Just another day in the Loonatics headquarters…

Ace Bunny is sitting on the couch with his second-in-command, Lexi Bunny, doing paperwork…

Tech E. Coyote in his laboratory, making inventions…

Slam Tasmanian in the kitchen, eating…

Danger Duck and Rev Runner in a storage room, talking…

Wait, what?

“Please-please-please-please-please-don’t-tell-Tech-I-spilled-the-glutonium-samples,” Rev begged Duck, zipping around and wiping up a strange green liquid.

“All right, all right! Just get that stuff away!” Duck said, standing on top of a box labeled ‘FRAGILE – THIS WAY UP’.

In a very short while, it was deemed safe to walk on the ground again without burning holes in your shoes. Duck carefully put one foot on the floor, then the other.

“Geez…what made you crash into the lab samples anyway?” he complained, jumping off the box.

“You-did,” Rev replied plainly.

“I deny it!”

“’He-denies-it, leave-out-that-part,’” Rev quoted. Duck stared at him. “What? It’s-a-quote-from-Alice-In-Wonderland.”

“Right…I knew that,” Duck muttered. “Why are you in the lab storage room?”

“Er…cleaning,” fibbed Rev, zipping around, rearranging vials and bottles.

“Right…well, it’s clean enough now, why don’t you go…help Tech or something?” Duck suggested, grabbing Rev’s arm and steering him towards the door.

“But-then-I-wouldn’t-be-able-to-think,” said Rev.

“Why do you need to think? Tech does enough thinking by himself!”

“Well…seeit’slikethisthere’sthisgirlandIlikeherandshe’sthatgirlIrescuedthedaybeforethatonedaya nd…” Rev trailed off, noticing Duck’s blank expression.

“All I caught was ‘girl’.”

“NevermindI’llhelpTech!” Rev blurted, attempting to escape, only to fall back again, due to Duck’s grip on his wrist. “Aw, come-on-Duck…”

“You said ‘girl’!” said Duck, grinning evilly.

“Well,it’snotlikeit’sanygirlinparticular,Imean,I’vesavedalotofgirlsinthepast,socouldyoujustletgo?” Rev pleaded, trying to pry Duck’s fingers off.

“Who is it? Wait, don’t tell me! It’s…that…one…Jetstream girl!” Duck released Rev’s arm and snapped his fingers.

“No! Wait, ye-I-mean-NO! Darnit, that’s-a-trick-question!” said Rev, rubbing his wrist. He glared at Duck. “Come-off-it!”

“I got it riiiiight, I got it riiiiiiiight,” said Duck, doing a little dance. “And you liiiiiiike her,” he teased Rev, poking the roadrunner in the ribs.

“And-what-about-Mary?”

Duck’s ****y grin slid off his face. “What?”

Rev giggled gleefully. “I-heard-you-muttering-in-your-sleep… ‘Mary! Don’t-leave-me, Mary!’” he imitated in a high-pitched voice.

“Shut up,” growled Duck, his mood quickly changing gears.

“‘Don’t-go-again! I-don’t-want-you-to-go!’”

“I said shut up!”

“And-who’s-this-‘Mary’, may-I-ask?”

Silence.

“Aw, come-on, Duck, I-was-just-teasing! Lighten-up! Pleeeeeeease? Aw, comeoncomeoncomeoncomeon,” Rev said, shaking Duck’s arm.

“Look, I- you don’t know her,” Duck snapped, yanking his arm away from Rev’s grasp.

“You-should-introduce-me-to-her-sometime.”

“’s too late for that,” Duck muttered, turning away.

“Pardon?” Rev asked politely.

“I’ll tell you who Mary is,” Duck said suddenly, turning to Rev, “if you tell who that girl is!”

Rev frowned. “Aw…”

“Hey, look! I’m going out the door…going to tell the whole world who your secret crush is,” said Duck, inching towards the exit.

“NU!” Rev dived and caught Duck’s leg. “Pleasepleasepleasedon’tteeeeeeeeeell!”

“Ow.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll-tell…”

“Great. Now let go.”

“Sorry,” Rev said jumping up.

“So…who is she?” Duck said impatiently, tapping his foot.

“See…her-name-is-Bia, and-you-know-I-rescued-her-and-stuff, and-it’s-just…reaaaaally-hard-to-tell-her-that-I-like-her, ‘cause-it’s-like, everytime-I-see-her, my-mind-just-goes-fwoosh,” said Rev rapidly.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Well…that’s great to know, so I’ll just…” Duck edged toward the door again.

“Hey, you-haven’t-told-me-who-Mary-is!” Rev interjected. Duck hesitated.

“…ask Lexi,” he said finally, reaching for the door button.

“Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease-tell-me, Duck! I-told-you-about-Bia!” Rev begged. “Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease-”

“All right, all right! Shut up already!” Duck snapped.

“’kay!” Rev quickly sat down and folded his legs, looking like a kid waiting for a story. “Waaaaaaaiting…”

“Mary…she…she was my friend…and…I lost her…” said Duck rather lamely.

“Oh, you-mean-to-another-guy?”

“No, she…she…left the world…” Duck turned away, hurriedly wiping away tears.

“Oh.” Rev sat in silence for a moment. “Sorry…to-hear-that.”

“’s fine,” said the other bird gruffly. “It was a long time ago anyways.”

“Do-you-miss-her?” Rev asked.

“I missed her a lot more before…”

“Before what?”

“She…’came to visit’,” said Duck, blinking. “And she said she’d come back to visit…”

“Ooooooooooh, when?” Rev asked. “I-wanna-meet-”

“I don’t know when she’s coming back…if she’s coming back at all,” Duck added to himself.

“Oh…it-must-really-hurt, not-being-able-to-see-her, huh?” Rev bit his tongue. “Wow…”

“Yeah, well…good luck with your getting your girlfriend,” said Duck finally, reaching for the door, only to be held back. “What?!” he snapped, looking down at Rev, who was clinging to his leg again.

“Um…good-luck-to-you-too,” Rev said quickly before letting go. Duck blinked.

“Uh…thanks.” He quickly slipped out the door, leaving a very confused Rev.

Meanwhile, on the rooftop of another building…

“Oh, Danny…”

A girl with long black hair sat on the roof of the First Acme National Bank. Her black coat blended in easily with the night. Her white feathery wings were not as easily camouflaged, however.

“Giving advice to a teammate…I knew you’re nicer than you look,” she murmured softly. She sighed and carefully lifted herself up, her wings beating quietly.

“Be careful…both of you,” she thought, before zooming off.

Please be careful.

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