Scene 1/25

“Ahhh this is the life!” exclaimed Gryff as he reclined back on the sofa.

“You are so right.” said Ernest. “After all that hard work since we came to PnF with our surprise whirlwind trip to Romania it is nice to kick back and relax.”

“Indeed, I’ve got the Cheesers and chips here. Did anyone remember the fish? It’s near time to stream the new season of Top Pet!” cried Steve.

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BRRIIING!!!!!!

“EGADS! What’s that?!?!”

“I think it’s the phone!”

Scene 3/25

“I’m sorry to disturb you guys,” began Scaredy Cat. “We have an emergency here in PnF. I know you were all looking forward to kicking back and relaxing but an urgent, no, critical matter has been brought to my attention!”

“This sounds serious! What is wrong?”

“E.B. Bunny is missing! If he cannot be found we may need to cancel Easter! Worse, we may need send Bob out as a substitute! (Don’t let him know I said that) Think of all the disappointed pets out there! I need you 3 to go hunting for E.B. To help, I am going to send over a couple helpers who have special knowledge in bunnies.”

Scene 4/25

“Gosh Gryff! Do you think we are up to this? I’m still tired from Romania!” said Steve.

“We have to be! We must save Easter!” replied Gryff. “Let’s get the maps and satnav out and start planning where E.B. might be. Ernest, I need you to start gathering the supplies for our packs! Don’t forget the snacks!”

DING DONG

Scene 5/25

“HIYA! How are you?!?! You must be Gryff, Steve and Ernest! I’m Blackie and this is ZULU! Scaredy Cat sent us over saying you needed our expertise! Is it true? Is he really missing? Is the great E.B. Bunny really missing? Whoa boy! This will be a story for the grandkids! Saving E.B!”

“Ummm, hello…” Gryff tried to cut off the endless chatter from Blackie.

“Is that snacks I see? Yummm! Well fed is the best way to explore although I hope you have coffee I run on coffee!”

“Yes, we can tell…”

“So why don’t we all sit down and brainstorm where E.B. might be?”

“You actually know how to sit?” scoffed Steve. “Well it does make sense to have a plan going forward.”

Scene 6/25

“Clear the table!” commanded Blackie. “My protégé ZULU and I have spent years studying bunny psychology and we believe there are 3 key areas we may find E.B. Here! Here! And HERE! Firstly Ernest you will head to these slopes, they don’t call us snow bunnies for no reason. If E.B. is not there he may be in the jungle sourcing out new natural dyes. So Steve you will be up! Barring that Gryff you are off to the coops! E.B. may be stuck negotiating egg prices. They have sky rocketed this year. It is easy for a bun to lose track of time so he may not realize he is missed. So grab the packs and the coffee! Let’s go!”

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“Excuse me Blackie,” piped up ZULU. “But we are forgetting something critical. Buns are homebodies according to psychology. They like to stay close to home. We should be station ourselves at E.B.’s residence in case of his return."

“Errr, right…you see I was just testing you ZULU. Trying to see if you were playing attention in class. Looks like you were. Now, let’s hop!”

Scene 8/25

So off the gang went to use E.B.’s house as a muster station for their hunt.

“Well this looks deserted.” said Gryff.

“Yup.” agreed Steve. “All I see are flowers that need a watering.”

“Well then, I guess Ernest, you and ZULU are hitting up the slopes!”

Scene 9/25

“Wow!” exclaimed ZULU. “I knew bunnies liked skiing and snow but I never dreamed I would see all of these bunnies here in one place.”

“Well, they need to do something during the cold months to stay active before spring fever hits them. They need to be fit and healthy for that.” replied Ernest. “Now do any of these buns look like E.B. to you? Perhaps that one hiding over there in the basket?”

“Sadly I don’t think he is here…we need to report back to the gang.”

Scene 10/25

Back at E.B.’s house ZULU and Ernest reported their findings.

“Sadly, while there were buns aplenty E.B. was nowhere to be found.”

“We thought we had found him when we saw a bunny in a basket but alas it was not, just a young-un looking for a new fun way to go sliding down the ski hill.”

“So we are back at square one! Noooo!” cried Blackie as he looked at Steve. “You! You must head toward the jungle! Perhaps E.B. is there!”

Scene 11/25

“This looks a little spooky here. Usually I am a brave penguin but I am getting some serious creepy vibes here ZULU. How about you?”

“Same here. It appears as if there are eyes looking out of those trees and bushes following us along the path. I hope we reach a clearing soon. I cannot fathom why E.B. would ever want to come to such a spooky place as this? This is more a time for Halloween not Easter!”

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“Look! All those foxen are tending to the shrubs ahead! And goodness! It looks like the most amazing fruits are growing upon them! Could this actually be where E.B. is?”

“Hiya!” called out ZULU. “We are looking for our friend E.B. Bunny and were wondering if you had seen him?”

One by one the foxen turned to look at the interloping pair.

“Oh E.B.! No, we have not seen him in a few weeks! He stopped by to order his annual supply of fruits and has been gone. He likes to use these to dye all the eggs for Easter you see. Is he missing?”

“Yes, nobody in PnF can find him and Scaredy Cat is concerned we will have to cancel Easter!”

“Oh dear! Well if we see him again we will tell him you were here but since our business is done I doubt he will return until next year.”

“Sigh,” Steve was quite disappointed and if you have ever heard a penguin sigh it is quite the sound. “We thank you for your time and consideration. Ummm, might I bother you for a little snack for the return trip?”

Scene 13/25

“Once again” reported Steve “E.B. has not been located. While he was with the foxen placing his order a few weeks ago he is no longer there and they have not seen him nor do they expect his return until next year.”

“This is a disappointment.” said Blackie while guzzling more coffee. “E.B. must be around somewhere. If he was not on the slopes nor getting his dyes then logic and reasoning holds that he MUST be at the coop. Those chicks have been told to drive a hard bargain this year. Prices for eggs are high. Who knows, maybe they are even holding him hostage! GASP! What if we need to bring in the PnF version of the police to rescue him!?!?!”

“Calm down Blackie! I will head over to the coops to see if he is there. Maybe you and ZULU should both accompany me in case the Chicken Mafia is strong and want to abduct the handsome penguin that I am.” said Gryff.

Grabbing his backpack Gryff made for the door. “What are you waiting for?”

Scene 14/25

SQUAWK! SQUAWK! SQUAWK!

“What is all of that ruckus?!?!”

“I think we are getting close to the coops ZULU.”

“E.B. actually comes here? How can his ears tolerate this?”

“Well, with enough coffee you can also see sound so….”

“Oh Blackie..”

Scene 15/25

“Look at all those chicks! Look how dolled up they are! Goodness it is as if they belong on 5th Avenue not the chicken coop!”

“They must be taking in a lot of money this year hawking their wares.”

“Hello! Hello! HELLO! Ugh, it seems nobody can hear me over this noise.” said Gryff.

“Here, let me try something.” replied Blackie.

THUMP!

Scene 16/25

All of the chicks around the coops turned to look at what had made the ginormous thumping sound.

“Was that such a brilliant idea Blackie? They look mad.” stammered ZULU.

“Hiya chicks! We have come in search here of our friend E.B. Bunny. We know he often does business every year with you and are hoping he might be hanging around? Maybe he got held up here in a coop or something you know? I know funds have been tight so if it’s a matter of payment Gryff here…OOF!...we can work something out.”

“Just what are you implying little bun?”

“Umm….”

“We run a legitimate business here. Nothing untoward! You can take your accusations and skedaddle!”

“Look, I know the bun here is a little high strung.” Gryff tried to calm the tensions. “Blackie here runs on a little too much coffee and often speaks before thinking. Right Blackie?”

Blackie nodded.

“Have you seen E.B.?”

“Not since we took him for the eggs. Got a good price and going to leave him in debt. He may wish he bought potatoes!”

“Sigh, well thank you. Not what we wanted to hear but we will leave you to your partying.”

The crew headed back to E.B.’s to reconvene.

Scene 17/25

“What do we do now? We have looked everywhere you suggested Blackie! Your bunny psychology has failed!”

“I, I, I dunno! This has never happened before! I gotta go back to the books! This makes no sense! He should have been there! Or here! E.B. should be somewhere! I just do not understand!”

“No, what you gotta do is switch to decaf!”

“Hey guys I just thought of something.” said ZULU. “E.B. has been busy. He spent time at the slopes and then getting dyes over in the jungles and even negotiating a hard fought deal with the chicken mafia. Personally I was starving after just visiting the jungle! What if he has gone looking for food? We have seen his garden here is looking worse for the wear from all his travels and his kitchen appears bare…”

“GRAND IDEA! The bear’s have a winter garden and often lots of veggies hungry buns like to eat! It’s like fast food for bunnies!”

Scene 18/25

So off together Blackie, ZULU, Gryff, Steve and Ernest went looking for the Bear’s Garden Buffet. Apparently it was a popular takeout spot for buns in the off season when their garden’s were starved for nutrients and their warrens running low on supplies.

“Look ahead! I think I see some bears! We must be getting close!”

Scene 19/25

“Hi guys! We are looking for our friend E.B. Bunny. He is kind of silver blue with long slightly floppy ears. He likely would be tired as he has been busy preparing for Easter over in PnF. Might you have seen him around?”

“We have lots of buns around here and all of our servers are bears dressed as buns. You are welcome to look around.”

Scene 20/25

“Look! Over there! Is that E.B munching on some carrots?”

“Nope, looks like another bunny who just looks like him.”

“How about there with the cabbage?”

“False alarm again….”

“What do you think is through these grasses and flowers at the edge of the garden? I think I hear something.”

Scene 21/25

The team pushed their way through trying to be as quiet as possible.

“That is definitely snoring!”

“Over there!” cried ZULU. “I think it is him!”

Among mounds of veggies and flowers E.B Bunny was fast asleep.

Scene 22/25

Gryff rushed over and shook E.B. “Are you ok? Wake up!”

“Wah? Where am I?”

“You are at the Bear’s Garden Buffet E.B. I think you, well I think you over ate and passed out. We have been looking all over for you. Scaredy Cat is on the Corporate Sofa panicking that Easter is going to be cancelled. You did get everything you needed prepared before you came here, right?”

“Yes, yes! It was so hectic. It was going fine and I felt relaxed until I had to negotiate with the Chicken Mafia! They drove a hard bargain on those eggs. Maybe I should be painting potatoes and tomatoes. It would be cheaper. So after, I was drained and I needed a nibble so I came here for the famous all you can eat and well….”

Scene 23/25

“We gotta go! We gotta go!” exclaimed Blackie hopping from paw to paw. “Scaredy Cat will be expecting an update as to whether we have found you E.B. and Easter is getting so close! We gotta go! Let’s head back to your place and see that the preparations are ready! Maybe we can use the satnav and have Scaredy Cat meet us there! Maybe he can bring more coffee! I think I am getting low!"

“You getting low on coffee is NOT a bad thing Blackie.” muttered Ernest.

Scene 24/25

Everyone arrived back at E.B.’s house and much to their surprise Scaredy Cat was there with JJ.

“I had to come see how things were going as I was getting worried that soon I would have to announce the cancellation of Easter but I see you all found E.B. Bunny. Well done. Now do we have our supplies? The eggs? The paints? The baskets and all?”

“Yes sir, we are ready to go.”

“I suggest we all get busy then as Easter is around the corner and E.B. can use all the paws he can get.”

Scene 25/25

“And you ZULU. I think you deserve special commendation for all you did.” said Gryff. “If it had not been for your quick, out of the box thinking we may never have found E.B in time to save Easter.”

“Hey! What about me?” pouted Blackie.

“I’m talking to ZULU. You can go back to your coffee, not that you need it. Thank you ZULU. All of PnF owes you their thanks and therefore would like to offer you these GMs as a special Finder’s Fee.”

ZULU has enjoyed an Easter Story, but it is time to go home. Please select another pet as visitor, so they can also enjoy this event!