MadnessJones: Hi everyone! I wrote this chapter of "Train To Freedom", and Carreract and I hope you are enjoying this story thus far. This chapter follows Wendy on her day off, so it's more of a relaxed plot line. Thanks for reading :)
Chapter 9
Dreams of Cog Nation
Wendy could hardly believe it. She had an entire afternoon off work! Not just off work from the Lawbot HQ, but away from her house and her family as well. They didn't know she was given the day off, so she could spend her time doing whatever she wanted. As she made her way to Toontown Central however, a thought occurred to her. She didn't know exactly what to do with this sudden free time.
There were dozens of Toons out that day, frolicking and playing. Children ate ice cream cones, high level Toons showed off their fancy clothes and powerful gags, and a young duck couple threw a stick for their Doodle to fetch near the pond. The Doodle ran into the water and splashed some fishermen, who just laughed it off. Everyone seemed so happy, so why didn't Wendy feel any better?
She had taken a pill for her exhaustion, but that was only half the problem. The other half was that her Laff energy was still too low. It should have been soaring now that she had an entire day to goof off and have fun. So why wasn't she having fun? Why wasn't she happy?
Wendy sat down on the stone steps that led to the biggest buildings in the playground. This area was where the bank, the library, and the Town Hall were located. Many Toons went into the Town Hall to see Mayor Flippy. He was very popular and friendly, and also helped Schoolmaster Tom teach young Toons about fighting Cogs. The bank and the library however were almost always deserted. Toons didn't need a bank to store jellybeans since big investments wasn't something Toons cared about, and most of the citizens didn't consider reading old text books to be fun, so the library had very few patrons.
That was when Wendy realized. If she wanted to get away from all of these loud and playful Toons, she could simply duck into one of these buildings to spend her day off in peace and quiet. No yelling, no deadlines, and no parents. It sounded like a perfect day. So, the question became which building to go into first...
To the left was the bank, a green building with large pillars and a dollar sign for a logo. No wonder it was always deserted. Greed always reminded Toons of Cogs, and most Toons hated Cogs. To the right was the library, a tan building with red, blue, and white banners running along the upper balcony. The banners seemed mostly ironic however, as nobody partied in this monument to useless knowledge.
Deciding the library would probably be quieter, Wendy walked over there and entered through the tall heavy door.
The inside of the library was brighter than Wendy expected. To be fair though, she expected a dusty old building with cobwebs like those libraries on TV. Warm yellow walls and a bright white desk greeted her, and standing at the desk was a maroon colored cat in a yellow shirt.
"Hi there, young lady!" The cat greeted her in a voice that was too loud for a library, "I'm Librarian Larry! Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Um...no," Wendy replied timidly before backing out through the same door she came in.
Cats always made Wendy nervous. They were generally very energetic and gregarious Toons, which wasn't bad in itself. Problem was Wendy was always reminded of her family whenever she saw cats, and a loud cat in a secluded place only made the feeling worse. Wendy felt bad that she didn't give the librarian a fair chance to be helpful, but her fear overrode her friendly demeanor this time. Of course self-preservation was a complicated system, as feeling guilty dropped Wendy's Laff, which caused her to feel somewhat sickly all over again.
Wendy popped another pill and hoped it wouldn't hurt her to do so. She needed to find something fun and Toony to do before she keeled over. With one option out of the way, Wendy decided to try going to the bank. Maybe there would be something fun to do there.
When she entered this building, it was oddly quieter than the library, with only the sound of an air conditioner motor going in the distance. The wallpaper was a festive lime green and yellow, and sitting at the counter working a crossword puzzle was a maroon colored horse in an orange shirt. He looked a lot like Librarian Larry, and it made Wendy wonder if they were related. After all, Toon parents could draw whatever kind of kid they wanted. Different types of animals could be artistically linked siblings.
"Hello?" Wendy called out softly.
"Yah!" The horse fell back out of his seat and landed head first on the floor.
Wendy gasped when she saw how startled the horse had become, and rushed behind the counter to see if she could help him. There were stars dancing all around the horse's head, and he had to hit himself on the head again to uncross his eyes. Once he had recovered, his attention turned toward the petite white mouse looking at him with wide shocked eyes.
"Wowwee! A new Toon! I'm not used to seeing new Toons!" The horse exclaimed, his voice as loud as the cat's had been, "Name's Banker Bob! Good to see ya, hope to meet ya! What's your name, little Toon?"
"Uh, I'm Wendy Jinxsprinkles," Wendy replied; still a little nervous around the boisterous banker, "I was just wondering...how's business?"
"Hah, hah. Very funny," The horse replied sarcastically, "Yes, I know a savings and loan was a bad idea in Toontown Central. Truth is I'm only here because of a dare. A dare that happened seven years ago, I might add! Fortunately Toons don't believe in creditors, so I can stay here and bleed profit from now until the day The Brrrgh melts! Would you like a lollipop? Kids love lollipops!"
"Will it help my Laff? Mine is a little low," Wendy explained.
"Low Laff? And you came into a bank?" Bob gasped, "Kid, do you even know what my job is?"
"No. Is it as tedious as secretary work?" Wendy asked innocently.
"No, but nothing is," Bob chuckled, "I remember when I was a kid. One of my neighbors worked as a secretary. Low pay, bad hours, and a boss that seemed to want to turn yelling into the official state sport. Hah!"
Bob then handed Wendy a lemon flavored lollipop, which she gratefully accepted. She enjoyed just being able to relax and enjoy some candy without anyone yelling at her or demanding more work be done. Perhaps coming to the bank was the right move after all.
"Anyway, my job as a banker is to hold other people's jellybeans for them," Bob explained while Wendy ate her sucker, "Let's say you had 100 jellybeans. If you give them to me, I'll hold them for you. If I hold them long enough, then your jellybeans collect interest. That means you get even more jellybeans because you loyally allowed me to hold onto them for a long time. Meanwhile, because I'm holding onto jellybeans from many different Toons, I can lend money to Toons who need it to open a business. I charge them interest, which means because I helped them they have to pay me extra jellybeans, which I give to the Toons that let me hold onto their jellybeans in the first place. At least, that's how it's supposed to work. Nobody wants to let go of their jellybeans around here, so I can't lend to anyone. That's why Toontown Central hasn't had a new business in ages. Everybody's too selfish."
"That's a strange idea," Wendy commented, "It seems so complicated. Where would you come up with a business idea like that?"
"From a friend back home," Bob told her, "He liked counting things, so he went to work for a bank. He told me how the bank worked, and I liked the idea. I wanted to bring the idea to Toontown, because it would make things happen so much faster than they currently do. Oh, I had such dreams of revolutionizing Toontown! Well, that and my friend dared me. Seven years ago, I might add!"
"You already mentioned that," Wendy reminded him.
"Oh, uh, right," Bob winced sheepishly, "I guess Toontown just wasn't ready for banks. Too bad though. There's another savings and loan on Silly Street. It was started by my cousin. It's not doing so well either, but at least there are other businesses to go to on Silly Street. I'm stuck here next to Flippy's house of cards and Larry's musty-smelling library! These lollipops are supposed to be for customers, but I keep eating them myself just to get me through the day."
"You keep saying Toontown, like you weren't in Toontown," Wendy noted, "But there's no other place, is there?"
In fact, Wendy knew there was, or at least suspected. Most Toons however were taught that Toontown was the entire planet and nothing else existed beyond it. If this guy knew about another place, then she felt like she knew where that place was.
"Oh, well, I, uh..." Bob tugged at his collar nervously before saying, "...I guess I was just talking out of my head! I'm getting old, so I do that. Anyway, you should probably run along and play! Get that Laff up! Bye bye, now!"
Wendy was then pushed out of the bank, holding nothing but a stick where her lollipop had been and feeling more shocked than slighted. Did that horse just kick her out? She knew she was onto something, and for once she didn't feel like backing down, so she ran back into the bank.
"Hey kid, shouldn't you be out in the playground or something?" Bob asked.
"You're not from Toontown at all, are you?" Wendy stated rather than asked, "Where are you from, Bob?"
"It's not important," Bob insisted, "It was a long time ago."
"Bob, be honest. Are you from..." Wendy wasn't sure if she should come right out and say it, but he had already come this far, so she whispered, "...Cog Nation?"
Bob's eyes went wide, but he didn't seem as offended as Wendy had feared. He just seemed like a clownfish that had been yanked out of the pond; disoriented and gasping for water.
"You are, aren't you?" Wendy pressed.
"And if I was?" Bob asked cagily, "You wouldn't go blabbing that to Flippy, would you?"
"Are you a Cog?" Wendy asked with trepidation.
"No, I'm not a Cog," Bob assured her, "I'm just...different. To be honest, not a lot of new Toons talk to me. I've kept this secret for so long, I guess I just got careless. Might as well tell you though, since you didn't run away. I mean, learning about banks didn't make you faint from sadness, after all. Anyway, I am a Toon, and my name really is Bob, though I added the Banker part when I moved here. I was born in Cog Nation and only moved here as an adult. Due to a dare, I might add!"
"I remember..." Wendy sighed tiredly.
"You see, Cog Nation's Cogs ain't like the Cogs sent to Toontown," Bob told her, "The Cogs in Cog Nation live pretty normal lives, at least by business-robot standards. They go to work, they live in houses and apartment buildings, and they have friends and colleagues. There are some differences in Cog Nation. For one thing you can't walk in the middle of the road there. That's reserved for cars."
"They drive outside of Raceways?" Wendy asked curiously.
"Oh, sure. To them cars are as normal as gloves are to us," Bob replied, "They drive everywhere, even if it would be just as efficient to walk! One time I drove to this one guy's apartment-"
"Excuse me," Wendy interrupted, "What's an apermanent?"
"Apartment," Bob corrected her, "It's a giant building with lots of little buildings inside for Cogs to live in. Think of it like dozens upon dozens of estates stacked on top of each other."
"Wow!" Wendy gasped, impressed by the idea of such a massive residential building, "Did you live in one of those?"
"No. I lived in an estate," Bob answered her, "It's a Toony tradition, and I guess my family's always been old-fashioned. We even ate pie every Pie Day. Getting pie in Cog Nation is no easy feat, either. Gag-grade items are illegal in Cog Nation, because nobody wants some ne'er-do-well Toon wreaking havoc and destroying the peace."
"So Cogs and Toons live together? In peace?" Wendy asked, hardly able to believe it.
"Sure," Bob nodded, "Things are different here, of course. Toontown is considered a market to be expanded, and most of the Cogs sent here don't care who they hurt, as long as they can get ahead in the company. Not all Cogs are like that though. Don't let those gag-happy schoolmasters tell you otherwise!"
"I know," Wendy replied, "Thank you, Banker Bob. You've taught me a lot today. I think my Laff actually feels better."
"Anytime, little one," Bob smiled, "Would you like another lollipop before you go?"
"Yes please," Wendy replied eagerly, "Do you have cherry flavor?"
"Sure do," Bob replied cheerfully
Bob then walked over to Wendy holding the red glossy treat, but before handing the lollipop to Wendy Bob's countenance took on a more wary demeanor.
"Uh, that stuff about Cog Nation...you understand that's our little secret, right?"
"Of course," Wendy nodded.
"You're sure?" Bob asked more insistently, "Because I could get in a lot of trouble with the Toon Council."
"I understand."
The truth was Wendy didn't entirely understand. Bob had never done anything wrong. He just happened to live in Cog Nation before coming to Toontown. Then again, maybe more was going on than Wendy realized. Either way, she would never purposefully endanger an innocent Toon. His frantic energy lent credence to one thing Wendy suspected for a while however. She should tell no one that she was working for a Cog.
Bob handed her the cherry sucker, and Wendy walked away happily licking the red sugary treat. Her ideas of what Cog Nation could be had been grand but vague before. Now that she had spoken to someone who had been there, and a Toon no less, she knew it was a paradise that would fill her sweet dreams as she slept that night. Wendy was sure of it now. She wanted to go to Cog Nation someday.
After a few minutes of walking around Toontown Central playground however, Wendy was starting to get bored again. Her imagination helped her Laff go up, but having a day with no chores and no work meant Wendy wasn't sure what to do with herself. She was so used to having to sneak free time away from her duties at home, but now she was free and clear. Why wasn't it as great as she thought it would be?
Just as she was thinking this a finger tapped her on the shoulder, and she nearly jumped out of her fur! She turned around, fearing she would see her brother Tom or one of her parents, but instead she saw Frank's friendly face grinning back at her.
Frank...how could she forget about Frank? Her oldest and dearest friend in the world, and yet she hadn't even tried to check the orphanage to see if he was home! Wendy felt like a real heel.
"Hi, Frank," Wendy said quietly, "How are you?"
Frank gave her a thumbs up, indicating he was fine, and then hefted the strap of his golf bag to show he was going golfing. Wendy smiled wide then, realizing she had plenty of time to golf with Frank for once.
Without another word, Wendy started following Frank to Acorn Acres. This was going to be a great day, maybe even the best ever! She survived depression, she learned more about Cog Nation, and now she was going to play golf with her best friend ever! Could things get any better than this?
Frank and Wendy spent hours playing golf, with Frank winning two games and Wendy winning one. The curtain of day pulled away to reveal the night sky and the twinkling stars, and Wendy gasped when she saw it.
"Oh goodness! Did we play for that long?" Wendy asked in shock.
Frank simply nodded, a teasing smile on his face.
"Oh Frank, I don't wanna go home yet," Wendy sulked, "Everything has been so perfect, and with how hard things have been I just want this perfect day to last forever."
Frank's features took on a curious look then. He wanted to ask Wendy what was going on with her, but at the same time he felt too inadequate to solve her problems. He was sure her mother had something to do with it. She had chased Frank away and warned him never to come back. Wendy's adoptive family was no good, yet she couldn't just leave them. Kids their age didn't get adopted, so she would never have another chance.
Seeing the sparkling stars twinkling in the sky, Frank got an idea. He shook Wendy's arm and pointed upward, knowing the siren call of the skyward sequins would mesmerize her. Wendy smiled as she looked up at the sky, and together she and Frank sat down in the grass and stared up at them.
"I bet Donald's Dreamland doesn't even have night skies like this," Wendy whispered in awe as she looked up at the stars; their light reflecting off the black pupils of her eyes.
Frank just kept staring towards the horizon, knowing he had nothing to add to this moment. Wendy wanted this day to last a little longer, so he would help her fulfill that wish. His wish was to be able to help her sort out whatever was bothering her, but he couldn't even talk. What could he possibly do for her?
Wendy meanwhile allowed her mind to fly far away from the present moment. She couldn't help but think about Kevin Buzzard, sitting in his windowless beige room working away while the sky turned from day to night outside of his view. Did he ever stop working? Did he have a home outside his office? Could Cogs enjoy stars like Toons could? What about waterfalls and rainbows? Did Cogs have a sense of beauty like Toons did, and did they find the same things beautiful? She also wondered if Kevin had any friends like she had Frank.
When Wendy turned away from the stars she saw Frank was looking at her. He looked so lost with his puppy dog eyes, and she could immediately tell what was going on. Frank wanted to know why they hadn't seen each other in so long. She didn't know what to say, since she couldn't tell him the truth. He could never know that she was working for Cogs. It would be a betrayal of the Toon world, and even Frank couldn't forgive something like that.
"Frank..." Wendy debated what to say to him, but ultimately she settled for, "It's getting late. I'll get in trouble with my parents if I don't get home soon. I had fun today."
Frank smiled, but it was a sad smile, the kind that let Wendy know Frank knew she wasn't telling him everything. Without making a fuss however, Frank simply stood up and held out a hand to help Wendy up.
Together they walked away from the golf course, through the foggy darkness of Donald's Dock, and onward to their homes in Toontown Central.
As they walked through the dark street of Punchline Place however, their peaceful evening stroll was interrupted. A Cog with a blue business suit and a deathly white face walked around the corner where they were standing. Frank, thinking quickly, grabbed Wendy's hand and dragged her to a fire hydrant, which they both hid behind. Cogs generally didn't look at the sidewalks, so they might be safe if he just didn't see them.
Wendy, despite her familiarity with the Cogs in Lawbot HQ, couldn't help but be scared now. It wasn't so much the Cog itself but rather the setting. A foggy night on the streets of Toontown Central, all alone, with just two Toon kids and a lone Cog that stood at a height of about five Wendys. Yeah, it was definitely an eerie moment.
The Toons were used to Cogs walking slowly in a set direction, but this one actually stopped in the middle of the street. They both held their breath, thinking they might have been spotted by the unknown robotic entity. Part of Wendy still wondered if she could just talk their way out of this, but another part of her knew street Cogs were fighters. Talking to him was probably a bad idea.
The Cog pulled something out of his jacket pocket, a device Wendy remembered was called a cell phone. Oh no, if he saw them and was calling for backup they were toast!
"Hello? Put me through to Dr. Chaser's office," The Cog requested, his accent stranger than any Wendy had heard in Lawbot HQ, "Hello Doctor, this is Bloodsucker 893-774-BLO-AQQ-37...Yes, this is Heinrich. Sheesh! What is it with you higher levels and informal names?"
Frank tugged on Wendy's shirt sleeve, indicating they should leave, and Wendy reluctantly agreed. As they snuck away however, Wendy kept listening in on the conversation to see if she could learn anything about this creepy Cog.
"...Yes, I'm calling because it is dark outside now..." The Bloodsucker said to the Cog on the other end of the phone.
Wendy couldn't help but laugh. Calling a doctor just because it was dark seemed pretty silly.
"Stop laughing at me, Doctor!" The Bloodsucker shouted irately, "No, I mean it's dark again! This is the third night my battery hasn't allowed me to recharge! Can I change it now, or does the health plan state I literally have to be deactivated before I get any barping attention!?"
Wendy would have loved to have heard where that conversation went, but she and Frank had to make it to the tunnel before the Cog realized he was being spied on. Fortunately it didn't take long for the two Toony kids to round the corner and get away from the irritable insomniac.
Going through the playground again, even in the dark, had never felt so good. They managed to escape being saddened, and soon Wendy would be home in her bed. Sure, she wasn't even allowed her shoddy blanket anymore, but a bed was a bed. As she waved goodbye to Frank, a part of her couldn't help but wish she was going back to the orphanage with him instead.
As fun as the day had been, there was a certain somberness to the evening that unsettled Wendy. She and Frank had known each other since they were babies, and yet it seemed they were growing apart. She knew she was to blame, as she was keeping a good chunk of her life secret from him, but she had to. Toontown wasn't ready to accept a peaceful relationship between Cogs and Toons. Cog Nation was ready though, and that just made Wendy want to escape Toontown even more.
If she left Toontown however, she would be leaving Frank, her family, and everything she ever knew. While that thought was a little scary, it wasn't as sad as Wendy thought it should be. Frank had many friends and many hobbies. Her parents just used her as free labor and a free babysitter anyway. She had things in Toontown, but not enough to force her to stay.
Making up her mind, she decided she would save her jellybeans so she could find a way to travel to Cog Nation someday. She just hoped any transportation she could find would accept jellybeans as currency.