"Okay, you can come out now." Bugs said as they turned onto a main road. Dot popped her head out of his jacket and gulped for fresh air.
"You smell like rotten carrots." she said in between coughs. After spending about forty-five minutes inhaling the same stale air, Dot savored the cold breeze that rushed at her cheeks.
"Just because I'm a rabbit doesn't mean I automatically smell like carrots..." Bugs muttered.
"So the moldy carrot I found in your pocket doesn't play into the stereotype?"
"Well- wait, how do you know what a stereotype is? You're six!" he exclaimed, grabbing the carrot from her and shoving it into his pocket.
"Yakko told me and Wakko what it meant after we started Animaniacs. He said that even though a lot of people might think we are just like the characters we play on the show, we shouldn't believe them."
"It's good you learned that early. A lot of new stars get overwhelmed by stuff like that."
"Yeah. Though some of it is true. I mean, you do have a carrot hanging out of your mouth whenever I see you." she giggled.
"Just like I see you little scamps running around the lot?"
"Well, it's not like Ralph's always chasing us when we are 'running around the lot.' The show makes it seem like we're always in trouble, but it's really only half the time," she smirked. "But it isn't totally wrong. Wakko does eat a ton and Yakko never shuts up. Oh, and I am definitely adorable-"
"Of course." Bugs rolled his eyes.
"-but there's more to us, you know?" she sighed. "I know Yakko said not to worry about it, but it's hard when a lot of people believe things about us that aren't true."
"Don't let that bother you, kid. It doesn't matter what the fans think as long as you're happy with yourself."
"Yeah I know. Though you do realize that you sound like Scratchy right now, right?" Dot said as Bugs shifted her weight.
"Really? I didn't know I had an incurably terrible German accent."
"You know what I mean! He's always so cheesy like that." she sighed.
"Yeah, but the guy doesn't give advice just for the heck of it, well most of the time at least. You should listen to him more often."
"He is annoying and weird, but maybe he's not completely hopeless. Do you think he's okay?" she said. Bugs pursed his lips.
"Hopefully. We'll look around for him when we get to the shelter."
Dot nodded her head. While she usually tried to avoid the psychiatrist, as he had a tendency to pry about her life and problems, she hoped that he was okay. Scratchansniff had always checked in on Dot and her brothers whenever they were sick or facing some kind of problem.
The doctor had even let them stay with him when part of the water tower's roof collapsed last summer. The studio was originally going to have them stay in the lot's hotel, which was reserved for visiting employees and stars, but Scratchansniff insisted that his home was "a more acceptable place for the little monkeys to wreak havoc in."
While Dot wasn't thrilled about spending two weeks with Scratchy, it hadn't been too horrible. His apartment was much more modern than she had anticipated and was large enough for her to have her own bedroom. It was located near the lot and, much to the surprise of the Warners, the doctor even had a game room.
A large oak pool table sat in the middle of the room while various arcade games lined the walls. Dot thought Wakko was going to faint when he saw this since he, and apparently Scratchy, loved to play video games. Though Yakko did make her and Wakko get Scratchy a gift when it was time to go home. Although Dot had found the stay to be relatively painless, she didn't want the doctor to think that they had become buddies. He was just too nosy.
However, Dot did end up making him a card ("Thanks a lot Scratchy- Dot"), and to her relief, their relationship continued as it had before. He would ask her how she was and she would say fine. He would then try to dig deeper, making her even more tight-lipped in return. But even though she wasn't extremely fond of him, Dot still wondered if he was okay. Heck, finding anyone familiar would be nice at the moment.
"Here we are. Now, I'm gonna put you down, but stay close and don't run off. Got it?" Bugs said as they approached a large high school. She nodded.
He set her down and took her hand. An odd ball of energy was growing in her stomach as they walked through the doors. Dot couldn't tell if it was dread or excitement, so she decided it was a mixture of both. She hoped that her brothers would be here, yet the possibility that they weren't hung over her. Taking a deep breath, Dot turned into the crowded gym and clutched Bugs's hand.
"Hello, dears. Would you like a cot and some soup?" an elderly woman greeted them with a soft smile. Her wrinkled hands shook when she held out a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Bugs took it and smiled back.
"The young man over there will give you a bed and some blankets. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Actually, there is. Have you seen a skunk or a little guy with guns? Or a stuttering pig, by any chance?" Bugs asked.
"No, I'm afraid I haven't, dear. Though I did see a flying squirrel come in here a few minuets ago. The poor thing had more nuts in his cheeks than I've ever seen, and trust me, I've seen more nuts in my day than the number of movies Mickey Rooney has made." she giggled.
"I'll take your word for it, thanks." Bugs said and pulled Dot away.
"How come you didn't just tell her their names? She must have recognized you."
"I'm not too sure about that. Did you see her glasses? They must have been the strongest prescriptions out there. I'd be surprised if she could make out my ears, even. And besides, it's good that she didn't recognize us. The less attention we attract, the better."
"Why's that?" Dot asked.
"Do you really want to be signing autographs in the middle of a natural disaster?" Bugs said as he took a cot from the large pile.
"Good point."
"Why don't you go grab two blankets while I get the other cot." Bugs said.
Dot walked over to the pile of ratty old blankets. After a minute of digging through the blankets, Dot pulled out the two least smelly and discolored ones she could find. She tried to ignore their stale order as she went back to Bugs.
"Where's the other one?" she asked upon noticing the single cot he was holding.
"The guy insisted that we only needed one. He said you could squeeze in... God, if I'm not going to be arrested by the end of this..." Bugs muttered as he took her hand and began searching for an empty spot in the gym.
"I think there's a spot in the corner over there." Dot said. They moved towards the empty space and set down their supplies.
"Why don't we take a stroll around the gym and look for someone we know." he suggested.
Dot followed Bugs as they made their way down the row of toons and humans. She watched as people sat in huddles and talked about various topics. Children no bigger than herself were running around and giggling. Dot longed to join them, but her mission to find her brothers was more important. However, her spirits began to sink as they continued to weave through the gym. Where were Yakko and Wakko?
"Have you seen anyone?" she asked Bugs.
"I've seen a few of the Disney princesses, but no one from Warner Brothers. Maybe if we look over- wait, hold that thought, Dot." she almost lost her footing when Bugs tugged her forward.
"I wasn't even saying anything!"
"I know, but- just one sec."
Bugs pointed to a large figure that was laying under a blanket three sizes two small. Two large yellow feet hung off of the mattress, which sagged under the weight of an over-sized rooster.
As they approached him, she made out the unmistakable features of Foghorn Leghorn. Dot was surprised she hadn't heard his snoring earlier, seeing that several of the people around him were holding pillows over their ears. Bugs went forward and started shaking him. Yet no matter how hard Bugs pushed him around, the rooster remained fast asleep.
"C'mon, doc, wake up," Bugs muttered. "I know he's a deep sleeper, but this is ridiculous. He must have slept right through the earthquake."
"I have an idea."
Dot walked up to Foghorn's head. Careful to not inhale the steady stream of wind exiting his mouth, she yanked his wattle. Almost immediately, he shot up and yelped. She ducked to avoid his flailing arms which, to the annoyance of a toon otter, made contact with several objects and the back of the otter's head.
"Little miss, what in the Sam's heck are you doing? Can't you see I'm sleeping here!" he yelled, causing simultaneous "shhs" to erupt around him.
"Well, we were looking for you, we found you, and you were sleeping. So I had to wake you up." she stated simply.
"You didn't have to- I say- you didn't have to scare the livin' critters out of me!"
"We didn't really have a choice, doc. I tried the conventional methods and they didn't work." Bugs said as he took a step forward. Foghorn stood up and rubbed his eyes.
"Bugs? Thank goodness you're alright. I couldn't find anyone after that darned earthquake. Took me hours just to get here. Are Daffy and them with you?"
"No, the only toon I found was Dot. Looters and slime balls were the only other people out on the streets."
"Yikes- I'm glad you got here in one piece," Foghorn stretched out his back. "Say, where are those two brothers of yours? That little one is always causing trouble."
"I don't know. We got separated and I haven't seen them since. Have you seen them around here?" she asked.
"Can't say that I have. But I'll help you two look around." he smiled at Dot.
"Let's get going before that otter mallets us into the ground." Bugs said, gesturing to the otter who was shooting them a deadly glare as he covered his ears with pillows.
Dot followed Bugs and Foghorn as they chatted away. She caught parts of their conversation ("There's something not right with that boy's head-", "Well, doc, I think you're wrong, there."), but was too invested in peering through the rows to really listen.
Her eyes darted to any black and white toon she could find. While the Warner siblings did not resemble many toons, she noted that a fair portion of those in the gym shared their trait of black fur. As she continued to search through the crowd of toons and humans, a large black mass caught her attention.
"Shoot. Don't look to your left. It's that Pete fellow." she heard Foghorn mutter to Bugs. Just as they began to quicken their pace, the large Disney toon started towards them.
"Well look at that! I didn't know the farmer let all of his animals out of the barn. Shouldn't you two still be cooped up or something?" Pete shouted over the sound of the crowd.
Foghorn and Bugs turned around with large smiles painted across their faces. Another person might think they were genuine, but Dot noted that the smiles didn't quite reach their eyes.
"Pete, is that you? You've gained so much weight that I had to do a double take. Boy,- I say- boy, you're bigger than a hog 'bout to give birth!" Foghorn said with a false tone of sincerity.
"You know, you're right Foghorn," Bugs added. "Is that Babe in there, or is it his mother who you ate for dinner last night?"
"Well maybe I outta have rooster and rabbit stew tonight. Then all the barnyard animals would be together again!" Pete chuckled. "I'm sure you both miss rolling around in your own filth. It would be a shame if you were separated from the pigpen much longer."
"Oh dear, it looks like our flabby friend here is a bit confused. However, I have more important things to do rather than correct you, doc. So, we'll be going if you don't mind." Bugs said as he began to turn away.
"What? Search for that dumb duck and st-stuttering pig? Because they ain't here if you're wondering. I bet that silly water tower rolled right over them. They're probably still buried under all that crap on your lot and, you know, feeding the vultures and whatnot."
Dot's skin crawled at the menacing tone that had arisen in Pete's voice. Bugs stepped forward. His face became hard and any sign of mirth had melted away. Dot was shocked to see the usually witty and happy rabbit become so cold within a single moment. Foghorn had put up a similar front, and the two continued to glare at Pete.
"Now listen here, doc-" Bugs started before Dot tugged on his hand.
"Bugs, let's get out of here. He's not worth it." Pete's gaze traveled down to Dot and his smile widened.
"The little girl's right, bunny. You're not being a very good role model," he turned to Dot and leaned forward. "Say, sweetie, I don't see Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumber anywhere. Did you loose them or are they with the duck and the pig? Cause I don't think these bozos can really help you if they are."
Dot crossed her arms and glared at him. How dare he say that about her brothers!
"Really? Because they were doing fine until you opened your fat mouth," Dot said. "And by the way, I think you're in the wrong place. Free Willy auditions are that way." she pointed towards the gym doors.
"Ooh, what a feisty little thing you are, thinking you can insult me. Why, I might even be a bit offended if you weren't such a short-stack." Pete chuckled. He went to pat the top of her head but she pulled away.
"What? I'm just telling the truth." she fired back.
"Whatever you say, kid," Pete chuckled. "Now, while this is all fine and dandy, I have some business to attend to. See you fools later!" With that, the large toon made his way down the row of cots.
"What was that?" Dot turned to Bugs and Foghorn.
"That, little lady, was what you'd call an idiot. Pay him- I say- pay him no heed." Foghorn said, shaking his head.
"Yeah. Let's just keep looking." Bugs said and took her hand.
They moved through the crowd at a slow pace. The long aisles between rows were quickly being engulfed by cots and bodies as more toons and humans came into the shelter. The constant chattering echoed off of the walls and the noise level was steadily increasing. Dot, quite frankly, was concerned that the gym would explode with so many people inside of it.
Five minutes passed, then ten. Bugs and Foghorn exchanged a few words, but they mostly walked in silence. Dot trudged behind them. Although she wasn't tired, her body felt heavy and sore. Her wrist still ached and she was growing increasingly frustrated. She tried her best to peer over the crowd, but was usually stuck staring at legs and tails. Maybe if she got a little closer...
"Umph!" Dot hit the hard wooden floor. Even with her short stature, she somehow failed to notice the cot in front of her and managed to trip over the corner.
"You alright?" Bugs asked as she got up.
"Yeah, I'm fine- wait, Scratchy?"
The psychiatrist was fast asleep on the cot. His snoring was soft and a bit nasally, and a small pool of drool had spilled onto his pillow. Dot shook his shoulder. Startled, Scratchansniff sprang up and his glasses flew off of his face.
"Gah! What's going on- Dot?" he said.
"Hey Scratchy!" she said. For probably the first time in her life, Dot was thrilled to see the psychiatrist.
"Goodness, Dot. You scared the schnitzel out of me!" Scratchensniff said as he clutched his heart.
"She has a habit of doing that." Foghorn muttered, earning a small smile from Bugs.
"Why hello Foghorn, Bugs. What are you all doing here?"
Being sheltered after an earthquake- the same as you, Dot thought. As usual, the doctor was asking questions he already knew the answer to. She just didn't understand how the psychiatrist's mind worked.
"We're looking for toons from the studio. Have you seen Yakko and Wakko?" she asked. Scratchansniff gave her an odd look and pointed to the cot next to him.
"Yes, they're right- oh no..." he said as he frantically groped for his glasses and he shoved them onto his face.
"Um, no one's there Scratchy." Dot said, swallowing hard.
"No, they were there before I feel asleep! I picked them up on the lot and brought them here with me yesterday. They must have gone out to look for you..."
"What? It's too dangerous out there!" Dot shouted, feeling the knot in her stomach release a little bit. Although she was worried for her brothers' safety, Dot was relieved to know they made it out of the earthquake.
"I know and I told them that! I thought I made it clear that it was probably useless and too risky to go out."
"Useless?" Dot asked.
"Well, we didn't know if you had... made it..." Scratchansniff trailed off.
"Oh." Dot looked down. She felt Bugs' hand squeeze her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Dot. At least we know they're alright," he said. Noticing her discouraged look, he continued. "How bout' this. Me and Foghorn will go out and look while you stay here with Dr. Scratchansniff. Just don't run off, deal?" Her features brightened slightly as she nodded. He looked over at the rooster, who nodded in return.
"Okay then. We'll see you two in a few hours." Bugs said as he and Foghorn made their way towards the door.
Yakko trudged beside Wakko. They had been moving through the lot for about an hour or two now. After searching the studios and alleys for any sign of their missing sister, both brothers felt discouraged. Nothing had come up.
"I don't think she's here, Wak." Yakko said.
They had looked in every corner on this side of the lot. Other than a few emergency workers who had said they hadn't seen Dot, Yakko and Wakko found nothing. Well, Wakko did find that one vending machine. But he had inhaled most of the snacks before Yakko even realized it was there. When he did reach the machine, Yakko was stuck with the remaining granola bars and fruit snacks.
"Maybe... What about the water tower? We haven't looked there yet." Wakko said.
Yakko felt stupid. They hadn't stopped to check when they walked by earlier. Not only was it the most likely place Dot would be, but it might have a few items that could be useful. Well, so long as they weren't destroyed.
"Good idea. Should've thought of that myself." Yakko muttered.
"Don't worry. You have a habit of not thinking." Wakko said with a mischievous smile. Yakko pulled his red cap down over his eyes.
"Then it must be a family trait," Yakko said. "Come on, let's get going."
After stepping around countless piles of rubble and destroyed buildings, cars, and other items, Yakko and Wakko finally made it to the fallen tower. Well, what was left of it, anyway. Large dents littered the walls and the metal legs were severely twisted. Yakko climbed onto the structure and opened the bent door. He pulled Wakko up next to him.
"Wait here for a sec. I wanna make sure it's safe in there before you go in." Yakko said. He dropped down into their living room. A layer of plaster and dust covered their belongings, which were mostly damaged and strewn about the room. He walked around for a few minutes to see if there were any weak spots in the structure. Finding none, he called up to Wakko.
"Alright. You can come down now- UMPH!" Yakko fell to the ground as Wakko's weight came crashing down on him. "Jeez, Wak. At least warn me first." Yakko rubbed the back of his head.
"Sorry." Wakko said as he got off of Yakko.
"It's alright. Let's just start looking. She might be asleep in here or something, so don't sneak up on her. Oh, and here's a flashlight." Yakko pulled to flashlights out of his hammerspace and handed one to Wakko. They separated and moved to different parts of the tower.
Wakko flashed the light down the hallway. He gulped as eerie shadows danced on the cracked walls around him. Their once comforting home currently reminded him of a horror movie, which he absolutely hated. While Yakko loved scary movies, Wakko thought they were just so... creepy. He never admitted this to anyone other than his siblings, but they gave him nightmares.
"Dot?" he called out as he quickened his pace towards Dot's room.
Wakko was practically running by the time he reached her "excessively pink and fluffy bedroom," as he called it. He stumbled and tripped over debris as he approached her bed. Falling into a pile of Dot's stuffed animals, Wakko suppressed a scream when the beam from his flashlight illuminated a clown across the room. Realizing it was just one of his sister's toys, he stood up and looked around the room. He moved onto Yakko's bedroom down the hall after seeing her room was empty.
Unlike his own room, Yakko kept his extremely neat and tidy. Every item had it's own designated space and every space was left uncluttered and clean. The covers on his bed always laid flat and unwrinkled, and his clothing hanged neatly in his closet. Yakko had even gone to the extent of organizing his clothes by color. Even with a layer of dust and grim, Yakko's room still felt clean and organized. However, many of the books on Yakko's shelf had fallen to the floor and a tattered, worn book lay on the carpet surrounded by pristine, new hardcover editions.
"Well, this doesn't look like Yakko," Wakko muttered as he picked up the book. Faded gold lettering appeared after he rubbed dust off of the cover. "Photos... hmm."
He carefully opened the aged book and found a discolored black and white picture pasted to the first page. Two toons who looked just like Wakko and his siblings stared up at him. He read the small writing at the bottom of the picture.
Dorothy and Herman Warner- married 1934.
He turned the page to find a handful of newspaper articles.
May 1935- Mr. and Mrs. Herman Warner welcome baby girl, Cecelia... January 1939- Clarke Warner born to Mr. and Mrs... July 1942- Mrs. Dorothy Warner gives birth to son James three months after her husband's tragic death...
Wakko's throat hitched. That was Dad's name. He turned to the next page and found a picture of three children.
Cecelia, 10, Clarke, 6, and James, 3- 1945.
Wakko continued to look through pictures of his father until he found another page of articles.
1953- Cecelia Warner marries George Heckman... 1954- Mr. and Mrs. Heckman welcome twins, Terrance and Phoebe... 1955- Dorothy Warner marries cartoon producer Danzo Martins... 1957- Daphne Martins born to Mr. and Mrs. Danzo Martins... 1958- James Warner, first toon accepted to Julliard... 1963- Clarke Warner, 24, found dead in dumpster behind bar on Walt Ave... 1965- Dorothy and Danzo Martins announce divorce after ten years of marriage...
His ears perked up when he heard a clang out in the hallway followed by a loud swear from Yakko. Shaking his head, he continued reading.
1970- James Warner stars in major motion picture... 1972- Dorothy Martins dies from sudden heart attack... 1973- Terrance Heckman arrested for the murder of his girlfriend... 1975- Phoebe Heckman and her two-year-old son, Peter, missing after suspicious fire ravishes Towntown apartment building. Heckman's ex-boyfriend and father of her son is prime suspect... 1978- Daphne Martins pleads guilty after arrest for stealing $200,000. Father Danzo Martins says he no longer speaks with her and will not raise her four-year-old daughter, Heather...
More pictures and articles filled the next few pages. He smiled when he saw a picture of his parents on their wedding day.
1979- Toontown starlet Coco Montgomery marries actor James Warner. The couple says 'it's time to settle down'... 1980- James and Coco Warner welcome first born, Yakko... 1983- Cecelia Heckman dead from cancer at 48... 1984- Coco Warner gives birth to second son, Wakko... 1988- Warners welcome baby girl, Dorothy... 1989- James and Coco Warner die in car crash. Their three young children are now wards of the state...
"Hey, Wakko. What are you looking at?"
Wakko jumped and turned to find Yakko standing in the doorway.
"I was looking in here when I found this old album. I've never seen it before. Where did you get it?" Wakko asked as Yakko took a seat beside him.
"It was at home for as long as I can remember. Mom used to show it to me when I was little, so I wanted to take it with us when the people from the orphanage came to get us." Yakko said.
"How did you hide it? They didn't let us take anything other than our clothes."
"Hammerspace, Wak."
"Oh, right." Wakko muttered. He'd forgotten their Dad taught Yakko how to open his hammerspace. He watched Yakko flip through the first few pages.
"I forgot how depressing this thing was. Mom didn't let me read most of these newspaper cut outs, so I didn't know most of this stuff until after they died." Yakko said with a small frown.
"I didn't know we had aunts and an uncle. Or cousins. Or that Grandma got remarried. In fact, I didn't know any of this stuff, really." Wakko muttered, crossing his arms.
"Well, what was I supposed to tell you, Wak? That our family's history is as cheery as 'Sophie's Choice'? I didn't want you and Dot to have to deal with those things."
"Then why'd you keep it if it's so horrible?" Wakko asked.
"Because not all of it is horrible." Yakko took the book from his hands and turned the page.
He was looking at Yakko's baby picture. Some of them showed just Yakko while others had their parents feeding, bathing, or playing with him. Wakko turned the page again and found his own baby pictures. There was one of him and Yakko playing with a toy truck and another of them wrestling with their Dad.
His heart swelled when he saw one of their family cuddling on the couch. He was sandwiched between his parents, who each had an arm cuddled around him. He felt bad that there weren't as many pictures of Dot, since they died only three months after she was born.
The next picture Wakko saw was one taken recently. It was of him and his siblings standing in front of the water tower. They were holding their contracts for Animaniacs above their chests with large smiles on their faces. Then he found more pictures of them taken around the lot. One was of Dot and him getting ready for a shoot, and another was of Dot in the cafeteria holding a tooth she had just lost. There were pictures of Wakko and Dot asleep on the couch together and others of him making faces in the bathroom mirror. Yakko had even managed to catch Wakko playing with Buster and Plucky from Tiny Toons in between takes of their shows.
"You took all of these pictures?" Wakko asked his brother. Yakko nodded.
"Yeah. I wanted to make up for all the time we lost at the orphanage. You're not mad, right?"
"Mad? Why would you think I'd be mad?" said Wakko. If anything, he thought this was pretty cool.
"Because some of these could be counted as an invasion of privacy. I mean, taking a picture of you dancing like Elvis in your underwear is a little weird." Yakko laughed.
"Oh-um, yeah... a little." Wakko blushed. How did he get that picture?
"Well, that's my job of being an annoying big brother. I have to to embarrass you to some extent." Yakko winked.
"I guess. But why isn't Mom in here that much?" he asked.
"This book was originally Grandma Dorothy's, so it only talks about the Warner side of the family. She gave it to Dad before she died." Yakko said.
"Do you know anything about Mom's family?"
"Mom told me that her dad died when she was little. She was an only child so it was just her and Grandma Freida after that. Do you remember her? She died a few months before Dot was born."
"A little. Was she the big woman who always had candy in her pocket?"
"Yup. She was really sweet. Mom was really upset when she died." Yakko said. They sat in silence for a few moments before Yakko spoke up again.
"Well, I think it's safe to say Dot's not in here. Shall we move on to your 'Den of Disgust'?"
"Ha-ha. Sure." Wakko stood up and walked out of the room while Yakko hesitated. Picking up the book, he carefully dusted it off and placed it in his hammerspace before joining his brother.
