Pizza O'Clock: Pizza Crazed 'nuki (Preview)

Taking a right, Dan stopped and looked up at a curious sign hanging from a building up ahead. “Pizza O'Clock… wait.”

It came flashing back to him. When he was at Zany Zokes & Pokes, the owner, a zebra named Marty Stripes, often talked about getting lunch, dinner, and sometimes even breakfast from Pizza O'Clock. It was his favorite place, one where he described its food as legendary, delicious, one of a kind even.

Dan was never around when the zebra ordered from them, but he never forgot the praise or very descriptive explanations about the food's taste. Remembering it and staring at the sign, he felt a soft rumble from his stomach.

He checked his phone. 11… well, I could have lunch right now.

Dan headed over and strolled through the front door, a soft bell above it chiming as he did. It was like a 50's style diner he had seen in the movies, but with wider room for tables in the center. It was cozy but quiet, only four other people, all toons, were there. Two of them sat in a booth at the far end, eating and chatting happily.

The other two, the ones that drew Dan's eye, were at the counter, a large rat sitting on a stool and an even larger orca behind the counter. The two were both smoking oversized, cartoony cigars, thick, grey smoke coming off of them. Despite that, there wasn't a hint of smoke in the air, only the overwhelming scent of Italian food and pizza.

Dan approached them. “Yeah,” the rat could be heard saying, “I's dink it's time dat we's get ‘nother waiter arounds heres.”

“True, true,” the orca sighed, folding his arms, “Tony Tooncan isn't available likes he used ta. Shame…”

“Wells, he's has othah jobs ands dat boyfriend of his. Can't expect him ta be workin’ heres all da time. We's just need ta finds ‘nother goodie.”

“Yeah, buts where can we find another handsum toucan can like him… oh!” The orca noticed Dan stepping up to the counter. “Welcome ta Pizza O'Clock! I'm da owner, Hefty McOrckee! Dis is da managah, Memphis Ratterton!”

Memphis spun around on his seat, smiling. “Hey! Welcomes, skinny!”

“Hello…” Dan felt a little intimidated. Standing beside them, they towered over him and were more than double his width. It felt like they could squash him into a pancake if they wanted to and given they were toons, they could probably, easily do it.

Dan continued, “I, ah, found the place when I was on a walk. I heard about your legendary pizza from this zebra I know.”

“Marty Stripes, right? Heh, he's a good friend ands customah.” Memphis sighed, blissfully looking off into space as if he was reminiscing on a fond, childhood memory.

“If you'res a friend of Marty, den your friend of us!” Hefty added, smacking the counter with a heavy THUNK, “You deserve only dah best pizza wes can offer!”

“Wait, really?” Dan asked, almost taken aback by where this conversation was going. He had only just entered a few seconds ago, and the top cheeses were giving him special treatment.

“Mhm!” Memphis stroked his chin. “I'ms dinkin’... youse want the Smokin’ Peppahoni! It's dah finest pizza wes offah here, bub!”

“Oh, that sounds good.” Dan did quite like pepperoni pizza. If they have a specialized kind of pepperoni on top of that, consider him intrigued. “I'll take a slice!”

“Just a slice?”

“Yeah. I walked here, and I don't think I can carry a box back to my car and-”

The two large workers erupted into laughter, the room shaking, along with their bellies. “Oh, dat won't be ans issue!” Memphis looked at Hefty. “Let’s give ‘em a big boy.”  The orca nodded and headed into the back with a smile as well, giving Dan an amused look as he did.

Dan wasn't sure what to make of that, but he assumed things would be fine. The toons knew what they were doing when it came to running a pizzeria and judging a customer's limit, right? “Well, thanks for the recommendation. I can't wait to try it!”

“Can't wait ta see ya eats it!” Memphis chuckled, puffing out another cloud of smoke. “Sooooo, hows a guy likes youse know Marty?”

“Oh, I used to work with him… well, kind of.” Dan awkwardly smiled, scratching the back of his head. “I went to his shop, thinking it was a game store, but that place closed up. There was a lot of stock left there, and I helped him sell it all.”

“Oh right!” The rat nodded. “Dat game store. Dink I's remember dat. Hmm, last few times I's stop by, I's haven't seen any game sellin’ dough.”

“Well, we ran out of stuff to sell, so I packed it in.” The human sighed, that glum feeling coming back. “Didn't think there was any reason to keep showing up now that I was done, and I already have a regular job and stuff.”

“Pffff!” Memphis snorted, thick puffs of scentless cigar smoke blowing out of his nostrils. “Dat's just silly. Youse don't needa reason tos be ins Toon Town! Da place is fun fors everybuddy!”

“Well, I don't think-”

“Youse gotta stop dinkin’ likes dat and starts dinkin’ da right way!” The words were nice, but Dan still wasn't really sure about that. Memphis seemed to pick up on his uncertainty, giving him a hard, curious look as he scratched his chubby chin.

“Here's we are!” the booming voice of Hefty greeted the two, ending their conversation right there for now. The large orca strolled up and plopped a large pizza pan right down before the man, a wave of steam rising from it.

Despite how quickly the pizza was cooked, the results were nothing short of scrumptious. It looked as good, perhaps even better than any dolled up pizza advertisement could shill. The aroma was intoxicating, the scent of it in the air the second the owner came out with it. Dan's mouth started watering before he could even see it.

Now that he could, Dan felt his entire body quake with excitement. A surge of joyous, hungry energy barreled through him from top to bottom. He wanted to just devour it all at once. When was the last time any food made him feel that way? 

“Wow…” Dan gulped gently, “Th-thank you!” He reached for a slice.

A fat, grease-stained, white glove of Memphis immediately slapped his hand down. “Na-ah!” The glove then made a finger wagging motion, acting like a disapproving parent. “Dis is special, likes we said! Ta truly enjoys it, youse gotta have da true smoked peppahoni experience!”

“Oh…” Dan shook his hand. For as pudgy and soft as it looked, that glove had a bit of snap in its slap. He didn't want to argue with the toon on this. “What do I have to do then?”

“Simple!” Hefty reached behind his back and pulled out a large, instantly recognizable object. It was a large cigar, much like the ones the duo had been smoking. “Smoke it up! It'lls enhance da flavor!”