Knights against the Night Part 2

Ted Unit Z62442 looked the part of a Ted Unit. He always took pride in that. He was the most common sort of Ted, honey brown fur, soulful brown eyes and a curious smile that rarely showed itself, hidden as it usually was behind a book or the latest reports.

He wasn’t the most socially aware of bears, and was currently parked in the corner of the Ball Room, making notes in his notebook.

The music was loud, hundreds of toys were taking up the dance floor and this young bear was currently trying to work out when it would be polite to leave.

“Yoyo! Bolt!” A voice yelled, and the bear looked up, tucking his pen away, just in time for the rag doll to jump on him.

“Bolt my bear, what’s happening?” The doll asked, she was pretty if you liked vivid pinks and yellows, her woven hair lighting up fluorescently in the day-glow lighting.

“Get off me Lucy.” Bolt scowled at her, but instead the doll draped herself over him.

“But Bolt...” She dragged out his name, and Bolt stiffened.

“Off.” He demanded.

She sighed and let go. “You’re no fun.” She ruffled his hair before slipping away into the crowd.

Please He thought, raising his eyes to the ceiling, Please, this year, let me go.

A small blue mouse slid up to stand beside him, “You know, she’s going to be awfully mad tomorrow.”

Bolt glanced sideways, “I know. I would rather that than me being crowded all night.”

The mouse nodded, his ears flapping with the motion.

Bolt felt curious for a moment, trying to remember if he had seen this guy in his classes, “Glad it’s over?” He asked instead.

The mouse grinned slyly at him, “Yeah, but doubt I’m going anywhere important. What kid wants a mouse?”

Bolt felt a flicker of embarrassment over that, he was a bear, one of the most popular toys year after year, consistent, reliable, and likely to be kept until the kid was off to college or their own place, even if it was in storage.

“I hear the big guy is good at placing toys were they need to go.” Bolt said, trying to be optimistic.

“Maybe.” The mouse offered, “Not all that worried in the end. What will happen, will happen. I don’t seem all that important in the grand picture.”

Which was deeper than Bolt wanted to think about. He didn’t know where he was going, none of them did yet. Assignments would come in the next few days, hopefully, but he had thought that last year and for some reason they hadn’t let him go.

He was ready, more than ready, he knew the Dark’s minions back and front, top to bottom, he had studied the history, the tactics, the strategy. He knew what to do to combat all of that.

It had to be enough.

It just had to be.