The room was full. Full of toons from Looney Tunes to Fosters Home. They were all gathered for one very important event. The Toon Oscars. Unfortunately, these cartoons had been off the air for more than ten years, so none of the casts were seated at the same table. Animaniacs was no exception.
Dot Warner wasn't alone, however. She was seated at one of the tables in the way front of the auditorium. The rest of the cast of Dancing with Mallets took up the rest of the seats. She felt alone, though. Very alone. Her brothers and her had promised each other they would attend the show as a family, almost five years ago. Yakko and Wakko were there tonight, of course. They were just seated at the way back of the auditorium with the rest of the assumed to be "has-been" toons. She had barely been able to say hi to them before being pulled away by her cast mates.
"Your brothers are has beens. Don't talk to them." One of them had said as they all sat down at their table. Dot looked over her shoulder, hoping to find them in the crowd, from time to time. The night went on and on. Toon after toon went up to get their Oscars. Dot had known most of them from her life before major stardom, so she got up to show her support. Then… the biggest award of the night was up. Best female actress in the dramatic comedy category. Dot closed her eyes and began to pray. Her entire life had led to this moment, she was sure of it.
A small gray cat toon wearing a tuxedo two sizes too big for his size hobbled on stage, holding a red envelope. He got to the microphone, tapped it twice for good measure, and began to speak.
"And now, the moment most of you have been waiting for," he opened the envelope and pulled out the card with the winner's name on it, "the winner is… Princess…"
Dot's grip on the table cloth tightened immensely.
"Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fanna Bo Besca the Third!"
She wasn't sure what startled her more, the eruption of applause that sounded once her name was finished, or the fact that she had started to cry. She was fairly certain both startled her equally. She got out of her seat and made her way onto the stage to accept the first Oscar of her career. The cat kissed her on the cheek before exiting the stage. The applause went on for several more minutes. A bright red cap could be spotted by her at the way back of the auditorium. Her brothers were showing their support. They were clapping. They were smiling. They were saying "THAT'S OUR BABY SISTER!"
She blew the two of them a kiss before signalling for the audience to quiet down.
"Thank you, everyone," she began, "I sure have a few people to thank for this award tonight. But there are two people that stick out the most in my head right now." She pulled a cordless microphone out of her hammer space. She waved to her cast mates as she got off the stage, but didn't stop at the table. Instead she made her way to the way back of the room, all eyes glued to her.
"Two very important people. Two people who have been there for me since day one."
She didn't stop walking until she had reached the table her brothers were seated at, and she was amused to see how stunned they were. "These two people share my last name, and are my older brothers. Yakko and Wakko Warner. I know I've said somethings, done somethings, in the past to both of them, I may have even scared them once or twice before, but they stayed. They've helped me become the successful person I am today, and continue to support me even though we may not talk as much as we used to." Her brothers were still stunned, so she continued to speak.
"The most annoying thing about them is their incapability to control themselves when around attractive woman. Fifi La Fume and Minerva Mink come to mind." Two familiar laughs from the other side of the auditorium made Dot smile. They were here tonight as well. "But I'm a hypocrite for saying that!" She turned away from her brothers and began walking back to the stage. "For I've had my fair share of hello nurses in the past as well." She climbed onto the stage and walked back over to the auditorium.
"I'm not here to talk about what they do that annoys me, I'm here to talk about the things they do that make me proud. And there are LOTS of things. For instance, they throw on dresses and strut their stuff on runways like it's their JOB! A job they don't get paid for! I've still got that video. If anyone wants to see the Warner Brothers in action just ask me to get a glimpse of that wonderful video. I remember that day because… because… it reminds me how free those two are. They don't care what anyone else thinks. They just do it because they want to do it! They've never needed anyone's permission to do something they feel like doing."
She sighed and looked down at the podium in front of her.
"I've neglected to tell them how much I love them. It's never crossed my mind, because I was always afraid they'd tease me for it and never let me live it down. Well," she looked back up, "I'm not afraid anymore. I love Yakko and Wakko Warner with every fiber in my body. They're not has beens. They've never been has beens! And sometimes I fear they don't know that, so I'm gonna change that tonight. Ladies and gentlemen, please be so kind as to get up and clap for my brothers back there. Give them the love they deserve."
And so the audience did just that. They got up and clapped for her brothers.
Dot had never seen them look so happy and proud.