Last time, Yakko had just had a little talk with Heloise following his meltdown over his bet with Nori, and he made a comment about Slappy not being up to mischief on Mischief Night. That's what he thinks. We catch up with Slappy, Scratchy, and Heloise in this chapter, and Nori comes to an important realization about Yakko.

Special thanks to my faithful reviewer Mr. Yaksalot for giving me some inspiration for this chapter and the next! I hope you like what I wrote for you!

Slappy stared down her opponent. They'd been going at it for the last hour, and now it all came down to this. One wrong move could mean the difference between duck soup and nuts. Being a squirrel, Slappy normally leaned toward the nuts, but this time, she was gunning for the quack attack. "Okay, pal. Are ya in or are ya gonna chicken out?"

"Pfui! No one calls me chicken."

"Then put your money where your mouth is. What's in that hand of yours?"

Her opponent smiled, his eyes glittering over his glasses. "Your vorst nightmare." He tipped his hand to reveal his arsenal. "Straight, in spades."

Slappy sighed. "Man. I got snake eyes." She grinned evilly and flashed the four aces in her hand. "Twice, sucker!"

"Mist!" Scratchy exclaimed, throwing down his cards while Slappy laughed. "I svear, you must haff cards up your sleeve."

"Ah, quit your carping and fork over that pile of sauerkraut you owe me," Slappy said, sipping her cider while Scratchy, grumbling under his breath, handed over the $50 ante they'd been playing poker for. "Heh-heh-heh. Trick or treat to me."

Scratchy raised his own glass to his lips and smiled. He couldn't stay mad at Slappy for long. Every year, they had a card game before the squirrel went home to give the Warners their Mischief Night snack. Last year, he'd won every hand of gin rummy they played and earned himself a nice roll of cabbage, so it was only fair that Slappy won this year's game of five-card stud. "So, do you haff any plans for tomorrow night?"

"Trick-or-treatin' with Skippy. Pray for me."

Scratchy chuckled. "I could say ze same. I'm going vith Nori and ze Varners."

"Oh, yeah. You're off to see the Wizard, ain't ya?"

"Ja. I really vill need courage."

"You'll be fine. From what I've heard, Nori's got a pretty good handle on them, and they took to her like a duck to water." Slappy smiled. "Although Yakko's probably ready to hit the ceiling by now."

She wasn't far off the mark. Scratchy spoke with Nori once a week to see how she was getting on, and the girl had last told him that Yakko was so far sticking to their bet. Granted, he was like a shaken bottle of champagne ready to blow, but he was sticking to it nevertheless. "I must give him credit: he's holding fast to his side of ze vager. I'm just verblüfft zat he's not gone completely cuckoo."

"You and me both, brother," Slappy said. She'd learned enough German during her friendship with Scratchy to know he meant flabbergasted.

As they were speaking, Heloise entered Scratchy's office, fresh from her workout in the gym. She had changed from her sweats into jeans and a blue shirt that brought out the color of her eyes – so Scratchy noticed. "Wonder no more, you two. I witnessed Three Mile Yakko in the gym earlier."

While Scratchy smiled and said a soft "Hello, Miss Nurse," Slappy said bluntly, "Spill, sister. Did he lose the bet?"

"No. He's still hanging in there, judging by the yelling he was doing about not being able to flirt."

Slappy sighed in relief. "Thank God. I've got a hundred simoleons ridin' on him makin' it to New Year's Eve. People underestimate that kid's stubbornness – he's about as hardheaded as Wile E. Coyote."

Heloise chuckled. "He's not as crazy, though. You know, when I asked him why he's so enamored of Nori, he only touched on her beauty once. He spent more time talking about her personality and how much she loves Wakko and Dot."

"Whoa, rewind and freeze," Slappy said, holding up her paws. "Yakko wasn't yammerin' about her face or other body parts?"

"Not a word."

Slappy dropped her paws, eyes wide. Not much could stun the old squirrel, but this did. "Oh, murgatroyd. He's got it bad."

"Vait a minute," Scratchy spoke up, holding up his own hand. "Do you two really think Yakko is in love vith Nori?"

"If not love, it's very strong like," Heloise replied. "Some men don't even realize they're in love until someone smacks them over the head with it."

Scratchy smiled. "Has anyone ever told you zat you're brilliant, Miss Nurse?"

Heloise waved him off. "Nonsense, Doctor. I just notice things, that's all."

"Vell, I think you are," Scratchy said, while Slappy smirked over her cider glass.

Heloise returned his smile. "And I think you're a sweetheart," she said, kissing the psychiatrist's cheek. "Is there any cider left?"

"In the fridge, Hel," Slappy answered quickly, before the nurse noticed the blush sneaking across Scratchy's face. "There's walnut pie on the counter and enough Halloween candy to send ya into sugar shock, plus there's a bunch of apples in the fridge."

Heloise nodded and made for the kitchen. "Are you staying to have some snacks with us, Slappy?" she called over her shoulder.

"Preciate the invite, but I've got a standing appointment with Yakko, Wakko, and Dot. They'll be over at my place after they've said hello and how'd-ya-do to Walter, Sid, and Beanie for me." Once Heloise was ensconced in Scratchy's office kitchen, Slappy hopped up and gave Scratchy a not-too-gentle knock upside the head.

"Ow! Vat vas zat for?" Scratchy asked, rubbing his scalp.

To knock some sense into that chrome dome of yours," Slappy retorted, folding her arms. "When are you gonna ask her out?"

"Shh! Sei still!" Scratchy shushed, his blush darkening. "She'll hear you!"

"And? You've been her friend all this time, and you've been moonin' over her since last year, when you finally woke up and realized she's a woman."

"Slappy, please! You make me sound so dirty!"

"Yeah, you're 'bout as dirty as a bottle of Clorox. Ask. Her. Out."

Scratchy was red as a beet, he was blushing so furiously. "I vill ven ze time is right."

"Faint heart never won fair lady, Scratchy. That's all I'm gonna say to ya." Slappy gave his hand a squeeze and said, "I'm outta here. Thanks for the cake," waving her won $50. On her way out of the office, she met Nori coming in and high-fived her. "Heya, Nori."

"Hey, Slappy. I've sent the kids over to Walter's place. Don't worry, they're armed with a few dozen eggs and a sequoia tree's worth of toilet paper, and Wakko's hauling his catapult along."

Slappy grinned. "I knew I liked you." She bade them all goodbye and left, leaving Nori to be hugged by Scratchy and Heloise.

"Sit down, liebchen," Slappy said, offering Nori a place on the couch. "Vould you like something to eat?"

"Yes, please. I did have dinner, but I've always got room for a snack. I managed to get a couple pieces of chicken before Wakko dumped the rest of the bucket down his throat."

"Zat boy's stomach is bigger zan his eyes, zat is for sure," Scratchy said as he arranged a slice of walnut pie, an apple, and some mini chocolate bars on a plate. "Is zis all right?"

"Perfect! Thanks, Scratchy." Nori smiled at him as he handed her the plate.

Heloise gave her a cup of cider and sat down beside her on the sofa. "How have things been going with the kids?"

"Pretty good. They do get a little crazy sometimes, but nothing bad. They just want to have fun. And for the first time in my life, I know what it's like to have little siblings." Nori smiled and dug into her pie. "I love Wakko and Dot to pieces. They're such sweethearts."

Heloise nodded. No surprise there – it was hard not to fall in love with the younger Warners. "What about Yakko?"

"Mmm." Nori grimaced. "I don't really know how to classify my relationship with him. I'd call it big sister and rotten little kid brother, but he's not interested in being a brother to me."

"Hence the bet." Heloise sipped her cider and gazed at Nori. "Speaking of which, how's Yakko been making out? I don't think he's ever had to keep a leash on his tongue for this long."

Nori was quiet for a moment, turning her apple in her hands. "He's holding on better than I thought he would. I thought for sure he'd crack after one day."

"Hmm. Has he had a lot of opportunities to break the bet?" Heloise knew she'd hit on something when Nori squirmed, an uncomfortable look on her face. "A lot of double entendres, maybe?"

Another grimace. "Quite a few."

"Accidental or intentional?"

Nori turned to face the nurse, a small smile tugging at her mouth. "You're on to me, aren't you?"

Heloise returned the smile. "Let's just say if this were a few years ago, and I was in your shoes, I would not have hesitated to give Yakko Warner a taste of his own medicine, especially if a big slice of humble pie was on the line."

Nori had the grace to look guilty. "He's just so darn cocky sometimes. I've seen how sweet he is with Wakko and Dot, so I know he's not totally stuck on himself. I just can't figure out why he acts like such a conceited jerk."

"Part of it is the time he was drawn in. A lot of the best comics of the 30s had the same kind of swagger, that proud-as-a-peacock attitude. If you've ever seen the Marx Brothers' movies, do you remember how Groucho was?" When Nori said yes, Heloise continued, "Yakko is very much the same way. I'm not condoning his behavior or making excuses, but I hope it gives you some context."

"Yeah, it does. What's the other part?"

Heloise shrugged and forked some pie into her own mouth. "The other part, Yakko's going to have to tell you himself. But I will say this: once a person can crack his shell and earn his trust, you'll see the real Yakko Warner – a young man who cares deeply about others and loves with every last drop of ink he has. He's had a devil of a time these last few decades, and it's a miracle that Dr. Scratchansniff and I have managed to get Yakko to open up like he has."

Nori paused with a mini Butterfinger halfway to her mouth. "You're talking about the years they were locked up, right?"

"Ja," Scratchy spoke up. "Think about it, Nori. Ze Varners were trapped in ze vater tower all zat time vith no one to take care of zem. Zey had to take care of zemselves, and Yakko has taken care of Vakko and Dot all zis time. He's had to be both vater und mater to zem."

Nori's expression now bore a hint of sadness. "Father and mother," she said softly.

"You understand, zen?"

"More than you know," Nori replied. Her face looked so remorseful that Scratchy wanted to ask her what she was thinking, but Heloise touched his forearm and shook her head. Perhaps she was right – now was not the time to pry.

"I haven't been giving him much of a chance," Nori confessed, looking up at her friends. "I just saw the opportunity to get back at him and I ran with it. He never took the time to get to know me, you know?"

"True, but did you take the time to get to know him? The real him, not the smarmy little flirt you think you know?" The words were spoken gently, but Heloise hoped Nori wasn't deaf to the directness behind them.

She wasn't. "No. If I'm being honest, I… I guess I provoked him after we made our bet." Nori flicked her eyes back up to two pairs of blue – Heloise's clear azure and Scratchy's deep sapphire. "I'm sorry, y'all."

Scratchy smiled. "It's appreciated, but vith all due respect, I don't think ve're ze ones who need ze apology, liebchen."

Nori nodded and Heloise put an arm around her. "It takes a strong person to admit when they're wrong. I hope you know that."

"Can you tell my mama that?" Nori said with a half-smile. "She thinks I'm the weak one."

Heloise chuckled and gave Nori a squeeze. "Sweetie, you are far from weak. Human, yes. Weak, no."

"She's right, you know," Scratchy said. "Ve're all human – even toons. Zat's vhy ve're here for you."

"Mmm-hmm. We make each other better." Heloise took Scratchy's hand at this, and the psychiatrist blushed like a rose. Heloise's own cheeks flushed a pretty shade of pink. She'd always loved him as her friend and admired his honesty and sweet personality, and had wondered if their friendship could bloom into something more. If he was blushing so, perhaps it could…

"Uh, do you guys want to be left alone?"

Heloise and Scratchy both looked to Nori, who was flashing them an impish smile. They let go of each other's hands – Heloise with an ahem; Scratchy with an awkward rub of his nape. Thankfully, Nori didn't tease them about it.

"I'll talk to Yakko tomorrow, don't worry. Thanks for being so great to me," she said, wrapping each of them in a hug before heading to the kitchen for another drink. Halfway, she paused and said, "Just so y'all know, you're really cute together."

Heloise's eyes widened. Nori clearly didn't mean it in a catty or teasing way, but the frankness caught the nurse off-guard. To her right, poor Scratchy's eyes had bugged so much, his glasses were dangling from one ear. Once Nori was in the kitchen, Heloise reached up to fix his glasses, perching them back on his nose.

"Danke," he said softly. He rubbed the nape of his neck again. "I'm sorry about zat, Miss Nurse."

"About your glasses?"

"Nein, about Nori thinking ve vere…" Scratchy flushed again. He didn't want to finish the sentence, he was so embarrassed. He felt a hand slip into his and squeeze, and he looked up into Heloise's lovely, smiling face.

"I'm not," she said, taking his other hand.

Scratchy glanced at their joined hands and back into her sky-blue eyes, his heart leaping. And to think he'd been hesitant in showing his feelings for her, when she'd felt that way about him, too. I wonder how she'll feel about New Year's Eve? he thought, but quashed the urge to ask her. For now, he was happy to just sit in the quiet and hold her hands.

If the Warners intended to party like it was 1999, they were taking Prince's command seriously. Nori had never had so much fun trick-or-treating in her life, and it was thanks to the talent of Yakko, Wakko, and Dot. The neighborhood had gotten a huge kick out of the five of them – the siblings, Nori, and good old Scratchy – in their Oz costumes, and the three kids were only too happy to indulge them. They sang songs from the movie, they danced, and Dot got more than one request to click her heels together and say "There's no place like home." The siblings and their proud chaperones were showered with candy: M&Ms, Snickers, Skittles, Ring Pops, Fun Dip, Blow Pops, and enough Bubble Tape to airlift them to Timbuktu. One person loved Wakko's Scarecrow song and dance so much, she dumped a whole bowl of peanut butter pumpkins in his bucket, much to Wakko's joy and his siblings' astonishment. Fortunately, Dot later got the same treatment when she sang her rendition of "Over the Rainbow," as did Yakko's crooning "If I Only Had a Heart," complete with Tin Man moves.

It blew Nori's mind how the studio had wasted these three. Their talent was extraordinary – not only were they funny, quick-witted, and clever; they were incredible singers and dancers. They could have been huge stars, so why lock them up? Were they really as bad as the tabloids had reported? Was someone jealous of their unique gifts? Or was there another reason behind their six-decade imprisonment? There were far more questions than answers, and Lord knew Nori wanted the answers. But Heloise had a point. Only one could give her the answers, and so far, he wasn't talking. Not about that, anyway.

They'd been so busy with trick-or-treating that Nori hadn't found a moment to talk to Yakko about their relationship. He'd been friendly enough when she arrived at the studio and didn't seem mad at her, but she had the feeling that he was keeping his distance from her – emotionally, if not physically. The thought made her heart twist. He'd been trying his darndest to honor their bet, and what had she done? Goad and try to manipulate him into a loss, so she could revel in the humiliation of what she perceived to be a selfish little perv. And if she really had misjudged him, like Heloise said…

God, forgive me, Nori prayed silently as she changed from her Glinda dress into her own comfy clothes. They'd returned to the tower minutes ago, hauling enough candy to fill Fort Knox, these thoughts and more racing through Nori's mind. Mama's been a manipulator and a button-pusher all my life, and I'm ashamed to admit I'm more like her than I thought. What do you want me to do? What would Dad think if he could see me now?

The answer to that question came clear as a bell. I know you're better than this, Nori, honey, he'd have said, those brown eyes of his disappointed. Just 'cause a book might look a little funny on the outside doesn't mean it's not wonderful on the inside. You never know what someone's going through. That's why we always show kindness to others. A little bit of kindness can make a big change in someone. You've got a beautiful heart, darlin', he'd say, hugging her close. Don't be scared to show it.

Nori wiped away a tear thinking about this. At times like now, she missed her father more than words could say. He'd have been disappointed for sure, but then he'd have told her how much faith he had in her. And she knew she had to have that faith in herself. I'll make things right, Dad. I promise. She hung up her costume and went back to the kitchen – but found only two Warners. Wakko and Dot were sitting at the table counting up their Halloween booty; Yakko was gone. "Did Yakko leave already?"

"Yeah, he had to jet for the party at Acme Loo," Dot said, piling all of her bubblegum in once place. Ring Pops adorned her fingers and a candy necklace hung from her neck. "Don't worry; he'll be back later."

Nori turned to Wakko, who had stacked up all of his peanut butter pumpkins and was now tearing into a packet of Fun Dip – the blue raspberry kind. "You would find that stuff first. You're gonna have a rainbow tongue by the time your brother gets home."

Wakko stuck out his tongue, which was solid blue at the moment. "I'm blue da-ba-dee," he said proudly. He then grinned, revealing a row of blue teeth.

Nori laughed. "You're a red-hot mess, and I love you for it," she said, motioning for the middle Warner to give her a hug. Wakko discarded his Fun Dip and jumped into his babysitter's arms for the cuddle, snuggling into the hug. "That's why I'm your favorite," he said.

"Hey! I thought I was your favorite," Dot protested.

"No, I'm her favorite!"

"I am!"

"Cool it, guys! I don't have a favorite," Nori clarified, trying to keep peace. "I love you both just the same." She set Wakko down and scooped Dot up, giving her a turn for some snuggles.

The Warner sister cuddled for a moment before looking up at Nori. "What about Yakko? Do you love him too?"

Nori's stomach gave a lurch. How was she to answer that? To say she didn't love him would sound mean, and Lord knew she didn't want to break Wakko and Dot's hearts by saying that. They adored their big brother, and they would think she hated him. Truthfully, she didn't hate Yakko. It was his behavior she couldn't stand.

As if she could read Nori's mind, Dot said, "I know Yakko can be a pain in the butt sometimes, but you don't know him like we do."

"Yeah," said Wakko. "He took care of us when no one else did. And he's always believed in us."

"He kept us from feeling lonely. And when you're locked up for sixty years, that ain't easy. He's been the best big brother in the world."

"And daddoo."

Dot grinned at Wakko. "And daddoo. You said it, Wak." She then turned her smile on Nori. "You and Yakko might not have gotten off on the right foot, but I hope sometime soon, you'll love him as much as we do."

Nori smiled. Despite being the youngest of the siblings, Dot had remarkable perception – and she was forthright without being mean or catty, which Nori greatly appreciated. "I hope so, too," she said honestly, giving Dot an extra squeeze. "And for now… let's put your candy away and get ready for bed."

Wakko groaned. "Oh, come on! Just one more pack of Fun Dip?"

"Or a few Twizzlers?" Dot asked, holding up a packet of strawberry licorice.

Nori laughed. "All right, one Twizzler each. Any more, and y'all will be bouncing off the ceiling."

"Give us a break. We do that even when we're not full of sugar," Dot said, biting into her licorice stick.

"I thought we were full of sugar," Wakko said with his mouth full.

"You're full of something, but I don't think it's sugar," Nori teased, laughing when Wakko and Dot piled on her and they collapsed to the floor in a giggling heap of arms and legs. Once they'd calmed down, she got them to put away their sugar stash and brush their teeth, then it was off to bed after a bedtime story (Nori was reading Peter Pan to them, a chapter a night).

After she was sure they were off to the land of Nod, Nori went back out to the kitchen. A good horror flick was calling her name, so she needed popcorn and a soda. A little chocolate wouldn't hurt, either, she thought as she turned on the radio and danced to a favorite about Motown soul.