The Broken Toy

08/13/2017

Kitten was lying on his back in the middle of his room. Hands folded over his stomach. Eyes closed. The cold of the floor was seeping into his bones, but that was exactly what Kitten wanted. He was experimenting.

Exactly nine days ago Kitten something completely baffling had happened. It had been a bad day, but that didn't feel as nearly as important now. What felt important was the fact that, after Anti had left, Kittens wounds started to heal. Of course, they did that anyway, but it had started immediately. Even now, the deep cut in his forearm had begun to scar over. His head didn't hurt nearly as much as it should have. And there was a warm feeling in his chest.

That was what he was testing. The warmth, Kitten had noticed, seemed to get stronger when he was cold. It tingled. The feeling of the warmth flowing through his veins. There was a strange sense of comfort in lying there. The tingle spreading down his limbs. Chasing away the cold. Filling every inch of his being with, what felt like, pure light.

Kitten sat bolt upright. The warm feeling shattered and was replaced with a growing sense of fear. He could hear glitches. Loud ones. Heading towards his door.

Kitten shuffled back. Pushing himself against the wall. Eyes focused on the door as the static reached its crescendo. He swore he heard somebody yelling. A voice he didn't recognize. And then. Just like that. Anti passed by. The glitches becoming quieter as he moved on down the hall.

Kitten breathed a soft sigh of relief. He relaxed slightly. Arms and legs uncurled into a more comfortable position. Head rested lightly on the wall. Eyes closed. He reached inside. Feeling around for that spark of warmth from before. Slowly but surely finding and returning each piece to where it belonged. Hours passed as he fiddled with the warm ball of power in his chest. Trying his best to unlock its secrets. He was so caught up in his task that he didn't hear the glitches returning down the hall. Didn't recognize the signs.

The door hit the far wall with a loud clang. Startling Kitten out of his meditative state. Loud static burrowed into his mind and he panicked. He threw his hands up in a desperate attempt to protect himself from what was coming. And instinctively tugged on the warmth in his chest.

A beam of blindingly bright light shot from Kittens hands. Clipping Anti's side and burning a charred black spot into the wall next to the door. The glitching stopped. Entirely. Anti's face was a picture of shock and pain. Kitten stared at his hands. Not quite believing what had just happened.

Anti spun on his heel and walked out of the room. Slamming the door shut behind him. Kitten shivered. The warmth he had been gathering was gone. He had thrown it all at Anti. He had attacked Anti. He had Attacked Anti. Now he wasn't just shivering from the sudden cold.

In what felt like no time at all, the glitching had returned. And with it came Anti. His face a mask of pure rage. A glowing fire poker clutched tightly in one hand.

Kitten dug inside himself. Desperately reaching for the power from before. He barley found a spark. And then Anti swung the poker.

Burning metal met pale skin with a sharp hiss.

Kitten screamed.

His face felt like it was on fire.

Again and again the poker fell.

Sharp burns all blurred together as the skin around his eyes and forehead began to bubble and peel.

He screamed until his voice was hoarse. He screamed until his lungs gave out. He screamed until it was over. Until Anti let the now cool poker fall to his side. He didn't need to say anything. The lesson was clear. Turning once again, he marched from the room.

Leaving Kitten on the floor. Crying unwanted tears, that fell like boiling oil against his raw skin. Curling into a ball against the pain. Longing for sleep.

And sleep came. Bringing its burning nightmares with it.

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Sooooo. Something important happened on the 13th. Obviously. But... Something important also happened on the 4th (nine days before) That's when Jack declared Marvin was a canon character. That isn't quite what happened in the fic, but I thought it was a good date for his magic to get stronger. It was already there when he was created, just really weak. Sooo, ya. Have a wonderful rest of your day!

- Silver