Glad to be back everyone! Thank you for those who have reviewed and all the readers. You guys are great! I'm glad to announce the next chapter is here and ready to be read. So people grab your snacks and get ready to relax because we're moving onto the next chapter. Enjoy! :)

CHAPTER 10: NEEDING ANSWERS

"The lights go down and I can't be saved. Tides that I tried to swim against have brought me down upon my knees…"

Yakko watched the toon as strummed his fingers against the strings of his wooden guitar, playing softly as he murmured the lyrics loud enough for him to hear. This was the fifth song Zekko had played on that guitar of his and all really Yakko could do was watch. He wished he would stop playing, but not because it was bad. Surprisingly, for a guy with a high pitched voice, his singing was as least normally pitched and in good rhythm. It was both low yet, pleasantly gentle.

"...Confusion that never stops. The closing walls and ticking clocks gonna come back and take you home. I could not stop, that you now know…"

With a frustrated sigh, Yako leaned against the back of his chair.

Brothers…

Who would've thought such a simple word be very difficult to understand. Keeping his gaze on the toon Yakko's brow furrowed. It's what the guy had said and Yakko was very hesitant on the matter. Well there's no reason to not be really. He barely knows this guy and now he tells him they're brothers? Either Zekko's never heard of tact or he's just pulling on Yakko's leg here. Before the guy had begun playing his guitar, Yakko had been insistent on wanting answers. Zekko was being stubborn and wouldn't answer him. At one point Yakko had gone past the point of being frustrated and was down right angry. Already in no little time at all was he being denied of so many things. He's already limited on where he was, where his sibs were, and when he would be able to leave this place with them!

Maybe it had been Yakko's angry tone of voice, but even Zekko had enough. The toon had been completely silent, refusing to answer him, when he then abruptly snapped at Yakko. There was this anger in the toon that completely took Yakko back. He had maybe expected annoyance from his questions, but all he got was complete rage. Zekko went off, actually yelling at him for a good while. Yakko didn't get much of what he said, he had been yelling to the near point of being intelligible, but enough to know Zekko sick of the questions and if Yakko dared to ask him another one he would personally make Yakko's time here a living nightmare. Zekko would have gone on if someone from the outside hadn't yelled at the toon to keep it down. Yakko watched as Zekko's rage seethed in him until he calmed down far enough where he wasn't breathing hard. Once he did Zekko snapped his gaze to Yakko. There was still anger in him, Yakko could tell by his stare, but it looked more like frustration. Zekko told him in a low and very controlled tone that if Yakko didn't stop with the questions he would regret it.

As much as it was an empty threat something told Yakko he wouldn't want to find out if it was. After he gave a nod, Zekko acknowledged the nod and walked back to the corner bed without a sound. Yakko chose to confine himself to his chair. From there he watched Zekko then pull out a guitar from out of nowhere when he reached under the bed and began tuning it. It was a nice maple wooden one, a classic model really. Although Yakko could tell not all Zekko's stream from his angry outburst had left, he was being especially careful to not take out his anger on the guitar, taking his sweet time to not accidentally dent the tuning knobs or even break the strings on the guitar itself.

"...And nothing else compares. And nothing else compares. You are….you are…"

Since then not much has been said between the two toons. Zekko was insistent on making sure of that and kept on playing that guitar of his, quickly changing to another song when one ended. If Yakko thought he might have an opening he was quickly shot down when Zekko ignored his attempt and played on much to Yakko's frustration. If there was two things that Yakko could explicitly say he hated it was not talking and secondly being ignored. Zekko was doing both and it was getting on his nerves.

"...home, where I wanted to go. Home, home where I wanted to go. Home, home where I wanted to go…"

With the final strums against the strings Zekko ended the song on a quiet note, finally opening his eyes after having them closed throughout the entire song. His gaze only met Yakko's for a second before he frowned and then looked to his guitar beginning to adjust the strings once more.

"It's rude to stare-" Zekko stopped in mid sentence taking his time to clear his throat as Yakko raised an eyebrow. It sounded just the slightest hoarse and rough. He never got to dwell on it as Zekko finished clearing his throat up and looked back to Yakko.

"Might as well take a picture." Zekko retorted sounding like his normal self once again. "It'll last longer."

"Oh so you only talk if I'm bothering you is that it?" Yakko retorted, crossing his arms. "Should've tried that earlier, could've saved me the concert."

Zekko scowled. "Shut up Warner."

"Why don't you Warner?" Yakko shot back glaring at the guy.

Zekko, surprisingly, actually shut his mouth once the words left Yakko's mouth. Lips in a thin line Zekko slowly let his guitar return back to it's place under his bed and keeping his controlled stare on Yakko he sat up. Almost curious to what he was doing Yakko also kept his stare on the psychotic toon. He didn't have much trust in this guy and if he was going to go off in another rage outburst might as well be cautious. Zekko simply walked from his bed to the glass wall in the room and leaned against it, arms crossed over his chest.

"I swear if you weren't my brother I'd have already gone past my level of controlled anger by now." Zekko hissed sending daggers at Yakko.

Yakko stare could only reflect disbelief. "Might wanna rewrite your definition of controlled anger there." He crossed his arms. "And by the way you have no right to call yourself my brother."

Zekko gave him a look. "Oh what? Now I need your blessing or something stupid like that? Honestly Yakko...I thought you'd be smarter than that."

Yakko narrowed his eyes. "What does that mean?"

Zekko scowled. "Nothing of it since you're too blind to face the truth."

"What truth?!" Yakko cried out in outrage standing up from his seat. "How can I even know what's supposed to be the truth if you won't even answer my questions?!"

"Hey!" Zekko yelled feeling angry. "I can't even answer your questions if I want-"

Zekko cut himself off in mid-sentence and his hands both clenched into fists. Yakko could see the anger and complete frustration in his expression. Zekko stomped over to the bed and gave it a good kick.

"AH!" Zekko yelled out in pain dropping onto the ground on his rear clutching his throbbing foot. "Stupid metal bed framing! Argh!"

"What on earth are you doing?' Yakko asked in complete bewilderment to why Zekko would do that in the first place.

Zekko grinded his teeth, not even looking towards Yakko.

"...I'm gonna kill you Plotz….painfully and slowly…."

Yakko snapped his head up. What had he said?

"Plotz?" Yakko questioned. He looked at the toon suspiciously. "How do you know Plotz?"

What made Yakko even more suspicious was how Zekko froze at the question, not even complaining about his foot. Zekko let his foot drop back down to the ground as he shook his head slowly.

"Um...who's Plotz?" He lamely said not meeting Yakko's gaze.

Yakko gave him a look. "You're kidding me right? I know what you said, don't hide it Zekko. How do you know Plotz?"

Zekko scowled glaring in Yakko's direction. "I have no idea what you're talking about so quit the interrogation!"

"I'm not stupid Zekko." Yakko said glaring at the toon. He was tired of this guy's stubbornness. Did he really think he could let something like that slip by so easily?

Once more did Zekko's lips go into a thin line, his expression completely blank. He turned his gaze to the floor and scoffed.

"Don't think I don't know that?" Zekko said flatly casting a glance to Yakko.

Ignoring Yakko's confused look, he stood to his feet. Zekko reach into his jacket and pulled out a toy yo-yo, letting the toy unroll and drop before it just as quickly came back up into the toon's hand. He continued this motion for the next five seconds before looking back to Yakko.

"You still want answers?"

Yakko looked to Zekko, seeing the complete seriousness of his expression. He nodded. Zekko narrowed his eyes and caught the yo-yo back into his hand.

"Then don't ask me."

Zekko lifted a hand as Yakko opened his mouth. "I'm not one you should be asking Yakko."

Yakko crossed his arms. "Then who?"

Zekko chuckled, but there was no humor in his voice. "You already know who."

KLANK-CREAK

Both toons looked to the door at the sound. Just as quickly did both shield their eyes as the light from outside made it's way into the dark cell. As footsteps made their way into the cell Yakko lowered his hand to see the silhouette of someone walking in.

"Yakko Warner?" a voice called out.

Yakko's eyes adjusted and he saw a guard walking up to the glass wall.

"Yes?" Yakko answered cautiously.

"I'm here to escort you out." The guard answered as he began punching in numbers to a keypad Yakko hadn't seen. "You've been called for release."

"Why Robert!" Zekko suddenly exclaimed shining that wicked smile of his. "It's been so long! How've you been?"

"Better off." Robert flatly said.

Zekko made a gagging sound and placing his hands to his neck in a choking motion. He then dropped backwards onto his bed. With a gasp of air Zekko then as quickly sat back up grinning.

"Gee Robert talk about tact." Zekko drawled. "Got me dying over here. You can at least be somewhat glad to see me."

Robert didn't even smile. Zekko just rolled his eyes.

"Now that's the spirit." He sarcastically said.

With a hiss a portion of the wall of glass swung open acting as a door. Yakko was near surprised to see this. As the room had been so dark he had completely missed this door hidden within the glass wall.

"If you'll come with me-" Robert the guard said as he gestured out the door. "-I'll take you from here."

"What about my siblings?" Yakko asked remembering the situation.

"They're already waiting for you." The guard answered.

Yakko felt relieved when he said that. They were okay.

"Well I guess this is the end of the era."

Yakko turned to find Zekko lying on his bed hands behind his head with his legs hanging off the mattress. His expression completely unreadable.

"I don't expect any visits." Zekko said sitting back up. He shrugged. "Never have, never will."

With a grin he laid back against the wall propping his legs onto the bed. "But hey ever bored then I don't mind a visit. Be nice for a change to have company."

Yakko looked at the toon weirdly. Why was he saying this? First of all for the whole time he's been here not once did they get along. Now he acts like they're old buddies? Guess there's a reason why some call him psychotic...or at least not completely sane if we're being polite here.

"Uh sure." Yakko finally said before walking to the door.

"By the way…."

Yakko looked back. Zekko's grin was gone and his expression replaced with a more distant look as he stared to the opposing wall.

"...count your blessings Yakko."

Zekko glanced to him.

"Someone's got to."

Yakko blinked, unsure how to respond to that. He sounded so….serious. Not one trace of humor or even sarcasm went into that sentence. So Yakko only acknowledged it with a nod and followed the guard through the glass door.

"See ya around Warner." Zekko said finally.

Yakko nearly missed it, but saw it just as the guard was closing the door to the cell. What he caught sight of was the cunning and devious grin on Zekko's face. With a clank the door closed and the guard gestured a confused Yakko down the hall. Only hesitating for a second he followed, wondering why on earth had Zekko grinned like that.

Something told Yakko he would find out why very, very soon.

Looks like another happy reunion!...or is it? Just what answers will Yakko find? Will this change things for our favorite trio? Is some buried secret about to come erupting up or is this author trying to mislead you? Hmmm? WELL...thanks for reading! The Queen has left the building! Bye! :)