Helooooo everybody! The last chapter of this book! I honestly can't believe it. I hope that y'all have enjoyed it :) I definitely have enjoyed writing it! Thank you!


"HOLY JELLYBEANS! HOLY JELLYBEANS HOLY JELLYBEANS!"

Such was the overjoyed reaction of Doctor Matzoh when Cupcake told her about the kiss. The moment she finished her sentence, Matzoh had jumped in the air and begun dancing excitedly. Truth be told, however, it wasn't that much of a shock.

"You two kissed!" she screeched, waving her arms around wildly. "I KNEW that there was something special between you guys! Who initiated it?"

"We both did, technically," Cupcake replied, smiling. "But I leaned in first." She giggled.

"And what was it like? I've never imagined kissing a Cog, obviously, but here you are, a firsthand experiencer!"

Cupcake laughed at her choice of words. "It was magical. I had the hardest time breaking away. And you'd think that it would be slightly uncomfortable, right? Him being made of metal and all?"

"Yeah?" Her eyes grew wide.

"It was definitely the contrary to what I expected. It felt so… natural. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Matzoh squealed. "GAH! That is SO cute!" She sat down next to her friend, who was leaning back on the sofa at her house. "I'm so happy for you, Cupcake. You two deserve the world."

"Thank you, Matzoh." She gave her a hug.

"Who else knows about your spicy interaction?"

"Er… no one but you, at the moment."

"What! Not even Brownie or Flip Pea? Of course your dad doesn't know, duh."

Cupcake snickered. "No, of course not. And not even Brownie or Flip Pea. You're the first to find out."

"Aw, pal, you're the best. But wait," she suddenly said, holding up her hand. "How does Mark feel about this? I mean, he clearly loved the kiss, but have you discussed the future direction of your relationship?"

"I dropped hints about it being 'permanent', but so far we haven't had a real talk about it. I didn't even talk to him yet this morning. I had to run something down to Doctor Surlee's private lab..." she stopped, her mind wandering back to the pen.

"Cupcake? What is it?"

"I…"

Just then, before she could explain her loss of words, a loud clash of thunder was heard resounding through the atmosphere. The two felines immediately stood back up, Cupcake glancing at the clock on Matzoh's wall. It read 2p.m..

"Oh, man, I though that the rain was going to start this evening," she said, beginning to rummage through her pocket.

"Did you leave something outside?" Matzoh asked, wondering why she needed to go so abruptly. Cat Toons may have hated water, but after all, she was already inside.

"No, no, it's Mark," she replied, pulling out the Teleportation Hole that would take her back home. "He's never been in a rainstorm before, alone. He told me once that while Bossbot HQ had constant rain, he had never actually seen it. Plus, Vanilla always gets scared when she's by herself during a storm." She plopped the hole onto the ground and turned to Matzoh. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No! Not at all!" She smiled. "You go take care of your baby," she giggled mischievously, "and your doodle."

Cupcake grinned. "Will do, Matzoh." And with that, she leapt through.


Upon arrival at her estate, she realized that the storm was about to begin. She dashed up the hill, the earthy smell of fresh, damp grass and the cool breeze overtaking her sense. The first sight that she came upon, however, entirely outweighed these perceptions. For there was Mark, bending down nearly to the ground, with Vanilla wrapped in his arms. She was whimpering softly, her tiny nose nuzzled into his neck. Cupcake nearly burst out crying. The scene was so sweet, and the moment that the two unlikely comrades noticed her presence, they jumped to their feet, and Mark exclaimed, "Cupcake!"

Vanilla ran over to her smiling owner, her tongue out and flapping in the wind. The moment the next thunderclap pierced through the air, however, she was scurrying over to the door of Cupcake's house, pawing expectantly at the door. Cupcake skipped over and opened it for her, the eager doodle wasting no time in going straight into her room and hiding under the bed.

"Silly doodle," Cupcake whispered, giggling. She looked around her. Wait, where'd Mark go? she thought. She walked back outside and peered around the corner of her home, eventually spotting him watering one of her gag trees. "Mark!" she called, greatly confused. "What are you doing?"

Mark whipped his head around and answered, innocently, "Oh, watering your plants! Is everything alright?"

She shook her head and went down to where he was, several raindrops falling atop the fur on her head. She shuddered. So cold, so wet. "Mark, you don't need to worry about watering them today," she explained, pointing up at the dark sky. "The clouds will take care of that."

"Oh," he responded, lying the watering can onto the ground. "How silly of me. I didn't even consider the weather."

Cupcake smiled. "Well, it did come up pretty quickly. But anyways, let's head inside." Just as she started to walk back, she lost her footing and slipped in the mud, her arms flailing all around as she careened backwards. Thankfully, Mark was able to catch her, and she landed right in his arms, her face tilted up as their eyes locked.

"Are you okay, Cupcake?" he asked her, lifting her onto her feet. Compassion overwhelmed his tone of voice, and his eyes were lit with care.

She nodded reassuringly. "Yeah, I'm okay. Thank you for catching me, though." She reached her hand up and ran her fingers through his thick, now damp hair. "I'm glad that you're waterproof," she observed, "or else this would be disastrous."

He grinned and placed a hand on her waist. "Catastrophic." His voice was low and enticing, which caused Cupcake to shiver as he pulled her towards him. She pulled her arms around his neck as the rain began to pour in torrents from the heavens. She gripped onto the collar of his now-soaked suit as he ran a hand through the fur on the back of her neck.

"I love you," she said, lying her head against his chest as they began to sway back and forth, perfectly in sync. "I'm so glad that I met you. Wherever this takes us, I'll never leave you."

He stole a small kiss on her cheek. "Thank you. I'd be lost without you."

And as the rain continued to drench the two individuals, a new story was being brought to life. One to add to the hundreds of others intertwined with the big picture, the conclusion of them all. They were now the main characters, writing a beautiful and vivid narrative of all that was to come.

And everyone else would have to sit back and watch it unfold.


Surlee folded the papers that he had retrieved from his mailbox. He sighed, softly, still unable to believe that the Cogs were on the verge of obtaining the power to annihilate all of Toontown. He didn't need this stress, not now. He shoved the documents into his pocket and walked up into his private lab that he had so abruptly left that morning. If it hadn't been for Doctor Dimm nearly exploding Loony Labs' prototype for the controller… never mind. At least he had made it there in time.

After filing the paper away under his desk, he slowly pulled his chair over and sat down. He smiled ever so slightly, pushing away several blueprints and pocket watches in an effort to find the pen. After some time, however, he began to panic. It was nowhere to be found. He jumped up, startled by a sudden thought. Had someone been in his lab? He glanced around, his eye soon catching on a thin, pink strand of fur that had delicately fallen next to his lamp. His heart sank as he placed in between his fingers and studied it. There was no doubt that there had been an unexpected visitation while he was gone, and he knew exactly who the pink, feline trespasser was. There was only question that swirled in his thoughts now: How much did she know?


Flippy stared outside the window of his Catsburg Isle home, watching as dozens of expectant parents rushed out to claim their child. He smiled softly, glancing back at his young wife, sitting on the sofa as she read. He knew that she would soon want a child of her own, a baby Toon to raise and love. His face fell, however, remembering that he himself was only twenty years old, just beginning his career as an intern for Micky Mouse. He wanted to do big things, and wouldn't a child get in the way of that?

After nearly thirty minutes, the crowds dispersed, each family now complete. He soon noticed that rain was starting to fall, so he quickly rushed outside to bring in a package that had come in a few hours earlier. His fur quickly soaked through to his skin, causing him to shiver as a bolt of lightning pierced though the sky. Just as he was about to head back in, a low, whimpering noise was carried through the wind. He immediately snapped to attention, reassuring himself that it HAD to be one of the baby Toons. But this sound was sad, and mournful. Nothing like the gleeful squeals uttered by those with their new families. Something was wrong. He instantly dropped his box and ran to where he heard the cries. The closer he got, the more the noise resembled the meowing of a feline Toon. He was now deep within the woods surrounding the estates, and after continuing for several more yards, he found a small, woven basket with a tightly wrapped, moving bundle lying inside. He softly walked over and fell to his knees, carefully removing the blanket covering the baby's face. He gasped when he saw her. It was a small, pink cat Toon, who's emerald green eyes locked onto his the moment she saw him. She became quiet that very moment, reaching a tiny, fluffy paw out and grasping onto his snout. He smiled and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. There was no name on her basket, no address, no name of her parents. He rubbed her head, and whispered, "Don't worry, little one. I'm going to get you home." He picked up the basket in one hand and held her close in the other as he attentively walked back the way he came.

A tall, slender shadow glided through the trees, watching every step that Flippy took. The figure wrung its hands anxiously, keeping a steady eye on the small bundle. Tears were streaming down its face, twisted in grief. After staying close by for some time, the figure slunk away, wondering how it would ever face another day.


Lord Lowden Clear paced furtively back and forth, waiting patiently for Stella to answer her door. He didn't need nor want to be caught, especially around her. Not after what she did. Thankfully, his secrecy was soon obtained, as Stella opened the door and dragged him in, without a word spoken. He tumbled through the doorway, nearly slamming into her walls in his Cashbot disguise.

"WHAT are you doing here, Lowden?" she barked, looking through her front window. She fastened the blinds securely and dimmed the lights. "You're not supposed to be here. If we're caught…"

"I know Stella, trust me," he replied, lowering his voice. "My entire reputation is on the line whenever I come to visit you. But it's all worth it." He smiled, flashing rows of perfect, glistening teeth.

"And what if I don't want to see you?" she asked, dryly.

His smile faded. "Why wouldn't you?"

She scratched the back of her neck and groaned. "What makes you so sure that I'm ready to be in any relationship? I'm not a romantic, and definitely not the kind to fall for your charm."

"Oh?" he responded, his tone plaintive.

"Oh indeed." Stella looked him over, suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of discomfort. After all, it was every girl's dream to end up with the charismatic leader, especially for the bubbly females in the Resistance. He was tall (especially with that suit of his), handsome, and egotistical, these prominences all tied with a ribbon by his age being twenty-five. She should've considered herself lucky to be his choice. But, alas, former pain and unfortunate experiences kept her from EVER wanting love.

"And what about Elysium?"

She cringed, remembering the black cat she had first dated. He was quite the dream, as well, up until she caught him greening her during a CFO. "We… broke up. He wanted different things in life. It wasn't a good match."

"And why aren't we?" he asked in a low, calming voice, tilting his head to one side in mock ignorance.

She dropped her gaze. "After what happened with that Cog," she sniffed, fearful memories flooding back, "I'm not ready to be close to anyone. I need my space." She looked him in the eyes. "You can understand that, right Lowden?"

He winced. "Yes, Stella. I understand."

Stella showed the dejected canine out, trying to figure out the best thing to say. At the door, her only words were, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Stella," he answered. "I'll see you around." And with that, he was gone, along with her chances of ever being close to him again.


Mindy tapped her pen against the desk, her soft pink eyes scanning over the lessons that she would be teaching later that day. Her concentration was soon broken, however, when a pale, taper hand appeared, placing a small, folded piece of paper directly under her view. She gasped, looking up just in time to watch a Bloodsucker turn on his heels and walk away.

"What is this," she hissed at him, her eyes narrowing into small slits, "and why are YOU delivering it, Dravon?"

He glanced back at her, flashing his fangs in an enticing smile. "I don't know," he replied in a seductive tone of voice, his Doodlevania-like accent thick. "Don't shoot the messenger, though. It could be bad news." He turned away, and after running a hand through his jet black hair, left the classroom.

Mindy unfolded the paper and quickly scanned it over. A sinister smile spread across her face as she read. It was from the Chairman himself, addressed to the Cog bosses, and it seemed as though the CEO believed Mindy would take singular interest in its contents:

Dear Chief Executive Officer,

It is with great pleasure and satisfaction that I, the Chairman, announce the completion of the TR34, our most sophisticated device for the purpose of annihilating the Toon race. Over the next several months, our proprietary mechanisms will be fully optimized, allowing us to launch Phase-D, which will take over a year for full extermination. After spawning, the Cogs can officially begin demolition and rehabilitation (henceforward known as the DR Expansion Phase), with zero interference from Toonkind. Please file these documents and prepare your forces.

Signed,

The Chairman.


My Journal September 29, 2008

Hi there! Wow, what a month it's been! I can't believe that Mark was almost killed. Anytime I think of him, my mind goes to that event. How Stella could treat him like that, when he never even spoke to her, is beyond me. However, that misfortune did lead to something good…

WE KISSED! I know, I said that in the last journal entry; but this time it was real, and blissful, and surreal. I'll never forget it. I'm so happy that our relationship is now official. I just hope that it'll be accepted once others start to find out.

That pen I found in Doctor Surlee's lab… what could it mean? He obviously has a child. And if that's true, then who is he, or she? Why is Surlee keeping this a secret? Unless, of course, they were kidnapped by the Cogs, or something terrible like that. For now, I'm going to lay low and see what happens. Maybe he won't notice that the pen is missing.

So, until next time. There's something in the air; I can feel it. Something big is about to take place in Toontown. Bad or good, I don't know. Whatever it is, though, we will face it as a town, together. As the saying goes, 'Toons of the World, Unite!'.

TALK SOON, CUPCAKE DOGGENBOTTOM


There's so, SO much more to come. This is only the beginning, pals.