Bugs stood perfectly still.

He wasn't really sure what to do otherwise. He felt he should do something. Say something. Anything. But it was as though some force had robbed him of the ability to voice what he was feeling. He had never had trouble doing that before. Of all the Looney Tunes he was the most vocal, the bluntest, and the most bold when it came to saying what had to be said. He never stuttered or paused. It was always what he meant, and he never spoke otherwise. But in this case, he had nothing. Not a single word of comfort, nor the smallest joke to ease the mood. His cocky attitude had failed him, leaving him only a shell of his former self. It was as though something was missing. Something important. It left a great, empty feeling deep inside of him. One that cringed and winced whenever he stepped out on stage. He wasn't the same, and neither were the others.

They felt it too. That change. That invisible wound that just couldn't be healed. They were still around. They were still famous. Almost the whole world knew of them. But that didn't ease the pain. Whenever they performed, each of them would pause, frozen just before that final step would bring them out before their watchers. Almost afraid to go on, knowing that this time, like all the times since that dreadful day, it would be different than the days back in their Golden Years. They knew that when they stepped out on stage, in front of the expectant audience, the laughs would be different. The jokes would be different. Everything would be different than what it used to be.

And it hurt.

Some of their fans, who knew what had happened, sympathized. They knew that the characters before them were no longer whole. It was as though a large part of them had been taken, never to appear again. They were mere copies of what they once were, trapped forever in the spotlight, but having changed to the point where some gave up on them altogether. Others only watched their old performances, back when that missing piece was still in place. Back when their acts were fresh and entertaining, done with all the passion and originality it had been made for. Back when everyone did their best, because everyone was at their best.

Those times were nothing but memories now.

Times change, and the characters knew that. But they resented it. They longed for the years gone by, when they had been who they were created to be. When the scripts they were handed were meant for them, always in character and always funny, filled with a unique humor that was enjoyed and appreciated by hundreds. It had energized them. It had brought them to life. It had carried them through years of hardship, and through years of joy.

And now it was gone.

Now things were different.

The life was gone.

Bugs stood perfectly still, beside his fellow actors. Daffy, Porky, Pepe Le Pew, Foghorn Leghorn, Sylvester, Tweety, Speedy, Yosemite Sam, and all the others. They stood as one, all feeling the loss, and not knowing how to cope. Not knowing what to say. For perhaps the first time in all their years of creation...for the first time ever…

They were speechless.

Yes, I know that was sad. I don't usually write sad stuff, but this Wednesday I am giving a speech in college about Mel Blanc, the man behind the voices of nearly all of the Looney Tunes characters. I learned a lot about him, and came to admire him greatly. I am going to school to become a character designer/animator, and ever since I was little, Looney Tunes was a huge inspiration to me. Looney Tunes just weren't the same after Mel Blanc died, and, though many have tried, they will never be able to capture the true spirit and passion that Mel held for his characters.

This little one shot is based off of a picture that was drawn by Warner Bros. studios after Mel Blanc's death. If you look it up, you will see that it is entitled, "Speechless". It's very touching.

I do not own Looney Tunes or anything related to their creation or world. I do not write for profit, but for my own enjoyment and (hopefully) the enjoyment of others.