A/N: First (and probably only) Animaniacs fic. I haven't written a proper (multi-chaptered) fanfiction in years; so prepare yourselves, I'm rusty (and old).

I didn't know so many other people were still fans of this show! So I got a nice surprise when I got online and found all this fanfiction...I've only read one so far, (Running Around In Circles by DarkHououmon – read it now!) so my foreseeable future is sorted LOL.

To be honest, I didn't set out to even post this story; it was merely a form of escapism during a difficult time, so I ask you (nicely) not to be too harsh or particular. Constructive, helpful feedback is always welcome. Flames...not so much xD PREPARE FOR: fiddling with canon, a made-up back story, and...plot holes that burn? ^_^' I hope not, but consider yourself warned, just in case. I hope to have refrained from going OOC. ^_^ To be safe, maybe I should say it's slightly AU. But not really. Oh, you decide. :D

Rated T to be on the safe side.

EMBERS IN THE ASHES

PROLOGUE

What Yakko hadn't taken into consideration when signing the contract was what would happen afterwards. He had mentally kicked himself for it on more than one occasion. He was the thinker, the one who used his common sense, despite his outward comedic attitude to life that often left those less shrewd not knowing that there lay a highly intelligent being behind all the clowning around and farce.

He had presumed there would be other jobs. He didn't expect to stay in the limelight all his life; he knew how these things went. You got "discovered" (if you were lucky), you got a job in a movie or TV show, you played your part as best you could and hoped that the movie wasn't a box-office flop or your show didn't get cancelled after the pilot episode. You had your moment of fame; then it was over. Deal with it.

Yakko hadn't realized before was that it was much easier said than done.

The weeks that followed filming their only movie, Wakko's Wish, was like a surreal blur. Yakko and his siblings had gone about tying off loose ends, attending final photo shoots to promote the movie, all of them feeling detached from the finality of it all. It only occurred to Yakko as he lay awake one night during this period that he hadn't thought of one major situation.

Where on earth were they going to live?

They could hardly go back to the way they'd lived before ANIMANIACS. It wasn't possible now, anyway. Not now that...

Yakko shook his head, trying to keep his thoughts on the present. Perhaps they'd be locked up in the water tower for real? He didn't particularly relish the idea of going stir-crazy in a confined space with his siblings... though he didn't recall seeing anything in their contract that said they would be provided with accommodation after their employ with the studios was terminated. He had wished their creator was there so he could seek his advice. Yakko put his head in his hands; although none of them had physically altered, he'd been a lot younger when they'd signed the document. He knew it was ridiculous to be chastising himself when at the time he hadn't completely understood what he was signing. He should have spoken up; he should have asked someone to explain the exact interpretation of the document to him rather than act like a smart-alec who knew it all. Why hadn't he asked?

He knew why.

He was afraid.

They'd happened on the chance of a lifetime. All he knew was that their creator had spoken to someone, had said something that had influenced the powers that be into taking the Warner siblings in for an audition. And they had the same name as the studio, the big-shots liked that, it was "cute".

As Yakko, Wakko and Dot had performed their audition piece, Yakko felt himself almost shaking with nerves. This was what their creator had always wanted for them; a chance. A chance to show the world how fantastic and individual his creations, his "children" – as he often called them – really were. Yakko allowed himself a small smile at that memory. Harry wasn't like other creators.

That was why the Warners had wanted to make him proud. They wanted to make his name famous around the world, too. And Yakko had been afraid that if they'd set one foot wrong, or said one thing out of turn, that they'd be turfed out on their backsides. The thought of Harry's face, full of disappointment – more on their behalf than his - drifting through Yakko's mind as he read the terms of the contract – was enough to make him keep his mouth shut.

But now, they were stuck. The dream was at an end, and living in the water tower didn't seem too awful when one considered the alternatives. And that was just as well, because the water tower was where they had ended up.

Most of the Animaniacs cast had moved on – Slappy had been heading for retirement anyway, and Skippy really was her full-time charge, both on-screen and in real life. Pinky and the Brain had acquired their own series, and the other toons had their own projects and wishes to fulfil. "Hello" Nurse was, in fact, a real nurse, who had relocated to NYC to further her medical career and training, much to Yakko and Wakko's disappointment. Doctor Scratchensniff was about the only regular visitor they had nowadays; and even his visits had suddenly come to a halt, much to Yakko's irritation. He at least expected the visits to dwindle gradually until they were just names on a Christmas card list, but no. One weekend the doctor visited, the next he didn't show. Or the next. Or the next...

Yakko could've handled it; he was used to people letting him down. It seemed to be happening a lot these days. What bothered him was Wakko.

It pained him to see his brother sitting hopefully by the water tower door from dawn till dusk every Sunday. He had hoped that like many kids his age (at least his physical and mental age, anyway) he would gradually lose interest and put "Scratchy" behind them. Unfortunately, it seemed that Wakko had developed a unique bond with the heavily accented doctor. Yakko watched his brother standing "casually" by the door for what felt like the millionth Sunday in a row and he inwardly cursed Scratchensniff. To not bother with him was one thing, to deliberately ignore his little brother was a different matter.

Despite these feelings, there was little Yakko could do about it. It seemed they were destined to stay up here, with no true purpose in life, until whatever end they were going to meet came up and hit them with a smack. They were watched like hawks whenever they were let out; Ralph, who had sometimes turned a blind eye when they snuck out of the tower was no longer employed by the studio. Now they had to put up with Sydney, a tall, wiry man who could have been anything from fifty to seventy. They were watched constantly, "exercised" like they were dogs. It was getting to Yakko. Hell, it was getting to all of them. Dot had very nearly smashed the old coot with her mallet the previous week.

Yakko had thought they'd be able to leave like the other toons; but it had been their lack of anywhere to go that had ended them up here, trapped like caged animals, on the terms of Thaddeous Plotz. Oh, how Yakko cursed that man. He'd let them work themselves into the ground, and they'd complied, naturally thinking there would be something in it for them at the end of it all. Money, security, so they could at least live out their lives in comfort.

No such luck.

Yakko sat on the edge of the bed, deep in thought. When the chance came, they'd do it. It was rare that he made rash decisions, but he was at the end of his tether.

When the chance finally came, they would escape.*

*Ironic, or what? Please leave a review if you have the time, every one is pored over and greatly loved :3 and tell me if you think I should post the rest, or just not to bother :D