A/N:

Sorry for the wait, lol XD Let me make it up to you with a load of cameo's, a surprise and a few heart-string tuggers, lol XD Read on wonderful people!

*Yakko's POV*

Dot and Wakko jumped me the minute I stepped foot back in playground boundaries. They either wanted to strangle me or were pretty pleased to see me. "Where'd you think you are, a horror flick?" Dot demanded, swatting me around the head, "Don't you scare me like that again you doofus! Not after last time!"

"Last time?"

"You know what." She pouted, giving my head another smack for good measure. What did…? Oh I get ya sis, the old accidental sleeping beauty routine from a few months back. Whoops…

Wakko sniggered, "Yeah unless you're willing to face that."

I loosened myself a little for health reasons but hugged them back all the same, "Point taken."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dot asked.

"Nothing." My brother and I said together. I tousled their heads, "Deal, no more jump scares by me."

Next thing I knew kiddo was having a go too, narrowed eyes and everything, "Where've you been? We were worried!"

Jeez you leave a crime scene for two minutes and all of a sudden it's a big thing. Okay well in this case sure it might be considered a big thing. Kind of like how the Titanic might have been considered a slight mishap… Heck I didn't know what to say. Okay that's a lie. I had plenty to say on the subject thanks for asking. But as you know, I like my words to be of use, and let's say that was easier said than done in this case. Somehow… Hmm, words. Anyway! What I'm saying is that: R.J is one messed up little rat, but he knows his stuff.

Well lets take a look at my options here. I tell them exactly what happened and then they're going to go looking for the sub-sibs and either make another run for it or Kiddo will go charging in without thinking, getting herself and the rest of us in trouble. If I stick around for now and then head back, then what's to stop that yutz from using me as bait to get to the rest? Nothing that's what. But if I didn't even mention it, then like before, there was nothing stopping him from coming back later. I had to admit, that guy is good. A real snake in the grass, but he does a good job of it. He had be at every turning, and that didn't sit well with me at all.

Oh right, kiddo was talking to me. I grinned, "You're always worrying, kiddo, it'd freak me out if you weren't!"

"Very funny, ya wise-acre."

"Oh Bunny-boy's back!" I noted, "What'd we owe the pleasure?"

"Saving your scamps kiesters." He answered, "You're welcome."

"Did I miss something?"

Apparently I kinda did. Okay I'll cut the bunny some slack on this front, but it doesn't match up to how much they all missed when I went off. Hmm, maybe I shouldn't be making a competition out of this one. Ah well. So the sub-sibs are hiding out somewhere, eh? Well looks like they're taking after us after all. Let's just hope it works. Hey I mean it this time, I really hope it works. But come on, why am I so worried? No matter what I do, keeping quiet or telling whatever, it'll work out in the end. Right?

"Okay, bunny-boiler, where're we heading?"

Did he show some resentment at that? Whoops, hehe… "To the kids home a few streets away."

Oh an opportunity… The crew started following the rabbit, which from media perspective only leads to trouble, and I lingered back, giving me Sibs a quick jab in the sides with my elbows. They have me quizzical looks and I indicated to the back of the group. I could tell the others were curious, but this was, for now, strictly sib stuffs. When at a reasonable, but not suspicious distance, I chose to open up.

"Alright Sibs, listen up." I whispered from the corner of my mouth, "When I finishing telling you what's been up, I'm gonna need all the idea's you got."

*Flynn's POV*

"So, every time you said you had to take off, this is where you came?" I asked.

I'm not really sure what this place was, but to be honest it didn't look that far off the Youth Centre that I went to not long ago. Bugs had found us not long after Poppy had seen something watching us. I still don't know what it was, but I had a pretty good idea who. Luckily it seemed having a toon around made it think twice about making a move. Bugs gathered us back with Slappy and the others before taking us further into the Town to a large building with a field of a garden behind it. That's kind of why it reminded me of the Youth Club where I met Dani. I mean there were kids everywhere. Disney, Warner Brothers, Anime, even CGI which kind of blew my mind a little. Trust me it's a freaky experience when you nearly crash into Dash Parr because he wasn't looking where he was going from running too fast! And don't get me started on the clay-mation kids… How did the Animator even manage that anyway? Weird.

Since then, I'd bumped into a few familiar faces. Including the ones we met in the park not too long ago. And Dani too which wasn't too bad. I guess. I mean… Well anyway, with Slappy and the others pretty occupied with trying to get hold of Talia and the Warners; the one's I'd bumped into invited me to hang out with them, including Dani; and as Poppy had already run off with a few toon kids her age, I didn't see the harm in just pretending that thing were normal for a bit. And that's where I was now; with the Gravity Falls twins, Dib from Invader Zim, two clay-mation kids I recognised as Coraline and Norman. Oh and Dani, who still hadn't mentioned anything about our last meeting, but if she wasn't bringing it up, neither was I. Yeah, so back to pretending things were normal? Yeah right…

Dani's face reddened and sank further into the sofa at the sudden look of surprise from the others. Dipper blinked, "Wait, you've gone to the Outlands? I thought you said you'd met them in the café on the outskirts of Town?"

"I did." She shrugged, "I may have not mentioned about the… other times."

Mabel arched an eyebrow, glancing back and fore between Dani and me which I really wish she'd stop, "I wonder why…" she sniggered as I looked away, "Blackmail… Oh I'm just kidding ya!"

"You know that's dangerous, we're not allowed out there really..." Norman muttered.

"Just because I did what you all wanted to first." Dani returned smugly.

"She's got a point." Coraline grumbled, "For once."

"Tell us next time! I really want to see how a double-breed-toon copes to over exposure to the Outlands." Dib announced, holding his chin in thought.

Double-breed? Oh, half human-toon, half ghost-toon. Dani pointed at him warningly, "Try and take another spit sample from me and you'll be finding out the effects of over exposure to my fist!"

Dipper and Mabel exchanged amused glances as Coraline quipped, "I'd be interested in those results…"

Clearly I'd dropped Dani in it so I gave an apologetic look to which she rolled her eyes and shrugged, telling me to forget it apparently. I spoke in hopes of moving off topic, "You guys just hang out here? There's a lot of kids here I noticed."

Norman shifted a little, "Uh, I guess you could say that."

Coraline smirked, "Sure, Norm, make it sound voluntary…"

Again, I think I put my foot in it. Suddenly, all of the kids running around here made a lot of sense. I remembered what Timmy had said before, sometimes only the main characters get animated, not the whole cast. So I guess parents or guardians weren't always part of the equation. That really sucked. I didn't really want to risk making another false move to I stayed quiet and just listened to the conversation as it progressed. At this point, I've got to admit that I actually really missed just hanging out with people and you know, talking. It was a little like how things used to be in school. Lately I didn't see the point in getting too friendly with people, I mean they'd be leaving and doing their own thing and who knows where I'd be. Still exactly the same I guess. But here, I don't know, here the weren't changing either.

"What's up with you?" Dani asked me suddenly.

"Huh? Nothing" Avoidance activate, "I was just wondering what you guys do for fun around here?"

Dib grinned knowingly, "Research."

Dipper shrugged, "Well, kind of." I gave him a questioning look so he elaborated, "Well, you know there's a bunch of weird stuff round here, right?"

"Besides the town full of toons?" I asked, only half joking.

"And the halfa's?" Coraline added, earning herself a glare from Dani.

"Yeah!" Mabel nodded and deliberately gave Dib a teasing look, "Like the green kid."

"He's not a kid! They're aliens! And don't believe anything he says about being normal, he's no toon, or human for that matter." He added pointedly at me, "The point is, it's our job to keep an eye on things."

"So you're like… like the team on Mystery Hunters?" I asked, unable to help the scoff.

Mabel chuckled. "Yeah I guess you could call us something like that."

I was still sceptical and asked why. Finally, Norman spoke, looking a little sheepish, "It kinda used to be our thing before we were Animated so… I guess we don't want to loose it yet." He admitted and gave a small smile.

Coraline folded her arms, "And it's not just the stuff in the Town we look into, that'd be boring beyond belief."

Dib nodded in agreement, "Have you seen the amount of paranormal on your side on the studio? They can't all be made-up, right?"

"I mean half the things you people report aren't even in my book!" Dipper exclaimed.

"Not to mention the stuff we find out about the studio and why we're not allowed out yet and junk like that." Mabel added.

I think I was starting to understand these guys a little more. I guess in all of their backstories, they had all been apart of something more than this. If there was something weird or unnatural going on, then it had been their job to investigate it and find answers. And now here they were, stuck in a place where talking rabbits, fairies, vampires and half-ghost children we perfectly normal. So I guess looking out for anything that would seem even more abnormal, or even looking into human mysteries, was a good way to get their old lives back. And frankly, I didn't blame them. Hell I kinda admired them for it.

"Let me guess, this is the part where you get up and leave because we're 'just kids with big imaginations'?" Dib sighed, using his fingers as air quotes.

"Great, even the halfa thinks we're nuts…" Coraline muttered.

"Hardly," I scoffed, "Actually I think it's pretty cool."

"Awe you're gonna make me blush!" Mabel grinned, earning her a roll of the eyes from her brother.

"What's your catch?" Dani challenged with a wink to show that she was toying with me.

I shrugged, "Nothing. I mean, in TV shows, the kids are always right but no one believes them, right? And it's just one adult secret after the other, so it seems pretty fair that you go and find answers yourselves."

"You sound like you're talking from experience." Norman noted.

"I guess you could say that."

I wasn't really that comfortable with the secretive looks these guys were exchanging, were they planning something? Suddenly, I was met with a friendly shove from Dani, "Welcome to the team, halfa-boy."

*Talia's POV*

The children's home turned out to be a gothic-looking mansion with just that in mind. A home for kids. I could see why Bugs would see this place as safe for Flynn and Poppy. Apparently this building was both a place for toon kids to just hang out like a centre, but it was also a place where kids who hadn't had the rest of their families animated for whatever reason. It was actually really sad, but the smiling faces and giggles that ran past occasionally didn't made it seem that bad.

Entering the building, Bugs left to tell whoever was in charge what was happening and we had to wait before we were told where my siblings were. I hated waiting, but I'd rather do that then cause a scene. As we waited, I found myself curious about Yakko. All the way here he'd been less than silent as was his nature and at one point Jack and I were close to making he and Bugs walk on either side of us to stop a possible wit-war. But there was something really off about him, the quips weren't coming as quick and he seemed distracted. I think Jack noticed it too, he kept giving me these quick looks of questioning. Even Dot and Wakko sensed something, having to give their brother a sharp nudge here and there. And what was up with the three acting to secretive earlier? It didn't make sense to me and the curiosity and worry was driving me crazy. But that would have to wait till later, I'd been told that Poppy was out in the garden.

"You're leaving already?" Jack asked as Bugs started to head to the door.

"Ah you got things covered here, doc." He smirked, "Just try not to get into any more scrapes, got it?"

"You have met us, right?" Dot asked.

"Don't I know it." He snickered.

"Thanks, Bugs," I said, "For all of this."

I really appreciated his help, and one day I hope to repay him. He gave a small wave as he left, and I was about to go after him to ask if he'd seen anything of R.J lately, but for now, the younger Warner's had taken hold of my wrists and were dragging me out to the garden eagerly. The garden was more like a football field, and there just up head were two girls with the sides of their heads pressed together and a look of amusement and discomfort on their faces. One, I knew as my own sister, and the other was a CGI girl with black hair pulled into a high ponytail and what looked like various candy glued to it. A certain piece of sticky peppermint being the cause of why the girls' hair was fused together.

"Why do you even have sweets in your hair anyway?" Poppy asked with a laugh.

"Why wouldn't I?" the girl cackled.

A third child who looked a little older with an unbelievably pale complexion and short, flaming red hair was doing her best to detangle them, "Keep still, Vanellope, I'm almost done."

"Come on, Ruby, this is me keeping still!"

"There, you're free." Ruby giggled as the girls rubbed their heads sorely. Suddenly, her wide eyes caught sight of us and a welcoming smile spread, "Hey, Poppy, I think there's someone who wants to say hi to you."

As I was standing further in the doorway, Poppy first locked eyes on the Warner's, instantly letting out a shriek of glee as she started a sprint, forcefully colliding with the three and tumbling so that they ended up flat on the ground.

"I think she might have missed us." Yakko commented, ruffling her hair affectionately.

"We missed ya too, Pops." Wakko grinned, retuning the hug.

Dot rolled her eyes despite also enjoying the gesture, "What, no Welcome Back fireworks? Well I guess this'll do."

I waited my turn, kind of wishing I had a camera on me. But before I knew it, Poppy had noticed me standing there and I dropped to my knees as she locked her arms around my neck with such swiftness that I was pushed back a little into the building. I think she was laughing, but I couldn't tell, so I just held her tighter.

"Don't leave again." she ordered, "Even if you were quick."

"Back by Dinner time, remember?" I asked, trying my best to breathe from her grip.

"Talia?"

I looked up to see Flynn, my Flynn, with some other kids peering around a doorway not far behind us. I grinned at him and held out an arm to which he suddenly charged forward and tackled us. That took me by surprise as I thought he'd try the tough guy act for his friends, but I was by no means ungrateful for it. The three of us remained there for who knows how long and I was trying my best not to cry.

"Alright, shows over, get outta here." The blue haired clay-mation girl announced, shoving the others back into the other room.

"But it's so adorable!" The brunette moaned.

Her twin hooked her arm and dragged her away, "Get in here, Mabel!"

As night drew in, the childrens home manager which turned out to be a very distinguished looking, British crow called Poe, offered us a room for the night. Naturally we accepted. That night I had no objections to singing Poppy to sleep, from now on I had no objections to singing to her every night as long as she was there. Of course Flynn was not really into lullaby's, but he didn't object when I kissed his forehead before he rolled over to face the wall, a half smile in hiding. Wakko and Dot were snoring lightly, slumped against each other slightly. But that still left us one person short.

"He'll be here any minute, you know that." Jack said softly.

"I don't like any of us being separated when R.J's this close. I only left Flynn and Poppy because I thought they were safe."

"I know that." He agreed, "It'll be alright, I promise."

"I don't get how you can make promises like that…"

"Maybe because I have faith in you." He answered, giving my shoulder a comforting squeeze before heading towards the door, "I'm going to pick up some stuff from the store down the street. Do you need anything?"

Shaking my head, I sighed, "No, thanks. I'm, uh, I'm going to wait up and see if he comes back."

He nodded and left. I continued to wait, but Yakko was nowhere to be seen. That is, until I saw something move down the corridor. Cautiously, I followed until I found myself on a balcony, a thin figure perched on the railing and giving the view a cocky expression as if he was challenging it.

"Everything okay?" I asked.

Yakko, looked at me through playfully sarcastic, half-lidded eyes, "You want to answer that one?"

"Fair point." I shrugged, leaning on the railing next to him, "But I mean with you, Wakko and Dot. What was all that about earlier?"

"Nothing." He answered, "Just Sib-stuff."

"Oh."

Suddenly, he jumped up so that he was walking the railing like a tightrope, "You know, I've been thinking-"

"Oh god…"

"Everyone's a comedian nowadays." He winked, "But I'm serious here; things are getting a little stale around here, you know, same old day in day out, even when the villain returns it's old."

Now alarm bells really were ringing, "I wouldn't say that."

"Meh, everyone to their own. Point being, stale is stale and, well, I was thinking of hitching up and moving the sibs elsewhere for a while."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded, "You can't leave us… Right?"

Another shrug, "Don't think of it as leaving, think of it as taking an extended vacation with only a limited number of the group."

It was like being eight years old again, living ten years with the knowledge that those you believed in abandoned you when you needed them most, "Yakko, you're not serious…"

"Come on, you didn't think it was going to be like this forever, did you, Talia?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Talia?" No kiddo comment? I'll admit, that one hit me hardest. I shook my head, "Yakko, I know what you're doing. I used the same technique when I wanted to find Flynn and Poppy at the studio, back when we first came here, remember? It's not going to work." I said with a forced dry laugh, but a pang of sorrow shot through me. He was just faking it, right? Please…

"I'm not going… You're not funny, and you don't have to pretend you care! … Just go!"

I'd never been inside this building, it was never on the tour. Well why would it be? This was the main cabin so to speak. This was where the CEO was situated, and hopefully so were my siblings. All I had to do was show my pass and that was it, two bulky members of security were leading me down a corridor towards, with any luck, the end of this nightmare. However, once again, my eyes were red and puffy from tears and my throat was sore from suppressing sobs.

Everything I'd said to the toons… I didn't mean it. It had nearly killed me telling them that I didn't care and they were just looking out for themselves and mentioning the time we met. All I wanted was for them to be safe; and coming on the inside with me wasn't going to make that happen. I'd felt so trapped. There were choices I had to make: They come with me and get traded for my siblings; I go with them and my siblings somehow become abandoned; or push the toons away and try to save them both. I know I was trying too hard to be noble, but try and put yourself in my position. There wasn't much else I could think of at the time. There was too much happening too quickly and it just seemed like the best solution. I felt disgusted in myself. They probably hated me right now. Did, I blame them, no, I hated myself. The look of their faces was just torture. But as soon as I got my siblings back; after all this CEO had no need to keep them if I didn't have what he wanted; I'd find them and make it up to them. Easier said than done… I'd done the right thing, I kept telling myself, the Warner's were safe with their friends and I'd done the right thing.

"R.J said something to you." I deduced, straightening up and facing him directly, "Right? He said something and now you're trying to push us away so you can play the hero. Well, it's not working. Just like it didn't work when I did it to you."

The deadpan expression lingered for a second longer before he let out a snort of laughter, "Jeez, your face was priceless, where's my Oscar?"

I didn't know if I should slap him or laugh at him, so instead I turned away, eyes stinging a little, "That's a cruel prank to pull."

"I had ya going though, didn't I?" he prodded me in the side until I cracked an involuntary smile. He took my jaw and turned me to face him, "All for one and one for all times six, right? Kiddo."

Swatting his hand away good-naturedly, I rolled my eyes and gave his tail a tug which made him overbalance and land on his rear on the floor beside me, "Soon to be just five if you pull something like that again."

"Point taken." He sniggered.

He still hadn't denied that R.J had spoken to him. And as relieved as I was that the past exchange had just been some wry trick to throw me off, I still wanted to know what had happened. But, it didn't seem right to try and force it out of him. So instead, somehow, I tried to make it into an attempt at humour.

"So when you were putting that little skit together, did you happen to think of anything that will fix our little R.J problem?"

"Oh please, you don't think I don't have an idea?" he challenged, leaning on my shoulder, "Why'd you think the Sibs and I went awol earlier?"

I arched an eyebrow and matched his knowing expression, "What did you have in mind?"

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean what I said before; I was just trying to… I didn't mean it! I'm sorry!"

He broke away so that I could see him roll his eyes, "Give me a break, you're looking at someone who lived in a movie studio for years! I know all the tricks of the trade; and you need to work on your acting skills, kiddo." He arched his brow, "Oh yeah, no more of the kiddo thing; got it."

Surprisingly I found myself laughing, "Oh go ahead, you never listen to me anyway."

"Riiiiight…" he smirked, giving me thumbs up and a wink.

"Hey, what arewe, canned meat?" another voice snapped.

I found myself being caged into a group hug with two other wonderfully familiar toons. Dot and Wakko had their arms locked around my neck and delivered one of their signature Warner kisses on my cheeks. I returned the embrace and couldn't help but grin.

A/N:

Sorry again for the wait! XD

Yakko's got a plan? R.J you better start running for the hills, lol XD

So a lot of cameo's in this one. We had the return of Dib from Invader Zim, Dani from Danny Phantom, Dipper and Mabel from Gravity Falls and Bugs Bunny. We had new arrivals like Coraline from, well, Coraline. Norman from Paranorman, Vanellope from Wreck-It Ralph, and Ruby and Poe from Ruby Gloom. Yes, the childrens home was in fact the Gloomsvile Mansion from the Rubly Gloom series XD

The Italic parts were flashbacks from the first Reality Check! I hope I had ya going with that one, lol XD