Well surprisingly I managed to finish this up last night. Not sure how that happened, but here is Chapter 3 of my Slashfic. Enjoy!

214-4 and 101-5 and 8 are both mine

Cogs and Toontown © Disney

Chapter 3

What Are Friends For?

Five stood motionless for a moment staring at him as Four quietly whimpered something pitiful. The Flunky was not sure how to respond to the statement the other Cog had made to him. He might not have had the fullest knowledge of what a 'lover' was, but he knew it was forbidden and unethical for Cogs to engage in and was considered the sort of things that only Toons participated.

Five looked down at Four and frowned in confusion, "What exactly do you mean by 'lover'?"

The Bloodsucker blinked and wiped away his tears as a bitter smile graced his lips, "I mean exactly what I said; not that you or any other Cog really cares to understand that…" Four's voice took on a wistful tone as he continued, "…but he was my other half. I don't care that he was a Cog, I wanted to spend my remaining days with him no matter how short those were…" His eyes hardened with a repressed anger and his voice took on a harsh tone, "Then he was taken away from me…by those damn, laughing freaks," Four choked out the last few words and broke down into tears once more, clutching the scarf tightly.

Over come by pity, Five reached a hand out and patted the other's shoulder, "H-Hey, come on now, it's alright."

Eyes snapping up at the Flunky, Four hissed back at him, "Nothing is alright! Two is gone and I'll never get him back! And now that you know, you're probably going to tell everyone you know about the freak Cog who's running around and say I'm trying to partner up with anything that moves!"

"W-what? Why would I do that?"

"Because you're just like everyone else who tries to find their 'little' niche in this corporate ladder that our superiors have set up for us. Mindlessly unaware of how lucky you are to be alive as hundreds of our kind die on these very streets each day! You can whine and moan about how your siblings are all dead, but in the end the only one who will miss any of them…is you. No one cares about your little brother getting blown to bits because he was ignorant enough to go out on the streets alone! You know why? Because they can manufacture ten more 'just like him' to take his place…"

Four was babbling now, seeming to have lost his train of thought from before, leaving the Flunky stunned to silence once more. He fidgeted nervously where he stood before reaching his hands out again and grasping the Lawbot's shoulders and shaking him. Four grunted at the sudden force and looked at his comrade for a moment before putting his hands on Five's arms and sighing, "Thanks…I'm okay now…"

"You don't sound so sure."

"No, no…I'm fine. I just, needed to get that out of my system. It's been festering for a good while now," he said, sighing again as he shrugged out of Five's hold, "I'm really sorry to have unloaded all of that on you…now you must really think me a freak…"

Five shook his head and replied, "Not really. I mean, I get just as stressed out at things myself sometimes. Not necessarily what you were just upset about, but…yeah."

Four looked at him steadily for a moment, searching him like a hound dog to see if his face betrayed a lie, and finding solace in what appeared to be a genuine answer. A relieved smile crept across his lips as the feeling of a 1 ton weight seemed to lift from his shoulders, "Thank you Five…you don't know how much that means to me to have you say that," he said, pausing, "You know I never properly apologized about the other day. Would you meet me here later tonight and we can talk about this whole mess if you'd like?"

Five ran the rest of his work day through his head and found he was off at a decent time, "Um…sure, I guess."

"Great! I'll…see you then I guess," Four replied, realizing in an awkward way he felt like he was asking Five out. Pushing the thoughts aside he hurried off down the street before taking flight back to Lawbot Headquarters.

Five punched his time card out for the evening and sighed. He was glad to be done for the day. It wasn't that he hated his job, but he'd begun to find it to feel less meaningful of late with the death of his younger brother. The Flunky chuckled as he wondered whether Four's words were beginning to get to him. He hoped whatever it was he and the Bloodsucker talked about that evening would bring him some peace of mind and a return to normalcy. Or at least as close to normal as he could get at this point and time. Without another thought he placed his time card in the correct slot on the wall and made his way outside.

As the young Bossbot approached the spot Four had left him earlier that day, he noticed someone sitting on the bench. Assuming it was the Lawbot, he approached. When he was close enough to make out the details, he realized all too late that the figure was not Four, but a Toon. It was a blue female duck dressed in a black hooded sweater and black shorts. She glanced down at her wristwatch, and Five assumed she was waiting for someone too. He hoped that she hadn't seen him as he began to quietly backpedal. That was when a black hole opened up next to her and the Toon she'd been waiting on hopped out of it.

Five's legs locked when he saw who the duck's friend was. A green rabbit, wearing something similar to what her friend had on and different than the day he had first seen her. It wasn't that there was another Toon there that made Five stop in his tracks, however. It was because he had seen the rabbit before. The day his brother had died in fact. Suddenly, the Flunky wasn't so keen to wait around for Four to show up and decided it was time for him to leave. That was until one of them looked his way…

When the black hole finally opened next to her, Bubbles grinned. She'd been waiting for nearly fifteen minutes for Lottie to show, "About time, I was beginning to think you didn't want to do a night hunt any more," said Bubbles.

"I told you I had to walk Speckles after dinner! And he likes to take his sweet old time," Lottie replied.

Bubbles hopped off the bench and gave a stiff stretch, "Yeah yeah, you ready to go search for any straggling Cogs, or what?"

The rabbit nodded and glanced past Bubbles' shoulder when something large caught her eye. It was a Flunky, and he was looking right in their direction, "There's one!" Lottie squeaked, pointing in the Cog's direction. Bubbles turned to see what she was looking at and grinned.

"Piece of cake! Let's get it!"

The pair of Toons took off in a run towards the terrified looking Flunky, gags at the ready…and he ran. Not very fast, due to his short, round stature, but slow enough that the two didn't give up the chase…

Five ran. He didn't care where his legs took him as long as it was far away from that Toon as quickly as possible. He hazarded a glance back and almost squeaked in terror when he saw them pursuing. Five knew he was acting like a coward, knew he was going against his programming, but he knew he was out numbered and out matched. If that rabbit had taken out his brother single handed, then she and her friend would most certainly dismantle him with ease. He knew he would likely meet his end at the hands of a Toon, but he did not want it to come tonight. Not after he finally found another Cog who could relate to him.

Something rolled under and around his feet then, and Five felt himself loose his footing. He landed, hard. The Flunky grunted from the impact and glanced at his health meter. It was a bright yellow. Five looked down at the ground and saw that one of the two must have thrown marbles in his direction. He got to his knees as he attempted to stand and looked behind. Both Toons were standing there, gags at the ready, smirking with mirth.

"What's the matter," asked the duck, "You too chicken to get up and fight?"

Five didn't respond. He quietly reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out his tabulating calculator. He turned to face them and made to hammer out a calculation, but dropped it when he saw they both had seltzer bottles in hand. He whimpered and shut his eyes. It seemed, this was his end after all…

Four scanned the area as he flew. The street was empty, so he shouldn't have any problems finding Five. But the Flunky didn't appear to be where Four had told him to meet. The Bloodsucker sighed. He'd been hoping to patch things up and perhaps become friends with the other Cog, but it seemed his earlier assumptions had been correct. Five probably did think him a freak and wanted nothing more to do with him. Five felt his eyes burn, but he blinked the feeling away before any tears could fall. I should've known better than to expect he'd show…lousy-

Nearby voices brought him out of his musings. He looked up and down the street and noticed a commotion further up the road. Frowning he flew close enough to get a better look but far enough away to not be noticed. There was Five, on the ground; two Toons had gags at the ready, the Flunky defenseless against them. The Bloodsucker hovered in the air for a moment, his face absolutely blank. Four felt his insides burn as he hurled himself downwards towards Five's attackers. Not again, he thought. Not again…

"Hey Leech!"

"Hm?" Four stopped mid stride and looked over his shoulder in time to see a cupcake come flying towards his head, "Ack!" It hit him square in the eye. Two jumped, having been surprised by the projectile. He looked over at Four trying to wipe the frosting off his face and asked if he was alright. Four nodded and turned to face the culprit.

"Why don't you go bother some other Cog, rodent!" Four hissed, bearing his fangs.

"The way I see it you and that Sellbot are the only two Cogs around at the moment. And I need one more for my Toon Task. So why don't you come over here so I can go turn it in," the brown mouse grinned.

Four growled and made a move to go after him when Two grabbed him by the arm, "How about you fight me instead?" Two asked.

"Fine with me," replied the Toon.

"Two, wait a minute, forget him. Let's just go somewhere else…"

Two did not answer until he removed the red scarf from around his neck, "Hold this for me, would you?" He reached back, extending the article to Four.

The Bloodsucker accepted it, his hand brushing against his companion's, "But Two…" Four protested.

"He already got a cheap shot on you, let me handle this. Besides, I'm faster…" the Telemarketer grinned.

Four looked at the light on his chest, now glowing yellow, grumbled at him as he turned back towards the Toon. Two's smirk disappeared, replaced by hardened frown. His gut told him this fight had already been decided; especially since his speed set gears had been really acting up of late. Four would most certainly have pulled him out of the fight if he knew. But The Bloodsucker would still be alive, and that was what Two cared about.

A flurry of gags came his way and Two easily zigzagged out of their trajectory before tossing a card from his rolodex at the Toon. He was rewarded with a squeal from the mouse. Smirking he made to pull another when he saw the Toon pulling out a fruit pie. It flew at him, but he managed to zip out of the way just in time. Then there was another and another still. Both he dodged with ease. Then as his eyes beheld a fourth fruit pie, he noticed the warning signs. A low clunk emitted from his right knee, indicating his speed set gears were failing to lock properly again.

As he made to move, his leg seized up, and that was all the opening the Toon needed to take the shot. The pie hit him square in the chest, sending him tumbling backwards a good distance. He groaned and looked down at his huff meter. It flashed back at him, a bright red, just like his scarf. And for some reason, he found that notion hilarious. Over the sound of his gears spinning out of control from the effort of laughing, he thought he heard screaming, and he laughed even harder.

Four felt his metaphorical heart stop when the pie made contact. He knew it was over for Two, but somehow his mind just couldn't make the connection at first. It wasn't until one of Two's gears whizzed past his ear that it sunk in. His comrade, his friend, his lover, was dying. And there was nothing he could do to stop it. And as the Toon hollered with delight, he screamed in agony.

He rushed forward towards the Telemarketer, screams still erupting from his throat. He felt so slow in that moment; as if anvils were tied to his ankles. The Bloodsucker locked eyes with the Telemarketer for the last time, and saw his body erupt in a small explosion.

"No…Two!" He screeched.

"Four!"

Was that pitiful sound really coming out of his mouth? Was he really screaming like such an undignified Toon? He must have been, for there was no one else around.

"Four, stop it!"

No, that screaming wasn't his. It sounded more like a Toon.

"FOUR!"

The Lawbot's mind finally came screeching back to reality when he was yanked backwards by the Flunky he'd come out here to meet. The blue duck was a short distance away on the street, covering her mouth, still screaming. Four glanced down where she was looking and saw the body of the other Toon lying motionless on the ground; two large puncture wounds in her neck. His tongue lapped at the corner of his mouth and was rewarded by the bitter-sweet taste of blood.

Five gaped in horror, "By the Master's good grace…" he said as he let go of Four. The Bloodsucker dropped to his knees, transfixed by the lifeless Toon lying before him.

His mind was a whir. What was he to do now? The Chief Justice would have his head for sure. He couldn't go back home in this state, they'd know in an instant the sin he'd committed by the stains on his suit. Vaguely, Four noted the sound of the duck's footsteps sprinting away down the street. The Lawbot was surprised when he did not hear Five follow her lead. What did it matter though? The Flunky was probably going to turn him in. Then he'd be put to trial and undoubtedly be found guilty. And then…

"No…" he muttered to himself, fingers grasping his own hair, "No he won't find out. I'll just hide her where no one will find the body. Someplace secluded…yeah, like an old warehouse. That would work…"

"Four?"

Four turned sharply at the mention of his name. It was Five who had spoken. The Bloodsucker rose and seized him by the front of his suit, "Five, I know this goes against everything you stand for, but you have to help me hide her…"

"W-what, I…no, I can't."

"Please! Five, if the Chief Justice finds out what I've just done, he'll…" Four covered his mouth, looking ill.

Five frowned, "He'll what?"

"Please understand, I didn't know what I was doing. I was trying to save you!" tears began to pour forth from his eyes.

"Hey…come on, it will be okay."

"Okay? Okay? Five, do you know what they do to Bloodsuckers who drink the blood of Toons?"

"I…aren't they demoted to a Bottom Feeder?"

"No! After the incident on Halloween…" Four looked at the ground, "After the incident, any Bloodsuckers found guilty of killing a Toon this way is sentenced to decommissioning. In other words, the Chief Justice will have me killed!"

Five's eyes widened, as the Bloodsucker turned back towards the body, Why…why would I do this… he thought as his hands began to shake. I've never thought of biting a Toon before. Ever. I don't even like the smell of blood, let alone the thought of drinking it! But…it was so smooth, so sweet. I've never tasted something so…delicious.

It was as if he finally felt alive again, after being stuck in an endless sleep. His tongue lapped at the blood still coating his fangs, and a shiver of delight ran through his circuits. More. He had to have more. Wanted to feel that rush; wanted to feed. Needed to feed.

"Four? A-are you alright?"

It wasn't until his Bossbot companion roused him from his thoughts, that he heard a chuckle dying in his throat. His hand flew to his mouth in shock. He had not remembered starting to laugh. Why had he been laughing? This entire night was far from humorous, and it was going to end with a shallow grave. He turned to Five once again, "I-I'm alright…are you helping me, or not?"

"I…well…" Five looked into the Bloodsuckers' eyes. He saw the fear and uncertainty; the same he had held in his eyes moments ago. But the reasons behind that fear were substantially different, "I'm sorry Four, I can't do this in good conscience…" He looks over at the Toon, looking like he might be ill.

"Why not? I thought we were friends!"

"We…we are but. Four this…this is too much."

Four took a step back, eyes hardening, "Fine then. I see how it is, you ungrateful drudge," he snarled, turning to heft the body up into his arms. He glanced back at Five before engaging his flight propeller, "I hope the next time you encounter a Toon you won't be so lucky!"

"Wait a minute, Four, I-"

"You what?"

"Be careful…"

"Be careful yourself," Four growled back as he took off into the night sky. As he watched the Lawbot's silhouette become a minuscule speck, Five felt his insides grow heavy. The feeling grew as he made his way back home, and he found that no matter what he tried, he couldn't make it go away.