Area 5X, circa 1983
The two monsters stood gravely around the lone chair.
"So he's really..." Link trailed off helplessly.
Dr. Cockroach passed over a pair of X-ray goggles, which appeared to have started life as some red and blue cellophane and a handful of car parts. "See for yourself."
One glance was enough. "Yikes."
"Heart attack, as far as I can tell."
"Do they know?" Link asked in a low voice.
"Well, they must. You can't keep a secret in this bloody place. Believe me, I've tried." Dr. Cockroach's tone was much more clipped and peevish than usual, and he appeared to be edging away without actually moving from where he stood.
"And they haven't done anything about it?"
"Apparently not. They keep telling us no one ever leaves. They must mean it."
"Ugh, that is just sick and wrong. Should we... Should we, like, say a few words or something?"
Dr. Cockroach spread his hands in defeat. "Don't ask me; I'm no good at this sort of thing!"
"Well, neither am I, but at least I'm making an effort!"
"Hey, guys, whatcha doooin'?" came a bright, blithe voice from behind them.
"Nothing," Link said quickly in incredibly guilty tones. B.O.B. didn't seem to notice the inflection, though.
"You seen Bill around lately? Well, duh, not seen, but do you know where he is? 'Cause I haven't heard from him in ages."
Dr. Cockroach sighed heavily and laid a hand on the other monster's vicious form, more or less where his shoulder would have been if he'd had any. "I'm not sure how to say this, B.O.B., but it seems our dear friend The Invisible Man has--"
"Escaped," Link interjected quickly, receiving a shocked glared from Dr. Cockroach and countering with a sharp but pleading look.
"Wha... Really?" B.O.B. gasped.
"Er... Yes," Dr. Cockroach began tenuously. "Seems he slipped out when the guards weren't looking. Or perhaps when they were... uh..."
"That's amazing! Oh my gosh... I can't believe it! He really busted out?!"
A round of self-loathing "yes"s answered him.
B.O.B. settled down a little, growing philosophical. "I wonder if we'll ever get out of here, too?"
As one, Link and the Doctor glanced at the seemingly empty chair, all too aware of what fate had in store.
"Perhaps someday, B.O.B. Perhaps someday."
A/N: I know it's not really funny, and I'm ruining the throwaway joke. But, hey, it was in my head. I just sorta liked the idea Link and Dr. C being B.O.B.'s surrogate parents. And of course, I couldn't ignore the oppurtunity for visions-of-mortality angst. My mind works in odd ways.
"Bill," a.k.a. InvisoBill, was stolen from Sei-sama in the MvA Fanfiction Competition forum. Without permission. It tickled me, too, and I couldn't think of anything better.
