Chapter 8: Just the Two of Us

The news that I was having strange visions spread like wildfire around Burbank. Everybody was really nice about it, though. No pity parties or teasing. Sadly, as the weeks went by, my condition showed no sign of improving. My visions weren't as scary anymore, just annoying. They'd say things like "You won't be great for much longer" and "time's running out." same as always. That's not to say it didn't affect me.
I started developing nervous tics. My face was pale and strained. Part of the reason it was doing such a number on me was because they only seemed to happen in the water tower. I was in quarantine in the non-toon world, so for months Burbank had been my escape. Of course, I loved walking around Burbank and talking with all my friends like Katie Ka-Boom (she only becomes a demon when someone or something is threatening her family or friends, like when her little brother Tinker was getting bullied) and Rita and Runt (they aren't as helpless as they may seem, they're kind of like the city pets. Everyone feeds them and pets them). But I also love chilling in the tower after a long day of socializing, watching Wakko's Don Knotts tapes or having my hair restyled by Dot. But now I could barely do that without being beset by one of those stupid visions.
One warm night, I decided to go sit in my hot tub. Since I wanted Pinky and The Brain to experience it without drowning, I filled two little bowls with warm water and put them on a table by the hot tub. Pinky loved it. I'm pretty sure Brain did, too, but with him it's sometimes hard to tell.
I loved to go out into the hot tub by myself at night, because not only was it so peaceful, I also loved to sing to the starry night sky, usually Wakko's Wish songs. I can be a bit shy about singing in front of people. I looked up at the beautiful sky and began to sing in my best imitation of a Liverpudlian accent like Wakko's.
"Twinkle, twinkle, Wishing Star, how I wonder where you are! Out in space, so bright and clear, can you see me way down here?" I paused for a moment, just like the movie.
"Hmm, I wonder! Let me pick the star that's right, and pick the wishing star tonight! Like finding a needle in a haystack, eenie, meenie, miny, moe, and Jack! Wishing Star, please hear my plea, grant one wish, one wish for me…"
Pinky started clapping. "Oh, well done! Bravo! Bravo! TROZ!"
Brain smiled. "That was very nice, Leela," he told me. I blushed.
"That was great," a voice with a Liverpudlian accent said behind me. I turned, and there were Yakko, Wakko, Dot, and Francesca. I was wearing a bikini, and when the Warner Brothers saw it they yelled "HELLOOOOOOO NURSE!"
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked. Yakko started counting on his fingers.
"One, we thought we heard an angel singing so we followed the singing here. Two, we can sense whenever someone is singing our songs. Three, we have something important to tell you."
"Ok." I said. "Do you want to come in? The water's nice."
"Give us, uhhhhh…" Yakko thought for a moment. "11 seconds." they zipped away in a puff of smoke. 11 seconds later, they were back, this time wearing swimsuits. Francesca got into the hot tub and settled down next to me. The Warners, on the other hand, shouted, "CANNONBALL!" and jumped high into the air above the hot tub.
"Stop!" I cried. They stopped in midair. "I wouldn't mind, but if you jump in the hot tub, all the water will fly out!" they seemed to understand, and slowly sank through the air, landing with gentle plops in the water. "So what brings you here?" I asked.
"Well, we hope you don't mind, but Scratchy wants you to start having sessions with him, because of your visions."
I smiled. "That's fine." they looked relieved.
"We also had another idea," said Dot.
Wakko picked up, looking extremely excited. "We're gonna teach you toon powers!"
"Toon powers?!" Francesca and I cried at the same time. Even Pinky and The Brain looked surprised.
"You mean like the ones Ella Stellar had?" I asked. Yakko laughed.
"Nah, just stuff like taking things out of hammerspaces. That way you can defend yourselves with mallets and anvils."
"Oh man, that sounds like so much fun!"
Then Francesca said "Ahhh don't use them on us!"
I said "Don't worry, I won't."
"Actually, we're gonna teach them to you, too, Francesca!" said Yakko. Francesca had never looked happier.

A week later, I was chilling in the water tower for another sleepover. I was watching a try not to laugh with Wakko and Skippy. Unfortunately it wasn't really working on me. Skippy had giggled once or twice, while Wakko, on the other hand, howled with laughter at every other segment. "Leela?" we looked up, and there was Yakko. "It's time for another Scratchy appointment."
"Ok," I said.
"Aww," said Skippy and Wakko. I sighed as I got up.
"Whassa matter?" Yakko asked me.
"Nothing," I replied. "Nothing, other than I get beset by strange visions every time I get to my favorite relaxation place!"
"Aw, keep your chin up. We'll get to the bottom of this thing yet!" said Yakko confidently, cracking his knuckles. By now, we had reached Dr. Scratchansniff's office.
"Ah, how eez my favorite patient?" he asked me.
"I'm not your favorite?" Yakko asked sadly, flashing big puppy eyes.
"Alvight, vun of my favorite patients." said Scratchansniff sighing.
"Seeya later, Leela."
"Bye, Yakko."
I went over and lay on the big red couch that so often housed the Warners. Except they didn't usually lie on it. They liked to jump on it, while shouting "boingy, boingy, boingy!"
Dr. Scratchansniff sat across from me, with his clipboard. "So, how have ze Varners treated you so far since your visions?"
"Same as always. Super nice."
"Alvight, I think perhaps you should speak to Mr. Puppet Head, ja?" he then pulled out a hand puppet that looked exactly like himself, then attempted unsuccessfully to throw his voice.
"Hello, I am Mr. Puppet Head!" he said in a high voice. I turned my head away.
"Go away, Mr. Puppet Head."
Dr. Scratchansniff looked concerned, and I couldn't blame him. I couldn't smash Mr. Puppet Head with a mallet like the Warners, and even if I could, I wouldn't because Scratchy is very nice and is already bothered enough by the Warners. On my most fiery days, sometimes I would smack it with a book, but normally I would just push it away. But today, I was feeling so energy drained that I didn't even have the heart to do that.
We talked a bit about my visions, and then it was time for me to go. Yakko and I walked to the water tower, talking. When we went to the water tower, I saw Francesca and Wakko on the bed, playing on her phone. When Wakko saw us, he violently threw the phone backwards on accident, breaking the screen protector. Wakko gasped. "Oh no!"
"It's ok," Francesca said, smiling. "Maybe we better put it away now."
For the rest of the night, we played games, ate snacks, watched Wakko's Wish and Matilda, and (in the case of us girls) had a spa hour.
The best part is, I had no visions. Then we all went to bed, but I couldn't sleep because I was afraid I would have nightmares.
Then, I saw Yakko getting out of bed. "Yakko?" I whispered.
"Leela? Why are you still awake?"
"I'm scared of having nightmares. What about you?" he turned bright red.
"Well, I uhhhh… I went to see the stars."
"Are you embarrassed you like stars? I like them too!"
He looked relieved.
"Can I go with you, Yakko?"
"Sure."
We silently opened the water tower door, and Yakko helped me onto the roof.
"Wow!" I said. "I thought the view wouldn't be as good with the city lights, but it's better!"
"Well, not many people get to sit 9 stories in the air to look at 'em!" Yakko replied, putting an arm around my shoulders and pulling me closer to him. His fur felt warm and soft and fluffy.
The full moon was high in the sky. I decided to sing a little song.
"When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore…"
"I always wondered what amore meant," said Yakko thoughtfully.
"It means love. I looked it up," I said, grinning.
"Oh, really?" said Yakko, raising his eyebrows up and down.
I laughed. We sat there for a while longer, just admiring the stars, and then we got off the roof and went back into the water tower.
"I hope I can sleep tonight," I said.
"I'll sing you a lullaby," Yakko offered.
"Thanks, Yakko. I'd like that." He sat on the edge of my bed.
"What will you sing me?" I asked.
"My universe song," he replied right away.
"I sing it to my sibs whenever they're upset." he began the opening lines of the song.
"Everybody lives on a street, in a city, or a village, or a town, for what it's worth…"
His voice was so soft and soothing I relaxed immediately, and was asleep 10 seconds later. I did have a dream, but it was very pleasant. In it, I could still hear Yakko singing, and he was in the spaceship from the song, zooming by planets and asteroids and comets with fiery tails. And I was with him, and it was just the two of us as we zoomed by stars and moons.
Just us.

Aww... Good old Yakko.

Yes, I do sing Wakko's Wish in my hot tub when I think no one's listening XD