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Voices
A Tiny Toon Adventures Fanfiction
by Kevin Mickel
(HKUriah3@AOL.com)
Companion Illustration by Thorne
(thorne@azstarnet.com)
OCTOBER 30th, 1997
Hamton giggled his famous giggle at Professor Porky's joke,
and he was not alone in the response. Everyone in the class thought it was a pretty
good one, and their laughter proved it. "All ree-uh, reauh, oh- uh, Okay
everyone, seeuh-settle down," said Porky after a few seconds. "We ne-uh
nee-uh have to ana-uh-uh, ana-uh uhl, uh figure out how that wor-uh-worked.
"Who wants to offer an explanation? Hamton?"
"Well, Porky," said Hamton as a thoughtful look formed
on his face, "I would say that when you used the..."
Hamton's voice stopped suddenly, and Porky's heart sank when he
saw what happened next. A confused look of alarm formed on his protege's face as he
gently touched his throat. Porky knew all too well what that gesture meant, he and
most of the faculty had made it back in 1989, just before the Looniveristy opened.
"H-hamton," he said quietly, "y-you'd better go see the n-nurse."
Hamton nodded, and with a look of incomprehension on his face, he
headed out the door. Porky looked after him for a few
seconds before turning sadly back to the class and saying, "Cl-ee- uh, class
dismissed."
The Toonster's looked at Porky with shock at that announcement,
as according to the clock, the class wasn't even half over yet. Nevertheless, they
quickly filed out of the room, taking advantage of their new found free time. All
except for Fifi.
"Professor Peeg?" she asked tentatively. "What eez wrong weeth mah
Hamton?"
"I uh, cee-uh can't say just yet, Fifi," said Porky
quietly. "But you'll know so-uh soo-uh, pretty quick now."
Fifi looked at Porky with incomprehension for a few seconds
before she too filed out of the classroom and headed for the nurse's office to see what
was troubling her boyfriend.
Once she was gone, Porky picked up his cell phone and quickly
punched in a certain number. "Beee-uh Bugs?" he said when the rabbit on
the other end picked it up, "we got a probl-lee-uh, trouble. I thee-uh think
that Hamton just lost his voice."
**********
When Hamton walked out of the nurse's office, he saw a worried
looking Fifi waiting for him. "'Alo, Hamton," she said with concern.
"Are vous, how you say, okay?"
Hamton smiled weakly at her and silently shook his head. He
pointed futilely at his throat, and then his tears began to flow uncontrollably as he
cried without making a sound.
"Oh no," said Fifi as she rushed forward to embrace
him. She knew full well what Hamton had been unable to say meant, and she did her
best to comfort him.
After crying silently on her shoulder for a few moments, Hamton
stepped back and looked inquisitively at Fifi. "Would vous laik me to walk home
weeth you?
Hamton nodded then, and taking Fifi's hand in his own, they
slowly walked back to Hamton's house. When they got there, Hamton looked at Fifi
with thankfulness in his eyes and gestured towards his window. "You weesh to be alone
for a while?" she asked him.
All Hamton could do was nod, but it was enough. Giving him
an affectionate kiss on the cheek, she said, "Ah wheel see vous soon. Let me
know eef zhere eez anytheeng Ah can do.
Hamton nodded again sadly before turning slowly around and
walking into his house.
**********
The news spread through Acme Acres like wildfire, Don Messick,
voice of Hamton J. Pig and many other cartoon characters had died after a long
illness. His classmates were really broken up over it, Hamton was the first Toonster
to have to face this problem, and while the others were worried for him, they couldn't
help but think about facing it themselves someday. The Acme Loo faculty was also
concerned, more out of sympathy over having been there though. The death of Mel
Blanc only eight years ago was still a heavy memory for most of them. Elmer Fudd,
who had lost his voice back in 1959 when
Arthur Q. Bryan died, felt a special sympathy over being the first Looney Tune so
afflicted. He knew that as such it was an even harder blow for Hamton to bare.
Hamton sat as his desk in his bedroom and let out a silent sigh.
He'd gotten plenty of support and sympathy from his friends, but it was still difficult
for him. In any event, he knew what he had to do, and while he wanted to do it, he
knew it would not be an easy task. Going downstairs, he saw his parents waiting for him,
ready to go. "Now, Hamton," said his mother, fighting back the tears,
"it'll be all right. We know this is hard for you, and we'll do whatever we can
to help you along."
"That's right, son," said his father as he placed a
comforting hand on his shoulder. "Are you ready to go?"
Hamton looked up at his parents, and as faint smile tugged on the
corners of his mouth, he nodded and started out to the car.
It did not take them long to reach their destination, the
Hanna-Barbera studio, where a memorial service was being held in
Don's memory. As Hamton entered the main work room, he saw that it was filled with
Toons from all the major studios, all of them having come to honor Don's memory and to
offer condolences to those of their fellow Toons that were the most greatly impacted by
his passing.
Being one of those so impacted, Hamton looked around to meet the
gazes of his fellow mourners. Scooby Doo and Astro were huddled in one corner of the
room and not moving. Ranger Smith was hugging Boo Boo who was shedding silent
tears. Papa Smurf looked stoic as he starred at a picture of Don hanging in the wall
with all of the other H-B staffers. Droopy looked even more forlorn than usual as he
Mumbly shook hands, and Dr. Quest looked somber as he stroked his beard and starred off
into space. These and all of the other Toons that Don gave voice to would smile weakly as
friends and co-workers offered condolences. Hamton, feeling something of an outsider as he
was not a Hanna-Barbera Toon, made his way over to the others, and he was relieved when
they welcomed him to their circle without any hesitation, offering the silent comfort to
him that they had already been sharing with each other.
After a while though, the others began to eye him questioningly,
and he knew what that meant. As the last major character that Don gave voice to, it
was his responsibility. Taking a deep breath to build up is courage, he walked up to
the podium, and tapped the mic to get everyone's attention. As the room quieted
down, Hamton took a long look over at the door to the recording booth, and as a single
tear rolled down his cheek, he said in a faint, unrecognizable whisper, "Goodbye,
Don."
The End
This story is dedicated to the memory of Don Messick, who created the voices of Hamton
J. Pig and many other wonderful characters over many, many years of voice acting.
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