Four x Reader [BFB]

Chapter 10 - Wonderstruck

"Umm...Four...that Loser is blue. I don't think he's the one we're looking for." X says softly, Four looking over at the small cerulean cube, who is struggling to get away. "Well, I think I like the Four-colored Loser more than the original Loser!" They say defensively, holding him out towards you. "Don't you agree, Y/N?" He asks, the blue Loser in his palm frowning. "Please help me." He whispers in a raspy voice. "X said our Loser was pretty close though. Wouldn't you prefer to have the original...for memories sake?" You ask, Four tapping his chin in ponderance. He eventually releases the struggling blue cube, looking around for the original instead. His eyes narrow at a cardboard box on the sidewalk not far from the alley, seeing a small yellow figure shuffling inside. In an instant, Four fades away, Lollipop groaning. "Now, where is he going?!" She huffs. Everyone seems rather exasperated searching for all the missing contestants already, though you seem to notice a pattern. Spongy and Taco were both found in one universe, as were Bubble and Ruby...Firey and Balloony, and now Lollipop and Blocky...

All the contestants seem to be found in pairs.

You look back over at X, feeling emboldened to ask him something. "Uh...hey, X? Do you mind searching for the contestant that's the closest to us?" X doesn't seem to really know how that's going to help the search for Loser currently, but nods and begins to fiddle around with the dial in his hands. "Yeah, I can do that." He says, humming as he flips through. "It says that Teardrop is also nearby!" He finally states, showing the distance on the device to everyone else.

"Well where could she be?" Taco asks, while Firey turns to look back at the crowd, pointing up to one of the large skyscrapers. "Umm...guys...I think I have an idea on where we could find her."

There, sandwiched between Loser Co. and Losercity Auto was Teardrop Comics, a tall building with a large screen advertising Teardrop's latest pirate adventure comic. "You know, I'm honestly not all that surprised TD would have made it big in the city." He states as everyone gathers around, gawking at the large building. "Huh...well, instead of waiting here for Four to bring Loser back, why don't we play our part and get Teardrop back ourselves?" Lollipop asks, the crowd cheering a "Yeah!" in unison, already starting to exit the alleyway. You bite your lip. Part of you feels like this isn't a very sound idea.

"Aren't you coming, Y/N?" Taco asks as she passes you. "You were the one who figured out there might be someone else here. We could use you."

"Well...I just worry how Four would feel if he comes back and sees that no one is here. I think he'd be a little upset. He couldn't have gone too far. Why don't we meet up with you all there when he's done?" You suggest, twiddling your thumbs nervously. The group seems to shrug towards one another, accepting it as a plan as they start to walk away. You stand idly by for several moments before starting to make your way towards the cardboard box that rested not too far away.

Four had teleported into the box, smooshing the inhabitant up against the side.

"Loser! There you are! I have been-..." He pauses immediately, noticing the contestant appeared to be in pretty bad shape. He has chips and scratches all along the surface of his body, dirt and mysterious stains found as well. "Four? You're here?" He asks the host. "I was beginning to think that I'd never see you again-" Part of him secretly felt that wasn't such a bad thing, but he wouldn't be telling Four that. "I'm so proud of you for finding me in this vast sea of blue lookalikes..."

Four could almost roll his eyes. This cube was so fake.

"Yeh. Anyway, we should get you back to the competition- and get you a bath while we're at it. Not gonna lie, Loser...you're sorta disgusting." He pressed against the sides of the box, tearing it clean open, the flaps falling down around them. Four dusted off the arm that Loser had brushed up against inside the box, about to move back to the alleyway before he sees you approach. He feels his chest tighten, happiness swelling at the feeling of you practically hurrying towards him. Did you miss him that badly already? "Y/N! Look who I found!" He grabs Loser's head and proudly presents him towards you, the yellow cube nervously smiling. Even his teeth were yellow and stained. He looked absolutely terrible.

"Oh! You found Loser! Great job, Four! So it turns out that Teardrop is here, too! The others are already going to get her!" Loser's smile wavers slightly. He was barely even acknowledged. Four sets him aside and leans forward, more excited by what you have to say than anything else going on.

"They are? Where are they right now?" He wonders You turn and point to the skyscraper behind you, Four tugging you into his side firmly and grabbing onto Loser's wrist. He lowers himself towards the pavement, bending his knees before leaping up into the sky. You can't help but squeal at the sudden height, clinging onto Four's side. He smiles at the feeling of you holding onto him for dear life. Once the fear passes, you notice that you're flying above the cityscape, glancing to Four with a trusting expression. He appears so confident and powerful like this, as if this were his element. You can't help but stare up at the algebralien, the two of you exchanging a prolonged gaze. If you still retained a heart in this object form of yours, it would surely skip a beat by the way he looks at you, utter happiness and gratefulness twinkling in his expression. You never imagined Four could look so soft like this and feel a strange, unfamiliar warmth burn in you. This moment, though it felt as if it lasted forever, becomes fleeting as you turn to look in front of Four, the skyscraper they were leaping towards quickly approaching. You squint your eyes shut tightly, bracing for impact.

Four bends their knees, kicking in the window. There is a loud shatter as the shards of glass fall around the three of you, not even so much as touching you as you land. The shards scatter in a perfect ring around you, you finally opening your eyes to see that you're safe and sound. The rest of the contestants stand in front of you at a large mahogany desk, Teardrop sitting behind it.

She's surrounded by stacks of money, wearing a clean black suit. "Oh, hey guys! We got Teardrop back!" Firey exclaims, gesturing to the girl in her chair. Teardrop nods happily, closing a suitcase full of bills.

"She's just signing the company over to her successor...we do have to take all of this money with us though. Don't know how we're going to manage that." Lollipop says with worry, looking over at the stacks.

"Say no more! The bank of Four is always open!" Four says as they step forward, rubbing their hands together before they inhale, the stacks of dollars flying into their mouth until the room is cleared of them. Teardrop looks worried for a moment, flailing her arms around towards Four, who squints. "Well, regardless of if you care or not, you're welcome to withdraw at any time! I'll only charge a minimal 4% fee...does that sound like a deal?"

Teardrop stands there with a suspicious squint. Well, she does have millions. What is a measly 4% fee to her? She finally nods once more and reaches out to give Four a handshake. It's a deal.

You scan the room, relieved, noticing all the smiling and friendly faces getting reacquainted with one another. After that moment of soaring through the sky with Four, you feel somewhat euphoric. You glance down at your hands, wondering how long it's been in this new body...and why it's starting to feel at home already.