Dingo in Trouble Again

Tarka:

With the ink still drying and the cartoonist leaving the room, Dirty Dan Dingo blinked out of his cartoon cel and looked around for the first time in his life. "By Golly... Where am I mate?"

By Matt

Tuna Kitten looked over from her caption at the new creation. "Well, Sir Dingo, you are in Walt Witter Otter Studio... I don't think for long, though, as you have only been pencilled so far. If you are not inked.." she drifted off.

Dirty Dan Dingo looked up. "If I am not inked ...what?" He didn't like the way the Tuna Kitten had said that.

Tuna Kitten looked a little sad. "Well, Dirty Dan Dingo, we are all cartoons. Such a life can be very hard on you. Anvils dropped on your head. Bombs handed to you out of the blue. You know... that kind of thing. There is something more, though. First you have to become a permanent cartoon. Right now you are not.

Dirty Dan Dingo thought that he might cry. "What can I do?!"

Betty Bucket looked up from where she was. "There is something that you can do. Find someone to ink you. The door is over there." She pointed to the door with her nose. The one going out into the wide outside world. "Be careful though. For the world outside is a dangerous place."

Lillieth:

Dirty Dan Dingo looked over to the door where Betty was pointing. Dan blinked and swallowed hard, "Do y' mean that I have to go out there? Alone? And only in pencil? Why... what will I do if it rains? I might wash away altogether."

Betty nodded, "Well the only other way to get someone to ink you is to wait for our cartoonist and hope that he likes you well enough to keep you in the story."

Dirty Dan Dingo sat quietly and thought about that for a while. How would he ever get the cartoonist's attention, let alone get him to like him?

Mog:

D.D. Dingo looked down at the Door.. He pondered this for awhile, and then decided that he'd have to risk going down into the Real World to find someone to ink him.

D.D. Dingo jumped down from his canvas, and began walking towards the door... into the great, wide, open world...

WalksFar:

D.D. blinked with surprise. The outside world was soo big! Everything towered over him. Where to begin? Where to go? A brougham slammed to the pavement next to him and made him leap aside. It was ALSO a dangerous place! Fortunately he was a toon. Toons could take anything . . . or, could they?

D.D. wasted no more time. He headed off down the sidewalk, hugging the buildings to avoid being crushed beneath some boot or stabbed by a woman's stiletto heels. His rudimentary command of the language allowed him to make some educated guesses about where he might look for an ink job.

After what seemed forever, he looked up, smiled and slipped under the closed door of the building at which he had arrived.

The sign said: "Artist's Ad agency! Let us Ink your ad!"

Tarka:

Fred looked up as the bell on the front desk rang, and put on his best grin for the public. 'Another potential sucker... errr... client.'

D.D. looked up as the huge man came up to the desk and bowed. "Hello Sir. My name is Dirty Dan Dingo and I came in looking for an ink job. Do you think that you might be able to help me?"

Fred looked down at the little pencil sketch and raised his brow. The work looked good. Well Drawn. He might fetch something for the character idea. "Why Yes, Mr Dingo! Come right this way will you?"

Dingo followed the nice man and grinned. He would get inked in no time!

Fred took the dingo into the back room and had him hop up onto sticky paper and laughed! "Now I have you!" He left the room with Dingo stuck to the paper!

Dingo tried to pull away from the paper! "Hey! Let me go!"

Wild Eepp bounced over to Dingo. "Hello. You trapped here too?"

Lillieth:

D.D. heard another voice and turned towards Wild Eepp. Who are you? I... yes, ...I guess I am stuck here too."

Wild Eepp bounced once more and bumped into Dan, giggling. "I am a bubble... a long time ago I was supposed to be one of those dialog bubbles*. Then ol' Fred saw me bouncing and stuck me here."

Dan nodded and struggled once again to free himself from the sticky goo. "How long have y' been stuck here, Eepp?"

Wild Eepp burbled and swelled a little as he tried to think. He bounced around a little more and then back against the toon. "I don't really know, but it's been a long time. I don't get much company. I'm glad to see you though. What brings you here?"

Dan snorted as he tried to pull loose and then looked at the bubble. "Well, as you can see, I'm only a pencil sketch. I was looking for someone to ink me and saw the signs outside so I came in. Then that big guy out front grabbed me, and here I find myself with you." D.D. held out his slightly sticky paw to the bubble, "My name is Dirty Dan Dingo. I'm glad to meet y', but wish the circumstances were different."

Mog:

Eepp held out his point (The little thing that shows WHO Is talking) and took Dingo's paw. "Nice ta meet ya!"

Dingo smiled weakly "Say, you wouldn't happen to know how I could get out of this mess, would ya?"

Eepp thought for a moment.

"Hmm. I could pour water on it and that would make it unsticky.. Would that work?"

Dingo gasped "N-no! We can't do that! I might melt!"

Eepp thought for awhile. Hmm. Well. I could do this..."

Dingo blinked "Do wha-"

Eepp slashed his point at the very bottom of the line at Dingos feet.

Dingo wasn't hurt, and the only damage was that his feet line was a tiny bit thinner. But most importantly, he was free!

Eepp bounced over to Dingo. (The goo didn't seem to effect him)

"Okay now, climb on to me" Dingo did so, and Eepp bounced him off the glue and onto the floor. Dingo looked at Eepp. "Gee, thanks! I owe you one." Dingo started toward the crack at the bottom of the door. "Well, I really must be going. I have to Get inked. Thanks again. See you!" Dingo started toward the door crack, when it opened. It was Fred.

WalksFar:

D.D. dived under a cabinet, hiding in the slim crack beneath it and the linoleum floor. He could see Fred's feet going from one place to another, stop, then move to another place. What was he doing? Then, Fred vanished and closed the door behind him. D.D. wriggled out from under the cabinet just enough to see everything around him. Nothing looked out of place. Eepp sailed around the table above. Evidently, Fred had forgotten he was there. That would make it easy to get out without being chased. Hopefully, that is what happened. D.D. made a dive for the door, and slipped under it into the main office. Fred was talking to someone at the front desk. D.D. made a quick rush along the baseboard and made it to the door when it opened and the customer walked out. The wind caught D.D. and whisked him into the outside, landing him flat on the pavement during rush traffic. . . .

Tarka:

Dingo yiped as a huge semi-truck rolled right over him and squished his little line body flat. After it was gone he managed to stagger over to the gutter where it was safe. He was almost about to cry. How would he ever find anyone to ink him now! He was all dirty from truck tires and sticky from that paper. He wouldn't give up though. Never!

Just then a rat drawing came out of the storm drain next to him. He was done in pencil as well. "Psssstt... Hey there. You want to see Wonder Land mate? You can do or be anything that you want there. Beats being a loser here. Mate."

Dingo blinked. Who was this person...? What they offered was interesting though. "Do you think that I can get inked at Wonder Land?"

The rat nodded. "Hey yes. That is why I am going there myself! Why, I am going to get the best ink job there is!"

Lillieth:

Dan grinned from ear to pointy ear at the rat. "Well, sure I'd like to go. Just lead the way."

The rat nodded and turned back toward the sewer, slippin' down between the grating. Dan followed suit and moved into the darkness, "Hey! I can't see! Wait a minute Mr. Rat."

The rat stopped and waited for the dingo's eyes to adjust. "You can call me Rascal. Are you ready? It's down this way."

Dirty Dan nodded and followed the rat, trying to stay away from the wet spots. They went on through the semi-darkness and soon the sewer opened up into a large cavern. Dan looked around, startled at the sudden openness. There were toons all over the place and even a couple people who reminded him of Fred. He shivered a little and put a hand out to touch Rascal's shoulder. "Are y' sure it is safe here? The last time I was around a human, he put me on sticky paper."

Mog:

Rascal looked at Dingo and smiled "Safe? Of course it's safe. At least I think so.."

Dingo blinked "Huh..?"

Rascal smiled sheepishly, "To tell the truth, I've never been here before. In fact, I only came here because a friend of mine told me about it."

Dingo looked around 'Wonder Land,' although it wasn't really that much of a wonder. It was really just a big mossy cave with a few huts in it.

Dingo went on walkabout in the cave for awhile, searching for someone to ink him. By and by, he met a strange rabbit-type cartoon. The rabbit was about 2 inches high, with big floppy ears. He was also inked in yellow.

It looked at Dingo happily "Hi! You must be here to be inked. Right?"

Dingo looked around helplessly, "Um.. ye-yeah.."

The rabbit extended a paw. "I'm Chupon. You are?"

"Um.. I'm Dingo.. Nice ta meet you."

"Come on! I'll introduce you to 'The Animator'"

Dingo walked with Chupon for awhile, to a large, light blue hut, then slipped under the door. Inside was an old, but nice looking man.

The old man looked at Dingo "Why, hello. And what would you like?"

Dingo looked up at him. "Um.. I'd like to be inked.. if that's not too much."

"To Ask." The old man smiled. "I'm afraid we're all out of ink. I ran out just yesterday."

Dingo sighed. He might never get inked now.

Chupon looked up "Well.. I might now where you can get some!"

WalksFar:

"Where?" D.D. asked eagerly.

Chupon motioned for him to follow. D.D. followed him down a hall with many doors on all sides until they came to one that was partially open. Inside, a young man bent over a small work table with pen in hand. The floor was littered with crumpled up pieces of paper. D.D. uncrumpled one and blinked with surprise. "He is an artist?"

Chupon shook his head. "No, just a copywriter. He wants to be an animator someday, so he works quietly by himself during his breaks."

D.D looked at the crumpled paper again. "He is good."

Chupon nodded. "He doesn't think so. He says he can't get his ideas and anatomy right. He can't find the right 'muse,' sez he."

D.D. looked up at the young man who sat back and sighed. He was holding up a drawing, shaking his head. The paper dropped to the tabletop and the young man looked away.

"Yer good!" D.D. said loud enough to be heard.

The Young man looked down. "Hello. Chupon, who is this that you brought with you today, an unfinished friend?"

Chupon nodded. 'Actually, in a way . . . he wants to be inked."

The young man nodded. "Don't they all?"

D.D. looked up. "Why not practice with me? I can do the moves. You can get your anatomy right, and if it works, you might ink me in."

The young man smiled. "That might work." He reached down and picked D.D. up and placed him on the table onto a fresh sheet of paper. "Now, do you have a name? I like to know who I am working with."

"Dirty Dan Dingo, at your service!" D.D. whisked off his hat and nodded.

Tarka:

The young man looked at the dingo and nodded... thinking about the lines that made up the little cartoon.... 'What to do first...' Quickly he drew in a train... going right for Dingo...

Dirty looked to his left and "yiked!" at the huge train... quickly he started to build a brick wall and hid behind it! "Help Help!!!

The younge artist laughed and drew in a quick little ice pick. "Here you are... use that to stop the train."

Dingo looked at the ice pick and blinked... 'What to do with this?' He started to dig to China with it! He made it there in only a moment's time, and popped up on the other side. "I made it!"

The young artist drew 10 more dingos that looked just like DD Dingo, but with kind of oriental eyes and funky conical hats. "Ah so... Hello."

Dirty Dan looked up at the artist. "You have to be kidding."

Mog:

Dingo went back down to the other side of Earth and back to the train tracks. The train had passed. Dingo sighed in relief. Dingo looked at the artist "Now what?" The artist smiled. "Well. It's up to you, Dan"

Dingo walked off happily, the artist rapidly drawing scenes for him to walk through.

After awhile Dingo started whistling. 'This was easy!'

The artist stopped drawing and Dingo started walking off a cliff. He just kept walking though, oblivious to the fact that there was no ground beneath him. After a few seconds Dingo stopped, and felt his foot along the 'ground', afraid to look down.

Dingo finally looked down, saw nothing under him, and started to fall. Dingo screamed instantly as he dropped, and landed with a *THUD*! When he landed, there was a dingo-shaped hole where he had hit. "Ow." Dingo looked at the artist, "Real funny."

The artist began drawing a night scene, as if it were getting dark.

Dingo looked around "Gee. Looks like I should find a place to stay"

Luckily, there was a convenient cottage in the area. Dingo walked up to the door and knocked. A strange old woman answered the door, and seemed happy to see him. "Come in! Come in! I'll get you something to eat!"

Dingo entered uncertainly, and the old woman started stirring a strange potion that was inside a large pot. "Oh, I was just about to make some dinner! It's so good that you arrived."

Dingo looked at the woman. "And.. Um.. What are you having for dinner?"

"Dingo Soup."

"I was afraid of that..."

Dingo bolted towards the door, but somehow, the witch had appeared right between him and the door!

Dingo ran into a hallway filled with doors, in a desperate attempt to escape! Dingo ran through a door, with the witch right behind him... Suddenly, he popped out another door and ran into a different one! Dingo ran through the doors, entering one and exitting a different one each time. Dingo ran out the hallway and into a closet. The witch opened up the door... and nothing was there.. because D.D. had grabbed onto the inside of the door! When the witch opened it, he had a clear path to get away.

Dingo ran outside the house and started folding up the house like a piece of paper. When it was completely folded up, he stuck it under his hat, and walked off, whistling.

WalksFar:

D.D. looked up at the young artist. "Well?"

"I think we have a beginning. You are quick thinking. I like that." He turned and sketched in a background.

D.D found himself standing in a desert. Buzzards circled overhead with knives and forks in their talons.

"Okay, do something!" The young artist grinned. :)

D.D. ran across the desert, the buzzards in hot pursuit. He stopped near a flat rockface, whipped a marker out of his pocket and drew a large dark hole, and ducked inside. The buzzards followed. D.D. came from around the rock, peeled the hole off and slid it under the rock. It shuddered and fell from sight! A distant squawk came from the hole just before a loud thud.

D.D. peeled it off the sand, rolled it up and put it in his pocket. He grinned. "I got a hole in my pocket. heh!"

The young artist chuckled.

The door to the young artist's hideaway opened and the elder animator walked in. He looked at the sketches that littered the table, lifted his glasses and peered at them curiously. "Funny! This has possibilities. Is this what you've been doing on your lunch hour?"

"Y-yes Sir," stammered the young artist.

The animator picked up the sheaves of cells and looked through them. "nice detail. Like the gags! Looks like you have a character here. What do you call him?"

"Dirty Dan Dingo, Sir," said the young artist.

"Well, ink these in for a storyboard session this afternoon. The producers and directors are asking what we've been up to. This might interest them."

"M-me?" The young artist blinked.

The animator grinned. "Yes! Get Dirty Dan inked and colored. Bring him AND the stories you've developed, and have them ready . . ." He checked his watch. ". . . at four o'clock this afternoon . . . main story room! Be prompt. This could make your career, Tommy!"

The elder animator whirled and walked. "Get with it, Kid. Fate calls!"

Tommy grinned, and slid his ink palette to the table. "It's SHOWTIME, Dan!"

Tarka:

Dirty Dan Dingo was standing in the half-finished background and was just looking up at Tommy with his mouth agape. This was beyond his wildest dreams. He watched as the ink pen came closer to him and then touched his side, making the once flimsy pencil lines strong with real ink. He was so very happy that he started to cry. "Thank you, Tommy!"

Tommy laughed. "No thank _you_, D.D. Dingo. Now... lets put together a script that will really _wow_ them!"

A flying disk took shape near Dingo as he looked at it. Little green men started to get out of it. "Beta Leader K37K. Earthling spotted."

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That night Tommy sat at home with his last sheet of paper. Dingo was sitting in what was left of his home... little whisps of smoke coming from the wooden beams. "We did it, D.D. Dingo. ...We did it."

Dingo nodded. :)

The end.

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footnote: *usually known as balloons, but our story is special :)