Baby Bunny

Crying Green Bunny

Barnacles sat in the Launch Bay, holding Tweak's diary in one paw, using his other paw to massage his forehead. Now PESO was mad, and that was the last thing he needed.

'Why do I even try?' He wondered. At this point, trying to earn Tweak's trust was nothing more than a pure fantasy.

However, it wasn't like Peso to just get mad. He wasn't mad all the time, like Tweak was. Something must have been really wrong.

'Willing to help Peso, but not Tweak.' The thought ran through his head, but with a breath, he pushed it back. He HAD tried to help her, but she would have none of it.

'Do you realize what she's been through?!' Peso's words echoed in his head. Tweak had been through something, that was as obvious as day, but what?

'How can you help her if you don't think about her feelings?' Barnacles' conscience was fighting him, but he pushed it back. Tweak wouldn't want his help...

'But what if she needs it?'

He glanced at the book in his paw. In this book was the secret to Tweak, the key to helping her. But, if she hadn't told anyone...if she found out he read her diary...he didn't want to imagine how that would end. Clearly, she wanted no one knowing about this.

He grumbled under his breath, and got up, trudging towards the Octoshute. He needed to talk to Peso. At least Peso would talk back with him.

When he entered the nursery, he was greeted with the strangest sight. Peso was sitting in the armchair, holding Tweak against his chest, sleeping. Tweak seemed at peace, even smiling a little in her sleep. Once again, Barnacles thought about how there was no more pain.

He watched them for a moment, wondering; had Tweak tired herself out? Or, had she decided to just let Peso lull her to sleep?

A soft yawn filled the emptiness of the quiet room. Tweak rubbed her eyes with one little paw, and nestled further against Peso. She was awake now, but she didn't see the captain.

Peso woke up as well, signaled by the movement against his body. He glanced down at Tweak, and smiled, petting her head kindly. Tweak actually leaned into his touch, instead of pushing him away. Barnacles watched, wide-eyed, as Peso expertly lulled her back to sleep.

"I didn't know you were so good with babies." Peso didn't glance up at the captain's voice. "I'm not. I'm just good with Tweak." Barnacles sighed, and sat down in the rocking chair. "Peso, why are you so mad at me?"

"Why are you so dense?" Peso gestured to the diary, still in Barnacles' paw. The bear shook his head. "I'm not reading her diary, Peso."

"So, that's it? You're just going to give up on her?" Barnacles eyes widened when he saw the tears n Peso's eyes. "Peso...please don't cry."

"She's dying from the inside out." Peso snapped, causing Tweak to stir a little. He placed her down in her crib, and wound the mobile, before practically shoving Barnacles out the door.

"She's dying from the inside out." Peso repeated, heat and frustration in his tone, "And you're giving up on her because you think she's a brat?!" Barnacles felt remorse well up in him, but frustration won out. "Well, what else could I call her?"

"How about a person?" Peso snapped. "A person who's been raised wrong!" He turned on his heel, and left. Barnacles watched after him. "It's not even any of your concern!"

"That's what Tweak always told us." Peso snapped back, turning his head just slightly to look at the captain. "And yet, you still pester her to talk. Do you want to help her, or are you going to keep making things hard for her?" Barnacles sighed, and entered the nursery, sitting down in the rocking chair. Frustration welled up in him again, threatening to burst. Tweak was always such a pain, and now Peso was acting difficult.

Was anyone really acting difficult, though? Barnacles wondered: was he mad at peso because he was upset? Was he ready to lash out because he couldn't help Tweak?

Was he REALLY going to give up?

Tweak napped for another hour, before waking up to the sound of pages turning. She rubbed her eyes with her little fists, and rolled over, laying on her back. Her diaper was warm, but at this point, she couldn't care. The captain had given up on her. Good. Now, she could finally rid herself of this awful place for good without him hovering over her shoulder. All she needed was to change back to normal...

"Tweak?" Said polar bear peered over the bars of her crib. Tweak's face soured. Spoke too soon.

"Tweak, may I speak to you?" Tweak grumbled baby talk, and flopped back onto her belly. She couldn't even look at him.

Barnacles wasn't fazed. "I...I'm sorry. Truly I am. And I know you don't believe me, and I can't blame you." His fists clenched, thinking of the girl who ruined Tweak's life. He didn't know what to think, and for a moment, he was worried his anger at Tweak would return. With a breath, he controlled it, and continued his speech. "I know your life was hard, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things to you." Tweak stayed silent. Barnacles watched her for a moment.

A scream pierced the silence, and Barnacles had to dodge a stuffed animal. "Tweak!"

Tweak continued to fuss, squirming in her crib, crying out in anger. Barnacles, at first, thought it was just Tweak being impossible again. But, he shook that off, picked her up, and let her fss as mush as she wanted. Hopefully, she'd feel better once she got it all out.

Tweak continued shrieking. She didn't know whether or not the captain was lying, and that drove her crazy. She hated it when people tried to show her love. It made her feel...helpless. It was the thing she hated most of all.

She just wanted to die. She just wanted to leave this world and all the fakes, all the people who left you. Love never lasted. No one cared about what was right. They didn't even care about each other. Tweak didn't see the point in living in a world like that.

And now, here was the captain, trying to make things seem like they were alright, but she knew better than to listen. She knew it had to be some trick.

Every unjust in the world piled up in her, and she couldn't stop crying. Barnacles held her, rocking back and forth in the rocking chair, whispering comforting words. Tweak couldn't take it anymore. She just wanted it all to go away.

Like a broken record, the silence cut off, and there wasn't a single noise. it just...stopped.

Everything was black.