*Chapter 6: Battle for Warner Bros Studio*
The group made their way through the Hollywood foothills until they found the fencing of the Warner Bros. studio. They didn't have long to figure out how to gain entry when their attention was caught by two fellow costars.
"Psst! Over here!"
Rita and Runt frantically waved at the group from an opening in the fencing for them to quickly follow before they were discovered. They followed the pair to New York Street where Slappy, Skippy, Memblo, Dr. Scratchansniff, and Roman were all waiting for them. One thing that unnerved Rem was the presence of a man in a trench coat, fedora, and shifty looking sunglasses, seen lurking around between the soundstages. She especially had the urge to jump him but thought better of it. Once the small band entered the same office building set with the rest of the team, they promptly went to business.
"I assume Frankenputz is going to need to find himself a residence if he ever gets outta the can?" Slappy began.
"Either that, or invest in some prison time shares." Yakko quirked.
Rem nearly snorted.
...that'd be interesting to see, though.
"Alright people, the plan's simple enough; it's practically idiot proof." Slappy declared, earning a cast of awkward glances on Runt, Pinky, and the Goodfeathers. "We just need to corner that yutz long enough for Memblo here to do his stuff."
While everyone else was very much in agreement, Rem had some doubts.
"Um, just speaking theoretically here, what if things go sideways?" she asked meekly.
"Not to worry, kid." Slappy assured the teen with high confidence. "While the rest of ya were globtrottin', I took the liberty of makin' a number of phone calls."
Rem arched a brow as she made a rather quizzical expression. Before she could inquire more on the subject however, the sounds of a bus screeching to a halt as it pulled up to the set building filled the air.
"Hi there! Sorry we're late!"
"Took ya long enough." Slappy quipped.
Buster and Babs Bunny, and the rest of the Tiny Toons gang filled the lobby just as eager as the Animaniacs for a piece of the action. While Rem was ecstatic to be seeing and working with them again, she wondered if they were all enough to take down Buddy and his arsenal.
...Wait, what the hell am I talking about? We took down a freakin' demon together.
"So where's Buddy right now?" Buster inquired.
"Yeah! I wanna to introduce that punk to the wonderful world of atomic wedgies!" Montana Max ranted.
"Ehh, most likely een ze Administration Buildeeng." Dr. Scratchansniff told them. "I understand zat he's seecluded himself zere."
"For all we know, probably making it his flipping throne room or something." Rem commented. "Even though he's got plans to torch it later."
"Alright, enough of the comedy." Slappy ranted. "Let's get this yutz before sunup."
XXXXXX
Near Gate 4, and the Administration Building, Mr. Plotz and Ralph nervously stood in front of an equally nervous troop of staffers and security guards. Buddy was angrily pacing back and forth, impatiently waiting for the rest of the guards to show up. When they finally appeared, the toon boy wasted no time in chewing them all out.
"So! It's been brought to my attention that my robot factory was burned to a crisp!" he shouted.
"Duuh, I thought it was old Frankeninni's lab, uh sirs." Ralph anxiously replied.
"SILENCE!"
Both the plump guard and semi-deposed CEO quivered in fear where they stood.
"Why I oughta get rid of you fools right now and replace you with these technical marvels!" Buddy raved, gesturing towards the hundreds of robots now marching towards their location. "At least they're smarter than you!"
Plotz and Ralph cast awkward and nervous glances at each other, though Ralph wondered if that were true.
"Now I would like to inquire why my factory is now firewood!" the toon boy demanded.
Sweat poured down the nervous faces of Plotz and Ralph.
"How are we supposed to know?!" Plotz cried.
"Well, isn't it obvious?" Buddy exclaimed in rage. "YOU'VE BEEN SENDING SECRET MESSAGES TO THOSE WARNERS TO FOIL ME!"
Plotz and Ralph had such blank expressions on their faces. that anyone could see that they literally had no idea what Buddy was talking about.
"Why, that's ridiculous!" Plotz wailed. "How on earth could Ralph or I send secret messages?"
"Deny it all you like!" Buddy retorted. "How else did they find out about the factory?!"
While this banter was going on, the Animaniacs-sans Dr. Scratchansniff-and the Tiny Toons snuck their way slowly but surely towards the Administration Building. Rem was slightly disheartened to see that Buddy had already rounded up most of the staff.
"Well this is just peachy." she quietly ranted.
"At least he's keepin' himself busy." Plucky pointed out.
"True."
They continued their stalking where at one point, they separated into their respective groups and went in different directions. Memblo followed the Animaniacs crew closely and thanking his lucky stars that his arthritis medication was doing its job quite effectively. Meanwhile, Rem spotted the figure in the trench coat lurking about again, only this time, he had a partner. The teen narrowed her eyes at both of them, though nothing in her inner psyche was raising red flags about them. At least for now anyway, but she still didn't like the way they were skulking around. Yet no one else on her side seemed to even notice them at all. Was that deliberate, or were her peers totally unaware of them?
Her thoughts were interrupted when her group drew dangerously close to the strike zone. Much like the rest of them, she was itching to get at Buddy.
"No matter." Buddy continued as he resumed his pacing. "I knew those Warners wouldn't stay quiet for long! Why, I'll bet they're back on the lot at this very moment!"
"...like they would be stupid enough to even try it." Plotz muttered to Ralph under his breath.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Buddy screeched.
"Er, nothing..."
If nothing, Plotz was doing a rather fine job keeping Buddy's focus on himself and the rest of the gathered staff so that the other Toons could move freely, even if he did so unknowingly. Then, one of the robots noticed an anomaly on its sensors and interface when they alerted it to the bushes. The Animaniacs and Tiny Toons were ready to make their move, when the bushes were suddenly uprooted, virtually exposing them. Naturally, each of them froze in place and nearly turned white.
"Uh, hi..." Buster sputtered nervously. "We're..uh, here for the studio censu-URRK!"
The robots that had surrounded them grabbed ahold of the Toons while Memblo simply raised his hands in surrender. Rem was about ready to put up a fight, but after getting warning glances from her three peers-especially Slappy-she relented. The mechanic troops mindlessly brought them all before Buddy who became maniacally giddy and livid.
"AHA! YOU SEE, PLOTZ?!" he raged triumphantly. "I TOLD YOU SO!"
"Hey Buddy, how ya doin'?" Yakko greeted dryly yet calmly.
"Boy, the kid wasn't lyin' when she said he's gone off the deep end." Memblo commented.
"Well, if it isn't Weed Memblo." Buddy hissed. "The quisling!"
The aging animator simply arched a brow.
"Oh, is that what I am now?" he asked in a matter-of-fact tone.
"HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE, HEE-HEE-HEE! Oh, how quaint this is!" Buddy leered viciously. "I get to get rid of you backstabbing worms all at once!"
While Plotz, and Ralph and the rest of the staff quivered in fear, Rem joined Memblo and possibly the rest of the Toons in giving a look of complete disbelief, annoyance, and at this point, uncaring of any possible rehabilitation.
...I'd like to know when I ever backstabbed him.
"But first, I think I'll kick back, relax, and enjoy your suffering while I torch and bulldoze all your valuable pictures, props, sets, and the studio you call home! HEE-HEE-HEE-HEE, HEE-HEE-HEE!"
Just as Rem was starting to wonder if she should start to worry or try to ice the robots, the Trench Coat Guy simply walked over towards them, making her blood pressure levels rise.
"Ah Jeebs, there you are!" Buddy babbled. "Get me all those crates! We've got a bonfire and a demolition to start!"
The Trench Coat Guy made a pause before suddenly taking off his sunglasses.
"...Eeeh, don't think that's gonna happen anytime soon there, doc."
Rem froze and visibly turned white as a sheet when the Trench Coat Guy, taking out a carrot to munch on, began pulling off his fedora and allowing his long ears to spring forward. She felt herself suddenly small, shrinking, and insignificant.
...Holy crap.
Standing before them, still munching on his carrot, was Bugs Bunny, looking very serious and quite displeased. Buddy's eye twitched as rage surged through his system.
"What are you doing here?!" he hissed condescendingly.
"Funny you should ask." Bugs replied nonchalantly. "Considering that you've got a lot to answer for."
"Other than the fact that you're despicable. And I mean really despicable."
A few seconds later, the partner of the Trench Coat Guy came forward to Bugs' side and removed his own disguise, revealing him to be Daffy Duck. Rem was increasingly feeling like a shrinking violet. Although Buddy was caught completely off guard by the famous duo, he wasn't about to let them upstage him.
"Hmph! You're nothing but a bunch of spoiled show stealers!" he ranted. "You idiots had everything handed to you! BUT I HAD TO WORK FOR IT!"
Both Bugs and Daffy arched their brows at him and exchanged glances, wondering if he was seriously that dumb to go down that road.
"Really, doc?" Bugs challenged. "If that's what this is about, why don't you share it with the rest of the family?"
Before Rem could mentally question what he meant, the doors of the Administration Building suddenly came open.
Coming out onto the lot, were Porky Pig, Yosemite Sam, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepe Le Pew, Lola Bunny, Sylvester, Sylvester Jr., Marvin the Martian, Barnyard Dawg, and K-9. Exiting from a nearby office building, was Nasty Canasta, The Three Bears, Rocky and Mugsy-both with cigarettes in their mouths-Spike the Bulldog, irately tipping his bowler hat forward, and his partner, Chester the Terrier. Coming from Screening Theater 12 was Bosko, Honey, Foxy, Roxy, Goopy Gear, Piggy, Fluffy, Cecil Turtle, Gabby Goat, Babbit and Catstello, Beans the Cat, Sniffles, Little Kitty, Oliver Owl, Ham and Ex, and Owl Jolson. Popping out from a nearby manhole, was Wile E. Coyote, Gossamer, Michigan J. Frog, Sam Sheepdog, Ralph Wolf, Pete Puma, the Goofy Gophers, and Willowby the Dog.
Walking down towards them from up and down the road was Penelope Pussycat, Witch Hazel, Playboy Penguin, Miss Prissy, Egghead Jr., Granny, Slowpoke Rodriguez, Petunia Pig, Melissa Duck, Marc Antony and Pussyfoot, Clyde Bunny, Shorty, Hippety Hopper, Claude Cat and Frisky Puppy, Hector the Bulldog, Hugo the Abominable Snowman, the Honeymousers, Herbie and Bertie, Freakazoid, the Douglas Family, Sgt. Mike Cosgrove, Roddy MacStew, Steff, Hans, Ingmar, Professor Jones, Joe Leahy, Foamy the Freakadog, Expendable Lad, The Lobe, Cobra Queen, Cave Guy, Longhorn and Turk, Armando Guitierrez and Jocko, Candle Jack, Waylon Jeepers, Invisibo, The Nerdator, Vorn the Unspeakable, Arms Akimbo, Deadpan, Janos Ivnovels and Colonel Anton Monhans, Dr. Mystico, Kid Carrion, and Eye-of-Newt.
Flying in from the roofs of the surrounding buildings, were Tweety Bird, Henry Hawk, and Beaky Buzzard. Zipping into the scene at high speed was Speedy Gonzales, Tasmanian Devil, and the Roadrunner.
Rem stared blankly and feeling dwarfed as if she stood surrounded by giants.
"Just how many phone calls did'ja make?!" Rem rasped to Slappy.
"Just enough, kid." Slappy replied back with a devious grin.
And it was just enough, or at least evenly matched all things considered. Buddy was now becoming beside himself with rage, seeing that his plans were starting to crumble apart. He made cautious glances at all the robots that he had at his beck and call and felt he still had a chance for revenge.
"For better or worse, we're all in this showboat together, doc." Bugs told him.
Buddy glared at the rabbit full of spite and hate.
"NEVER!" he hissed. "I'LL MAKE MINCEMEAT OUTTA YOU!"
Bugs and Daffy shared another side glance.
"Then I suppose this means war." Bugs declared.
"AS YOU WISH!" Buddy roared. "ROBOTS, ATTACK!"
The robots and Toons confronted each other as Buster fidgeted around in the hold of the other robots.
"You heard 'im Toonsters." he rallied. "Let's get Looney!"
The Tiny Toons then zapped the robots that held them with hand buzzers, causing the mechanical beings to drop them. They proceeded to smash them with mallets, releasing their Animaniacs costars.
"Here!" Plucky cried, throwing the Warners and the Squirrels an armful of mallets.
"Rem!"
Bobby, Pesto, and Squit, after getting free hoisted the teen's blade towards her and dropped it into her hands. The two teams thus joined the rest of the Looney Tunes in battle. Memblo wisely went to the sidelines with Dr. Scratchansniff and Plotz to stay out of the fray. Ralph, after hesitating for a moment, rallied the other security guards against Buddy.
"Duuuh, c'mon, fellas!" he exclaimed.
The large tubby guard was closely followed by his son, Junior, who was just as eager to give Buddy his just desserts.
Within minutes, the Warner Bros lot dissolved in a chaotic battlefield. Mallets went flying, anvils and baby grand pianos dropped out of nowhere upon unsuspecting targets, robots were blown to smithereens by dynamite, while others destroyed themselves by crashing into walls that bore billboards with backgrounds of cities or meadow when the Roadrunner and Little Beeper disappeared into them.
Elmer, Sam, Rocky and Mugsy, and Canasta discharged their firearms while ducking behind walls, trees, and trash cans. Ralph, Wile E. Coyote and Calamity made use of their contraptions to destroy a group of robots. Marvin and his Martian henchmen disintegrated a few with ray guns. Foghorn and Fowlmouth bashed a couple with thick wooden two-by-fours. Pepe and Fifi le Fume created an effective smokescreen from their tails to allow the Barnyard Dawg, Runt, Spike, Chester, Frisky, Hector, Sam, Marc Antony, and Foamy to maul a couple. Beside them, Sylvester, Sylvester Jr., Furball, Rita, Babbit and Castello, Penelope, Pete, and Claude were busy clawing others.
The two-tone Toons put all their focus manipulating inanimate objects to put the robots out of commission, Hippety Hopper bopped a few into the path of Montana Max's roaring Camaro. Freakazoid and his gaggle of allies and archenemies did their part to eliminate the robots one by one.
Meanwhile, on the Animaniacs' side, the Goodfeathers dropped little rock bombs along with Beaky and Tweety. At one point, the three pigeons found themselves unexpectedly cornered when a larger rock was suddenly dropped on a robot's head, mortally damaging it. Their savior was none other than...
"The Godpigeon!" Squit cried.
The trio instantly stopped what they were doing to lay a smooch on the talon of their boss.
"Eeeehhhh, bi oogie poi kefka!" the older pigeon wheezed before taking into the air again.
"Yo coo, the Godpigeon's right." Bobby translated. "This ain't no time for pleasantries. We need to ice those mooks!"
"Right!" Pesto and Squit said together.
As they dove back into the fray, Slappy and Skippy Squirrel were mimicking the actions of the other Toons, Pinky and the Brain, now joined by their clone, Roman Numeral One, snuck into any open crevice of the robots to either destroy them from within, or reprogram them to blow up the others.
The Warner Quartet were having a grand old time playing a nice game of 'Whack-A-Mole' with the robots.
"You know, Rem." Yakko huffed as he handled his mallet like a croquet bat. "I think now's a good time as any to tag out and make for the dugout with Weed and T.P."
"Pfft, like that's gonna freaking happen." Rem scoffed.
Yakko and Dot made a disapproving look while placing a fist at their hips.
"Well don't mind us, we'd just like you to come through this unscathed." Dot ranted in a motherly tone as Yakko deflected laser beams aimed at the teen with a giant magnifying glass.
"Just cover me, and I'll deploy a kill strike!" Rem ranted back.
Her peered subsequently shield her as she sliced and carved metal covering and wires. A few seconds later a group of robots lined up and started to march towards them. An idea instantly in Rem's brain.
"Hey, Warner!" she called out with a devious grin.
"No." Yakko retorted shortly.
"Come on, Warner!" Rem persisted, grinning.
"The answer is no!"
"Don'tcha wanna get rid of a shitload of robots in one sitting?"
"Not particularly."
"Killjoy."
Finally, Slappy got tired of their banter.
"Will you yutzes just get on with it?!" she screeched from afar.
An aggravated and annoyed vein appeared on Yakko's head while Rem started bouncing up and down with excitement.
"Oh, alright! But you better be back in five minutes, Roth." Yakko ranted again. "FIVE MINUTES!"
He picked her up and threw her into the air like a football. Rem thus proceed to slice all the robots open with one stroke of her blade. When she landed past them with a slight tumble, the teen spied Buddy attempting to slunk away from the lot unnoticed.
...Oh hell no.
She zipped up ahead to catch up and found herself in another part of the lot, filled with more robots. Looking around and surveying her surroundings, it was obvious that Buddy would have to come through this area since it led to the next nearest exit out of the studio. He wasn't going to get away that easy. Rem just had to lie in wait and eventually, Buddy would show up.
...While I wait, I think I'll take care of Plan C here.
