Imaginary

By Whitestripe

“You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey.”

The deep, rumbling voice echoed through the large, remodeled warehouse. The walls
were painted like something from a mad artist's dream. Bright, cheerful colors covered the walls
with no rhyme or reason. Almost childish scrawlings of animals and people painted on top of
them. Even the ceiling wasn’t exempt, though, unlike the walls, it seemed to have a uniform
shade of black, with beautifully etched white stars that actually seemed to sparkle glimmering
down for anyone who looked up.

“You’ll never know dear, how much I love you.”

Heavy footfalls echoed through the room as a massive figure moved through the
warehouse, passing row, after row, after row of children’s bed. Each one holding a sleeping
child, curled up and tucked into bed, stuffed animals safely clutched in their arms. None of them
stirred, none of them reacted, even as their chests continued to rise and fall slowly, trapped in
the thrall of slumber.

“Please don’t take my sunshine away.”

That deep rumbling voice turned almost tender, gentle as the massive figure reached an
empty bed, and very carefully knelt down and tucked the little rabbit boy in his arms into bed.
Gently pulling the covers up over him before stroking his head once and leaning forward and
kissing the top of his forehead.

“Don’t worry Jakey, Patchwork will watch over you. Patchwork promises. He’ll protect
you. He’ll protect all of his kids no matter what. You just sleep. And when you wake up, we can
play again. Patchwork loved playing with you Jakey, we’ll have tons and tons of fun.” The deep,
rumbling voice spoke lovingly, the shadowy figure slowly climbing to his feet. “Now, I’m gonna
find a new friend for us to take care of. So many kids out there. They don’t have friends. They
don’t have good people. Patchwork will help them.”

And with that, the shadowy creature stepped back from the bed and padded away, fully
intent on finding his next playmate to care for.

“Max. Max come back. It isn’t that bad. Come on. You need to grow up and be a real
predator. Get back here and eat this little mouse that I caught for you.” The voice belonged to a
very annoyed looking Siberian wolf, who held an empty eyed rat boy in one paw. He’d already
enthralled the little brat and everything for his son to have his first ‘real’ meal. After all, it was his
son’s eighth birthday. He deserved something nice. To finally take that first step to become a
real person, just like the rest of his family.

And yet, rather than enjoy the prize his father was offering him here at the wolf boy’s
birthday picnic in Lunar Park, his son had started running off, whimpering, too afraid to do what
should have come naturally.

Poor Max ran, he ran for all he was worth. He hated it. He hated his family. He hated
what they did. Ratlin was his friend. He was one of the few kids that was willing to be a real
friend to a ‘predator’ at their school. And now, his whole family wanted him to devour the boy.

Tears began to fall freely from the wolf’s eyes as he began to sob, stumbling and falling
to his knees as the dam finally burst and he began to break down. He didn’t want this. He didn’t
want this at all. “Please…...someone…...someone help me.” He whispered desperately, his
whole body starting to tremble like a leaf.

Heavy footfalls echoed through the woods around the wolfboy, something coming
towards him. Max looked up, his eyes widening as he saw a……..a creature skipping towards
him, a wide smile on its muzzle. It looked like…...like a hodgepodge of parts put together. One
arm looked like it belonged to a horse, while the other looked like it was a crab claw. Its legs
looked like the feet of a kangaroo, and its belly looked like that of a great white shark. And its
head was that of a cheery looking brown bear.

But that wasn’t all. Not a single bit of the beast was flesh and blood. From head to toe, it
looked to be made out of soft, plush fabric, the faux fur covered in an array of patches stitched
into its hide in various shapes and patterns, each and every one of them unique.

“Hi there Maxie. I’m Patchwork. I wanna be your bestest, most super awesomest friend
ever.” The plush beast said excitedly, almost bouncing up and down as it stood only a few feet
from the boy, looking down at him with pure love and adoration in his eyes. “I promise I’ll always
be here for you Maxie. I’ll protect ya, and take care of ya. And be your friend no matter what,
through thick and thin. Cause I love ya, and I wanna keep you safe, and make you the
happpppppiest wuffy that ever did go wuff wuff.”

Max couldn’t help himself, the boy starting to giggle as he reached up and rubbed the
tears from his eyes as he stared at Patchwork. “You wanna be my friend….you aren’t…...you
aren’t gonna hurt me…..or transform me…….or any bad things like that?” He asked slowly.

Patchwork looked shocked at that, the plushy’s paws flying to his muzzle as he stared at
Max, aghast. “Hurt you? No, no, no. Patchwork protects Maxie. Patchwork wants to make Maxie
happy. He wants to play games with Maxie and make him laugh and smile. He would never,
ever, ever hurt Maxie. Nu uh, super duper mega ultra pinky promise.” He said with a firm nod of
his head.

Max stared at the creature for a moment, a confused look on his muzzle, before he
pushed himself to his feet. “Why….why would you care about me? You….you don’t even know
me. I’m just a….just a little kid to you.”

Patchwork stared at Max, his expression firm. “You are a child. Children must be
protected. Children must be kept safe. Made happy. And that’s Patchwork’s job. To make you
happy. He’s the bestest friend any child could ever want. That’s why Patchwork was made.” He
told him proudly.

Max nodded his head slowly. “Who made you then Patchwork? You seem to take your
job really really seriou-”

The boy was cut off as he heard a snarling roar from behind him. “Max, get away from
that monster now. Hurry before it hurts you.”

Max blinked, whirling around and looking at his father. “Dad, what are you talking about,
this is Patchwork. He’s my friend. He wouldn’t hurt me, he promised me.” He said quickly, taking
a step back as Patchwork gently laid one hand protectively around the boy’s front.

The wolf man didn’t see the sweet, innocent plush animal. He saw something far darker
and more deranged, like a fever dream brought to life. It still held the same basic shape that
Max himself saw, all the parts were in the same place, but that was where the similarities ended.
The beast looked like it was covered in dried blood. It’s muzzle constantly twitching as it stared
at the man with milky white, dead eyes. The patches on its body looked like someone had torn
pieces or strips of flesh from various people and just stitched them on haphazardly up and down
its body.

“I’m Patchwork. I’m Maxie’s bestest friend. You hurt him. You made him sad and started
crying. Maxie doesn’t wanna be what you want him to be. So you aren’t going to hurt him
anymore. I’ma take good care of Maxie. I’m gonna make him happy.” The beast’s reedy, dead
voice hissed out as it stared at the man, half crouched over Max, as though to shield him with
his body.

“Get your hands off my son abomination. Let him go, or I’ll burn you to the ground. And
I’ll kill my son too if I have too. Better to die cleanly than to be used for whatever foul purposes
you would do to him.” The wolf snarled out, fire leaping into his paws.

Patchwork went very, very still, staring at the wolfman for a few moments as those words
just seemed to echo through his mind.
 “I’m gonna name you Patchwork. Momma and papa aren’t around that much, so I needa
friend, even if I gotta make them up all by myself. But that just means I can make you super
cool, and you and me can be friends forever Patchwork.”

He could remember slowly coming into being. Being conjured to life by the imagination
and magic of his owner. His child. His boy needed him. He needed a friend. He needed a
playmate to help him be the happiest, sweetiest, bestest boy that he could b-

A shriek of agony tore through the room. His boy. His boy was hurt. What was wrong?
What was going on? Why? Why wasn’t his boy movi-

The memory passed as Patchwork let out a low snarl, gently lifting Max up and setting
him behind himself. “Stay behind me Maxie. Patchwork will keep you safe.” He said firmly.
“Patchwork won’t ever let anyone hurt you. No matter what. Super duper mega promise.”

Max looked up at the big plushie beast. “O….okay….but you better not get hurt either.”
He said as he stepped forward and hugged the beast tightly. “If we’re gonna be friends. You
gotta stay safe too.” A thrill of warmth passed between the two as the wolf hugged the massive
beast. Patchwork gently stroking his back with his crab claw before looking at the wolf man, who
looked close to losing his lunch.

“Patchwork promises he’ll be safe too. He won’t make his puppy friend sad. Patchwork
would be a very, very bad friend if he did that.”

“You’re no friend to anyone abomination. Now burn.” The wolfman snarled, thrusting out
a paw as a gout of white flame lanced out of his paws, not just at Patchwork, but at Max as well.
As he had said, if Max wasn’t willing to leave the beast, better for him to die cleanly, then to
whatever hellish torture this sick creature would likely do to him.

Blood, so much blood, it was everywhere. Why was it everywhere. This was supposed to
be a good place. This was supposed to be a good thing. His first breath, his first moment in the
world. Why……why was his boy laying on the ground…...why…..why…….why was that piece of
metal in his chest, why was that strange person pulling it out and pushing it in over, and over,
and over again.

OHGODWHYDIDITHURTWHYDIDITHURT?

“Patch…...Patchwork…...I…..I’m happy….to...too…..too see…..yo….”

The first words of his friend. Of his creator. Of the person who had created him to be
their imaginary friend echoed through Patchwork’s mind as his form cracked, the magic that
formed him starting to unravel, but he clung to it. Held tightly to it with a burning will. NO. THAT
PERSON WAS HURTING HIS BOY. HE. WOULD. NOT. VANISH.
 Patchwork took a step forward, towards the onrushing flames. Putting his full body
between the haze of fire, and little Max just behind him. And he opened his muzzle and let loose
an ear splitting roar. The shriek was like a wall of force, striking into the flames and causing
them not just to stop, but to rebound on the wolf, forcing him to make a hasty, clumsy roll to the
side to avoid being cooked.

However, despite his massive size, Patchwork was shockingly fast, the beast closing the
gap in moments, to close his pincer around the wolf’s throat and haul him off the ground. His
other arm reaching out and grabbing the wolf’s paw as he began to conjure more flame and oh
so casually slam him into a tree.

“You. Tried. To. Hurt. MAXIE.” Patchwork roared, his eyes narrowed as he stared at the
wolf. “You’re just like the others. All the others. You wanna hurt my kids. My children. My
precious friends. You wanna break them, you wanna make them sad. Or make them…...make
them stop…..Well I won’t let you. I’ll make you warm, warm and fluffy. And you’ll make Maxie
happy. Not sad anymore.” He hissed softly.

As he spoke, Max watched in wonder as threads began to pull free from the beast’s
body and strike forward, impaling themselves into the arms and legs of the wolf. And where the
thread touched, the fur and flesh began to morph and change. Soft grey and white fabric
replacing the pelt of the siberian wolf man. His insides giving way to soft, polyfill, perfect for
snuggling and cuddling.

The poor man began to scream, to scream to high heaven. Not in pain, but in terror, in
absolute terror as his body was slowly being devoured by those threads, limb by limb. His body
going more and more numb as he watched his body morph and change. Slowly being remade
into that of a simple stuffed wolf plush.

“You be good friend for Maxie. You keep him warm. Give him something nice to snuggle
when he sleeps. A friend when he wants to play. That’s your purpose. What you are here for.”
Patchwork growled out lightly. And as he spoke, Max felt a sudden exhaustion sweep through
his body. The boy letting out a loud yawn as he slowly sat down, rubbing at his eyes as he
watched the scene unfolding before him.

Unfortunately, the man never had a chance to respond as the threads reached his head
and stilled his voice forever, silencing him as his muzzle was stitched into a bright, happy smile,
his eyes freezing in place as they crackled and shifted into simple plastic orbs. And with a soft
fwump, the man’s brain dissolved into nothing but soft, unthinking, stuffing, now nothing more
than an ordinary child sized stuffed toy in the creature’s hand.

His task down, Patchwork gave a happy nod as he turned towards Max and smiled
widely. “Looky, looky Maxie. Patchwork made you a toy.” He said brightly, almost skipping over
the boy to kneel down beside him, a look of concern on his face. “Maxie, are you okay?” He
asked gently.

Max let out another deep yawn, his eyes half open as he looked to be struggling to stay
awake. “Ya…..ya, I’m okay Patchwork. I’m okay…..just….just really tired.” He shook his head,
as though trying to wake himself. “I think….I think I might need a nap.” He murmered.

“Don’t worry. Patchwork will take good care of you. Patchwork promises. Maxie can nap.
And when Maxie wakes up. We can play all the games that Maxie wants. Patchwork will protect
you. Patchwork promises.” As the creature spoke, he gently, tenderly, scooped Max up in his
arms, sliding the wolf plush into his arms as he gently bounced him. Watching as Max’s eyes
slowly drifted closed, and the boy began to snore lightly against the plush.

Patchwork stared at the remains of the bad man who had hurt his boy, who had caused
all the red to get splattered around. The imaginary friend clutching his boy tightly against him,
holding him tenderly as he could feel his little chest shuddering, struggling to breath. He had so
many rips. So much of his red stuffing was coming out and he couldn’t do anything to stop it.

“Patch…..Patchy….can…..can I…..hear a….a song…..nobody…..ever used to si…..sing

me…..a….bedtime song….and...I’m….so tired….” Came the weak, almost whisperlike voice of
his maker. Of his bestest friend in the whole wide world. How could he not sing? He needed to
make his boy the happiest he could. As happy as possible. That was his job? Right. To be the
bestest, most awesome imaginary friend that his little boy could hope to imagine.

“Ya huh…..Patchwork can do dat. Patchwork will sing a really really nice song.” The
massive creature spoke softly. To the outside world, it was a monstrous abomination cradling
the body of a dying boy. But to the child, he saw nothing but the plush like creature he had put
together in his imagination.

“You are my Sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are grey.
You’ll never know dear, how much I love you….”

One shuddering grasp broke the creature’s newborn heart as tears began to fall from his
eyes.

“Please don’t take….take my sunshine away….”

Soft footsteps echoed through the forest, before a blazing white light suddenly cut
through the clearing, causing Patchwork to whimper and step back, whirling around. “Who’s
there?”

Two felines slowly strode forward. One was a teenage lion, an old cavalry saber held in
one paw, the blade radiating with a beautiful white light.
 And beside him, was a white tiger with black stripes, standing almost six feet tall. He
carried a beautifully crafted longsword at his side, the blade glowing with that same radiant
white light.

And from the light of their Swords. The holy blades Esparaccius, the Sword of Hope. And
Ammoracius, The Sword of Love, they saw Patchwork for what he really was. It was like the
creature was split down the middle, one half was that soft, loveable plush animal, while the
other half was that of that twisted, terrifying, dead beast.

“Who are you? What do you want? Patchwork just wants to be left alone. Patchwork
needs to put Maxie to bed. Maxie needs his nappies. He is tired.” Patchwork whimpered, taking
a few steps back from the two felines as he held Max protectively in his arms, his body slightly
twisted, ready to shield Max with his own form if he needed too in order to keep him safe.

“We’re here to talk to you. To make you set the children you’ve stolen from their family’s,
all of your victims free.” Silv said, his voice gentle, but firm. “You’ve been stealing those
children’s magic, putting them into an eternal sleep. You’ve been turning those people who try to
stop you into stuffed animals for those kids. We’re here to stop it. You’re going to release them.
All of them, now. Or…..we’ll stop you.” The lion’s voice didn’t rise, but his hand gripped just a tad
bit tighter on his sword as he said those last few words.

Patchwork just stared at the lion for a few moments. “What…...what are you talking
about?” He asked in honest, innocent confusion. His head cocking to the side slightly.
“Patchwork doesn’t steal magic. Patchwork would never, ever, ever hurt his kids. Patchwork just
takes care of his kids. He protects them. Makes them happy.” He said with a wide smile. “I’m
their bestest friend. And when they wake up. We’re gonna play lots and lots of games, and I’m
gonna make them smile nonstop.” He added eagerly.

Fenrir spoke quietly, his head bowed. “Patchwork…..they won’t wake up. You aren’t a
bad person. I can see that. I can hear it in your voice.” He spoke sadly. “You truly don’t mean to
hurt those kids…..and let me guess, those plushies. Those are people you thought were
dangerous to your kids?”

Patchwork’s vigours nod was all he needed to see to know just what was going on.

“Patchwork. I’m sorry…..I am so, so sorry. But you’re hurting your kids. You’re unstable.
Not right.” Silv spoke up, realization dawning on him as he realized what Fenrir was saying. “As
long as you’re here, their magic is trapped inside of you. You drained them of it to keep yourself
going. To keep yourself stable. And when you use your power…..”

“They fall asleep, as you pull on their reserves to fuel yourself. You go from child to child.
Making friends….but in a day or two….they always fall asleep, right?” Fenrir asked gently.
 Patchwork shivered, slumping down onto his knees as he hugged the sleeping Max to
his chest. “Patch…..Patchwork…..Patchwork is….is hurting his kids? Patchwork…..is….is
making them not wake up?” He whimpered softly. He shook his head. “No….no, no, no.
Patchwork promised. Patchwork super duper mega promised them…...He promised that he
would protect them. Keep them safe….he can’t…..he can’t hurt them. How can Patchwork fix
this? How can Patchwork help his children? He needs to keep his friends safe.” He said quickly.

“As long as your form is here…...you’re going to keep leeching off of all of the children
you form a connection with.” Silv said. His grip tightened on his sword. “We….would need to
unmake you….release all the magic you have within you back to the children….and then they’ll
wake up.”

Patchwork shuddered, whimpering and shaking his head slightly. Before his eyes landed
on the sleeping Max. He seemed so peaceful, relaxed, with no worries at all. But…..but…..he
would never wake up.

“Do…….do what you need to do. Patchwork…..Patchwork…..has to protect his little

friends. It’s…..It’s his job as an imaginary friend.” The great creature whispered very, very
quietly.

Silv nodded his head as he slowly lifted his blade up, Patchwork not even noticing it as
his whole focus was on Max, hugging the boy tightly to his chest, a gentle smile on his muzzle.

“You are my sunshine….my only sunshine….you make me happy, when skies are
grey…..”

The blade lifted up.

“Don’t ever leave me, my precious sunshine…..”

The sword fell.

“Please don’t take….my sunshine away.”

The sound of steel striking steel suddenly echoed through the clearing as Fenrir’s own
blade struck Silv and deflected the strike, the tip of the Sword of hope striking the ground rather
than the neck of the imaginary friend.

“No. Silv. No.” Fenrir whispered softly, his head bowed. “We’re meant to be protectors.
Defenders of the innocent from the monsters that would prey on them.” He shook his head.
“When we picked up these Swords. We made a promise. To save all that we could, to reach out
to every hand, and offer them another way.”
 Fenrir slowly lifted his head and looked at Patchwork, who just seemed shocked that he
was still alive. “He’s a victim in all of this as well. He never ‘chose’ to be a monster. He never
chose to hurt these children. All of that was an accident. The only thing that can be put on him is
what he did to the adults. And he only did that to protect his children. There was no malice
there. Misguided, maybe. But we’ve all made mistakes. Those mistakes are ‘not’ worth his life.
Not when he shows remorse and wants to help them.”

Silv just looked at Fenrir, his expression sad. “How are we supposed to even stabilize
him. It’s a miracle that he’s even lasted this long. He’s an imaginary friend. He should have
faded when his child died. He wouldn’t have any magic left to sustain himself, it’s….honestly,
this shouldn’t even be possible in the first place.”

“He’s here because he wanted to protect his child. Because he would do ‘anything’ for
these kids. He would fight the forces of hell itself even if it was for only a single little one. He
would do anything to protect their smiles. To make sure that they were happy, even if it killed
him.” Fenrir whispered, bowing his head and taking a slow deep breath.

He didn’t have a choice. No choice at all.

After all…...Kat would never have hesitated. And if she wouldn’t…..how could he?

“Come forth…...Guardian of my soul.” Fenrir whispered, driving his sword into the
ground as he lifted one paw against his chest before extending it out. “I call you forth. Show
yourself. Samasara.” He yelled out as a halo of light suddenly erupted out around the feline, Silv
letting out a yowl as he stumbled back, throwing a hand in front of himself to keep from being
blinded.

A blazing figure rose up behind Fenrir, three burning halos of light spun around it’s back,
a swirling kaleidoscope of light that seemed to draw the eye. The creature itself stood tall, it’s
form vaguely leonin, though it had no real discernible features. Four wings spread itself from it’s
back, two that looked somewhat batlike, while the other two had an almost angelic quality to
them.

Fenrir panted softly, letting out a grunt as he dropped to one knee, the sheer effort of
calling his guardian already taking its toll. There was a reason he’d never called upon it. He
hadn’t seen the point at the time. Even….even if it might have been able to free him from the
curse….the cost would have been too high. Samasara wasn’t meant for combat, Fenrir’s talent,
in both his Throwback Talent, and his own, far weaker magical ability, were personified in
Samasara’s own power. To bring people together, to link them, to unite beings together in ways
most couldn’t comprehend.
 The tiger slowly lifted a paw towards Patchwork, panting heavily as he could feel his
magical reserves rapidly being drained to fuel his guardian’s presence in the world. Samasara
responding and lifting its arms, two of its halos launching forward, one hanging above Fenrir,
while the other hung over Patchwork.

“Fenrir….what are you doing?” Silv asked slowly.

“The one….the one thing I can.” Fenrir hissed out. “Samasara, bind us.” The tiger
whispered.

The two halos of light suddenly erupted into pillars of light, hiding both figures from view,
and nearly hurling Silv backwards from the shockwave alone.

Within those pillars of light, Fenrir could feel it happening, the cost for trying to bring this
into existence, to make this happen. Patchwork didn’t deserve to die, just for trying to do his job,
just for trying to bring joy and happiness to children. But he needed not just magic to fuel
himself, he needed a child’s imagination, their innocence, their love.

There was a reason, that when a child looked at him, they saw only an adorable plush
playmate.

Fenrir stared down at his hands as he felt the connection snap into place, his own magic
starting to flow into Patchwork, but as it did so, his own body began to change. Growing smaller,
younger, as though with each second that ticked by, another month began to unwind on his
clock. And not just his body…..but his memories……

An imaginary friend required a child’s innocence.

And Fenrir was far from innocent.

“I love you Kat…...I love you so, so much. I know…..I know you would be happy with me.
I can feel it in my heart. You wouldn’t hesitate to save these children…..just like you didn’t
hesitate to save me, to sacrifice everything.” Fenrir whispered, closing his eyes. “I love you
Kat….goodbye, my wife…..Samasara…..cut loose the past, free the children, take the payment,
cement the bond.” Fenrir called out, his voice sounding like a child’s, only four or five year old.

At his words, the guardian responded, clapping his hands together as the pillars of light
suddenly shattered, and from Patchwork’s form, a plethora of lights suddenly rocketed out of his
body, the magical power of every child he had unknowingly fed from returning to its proper body.

Fenrir stumbled, before collapsing to the ground as Samasara vanished, it’s task done.
Silv at the boy’s side almost instantly, gently lifting the little kitten up. “Fenrir, oi, Fenrir, are you
okay?”
 Fenrir groaned softly as his eyes slowly blinked open. “Huh…..where am I? Where’s big
brother at? Where’s Whitestripe and Leogun…..I’m gonna….gonna be late for my training with
Eclipse…..he doesn’t….doesn’t like it when I’m late…..” The kitten groaned before slumping
against Silv, out light a light.

Silv took a deep breath, looking from Fenrir, to Patchwork, who was holding tightly to a
now awake Max.

“Well…….crap baskets.” He whispered.