Thunder's Storm (Raggedy Ann & Andy Fanfiction)

Chapter 10 Part 1

Marcella sat on the floor in her playroom, holding her little yellow plushie in her hands. She was feeling a bit low energy today and wasn't in the mood to play around. She was just thinking about how strange the little yellow dog was, if it even was a dog, with those long ribbon-like ears and tail it could be anything, and with its tag missing she may never know. "I've had you for quite a while now little one and I still haven't given you a proper name." She said to it, brushing its hair out of its eyes. She sat there a moment trying to think of what would be a fitting name for such a strange toy. "Maybe Buddy? No, hmmm... What about, Lemons? No no, that won't do... Tails?" She let out a sigh and gazed out the window, thick gloomy clouds had blanketed the sky, blocking out the sun. Putting her toy down, she walked over to the window and opened it, letting the chilled breeze rush in, the smell of rain in the air. "Looks like there's going to be a storm tonight." She mumbled to herself. Hearing the click of her door opening she turned around to see her father standing at the entrance, "Hey kiddo," he greeted, "I'm just about to leave in a little bit, do you think you can help your old man do some last minute packing?" She ran over to him and gave him a big hug, "Can I pack myself so I can come with you? It's not fair that you get to go back to Edmontown without us." She whined, giving him pleading puppy dog eyes. "It's Edmonton sweetie, and I told you before this is a business trip for work, that means it's for adults only." He picked her up and carried her out of the room, "Come on now, you can help me pick out which are the best ties to bring." As soon as the door closed behind them Thunder sprang to life, tail wagging frantically. "Did y'all hear that guys?!" He shouted out excitedly to the other toys, "Marcella's dad is heading back to Edmonton!" Ann got up from her spot on the floor and made her way to Thunders side. "Marcella's father is a very important businessman, he goes on trips like this all the time." she explained. "But don't you know what this means?" He exclaimed, jumping onto his hind legs and putting his paws on Ann's shoulders, "I can go back home to Natalie!" "Go back? And how would you do that?" Andy chastised, crossing his arms. Thunder turned around to look at him, "I could put myself into his suitcase, or stowaway in his jacket pocket." Ann gave Thunder a concerned look, "Oh, I don't know about that Thunder, I mean even if you manage to do that, how will you find your way home?" She tried to reason. "I have to try!" Thunder shot back, "This could be my only chance!" "And what about Marcella?" Andy added in, "She really cares about ya you know. How do you think she's gonna feel when all of a sudden her new favorite toy goes missing?" "The same way Natalie felt when she took me away from her!" Thunder snapped back. "That's not what happened, it was an accident and you know it!" Andy defended, raising his voice. Thunder took a step back, looking at the two rag dolls in disbelief. "I can't believe you two, I finally get a chance to return home and y'all aren't gonna help me?" Ann put a hand on Thunder's shoulder sympathetically, kneeling down to his level, "Thunder, we have to be realistic about this, if you leave you'll be out there all alone with no one to help you. What happens if you get lost? Or hurt? Or another child finds you?" She gave him a reassuring smile, "You belong here, with us." Thunder paused a moment, processing Ann's words. He shook his head slowly and backed away from her. All of a sudden the clear sound of a car door closing and Marcella saying her goodbyes could be heard from the open window. Thunders eyes widened, he knew this was his only chance, it was now or never, he bolted towards the window as fast as he could. "No! Thunder, wait!" Ann shouted out, scrambling after him. Right as Thunder jumped up to grab the windowsill she scooped him out of the air, holding on to him tight. "You can't leave Thunder, we need you here!" She cried out. "Let me go Raggedy Ann!" He growled, desperately trying to claw his way out of her arms, but she only held on tighter. "You're the only boy here who can rough house with Andy, if you're gone who's going to play with him?" Ann tried to think up any excuse she could to get Thunder to stay. "And what about Babette? You're the only one who can speak French like her, I'm sure she'll get lonely without you," Ann felt her eyes start to water, "An-And Marcella, she-", "I said, LET ME GO!" Thunder roared as he opened up his jaws and bit down on Ann's mitted hand, his sharp canines sinking deep into her soft fabric. Yelping out in pain Ann let the Neopet go, holding her hand close to her body. "Hey!" Andy raced to his sister's side, shoving Thunder off of her. Thunder turned to them, hackles raised, ready to put up a fight if he had too, "Now I'm going home, and y'ain't gonna stop me!" he growled. Andy felt rage bubbling up from inside him. Nobody hurts his sister. "Go on, get out of here then!" He bellowed, standing up and razing his arms to shoo Thunder away, "A stupid, dumb, mangey mutt like you never belonged here anyways!" Even though he was snarling, Ann could see a flash of grief in Thunders eyes. It was only for a split second though, as Thunder turned around and jumped out the window, the faint thump of his soft body hitting the grassy ground below was just barely able to be heard. "Oh my word, what happened out here?" Babette asked, rushing to Ann's side to see what the commotion was all about. "My goodness, Raggedy Ann, your hand!" She gasped in shock, seeing the clear bite mark Thunder had left behind. "That stupid dog bit her and ran off." Andy answered, holding Ann's hand to get a better look at it. "You shouldn't say things like that Andrew." Ann spoke softly, wiping the wetness away from her eyes she stood up and started slowly walking towards the window. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, where do you think you're going?" Andy pressed, standing in front of her to block her way. "I'm going to go find Thunder." She responded simply. "What? You're still going after him, after what he did to you? That's crazy talk." Andy was blown away by his sister's response, what was she thinking? Ann shook her head, "I don't care, he needs me, I have to go after him." "Not in that condition you're not." Andy told her, pointing at her injury. Ann hid her hand behind her back, avoiding eye contact with her brother. "Then you go after him." She ordered. Andy was taken aback, "Wha- me? Now why should I bother going after him? If that yellow belly wants to run away so badly I say let him!" "Because he's family Andy," Ann cried out, "Whether Thunder realizes it or not, and family doesn't turn their back on each other." "She's right," Babette chimed in, "I remember how awful I acted towards everyone when I was taken away from my home in Paris, I was blind until Raggedy Ann opened my eyes and showed me how truly wonderful it is to be here with you all." She held Ann's hand in hers, giving her a tender look. Andy could see tears starting to well back up in his sister's eyes, the sight quickly melting away any anger he originally had. "Alright, alright," He soothed, gently wiping away her tears. "I'll go after him, Babette you take care of Annie while I'm gone, try and get that hand fixed up before it gets any worse." "Of course." The French doll reassured. Giving his sister a farewell hug, he pulled himself onto the windowsill, and looked over the edge. This was one sight he hoped he'd never have to see again after what happened on Marcella's 7th birthday. Swallowing his Acrophobia, he closed his eyes and, taking a deep breath, jumped. While free falling a strong wind picked up gusted by him, blowing him off course towards a big oak tree. He braced himself for impact and got whacked backside first into its hard trunk, the rough bark scraping against him, and plummeted straight down to the earth below. Andy weakly pushed himself off the ground, trying to shake the pain off. The storm outside was growing stronger and in the far off distance he could hear the low rumble of thunder clouds rolling in. The sky had already started to spit, causing the grass to become damp and slick, one wrong step could have him slip and fall, and one poorly timed gust of wind could carry him off to next Tuesday. He knew he had to find Thunder and fast. Trying to keep to the side of the house so as to not get blown away, he slowly treaded his way to the front, keeping a look out for the little yellow plush. He made his way to the driveway where he could see Marcella's father packing the last of his luggage into the back of the car, ducking behind a small bush to stay out of sight as he watched him rush back into the house for one last thing. Ceasing his moment Andy ran over to the car, desperately trying to see inside but the water droplets coated the entire vehicle making it difficult to see through any of the windows. "Thunder!" He hollered, trying to shout over the sound of wind and rain, "Thunder are you in there?" Suddenly there was a flash of light, followed by a loud crackle in the sky. Andy knew the storm was only gonna get worse, he had to hurry. Getting on his hands and knees he crawled under the car to the other side to see if he could get a better look, the touch of the cold concrete sending chills through his cotton fabric. Emerging on the other side he called again, "Thunder!" "Help!" He heard a voice cry out, coming from one of the bushes planted in between their yard and the neighbors, acting as a fence. Andy pushed his way into the thick greenery, it was jagged and covered in thorns, he had to be careful if he didn't wanna catch and rip something. "Who's there?" Andy called out once again, taking a moment for his button eyes to adjust to the shadowy lighting. Then there in front of him he saw Thunder, his long ears and tail horribly tangled and intertwined with the sharp thorns and twigs of the bush, his fur was soaked and matted and his paws covered in mud. He watched as the Gelert desperately tried to pull himself free but the slick dirt beneath him offered little traction, not to mention the awful pain that must come with having dozens of thorns impaled into your body, it'll take a toll on your strength and stamina. "Oh boy, hang in there Thunder, I'll get you out." Andy wrapped his arms around the plush and started pulling as hard as he could, but it felt like he'd sooner uproot the plant before he'd get his friend free. There was another crash of thunder in the sky and a powerful blast of wind went ripping through the neighborhood, knocking over a towering tin trash can just a few meters up the street and barreling towards the bush the two toys were in. Andy saw the danger speeding their way and desperately pulled harder. "Ow! Andy stop! My ears!" Thunder yelped through gritted teeth. Andy took a step back and saw that the thread keeping his ears on his head was starting to wear thin from the constant yanking. Hearing the trash can getting closer and closer he changed tactics and began to try and untangle Thunders ears from the thorns, ripping and tearing them free. The trash can was now racing down their driveway, it was now or never. Grabbing Thunder's tail and wrapping it around his hands for better grip, Andy gave one last pull with all his might, finally freeing the little yellow plush from the sharpened claws of his captor, the force sending them flying back out of the bush. They watched as the trash can bulldozed over the bush and continued its rampage down the rest of the street. Catching his breath Andy looked over to Thunder, his ears and tail were littered with loose thorns and splinters, and the side of his body had a few threads come undone, but other than that there was nothing a bit of sewing couldn't fix. He watched as Thunder looked back at him, but the grateful look in his eyes quickly soured and he turned his back to the rag doll. "You're welcome." Andy huffed, unappreciative of his attitude. "What are you doing here?" Thunder grumbled, trying to pick the thorns out of his fabric. "I'm here to take you back to the playroom, Ann's worried sick about you." "Well you can go back and tell her that this stupid mangey mut will be just fine on his own." Thunder responded in a mocking tone. "Just fine?" Andy spat, "Are you listening to yourself? If it weren't for me you would've been crushed!" Thunder kept his back turned but Andy could see his shoulders rising in anger. "Well thank you for that but your help is no longer necessary!" He shot back, "I'm getting in that car and heading home and that's final!" Andy felt his anger start to boil, "Does all the things we did for you mean nothing?" He accused, "How we tried to make you feel safe and a part of a family?" Thunder didn't answer. "All the time me and you spent together, I shared things with you that I have never told anyone else before! Doesn't that mean anything to you? Don't I mean anything to you?" Andy could hear his voice start to crack, his emotions starting to get to him. Thunder just sat there, silent. Another flash of lightning sent the booming sound of thunder echoing through the sky, the rain was pelting down harder than ever, feeling like needles as it made contact with your skin. "Answer me god damn it!" Andy howled, desperate for a response. He put his mitted hand on Thunders shoulder and turned him around, forcing them to look at each other, but Andy was shocked at what he saw. Tears were streaming down Thunders face like little rivers, Andy took a step back, confused as to what was going on. "Yes I care!" Thunder finally answered back, "I care so much! About everything y'all did for me!" He shouted, closing his eyes he hung his head low, "I love you." Thunder sobbed. Andy felt his heart skip a beat, "W-what?" he stuttered in surprise. "You, Ann, Marcella, everyone! I love you all like my own family." Thunder sniffled and made a futile effort to wipe the water from his face. Andy felt his anger soften, "But why then? If you love it here so much why are you so desperate to go back to Edmonton? Tell me so I can understand!" He could barely carry his horse voice over the sound of the storm. Thunder looked up at him with anguish in his eyes, "Because I feel like my hearts split in two! You guys have become as much as my family as my family back in Canada is. Even though I've been separated from them for so long things haven't gotten any easier, I still miss them every day! My brothers, my sisters, and Natalie, I miss them all so much!" Thunders sob's grew heavier, releasing all of the grief he's been holding in for these past few months, "I don't know what to do!" He collapsed onto the ground, crying his little heart out. Andy felt his heart break as he watched Thunder, the sight drawing out the tears in his own eyes. He fell down to his knees and hugged the yellow plush as tight as he could, letting him cry into his chest. "Oh Thunder, I'm so sorry, I never stopped to think about how you must've felt in all of this." Andy croaked trying not to weep himself. He thought back to Ann, she must have known what Thunder was feeling this whole time, how could he have acted so insensitive towards one of his closest friends? Letting each other go, the two boys took a moment to compose themselves, trying to mask their hicks and sniffles from one another. "So what are you gonna do?" Andy asked finally. Thunder took a deep breath and sighed, shaking his head, "I don't know. I want to stay but, I know if I do, I might never get another chance to see my other family again." Thunder looked up to the sky, the lighting continuing to flash with claps of thunder following not far behind them. Andy put his hand over one of Thunder's muddied paws. "Thunder I-" He paused for a moment, searching for the proper words, "I just want you to know, no matter what you chose, I will always love you." He put his other hand over his heart, giving Thunder a tender smile, "We all will." Thunder fought back the urge to let the water works return, "But what about Ann? What will happen if you return without me?" "She doesn't have to know," Andy promised, "I'll tell her by the time I got out here you were already long gone." Just then they heard a door shut behind them, followed by heavy footsteps. Marcella's father had returned and was rushing towards the car to get out of the heavy rain. "Looks like you don't have much time to decide," Andy reported, standing up. "So what's it gonna be Thunder? Stay or go?" Andy asked, waiting for a reply. "Ummm..." Thunder panicked, quickly trying to come up with a decision in his mind. Marcella's father reached into his pocket and started fiddling with his keys, trying to get the car door open. "It's now or never Thunder." Andy pushed for an answer. "I wanna go!" Thunder finally let out, without hesitation Andy picked up the Neopet, putting him under his arm, and began running towards the car. Marcella's father finally found the right key and opened the door, getting in and sitting down at the wheel, shaking the rain off. Trying to get as close as possible without being seen, Andy sprinted towards the open door, taking Thunder in his arms and tossing him with all his might to the door. Thunder landed with a thud at the bottom edge, right next to the seat. He struggled to put himself up, but his weakened muscles made the job mighty difficult. Marcella's father, clueless to what was happening, reached out to close the door. "Thunder, no!" Andy yelled out, but it was in vain as Marcella's father sent the weight of the door crashing down onto Thunder, knocking him out from the impact he fell down on to the concrete below. "That's odd," Marcella's father mumbled to himself as the door bounced back open, he reached out and closed it again, the door locking in place this time. The car engine started and it backed out of the driveway, the vehicle's wheels just missing Thunders unconscious body, it drove down the street, disappearing in the distance.