Jack's first lucid thought was: At long last, I've beaten the rooster. It was rare for him to wake up without hearing the crow of the family fowl. He'd sometimes fantasize about waking up before the bird, sneaking out to the henhouse, and screaming at it; beating the stupid thing at its own game. Jack had been looking forward to sleeping late when he got to England and… Wait! England! The Atlantic Ocean! The plane!
RAPTURE!
Jack sprang out of the bed, all sleepiness gone. That was another thing! Why was I in a bed? Where am I? Where the hell are my weapons? WHERE IS MY SWEATER?!
He was wearing a long hospital gown that came down past his knees, only revealing his bare feet. As Jack twisted around, looking for an escape, a familiar buzzing sound came from nearby. He whirled towards it and froze. Hovering before him was a friendly security bot… wearing a long blonde wig and a nurse's cap.
Jack gawked at the bizarre spectacle. He blinked. It was still there.
"Hello… nurse?"
"Bzzz-bzzz!" replied the bot, as it flew around Jack's head.
"I, uh, don't suppose you can tell me where I am, or how I got here?" Jack asked after a moment of hesitation. He didn't expect any sort of answer, so he was surprised when the flying robot flashed its light toward a pile of debris containing signage for sales and discounts. Looks like I'm still in an abandoned shop in Fort Frolic.
No longer panicking, Jack decided to take a look around, ignoring the bot's attempts to herd him back towards the bed. In the far corner, he was relieved to find his Pandora bag next to a large rectangular device that was slightly smaller than a Vita Chamber.
Once he checked that all his weapons were accounted for, Jack inspected the device. Wardrobe Washer, read Jack, Put Your Dry Cleaners Out Of Business! Thinking his clothes must be inside, Jack tried to retrieve the device's contents and quickly discovered he had no idea how. He glowered at the machine and began to pull his wrench out of his bag. But before he could apply percussive maintenance, the bot shrieked and charged at Jack - who deftly sidestepped it - , only to careen smack into the Washer with a resounding Clang!
Jack snorted as the bot righted itself. The hat and hair were knocked askew, which was why it was angrily berating the wall. "I'm over here." Jack called out jovially. "Bzz?" The little flier spun around so fast that its hat fell off. It lowered to the ground, struggling to retrieve it. "Here, I got it." Jack plucked the hat from the floor and carefully put it back on the bot's head. "There ya go,"Jack said with a smile. The robot gave a grateful buzz, then indicated a button on the side of the washer box. Feeling a bit sheepish, Jack pressed the button and the device opened to reveal his un-bloodstained and un-ripped clothing.
Jack quickly donned his clothing, only pausing to check over his white sweater. It looked brand new, he could find no evidence that it was ever near a warzone. He pulled the sweater over his head as the flier dove toward him once again.
"Hey, knock it off!" Jack jumped back to keep the bot from colliding with his chest. "I don't know what your deal is," he grunted. "But unless you plan on telling me what the hell is going… on…"
Jack trailed off as he realized the security nurse was leading him to the explanation for his situation. Three toon children were snuggled together, sleeping on the other side of the bed. Yakko laid in the middle with his arms wrapped tightly around his siblings. Wakko rested with his head on Yakko's chest, clutching his brother's arm like a teddy bear. Dot laid on her side with her head on Yakko's shoulder.
Jack stared at the adorable sight, then hurried to sit on the bed before his legs gave out from under him. My God! He reeled, rubbing his forehead, I remember now! I was a sitting duck, and the Warners came to protect me! All three of them did! They must have carried me to this place.
The young man felt all his tension fall away as he watched the kids, their sleeping forms mumbling and their limbs occasionally twitching. Jack couldn't help his hand reaching out to pet Dot's head. His fingers barely made contact with her fur when her eyes flitted open and met his gaze. She let out a delighted gasp and launched herself into Jack's arms.
"Owww! Do-oot!" whined the boys. Dot had stepped on their heads to get to Jack. Their whining ceased when they, too, noticed that Jack was awake. Dot was happily nuzzling her face into Jack's neck, tickling him and making him laugh. He pulled back so he could properly look at the girl. The man was happy to see her liveliness that had been absent even after he had healed her in the cocktail lounge. While he stared at her, a smiling Yakko and Wakko popped up on either side of their sister, practically caging him in. "Hi there. Yakko, Wakko, and-"
The little girl stood up on his lap and curtsied. "I am Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana-Fanna Bo Besca the Third."
"Angelina? That's a pretty name!"
Dot giggled, a blush blooming in her cheeks. "You can call me Dot. BU-UT" She became stern, raising a finger to his face, "call me Dottie and you die!"
Jack nodded. "Uhh, sorry if I woke you guys up," he said, though none of the kids seemed miffed about it. "Were you really asleep or were you just pretending?"
The kids closed their eyes, grinned, and little halos appeared above their heads.
Jack raised an eyebrow. "I did think you all looked a little animated." He barely finished the sentence before he facepalmed as the kids burst into giggles. "Haha! Yeah, alright, I heard it!"
When they all calmed down, Jack continued. "It's good to see you all." Then, he addressed Dot, pointing a finger at her. "You look a lot better. Do you feel better?"
"Mm-hmm!" She nodded and pressed her nose against his. "Thank you!"
"You're wel-oof!" Jack grunted as the Warners threw themselves against him, hugging him tight. He stiffened but eventually relaxed, accepting his fate and doing his best to return it. That was difficult with his arms pinned down but he was able to pat Wakko's back. The middle Warner smiled up at him, saying, "Yes, thank you!" Yakko had buried his face into Jack's shoulder as he began to tremble. "T-th-thank you!" Yakko sniffed.
They stayed in the embrace for another minute before the bot beeped and buzzed. The kids looked in its direction. "Helloooo, Nurse Ralph!" they shouted together.
"Ralph?" asked Jack.
"He looks like a 'Ralph', don'cha think?" chirped Dot.
The bot, now christened Ralph, continued to buzz impatiently.
"Quite right!" said Yakko, and the kids all jumped off Jack. "Now that the patient's awake, we shall begin with the check up!"
"Check-up?" Jack questioned. Before he knew it, the Warners had donned long white coats, stethoscopes, and head mirrors. "But I feel fine!"
Dot turned to Yakko. "Doctor Warner, the patient is requesting to be released from care."
Yakko pulled out a clipboard. He made a show of perusing its contents, tsk-tsking all the way. "Request denied, Doctor Warner. In matters of personal health and safety, the patient has proven himself unreliable. The most recent example, when he refused to take a much needed med-kit."
The younger Warners tutted in disapproval, and Jack winced. "Yeah… that was dumb of me." He sat back down on the bed. "I wanna thank you three for bailing me out back there, and for everything else since then." He smiled. "I gotta ask, was there - at any point - a giant white rabbit, or did I dream that?"
"Oh, that was the Boingmeister General. He's Dot's pet," Wakko explained.
Jack's jaw dropped. "He was real?" he asked, incredulous. "Where'd he go?"
"Oh, I imagine he's busy enjoying the trappings of fame." Dot shrugged, nonchalantly.
Meanwhile in Fleet Hall, the Boingmeister General was growing increasingly annoyed at his new number one fan, as he serenaded the giant rabbit with yet another discourse on how art critics were the root of every calamity that had ever befallen mankind.
"But enough about that, we have a check up to do," Yakko declared, marching forward. "We would like to start off with a question for the patient."
"Sure, ask away." Jack shrugged.
"We'd like to know… WHAT ARE THOOOOSE?" The Warners pointed at Jack's wrists.
Jack raised his hands, smiling as he understood what alarmed them. "You mean my tattoos?" He gestured to the matching chain links on his wrists. "I guess you didn't notice them earlier, but I've had these since…" Jack drew a blank. He couldn't have had them for more than a few years, but at the same time it felt like they'd always been there. "...Well, I've had them for a while. Long before I came to this city."
The Warners exhaled in relief. When they'd brought Jack to their makeshift sanctuary, Dot suddenly remembered that the last of the bad ink had gotten on Jack's hand. It was as they were wiping Jack's hands that they saw the chains. When frantic scrubbing did nothing to remove them, Yakko had attempted to reassure the sibs that there was probably an innocent explanation for the marks. But they had no idea if or how bad ink would affect a human. And Yakko could never forget how Dot stared in horror at the chains like they were the mark of something very sinister.
Wakko was curious, "Why'd you get 'em?" he asked.
Jack laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Ya know, I don't remember. Must've been a wild night."
"Faboo!" Wakko chuckled impishly.
"With that out of the way," Yakko announced, "Let's start with reflexes." He turned to his brother. "Doctor Warner, if you please."
Wakko approached Jack with a tiny reflex hammer in hand. He held the hammer up to Jack's knee and shouted, "think fast," swapping it for his giant mallet. Jack flinched and kicked Wakko into the ceiling.
"Ah! Sorry, Wakko! You okay?" Jack asked the toon that had become stuck halfway into the ceiling. Wakko grinned, and gave Jack a thumbs up. Yakko and Dot exchanged a glance. "Optimal," they agreed, and marked it on the clipboard.
The eldest Warner stepped forward, taking hold of Jack's wrist. Turning his head, Yakko stared intently at his wristwatch. A few seconds passed before he declared, "either he's dead or my watch has stopped."
Then Dot hopped onto Jack's lap. Placing her hands on the sides of Jack's head, she gazed deep into his eyes. "How does he look, Doctor Warner?" asked Yakko.
"With his bea-u-tiful hazel eyes, Doctor Warner!" Dot declared as Jack blushed. She handed him a pair of baseballs. Yakko and Nurse Ralph appeared on the other side of the room, each holding a ceramic bullseye. Jack threw the balls, shattering each plate, and the pair scored him a 20 and a 20.
The man started as Yakko teleported back at his side to whisper into his left ear. "You know, I once trained to be a ventriloquist." Jack's hand flew up to his right ear, befuddled. "The ears are functional," Doctor Warner shouted happily.
Wakko detached from the ceiling, landing into Jack's waiting arms. He inspected Jack's hair, ruffling and lightly tugging the light brown locks. "No bald spots or receding hairlines here!" He announced as Dot hurried to fix the mess he made.
The three toons assembled on Jack's lap. "Say AHH," they instructed, peering into Jack's mouth. "All teeth are present and accounted for," they reported. Then they sniffed and said "along with the lingering scent of nicotine." Dot placed a mint on Jack's tongue and closed his mouth. "That'll fix it."
Jack raised his hand. "I have a question. Are you testing for something?"
"Your patience, mostly," the kids responded. Dot patted his hand. "You're doing wonderfully!"
Jack held back a snicker. "I'm serious."
"I thought you were Jack," said Wakko, tilting his head.
Putting on an air of exasperation, Jack reached out, and gathered them close in front of his face. "You're checking me for signs that I'm turning into a splicer, aren't you?"
The words dampened the playful atmosphere, and Jack almost regretted asking. "I mean, it's fine if you are," he assured them, "but if you have concerns, you can just ask me. I don't mind." He chuckled sheepishly. "To be honest, I'd rather have a normal conversation about it."
"Nor-mal." The kids echoed, their faces a faraway gaze, their voices monotone and eerie.
"What is 'normal'?" Wakko mused.
"We are from Hollywood. 'Normal' is unknown to us," added Dot.
"We suspect it is also unknown to you," Yakko concluded somberly. "As you are the most abnormal person we have ever met."
"YAK-KO!" Wakko and Dot chastised.
"I'm sorry!" Yakko defended himself to Jack and his stricken siblings. "I was just trying to wax poetic!"
"Excuse me," said Jack, "can we please continue this conversation without all the… theatrics? They're very distracting."
"OKAY!" Three voices brightly chirped. It was then Jack realized the shift in ambience the room had taken. The lights had brightened and the eerie music disappeared.
"Abnormal ain't the right word. Too many negative connotations. The right word is…" Yakko scratched his chin. "Hmm, help me out sibs."
"Bizarre!" "Miraculous!" "Absurdly improbable!" "The personification of Deus Ex Machina!"
Yakko squinted his eyes as he considered each suggestion.
"Ooh! Ooh! I know! How about 'Cinematically Epic'?"
"Oooh! I like that one!"
"Cinematic?" Jack was confused. "I haven't seen many movies. What does that mean?"
"It means you're larger than life!" Yakko exclaimed, spreading out his arms. "Like an action movie hero!"
With a smile, Jack replied, "Wow, thanks. I mean, that's good, isn't it?"
"It's wonderful!" Dot agreed. Wakko nodded. "There's just one itsy-bitsy issue."
Jack tilted his head, "What's the issue?"
Wakko handed him a magazine. Jack rolled his eyes. "Very funny, kids! But I'm trying to… ohhh." The magazine was titled REALITY VERSUS FICTION: Understanding the difference and setting realistic expectations. The cover also contained quotes about identifying liars and scammers and knowing when something is too good to be true.
Jack lowered the cover to see the Warners huddled together, uncharacteristically meek. "It's not… that we don't believe in you," Yakko explained. "Action movie heroes are awesome, but, uhhh, they're also not real, ya know what I'm saying?"
The young man blinked. Part of him wanted to proclaim Of course I'm real! Why wouldn't I be? but… "You want to understand how I saved Dot." Jack deduced confidently.
Wakko spoke shakily. "You got the slug out of her. They said you couldn't do that without… without…" Wakko's eyes filled with tears. Dot squeezed his hand, and Yakko wrapped a comforting arm around his shaking brother's shoulders.
"You gave our baby sister back to us," Yakko continued, smiling down at Dot. "Not too long ago, I thought watching her from the shadows was the closest we'd ever get to being together again."
He hugged his brother and sister close as Dot finished. "We never wanted to come to this place. A… lady brought us here. And she split us up." The words came out with a barely repressed snarl. The toon girl lifted her gaze to Jack, who was listening intently. He extended a hand in comfort and Dot held it against her face. The Warner Sister took a deep breath as she choked out the next bit. "I was… experimented on. By Suchong."
Break her neck for me!
The mere mention of that name had Jack pulling his hand away, as if he'd been burned. So quick that Dot almost missed it, a flash of pain and loathing crossed Jack's face, before it settled in grim understanding. "I know of him." Jack said softly.
"I don't remember much of it," she admitted.
"That might be for the best," he smiled. "You don't need an ugly person like that taking up space in your mind." Jack booped her nose and she giggled.
"So how did you save me?" she asked, returning to the original point. "When Wakko was explaining things to me, I thought maybe it was because I'm a toon. But you saved other girls too, right? Human ones."
When Jack confirmed that he had, Wakko spoke up. "How many?"
Giving it some thought, Jack answered. "About ten so far." He resisted the urge to bask in their awe and cleared his throat. "Before I explain, I have to ask you all a question: do you know who Doctor Brigid Tenenbaum is?"
Yakko stiffened and narrowed his eyes. "I've heard of a doc by that name. Ain't she the dame that got her big break by helping Nazi 'scientists' run experiments on her fellow camp prisoners?"
"She's the one who discovered ADAM," Wakko added. "She's also the one who created-" he cut himself off as both brothers turned to look at Dot expectantly.
The Warner Sister clutched her forehead and closed her eyes. She concentrated for a few seconds before faintly uttering "Momma Tenenbaum?"
The brothers reeled back in horror and Jack picked up the trembling girl, cradling her against his chest.
"You said it was fine and she didn't have to remember!" protested Yakko.
"And I meant that!" insisted Jack, "but I had to ask because I know that Tenenbaum once worked with Suchong. I just wanted to know if Dot had any memories of her." He looked down at the girl and decided to say it outright. "Tenenbaum created an antidote for the Little SIsters."
The looks of shocked disbelief on the boys' faces would have been comical if the context hadn't been so serious.
"I ran into Tenenbaum a while back. She was the one who gave me the Little Sister Antidote plasmid. I gave it a try, it worked."
The two boys quickly digested this new information. "Bu-ut," stammered Wakko, "I don't get it! Tenny-bum went crazy! She stole all the Little Sisters from the orphanage and went into hiding. That's what everybody said!"
Yakko folded his arms. "Even I heard those rumors." He bared his teeth. "Not long after that, more little girls started going missing." His brother let out a mournful whimper.
Jack shrugged. "I only know what I learned from audio diaries and," he paused, "well, when I met Tenenbaum, she was protecting a Little Sister from the splicers who killed her Big Daddy. I had heard things about her, but she was also the first normal looking person I met since-"
"Your plane crashed?" Dot piped up.
Jack looked down at the sudden response. "You know about that?"
"Jack, honey! Ev-ery-body knows about that!"
"Uh-huh, we felt it happen!"
"Then Andrew Ryan made an announcement about the survivor who broke into Rapture!"
Jack rubbed his face. "Of course he did," he grumbled. "Yeah, that was me. I get you may have questions, but!" He held up a hand to stop any curious inquiries. "I… don't really know." His voice broke as he clutched his forehead.
The brothers moved to sit on either side of Jack. "It wasn't a spy plane, was it?" Yakko asked leadingly. "It was a civilian flight!"
Jack nodded behind his hands, and the Warners exchanged horrified glances. Yakko cleared his throat. "Uhhh, we got a bit off topic there. What were we talking about?"
"We were talking about Ma-" Dot choked on the words. "That creepy doctor lady." She rephrased. "You said she looked normal, you mean she isn't a splicer?"
"Not that I could see," Jack answered, shrugging his shoulders. "I know this may be hard to believe."
"We believe you!" Dot exclaimed, her brothers nodding along.
"I just don't get the change in her attitude!" said Yakko. "Did Tenny-bum just wake up one morning and realize that putting sea slugs in little girls is a bad idea?"
"It wouldn't be the strangest thing that's happened," Wakko pointed out, gesturing to Jack.
"That's true!" the elder brother acknowledged.
"You really think surviving a plane crash is stranger than Tenenbaum gaining a conscience?" Jack joked.
His mirth dissipated when the three Warners and the robot stared at him with deadpan exasperation. "You're joking, right?" Yakko groaned. "Some jokes are too dumb to be funny."
A moment of awkward silence passed before Yakko sighed. "Alright, we'll spell it out for ya." Before Jack could blink, a courtroom had been set up. Dot was positioned at a tall podium, wearing a judge's wig and gavel.
"Order in the court!" she cried, banging her gavel. "Court is in session for Jack Wynand's weirdness. The prosecution may present their case."
Yakko stepped forward. The elder Warner was dressed as a lawyer, but before he could speak, Jack interrupted. "Wait a second! Shouldn't there be a defense, too?"
"You have a lawyer. Look to your left," rebutted Dot. Jack turned and sure enough, Ralph the security bot hovered by his side. The bot had traded his hat and wig for a necktie.
With that cleared up, Yakko presented his case. "The prosecution intends to demonstrate that Mr. Wynand's survival of the crash is the least weird thing about him. You gotta understand pal, there's being lucky and then there's not only surviving but thriving in a war torn city under the sea."
Jack blanched. "Thriving?!"
"The prosecution would like to call Wakko Warner, an expert witness, to the stand." Wakko's head popped above a second podium. Yakko turned to his brother. "In this courtroom, we tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Do you swear?"
"Nah, I never swear!"
"Good! It's impolite. Do you promise?"
"Yessir! I promise to tell the truth."
Satisfied, Yakko proceeded with his questioning.
"I have summoned you because, out of the present company, you are the most qualified expert on the matter of splicing."
Jack's "lawyer" suddenly went "Buzz-BUZZ-Buzz!" along with a series of whirls and beeps. Dot nodded. "The witness will explain his qualifications to the defense." Almost as an afterthought, she amended her sentence. "Remember, you are under oath."
Wakko was somber as he explained. "I was there when they first started selling plasmids to the public. I even helped make some of the commercials. Also…" He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to say. "I've seen people turn into splicers, firsthand."
A silence followed that revelation. Shortly after, Yakko continued. "I have made a list of the various symptoms of splicing." He pulled out an enormous stone tablet out from his slacks. "With the judge's permission, I would like to read it."
Dot allowed it, and Yakko began listing off the various items. "Blindness, deafness, crystal formations on skin, tumors, hair loss, tooth loss, shingles, loss of skin color, insanity, insomnia, paranoia, hallucinations, rashes, lesions, memory loss, yellowed skin, facial bleeding, saggy skin-"
"Are you almost done?" Dot had grown impatient.
"Not even close," admitted Yakko. "But, I've made my point." He addressed Wakko. "Would you agree that this list of symptoms is accurate, if incomplete?" When Wakko nodded, Ralph gave another objection. After giving it some thought, Dot declared "Sustained."
"Eyyy! What gives, Sis?"
"No, no, Defense Attorney Ralph makes a good point," she insisted. "Are you sure that all of those are symptoms of splicing? Maybe the person was sick, or in an accident, or something."
Wakko glowered. "Splicing can still cause them to happen! I've seen it!"
"Have you seen a single person exhibit all the listed symptoms?" Yakko followed up.
Wakko gawked, "in one person?" He thought for a minute before admitting "no, but I've seen all the symptoms."
"Hmm. I see," mused Yakko as he began pacing the floor. "Not all splicers experience the same symptoms." He gave a dramatic gasp, which included finger-pointing. "Then how can we know who is truly a splicer and who is going through a rough time?"
Ralph gave some light chirps.
"Excellent point, Attorney Ralph!" declared Yakko. "While ADAM memories are technically hallucinations, anyone who takes the tiniest amount of ADAM can get them, right Wakko?"
"That's right!" Wakko concurred. "ADAM memories don't count."
Yakko slammed his hands on the table. "So! The question we need answered is: what makes a splicer a splicer?" He gave his brother an intense stare. "With the symptoms so vast and varied, is there not ONE certain way to know?"
Wakko grinned. "There sure is!"
"Then enlighten us, my brother! What do all splicers have in common?"
"All splicers crave ADAM! Don't matter how you look or how you act, once the cravings hit, you're a splicer!"
Yakko pulled himself off the table with a grin. "Now we turn to the defendent." He got in Jack's face and grabbed his hand, making Jack promise to tell the truth. "Have you now or at any time experienced ADAM cravings?"
The man could feel every eye in the room boring into him as they anxiously awaited his answer. "No, I do not have ADAM cravings," he said honestly.
Jack yelped as streamers and confetti exploded into the room, Dot crying out:
"CONGRATULATIONS, JACK WYNAND! YOU ARE NOT A SPLICER!"
He felt overwhelmed as Yakko, Wakko, and Dot danced around him in circles. On one hand, he felt relieved, but there was still doubt. "Bu-but I only just started splicing!" The statement drove everything to a screeching halt. Jack felt bad for ruining the happy moment, but before he could backtrack, Dot tutted. "Oh Jack, do you remember me saying 'court adjourned'?"
In a flash, all parties returned to their positions. "Wakko?" Yakko began, "How long does it take for ADAM cravings to set in?"
"A few days at the earliest. Ah, BUT!" Wakko stood on this chair interjecting Jack's interjection. "It depends on how much ADAM you take."
Jack cringed with dread but remained quiet as Yakko stroked his chin. "Can you describe what a person needs to take to get addicted in a few days? How many plasmids?"
"About two plasmids," answered Wakko with confidence. "I did many commercials where people were told to 'slow down' with their splicing."
Jack's jaw dropped and he stood up. "That can't be right!"
Ignoring the breach of protocol, Wakko gently responded. "It's the truth, Jack. Plasmids were expensive from the start. A person was lucky to get their hands on one."
"But, I…"
"How many plasmids have you taken, Jack?"
"...I think about…. ten, -ish?" He sank back into his chair.
Yakko spoke up. "Do you get it now Jack?" The three of them walked up to the man. "What you are able to do, it would be like drinking a full bottle of whisky without getting drunk." Jack's eyes snapped up at that, but Yakko wasn't done yet. "Like fighting three Mr. Bs' without dying." Jack made a face. "And because of that," Yakko concluded, "you are the best thing that ever happened to us!"
Jack squeezed his eyes shut. "You really mean that?" he asked breathlessly.
"Yes, really!"
"You're not just trying to butter me up?"
"How can we? We're fresh out!" insisted Wakko, showing Jack an empty butter churn.
"I admit, it's not a super high bar," offered Dot. Her brothers glowered at her. "Whaaat? It isn't! Think about it! All we had before was angry Hollywood directors. They locked us in the tower! Then O.C. kidnapped us." She amended, "At least, not for me. Yakko and Wakko met some nice grown ups here. But you totally beat Mister Bubbles in my book!"
"I'm sorry, what's this about a tow-"
"Please believe me, we wouldn't ask any more of you after you've given us so much already!"
Jack let out a breathy laugh. "Alright, alright! I'm not doubting you. I was only messing around."
"Oh!" Yakko let out an embarrassed chuckle. "I knew that."
"But you know," Jack said with a smile, "you've given me a lot, too! On top of all the help I've gotten, you make me laugh." He patted their heads. "Do you have any idea of how much I've needed that since coming down here?" He chuckled as the Warners blushed. "So, if you want to ask me something, ask away. Don't be afraid."
The Warners hesitated, while Jack smiled encouragingly. They exchanged glances with each other and Wakko removed his hat, holding it to his chest.
In unison, they pleaded. "Please, will you help us get home to Burbank, California?"
Jack answered without hesitation. "Of course I will!"
Amidst the onslaught of grateful hugs and happy tears, a memory flashed through Jack's mind. They told me, 'Son, you're special. You were born to do great things.' You know what? They were right.