and fell on their knees. Ronald looked at the pit, and
gasped when looking at his injured friends, and his girlfriend struggling with a green
version of himself. He then remembered the villains mockingly telling him their plans
right before zapping him with the weird ray, and growled in anger.
	"Nobody hurts my friends, especially my girlfriend. NOT EVEN MYSELF!"
Ronald roared furiously, and jumped inside the pit, landing on his feet and charging
against his clone.
	"Take your green paws away from her, Meanie-Me!" Ronald grabbed his
duplicate by the shoulders, and gave him a sharp hit on the jaws. Ronald-Clone was about
to reply the same way when Hillary surprised him with a kick to his guts. Then, Ronald
and Hillary grabbed him by one arm each, and gave him a double knee hit on his sides,
making the clone to cringle in pain.

	"Double Predator Combination, Pretty Puncher?" Ronald grinned to his girl.
	"Welcome back, Big Paw!" Hillary happily replied, and then they both clenched a
fist while using the other paw to grab the clone by the back of his head.
	PUNCH!
	Hillary and Ronald hit the clone's jaw at the same time.
	KNEE!
	The couple forced the duplicate to lean, and double kneed his chest.
	WHACK!
	The couple elbowed the clone's kidneys, and then placed one of his arms over
each one's shoulders. After the couple secured him by grabbing the clone's back fur with
one paw and using the free paw to grab one clone's leg each, the predators jumped several
feet in the air on perfect synchrony.
	KAAWHAAAM!
	The impact was so strong it even made the already stunned heroes and villains to
react, and gasp at the scene. Hillary and Ronald were still holding the duplicate when they
landed, hitting the ground with one knee each, while the clone got the most severe part of
the shockwave through his whole spine; they released him after a few moments, and the
perfectly knocked out duplicate fell on his back. Then, Ronald and Hillary smiled at each
other, and, not caring that everyone could see them, embraced and kissed.
	"Oh, yeah; nothing's like shock therapy to break up the Relaxatron's effects."
Quiverwing commented in a smug tone.
	"Or to break the Relaxatron too" Mary added, noticing that Dr Splicer now was
holding a totally charred piece of junk. Negaduck glared at the toons at the pit, growling
softly.
	"Not bad, kids. but you all seem to forget about being trapped in a pit that is about
to be turned into a deadly pool. LIQUIDATOR, GET THEM!"
	The watery villain smirked, and, after his companions moved a few feet back,
turned his body into a huge wave, ready to fall over his victims.
	Luckily, Hillary and Ronald broke their kissing when hearing Negaduck's speech.
The hybrid saw his captor growing bigger, and reacted quickly by moving aside from the
hyena, and taking a deep breath.
	ROOOAAAARRRR!
	"YEAAAUURRRGH! Turn the volume down!" The villain returned to his regular
size while covering his water-made ears, his whole body shaking like jell-o.
	"Science 101; sound travels faster through liquids than through air." Ronald
smirked at the villain, and then Wally moved next to the hybrid.
	"And wind is what makes the water to form waves!" The wolf added right before
taking a deep breath himself and blowing at Liquidator, sending the villain back against
his companions; luckily for the villains, since Megavolt was already short-circuited, they
didn't receive a shock this time, but a serious soaking.
	"And about us being trapped here." The J.A.M., noticing the villains weren't
operational at the moment, revealed his trademark poach under his oversized shirt, and
took out an ACME Portable Brick Wall. The wall grew to a more natural size in a
moment, and all the toons dashed behind it, emerging after a few seconds, all their bruises
healed and not feeling as wasted as they were just a moment before.
	Quiverwing shot a grappling hook arrow out of the pit, and she and Wally used
the line to climb out with him carrying Shirley on his back. The J.A.M. repeated his
Spiderman-like climbing, which was copied by Ronald, as they climbed out carrying their
girlfriends. They all were in front of the stunned villains a moment later.
	"Give up now, Nega-Fool!" Quiverwing pointed at Negaduck while adopting a
heroic posture, and her companions getting fighting stances. "You guys are out-powered
and out-numbered, and cavalry is on its way here. You have no more tricks left."
	"I always have one trick left, Quiverwing." Negaduck growled in defiance. "In
case you had forgotten, that clone you left in the pit is basically a plant. which means
Bushroot can wake him up!"
	The duck-plant hybrid whistled loudly, and, a moment later, Ronald-Clone
jumped out of the pit, looking even more furious than before. The heroes got distracted by
his sudden appearance, and the villains took the chance to run away by using a nearby
exit.
	"I'll handle my evil twin. You guys go get them!" Ronald said to his friends while
placing himself between them and the clone.
	"I'll help you!" Hillary rushed next to Ronald, but he stopped her by raising his
paw.
	"I now remember what happened when those guys brought me here. I know their
plans, and that they have several of those cloning watermelons ready for use; if they
activate those, we are done!" Ronald quickly explained, and then turned slightly to give
Hillary a little warm smile.
	"Don't worry, Hill, I'm not leaving you again; we'll beat these jerks, and then I'm
inviting all of you lunch at Weenie Burger and tomorrow, you and I will have a great
evening wherever you want."
	"It's a date, then." Hillary smiled at her boyfriend, and then changed to her usual
sly grin. "Kick his butt, Muscle Boy!"
	Ronald nodded at her, and then eyed his clone. The predators glared at each other
while Ron's friends dashed out of the place. Ron and his enemy extended their claws, and
took a deep breath.
	ROOOAAAARRRROOOOOOOOOMMMM!
	The combination of both roars produced a powerful sonic boom that sent both
fighters a few feet back. Ron and the clone shook their head, and then dashed against each
other, ready to rumble.
	On the meantime, Quiverwing and company ran through a large and wide corridor
that suddenly divided in four. The J.A.M., Wally and Hillary used their noses, and found
out what was at the end of each one; one had plenty of fresh vegetation, another had
assorted chemicals, a third one had gun-powder and other explosives, and the last one
seemed to have several kinds of plastics.
	"Tired of multiple choices' tests?" The toons turned when hearing the salesman-
like voice of the smirking Liquidator behind them; he was a lot bigger, and, on a second
look, the toons found out that he was getting some extra liquid from some open pipes at
the walls.
	"Need a permanent break from crime-fighting? Your problems are over, since
yours truly is about to wash you away permanently." Liquidator grinned, and turned his
arms into a concentrated water blast. It was about to hit the toons when it seemed to clash
against an invisible wall; everybody looked at Shirley, extending her wings at the villain's
direction.
	"I still feel Negaduck's vibes, but now he isn't so close to me, and I know the
source, I can tolerate them." Shirley explained to her friends while the villain reformed
his arms. "I'll handle this poodle; you guys go get his companions."
	The other toons nodded, and divided to dash through the corridors in front of them
while Liquidator reformed his arms and prepared to attack Shirley, who kept her position
while summoning all the psychic energy she had left.

	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	Bushroot arrived at his underground greenhouse, illuminated by some special
lamps designed by Megavolt, and dashed next to his watermelons' field; it had over 50
plants, all ready to be used.
	"Okay, boys, I know you all need a little more time to be ready, but Negaduck told
me to wake you up now, and, well, he has a chainsaw and a flamethrower, so who am I to
argue?" Bushroot talked to the watermelons, and then moved his leafy hands at them,
focusing his power to turn them into clones.
	CHILL!
	CHILL!
	"NO!" Bushroot yelled in anger and surprise when two freezing arrows landed in
the middle of the field, freezing all the watermelons in a moment. The hybrid turned to
see Quiverwing at the greenhouse's entrance.
	"Now, if you have some glasses, we can have a delicious smoothie right now."
Quiverwing chuckled, taking out another arrow and placing it on her bow aiming at the
villain while slowly approaching him. "This one is filled up with herbicide, Bushy, so put
your leaves up, and don't move."
	"Oh, I'm not moving an inch, girl, but my friends will do it." Bushroot growled,
and, a split second later Quiverwing hands/wings and her feet were secured by fast
moving vines that emerged from the surrounding green area, forcing her to drop her bow
and lifting her a few feet in the air.
	"I hate to do this, but I can't let your attack on my poor watermelons to be left
unpunished." Bushroot then whistled, and a huge walking Venus fly trap-like plant
emerged from the bushes behind him.
	"Spike, your dinner is ready!"

	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	"I can't believe those silly students are giving us so much trouble. I never had
companions like them when I was at school. well, I suppose I didn't have." Megavolt said
to Quackerjack while strapping a new battery to his back. They were at the room they
have shared since their arrival to Acme Acres, filled up with assorted toys and electrical
equipment.
	"Well, at least this time we aren't dealing with any hero appearing from nowhere
doing a so-called dramatic entrance." The jester commented.
	UNWARP!
	"Good evening. I AM THE J.A.M.!" The jaguar appeared behind the villains,
getting a fighting stance. The criminals looked at each other, and shrugged.
	"At least his entrance was short." Quackerjack said, and then got his maniac tone
again. "It's plaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaytime!"
	Megavolt tried to zap the jaguar, but the feline warped away, reappearing aside the
electric villain. He then tried to use a pressure point attack on him, but got zapped several
feet back.
	"Note to self. don't try to do that against an electrically charged guy." The jaguar
said while shaking his head. Quackerjack grabbed a teddy bear from a nearby pile of toys,
and pressed his belly button; the little bear got a ferocious expression, and extended large
metallic claws, advancing at the feline.
	WHACK!
	The bear got smashed by Mary's mallet; the girl, wearing her skater outfit, sneaked
from behind the villains when they got distracted by the jaguar's entrance, but had to
reveal herself and abandon the ambush plan she and her boyfriend had made because of
the deadly toy.
	"Hey, that's my toy!" Quackerjack growled, and then took one of his mechanical
jaws out of nowhere. "Well, if you break my toys, I'm breaking yours."
	The jaws jumped and bite Mary's mallet, destroying it in a moment. The girl
gulped in surprise, and moved next to The J.A.M., who still was slightly stunned, while
the villains advanced towards them.
	"You two are Math." Megavolt chuckled, and then blinked at his mistake. "No,
not Math. Science? English? No, History! Yes, you two are history!"

	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	Negaduck dashed inside his chosen room, which, not surprisingly, was the
villains' armory. The duck started collecting assorted weapons and placed them in his
outfit's many pockets; even if he wasn't well trained in toon tricks, he had mastered the
trick of accommodating several items of different sizes in small places, so he could carry
enough weapons to fight a little army.
	"You know, there are some countries with less fire power than this."
	RATATATATATATATATATATATA.!
	Negaduck shot with his machine gun at the direction he heard the voice, but
missed his target. A moment later, a red blur snatched the gun from him, and tear it in
pieces in a split second. The duck turned to see Wally wearing a red superhero outfit with
several yellow lightning-like designs over it, with a particularly large one over a white
circle on the middle of his chest.
	"Wolflash, The Fastest Mutt Alive." Wally talked in a heroic tone. "Now, give up
now, and I'll not punch you a few hundred times per second."
	"Try your best, kid." Negaduck replied in a challenging tone. Wally dashed
against him, and grabbed the duck by his collar, but, at that moment, a green gas was
released from Negaduck's chest buttons, making the wolf to cough like crazy and release
his prey.
	Negaduck, who held his breath before releasing the gas, scowled at his enemy,
and gave him a powerful kick that sent him across the room. Wally landed on his back,
and, when turning to look at the duck, saw him taking out his flamethrower; Wolflash
hardly could avoid being burned alive, but, on his attempt to escape, didn't saw a hidden
land mine.
	BOOM!
	Wally got stunned by the explosion, and fell over his chest. Negaduck approached
him slowly while taking out his favorite weapon. the chainsaw.
	"I already told you, doggie. I studied all of you. There's nothing you can do that
might surprise me, and you should know that I'm almost invincible."
	Wally heard the chainsaw roaring to life. The duck had a point; if rumors were
right, Negaduck had never been defeated by any hero on his/her own.
	None, except one.

	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	Doctor Splicer finally reached his lab's door, right when Hillary spotted him at the
end of the corridor. The hyena dashed against the mad scientist, who pressed a few
buttons at the door's control panel, and then several laser guns popped from the ceiling.
	"These are surgical lasers I modified, girl." The villain chuckled evilly. "They cut
through flesh and bone like hot knives on butter."
	The guns started shooting at the hyena, who avoided them by mere inches. Hillary
then got an idea, and removed her spiky bracelets, and, in a dashing move, threw them
like discs, hitting two of the guns and destroying them; the bracelets made a bouncing-
like action, returning to their owner's paws, who repeated the operation a couple of times
to get rid of the remaining guns.
	On the meantime, Splicer already had opened the lab door, made of solid steel,
and dashed inside. The moment Hillary destroyed the last gun, and put back her bracelets,
the door started closing; the girl sprinted to the door, and, by using all her strength, kept it
open, handling to jump inside right in time.
	"Very impressive, hyena girl," Splicer, at the other side of the huge lab, filled up
with several containers filled with chemicals, all placed in shelves, and some large
machines, smirked at the panting hyena. "That door weighs a ton and a half; I can't wait to
do some genetic research on you; I might be able to create an amazingly powerful
predator."
	"Well, I can't wait to put my paws on you, idiot." Hillary snapped at him while
approaching to the scientist. "I'm not going to kill you, but after what I'm going to do to
you, you'll wish to never been born!"
	"I seriously doubt it, Miss Hyena." Splicer said while grabbing a vase containing a
red liquid from a nearby shelf. "You know why I started my investigation on first place?
Well, my final goal is to gain enough knowledge from my experiments to use my research
on myself, and become as physically powerful as I am mentally. Right now, this is the
most I have achieved; a formula that can temporarily fuse my DNA with any animal's one
I want."
	Before Hillary could do a thing, the scientist drank all the liquid. A second later,
the man leaned in pain, and his glasses fell down, revealing large yellow eyes. His body
gained mass, ripping his lab coat because of the impressive muscles he got; his hair grew
to form a huge dark mane; his hands and feet turned into massive paws, destroying his
shoes in the process; his human mouth turned into a little muzzle, and, when opening it,
revealed sharp and long fangs; finally, the human got covered by short brown fur, and
gained a long tail with a short dark furry spot at the end.
	"What's better to fight a hyena than her natural enemy?" Splicer grinned evilly and
talked in a loud voice once his transformation was complete, "Panthera Leo; the African
lion."
	Hillary knew that, in the wild, no hyena could defeat a male lion at his top fighting
by her own.
	She also knew they weren't in the wild, and she wasn't like other hyenas.
	"Do your best, Simba." Hillary growled while adopting a fighting stance. "It's time
for Rumble in the Jungle!"
	Splicer then pounced over his prey.
	ROOOAAARRR!
	
	XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
	
	- The Fearsome Battles.

	ZAAAP!
	ZAAAP!
	ZAAAP!
	ZAAAP!
	"Not bad, blondie." Liquidator said in a mocking tone while reforming the section
of his body that was zapped by Shirley just a second ago. "If I weren't getting some extra
liquid, then your attacks might stop me. too bad for you I have that extra!"
	Shirley groaned in annoyance. Her psychic lightning was as powerful as usual, but
obviously the villain prepared himself before attacking the loon and her friends. Since
Liquidator was draining some extra water from the pipes behind him to get more power,
the electricity got conducted through the liquid and to the pipes, so the hardest part of the
shock was avoided by the villain, getting only minor damages he could fix in a moment.
To make things worse, the extra liquid made the villain so strong that Shirley psychic
shields' were now almost useless to keep him from advancing.
	Liquidator formed a large water mallet with his right paw, and attacked Shirley.
The loon levitated to avoid the hit, but couldn't escape from a fast water blast coming
from the other paw. Shirley hit the closest wall, and then looked up at the large tsunami
heading against her. The loon got covered by water, and then the current slammed her
against the opposite wall.
	"I have always wondered how much a waterfowl can hold his or her breath. Guess
I'm about to know." Liquidator laughed while using the water pressure to keep Shirley
from escaping and get some fresh air. The last hit made her to expel almost all the air
from her lungs, so the blonde now was desperate for a good breath.
	Shirley slowly felt like fainting and the world around her turned black. She had
overestimated her own abilities against an enemy who was almost totally invulnerable to
most physical attacks, and she was about to pay for that arrogance.
	"Invulnerable to physical attacks." Shirley wide opened her eyes in realization,
feeling her strength coming back alongside an idea. "I can't hurt his body, but I can reach
his mind! And, since this is a life or death's situation."
	The loon concentrated as hard and fast (obviously, since she needed to execute her
plan before drowning) as she could, and then, her aura, the metaphysical manifestation of
her powers (that looked like a ghostly version of the loon), emerged from her, and started
glowing. A split second later, the glow extended through the water, and a dark blue light's
point appeared just a few feet away from Shirley.
	"That's his mind!" Shirley thought, and then made a wing movement, sending her
aura against the point.
	"What is that supposed to beEEEEEAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHH!"
	The powerful water current calmed in a moment, and all the liquid fell to the
floor, dispersing harmlessly, leaving a panting and soaked loon in the corridor alongside
an unconscious water-made pooch.
	"Mind over matter, or some junk." Shirley smiled slightly while looking at her
defeated enemy.

	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	Quiverwing struggled to release herself from the vines while Spike advanced
towards his snack. The duckette realized that the plants were pretty strong, and she had no
way to break free.
	"I think I'll better cover my eyes. I hate to see blood." Bushroot said while placing
his leafed fingers on his face, guessing what was about to happen.
	CHEWWUUFFF! SPLUCK!
	"Spluck? I don't think chewed bones sound like that." Bushroot, puzzled, moved
aside his hands, and gasped in surprise. The vines were now only holding Quiverwing's
boots and gloves, and Spike had his jaws filled up with glue!
	"I guess those gloves and boots are one size larger than mine; silly me, uh?"
Quiverwing smirked at the villain, and then, before the vines could attack her again, she
used the herbicide arrow against them; a second later, the vines were dry and breaking
apart, and Spike, who was close to them, was knocked out.
	Bushroot realized Darkwing's pupil was as dangerous as the masked hero himself,
so decided not holding back his powers, and commanded several cacti to jump from the
bushes around the girl. The plants started shooting their thorns against Quiverwing, who
avoided them with a series of flip jumps and cartwheels, and replied shooting more glue
and herbicide arrows she still had, defeating all the plants in a few moments.
	The villain, taking advantage Quiverwing wasn't looking at him, stretched his own
vine-like arms, and grabbed the girl by her ankles. Before the heroine could do anything,
Bushroot yanked her, making the girl to drop her bow because of the pulling's force, and
put her upside down, right in front of him and looking face to face.
	"Not bad, girlie, but now you can't shoot or jump, what do you have left?"
Bushroot said in a mocking tone, not noticing the sly grin Quiverwing got, or when she
clenched her fists.
	WHACKAWHACKAWHACKAWHACKAWHACKAWACKA.!
	Bushroot dropped Quiverwing after the incredibly fast series of punches she sent
against his head, turning it into a living speed bag. The villain got a dizzy expression
while Quiverwing took an arrow out from her bag, and pressed a hidden mechanism.
	WHIIIRRRR..!
	"What the. NO! Put that thing down!" Bushroot recovered from his stunned state
thanks to the fear caused by Quiverwing approaching him with a working saw arrow.
"You have to respect your elders. don't you learn that in school?"
	"Well, now that you mention it. I learned this from Slappy Squirrel." Quiverwing
commented right before pouncing over Bushroot.
	SLICEDICESAWCUTSLICEDICESAWSLICEDICE.
	"Oh, my." Bushroot quietly said right before falling to the ground, cut perfectly
into toony squares. Despite not being trained in toon tricks, Gosalyn knew the villain was
capable of regenerating himself after some time, so she could use a major attack on him
without remorse, and give him a smug look when ending.
	"You're lucky my friend Babs isn't here. she would really like you with carrots,
tomatoes, and some mayo."

	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	WARP!
	The J.A.M. hugged Mary and warped them both right before receiving a major
shock from Megavolt.
	UNWARP!
	The jaguar and the girl reappeared a few feet left to Quackerjack, who spotted
them and threw more of his mechanical jaws against them. At the same time, Megavolt
directed his power to a nearby copper cable, and, using his energy in a magnetic way,
controlled it like a whip, sending it against the couple as well.
	Mary avoided some bites from the jaws and even destroyed a few ones by
punching them (after all, she was good at knocking out teeth) while The J.A.M. jumped
aside to escape from the cable, but they knew they couldn't keep doing this forever. The
jaguar then had an idea, and jumped next to Mary, who now was surrounded by the
deadly toys.
	"Get ready for a warping, Cielito." The feline whispered to the human, who
nodded in reply while they both kicked away the jaws, trying to keep them apart from
them.
	Megavolt made a complicated movement with his hands, and the cable moved
around the couple in a lasso-like way, ready to close on them. Then, the electric villain
made another movement, and the cable did just that.
	WARP!
	CRAAACKLEMUNCHMUNCHCRAACKLEEMUNCH.
	"My toys!"
	"My cable!"
	The villains yelled in anger and shock when the cable destroyed the teeth, not
before the toys could chew it, leaving it useless as well.
	UNWARP!
	"My God, get a living, you two." Mary exclaimed when she and her boyfriend
appeared behind the criminals.
	Quackerjack turned back and took a funny looking gun out from his disguise's
pockets. It looked like a regular pistol but had a boxing glove on it.
	PUUM!
	The glove, still linked to the gun thanks to a large spring, was shot against the
couple. The J.A.M. moved Mary aside and ducked himself to avoid the hit while
Megavolt turned as well and prepared his next attack. Because of the spring, the glove
returned to the gun a moment later, so Quackerjack could shoot it against Mary as fast as
Megavolt was trying to fry the jaguar with his energy blasts.
	"Stay still you lousy cat!" Megavolt snapped at the feline. "How I'm going to blast
you if you keep disappearing and appearing before getting the shot?"
	"You-really expect-me to-answer that question-or is-it a-rhetorical-one?" The
J.A.M. replied knowingly, warping in and out of sight, his voice apparently coming from
ten different places; each word coming from a different angle that was never right next to
the previous one. He already was getting a plan to defeat the villain.
	"Well. uh. can you tell me what does "rhetorical" means? I'm not exactly good
with complicated words."
	"Or-remembering-your-own-name-it seems."
	"Hey, don't mock me, cat! You're just like those fools from high school!" The
criminal roared. "They called me insane! They called me a maniac! They called me a
freak!"
	"Were-they-right?" The jaguar smirked, stopping in the shadows while tensing his
muscles.
	"Now that you say it." Megavolt rubbed his chin, losing his concentration and
leaving a good opening for the feline's plan.
	WARP!
	UNWARP!
	SLASH!
	"Hey, I was distracted!" The rodent yelled at the feline in front of him, and tried to
zap him again.
	WARP!
	UNWARP!
	The J.A.M. avoided the attack, and reappeared a few feet in front of the villain.
	"That's it! I'm finishing you for good!" Megavolt said in rage while his hands
sparkled with energy, but, when he tried to zap the feline. the sparks disappeared.
	"Uh? I wasted all my charge so soon?" Megavolt, puzzled, looked at his hands. "It
can't be! I just got a new battery right."
	Megavolt turned to see his back, and got a shocked expression. When the jaguar
warped next to him, he didn't try to slash the villain, but to cut the straps that kept the
battery on his back, succeeding; since the straps were made of a non-conducting material,
to resist Megavolt's power, the jaguar could touch them without any problem (besides, he
did the cut in a dashing movement). Without an external energy source, the villain
depended on his own reserves, and he used them all with the last failed zapping.
	Gulping, the villain turned to see the feline looking at him with an amused
expression. Megavolt got a nervous expression, and tried to talk his way out of the
problem.
	"Well. uh. you don't hate me because of the burning rug's joke I said a while ago,
right?"
	"No, Mister Volt. I don't hate you, or anyone else." The J.A.M. replied while
cracking his knuckles. "Unfortunately for you, I have to be sure you'll not escape before
the police arrives, and also I can't just stand here and do nothing, knowing what you tried
to do to my girlfriend and me with that cable, so, no hard feelings, okay?" The jaguar
smiled, making sure Megavolt saw each and every tooth he had.
	POW! THUD! WHAM!...
	While the jaguar gave Megavolt a lesson, Mary was already planning how to
finish her own battle. The girl moved in front of the villain, and folded her arms.
	"That's the best you can do? Your aiming is terrible!" Mary mockingly said,
making Quackerjack to growl in anger.
	"Oh, yeah? Let's see if you can avoid this one, Miss Skater!" Quackerjack aimed
at Mary again with his punching gun.
	PUUM!
	Mary waited until the glove was about to hit her to grab it on mid air with both
hands. Then, without releasing the glove, the girl started skating at top speed in circles
around Quackerjack, tying him with his own weapon's spring.
	"Hey, this is not fair!" Quackerjack exclaimed, his arms and legs already perfectly
tight against his body, "Let that glove go!"
	Mary stopped skating, and arched an eyebrow at the duck. Then, she gave a good
yanking to the glove, and placed herself in front of Quackerjack.
	"I'm so going to hate myself in the morning." Mary rolled her eyes, and then
released the glove, that flied back at Quackerjack.
	POOOW!
	Or, to be more exact, at his face.
	Mary gave a last look to the unconscious duck, and then turned to see The J.A.M.
holding a bruised and dizzy Megavolt from his collar.
	"You know, Mary, maybe I was a little too tough with Mister Volt." The jaguar
commented to his girlfriend. Then, the couple looked at each other's eyes, and smiled
widely.
	"NAAAAH!"

	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	Negaduck lifted his chainsaw over Wally's head, ready to behead the wolf, but,
before he could do that, the canine spin-changed and disappeared in a cloud of blue
smoke.
	"Hey, where did you go? Come back so I can skin you alive!" Negaduck furiously
yelled, getting a nasty feeling from this disappearing act.
	"I'm The Hunter That Howls in The Night!" Negaduck turned back when hearing
Wally's voice in a dramatic tone that sounded just too much like the guy he detested the
most in this or any universe.
	"I'm the watchdog your steak can't bribe!"
	A second blue smoke cloud surrounded Negaduck, who started swinging his
chainsaw to both clear the air and try getting the enemy he suspected was hiding in the
smoke. Then, his weapon fell from his hands/wings thanks to a powerful kick, and the
duck received a sharp punch on his beak that sent him out from the cloud. Negaduck fell
over his back, and looked up at the wolf in front of him, using a very similar outfit but
with different colors; blue turtleneck, gray fedora, and the rest in different shades of
purple.
	"I, am Darkpaaaaaaaaw Wolf!"
	"The impersonator of an idiot is an idiot as well!" Negaduck growled while
standing up, and he and Darkpaw started making circling each other.
	"Maybe, but the idiot I'm impersonating is the one who always defeats you on his
own whenever you face him." Darkpaw Wolf said in a smug tone. "If he is an idiot, and
he beats you, then what are you? A total retard?"
	"YAAARGH!" Negaduck battle-cried and took a large machete out from his
disguise's pockets. Wally avoided the first attack, and then pressed a button on his right
cufflink, activating its hidden saw. Negaduck tried to cut Wally again, but the wolf, in a
dashing movement, sawed the blade, and then surprised Negs with a double kick.
	Negaduck tried to take out another weapon, but Darkpaw stopped him by sending
a right punch to his face. Negaduck blocked the attack, and replied with a karate-chop,
that was blocked as well. The masked toons exchanged a series of martial arts' attacks,
with none of them getting a clear advantage.
	Negaduck made a flip-back jump to get some distance between him and the
canine, and took out a hand grenade. Wally replied by taking out his gas gun, an exact
replica of Darkwing's.
	"Eat bomb, sucker!"
	"Smell gas, evil-doer!"
	BOOM!
	The grenade collided with the gas canister, making them both to explode at mid-
way. The force of the explosion sent both fighters back a few feet as they fell on their
backs. Negaduck recovered first, and, taking advantage of the gas cloud in front of him
covering his moves, took another grenade out.
	"Very impressive kid, but, as you pointed, only Dipwing had ever stopped me,
and, face it, as much as you can try impersonating that silly duck, you aren't him."
	"You're right. I'm not Darkwing," Wally's voice was heard from behind the cloud,
"which means I have my own tricks!"
	WHOOOOSSSSHHH!
	A mighty wind, courtesy of Wally's lungs, sent the gas over Negaduck, who
started coughing, and dropped the now active grenade at his feet. and his outfit was filled
up with several explosive and flammable weapons.
	BABABABOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!
	Wally was sent out of the room by the powerful explosion. When he recovered,
changed back to normal, and entered the room, using his blowing to clear up the smoke.
He found Negaduck, badly bruised and unconscious, yet living, right under a pile of
debris and cannon balls. Wally sighed in relief, and approached him for a better check up.
	"I wonder if The Justice Ducks would accept a wolf on the team."

	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	CLANG!
	CLANG!
	CLANG!
	Hillary, by using her bracelets Wonder Woman-style, have handled to avoid
getting cut by Splicer's sharp claws for a couple of minutes. Then, finding an opening on
the scientist's guard, threw a punch against his jaw, making him to stop the attack. Hillary
tried to hit him again, but Splicer recovered in a moment, and gave her a mighty punch at
the kisser, sending the girl against a nearby metal lab table, denting it because of the
impact.
	Hillary shook her head and recovered just in time to put her right wrist's bracelet
in front of her face right before Splicer could bite her. The lion-man then tried to pin her
against the floor, but Hillary could place her boots against her enemy's stomach, pushing
him away. Hillary rolled to stand up, but, the moment she did it, Splicer punched her with
all his strength, stunning the hyena, who couldn't stop the villain from grabbing her by the
shoulders, and slam her against the floor several times like a rag doll, and then kick her
across the room.
	Hillary, dizzy, used a nearby wall for support and stand up; at that moment, she
lost her breath because of the powerful grip on her neck, courtesy of Splicer's paws. He
then lifted the girl, and, without loosening his grip, slammed her against the wall, his
arms extended all the time to keep her at a good height and slam her again against the
floor if he wanted to.
	"You see how useless your power is when compared to mine, hyena?" Splicer
mocked her while tightening his grip. "And this is nothing next to the power I'll have
when your boyfriend's genes reveal me the secrets to bond my DNA with the mightiest
beasts alive in a perfect fusion. I'll be as strong as I am brilliant! The most dangerous toon
alive!"
	Hillary glared at the scientist, and grabbed his wrists, applying her own strength to
them to stop the strangling. Splicer growled in anger, and increased his grip's strength,
focusing entirely on breaking the girl's neck. forgetting about her legs.
	Hillary focused a good part of her strength on her pelvis and legs, and, taking
Splicer by surprise, caught the scientist's neck with a scissors grapple. The lion-man tried
to shake his head to escape, but the hyena replied by tightening her grip on the villain's
neck, who started losing his breath, and his own grip on the hyena's neck lost force.
	"You have the strength and the instincts, Splicer," Hillary finally found her voice
back while slowly twisting the villain's wrists and keeping her grip on his neck, "but you
lack the knowledge and the experience to use them. Let me give you a little lesson!"
	CRACK!
	CRACK!
	"ROOOOAAAAUUUGH!" Splicer roared in pain after Hillary injured his wrists.
The hyena then released her enemy's arms, and while using the wall to support her back,
linked her paws and lifted them over her head, aiming at the lion-man's head.
	"HILL SMASH!"
	PUNCHRACK!
	Splicer got stunned because of the mighty hit on top of his skull. Hillary then
impulse herself over Splicer, still with her legs around his neck, and forced his back to
arch so she could place her paws on the floor. The girl flexed her arms, and then, in a
sudden, extended them, catapulting the villain over her and away from the wall. Hillary
released him, and Splicer fell over the same lab table he slammed her against a few
moments ago.
	The scientist rolled over the table and tried to stand up, but Hillary jumped over
his chest, hitting him with her knees and leaving him breathless. The hyena then started
punching his face at high speed, not giving him a second to try defending himself. After
about ten dozen punches (a hit more, a hit less), Hillary jumped down the table, and
grabbed Splicer by his legs, and, for a more secure grip, twisted his feline tail around her
right arm. Then, she yanked him, and started spinning, gaining more and more speed at
each moment; when she decided it was enough, the girl released her prey by throwing
him pretty high (the lab had a very tall ceiling), and, without losing a second, took
advantage of the spinning speed to dash at the closest wall.
	Hillary jumped at the wall and supported her boots against it, flexing her knees
and tensing all her muscles while looking at Splicer, who had started falling and was
showing his back to the hyena. The girl then bounced at a terrifying speed, and caught
him at mid air, supporting her forehead on the scientist's back and grabbing both his arms
while keeping the rest of her body straight like an arrow. Splicer wide opened his eyes in
fear, noticing that, on the opposite wall, there were several metal shelves attached to the
wall, all of them a foot of separation between each one, and he was heading against them.
	CLLLLAAAAAUUUUUNNNNGGGGGGGHHH!
	Hillary fell to the floor a couple of seconds before Splicer. Because of the hyena's
attack, the scientist's forehead, chest, upper part of the legs, and knees were badly injured
by the shelves while his back and neck received an awful damage.
	"H.how could I lo. lose?" Splicer talked, shocked, half because of the pain and
half because of his unexpected defeat, "Y. you are sm. smaller. and wea. weaker.I had f.
full advantage."
	"Tell that to King David, Bruce Lee and Jerry Mouse, fool." Hillary smirked at her
enemy, who, at that moment, started shrinking in front of the hyena. Slowly, Splicer
started losing his animal attributes, and, less than one minute later, he was back to his
normal, yet now incredibly pained, self. Hillary stood up and snarled at him while
cracking her knuckles and neck, scaring Splicer as he had never been in his life.
	"W. what are you g. going to do? You. won! You d. don't need to d. do anything e.
else!"
	"True, but I asked for five minutes alone with Doctor Gene Splicer, not with
Mister Evil Mufasa." Hillary got a sinister look while leaning to grab Splicer by his
collar. "And I'm not doing this just for me. I'm doing this so you never, ever, can use your
perverted science against anyone else, and so you can receive the whole punishment I
planned to give your whole gang. And you should know, breaking bones is what hyenas
do best, and I know exactly how to do it, without eliminating you, in a very painful way."
Hillary snarled at the scientist, aiming at his head with her right fist.
	"Get ready for the five most unforgettable minutes of your life."

	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	"Shirley, are you okay?" Quiverwing leaned next to the loon, who had fainted next
to Liquidator. The loon opened her eyes, and smiled to her friend.
	"Yes. I'm just like, exhausted, or some junk." Shirley said in a very tired voice,
and then noticed a brown sack next to Quiverwing.
	"What's in the sack?"
	"Bushroot. Do you want some salad?" Quiverwing joked while helping Shirley
stand up. A few moments later, Mary and The J.A.M. emerged from a nearby corridor,
using a paddy wagon to transport the knocked out Megavolt and Quackerjack (both tied
up with cables the couple got from the villains' room), and then Wally appeared carrying
the unconscious Negaduck, tied up with his own cape.
	"Wow!" Quiverwing wide opened their eyes, incredibly impressed. "Great job,
guys!"
	"Thanks, Quiverwing; it seems you did it well yourself too." Wally said to the girl
while placing Negaduck on top of Megavolt and Quackerjack.
	"Now, we still have to check on Hillary; since she hadn't appeared, maybe she is
still fighting Splicer, or chasing him." The J.A.M. pointed; Mary nodded in agreement,
and then wide opened her eyes in realization.
	"Hey, we also have to go check on Ronald! We don't know if that clone."
	KRAKOOOOOOM!
	". beat him." Mary and the others looked at the huge hole that appeared on the
corridor just twelve feet away from where they were standing. Once the dust settled, the
toons saw a large mountain of debris and a bruised, dusted, and furious green hybrid
emerging from the hole, glaring murderously at them.
	"Here we go again." Quiverwing said in a hurry while taking one arrow out from
her bag, and all her friends adopted defensive positions as the green clone extended his
claws and snarled at them. Ronald-Clone tensed his muscles, ready to attack, when the
debris started shaking.
	"ROOOOAAAARRRR!" Ronald emerged from under the debris, looking as
bruised as the clone, but ready to fight as well.
	"You forgot about me so soon, Greenie? Round two is about to start!" The hybrid
snarled at his clone, who forgot about the group in front of him to turn all his attention at
his original. Then, the two of them threw a punch at the other's jaw at the same time,
getting stunned for a second, but returning to their exchange of blows immediately.
	"We have to help him!" Wally was stopped by Quiverwing.
	"No, wait; Ronald is doing it well without us, and we might end up getting on his
way! The best we can do is allowing him to finish this fight, and be ready in case he really
needs our help."
	Ronald hit his clone's chest and then threw a kick against his guts, but Ronald-
Clone caught his paw and twisted it, sending Ronald to the floor and showing his back to
the enemy. The clone sat on Ron's back, and, after placing his knees at Ronald's sides,
with Ronald's arms over them, linked his green paws over Ron's forehead, yanking it with
all his might. The pain at his neck was tremendous, but Ronald somehow could resist it
and slipped his arms to grab the clone's paws; then, in a sudden, tossed the clone over
him, making the duplicate to land in front, with his back paws at Ronald's reach. Ron
grabbed his duplicate by the ankles, and, after standing up, smashed him against the wall.
The clone tensed his legs and abdomen's muscles, and sat in a sudden to deliver a hard
punch to Ronald's belly, making him release his prey. The duplicate rolled to stand up,
and charged against Ronald, who received him with a wrestling grapple; the clone replied
with one of his own, and both fighters rolled on the floor, getting apart from Ron's
friends, who, like Quiverwing said, remained alert the whole time.
	The fighters separated and stood up, circling each other. They charged again,
throwing a perfectly mirrored series of attacks; each kick or punch by one was duplicated
by the other, blocking all the hits. At a certain moment, the panting warriors got a silent
agreement, and started backing up, without losing sight of each other. When they were
about twenty feet apart, Ronald and the clone got tackling positions, and their feet made a
circling effect.
	"Oh, no! It's a double Mega-Ramming!" Mary gasped, recognizing Ronald's most
powerful football tackle.
	"Everyone, duck and cover, or some junk!" Shirley yelled, and, right when Ronald
and his clone made their charge, the other toons jumped chest down to the floor, covering
their ears and closing the eyes.
	POOOOOWWWWAAAAAAMMMMMHHHHH!
	The J.A.M. was the first one to open his eyes, and immediately motioned his
partners to do the same. Ronald was walking clumsily in front of them, with a dizzy
expression, and covered in green dust.
	"So this is why we always wear a helmet when playing football." Ronald
commented goofily to nobody in particular, and then fell on his back. His friends rushed
against him, and Quiverwing took out one of her stench gas arrows, releasing a little of
the gas in front of Ronald's nose to make him react.
	"The cafeteria is serving stew again." Ronald groggily said after smelling the
arrow, and then shook his head, regaining his conscience, but still needed Wally and The
J.A.M.'s help to stand up.
	"Hey, Ronnie, how do you feel?" Quiverwing asked his large friend, still
impressed by the fight, but also concerned about his health.
	"I think. I'll be alright later; but, right now, my head feels as if I had the hippos
from that Disney's movie dancing on it." Ronald commented while rubbing his head,
"And you guys are fine? Those villains didn't hurt any of you?"
	"We handled them, Ronald. And don't worry, we are all okay." Wally said to his
friend while pointing at the fallen criminals.
	"And where's Hillary?" Ronald asked in a slightly more alerted state. The other
toons looked nervously at each other, until Mary placed herself in front of him, but, right
when she opened her mouth.
	NNNNNAAAAAAAAAUUUUURRRRREEEEELLLLLLPPPP!
	"She went after Splicer, and I think she caught him!" Mary immediately guessed
who screamed a second ago, surprising the toons. Then, they moved as fast as they could
through the corridor Hillary went at when they split up; Shirley used her powers to lighten
up Ronald a little bit while Mary and Quiverwing helped him walk, and the wagon with
all the villains on it was pulled by The J.A.M. and Wally; obviously, even if the villains
were already defeated, leaving them unguarded was pretty risky. After a couple of
minutes, they reached the lab's steel door.
	"Definitely, Hillary must be behind that door." Ronald said while giving a fast
look to the destroyed guns at the corridor. Wally and The J.A.M. dashed to the door,
noticing the control panel next to it.
	"This door opens with a password." The jaguar informed his partners while
checking the buttons. Maybe, if some of them were partially erased (which would prove
they were the most used), it would be easier to guess the combination.
	"Maybe I can spin-change into someone who can take down the door, or Shirley
can use her telekinesis to do it." Wally suggested.
	"Perhaps I still have an explosive arrow left." Quiverwing commented while
checking her quiver.
	BBAAAANNNG!
	The toons jumped a step back when the door suddenly got a human silhouette
perfectly impressed from the inside. Then, despite the obvious thickness of the walls and
door, they could still hear various hitting sounds and screams coming from the lab.
	"Hey, that's it!" The jaguar's expression brightened, and turned at Ronald, "If we
can hear what's going on inside, maybe Hillary can hear us as well if we roar."
	"Good idea; let's do it." Ronald agreed, and both predators took a deep breath
while the other toons covered their ears.
	RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRR!
	At that moment, the noise from the lab stopped. Everyone at the corridor got silent
for almost a minute, until the door opened, and a very tired Hillary stepped out from the
lab.
	"That surely beats a doorbell." Hillary joked, and then advanced at Ronald, who
gently separated from Mary and Quiverwing, and both toons embraced, using each other
as support since they were equally tired.
	"You won, right?" Hillary asked Ronald while tightening the embrace.
	"You had any doubt?" Ronald replied in a tired yet happy tone. Hillary chuckled,
and both toons kneeled without breaking the embrace; after the experience they had
suffered, none wanted to separate from the other not even a moment.
	Everyone smiled at the couple, and Mary approached her boyfriend, giving him a
slight kiss on the cheek. The jaguar purred in happiness, and placed a paw on the girl's
shoulder while both of them kept looking at their embracing friends. Quiverwing then
reacted, realizing someone needed to give a look to Splicer, and moved at the door.
	"Holy guacamole!" Quiverwing exclaimed, making everyone but Ron and Hillary
to look at her. The duckette got a slightly green look, and turned her back to the lab,
directing to her friends while fighting the nausea.
	"Do yourselves a favor, and don't... don't... and, I repeat, DON'T take a look in
there." Quiverwing said, sweating cold. "Compared to this, the most gruesome horror
movies are like a Barbie's one!"
	"Maybe I exaggerated a little bit." Hillary finally turned to see her other friends,
getting a sheepish smile.
	"How bad it looks, Quiverwing?" The J.A.M. cautiously asked; as a predator, a
little gruesome scene couldn't scare him, but he knew that the duckette in front of him
was used to see the goriest flicks without having nightmares, so, if anything could make
her react that way, he wasn't running risks.
	"Let me put it this way," Quiverwing sighed deeply while closing her eyes, "We
need to call some paramedics, and tell them to bring brooms, a garden hose, a couple
spatulas, their stomachs totally empty, an expert in puzzle-solving, and, if possible, a
psychiatrist to attend any case of hysteria."
	"Fine. I exaggerated a lot." Hillary sighed, shaking her head.
	At that moment, one of the nearby walls started trembling, and, a split second
later, a section of it fell, revealing Buster and Babs Bunny, using miners' outfits,
alongside Bugs, Ruby, Fifi, Wile E. Coyote, Calamity (both canines carrying several
weird-looking weapons) and a few dozen cops. The groups looked at each other, and then
Babs got a casual grin.
	"So. what did we miss here?"

	XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
	
	- A More Likable Visit. 

	"Anyone want more fish-sticks?"
	"We need some here, Rita. Otherwise, Dizzy might eat the table." Mary directed
to the cat while she and The J.A.M. smirked playfully at the little purple devil sitting
behind them, who was about to chew the table after eating his dish.
	Almost all Ronald's classmates (for obvious reasons, Monty, Elmyra and Marcus
weren't present), as well as the whole Looniversity's staff, were at Rita and Runt's yard,
enjoying the picnic-barbeque the couple threw to celebrate Ronald's rescue. Runt was at
the grill preparing hamburgers and steaks (soy-made, of course, as most of Acme Acres
"meat" was), as well as some large fish sticks, carrots, potatoes and onions, while Rita
played host and attended everyone. Ronald himself wanted to help, but, besides his
parents not allowing him, since it was his party and all, Hillary kept him more than a little
busy; at the moment, thanks to some pasta Minerva brought, they were performing a
classic scene from "Lady and the Tramp", but without separating when their lips touched.
	"How they avoid choking? I mean, they were eating just a moment ago!" Sylvester
Junior commented, surprised at the length of the couple's kiss.
	"Those are the mysteries of romance, my friend." Vinnie explained while sharing
his meal with Binky Bunny. The other toons around Ronald and Hillary chuckled, and, a
few moments later, the hybrid and the hyena broke the kiss, conserving pretty wide
smiles.
	"Way to go, brother!" Minerva, who was sitting at next table alongside most of the
teachers and Newt, gave Ronald the thumbs-up.
	"And here I thought I was the one with the super lungs." Wally joked, making the
couple to blush and everyone else to laugh.
	"Ah, we're just teasing you guys." Buster said when calming down a little, and
getting a fond look on Babs. "I mean, everyone here had acted in a similar way more than
once."
	"Yes, except Fowlmouth." Plucky commented in a casual tone while pointing at
the chicken the other side of the table, who obviously got an upset face.
	"Like, Plucky, be nice, or some junk, or you'll be the next except here." Shirley
said to her boyfriend in a half-angry, half-joking way that made Plucky to get a sheepish
look, and Fowlmouth to smile widely at the image of Shirley defending him.
	"Okay, guys, I want to be serious for a moment." Ronald said while clearing his
throat, getting everyone's attention. "I just want to say, well, thanks a bunch for saving my
neck, and for supporting my parents and Minerva. I especially want to thank those who
rescued me from The Fearsome Six," Ronald gave a fast glance to Hillary, Shirley, Mary,
The J.A.M., Wally and Gosalyn, who were around him (except Shirley, who was at
another table with Plucky), "but I appreciate the effort from all of you when searching for
me. I think I'm talking for my family when saying we'll never forget this, and if you ever
need a paw, you can count with us."
	Everyone clapped at Ronald's speech, who immediately hugged Hillary, and
shook paws with his rescuers; he then did the same with Ruby (who obviously was next
to Wally) and Fifi (who moved from aside Calamity, since they both were at another
table), knowing they also helped a lot to locate him; and then continued with the rest of
his friends and teachers.
	"So, Ronnie, where are you going to take Hillary for that date you mentioned?"
Gosalyn asked the hybrid once everyone returned to their meals and regular chatting.
	"Sorry, Gos, but that's confidential." Ron said in a fake serious tone. "I want this
to be a nice, romantic, and very private experience."
	"In other words, we don't want any of you guys to suddenly appear and ruin the
mood." Hillary cleared, making Ronald to blush, and the whole table to burst laughing.
	"Hillary, you're one in a million." Ronald gave Hillary an affective kiss on her
cheek.
	"Good for us; I doubt we would survive having TWO like her in a million." Ruby
joked, getting a fake glare from the hyena.
	"No kidding; in that case, Splicer would be ten feet under by now." Wally said in
a half-serious tone.
	"Yeah. I really lost control in there." Hillary sighed. "The weird thing is that, right
now, I feel no hate for the guy. obviously, if he ever tries to do something like that again,
I'm going to hit him even harder, but I guess that beating allowed all my hate to leave
with every punch I gave to him."
	"Then, judging by the way he ended up, you really did feel more than a little rage
for him, Hillary," The J.A.M. commented in a serious tone, but changed to a more relaxed
one a moment later, "but you kept your word. It's great to see you didn't get consumed by
hate. I can tell you that take even more guts than jumping into a ring against any rival."

	"Even a jaguar with warping abilities?" The hyena asked jokingly, and then she
and the jaguar smiled to each other. The feline felt particularly proud of his friend,
knowing Hillary could be pretty violent at times, but this adventure confirmed she had a
good control over her instincts, and a lot of responsibility concerning her own strength.
Everybody knew that, if she had allowed herself to use her full capacity, Splicer wouldn't
be alive by now, but she was smart enough to not cross that line, despite the fury she felt
for those who attempted against Ronald's welfare.
	"I hope you're not asking for a rematch," he joked. "Sparring and class work are
easy enough that we can keep instincts under control, but I'm afraid that with those clones
and villains, I had a moment or two where I seriously considered getting raw barbecue.the
quick way."
	"What do you mean by that?" asked the hyena.
	"Erm." he shifted in his footpaws, while Mary took hold of his arm to comfort
him.
	"It's okay, Furrycoat," she soothed, remembering how that evil jaguar tried to kill
that arctic wolf in that alternate timeline. "It's part of who you are, just like breaking
bones is part of Hillary."
	"You break bones too?" asked Ron.
	"Um.sort of; one thing that makes jaguars different from other panthera is that we
normally don't go for the neck. We.um.crushtheskullforaquickkill."
	Everyone who wasn't a predator or Mary felt a little nauseous... except Gos, who,
after a moment, found it kind of cool.
	"If Quakerjack or Megavolt had tried anything horrible against me, Furrycoat, I
wouldn't have blamed you if your instincts had overpowered you. But now you, Hillary,
Ron, and Wally know where your instinct threshold is, and you can work to push it
further away, in case another villain tries anything like this again."
	"In which case, they'll be lucky if they just get a standard mauling," said the black
wolf, laughing a bit to liven up the group.
	At that moment, the jaguar felt a vibration coming from his poach, and, excusing
himself, took out his cell phone, noticing he had a text message.
	"You know, I normally don't care about those responsibility and forgiveness'
speeches, but I'm more than willing to do an exception. Can we talk later?"
	The feline didn't recognize the number, since it wasn't from any of his contacts.
The predator gave a fast glance around, and smiled when in the distance he noticed
Plucky was holding his own cell phone and looking discretely at him. The J.A.M. nodded
at the duck, who got a relieved expression, and returned to chat with Shirley, who placed
a wing over his shoulder and showed a proud look.
	"Who messaged you, Furrycoat?" Mary asked the feline.
	"Just someone who wants to mature a little as well, Mary," The J.A.M. replied
giving her a little kiss. The girl didn't ask more, knowing that he would give her a better
explanation later.
	At the table where most of the staff was eating, Wile E. Coyote glanced at Ronald
and company, and chuckled slightly.
	"Whatpths pthso funny, pal?" Sylvester asked the coyote, noticing him when the
cat turned to allow Penelope and Sylvia to have a private chat.
	"You know, I just realized Splicer didn't need to perform any experiment to get
more hybrids. he only needed to wait a few years." The genius commented, and then
explained to the puzzled cat, "Just take a look around us. Many of our students are
currently involved in very successful relationships that, I dare to say, might end someday
in marriage. And, since most of them are inter-species couples."
	"Oh, I get it now." Sylvester smiled, but immediately got a thoughtful look, "Wile,
I'm no expert, but are you pthsure all thepthse couplepths will have children? Thapths not
hard with pthsimilar pthspecies, like duckpths and loonpths, but a jaguar and a human, a
rat and a wolf, a coyote and a pthskunk. you get my point."
	"Certainly, that's a very valid observation, my feline friend." Wile said in his
expert-like tone. "The probabilities are considerably smaller than when similar DNA is
involved, but, as Rita and Runt proved, even if the genes are pretty different, there's
always a chance of developing a healthy product, especially considering the average toon
body's extreme adaptation's capacities that allow us a quick recovery from most wounds,
and the postures and physical changes we get through when doing a wild take. And, as a
scientist, I can tell you I'm positively curious about how the offspring might result;
Calamity and Fifi will have skunks with his color's pattern, or a perfect genetic mixture,
like it happened with Rita and Runt? Mary and The J.A.M. will have a black panther, or a
human-like child with some feline attributes? And Ronald and Hillary, well, there are
three species involved in that pairing. It's quite intriguing."
	"Well, my dear nerdy colleague, there's only one thing we know for sure."
Minerva suddenly appeared from behind Wile and Sylvester, placing a paw on each
male's shoulder and getting a sly smile, "No matter if they have children or not. they'll
surely have a lot of fun trying." The three teachers burst laughing a moment later,
stopping only when Newt called Minerva back and Sylvester returned with his wife and
his ex, leaving the coyote alone with his theories and looking at the youngsters.
	"Runt, did you remember to buy dessert?" Rita asked her husband while chewing
a fish stick. Runt stopped eating his hamburger to reply.
	"No, but Gosalyn assured me she'll get it, definitely." Runt told her, and, in a
perfect cue, a jet engine was heard by everyone. The toons looked up in the sky to see a
duck head-shaped jet hovering over them, getting ready to land.
	"I see it. I see it. I see it." Loud Kiddington said in his dull voice, making Aka
Pella and a few other toons around him to react from the surprise caused by the jet's
appearing, and chuckle a little at one of the boy's trademark routines.
	"Hey, dessert is here." Gosalyn said in an excited tone, but changed to a slightly
concerned one a moment later; "You guys better beware; I know the pilot, and he's pretty
cool flying, but not so much landing."
	To the duckette's surprise, the jet landed without any problems a few feet away
from the group. Then, the toons at the jet became visible, and Gosalyn smiled widely
when discovering the reason the jet landed so well.
	"Very nice landing, Honker," Launchpad McQuack, Darkwing's sidekick, directed
to a nerdy-looking young goose next to him, "Now, you just need to practice the acrobatic
flight, and you'll be ready to use The Thunderquack in case of emergency."
	"Thanks, Launchpad; you were right about flying. It's kind of a liberating
experience." Honker's speech was cut by the passionate kiss from the red haired duckette
that ran to embrace him. The goose got a surprised expression, but kissed back a moment
later; as good as the magical sphere was to get some long-distance kissing, there was no
substitute for the normal way.
	"It's so good to be together again." Gosalyn and Honker said at the same time
when breaking the kiss, chuckling when noticing it. The girl's classmates and teachers
laughed at the scene, except some of the girls who gave Gos the thumbs up.
	"What, no kiss for me?" A white duck wearing a green sweater with dark pink
sleeves said from behind the young couple. Gosalyn separated from Honker to share a
good hug with her dad, in his Drake Mallard's identity, and then kissed his cheek before
doing the same with Launchpad.
	"Glad to see ya, Mistah Mallard." Bugs greeted the duck while Launchpad and
Honker took a pretty large cake out from the jet, "Hadn't seen ya since Gos moved here."
	"Ah, well, you know, Saint Canard isn't exactly downtown, Mister Bunny." Drake
said while shaking paws/wings with the rabbit, "Darkwing has to attend some business
here concerning his enemies, of course, so I asked him and Launchpad to give me a ride
and visit my daughter, and, since Honker misses her as well, he came too."
	"Well, join da party, doc. I can tell ya, yer daughter made a fantastic job directin'
her classmates. Ya and Darkwing must be very proud of her." Bugs told Drake while they
moved towards the staff's table. Launchpad and Honker were greeted by Runt and Rita,
who grabbed the cake to put it inside the house until dessert's time, allowing the avians to
join the other guests.
	"I don't get it!" Fowlmouth commented to Sylvester Junior while glaring at
Honker, who now was getting introduced to Gosalyn's friends by her, "I had been trying
to dadgum get Gosalyn's dadgum attention since she moved here, and she had rejected
dadgum me because of that?"
	"Well, he looks like a nice guy, FM." The kitten said to the angry chicken, "And it
seems tough and witty girls are somehow attracted by nice guys; just look at Hillary and
Ronald."
	"But Ronald is a dadgum strong guy, Junior! And this guy looks like a perfect
dadgum weakling!" Fowlmouth insisted, and then got a sly look and elbowed Junior
slightly, "Just look at this; I'm giving him a dadgum handshake to make him cry." Junior
rolled his eyes, yet followed Fowlmouth when he approached Honker, who now was
getting introduced to Calamity, Fifi, and Egghead Junior.
	"Nice to finally meet you, guys. Gosalyn had told me a lot about The Loo's
smartest toons and her French friend." Honker said in his usual polite tone while shaking
paws/wings with the Acme's geniuses and the furry beauty.
	"Merci. Gosalyn is always zelling us about her cuze and lovely boyfriend from
Saint Canard." Fifi told Honker, making him to blush and give Gosalyn a shy affective
look she replied with a little kiss on his cheek.
	"And thanks for the compliment; Gosalyn talks highly about your intelligence as
well." Calamity replied with signal language that, he pleasantly discovered, Honker
understood perfectly. Egghead Junior nodded and wrote something on a sheet of paper; he
then handled it to the taller avian, who got a very interested look.
	"I would like it a lot, guys; maybe we can e-mail to exchange information and
even work together. And what's this invention you mention here?" Honker asked Egghead
while pointing at one part of the paper.
	Calamity and Egghead glanced to each other, and then Calamity took a little silver
panel with a large red button on it out from his body pocket. While he and Egghead made
a few adjustments to the invention, Fowlmouth and Junior finally got behind Honker and
Gosalyn, and the chicken cleared his throat to get their attention.
	"So, Gos, you're not going to introduce your boyfriend to us?" Fowlmouth said in
his most polite tone yet conserving his sly look.
	"Oh, sorry guys; Honker, they are Fowlmouth, Foghorn Leghorn's pupil, and
Junior, Sylvester's son. FM, Junior, he is Honker, my boyfriend." Gosalyn made a little
emphasis at the last part while looking at Fowlmouth; the chicken, since Shirley and
Plucky became an official item, had unsuccessfully tried to become Gosalyn's boyfriend
for a while now, and she was getting tired of his annoying flirting.
	Junior shook Honker's wing in a proper, polite way, and then Fowlmouth prepared
to perform his stunt. He gave Honker his tightest hand/wing-shake, but, surprisingly,
Honker's friendly expression wasn't affected at all, as if he actually didn't feel it.
Fowlmouth made his best to hide his surprise, and, at that moment, Egghead tapped
Honker's side to get his attention. The goose released the chicken, and the little group
focused on Calamity, explaining the invention through his regular signs.
	"Egghead and I had been working on this for the boxing team." Calamity pointed
at the panel that now was on four table-like legs yet slightly leaned, with the red button on
top. "It measures an impact force and tells you how much damage a punch can actually
produce on a distracted or untrained rival of your same size and complexion."
	"Cool! Can I try it?" Gosalyn asked the coyote and the nerdy chicken. When both
of them nodded, Gosalyn clenched her right fist and drew it back, aiming at the button;
she then threw a pretty hard punch, and an electronic voice was heard.
	"Ouch. Broken jaw. Fractured nose. Ready for knocknout."
	Gosalyn got a proud look, and got complimented by Honker and the other toons
but Fowlmouth, who looked at the button and decided to try as well. When the geniuses
gave him permission, the chicken did the same as Gosalyn; since he liked boxing as an
exercise, FM was expecting to impress Gosalyn by showing-off his strength.
	"That hurt. Ached cheeks. Black eye."
	"Want to make a dadgum try, Honker?" Fowlmouth said to the goose in a smug
tone. Gosalyn got tempted to kick him, but Honker, always the nice guy, ignored the
chicken's attitude and accepted his offer. The goose cracked his knuckles and aimed at the
button, throwing a pretty hard punch.
	"Augh. Numb jaw. Lost tooth. Seeing double."
	"Hey, nice one, Honk!" Gosalyn happily commented while touching Honker's
shoulders. "You hadn't stopped practicing your Quack-Fu, right?"
	"Well, I doubt I'll ever be as good as you, Gos, but yes, I do; you should had seen
Tank's face last time he tried to bully me." Honker smiled at her while Fifi and Calamity
complimented him as well and Egghead checked the machine's lectures for a more precise
measurement. Meanwhile, Sly Junior moved next to a stunned Fowlmouth, friendly
elbowing the chicken.
	"So. you still want to get Gosalyn's attention, uh?" The feline asked mockingly.
	"Eh. do you think they'll notice dadgum me if I chicken out of here right now?"
Fowlmouth replied nervously, and, before the cat could reply, dashed away to hide behind
Foggy.
	"Hey, Honker, can I borrow my daughter from you for a minute?" Drake, holding
a dish with a hamburger and grilled potatoes on it, approached the group. Honker and
Gosalyn chuckled, and she went next to her dad.
	"You know, Gos, Bugs and your other teachers told me what a great student you
are." Drake said to Gosalyn while they walked away from the other toons, and then he
chuckled slightly. "Oh, my. I never thought I would say that!"
	"Hey, the teachers at home didn't understand me, Dad." Gosalyn shrugged, "And I
never had so many cool classes like Cartoon Violence, Spin-Changing, and Superheroes;
now, those are things I really want to learn. Plus, I made more friends here in a few
months than in Saint Canard all these years; if you, Launchpad, Honker and Morgana
could be here as well, the place would be perfect."
	"Yes, I miss you too, Gossy." Drake sighed while sharing a potato with Gosalyn.
"But you have no idea about how good I feel by knowing you finally are in a school you
fit in, with so many friends around and actually enjoying your classes. And, if what I
heard is right, you did a terrific job as Quiverwing without me."
	"Well, I didn't do it alone; I had tons of help." Gosalyn admitted, and then gave a
fast glance to her classmates, eating and chatting a few feet behind them.
	"I know, and it seems everyone here cares about each other." Drake chewed his
hamburger, and, after swallowing the snack, got a gentle yet serious expression. "And you
certainly must hate hiding things from them, right?" Gosalyn got a blank expression,
guessing what her father was referring to; she recovered a moment later, sighing.
	"Yeah. but the most I have told them is that I do a nice impersonation of
Quiverwing; sure, some of them might suspect I'm the real thing since I am Darkwing's
pupil and all, but still, my identity isn't just my secret." Gosalyn got a slightly sad
expression. Drake lifted her beak with his hand/wing, and smiled at her.
	"But, aren't friends supposed to trust their secrets among them. and also keep them
as if they were their own?"
	Gosalyn got a shocked expression.
	"Wait. you mean you are allowing me to.?"
	"You said it, Gos; they're your friends, and it's just fair to tell them." Drake placed
a hand/wing on his daughter's shoulder. "And you just showed me you're responsible
enough to know who can be trusted with our secret, since you trusted them with your life
the same way they trusted theirs to you. Besides, if you keep with your idea of becoming
a heroine, and I think you'll be a great one, you'll need some allies, and your friends will
surely like the idea of having a professional hero for assistance if needed."
	Gosalyn couldn't restrain from giving her dad the tightest hug she could; Drake
almost dropped his food, but smiled widely at the girl's gesture.
	"Thanks, Dad. and don't worry, I'll not disappoint you. I'll just tell the secret to
those I know can keep it; guess that eliminates Plucky and Fowlmouth from my list."
Gosalyn chuckled at the last part, and, after giving her father a fast kiss, returned to her
table, high-fouring Launchpad when he passed next to her while approaching Drake, the
pilot carrying an over-charged dish with a little of everything Runt was cooking.
	"Gee, Drake, I guess Gos really liked what you told her." Launchpad commented
to his friend right before eating one of the many fish-sticks from his dish.
	"Yep. My little girl is growing up so fast." Drake sighed, looking at Gosalyn
getting a seat offered by Honker.
	"Ah, don't sweat, DW." Launchpad placed a hand on Drake's shoulder while
looking at Gos as well. "You know she still needs her father as much as Quiverwing still
needs Darkwing."
	"You're right, my old friend; which reminds me, I need to pay a little visit to a
friend tonight before leaving." Drake told his sidekick right before grabbing one of his
fish-sticks and Launchpad grabbed one of his pal's potatoes.

	xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	"Open gate number 5!"
	The huge gorilla guard obeyed, and pressed a password to open the heavy armored
gate and allow the visitor to pass. The ape saluted said visitor, who nodded in reply while
passing next to another pair of guards, a human and a bear, and walking through the high
security ward of Acme Acres Prison.
	All the cells had the classic Hannibal Lecter's prison-like design, with thick
concrete walls at the sides, and a thick bullet-proof glass wall on the front, but with some
changes. The first cell was modified for its current prisoner, Bushroot; it had some tubes
on the ceiling and floor, so, if he tried to escape, the cell could be filled up with a special
mixture of sleeping gas and herbicide that could put him to sleep for a week.
	Next to him, Megavolt was in an especially isolated cell with no electric
appliances or sockets twelve feet around, plus some plastic tubes to fill the cell with
foam, similar to the one from extinguishers, but this substance became solid as cement in
a few seconds, plus being able to block high voltage and short circuit electric appliances.
The cell was illuminated by specially isolated bulbs so, even if Megavolt weren't in a
special cell, he wouldn't be able to drain power from them.
	Liquidator was captive in a cell that allowed no leaks, and it could be electrified in
a split second if he made any suspicious move, plus having a temperature control that
could freeze him if the electricity didn't stop the villain; if that didn't work, as a last
resource, the whole cell could be filled with a foam similar to the one at Megavolt's cell.
Obviously, since Liquidator was the hardest villain to control if escaping, his cell had a
lot more security measures than the others.
	Quackerjack was in a more conventional cell, but without anything he could use
to create a tool and escape. The visitor smiled at the job the coyotes made using the
information he provided, and kept walking to reach the cell he really was interested in.
	Negaduck, despite having no superpowers, was the most guarded criminal in the
whole prison; he was surrounded by no less than twelve guards, and his cell, like
Bushroot's, could be filled up with sleeping gas if needed, and, as Quackerjack, he lacked
anything that could be useful as a tool or weapon. He was currently pacing on his cell,
wearing a regular prisoner outfit (yet conserving his black mask), cursing under his
breath, trying to think on a way to escape, and hating himself for allowing a bunch of
teenage toons to capture him.
	"Nice place, Negsy. I would really like to come in, but I'm very comfortable here,
so take no offense."
	Negaduck stopped moving, and then looked at the toon the other side of the
transparent wall. Disguises' colors aside, he might as well be looking at a mirror.
	"Well, well, well, look who finally appeared." Negaduck said in his calm yet
hateful tone. "What happened, Dorkwing? You must be aging since you allowed a bunch
of kids do your job."
	"Ah, well, you know how this works, Neggy." Darkwing shrugged while leaning
his right wing/hand on the crystal. "I had to attend some major business the other side of
the pond, and had to let the youngsters handle the minor one. namely, Five Clowns plus
one."
	"You can say whatever you want, Dumbwing," Negaduck glared at his enemy
while approaching the wall, "but you should already know no jail can't keep me prisoner
for long. And the moment I set a foot out of here."
	"You'll get even on me and my loved ones, right, Drake?"
	Negaduck got a shocked expression, but immediately changed back to his sly
look.
	"So, you finally realized, uh? You know, there are guards around us."
	"I asked them to give us some private time." Darkwing replied, getting a more
serious tone. "You see, when I visited your Negaverse, I got shocked when seeing
everyone was different, but, at the same time, there were similarities. The Muddlefoots
were still Drake Mallard's neighbors, Launchpad was his sidekick, and. he was Gosalyn's
legal guardian. So, if I could put two and two together in a second, then, I thought about
something. what would keep you from realizing it as well, since you know we are
basically the same guy?"
	"Not so dumb after all, are we?" Negaduck chuckled evilly, getting an arrogant
look. "Yes, I had known your secret identity for a while, Drake, but I never did a thing.
because I wanted you to discover it by your own so, now, you know I can easily attack
and bring hell to your civilian life. You'll never be able to relax, knowing that I can
eliminate your sidekick the moment he goes to get a snack at Hippo Burger. and, did you
know he has a little sister, and his parents are still alive, for now?" Negaduck saw
Darkwing's frown, and continued.
	"And your lovely cousin Margot, well, I can kidnap her with the excuse of her
being a wealthy girl, but, in reality, I would do it to make her suffer an endless pain. And,
do you think Gosalyn would ever forgive you if you can't save her little boyfriend from
ending in the river, floating face down? Ah, your lovely Gosalyn. you can't keep an eye
on her all the time, especially now she is here in Acme Acres."
	Darkwing's frown grew larger at the last part. Negaduck grinned at him, and
moved closer to the crystal wall.
	"And, you know the best part? I don't need to do a thing but opening my little
beak, and then F.O.W.L. might do the job for me. Or, perhaps, Tuskernini, Taurus Bulba,
Splatter Phoenix, or any other criminal you had ever stopped will have that pleasure."
Negaduck got an all-business tone, and looked slyly at Darkwing. "Of course, I'm a
reasonable duck; if you let me out of here, well, maybe I'll keep your secret between us.
Of course, that means you can't never, ever, capture me again. If you had more guts, you
would end this easily by finishing me, but you're too much of a do-gooder to do that, so,
what do you think, Dipwing? We have a deal?"
	Darkwing got silent for a few seconds, and then did the last thing Negaduck
imagined; he laughed.
	"Negs, you can't be seriously thinking I'll do a deal with you." Darkwing stopped
laughing, and returned to his smug tone. "First of all, I know you'll never tell anyone my
secret, because, well, I know you and I share something besides our face. the ego. I hate
to admit it, but sometimes I let it cloud my common sense, and that had made me commit
mistakes; on the bright hand, your ego is as big as mine, maybe even more. You hadn't
revealed my identity simply because you want to finish me yourself, and you want to
eliminate Darkwing Duck, the superhero, not Drake Mallard, the commoner who lives in
a simple house next to some annoying neighbors. If I'm wrong, please, correct me."
	Negaduck got a furious look and some foam dropped from his beak, but couldn't
say a thing. Darkwing and he were two sides of the same coin, and, basically, the same
duck, so the hero knew him as well as Negaduck knew himself.
	"And about you attacking my loved ones, well, maybe I should remind you that
Launchpad isn't so easy to kill; he had survived more crashes than any other guy besides
Wile E. Coyote and Sylvester Cat!" Darkwing chuckled a little, and kept talking. "His
family, well, I don't know them that well, I admit, but I'm sure they're not a piece of cake
either. Margot? This might surprise you, but, if you touch her, the same wolf that kicked
your butt will be over you in a snap, that is, if I don't get you first. Honker? That boy has
more brains than you and all of F.O.W.L.'s scientists combined, and you can be sure that
he has some protective measures of his own besides the ones Gos and I have given to him
over the years, including more than a few Quack-Fu lessons. I noticed you didn't mention
Morgana; not dumb enough to go after a powerful sorceress, right?" Darkwing then
sighed and looked at Negaduck right in the eye.
	"And I would think twice before attacking Gosalyn; she and her friends are the
ones who caught you this time, even with that mad doctor helping you. Touch her, and
you'll not only have to run away from me, but from the whole Looniversity."
	"That was just dumb luck!" Negaduck snapped at Darkwing. "Next time, I'll make
no mistakes, and finish them all!"
	"Neggy, Neggy, Neggy. next time, you and your pals might not survive."
Darkwing replied in a casual tone, and before Negaduck said another word, the hero
touched his beak in thought and directed to him. "Tell me, Negs, do you know what
abilities does Hillary have?"
	"The hyena? Of course I know! I studied all of them for weeks!" Negaduck
growled. "She has high-level fighting skills, far-from-average strength, tracking abilities,
and." Negaduck stopped talking, and wide-opened his eyes in realization.
	"Spin-changing, with an expertise in tough characters, I'm right?" Darkwing said,
amused at Negaduck's expression, "Curious, don't you think? Why someone who
obviously was the most eager to beat all of you didn't use a skill that could certainly be
handy during her fight?" Darkwing leaned his back against the crystal wall, irritating
Negaduck even more.
	"I'll tell you why she didn't do it, and you'll better pay attention, since this can save
your life." Darkwing said in an expert tone; when Negaduck didn't say anything, he
continued. "Hillary was incredibly angry with you and your gang, Negs; especially with
Splicer, once she knew he wanted to perform experiments on her boyfriend, and do you
know anything about his current condition? He went through a fourteen hours surgery
yesterday, just to be fine enough to be at the Intensive Care Unit, and doctors say he'll
need at least five more major surgeries just to be able to perform the simplest movements;
I doubt he'll ever be able to grab a test tube again. Now, imagine all that fury fueling this
girl. spin-changed into The Hulk."
	Negaduck got a blank expression, and, for the first time in ages, he felt himself
invaded by a primal and powerful feeling. fear.
	"You guys are lucky she is a good girl at heart, you know?" Darkwing told
Negaduck while turning to see him. "She made herself the promise of not allowing her
anger to evolve into hate, so she restrained from using her most powerful skill, knowing
she might as well eliminate one or all of you in a pretty brutal way if losing control while
impersonating a stronger character. Of course, it was a good thing her boyfriend was
basically undamaged and what you did to him was easily reversed, because, well,
otherwise, I'm sure she could have forgotten that promise, and The Fearsome Six would
be The Terrifying Mess by now. And, in the case Hillary was hurt, well, Gosalyn found a
way to wake up Ronald; imagine him, turned against you, possessed by the same rage his
clone had." Darkwing got a more serious expression, while Negaduck gulped slightly,
finally realizing about the real danger he faced when messing with Gosalyn and her
classmates.
	"So, Negsy, shut up, and listen." Darkwing spoke quietly yet in a very serious tone
that Negaduck had never heard from him. "You can reveal my identity on national TV,
and try your best to get even on me, but you'll only get yourself into more problems. And
there's no way you can threat me, because I know all the people I care are well protected,
and not just by me. And finally, in the rare case you can hurt Gosalyn. a do-gooder can
change his mood to a very pissed father's in a snap, so don't press your luck, and stay
away from my girl from now on, or I'll make you suffer a pain like Splicer's, but ten times
worse."
	Negaduck didn't say a thing during Darkwing's speech, and, when he ended, the
enemies eyed each other for a couple of minutes before Darkwing turned his back on him
and walked away. His message was clear; he was a hero, yes, but before that, and first of
all, he was Gosalyn's dad, and nobody, not even his own evil duplicate from an alternate
universe, could touch her without getting the proper punishment. and even some improper
one.

	THE END.

	XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

	(You know, Darkwing was a little scary here.) Hey, he is The Terror That Flaps in
the Night, Babsy; you don't expect someone with that description to be cheerful all the
time. (Good point.)
	Anyway, here is where we place the second disclaimer, right Babs? (Sure, pal. As
you guys know, Darkwing Duck/Drake Mallard, Launchpad McQuack, Honker
Muddlefoot, and The Fearsome Five -Negaduck, Megavolt, Liquidator, Quackerjack and
Bushroot- are copyrighted by Disney, as well as F.O.W.L. and S.H.U.S.H., so Ramiro
doesn't own them and the same goes for Wally, not the wolf, but the nerdy human from
"Where's Wally?" We also had Loud Kiddington and Aka Pella, from "Hysteria!",
copyrighted by WB Studios, and impersonations involving Dynomutt and El Kabong,
created by Hanna-Barbera studios; and The Flash, by DC Comics.)
	Thanks, Babs, and also thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the story. (And
thanks again to The J.A.M. -who helped us with some scenes- and Nightw2 -original
creator of Nigel Silverbill- for allowing us to have their characters here.)
	That's all, guys. So long and. Babs, please.
	(Keep the good writing!)

A Time to Every Purpose Unto Heaven Part 19 (3) A Time To Kill

Welcome to the third part of the nineteenth installment of  -
 "A TIME TO EVERY PURPOSE UNTO HEAVEN "  By Pepe K.
(Winner of 31 UKE Awards)
Please send all comments to PepeK62 [at] gmail [dot] com 
The following story concerns the Toonsters' freshman year of Acme
Looniversity at college level. This tale of mystery and adventure is
best read from the beginning - the other parts are available at
HKUriah's TTA Fanfic site, among others. I suggest you read it from
the start or you'll not know what is transpiring.
All characters portrayed that are not based on those owned by Warner
Brothers; Amblin, MGM, Tezuka, Mitsuteru Yokoyama, & Disney 
are created and owned by the author. Andy Fox is courtesy of his player. 
The WB Character "Bernice Beauvine" was named by Able DuSable.
This part of the tale is rated R for realistic violence.
This story contains many references to music, some of which you may be
familiar with. It contains and was inspired by the music of Danny Elfman's
film soundtracks. In order to enhance this experience, I've made notations
as to where each specific piece of music fits into the story. If it's 
available to you, I'd  *strongly* suggest getting the CD or cassette tape, 
so that you'll not only read the story, but hear it happen as well. All the
music is available on CD. Most is from 
Danny Elfman's Original Motion Picture Soundtracks:
"Planet of the Apes" - (#MCAD-10133), 
"Charlotte's Web"  - (Sony/Classical #88697-02989-2),
 Max Steiner's classic score of "King Kong" (Turner movie Classics & Rhino 
Movie Music #R2 75597) and  the Music of Sol Kaplan -
The Original Television Soundtrack of "STAR TREK" Volume 2 "From the 
Episode "The Doomsday Machine" (Crescendo Records #GNPD 8025)

I'd like to thank HKUriah, Thorne, Dennis Smith, Paul Zook 
and Danny Elfman. 
This story is dedicated to my Beloved Wife – 
             -And - 
In Memory of over Three Hundred Brave Men who gave their lives
In Defense of their Countries at the Battle of Hampton Roads,
March the Eighth, 1862.
-	And for  my late Beloved Brother –
                          JAMES CORNELL KELLOGG
                          Born January 30th, 1957 –
			Died July 11th, 2008



And now – Part 3 of Part 19 of -
   "A TIME TO EVERY PURPOSE UNTO HEAVEN" - A Time To Kill 
    "The U.S.S. CUMBERLAND"

Chapter CXXV
	["Now hold on! Buchanan gets badly wounded, but he survives the war'],
Dr. Lord insisted, ["No one will be lost nor left behind here today! Not on my watch!
Do you hear me?!"]
	After his fierce declaration, the cowed toons were silent. Calamity wished
he'd studied before he'd opened his big mouth as his host went below. After a 
moment, Lord thought softly to Shirley in a fatherly way, as if patting her on the 
shoulder.
	["Don't cry Shirley. I'll figure a way to get you out of this_The others too.
Be a brave girl now."]
	["You promise?"] the loon asked, sniffing her tears back.
["I promise"] he told her. ["If only the two of you weren't getting wounded in the
legs..."]
	["What do you mean?"] asked Buster.
["Those uniforms I gave you all are actually body armor. Even the hats are
helmets"] the Doctor explained. ["Since they're designed as Civil War jackets,
they don't cover your legs."]
	["So zat's why zey felt heavy"] Fifi thought.
	["Looks like we've got company"] Furball announced as the ship began a
turn to port and the city of Norfolk came into view on the eastern shore.
	["What company? Who? Where? Why?"] asked Plucky.
["What Plucky is trying to say is that we can't see"], Babs explained, ["Would 
somebody please tell us whatever it is?"]
	Fifi looked through the eyes of her host and saw the figures of hundreds of 
people lining the banks of both sides of the river. It appeared as though the entire 
populations of Portsmouth and Norfolk had dropped everything and had run to the 
riverbanks to see the Virginia. The people stood silently for the most part, staring at 
the monstrous black ironclad as she slowly slipped through the waters. 
	Young men and boys were scrambling to join the ship, jumping into rowboats
and oysterman's skiffs, climbing onto rafts and poling their way along to follow the
lumbering giant. Little sailboats scooted around the ship. 
	Everywhere – there were girls waving white handkerchiefs. Finely-dressed ladies
waved to the crew with worried faces. Others bowed their heads in prayer for their 
husbands, sons and fathers who were about to go into battle. In the local
churches, the Confederates prayed for their struggling country and for the safe return
of their loved ones. Many of the men on the shore had serious countenances. An 
attempt at cheering would have ended in tears. Their hearts were too full for 
utterance.
	All the people knew that this was a decisive moment for the Confederacy. 
If the Virginia broke the enemy blockade, then there was a significant chance
that the new nation would gain the recognition and support of foreign powers
like Britain and France. With their support, the Confederacy might survive.
	["Ah'll tell vous what mah host, Docteur Pheeleepz eez theenking"], Fifi 
announced in an oddly dispassionate tone, ["Both sides of zee riverbank are 
thronged with people. Most ov zem, perhaps attracted by our novel 
appearance, and desirous ov witnessing our movements through zee water."]
	Fowlmouth and his host watched a group of old men on a nearby wharf
shake their heads at the ironclad.
	"Go on with your old metallic coffin!", shouted one, "She will never amount 
to anything else!"
	["Few, eef any, entertain an exalted idea ov our efficiency"] Fifi continued, 
["Many predeect a total failure."]
	Buster, who had been quiet since learning his fate, spoke up bravely.
["Maybe not everybody'], he thought, ["My man has realized that this is the day.
That here is to be tried the great experiment of the ram and iron-clad in naval warfare."]
	["Lieutenant Wood agrees with the others"], Mary contradicted as the ship
began a slight turn to port, ["From the start we could see that she was slow, not 
over five knots. Uh-oh!"]
	The ship was not making the turn and was aiming at a jetty, alarming the
man at the wheel and the officers. The helmsman spun the wheel hard to port to
avoid a collision but nothing happened! The crew waited breathlessly. Finally, the
great length of the ship lurched slowly aside under everyone's feet and swung 
gradually out of danger. 
	["This is like trying to steer a dinosaur!"] thought Hamton as his host, the pilot
talked with the other men in the tiny pilot-house.
	Mary continued to relay her host's thoughts: ["She steers so badly that, with 
her great length, it will take thirty to forty minutes to turn. She's as unmanageable 
as a water-logged vessel."]    
	"What's her speed?" Captain Buchanan called down from behind the
conical pilot-house to the leadsman on the foredeck.
	Standing ankle-deep in the river water that ran over the semi-submerged 
deck, the crewman threw his lead bob ahead of the ship and paid out the line it
was attached to. The lead struck the bottom and the man watched the ship's nose
pass it - then, hand over hand, he drew it back up, noting how much line had gone 
out.
	"Six knots, Sir. Our keel is close to the bottom, Captain" he called back.
While Buchanan mused sullenly over this, people on shore gasped at the sight 
of the leadsman standing on what to all appearances was thirty feet of water.
	"It is de debil ship! Dat man is walkin' on de water!!" they exclaimed.
The captain was not satisfied and ordered Buster's tugboat to take the Virginia in 
tow. Guiding the man at the helm, Buster's host slowed his tugboat, bringing it in 
close to the Virginia's sharp prow and a crewman dropped a thick hawser rope to
the leadsman, who looped it around the ironclad's bitt. The Beaufort pulled ahead,
steering the sluggish behemoth along the river.
	Calamity's host went topside and reported to the captain.
"The machinery is all right, sir. Beyond expectations."
	"Very good", Buchanan replied," Report to me on the exact condition of the
engines with the utmost diligence. This is very important! In the event of a collision 
- do not wait for the signal to reverse. Do so with full power and without hesitation! 
I may be in the heat of battle or wounded, so you are not to wait for orders."
Within him, Shirley was very nearly frightened by the aggressive nature of 
her host. She had seldom felt such fierce determination within herself. 
	"Boatswain - Pipe the hands to dinner" ordered the captain.
As the Bosun's pipe whistled a series of squeaky squeals, the men slowly filed
down the hatches and stairways to the galley to chew on butter-fried hardtack and
coffee, while the officers went forward to the curtained-off ward room. 
	Fowlmouth found himself seated across from Wakko, as they were served 
a picnic of hot biscuits and cold sliced meat.  
	["What's dis stuff?"] the rooster asked, making a face as his host swallowed
a bite of the cold-cuts.
	["Mmm! Cold tongue. Ya like it?"] Wakko smiled as his host daintily ate.
["ACK! Ptooey!"], FM gagged, ["Ya mean we's eatin' beef tongue?!"]
	["Yup. Try not to think of Bernice Beauvine while yer eating it."] the Warner kid 
grinned sarcastically.
	["@%#*&! That Perfecto cheerleader cow?! I wouldn't take no tongue frum 
her! Ya dunno where it's been!"] swore Fowlmouth as Wakko chuckled.
	["You've got a pretty dirty mouth yerself."]

	(Star Trek VOL2, "The Doomsday Machine" "Decker Takes Over" #6) 

	On deck, the ship's caterer hailed Calamity's host.
	"Better get your lunch now, Mister Ramsay. It will be your last chance.
The galley-fires must be put out when the magazines are opened."
	["Perhaps this secret attack isn't so secret"] Calamity observed as he
walked down to the gun deck.
	What he saw there confirmed the fact. Passing along inside the cramped, 
angular casemate he was particularly struck by the countenances of the gun's 
crews, as they stood motionless at their posts with ramrods or gun sponges
in their hands, their set lips unsmiling.  As he passed down the whitewashed,
slanted-in wall of the armored shield, the scene was eerily lit by the jagged shafts
of sunlight from the grating only seven feet above and by the sickly yellow light of 
the caged oil lamps that swung from the ceiling with the swell of the river beneath 
them. The vertically slanted strips of white wooden backing and the five rows of
hexagonal nuts holding the bolted iron armor on made it look like draftsman's study
in perspective_ or the sealed walls of a tomb. Only the massive black cannons 
and their heavy wooden carriages broke up the scene, the somber men at their 
sides seeming like funereal pallbearers around a group of caskets. 
	Calamity listened to the thoughts of his host: "The appearance of a ship
cleared away for action is nothing new_but these men look pale and determined, 
standing straight and stiff, showing their nerves were wrought to a high state of 
tension. From the time of leaving the yard I had not reflected much on the deadly 
conflict we were to engage in...The appearance of these men, with the surrounding 
warlike preparations, brings it all to mind_ 
	Here we are, with an untried, experimental ship_ about to make an attack on a 
fleet of the very best material in the U.S. Navy_ ten guns against two hundred – 
three hundred men against three thousand_ yet this was our hazardous 
enterprise."
	Calamity gulped as he realized the danger. As he reached the ward room,
he noticed the Assistant Surgeon, Algernon S. Garret, calmly laying out his surgical 
instruments and lint for bandages on the wooden table alongside the food as they 
prepared for battle. The sight took away his host's appetite. He descended into the 
depths of the engine room with a cold lump in his throat.  Ramsay remembered 
how his friend had teased him about his new posting to the Virginia. 
	"Goodbye, Ramsay", he'd said," I shall never see you again. She will prove your 
coffin."
	Neither Calamity nor his host found anything funny about it now.

Chapter CXXVI                                  ("Charlotte's Web" (2007), #1"Main Titles") 
	["How could anybody want to fight on a beautiful day like this?"] thought
Babs Bunny as her host stepped out onto the quarterdeck of the U.S.S. Congress.
	The salty taste and tangy smell of the sea filled her head as she walked 
across the clean wood of the sparkling white, holystoned deck. The cries of 
seagulls and the creak of the wooden ship mingled with the sounds of men 
laughing and talking. Somewhere, crewmen were repairing caulking with fresh 
black tar. The vivid black and white painted ship was warm to the touch as the 
sun beat down on it through the cloudless azure blue sky. Overhead rose the 
towering masts and spars with furled canvas strung aloft with miles of rope ratlines 
and rigging. This was still the Age of Sail – of wooden ships and iron men.
	Within her host, Lieutenant Pendergrast, Babs looked out upon the wide 
expanse of blue-grey seas at the faraway sandy shores of the bay. To the 
northeast was Fort Monroe, a great stone citadel with one hundred and eighty 
heavy cannon and manned by the thousands of General McClellan's "Army of the 
Potomac". She saw the Union fleet; sixty or more vessels of all shapes and sizes. 
There was everything from converted New York ferryboats to tugboats, side-
wheelers and the mighty forty-gunned steam frigates. The pink bunny had a 
chance to see again what the U.S.S. Merrimack had looked like before she'd been 
put to the torch, as her sister-ships U.S.S. Minnesota and U.S.S. Roanoke stood 
rising like prodigious castles over the placid water. 
	Ahead of the Congress to the west, Babs saw the twenty-four gunned 
sloop of war U.S.S. Cumberland riding at anchor next to the point of Newport 
News and Camp Butler, another Union fortification mounting eight heavy cannon
and manned by eight thousand of the Federal Army. 
How could all these multitudes lose the battle against a single ship?
	As onboard the Virginia, the crew of the Congress and Cumberland were 
eating their noonday meal, but Bab's host was still quite sated from the party
he'd attended that morning onshore. His friend Acting Captain Joe Smith stood 
smiling at his side, along with the ship's former commander. The ship was 
preparing to leave for a new post and the thought of leaving the boring task of 
blockade duty behind had everyone in a good mood. 
	"Did the oysters agree with you, Mister Pendergrast?" the handsome 
captain asked.
	"Aye, that they did Sir! As did the wine" answered the lieutenant.
"That was as fine a military farewell as any since the days of Caesar's legions"
agreed the former captain, whose name was also Smith.
["No relation"] thought Babs to herself as she watched the new Captain 
Smith.
Like many of the men, the Captain had a full close-cropped beard. The 
popular young officer was the son of Commodore Smith who had been on the 
Navy's Ironclad Board that had selected the Monitor's design. A generous man 
of good cheer, he was confident in his ship and crew.
"The Ericsson Battery will be here soon", he said, "They‘ll deal with this 
old Merrimack soundly."
	All this cheer and self-assurance rang hollow, Babs thought, for she knew the 
ship was doomed.

	A few hundred yards away onboard the U.S.S. Cumberland, Plucky and 
his host looked up from the main deck at the colorful spectacle overhead. Saturday
was washday and the crew had strung their wet laundry in the ship's rigging to 
dry. In a tradition hundreds of years old, blue clothing hung on the port side and 
whites on the starboard. The shirts, pants and underwear flapping in the breeze
looked like the bright flags at a carnival. A ship's boy, barely twelve years old,
skipped about on the smooth white deck, dancing and rattling his tambourine.
With Plucky inside, young Lieutenant George Morris stood smiling as he watched 
the powder monkey dance. The mustachioed Morris was in command while his 
captain was ashore. At his side, Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge stood with the big 
man, John Harrington, the Master's Mate. The powder monkey's tambourine
rattled and thumped cheerfully, bringing something to mind_
	The sound of rhythmic clapping filled the minds of the Toonsters.
["What in the name of Ziggy Stardust is that?!"]  exclaimed Babs.
	["Oh, gag me with a spoon, Plucky! Not now!"]  Shirley complained uselessly.
	["Hey, I'm the Captain and what I say goes! C'mon it's fun!"] the Pluckster said 
with relaxed arrogance as the music became the funky disco beat of The 
Village People singing in their heads.
	["Where can you find pleasure? Search the world for treasure!
Learn science, technology!?
Where can you begin to - make your dreams all come true -
On the land or on the sea?
Where can you learn to fly? Play in sports and skin dive!
Study oceanography?
Sign up for the big band! -  Or sit in the grandstand! 
When your team and others meet!"] 
	["Where?!"] added Arnold as his grinning spirit danced within his host.
	["In the Navy! Yes, you can sail the seven seas! In the Navy!"]
	["Someone like put my mind at ease?"] Shirley remarked sourly.
	["In the Navy! Come on now people make a stand_"]
	The rousing male chorus died away as Plucky became aware of everyone 
else's grim feelings. 
	Only Arnold continued his carefree singing till he too stopped with a very tiny 
embarrassed voice. ["In the Navy! In the Navy!_Can't you_see we need _
a hand?"] 
	["Your levity is good"], thought the Doctor pointedly to Plucky, ["It helps to 
relieve the tension and thoughts of death. You're not scared, are you Plucky?"]
	["Naw! A'course not!"] boasted the duck.
	["Hm, really? If you had any sense, you'd be scared."] Lord smiled.
	["You mean it's not a bad thing - to be afraid, Doc?"] Mary asked.
	["Fear is a natural reaction. By being on edge, we are prepared for action.
It heightens our senses and often saves our lives. The trick is, not to stay 
fearful and keep hiding – that makes us vulnerable and keeps us from doing
what we need to do. Only a madman or a fool allows himself to be scared
longer than necessary- and only a fool or a madman would feel no fear.
Courage is doing what you have to do – even though you're scared."]
	Even Shirley smiled at this.  ["So, are you totally scared too,
Sensai?"] she asked.
	["Naw, a' course not"] Lord shrugged casually.
	Most everyone chuckled at the remark, thinking it was in jest, but Hamton
noticed that Lord wasn't joking.
	["Shouldn't you be working on how to get us out of this mess?"]
insisted Plucky.
	["_I am"] Lord told him simply, leaving the duck to grumble. 
	["But I'll need help from everyone"], he continued, ["We need to know what 
happens to the hosts of Plucky, Buster, Babs and Shirley. Let's see how well you 
studied, folks. What will happen to Buster's host - Commander Parker of the 
Beaufort?"]
	Buster stood inside Parker in the wheelhouse of his tugboat, thinking.
	["Well, we fire the first Confederate shot of the battle, we go in close and take the 
surrender of the Congress from her commander –"]
	["So we'll come face to face, Buster_"] Babs piped up.
	["That shall be our opportunity"], Lord announced, ["When the Beaufort is alongside 
the Congress, we'll get Babs aboard somehow. The Beaufort returns to Sewell's 
point before the Virginia –"]
	["But Pendergrast doesn't get on board the Beaufort – he eludes capture 
and gets to shore"] Wakko interrupted, as his host tried to chew a piece of 
hardtack.
	["If he does, Babs won't be able to get back with us!"] Buster agreed.
	["True_but it does give us the chance to get her back to you before Pendergrast 
leaves.."] thought the Doctor. ["What else happens then?"]
	["When the Federals ashore fire at us_ Buster will get wounded"] Babs
reminded them sadly.
	["They'll also get me"] Shirley added with a gulp.
	["Then the Beaufort will leave the scene with the wounded men of the Congress"]
Calamity observed, while his host tapped the steam pressure gauge on the 
engine.
	["The Beaufort has to be the key! It's the only ship to come in close enough to 
pick up Babs"] Furball realized.
	["Not quite – ze Jamestown also comes alongside zee Congress –"] Fifi argued.
	["But the Jamestown doesn't have time to take the wounded men aboard – 
she leaves too"] Fowlmouth disputed.
	["But vere does dis leave Plucky?"] bickered Arnold.
	["Yeah! What about me?_ and what about Shirley?!"] the duck objected.
	The Doctor considered.
	["Our only chances to recover you will be when our ships are the closest together_
Logically that means when the Cumberland is being rammed by the Virginia, but
that would also be at the point of the most danger – both ships will be firing on 
each other from point blank range with heavy cannons and rifles_"]
	["That_sounds a little on the dangerous side"], Plucky commented, ["Got 
any safer ideas?"] 
	["Just a darned minute, there!"] Babs interrupted ["That only tells us where 
we'll be. How are we gonna shift ourselves? If we change what our hosts do – 
we'll end up changing history!"]
	["We can't do that! Any little change could ruin the future – our future"] 
Buster agreed, as his host thoughtfully swept his mustache with his fingers.
	["Would it really wreck *our* future?"] Wakko asked, swallowing.
	["We can't take any chances. Even a small alteration might cause an imbalance 
between the two universes."] Calamity concurred.
	["Then how do we get home? Huh? Huh? I dunno."] Gogo exclaimed, ["My 
wackiness quotient is gonna be seeeeeriously depleted with all this dire drama."]
	["I need to call home and find out exactly what we can and cannot do,
then we'll know for certain"], the Doctor told them, ["This situation is dangerous, but 
you have to admit that by your being placed into these hosts – especially the four 
captains – we may learn more than we would have if we'd all been aboard the 
Virginia."]
	["Maybe yer right _but I'd like rather be totally stupid than face this"] 
Shirley said morbidly.
	After the Toonsters sighed sadly in unison, Lord spoke with reassurance.
["Don't worry. We'll get home. All of us. I have an idea. Have any of you ever 
played the old shell game? Now this is what we're going to do_"] 

Chapter  CXXVII        
	"Impossible!" exclaimed Wile E. Coyote.
	He stared again at the communications monitor where Dr. Lord's thought –
transmissions were displayed, then threw up his hands and stalked away.
	"Highly improbable perhaps – but not impossible" Ralph Wolf concluded.
Wile spun on his heel and exploded, "Stop one continuum entirely while keeping
theirs going?! It can't be done!"
	"I'll admit it's a difficult proposition, but if  we can apply sufficient power –"
"Even if it were possible – do you have any idea of the risk to history that's 
involved? This could destroy both universes!  The space-time continuum itself 
could be ripped apart!" the coyote stormed.
	"Don't be such a fatalist", Ralph said flatly, "It's like editing a song –
you simply pause one track while you let the one you want run to the right place."
	Wile raised a shaggy eyebrow and scowled: "I'm a genius – not a 
disk-jockey, damnit!"
	"Well that's just fascinating, Wile. Thanks for sharing that", the wolf 
remarked sarcastically, "Look cousin – if we can just crunch the numbers the right 
way, we can do this."
	"My dear boy, I'm telling you that it won't work" Wile told him patronizingly.
Egghead Junior politely tugged on the hem of the coyote's white lab coat and 
pointed to a chalkboard covered with an immense equation in nuclear, space-time
quantum mechanics that he had silently drawn out while the two canids had been 
arguing. Wile and Ralph read the dizzying amount of numbers and symbols – 
and at the answer at the bottom corner. Miss Prissy's little boy waited for them 
patiently, occasionally blinking his innocent beady eyes. 
	Wile's mouth finally closed and his long ears hung straight down.
"Apparently, it can work" he commented.
	"You know your lips move when you read?" Ralph observed sardonically.
"However – there's just one big problem with this plan!" the super genius pointed 
out by tapping on one of the figures scrawled on the blackboard. He then walked 
to the Wellesian control panel of the Space-Time Displacement apparatus and
pointed at a setting on the gauges. 
	"We haven't got enough power to do it."
	Ralph's jaw dropped to the floor and Wile slapped him upside the head, causing
it to return to his face. Junior raced to the controls and stood on tip-toe, trying to see
the gauges, but he was too short. Wile provided him with a small step ladder, but 
looking at the settings only made the chick's tiny beak frown pathetically. It was 
true – the machine's maximum power was too low to achieve their goals.
	A small black cloud labeled "Gloom" hovered over the three scientists and 
rained on them. Wile put up a tiny umbrella, but Ralph grabbed at it and the two
cousins fought over it briefly, slapping at each other like sissies before Junior blew 
the rain cloud away with an electric fan. The canids stopped and stared at the 
paper he waved patiently at them.
They then fought briefly over the paper, before the coyote grabbed it.
	"Esteemed colleagues - It will be a simple matter to raise the power input 
settings to achieve our objectives" Wile E. read.
	Before he had time to shake his head at this suggestion, another 
message from Doctor Lord filled the monitor screen.
"Changing the power setting will do you no good. The power source is beyond 
your reach" it said.
	The cloud of "Gloom" returned.
	"Fear not– the power will be increased to the required intensity in approximately
two hours, your time. You have *that* long to make the adjustments to the system
crucial to handling the zettatons of power ", Lord continued, " I'll assist you."
	This time, all three of the scientist's jaws hit the floor.
"_Oh my god" whispered Wile in disbelief.
	"He_he didn't just say what I thought he said_did he?" Ralph stammered.
Egghead Junior's scribbling on the chalkboard was frantic. He finally stopped, 
jumping and pointing to the algebraic hieroglyphics.
	"H-bomb = Megatons of power = 10^1 Zettaton = Megatons to the 21st
Power = 10^21!!!" 
	The three experts looked at each other and began opening the control 
panels, revealing the guts of the machinery.
	"Let's go, we've got alot of work to do" said Wile with determination.

Chapter  CXXVIII
	On board of the CSS Beaufort, Buster sweated along with his host, 
Lieutenant Parker. He knew, as Parker did, what the Virginia's captain's intentions 
were. He felt the terrible tension building.
	"Mister Foreman, watch the flagship for any signals, especially the new one" 
Parker said.
	"And which is that, Sir?" the man asked.
"The one Captain Buchanan said he might fly – "Sink Before You Surrender!"
	Astern, Buster watched the monstrous Virginia slowly plow the waters 
before her. The officers and men who stood on her narrow top deck seemed calm, 
despite the impending battle. As the men onboard his own ship joked amongst 
themselves, exhibiting a careless insouciance, it only served to reinforce the anxiety 
he felt.
	["How can they act like they don't care?"] he wondered as he watched them.

	But the story was different ashore as the Confederate fleet passed by. By now, 
the whole city of Norfolk was in an uproar. Women, children, men on horseback
and on foot were all running towards the river from every conceivable direction, 
shouting: "The Merrimac is going down!" 
	Rebel soldiers and officers were riding down to the riverbanks from as far away as 
twelve miles to the message passed from mouth to mouth: "The Virginia is coming 
up the river!"
	The Virginia's crew received enthusiastic cheers from the excited populace 
without a single response. Everything betokened serious business. Standing within 
the ship's doctor with the officers on deck, Fifi listened to the people on the shore. 
She watched women cry and wave their handkerchiefs as others took up a cheer 
she had never heard before. 
	"Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!" the people roared, their voices echoing across 
the river. 
	As the ship approached the Confederate artillery battery near Craney Island, 
the army of men in gray uniforms were cheering lustily and waving their hats. From 
the midst of this outcry came a new sound. A nine year old little drummer boy stood 
beating out a rhythm on the stretched calfskin of the wooden drum that dwarfed his 
small frame. The men's voices stilled for a moment – and then rang across the 
waters.
	"We are a band of brothers – and native to the soil!
A-fighting for our liberty – with treasure, blood and toil!
And when our rights were threatened – the word spread near and far!
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star!
Hurrah! HURRAH!! For Southern Rights, Hurrah!
Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star!"
	As the young men sang, Fifi saw another patriot standing closer than the 
others. His spectacles showed him to be an older man. He stood stiffly at attention
with his right arm bent in a military salute, his finger-tips fanning his eyebrow, like a 
knight about to lower his visor. The patriot saluted the ship as she drew by, deeply 
affected, but trying stoically not to show it. A single tear ran down the patriot's 
deeply-lined cheek.
	Fifi gulped down her own emotions. Her host, the doctor, also felt a lump in 
his throat. His boot-heels thudded together and he proudly returned the man's 
salute for a long moment. Not until he lowered his hand did the old patriot's arm
relax as he watched the ship pass by.  
	Standing nearby, Shirley and the Doctor witnessed Captain Buchanan's
commands.
	"Mister Jones – have all the workers disembark. This is no place for 
civilians."
	"Aye aye, Sir" answered the Exec, exiting down the stairs. There he ordered
all the remaining ship-builders off the ship. The small steamer Harmony came 
alongside and the last few workmen ducked carefully out though one of the ship's 
gun ports. 
	["Looks like they're happy tuh leave,"] Shirley thought nervously, ["Could I 
like, go with em?"]
	["You'll get through this"] Lord assured her as the boat pulled away toward 
Craney Island.
	The captain followed Jones down the hatchway and stood on the stairs.
"All hands forward!" called Jones.
	Inside their walls of iron, the solemn eyes of the crew and officers all looked 
up. The noonday sun shining through the grating of the roof lit their faces with sharp 
squares of light and darkness. The only brightly-lit spot was where Buchanan now 
boldly stood. The gaze of all the Virginia's crew, including the Toonsters and Lord, 
now rested on the bluff, steely-eyed Captain, who stared down from above and 
spoke with a Nelsonian flourish.
	"Sailors! In a few minutes you will have the long-awaited opportunity to
show your devotion to your country and our cause! Remember that you are about 
to strike for your country and your homes - your wives and your children! The 
whole world is watching you today! The Confederacy expects every man to do 
his duty! Beat to quarters!"
	The ships' drum rolled ominously. The odd sound of a fife joined it. The 
crew knew that this was no longer a trial exercise. The Toonsters all gulped at 
the danger. 
	As the drumming continued to echo though the long casemate, the Captain
continued. "Many Confederates have complained that they have not been taken 
near enough to the enemy. I assure you all that there shall be no such complaint
this time. I intend to head straight for the Cumberland. Go to your guns" he 
commanded them. 
	The insistent drumbeat was now joined by footsteps on the gun deck as the
crew went to their stations. Quietly, the men secured the guns for action and stood 
at the ready. As the other toons went to their officer's stations, Arnold and Hamton 
watched the laborious process that would be repeated so many times that day.
Gogo's host Curtis took part as the gun's captain gave the orders.
	"Sponge!"
	With a hearty grin, Curtis' friend Dunbar moved to the muzzle of the giant black gun 
with a lengthy wooden pole, the business end of which was covered in thick 
cotton-wool. Dunbar stuck the other end out of the gun port as he thrust the 
sponge into the cannon's mouth and down the barrel till it made a satisfactory 
thump at the breech. The smiling Canadian then drew it out  backwards through 
the open port and back into the casemate, moving away to the left and out of the 
way of the next man. After the gun's captain had inspected the silken powder 
bags and the seven-inch explosive shell, he called out: "Load!"
	Another man sealed the breech vent by holding his thick leather gloved fingers over 
the hole to prevent a premature explosion, while the dangerous black powder  
bags were carefully rammed down the gun barrel by the rammer. The men then
gingerly placed the grooved conical shell into the rifle's mouth and carefully rammed 
it in after the gunpowder. The rammer was joined by another man and with a grunt,
they muscled the twisting shell down through the rifling of the gun's tube. 
"Run ‘er out!" ordered the captain. 
	Wordlessly, the gun crew took up the thick ropes of the breeching tackle and 
heaved away, pulling the tons of deadly metal towards the open gun port.
	As his host strained at the block and tackle, Gogo's mind squeaked: 
["HOLY HERNIA! Why don't we just try hoisting Hoppopotamus up 
Mount Everest? That'd be easier than this!" Hey Arnold? A lil' help??"]
	["Sorry, I'm an officer now. You do der manual labour!"] Arnold ordered, 
["Come on girly-bird! Get pumped! Hit it harder! Feel de burn! Yah!"]
	The pivot gun's muzzle stuck out through the gunport and the gun crew
relaxed.  Arnold's host now moved to the gun's breech and the vent was 
uncovered as he slipped a metal tube into it and attached the lanyard. The friction 
primer was filled with fulminate of mercury that would explode when the pin was 
pulled out of it with the lanyard and the massive gun would go off. The cannon 
was ready to fire. All there was to do now was wait. The men stood in silence at 
their posts – almost all the guns were ready, except two. 
	Fowlmouth's and Wakko's hosts had overseen the loading of guns 4 
and 5  - but the nine-inch cannon balls were only to be loaded just before firing.

	["What're we waitin' for? Let's get this ting loaded!"] fumed the rooster.
	["Oh, we can't"], Wakko sighed calmly, ["The buns are still in the oven."]
	["What're you talking about? The only buns that're bakin' around here are mine'],
Fowlmouth complained, ["We wound up getting stuck right next to da smokestack – 
right over da boilers! _Ah'm gonna end up a Kentucky Fried chicken."]
	["Ah like mine "extra crispy"], Wakko quipped, ["Din't ja study at all?"]
	["Whadya mean ya limey clown? A' course I did!"]
	["Wull then, you know that these are "hot-shot" guns. Look down that hole in 
the deck"] the Warner brother told him, ["The cannon balls're getting' heated red hot 
in the furnaces, so when we shoot ‘em – Poof! The enemy gets a hot foot."]
	["Heh, sorta like shootin' flamin' arrows – only woise, huh?"] FM noticed.
	["Hey! Who're you callin' a clown!"] Wakko suddenly realized, ["I hate clowns!"]
	["Gee, thanks a lot guys - I don't need reminding!"] thought the far-away 
voice of Babs as she looked at her flammable wooden ship.
	["Oops_ sorry Babs"] Wakko apologized. 
	He and Fowlmouth looked at each other's guilty faces, knowing that Babs' ship 
was destined to burn. 
	
	"Officers? The Captain wants to see you all topside, Sirs" called the Bosun.
	Silently, the Virginia's officers climbed the stairs back to the roof. Most of the 
Toonsters now joined Shirley and the Doctor as their hosts took them up into the 
sunshine and open air once more.  
	Mary felt as though she were standing on top of a slow-moving train.
She felt the motion of the massive metal fortress beneath her feet and felt the 
horrendous heat radiating from the huge blackened iron cylinder of the smokestack.
Glancing up, she saw the top of the stack chugging out billows of black, choking 
coal smoke and saw the tiny red glints of sparks and cinders melting and 
disappearing as the smoke poured and drifted off behind them.  Her host avoided 
the heat and bitter fumes by walking around the twelve-foot high chimney toward 
the ship's bow. Now that there was nothing to do but wait, she began to notice 
more of their surroundings. The river was widening out into the bay of Hampton 
Roads, a wide stretch of sea was before them, the cold water a dim bluish-gray.
Miles away to the north was the shoreline, littered with strange dots. Northeast 
was a yellow stone island and to the northwest was a spit of pale sandy beach.
Black and white dots seemed to line the shores ahead and there were more to the 
west. Mary stared harder at the dots and saw that some were tall and many were 
short_ then she realized that these were ships. Black and white sailing frigates 
with masts and spars that dwarfed their vast hulls. It was hard to see, but Mary 
counted over sixty of them. She knew that this was the Union fleet that the Virginia 
and her two tugboats faced. The big frigates were larger than the Virginia and the 
ships-of-the-line had as many as fives times her ten guns. The yellow stone 
island was Fort Monroe and there was also the batteries at Camp Butler, 
Rip Raps and Camp Harrison_
	All these ships and fortresses bristled with hundreds of heavy guns and 
thousands of men.     
	Mary gulped and thought ["_We're outnumbered by more than ten to one."] 
	With his arms crossed, Captain Buchanan explained his plan of attack; first to get 
in close and ram the Cumberland, so as to dispatch her quickly and save as much 
of their precious gunpowder as they could – they would need it to destroy the rest 
of the Federal fleet. 
	["Like, the Captain may seem totally aggressive, but he's hoping to ram and sink 
the fleet rather than shoot everybody'], Shirley told them, ["His own brother is the 
Paymaster on the Congress."]
	["Most of the officers know about his brother but they don't talk about it out of 
respect for him"] Mary confirmed.
	["Like, he doesn't talk about it. If his men thought he was soft on the North, he's 
afraid of getting carded or that someone might start raggin' on ‘em and narc on him. 
So, he's in like this awesome karmic trap! He totally wants to be a good soldier – 
but he doesn't wanna kill his old friends in the Union Navy"], the loon explained, 
["It's like, a way cosmic dilemma!"]
	["Totally"] thought Fifi as her host approached the Captain.
	"Sir?", said Doctor Philips skeptically, "Do you really intend to attack the Union fleet
with our untried, experimental vessel?"
	"Those ships must be sunk!" Buchanan answered, pointing at the 
Cumberland and the Congress.
	"But Sir, how are we to measure the success of the Virginia?" the Doctor asked.
	"If we sink them – we are a success", said the Captain, "If they sink us 
–then we are a true failure."  
	All of the Toonsters and many of the officers gulped in fear at this.
	"Mister Jones, prepare to cast off!" the Captain ordered.
	"Prepare to cast off, Aye Sir" Lord's host repeated, walking to the hatchway.
	"Very well" Buchanan acknowledged.
	Following a series of shouts between the Virginia and the Beaufort, the Captain
commanded: "Cast off!" and the tow line was thrown overboard to be hauled in by 
the men on the tugboat's stern. The heavy ironclad slowed a little, but surged 
forward under her own power. The rebel monster was loose at last!

Chapter CXXIX
	Across Hampton Roads, Plucky was fully enjoying being treated 
as the Captain. Like his host, Lieutenant Morris, he stood tall as his brother officer 
reported to him.
	"Anything unusual, Mister Selfridge?"
	"Normal routine this morning, Sir_except that Captain Tucker's rebel squadron 
seems to have anchored closer to the Roads. You can see them, sir, just next to 
the point of Mulberry Island."
	Plucky's host took the brass spyglass that Selfridge offered him and opened 
it, looking westward. Within the glassy circle far away, he saw three steamboats;
the Jamestown, the larger Patrick Henry and the smallish Teaser, all riding at 
anchor but with smoke flowing from their smokestacks.
	"They have steam up", said Morris with a smile, "Perhaps we'll see some 
target practice today."
	["If only they knew"]Plucky thought.

	Just a few hundred yards away, Babs' host was giving a report to his officer.
	"Something odd, Captain – those two Frenchie ships have moved down to
the mouth of the Roads" reported Lt. Pendergrast.
	"They must be preparing to leave port", concluded Lt. Smith, "They should 
have signaled to Fortress Monroe about it. That's the international law."
	"They did not report, Sir."
	Smith paused, thinking. "_I heard the two French captains visited Norfolk 
yesterday."
	"Do ye think they know something we don't Sir?"

	Back in Acme Acres, Wile Coyote stood on a catwalk above the central cooling 
and power tube, tightening a harness and a tether on himself, preparing to be 
lowered into it. Ralph Wolf looked anxious.
	"Do you know what you're doing?" he asked.
"I always know what I'm doing", the coyote declared, "I'm doing what the Doctor 
told me to do. The cooling system's frequency modulation must be altered to 
withstand the huge influx of power and it can only be done - manually."
	"Shouldn't we let the lil guy do this?," Ralph implored, "No offense, but both 
you and I have a reputation for – how shall I say it? – Screwing Up?"
	"I am perfectly capable of making this adjustment without blowing us all to 
Kingdom Come, thank you very much!", Wile insisted, then muttered under his 
breath, "As long as the Doctor hasn't used any Acme products in this design_"
	Ralph snapped the tether's safety hook to a electrical crane and stood at 
the controls. 
	"You do realize that you'll be inside the cooling system and close to the Time data 
stream, don't you?"
	This gave the Coyote pause for reflection but he turned back to his cousin 
with a supercilious smirk.
	"Of course! But someone has to save our intrepid little band, don't they?" he 
grinned arrogantly.
	The crane lifted with a jerk and he looked down at the heavy steel hatch
covered in frost and flowing with freezing vapor. Wile gulped nervously.

	Back in Hampton Roads, the Toonsters and their hosts gazed out at the face
of their foes – many, many foes. Men they knew personally, sailors they had 
served with before the war began. Old friends.
	[" My host served aboard the Congress"], thought Wakko sadly, ["She wuz his 
floating home for three years_Little did ‘ee think ‘ee should ever raise a hand for her 
destruction."] 
	["Look! Plucky vas right"], noticed Arnold, ["Der ist undervear in dere masts."]
	Blue pants and shirts hung on the spars and rigging of the Cumberland like leaves 
on a tree, while the white underwear hung to starboard, towards shore. There were 
so many_ so many men_ so many guns. With the battle about to begin, the 
Toonsters and their hosts grew fearful, but only their thoughts betrayed them. They 
felt cold again. Shirley's thoughts chilled them, her voice like that of a terrified toddler.
	["_Doc?_Like_I'm way scared."]
	There was a pause before Lord answered, as his mind was crowded with 
calculations of power conversions and the stress factors of photo-optic cable.
	["You'll be okay. Keep calm_Can't talk now– must prepare time machinery."]
Behind his host's bearded face, Lord's eyes glowed solid white as he thought
his instructions back through time to the screen Egghead Junior was reading.
["I hate texting"] he thought.
	["There's so many against us"], Calamity thought introspectively, ["And yet
we'll be the winners. Ours is the triumph of new technology over ancient dogma."]
["But at such a terrible cost"] Hamton's guilt-ridden mind muttered.
	The Toonsters were sore afraid, but kept their silence, until one brave voice filled 
their heads.
	["We've got a job to do. Take heart from these men"] Furball told them, 
["They're afraid too – but you don't see them showin' it."]
	["Furball's right – we'll get through this!"], echoed Buster, ["We can't let our 
feelings influence these men or we might change history! We've got to stay 
detached."] 
	Fowlmouth saw lookouts on the ship's bow and bragged ["I ain't afraid!"]
	"Keep your eyes skinned for torpedoes!" called Captain Buchanan.
	["Scratch that! I'm afraid!"] the chicken recanted.
	Within Lieutenant Jones, Lord's white eyes returned to their normal silver and he 
resumed his commanding tone.
	["All right, now everyone listen and listen hard! You are going into battle for 
the first time and there are some rules you must abide by. First; when I give you a 
command – you must obey immediately and without question. You life will depend 
on that. If I tell you to move – you jump and move fast. Second; Do not panic.
If there's any chances to be taken – I'll take them – Not you. You're All going home 
tonight – so don't forget that. Third; If you can see the enemy – they can see you.
Keep your heads down and try not to get shot. Fourth; If you know there's an 
explosion coming your way – open your mouth. That will lessen the concussion on 
your ear drums. Watch out for flying splinters – they'll kill you as sure as any bullet 
will. Last; if you have to shoot, aim for the center and squeeze the trigger, don't jerk 
it_ Shoot to kill – because the enemy will do the same to you. Got that?"
	["Yavol herr Baron"] thought Arnold amidst the grave silence that followed.
	The Toonsters and the men of the Virginia stood anxiously awaiting the battle to 
come. The sun beat down on the slimy black iron mountain. The eerie stillness was 
palpable.
	["_Now I know what ‘deathly quiet' means"] whispered Gogo, regarding 
his doomed friend Dunbar.

Chapter CXXX
	Ralph Wolf stood waiting at the controls of the crane hanging over 
the huge cooling conduits leading into the bowels of Doctor Lord's huge time
machine.  The end of the hoists' cable disappeared into the frosty hatchway which 
overflowed with frosty vapor, Then there were three sudden tugs on it from below. 
Egghead Junior scampered down the ladder to join the wolf as he pushed the 
lever that pulled up the cable.
	Like an anchor on a chain, the frozen form of Wile E. Coyote rose through 
the hatch hanging from his harness on the end of the wire, one hand frozen solid in 
the act of tugging on the cable, the other outstretched with a standard screwdriver 
in it. Wile's tongue hung out ridiculously, with a couple of metal screws stuck to it. 
The ice-covered coyote's pleading eyes looked at them and a strained squeak met 
their ears.
	"'Lo' orsh!"
	Junior looked at Ralph and his sign read "He said ‘blow- torch."
	The wolf blinked innocently and asked "Blow torch what?"
	He then reached aside knowingly and picked up an acetylene blow torch. Wile's 
eyes widened as Ralph ignited the roaring flame and stepped up closer to him.
	"I told you so!", the wolf literally sang, "Now this may sting a little_"

	On board the Cumberland, Plucky listened to a Union sailor bragging of how bored 
he was with blockade duty and how much he hoped the Merrimac would show 
herself, and how certainly she would be sunk by their war vessels. 
["Pride cometh before a fall"] thought the duck, recalling the many times he'd 
heard that himself.
	
	Aboard the Virginia, no floating mines were found and the Captain ordered the 
rudder hard to starboard to test the ship's maneuverability. Hamton's host swung 
the wrought iron wheel and waited for the ship to respond. For a minute or so, 
nothing seemed to be happening and the pilots grew nervous. Then the bow 
slowly began to creep to the right. Captain Buchanan could see how difficult 
turning the ship would be and ordered her hard to port. The pilot with Hamton inside 
swung the wheel the other way as the Captain spoke to Calamity's host.
	"Full speed ahead, Mister Ramsey. We must make this attack as quickly as 
we can. The rest of their fleet will try to trap us in a crossfire, so we must hurry with 
the work before us. Be prepared to ram as I told you" Buchanan announced.
	With a nod, the chief engineer called out the order to the helmsman and the 
telegraph in the engine room rang up for "Full Ahead". The sweaty, bare-chested 
stokers below shoveled more coal into the blazing hot furnaces and the roaring of 
the boilers and the shriek of escaping steam increased as black smoke belched 
from the towering smokestack. The engines thumped and pulsated like an ancient 
iron lung.
	["Listen to that_have you ever heard such a brutish engine before?"] 
thought Calamity in amazement.
	["As a matter of fact, I have"] Lord thought, ominously ending the
conversation. 
	As the heavy iron ship surged forward towards Newport News, all those on 
deck looked upon the face of the enemy. It seemed as though the Yankees had 
been caught completely unaware. 
	["Nothing indicates that we were expected"] observed Mary.

	Within Lieutenant Pendergrast, Babs nervously waited on the bridge of the 
Congress. What Mary had thought seemed to be true. Babs looked back upon the 
memories of her host and found that there had been so many false alarms that 
cries of "The Merrimack is coming!" rang hallow. The messengers of such sightings  
were referred to as the boy who cried "Wolf!". Babs began to wonder if the men 
around her would believe their own eyes. 
	There was a quiet commotion on deck. Crewmen crowded at the stern. 
"Look! The Merrimack is coming down the river!" said one man.
	"Be quiet, I want to read my paper" said another.
	With a long brass spyglass in his hands, the ship's quartermaster quietly 
saluted Pendergrast and said : "I wish you would take the glass and have a look 
over there, Sir. I believe that thing is a-comin' down at last."
	"Where away?" asked the lieutenant, taking the spyglass.
	"Sewell's Point, Sir. You can see the heavy black smoke."
	The bunny inside him was as anxious to see it as he was. Squinting through the 
monocular tube, Babs saw the dark cloud on the horizon_ and then the squat 
black metallic shape that was creating it. As it was nearly seven miles away, it 
was hard to see anything more than a dark mass that didn't seem to be moving. 
Two other small steamers were with the larger one. The shiny brass scope was 
cold in her paws but Babs did not care. The black humped shape of the enemy 
vessel was indistinct, but unlike anything her host had ever seen before. The 
lieutenant slid the spyglass closed decisively and strode away to tell his captain.
	Aboard the Cumberland, a similar scene was taking place. The intrepid 
Lieutenant Selfridge was the first to spot it. There was a slight mirage effect  
because of the distance so that at first it was not clear if the ironclad was really 
coming out. Soon enough, there was no doubt.  
	"Three vessels approaching. One is the hull of a large vessel shaped like 
the roof of a house, with one smokestack, Sir" Acting Master's Mate Charles O'Neil 
reported to Lieutenant Morris and the duck within him. "It must be the Merrimack!"
	Morris's eyes narrowed with determination as he looked through his 
spyglass at the approaching Virginia. It didn't phase him.  If the Merrimack
was going to attack – he was ready to spring the trap on her. The Union Navy's 
secret plan to defeat the ironclad had been kept fairly well and he was ready, 
willing and able to implement it. When the Confederate ship came close enough to 
attack – the Cumberland would block the channel while the rest of the Fleet would 
close it off behind the Rebels, catching them in the crossfire. Morris saw his chance
to make an end of the South's naval ambitions by showing what the Union Fleet 
was really made of. 
	The more Plucky heard of Morris's daredevilish thoughts, the better he liked 
the man. The chance to be a real hero thrilled him to his very core and he began to
feel more and more brave and courageous himself, despite the imminent danger.
	"Furl the sails! Cut down that wash! Prepare for action!", barked Morris,
"Signal the Zouave to come alongside! Send word ashore to General Mansfield
and lower the cutters aft."
	["Hoist the mizzenmast, you landlubbers! Lower the boom! Clean up the poop 
deck!"], thought Plucky, ["Jive the jib! Raise the spanker! Paddle the spankee!
And all that nautical talk!"] 
	The other Toonsters heard Plucky's zealous jokes and laughed, smiling with 
a moment's relief amidst the growing tension. 
	"Beat to quarters!" ordered Lieutenant Morris.
	The ship's chunky drummer boy began to play "the long roll" which silenced 
everyone. The Cumberland's patriotic crew instantly went to their work. Down 
came the clotheslines, the fresh laundry fluttering to the deck. Bosun's pipes 
squealed as the men cleared the decks for action. The Congress shook out her 
topsails, the white canvas being loosed by the men aloft standing along the spars 
and the men below pulling on miles of raw rope. The ship's magazines were 
opened, the powder monkeys carrying the gunpowder bags to double-charge the 
ship's huge Dalgren cannons. As the gun crews loaded their weapons, the ships'
Marines loaded their rifles with powder and shot. Some climbed the rigging, with 
their Springfields slung over their shoulders, to stand at the mast heads, their guns 
cocked and ready. Pistols and cutlasses were handed out, boarding pikes
and axes were made ready. Scabbards sang with the steel sound of swords.
	As the warriors prepared for their dreadful work, their captain lowered his 
voice and Plucky heard him give a grim command. "Sand the gun deck."
	Master's Mate Harrington simply nodded and saluted as he went to carry 
out the order. Soon the young ship's boys were at work scattering bucketfuls
of yellow beach sand onto the freshly holy-stoned white planking of the ship's 
decks. Plucky was puzzled.
	["Hey Doc? They're throwing sand all over the floor. What's that for?"]
The Doctor hesitated, then told them ["That's for the blood."]
	["What?!"] asked the shocked Toonsters.
	["It's for added traction. The sand soaks up the blood and keeps the men from
slipping in their comrade's blood and gore"] Lord thought grimly. 
	["_My God_"], thought Babs in horror, ["They're spreading sand here too!"]
The Toonsters all felt their stomachs drop. Some of the officers left the upper deck
of the Virginia in silence, staring back over their shoulders at the enemy ships.
	
Chapter CXXXI
	Aboard the Cumberland and the Congress, the crews lost sight of the ironclad as 
she moved out of sight around the bend in the river channel, coming closer. The 
men around Babs began to wonder if the fight was coming or not.  
	"The Rebels is a-feared of us. They jest be putting the Merrimack through her 
trials" boasted an old tar, spitting a chaw of tobacco overboard.
Captain Smith turned to Pendergrast. Babs could see the man thinking before he 
became once more the bold leader.
	"Action Stations, my lads!" said Smith," They may yet make an appearance 
that we'll want to be well-prepared for." 
	["I wish I could warn them"] Babs silently prayed as her host carried out the orders.
	["We are merely observers. We cannot change history"] Lord told her.
	["I wish there was at least something we could do for ‘em"] Plucky thought.
	At that moment, his host Lieutenant Morris looked thoughtfully down the deck
at his men and spoke to the Mate again.
	"Mister Harrington, have the crew finish dinner, but keep a weather eye out."  
	The bosun piped the hands back "to dinner" as Plucky watched them and 
thought ["At least they'll get to finish eating."]
	["For many of them, it will be their last meal"] Hamton thought unhappily.
	Within his host, Wakko was becoming increasingly uncomfortable – and not
quite because of the anxious situation aboard the Virginia.
	["Uh_ Doc?_ Um, I ‘ave a problem"] he thought.
	["What's wrong Wakko?"]  
	The Warner kid squirmed and shyly whispered ["_Potty emergency."]
	There was a round of snickering from some of the other Toonsters as the Doctor
winced in exasperation ["Oh for heaven's sake! Why didn't you go before we 
left?"]
	["Sorry. I'd forgotten"], Wakko apologized helplessly, ["What can I do?"]
	["You'll just have to wait until your host has the same need"] Lord advised.
	["Oh peanuts_I wish ya hadn't mentioned it"] Babs thought as her anxiety
caused her to feel the same pressure.
	["Like, my stomach's doing 360's"] whined Shirley.
	["Mine too"] moaned Hamton.
	["Fermez' le bouche!"], Fifi thought abruptly at Hamton. Instantly aware that 
everyone heard her she added, ["Toute la monde!"]
There was a long awkward pause before Fowlmouth quietly wondered.
	["What'd she say?"]
	["She said ‘Shut up everybody'"] Arnold reported bluntly.
	["Ah'm sorry, but all zis whining eez getting on mah nerves and theengz are ‘ard 
enough alreadee"] Fifi hastily half apologized, half lied.
	["Potty!"] complained Wakko.

	The Union tugboat Zouave chugged alongside the Cumberland and Lt. Selfridge 
shouted his orders through a tin mouth trumpet.  
	["That looks like what that singer from the Thirties sang with"], Plucky thought 
absently, ["What was his name?"]
	Doctor Lord answered ["Bing?"]
	["Somebody's at the door!"] Plucky laughed weakly.
	The Toonsters all groaned in annoyance and Lord thought dryly ["What are you 
trying to do?"]
	["Lighten up the otherwise dark mood?"] thought the duck sheepishly.
	After a pause, Lord's thought rang ominously as he simply said ["Don't.] 

	The Zouave left the Cumberland to investigate the approaching steamers,
chugging away to the deeper southern channel. The Virginia too, turned into the 
south channel, as she needed more than twenty-two feet of water underneath her.
The two enemies steamed towards each other. 
	Far behind them, Shirley watched the activity aboard the big Union frigates. 
Men kept peering curiously at the Virginia, sticking their heads out of the gun ports.
	["Like,  I don't get it.  They see us, but why aren't they doing anything?"], 
she wondered, ["This is totally ridic."]
	["The ironclad is almost unknown to this world. They have never seen anything like
this ship in their lives"], Lord answered, his host standing next to hers, ["Let me tell 
you all a story of what is known as ‘the shock of armor' _ "]
	As the Toonsters stood on or below deck in silence listening to the old skunk, his 
words coalesced into visual thoughts and they saw it in their minds.
	["Long, long ago there was a proud city. Its citizens had great pride; for they 
thought themselves safe behind the strong fortress they had built and were content 
to live free of the fear of marauders. They lived well and became rich and thought 
themselves invulnerable._Then one day, something strange came out of the forest. 
They had never seen the like of it before. At first they laughed at the scaly creature 
and scoffed because it seemed so ponderous and ugly. But their mocking laughter 
did not stop it – their spears, arrows and swords did not stop it – their cavalry and 
ballistas and catapults did not stop it – and when it opened it's crooked jaws – 
and breathed fire upon their wooden walls – their fortress did not stop it. _ When 
the dragon finally returned to the forest_ the pride – and the city – was gone_ 
Today, ladies and gentlemen -  We – are the dragon."]
	Everyone was silent for a while as the vision sobered them.
["Visual thoughts – Far out"], thought Shirley in wonder, ["You'll hafta teach me 
that_ like, once we get through this."] 
	Back at the stern gun, Mary was having a crisis of consciousness. Her host 
looked out of the gun port at the Union Fleet.
	["Doc?"], she asked hesitantly, ["_I know who I am _ I know who these 
men are and I know who we're going to attack_ The question is – are we on the 
bad side? Are these men evil?"]
	["These men are fighting for the right to live in the way that they choose, just as 
those men are. You can see in their minds that this is over states' rights; the right to 
choose, the right not to be unfairly taxed, the right of fair trade, the right of domain – 
it's not just about slavery"], thought the Doctor, ["From our point of view in the future, 
slavery is seen as being evil, but slaves have existed here since the dawn of time. 
Habits that are that old are hard to stop. Even today in some rare corners of 
Reality – slavery still exists."]
	["But are these men evil?_ Are we bad for being part of this - inside them?"]  
	["Look into your host's mind and heart to find out"], Lord sighed, [" Do you think 
they are genuinely evil?"].
	The Toonsters all looked at their hosts lives through their memories. They 
studied them for many moments, but finally all agreed and thought: ["No."]
	["Dey are tough"] Arnold affirmed.
	["They are clever and resourceful"] thought Calamity.
	["They hafta potty!"] Wakko whined painfully.
	["They're good men"] Gogo thought sadly as he watched the sponge man, 
Dunbar, who exchanged an encouraging grin with his own host.
	["Gogo? You don't sound quite yourself"], Babs wondered, ["You okay?"]
	[I dunno_I never watched somebody die before"] the Dodo thought timidly, 
["I don't think I want to."]
	["That makes two of us"] Babs agreed.
	["I'm sorry – "] Doctor Lord began, but then found his host suddenly in action.
	Lieutenant Jones had sighted the Zouave through his spyglass.
	"Federal tugboat off the starboard bow, Commodore. She's approaching."
	"Just a scout vessel. Maintain course for the Cumberland", said Captain 
Buchanan, "Mister Ramsey, more speed."
	"Aye-aye, Sir" answered Calamity's host.

(Star Trek VOL#2, "The Doomsday Machine" "Light Beams/Tractor Beam" #7)

	Suddenly an explosion made the Toonsters jump! After a silent second of rushing 
adrenalin ran through their bodies, a louder, closer detonation followed as a shell 
exploded above the water just a few hundred yards away!  Some of the Virginia's 
men rushed to look out of the gun ports, only to be stopped by their officers, who 
instead looked out the ports themselves.  
	["The first Federal shot of the day"] mused Lord calmly.
	The shot had come from the Zouave's single Parrot rifle and its thirty-pound 
exploding shell had missed the ironclad, throwing up a ragged splash as its hot 
shrapnel slammed into the sea.
	["I guess this is it?"] thought Babs fearfully.
	["No, just a signal to the fleet"] answered Buster as his host gave new orders.   
	"Quarters" Lieutenant Parker told his men, who began loading their own thirty-two 
pounder cannon on the tugboat's bow.
	A second shot flashed and rang out from the Zouave, a cloud of white 
gunsmoke following the shell as it skidded into the water  in the Virginia's path!
	"Hold your fire" ordered Captain Buchanan coolly, "We have a more 
pressing engagement." 
["They're out of range"], Lord declared, ["About two miles away."]
	As Calamity's host watched alongside the ship's commanders, the white-winged
sailing craft sprinkling the bay and the long lines of tugs and boats scurried to the 
far shore like chickens on the approach of a hovering hawk. Suddenly, huge 
volumes of smoke began to pour from the funnels of the frigates Minnesota and 
Roanoke at Old Point. Brightly colored signal flags fluttered up and down the masts 
of all the ships of the Federal Fleet! "The Merrimack has come down" they said.
The tugboat fired again and missed.
	["They've seen us and are getting up steam!"] Calamity exclaimed.
	["Relax, they'll never catch us. Those are the Merrimack's sister-ships"] the 
Doctor told him, ["The Roanoke's drive shaft is offline."]
	["The Minnesota has the same engines as we do, so they can only 
match our speed"] the coyote reasoned.
	The faraway gun on the Zouave boomed again, missing the Virginia's hull 
only by a hundred feet or so, sending an implosion into the water, like a stone
thrown from a high angle. 
	["Ohhh_potty!"] Wakko bellyached.
"Hold your course" ordered the Captain.
	["Like, he's bluffing them"], Shirley reported, ["He knows that he'll scare them off."]  
	As the ironclad seemed to steer directly towards them, the federal tug bravely stood 
it's ground, firing again, but missing by a wide berth.
	["Vy doesn't der kapitan fire?"] wondered Arnold, as he and his host 
looked out the bow gun port.
	Shirley's thoughts were clear. She seemed to have lost her fear, as if she 
had seen something new in her inexorable host. 
	["He's like, saving his gunpowder and_he really doesn't want to cause
more death than he has to. That's why he's attacking the Cumberland first!"], 
she explained, ["He just wants tuh sink the ships and make the Fleet surrender. 
He's gonna ram the Cumberland  and like intimidate the other ships. He doesn't 
wanna shoot at his brother's ship, he wants ‘em to surrender and then share a 
glass of sherry with him in his own ward room like Commadore Perry did with the 
British back at the Battle of Lake Erie. He's like a totally ‘old school' Navy man_"]
	["Doc?"], Shirley confessed earnestly, ["He is a good man_he just has to do his 
duty."]
	The Zouave fired a final shot and then spun around and headed back for 
the safety of Newport News. 
	["Nyeeeeh! Ya missed me!"] jeered Gogo.
	A ragged cheer broke from the men, but Lieutenant Simms quickly ordered: 
"Silence on board!".
The men feel silent but grinned at each other broadly. 
["We called them back, Gogo"] Plucky replied aboard the Cumberland.
	["Like, um.. how are things over there, Plucky?"] Shirley wondered nervously.
The duck looked at the men on the gun deck, standing at their guns, waiting.
	["Cool_grim, silent_ determined_ To be honest it's pretty scary"] he replied quietly.
	["Um_like_ same here"] the loon thought, feeling guilty that they were on 
opposite sides, ["The strictest discipline is in force on our gun deck_ uh_No one at 
the guns is allowed to talk er some junk_Not even in a whisper_"]. 
	["Uh_sorry I'm not with you"] he thought nervously.
	["Me too_totally"] Shirley agreed, forgetting that they were not alone.
	["Wackadoo! Plucky actually apologized! Will wonders never cease?"] 
Fowlmouth thought in amazement.
	["Un-cool, FM"] commented Mary as her host looked out through his gun port.
	["Ah dadgummit! I waz just thinkin' it. I didn' say it out loud. Sorry."]
	["Thanks a lot!"] grumbled Plucky. Then he added ["I trust you Rebels will 
tell me when yer gonna start shooting at me?"]
	["It's not their fault that we wound up on the wrong side, Plucky. It was an 
accident"] Buster asserted as the Beaufort and the Raleigh drew out ahead 
of the Virginia to starboard.
	Hamton swallowed another cold lump of guilt.
	["Arguing won't help us"], Lord insisted, ["Please let me concentrate on the 
task at hand. Now you concentrate on your assignments."]
	The Toonsters were feeling increasingly edgy. The only sounds aboard the Virginia
were the hiss and the steady thud-thudding of her steam engine as the ship 
moved slowly across the bay at four and a half miles per hour. The tension was 
palpable as the agony of waiting for battle continued for the toons and their hosts.
The crew sweated in silence, their drawn faces looking positively grim. 
	["Potty, potty, potty!"] whimpered Wakko as he squirmed.
	Luckily, his nervous host also had the same urge and retired downstairs to the dark 
orlop deck and the officer's head. Wakko's sigh of relief trailed off as he opened 
what amounted to an outhouse door and saw nothing in the faint lantern-light but 
a large chamberpot inside on the floor. 
	["That's a little too literal"] he thought, nonplussed.

Chapter  CXXXII
	In the Doctor's underground laboratory, Wile Coyote was 
sweating over the twelfth console he'd rewired in the last twenty minutes. The last 
of the icicles in his ears had melted as he worked to improve the machine's ability 
to control the higher level of power that would soon be coursing through it. The old 
heavy gauge wiring had been built to last and it was a hard job to change it out.
High above him on the ceiling's catwalk hung the tethered Ralph Wolf working on 
the cable trunking between two of the large electrode diffuser balls.
	"Cousin? If we use the impulse control circuits, they'll be fused solid!" Ralph
called down as he twisted his torque wrench, loosening the power lines.
	"What about the warp core control circuits?" the coyote reminded him without 
looking up from his labors.
	"Uh_ yeah, we can cross-connect the controls", the wolf admitted, but then 
cautioned him, "But that'll make the machine almost impossible for one man to 
handle!"
	Wile's gaze and voice didn't waver as he continued his efforts.
"You worry about your miracles, Ralphie. I'll worry about mine. Get to work."
	"Yes sir!" Ralph said mockingly, but the next moment there was a great 
flash of electrical voltage as the wolf touched the wrong wire! Ralph glowed like a 
stop light, then a Christmas tree, then like a lighthouse as the current went through 
his body like lightening! Thoroughly Friz frizzled, he hung sizzling by his tether with 
an astounded look on his face, his red nose flashing like a strobe light. 
	"That's what ya get for not listening! The Doctor warned us about the bare 
wires" Wile chided him as he continued working with a laser cutting torch. Calling 
out over his shoulder he said "Junior? Try the 2G6 circuit."
	As the bespectacled chicken nodded amidst a veritable Sargasso sea of 
hanging colored wires, Ralph grew impatient with his blinking snout and used his
torque wrench to ratchet it tight, his eyes crossing as he focused on his own nose. 

	Like a rocket-powered dagger, Commander Winters' SR-71 flew at Mach
three point five over the ridges of a snow-covered mountain range.  Though the 
polarized greenish visor of his golden space helmet, he saw the frozen tundra 
miles below and the blinding sun at ten o'clock behind him.  The slight draft of his
pressure suit's air-conditioner whirred softly in his sensitive owl's ears, as did the
roar of the Blackbird's ultra-powerful ramjet engines. 
	Abruptly, a warning buzzer sounded in the cockpit and the code indicators
began spinning on the black radio discriminator panel. A letter locked into place,
then two more followed by three numerals: "CRM114" – then the radio in his helmet
crackled with a familiar voice.
	"Blackbird, this is Dick Strong – do you copy? Over?"
	"Affirmative, Detective. This is Blackbird", the snowy owl replied, perplexed,
	"Breaking radio silence is highly irregular. What the devil do you mean by 
contacting me? You may be giving away my position. Over."
	"It couldn't be helped. We have a problem back here and you may be the 
only one able to save us in time", the hard-boiled policeman told him, "We need 
you to raise the power output of the PMD mainframe immediately! Over."
In a moment of puzzled silence, Winters huge yellow eyes blinked and his beak 
hung open a moment in confusion before his head turned quizzically aside.
	"Just a moment – did you say the PMD? Over?"
	"That's affirm. The power output levels at Point K must be raised to ‘Full'. Over."
	"Ha-ha! I think there's been a bit of miss-communication, Richard – because that's 
already my mission!", chuckled Winters, "The Doctor gave me that assignment last 
night.. I'm nearly over – eh_ I am over Canada now. Over."
	Now it was Dick Strong's turn to be surprised, "Last night?? But that's impossible!
How could he have -?"
	"Oh come now, old man" the owl reminded him, "You know him better than 
that. This is Lord we're discussing. Now then, what's all this fuss about? Over?"
	As the black spy plane flew north-northeast, it's pilot was told of the 
desperate problem the Toonsters now faced.

	Hamton sweated inside his host as he now sat in a chair on a small platform 
underneath the Virginia's pilothouse. He was alone looking through the tiny slits in 
the bell-like iron cone. These view ports were very small and were widely-spaced 
so that he had to be close enough to peep through while he called out directions 
to the messengers below, who ran back and forth to the ship's wheel amidships. 
Directly below was the breech of the seven-inch bow rifle, with it's gun crew
standing at the ready, Arnold and Gogo among them. 
	Hamton held onto the cold iron edges of the armor with his sweating palms. 
He bit his lip as he concentrated on anything other than his own feelings. He 
sought to look out the front eye slit of the conning tower –  to do anything rather 
than feel guilty. He struggled not to think out loud of the trouble he'd caused and 
how he may have jeopardized the entire future by his little scheme to scare 
Dr. Lord with Boris the spider. To think out loud now would let everyone know of 
what he had done - the terrible thing he'd done. His stomach churning with his 
swallowed guilt, the pig was nauseated, but stood still and stolid.
	Below him, every man stood on the deck in silence – all but one.
Amid the mounting tension, a young boy of twelve from North Carolina cautiously 
approached the captain of his gun. The small powder boy was pale and his 
hands trembled, but his little voice was clear and stoic.
	"Mister Marmaduke?", he whispered to the midshipman, "I'm likely to be killed
in this fight_ If I am, will you send my money to my father?"
	The boy reached up to hand the taller man his money purse. Henry Marmaduke
simply nodded, tucking the leather bag into his jacket and then looked to his gun. 
The child blinked and quietly returned to his task of fetching the heavy bags of 
gunpowder. Hamton's cheek tightened as he witnessed the little boy's bravery and 
felt ashamed for thinking only of himself. The time for sentimentality was over.

	Aboard the Cumberland, Plucky Duck was feeling like more of a man than 
he had ever been before as he stood within the bold interior of the Captain. 
"Swing ship! Heave now, lads! Pull!" Lieutenant Morris barked.
	As the circle of sailors pushed the yokes of the capstan round, the great ship
pulled in on her anchor-chains, slowly pivoting the bow of the sloop-of-war around 
with the river's current. The crew steadied themselves against the ship's movement
as it swung heavily through the water to port. Morris turned around to face along 
the ship's course. Plucky felt like he was riding the deck of the battlewagon like a 
surfboard – and all without the slightest pang of seasickness! 
	The seventeen hundred ton vessel swung to a gentle halt on the swell. Up 
swung the gun ports as her eleven broadside cannons were run out and brought 
to bear on the oncoming ironclad. With twenty-four heavy guns – the Cumberland 
could outgun the Virginia by more than two to one. The trap was set!
	["Now I am Captain Pluck"] the duck thought to himself with pride.

	Aboard the Congress, Babs stared at the approaching Virginia through the 
eyes of her host who gazed at it through his cold brass spyglass. The rabbit 
recognized the wooden structure she had seen before in the drydock at Portsmouth 
- but it had changed dramatically. This was a glistening black, armored war 
machine that moved slowly towards them through the water like a half-submerged 
crocodile intent on it's prey. Black smoke erupted from it's smokestack and guns 
jutted from it's gun ports, but unlike her own vessel – there was no sign of life. It 
seemed they would not be fighting against living men – just a hissing, smoking 
soulless robot  of destruction. Babs saw it coming and knew what it would do – 
and she was afraid.
	Her host and the men around him stared at the Virginia. Lieutenant Smith 
climbed partway into the rigging to point at the oncoming menace and bold as 
brass, he scoffed at the Virginia.
	"Well, my hearties!", the captain shouted to his crew, "You see before you 
the great Southern bugaboo, got up to fright us out of our wits. Stand to your 
guns, and let me assure you that one good broadside from our gallant frigate –
and she is ours!"
	"HUZZAH!" cheered the brave men of the Congress. 
	["What do they think this is? A football game?!"] Babs thought in disbelief. 
	The crew stared at the Virginia. Every eye was upon her.  All hands stood ready. 
No one stirred. The silence was awful.

	On the hurricane deck of the Virginia, Lieutenant Jones turned to his commander.
	"They've capped the T, sir" Jones reported calmly.
	"So shall we" replied Captain Buchanan.
	Jones (and Dr. Lord within him) took a last glance of the scene of battle and slowly
walked down the steps to the gun deck below. The ship was slowly steaming into 
harm's way towards the Cumberland's broadside and approaching the bow of 
the Congress about 2,500 feet away. Their single bow rifle now faced nearly fifty 
guns. The Captain took a few steps down the stairs but kept his head in the 
hatchway so he could see to direct the vessel's course. 
	Shirley gulped in terror as the Captain decided to remain exposed alone
to the fire of the enemy, making her also exposed, but her fright was overwhelmed 
now by the absolute fearlessness displayed by her host. 
	"Signal ‘Close Action'!" he ordered.
	The signalman switched the forward flags, running the red pennant up the flagpole 
before the towering smokestack, which hissed and snorted like a chimney on fire.
As the smoking, deadly leviathan slipped silently through the sea toward it's prey,
Franklin Buchanan's fierce determination to win began to defeat Shirley the Loon's
peacefully centered oneness.
	["Like what's ‘capping the T' mean?"] she asked.
	["It means they've turned their broadside guns at us while we're only bow 
onwards"] Lord told her, ["It's one of the oldest naval combat maneuvers. 
Now they can rake our entire ship with their  broadside guns."]
	["So now we're gonna do the same thing, Doc?"] asked Furball.
	["They're gonna shoot at us before we can turn at they rate we're going! 
This ship is too slow!"] worried Hamton.
["It is kinda like driving in first gear, ain't it?"] agreed Fowlmouth.
	["The channel is narrow here, we could easily run aground and be stuck"]
Mary added as her host peered out of his gunport.
	["The captain knows all that"], Shirley thought abruptly, ["He's presenting
as little of our ship as a target while we get close enough to ram. He'll set a course
that will keep us out of their line of fire too."]
	Down in the lamp-lit Captain's quarters, the ship's doctors prepared for the worst,
laying out bandages, tourniquets, scalpels and surgical probes as they set up their 
sickbay. All Fifi could do was to listen to the thoughts of the others and the 
changing tones of her friends.

	Aboard the Beaufort, Buster could only admire the nerves of steel of his host, 
Lieutenant Parker. He tasted the bitter flavor of tobacco as the Captain put a 
brand-new cigar in his mouth and coolly gave the order.
"Steer for the Congress. Raise our battle flag. Prepare to open fire."
His Bosun's mate pulled their tri-colored pennant up the mast. It resembled
the French national flag.

	"The frogs have joint the Rebs!" shouted a man on the Congress's deck.
	"Stand to your guns!" ordered their Captain.

	["..Babs?_.I, uh_ sorry_Watch out"] Buster stammered awkwardly.

	On the Congress, a frightened Babs understood and gulped as she knew the 
moment of truth had arrived.
	["_ I love you too_Watch yer tail_"] 

Chapter CXXXIII   ("The Planets" by Gustav Holst – "Mars, the Bringer of War")

	Buster could only stand and watch as his host gave the order.
"Mister Robinson, let's get their attention – Open fire on the Congress."
	 Jack Robinson, the captain of the gun, looked down the sights of the 
massive banded cannon and yelled: "FIRING!" 
	His gun crew all turned and leaned away, covering their ears as the midshipman
pulled the lanyard and the gun went off with an ear-splitting roar, the recoil bucking 
the titanic weapon backwards across the deck with a blast of orange flame! A 
three foot ring of fire appeared for a moment and Buster felt the concussion wave
and heat flash smack his chest. It was as though he'd stuck his face into a blast 
furnace and then been clonked by a club. His ears rang like a steel bell. 
White gunsmoke clouded his eyes and the chemical, rotten-egg smell of gunpowder 
filled his nose.  Although the shock had jarred him - his host didn't even bat an 
eyelash. Parker watched the shell rocket past the Congress's port side by a foot or 
so and hit the beach beyond, the resulting explosion throwing a column of sand 
into the air.
	Buster swore a mighty oath that surprised even Fowlmouth.
	["Whoa, not bad, Bustah"], the rooster thought with admiration, ["Now yer even 
swearin' like a sailor!"]
	["Gentlemen, I will not tolerate bad language in front of the ladies!"] Lord announced.
	["Well, how about in back of ‘em?"] quipped Buster.

	Before she could hear Buster's joke, Babs heard Lieutenant Smith call out 
"Fire as your guns bear!" and the bow cannons on the Congress roared!
	["Oh my ears and whiskers!"] yelped Babs as the thunderous reports
slammed her eardrums. A white cloud blew in her face and she coughed as 
she breathed in the gunsmoke. The cannon balls narrowly missed the rebel ships, 
but it was enough to make the Beaufort fall back. 
	Shirley watched the shot pass over her ship with wide eyes and felt not the 
slightest twinge of fear from her host. Captain Buchanan stared intently on his 
intended target as if sighting the great ironclad like a rifle. 
	"Hold your fire. Full speed ahead! Steer directly for that vessel!" he ordered.
Below in the boiler room, Calamity watched as more steam was urged upon the 
clanking, thudding massive engines, their revolving arms turning the giant propeller 
shaft, while the stokers poured the coal into the raging furnaces. 
	Shirley watched as the guns ashore at Camp Butler opened up on the 
Virginia, firing in front of the Congress's bow. The cannon balls came whistling in 
and struck her with a sharp crack!!_ But lo and behold, the heavy iron projectiles
bounced off – glancing upwards as they struck the angled armor to fall hissing into 
the sea!  Despite the danger, the loon's mind was focused elsewhere.
	["Plucky? Where are you?"]
	["Uh, the poop deck? The rear – the after-stern?.. eh – back here!"] he answered.
	["Good_ like please stay there, kay?"] 
	The terrible moment Shirley sensed was upon them. The Cumberland was only
1,500 yards away – well within range. She dreaded her next actions.
Tight-lipped, Captain Buchanan stepped down the hatchway and crouched under 
the ironclad's roof to see his forward gun crew waiting.
	"Mister Simms – open fire on the Cumberland!" he ordered.
The crew turned to their work as the Lieutenant with Arnold inside crouched to sight
the seven-inch Brooke rifle through the small gun port. His right hand held the 
cannon's lanyard as he shouted :"Number One - FIRING!"
	Gogo and the other crewmen at the gun's side leaned away, covering their 
closer ear.  Arnold winced as during the deadly pause that followed, as his host
shut one eye to aim the shot perfectly. 
	["Oh-"] Arnold managed to think before Simms yanked the lanyard.
	The Virginia's bow gun fired with a titanic roar that reverberated up and down the 
inside of it's casemate. The shell screamed across the Roads and hit the Union 
warship squarely, passing through the starboard-quarter rail. Plucky saw the 
white explosion and huge wooden splinters flying into the line of blue-uniformed 
Marines who'd been standing there. Nine men tumbled to the deck, impaled with
the broken wooden shrapnel, screaming as they lay there with shredded limbs.
Plucky stood on the perfectly clean white deck and stared_  The flag he stood 
next to was now shockingly similar to the colors before him; the pure white deck, 
the smart, perfectly blue uniforms – and the streaming red blood which stained 
everything.  The groans of these men, the first to fall, as they were carried below,
was something new to the rest of the gunners aboard. Plucky had no time to 
react as his host shouted: "RETURN FIRE!"
	Quickly, the crew of the Cumberland's pivot gun loaded and ran the 
cannon out. The gun Buchanan feared most went off with a shocking blast, 
but the ten inch shot missed it's mark. Now the gun crews on both ships raced 
to fire faster, hoping to stop each other. Gogo and Arnold fought their gun, 
struggling to load the deadly weapon and straining to pull it into position. The 
Cumberland's crew of Bostonians threw all their might and mane into reloading, 
but Simms' crew was ahead of them. Arnold squinted as his host aimed for the
heart of them. The crewmen frantically struggled at breakneck speed, but the 
Virginia's gun fired first. 
	Again, the ironclad's gun jolted back with a sharp report, the casemate filling
with acrid white gunsmoke. The Confederate shell burst in the very midst of the 
crew reloading the Cumberland's cannon, striking the gun carriage and knocking the 
nine ton weapon off onto the men. This time, there were no screams. The explosion
killed every man there except the young powder monkey and the gun's captain 
Kirker, who while holding a handspike to guide the gun's aiming, had both arms 
taken off at the shoulder.  White-faced, he stared in shock at his completely 
disabled gun. Without uttering a groan, he was taken below. Dead and wounded 
were everywhere, but no one flinched. They went on loading and firing, taking the 
place of some fallen comrade, killed or wounded, as they had been told to do. 
	As his host sought desperately to turn his ship so that more guns would 
bear, Plucky began to jabber nervously.
	[" Hey_those guys aren't getting up! There's arms and legs all over the place, but
they're not – Why aren't they coming back_ together? This is – too gross_ it's like  
Ren & Stimpy!"] he babbled in horror.
	[‘They're dead, son. Concentrate on your mission and you'll be all right."] 
Lord told the shocked duck.
	["I'm sorry, darlin'_"] gasped Shirley, barely in control.
	Master's Mate Harrington called away thirty men to move a gun from the port side 
to replace the disabled cannon. The black slanted bow of the Virginia erupted with 
flame as Arnold's host fired again. The bursting shell killed most of Harrington's 
crew. The head of the Master's Mate rolled across the deck like a bloody billiard 
ball.
	The Cumberland's captain and the duck within him fought to bring more 
guns to bear on their attacker.
	"Spring ship to the starboard quarter!" he shouted as his men pulled at the
capstan, but it was no use. The tide was pushing them the wrong way.
Morris's fierce determination out-ruled Plucky's fear as his voice rang out!
	"PORT BATTERY – FIRE!!"
	Trained as close as possible, the Cumberland's nine-inch guns fired a tremendous 
broadside, sending nearly a ton of iron flying into the Virginia! Shirley ducked inside
the hatch as the massive explosion rocked both ships, but the plunging cannon 
balls merely bounced off the ironclad's sloping sides and pilot house. Inside the 
wrought-iron cone, Hamton's head felt like the clapper of a bell as the pilot-house
rang from the impact. When Shirley peeked outside again, she and the Captain
saw that much of the forward railing had been smashed, but that was all. The 
great hulking vessel continued it's steady and unswerving course, it's forward 
gun wreaking havoc with every shot.   

Chapter  CXXXIV                    ( "King Kong Music Suite" "Main Title" #12)
	Within the armor-plated behemoth, Mary and the others could only guess at 
what was going on by the smoke and terrible sounds of battle.
	["What's happening?"] she wondered, feeling hot fever-like chills.
Amidst the rapidly firing guns, Plucky watched in horror as Morris' men were cut to 
pieces. The dead, as they fell, were thrown to the port side of the deck, out of the 
way, while the wounded were carried below. The ironclad monster kept on slowly 
coming towards them, spewing fire and smoke. Its shells went through the wooden 
ship's sides as if they were made of paper, the splinters impaling anyone in their 
path. The first and second captains of every forward gun were either killed or 
wounded, so Lieutenant Selfridge, with a box of cannon primers in his pocket, ran 
from gun to gun, placing the primers in the breech vents and firing the cannons as 
fast as the decimated crews could load them.
	["We're – we're getting' literally creamed out here!"] Plucky gasped.
By now, though still three or four hundred yards from the Cumberland, the Virginia's
snail-like advance had brought her abreast of the Congress, which had been firing 
on her for some time. 
	Shirley anticipated Buchanan's actions and warned:  ["Like, get down, Babs!"]
	["Who thinks about dancing at a time like this?"] the bunny questioned.
	Within his host, Hunter Davidson, Furball yelled ["Fire in the hole!"] 
	A stand of grapeshot struck the Congress's gun deck, mowing down a few sailors.
["Oh"], Babs muttered, ["Thanks, but you better watch out yerself, Shirl!"] 
	Still waiting for action, Wakko stood within his host, looking out the gun port 
he was commanding.  For a long while only the wide waters of the bay and the 
distant shores were visible, till suddenly the port became the frame of the picture of 
a great ship. It was the Congress, about one hundred yards away.
	["Aww, that's pretty!"] , he thought, ["Hey FM, you ought to see-"]
Suddenly he saw the flashes of thirty-five guns leap at him from the Congress's 
gun ports! His host jumped back just as the broadside all struck the Virginia at 
once!
	["Never mind"] shrugged Wakko.
	The noise was terrible, giving everyone a fearful shock, but the solid shot bounced 
off the plated sides like so many basketballs.  Gogo watched as the crew 
muttered in terror, only to be silenced by Arnold's resolute host, Lieutenant Simms. 
	"Be quiet men", he said calmly, "I have received as heavy a fire in open air."
A call came from amidships; "No damage", and the Virginia's crew gave a mighty 
cheer! Their ironclad was truly shotproof. It was a miracle that none of the shot had 
entered through the four open gun ports.
	"Starboard battery – Prepare to Fire!" called out Lieutenant Jones.
	["Wull, time to take the buns out of the oven"] Wakko mused to Fowlmouth.
Together they watched as glowing 9-inch cannon balls were rolled out of the ship's 
furnaces below and into iron buckets. The smoking hot shot were hoisted up to the 
mouth of the Dahlgren guns as water-soaked wads were rammed in. The loading 
men gripped the red-hot cannon balls with huge tongs that fit into the tugs in them.
Using sheer muscle, the loaders gingerly rolled the burning shot down the gun 
tubes and backed off as the rammer put another wad in to hold the hot-shot in 
place. The two hot-shot guns were then lugged into firing position with more muscle.
	["Ohh yer mother's tomato!"], swore Fowlmouth at the exertion, ["I'm gonna 
bust a giblet doing this!"]
	["Could be worse –"], thought Wakko, ["You could be ramming wet wads."]
	The rooster and the Warner kid snickered like sixth graders and FM commented:
["Heh! Heheheheheh! _ You said ‘wads'."]
				         ("King Kong Music Suite" "Jungle Dance" #16)

Their juvenile moment ended as Jones ordered "STARBOARD BATTERY! 
FIRE!"
	At the command, the Virginia's four-gun broadside belched flame and glowing shot 
at the Congress. The effect was terrible. Babs felt the sudden warmth and the next 
instant she lay on the deck among her host's fallen comrades. One of the Virginia's 
shells had come in through the port hole of gun number seven, struck the gun 
carriage and dismounted the gun, killing or wounding the entire sixteen man crew.
Merely knocked down by the others, the bunny's host struggled to stand up while 
the men lay around him, swept by the explosion into a bruised and bleeding heap.  
Then she heard the type of cry sailors fear most.
	"FIRE! THE SHIP'S ON FIRE!"
	The rest of the men scrambled back to their guns as the damage control parties 
grabbed their fire-axes and began to viciously chop away at the bulkheads to get 
to the fire with their hoses. Wounded men tried to crawl away from the flames.  
Babs' host grabbed a man by the shoulders and hauled him across the deck, but 
safety there was merely temporary. Another shout went up.
	"FIRE NEAR THE AFTER MAGAZINE!"
	Wondering if they meant People or Cosmopolitan, Babs and her host
hurried to the Captain, Lieutenant Smith, who shouted orders to encourage his 
crew.
	"We've taken two hot-shot!" Smith said, "If the fire hose can't put it out, the 
fire will hit the ship's gunpowder! Get the fire under control!"
	As the men raced to cheat death, the Beaufort and the Raleigh returned to make 
trouble.
	["Sorry Babs"] Buster muttered as his host opened fire again.
One of the Confederate shot hit the Congress's bow, but the Federal ship's return 
fire knocked out the Raleigh's only cannon. She could still fight, but the Congress
was now critically damaged.
	["Ricky, yer going to have some ‘splaining to do!"] Babs thought angrily at Buster.

Chapter CXXXV
	Lieutenant Jones stuck his head up through the hatchway to get a view of the 
effect of their broadside on the Congress and the Doctor within him saw the frigate 
smoking as the Virginia moved past it. The face of Captain Buchanan was flushed 
with emotion, but his eyes were fixed fiercely upon his target. He did not pause to 
finish off the stricken prey, as nothing would delay his intended rendezvous with the 
Cumberland.
	"Turn forty-five degrees port", ordered ‘Old Buck', "Bring us around her bow!"
Jones paused to look, but relayed the order to the helmsman.
	["This maneuver might ground us on the mud"] Lord thought to Shirley.
	["Damn the mud – Full speed ahead!"] , the Loon answered, ["..Like sorry_ I guess 
I'm getting caught up in his aggressive vibes er sum junk. He's like, going to
outgun them while protecting his ship and getting in closer. They have like, almost 
no guns at their bow, so he can get the ship in close without getting hurt."]
	The ironclad slowly turned her heavy bulk away to go around the 
Cumberland's bowsprit while the sloop-of-war kept up her fire. Lord and Shirley 
ducked as several shot rattled down her length, punching gashes through
the smokestack, smashing the railings and cutting down the flagstaff.
	"Our flag has fallen!" someone shouted inside the casemate.
	Wakko was watching his host oversee the re-loading of his cannon, when he 
suddenly found himself charging up the main stairway towards the top hatch!
Lieutenant Eggelston crouched in the open hatchway before leaping out onto the 
exposed upper deck and running aft at full speed! The crewmen looked up in 
surprise as his footsteps resounded over their heads. 
	["Boy, it's a much better view from up here"] Wakko observed passively.
	Ahead, Eggleston saw the fallen flagstaff and ran to pick it up. The ten foot pole 
was as thick as his arm and quite heavy, but he swung the Confederate flag up 
high, the colors streaming with the breeze. As he struggled to stuff it's broken base 
into the holes in the grating, a bullet ricocheted off the armor plate at his feet!
	[‘"Z'wounds, Wakko! What do you think you're doing?!"] Dr. Lord yelled 
abruptly as his host saw Eggleston under fire on the stern.
	["Sorry, I was overcome by patriotism"] the Warner kid shrugged with a grin.
	["Wakko Wakkarotti DuPont Warner!!  You get your tail back down that hole this 
instant!!"] the Doctor shouted sternly.
As musket balls zinged off the armor plating around him, Eggleston stuffed 
the broken flagstaff into the grating and ran back to the hatchway, dodging 
bullets as he went, as the ship swung under his feet!  Wakko was biting his
tongue as he ran down the stairs to safety. His host returned to his gun with a 
grin that was returned by everyone who saw him. 
	["Sorry Doc, it was his idea – not mine"] Wakko apologized.
	Lord sighed in relief and thought ["We should have remembered that Eggleston 
would do that. Next time give me fair warning."]
Their emotions were quickly forgotten as the heavy ironclad turned hard to the 
left and the starboard broadside guns were run out. The ship jerked slowly ahead 
as its keel dragged in the mud. Within their hosts, the Toonsters waited in dread 
silence until their weapons were pointed at the Cumberland's bow. On the 
hurricane deck, Shirley and Lord could see that they had now "capped the T".
"STARBORD BATTERY – FIRE!" shouted Lieutenant Jones.
		("King Kong Suite" "The Bronte" #18)
	Plucky and his host, the Captain, began to run forward just as the guns went off.
All four shells raked the Cumberland's bow, blasting it into a shambles. The 
Cumberland's gunners replied with all they had, but their cheers became vicious 
curses as they saw their shot and shell bounce harmlessly off the Virginia's tough 
hide like peas from a popgun.  Plucky watched the dead men, little more than 
reddish barrels of bloody meat, as they were unceremoniously stacked like 
cordwood on the deck for later burial. Torn limbs lay on the deck.
	["This can't be happening_I don't believe it_"], thought the terrified duck, 
	["It can't be real!..Cut! _Cut it! Somebody please cut it out!!"]
His host, Lieutenant Morris shouted to the ship's pilot.
"Smith! Turn the ship! Hell and damnation –TURN HER!!"
	"We're trying, Captain!" replied A.B. Smith as he pointed, "The tide is 
too strong! We can't turn against it!" 
Indeed, men on the nearby wharf were struggling to haul the ship around 
with a block and tackle, but it was no use. The tide from the James River was 
pushing them the wrong direction!
"It's impossible for our vessel to get out of her way" Smith lamented.
Morris and the duck within him grimly clawed and climbed their way to the bowsprit 
through shattered wood and smashed bodies. Over the bow he saw the Virginia 
about five hundred feet away turning slowly towards them again, looking silent and 
still, weird and mysterious, like some devilish and superhuman monster,
or the horrid creation of a nightmare. Now at close range the two warships poured 
out a living tide of fire and smoke, of shot and heavy shells. From the Cumberland's 
ship's scuppers, streams of crimson gore ran into the sea from the deck like 
washwater. Onward came the glistening black monster, looking like a half
-submerged crocodile as she ploughed through the water towards the bow. At her 
prow, Plucky saw the iron ram he and Hamton had mounted there, projecting 
straight forward somewhat about the water's edge.
	"FIRE!" both he and his angry host shouted simultaneously.
The Federals fired as best they could, only to see their projectiles bouncing off her 
mailed sides like rubber balls, apparently not making the least impression. 
Frightened and furious, Plucky and his host shouted as one!
"Come on, you damned rebels!"
	["Plucky it's nothing personal, rilly!"] Shirley apologized uselessly.
	["Plucky – get a hold of yourself!"] Buster told him.
	Inside the Virginia's iron shell, the Cumberland's ferocious barrage of fire 
made a terrible din. The deafening roar of the guns and the sharp crack of the 
enemy shot pounding it made everyone's ears ring, but the ship remained 
undamaged. Calamity's host had cautiously climbed to the gun deck to witness the 
fighting. The coyote flinched fearfully as he watched the Cumberland's shot strike
the sloping sides and be deflected upward to burst harmlessly in the air or roll 
noisily down to fall hissing into the water, dashing the spray up into the gun ports. 
Looking up, he saw Captain Buchanan still standing where he had been
since the action commenced, in the open hatchway on the hurricane deck, foolishly 
exposed, but miraculously unhurt. Buchanan raised his speaking trumpet, his clear
voice shouting across the waters.
	"DO YOU - SURRENDER?" he hollered at the Cumberland.
Lieutenant Morris – the Captain of the sloop-of-war had but one answer, and 
full-throated, he yelled back at his enemy.
	"NEVER!! I'LL SINK ALONG SIDE!! I'LL GO DOWN WITH MY 
COLORS FLYING!!!"
	"_So be it," Buchanan said reluctantly.
	["Like, he was trying to stop the fighting"], Shirley thought sadly, ["Now he has 
no choice."]
	["He had a choice! He could have stayed loyal to his country!"] 
Plucky thought angrily.
	["He'd already tried that once – they wouldn't take him back"] replied the loon.
	["Plucky Duck – you're taking this too hard"], Lord told him, ["You're an 
observer – not a participant."]
	["Too hard?! Tell that to the guy who just had his head blown off!"]
	["Plucky? Keep cool. We've still got to rescue you"] Hamton reminded him.
	["Look out, here comes yer first chance!"] Shirley warned as Buchanan 
stepped down to the platform below and called Ramsey to him. 
	"Full ahead Mister Ramsey! You have your orders", the Captain shouted over 
the sounds of battle, "Helmsman – Steer directly for that vessel!"
Calamity's host ran to the down ladder and yelled to his engineers: 
"RAMMING SPEED!"
	The cranky old engines throttled up, the steady thumping becoming a thrashing 
of hissing steam as the drive shaft spun the huge seventeen and a half foot 
propeller, dragging the ship's keel out of the muddy bottom and into deeper water. 
The monster charged like a rhinoceros, dipping its horn to strike!
	Gogo looked painfully at Dunbar, knowing the end was near. If there was 
only something he could do! As they prepared to fire the bow gun, the sponge-man 
deftly leaped over the breaching tackle with the sponger in his hands and plunged 
it down the cannon's throat to swab out the hot metal. Skillfully he pulled it out and 
moved cleanly out of the way for the loaders.
	Exerting all the will power he could muster, the Dodo spoke, actually causing 
his host Curtis to speak aloud.
	"Good work Soldier!" Gogo and Curtis cried. 
	The gun's captain, Lieutenant Simms (and Arnold within him) gave him a moment's 
pause, but returned to business. An image became indelibly stamped on Gogo's 
memory, as Dunbar stood at ease amidst the violence and gunsmoke with his 
sponger at the ready, flashing a big grin at him. 
	
	(Star TrekVOL#2, The Doomsday Machine", Kirk Does It Again" #12 )
Chapter CXXXVI
	On the deck of the Cumberland, Plucky and his host drew his officer's sword 
from its scabbard and brandished the weapon at the oncoming ironclad! He 
waved his officer's cocked hat high with the other arm and cheered on his crew! 
	"The damned cessesh aim to board us!  What say ye, men?" he shouted.
	"NEVER!!!" roared the men, shaking their fists and hurling insults at their enemies.
	"Then give them your answer! BLAST THEM TO HELL!!!" Morris cried.
The Cumberland's guns went off with a thunderous roar and all the armed men on 
deck leveled their muskets and pistols at the ironclad's open gun ports. With a 
tremendous crash and white clouds of smoke, they fired their side arms and rifles at 
the armored beast, their shot and Minie' balls hitting it's sloping sides like a 
hailstorm.

	At the Virginia's stern, Mary had nothing to do but wait. 
["Won't this be an opportunity to get Plucky back aboard?"] she wondered.
	["Not yet"] the Doctor answered. ["The power's not high enough"], he said 
as his host popped his head up to see if the ship's ramming course was true.
	As the thirty-five-hundred ton ironclad moved in at six knots, Richard Curtis
cautiously peered out the bow gun port and Gogo saw a sight he would never 
forget – the whole starboard side of the Cumberland was lined with officers and 
men with cutlasses and boarding pikes, ready to repel any rebel boarders. The 
angry mob shook their fists and weapons ferociously, their furious faces grimacing 
with deadly hatred! Gogo saw their heroic captain Morris and Plucky within him, 
with his hat off and his sword raised, cheering on his men!  The sight of the 
moment passed as he and the gun crew ran out their weapon to fire at 
point-blank range.
	"Look out, men! I am going to ram that ship!" warned Captain Buchanan.
	["Stand Fast!"] Lord commanded.
	The ironclad monster ploughed her way towards the sloop-of-war's 
starboard bow like a unstoppable locomotive. In the engine room, Calamity heard
two rings of the ship's gong, meaning stop engines. Then came three gongs, the 
signal to reverse. Either the Captain had gotten excited and ordered the engines 
reversed too soon, or else he hoped to have them already reversed before striking 
the Cumberland so that the ironclad might back away all the sooner.  
	Ramsey followed his orders. Pushing the cranky old steam engines into 
reverse took a concerted effort with his assistant engineers who had to stand atop
the steam boxes and work the levers and reversing wheels in tandem. It was 
difficult work even when they weren't rushed, and now they were in the midst of 
combat. Calamity helped to shove the lever, the gears changed and the engines 
reversed. Then there was an awful pause as the men waited for the deadly crash.
	["What eez happeneeng?"] Fifi asked from the sickbay.
	From her vantage point on the stern of the Congress, a shaken Babs tried to 
describe what she saw. 
	["The Merrimack is moving in towards the side of the Cumberland's bow_ 
the Yankees are shooting with everything they got - but it just bounces off!  
The Merrimack's ram is so much lower than the side of the wooden ship_ 
it's gonna be a train-wreck! _I wanna go home."]
	Standing on the Cumberland's bow, Plucky was surprised as the men 
calmly waited for the collision and worked their guns right up to the moment of 
the inevitable crash.  
	"Stand by to Repel Boarders!!" he shouted with his host, waving his sword.
Marines and sailors crowded to the ship's rail with cutlasses and muskets!

	Arnold and Gogo peeped out of the forward gun ports and saw the side 
of the Cumberland looming over them, as hot lead ricocheted off the plating only 
inches away. Arnold wanted to cover his eyes, but his host's steady gaze was 
un-flinching. He saw a series of timbers floating around the wooden ship, 
chained together to prevent mines from hitting it. 
	Like a sea monster of old, the Virginia crashed through the floating logs to 
smash into the Cumberland, forcing it backwards! The ship reeled sideways with 
the mortal blow, listing to port and pulling her anchor-chains out of the water as the 
ironclad's massive weight drove her back against them! 
	On the bridge platform below the hatchway, Shirley and Lord heard the 
crash and snapping of the timbers as the Virginia's formidable cast-iron ram, 
backed by several hundred tons of ironclad propelled at about seven miles per 
hour, tore into the Cumberland's starboard side below the water line, striking under 
her fore-chains near the bow. Calamity's host was nearly knocked from his feet as 
the ship trembled with the impact.
	When the Cumberland was hit, Plucky and his host's men fell and rolled 
across the deck like bowling pins! Angrily, they let loose their firepower on the 
enemy, firing at point-blank range at their attackers. Below decks in the sickbay, 
ten wounded men lay groaning in agony on the floor. They suddenly heard the
cracking and breaking of the ship's hull underneath them as the ram punched 
through the ship's wooden sides like a knife through ripe cheese. At the same 
instant, Lieutenant Simms fired the Virginia's bow gun into the very heart of the 
rammed ship! The shell exploded in the sickbay, reducing the wounded men to 
shreds like so much strawberry jelly. 
	The crash into the Cumberland was devastating in it's results. The ram had 
made a seven–foot hole in her wide enough to drive in a horse and cart. The water 
rushed in with irresistible force, almost instantly flooding the ship's hold. The cracking 
and breaking of her timbers told full well how fatal to her the collision was.
	Gogo's host Curtis stood to the right of the Virginia's bow rifle as the gun 
recoiled backward and the crew prepared to reload. The Dodo watched anxiously 
as Arnold's host Lieutenant Simms called out, "Sponge!"
	Dunbar, the brave sponge man, leaped over the breeching tackle and threw 
his head partially out of the open gun port to obey. A Marine on the Cumberland's 
deck who'd been waiting for just such an opportunity squeezed his trigger and fired 
his rifle. 
	Dunbar dropped dead on the deck at Gogo's feet, shot through the head. 
His sponge had barely clattered to the floor when his replacement picked it up and 
fulfilled the dead man's task.  Curtis and the Dodo within him winced in anguish as 
they pulled their lifeless friend away from the action behind the gun. Curtis knelt and 
cradled his fallen comrade's head a moment while Arnold and his host looked on. 
	["I'm so sorry, Gogo"] the pit bull whimpered. 
	["Oh my God, they've killed Dunbar!"], Gogo screamed, ["YOU BASTARDS!!!"]
	The body was swiftly taken away to the sickbay, right out of Curtis's hands. 
Gogo now noticed the blood of his good friend staining his palms. His hands 
clenched into tight fists as he looked up at Arnold with tear-filled eyes full of hatred.
	["Of Course you know - This Means War!"] thought the enraged Dodo, 
as he and his host returned to their post with deadly purpose.

	           (Star TrekVOL#2 "The Doomsday Machine", "Violent Shakes" #8)
Chapter CXXXVII    
	Meanwhile, shouts rang out on the Cumberland's deck amidst the heavy firing.
	"We're shipping water forward!"
	"They shot up the sickbay!"
	"The forward 
magazine is flooding!"
	"More powder!"
	"Pass along the cartridges!" 
	"Man the pumps! " called Morris and Plucky. 
	"Water's coming in too fast! It's hopeless!" Lieutenant Selfridge told him.
	Morris looked over the side at the ironclad still stuck into the hull of his ship.
He saw his own vessel's weight bearing down on it as the Virginia's propeller 
churned the water behind it as it tried to escape.
	"Maybe it is for the Merrimack as well," said he.

	Now it became painfully evident just why Buchanan had wanted to have the 
engines reversed as soon as possible. The Virginia had opened such a hole in her 
adversary that the sloop immediately began to list to starboard as the water filled 
her. In doing so, she bore down on the ironclad's ram, still inside her, and began 
forcing the Virginia down by the bow. Unless Buchanan could get his ship backed 
out quickly, the sinking Cumberland could hold her trapped in this position – 
perhaps even taking the ironclad down with her! 
	As Gogo watched from the gun port, he saw the side of the Cumberland 
listing towards them.
	["The ship's gonna fall on us!"] he thought, panicked.
	At the same time, the Commodore's aide, Flag Lieutenant Robert Minor ran 
down the Virginia's gun deck, shouting in triumph "We've sunk the Cumberland!"
	["What's happening?"] asked Mary again from her position in the stern.
As if in answer, the deck slowly began to tilt forward as the Cumberland began 
to pull the Virginia's nose under! The alarmed men looked to their officers in charge.
	"Ramsey, get us out of here!" shouted the Captain.
	Calamity's host turned to his assistant engineers and ordered: "Full Astern! 
Emergency!"
	The coyote and the men threw the rusty levers and the old engines thumped 
louder. The engines labored till the vessel was shaken in every fiber – but the
ironclad did not move. Instead, Calamity noticed that the deck was starting to 
depress visibly toward the bow!
	["We've got to break loose! Or else she'll pull us down with her!"] the 
coyote warned as the giant pistons and push-rods slammed back and forth.
	Suddenly there was a terrific explosion in the center of the ship! 
["The boilers have burst! We're gonna blow up!"] Calamity cried.
	["Look again, Calamity"], Shirley told him from the deck, ["We just took a shell 
in the smokestack, an' it exploded. My ears are totally blitzed now!"]
	"The black gang" in the engine room ducked as hot smoking fragments of 
shrapnel rained down on the boiler room floor. They coal heavers muttered in alarm,
wondering if they might be sinking.  Some of the gun crews looked up with fear as 
a large wave washed over the ship's submerging bow and poured into the bow 
gun port, splashing Gogo and Arnold's hosts with cold seawater! Then there was 
another terrible blast as a further shell from the Cumberland hit just outside the port 
and exploded!  A man fell, knocked senseless by the shock of the impact. He was 
carried below, bleeding from the nose and ears. The Toonsters groaned with 
aching ears and throbbing heads.
["Yipe, yipe, yipe, yipe!"] Arnold whined.
	["Keep your mouths open. I warned you about the concussion"] Lord reminded 
them.
	["But then all I get is a lung-full of gun smoke"] Fowlmouth complained.
	["Mayday! Mayday! We're sinking! Women and Dodos first!"] Gogo whooped.
	["She's gonna carry us down with her!"] Furball cried.
The other toons fussed until Shirley shushed them all.
["Yeah, like you all rilly studied well, I'm sure. Look!"] 
	The tidal current had caught the length of the Virginia's hull and was pushing
it downriver. With the engines going full astern, the ironclad and the sloop were 
twisting backwards; the James River's power pulling the two ships around till both 
their starboard sides were nearly facing each other. Almost parallel, the ships' 
bows grinded together and bent. The weakened ram that Plucky and Hamton had 
badly mounted broke off from the resulting torque with a crackling snap. A fortunate 
wave rolled the Federal sloop slightly in its swell and with the tension released – 
the Virginia finally backed out. The ram was torn away and remained behind in the 
Cumberland. 
	["Like the wasp, we could sting but once, leaving the sting in the wound"]
mused Calamity.
	["I think that's bees"] Furball reminded him.
	["We're free!"] , Hamton thought in relief, then admitted, ["Gosh Plucky, I guess we 
didn't do such a good job on that ram after all".] 
["That's because you were too busy thinking of the smell of your girlfriend's 
tail! Filling our minds with "Essence de la Derrière!"] Plucky thought back angrily.
	If Hamton had been able to, he'd have burned up, red-faced with rage.
["Hey! RrrrrrrrrRR! Shut up, Plucky!"] he exploded.
	["No, you shut up!"] the duck retorted.
	["Vous Both Shut Up!!"] Fifi shouted, silencing them.
	Plucky was distracted as Lieutenant Selfridge pounded a fist on the rail.
"We should have dropped the anchor on them! We could have dragged them 
down with us!" he cried as the Virginia escaped. 
	With the Confederate ironclad clear of the Cumberland, the Congress
opened up her broadside guns, blasting away at it's stern. Mary shuddered in 
shock as the cannon balls smashed down on the iron plating just a few feet 
away! The heat flash of the exploding shells nearly scorched her face.
	["Incoming! _ Sorry, Mary!"] warned Babs as the gunners plastered the 
rebel ship with solid shot.
	Mary winced at the deafening blasts and thought back with a sarcastic lilt.
["Mmmph! Thanks a lot, girlfriend."] 

	On the Cumberland, it was clear to Plucky that the ship was sinking 
beneath his webbed feet. Dead and dying men lay around him. The once clean 
and beautiful deck was slippery with blood, blackened with gunpowder, shrouded 
in smoke and looked like a slaughterhouse. Even as the gunners continued to work 
the guns, the ship began to settle beneath them. Even then, with the sloop-of-war 
literally sinking under them, the brave men of the Cumberland dragged the dead to 
the unengaged side of the ship and returned to their guns, loading and firing as fast 
as they could. 
	"The forward magazine is flooded!" a man called.
	"Bring the ammunition from the after-magazine forwards!" shouted Morris and 
Plucky "Kill those son-of-a-guns!"
	["Ooo, such strong language, Plucky"] mocked Fowlmouth.
	["This is the nineteenth century, FM"], the Doctor reminded him, ["It means what 
you think it should mean. Good officers didn't swear like sailors."]
	Now that the Virginia had backed about twenty feet away, Buchanan 
ordered Ramsey to nudge the engines ahead again.  Calamity and the others 
fought to twist the lever and engage the reversing gears. The cams of the huge 
push-rods swung round till they slowly came to a halt  - then the cam turned further 
unexpectedly– leaving it off-center! The engine's pistons were stuck in mid-stroke! 
Ramsey and the men struggled with all their might, straining against the shift-levers, 
but it was no use! Calamity was aghast. The ship was unable to move and 
helpless!
	["It's stuck! The engines are stuck!!"] the coyote cried. 

Chapter CXXXVIII
	With the engines frozen, the Virginia's guns could not bear and her firing ceased.
The vengeful gunners of the Cumberland fired a tremendous broadside into the 
ironclad. One shot struck the muzzle of Midshipman Marmaduke's gun, blowing
two feet of the cannon off. Steel fragments sprayed the gun's crew like buckshot. 
Marmaduke was hit and knocked to the deck. Blood spurted from painful wounds 
in his arm, but he stood up again to man his gun. 
	Another shell hit the Virginia's exposed foredeck, severing the ship's anchor 
chain on one side, which sent the twelve-foot anchor falling into the seabed. 
Relieved of it's weight, the heavy anchor chain whipped back into the ship with a 
terrible ripping sound, it's broken iron link flying across the orlop deck over Fifi's head 
like a giant horseshoe to wound a man. 
	The skunkette's host, Doctor Phillips only glanced a moment from the
wounded sailor he was treating. With bare, bloody hands, he removed shrapnel 
from a musket ball from the man's arm. Fifi gritted her teeth at the grim business.
	["Doc - like, what do we do?! We've got to get this ship moving!"] 
Shirley cried, losing her composure.
	["We relax and let the men do their jobs. They'll know what to do. We're 
here to find out how they did it"] Lord thought firmly.
	Below, Calamity could see the problem. As long as the steam pressure 
was engaging the piston rods – it was locked. Once the pressure was gone – 
the rods could be manipulated. But faster than he could think of it – his host and 
the engineers were already doing it. The steam drums hissed sharply as the 
pressure was valved off and the already oppressive heat grew worse. Gingerly, 
two of the engineers risked death by climbing between the piston rods to move 
the giant cams with levers. Sweating bullets, the two groaned and strained to shift 
the cam down off its center position. With a titanic effort, they slowly wedged the 
universal joint back into a working position. Carefully, they squirmed out from 
between the engine's moving parts that could have crushed them both like 
eggshells had they slipped. Ramsey and Calamity manned the reversing gear 
again and then engaged the steam to the three-foot pistons. The engines hissed – 
and finally began to function again. The men drew a deep sigh of relief.
	"Helm hard over! Take us alongside" Buchanan ordered. 
	["The Captain's thinkin' of passing on the rest of this fight. He totally doesn't wanna 
kill anymore sailors"], thought Shirley, ["If the ship's gonna sink, he may let it go."] 
	Aboard the Cumberland, the fighting was desperately personal now.
Delirium seized the crew. They stripped to their trousers, kicked off their shoes 
and tied handkerchiefs around their heads. The men were enraged that their heavy
fighting was hardly damaging their enemy. When they began aiming at the 
Virginia's ports and scoring hits, the men cheered! They yelled and fought like 
demons!  The sanded deck was red and slippery with blood of the wounded 
and the dying. They were dragged amidships as there was no one and 
no time to take them below. 
	"WE'LL SEE YOU IN HELL, JOHNNY REB!" the men screamed.
	"You first, Billy Yank!" men shouted back from the Virginia's gun ports.
	"Send the cutter ashore with a line!" Morris called, still trying to save his ship.
From behind the sloop-of-war, a boat was carrying a hawser rope to the nearby 
wharf in an effort to pull the Cumberland around. They hoped to either beach the 
ship on shore so she wouldn't sink or to bring her broadside guns to bear. They 
did not have to wait long. Shirley and the Doctor saw them.
	"They're trying to escape to shore, Captain" said Lieutenant Jones.
Captain Buchanan blew out his lower lip in frustration and called out "Return fire!"
Jones went down the stairs and directed the starboard broadside. Calamity 
returned to the gun deck as his host met wordlessly with that of the Doctor.
Both opened their mouths as the four broadside guns blasted the air with flame 
and hot shot! The coyote winced at the explosion, but Doctor Lord seemed to 
breath it in, taking in deep breaths of the acrid gunsmoke, savoring it as if it were 
a bakery full of freshly baked bread. Together they watched as the forward 
pressure from the guns pulled the lingering smoke out thru the gun ports like a 
momentary vacuum. The spurt of smoke followed the fire as the gun recoiled 
backward, forming a huge white, donut-shaped smoke-ring, which flew slowly 
through the air like an undulating ghost. The ironclad's ports truly looked like 
hell mouths from a fire-breathing dragon.
	The toons saw Marmaduke's gun with it's dangerously broken muzzle, 
amazingly still in action. Marmaduke himself stood clutching his painful bleeding
wounded arm but still ringing out the orders: "Sponge, load, fire". The flames 
from the broken gun barrel actually set fire to the wooden gun port and had to be 
smothered with sand, leaving it smoking and singed. The midshipman relaxed, 
slumping to the deck, as blood streamed from his face.
	Just then, the boy who had entrusted him with his money purse now came to
him and said: "Oh, Mister Marmaduke! Mister Marmaduke, you're going to die! 
Give me back my money!" 
	The toons had no time to laugh as they tugged away at their guns, training 
and sighting their pieces. The hot-shot gun aft was ready to fire, manned by 
Confederate Marines and commanded by Lieutenant Davidson. Looking through
his eyes was Furball, ready to give the order to fire, when suddenly with a terrible
metallic crash the gun muzzle was hit by a shell from the Cumberland. The horrific 
explosion set off the cannon, sending the sizzling, glowing shot into the 
Cumberland's hull.
	One of the gun's crew crumpled to the deck, gored by the detonation.
Louis Waldeck struggled and screamed a moment before dying, but there was no 
thought or time for anyone to help him. Furball wanted to turn his head away from 
the ugly moment, but his host had to fulfill his duties.
	"The muzzle of our gun has been shot away" cried one of the gunners.
"No matter, keep on loading and firing – do the best you can with it," replied
Lieutenant Jones. Then his orders rang out with warning: "Keep away from 
the side ports! Don't lean against the shield! Look out for sharpshooters!" 
	Fowlmouth coughed at the stinking smoky atmosphere of black 
powder gunsmoke and coal smoke inside the casemate.
	["This is terrible fer my sinuses"] Wakko complained.
	["The smokestack has been shot full of holes"], Calamity told them, ["It's cutting 
down the draft from the boilers and our speed. The steam pressure isn't as strong
as it was before. The smoke is blowing back in here with us."]
	["That's bad enough, but the grease they coated the casemate with is being 
set on fire by the heat from the guns and explosions"] the Doctor told them.
	["They greased the ship to make the cannon balls slip off?"] Calamity asked.
	["A simple solution that worked well. But now the outside of the casemate is literally 
frying from one end to the other"] Lord thought, looking at the smoke curling outside 
the gun ports. 
	["Eww! It smells like Weenie Burgers,"] thought Mary.
	Despite the heat, smoke and stench, the crew was in high courage and worked 
with a will. The crews with the shortened, broken guns, still managed to work them 
despite how they set the ports on fire. Buckets of water and sand were hastily 
thrown out the ports as soon as the gun had recoiled to quench the flames.
	"Pass along the cartridges."
	"More powder."
	"A shell for number six." 
	"A wet wad for the hot-shot gun."
	"Put out that pipe and don't light it again on peril of your life!"
	"There must be women aboard that ship. Men don't scream like that."
The Toonsters listened to the harsh words and stern orders given, but could see 
little as the gun deck became entirely enshrouded in smoke. Fowlmouth observed 
his gun crew, their faces all so blackened by the grimy gunpowder smoke that 
they looked like they wore blackface makeup.
	["Hey, what's dis? One a dem ol' banned cartoons?"] wondered the rooster. 
	["What chu talkin' bout, Fowlmouth?"] Mary asked with attitude.
	["Oh nuthin', Mare"] FM thought, rolling his eyes innocently.
As the burning grease's smoke curled into the casemate, he overheard the 
exchange of two of his gun crew in the midst of reloading.
	"Jack, don't this smell like hell?" John Hunt asked his comrade.
"It certainly does, and I think we'll all be there in a few minutes," 
answered Jack Cronin.
	 
(Star TrekVOL#2 "The Doomsday Machine" "Goodbye Mr. Decker" #10)

Chapter CXXXIX  
	It was, indeed, hell on the Cumberland. Plucky looked over a scene of carnage
and destruction never to be recalled without horror. The shot and shell from the 
Virginia crashed through the wooden sides of the Cumberland as if they were 
made of paper, carrying huge splinters with them and dealing death 
and destruction on every hand. Plucky's host Lieutenant Morris stood shouting
orders and waving his sword, cheering on his men despite their hopeless 
predicament. 
	"Look out!" they both barked as more shot and shell entered through one 
side and passed through the ship carrying everything before them. 
Morris called Acting master's Mate O'Neil to his side. "We must pull inshore! "
	"We're trying, Mister Morris, but the ship is too waterlogged to move!"
said the Mate, his face and uniform splattered with the blood and brains of
his unfortunate predecessor, Master's Mate Harrington.
	"Keep on trying!" Morris/ Plucky cried. 
O'Neil saluted as he ran to the capstan where a few men still strained at the 
ropes.  The few gun crews left alive prepared to fire another broadside as the
water crept up to the gun duck's level just beneath their feet.
	["FIRE!"] Plucky raged blindly at the Virginia as another shell exploded, 
killing many of one of the gun crews.
	Arms and legs were strewn about and the air reeked with the sickly smell of 
blood and bowels. The duck watched in horror as a gunner, with both his legs 
blown away, took three staggering steps on the bleeding stumps to resolutely pull 
the lanyard and fire one last shot at his enemy before falling dead. Another man 
lost both arms and was being carried by his comrades to the port side.
"Give ‘em fits!!" he cried painfully, before he too died. Over a hundred men lay dead 
or dying. Arms and legs were kicked aside so that the gunners would not trip over 
them.
	Through it all, not a man flinched. In the entire crew there was not a single 
case of cowardice. The gunners stood to their posts as water rose around the gun 
carriages. A twelve-year-old powder boy ran splashing through the water up to his 
ankles. His stoic, powder-blackened face was only snowy white where the tracks 
of his tears trickled down in silence, as he worked hard to keep the guns in action.  
Black smoke drew a curtain over the sun, but the crew of the Cumberland 
continued to fight her as though there was still hope. They manned each gun until 
the rising water covered it. Some still worked the pumps in vain. One of the 
Virginia's hot shot from the broken-muzzled gun set the ship on fire, but it was 
quickly extinguished. Smoke settled on the deck and over the sea. The cries of the 
wounded and the dying sounded across the waters and sea birds screamed in 
the distance.               
	                               ("King Kong Suite" "The Aeroplane" #20)
	Plucky's face was tight with hatred for his enemies, a bitter lump in his throat
burned as he swallowed it down. But his pride in his men overwhelmed his anger
and he stood proudly with one foot on the rail and one in the rigging as his
undefeated ship sank beneath his feet. He still waved his sword and said:
"Give them a broadside, boys – as she goes."
	There were few guns left serviceable to fire, but fire they did. Lieutenant
Selfridge gathered the remnant of his forward gun division, about thirty men and
with them, hauled a gun that was about to go under back to an open port. They
barely got it in place when a shell burst among them, killing or wounding almost
every one. There was no one left in the first division. Not a gun's crew could be
mustered. All about him lay the blood and mangled corpses of his comrades.
Some of the guns were run in where they had last been fired, spattered with
blood. The rammers, sponges, buckets, and all the accoutrements of the cannon
lay broken and scattered about the splintered deck.
	The berth deck finally went underwater and the Cumberland bow began to 
slip under. As the wounded saw a watery grave slowly approaching, many of 
them were crying pitiably. Only now was it apparent that sending the injured 
below had been a horrible mistake. Grasping hands and fingers appeared though 
the deck's gratings, the trapped men below desperately trying to escape drowning.
Among them was the ship's un-hurt chaplain, who'd stayed to pray with the 
wounded. All of them went down with their ship. 
	"Save all who can!" shouted Morris/ Plucky.
Only then did the few able-bodied men left abandon the fighting. The wounded
who could walk were taken with them, rushing through the gun ports and jumping 
into the sea. The wounded, trapped men's high-pitched screams were horrifying.
	One old gunner, an active little fellow named Matthew Tenney, paid no
heed. He rushed to the spar deck where one gun was still clear of the rising sea. 
In water up to his ankles, he fired one more defiant shot as the Cumberland went 
down, and he with her.
	The ship gave a mighty lurch to port! A gun broke loose from its tackle
on the starboard rail and rolled down across the sloping deck like a mad bull, 
crushing a sailor who on the verge of escape, leaving him mangled on the deck. 
	["JUMP PLUCKY! JUMP NOW!"] Shirley and Lord shouted desperately.
Morris stood at the stern as other men jumped clear into the cold water, swimming 
towards a small boat that was picking up the shipwrecked crew. Other men 
climbed frantically up the ship's rigging. Plucky gazed at the water below.
	["Heck of a time to find out that this guy can't swim"] he muttered.
Near the boat, Morris saw O'Neil climbing into it and called to him. Plucky took a 
deep breath and jumped! Suddenly the cold green water was all around him, his
boots and heavy uniform dragging him down into the abrupt silence – then 
suddenly his body shot to the surface, popping up like a cork. 
	["Swim Plucky, Swim!"] Shirley cried.
	["Oh no duh"] thought the duck as he struck out for the line O'Neil threw to him.
Lieutenant Selfrige was the last to leave, helping the ship's pudgy drummer boy 
who could not swim to climb overboard, where he floated on his drum, using it as
a buoy till he was picked up.
	Behind them, the Cumberland finally went down by the bow, sliding
down into the depths, taking her dead and wounded with her.  Her stern rose high 
above the seas as the last bits of air buoyed her up. There was a sickening crash
as the compartments inside broke loose, sending tons of smashed bulkheads
to fall down upon the drowning men!  Then after a final tragic pause, the sloop 
slid down to the bottom with a great hiss, the sea boiling up as the last of the air 
escaped its hold.
	Morris and Plucky within him were pulled to safety into the rescue boat.
Soaking wet, they rowed to the Cumberland's masts, which protruded from the 
water at an angle of forty degrees, as her hull came to rest on the bottom of
Hampton Roads. If the Federals could take any consolation at all from the 
heartbreaking scene of their ship going down, it was that her flag still waved
proudly and defiantly at her top.
	Morris, Selfrige, O'Neil and the others rowed in silence as the great ship
met her heroic death. They rowed to where the Stars and Stripes hung over the 
mass grave of one hundred and twenty-one brave souls, proud that their flag was
still there. Morris stood up in the boat while the others pulled in the remaining 
swimmers. Plucky was moved beyond words, but Captain Morris knew just what
to say.
	"Three cheers for the Cumberland, men!" he shouted.
"Hip-hip! HUZZAH! Hip-hip! HUZZAH!" Hip-hip! HUZZAAAAH!!!" they all cheered.
	"The Devil take the Merrimack!" said Selfrige, "They've not seen the last of 
us!"   
	           (Star Trek Vol#2 "The Doomsday Machine", "Cmdr. Matt Decker" #4)

	Slowly the men rowed to shore and Plucky saw the distance widening 
between himself and the other toons. He'd still have to escape back to them when 
the time came.  Nothing seemed real as he sat in the rear seat of the little boat, 
numbed by the cold and the reality of the terrible tragedy. He stared at nothing.
	
Chapter CXL
	Mary watched the tragedy from her post at the stern gun ports of the Virginia 
as the ship chugged away. She and her host Lieutenant Wood were deeply 
moved.
	"No ship ever fought more gallantly," he said, "She went down with her 
colors flying." 
	The Virginia fired again, this time at Camp Butler onshore.
As the ironclad moved slowly away up the James River, Lieutenant Eggleston
returned to the hurricane deck to replace the flag that had been shot down again.
This time Doctor Lord didn't say anything to Wakko, as the danger seemed to have 
momentarily passed. The Warner kid was surprised to see that all of the ship's
railings and howitzers had been swept away. The ironclad's two boats were all
shot up. One was so damaged that it would never be used again. The ship's iron
plating showed many indentations but was intact. The stem of the bow was 
twisted. The smokestack had been shot so full of holes that a flock of crows could 
have flown straight through it without much trouble. Wakko secured the broken 
flagstaff to a rip in the smokestack, so the battle-scarred Confederate colors 
streamed from it with the wind and smoke.
	["This is amazing! How did we survive all that?"] Wakko exclaimed.
The other toons and their hosts were relaxing from the terrible fight in grim silence. 
Those on the gun deck paused before they began reloading again. They breathed 
in the last of the gunsmoke and tasted its bitterness. The casemate was quiet
as the ironclad moved off. Below in the engine room, Calamity pulled back on the 
steam throttle and the engines thumped at an easier pace. Fifi bandaged a man's
head from a concussion. Hamton sweated at his post in the pilothouse. He
watched the Captain and Lieutenant Jones speaking quietly. 
	Pulling up alongside to aid the Virginia was Buster commanding the 
Beaufort. His men threw a towline to her bow.
	At the bow gun, Arnold sadly watched Gogo as their hosts worked. The
Dodo shook with emotion. The image of Dunbar's smiling face would not leave 
him.
	The only sounds that echoed through the Toonsters minds were that of
Shirley's thoughts. Her battle-hardened host, the Captain looked with stiffly into the
cold wind blowing over the sea. If he was moved, he would not show it. 
But inside of him, the loon quietly cried.
	["How will we get Plucky back? What about Babs and Buster?
How can I get through this?"] Shirley wept.
	[We'll get home. We'll all get through it"], Lord told her resolutely, 
["I promise."]

	    (Star Trek Vol#2 "The Doomsday Machine", "The Planet Killer" #5) 

	Aboard the frigate Congress, the men were cheering as they saw the Virginia
going away apparently damaged. Her smokestack was a shambles, leaking 
black smoke out at crazy angles. Babs' host, Lieutenant Pendergrast stood at 
the stern, looking through a spyglass at the retreating enemy. Lieutenant Smith,
the captain, stood shading his eyes as he watched the distant vessel.
	"Looks like the Merrimack's whipped, boys! She's going up the James 
to hide at Richmond!" shouted Smith.
	"HUZZAH!"  "We've won!" The Cumberland's beat her!" Hurrah!!" 
cheered the men of the Congress as they saw their ship saved from destruction 
and the Union had triumphed over the Rebellion. They cheered again and again.
	"Wait!" said Pendergrast, staring at the ironclad. 
Babs saw Buster's tugboat taking the Virginia in tow – pulling her bow around
in a wide circle.  Babs stared hard. Her mouth slowly opened wide. 
	Then she and her host both spoke the same chilling words.
"Oh my God__she's turning around_ She's coming back!"


Look for the next Chapters of -
"A TIME TO EVERY PURPOSE UNTO HEAVEN"
	              coming to you soon.

Buck Falcon and Dyno Wolf by Jose Ramiro

Crazy Friz and Shotsy Bunny by Jose Ramiro

Darkwing and fans by Jose Ramiro

Defeated by The J A M by Jose Ramiro

F.08.01 Scentanna Megamink

F.08.02 Serpatro

F.08.03 Megara

F.2003.FA.01.SR

F.2003.FA.03.SR

F.2004.FA.03.SR

F.2004.FA.04.SR

F.2004.FA.09.SR

F.2004.FA.12.SR

F.2005.FA.29.SR

F.2005.FA.30.SR

F.2005.FA.54.SR

F.2006.FA.27.SR

Hillary and Ronald Victory by Jose Ramiro

Hillary and The J A M by Jose Ramiro

Junior and Alexi by Jose_Ramiro

Mary Melody and The J A M by Jose Ramiro

Mary Melody vs Quackerjack by Jose Ramiro

Miriam and Tex by Jose Ramiro

Ronald vs RonClon by Jose Ramiro

Scentanna va Serpatro Again

TINY TOONS FAN FICTION

SCENTANNA VS SERPATRO AGAIN

Written by Stephen Ricketts & SithSlayer

Tiny Toon Adventures (c) Warner Bros

Serpatro, created by SithSlayer

Megamink, created by Stephen Ricketts

NOTE: Most of Serpatro's lines were written by SithSlayer

Buttermilk Commercial, written by Rkerekes13

PART 1

A BEACH, MILES AWAY FROM ACME ACRES

Fifi La Fume was walking along the sandy ground, wearing a robe, and carrying a towel.
She placed the towel on the ground, and took off her robe, revealing a red swimsuit
underneath.

FIFI: `Eet is good to get away from ze Acme Acres once in a while, no?'

SERPATRO'S LAIR

Serpatro watched Fifi as she was at the beach.

SERPATRO: `Once again, you have so easily forgotten me, my love. But I assure you,
that within moments, all the earth and heavens will bow down to me.'

He got up off his throne.

SERPATRO: `For I am Serpatro, the lord of darkness! Taught through hatred, forged in
black fire, and immortalized in death!'

THE BEACH

Furrball was walking along. He walked up to a white post with a, "wet paint," sign
attached to it. He rubbed his back against the post, and then walked off, with a white
stripe along his back.

SOMEWHERE NEARBY

Fifi rubbed some suntan lotion into her arms, and relaxed on the towel. Furrball walked
past, and suddenly Fifi woke up, and saw him.

FIFI: `Ooh la la! Mon petite skunk hunk!'

Furrball screamed and ran off.

FIFI: `I love this game! I will find you my little passion of fruits!'

Suddenly the clear sunny sky got all cloudy.

FIFI: (looking up at the clouds) `Quel strange.'

There was a flash of lightning, and a crack of thunder.

SERPATRO'S VOICE: `Scentanna!'

FIFI: (scared) `No, eet can't be.'

A black cloud emerged from the dark grey clouds, and took physical form in front off
Fifi. The black cloud changed into Serpatro.

SERPATRO: `Surprised'

FIFI: `Serpatro. I saw you fall into ze fire.'

SERPATRO: `Fool, I only became stronger! I now hold the powers of a god! This world
belongs to me. Just.like.you.'

FIFI: `Never!'

SERPATRO: `If you won't join me, I will destroy you right now!'

FIFI: (twirling her finger) `!annatnecS rof boj a ekil skool sihT'

She magically changed into Scentanna.

SCENTANNA: `This time I will stop you!'

SERPATRO: `Didn't you learn anything from our last confrontation! Your superpowers
are useless against me! If I have to eat you whole, I will!'

His eyes lit up, and fired energy blasts at Scentanna.

SCENTANNA: `dleiF ecroF'

A force field appeared around Scentanna, shielding her from Serpatro's attack. The
energy blasts hit the force field, and destroyed it. The result pushed Scentanna back a few
steps.

SCENTANNA: (getting mad) `!enotS oT nruT'

She fired a beam from her tail. It hit Serpatro, but didn't phase him. The evil demi-god
just kept on laughing. Scentanna realized that she cannot beat him.

SCENTANNA: `I... I can't beat him.'

SERPATRO: `Yes! Now, I will show you the true power of a god!'

He raised his hands into the air, and fired a beam into the dark clouds.

SERPATRO: `Arise, my minions!'

ACME ACRES

Several Demonic Beasts materialized around the area, and people screamed and ran away.
The other Supertoons arrived.

SUPERBUN: `Not so fast, evil monsters you! We are the Just-Us League of Supertoons!'

METROPOLIS

The Demonic Beasts materialized on the street, and scared the people away. The Justice
League of America showed up, and faced the monsters.

SUPERMAN: `We are the Justice League of America!'

THE BEACH

Serpatro confronted Scentanna.

SERPATRO: `My beasts have spread to the far corners of the earth, spreading the touch
of darkness. Now, it's just you and me.'

SCENTANNA: `This can't be happening.'

SERPATRO: `This is your last chance. Become a demi-goddess, and rule the universe by
my side.'

SCENTANNA: `I'd rather die than join you!'

SERPATRO: `So be it!'

He raised his hands, and created an energy ball. He fired it towards Scentanna, who
shielded her face. There was an explosion, and she wasn't hurt.

SCENTANNA: `Huh?'

She took a look to see what happened. Serpatro was lying unconscious on the ground.

SCENTANNA: `What? But how...?'

She spotted someone standing right in front of her, who was looking at Serpatro. It was
Megamink. He turned to look at Scentanna.

MEGAMINK: `Are you okay?'

Scentanna stared at her savior.

NARRATOR: `Tiny Toons will be right back, after these messages.'

BUTTERMILK COMMERCIAL

Elmira was hugging Fifi, who had a glass of buttermilk her right hand. Fifi easily broke
loose of Elmira's grasp.

FIFI: (to Elmira) Vous may be under ze delusion zat moi eez a kitty cat. But as long as I
keep drinkeeng my buttermilk...

Fifi took a sip of her buttermilk.

FIFI: I can count on groweeng up weeth a, how you say, lactose eentolerance.

Fifi farted, and giggled. She took another sip.

FIFI: And evenzough I am not a kitty cat, I'm going to keep on drinkeeng my buttermilk.

Fifi took another sip.

FIFI: (growing angry) Because eet weell always remind moi of vous, and how vous
always zought zat moi was a kitty cat.

Fifi took one final sip of her buttermilk.

FIFI: (now really furious) As a matter of fact, een later years, I shall become, how you
say, obsessed weeth zat memory. Zat's right, I shall spend years trackeeng vous down, and
when I find vous, I shall geeve vous what vous deserve, you stupeed, brainless red-headed
bimbo!

Fifi turned around and sprayed Elmira with her stink. Elmira collapsed on the ground
unconscious.

MALE ANNOUNCER: Buttermilk, it makes a body bitter.

FIFI: (smiling proudly) Mais oui!

PART 2

Megamink stood before Scentanna.

SCENTANNA: (scared) `Who are you?'

MEGAMINK: `I am Megamink. And it looks like I arrived just in time.'

SCENTANNA: `Megamink?'

MEGAMINK: `That's right.'

SCENTANNA: `I am Scentanna. What brings you here?'

MEGAMINK: (pointing at Serpatro) Him. A sorceress named Megara sent me here to
destroy him, because he's unlocked a new level of power, which is unimaginable. The
entire universe is in danger if we don't stop him.'

SCENTANNA: `You're going to destroy him?'

MEGAMINK: `I know he used to be a friend of yours, but Megara is sorting it out as we
speak. But the bottom line is that he must be destroyed, before he destroys everything
else.'

SCENTANNA: `I understand.'

Megamink held out a necklace with a glowing ruby attached to it.

MEGAMINK: `Put this on.'

SCENTANNA: `What for?'

MEGAMINK: `Megara designed this specially for you, and it can only be used once. It
will enable your powers to work against Serpatro's.'

SCENTANNA: (putting it on) `Thank you, Megamink.'

SERPATRO: (getting up) `You will pay for your intrusion, Megamink.'

MEGAMINK: (to Scentanna) `If Serpatro isn't stopped, we are all doomed. And I mean
all of us.'

SERPATRO: `That's right, kid. I will destroy you both!'

Scentanna and Megamink stood together, side by side.

SCENTANNA: `Vou are going down, Serpatro!'

MEGAMINK: `Let's rock and roll!'

SERPATRO: `Fool.'

Both Scentanna and Megamink battled against Serpatro.

SERPATRO: `Impressive.'

SCENTANNA: `!enotS oT nruT'

She zapped Serpatro, and he turned to stone.

SCENTANNA: `Eet worked!'

Suddenly it wore off.

SERPATRO: `You dare to challenge a god?!'

MEGAMINK: `Scentanna, my Mega Sword might be powerful enough to destroy him. I
just need time to gather enough energy.'

SCENTANNA: `Okay, Megamink. I'll how you say, deestract him.'

She walked up to Serpatro.

SCENTANNA: (in a sexy voice) `Deed I ever tell you how gorgeous you are.'

SERPATRO: (chuckling) `Nice try, smelly.'

Scentanna began to fight Serpatro, buying time for Megamink.

MEGAMINK: `Mega Sword.'

The sword materialized in his hands, and he began charging it up. Scentanna continued
fighting Serpatro.

MEGAMINK: `I'm ready.'

Scentanna moved out of the way, and Megamink swung his sword at Serpatro. The
monster screamed, and exploded.

MEGAMINK: `I did it!'

Suddenly, Serpatro magically came back.

MEGAMINK: `What? But that's impossible.'

MEGARA'S VOICE: (inside Megamink's mind) `Rocko, your powers are strong, but not
strong enough to destroy a monster like him. But it's all taken care of now. I have just
finished separating Michael Gecko's soul from Serpatro. The result will destroy him.'

MEGAMINK: `Thanks, Megara.'

SERPATRO: (to Megamink) `Yes of course, Megara. She's the one who created the
Megamink powers which you and some of your friends possess! And I also know that
they are linked to her! When I'm done with you, I will destroy Megara, and all the
Megaminks will perish with her. Then I won't have to worry about them trying to stop my
plans! I will... What? What's happening to me?'

He began to fade and smoke, but then let out a roar and called upon the power of
darkness. It then caused massive black holes to form in the sky all over the world. He
continued to pull the darkness into himself and the earth began to crumble.

MEGAMINK: `Whats happening?!'

MEGARA'S VOICE: `It's not enough. He still has the power of darkness, and he's using
it to suppress Michael. I can't reach him anymore.'

Scentanna then began to walk towards Serpatro.

SCENTANNA: `Michael! Please, stop!'

Serpatro then let out waves of energy that burned into Scentanna, but she continued to
walk towards him until she stood right in front of him.

SERPATRO: `You would die for them?'

SCENTANNA: `No, for you. (hugging him) I love you, Michael.'

Serpatro then had a look of shock, then a tear fell from his eye, and he returned
Scentanna's hug.

SERPATRO: `Thank you.'

Serpatro then explodes in a brilliant blast of light. The explosion of light spread around
the world.

ACME ACRES

The Demonic Beasts were hit by the wave, and were destroyed.

SUPERBUN: `I guess that's the end of them.'

METROPOLIS

The wave destroyed the Demonic Beasts there as well.

SUPERMAN: `Once again the city is saved!'

THE BEACH

The light disappeared, and Scentanna and Megamink looked up at the clear blue sky.

MEGAMINK: `It's over. Serpatro has been destroyed.'

SCENTANNA: `What about Michael?'

MEGAMINK: `I'll find out. Megara, what has become of Michael Gecko?'

THE ENCHANTED FOREST

Megara sat on a tree stomp, and Michael stood beside her.

MEGARA: `He's fine. I will send him back in a moment. (She turned to Michael) Are
you ready?'

MICHAEL: `I.I don't know. I gave in to the darkness. I let my hate control. I turned on
my friends. I nearly brought about the apocalypse. I can't be forgiven. No one will. Not
even Fifi.'

MEGARA: `She will. I know she will. Don't worry, Michael.'

MICHAEL: `Okay, I'm ready

MEGARA: `Good luck.'

She magically teleported Michael back to Earth.

MEGARA: `Now you have the chance to start all over again.'

THE BEACH

Michael materialized in front of Scentanna and Megamink.

MICHAEL: (to Scentanna) `Fifi?'

SCENTANNA: `Yes?'

MICHAEL: (crying out) `I'm sorry!'

SCENTANNA: (holding out her arms) `Come here.'

Michael ran up to Scentanna, and hugged her. And she hugged back.

MEGAMINK: (watching them) `Now that's what I call a happy ending.'

OUTSIDE A RESTAURANT NEAR THE BEACH

Fifi and Rocko sat at a table, having something to eat. And it was dusk outside.

ROCKO: `Thanks for asking me out, even though this date is just a way of saying thanks
for each other's help.'

FIFI: `Oui. So, do you have a how you say, special someone?'

ROCKO: `I sure do. Her name is Sarah. Like me, she has superpowers. She is called
Turbosquirrel. What about you?'

FIFI: `I have a special someone too. His name is Hamton J. Pig. I love him a lot. To be
honest I also have a weakness for other skunks.'

ROCKO: `Speaking of other skunks, you look almost like a friend of mine.'

FIFI: `Really?'

ROCKO: `Yes. Her name is Lucy.'

FIFI: `Wow.'

ROCKO: `I hope Michael fits in at Acme Acres.'

FIFI: `I hope so too.'

Furrball walked past, with the white stripe still on his back. Fifi spotted him.

FIFI: `Ooh la la, eet ees zat delicious skunk hunk again!'

Furrball saw Fifi, and he screamed and ran off. Fifi chased after him.

ROCKO: `Fifi, wait, that's not a skunk, that's... Never mind.'

He continued eating his food.

THE BEACH

Fifi chased Furrball, and finally grabbed him.

FIFI: (wrapping her tail around him) `I have caught you, mon amore.'

She kissed him passionately on the lips. And Furrball held up a sign, saying, "The End!
P.S. Help!!!"

THE END

FICTITIOUS CAST LIST

KATH SOUCIE: Fifi/ Scentanna

CHARLES ADLER: Superbun/ Michael Gecko

TIMOTHY DALY: Superman

KERRIGAN MAHAN: Serpatro

FRANK WELKER: Furrball

CHRISTINE AUTEN: Rocko/ Megamink

KIRA VINCENT-DAVIS: Megara

THURL RAVENSCROFT: Male Announcer

END TAG

FIFI: `Au revoir, mon petite potato de couch!'

Shirley vs Liquidator by Jose Ramiro

The J.A.M. vs Megavolt by Jose Ramiro

Wally as Lobato by Jose Ramiro