The Broken Toy

04/29/2018

 Kitten and Schneep were sitting back to back in their room. There wasn't any need for talking. Undergoing months of torture for each other is bound to bring people closer together. Kitten had to admit, they had been two of the best months of his life. Due to the numerous stitches in his stomach, the doctor had convinced Anti to be more gentle than usual. Of course, he was much rougher on Schneep, but the doctor seemed to take it in stride.

Kitten had to admire his bravery. Nothing seemed to break him. He had been scared, injured, he had even cried several times, but nothing could dull his spirit. His hope that one of his friends would come and rescue them. That Chase would find them. Or that Jackie would burst through the door.

As if triggered by his thoughts the door to their room burst open. It wasn't Jackie. Both friends scrambled to their feet. Kitten cowering back against the wall. Schneep glaring at the Glitch in front of them, his feet firmly planted on the ground. Anti brushed right past him, grabbing Kitten by the wrist. His sharp nails drawing blood. Tugging the shaking man towards the door. Kitten was prepared to follow him to whatever horrors awaited when he heard a sharp yell.

"Hey! Vhere are you taking my patient?"

"T̜̃h͚́a̫̍t̠͒ ͕̿i̛͖ṡ͈ ̹̃ṇ̊ŏ̲ṇ͛e̜̋ ̲͐o̯͗f̃͜ ̼̂y̱̾o̼̒ų̆r̲̉ ͚́b̡̍ű̫s͇̉í̮n̖͑e͍̚s̾͜s͖̑,͎̒ ̫̑d͇́o͙̍c͇̉t̗̍o̲͠r̺̽." Anti's glitching was worse than usual. Tingles, like nails on a chalkboard, were crawling up everybody's spines.

"Nein. He isn't going anyvhere vithout my permission." Schneep took a step closer. His eyes blazing with fury. Anti laughed. A high pitched cackle that echoed around the room and scratched at their ears.

"Ẃ̦ỏ̡ủ͍l̖̀d̪͗ ̨̈́ŷ̭o̦̿ṳ̅ ̢̛p̌ͅṛ̀e͉̿f̠͂e̯͒r͚̈ ̓ͅị͂f̖͛ ̱͆I̤̓ ̠͋t̹̑o̰͠o̓ͅk̠̄ ̺́ỷ̧o̡̅ṷ̉?̥͝" Without waiting for an answer he spun. Throwing Kitten across the room with inhuman strength, and shoving Schneep against the wall. A knife materialized in his hand, seemingly made of glitches.

Kitten hit the far wall full force. Several of his ribs and his mask cracked on impact. He lay on the cold floor, shuddering and gasping. Trying desperately to catch his breath. His ears numb to the yells of pain from his friend. Everything felt strangely distant. He could feel something warm and pulsing just in front of him. Stretching out with his mind he grabbed onto whatever it was. Pulling its power into himself. In an instant he could feel his ribs healing. It was like strings of light were tugging the bones back into place and holding them steady.

Strangled screams cut through the fog of Kittens mind. His eyes shot open. Anti had Schneep against the wall. His left hand tight on the doctors throat. His right slowly digging a knife into Schneeps forearm.

Kitten reacted without thinking. He squeezed the glowing pulse in his chest. His hands burst into green flames. Pushing outwards he launched the power at Anti. Hitting him hard. The perfect shot.

Anti screamed, a sound Kitten couldn't help but relish slightly, and collapsed to the ground. His form glitching wildly, but more contained. It was like he was breaking into separate beings.One curled in a ball. One tugging its hair. One trying to lunge at Kitten only to be pulled back into itself before it could reach him. The knife fell to the ground as well. Clanging loudly on the stone floor.

Schneep stumbled away from the wall, rubbing his neck. He stared at the glitching mass on the floor before turning to Kitten. His face the picture of confusion.

"How-?" He cut himself off as he noticed Kittens face. He was shaking pushing himself into the wall. A mind numbing terror was seeping into his bones.

"He'll- he'll kill me." Kitten stammered, "When he fix- fixes himself, he'll kill me."

"Shhh, Kätzchen," He murmured. Dropping to his knees in front of the shivering figure and pulling him into a tight hug. "It vill be alright. I von't let him hurt you."

Warmth filled Kitten. Fighting down the rising fear and banishing the numbness from his bones. He closed his eyes and held onto Schneep for dear life. Knowing, deep down, that there was nothing the doctor could do. With a sigh he opened his eyes began to push the doctor away. Over Schneeps shoulder his eyes fell on the open door. A shuddering gasp escaped his lips.

"Schneep." He choked on his words. It felt as though, if he spoke he would jinx it. "Schneep, the door. It's- it's still open."

The doctor disentangled himself quickly. Turning to face the open door. Their beacon of hope.

"I don't believe it." A harsh whisper, wrapped in a blanket of shock. The whisper quickly turned to laughter "I don't believe it!"

He stood quickly. Tugging Kitten to his feet. "C'mon. Ve are leaving, Kätzchen. Ve are going home."

Kitten took on last look at the glitching figure on the floor and then he was pulled out of the room and down the hall. Schneep must have known the building better than Kitten because he flew down the winding corridors. Taking long strides, his tattered lab coat whipping out behind him.

A final door was shoved open and the companions were flooded with blinding sunlight. Kitten screeched quietly. Burying his face in his elbow in an attempt to block the sunlight. Tears pooled in the corners of his eyes. He felt Schneep tuck his grasp his hand. Carefully guiding him forward.

"I'm sorry ve can not wait for your eyes to adjust, Kätzchen." He mumbled, "But ve need to get as far away from zat glitch as possible."

And away they went. At some point in the journey, Kitten must have uncovered his eyes. But the entire trip was a blur. He wasn't even sure how long they traveled. An hour? A day? They might have traveled through the night. Kitten wasn't entirely sure. He wasn't entirely sure of anything, until the two friends were standing on a doorstep. And Schneep rang the bell.

A man in a snap-back cap opened the door, looking slightly tired and very confused. As soon as he saw Schneep he gave a loud yell and burst into tears. Lunging forward and pulling the doctor into a tight hug.

Two more figures arrived quickly. One, in a red hoodie, joined the hug while the other, who sported a mustache and a neat looking suit stood off to the side, looking a bit confused but quite excited nonetheless.

Once again things became a bit of a confusing blur for Kitten. There were tears and hugs. Some introductions between Schneep and the man with the mustache, who was apparently mute. Even more hugs. A bombardment of questions. More tears. And then, finally, somebody noticed Kitten standing awkwardly to the side.

It was the man in the cap who first pointed him out with a Who's this? or something similar. Schneep had smiled softly.

"Zis is my friend. He was in there vith me. Everybody, zis is Kätzch-"

"-Marvin." He cut in, surprising himself and everybody else. "My name is Marvin."

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It's almost over! Just an epilogue left and then we're done! This chapter was 1182 words long making it (just barley) the longest chapter in the book :D Anyways, it was a super fun chapter to right. A bit confusing at times. But fun. And now Marvin's free! And he's calling himself Marvin! I'm so proud of my boy! Have a positivity filled rest of the day.

- Silver