Break Time, Bear Time
It felt like another average day for Mikhail Bulgakov. He was currently trailing behind Maloof, allowing him to lead and matched his slow steps to Maloof's stubbier legs to ensure they walked in tandem. Mikhail glanced down at Maloof, watching him grumble to himself. As the orange lizards and squirrels scuttled past them as they walked towards the Main Lodge, Mikhail noticed Maloof peering up to him as if to prompt him to ask what was wrong.
Mikhail took a breath. "Tiny boss-"
"I can't believe it!" Maloof barked, throwing his small arms up, and Mikhail closed his eyes. "How could Milka do that to me? I mean, she actually one-upped me! Using her invisibility to take my dream fluffs! Can you believe that? She even got Elton off our protection services!"
Mikhail patted Maloof's curly mop of a head. It had been quite an embarrassing experience, one which Mikhail willed himself to not laugh over. With Mikhail assisting him, Maloof attempted to extort more arrowheads and dream fluffs from the simpering Elton down by the docks. However, neither expected Milka to swiftly arrive, nearly knocking Maloof into the lake and snapping at them to leave Elton alone. Maloof almost ordered Mikhail to Deadly Nelson her, but Mikhail noticed the wildness of a grizzly bear lurking in Milka's glare, so he advised Maloof to retreat. As they left, the sounds of obnoxious making out filled the salty air of Lake Oblongata, and when they left, they realized Milka pickpocketed Maloof's dream fluffs.
"We really should have Milka join us. I mean, with my leadership, Milka's sneakiness, and your strength, we'll topple Bobby and Benny any day of the week," Maloof sneered, lips stretching into a sinister, calculative grin.
"Tiny boss, am wondering if you have anything positive to do today," Mikhail asked, and a blank look of stupefaction replaced Maloof's wickedness.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Maloof demanded, pursing his lips.
"Am suggesting we need a break. We have been 'protecting' nonstop for past week. Mikhail needs a break, and so do you it seems," Mikhail said, taking a longer stride to step in front of Maloof with a broader grin. "Come. We go to the bears."
"To the-what?" Maloof squeaked, almost covering his mouth.
Mikhail telekinetically plucked Maloof off the grass. He spun around on his heels, venturing towards the off-limit forest. He ignored Maloof's disgruntled comments such as threatening to relieve Mikhail of any access to dream fluffs and his mother's candy.
For Mikhail, bears had always been a source of comfort. He shared a special affinity with them. Their peaceful ambling masked their ferocious wrestling prowess. At Whispering Rock, the bears were always willing to wrestle just like the ones he remembered back home. Their veracity in their intentions, eagerness to battle, and domineering, yet peaceful instincts enthralled Mikhail.
Bears were much more trustworthy than people. His fellow campers had their snideness and secrets. The constant drama seemed straight out of a terrible soap opera. Nils continued cheating on Elka, so she, in turn, did everything she could to either win back his affections or tear him down. Phoebe's fiery past was fresh in the minds of the other campers in stories he almost could not believe. Bobby's bullying rampage caused other unfamiliar campers to never return, and Benny ripped secrets out from the deepest crevices of the mind. Clem and Crystal were an entirely different story, and Mikhail understood that he lacked the proper skills to handle any of their supposedly private concerns.
Even with Maloof, uncertainty plagued Mikhail's perception of him. Maloof started out as a crybaby, and Mikhail initially pitied him. He always saw bullying as something that should have occured between equal combatants. When he mistakenly believed Maloof forfeited his place in what MIkhail presumed was a bear wrestling line, Mikhail realized he engrossed himself in a protection services under a crafty, manipulative tiny boss.
Naturally, he did not detest Maloof. Far from it, in fact, as the protection services allowed him to battle anyone Maloof deemed a bully. Dangling Benny over the murky stream had been a bit of a joy for him. Enacting earthly justice was, in a way, a fun past time. It was a concise way to practice his telekinetic and wrestling abilities. He also enjoyed teaching Maloof basic telekinesis through playing catch and fishing in order to defend himself.
Though, as his weeks at Whispering Rock grew longer, Mikhail tired of the constant meetings, extortions, and Maloof's casual threats. The frightened faces of his fellow campers started pricking at his skin. From Elton's teary-eyed whimpers to Nils' semi-confident stammerings as he forked over dream fluffs left Mikhail with a lingering sense of dread. After the brain-stealing turmoil faded over the horizon, it seemed nothing had changed at Whispering Rock. The same relationships prospered along with the stagnant enmity among the various duos or cliques of children.
It was why Mikhail decided they needed a break. The constant bartering, badgering, and resentment fueling Maloof provided every reason for Mikhail to take Maloof to see the bears. Bears never betrayed him, and he was certain it would be the same for Maloof.
As Mikhail trekked deeper into the woods, he listened to the sounds of the forest. The chattering squirrels, followed by Dogen's hidden, faint laughter was swept up in the wind. Guitar strumming and harmonica tunes meshed together from another portion of the woods. Lizards ran across the paths with one nearly being crushed by Mikhail's step. Mikhail smiled, setting Maloof down at his side as the pine scents swirled around them.
"They are close," Mikhail said, and Maloof grimly swallowed.
"Who? The bears?" Maloof fidgeted with his hands, tumbling after Mikhail as he approached a rather large cave.
The interior was damp. Stalactites dripped with chilling water. Puddles sucked into the cave floor. Maloof's breathing heightened, and his gulp echoed in the cave. Mikhail grinned down at him, ushering him into the cave with him. Their footsteps left wet marks as they crept inside, and they avoided the rusted, decrypt railway tracks.
"Now, where are you? Hello?" Mikhail called, cupping his hands around his mouth, and his voice reverberated. As silence answered him, Mikhail hummed. "Strange. He is usually out and about."
"Well, I guess that means we should go," Maloof hopefully replied, turning to leave but Mikhail clutched his head, leaving Maloof immobilized.
Lumbering pounding replied after another moment. Sharp claws appeared in the shadows followed by an enormous, round body of shimmering black fur. A furrowed brow and a button nose contrasted. The jaw worked in shifting quivering rotations, a few fangs poking up over its upper lip. The massive bear hovered over the duo, back arching and raising its paw.
Maloof squeaked, hiding behind Mikhail. He clung to Mikhail's waist, and Mikhail sighed. Reaching behind, Mikhail plucked Maloof and kept him at arms-length apart to prevent him from dashing off. Mikhail quickly slapped his own hand against the extended paw of the bear, earning a discomforting grunt of confusion from the paling Maloof.
"D-did you just high five a bear?" Maloof sputtered.
"Yes. Bears are friends to Mikhail as you know," Mikhail said, leaning on his tiptoes to caress the bear's soft, rounded ears.
As Mikhail rubbed through the velvet fur of the bear, Maloof noticed twinkles in the eyes of both Mikhail and the bear. The bear growled, nuzzling its face against Mikhail's thin cheeks and suddenly clutched Mikhail in a massive hug. Maloof slapped his pudgy hands over his mouth only to suppress another squeal when Mikhail laughed, embracing the bear's large midsection.
Mikhail grinned as the bear lifted him up. His hat topped off his head, and Maloof caught it before it could plop into a frigid puddle of salty water. The bear lightly nipped his head in an affectionate greeting, and Mikhail laughed.
"Sylvester, hello! How are you? Been too long since we wrestled," Mikhail said as the bear, Sylvester, released him.
"The bear has a name," Maloof whispered, wiping a sheen of sweat off his brow.
"Of course," Mikhail said, glancing over his shoulder as the bear ambled in front of Maloof. "Why would Sylvester not have name? Would be strange if not. Come. Greet Sylvester."
Mikhail took Maloof's wrist, lifting him effortlessly in the air. He had Maloof pat Sylvester, and the bear approvingly nodded. Maloof hummed, a blank look of surprise crossing his expression as he willed himself to not scream. All emotions seemed to die in Maloof's expression, replaced with frozen, frightened acceptance. Sylvester clutched Maloof, holding him to his chest. As Sylvester snuggled Maloof like its own cub, an idea struck Mikhail.
"Stay here," Mikhail ordered, and he dashed off to the sounds of country music in the distance.
He did not hear Maloof's disagreeable yelp, too focused on his idea. Mikhail brushed through the overwhelmingly massive trees, head spinning in a few directions to locate the source of the music. He leaped over enormous tree roots and ducked under the branches. Mikhail returned to the paved dirt paths lined with stones, strolling over to the duo resting on a hollowed out tree.
"Oh, howdy, Mikhail," JT said, lowering his weathered harmonica into his lap.
Chops pricked the guitar strings, grinning. "What's up, eh? You look a bit winded."
"Come with me. We will bond with Sylvester now," Mikhail ordered, not bothering to listen to their answer.
Mikhail clutched their wrists. He dragged them behind them, hearing their sudden confused sputtering but paid no mind to it. Instead, he grinned at them, reassuring them that the Whispering Rock bears were accustomed to fight unless their territory was trekked upon. Catching their nervous looks, Mikhail beamed and approached the entrance of the cave with the baffled duo.
Mikhail bent over to collect his fallen hat. He set it on, now fully comfortable. Noticing Chops and JT remained still after he took a few steps into the cave, Mikhail asked, "What is wrong? Scared? Do not be. Mikhail is here."
"N-no. It's…" Chops trailed off, and JT pointed behind Mikhail.
Glancing over his shoulder, Mikhail pursed his lips. Sylvester smothered Maloof to its chest in a strange adoption. Sylvester rolled to his side, patting Maloof's ruffled chocolate locks. With his face pressed deep into the heavy fur, Maloof turned an unearthly shade of blue.
"Sylvester, no! He cannot breathe!" Mikhail blurted, and Sylvester sat upright, dropping Maloof in surprise.
Maloof landed in a puddle, earning winces from the other campers. He remained there for a few moments before slowly sitting upright. Salty liquid slipped down his nose, chin, and hair when he stood up. Fixing his hair, Maloof silently strode over to Mikhail. With his clothes sopping wet, Maloof gently patted Mikhail's forearm.
"I'll see you later. It was fun, but I'm gonna pass out in the infirmary now," Maloof said without any hint of emotion in his voice.
"Ah, good. Glad you had fun," Mikhail said as Maloof trailed off into the forest in an awkward haze.
"Is that little cattle gonna be fine on his own?" JT asked, and Mikhail nodded.
"Yes. If he gets picked on, he will tell me, and I will beat up bully," Mikhail firmly replied.
"Works for me, but I've never seen such a cuddly bear before," Chops said.
"Of course! Sylvester is a nervous bear," Mikhail said as Sylvester rounded over to them. "He stays in this cave out of protection. Is kind of like tiny boss. He is the smallest bear here, so he hides. Comes out when peace is perturbed, but he is kind. Just need to greet him before entering."
"Ya mean we can really pat him? The bears are so rowdy that I always stay away from 'em," JT recalled as Chops weighed his guitar in his hands, suddenly finding his instrument very interesting.
Mikhail nodded, crossing his arms and stepping back. Sylvester sniffed the tense partners, pawing their chests. Sylvester lightly slapped Chops' guitar out of his hands, nuzzling against his voluminous afro. Chops warily laughed, raising his hands like a boxer only to hesitantly rub them against Sylvester's chest. Sensing his partner's comfort, JT smiled and scratched behind Sylvester's ears.
"Well, shut my mouth! He really is a friendly bear. What a difference compared to the other bears in camp," JT said, and Mikhail chuckled.
"Oh, no, no. All bears are good. Just need a little trust and affection before the real battle begins," Mikhail said.
His words jarred Chops and JT, and they retracted their hands from Sylvester. They peered over their shoulders, repeating Mikhail's final words. Slowly, they looked back to Sylvester as the bear pried himself from them. Sylvester uttered a wild roar, slamming his paws into the cave, and Mikhail smirked, cracking his neck.
"Come! You two will be my wrestling partners! Step in when I tag you," Mikhail said, launching himself at Sylvester and laughing as he went.
Chops and JT exchanged a frightened look until Mikhail wrapped his arms around Sylvester's neck, slamming him to the ground. The puddles whisked around them as Sylvester and Mikhail grappled, and JT and Chops were left cheering on their friend. Mikhail grinned, pinning Sylvester underneath him and began the first of many rounds.