Disclaimer on chapter 1
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Because of the Monstars heavy offensive was aimed at the players rather than scoring points, the score was unchanged at 56-60. The downside being that there was only a few minutes left on the clock and the Monstars had gone from savage offense to brick wall defence making it utterly impossible for the Toon Squad to score any more points without risk of becoming injured themselves.
But the Monstars were not dealing with normal NBA players.
"Are you sure thisth thing isth going to work?" Daffy asked sounding nervous.
"You guys taught us this stuff, don't you have faith in us?" Buster asked the mallard.
"Only if I'm not part of it!" The mallard replied before Marvin blew the whistle recommencing play.
The moment the mallard was given the ball, Buster pulled the lever and launched Daffy from the catapult towards the opponent's hoop. While Daffy struck the backboard with enough force he became a puddle of black and orange ink on it, with his beak flying off into the crowd, the basketball ricocheted off the hoop struck the overhead display and sunk through the hoop gaining the Toon Squad three more points.
"Eh, nice work, Daffy" Bugs complimented the mallard.
Daffy's only response was to stomp passed him towards Buster and hold up a sign with the words 'You're despicable!' written in thick red paint before marching off to find his beak.
"You know, I actually like him this way. He's quieter" Lola admitted watching the mallard walk away before looking at the overhead scoreboard which read 59-60 as well as 00:10 on the timer. "Do you think we have enough time?"
"There's still time on the clock" Michael told her calling a quick timeout for a last second huddle.
"Alright now listen up. We're on defence so we need to get the ball off of them as quick as possible" Michael told them once Daffy had returned. "If you can get me the ball, I'll handle the rest"
"You jus' focus on scoring, Mike. We'll take care of the rest" Bugs assured Michael before pushing him out of the huddle. "Okay you maroons, this is it. All or nothing"
"What'sth the plan, Long-earsth?" Daffy asked.
"You 'n me, Featherhead, will relieve them oversized pipsqueaks of the ball 'n keep it that way; Buster, Lola, you two support Mike seeing as yer the closest tah keeping up with him" Bugs lined out. "Any questions?"
There was no need for him to ask that. Despite being rivals, whenever the jack rabbit had a plan, it was better to follow it. Unless, of course, it lead to several characters getting their Technicolor behinds served to them on a silver platter by yours truly.
"Let's do it" Buster said with finality getting a nod from the other two.
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"It'sth gut-check time!" Daffy declared donning a football helmet and revving up his webbed feet for his assault.
The moment Marvin blew the whistle, the black mallard shot off like a missile into Pound who had just received the ball from Bang.
0:09
"I'll take that" Buster claimed picking up the ball and dribbling it towards the hoop with Bupkus and Nawt coming at him with Blanko blocking him off.
0:08
With a skilled pass from behind his back, Buster tossed the ball over to Bugs who then passed it to Lola.
0:07
The tan sable suddenly found herself blocked by a wall of green and orange as Pound and Bang cut her off leaving her to pass to Daffy who was the only one open.
0:06
Unfortunately, Bupkus had moved in to intercept the ball intentionally for the mallard only being prevented by the ears of one Bugs Bunny who threw it back to Buster.
0:05
Catching the ball, Buster quickly tricked his way out of Blanko's excessively long reach before passing the ball to Michael.
0:04
Already up to speed before the ball came to his hands, Michael took to the air becoming the legendary Air-Jordan he was known as. Especially after using Pound as a stepping stone as he dove at him
0:03
In an attempt to stop him, Bupkus and Bang both jumped at him managing to snag his legs slowing down the star's progress to the goal.
0:02
All seemed lost. It was all over unless Michael could stretch his arms-hold the phone! This is Looney Tune Land!
0:01
None of the Monstars could believe what they were seeing when Michael's arm began to stretch towards the hoop, ball still in hand, to sink the ball into the net scoring the crucial two points the Toon Squad needed.
0:00
61-60
The game was over, the toons had won!
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It was hard to imagine that the stadium, so packed and loud, could become so desolate and quiet in the aftermath of their victory. Sitting on the empty team bleachers, Buster idly spun a basketball between his hands as he looked back on their celebration.
After all the hugging and cheering and kissing- for those in relationships, at least- the Monstars reluctantly gave back the skills they had stolen from the NBA players- not without telling their boss that they quit first.
After that, Michael had to leave them, having to head back to the real world for the baseball game he would have missed had the now reformed nerdlucks not offered him a lift to the game.
"You know, there's a real cute cheerleader curious as tah why you ain't celebratin with her" Bugs commented surprising the buck as he sat down beside him.
"Ah…well, sir…it's just that…" Buster did not know how to continue, how to express that he wanted to get back into the business that had made him the legend he could have been were he to stick to it once graduating.
Bugs could not help but smile. When he had first met him in the gym a week ago, you could have sworn they were actually related the way the blue buck kept his cool while he went mush over a cute tan sable. Now, it seemed that the tables had finally reset themselves with him being the rabbit three steps ahead of anyone.
"Listen, Buster, I want to thank you again fer all yer help over the past week- 'n I'm meaning fer more than just the game" He added knowing he would not have gotten Lola any other way, as well as giving him the idea that helped the toons fight back against the Monstars.
"Hey, you know me: always willing to help someone out" Buster said recalling all of their escapades on and off camera.
"Which is why I hope ye'll help me again. See, I'm kinda getting stretched here wit being principle and a teacher. Now that I got me a steady goilfriend, I'm hoping tah find someone who'll takeover my teaching job so that I gots room fer Lola outside of seeing her before 'n after I go tah bed" Bugs explained. "Tink you can help me out?"
It took a minute for Buster to get over the shock of realising that he had just been offered a job at the one place where his career kicked off. Finally recovered, the blue buck clasped hold of his mentor's hand and shook it vigorously.
"Thank you, Sir! I won't let you down!" Buster promised him before leaving to find Babs and tell her the good news.
"Yup, he's still got much to learn" Bugs chuckled standing up himself about to follow the blue buck out when he realised someone was blocking his way.
"Leaving so soon?" Lola asked smiling softly at him.
"I was actually hopin tah find you 'n see if you wanted to go to that party Sam's holding at his place" Bugs replied.
"Well…" Lola began as she stepped up to the jack rabbit and looped her arms round his neck. "I was actually wondering if you wanted to come back to my place. Thought I'd keep the deal we made before the game"
Bugs gulped audibly as his fur gained a light pink tingeas he recalled what she said to him in the changing room before the game. "You mean tha deal where, if we won, you'd let me help you-ahem- out of them clothes your wearing?"
Bugs was unsure how to class the smile Lola was now sporting at his words. He did know that her eyes were silently asking him if he was up to the challenge something he answered by kissing her soundly on the lips wrapping her tight in his arms.
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Buster had barely left the corridor leading to the stadium when he nearly ran into the pink doe in question who was clearly waiting for him.
"Did you ask him?" Babs asked nervously.
"Babsy, this is Bugs Bunny we're talking about. He practically gave me the job before I could even spit it out that I wanted a job" Buster replied.
"So you got the job?" Babs asked suddenly becoming eager at the possible realisation.
"Come the start of the semester, I'll be taking over the very class he used to teach!" Buster proudly proclaimed earning him a melt-worthy kiss from the pink doe before being dragged back the way he came. "Where are we going?"
"The locker room, blue-boy" Babs replied.
"But there's nothing there?"
"Exactly!" Babs grinned quickening her pace while Buster finally got the hint.
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That's all, Folks!
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And that is it from this story. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Review if possible & until next time
Watch this space & peace out!