Chapter Thirty-five: Escape

As Quasar had feared from the night before, a thick layer of snow had dominated all the eye could clearly observe for only ten meters. While heavy snow showers brought enough torture to them, every soul who occupied a formerly warm portion of their surrounding forest now claimed to have been completely bothered even further, especially when visibility had weakened drastically. Enough danger had been given to each and every soul of Animaniacs and those of Big Bang Industries, but a snow hurricane was beyond all conceived doomsday scenarios.

"Great!" Yakko yelled in retaliation, "We're all going to freeze to death! How are you going to get us out of this one Quasar?"

In his state of anger, he held his hands out in a fashion that could suggest he was going to unleash some unfriendly claws and tear at Quasar's body. It would only be during a snow storm or any nature related dangers when Yakko would be willing to tear at someone's body with claws, just to get his point across. He was highly concerned about the health of his younger siblings and to the health of his fellow Animaniacs 'maniacs'.

Being stuck within a disastrous storm brewed up by mother nature, Quasar couldn't formulate a mental picture that would reveal a safe and reliable means of escape, at least one that would suit everyone and not just himself. Sure there were numerous caves that he could survive in alone that also hosted King Spiders, it wasn't promising to suit anyone else. And among all his worries, Minerva and Mindy were high priority figures that he worried over the most; he worried about Minerva because he loved her and he worried about Mindy because she was young and defenseless against any dangers.

Though Quasar couldn't answer straight away, patience was dwindling, enough for some to start formulating their own escape plans. However, the probability of surviving through such storms without experts around seemed extraordinary, near impossible at best. Those uncertainty levels were highly uncomforting to even conceive or even risk taking.

As there was a heavy sheet of snow covering all of the surrounding land, not to mention a developing layer of ice, it had become apparent that something important was missing.

"Alright, I think I know of a way to get us all out of this mess," Quasar hollered over the falling snow, "Has anyone seen the train?"

With accumulation exceeding two feet, it was increasingly difficult to even make out differing objects without deep thought. And amongst all the difficulties that had been noticed, it only got worse as there were barriers of snow and ice forming between every scorpion tree surrounding them. Those walls stood no higher than ten feet higher than Ralph's head and sported figures that resembled machinery and natural barriers equally.

In divided groups, every adult started digging through snow and ice with a sense of complete fear. Of those who dug into those barriers of snow and ice, none could outmatch the fearsome pace that Raccoon Joe and Swifty Steve were handling. Both had been experts on drilling through most surfaces at unbelievable rates, snow and ice being no exception.

"Let's keep it a comin'," Raccoon Joe yelled over to Swifty Steve.

"Hurry it up Raccoon Joe and Swifty Steve," called a voice from under the wall of snow and ice, "The 2500 and I are buried here!"

The voice had radiated from that wall of snow and ice with reasonably poor production of sound waves. But it was quite enough for Raccoon Joe's sensible ears to pick up. Though his ears were huddled inside his weathered cowboy hat, his ears shot upward after hearing this strange voice. Both ears had exerted enough force against his hat to lift it aloft as though it were a rocket, though it landed atop of that wall separating the raccoon and that strange voice.

As though that hat were everything to him, Raccoon Joe could only grind his teeth against each other in frustration. The cold weather and snow began gnawing at his ears with unbearable vengeance.

However, he soon forgot about his ears and refocused his attention on finding this stranger buried inside that towering wall of snow and ice.

"Listen, part'," the raccoon yelled toward the wall, "my friends here can't hear ya', so I recogn' that you start radiatin' more of them messages."

As he yelled commands toward 'his' wall, he could easily tell that attention drew towards his general direction. Many felt that Raccoon Joe had gone completely insane or couldn't think straight with high speed winds echoing around them.

But within an instant second after giving out further commands to the buried stranger, a sudden burst of steam exploded through the wall of snow. Water vapor quickly spread from a short chimney and two medium sized cylinders in vertical and horizontal directions respectively. And for Raccoon Joe and Swifty Steve, both of whom were standing (or floating) near the source of steam, they soon became showered in cinders. Not only had they become showered in cinders, but everyone else who stood there became showered as well.

After their showering session had seized, the steam slowly faded away, revealing a pure mess. Raccoon Joe and Swifty Steve were covered in enough cinders to have considered them cinder-men or simply snowmen with cinders as a supplement. As with the others, they too were covered in cinders, though not at a quantity to compare to either their raccoon or space-snake friends.

"Ziss is quite enough for me," Dr. Scratchansniff complained.

Wakko replied as he pulled out two carrots and four shirt buttons, "I'll agree with you there Scratchy, though I can say I'll have fun with these two...."

With a desire for some humor, the little Warner boy placed one carrot and two shirt buttons on Raccoon Joe's face. He placed his one carrot where the raccoon's nose should be and the two buttons around the eyes. At first, the carrot wouldn't stick properly on the raccoon's face as it would fall off. However, with some special dough that he managed to pull out from his gag bag, Wakko succeeded in making a snowman.

Taking his 'snowman' by what appeared to be 'his' stomach, Wakko turned Raccoon Joe around for everyone to see. First, complete silence loomed across the frostbitten air, only to build up in laughter from the Warner's siblings, the Nelson brothers, Lena, Minerva and Quasar. Some others could only chuckle under their hands, or completely howl with enough laughter to pass out in Pinky's case.

Proceeding away from Raccoon Joe and toward Swifty Steve, the Warner boy held his lastly remaining carrot and pair of shirt buttons at the ready. This would mark his second successful attempt at building a cinder-man once completed.

However, Swifty Steve rang out, "Don't you even think about putting those objects onto my face. Besides, shouldn't we be more concerned about unburying the 2500, whatever it may be?"

While Wakko had completely ignored Swifty Steve and began organizing a second cinder-man, Quasar and the Nelson brothers were busily shoveling through thick snow that buried the 2500. There was no further time to go into waste with poorly designed jokes, they had to find shelter and quickly before everyone froze to death.

"Did he just say 'freeze to death'?!" Lincoln asked in a worried state.

Tom replied, "God damn Lincoln, just dig; its either dig out this machine or everyone's lives at stake!"

"Well said and done," Miles remarked.

"Don't even start," Tom barked.

Since the moment Wakko had childishly decorated Raccoon Joe with carrots and buttons, the Nelsons and Quasar had been working through frigid snow, with their hands turning tomato red.

Overhearing their slow, but steady, progress, Raccoon Joe felt an urge to assist them with whatever strength was left over from his previous high speed drilling through the thick snow. He brushed Wakko's carrot and shirt buttons off his face with a single swipe from his left hand. Clearing his face from invading objects, he rubbed whatever amounts of cinders from his eyes. It wasn't much, for he could clearly open his eyes without pain after five seconds of rubbing them clear.

Fully able to return to digging through snow and ice, he darted over, nearly knocking over Wakko and Swifty Steve as he did. However, being overconfident with speed and distance, he collided, head on, with a driving wheel of the 2500.

"Did he say that he was from Texas?" Yakko asked, "I'm getting the suspicion that he's truly from Russia...."

"Why's that?" Dot asked.

"Well - everyone there is in a rush there!" Yakko replied, "Get it, Rush-a...."

"Can we have some help here?" Miles yelled over his shoulder, "We'd be able to find shelter faster if we can release the train faster."

Hours had passed, but at last and with triumph, they were ridding along a snow covered rail line while aboard the 2500 and its lone flatcar. It had been discovered that Processor 0.9 had radiated the distress calls from under that wall of snow. In many respects from every soul, they were all grateful that Processor had requested for help.

Speeding along that snow covered rail line, they were traveling at eighty miles an hour, though Quasar and Tom were trying everything they could dish out of their minds to reach 100 miles an hour. Both figured pacific type (4-6-2) steam locomotives were capable of exceeding 100 miles per hour, especially when considering the 126 mile per hour record by the Mallard of the United Kingdom.

"Perhaps we could throw in some nuclear material," Tom speculated.

Hearing the speculation, Raccoon Joe pulled a guitar out from Wakko's gag bag and started singing, "Hiroshima..., Nagasaki..., Alamogordo..., Bikini...."

"Forget it!" Quasar answered, "We're steadily approaching our destination."

"Well, where are we going Quasar?" asked Minerva while holding onto Quasar's left shoulder.

"The Mountain Junction Station is where we're headed Minerva, and it is there were every last one of us will stay warm and cozy throughout this murky storm."

End of chapter note:

This concludes Animaniacs of Freedom Two - Part 1. I'm sorry if this isn't a good ending, but I felt an urge to rush this one. Expect the sequel, Animaniacs of Freedom Two - Part 2, later this year. From here until summer of this year, I'll be undergoing a dormant state in writing stories for this site.

I must also apologize for any humor that I have used that might be offending on international terms. If there's anyone who feels completely offended by my humor, just let me know immediately and I'll attempt not to follow the same humor formula in the sequel.

And finally, to all fans of Minerva Mink, I greatly apologize for the unexpected pregnancy of the character, but the sequel will explore the reasons as to why Minerva and Quasar went ahead and 'did it'.

From the Animaniacs, the Nelsons, Lena, Quasar, Raccoon Joe and Swifty Steve, they wish you all a safe and pleasant night. Good night everybody!