Surprise! Two chapters for the price of one! In the previous chapter, Nori realized she may have misjudged Yakko and has decided to get to know him better. Well, she's about to get her wish, because Yakko is on his way home from the Halloween bash at Acme Loo, and he's about to get a surprise...

Man, whatta party, Yakko thought to himself as he made his way back onto the WB lot. The kids at Acme Loo really knew how to throw a shindig and throw it well, and he'd said as much to Buster upon entering the gym. The bunny and his girlfriend Babs were dressed like Frankenstein and his bride, and both were largely responsible for the spooky décor. Okay, mainly Babs; Buster was to thank for the numerous jump-scares planted around the gym – like the live bats that flew out of the ball closet and the dummy of Gossamer that popped out of a nearby coffin. Things had gone great and everyone was having a good old time until Elmyra Duff, moron that she was, tried to strangle Furrball in a "hug." The neurotic cat had tried to make California rolls out of his attacker (egged on by Montana Max), but Mary Melody intervened in time and managed to get Furrball soothed while Babs gave Elmyra a royal tongue-lashing. Thank God, Buster busted out the tunes and announced the dance contest, which saved the party from derailing.

When the announcement came, Yakko had to fight to keep his poker face on. The Acme Loonies knew him well, but not well enough to know he was darned light on his feet. Having been drawn in the 30s and sneakily kept up with the dance crazes over the decades, he had some fancy footwork at his disposal. A little Fred Astaire here, a little Gene Kelly there, and a whole lot of Michael Jackson on one particular song, and badda-bing, badda-boom! Yakko was going home with a shiny new trophy, a diabetic coma's worth of chocolate, and a heapin' helpin' of MJ, eat your heart out. Not to mention, bragging rights. I can't wait to show the sibs. Who knows, maybe Nori will even be impressed – finally.

He and Nori hadn't spoken since he hightailed it to the gym to melt down, and he'd been careful to avoid nursing a damaged ego and a big grudge. Honestly, though, Yakko was starting to think that maybe he'd had it coming. Considering the innuendoes he'd thrown at Nori, he couldn't blame her for wanting to get some revenge. Contrary to popular belief, he did have some self-awareness. It just needed a knock in the head to wake it up. Ah well, let's see what she's up to. I dunno about her, but I could sure unwind with a good scary movie and a bowl of popcorn swimming in butter. Trophy full of chocolate clenched in his tail, Yakko clambered up the water tower ladder and ventured inside.

The second he entered, he was greeted by the sound of Shania Twain singing how she was feeling like a woman. Hmm. There's only two people who could be listening to that, and considering it's Dot's beddy-bye time, it's gotta be Nori. Yakko tiptoed to the kitchen and peeked around the corner – and felt a grin split his face at what he saw.

Sure enough, Nori was listening to Shania's girl-power anthem and singing along, and she was dancing to the beat. She'd changed from her costume to jeans and a red shirt, and her feet were bare. He'd not seen the barefoot-blue jean look very much, but she rocked it. Her long hair was down and she tossed it every now and then as she sang, and she had a nice voice. But those dance moves… Nori was as fluid and solid a dancer as he had ever seen, keeping perfect time and never missing a beat. More to the point, he could tell that this was something she truly loved. With her bare feet, her loose hair, and her face glowing with joy, she was absolutely radiant. Yakko's heart thumped and his stomach did a couple of somersaults watching her, and he couldn't help feeling tickled when she gave her hips a little shake at one point. He had the feeling that she only did this when no one was watching and wondered if he should back away, but he couldn't will his feet to move; he was so mesmerized by her. She probably doesn't even know how beautiful she is, he thought, content to watch her… until the song came to an end. Nori belted out the last line and flung her hair behind her head – and, the second she saw Yakko peeking around the corner, let out a scream.

It was on the tip of Yakko's tongue to say Am I really that scary when it hit him, yes he was. He was still in his Halloween costume from the dance, a far different getup than his Tin Man outfit from trick-or-treat. "Whoa, easy!" He whipped off his top hat and peeled off the stick-on mustache. "It's just me, Yakko!" Realizing he was still holding his red-stained prop knife, he quickly stashed it in his pocket.

Nori's shoulders sagged and she sighed in relief. "Man, you scared me. I didn't hear you come in."

"Well, you did have music going," Yakko said, nodding at the radio on the counter.

Nori blushed and reached to turn the music down. "How much of that did you see?"

Now it was Yakko's turn to blush. He'd better phrase this carefully, or else she'd give him the cold shoulder and the hairy eyeball for the rest of their bet. "Enough to know you're a heck of a dancer," he said.

Nori shrugged. "Thanks. I'm okay. I mean, I'm good, but I'm no Ginger Rogers."

"Hey, I don't call myself Fred Astaire, either, but that don't stop me from cuttin' a rug."

Nori peered to his right and cocked a grin. "I guess that's what the trophy's for? If not, it's gotta be for scariest costume. What are you supposed to be?"

Yakko grinned. He was mighty proud of his costume. He was dressed in a suit straight out of the Victorian Age, complete with cape, top hat, mustache, and bloodstained knife – and a few more splotches of red on his clothes. "I was meeting a lady in Whitechapel. You do the math."

An understanding smile lit Nori's face. "So that makes you…"

Yakko pulled the knife out of his pocket, flipping it in his hand. "Yak the Ripper, yes ma'am," he said in a British accent. His heart felt like it could fly when Nori burst out laughing – a real belly laugh, not just an amused chuckle. "Yes! I made you laugh!"

Nori stopped chortling long enough to say, "If there's one thing I love, it's wordplay. And if it's good wordplay, it really tickles me."

Yakko didn't even feel a twinge when he heard the possible innuendo. He was just overjoyed that he'd finally made her laugh for real. "If you love puns, I got a whole repertoire. You oughta hear me when I get going. I yak and then some."

"How do you sound? Like a clown or a snake-oil salesman?"

"Clown. Although I have been known to make an asp out of myself." Nori began to laugh again, and Yakko guffawed right along with her until they were both wiping tears from their eyes. When he'd cleared his eyes up, he suddenly got a whiff of something buttery and warm. "You makin' popcorn?"

"Yeah, the old-fashioned way," Nori said, indicating the pot on the stove. "This is more like movie theater popcorn to me."

"I'll drink to that – if I had a drink."

"Don't worry, there's plenty of soda in the fridge." Nori paused and gazed at him for a minute. "Did you… want to watch a movie?"

Yakko's heartbeat kicked up a notch. Good night, she read my mind! And she actually wants to spend some time with me? Maybe I'm not such a frog to her after all. "Yeah! I was actually planning on it before you said something. What did you have in mind?"

"Gotta be something scary."

"Good, good. Slasher or psych thriller?"

"I was thinking both."

Now Yakko was getting excited. "You thinking Hitchcock? Psycho?" They said the movie's title together, which made them both grin. "All right! Gimme five, let me know you're alive!" He pretended to be hurt when Nori slapped his hand. "Take it easy! I need this hand!"

Nori grinned. "Hey, at least you know I'm alive. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, the way you're dressed."

Yakko slipped his toy knife into his pocket. "I'll go get changed. Don't start the movie without me." He hoofed it to his bedroom, wondering if his fortunes had finally turned. Nori was joking with him and laughing at his wordplay, and she'd actually asked if he wanted to watch a movie with her. Does this count as our first date? Nah, better do what Dot said and be her friend. She might like me better as a pal. Quickly, he shed his ripper outfit and hopped into his usual brown pants and belt, then beat feet, following the smell of fresh popcorn to the living room.

Nori was setting a bowl heaped with fluffy popcorn and two cans of Coke on the coffee table. The videotape of Psycho, bearing the image of a screaming Janet Leigh, lay nearby. "That was quick," she observed upon seeing him enter.

"Toon gift. We elevated the quick change to an art form." Yakko accepted the can of Coke she handed him and set his candy-filled trophy on the table. "Just in case you want some candy," he grunted amiably.

"You sure it's not to show off that hunk of gold?" Nori asked, but Yakko could tell she was teasing him, not slighting his ego. "What'd you win, anyway?"

"Dance contest at the party. I don't know about you, but I love dancing."

"Me too!" Nori's eyes sparkled. "I take ballroom and swing as one of my extracurriculars. I feel like I could fly when I dance. Always have."

Yakko took a seat on the couch. "You been dancing since you were a little thing?" he asked, cracking open the Coke.

"Yeah, but I took ballet and tap back then."

Yakko nodded in approval. "Dot's a good ballerina, and all three of us can tap."

"Did the studio teach y'all how?"

"Nah, we were drawn with it. The studio wouldn't waste the time." Yakko winced at the bitterness in his voice. "The rest we picked up over the years."

Nori, about to slide the tape into the VCR, paused. "You mean you kept tabs on the dance trends? How?"

"As Ms. Dubois once said, the kindness of strangers," Yakko said wryly. "Kinda-sorta kidding. Slappy kept us posted on current events and checked in on us, her and Bugs Bunny both. Thank God they did, 'cause they made sure my sibs were taken care of. If it'd been anyone else aidin' and abettin', Mr. Plotz would've had 'em fired quicker than you could say TNT. Bugs and Slappy were earning him gold back then and he didn't want to lose 'em."

Nori snickered. "Good to know his butt-kissing degree is good for something." She slid the tape in and pressed the Rewind button. "You know… I don't really know who you are."

Yakko chuckled. "Boy, if you don't know my name by now, something's wrong with this picture."

"No, I mean… sometimes, you're this smarmy little jerk, and other times, you're this amazing brother who loves his siblings and is just… so sweet. I can't figure you out, Yakko."

"Braver souls than you have tried," Yakko joked. "Hey, sometimes I can't even figure me out. But if you're up for a challenge…"

Nori smiled. "Challenge accepted." The tape finished rewinding and she pressed the Play button, then settled on the couch next to Yakko. "Help yourself," she said, placing the popcorn between them.

Another good double entendre opportunity, but Yakko let it go. "Thanks, Nori," he said simply, grinning when he got a smile in response. Bernard Herrmann's legendary score began as the black-and-white titles flashed across the screen, and Yakko grabbed a handful of popcorn, kicking back to enjoy the show.

Neither of them said much for the first hour, except for the occasional Hey, you want some more candy? Yakko kept his eyes glued to the TV, though he couldn't help sneaking glances at Nori now and then. She was watching the film intently but didn't appear to be scared. Good, he thought. He wasn't one for helpless little girls or drama queens. Even during the shower scene, she didn't flinch once. She merely reached for another handful of popcorn and ended up brushing Yakko's fingers with her own, as he'd reached in at the same time. Startled by the unexpected contact, Yakko yanked his eyes away from the bloody Bates Motel drain to look at Nori… and was amazed to see a blush coloring her cheeks. She'd also turned to him, but looked away quickly, reaching for her Coke can. I sure hope that's a good blush, not a disgusted one, he thought, his fingers still tingling from their touch.

A few more minutes of awkward silence passed until Nori decided to call an intermission. She paused the tape right after Norman Bates cleaned up the crime scene and rose from the couch. "I'm gonna get another soda. You want some more Coke?"

"Sure." Yakko likewise rose and followed her to the kitchen. "I, uh… I'm really having a good time. It ain't every day I meet a girl who loves old movies and horror."

Nori smiled. "I was raised on old movies. I went to see them at the Page in Luray when I lived with my dad, and we never missed the annual Monsterfest every October."

Yakko hopped up on the table while Nori opened the fridge and reached inside. "What was it like back there? Your old hometown, I mean."

Nori closed the fridge, two more Cokes in her hands. "Heaven on Earth," she said fondly, a smile sprouting as she recalled her past. "Wide open blue skies, lots of farms and fields, and mountains as far as the eye could see. Some mornings, Dad would wake me up early and take me up to one of the overlooks so we could see the valley covered in clouds. And sometimes we'd go up there at night, and that was magical. The valley was all lit up below, and above us was a sky loaded with stars." A sad sigh escaped her. "I haven't seen anything like that since I came here. The city lights are so bright, I can hardly see any stars."

"Yeah, well, you can thank Hollywood for that. The human stars don't like the real things outshining them," Yakko quipped, which made Nori laugh. "Kidding aside, that place sure sounds beautiful."

"It is. I loved it there. And you might have a point about the human stars not being outshone. My mother's the same way. Everything's always all about her. Even when I was little, she was trying to make me into what she wanted me to be."

Yakko raised an eyebrow, not sure he was going to like where this was going. He'd gotten snippets about Mrs. Bennett from previous conversations and it wasn't a pretty picture, and something told him the finished portrait would be even uglier. "What was that?"

Nori's returning smile was mirthless. "A perfect little princess. Lacy bows, frilly dresses, lots of pink and glitter."

"Which explains why you gave the Glinda costume the stink eye," Yakko concluded.

"Bingo. Not to mention there were the constant comments of girls don't get dirty, girls don't fight, girls don't play sports, and my personal favorite, don't read too much because men don't like smart women."

At that last comment, Yakko's eyebrows darn near touched the ceiling. Okay, I really don't like this woman, he thought, his ink simmering. "She said that to your face?"

"Yeah." Nori nodded grimly. "And the comments were always followed by some sugar slopping. Oh darlin', I'm only doing this for your good. Wear this, don't you want to be a pretty girl? Or the queen mother of sugar and drama, don't you think people will believe you don't love your mama if you don't do this for me? I love you; look at all I've given up for you." She sighed and cracked her soda can open, ripping the tab loose. "Mama's always known how to push buttons. Thank God Dad got us both away from it."

A smile quirked Yakko's mouth. As much as his ink was boiling to hear how Nori had been treated by her own mother, it was a relief to hear that her dad had stepped in. Given that Nori was very much her own person and not Mrs. Bennett's warped ideal, it didn't take a genius to figure out it was thanks to Mr. Bennett's influence. "Remind me to thank him someday. I'd like to shake his hand for getting you out of that mess."

Pain flicked across Nori's face and the hand holding her Coke trembled. "You'll have a hard time doing that since he's dead," she said bluntly.

Oh, man. Yakko's stomach knotted up and he yanked his foot out of his mouth – very literally. "Uhh…" He rubbed his ears back, beyond embarrassed. "I'm so sorry, Nori. What did he die of?"

Her expression softened. "It's okay. Heart attack two years ago – ran in his family. His dad died young from heart failure, too. And as soon as he was buried, Mama swooped in and packed me off to Los Angeles, and I've been here ever since, as her live-in maid."

Jeez Louise, this poor girl. Yakko had wondered if she was being picked on, but he had no idea it ran this deep, or that there was tragedy behind it. At least he and Wakko and Dot had had each other all these years; Nori really didn't have anyone to love her for the last two. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to take her hand in his, but he instead reached out and touched her forearm. "I didn't know. I'm sorry."

Nori gave him a grateful smile, her eyes wet. "It's not your fault. This isn't something I talk about very much."

Well, he could certainly relate to that. Yakko had been through his own share of pain before, and it wasn't easy to talk about – like reopening an old wound. And the thought that this girl could maybe, just maybe, understand how lonely and rejected he and his sibs had felt for years, because she'd felt the same way, was a balm to his soul. "And you told me just now," he said, not in any sarcastic way. "Why?"

This time Nori's smile was genuine. "Because this is the first time you've ever really listened and taken the time to get to know the real me." Shame then replaced the smile. "And… I owe you an apology."

Boy, this was a surprise. Nori Bennett, apologizing to him? "What for?"

"For picking at you after we made our bet, trying to get you to lose. I wasn't giving you a second chance, and that's not fair to you."

All Yakko could do for a good minute was gape at her in shock. She'd actually admitted she'd done him wrong, and was apologizing for it. If that wasn't strength of character, he didn't know what was. But then again, he hadn't exactly done nothing to warrant the treatment; he was toon enough to admit that. "Ah, truth hurts," he said, trying to have an aw-shucks attitude versus stunned silence. "I probably had it comin', after all the jokes I threw at you."

Nori shook her head. "It's no excuse. You've been trying to prove you're a good guy, and I didn't want to see it. Mama's been manipulating me all my life, and I told myself that's what you were doing. I was wrong, Yakko, and I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?"

Yakko met her eyes, his heart swelling with gratitude. No human had ever apologized to him for anything, and it felt wonderful. "You bet I will, if you'll forgive me for actin' like a jerk."

"You're not a jerk, you just… tried too hard to impress me," Nori said with a chuckle. "How about we start over? I don't know about you, but I could use a good friend." She held out her hand. "What do you think?"

Yakko grinned. Even if she didn't want to be his girlfriend, he was over the moon that she at least wanted to be his friend. "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," he said, grasping her hand and shaking to seal the deal.

Nori laughed. "Come on, Mr. Yakkart. We've got a movie to finish."

Yakko slid off the table and clucked his tongue. "Here's lookin' at you, kid," he said in his best Bogey, reveling in Nori's laughter as they went to finish their film.