A Very Looney Christmas

 

 

By Malak1147

 

 

_______________________

 

 

It was Christmas time in Acmetropolis, decorations were placed everywhere, choirs were singing, Christmas trees were being cut down.  It was a very special time of the year, especially for the Loonatics, who were preparing to go home to their families for the holidays.

 

 

"IIIIII'm dreaming, of a whiiiiiiite Christmas!"

 

 

Danger Duck sang out loud and off-key to his fellow Loonatics Lexi Bunny and Slam Tasmanian in the main lobby.  Duck was infamous for his terrible singing voice and he nearly deafened the heroes, especially Lexi, with her super-hearing.  "Duck!"  She shouted. “Stop that!  Your voice is going to kill us all!"

 

 

"Just like the ones I used to kno-"

 

 

Slam suddenly leapt forward and grasped the duck's beak shut with his fingers.  A few seconds later, Ace Bunny, Zadavia, and Rev Runner entered the room while talking to one another.  "So where do you go for Christmas, Zadavia?"  Ace asked the towering blonde.  "I am afraid I do not celebrate "Christmas" on my planet."  She said to the disappointment of the others.  "However, we do celebrate a different holiday on this exact date. So, I'll be going home too."  As the Loonatics changed from their uniforms into their winter clothes, Lexi noticed something.  "Hey guys, does anyone know where Tech is?"  Slam looked under the couch and in the refrigerator, to the humor of the other Loonatics.  "He's in his lab."  Ace chuckled.  "He decided to spend Christmas here."  Danger shook his head and spluttered as Slam released him.  "That crazy coyote, I can never understand why he locks himself in that lab of his."  Lexi turned and faced the lobby's door.  An expression of confusion on her face.

 

 

Lexi walked toward the door to Tech's lab which was locked shut.  Lexi knocked on the door.  "Tech?"  She asked.  "Were about to leave for the shuttle.  Are you sure you don't wanna come?"  "No thanks."  Tech E. Coyote's voice responded from the other side of the door in a somewhat unhappy tone. "I've got work to do."  Lexi noticed this thanks to her super-hearing, but didn't say anything.  "But what about your parents?"  She asked.  "Won't they miss you?"  Tech hesitated before responding again.  "Nah, their traveling for the holidays."  He said.  "Besides, someone must watch the city while the others are away."  Lexi didn't respond to this, she felt something was wrong, and she was sure she knew what it was.  "Ok then, take care Tech.”Happy holidays."  Levi turned and walked away to meet the others outside.  "Yeah, you too..."  Tech said quietly, even though he knew there was no one there.

 

 

 

 

The Loonatics walked down the sidewalk and were heading for the shuttle.  Zadavia already teleported to her home planet, which meant it was only the 5 Loonatics.  Danger ran ahead of the other to go in front of them.  "I can't wait to head home!"  He exclaimed happily to his friends.  "My mom's cooking is the best!" Slam smiled widely and licked his lips at the thought of food.  Rev suddenly appeared in front of the duck with his superhuman speed.

"Yeah, mymommakesthebestporkandbeansandcranberrysauceandmintjellyandhamandmashedpotatoesandraisenbreadand-"

 

 

"We get the point."  Said Ace.  "Your mom is excellent at making "fast food."  The other Loonatics laughed at Ace's joke, except Lexi whose mind was distracted on something else.  Ace turned his head to talk to Lexi.  "Hey Lex, what's the matter with you?  You always laugh at my jokes."  Lexis’s head turned slowly to face Ace when she heard the rabbit's voice.  "Huh? Oh, sorry Ace, I was thinking about Tech."  Ace put his hands behind his head.  "Yeah, what about him?"  Lexi looked Ace in the eyes.  "I think he was upset about us leaving to go to our families."  The group stopped walking and faced Lexi.  "What do you mean "upset".  Danger asked the bunny.  Lexi’s head tilted downward.  "Remember on children's day when we received all those cards from our parents?"  The others looked upward, giving it deep thought.  "Yeah."  Danger said with a confused look on his face.  "What about that?"  Lexi looked up to face the avian.  "When I looked for my letters, I noticed that there were no letters for Tech or Zadavia in there.  I knew about where Zadavia came from, so I didn’t worry about her.  But I was confused as to why Tech didn’t get any letters."  Danger crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at Lexi “And your point is?"  He asked.  Lexi set her gaze to view the rest of the group her eyes, shimmering with tears.  "You guys, I think Tech has no parents.  I think he spend Christmas alone, all by himself."  A silence fell upon the group.  They never noticed it before.  They all knew Tech was distant and quiet, but not lonely.  Lexi wiped a tear from her eye.  Ace looked at his feet.  "And to think, we were leaving him alone in the base while we were off with our families."  A feeling of guilt passed the Loonatics.  Rev shuffled his feet, Slam started bawling, and Danger looked up in shame.  His stomach twisted when he remembered the awful things he said about Tech earlier that day.  "So what do we do now?"  He asked quietly to the group.  A few seconds passed and suddenly Lexi had an idea.  She smiled reached into her back pocket and pulled out her pink cell phone.  The others watched with confused expressions as she dialed a few numbers.  "What are you-" Danger was about to ask before he was cut off by a sharp "Shh" from Lexi.

 

 

"Hi Mom."

"It's Lex.

"Listen, I can't go home for Christmas this year."

"I gotta do something for a friend".

"I know, I'm sorry."

"I love you too."

"Buh-bye."

 

 

She clicked her cell phone off and smiled at the group.  When they got the idea they did the same too.  "Okay."  Said Danger to the bunny as he turned off his cell phone.  "Now what?"  Lexi smiled and motioned the group to come closer so she could explain to them about her plan.

 

 

It was dark and quiet at the Loonatics base.  Tech was alone in his lab, watching a soap opera on one of the visual screens.  He always watched soap operas when he was depressed about something.

 

 

"No David!" Begged the female actor.  "Please don't go!  David?  David?!  DAVID!

 

 

Tech was sitting on a foldable bed he kept in his lab after long nights, wearing only a pair of tan pants and a short-sleeved shirt.  Tears were dripping down his face as he began to sob quietly, but it wasn't the show that was making him cry. 

 

 

Tech lost his parents in a car accident when he was a baby, so he had spent most of his life in an orphanage until he turned eighteen.  There, he was teased by the other orphans and even a few of the caretakers for his intellect and weak physique.  This caused him to feel worthless and unloved.  When he arrived at the Acmetropolis Tech Institute, he felt despised and hated by his collogues. His only friend was Mallory Casey, who would eventually become Mastermind and bear a grudge against Tech, who then felt cold and alone again.  This feeling of coldness lingered inside him even when he was with the Loonatics.  Causing him to shift away from others and lock himself in his lab for days on end, constructing inventions that he felt represented his worthiness and meaning on this planet, if only for a temporary while.

 

 

Tech fell upon the bed with tears stinging his eyes.  He now was sobbing quite loudly and the cold he felt was growing inside him.  He viciously clawed at his chest, trying to tear his heart out and remove the pain, but his regeneration powers prevented him from doing so.  Instead, he gripped the sheets and whimpered in agony, whishing that his pain would end.

 

 

Suddenly, he heard a loud noise come from the lobby.  He broke from his saddened trance and opened the door to his lab. When he noticed a light emitting from the lobby, He walked back into the lab only to come back out with an ion pistol in his hands.  He approached the lobby and leaned at the edge of the door. He couldn't see a thing.  Suddenly, something moved.  Tech quickly jumped and was ready to soot at the object.  Suddenly Ace, Danger, Lexi, Slam, And Rev jumped out in front of him.  "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" They all shouted in unison.  Tech dropped the pistol he was holding in surprise and stood there, dumbfounded.  "Wha...But...I...You..."  He stammered.  Ace walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.  "We all knew you were alone this Christmas, so we decided to celebrate Christmas with each other, instead of our families."  Rev got excited and started babbling.  "Yeah, "werejustlikeafamily." That'swhatLexisaidssowewentshoppingandcamehomeandIcookedthemealsandnowwecanhaveaChristmasdinnerevenwithoutourfamilies!"  Tech turned to see the different assortments of food were on the table.  "All right!"  Ace said rubbed his hands.  "Let's dig in before the food gets cold!"  Rev, Danger and Slam cheered as the ran toward the table.  Lexi was starting to join them when she felt a hand touch her shoulder.  "Lexi."  Tech said.  Lexi turned around to face Tech.  "Yes, what is it?" She asked with a smile.  A few milliseconds later, Lexi gasped as she was hugged by Tech.  "Thank you."  He whispered quietly, tears of joy appearing on his face.  The feeling of coldness inside him had suddenly turned into a feeling of warmth.  Lexi smiled and returned the hug.  "How can I ever repay you?"  He said as he broke the hug.  Lexi only laughed and pointed upward.  When Tech looked at what Lexi was pointing at, he blushed furiously and gulped.  Mistletoe was hanging directly above them. Before Tech could say or do anything, Lexi leaned toward to Tech and kissed him on the cheek.

 

 

"Merry Christmas, Tech." She whispered.

-- Edited by Malak1147 at 15:14, 2008-12-06