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This time, One-Eyed Bart's attack has taken an unusual turn.
"'Now I have you in my grasp, Buzz Lightyear!' cackles One-Eyed Bart. He waves his pistol in the air and turns to the Space Ranger, his wings, arms and legs all tied to the wall against which he is spreadeagled. He struggles, but cannot break free from the living-metal ties that hold him in place. 'This is the last time that you will challenge me!'
"Buzz Lightyear is still proud, unafraid of the pistol One-Eyed Bart is holding just before him. Even with his helmet down and his face exposed, with the anti-technology stickers all over his suit, rendering it all but useless and so weighty that it alone would hold even the mighty Space Ranger still. 'You'll never defeat me, One-Eyed Bart.'
"'Oh yeah?' Bart sneers. 'Looks like I've done pretty well.'
"Buzz does not answer, and Bart thinks that he has won, but then the sand at the entrance to the cave crunches. Bart turns, to see Sheriff Woody, with his sidekicks Jessie and Bullseye, casting shadows across the entranceway.
"'The Sheriff! And his friends!' cries One-Eyed Bart.
"'Woody! Jessie!' says Buzz in relief."
"Come on, Andy! Or we'll be late!"
Andy groaned as his mother's voice rang up the stairs. "Coming, Mom!" Scooping up Woody in one hand and his cowboy hat in the other, he jumped to his feet, burst out of the door and careered down the stairs to the waiting car outside.
There was a moment whilst the toys in the room waited for the sound of the car, then, with a groan, Mr Potato Head was the first to react. "Well, at least I have some imagination, apparently." He rapped on Buzz's chest. "Kinda suits you, Lightyear."
Buzz glared at the potato, then looked across to meet Jessie's eyes as the cowgirl was getting to her feet. "Well," he said after a moment. "This is something of an interesting situation."
Jessie grinned. "You said it, Space Ranger." She sauntered over to where he was tied up, hands on her hips. Twenty-four hours to themselves, even without Woody who was accompanying Andy to the sleepover, was looking to be a good chance to unwind a bit and catch up on those little bits of upkeep and socialising they didn't always get a chance for.
Buzz tugged slightly against one of the ('borrowed') hair ties that held his arm in place; it barely moved, although Buzz was no slouch when it came to strength. A frown crossed the Space Ranger's features, and he tried each limb in turn, getting no response. "It seems that One-Eyed Bart has been improving his technique," he added gruffly.
A laugh burst from Jessie's lips; she reached out and hit the button to retract his wings, which slid free of the hair ties and back into him.
"Ah, thank you," said Buzz.
He gave another, this time slightly half-hearted, tug with his right arm. Jessie stayed a few paces away, watching, finding herself unable to tear her eyes away. 'One-Eyed Bart' had spreadeagled Buzz against the wall, arms and legs outstretched, exposing him and turning his laser and other skills
useless. His feet did not even touch the ground, but twitched slightly whenever he tried to move one of his legs.
Buzz glanced around swiftly as realisation dawned that he could not release himself, then went back with slightly more desperation to moving. For a moment Jessie did not catch what he was doing, more busy staring at the way that he flexed against the bonds, then embarrassment washed over her as she realised how frustrated he was.
"Here, lemme get those for ya." She climbed over the side of the cardboard box that Buzz had been tied against, dropped down inside. Her voice was slightly muffled as she continued: "Easier to sort it out from here."
Out of Buzz's sight, she felt a heat in her stuffing, and stopped to take a couple of huffing breaths. The sight of Buzz sprawled against the wall had sent strange wriggling sensations through her spring, her axle, and part of her had wanted to pin him up there and run her fingers over his casing until he really writhed.
But Buzz clearly wanted out. So she unlooped the hair ties where Andy had tangled them in place, then winced as she heard a thump from the other side. That would probably be Buzz hitting the floor again. "Y'all right out there?" she hollered over the cardboard.
"Affirmative. Release from bondage has been achieved."
"Oh man, Buzz," Jessie whispered. "Don't put it like that." She swallowed back the urge to reply in kind, then hopped up and out of the box once again. She landed next to Buzz, who was brushing himself off and checking that his helmet opened and closed properly, then clapped him on the shoulder. "Feelin' better?"
"It certainly is an improvement to have full mobility," said Buzz.
He stretched his arms, then struck a pose, and Jessie laughed despite herself and threw her arm around his back. "Come on, Space Ranger. Let's go make the most of the time out, eh?"
That night they sat and watched the stars, Buzz coming out with some of his usual stories about Astral Sectors and which stars had planetary systems and life forms. Most of the other toys laughed when he tried it, but Jessie couldn't help liking the tales that Buzz came out with. They were toys, after all, meant to live in different stories.
"...most famous for being the site of the battle between..." Buzz trailed off, looked over at Jessie for a moment, then reached over to put his hand over hers. She started slightly, blank expression becoming surprise, then turned to him. "Jessie, it appears that something is preoccupying you."
"It ain't nothing," she replied, technically true though she had not meant it that way. But his firm plastic fingers ran over the fabric of her wrist, just beneath her cuffs, and she gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Just thinking 'bout earlier."
"It was an unusual situation," he offered.
"I guess I'm just used to you being the hero," she replied. She stroked his cheek gently, then reached across to lightly kiss him on the lips. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get a fast rescue once Andy gets back."
Buzz paused for a moment, thoughtfully. "True. Andy's return will necessitate that I am restrained again."
Had she been human, her heart would have fluttered at the thought of him, tied up before her, in contrast to the slightly troubled expression on his face. As it was, she squirmed slightly where she sat, legs stretched out in front of her on the windowsill watching the spring night pass by. "I'm sorry, Buzz," she said softly.
His troubled look turned to confusion. "Why should you be sorry? You were not responsible for my situation."
"It's... nah, don't worry about it," she said, squeezing his hand again. "Just didn't want to see you gettin' all worried again."
Buzz smiled at her, a soft little smile that she'd seen occasionally on his face, but nowhere near often enough if she would have her say. She was about to ask what was going through his mind when he leant close, lips almost brushing against her ear, and a tingle ran down her stitching as he whispered: "You know... you could always put those ties back on a bit earlier..."