How did Easter arrive so soon? It yet feels like I should be drawing stuff for Valentine's---heck, I even bought some heart pencils from the scrap not long ago! D:
Anyway, whether I like it or not, it's Easter time---the day in which believers celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ! :D
...so why am I (a Christian) drawing bunnies? :P
Ah-ha, but today's featured pencil says, 'Pobeda', which upon translation reads, 'Victory' ...so I've worked in a Christian reference after all! :D
Anyway, it works out that I drew something secular, because I need to use this card as a gift to my neighbor. Said neighbor left me an Easter card on my door, and enclosed what I'm going to describe as a *cookie within a plastic baggie.
*I'm unsure what it was---it was very flakey and sticky with chocolate. ^^ ...and don't worry, I trust this neighbor (I've known them for years; I've helped them move their furniture and we've even been out together on several occasions) ...besides, this isn't the first time they've left me a homemade treat (I've always eaten them, and so far as I know, I'm still alive). ^^
In return, my neighbor'll get this ACO of Skipper and Bluebell, in a generic greeting card ...which itself was given (indirectly) to me by a charity my S/O had donated to (yes, I'm cheap, but what'cha gonna do?). ^^
Regardless, the lessons here are a cookie goes a long way (as does guilt), and living next to a furry cartooner has its benefits! :D
HYPOTHETICALWATCHER: "You gave them one of your drawings? Pfft! If I were you, I wouldn't eat the next cookie!"
My art's not THAT bad ...and at least I TRIED with this one, unlike with my last Buttons and Rusty holiday scribble. :P
Anyway, today we'll be looking at 'A Chucklewood Easter' ...which I'm glad to say is the LAST of the Buttons and Rusty holiday specials left for me to cover! :D
HYPOTHETICALWATCHER: "Couldn't you have reviewed something really bad, like 'Mr. Horatio Nibbles'? or something tender and sweet like 'A Family Circus Easter'? Besides, you were supposed to be reviewing 'Dot and the Bunny'!"
Nibbles is far too creepy for the sensibilities of my watchers ...and a Family Circus Easter? ...have you actually SEEN that one---their Easter bunny is worse even than Easter in Bunnyland's! D: As for Dot, I'll get to it! But Easter waits for no one, so I have to review Chucklewood NOW (lest I put it off another year ...and possibly another after that).
Our story begins with Ranger Jones defacing a tree, with a poster advertising a forthcoming Easter picnic.
RANGERJONES: "Yes, sir! The trees are putting out new leaves and blossoms. Yup! It seems like after that long winter, the whole world's wide awake again. Well, almost the whole world!"
The scene transitions to the home of Buttons and Rusty, whereat Rusty tries to awaken Buttons from hibernation. Upon success, the cubs gobble down their breakfast (of what appear to be lumps without the oatmeal), before scurrying off to play outside.
Here the cubs run into Skipper and Bluebell, picking buttercups. :3
I dunno what it is with Bluebell, but she always talks and poses herself as if she's trying to seduce her listeners ...I'll see if she wants to make a guest appearance in the next Timmy cartoon. ^^
Anyway, the rabbits are picking flowers for use in making dye (specifically yellow dye). But dye for what? Skipper and Bluebell won't tell. Just as well---Buttons and Rusty aren't too interested (but they will be!) :D
The cubs soon encounter Ranger Jones, who tells them about upcoming events.
RANGERJONES: "...You're both invited to the Chucklewood Easter Picnic!"
That's nice, 'Jonesy', but why weren't the cubs invited to the Halloween party? :P
BUTTONS: "Easter? What's Easter, Jonesy?"
RANGERJONES: "Well, Easter means a lot of different things to different people. ...All around the world about this time, folks celebrate the new life bursting out everywhere. And the one who spreads the joy of Easter to all the younguns around these parts is the Easter bunny"
The cubs ask about the Easter bunny, to which Jones explains the Easter bunny leaves goodies for the children. Of course, the hope of 'goodies' is very enticing to the cubs, hence their excitement for the picnic.
BUTTONS: "Boy! Easter sounds like fun!"
RANGERJONES: "That's why we're having a picnic. There'll be an Easter egg hunt, and an egg decorating contest!"
After parting ways with Ranger Jones, Rusty (with the contest fresh in his mind) makes a suggestion to Buttons,
RUSTY: "Hey, Buttons, what do ya say we start decorating eggs right away?"
BUTTONS: "Great idea, but we don't have any eggs"
RUSTY: "Not yet. But there's got to be a ton of eggs around here!"
Uh-oh! D:
Of course, the forest abounds with egg-laying creatures, and consequent of it being spring, said creatures have laid lots of eggs! :D
RUSTY (reaching into a nest of turtle eggs): "We'll just borrow one"
BUTTONS: "Yeah! We'll take it home and paint it, and then put it back before [Mrs. Turtle] even notices it was gone!"
The cubs have their first egg! :0
Incidentally, I love this line from Gertrude, the Sunbathing Turtle,
GERTRUDE: "Mmm, sun sure feels good on a body. A day like today you almost feel like coming out of your shell"
C'mon, I'm a furry on InkBunny who likes comical, character nudity---so of course I'd like a line such as that (as well the image in my head ...which I'll likely never draw, but can cherish as a concept). ^^
Sure, the cubs are stealing eggs, but if they asked permission we wouldn't have a story ...or at least not this one (and this, IMHO, happens to be the best of the Chucklewood specials).
Anyway, the cubs proceed to lift eggs from several other negligent moms of various species. Satisfied with their haul, the cubs return home with the eggs. They tell their parents about their plans, but say nothing about where they got the eggs (and the parents don't ask ...what's with the moms in this universe?) :P
Around this time, the turtle and the other egg moms have begun to notice they're missing some eggs. Disturbed, the moms seek help from Ranger Jones.
Returning to Buttons and Rusty, the two have succeeded in painting the eggs (as well as themselves), but something's not right...
RUSTY (holding a freshly painted egg): "There! You think this is how the Easter bunny paints his eggs?"
BUTTONS: "I dunno; there's something missing ..Yeah! Yellow! We need some yellow!"
RUSTY: "Great! Remember what Skipper and Bluebell were using for yellow?"
BUTTONS: "Buttercups!"
The cubs stash their eggs in a basket behind the oven to dry the paint, before venturing out to collect buttercups.
Meanwhile, Ranger Jones and the moms wonder who the egg thief could be, and why.
Gertrude points to one of Jones's posters, suggesting the advertizment may have something to do with it, esp. the bit about the egg decorating contest.
As the cubs collect flowers, they once again see Skipper and Bluebell. This time, the cubs ask the rabbits about the Easter bunny, and whether the flowers they were collecting were for the Easter bunny to use. As before, the rabbits give no useful answers, leaving Buttons and Rusty to their curiosity.
Noticing the setting of the sun, the cubs head for home.
RUSTY (safe at home): "You were right, Buttons; it's too late to take the eggs back now"
BUTTONS: "But what are we gonna do?"
RUSTY: "We'll get up real early tomorrow morning before any of the other critters wake up, and put the eggs back in their nests"
Ah, but sleep will have to wait as the cubs catch a glimpse of a parade of rabbits walking in the moonlight D:
Among the army of rabbits are Skipper and Bluebell.
RUSTY: "I wonder where they're going"
BUTTONS: "You don't suppose..."
The cubs decide to follow the rabbits, believing they'll lead them to the Easter bunny.
The rabbit army (unwittingly) leads the cubs to a hidden burrow, wherein the cubs believe the Easter bunny may be found. The cubs 'disguise' themselves as rabbits (in the most unbelievable way possible), and make their way inside! D:
...Rusty makes an adorable bunny, the impossibility of his transformation notwithstanding (and if one is looking during the proceeding musical segment, it's apparent Rusty isn't the only bunny-fox in the Easter cave). ^^
Anyway, the cubs find the cave contains a large egg-painting and candy-making factory. The cubs are soon spotted by the rabbit foreman and are put to work! D:
And it would seem the cubs worked through the night, as the next scene shows us it's daylight, as Ranger Jones pays a visit to the home of Buttons and Rusty.
BRIDGETTE (Buttons's mom): "We're sorry, Ranger Jones, but Rusty and Buttons aren't home"
ROSIE (Rusty's mom): "They must've gone out real early to play"
They were out all night, and you didn't miss them. :P
RANGERJONES: "Well, just tell them to be sure to let me know if they hear anything about the missing eggs. Bye now!"
As Jones departs, the moms remember the cubs saying something about decorating eggs. The parents look around and find the eggs the cubs painted.
Back at the Easter cave, the true identities of Buttons and Rusty are discovered by the rabbits. Buttons and Rusty attempt to escape, but they encounter the Easter bunny in the process ...and (unintentionally) bump him into a vat of melted chocolate. D:
The Easter bunny is fished out by the rabbit foreman, but the Easter bunny's chocolate coating has become firm, encasing the Easter bunny. Is this the end!? D:
Out in the forest, we see the parents return the eggs to their nests ...or trying to; because the eggs are painted, it's difficult to tell which eggs belong to who.
Seems to me this could be resolved by either taking the eggs to Ranger Jones or just letting the egg moms figure it out. :P
Anyway, Buttons and Rusty have been captured, and find themselves standing before a rabbit court and judge.
RABBITFOREMAN: "And so, my fellow rabbits, we must consider the seriousness of what these intruders have done. Not only have they been pretending to be rabbits ...not only have they interfered with Easter-basket production ...but look what they've done to our wonderful Easter Bunny!"
The cubs are to be banished to the wilderness. The rabbit foreman describes the wilderness as a place where the cubs couldn't do harm if they tried; a place where no rabbits run, and where no birds fly. California? Either way, I'm unsure how that could be enforced or even acted upon, given the cubs are the legal property of the park and are under the jurisdiction of Ranger Jones.
Either way, the thought of being banished reminds the cubs of the eggs they vowed to return. The cubs make a break for it, but Buttons slips and crashes into the candy-coated Easter bunny, breaking him free of his chocolate cast.
EASTERBUNNY: "Whew! I'm free again! Now, what is to be done with you two?"
I'm sure InkBunny could come up with some creative punishments for Buttons and Rusty, but since the Easter bunny has been revived, the decision must be his (besides, this is a children's cartoon). ^^
The eggs, meanwhile are beginning to hatch, and it's soon apparent that there've been some mix-ups: the duck got the turtle egg; the woodpecker got the owl egg; the turtle got the woodpecker egg, and the owl got the duck egg. :p
The Easter bunny has determined that Buttons and Rusty must wrap a mound of mini chocolate eggs in foil wrappers by nighfall (a most loathsome chore indeed), but Skipper dashes in with a report for the Easter bunny.
EASTERBUNNY (after receiving news from Skipper; to Buttons and Rusty): "Well, this changes everything! ...Apparently there is a more pressing problem back in the park. You tow are going to have to undo what you did when you took those eggs from their nests without permission!"
RUSTY: "What do we have to do?"
EASTERBUNNY: "You'll know what to do when you see what has happened"
So, what did the cubs have to do?
Match the hatchlings with their proper parents ...which isn't a punishment---that's a game on the side of a Happy Meal box! D: Even more deleterious to teaching the cubs a lesson were the gift baskets left to them by the Easter bunny, along with a note,
"Dear Buttons and Rusty, I hope you've learned now to keep your noses out of other critters nests. Good! Because it wouldn't be right if you were the only cubs in Chucklewood Park to come home to empty Easter baskets. -The Easter Bunny"
Yes, it WOULD be right if they DID return home to empty baskets! D:
I knew the punishment should have been determined by InkBunny. :p
Shows with spin offs and reboots are always confusing when you're looking for the right one. The description says that special is from 1984 which sounds right given the image and sound quality.
Shows with spin offs and reboots are always confusing when you're looking for the right one. The des
Aaah trust Chip to use 'whereat', I'm sure it'd glad for the airing.
Bluebell, Blue, Bluey-bun, why DO you talk like that?
"I grew up watching Pepe Le Pew cartoons."
Ah.
Gertrude is, of course, wearing underwear under that shell. You've gotta have layers after all.
For once we see the moms of the world being as incompetent as the dads. They're usually the better, but in our time of need they are always ready to let us down.
Rabbit 1: So where are they being sent?
Rabbit 2: The wilderness.
Rabbit 1: Like the park?
Rabbit 2: Right, but across an imaginary line on a map which makes it Not The Park.
Rabbit 1: We need some better punishments.
Rabbit 2: Should we free the Easter Bunny?
Rabbit 1: Nah, chocolate sets like cement, it ain't coming off ever.
Leaving two kids with a mound of chocolate eggs overnight is a sure recipe for ending up with a mound of kids and no eggs by morning.
I doubt IB's punishments would have been much better. Maybe involving diapers or dresses or eating large amounts of chocolate. Say what you will but the site's patrons are more fond of cubs than forecful.
Aaah trust Chip to use 'whereat', I'm sure it'd glad for the airing. Bluebell, Blue, Bluey-bun, wh
Plus, what with the paper starting to scream and the graphite turning to blood, it makes it reqal tricky to get such sketches done. Best to drench it in holy water until the smoke clears and maybe draw the (non-Easter) bunny from Family Circus.
Plus, what with the paper starting to scream and the graphite turning to blood, it makes it reqal tr
