*Chapter 2: Only Human...*

After witnessing what the mad scientist unleashed on her friends and them nearly getting buried in rock, Rem decided that now was the time to act.

Okay, waiting over. Time to kick the Doctor's ass...

"Heh, those fools. I'll show them what should happen if they cross the great Doct-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

While the mad scientist was monologuing, Rem was hitting the wall of glass that kept her imprisoned with the end of the scabbard of her katanna, causing it to crack. Dr. Frankeninni, nearly having a heart attack ran over towards her in an attempt to stop her.

"STOP! I ORDER YOU TO CEASE WHAT YOU'RE DOING!" Frankeninni cried.

"I'm sorry, did somebody open up a window? I believe I heard the wind." Rem muttered while arching a brow.

Then with a final blow, the glass shattered and fell apart. Granting Rem liberation from her 'prison'.

"I am LEAVING." Rem told him defiantly.

"NO YOU ARE NOT!" Dr. Frankeninni cried. "DRONES! SIEZE HER!"

The toon drones hesitated at first as Rem stared with partially narrowed eyes prepared for what they would throw at her. Meanwhile, the mad doctor was getting increasingly frustrated at their lack of action.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GET HER!"

Finally, the drones responded to his orders and engaged the teen who got ready for a fight.

This time...I'm not gonna lose it. I'm gonna do this humanely...

Instead of pulling out her sword, Rem applied her basic self-defense martial arts against them and only using the katanna's scabbard to disarm the drones from their weapons. Meanwhile, Frankeninni took cover behind a console.

xxxxxxx

Yakko went down the same path he and his siblings took almost a year ago when Frankeninni had stolen a DNA sample from them. What memories that brought. Plus, looking back, Rem seemed to have mellowed out from her once raging nature. Of course some of that rage was still there, but there was definitely a huge progress that was made since then. Suddenly, Yakko's ears picked up some commotion up ahead. Proceeding with caution, he tiptoed to the entrance of the main lab where he saw all the drones on the floor with stars encircling their heads. Rem, rubbing her knuckles, noticed the elder Warner's presence.

"What are you doing here?" she ranted.

"Me?" Yakko cried as if he were wrongfully accused of something. "The siblings and I came to bust you out."

"Well, as you can plainly see, I don't require your assistance. By the way, where is Wakko and Dot?"

"Eeeeeeh, we kinda got separated."

"Figures."

Then, Dr. Frankeninni popped out of hiding.

"You...YOU WRETCHED BEASTS!" he roared. "I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO LEAVE!"

Rem simply turned to Yakko.

"Mind doing the honors?" she asked.

"Don't mind if I do." Yakko replied with a grin.

Then he pulled a huge mallet out of his hammerspace and slammed it on the mad scientist, instantly flattening him.

"Time to beat it." the elder Warner said.

"Yep." Rem replied nonchalantly.

The pair took off from the main lab chamber and into the cavern tunnels.

XXXXXXX

Meanwhile at the cave's opening, both Wakko and Dot, both clad in construction worker outfits, had begun clearing away the rubble and rock from the barrier that formed from the quake by using a backhoe loader. The Goodfeathers also decided to chip in and carry away the rocks one by one. Squit accidently dropped one on Bobby's tail feathers.

"YEEOOOW!" the blue headed bird cried. "Watch what yer doin' Squit!"

"Oops, sorry Bobby." Squit apologized.

"What's takin' so long?" Pesto ranted. "They shoulda bopped that doc by now!"

XXXXXX

Dr. Frankeninni pulled himself together and went to his console again, and unleashed another depth charge-like quake. Yakko and Rem ran through the stalactite ridden tunnels of the caves, trying to vacate the premises before the mad doctor had a chance to catch up to them. Unfortunately, the very earth beneath their feet started to shake violently shake again.

"Quick, duck!" Yakko exclaimed.

They both took cover as rock and stalactite came tumbling down. During the whole episode, Rem nearly had another claustrophobia attack, but Yakko's presence helped her remain calm and composed. Finally, after a few minutes, the shaking ceased and allowed the pair to continue on their way. Fortunately, they weren't blocked by cave-ins since all the debris and rubble fell side by side this time.

"Dude, if he keeps doing that, there won't be a cave anymore." Rem pointed.

"True, but then the dear loony doctor won't have a lab to do his science projects."

"Point taken."

Then, just as they were about to proceed, Rem's eyes caught a large stalactite directly above the elder Warner cracking apart and ready to drop down.

"YAKKO!"

Suddenly, Yakko felt himself being shoved roughly forward as he heard more rocks falling to the ground. He landed on the cavern floor with a large thud causing him to become momentarily dizzy. As the dust and dirt cleared away, he rubbed the back of his head and pulled himself together.

"Geez, Rem. A warning would've bee-"

Yakko stopped at midsentence when he saw what was only half a foot away from him. Rem Roth laid motionless on the ground with large and small shards of broken rock and stalactite surrounding her form. Yakko's expression completely dropped as he blinked once.

"Rem...?"

"..."

"Rem!"

No matter how loud he yelled or called out, the teen remained silent and still on the cavern floor. Yakko quickly got to his feet and zipped to her side. Rem's hands were very slightly twitching as if some nerves were either damaged or going haywire.

"Rem...come on, wake up." Yakko said, while trying to maintain his composure.

She still did not answer nor stir, sending the elder Warner's heart rate skyrocketing. Looking to his left, it clear that the stalactite must have struck her on the head when it came down. Adding to Yakko's blood pressure, her vitals were steadily beginning to flatten out. But...toons got hit in the head with stuff all the time! Why was this happening?!

As Rem was rapidly going downhill, a rare event occurred in Yakko Warner. He started to panic. Nothing quite like this had ever happened on his watch before.

What do I do?

Finally, his inner conscience kicked in.

Don't just stand there, you goob! Get her outta there and someplace where she can get some help!

"...R-right. C'mon, Rem."

Yakko placed Rem's weapon around his shoulders, simultaneously loosening the strap on the holder. Then he carefully hoisted Rem onto his back like he was giving her a piggy-back ride.

"Don't worry, Rem." he said. "We'll get'cha outta here."

If Yakko didn't know any better, he almost swore that he felt Rem's grip just faintly tightened around him.

xxxxxxx

Back in the main lab chamber, Dr. Frankeninni reassembled his drones.

"Go after them." he ordered. "And don't come back without the girl! Do what you want with the wretched Warner, but I want the girl alive and unharmed do you hear? NOW GO!"

The drones with their marching orders, went racing out into the tunnels one by one. The mad scientist anxiously toyed with his goatee as they left.

xxxxxxx

Yakko continued to carry Rem through the caves as fast as he could. The clock was ticking and she was going further under. Suddenly, his ears twitched to the sound of footsteps rushing towards him. Turning around he saw a large group of drones coming after them.

Shoot!

Yakko picked up the pace a bit in an attempt to outrun them. To add to his frustration, the drones started firing their ray guns at him. Then, whatever grip Rem had on him faded as her whole entire body went limp.

NO! Not yet, Rem! NOT YET!

Now in total desperation, the elder Warner ran a little faster, nearly almost tripping his own feet as his focus was in eight different directions. When the drones were just about to close in on him, he quickly pulled out his paddle ball. But they didn't even bat an eye and continued unloading their weapons. Well that was just great, if zany antics couldn't stop them then what else would? Then, Yakko realized that he actually had something that might work. But would he sink that low to use it. However, with the drones engaging ever so closely, that option seemed to be really persuasive.

I must be getting crazy...

Instead, he just opted to try and leave the drones in his dust by using his toon speed. But just as he barely got ahead of them, they instantly caught right up to him.

Dang it!

Now he had no other choice.

I'm gonna kick myself in the butt for this...

Yakko swerved around towards the drones, pulled out Rem's katanna out its scabbard, and held it out with both hands in front of him. The toon drones immediately halted in place when they saw it.

"GET BACK!" Yakko shouted. "I'M NOT AFRAID TO USE THIS!"

The drones remained as still as stone, not even attempting to move a muscle in their bodies.

"I MEAN IT! BACK OFF!"

Finally, they began to retreat back to the main lab, allowing Yakko to proceed towards the end of the tunnel.

XXXXXXX

Wakko and Dot pulled away the last load of rock and rubble away from the caves and piled it on the outside.

"Well, that's all of it." Dot declared.

The Goodfeathers, laying on the ground completely tuckered out, breathed in a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness." Squit rasped.

As Dot climbed down from the backhoe loader, Wakko pulled out a box of donuts and began sharing them with his sister. Then the pigeon trio, haven't eaten anything since breakfast time, instantly took interest. Wakko noticed them and politely gave them a maple bar to which the Goodfeathers immediately feasted upon.

XXXXXXX

Yakko finally reached the entrance of the caverns and to his great relief, it was cleared from any of the rock and debris. He knew he could count on his sibs. Not taking any chances on the prospect of Dr. Frankeninni launching another attack on them, he zipped right out of there, creating a large dust cloud in his wake. He only stopped to regain his breath once he saw he was out of the cavern altogether and nearly falling to his knees from the effort.

Yakko's younger brother and sister were a bit struck to see him like that. They were even more bewildered to see Rem on his back.

"Yakko." Dot called out. "What happened to-?"

She stopped at midsentence when they all saw Rem's arm fall from Yakko's shoulder and dangle limply in the air.