Chapter Text
ACME is NOT happy with the failure to capture the Road Runner, to say the least. Naturally, of course, they blame him for it. Buddy especially made his anger known via squeezing him until his eyes popped out. He was the Toon accompanying them on the mission, and he was SUPPOSED to be their best and most efficient mercenary.
Buddy has made it quite clear what will happen if he doesn't take out Kevin, Paige, and Wile E by tonight. They've had it with him and his recent "failures." Should he fail to kill all three of them, Granny and Sylvester are quite literally gone.
When they get back to the factory, he knows what's waiting for him. Rocky and Mugsy, having gotten back from their daily "patrol" of Granny's home, are there to make sure of that.
Every stomp to the head, every kick in the ribs, every tearing of the feather means nothing to him now. He's used to it. He doesn't even find it in himself to scream and cry out like he did before.
Crane is there waiting at the end of Tweety's "session" like he always is. Like has for the past few years every time Tweety "disobeys." After Rocky and Mugsy are done with him and leave, Crane bends down to the beaten, bruised, and bloodied Tweety almost pityingly, lifting Tweety's chin up by the finger. Tweety wishes he had the fight within him to jerk away, peck Buddy's hand, do anything, something instead of just laying there....but it's all beaten out of him now. He just stares up at Crane, a dead, weary look in his eye. "Now do we understand each other?" Buddy asks, a condescending smile playing at his lips.
Tweety nods weakly. Because really, what else can he do?
"Good. You remember what to do?" Buddy continues. When Tweety doesn't respond immediately, he moves two fingers to Tweety's neck, squeezing tight around his throat. Tweety instantly gasps for air, grabbing Buddy's fingers and trying to pull them off of him, causing Buddy to squeeze tighter. "I said...do you remember what to do?
Tweety can feel his vision start to darken and his face turn blue, then purple as he feels the air leaving his lungs. "Y-y-yes!" Tweety gets out. Please make him stop, please make him stop, oh god, he's going to die...
Buddy smiles in satisfaction, finally letting go of Tweety's throat. Tweety is left coughing harshly on the floor and gasping for the air he was deprived of previously. "Good." Buddy states. "You leave for your assignment tonight. You know what happens if you fail." With that, he turns around and walks out of the room, leaving Tweety alone.
Tweety picks himself up, struggling to stay steady before finding his balance. He stares after where Buddy had gone, clenching his hands into fists.
He'll get his results alright.
...Just not the ones he wants.
---
It's the middle of the night, when Tweety approaches the law firm, making sure to keep a distance away from it.
He looks at what the girl...Paige, he reminds himself, he can't bring himself to force forget his targets anymore... is doing from the inside. He can see that she's listening to something, a tape. With his hearing, he realizes startlingly that it's Bugs' voice she's listening to.
So, Bugs is still out there. Wherever he is, he hopes he's doing what he can to take ACME down. And it seems like he is, if he's calling these lawyer people.
Tweety's about to leave, hoping to make it out unnoticed, when he hears Buddy's voice ringing in his comm earpiece "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! WHY ARE YOU WAITING?!"
"I'm not!" Tweety whisper-yells. "I was just about to throw the bomb."
"Good." Buddy growls. "For a moment there, I thought you were having...second thoughts."
Tweety sighs. "Of course I wasn't." He slowly lights up a match, then signaling Talon from the car to bring out the bomb. Sensing the bomb being brought out, Buddy cuts communication between himself and Tweety.
Unbeknownst to Buddy, this bomb had been intentionally chosen by Tweety for a reason. It was a slow-acting bomb, the rope made to have the bomb intentionally explode after ten seconds when usually, they would explode after three. Tweety genuinely hoped Paige would be quick enough to get rid of it.
Otherwise...
With that hope in his heart, he signaled Talon again--this time to throw the bomb into the firm. Talon does so, the bomb crashing through the window of the firm, distracting Paige enough for the two to be able to quickly head back to the car without being seen.
Tweety takes a small peek back and sees the bomb being thrown back out the window.
He smiles to himself as it explodes.
Looks like she was quick enough after all.
---
Naturally, Buddy is furious that the assassination attempt failed. He doesn't scream and he doesn't rage when Tweety reports back. But he makes it VERY clear that he expects Tweety to wish it was what he was doing instead.
Rocky and Mugsy are waiting for him like they always are as he arrives. Crane makes it clear that both are not to hold anything back. And they don't. Rocky--the sadist--especially takes pleasure in seeing his favorite victim once again.
It's more than worth it in Tweety eyes, even through the searing and blistering pain he feels with every reopened wound.
Buddy tells him as soon as Rocky and Mugsy are finished with him that since he failed to kill one measly human girl, then he should have far less trouble killing one of his own kind. He makes it clear that Wile E is to be gone by tomorrow. He is not to hold anything back in his attempt at ending the coyote. He will know the second he tries to back out. He takes clear pleasure in reminding him that Talon will make sure to inform him of everything.
As the next day begins to settle into the first hours of the evening, and Tweety has just managed to barely patch up his latest wounds from Rocky and Mugsy's "session" with him, Talon arrives into his quarters, looking at him intensely.
It's time, Tweety can almost feel him say.
Tweety sighs. "Yes, I'm coming." The canary flutters over to Talon, physically wincing from the remaining wounds of his patch job and straining at the amount of effort it takes to stay in the air. If Talon notices, he clearly doesn't care. He simply gestures at Tweety to keep moving.
After all, they need all the time they got to prepare if they're to kill someone as resilient as Wile E Coyote.
But Tweety's got some other tricks up his sleeves.
....He owes it to Road Runner after all.
---
The trap is set. The bait laid. Now all they need to do is wait for Wile E.
While Talon is listening to Wile E and Avery's argument in their hotel (something about Road Runner? It doesn't matter), meticulously marking the exact spot Wile E will stop at, Tweety is left in charge of preparing the anvil launchers.
Only...Tweety adds in his own "special" touch while Talon isn't looking.
He reworks the aim of how far the launchers will go. He makes it so that the anvils aren't that heavy. He clandestinely gets rid of a few more "heavy hitter" items that he and Talon had packed along for their mission.
When Talon comes back, ready to launch their trap, he briefly bends down and checks the controls of the trap to make sure it will work as intended. Tweety holds his breath, hoping he doesn't notice anything.
The stars above seem to shine down on him this time, because to his absolute relief, Talon doesn't notice anything different. He simply nods at Tweety and stands up, putting himself near the lever that will launch the trap.
Eventually, Wile E does show up. He's holding a bindle and looking absolutely dejected. Huh, Tweety notes to himself. It must have been a bad argument if Coyote looks like this. He can't focus on that though. Not when Wile E notices the fake Road Runner they've set up and naturally falls for it hook, line, and sinker.
Once Wile E is standing in the target they painted...that's when Talon pulls the lever.
Wile E has realized something is wrong by now. He looks up to see a ton of anvils coming towards him. Naturally, he at first panics before managing to dodge all of them thanks to Tweety's careful machinations beforehand. Only one anvil manages to hit him and it only gets his face.
"You missed!" Tweety yells at Talon, pretending to be angry. Talon chooses to ignore Tweety, dashing off to where the coyote is heading.
Tweety stays back for a little bit, watching as Talon runs off and grabs a toon motorcycle from his pack. He's about to try and take this opportunity to leave when Buddy's voice rings in his ear comm "-and just what do you think you're doing?"
The canary groans to himself inwardly. Why does Crane have to call him every time he tried to leave? If he finds a tracker on himself, he swears to whatever God is above..."Relax. I was just going to go after him myself." He looks towards what Talon is doing, who is clearly trying (and failing) to kill Wile E. He expertly hides a giggle as Talon falls to the ground and gets a rather noticeable cut on his forehead.
Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to hide his giggle well enough, as Buddy seems to hear the slight "hee" and instantly growls out at him "what was that?"
Tweety instantly shuts up. "N-nothing!" He squeaks out. He flies off to where Talon is, hurriedly adding "Since Talon isn't doing too hot, I'm going to go help him now."
"You better." Buddy snaps, cutting off their communication quickly after that. Tweety quickly steels himself, managing to catch up to where Talon is. He sees that Wile E's now got himself a pair of skis and an automatic ice generator fridge...and oh, now he sees the lawyer speeding past them on ACME rocket skates, clearly flailing and fumbling about being that he's not as experienced as Wile E is at using the skates.
Looks like the lawyer is trying to save Wile E. How noble of him. Looks like he really does care.
Talon elbows him harshly to get a move on, and being that he completely doesn't have a choice in the matter, Tweety does. He can only hope that Wile E doesn't begrudge him for this...or that he doesn't tell Road Runner.
Who is he kidding? Of course this is going to get back to Road Runner. And he knows Road Runner is NOT going to be happy.
Even so, Tweety can at least make an effort to try and not kill him.
He hops to the front of the motorcycle and from his hammerspace, grabs his ACME explosives gun. He had switched the other gun he usually is forced to use...the one that instantly kills a Toon in one shot...for this one. One that is not NEARLY as dangerous. One that allows Toons to react in time if they're smart enough.
And knowing how smart Wile E Coyote is, self-proclaimed genius that he is, Tweety has full belief he will.
He shoots the egg shaped bombs out at Wile E, purposefully eschewing his perfect aim. Wile E, instantly seeing what's going on, grabs an empty egg carton out from his own hammerspace and catches the eggs in each slot. He places the eggs in the fridge and hastily unstraps it from his back.
The eggs tumble out from the falling fridge, coming right towards Tweety and Talon. Yet for a brief moment, Wile E locks eyes with Tweety. Tweety hopes the coyote can see the regret in his eyes.
"Uh oh!" Tweety exclaims out loud, quickly making sure to cover his patched up wounds.
BOOM!
The moment the eggs touch the motorcycle, an explosion is to be expected really. Being that it's a Toon product, the motorcycle is simply thrown back rather than destroyed, causing Talon to be thrown right off of it and land harshly on the ground. Tweety is thrown almost right next to him.
He's dizzy. He's tired. He doesn't know what's feeling now. Everything just hurts.
He sees multiple Sylvesters spinning around him.
Sylvester....
For a brief moment, he reaches out.
Darkness swallows him whole.
---
"..."
"...!"
Everything's muffled. His earholes are ringing. His head is pounding.
"!!"
"!!!"
He doesn't know where he is. Did he die?
..p!"
If so....can he stay like this? He doesn't want to go back...
Wait...he needs to see Sylvester and Granny again! He's gotta!
He just needs to....
"-WAKE UP!"
Tweety instantly jolts awake. His eyes shoot open and he looks around to see that he's back in the factory and that he's laying on a cold table in the middle of a room. All his wounds have been reopened, meaning that when he tries to sit up, his body instantly screams with pain. Ow.
Buddy is looking down at him, a look of pure disapproval on his face. It's not JUST Buddy that's here. Foghorn Leghorn is also here and he doesn't look too happy either. Tweety instantly knows he's in hot water.
"I-I can explain..." Tweety tries to start. An immediate backhand from Buddy instantly stops the rest of his sentence, and he is sent falling roughly on the side of the table. Tweety picks himself up and gingerly touches his now stinging cheek, looking at Buddy with wide eyes.
"I can't believe this. I just can't. You of all people....failed in your mission to kill ONE single coyote?!” Buddy yells out, pressing his hands on the table and looking down at him with hateful eyes.
“I…”
"He ain't wrong," Leghorn sneers. Tweety tries to look away but Leghorn forcefully grabs his face to have the canary stare at him. "Now, really Tweety, I thought we were past this little...defiant streak. Didn't I say what would happen if you I say, slipped up?"
Tweety can only nod in terror, knowing he's now doomed his remaining loved ones. All because he couldn't go through with one...well, two single missions. All because he was finally, finally tired of what he had to do under ACME's thumb.
Crane suddenly looks down at a notification on his phone. He turns and nods at Leghorn, not even bothering to look at Tweety. “You’re lucky. We got a trial to attend in 30 minutes and its far more important than some old woman and her pet cat. However, once we win this trial…they’re done.”
Leghorn nods, letting go of Tweety's face and poking him in the chest. "That's right! And I say, I say boy, once we get that dog and his little conspirators under control...you're next on the list." The two walk out together laughing at how they're going to bring Wile E and his companions down, leaving Tweety behind in the empty, cold room.
It is only after they leave that Tweety gets up, wiping his stinging eyes. He flies off to his quarters, wanting to be alone.
Pushing open the door, he sighs sadly as he flutters onto the singular perch they left out for him...right near the heavily fortified window too, just for their own sick kicks in irony.
As he's about to settle, hoping that maybe he'll see his family in his dreams like he has for the past thirty years, a white paper catches his eyes on the bare table on the left side of the room. Tilting his head, he flies over to the table and sees it isn't just paper--it's an envelope.
He rips open the envelope to a single strip of paper. It reads:
Watch the telly for the ongoing trial. You might find something you like-B.B.
Tweety feels a crushing mixture of sadness and rage and nearly crumples the strip in his hand right there and then. Watch the trial?! The same trial that's sure to DOOM him and everyone he knows and loves?! Bugs really has a sick sense of humor.
But....a part of him whispers...what if they actually SUCCEED?
It's a long shot and Tweety's hope has been a dry well for the past thirty years...but maybe, just maybe, he could give one more chance.
He flies to the front of the room where the door is and opens it slightly. Looking around to make sure no one is watching, he heads to a room where he KNOWS the television will be on for all of ACME'S workers to see, making sure to stay out of sight the entire time by hiding in a loose tile on the ceiling.
He watches the lawyer's--Kevin, his name is Kevin--Tweety realizes, speech about Wile E, how he's the most determined person Kevin has ever met, how he never gives up despite whatever the world throws at him.
He watches as Kevin questions Leghorn about Project Sisyphus, how Leghorn fully admits to it, how the rooster says that Toons can take any harm being done to them because they're resilient and durable and everything in between. How he questions the entire courtroom if there's anyone who cares for Wile E. Coyote.
He watches as the Road Runner shows up to the witness stand and confirm he does, proving Leghorn, Buddy, and the other lawyer they have with him dead wrong.
He watches as Wile E's trap, originally meant for the roadrunner, is now used on Buddy and Foghorn, completely and utterly humiliating them in the process.
He watches it all.
And for the first time in a long while....Tweety feels just a tiny bit of hope creep back in.
---
About three days later, the entire factory is raided. Workers scramble to hide evidence of their wrongdoings, get out in time. For once the law is too quick and every last one of them are rounded up.
Tweety isn't there when that happens. He only hears about it later while he's in Dr. Lorre's old radio room, from eager and excited word of mouth. Tweety also hears how Buddy and Foghorn have been arrested over the new details of Project Sisyphus coming to life (prison is the least they deserve, he thinks to himself). He also hears about how they might have just found Dr. Lorre himself.
That piece of information quickly catches Tweety's attention. Without wasting a single second, he turns on the old computer...just in time to see authorities pulling out Dr. Lorre from a portable hole in the middle of the desert near the ACME factory.
He looks on eagerly and in near tears at seeing Dr. Lorre after several years.
Lorre's here. Lorre's alive. Lorre isn't dead like he was lead to believe.
....He's free. He's finally free.
---
That feeling though, doesn't last forever. It can't. Not when Tweety has his own crimes to answer for.
It isn't long before the law comes for Tweety himself. He's still in the radio room, listening for any more news on Lorre and how he's doing when they burst in. Tweety looks up, seeing five grim-faced officers approach him--one is holding Toonproof cuffs designed specifically to null a Toon's abilities.
"Tweety Bird." One of them says sternly. It's the one holding the cuffs. "You are under arrest for several counts of murder, assassination, and sabotage."
Tweety hangs his head low and holds his arms out. He doesn’t--he won't fight it. He knows he more than deserved it. Every life he's ended over the past thirty years speaks for themselves louder than ever.
Just as they're about to put the cuffs on him, a voice suddenly enters the room suddenly:
“Ehhh, hold it right there docs.”
It's Bugs. He looks as freshly crisp as ever, still wearing that brown coat he's taken up wearing since Daffy...well, went off the deep end. He's leaning against the door, chomping a carrot. He finishes it quickly though and chucks the stub off to parts who knows where before sliding right to the officers themselves.
"Mr. Bunny, this does not concern you," another of the officers says, trying to shoo him away from the scene. Bugs simply strolls right past him easily and goes straight to Tweety himself.
"Now...I know this little bird may SEEM like he's a cold blooded killer at heart," Bugs begins, wrapping a finger around Tweety's tiny shoulders, then letting go as his face grows fairly serious. "But I'm tellin' ya blue shirts right now...he ain’t one of ACME.” He pulls out a bunch of tapes from the sub-hammerspace of his jacket, handing them over to the officers. "I believe THIS will say enough about how he wasn't exactly...willing."
Tweety can't believe his eyes. Bugs notices Tweety's absolute shocked look and grins, whispering down to him, "Road Runner gave me some of the details when I saw him again...I just wish I knew how bad it was beforehand. He's the one that convinced me to start recordin' for ya. And THOSE tapes are only from the past few days."
Roadie and Bugs..did this for him? Together? Bugs gives a small, soft smile, patting Tweety gently on the back. "You don't deserve to go down with 'em Tweety. We both agreed on THAT."
---
After a few more questions from the officers, they finally leave with the tapes of Tweety's coercion in hand. They warn the canary they'll be watching him closely...but other than that, he's free to go. Tweety still can't believe it honestly.
Bugs sticks around him for a few more minutes, tying up a few loose ends before he burrows back underneath the ground after a quick goodbye (though Tweety can't help but give Bugs a large hug of gratitude before he leaves, much to the rabbit's surprise). Soon after that, Dr. Lorre comes bursting through the radio station...and sees Tweety for the first time in thirty years.
"Tweety? My little bird, is that you?" Dr. Lorre asks, rubbing his eyes as if he can't believe it.
"Dr. Lorre! Dr. Lorre!" Tweety chirps excitedly, flying around Dr. Lorre's head and snuggling up against him. "You're here, you're here!"
"Oh, my little bird," Dr Lorre murmurs fondly, scratching underneath Tweety's chin. It's meant to be a comforting gesture...but Tweety can't help but remember all the times Leghorn and/or Buddy grabbed him by his chin...he quickly moves his chin out from underneath Lorre's finger, breathing heavily.
"Tweety?" Dr. Lorre asks, concerned by the canary's reaction. "Are you alright?"
He nods, though with how much his body is shaking and trembling, he doesn't think it's really convincing.
Thankfully, Dr. Lorre chooses not to push it further. He puts a hand out for Tweety to land on, letting the bird fly on it as he says the three words Tweety's waited to hear for three decades:
"Let's go home."
---
They make it back to the house before Granny does. Dr. Lorre sits down at the piano like a master touching his instruments and happily begins to play the tune that made Granny fall in love with him all those years ago.
Hearing this makes Sylvester look up from the mementos of his corner for the first time in years. That piano, that tune...no, it can't be.
Sure enough...it is. He rubs his eyes again to make sure his mind isn't playing tricks on him again. He can't believe his eyes. Dr. Lorre is here. Not as a picture. Not as a statue. The real deal is back.
But if Lorre's back...then that means...that means...
"I tawt I taw a Puddy Tat."
Sylvester looks up to see a bright yellow ball of feathers flying in front of him, wearing that same teasing smile that's haunted his dreams. The same teasing smile he had never thought he'd see again. Perhaps that smile is a little tired. A little weary. But it's THERE and it's REAL.
Tweety Bird. In the flesh. He's seeing the real deal again for the first time in thirty years.
"I did. I did taw a Puddy Tat." Tweety says softly, continuing to smile. "Hi Sylvester."
The cat can't hold in his emotions anymore. He really can't. His eyes fill with tears as he excitedly yells "TWEETY!" and he jumps onto Tweety, knocking Tweety completely to the ground. He's hugging the canary tightly and sobbing about how much he missed him and how it's been HELL without him, and how much he loves him...
Wait...he said that last part out loud didn't he?
Tweety grows a sly smile on his face as he snuggles into Sylvester's chest. "So you do love me."
"...Don't get used to me saying it too often," Sylvester mutters, though there's a not so hidden smile on his face.
The moment is almost interrupted when Granny then comes in, having returned from a short walk outside. Looking around until her eyes finally land on seeing Dr. Lorre play the piano again makes her nearly burst into tears herself. As she rushes to him and scoops him up joyfully in her arms. Tweety happily circles around Lorre and Granny, just barely avoiding Sylvester's playful lunge.
Tweety smiles and laughs as Sylvester immediately comes back from crashing into a window and starts chasing him around the house again. For once, Granny doesn't try and stop Sylvester. She simply watches fondly with Dr. Lorre.
Things truly are back to normal.