Opposite Objects (BFB AU story)

Chapter 7

"Here we go!" Liy exclaimed, bounding forth. "We're almost there. I know it."

"We've been walking for hours," Remote complained. "How close is almost?"

Liy smirked. "Well, we're in the city now, aren't we?"

Remote didn't want to humor her.

"Okay, all we gotta do is find where they went..." Liy gazed at the vast amounts of buildings around her. She didn't want to admit it, but this was going to be a bit harder than she expected.

"This is going to take all day."

"No it won't! It's-" Liy was stopped in her tracks at the sound of footsteps. In an instant her instincts told her to grab Remote's hand and get outta there. But she simply dove into a nearby yoyleberry bush with the mechanical mind rather than running away.

They peeked out to see three dull gray objects. Book, Taco and Teardrop. Ice Cube followed them as well, looking nervous. Liy wanted to jump out and save Ice Cube from...whatever they had planned. But she knew it was better to lie low.

"We gotta follow them," Liy whispered.

"What?!" Remote whisper-screamed back. "Why would we-"

But Liy was already carefully sneaking through the bush to reach them, making note of the path in her mind. Remote had no choice but to follow.

Just a bit later they stopped at a seemingly abandoned building with a giant chunk taken out of the door.

Liy blinked. "Yup, this is definitely some kinda evil lair."

The four walked in as Liy and Remote watched.

Liy stepped forward, ignoring her better senses in favor of curiosity. She snuck to one of the foggy windows in an attempt to get a closer look. Remote sidled up beside her.

In a flash, Book picked up Ice Cube and with the help of Taco, shoved her into what looked like some kind of glass chamber of some sort. Light flashed throughout the small building and noises of electricity buzzed around it. Ice Cube's screams were hard to ignore.

Then, something changed. The air seemed to turn cold and fogged up the window. Liy wiped off the perspiration to reveal Ice Cube, standing there gray like the rest of them.

"Woah," Remote breathed softly at the sight.

"See? I told you!" Liy whispered.

Remote blinked away her shock. "Liy, I think one of them saw us. We- we gotta get away."

For once, Liy agreed. They turned from the pane and began to run. They had no idea if the gray objects were on their trail, but the two still ran as if their lives depended on it. And maybe it did.

--

waS awoke to ocaT, pordreaT and kooB standing above her. kooB glared daggers into her. ocaT looked confused. pordreaT looked neutral. waS rubbed her head at the sight of them.

"What are you doing? I told you to keep lookout," kooB snapped.

"I-- don't know." waS rose. She could hardly remember what happened before she woke up. It all came flooding back when she saw ebuC ecI standing beside them, colorful and bright.

"kooB-"

"C'mon," kooB gestured to ebuC ceI. When the small object didn't move, kooB used her same rough technique and threw her in.

waS winced.

They watched the same old machine whir and sputter as ebuC ecI screamed for someone, anyone.

waS couldn't just stand by anymore. She stepped forward, but the chamber doors opened. ebuC ecI slid out. Gray and emotionless.

ocaT and pordreaT looked on, sinister smiles plastered on their faces. waS felt helpless to them. She averted her eyes.

What met waS's gaze in the high window was two faces. She almost couldn't believe her eyes. etomeR and yiL, staring into her.

They had seen the horror for themselves.

And if waS didn't do something, they'd be turned back too.

I can't let this happen any longer.

About twenty minutes passed. Everyone was back to socializing, no, planning. Everyone except waS, who was sat in the corner, thinking up her own plan.

She walked up to kooB quietly from behind, and put a hand on the back of her cover. "Hey, kooB?"

kooB flinched at the touch and whipped around to face her. "Yes?" She sounded annoyed.

"May I talk to you in...private?" waS looked for the words, but they still sounded rehearsed.

kooB simply walked out of the chopped up entrance. waS followed hastily.

"This better be important," kooB muttered.

waS tensed up and started to fiddle with her hands. "It--it is, I, uh..."

"Get on with it!" she snapped, waS's nervousness spiking.

"I don't think we need to do this anymore!" waS almost shouted, much too fast. Her voice was wobbly. "I... kooB... They don't have any memories-- and, and they seem happy- in their universe."

All waS could do was pray to whatever higher being there was that this could work out.

"Are you serious?" kooB practically hissed. She was fuming.

waS's heart dropped. "I just-- I don't think it's right to take them out of their universe...if we're the ones who got here."

All emotion except rage drained from kooB's face. Before she could dodge it, kooB grabbed waS's arm in a vicelike grip.

waS tried to escape kooB's grasp but had no luck. "kooB-- stop, you're hurting me!"

Saying nothing, kooB dragged her back into the abandoned building. waS flailed around erratically but kooB's hold just tightened.

The three others watched, blank stares of shock on their face.

"ocaT! pordreaT! Help!" waS screamed, her voice cracking. Everything felt weak. "Please, somebody help..."

But they just stood there, leaving waS helpless.

"If you don't want to help us then you don't have to!" kooB screamed in a blind rage. In a sudden bout of strength, kooB grabbed onto waS's grey handle and tore it off. waS let out a raspy scream of pain.

In an instant waS was shoved into the cramped chamber.

No.

The doors shut tight. Immediate pain shot through every part of waS's body. She tried to bang on the glass, but her body grew too weak. Then the shocks began, jolting her conductive body around wildly.

Her entire life seemed to flash before her eyes in that instant. Vision dimming, her eyes began to get droopy.

No! You can't die like this! Not by her hand!

The machine let out its final whir.

I... see clouds.

Soft, warm clouds.