Yo So I watched Wakko's Wish, loved it, absolutely loved it. I know people say it was bad because it had a formula that went against what Animaniacs stood for but I still enjoyed it.

Especially since it focused more on the Warners' bond as siblings and the simple hope for them all to live happily.

I also loved Yakko embracing his role as a big brother to his siblings, but I feel like that had some wasted potential and this fanfic will explain. Keep reading :)

Yakko Warner enjoyed making others laugh.

Cracking clever jokes and sarcastic comments in hopes of puting a smile on someone's face always made him feel warm. Especially when it worked.

He also enjoyed spending quality time with his younger siblings, Wakko and Dot. He can recall many days where they'd bounce around town, acting silly, without a care or worry in the world. It always brightened his day to see them smile and laugh at the townspeople getting annoyed at them for being a nuisance. They've had full pieces of furniture thrown at them before but they didn't care, it was all fun and games to them.

But when everything went downhill, those days were over in five seconds flat. Then, all Yakko could think about was...

Do we have food for the week?

Is the water tower still stable enough to stay in?

Are Wakko and Dot warm enough?

Will we ever get out of this?

...will we live to see another day..?

That last question always shook him to his core despite the over a thousand

times he's thought about it already. They have to live, they just had to! He didn't think he could handle losing one of his siblings never mind both.

Their parents were gone, he's all they had now, and he needs to step up as the oldest to take care of them and make sure they're safe and healthy.

...Some "big brother" he's been lately...

Dot's sick, and Wakko's worked hard to find money to help her and their family as a whole; only for that money to be taken away by some egotistical wannabe "king", and now they've journeyed too far in search of the Wishing Star only for it to end here.

He dragged his siblings outside of the ice cave where Dot helped them escape being executed; charging right for the glowing yellow star that's sitting just a short distance away.

They are so close!

Yakko almost allowed himself to relax before Dot slowed down to a stop, falling into a fit of coughing and wheezing. He didn't realize just how exhausting this journey must've been for her. He and his brother went back to assist her.

"I-I can't go on..." Dot wheezed, breathing heavily, on the brink of collaspe. Yakko held her gently by the arm and his heart pounded as he heard the King demand for his canons to fire, no doubt at them.

This guy really wants them dead, huh?

"Come on, Dot...we're almost there.." The oldest Warner whispered, trying to encourage Dot to keep moving.

Please, before we're blown to bits!

Luckily, Dot got fully back onto her feet, and the three of them set off to running again. Yakko's ears rung with the sound a firing canon ball heading right for them, much too quick for them all to get away from, he realized.

Like he's ever going to let harm come to his siblings!

All he's done was crack meaningless jokes and hardly even tried to help their situation as homeless orphans. He just...stood around, looking stupid, and watch his siblings do all the work.

Even Dot, who's sick as a goat, put in the effort to help the three of them get out of being executed just now!

And that's not even mentioning Wakko! He's the reason why they even have this opportunity in the first place! Yakko's done nothing to help, so he's going to take this chance!

This new found determination forced Yakko to speed up and shove his siblings further ahead of him just as the canon ball hit-

~~~~

The explosion was seen from everyone behind the fence in the prison's yard, and for a moment, everyone feared for the Warner siblings and hoped they were okay. No one could survive a direct hit from that.

When the smoke cleared, the first Warner to be revealed was Wakko, his sky blue sweater and red cap stood out against the white snow. With a groan, he lifted his head and Dot's small head poked out from underneath his arm. Looked like he shielded her from the blast so she wasn't too hurt.

Thank goodness...

Wakko looked to his right in the hope of seeing his older brother next to him, but his heart clenched when he saw no one there. His next instinct was to look behind him, and Dot followed.

"NO!"

The two kids cried in unison at the sight of Yakko's body laying half buried in the snow, twisted in a way that didn't look natural. The worst part was that he was so still. Wakko couldn't tell if his was breathing or not. But regardless, he stood up and bolted to his brother's side, falling to his knees immediately and brushing the snow off of him. Wakko gently shifted Yakko so his head rested on his lap comfortably just as Dot approached them, her body shaking, and not just from the cold.

The Warner sister reached over and gently grabbed Yakko's gloved hand in both of her's, squeezing a little. The tightness in her chest from her illness returned but she ignored it. Yakko was much more important right now.

"Yakko...can you hear me?" She rubbed her thumb against the back of his hand just as he stirred awake. The look in his eyes scared his siblings. They looked so tired and dull.

But, despite this, he smiled, that genuine smile, when he saw they were unharmed. He sighed in relief, but the moment was interrupted when he exploded into a fit of coughing, smoke clogging his lungs a little. After that was over, he relaxed a little and looked up at Dot tiredly.

"Would you like to hear the story..?" He whispered sadly. Dot looked confused.

"What?"

"The story...about mom and dad...I'd like to tell it..." He coughed, "...one last time.."

Wakko interrupted quickly, feeling Yakko's heart beat grow slower, "You should rest..."

However, the oldest Warner went on anyway, "One upon a time..a brave knight married a beautiful princess and they had two sons..." He took a shuddering breath as Dot joined in.

"But they wanted a daughter too...and so they planted a garden all over the kingdom.."

Yakko smiled weakly, "...and out of the prettiest flower came..?"

Dot forced a smile, tears staring to fill the rim of her eyes, "Me.." She squeezed his hand tighter. Out if the corner of her vision, she could see Wakko trying to stop himself from sobbing, but the tears were clear as day. The girl hadn't noticed the sudden crowd of knights surrounding the trio. King Salazar was among them.

Yakko hardly noticed due to his fading vision, but he fought back and kept going, "So mom and dad took you home..and every night they'd come in and say..." Yakko forced his hand free from Dot's and gently booped her on the nose, "..'Who's the cutest girl?'...and you'd say?"

"I am..." Dot replied, startled by the boop but allowed herself to smile at the action.

Yakko grunted in pain as Wakko shifted him to be held against his chest despite the former being taller, but he went on afterward, "..and they'd ask, 'How'd you get so cute?' and you'd say?"

"I was b-born that way..." Her voice started to crack when she heard him started to struggle to breathe. This was starting to bring her cough back.

"And they'd ask, 'Tell us your name?' and you'd say?" Despite the growing sadness around him, Yakko continued to smile and tell the story.

Dot couldn't fight the tears anymore and they fell hard, "Princess Angelina Contessa Louisia Francessca Banana Fana Bo Besca the Third...but you can call me," She coughed, "...Dot."

"Then they asked..'Can we call you Dottie?'..and you'd say..?" Yakko was starting to fade, Wakko could see it.

No! Not my big brother! Please!

Dot was thinking the same thing as well, and she grabbed Yakko's cold hand once more and she nuzzled against it helplessly as she replied softly.

"No...just Dot, call me Dottie and..you die.."

All warmth faded from Yakko just as she said this and she realized just how limp he was all of a sudden. The two siblings broke down sobbing and Wakko nuzzled his face against his brother's in grief. They were so close and now Yakko was gone!

Stupid Salad Bar! Stupid kingdom!

Stupid Star!

If their parents were still alive then things wouldn't have gotten so bad! If that tax collector hasn't stolen from him they wouldn't have had to leave Acme Falls! If everything was fine, Yakko would still be alive!

Wakko looked out towards the Star and realized that he almost forgot it was even there. Chaos was stirring amongst the knights towards the King.

Maybe Wakko can fix this.

He gently laid his brother down on the snow and stood up quickly, bolting for the star...

And then the plot continues on as normal from here on. Except that Yakko wasn't acting, he was really dead.

You can interpret how Wakko managed to wish for his brother back along with the two Ha'pennies anyway you'd like but that's how this went.

Thanks for reading!