OK, guys, it's here. I'm motivated at last! After quite a big hiatus, during which a lot of stuff happened at home that I won't go into - apart from the fact that the stuff was largely responsible for my lack of updates - Chapter 10 is here! In this one, I tried to build up some character's relationships on a more emotional level as well as giving some lesser characters more time to shine (ie: Minerva Mink). I know you all probably have big expectations for the whole Brain Bot thing, but, as this chapter shows, all is not what it seems with that... what could be going on? Read on, enjoy, and find out! As always, reviews are welcome (not to mention extremely helpful!).

Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and are copyrighted by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. I own nothing (except for this story, obviously), this is purely for my own enjoyment.

Chapter 10: It's Not Pretty Being Her

Total darkness engulfed the cast as they were swirled mercilessly down the arm of the Brain Bot. Giant steel plates crashed above them as dust was loosened, enveloping them.

Dot coughed ferociously as she was ejected, along with the others, into what appeared to be a large metallic dome; the stomach of the beast. Her siblings followed her, plopping onto the solid steel floor one by one, reminiscent of the good old days when they'd throw themselves out of the water tower together. Once they'd got their bearings, the three stood up, brushed themselves down, and looked around. It was a horrifying sight. They'd been dumped in what was effectively a huge holding pen, with insurmountable smooth walls, grinding gears accentuating the sloping ceiling, and the constant thudding sound as the Brain Bot made its way across Burbank, laying waste to the community and devouring all Toons in its path. Dot began to shiver uncontrollably, and Wakko put his arm affectionately around her. Yakko was the first to speak.

"Huh. That Brain sure is a loon! He thinks this can hold us?! We're Toons, for cryin' out loud!"

Testing his theory, he pulled yet another bomb from his hammerspace and threw it at one of the endless walls. It bounced off, rolled up to Yakko's feet, and promptly exploded, sending Yakko sprawling comically across the smooth floor. He sighed.

"In which case, he's right. It can."

Wakko scowled, gesturing his thumb meaningfully at Dot who clearly didn't appreciate Yakko's little 'experiment'.

"Gee, thanks for the motivational support, big brother..." For once, Wakko's trademark tongue was not in its usual place hanging out of his mouth as he folded his arms, irritated, at Yakko.

Yakko began to answer. "Look, sibs, I know that..."

Before he could finish, however, he was promptly cut off by the rest of the Animaniacs cast being shot into the room in a a huge cluster, hitting Yakko and sending him across the floor once more.

"Eesh. This better not be a running theme."

The rest of the cast got up and looked around at their new prison. Skippy was shaking, mortified by the experience.

"Why are they doing this to us, Aunt Slappy?"

Slappy put a comforting arm around him.

"Ehh, I'd explain it to ya, kid, but I'd be lying 'cause I've got absolutely no idea myself. Don't worry, though, kiddo. Once we get outta here we'll blow that rodent so high he'll break the altitude record. Twice."

Skippy sniffed, but smiled weakly up at his aunt, anyway. She always knew how to keep his spirits up. He pulled her close into a hug, surprising her.

"Alright, kid. Cry me a river if ya gotta, but don't make it an ocean. We only got so much space in here." She patted him on the back.

Meanwhile, the Goodfeathers picked themselves up, rubbing their beaks. Pesto folded his arms.

"If we ever get outta here, dat mouse is gonna pay! I just had these feathers cleaned!"

Squit sighed, mellow as ever. "I think the operative word here is 'if', Pesto... this place looks pretty, I dunno... inescapable?"

Pesto scowled at him, but Bobby held him back.

"Nah, Pesto. Knock it off. As much as you'd hate to, ya gotta admit Squit's got a point. Call him what ya like, but dat Brain sure knows how ta build a prison, you know what I'm sayin'?"

"Ahh, pull the other tail feather! All it needs is a good, swift kick!" As if to prove his point, he pulled one pigeon foot back, and delivered a blow to one of the walls. Absolutely nothing happened; apart from Pesto gaining a very sore foot.

"Ow! Scorsese, that hurts!"

Squit sniggered. Pesto rounded on him in an instant.

"What you laughin' at, big-beak? You think it's funny that I hurt myself? That I'm some kind of fool? Some kind of medieval court jester, here ta amuse you and kick walls for your enjoyment? Is that what you're sayin?"

Squit stopped sniggering. He considered for a moment, then nodded confidently. "Yes."

Pesto's beak fell open. Of all things, he wasn't expecting that. He gaped at Squit, then slowly moped off, mortified. "I got nothin'."

Bobby shook his head. "I think ya broke him, Squit. Dis is absolutely ridiculous, you know what I mean? They just expect us to just sit here and do nothin'?"

"Actually..." Squit sighed. "I think they do."

Bobby eyed him, but disregarded his comment. "The point I'm makin' is that we're still technically Goodfeathers, official title or not. And what would Goodfeathers do in this kinda mess, huh?"

"Sit here and do nothin'?" Pesto spoke up, still shaken from Squit's response.

"No, ya bird brain! Do something! Anything! Whatever it takes ta get us out of this scrape! Whaddaya say?"

"Forget it, Bobby. We ain't the powerful pigeons we used to be no more. We can't do nothin'."

"He has a point," Pesto concurred, much to Bobby's surprise. Even Pesto was agreeing with him. Bobby flopped down, at his wit's end.

"In dat case, I don't got nothin' either. We're as good as fricasseed."

Runt, on the other side of things, was cowering in a corner, disturbed by the sudden change of scenery.

"This definitely can't be good. Definitely can't."

Rita patted him on the nose consolingly. "Come on, ya big mutt. We all knew it would come to this... it was just a matter of time. Now, let's forget about it and try to think about more important stuff."

Runt immediately perked up, panting happily. "Singing? Oh, boy! We're gonna sing, right, Rita?" He cleared his throat and began. "Oh, we're stuck in a big metal house! Definitely, definitely stuck..."

Rita put one paw on her cheek, sighing. "Geez. Dogs. The reason stupidity was invented. Nice improv, though..."

She turned seriously to him. "No, ya big lug. Shut your trap, for once. Just for once, we aren't singing."

Runt's already long face fell even further. "Oh. That's a shame, definitely a shame. So... what are we doing, then?"

Rita patted him again, sniffing. "We gotta try and find a way outta here, Runt. I know it looks bleak, but we just gotta try. I mean, look around ya. Who do ya see?"

Runt peered around him obediently, and, as if noticing them for the first time, wagged his tail excitedly when he saw the rest of the cast. "Hey! It's all our old friends from the show! Definitely our friends, right, Rita?"

"Right. And we know these guys. These are swell people. Heck, if we as a team can't get outta here, who can? Don't worry, buddy. This won't last long."

He whined a little. "Hey, Rita... are you sure we're gonna get outta here?"

She smiled sweetly at him and leaned on a wall casually. "Definitely."

The other members of the cast had fared no better. Chicken Boo was fiddling hopelessly with a false moustache and Minerva Mink was making a feeble attempt to straighten her ruined hair. Dr. Scratchansniff, Ralph, and Hello Nurse were notably absent, and Dot pointed this out to her siblings. "Hey, where's Scratchy?"

The two male Warners had since reconciled and returned to their sister. Yakko shrugged. "Dunno. Perhaps the scheme doesn't include human characters. Discrimination, I say."

Wakko looked at him. "Well, what now?"

He snorted. "Isn't it obvious? We aren't sticking around here! We gotta get outta here before we get crushed, or worse... lose our comedic charm! What's more, I made a promise, and Yakko Warner never breaks a promise!"

He thought for a moment.

"Unless that promise happens to involve an air pump, some glue, four water skis, a trombone, and a package of jawbreakers, but hey. We won't go into that."

Wakko sniggered, then adopted a very proper British accent. "No, good sir. Do tell your frightfully interesting story."

Yakko smiled. Wakko was back on track. That didn't take long.

"Why, of course, my good man! It all started one fateful day in fair Burbank, where we lay our scene..." They wandered off into a corner, chuckling.

Dot rolled her eyes. "Wow. Yakko plus classic literature. A winning combination..." she quipped sarcastically. As they were clearly preoccupied, she began looking for a way out; girls were more organised, anyway. Especially cute girls.

Scanning the boundless walls, she eventually noticed a small security camera on one of the vertices, spying on her every move. Looking at this, then glancing at a very particular member of the disgruntled cast, she grinned.

"Bingo. Let's just hope this thing's male..."

SOME TIME LATER

"Dot, what's this for? I can't see a thing!"

"That's the point, stupid."

Dot had begun pulling blindfolds from her hammerspace and using them to cover the eyes of ever male character in the crowd.

"Sorry, big bro. It's a necessary precaution," she muttered when she reached Yakko.

"What, why? Don't ya trust me?" He grinned slyly.

Dot sniggered. "Sure, I trust you. I just don't trust your hormones."

Wakko tilted his blindfolded head quizzically. "Hormones? Wha-?"

Before he could finish, Dot called out to the now only-female group left of the cast.

"OK, the boys are set! Deploy Minerva Mink!"

The effect was instantaneous. As soon as they heard her name, the two male Warners began wolf-whistling and calling out "Hello, Nurse!"

Wakko panted eagerly, pulling at his blindfold. "Minerva? Where is she? Where? Where?"

Dot sighed. "Go on, doll."

Then, out of the crowd and looking as slender, pretty and irresistible as ever, came strutting out of the crowd. She spoke to Dot in her trademark voice that exuded temptation with every syllable.

"Where do I go?"

Eyelids half-closed, Dot jerked a thumb irritably towards the security camera. "There. Knock 'em dead, gal. Literally, if possible."

Minerva obeyed. Walking suggestively up to the camera, she began twisting and swaying and batting her eyelids. "Hey there, Botty-boy..." she smirked into the lens. "You doing OK?"

The effect, once more, was instantaneous. The ground began shaking. All the cast was thrown to the ground (Yakko still catcalling) as a large siren erupted way above them. Red light drenched the room as a mechanical, robotized yet slightly out-of-breath voice crackled into life.

"WARNING. WARNING. UNNECESSARILY OVERREACTIVE ATTRACTION BOARD OVERLOAD. OVERPOWERING FEMALE PRESENCE DETECTED. CIRCUITS UNABLE TO CONTAIN TENSION. COMMENCE POINTLESS SELF-DESTRUCT IN 20 SECONDS."

Yakko slapped his sister on the back sarcastically (and blindly). "Well done, sis. Good plan."

Then, shouted to the rest of the cast: "Hold on, guys! She's gonna blow!"

Minerva folded her arms. "I most certainly am not!"

Yakko grinned, then blew a kiss. "G'night everybody!"

Dot rolled her eyes. "Couldn't resist, could ya? Even on the brink of destruction, ya couldn't resist. Boys."

Rita gave an annoyed look at a very confused Minerva. "Not you, sweet-cheeks."

BOOM.

Yakko's vulgar quipping was cut short as something deep inside the Brain Bot gave out. All of a sudden, a huge, irresistible force pulled the cast, screaming, up to the ceiling duct, out of the dome, up the arm of the bot (gathering more dust) and out the top like the speed of a rocket. It was a spectacular sight; the bot slowly returned to the ground and blew up in a mountain of flame and heat, framing the cast in silhouette as they flew through the air less than gracefully. They quickly began their descent towards Earth and landed softly in what felt like mud; a fitting end to their temporary imprisonment. Minerva was the first to talk, grinning and brushing her hair out of her face.

"It's not pretty being me."

Slappy sat up in the mud, spitting out dirt.

"Well, that was underwhelming. I was expectin' at least two more chapters in there, especially with all this set-up and that. Now what?"

Pesto looked solemnly in the direction of the now-ruined Brain Bot. "Just think... millions of dose things are across the world right now, capturin' Toons and destroyin' people's lives... with a mouse at the head. Bobby's right. We gotta do somethin'."

Bobby spat out mud. "Ah, shut yer beak, Pesto. Forget about it. Ya know I only said dat to cheer Squit up."

Squit grinned. "You did?"

Pesto scowled. "Yeah, he did. Which reminds me: I owe you one o' dese!"

He launched into Squit, bringing them into a cloud of fighting. Bobby was too fed up to laugh at their plight.

Wakko cheered for Dot. "Well done, sis! I guess we were just lucky that robot was a guy, huh?"

Yakko grinned once more, indicating an impending innuendo: "Who's to say it was a guy?"

Wakko screwed up his nose. "Ew. Let's not go there."

Dot, however, was looking in the opposite direction to the rest of the cast at the landscape spreading before them that everyone else had as of yet not seen. "Uh... guys? You might want to take a look at this..."

Yakko pulled at his blindfold; he was the only character still to have it on after the blast. "I can't."

Dot gulped. "I don't think we're in Burbank anymore."

Slappy, however, turned around casually; her eyes widened when she saw where they were - she even looked worried. Skippy patted her hand; this wasn't like her.

"Aunt Slappy, are you OK?"

"No, Skippy. I'm not. We're not."

She took off her hat for what seemed like the first time in her life.

"I know this place... we are in a heap of trouble."