This story is the work of Troy Klinger. Please refer to the primary disclaimer at the top of the prologue chapter for further details, if you have not yet read it.
Chapter Eight
Slappy, Skippy, Wakko, and Dot walked cautiously into the studio sound-stage. Suddenly Slappy stood in front of them, shielding them from the scene.
"Don't look, kids, it ain't pretty," she said grimly.
"Not pretty" was an understatement. Meringue was everywhere. In the midst of the carnage hung the Brain-strung up by his tail from the tangle of ropes that once was his contraption. He had clearly been the victim of his own device, only turned back on him a hundredfold.
"I am in considerable pain..." he whispered as Pinky ran over to him. His sidekick cut him loose, and gently lowered him onto the floor.
The Koo-Koos gathered around Pinky and the Brain. Their eyes were no longer glowing, but their expressions were just as frightening. No sign of pity or remorse was on their features. Not even anger-they just looked down on the two lab mice with the same emotionless detachment of the scientists at ACME Labs. Even Dinky looked at his "mother" with no trace of feelings. Suddenly, Spunky turned around and looked at Flavio.
"We can't have any more interruptions," she said flatly. "We'll be going home now, but only to gather our things. We'll be living here in the sound-stage from now on."
Wakko edged away from the group. He motioned Skippy to follow him. The little squirrel looked up at his aunt, who nodded her approval, and the two toon children left the mothers to deal with the situation. A few minutes later, Dot and little Smakko were walking back to the water tower.
"Why are you sad, Mommy?" Smakko said.
He didn't need any psychic talent to sense it-Dot's expression spoke volumes.
"Why, Smakko?" Dot asked softly. "First Yakko, and now Brain-why are you doing this?"
Smakko looked confused.
"Uncle Yakko was hurting Uncle Wakko, and Mister Brain was about to hurt everybody. They were being Bad, so we stopped them and punished them. Why should you be sad about that?"
"Smakko, does the word 'slapstick' mean anything to you?" Dot asked. "Noone was really getting hurt there. Can't you see the joke?"
"Why should people laugh at other people getting hurt?" Smakko asked innocently.
"It's not that..." Dot tried to explain. Finally, she said, "Smakko, you and the rest of the Koo-Koos can read our minds, right? Well, read mine and tell me what you see."
Smakko looked at his mother.
"You're sad," he said. "And I'm... I'm the one making you sad..."
"Aren't you Koo-Koos supposed to make people happy?" Dot asked. "Isn't that what your show is all about?"
The two continued walking on in silence. Meanwhile, Slappy was taking her daughter back to the treehouse.
"You're serious about moving out?" she asked the little white squirrel.
"You can't stop us," Spunky replied. "You think we are destroying the studio, but there's nothing you can do to prevent it."
"Oh swell," Slappy said cynically. "I guess you're right-from now on I suppose we should just turn in our dynamite and anvils for lollypops and sunshine."
Spunky hissed. As Slappy turned, she saw her daughter trembling with rage.
"Don't...EVER...make fun of our show, Mother," she snarled.
Slappy looked at her daughter in surprise.
"A little thin-skinned, aren't we?" she asked.
"You won't stop us," Spunky said, becoming calm once more. "I know why the Brain wanted to pie us. It won't work. We have a right to survive, just as you toons do. And we will survive, even if we have to destroy you all..."
Slappy watched in silence as Spunky packed her things in a little suitcase and walked out of the treehouse door. The old squirrel closed it behind her gently, and sat down to her knitting. She was alone for the evening. Skippy had called from the Water Tower to say he was going out to see a movie with Wakko, and that he wouldn't be back until late. Ordinarily, Slappy would object to him staying out after hours, but lately she'd been giving the kid more leeway. It wouldn't have made much difference anyway. Skippy had taken to staying away from home-away from Spunky-as much as he could manage. Slappy frowned. It was bad enough that the Koo-Koos were taking over the studio, she thought as the needles clicked to and fro, but did they have to drive a wedge between her and her nephew, too? Slappy heard a knock on her door.
"Ahh, nuts!" she said as she slipped a stich.
She went over to open the door, only to find Dr. Scratchinsniff.
"Huh? What brings you here, Doc?" she asked, startled.
"Zhhhh..." the studio psychiatrist hissed. "Iz Spunky here?" he whispered.
"Nah, the kid's moved out," Slappy replied. "Now can you tell me what the heck's going on here before my arm falls asleep holding this door open?"
"Could you come over to mein house this evening?" Scratchinsniff asked.
"Gee, Scratchy, I didn't know you cared," Slappy said, batting her eyelashes at him. "But don't you think you can come up with a more romantic spot?"
"Nein, nein!" Scratchinsniff said, blushing. "I haff something to show you!"
"Hey, if you're in that big a hurry maybe we better stay here. Skippy won't be back until after midnight..."
"Vill you cut it vith the jokes!" Scratchinsniff snapped. "This has to do vith the Koo-koos!"
"Ahh...well, alright," Slappy said. "But if you get fresh with me, we're going straight home!"
On the way to Scratchinsniff's home, the psychiatrist drove past the other Animaniacs parents' homes, tried to gather up as many of them as he could. Unfortunately, the only one he could get was Dot. ACME Labs was closed for the evening, Rita and Runt had gone into hiding, apparently, and Flavio and Marita were holed up in their penthouse and refusing visitors.
The three stepped into the darkened front hall, and Scratchinsniff turned on the lights. Much to Slappy and Dot's surprise, the livingroom was made up as a nursery. Children's toys were strewn about, and a playpen stood over in one corner.
"Scratchy, what heck's this?" Slappy asked.
"Gee, I didn't know you were a dad..." Dot added.
"It'z a long story," Scratchinsniff said. He went over to the TV set in the other corner and popped a tape into the VCR. "Maybe this will egzlpain more easily."
Dot and Slappy stared in shock at the TV screen. There, playing in the middle of Scratchinsniff's living room, was baby Melody.
